Sacramento Historic House Blog

*Napa River Inn photo courtesy of Historic Hotels of America

Recently I was lucky enough to interview Thierry Roch, Executive Director of the Historic Hotels of America (a Preferred Hotel Group). I like the fact that the HHofA group are helping to raise the profile of smaller historic hotels by associating them with larger more established hotels. Two of the groups member hotels are close to Sacramento, one in Napa and one in Grass Valley. Find out more in the interview:

Q. Welcome, Thierry, and thanks for letting me interview you for Sacramento Historic House. So first off… how are you?

A. Thanks Tracy. I’m doing well and couldn’t be more excited about the bright future for Historic Hotels of America.

Q. Tell me about Historic Hotels of America and how the National Trust For Historic Preservation is involved.

A. Historic Hotels of America is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It was created by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1989 with 32 original member hotels. The goal was to reach travelers who appreciate a historic travel experience but don’t necessarily consider themselves preservationists. Today, Historic Hotels of America has more than 200 hotels throughout the country including 19 in California.

Q. How are hotels selected? What are some of the things you look for?

To be selected for Historic Hotels of America, a hotel must be at least 50 years old, listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or recognized as having historic significance. We are looking for authentic hotels that have character, a true sense of place and are recognized and appreciated by locals.

While we are not a luxury organization, we seek hotels that cater to guests from all spectrums. Our hotels range in age and style from the 1651 El Convento, a former Carmelite convent in Puerto Rico, to the 1956 Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, Ariz., a mid-century modern hotel. They range in price from $69 per night the LaSalle Hotel in Bryan, Texas, to $12,500 per night for a suite at The Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. And, in size from the eight-room American Hotel in Sag Harbor, New York, to the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago with 1639 rooms. We believe diversity in travel experiences is a great thing especially as compared to cookie-cutter hotels.

Q. On my honeymoon, I stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria and dined at The Algonquin - it was heaven. My friends thought I had suddenly aged from thirty-something to sixty-something. Do you think historic hotels suffer from an image of not being as “sexy” as their modern counterparts?

A. We say “history is hot!”

And, our friends at the Hotel del Coronado in Coronado say from “heritage to hip.” Sounds to me like you had a great honeymoon! As I mentioned, Historic Hotels of America offers tremendous variety. Places like the Waldorf-Astoria and the Algonquin are classics with rich histories. Staying, dining or having a drink at a classic hotel is ultimately cool! Other Historic Hotels of America members offer a more modern experience in a classic setting. Someplace like the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale is a mid-century modern hotel with a contemporary twist. The Art Deco Hotel Metro in Milwaukee has the Zen on 7 rooftop spa and garden with a serene reflecting pool and fountain. The Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City reopened in 2007 after being closed for two decades and its bar is the new hot spot!

As thirty-somethings travel more, they will seek authentically rich experiences! Your friends don’t yet know what they’ve been missing!

Q. I agree!  Recently, The Connaught hotel in London underwent a restoration and fans of the hotel’s charm and old fashioned-ness held their collective breath to see how it would turn out. Are there hotels in your group that have done a particularly good job of balancing character, comfort, and technology?

A. I think you will find more and more historic hotels investing to preserve the hotel’s character and what distinguishes it while enhancing comfort and technology. Today’s travelers demand modern amenities. A number of our members have invested significantly. You will notice some of these examples had been closed vacant for decades prior to their recent renaissance. Here’s a few examples (in no particular order).

The Royal Palms in Phoenix, Ariz., offers the perfect blend between old-world charm and gracious hospitality.

The Hotel del Coronado has recently spent $150 million in upgrades and services.

The Stoneleigh Hotel in Dallas reopened last month following a significant renovation.

The Palmer House Hotel in Chicago is in the midst of a significant renovation which is scheduled to be completed soon.

Q. Does your group include hotels in Europe and elsewhere outside the U.S.?

A. Historic Hotels of America does not have member hotels in Europe but has an alliance with a group called Historic Hotels of Europe, a federation of 16 European hotel associations in 16 countries.

