2018 Winter in MICHIGAN - W. K. Kellogg Manor House

For years I have been yearning to see this big ol' Tudor-revival style mansion along Gull Lake in southwest Michigan. It is only 15 miles from our home in Kalamazoo. They often have "formal" tea events here on various holidays, but this time of year there is local artisan holiday craft sale. Here's the lowdown on the mansion's history.

This is the Kellogg family that invented Corn Flakes and other Kellogg brand cereals.

Construction was started in 1925 and the home occupied in 1926. The estate cost was $747,000 at the time (the home $400,000 out of that). The 15,000 square foot house still stands intact with furniture added to reflect the original furnishings. It sits on the highest point (110 feet) above Gull Lake and includes 1,600 feet of shoreline. Mr. Kellogg referred to it as his "cottage."

Here is the front entrance. Looks pretty austere compared with what is behind that door.

The living room (and many other rooms) has a lovely view of the lake and was decorated stunningly.

Wood beams, paneling, and staircase are in oak, cherry, and walnut. Today all the fireplaces were aglow.

The dining room may have been my favorite. There was also an elegant breakfast room with period boxes of Corn Flakes and other Kellogg cereal brands displayed. There tea and macaroons were offered as part of the $5 donation fee.

The kitchen seems quite ordinary, but I'm sure the family rarely visited this room.

Next I took the stunning wooden staircase up to the second floor. Italian woodworkers created the intricate carvings.

Upstairs was the mister and the misses suites. His had private bath, closet, bedroom, and separate office.

Her connecting space has a private bath, closet, bedroom, and two sitting rooms.

There were also four guest bedrooms.

And seven bathrooms, all styled in various colors of Rookwood tile.

Last was the billiard room and nook.
Here the fireplace is surrounded in more colorful Rookwood tile.

All-in-all there are 18 rooms (not all were open)--seven entry doors, a library, seven bedrooms (today filled with artisans' wares), seven bathrooms, a wing for household staff (now offices), two large sun porches, a full basement (including an organ with 1,000+ pipes, laundry, and two redwood Jacuzzis), and an attic (ballroom / storage). There are many leaded-glass window and wood panel decorations.

References to the Kellogg Scottish origins include a Lion Rampant stamped into the plaster of the library, the living room ceiling plastered with a rose and thistle design, and thistle in many light fixtures and sconces.

Outside in back are manicured grounds overlooking Gull Lake.

Pretty spectacular and worth a visit, although I'd do it in summer when the grounds are in all their glory.

http://conference.kbs.msu.edu/manor-house/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kellogg_Biological_Station

2018 Winter Holidays in MICHIGAN

This year has gone by so fast and it was a good one for us. We have some trip blogging catch up to do, but decided we needed a little holiday message first.

Just before the holidays, my fellow authors of Library Ladies of Kalamazoo: Home and History had lunch at the Park Club. I always have a fabulous time with these precious friends.

We got together at my sister's for Thanksgiving. A smaller group, but mom was there and we all had a great visit. Dinner was a choice of ham and/or beef, augmented with lots of veggies. We tried cauliflower-three-ways, which was fun. I liked two out of the three! Mike and I brought homemade Banana Split Pie for dessert. It is layers of shortbread crust / chocolate pudding / sliced bananas / vanilla pudding / sliced strawberries / cool whip topping with scattered walnuts and maraschino cherry halves. It was pretty much gone in a flash.

In between holidays Aunt Terry and Uncle Bob from France and cousin Matt from Pennsylvania came for a visit. Our first meal was at Steak'n'Shake. When Bob & Terry met in their college days, S&S was the chain restaurant where they courted. So eating at this sister location is always a sentimental choice whenever they visit.

The next day we attended the live-in-cinema version of the opera LaTraviata performed by the NY Met. I watch these events at home on the small screen when public TV produces them, but it was truly spectacular on the big screen. Later that evening, the family took our visitors out to dinner at the Park Club in downtown Kalamazoo. It was fun being round a big "family" table.

The next day we gathered at Laur's for a day for football and snacking. It was the Pittsburg Steelers (their team) over the Patriots. Lots of encouragement and merriment over that. Food included quiches-two-ways. How French of us! We ate breakfast together the next morning and sent them on their way.

A couple of days before Christmas I went to the W. K. Kellogg Manor House. See next blog page for the lowdown.

Christmas was at our lil brother's. They always decorate so nicely at their classic old farm house. There we had prime rib and/or ham and veggies. I brought a mac'n'cheese with bacon bits mixed in. Lots of presents to open all around. Fleece blankets, airplane socks, toe rings, car vac, and much more for us. We give little ditties and some "everything" seasoning mix that I concocted. All the kids got wood models of dinosaurs to build.

Here's Kev in the kitchen and a few of the crew.

 

Everything about the holidays was wonderful. We didn't stress, got great gifts, fabulous food, but best was seeing all the family. The only issue was I gained 5 pounds between October and the first of the year. Back on the old weight watchers band wagon.