Tuesday, September 19, 2006

A spectacular day filled with sunshine. First, a morning run-thru at the Bath Windsor Hotel and then dressed in costume. The owner of the lovely hotel was kind enough to let us take photos in the "chair" he had out front. Much silliness followed with photos of Mrs. Bennet, Lady Susan, Miss Bates, Lady Harcourt, etc. Dressed and off to the Jane Austen Centre to inquire about a costume for David Green and then checked out a costume shop calling Farthingale's which was closed - but a place to rent regency costumes. Then up to the Royal Crescent and toured Number 1 Royal Crescent - a spectacular house. I did not realize the floor boards were unvarnished during that period. It made the rooms very light. Enormous amounts of prints and paintings covering the wall. Drawing room of spectacular green silk damask with curtains to match. Shutters fully restored in every room, a special shade of blue wall color in the gentleman's smoking room. The kitchen featured a spit that had a wheel which, at one time, a dog would run in to keep the spit turning continously - poor pooch! Walked thru Victorian Gardens, saw some kind of little painted amphitheatre, then on to tea at the assembly rooms. Classical music and pasta salad, better beverages than the states - a cranberry with lime sparkler for me. A short walk to the The Building of Bath Museum - had actual paint pigments used in Georgian times, archetectural tools from the 18th century, columns, in a chapel, huge model of Bath.

No comments: