Somewhere In Time Part 1

Part I of Somewhere In Time 

From two different times, he finds her.  And she asks these haunting words - "Is It You?"  
In this unabashedly romantic film, an elderly woman approaches playwright Richard Collier (Christopher Reeve) and presses a pocket watch into...
his hand whispering, "Come back to me." Years later, Collier becomes obsessed with a picture of an early 1900s actress (Jane Seymour) and discovers that she's the woman who gave him the watch. Collier wills himself back in time to find the woman, and the pair begins a love affair out of time.

 Here is the Trailer of this movie...

The first time I ever saw this movie, was in the Theatre. Through the entire movie, I sat mesmerized. Not only by the scenery, but by these Two Young Actors...Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. The story line held my attention and my heart ached for them both. My emotions were all over the place...happy one minute and sad the next. But...I keep coming back to this movie, time and time again. Tom and I have probably watched it 5 or 6 times since we've been married. Many times when we go on vacation, we take it with us and watch it. It is truly a Romantic movie.

 Elise and Richard


That Memorable Kiss

Elise McKenna's Necklace  

The moment when Richard first sees the portrait of Elise in the film was also the first time Christopher Reeve saw the portrait. The director's objective was to get a genuine reaction from him, so it was kept hidden from Christopher Reeve until the moment Richard first turns and sees it.

Come back tomorrow for Part II of Somewhere in Time

Somewhere In Time Part 2

THE GRAND HOTEL, became one of the nation's favored summer resorts during the Victorian era. Vacationers arrived in large lake excursion boats from Buffalo, Cleveland, Chicago and Detroit seeking the cooler weather on Mackinac Island.  They...
danced to Strauss' waltzes, listened to Sousa's stirring marches, dined on whitefish and strolled along the broad decks.

To accommodate overnight guests, boat and railroad companies financed the building of Grand Hotel. Perhaps the most noticeable first impression of Mackinac Island is the absence of automobiles. Mackinac Island is accessible only by boat or plane.

Visitors and residents travel by foot, bicycle or horse-drawn carriage.

There are only 600 year-round Mackinac Island residents.

During the summer, there are more than 500 horses.

The Somewhere In Time filming location was spectacular (the magnificent Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan). Amazingly, only a few scenes were shot in Chicago; the rest of the filming took place on the island. The soundtrack by John Barry was the most moving we’d ever heard and, coupled with an incredible piece of music by Rachmaninoff, sets the mood of the movie. The costuming was nominated for an Oscar but lost to Tess that year. Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour have great chemistry on-screen and they are very believable as the characters they portray.

Automobiles are not allowed on Mackinac Island, Michigan, location of the Grand Hotel and site of much of the movie. The use of cars for the movie required special permission from the town. Although cars were allowed for filming, the cast and crew weren't allowed to drive them outside of actual filming for the movie.

 One of the most captivating things fans cherish about Somewhere In Time, is that the location in which it was filmed, is a real place, not just sets built and then destroyed. Therefore, fans can visit Mackinac Island and stand on the same spots as the characters, effectively "living the movie" for a few days in their own lives. It is enchanting, and very romantic with its aura of the past, truly like traveling back in time. The Somewhere In Time Weekends, when fans dress in period attire to honor and celebrate the film, are the closest thing to actual time travel as one can get.


Interesting Facts About Grand Hotel Built in 1887

*385 guest rooms with no two decorated the same.
 *Breakfast and dinner are included daily.
*Guests 11 years and younger stay and eat free.
 *At 660 feet, Grand Hotel's Front Porch is the world's longest.
 *It takes 500,000 gallons of water to fill Grand Hotel's swimming pool, named for actress Esther Williams, who starred in the 1949 movie This Time for Keeps, filmed at Grand Hotel.
 *Somewhere in Time, starring Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour and Christopher Plummer, was filmed at Grand Hotel in 1979. 
*The Somewhere in Time fan club hosts a weekend each October at Grand Hotel.
 *The Mackinac Bridge, visible from the hotel, was opened in 1957 and joins Michigan's upper and lower peninsulas. At 8,614 feet, it is the longest suspension bridge in North America.
 *Five U.S. Presidents have visited Grand Hotel: Harry Truman, John Kennedy, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
 *More than 50,000 Grand Pecan Balls, the hotel's most popular dessert, are served each season.
 *The Grand Hotel's Front Porch flowers include 2,500 geraniums in 260 planting boxes.
 *One ton of bulbs are planted in the fall, including 25,000 tulips and 15,000 daffodils.
 *More than 125,000 bedding plants (annuals) are used to create the gardens throughout the hotel grounds

