There Goes Connie

A Good Night to Be A Missionary

06/24/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

(An email to our children February, 24, 2004).

Tonight was another one of those times when I really felt like a missionary.

A few years ago, your Daddy and I bought one of those inexpensive, 13″ TV/VCR combinations, mostly to watch when we were exercising on the treadmill upstairs on the landing. I never imagined that it would be used to show the Jesus video to a roomful of Quichuas. But, that’s exactly what happened tonight.

We left the apartment about 4:30 this afternoon to follow Linda (our fellow missionary in Cuenca), her mom and friends currently visiting her from Washington State to a new ministry community, San Bartolo. We were in the truck and stopped to pick up the Quichua pastor of Santa Barbara and his wife along the way. They were such a sweet couple, but their Spanish spoken with a Quichua accent proved to be an extra communication challenge. Linda told us there would be a TV and VCR in the home where we were going, but I offered to carry our little set “just in case.” We finally got to our destination about 6:30 p.m. Our hostess for the evening, Rosa, was a strong-looking woman whose husband and sons have gone to the States, leaving her to raise the daughters and all the grandchildren by herself. She had swept and tidied a bedroom and had arranged chairs all around the edge. These were straightback chairs she had obviously borrowed from somewhere. Then she put a TV and some kind of machine on a table against the wall. It was a good thing we took our TV/VCR because what she had would not have played our tape.

Shortly, Rosa had supper ready. You guessed it — roasted cuy (guinea pig), papas (potatoes), and mote (like hominy). Then, bread and molasses for dessert. Since I am trying to stick to my low-carb diet, I ate a few bites of cuy and then passed my bowl to the pastor, who grinned broadly at the sight of more food. As usual, the guests (meaning us) were served separately from the family. We’re always given a full plate of food and a large serving spoon as the only utensil. No napkins. Cuy is very greasy, so I was glad your Daddy had a clean handkerchief!

By 7:30, I had concluded that no guests were going to show up — after all, it was the last night of Carnival, and most people wanted to party one more time before the beginning of Lent. But, when we started the movie at 7:50, there were 14 Quichuas in the room, and within 30 minutes, 24 were watching. They sat in those uncomfortable chairs, shoulder-to-shoulder, with rapt attention, and 11 were even crowded together sitting on the bed. We gringos were off to the side since we wanted as many of them as possible to have a view of that tiny screen. Satan tried to use 3 cats that enjoyed walking in front of the TV, dogs barking, and a baby who started crying during the Crucifixion scene to distract them, but he was not successful. I was in a good position to watch their faces. We found out from the pastor later that at least 10 of those who were there were unbelievers, and I think I could probably pick them out. They were paying intense attention. I prayed for several faces in particular that appeared to be seeing and hearing the story of Jesus for the very first time. At the end, I had some gospel tracts and Linda’s friends had gum and small toys for the children. I can’t tell you whether or not anyone received Christ for the first time tonight, but I do know that they each had a clear opportunity to learn the Truth, and I know that we are working hard to provide follow-up times in that same location.

When we took the pastor and his wife back home, we got out of the truck briefly and were treated to the sight of at least a million stars brilliantly lighting up the top of the mountain where we were. It was a good night to be a missionary.

I love you,

Momma

“Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone works wonders. And blessed be His glorious name forever; and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen, and Amen.” Psalm 72:18-19

Hassinger Daniels Mansion Bed and Breakfast in Birmingham’s Historic Five Points

06/20/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

Location, location, location and beautiful historic restoration. Those are key words where Hassinger Daniels Mansion B & B is concerned. It is in the heart of bustling Five Points. The back parking lot is adjacent to the parking lot for Highlands Bar and Grill, and a Chick-Fil-A is on the other side of the driveway. As a matter of fact, you can walk 3 blocks and pass dozens of shops and eateries.

Front exterior of the Hassinger Daniels Mansion.

Large verandah perfect for watching the world go by.

Sign by the front gate.

The mansion was built in 1898, and was bought by the current owners, Ira and Sheila Chaffin, in 2010. Mrs. Chaffin is an architect, and Mr. Chaffin is a sculptor and wood carver. They knew exactly what to expect in undertaking the remodeling and refurbishing, because they had done the same thing 10 years earlier with Cobb Lane B & B — their first venture into the World of Hospitality. Actually their two B & B’s are the ONLY B & B’s in Birmingham, and both are very successful.

Sheila Chaffin explains a fun game to some guests.

The rooms are comfortable with all kinds of architectural and period nuances — such as clawfoot tubs, glass transoms over the doors, fireplaces and decorative woodwork. Breakfast is hot and delicious. Afternoon treats and cold drinks are complimentary, and so is the wi-fi. You are likely to share breakfast in the large dining room with some very interesting people from all over the country, and the Chaffins are gracious hosts. Because of the historic nature of this Victorian Queen Anne building, it is not required to be handicap-accessible, and because of Mrs. Chaffin’s allergies, they don’t allow pets. But, for sheer convenience and uniqueness, Hassinger Daniels was a good place for us to stay.

Chandelier in the Camelot room.

Stained glass in the stairwell.

As a bonus feature, Mr. Chaffin houses Chaffin Carousel Carving School in the basement, and guests are invited to go down and have a look. We stayed in the Camelot room and actually had a full-size carousel horse in our large bay window.

A carousel horse carved by Ira Chaffin.

Fireplace and carved carousel horse in Camelot room.

To reserve a room, go to the Cobb Lane website because the website for Hassinger Daniels is under construction.

To know more, see my article in Trip101 about this B & B.

Yet Another Adventure

06/17/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

(Newsletter to prayer partners and family, May 4, 2003).

It was a simple plan for the day. Steve was going to Cachigalguay for his final veterinary seminar in the first series and would be away from 7:30 a.m. until about 5:30 p.m. I was to stay behind to meet a couple of scheduled repairmen, catch up on laundry, and make preparations for a volunteer medical team arriving in a few weeks. I got to the end of my to-do list and decided to walk about 5 blocks to talk to a hotel manager to get rates for the volunteer team.

I put the door key in my pocket along with a little money and a copy of my passport — you never know when you might get hit by a taxi or a bus and need some form of ID — grabbed a pad and pen and headed out. The hotel manager happily spoke English, gave me a nice tour of the facilities and promised to get back soon with a proposal. I stopped at a neighborhood deli and bought a chicken tamale for lunch and got back to the apartment smugly proud of myself for managing all of that alone in my new culture. I reached in my pocket to get the key only to try it and discover that it was NOT the door key after all. I STILL don’t know what that key opens. There I was. No way to open my door and Steve still likely to be gone for another 4 or 5 hours!!

I immediately went downstairs to get Alfredo, the guard. We’re crazy about Alfredo. He doesn’t speak a word of English, but he has helped us in a million ways since we moved in. Surely, he’d have a solution. But, no. He didn’t have spare keys to everyone’s apartments. He told me our landlady was on the coast and unavailable, and he refused to loan me a ladder to climb up to our second floor apartment from the outside and come in through the sliding glass doors. Bummer. He said he was sorry, and I realized I was stuck. He went back downstairs, and surprisingly, I didn’t cry!! I sat down in the stairwell and started thinking. Pretty soon I remembered a bathroom available near the lobby, if necessary. 🙂 That helped my impending panic quite a bit.

Now, if I’d been at home in Alabama, several things would have been different. For one thing, I would have had a big ol’ purse with me full of lots of keys — one of them SURELY would have been the front door key. But here I try as often as possible to avoid taking a purse. I can walk faster and easier, plus I don’t feel like such a target for petty thieves and muggers. At home I would have used my cellphone to get Steve’s advice about what to do. Here, although cellphones are available and fairly common, we haven’t seen the need for one YET. In my Alabama home, I probably would have broken a window in order to get in if there had been no other options. But, in our building, there are no reachable windows, and the landlady would certainly have been unhappy with me for such a stunt.

So, I kept sitting until the idea of a locksmith came to me. Once again, I went to Alfredo and asked for his help in locating one. Both of us felt it was unlikely since it was Saturday and lunch/siesta time at that, but he found a number for me and let me use the lobby phone to call. A man answered, and I stammered something that I hope meant “I need a person to open my door, por favor.” He asked where. I gave him directions, and then he started talking very fast, so I handed the phone to Alfredo. From what I could tell, the man said that he was in the middle of lunch, but that he would come when he finished — maybe a half hour or so (Latin American time). We hung up. I went back upstairs to sit in the stairwell, eat my lunch and wait.