We also have an alliance with Historic Hotels of Mexico, an association of hotels and restaurants located in buildings of historical significance including haciendas, palaces, monasteries, convents, fortresses, country estates and more.

Q. Those sound amazing. In this economy, it’s tempting for travelers to “make do” with budget chain hotels. Does your group offer promotions or specials? If so, what’s the best way to find out about them?

A. Five times a year, Historic Hotels of America compiles seasonal rates and packages from a selection of our member hotels. These can be found on our website in the specials and packages section.

Q. I believe the closest Historic Hotel property to Sacramento is the Napa River Inn (pictured above). What can you tell us about the Inn and its history?

A. Actually, we have two hotels really close to Sacramento.

The first the Napa River Inn in Napa. This hotel is part of the revitalization of historic downtown Napa and is a great example of an adaptive use property. Originally the Hatt and Napa Mill Buildings were part of Napa City’s once-thriving Main Street industrial commercial center dating back to 1886. The Napa River Inn opened in 2000 as Napa’s only luxury boutique hotel. It is surrounded by restaurants, cafes, galleries and shops, and nightlife.

The second of our members close to Sacramento is the Holbrooke Hotel in Grass Valley. This 28-room Victorian property dates from 1862 when the west was young and has hosted characters including Mark Twain, Gentleman Jim Corbett and Presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison. The hotel’s famed Golden Gate Saloon is reportedly the oldest continuously operating saloon west of the Mississippi. As legend has it, not even Prohibition could keep the good times and spirits from flowing.  ##

Thanks again to Thierry Roch for taking the time to have this chat. Check back with the SHH blog for future profiles.

If you happen to be in London September 20 & 21st of this year, do check out the Open House London event. It’s a rare opportunity for fans of historic architecture to get a look inside buildings that are privately owned. Here’s a bit of info from the website:

Open House London, the capital’s highest-profile architectural showcase, provides opportunities for people to explore more than 650 of London’s exemplary buildings and to meet the architects, design teams and building users on site. Celebrating design excellence in the capital, this unparalleled event takes place on the third weekend of September every year and is completely free of charge. It attracts worldwide interest and has inspired similar programmes in New York and Dublin.

This section tells you all you need to know about the event, the information you will need and how to get it, and also has a programme search facility live from mid-August and up to the event each year.

For more info click here.

Wouldn’t it be great if Sacramento could launch something similar? I don’t know about you, but I could get pretty excited about wandering through some of these downtown Victorians turned law offices or the old Masonic building without feeling like I’m intruding. My last posting about the Governor’s Mansion open house was a step in the right direction!

By the way… all you female anglophiles out there might appreciate my latest eHow article:  How To Marry An Englishman

Some news from the most excellent Sacramento History Blog:

The Sacramento Old City Association (SOCA) and the Governor’s Manison State Historic Park invite you to a sneak preview of the current 3rd floor restoration at the Governor’s Mansion, never before open to the public, this Saturday, May 10. Recent efforts have unveiled stunning original 1877 detail inside this historic house.

The Governor’s Mansion was originally constructed as the home of Albert Gallatin in 1877. It was California’s official governor’s residence from 1903 until 1967. Over the past year, scaffolding has concealed the extensive restoration work going on outside the mansion, and inside, the third floor has undergone a similar transformation. This event includes a complete tour of the mansion, including the newly accessible third floor.

Governor’s Mansion State Historic Park is located at 1526 H Street in Sacramento.

Admission: FREE to SOCA members, $20 to non-members (or join SOCA for $25.)
RSVP REQUIRED: Call (916) 455-2935. Space on this tour is EXTREMELY LIMITED. All ages are welcome. The event begins at 5:30 PM and will last until about 7:30 PM.

Donations encouraged; will go to the 3rd floor restoration fund. Refreshments will be served.

http://www.sacoldcity.org has more information about SOCA and events like this one.

The new issue of Victoria magazine is calling to me from the living room, so I’m going to make this post brief. I’ll do a little link love and share some recent/not so recent finds with you.

