Henry is the social butterfly in our family. If I had my choice, I’d probably stay home propped up with a book in front of the fireplace, possibly sipping a cup of hot tea as opposed to going traipsing all over the city. My husband, however, is constantly finding fun stuff for our family to do. Funny thing is, I end up having fun once we’re out and about.
After church on Sunday we headed into Pittsburgh to a place called Mansions on Fifth. It’s the historic home of Willis and Mary McCook – contemporaries with Carnegie, Frick, and the like. McCook is known as one of the first corporate counsels – working with Carnegie and Frick on business dealings and leading the way for future corporate lawyers. He was also very philanthropic in the Pittsburgh community.
The house changed hands a few times before the current owners bought it in 2004 and renovated it to it’s historic grandeur while turning it into a luxury hotel and restaurant.
The details are amazing…..
About 60 seconds after arriving, a woman approached us and asked if we’d been helped. She was kind and welcoming… taking our jackets and showing us to our waiting table.
I later learned it was the owner, Mary Del Brady. I told Henry I was so impressed with her hospitality, immediately making us feel at home (and we were at a restaurant!).
The kids were excited to be somewhere so fancy. When Natalie asked if there was hot tea, she learned what it means when the server says, “I’ll bring out our selection.” And the girls were impressed that there were actual hand towels in the bathroom for drying your hands that you then put into a hamper…. fancy schmancy to say the least!
The food was well-prepared. The menu was pretty typical…. pancakes, frittata, breakfast meats, salad, salmon, crabcakes, fingerling potatoes, cheeses, scones and biscotti, an omelette/meat carving station and some small deserts. Nothing over the top, but all delicious.
Side note: while there wasn’t a gluten-free or Paleo menu, both Natalie and I were able to eat a good amount from the buffet without feeling deprived or hungry. We did request some fresh fruit for our dessert as there were only glutenous options out. The chef happily accommodated us.
We met up with the Smiths who we haven’t had a chance to socialize with for awhile. Henry saw them recently during his theatrical stint but there was little time for shooting the breeze. Our kids were so excited to see the boys again and pretty much talked with them the whole time while we adults took the chance to catch up.
Our first family photo with Piper included!
After brunch, Mary took us on a tour of the house giving us insights to the history and showing us the wonderful art (all for sale) hanging throughout the rooms and hallways. Henry and I love touring historic homes so this was right up our alley.
I highly recommend putting the Mansions on Fifth on your Pittsburgh To Do list.
Comments (3)
Oh my how fun!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE touring old homes, and learning about the history. I am a history NERD, I often think I may have been born in the wrong century. The meal looked fancy and Mr Ryan looked like he had a man sized sized lunch and if he is like any of my kids he ate the whole thing. You look fantastic! Your family is very beautiful you are truley blessed with a hubby who likes to explore the towns and cities, cultures around you.
I will definitely put this on my list of “new” things to see in Pittsburgh (New Years Resolution #10)…even thought it is old…it will be new to me! Thanks for the review!
Suzy
That looks like an amazing place! How fun that Henry is adventurous! Your family picture is so good..You all look marvelous! 🙂