In a very reasonable amount of time, the locksmith arrived with his little bag of tricks, and within 5 minutes, I was inside. When I asked, “Cuanto cuesta?” (How much does it cost?) He said, “Tres.” (3) I could hardly believe my ears!! Only $3.00 for a house call on Saturday afternoon??? I paid him $3.50, and we were both VERY happy!

What a nice place to live! What nice people live in this town! As the character Annie sang when she first saw the home of Daddy Warbucks, “I think I’m going to like it here!” Another happy ending. Praise the Lord!

Philippians 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

OVENBIRD — What a Strange Name for a Restaurant!

06/13/2016 By: CCPearson2 Comments

Steve and I spent a couple of fun days in Birmingham celebrating my birthday a few weeks ago. As all self-respecting travel writers tend to do, I wanted to eat in non-chain places, see things I would enjoy photographing and writing about, and stay in a place that was not your average Motel 6. Get the picture? I was in touch with the travel media specialist in Birmingham, and she made some great suggestions. I’ve already written about Eagle’s Restaurant (soul food) in last Monday’s post. Today, I want to introduce you to Ovenbird.

Ovenbird sign.

Ovenbird view from the parking lot.

Chris Hastings and his wife Idie already had a very popular restaurant in Birmingham — Hot and Hot Fish Club — but they decided to branch out a couple of years ago and do something VERY different. It should be mentioned that Chris won the very prestigious James Beard Best Chef in the South Award in 2012. “South” in that context includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, so it’s safe to say that this man knows his way around a kitchen. Chris fell in love with cooking over an open fire during family camping trips in his boyhood. Then, during a vacation in South America, he learned about the national bird — the Ovenbird — that builds a nest in the shape of an oven, and he observed the cooking style of using a beehive oven. He wanted to create a restaurant and a menu using only an open fire hearth and a beehive oven to prepare the dishes.

He asked for the input of two fellow chefs — Barclay Stratton, Chef de Cuisine for Ovenbird and Sedesh Wilkerson, Chef de Cuisine at Hot and Hot Fish Club — and those three creative minds put together the menu for Ovenbird. At the present time, it consists of 31 small plates listed under the categories of Shared Snacks, Toss & Composed, Farms + Fields, Land + Air, Oceans + Estuaries, Orchards and Dairies, and Chef’s Favorites. The idea is that each diner will order 2 or 3 of these small plates and then share with those at his/her table.

Charred asparagus.

Deviled eggs with anchovy, curtido, and romesco.

Tuna and Avocado Toast

Steve and I chose to sample Tuna and Avocado Toast, Deviled Eggs (with anchovies), Charred Asparagus, Vegetable Paella, Braised Goat, Snapper Tartare, and Blueberry Beignets with Blueberry Lime Ice Cream. It was DELICIOUS and possibly the most unusual meal I’ve ever had — and remember I’ve been on mission trips to quite a few places. We decided to wait and try such things as Shishito Peppers, Tomato Gazpacho, Henry Fudge’s Pig Belly (Henry Fudge is actually from Athens, AL. His farm is in Madison.), Grilled Octopus, Beef Fat Candle, and Burnt Espresso Cream for another visit.

No, this is not a place for Picky Eaters. And, I didn’t see anything that the 12 Pearson grandchildren would “embrace.” Actually, though, they do serve a Saturday brunch with hotcakes, omelettes, biscuits and beignets that would certainly get them fired up.

Two other unique things about Ovenbird I should mention. 1) The location is right outside Charlie Thigpen’s Garden Gallery in Pepper Place, so the setting is lush with beautiful plants. 2) Chris’ wife Idie is also a chef in her own right. Plus, she’s a dog-lover. In fact, she has developed her own line called One Lucky Dog Treats. Dogs are even welcome in the outdoor patio area at Ovenbird.

Fountain in the courtyard.

Ready for a party in the outdoor courtyard. A view of Charlie Thigpen’s Garden Gallery.