Pomegranate Paradise from Jamba Juice – I don’t know if these things are actually “healthy” but it is from the fruit-only list, so it may not be too terrible. Yesterday was rather warm and after my walk I treated myself to this cooold drink – it hit the spot.

Instant Netflix documentaries – I’ve seen a few now but the best were Following Sean, Been Rich All My Life, and The Future We Will Create (inside the TED series).

Kiss My Face foaming handwash in Grapefruit & Bergamot – Smells a bit like Fruit Loops, but in a good way.

Personal blogs – Boho Girl, Kelly Rae, and Superhero are just a few of my daily reads.

Girls Guide To City Life (San Francisco) – Writer Anh-Minh offers good tips for visits to the Bay Area. I especially appreciated the Kezar lot parking suggestion when we last went to Amoeba Records in SF.

Cottage Girls – Antique shop on Fair Oaks and Palm in Carmichael. So cute. Bought two candelabras.

Cut out carrageenan – I used to think I was lactose intolerant until I discovered it was actually a sensitivity to the thickener carrageenan found in Ben & Jerry’s, Redi-whip, Silk soy milk, some Weight Watchers frozen meals, and other popular items (like my toothpaste!).  Read my eHow article on How To Live with a Carrageenan Sensitivity.

I recently posted an article on eHow about how to get the most out of your local art or history museum. Speaking of which… when was the last time you were in the Crocker? You might be surprised at their top notch collection and exhibits (no that’s not the new ad slogan!). Go for no other reason than to enjoy the architecture of the gallery and soak up the atmosphere. Stay for the exhibits (fall for the romance of Edwin Deakin until Sunday and then trace the evolution of figure drawing in The Language of the Nude).

How To Enjoy Your Local Museum

Step 1
Visit the web site of the museum and sign up for their email newsletter. This will make it easier for you to keep track of upcoming events and exhibits. So many times I have heard about events after the fact and I wished I had someone sending me a gentle reminder. An eNewsletter does that.

Step 2
Become a member. Even at the basic level, members enjoy benefits such as free access to the museum and traveling exhibits, discounts at the museum shop, special invites to parties and lectures, as well as the great feeling of having contributed to your local community and supported the arts for future generations.

Read the rest of the article at eHow…

Thought you might like a sneek peek at my new project… Romantic Film Locations. It’s a travel guide (armchair or otherwise) to the beautiful locations featured in romantic films like Atonement, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and Amelie. I’m a bit slow in getting it updated, but feel free to have a look around and email any comments or suggestions to td {at} romanticfilmlocations {dot} com. Hope you enjoy it!

I love a charming, magical cottage – as I’ve mentioned before. Not having the means to own a historic house can be disappointing but there are ways to experience the feeling of owning a magic cottage, without the 30 year mortgage. One possibility is to rent a house. Not for long term, mind you, but a short holiday stay. Just to get a taste of the house being yours.

The UK is well known for its holiday cottages. You can spend a week in the Welsh countryside, sleeping soundly in the quiet night, exploring local villages, eating artisanal cheese and heirloom wheat bread, sipping whiskey made by a women-run mill, and just be at home away from home. France and Italy have gites and farmhouses for rent, if you are looking for a slightly different historic flavor.

In her fabulous book England As You Like It, Susan Allen Toth recommends renting historic cottages and flats from preservation organizations such as The National Trust or English Heritage (both UK based). It can be a bit pricey if it’s just two of you staying in an eight bedroom estate house, but there are a few little places you can rent for the same price as an impersonal business hotel.

Here are a few that caught my eye (disclaimer: this is not a review as I haven’t stayed at any of these places… yet!):

Mortuary Cottage in Devon, England
Photo and Description from the National Trust site:
“This cosy 200-year old cottage approached down narrow Devon lanes on the edge of the hamlet of Loxhore, near Arlington Court, on the banks of youthful River Yeo. Unusual name dates back to the Second World War when it was set aside for air-raid victims – fortunately it never needed to be used. There is a secluded garden behind the cottage.”
[200 years old, on the banks of a youthful river, with a secluded garden? Who cares if the name is a bit creepy? Plus this cottage is near the lovely Barnstaple which has good markets and friendly pubs.]

