Nelson Mandela inspired everyone. We can try to write a tribute to the man, but we would only fall short. So instead, we’ll stick to the blog’s theme and have a look at some Mandela inspired creations.

The one thing to keep in mind is that his moving on should not be thought of with sadness.  Nobody lives forever and this man who brought so much positive motion and change into the world, lived to the ripe old age of 95. He will be missed but never forgotten.

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Our final stop on the Irish castle tour was Fitzpatrick Castle in Dublin. After thinking each hotel got better as the trip when on, we went backwards with this one.

Fitzpatrick was probably once a grand hotel but it’s my impression that it’s seen better days. My thought is that Dublin has more competition that the other areas we stayed, so Fitzpatrick may have lost some business to the modern boutique hotels. That being said, they still do get business. It just seems like they are trying to save money.

Our room was a bit run down. Nothing like the website photo above. More like something out of the 1980’s rather than 1880’s. My husband thought it was an old school hotel box room without any flow. He also insisted that this was the kind of place that Dublin businessmen used for affairs. Not sure if he meant a “by the hour” hotel as much as an impressive place to have a shag with one’s mistress.

We were supplied coffee (yeah, instant) and tea in the room but we suspected that the “bottled” water was tap as it was refillable bottles. What’s the point when we could go to the sink and fill a glass ourselves? No hair conditioner or moisturizer. I also had gotten used to the robes and slippers in the other hotels and was bummed to have to walk around butt naked until I had enough coffee to dress myself. There were crazy passwords and codes on the free wifi. Who do they think is going to come and steal their bandwidth?? Electrical U.S. adapters, supplied for free at other hotels, were being sold, but they were out of them at the time. The pool required a bathing cap that had to be purchased if you didn’t have one.

After being spoiled in EVERY hotel along our journey, the staff at this one couldn’t be bothered. The dinner and breakfast servers kept us waiting to a point that we wondered if we should walk out. It was the only time I felt right about this non-tipping culture in Ireland. The chamber maid grunted when we said “Good morning”. Hey, at least she didn’t ignore us. We moved our own bags around without being asked if we needed help…which was fine for me! The front desk clerk was nice enough.

With exception of the first Shining photo that I took, all of these photos, like those of the other accommodations, are from the hotel’s website. Looks like we got stuck with the only shoddy room in this joint. We didn’t get to use the spa facilities so I can’t comment on that. Looked nice from the window overlooking the pool.

Here’s why Fitzpatrick can get away with it: Unlike the other castle hotels, this is located in a city where you wouldn’t be hanging around the hotel anyway. We used it as a place to crash, that’s all. It’s located in one of the better “suburban” neighborhoods in Dublin, right next to a wonderful park where we hiked up the hill to get a fabulous view of the city. The Dart (train) is within walking distance to get into city center and explore Dublin. Taxis are about €30 to get to center so make sure to catch the last bus or train back or it can be pricey.

Here’s my rundown of the entire Irish castle package tour: Would have been better if we flew directly to Shannon and skipped Dunboyne. Two nights at Glenlo, 2 nights in Dromoland, two nights somewhere else in city center of Dublin. You can’t use the rental car in the city. Worse than Manhattan. Fly home from Dublin. Maybe I’ll become a travel agent in my next life.

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The Irish castle tour continues. It’s as if each one gets better as they go along, although Dromoland Castle in County Clare will be a tough one to beat. It’s clear that this one is da shit as you pull up to the gorgeous main entrance where not one, but two bell hops literally run out to greet you.

Sucker for the fine architecture that I am, I’ve gotta say that the quality of service here actually made me a bit uncomfortable. I’m not sure if it’s something I could get used to. From the bellhops who wouldn’t let me carry my own bag to the wait staff who had to pour my coffee for me in the dining room, this place is a challenge for the self reliant sort. Not that I’m complaining. I’m just not used to it.

That being said, one night was not enough for this place. I could have put up with the discomfort of having people wait on me hand and foot for another day or oh, a week would have been nice. There’s much to do at this hotel. There’s an awesome looking spa that we didn’t get to use. There are about 400 acres of property where we took a 30 minute walk before we left. Golf is a big thing here. The tennis courts would have been great during good weather.

Staying indoors isn’t the worst thing in the world. Much of the woodwork and paintings are reproductions but still amazing quality. Between the stained glass and vaulted ceilings and stone walls, I couldn’t keep my jaw off the ground.