Are you feeling adventurous? Try it. You just might like it.

For more information and food photos, read my article about Ovenbird published in MilesGeek.com.

Disclosure – Many thanks to OvenBird for hosting me. Regardless of OvenBird’s generosity, readers receive my honest feedback as my opinions are 100% my own.”

Being Mary Poppins . . . Que Divertido! (What fun!)

06/10/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

Matthew 6: 19-21 ¹⁹“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

(From a newsletter on October 18, 2003)

A few weeks ago, Steve and I went with our ministry partner, Linda Freeman, to the village of Chorocopte to assist her in teaching the “Experiencing God” study to a group of adults. I noticed that the children were expected to just stay out of the way and be quiet, so afterwards I asked if they were able to attend Sunday School somewhere. The answer was that the nearest evangelical church was too far away, and that the family business prevented them from getting to services on Sunday. So, I asked if they would like for me to prepare something for the children while the adults were having their study. The adults got very excited and immediately thought of more children in the area that they wanted to include. So, last Thursday, I found six eager children waiting to see what the gringo lady, Hermana Connie, was going to do. No, I didn’t sing “A Spoonful of Sugar” or fly in with an umbrella, but I did have an enormous bag of “tricks.”

Here I am with my eager students working on coloring sheets about the day’s Bible story.

My Spanish teacher helped me practice reading the story of Noah’s ark from a children’s Bible. I found some coloring pages in English that I carefully translated into Spanish. I used boxes of fresh new crayons that volunteers had brought in, and I carried by CD player with songs to teach, such as “Cantare de Te amor para siempre” (“I will sing of Your love forever) and, just for good measure, I had “The Hokey Pokey” and “If You’re Happy and Your Know It” in English!! I even took antiseptic handwipes (bless their little hearts) and cookies! They were smiling and giggling the whole time, teaching ME lots of new Spanish words and asking the English names of all the crayons. Four of the children had never heard that Bible story before and seemed fascinated by all those animals and all of that rain. It was by far the most fun I’ve had since we got to Ecuador!! The story of Naaman and his leprosy will be next, and I’m going to prepare for 15 children — knowing that the news of the cookies is bound to bring them in. My earthly reward for this effort was having a big piece of fried cuy (guinea pig) piled on my plate of rice and potatoes that was served afterwards!

Eagle’s Restaurant — North Birmingham’s Soul-Food Mecca

06/06/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods America on The Travel Channel, feasted there on oxtails, neck bones, collard greens and candied yams. American Idol’s Reuben Stoddard and former NBA great Charles Barkley have also made their way to Eagle’s along with a host of daily hungry diners. On a recent visit, Steve tried the meat loaf with collards and pinto beans, while I had beef tips on rice with blackeyed peas and candied yams. Steve declared the collards to be flavorful and tender, and I would rate the candied yams as The Best I’ve Ever Eaten. We both thought the cornbread was EXTRA-special, and the sweet tea was perfect! No wonder Eagle’s has so many loyal customers!

Meat loaf, collards, pinto beans and cornbread. Mighty good!

Close up of some of the vegetables.

Eagle’s Restaurant, located a block off of Finley Avenue in north Birmingham and within sight of ACIPCO (American Cast Iron Pipe Company), has been in business since 1951. In a popular dictionary definition of soul food, the term refers to “food typically eaten by African-Americans in the southern United States,” but I can assure you that all Americans or even people from other parts of the world will find Eagle’s version of soul food to be satisfying, filling, and delicious.

Eagle’s Restaurant, 2610 16th St. North, Birmingham, AL

ACIPCO, American Cast Iron Pipe Company

Open for lunch everyday except Saturdays.

Jamal Rucker’s dad bought the business in 1974 with the stipulation that the name remain the same. The Rucker family has kept the recipes, the location, and the building and has added an ever-growing number of happy eaters. Jamal said that his Momma learned the recipes and cooking methods from the cook who was there before her, and that cook learned from her Momma. In my opinion, when Mommas are involved in passing down recipes, mighty good things happen in a kitchen. When I asked a fellow diner why she thought Eagle’s was so popular, she answered quickly: “The food’s good, consistent.” And, then looking very pointedly at Jamal, she added, “And they’d better not change!” When a business has such a winning formula, why would they want to do that.