Ivy’s Cottage in Somerset, England
Photo and Description from the National Trust site:
“Ivy’s Cottage is a delightful cosy thatched cottage situated on the picturesque Selworthy Green and offers pretty views of the surrounding countryside. This is a perfect opportunity for a quiet break in the beautiful surroundings of the Holnicote Estate and Exmoor National Park. The Holnicote estate offers miles of footpaths through fields, woods and moorland with an abundance of wildlife and rare species. Ideal location for fishing.”
[You had us at “thatched cottage”.]

Refectory Cottage at Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire, England
Photo and Description from the English Heritage site:
“Built in the early 20th century for the custodian of the Abbey, but using reclaimed abbey stone, this cottage is a reminder of the original medieval masons who built the Abbey. Their marks can still be seen on many of the blocks used in its construction. Tucked into a corner of the car park, the cottage stands conveniently close to the entrance to the Abbey and a short walk from the River Rye.”
[While the cottage is not quite as old as the others, this is certainly a historic site and in one of the most beautiful parts of England.]

This is just a sampling of the fairytale locales where you can rent a holiday cottage in England. Hopefully it has stirred up some spark of desire for a chance to experience the magic of a historic house, however briefly…

This site talks a lot about the exteriors of historic houses, but I thought it would be great to chat about interiors for a bit. I’m a fan of local interior designer Katie Denham and her design blog katiedid, so I contacted her with a few questions about old houses and what she likes best about Sacramento.

Q. Hi Katie, thanks so much for letting me interview you for the Sacramento Historic House blog. First off, how are you?

A. I am great! Busy at work and busy with family life, and busy with our house remodel!

Q. You are a Sacramento based interior designer and you blog about design at katie-d-i-d.blogspot.com… what else should we know about you?

A. Well… I have a great family: husband and two daughters and an Australian Shepherd named Cooper. We are remodeling our house which was built in 1911 in Curtis Park.

Q. How do you generally work? Do you have a studio or home office?

A. I am currently the Senior Designer at Benning Design Associates and I also have a home office/studio that I use for fun and for special little projects… like blogging for example.

Q. Your home was built in 1911. What are some of the challeges you face with owning an older home? What are the perks?

A. The challenges are far outweighed by our love of older architecture. But there are always things that need repair. Closets are not huge. And bathrooms are never palatial without extensive remodeling. On the flip side, you can’t find a more solidly built house than the one we have. Constructed out of what we originally thought was redwood, we found out was clear Douglas fir which hardens with age. There was no termite or dry rot in any of the structure when we opened up walls for our remodel. And you cannot find the molding and architectural details in new construction that our house has. When I passed by the “for sale by owner” sign when I first saw it, it was love at first sight. It is what is termed an “American Foursquare” style house with what looks like some Georgian style detailing: columns and very symmetrical on the front facade.

Q. You have a tie to the Julia Morgan house, can you tell us about that?

A. There was a Designer’s Showcase House put on by the Junior League a few years back, and I had the pleasure of designing the Library with Bruce Benning of Benning Design. It was wonderful getting to work in a house designed by one of the great American Architects.( It was fun to see the living room in your blog banner.)

Q. Do you have any design tips for keeping the integrity/character of a historic house interior and yet avoiding that heavy museum look?

A. Yes! I think everything that is permanent should have strong ties to the original architecture. Windows and door quality are crucial in maintaining the character of the house. If changing windows to dual paned glass, one should be very careful to not cheap out with fake grids. This is where dollars should really be spent to get true divided lite panes. Even better, there are still craftsmen in Sacramento that can build them the old fashioned way. One other thing that I would caution, and that is with recessed lighting. I think it is OK in areas where function is important, like a kitchen. These areas are obviously more updated than the rest of the house. But I would stress that using recessed lighting in other areas can compromise the integrity of an older home. Use VERY sparingly.

