The Mansion on O Street Today Paul and I went for afternoon tea at the Mansion on O Street here in DC. The best I can describe the place and experience as a kooky, amazing, mad hatter tea party + Miss Havisham house all rolled into one. The Mansion is made up of 4 or 5 row houses combined together to create 100 rooms (some are hotel guest rooms), and 32 secret doors behind bookcases and mirrors (we only found one!). Each room is over the top decorated and everything that doesn't move is for sale. A must see for anyone coming to DC! I would recommend the guided tour or self guided tours, rather than tea time. The food while lavishly displayed wasn't authentic English Tea like we expected but it made our visit even more eclectic and fun! Here are a few camera phone photos from our visit! Chandelier in main tea room We had our tea in this room Everything is for sale, including that angel! Lots of odd juxtapositions: Santa with Vietnam Vets, travel mugs + a teddy bear? Of course! Purple, green and yellow cauliflower! Tables piled high with cakes! Traditional English tea food? I don't think so ... (P.S. the bowl NOT the Twizzlers is $12) Semi-creepy doll watching over the cakes Fun 80's game. I bought it! only $3! Wine Cellar room accessed by secret door through the kitchen Betty Boop Statue? Don't mind if I do! Trompe l'oeil painting on kitchen floor. Amazing! If you are anywhere near DC or come here for a visit you MUST go to the O street Mansion. It's even a hotel and you can stay there if you like. The guest rooms are completely over the top! Today was an amazing and fun day and not one I'll forget anytime soon! Labels: Washington DC things to do :: posted @ 8:14 PM by claudine hellmuth:: COMMENTS: Claudine, this is so cool! I have lived near DC for years (let us just say a LONG time) and I have never heard of this. I will have to check it out. Thanks!! # posted by  Shirley : 9:09 PM   They do say lots of locals don't even know about it. So glad we discovered it! # posted by  claudine hellmuth : 9:12 PM   What an eclectic place! I'll definitely have to visit it if I'm ever in the D.C. area. # posted by  Aundria B. : 9:12 PM   OH MY GOSH, how cool!! Jason and I will definitely have to go check this out!!! So you can just go wander around to try to find the secret doors? I will be there ALL DAY LONG trying to find them all! :) # posted by  Cameron : 9:29 PM   Jen and Jared and I are coming to DC in July..and you bet we'll see YOU AND this cool place ! # posted by  Suze Weinberg : 10:19 PM   Cameron - you could do the self guided tour then! I don't think they let people just come in. but the tours are only $5! I want to go back and go on the guided tour to find all the doors! # posted by  claudine hellmuth : 10:44 PM   Glad you explained the $12 was for the bowl...not the candy..lol LOVE that kitchen floor!! # posted by  WW : 9:55 AM   What a wonderful treat to have, thanks for sharing it with us, but I do wish you had sent us all a piece of cake! # posted by  whyducks : 11:53 AM   what a fantastic discovery. the guided tours sounds the way to go. # posted by  Ashlie : 10:43 PM   WOW. It is on the list of things to see, that is for sure. I think all houses and buildings need secret doors, it just makes things more interesting. :-) # posted by  Anonymous : 7:56 PM   I love The O Mansion! The themed rooms are so fun. I also think its so cool/dangerous how everything in the house is for sale! # posted by  Paula Hoffman Design : 6:02 PM   Washington was never like this when I lived there... ;-) # posted by  A bird in the hand : 9:26 PM   Post a Comment << Home

Name:claudine hellmuth From:Washington, DC, United States designer + illustrator. married to @paulglester. bossed around by a cat named Brian. fluent in lorem ipsum. View my complete profile          join my mailing list!   download FREE printable retro eyeglasses! my etsy shop what i am doing right now Tweets by @claudinetweets press contact me EMAIL ME VISIT MY WEB SITE my books & dvds affiliate links books with my work affiliate links previous posts Join the Craft Corps! apartment search still missing you workshop updates illustration friday: linked Escape from Illustration Island Podcast! illustration friday: dip again! illustration friday: dip I'm on web site bakery paperlife podcast archives September 2005 | October 2005 | November 2005 | December 2005 | January 2006 | February 2006 | March 2006 | April 2006 | May 2006 | June 2006 | July 2006 | August 2006 | September 2006 | October 2006 | November 2006 | December 2006 | January 2007 | February 2007 | March 2007 | April 2007 | May 2007 | June 2007 | July 2007 | August 2007 | September 2007 | October 2007 | November 2007 | December 2007 | January 2008 | February 2008 | March 2008 | April 2008 | May 2008 | June 2008 | July 2008 | August 2008 | September 2008 | October 2008 | November 2008 | December 2008 | January 2009 | February 2009 | March 2009 | April 2009 | May 2009 | June 2009 | July 2009 | August 2009 | September 2009 | October 2009 | November 2009 | December 2009 | January 2010 | February 2010 | March 2010 | April 2010 | May 2010 | June 2010 | July 2010 | August 2010 | September 2010 | October 2010 | November 2010 | December 2010 | January 2011 | February 2011 | March 2011 | April 2011 | May 2011 | June 2011 | July 2011 | August 2011 | September 2011 | October 2011 | November 2011 | December 2011 | January 2012 | February 2012 | March 2012 | April 2012 | May 2012 | June 2012 | July 2012 | August 2012 | September 2012 | October 2012 | November 2012 | December 2012 | January 2013 | February 2013 | March 2013 | April 2013 | May 2013 | June 2013 | July 2013 | August 2013 | September 2013 | October 2013 | November 2013 | December 2013 | January 2014 | February 2014 | March 2014 | April 2014 | May 2014 | June 2014 | July 2014 | August 2014 | September 2014 | January 2015 | February 2015 | April 2015 | September 2015 | SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG'S FEED all artwork and text © Claudine Hellmuth Creative LLC content of this site may not be reproduced in any manner without advance written permission