The Master Bedroom has four large windows facing North. This is a customization of the original Lewis plans for "The Pasadena," something that was an a standard part of the process for ordering a house from the Lewis Company. People could select configurations and additions according to their needs and desires, much in the same way that one chooses accessories for a car. Once the salesman had confirmed the order, specific plans would be drawn up, materials would be shipped and the builder would assemble them. The flexibility in plans is why manufactured housing units look similar but differ in small respects. I have seen several houses in DC that came from the "Pasadena" plans, but ours is the only one that has a four window dormer.

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We'll start at the North Wall (top of the diagram above) and work around the room counterclockwise (West, South, East...)

The North Wall

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Due to the four large windows, the North Wall does not have a lot of room to display things. Using our principle of "more is better", we have managed to display a few things on the North wall. At the top, above the windows, are the portraits of all the dogs that have been my companions since I was born. This begins (at the left) with Joker, an American Staffordshire, who predates me by about a year. Next is Sam a chihuahua that my Mom brought home; Sammy's companion was Max, a Dalmatian -- the two of them were inseparable, a very odd couple. Trash the Wonder Dog accompanied me through graduate school and the psychedelic sixties. I began raising West Highland White terriers when I was given a pup that had a buff streak on his back and couldn't be shown (they thought). This was Jason (of the "golden fleece") and soon I got him a companion named Jessica. When I would let the dogs run in Lafayette Park, I'd call them back, "Jason! Jessica!" Not only did I get my dogs back, but often I got a not insubstantial number of tow-headed yuppie bantlings. These two went on to form the legendary J&J Kennels, the home of an even dozen of American/Canadian Champions. For her part, Jessica got a Brood Bitch Award. I kept one pup for myself, Jillian; another pup, Juniper was "returned" with a heart murmur. Dog trainers usually turn up their noses when terriers show up, because they have a mind of their own. With an EXTREME amount of effort, I got both Jill and Junie certifed as CDX -- and they both received their "Certificate of Gameness" by the American Working Terrier Association. They were quite welcome in Middleburg digging into burrows and dragging out groundhogs. (Owners of zillion dollar thoroughbreds fear that their horse will break his leg by stepping into a groundhog hole) After the Westies, I got apair of Scotties, Lindsay and Lorna. They made wonderful companions. Last is the current "pound puppy" Sophie who is an all-around charmer. All dogs are good.

On the left, I have a shadowbox displaying "New York" stuff, such as a pennant from the Empire State Building, matchbooks from famous restaurants past and present, and the like. The photo also lists some of the items on the dresser, such as a Railroad Pocketwatch, and a Schick Electric Razor from the 1940s.

The restored Ward's Airline TV and all its aftermarket accessories (UHF adaptor, Numechron Tymeter, and Tenna-rotor) sits to the left of the radiator. A home theater system has been set up using the speakers in old radios. The left front is an RCA X71 radio, the right front is a Zenith R723. The center speaker is a Crosley 11-107U, also known as "The Decorator." The rear speakers are taken from a drive in movie -- see the south wall for details. (All of these radios are discussed on our Radio or Television pages.)

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At the foot of the bed is the Cavalier Cedar Chest and out "Sofa Salmon" -- a gigantic pillow in the shape of a fish.

The West Wall

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The West wall has the Dresser from the Waterfall Bedroom Set. Above it are eight framed LIFE magazines illustrating the various roles played by men in World War II. in addition to framed portraits of my parents, the dresser top holds a number of vintage men's grooming aids, including Glostora, a hair tonic.

Glostora Hair Tonic
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The alcove holds a trunk, vintage hair dryer and the Westinghouse Heat Ray Lamp. What appears to be a tie is a frame (using an old tie) to display my collection of retro tie clasps. Personal items, such as my parents' wedding photo and a set of silhouettes cut at Cedar Point in the 1950s, complete the wall.

The South Wall

  

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The South Wall has the Chest of Drawers and Bed from the Waterfall Bedroom Set. Above the bed are 16 framed copies of LIFE Magazine. The top row is movie starlets and the bottom row is dancers, including Fred, 2 of Ginger, Gloria Grahame, and the famous Lindy Hop Issue of August 22, 1943. A variety of family pictures are hung beneath the magazines. Some souvenirs from Toots Shor's Restaurant are also displayed, including an autographed photo of Toots and Whitey Ford. A candlestick phone and a Dreyfuss Big Ben clock sit on the nightstand.

The picture on the left shows the placement of the drive-in movie speakers as part of the home theater system.

The East Wall

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The vanity from the Waterfall Bedroom Set is the focal point to the East wall. Above the vanity are a "few" framed items, including: 8 framed LIFE magazines illustrating the role of Women during World War II. There are also X-rays of flowers, a curious fad of the mid 1930s.

     

Floral Ghosts
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Below the floral X-rays is the Vargas pinup girl from my birth month's issue of Esquire. She is displayed along with the coins put in circuation that year. Of note, Vargas painted his drawings nude; the Esquire editors airbrushed swimsuits onto them. We found a photo of Heidi Klum modeling the same swimsuit -- although the "suit" is body paint, a modern salute to the Esquire editorial process.

     

Birthday Pinup Girl
... and Heidi Klum in her birthday suit...
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To the right of the Vanity is a McKay shoe salesman's bench in chrome and leather, just the thing for putting shoes on in the morning. There is also a working "Universal" parabolic heater for taking the chill off cold mornings. Modecraft Manicurist Table sits in the alcove created by the dormer. Several knicknacks rest on the table, including a lamp depicting FDR steering the ship of state. My favorite is a 1930s statue of an ape with a ball. Sometimes, the behavior of contemporary professional athletes reminds me of this little ashtray. He holds vintage matches, reminders of the time long, long ago when supermarkets and government buildings gave away matches.

     

As Tray and Matches
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There is also a Messerbesser, an all-purpose measuring cup.

     

The Messerbesser
German for "The Better Measure"
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This completes the Master Bedroom. Where would you like to go next?

The First Floor

The Second Floor

The Basement

If you don't like clicking on pictures:

You are in the Master Bedroom:

• Go to the Living Room
• Go to the Hallway
• Go to the Dining Room
• Go to the Kitchen
• Go to the Florida Room
• Go to the Breakfast Room
• Go to the Guest Bedroom
• Go to the Upstairs Hallway
• Go to the Library
• Go to the Office
• Go to the Basement Storage Area
• Go to the Dance Studio
• Go to the Workshop
• Look at the Exterior and History of the House

OK -- Go someplace else

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