And to keep things fresh and more current, my own personal aesthetic is to combine old and new but without being trendy. If something is well designed, it transcends being the fashion of the moment. With this is mind I like to mix up periods of furniture and throw in the unexpected. Interiors should always reflect the interests and personality of those who live there. If you like contemporary furniture, I say go for it! And maybe throw in an antique to tie things together. Have fun!

Q. Design blogs have really taken off in the last couple of years… why do you think so many of us are drooling over blogs like Decor8 and Yvestown and katiedid? 

A. Well thank you very much for including me in that list! Maybe it’s the age we live in. Information is readily available through the Internet and it is immediate. People can interact directly with the authors and ask questions. It is a great networking tool and a place for people that have common interests to connect in a way that is really impossible any other way. I get to connect with people from all over the world, see what is going on in Morocco, Sweden, Australia, India. It is just an amazing thing. And loads of fun!

Q. What are some of your favorite things about Sacramento?

A. When my husband and I first moved to Sacramento, I was struck by all of the trees in Midtown and the sidewalk cafes. It is a very charming pedestrian downtown/Midtown and it has only gotten better over the years. Second Saturday Art Walk is one of my favorite things. It is so fun to walk around midtown and see the people, art and music. The energy is wonderful. We are really getting some great restaurants downtown as well. I also appreciate the size of Sacramento. It has alot of the bigger city attributes: theater, orchestra, galleries, restaurants, etc… but it also has a very small town feel. I always run into friends at the grocery store and walking around town. I also love much of the architecture in the areas surrounding downtown and midtown. The Fab Forties, Land Park and Curtis Park remind me of Pasadena where I grew up. There is that nostalgic connection.

Thank you for taking the time to have this chat, Katie. Check back with the SHH blog for future profiles.

In no particular order:

1. In which we buy a quaint old cottage - as you might have guessed, we are in an apartment. So this wish comes up… a lot. Questions about job stability and which country we will settle in make buying difficult. (a reason not an excuse!)

2. In which we return to Paris for a week – after catching a bit of The Hills the other night, sucked in by the beautiful shots of the city of lights, my mind started to race. Stay at the Relais Christine, visit the Jacquemart-Andre museum, ice skate on the Eiffel Tower (if winter), listen to some live jazz, sip kir royale at the Hotel Crillon bar, walk hand in hand through the Marais neighborhood, kiss along the Seine, and eat in sidewalk cafés.

3. In which I pay myself first – not getting a payroll check can really whacked out a person’s retirement contributions. I’m slowly getting back on track after reading The Automatic Millionaire. The essence of the book? Automatically deduct 10–15% of your gross salary from your paycheck (pre-tax) to go toward your 401k or 403b or SEP, etc…

4. In which I make health a habit – this too is challenging (for everyone, I would wager).

5. In which I make a greater effort to connect with friends and family.

6. In which I continue to grow my freelance career – in this economy, this really has become more of a wish than a reality. But I am undaunted.

7. In which I show more gratitude.

8. In which we rent a cottage in North Yorkshire for a summer – take long walks in the countryside, savor several pints and a roast dinner on Sunday at the pub, take photographs of happy sheep, lay in the grass and look for animal shaped clouds, attempt a Yorkshire accent, visit Whitby, get lost in the York shambles, and read a book in a cozy corner while the rain taps the windows.

9. In which I find a pet cause – I’m partial to The National Trust and the Jazz Musicians Emergency Fund but I feel I should find something locally. Does anyone else get overwhelmed by this?

10. In which we stop worrying and making obsessive lists.

*Photo courtesy of Ginger Elizabeth’s website. The macaroons are the blurry sandwich cookie on the botton shelf.

How much do I love the Parisian macaroons at Ginger Elizabeth (18th & L)? A lot.

Are they as good as the ones from Miette in the Ferry Building (SF)? Maybe even better.

Are they as good as macaroons from Paris? I think I better taste a few more, for judging purposes.

Happy Easter everyone!