June 16, 2004
Mohonk
With all the complaining and folderol , regarding transport, weddings and angels, I have, as I often do, left to last, the most breathtaking visual part of my excursion. The setting for this wonderful birthday party was the Mohonk Mountain House , an idyllic, historic retreat, garden and conservation area, built by Quaker conservationist twins, Albert and Alfred Smiley in 1869. The Smiley family has fulfilled the trust of the twins and preserved the building, traditions and grounds beautifully. I had a chat with an employee who had been there for a quarter century, who fears that, with the advent of the new fitness center and indoor pool, a less high-minded crowd will be attracted, and the sacredness of the place will be compromised. But maintainance costs are surely monumental - the greenhouse alone employs twenty - so yuppify it probably must.
Although staying over is quite a luxury, one can obtain a day pass, and enjoy the grounds, the trails, the outdoor picnic lunch, the restaurant, the view and the breezy porches for the day, which is what we did. It's in New Paltz , so if one were gay and wanted to get married, one could have probably done that too, before the mayor was ordered to stop .
Photo note: This is the back side of the place, taken from a cute little tower in the gardens. Photographers have been swarming around this place for more than a century, but this is my version, with a few to follow.
Posted by Dakota at June 16, 2004 07:04 AM