Tag Archives: Christmas

San Francisco ~ Haas-Lilienthal Victorian House

ABC Wednesday ~ V is for Victorian

As featured on A&E’s America’s Castles’ “Castles by the Bay,” this exuberant Queen Anne-style Victorian was built in 1886. It is the only intact private home of the period that is open regularly as a museum, complete with authentic furniture and artifacts. The House has elaborate wooden gables, a circular corner tower and luxuriant ornamentation. Volunteer docents lead tours through the House and explain the Victorian architecture of the exterior. A display of photographs in the downstairs supper-room describes the history of the home and the family that lived here until 1972.

The Haas-Lilienthal Family
From Victorian Sampler by Randolph Delahanty.
William Haas was born April 24, 1849, in the village of Reckendorf, Bavaria, to a family of modest means with many children…In 1865, sixteen-year-old William and an older brother, Abraham, sailed for New York City…He arrived in San Francisco on October 9, 1868, and joined the grocery firm of Leopold Loupe and Kalman Haas. His first recorded address, in Langley’s San Francisco Directory of 1869, was the Nucleus Hotel, on Third and Market. Please come take a tour to learn more about how William Haas built his life (and his home) in San Francisco.

William Haas entrusted Bavarian architect Peter R. Schmidt and contractors McCann & Biddell to build his home in 1886.

The house withstood the 1906 Earthquake with only slight damage. However, the home was threatened by the devastating fire, which followed the earthquake and destroyed about 40% of San Francisco. The Haas family watched the fire from the roof of their house, but was soon forced to evacuate by city authorities. So the family, along with most other San Francisco residents, went to the nearest public park, Lafayette Park, to camp out during the emergency. Later, they temporarily moved to a large house in Oakland while the City was reconstructed.

My husband was at a conference in San Francisco December 5th -9th. I met him there on saturday the 6th of December to celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary. On Sunday we went on a walking tour of some of the Victorian Homes in Pacific Heights. When we got to this home a lovely volunteer with the Foundation, Kaleene, told us about the Christmas Open House that was that very afternoon. Dear had to go to a meeting but I came back to the house for the event. While there I was given a mini-tour of the home. Here are some interior photos of this historic landmark.

Wine and food was served during the Open House.

Being Russian I was happy to see this great Samovar…

 

For more ABC Wednesday Posts visit the ABC Wednesday Blog. Thanks to Denise for hosting this meme.

Tablescape Tuesday ~ Seattle Christmas

Welcome to Tablescape Tuesday hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Today I’m sharing a Christmas Table from my home in the Seattle Area of Washington State.

The Santa Hat Chair covers are from Target clearance a couple years ago.

I just bought the green goblets over Thanksgiving at Goodwill in Lynwood, Washington. I paid full price for them $1.99 each and there were 11 of them.

The red chargers are from Sears. They were 50% off so I got a package of 4 for $9.99.

The square green salad plates were from Sears, too, on sale but I forget how much.

The 3 tiered sever is from Target clearance from a couple years ago.

The crystal side dishes are from Goodwill in Bellevue

I forget where I bought the poinsettia napkin rings but I bought them last year at a Christmas Clearance sale. I love this tablecloth that I bought years ago from Molbaks at their after Christmas sale…

To see more tablescapes visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

Blue Monday ~ Seattle to San Francisco

Welcome to Blue Monday hosted by Smiling Sally. My photos this week are from the Seattle area and from San Francisco.

Over Thanksgiving we made at trip to Ste Michelle Winery and enjoyed their fabulous Peacock tree and Tree Topper and wreath. Then we went outside and met their inspiration, this wonderful peacock!

From Seattle I flew to San Francisco to meet up with Dear who was attending the American Society of Hematology conference and here is some blue from this very interesting city.

Hope you enjoyed my Blue this week. Enjoy your Monday and new week!

Visit Sally at Smiling Sally to see more Blue Monday Posts.

Ah, Dearest Jesus ~ Hymn

Ah, Dearest Jesus

Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child,
Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled
Within my heart, that it may be
A quiet chamber kept for Thee.

My heart for very joy doth leap,
My lips no more can silence keep;
I, too, must sing with joyful tongue
That sweetest ancient cradle song.

Glory to God in highest Heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.

Words: Mar­tin Lu­ther, 1535; trans­lat­ed from Ger­man to Eng­lish by Ca­ther­ine Wink­worth, 1855. These lyr­ics are from the long­er hymn, From Heav­en Above to Earth I Come.

Fridays Fave 5 ~ San Francisco Style…

The lovely Susanne at Living to Tell the Story hosts Fridays Fave Five where we recap our favorites from the past week.

I met Dear in San Francisco on Saturday to celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary so here are my Faves from the time we spent there and a couple from home.

1. Celebrating our Anniversary with a walk around the city and dinner at Scoma’s Italian Fish Restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf and our lunches at Johnny Foley’s Irish Pub.

2. Walking into some old churches with the most amazing interiors and stained glass windows.

3. The 4 story Christmas Tree at Nieman Marcus in San Francisco and all the other wonderful Christmas displays in the city.

4. Coming home and seeing the Tumbleweed tumbling around the neighborhood!

5. Finding treasures at my favorite thrift stores in both Washington and Camarillo. These sweet Brambly Hedge Tea cups, 1 for each season, were found at Goodwill in Washington. Only the Autumn one has the saucer so I’ll have to be on the lookout for the other saucers. :0)

For more Fave Fives visit Susanne at Living to Tell the Story.

 

Trim the Tree Thursday

Welcome to Trim the Tree Thursday hosted by Brett at the Southern Hostess.

This is what you see when you come up to our front door at our home in Washington. See that gold ribbon? It is tied to both the wreath and the wall hanging. I just drape the ribbon over the door and the wreath hangs nicely on the outside of the door and the Ho Ho Ho wall hanging hangs on the inside of the door. No hooks necessary and the weight of each keeps them in place during the whole Christmas season…

This is a little glimpse into our living room where we always have our tree…

To see more Trim the Tree posts click over to Brett’s.

Tablescape Tuesday ~ Christmas Past

Welcome to Tablescape Tuesday hosted by Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. I’m still in San Francisco and will be flying back to the LA area tomorrow morning. I had to post this now because I’m headed out for my last day of sight seeing in Cloudy San Francisco. The computer has to get locked up in the safe :0) I hope to get around to all the lovely tablescapes tomorrow evening. To everyone who stops by here I hope your week is filled with simple joys…

This tablescape is from a Young Ladies Bible Study Christmas Dinner I hosted a few years ago. This was before blogging and my photos are not real clear and detailed but I think you’ll get the feel.

The next two collages are from last year and they are photos of our fun everyday Christmas table.

The Bear Placemats are from our almost 23 year old daughter’s first birthday. She was born on December 27th.

These are our little vintage place card holders that we inherited from Dear’s mother Verna. We have 3 boxes of them and she never used them. I’ve changed up our everyday table this year and I’ll be showing that scape soon.

For more tablescapes visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch. Thank you Susan for hosting this fun blog carnival!