Philadelphia’s CENTER CITY ANNUAL HOUSE TOUR 2008 re: Go ahead check out what’s in the medicine cabinet, you know you want to!
Last week the Center City Residents Association (CCRA) held their kick-off party for the annual CCRA Fall House Tour coming up this Sunday 10/19/08; A delight for those who enjoy architecture, decor and design, this popular walking tour includes a number of diverse residences, plus breathtaking churches throughout beautiful Center City Philadelphia.
The kickoff party was held at the Lippincott House which lies in the heart of Philadelphia, one block from Rittenhouse Square. For decades it was a private home, but in the last year the owners, who have been in the house for the last 12 years, decided to convert it into a Bed & Breakfast. Our hosts are Jack Eldridge and Mary Beth Hallman. I didn’t have a chance to chat with Mary Beth too much as shortly after this picture was taken she had to hit the hay to prepare to get up about 5AM to prepare breakfast for the 5 guests that were staying at the B&B that night. She does a lot of the work, but after a few months did agree to get a linen service to do the laundry. I hear the sheets are 1000 thread count, sounds soft & supple.
Upon entering the Lippincott House, the foyer leads to a pgraded kitchen with pantry and dining room with beautiful hardwood flooring. On the first floor is also a small powder room that is opposite the laundry area and a door that leads to a back porch with a tiny backyard access. The basement is accessible through a door near the kitchen. A staircase leading to the second floor is in the main foyer where you will find the living quarters. 
Complimentary wine and cheese is served between 5pm – 7pm each day to give you a chance to mingle with fellow guests. Please admire and enjoy the features, a lounge clad in antique Brazilian rosewood, a wall mural painted in 1902 and a grand piano from 1887 which is a delight to play.
A beautiful period room with an en suite Bathroom with bidet and whirlpool tub, The Adams Room is available for $225 per night.
The Adams room has an artisan King bed, fireplace, and comfortable sitting area makes this room a delight to stay in.
A beautiful room with a fireplace and fine pier mirror. The Bathroom is original, including a claw footed tub and rain shower The Morris Room is available for $175 per night.
A charming room with an attached bathroom still adorned with original sink and wall tile.
The game room has a room with a view so that all the guests can enjoy it. (Looking towards Rittenhouse Square)
In addition, the house offers a banquet room, games room (complete with an antique Brunswick pool table). Pictured here is Jennifer Fitch, owner of Jacinthe ( Jacinthe is Philadelphia’s best source for designer vintage and consignment fashion. We also sell the work of local designers and design students, and feature a small, well-edited selection of vintage and antique items for the home. )
Mary Beth tells me that a women in her 90s stopped by not long ago to see the house saying that she was born there and wanted to see what had been done since she moved.
Through the years the building has been professional offices, including an attorneys office. But for the first several decades it was a home, from 1897 til a few years into the 1900’s one couple shared the home and were newlyweds who in 1900 commissioned this beautiful mural to adorn their dining room. It shows them after their wedding in England or Tuscany, leaving their wedding chapel on horses and going through the woods (now I may not have this story down completely, so you are going to have to get a ticket and tour the Lippencott yourself to get the story. Buy Tickets Here
Jack relates magnificent stories to Thom Cardwell and Mary Patel
Fran Levi, J.T. Christensen, Pam Thistle, Kate & Kathleen Federico and Vivian Seltzer enjoy the festivities
The Rosenbach Museum & Library will be a featured stop on the 2008 Center City Residents Association Historic House Tour, and we’re opening our doors to the public. Free admission is available from 1:00pm-5:00pm to anyone who would like an opportunity to peek inside the Rosenbach walls, see our dyamic new exhibition There’s a Mystery There: Sendak on Sendak, or go on one of our intimate historic house tours. Buy Tickets Here
When I came through the doors of the Lippencott house, I was greeted by the friendly Jennifer Kopp Lewis (caregiver of the house) Jennifer says to me, I know you, of course I was do you read Philly Chit Chat, ok that’s not what I would ever say; I actually said “You do?” and then she told me her name. Well there’s no way I would forget that name. When I moved to Philly back in oh it was a while go some of you probably weren’t even born, anyway I lived at 13th and Spruce in the Wellington Spruce, which is now the University of the Arts dorm. The building was made up of really large studios about 800 sq feet with 15ft ceilings and amazing views of the city from my 8th floor apt. Jennifer lived down the hall in a corner studio apt that was really a labyrith of rooms she created with furniture, drapery and beads. She had an artistic flair, as many of the folks did, like Bart who lived next to me, who often paid his rent via his art work, or Doug who lived near the elevator, he was a fomer priest, now gay and collected Nun dolls, oh I wish I could find those photos that I took; of John who had tourette syndrome and really did randomly shout out a curse word here or there, I could go on, but it was a great cross section of ecentric, caring people who still make up the fabric of a large city.