Jamal Rucker, son of the owners.

Eagle’s is open from 10:30 – 3:30 Sunday through Friday and is closed on Saturday. Jamal estimates that they serve 200 people on weekdays and 400 on Sundays. With a tiny building and only 6 booths, that seems like an impossible feat. But, most come in for carry-outs, and the line snakes through the narrow aisle, outside the door and down the sidewalk. Portions are definitely large enough to save the leftovers for dinner. This is NOT a buffet, but the servers generously give diners their money’s worth and more.

A mouth-watering array of soul food.

Small diner with a large clientele.

Eagle’s gets lots of fresh produce from the Jefferson County Farmers Market only a mile away, and everyday the menu features 7 or 8 different vegetables. But, the uniqueness comes in with the meat choices. For example, you can find oxtails on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Pig feet and ears are featured on Monday. And neckbones and potatoes can be ordered on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Chitterlings are reserved for Sundays.

Pig feet and ears and peach cobbler — Monday specials.

Chitterlings, also known as “chittlins,” are made from the small intestines of a pig.

Steve and I enjoyed the atmosphere so much. The phone was ringing constantly with call-in orders, and there was a steady stream of interesting diners — preachers, nurses, office workers, lots of folks on lunch break, etc. The walls are painted paneling, with a couple of window air conditioning units humming. CNN was on a TV at one end while a couple of pinball machines waited by the door. Parking is along the street or in the 3 or 4 spots beside the building. This is a very casual, down-home place with a busy, happy, contented vibe. Jamal says, “All customers are special to us,” and it shows.

Steve also wrote about Eagle’s Restaurant because he was so impressed with their business practices. Read his blog post here — “Sometimes Change is the Last Thing Your Business Needs.”

A Praise Report

06/03/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

Only 3 1/2 months after we arrived on the field and while we were both still in full-time language school, Steve was asked to be the main teacher/speaker for the all-day Good Friday services at a large Quichua church in Cachigalguay. Hallelujah that Juan Miguel Delgado, a fine Christian young man in Cuenca who is fluent in English, was available to go with us as Steve’s translator. Here is the report I typed later to our prayer partners).

Steve spent every available minute on preparation for today during this past week, and it showed. He had plenty of material, and it was all eagerly received by the church FULL of people who came. We were surprised by the number of young people and children who were there. In God’s providence, our son Matt has been preaching a series of messages on “The Seven Last Words of Christ,” so he shared his sermon notes via e-mail with his Dad, and that provided lots of research and background information.

When we first arrived, the pastor encouraged everyone to spend time on their knees asking God’s blessings on the lessons. It was very moving and reassuring to hear those people whispering their prayers all at once in Spanish.

THEN, a group of young men led in a time of praise and worship music. Well, the main verse that kept coming to my mind was, “Don’t let your right hand know what your left hand is doing,” because that’s pretty much the way the music sounded . . . . at least to MY ears. I’m sure it sounded much different to God. Sincerity and robust singing were abundant. Rhythm, however, was noticeably absent. Bless their hearts. People really TRIED to clap to the beat, but, sadly, there wasn’t one! Oh well. It definitely didn’t dampen the Spirit in any way.

Steve teaching. Juan Miguel translating.

After Steve and Juan Miguel had been teaching for several hours, the pastor called a break for lunch. He surprised me by asking me to say the blessing!!! I prayed SOMETHING in Spanish — don’t ask me what. Everyone went to the basement of an adjoining building and sat in chairs placed as closely together as possible. Then, in an amazingly short period of time, the deacons served everyone a big bowl of rice with lots of vegetables and pieces of chicken mixed in and a big choclo (corn on the cob — sort of). All of this was eaten with a large serving spoon. While we were balancing this dish on our laps, the deacons came back around with cups of warm orange Kool-aid. Then, a couple of minutes after that, we got a bowl of pear-sauce (as opposed to applesauce) and a giant flat roll. It was a trick to manage all of those dishes, but it was quite tasty, and the crowd seemed to be most appreciative.

