House Tour Fever: 740 reason$ not to mi$$ the VWB tour

Special Treat: A completed three-year restoration.

Plainfield house tour junkie alert!

The Van Wyck Brooks Historic District's holiday extravaganza, 'An Old-Fashioned Christmas', is upon us -- this Sunday, in fact.

Lace up your comfortable walking shoes, check the weather (it's a rain-snow-or-shine event) and head on over to Swain Galleries or The Pillars for your advance tickets. Unless you really want to lay out an extra $5 on the tour date. That would be OK too, as a portion of the proceeds from the event benefits the Plainfield Rescue Squad.

What's on tap?

Seven homes, including a fantastic three-year restoration project that is at last completed (you may recall the blue tarp covering the roof, the painters on scissors lifts, the stonemasons working on the wall).

And, an insider tells me, plenty of 'fresh meat' -- home tour junkie parlance for a home that hasn't been on tour before.

Period furnishings and interiors.





Floors like this you can't find at Home Depot.

All the homes will be decked in their holiday finest, with extras like an antique Christmas tree ornament collection, a Gingerbread Village, incomparable architectural details and period furnishings -- and ideas for adapting a Victorian kitchen to contemporary lifestyles.

No Victorian kitchen drudgery in this inspired update.

But wait! That's not all!!

There are a host of prizes offered by area merchants for winners of the house-to-house parlor game treasure hunt. $740 worth, to be exact.

Here's the list --

o Suburban Jewelers - $125 gift certificate

o Freshwaters Fine Southern Cuisine - