Wellll, the President is in town. That’s all fine and dandy, don’t worry about us. We’ll just work our way around all the closed streets and navigate the detours. We’ll skip the sightseeing we had planned. No problem. We really didn’t want to traverse Ocean Boulevard and A1A end to end, anyway. No sirree, not us. What would be the fun in that? Who needs to take the top off their Jeep, enjoy the sunshine, fresh, salty air, and gorgeous views? Not us. Nope. Not today.
We’ll just go with Plan B, since that’s how we roll.
First stop: Lunch. After checking with a few locals, and a quick internet search, West Palm Beach’s CityPlace kept popping up, so we decided to check it out. CityPlace, as you might imagine, is an upscale shopping/dining/entertainment/living center. We’ve noticed these types of developments are popping up around America. The coolest ones are like The Pearl, in San Antonio, Texas, where a once-active, then dilapidated factory is re-invented into a village of grand living on a small scale. Condos and townhomes are incorporated into the landscape of fine shopping and dining, all while maintaining the historic feel of the original use of the structures. Brilliant, if you ask me.
CityPlace isn’t historic at all. That was a bit of a disappointment. It’s new from the ground up, but it still goes with the same formula of shopping/dining/living. So, we didn’t go exploring for decades-old signage, chimneys, railroad tracks, or any other sometimes hidden features telling the story of what the place used to be. Enter Plan C: We simply went for lunch. While seated for lunch at our balcony table, we were treated to the event of the day. A show of local dance teams on the little open-air stage, and all of the performers the age of, oh, probably 12 and under. My gosh, the littlest ones so excited to show off their costumes and dance moves. I just melted.
There’s two restaurants across from one another that are quite clever, and tastefully done. City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill, and City Tap House. Obviously, one is wine-centric, and the other focuses on brewskis. We chose City Tap House, and that’s where I discovered their unlimited Bloody Mary bar, and mimosa bar. Did I mention it was Sunday? I love me some champagne, but I usually like mine straight up. So I went for a Bloody Mary. Unlimited? Yes, please. Our server brought me a tall glass with vodka on the rocks, and I bee-lined for the fixings. This was by far the nicest set-up I had ever seen. Granted, I don’t go out for drinks all that often, so I may not be the best judge of what’s impressive, but I certainly was a happy camper. I reached the bottom of my first glass before our food arrived, and just in time, I might add. When ishon ice, you dunno how mush vokka ishindair. Lesh jushay I ownee had thish many (holds up two fingers).
Steve’s monstrous “The Big Chick” breakfast.
You’re looking at a southern fried chicken breast, sausage gravy, bacon & fried egg piled high on a buttermilk biscuit. The breakfast potatoes are loaded with onions & garlic, with a side of homemade ketchup. Even he couldn’t finish it!
My pork confit and sweet potato hash with poached eggs and grilled sourdough. CRAVE WORTHY!
The unlimited bar proves it doesn’t need to be gigantic to be impressive. Small containers of many things, replenished regularly, keep things neat and tidy. They’re probably used to spills. Lots and lots of spills (hic!). Makes sense to have only a little bit of the goodies in harm’s way.
A small section of the Bloody Mary bar featuring pure horseradish, cocktail onions, cornichons, and, gee, I can’t remember the third thing 🙃
I’m going to replicate this setup at home. I don’t need a reason to host a brunch. Ever. C’mon over!
Rimmers, hot sauces, salts and seasonings galore.
Olives, carrots, celery and some citrus to finish it off.
Check out the mimosa bar! Equally eye-pleasin’, with all the fruits and fixings.
After lunch I floated, er, walked to Sunglass Hut with Steve. His new Ray Bans had the wire exposed through the plastic earpiece. Did you know they keep a supply of earpiece plastic covers in all shapes and sizes? Neither did we. With his now comfy sunglasses, off we went to Palm Beach. Well, the parts of Palm Beach we could get to, that is.
Steve had no interest in seeing The Breakers Resort, but was nice enough to drive over so I could poke around. I had read so many stories that featured the majestic Breakers, and just had to see the famed place with my own eyes. So stately, so beautiful, so classy. The ocean breeze did a good job lifting the fog from my brain, and I was able to really appreciate the beauty around me. The manicured landscape, the grand architecture, and inside, the art, stunning floral arrangements, chandeliers, and elegant antique furniture.
A stately drive leads you to the resort.
Even more impressive in person.
Just inside the foyer, the opulence is evident.
The ceiling above the chandeliers were stunning.
Walking around to the ocean front, the lush, perfectly groomed landscape fills every space.
Unretouched, the ocean and sky were actually THAT blue and aqua.
The Breakers oceanfront walkway.
Couldn’t resist showing Steve what he was missing!
Leaving, I spotted our Jeep right up front. Aren’t we fancy?
Sure, we park at places like this EVERY DAY 😂
Until next time…
Right across the way from The Breakers is the Flagler Museum. It’s no surprise, since The Breakers was the late 1800’s creation of famed industrialist Henry M. Flagler.
“Whitehall”, Henry Morrison Flagler Museum.
Henry Flagler had known his share of success and failure in the salt industry. Shifting to the grain industry, he met a competing commissioned merchant, John D. Rockefeller. It was Mr. Rockefeller who left the grain industry, and approached Mr. Flagler to invest in, along with a lesser known investor, his new business venture, Standard Oil. We all know the fortunes that followed. Then, Henry Flagler’s young wife, who had always been frail, became ill. Her doctor suggested the climate in Jacksonville, Florida for the winter might be better for her than their 5th Avenue, NYC residence. The couple, along with their young son, relocated to Florida. While there, Henry Flagler realized the enormous potential for tourism, and the lack of hotels and railroads to accommodate them. Unfortunately, his wife didn’t recover. While remaining on the board of Standard Oil, he stepped away from the day-to-day operations, focusing his energies on hotel development and tourist transportation. Henry Flagler established the first railroad on Florida’s east coast, and went on to build grand hotels, and the railways to connect them. Take a trip up and down the Florida coast and you’ll see Henry Flagler’s imprint. His second wife died after long suffering from mental illness, and Mr. Flagler married a third time. As a wedding gift to his new wife, he built a winter home in Palm Beach, Florida, a white palace that became known as Whitehall. As he intended, Whitehall was described in 1902 by the New York Herald as, “… more wonderful than any palace in Europe, grander and more magnificent than any other private dwelling in the world.” It is this estate that is now the Flagler Museum.
Whitehall’s design is far more intentional than the casual tourist may realize. Many of the elements are meant to represent Apollo. From the Flagler Museum website, “Whitehall’s location serves as subtle reference to Delos, the island birthplace of Apollo. The Doric columns of Whitehall’s main façade are typically associated with temples to Apollo, and Whitehall’s east-facing orientation as well as the lion heads (ancient symbols of the sun) at the center its massive bronze doors are again references to Apollo, the sun god.”
Here’s one of those lion heads, at Whitehall’s Entrance Doors:
Once inside, we began our tour in the Great Hall.
We took a self-guided audio tour. It’s nice when each person gets their own device.
Steve and I definitely tour at a different pace. He tries to take his time for me, but I linger. And linger.
Portraits of Henry and Mary Flagler hang in the Grand Hall.
Looking up at the ceiling, intricate hand carvings are gilded in 24 karat gold.
In addition to the five different types of marble on the walls, floors, columns and ceilings, priceless decor abounds, like this rosewood and brass clock.
Yes, that’s actually a clock.
Many, many more beautiful items fill the Grand Hall: Ming Dynasty vases, marble statues, gold leaf furnishings, and more. I needed to move along before Mr. Grumpypants made an appearance. To his credit, Steve hung in there, and appreciated my obvious scooting along.
Mr. Flagler’s Library
Rare first editions fill the bookcases.
Prized bronze sculptures, priceless busts, furniture and lamps throughout the library.
Music was always a part of Henry Flagler’s life. He and his wife, Mary Lily, hosted grand concerts, dancing teas, and balls. They chaired musical organizations such as the New York Symphony. Mr. Flagler is credited with turning Palm Beach into a resort town in the 1890’s, and music was ever-present at Whitehall. The Flaglers set the tone for society and privilege during the gilded age.
The art-filled music room featured a 1,249 pipe Odell Company organ. There is also a Steinway upright grand piano.
At the far end of the Music Room is the piano and organ.
An in-house organist was hired to play while the Flaglers were in residence for the winter.
More opulence in the Music Room.
The courtyard in the center of the mansion.
This fountain is the centerpiece of the courtyard.
