Presidential Sites: United First Parish Church Quincy, Mass.

Now a Unitarian Church, United First Parish Church was Congregational when John and Abigail were buried here. Like many of our early leaders, John's leanings would have fit in very nicely with the direction the church has gone. The present church was built in 1828 but it has been a congregation for over 350 years and has had several different buildings (the current is the second stone church) and at least two different locations.

Today you will find the burial place of both Adams presidents and their wives in the crypt. While we were waiting for one tour to end we sat in the rear of the church. What we learned there was a little about the history of the town of Quincy, which began its life as the north precinct of the town of Braintree. Each of the suburban Boston towns had its own charter and by 1640 each was looking to form its own church since attendance was mandatory in Massachusetts Colony.

John Hancock was born in Braintree and both he and John Adams were baptized by Rev. Hancock. In 1792 the town received its name of Quincy, after Abby’s grandfather. Now you starting to get a picture of just how much a part of the Massachusetts fabric these two families were, think of the names of some of the towns Adams, Quincy, Boylston just to name a few.

We sat in the Adams family pew while our docent gave us our verbal tour of the church. The pews are the original ones, there is a mahogany pulpit and some of the glass is the wavy original. The ceiling is beautiful with a passion flower in the center. Two plaques in the church are dedicated to the Adams family.

One interesting fact that I took from this tour was that "It came upon the Midnight Clear" was sung in this church for the first time ever in 1849. A bit of trivia that might come in useful.

What most people come here for is to visit the graves of the second and sixth presidents and their first ladies. John and Abigail were buried first in the cemetery across the street but were later moved into the more secure crypt of the church.

Hancock Cemetery Quincy, Mass.

Being a cemetery lover I couldn’t wait to get into this one and look around. You can get a map of the cemetery at the First Parish Church. Make sure you get the map, even with it finding all the graves is a challenge. Looking at the map it seems so obvious, don’t let the map fool you, it is anything but obvious.

The main entrance is located on Hancock Street. If you turn left after you enter you can walk past the grave where John Quincy Adams was buried before he was moved to the United First Parish Church. Off to your right will be the Quincy family graves. Here you will find Abigail’s grandfather Col. John Quincy and other prominent members of the Quincy family. Close by is the oldest surviving gravestone, that of William Townsend who was the town’s first minister. Also buried here is  Joanna Hoar who is called the "great mother" because so many prominent families descend from here including the Adams, the Quincy’s, and also Holmes, as in Oliver Wendall...

Go back to the walkway that runs along Hancock Street and turn right at the first cross street. If you continue up this walkway until it reaches the cross walkway you will find the grave of Henry Adams, the town's earliest identifiable grave. He died in 1646 and is the great great grandfather of John Adams.

One more grave of particular interest is that of Rev. John Hancock, the father of John Hancock of the Declaration of Independence fame. His is about halfway down on the right on the middle walkway. Anyway, be sure to have your map because this was a stubborn one to find. This cemetery is also the final resting place of Ruth Alden who is the daughter of Priscilla and John Alden. John Adams is descended from this famous couple, I guess they all belong to the Mayflower Society. I am delighted to say that my grandson Alex is also one of this famous couple's descendant. 

The Queens Home Sandringham House

This is one of several houses that the Queen of England owns personally. It is where the Royal Family spends the Christmas holiday and the Queen makes her Christmas Address from here.

The house was originally built by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. They lived here most of the time (I think he wanted to get away from his mother, Victoria).

We entered the house through an entrance way that has an old scale in it. Guests used to be weighted when they came to visit, and then again when they left. Your guests were supposed to gain weight while they were visiting. I figure it was also a way to discourage people from pilfering the silver.

The first room we visited was a very comfortable room with a piano, lots of family pictures, couches with pillows, TV and VCR. It looks like most of our family rooms just a bit larger and grander. It has wonderful lighting from the wall of windows and you can imagine the family reading here.

After going through a hall filled with Oriental armor we entered some beautiful drawing rooms. There are cases here displaying Queen Alexandra's jade collection which takes up several cases. There is also a case filled with small Faberge items and another filled with fans. There is a room divider used as a portable picture gallery to display photos of a shooting party from long ago.

In the dining room, the table is set as if it were 1894. There is a sample menu they had at least 10 courses - 2 menus have 14 courses. Nowadays they still use this room but they limit themselves to three or four courses. There is even a Grand National Trophy from 1900 won by the Prince of Wales horse. The last room we visited was filled with canine pictures. The Royal family have been real dog lovers for several generations. They lost me here, I like my dog but looking at paintings of other peoples dogs is like watching videos of someone else's vacation. Boring!!!!

Be sure to check their website for opening dates and time.

Plan to visit the museum, gardens, a great gift shop and a restaurant. You can also walk over to the parish church.

A visit to historic Sudley Castle WInchombe, Gloucestershire

Sudeley is one of the most beautiful, romantic castles in England. It was the final home of Katherine Parr the 6th wife of Henry the VIII. After Henry's death Katherine went back to her great love Thomas Seymour. That she loved him, there can be no doubt, about him I have grave doubts. He was extremely ambitious and it ultimately cost him his head. One of the many personal items that is on display is a love letter and lock of hair (a beautiful honey blond) that Katherine sent to him.

