Wednesday, January 13, 2010

New Orleans – Wedding Cake House


DSC02011 Corinthian columns

I’ve got New Orleans on my mind, now that my daughter returned there on Sunday. There are many glorious mansions on St. Charles Avenue, but my favorite one is known as The Wedding Cake House. Some may call it ostentatious but I call it divine.

DSC06534 St Charles mansion square

It’s a private home, so I have to admire it from the sidewalk.

DSC02000 New Orleans mansion

I feel a tad guilty, imagining myself having a glass of ice-cold sweet tea on this grand porch…

DSC02008 Wedding Cake House porch

…somewhat voyeuristic, zooming in on its architectural details…

DSC06536 St Charles mansion detail

…fighting the urge to swipe a lick off the white frosting…

DSC02009 Wedding Cake House column detail

…in awe of every ornate feature, down to the cast iron acorn detail of the fence that keeps me at bay.

DSC02002 Acorn cast iron fence detail

But then I think, “What do you expect when you live in a house like this? I can’t help myself.” The Four Tops expressed it the best. Enjoy!





25 comments:

My Castle in Spain said...

I agree...a tiny bit ostentatious but divine for sure !

CC said...

Imagine living in such a house.

Anonymous said...
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Marilyn Miller said...

A beautiful house, one I also would love to sip tea out on the veranda. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

Ruth said...

I would have felt a wee bit guilty taking pictures too, but then I'd realize how often it must happen. Too bad they didn't invite you up on the porch. I noticed how spare the wicker porch furniture is, which is probably not to detract from the ornate trims.

Yes it's ostentatious, but somehow it really works all in white. What a gem, wow.

A Cuban In London said...

I felt like licking the building, never mind the iced tea. Your photos are gorgeous and the building looks like a gigantic cake with a lot of meringue on top. Many thanks.

Greetings from London.

Susan said...

My favorite house in N'awlins! The photos are beautiful, but as you know, no picture can do it justice. It has to be seen in person to get the full effect. And the fact that it's surrounded by other beautiful homes makes it even better and prettier! Doesn't Ann Rice live a couple of houses away, or did I read somewhere that she sold it?

Sarah Laurence said...

Hi, tangobaby! It’s so nice to connect with you through a Cuban in London. That wedding cake house is sure good enough to eat, so are your gorgeous photos. You bring back good memories of New Orleans. I love the Yosemite photos below and want to visit all the more.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Castle,
Wouldn't this be a great venue for a wedding?

Dear CC,
I'd have to have a staff like Scarlett O'Hara's!

Dear Marilyn,
I was hoping someone would join me there. It's great fun to see the St. Charles streetcar go by.

Dear Ruth,
I agree, the white makes it less gauche. Yes, the owner chose perfect porch furniture. Marilyn and I are having a sip of tea there, would you care to join us?

Dear Cuban,
I love it when you visit here. You always make me laugh :-D

Dear Susan,
Yes, it is drop-dead gorgeous in person. I'm sure I can do it more justice if I could jump that fence!

I have no idea where Ann Rice lives. I'm sure it's somewhere shi-shi, so this neighborhood is a good guess.

Hi Sarah Laurence,
Thank you for the nice compliment! I'm glad I found you in Cuban's London lounge. Welcome to dutchbaby.

Amanda Moore said...

This is very cool, my Aunt lived in Metarie until Katrina then decided she had, had enough excitement and moved, she misses it tho, gosh with beauty to look at like I can imagine why!

Sarah Laurence said...

Oops, I did say tangobaby instead of dutchbaby, but I came to the right blog. Sorry! I need to get more sleep. Or maybe I have a repressed desire to dance the tango?

Dutchbaby said...

Dear moorebloglife,
I can imagine that your aunt misses New Orleans; there's no other place on earth like it. I hope she's happy wherever she is now.

Dear Sarah Laurence,
You probably saw several references to tangobaby here. She is my blogger mentor and the only blogger I knew when I started. She is also somewhat responsible for my moniker as described in this post:

http://godutchbaby.blogspot.com/2008/12/tangobaby-crowned-princess-of.html

I don't mind at all being called tangobaby; I'm flattered!

Emily said...

What a great house! I love your idea to make sleeping bags :) We may just have to do that!

Ruth said...

Yes, I would like to join you. And I would also like to join you on a future ultimate safari to Botswana as long as the nights are chilly and they give me a leopard fabric covered water bottle in my bed and another in my poncho!

Gena @ Thinking Aloud said...

Oh such exquisite architectural details!!! gorgeous post!!!
thanks for the comment on my "weathered door" loved it!!!
Gena @ Thinking Aloud
a photoblog
South Africa
PS. I see something about New Orleans ....am going to follow you

Gena @ Thinking Aloud said...

Oh such exquisite architectural details!!! gorgeous post!!!
thanks for the comment on my "weathered door" loved it!!!
Gena @ Thinking Aloud
a photoblog
South Africa
PS. I see something about New Orleans ....am going to follow you

margie said...

i have new orleans on my mind because they are MY NFL team. yay.

Unknown said...

Think of the many hours of labor put into it. Magnificent!

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Jemm,
I hope you and your daughters do make the sleeping bags. I look forward to seeing the photos.

Dear Ruth,
Why it looks looks like we got ourselves a bona fide tea party :) As for a future trip to Botswana - I'm in!

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Gena@ThinkingAloud,
Thank you and welcome to dutchbaby!

Dear margie,
Go Saints! My daughter enjoys living in a community with a winning team!

Dutchbaby said...

Dear lisaschaos,
Very good point. I'm guessing that many of those hours were during hot and humid days. The house looks like a labor of love.

Relyn Lawson said...

This. This exactly is why I've wanted to visit New Orleans. I must someday. Once I own a better camera.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Relyn,
Let's go!

Astrid said...

This house is just fabulous, in the Netherlands I never saw something like this, I think a lot of people did take pictures of the mansion.
You did take some great pictures.
I was once in New Oleans, way back in 1975, I loved the city.

Dutchbaby said...

Dear Astrid,
Yes, there is nothing Dutch about this house. A wrap-around porch would not get very much use in Holland -- unless it's accessorized with lots of wool blankets.

This house is pretty famous in New Orleans. Lots of people take photos of it, but I still felt pretty guilty.

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