Today, I'll leave you with the

Theme Song from Somewhere In Time

Please return tomorrow as we continue with Somewhere in Time Part III.

Somewhere In Time Part 3

Welcome again, as we continue our trip through Somewhere In Time - the Movie starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour.  If you've missed Part I or Part II you can see them here.

Jeannot Szwarc ran into a small problem directing both Christopher Reeve and Christopher Plummer in the same scene. When he said, "Chris," both men replied, "Yes?"  He said that this would never do, so he consulted with producer...
Stephen Deutsch, and together they decided that from now on, Christopher Plummer would be known as "Mr. Plummer", and Christopher Reeve would be known as "Bigfoot".

RELEASE DATE:  3 January 1981

 Christopher Reeve ~ Richard Collier September 25, 1952 - October 10, 2004
 Jane Seymour ~ Elise McKenna February 15, 1951

"Somewhere In Time" (1980)

Directed by Jeannot Szwarc
 Screenplay by Richard Matheson
Based on the novel Bid Time Return, written by Richard Matheson

Starring:

 Christopher Reeve,
 Jane Seymour,
 Christopher Plummer,
 Teresa Wright,
 Bill Erwin,
 George Voskovec,
 Susan French,
 William H. Macy

 MPAA Rating:
PG U.S.

Box Office:
$9,070,000

 Production budget:
$5.1 million

Cast:
Christopher Reeve - Richard Collier
 Jane Seymour - Elise McKenna
 Christopher Plummer - William Fawcett Robinson
 Teresa Wright - Laura Roberts
 Bill Erwin - Arthur
George Voskovec - Dr. Gerald Finney
 Sean Hayden - Young Arthur
Susan French - Older Elise
 John Alvin - Arthur's Father
Eddra Gale - Genevieve
Richard Matheson - Astonished Man
William P. O'Hagan - Rollo
Bob Swan - Stagehand with Note
Don Franklin - Tourist in Hall of History
Hal Frank - Stage Manager
Taylor Williams - Maitre D'
Michael Woods - Dinner Guest
George Wendt - Student
Audrey Bennett - Richard's Date
Val Bettin - Director
Patrick Billingsley - Professor
Susan Bugg - Penelope
Paul Cook - Doctor
Laurence Coven - Critic
David Hull - Hotel Manager
Bruce Jarchow - Bones
Tim Kazurinsky - Photographer
Ted Liss - Agent
William H. Macy - Critic
Ed Meekin - Fisher
Audrie Neenan - Maid in Play
Jeannot Szwarc - Director
Stephen Deutsch - Producer
Burt Bluestein - First Assistant Director
Isidore Mankofsky - Cinematographer
Jack Faggard - Special Effects
Jean-Pierre Dorleac - Costume Designer
Jeff Gourson - Editor
John Barry - Composer (Music Score)
Mary Ann Biddle - Set Designer
Richard Matheson - Screenwriter, Book Author
Roger Heman - Sound/Sound Designer
Seymour Klate - Production Designer

On May 27th, 1995, Christopher Reeve, known throughout the world for his role as Superman, was paralyzed from the neck down in a riding accident.

Sadly, Chris died but, what emerges through this film is a portrait of an intelligent, determined, candid and outspoken man who was able to maintain his sense of humour in the face of adversity. His inspiring personality will shine through as you follow his unpredictable, emotional journey. Contains two stirring documentaries, Hope in Motion and Choosing Hope, filmed over a 2 year period by Christopher Reeve’s son Matthew. Features candid interviews with Christopher Reeve, his doctors and footage of his rehabilitation. Special Features include a candid interview with Christopher about his injury: an interview Jim MacLaren, Jesse Billauer and Brooke Ellison about living with spinal cord injuries; a featurette about the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center. A portion of the profits will benefit the Christopher Reeve Foundation.  