Lunchtime at the Good Friday event in Cachigalguay. We all sat shoulder-to-shoulder and enjoyed the lunch prepared by the ladies but served by the deacons.

Steve’s afternoon session also went well. At the end, they began to ask all kinds of questions, and he had to politely remind them that he was a veterinarian, not a theologian, but he certainly did the best he could. Fifty-five years of listening to sermons and thirty-plus years of teaching Sunday School came in mighty handy for him. Psalm 37:4 was answered very powerfully for my husband today. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” For a long time, the “desire of Steve’s heart” has been to be able to spend countless hours studying God’s word and teaching it, but he had to earn a living. God’s gift was in giving him a way to earn a living WHILE studying God’s word and teaching. And, hopefully, the Quichua people were the real beneficiaries today.

Whitney Plantation — A Focus on the Slaves

06/01/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

I can’t leave Louisiana’s Plantation Country without telling you about Whitney Plantation, probably the “most different” of them all. Begun as a sugar cane operation in 1752, it was finally opened to the public for the very first time in 2014, and has the distinction of being the ONLY plantation in Louisiana that is dedicated solely to educating the public about the slaves and the conditions under which they lived and worked.

Located on Highway 18 in Wallace, LA, you will not leave from a visit to Whitney the same way you arrived. The tour, the exhibits, and the surroundings will make a lasting impression. It’s very sobering to be confronted so graphically with the cruelty these innocent human beings endured. There are many museums dedicated to telling the story of the Holocaust, but this is the only place in the United States where the issue of slavery is dealt with so passionately and vividly. Interviews in the 1930’s with more than 2300 former slaves were conducted as part of the Federal Writers’ Project. The information and quotes scattered throughout the Whitney grounds and in the narrated tour are derived from those interviews.

John Cummings, a New Orleans lawyer and multi-millionaire who has become one of the largest landowners in the area, owns Whitney Plantation and is vehement about the need to educate people, not about the rich white people who inhabited “the big houses” with their art and fine antiques, but about the people who actually sweated, toiled and were beaten in the process of making those big-house-dwellers wealthy. He believes that “racism needs to become an antique through education.”

Mr. Cummings continues to put money where his convictions are through the Good Shepherd School in New Orleans. They started with 12 black students and are now up to 88. Students attend classes 6 days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. 11 months a year. Expectations are high, and black students are rising to the challenge. “What a change we can make (in this country) when we send more black men and women to college than to the penitentiary,” Cummings preaches.

Statues of slave children that are on the grounds are the work of Woodrow Nash.

Statue inside Antioch Church on the grounds of Whitney Plantation.

Statues of slave children by Woodrow Nash.

I strongly urge you to include Whitney Plantation in your itinerary whenever you are in this part of the country. An article in National Geographic calls it “The Plantation Every American Should Visit.” I agree.

Houmas House Plantation: Extraordinary Luxury and Natural Beauty

05/30/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

I just turned 66. Gasp! And, I’ve stayed in a lot of different hotel rooms. Notably, one was during a mission trip to Guatemala and cost $2.50 per night, which Steve deemed “highway robbery.” There was a bare light bulb hanging in the middle of the room, we slept on TOP of the sheets on the bed, and the shower had a crate on the floor to stand on rather than have cockroaches run across your feet. Seriously. I’ve slept under mosquito nets in Kenya where the outside grounds were being guarded by a man with a bow and arrow. On the other side of the spectrum, I’ve stayed in rooms overlooking Times Square, the crashing waves on the north shore of Oahu, the rolling surf of the Gulf of Mexico, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and one with the Capitol dome out the window. Most have been comfortable, convenient and served their purpose admirably.

A recent night in Louisiana stands out at the top, or certainly among the top 3 or 4 in my mind, in terms of purely luxurious furnishings in the room of an overnight cottage with astounding attention to details. Even the shower had a 12-foot ceiling and heavy crown molding!!! This was at the Houmas House Plantation and Gardens in Darrow, Louisiana. Oh my. Do you have a splurge occasion coming up? Maybe a 25th or 50th wedding anniversary? Give this serious consideration. Not only will you be amazed at the quality of your room, but your tastebuds will be wildly satisfied by any of the three restaurants on the grounds.