Katherine's is a tragic story, after three arranged marriages she finally married the man she loved only to die after a difficult childbirth. Thomas didn't even stay for her funeral, he rushed off to see Princess Elizabeth who he had hopes of seducing and marrying leaving Lady Jane Grey as the chief mourner. But that is another story.

Sudeley itself was turned into a ruin during the Civil War. All the important rooms in the castle were destroyed so that it could never be used as a military base again. The rent room  shows a model of what the Castle looked like before the Civil War.

The North Hall has several interesting pictures including a Van Dyke and also a unique collection of wax portraits. Also on display are a letter signed by Charles I and a waistcoat that Emma Dent believed belonged to Charles I.

The next two rooms deal with Emma Dent's time at Sudeley and there are two portraits of her there. It was through her that the marvelous art collection came into the Dent family.

After the Oak Lobby you travel down a hallway with several small bedrooms, one the Rupert bedroom has a Charles I mourning ring and Oliver Cromwell's inkwell.

In the Chandos Bedroom they are several interesting diplays including one on Alice Keppel (King Edward VII mistress and great grandmother of Camilla Parker Bowles) she is the great grandmother of the current Lord Ascroft.

On the Tutor Staircase are the love letters I mentioned before, some important miniatures, and portraits of Thomas Seymour and his brother Edward , The Lord Protector.

Katherine Parr's nursery is a sadly poignant room. She never got to enjoy her baby daughter and nothing is known of the little girls fate. This room is in the oldest part of the house. In one of the rooms there is a wall of miniture paintings and a case with a lock of her hair and a tooth and a fragment of the dress she was buried in. In 1792 her tomb was opened.

When we visited Sudley Castle, there was a headphone tour which is excellent. It takes you into the ruins and the gardens as well as the chapel. I am not sure that it is still offered.

The gardens here are too wonderful not to rate a story of their own. It is more than just one garden it's several gardens.

The Ruins Garden is within the walls of the parts of the Castle that were destroyed in the Civil War. There are intersting stone seats where you can sit and absorb the beauty. You enter through a door within a small tower at the corner of the wall. The headphone tour will lead you into this garden.

The Secret Garden was built by the current owners to celebrate their wedding in 1979. You walk through the garden wall and enter a wonderful display of Mediterranean foliage. It was in full bloom when we were there.

The Rose Garden is amazing. Even when I was here in December there were roses on the bushes, I couldn't believe it. In September naturally they were even more spectacular.

A Tudor Knot Garden in an interior courtyard can be reached from the Ruin Garden.

The flowers around the Chapel are all white. There are roses and lots of other varieties. It makes an outstanding display.

You walk through a trellis' with a crown on top covered in a splendid display of roses onto the terraces on the outside of the garden to enjoy it from every angle.

The Chapel is a peaceful haven amid all this floral beauty. It contains a lovely tomb effigy of Katherine Parr. It is not the original, it was done in 1959. What always amazes me is that there were fresh flowers laid on the grave by fans of hers, even after over 400 years.

Come here prepared to be enchanted and a little intrigued as well. Several years ago I took a picture in the ruins which has a very usual splash of light in it. There are rumors of a ghost or two. Did I capture one? Maybe!!

Don't miss the really great gift shop or the restaurant. 

If you want the ultimate experience, staying at the rental cottages on the property is great. We have done it twice and loved it.

The house is open March-December 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. From November the closing time is 4 p.m.

Spur of the moment getaway destinations on the East Coast

When it comes to spur-of-the-moment travel, the usual criteria is that the destination is either easily accessible to you and/or the price for the trip is absolutely irresistible. Sometimes it is even a combination of the two. What this means is that you may look at an email telling you that there are $100 flights to a destination that you are dying to visit or you may just be in need of a quick getaway that you can drive to.

If you live on the east coast of the United States, there are lots of great cities that are perfect for spur-of-the-moment travel. New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington DC are all great options for the simple fact that they have a multitude of hotels and bed and breakfasts. That means it should not be too difficult to find a place to stay on short notice, unless, of course, it is a time when a special event is going on. Trying to get a hotel room during Inauguration time in Washington will be difficult, and New Year’s Eve in New York City needs to be booked a year in advance.

If you enjoy a little slower pace, Charleston, Savannah, Raleigh-Durham, or Nashville are all great places to get away at a moment’s notice. Nashville especially has lots of choices of places to stay, and none is more all-inclusive than the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. It is a destination on its own and if you just want to arrive and rest or stay onsite you can do that. There are a variety of restaurants and things to do to make your getaway interesting.

Farther south, the opportunities in Florida start at Jacksonville and continue all the way to Key West. You can stop almost anywhere along the way and find places to stay and things to do.

Maybe you prefer a getaway in the country? New England is packed with charming towns and villages that offer a bucolic way of life, including shopping in small local shops, dining on organic and locally sourced food, and just letting all the stress of everyday life disappear.