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   Home decoration is an important form of self-expression. Colors, textures, furniture and light all work together to make a room functional and comfortable. Jane Seymour, an experienced artist and home decorator, teaches readers in simple steps how to tranform a house into a home that is personal, warm and welcoming for family and guests. Using her own home, Coral Canyon in Malibu, California, as an example, Seymour shows how anyone can change out the look of their home, affordably and practically. For Seymour, collecting the things you love and displaying them in a creative way is more satisfying than being surrounded by expensive, impersonal decorating. Divided into chapters based on living spaces, “Making Yourself at Home” gives specific instructions for designing and decorating each type of space, including rooms for entertaining guests, family gathering places, private spaces, individual’s rooms, and creative outlets.

 Seymour believes each person is an artist in his or her own right, and in this book she encourages everyone to find the artistry within. “With this book, I want to inspire people to discover their own style and make it easy to put it all together.” --Jane Seymour. The book is a very personal peek into Jane’s family’s home and lifestyle, including many photos of her family. Hardcover.    
 
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Relaxation? Tis the Season...Try These Easy Steps!

Proper Breathing is KEY to Relaxation, and when I read the article it made me recall being in Band in Grade School and High School and taking Saxophone Lessons.  Mr. Cerwin, the instructor, insisted that I learn how to breathe using my diaphragm.  Diaphragm?  What's that, I asked.  He explained and instructed me on how to breathe so that I would have the needed breath  inside me to blow into the saxophone and play!  I never forgot about that and...
have always breathed that way!  How about you?  Do you breathe using your chest or do you breathe using your diaphragm (where your stomach rises and falls with each breath).   I thought it is so important for all of us to breathe properly to get to the state of relaxation, that I would share this article with you.  Let me know what you think about it.  For those trying to unwind and relax, there may be an easier way to do it than spending endless amounts of money on expensive yoga classes or therapy sessions. In fact, everyone possesses the key to relaxation within themselves and that key is proper breathing.

Proper Breathing is the Key to Relaxation 

The word inspire actually translates to breathe in. In ancient times, they believed that every time a person inhaled, the divine spirit was entering them. While this may or may not be true, there is something truly inspiring about every intake of breath. The word expire means to exhale or, as it is more commonly used, to die. It’s actually fitting to view breathing in this way because when a person exhales, they rid their body of dangerous toxins. This is just one of the important ways that breathing helps to maintain a person’s overall health.

What is a Proper Way to BreatheHowever, there is more to it than that. Though most people are unaware of it, there is actually a proper way to breath. There is a difference between breathing for relaxation and the way that most people breathe. Usually people breathe with their chest, which results in short bursts of air that are only sufficient enough to get them through a few seconds. This is called thoracic breathing. Instead, breathing should be done through the diaphragm. When done properly, a person should only have to take 6 to 8 breaths every minute. This type of breathing pattern is called diaphragmatic breathing.

Proper Breathing for Mental and Physical RelaxationWhile many associate proper breathing with yoga and the mental relaxation one gains from such an activity, there are actually physical benefits to adopting a proper breathing technique. Deep rhythmic breathing actually slows down the nervous system, which in turn can help a person to feel more relaxed. It also helps to prevent a person from feeling overwhelmed.  Panic attacks and other anxiety orders can also be caused by improper breathing techniques. When a person inhales, oxygen is brought into the body, which is then absorbed by blood cells. This reaction causes the release of carbon dioxide, which is then exhaled. Quick, rapid breaths can actually upset the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide and, in many cases, can actually lead to a panic attack.

Relaxation Starts from Gaining Control of Your BreathingIn order to fully relax, a person must gain control of their breathing and learn to breathe through their stomach. To do this, a hand should be placed on the stomach in order to watch it rise and fall through the inhale and exhale. For further assistance, the other hand can be placed on the chest. This hand will help to detect whether or not the chest is being used to breathe or not. If the hand moves, then the diaphragm is not being fully utilized and the breaths are most likely shallow and uneven.  Statistics show that once a person learns how to breathe properly during periods of relaxation, they tend to adopt a new breathing pattern altogether. This change helps to create a greater sense of calm and well being.