I found these guys to be a bit creepy.
The Billiard Room.
The Grand Ballroom.
A look into yesteryear, and how the Grand Ballroom looked filled with guests.
A closer look at the Grand Ballroom.
The West Room. Cool breezes made this a favorite gathering, and quiet relaxation place.
Looking from the West Room to the Lake Room, to the waterway outside. See the yacht?
Looking out the window of the Lake Room.
The Breakfast Room.
The Dining Room.
A look at the Dining Room from the opposite end.
The ornate ceiling in the Dining Room.
Carvings in the Dining Room featuring delicacies of the time.
The Drawing Room.
While Mr. Flagler would receive guests in his library, Mrs. Flagler receive guests in the Drawing Room. She would retire after dinner to the drawing room with the other ladies in attendance. Mr. Flagler would have brandy and cigars in the billiard room with the gentlemen.
Very feminine touches adorn the Drawing Room.
24 karat gold leaf carvings embellish the Drawing Room walls.
This is so touching:
At the 2nd floor landing.
Upstairs, The many guest rooms, as well as their daughter’s rooms, all have a specific theme.
The Colonial Chamber, reserved for more influential guests.
Colonial Chamber. Photo courtesy of Flagler Museum.
The Heliotrope Room, named for the lilac flowers in the wallpaper.
The Green Room.
The Gold Room, though the photograph looks more peach, it’s quite gold.
The Louis XV Room.
The not so creatively named Pink Room.
Shocker! This one’s called the Blue Room.
The Master Bedroom.
The opulent fabrics on the walls, furniture and bedding belie the importance of this room.
Complete with thermostat
The Master Bath is equipped with all the modern conveniences of the day, even a telephone!
Master Dressing Room, with Mr. and Mrs. Flagler’s clothing on display.
The Colonial Room.
The Silver Maple Room.
The Yellow Roses Room. I’m pretty sure if I were a member of society important enough to stay at Whitehall, this would have been my room of choice.
Yellow roses (for my husband), along with gardenias (for my Dad), butterfly orchids (for my wedding day), and sunflowers (because they make me happy) are my favorite flowers.
In the next room was a display that the following photo explains better than I can.
Stepping outside, we are immediately struck by the view.
The rear of Whitehall. The waterfront is to the left of this photo.
Notice the medallions that adorn the exterior.
A closer look to appreciate the detail, and homage to the surroundings.
My gosh, this guy was serious about being detail oriented.
Next to Whitehall is the relatively new Flagler Kenan Pavilion. The 8,100 square foot pavilion houses Henry Flagler’s personal railcar. It is designed after a 19th century railway palace, and the first Beaux-arts building to be constructed in the United States in over 60 years. Can you imagine hosting an event in this space?!
This photo courtesy of Flagler Museum.
I love old movies. Bicycles took high society by storm.
Railcar Number 91, Henry Flagler’s personal railcar.
Thanks for hanging in there, Steve!
Outside the Pavilion, beside Whitehall is a coconut grove. This plaque explains its importance.
The “cocoanut” grove.
A dancing tea hosted by the Flaglers.
Photo courtesy of Palm Beach Historical Society
One last look on our way out.
The parking lot even has a lawn.
Having taken in enough culture and history for one day, and since driving any further in Palm Beach was prohibited (thanks, Prez), there was another West Palm Beach famed spot I wanted to visit: Sloan’s Ice Cream. A self-proclaimed utopia of sweets for the young and young at heart, this establishment looks like it came straight out of a child’s fantasy. We went to the original location, and though it was tiny, it looked like unicorns and fairies had created the place. It was magical. I hope one day to see it through a grandchild’s eyes. Maybe, one day… By the way, the ice cream was amazing.
Adorable.
Treats!
Amazing Chocolate Chunk & Dad’s Milk Chocolate for him, Tracy’s Scrumptious Pretzel & Lucious Sloan’s Dark for me.
Attempting to navigate our way back to the RV park, I couldn’t help but notice the changing traffic conditions. One minute one road was solid red on my nav screen, the next minute it was green, and another was red. It didn’t occur to us the reason, until we saw this:
POTUS in Air Force One taking off for D.C. from Palm Beach International. Pic taken on our way back to camp.
Back at Lion Country Safari KOA, as we did last night and this morning, from our campsite, we listened to the lions roar.