Dinner was worth the splurge. Not $2000 bottle of wine splurge but you can get away with cheapo bottles for around 50 bucks. The food was incredible and I was delighted to find a separate vegetarian menu. Again, service was over the top. We had about 4 servers on our table.

If it was up to me, the rooms would have been dark and antique. I can see that they don’t want to depress people though. The decor reminded me of a tween girl’s room with the painted white traditional style furniture. It was all very comfortable. They even had a US outlet near the desk. My one complaint is that there was no coffee or tea in the room…not even instant! I guess that’s because they don’t want their guests lifting a finger to do something for themselves, but I was too cheap to pay for the €6.50 room service charge so I suffered until everyone was ready for breakfast.

So here’s the deal. If you ever find yourself on this side of Ireland, I suggest you make an effort to stay here. If you take one of these package tours, do an extra night extension for Dromoland. That place is stellar!

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Firstly, I’d like to let it be known that I do not travel in style. A cheap motel is sufficient for me as it’s an upgrade from my backpacking days of staying in crowded hostels.

Common areas of the hotel above and below.

Last night we stayed at Glenlo Abbey in Galway, thanks to a discounted package deal. The 5 star hotel is a step up from County Meath’s Dunboyne “Castle” of our first night…and not because it’s got that one extra star but because it’s actually a historic property.

The view from our room (overlooking the parking lot) is the amazing grounds with the River Corrib in the distance. If golfing is your thang, this is a great place to be. Since we don’t golf, a muddy walk down to the river and a run back before the next rain was sufficient.

The biggest bummer was that the Pullman Restaurant is currently closed for the season. The antique train car restaurant doesn’t have heat or air conditioning so it only opens when the weather is perfect…which is never in Ireland. I so wanted to eat here!

We went for a pre-dinner drink in the bar downstairs that looked like a dungeon. I mean “dungeon” in the best possible sense. I would live in a dungeon if I could!

Dinner was in the abbey instead of the usual restaurant because of a private event. We thought this would be way cooler than dining in just the restaurant, but the wait staff must have been concentrating on the event and we ended up with the gardener or bell hop as our waiter. Whatever he was, he wasn’t a waiter and this vegetarian ended up tasting some liver dish. Ugh! Smooth out the consistency and slap some fancy name on it, but this old Jew can still recognize chopped liver after 27 years. Anyhoo, this fella was nice enough and the food was ok once they got the dishes right.

So, this hotel gets a thumbs up from me. Decor kind of reminds me of Mohonk Mountain House. Very helpful staff too!

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As promised, reporting on the castles of Ireland as we crash at these hotels. Ok, Dunbyne Castle….NOT a castle!! WTF? Why call it a castle?

There is an old manor house on the property, but the hotel itself is just a modern facility. Sure, it’s nice. A highly rated hotel with a great spa and an even better restaurant where we had dinner last night.

Lovely staff. Clean. Nice sized rooms. Not a castle.

So, although these accommodations provided a relaxing first night after a sleepless flight, it was a disappointment for a “castle” package.

Oh and PS: I know Ireland is a tea drinking country, but a 4 star hotel with instant coffee in the rooms? I’ve had better at Days Inn.

Today we move on to Galway where the place better be a historic property!

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It’s house tour season! This weekend, come check out my neighborhood. The Brownstoners of Bed Stuy have organized their 35th annual tour for this Saturday, October 19th. What makes Bed Stuy so unique in the old home department is that to date, the homeowners have not done extensive renovations, so all of the original details remain. But hurry up! With gentrification, dumpster diving may become more exciting than house touring for all of you lovers of historic materials.

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. It is advised to go with the advance purchase as these events have sold out in the past.  No online purchase. Click on the image or link to see where you can purchase tix.

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Image via Brownstoner

Steven Soderbergh and his talented crew have transported a Bed Stuy corner back in time for the filming of a show called “The Knick”. They’ve been there for awhile now but this morning as I passed I thought it would be great if they could just leave the signage up forever. Walking through there makes me want to live in the past, man!

New York has been transformed over the years and change is good, blah, blah, blah, but I do miss some of those vintage shop fronts. Here are some that lasted longer than the rest.