Kevin Kelly, the present owner of Houmas House, actually lives in the mansion and is present often to make sure that the quality of accommodations, meals, gardens and tours of his home remains high.

Scenes from the gardens on the plantation grounds:

Scenes from inside and outside of the guest cottages.

Guest cottages added to the property 2 years ago.

Susan was our costumed guide when we toured the big house. She did a fabulous job of pointing out the phenomenal collection of art and antiques that Mr. Kelly has brought to this property. She told a fascinating story of the history of the home and the people who have lived there. Betty Davis stayed in one of the bedrooms while “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte” was being filmed. As a special treat, I got to play that theme song on a very rare 1901 Steinway piano while Susan sang.

“Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte”

Steinway piano made in Germany in 1901

Scenes from the Big House:

100% free-standing, floating staircase

Houmas House Plantation is referred to as both “The Sugar Palace” and “Crown Jewel of Louisiana’s River Road.”

Read my article in Epicurean-Traveler.com here about the Carriage House Restaurant, and take a look at my article in Trip101.com about the accommodations at Houmas House.

The Mansion of Nottoway Plantation – “The White Castle of Louisiana”

05/25/2016 By: CCPearson2 Comments

John Hampden Randolph had a LOT of money. In fact, if his wealth in his day was adjusted into today’s terms, he would have been richer than Donald Trump! He commissioned for a house to be built on his 7116 acres in White Castle, Louisiana, that would be a visual showcase of his vast economic worth. It was to serve as a home for himself, his wife Emily Jane and their 11 children, as well as a place to lavishly entertain many influential guests. Mr. Randolph’s desire was for people passing by either by boat along the Mississippi River or by horse-drawn carriage on the road beside the river to want to stop and bask in the sight.

When the mansion of Nottoway Plantation was completed, there were 53,000+ square feet of living space. In that day, property owners were taxed on the number of doors in their homes. Nottoway had 265 doors, 200 windows and 64 rooms, of which 27 were just closets. Other features in this home were unheard of at the time — three flushable commodes, hot and cold running water, and gas lines for the lamps in each room. There were 12 Italian marble fireplaces and even levers by one of the fireplaces which served as a bell-calling system such as in “Downton Abbey.”

The side view of the mansion with a fountain and garden.

The exquisite white oval ballroom is probably the most stunning room in the mansion. It took six years to bend the cypress used to create this rounded room. Five of the seven Randolph daughters were married in this room with its 15 1/2-foot ceiling and 11 foot doors. Puddling drapes adorn the windows. The extra fabric purchased to allow for the puddling was yet another display of wealth.

The ceiling of the white oval ballroom.

The basement of the home originally housed a 2-lane bowling alley. Now, The Mansion Restaurant is located there with walls of windows looking out onto the immaculate grounds.

Mansion Restaurant table looking out on the grounds.

Cornelia, daughter number 7, wrote a book about her years living in this mansion under the pen name of M R Ailenroc, which is Cornelia spelled backwards with her maiden and married initials. The book is “The White Castle of Louisiana.”

The hour-long tour of Nottoway is filled with interesting anecdotes about the family and the cultural habits of the years from 1859, when the house was finally completed, to the present. Be sure to climb through the double windows on the second floor to stand on the porch and see over the levee to watch the ships glide down the river.

View from the upper porch looking toward the river.

If you have time to spend the night at Nottoway, I urge you to do so. You can choose between restored rooms within the actual mansion or deluxe hotel-type rooms in the cottages and carriage house behind the mansion. Steve and I had a room in one of the cottages and found it to be comfortable, relaxing and lavish.

The front porch of our cottage.

A plush kingsize bed.

Mansion Restaurant is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Chef Michael Loupe prepares amazing dishes. He has studied and cooked all over the world, even Paris. Nottoway is fortunate indeed to have his skills in the kitchen. We were there for dinner and for breakfast. Both times the food was wonderful, and the service was attentive and friendly.

Part of the breakfast buffet.

As you walk the grounds after hours, you will be entertained by the sounds of bullfrogs, trains, barges and ships.

I wrote more about the restaurant in an article for Epicurean-Traveler.com here.

And, this is a link to an article in Trip101.com describing the accommodations at Nottoway in more detail.

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