* Stacy is a hobby writer for Patioshoppers.com, who enjoys stress free moments on her outdoor patio where she practices relaxation breathing techniques.

Island Mansion New York

Watch Island is a private island in the Thousand Islands region with a magnificent 6500 square foot Victorian mansion conveniently located between Clayton and Alexandria Bay near the Thousand Islands Bridge. The home features 10 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms on 1.3 acres. The mansion features all modern amenities and also has a large boat house and extensive...
docking facilities. The property is also available for rent.   The house was built in 1903 by Walter Jerome Green Jr. of Utica, NY.  Mr. Green was director/vice president/treasurer of Savage Arms

Corporation where he worked for 25 years. He was President of Utica Investment Company, resident Utica City National Bank and Director of First National Bank and Trust Company.

Mr. Green was Rear Commodore of the Frontenac Yacht Club and had a 75' Yacht named Verdi according to the June 6, 1909 New York Times.

Watch Island is one of the 1000 Islands set in a tranquil bay overlooking the St Lawrence Seaway. It is a restored 100 year old Victorian home with spectacular views of ships, sunsets, 1000 Island Bridge, and the Rock Island Lighthouse. Diningroom is a large gracious room seats 6 to 16+ with 12 windows overlooking the seaway and evening sunsets. Comfortable living room furnished in antiques with piano, fireplace and views of the river. Country-size, full-service, eat-in kitchen and pantry. The house is surrounded by 4 furnished porches with breathtaking views..one enclosed in glass/ screens. All baths have claw-foot soaking tubs/showers. Boathouse with deep water and plenty of dock space. Crystal clear water for swimming. The house was originally built with servants quarters if anyone wishes to bring a nanny and cook there is plenty of room. The grounds are manicured and plenty of room for outside games, sports or just relaxing in the hammock.

A charming and unique part of the world nestled among 1,800 enchanting islands in the St. Lawrence River. Rich in history and exciting historical activities such as a French Festival, tour & enjoy tea in lovely castles, ride in antique boats, partake in boat auctions, picnic on island parks where children play on old fashioned playgrounds, stroll thru villages with gingerbread houses that take you back to the turn of the century, dine on the front porch of grand old hotels. Delight in the stories of people who lived year-round on islands... who went to school in a school boat or ice skated across the frozen river to school, visit one of the oldest post offices in the US which is on an island. Share in the excitement of Pirates Weekend, the Poker Race of the roaring cigarette boats, delight in the parade of antique boats, visit wonderful art galleries, restored opera house, antiques shops, watch the islanders come by boat to get their supplies at the town dock in Clayton, NY.

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FOR RENT:

{These are the Rates for 2012}

Peak: May 26-Sep 08...$5,950/week...$19,000/month.Special Pricing: June 2 - June 30....$3,450/week...$17,000/month
Available weekly & monthly.Above rates are for up to 2 families.
Off Peak: Sept 8 - May 26...$2,900/week...$10,000/monthAdditional families add $500; singles $250A family = 2 Adults & Children under 18

Please call for corporate meetings, weddings and other special events.

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FOR SALE:

HISTORICAL WATCH ISLAND CLAYTON, NY $1,590,000

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UPDATE 6-3-2014

Additional Information

ABOUT WATCH ISLAND

One of the 1800 islands that dot the majestic St. Lawrence Seaway, yet one of only an elite handful of islands available to rent in the area, Watch Island nestles in a peaceful bay with views of ships, sunsets, Thousand Island Bridge, and the venerable Rock Island Lighthouse spread before it. 

Situated between Clayton and Alexandria Bay, this upscale, upstate New York rental offers an impeccably restored, 6,500 square foot Victorian mansion to the discerning family seeking an elegant vacation home.

The house contains gracious living quarters that include an antique-filled living room with fireplace ideal for family gatherings after a long day's exploring. 