Starting with a fairly obvious one, Vesuvio in Soho. Image from News Gallery.

Zig Zag Records closed it’s doors about two years ago, but will always be remembered by alt-rock Brooklynites growing up in the 80’s as the place that sold NME and rare UK records. Photo via Forgotten NY.

The Meat Market in Bed Stuy is now a vintage clothing shop, ironically called The Meat Market. Good for them. Vintage shop. Vintage signage.

Yonah Shimmel has been around forever. Forever! Did you know that back in the 80’s they had a shop on the Upper East Side? I used to go in there every morning to pick up my breakfast. Not a knish. A poppy seed mohn. Photo via Forward.

Bless DiFara Pizza. Honestly, I never considered this Midwood pizza shop to be anything special when I was growing up in the neighborhood, but look at them now…one of the highest rated pizzas in NYC. Same signage though.

Unfortunately, Walters Hardware closed a few years ago. Not sure what has happened to the storefront as I haven’t been out to Astoria lately.

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Ooh, I just came across some suh-weet news. You know the fabulous Wings Castle in Millbrook? Yeah, the quirky fairytale castle built out of reclaimed materials. The one I wanted to buy back when it was for sale a few years ago. No, of course I couldn’t afford it.

But perhaps I can afford to stay the night. Y-ah! It’s now a B&B! The choice of rooms include the tower room or the dungeon in the actual castle or an entire cottage can be rented.

Drawback? No pets and not even kids. They are very strict about cancellations. Also, in keeping with olden days technology of people who live in castles, you cannot book a room online. You must call. A land line! The prices aren’t listed online.

I know, I know, it sounds like a pain in the arse, but that castle is so effin cool! Plus, you can get sloshed at the Millbrook Winery down the road and walk home. What could be better?

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Can’t say the thought hasn’t crossed my mind to do a house in “Flintstones” style. But “The Simpsons“? Never considered the house to be anything special…until seeing it in real life. Now I totally want a cartoon house!

Via Gizmodo.

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Got some time to spare tomorrow, January 15th? Well, then come on down to the Landmarks Preservation hearing at One Centre Street in Manhattan. The meeting is to be held on the 9th floor from 10:30-12:00.

It should prove to be interesting as preacher Johnny Ray Youngblood is set to protest. Word around the neighborhood is that he’ll be busing people in who do not live in Bed Stuy, just to make his voice heard.

Why protest something that is in the best interest of the neighborhood and the city? Money. There are some old timers who are under the impression that having to go by Landmarks rules and doing things in a historically correct manner will be unaffordable. Yeah, there are grants to be had from Landmarks. No, they don’t force you to spend money you don’t have. Perhaps these folks will actually listen to the truth at the meeting. Or perhaps they just want to stir the pot.

Anyway, Team Landmark can use your help. No, you do not have to live in Bed Stuy to show your support. If Johnny Ray can bring people in from other areas, we only want to keep it fair by doing the same.

So, see you tomorrow?

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I didn’t come up with the name “Reclaimed Home” for nothing. I love salvaging old materials and restoring neglected homes that were once full of life. Yesterday I was reminded why I torture myself with endless renovations.

You may look at the photo above and say “Meh, it’s a rotten old sign.” Indeed, you would be correct, but this find had me jumping up and down. I discovered it as I took up the rotten bathroom floor. (We’ll chat more about that later.) The previous owners or someone before them used it as subflooring. The writing was not facing up so I didn’t know it was there until I actually started taking up the floor.

Unfortunately, the sign is in bad shape as the bathtub and toilet were leaking for years causing rot all the way through to the joists. Yes, the hole in the second photo was what the bathroom fixtures were sitting on. At any given time, someone could have ended up in the kitchen below while bathing or taking a dump. BTW, this is NOT the first old house I found such rot. Live in an old home? Pray they did the right thing when “renovating” as they often just cover things up. Enjoy your bath.

Anyway, back to the cool find. It seems to be more than one sign because I see “Library” and I also see “Club”. Actually, I’m guessing that perhaps they were the destination signs on the boardwalk? Anyone have a clue?

Whatever the case, even though they crumble in my hands, they will most definitely stay with the house as part of the reclaiming process. Right now, I’m thinking of embedding the edges in a plaster or concrete wall.

But it was nice to see that folks were reusing salvaged material even back then!