The Middle Atlantic States offer their own variety of country life from the wonderful beaches in the offseason to the charm and history of the university towns. Virginia is packed with Civil War sites as well as stunning mountain views. Those mountain views continue into North and South Carolina and northern Georgia.

The eastern coast of the United States offers so many options to spur-of-the-moment travelers that you may find it hard to decide where to go. The best option is to travel often and get to know this great part of the country well. It could take you years to run out of places of interest.

Quebec: The Shrine of St Anne de Beaupre

Saint Anne de Beaupre is probably the most famous shrine in North America; certainly, it is the most famous in Canada. It began as a simple sailor’s chapel dedicated to Ste. Anne and has grown into a magnificent basilica that is visited by the faithful from around the world. 

I have to admit that I have always had a fascination with Ste. Anne, even before I realized that I am related to three recipients of miracles at the shrine. Actually, the first miracle was given to Louis Guimont and the best translation calls it a terrible pain in his back. He was totally cured as he placed 3 stones into the foundation of the chapel as it was being built. This was in 1658, unfortunately, his cure didn’t stop him from being killed by the Iroquois in 1661.

The Present Basilica is the fifth church to be built here. It is a magnificent sight as you drive up along the river and I was even more impressed when I viewed it at a distance from the Ile d'Orleans. It dwarfs everything else in the neighborhood. The twin spires frame a statue of Ste. Anne that was salvaged from the previous church, which was lost to fire in 1922. What you notice first about the interior of the Basilica are all the crutches that are hung on the wall in mute testimony to the many cures that have occurred here. Mass goes on almost unceasingly here, mostly in French and there are thousands of candles burning in supplication. I had a hard time finding a spot to place mine.

There is a memorial chapel to the side of the basilica and there are lots of memorial plaques, I dragged my family through the two chapels to read the names of all of our relatives. On the hill, there are life-size stations of the cross and the truly devote climb up the stairs to them on their knees. That part is optional. The Redemptorists took over the care of the Basilica over 100 years ago and there is always someone available to hear confession or just to talk. They are in a small building close to the parking lot.

It goes without saying that they have a fabulous gift shop. It isn’t just the religious items that draw people here (though they have a wide and high-quality selection). People come to the gift shop to buy genealogy books. The series Nos Ancetres (Our Ancestors) is published in Ste. Anne and the latest volume is usually available here in both French and English. Be warned the English version is about twice as expensive. I have all 30 volumes in French.

Ste. Anne de Beaupre is about 22 miles east of Quebec and an easy drive from the city. If you want to come for lunch or dinner there are plenty of restaurants.

Washington DC: Visiting Hillwood

Hillwood Museum is an amazing house and garden and if you are going to be visiting Washington, D.C. it is worthwhile to plan to visit, call ahead and make a reservation. A limited number of visitors are allowed each day. We called several months in advance. Access to the grounds is controlled; you will be asked if you have reservations. A note here: there are no children under six allowed in the house. When you see how it is set up you will understand why. You cannot carry your purse, a water bottle and in my case, I had to take off my leather blazer.

How to get there

You can take the Metro to the Van Ness stop and walk but it is a good hike and the road is not flat. We took a cab but be sure your driver knows how to get to Hillwood. Have the address with you and make sure the driver can find it; even taking all precautions it is not an easy place to find. When you leave there is a courtesy phone to a cab company who will come and pick you up, they know where it is.

Allow at least three or four hours for your visit. A 12-minute video is offered that is worth viewing before you tour the house. The audio tour for the house takes 90 minutes, and there is another tour of the gardens. While you are there you may want to have lunch or tea at the cafe and there is a wonderful gift store.

Why visit Hillwood

In order to understand Hillwood, you need to know who Marjorie Merriweather Post is. She is the heiress to the Postum Cereal fortune. Her father invented Post Grapenuts, and that alone made her a very wealthy woman. Beyond that she was an extraordinary collector, with an excellent eye which was further trained by the curator she hired. She developed a lifelong love of all things Russian while living there in the 1930s with her third husband who was the U.S. Ambassador. 

You will see a fabulous collection of Russian art, Faberge, and icons. The Faberge alone is worth the price of admission. The Lusupov music box is beyond stunning, it is beyond description and there are two imperial Easter eggs as well.


Limiting the description to just that, does the house a disservice, but the collection is so vast and varied that you really need to see it yourself. We were befriended by one of the docents, Rebecca Perl, and she seemed to be in every room that we visited, giving lots of extra details and information. She loves this house and it shows. On the second floor, you will visit the private rooms and get a more personal look at Marjorie Merriweather Post.

Gardens

When you have finished touring the house, be sure to visit the gardens and greenhouses. The 3,000 orchids in the greenhouses are gorgeous and so exotic. The audio tour is 60 minutes.

We also booked afternoon tea. It was a very enjoyable meal after the wonders that we had seen in the house.

If you are going to be in Washington, D.C. and want to do something beyond just the monuments and museums, Hillwood is a breath of fresh air in the city.