The turn-of-the-century house also boasts a country kitchen, impressively equipped pantry, four furnished porches, and a grand dining room that seats up to 16. The dining room's 12 generous windows offer ever-changing views of the seaway and sunsets. Ten bedrooms sleep a maximum of 20 people. Magnificent Victorian detailing, such as wood paneling and a grand staircase, features throughout. 

The home is air-conditioned and centrally heated and all four baths have claw-foot soaking tubs or showers. A deep-water boathouse and extensive docking facilities accommodate a number of craft.

Spend lazy days on-island curled up in a nook or catching up with current events by satellite, cable, or online. Grill the day's catch on the outdoor grill or barbecue. Paddle the periphery of the island in the property's canoe or pedal past quaint, century-old gingerbread houses and grand, old hotels onshore on one of the island's two bicycles. While away long summer evenings in the screened porch watching river life pass by and lights begin to glow on shore.

With its proximity to Alexandria Bay and the inland ponds and rivers of Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties, the 1.3-acre island is perfect for an activity-packed family vacation. Kayaking is possible between islands, and the waters of Alexandria Bay offer excellent wreck diving. Float fishing excursions for bass, pike, muskie, and walleye make memorable family bonding experiences. In winter, snow kite skiing and snowmobiling are merely two of the exhilarating outdoor options on offer nearby.

Historic Clayton, New York, once the northern terminus of the New York Central Railway, is now very much the cultural center of the Thousand Islands area. The town is home to an array of intriguing museums, and much of the historic downtown dates back to the early 1800s. Clayton offers a plethora of restaurants and even a spa. Other options awaiting onshore range from antiquing, cycling, sailing, and golf to fishing, horseback riding, and big game and upland bird hunting. 

Yet more treasures lie mere minutes downriver. Boldt Castle, George C. Boldt's fabled 120-room testament of love to his wife, basks on Hart Island and is open to visitors May through early October. Only accessible by boat, Rock Island Lighthouse welcomes visitors to the perfectly preserved 1847 structure. Island parks on Wellesley Island and Keewaydin State Park boast charming old fashioned children's playgrounds, 

Watch Island is offered for weekly and monthly rental for up to two families at a time, with additional families at extra charge. Those who truly fall in love with this unique property can opt to stay indefinitely.

Watch Island is now offered for sale for $1,950,000.

Lamps With Pink Roses

As Thanksgiving rolls around again this year, MR CSP and I and the pups find ourselves at home, rather than out of town at a vacation home/cottage.  We've enjoyed the last couple of Holidays away.  This year, I'll be making a Chicken instead of a large Turkey and we'll all enjoy a wonderful feast together.  I've been working on several projects around the house, so with the big Turkey Day here, it's probably a good thing that we don't have a whole group of folks coming to dinner.  Mr CSP is putting up new curtain rods in the Great Room and I'm doing some painting and...
re-decorating - actually getting ready for our new furniture to arrive next week.  I would adore having one of these beautiful lamps I selected to share with you this Pink Saturday...they would look dreamy in my Great Room...or even my Den.  Let me wish all of you a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!    I thought these were just gorgeous and perfect for PINK Saturday!  They have solid brass polished and lacquered hardware, too! 

These have me swooning...oh my!

All of these beautiful lamps, were found while I was shopping on-line at a place called -

ANTIQUE LAMP SUPPLY

Perfect Dessert Beverage for a Chilly Evening

Pumpkin Cream Tea Latte3 t Pumpkin tea brewed in 6 oz of water for 3 minutes 1/2 t vanilla1 T Pumpkin Puree 3 oz whole milk3 oz half & half (can use fat free) Light brown sugar or Honey, to taste Whipped CreamPumpkin Pie Spice Brew tea. Heat milk and half & half until steaming. Add to hot brewed tea, with the vanilla and sugar. Garnish with whipped cream and sprinkle on the Pumpkin Pie Spice. 

Syroco

Before and  After Project

Syroco has been around for a long time...and I love it.  Well, maybe I don't love it in it's natural state...but...well, wait a minute, I want to tell you all about Syroco first.  The Syracuse Ornamental Company, known as Syroco, was an American manufacturing company based in Syracuse, New York. They were best known for their molded wood-pulp products that resembled hand-carving.Founded in...
Syracuse, New York in 1890 by immigrant Adolph Holstein, the Syracuse Ornamental Company (Syroco) specialized in decorative wood carving, especially for the local residential market. Products included fireplace mantelpieces and other types of interior decoration popular in late Victorian homes.

To meet increasing market demand and sales opportunities Holstein developed a material looked and felt like wood but that which could be shaped, allowing multiple pieces to be produced through a molding process. The new product, which combined wood pulp brought from the Adirondacks with flour as a binder and other materials to give it strength, was extruded and then cut to fit compression molds, which had were made from original carvings in real wood.

The process favored shallow molds with little undercutting, and this served well for the creation of a wide variety of "carved" relief work to be applied to different sorts of flat surfaces such as walls, furniture and caskets. Production of this new molded product, known as SyrocoWood, was the mainstay of the company's production through the 1940s. The finished material could be smoothed and varnished to look like wood, or it could be painted. Sales catalogues from the early 1900s through the 1920s offer hundreds of varieties of moldings, capitals, brackets, volutes, and reliefs of vases, garlands, cartouches, scrollwork, and other details in a variety of styles.

Syroco operated from a large factory complex on 581 South Clinton Street in Syracuse acquired from Smith Corona Typewriter Company. The company remained in the hands of the Holstein family for three generations, with some of Adolph's children and grandchildren taking over management and sales positions. At its peak, about 400 workers were employed at the plant.

By the 1930s the company had also developed an extensive line of gift and novelty items made of "SyrocoWood" and also "Woodite," a combination of wood flour and polymer. In the 1960s the company began to use injection molding for some of its products, but did not entirely abandon its old processes.



Syroco added more lines of injection molded plastics when a new plant was opened in nearby Baldwinsville in 1963 which was entirely geared to plastics production, especially PVCs and polystyrene. The company began to use plastic in new "modern" designs and new forms for clocks, mirrors, tables and a range of household items. In 1968-1969 the company launched its "Lady Syroco" home products. Beginning in 1986 Syroco produced a popular line of lawn furniture.  In 1965 the company was bought by Rexall Drug and Chemical Company (which soon changed its name to Dart Industries). Dart owned Tupperware, from which Syroco gained more knowledge of injection molding. Syroco was purchased by the Syratech Corporation of Boston in 1986 which expanded its patio furniture production. In 1995 Syratech sold Syroco to Marley PLC of Sevenoaks, England, and in 2004 Syroco was purchased by Vassallo Industries of Puerto Rico which closed the plant in 2007. In April 2010 Tessy Plastics purchased the 270,000 square foot Syroco plant to be used for storage and distribution. 

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Now...on to my Before & After Project

Here is a set of Wall Decorations made of Syroco that I bought at an estate sale.

I love the urn shaped holder on the shelf...and I love the scroll work and all of the pretty flowers.  Each one measures approximately 23 1/4"" in length and about 5 1/2-6" wide...so they are nice sized.

I bought them with an idea in mind.  

These decorations were painted black...any kind of paint will do, but I had a can of black spray paint at hand.  Two coats later and some drying time...they were nearing completion.

The real change came with the addition of Rub 'n Buff, something that I've used for years.  You rub it on with your fingers (gloved) and it instantly changes how your piece looks.  What is Rub 'n Buff?

Amaco Rub 'n Buff Metallic Finishes are perfect for decorating or antiquing wood, plaster, pottery, metal, leather or gessoed surfaces.  Rub on and buff to a beautiful luster.  For hard-to-reach areas, thin with turpentine and apply with a brush.  Colors can be blended.  Each tube contains 1/2 oz (15 ml), enough to cover up to 20 square feet.  It is available in a number of different colors and I got mine at dickblick.com

I used only 3 different colors - Ruby, Emerald and Warm Gold - to create this new look!  The Wall Decorations now hang in my newly decorated Great Room.  I just love them, what do you think?

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