Similar:

Love Letter Counter

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We all know that The Catskills have their fair share of bungalows, but what about right here in our fair city? Do you know which New York City neighborhoods still have bungalow communities?

The cute block of bungalows above is Shaler Street in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.

City Island in The Bronx is more like a quaint seaside village than a Big Apple neighborhood. The two bungalows shown above are for sale. The one on the left is listed with Weichert for $289k and the one on the right is for sale by owner at $355k.

Well, Staten Island HAD an adorable bungalow colony right on the beach, but sadly Cedar Grove has been demolished. Out with the historic old, in with the tacky new…

The bungalows of The Rockaways are probably the best known in the city.

It’s hard to believe, but Manhattan actually has some small single family homes left. I found these Inwood bungalows on Google satellite and was surprised to learn that they are priced under $300k when they go up for sale. Hello next project!

Correction: I confused Inwood, Queens Long Island with Inwood, NYC.

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Bedford Stuyvesant is a huge area broken up into a few neighborhoods such as Stuyvesant Heights, Weeksville, Ocean Hill and Bedford.  No, Bedford Corners Historic District is not some new name the realtors just came up with. This part of Bed Stuy exhibits some of the finest architecture in the city but it does need to be preserved.

The Landmarks Preservation Commission will be answering questions and discussing the landmarking process of Bedford Corners Historic District this Wednesday, March 21st. This meeting is said to be the deciding factor as to whether or not the area will be receive landmark designation. The community is urged to come out and show it’s support.

If you live in the south west end of Bed Stuy, please join us at the meeting on Wednesday at Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street, lower level. 6:30pm.

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Reclaimed Home is going back to its roots! After moving back to Brooklyn, where space is an issue, we stopped collecting larger salvaged items for reuse. Well, it’s time to expand again.

Starting a tiny home based business was a breeze. Starting a small business with a team is a bit more challenging. But you know what? It’s important that we do this now for a variety of reasons.

Saving building materials from the landfills. Mother Earth is screaming for help. Tons of demolition rubbish goes into dumpsters every day.

Presenting restoration options for folks of all income levels. We’re going through some rough economic times. Why shouldn’t everyone have the same access to beautiful architectural details and furnishings for their dwellings?

Preserve our history! Old homes are being torn down to make way for new construction. Historic details are discarded of during renovations. The skilled craftspeople who created these materials are long gone. Let’s give their work a second life.

Here’s what you can do to help us achieve our goals. If it can be recycled, please don’t throw it out! We’ll take reusable materials off your hands. If you’re doing a renovation or know of someone who is, contact us before you allow your contractor to destroy house parts and throw them in the dumpster. We’ll carefully remove the items for you so someone else can make use of them.

It will save you demolition fees. It will save you disposal rates. Most importantly, it will save our planet from overflowing landfills.

You can email us by hitting the “contact” link at the top of the middle column. We thank you and Momma Earth thanks you.

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Amityville Horror

Get oooouuuuttttt!!! So, guy kills his family in this Long Island home and the Lutzes move in. True story. Was it really haunted as they claim? The magic eight ball says no.

Click on the movie titles for some fun posts I linked to!

The Shining

The Stanley Hotel in Colorado was the inspiration for Kubrick’s Overlook. Heeerreee’s Johnny!

The Sentinel

This movie scared the bejesus out of me when I saw it as a kid. The lovely corner row house is located right off Brooklyn Heights’ Promenade. Minus the climbing ivy these days.

Psycho

Bates Motel my tuchas. It’s that creepy (and gorgeous) building in the back that everyone remembers. Actually, just a set at Universal Studios. What’s that, Mother? No really, just a set.

Burnt Offerings

Do you remember this movie? If you don’t or if you’ve never seen it, ya gotta rent it! As if Karen Black is not scary enough, the entire movie is a creepfest!

Rosemary’s Baby

Yeah, yeah. I know The Dakota is one of the most desirable buildings in NYC. But when I was a kid, it was the Rosemary’s Baby building. Then it because the John Lennon Was Shot Here building. Can’t catch a break.

Let’s Scare Jessica To Death

Pretty sure this movie made me lose sleep too. May I wow you with my trivial pop culture nonsense? This is from memory…I did not look it up, I swear! Actress Zohra Lampert, who played Jessica was the Goya Bean woman! Are you impressed?

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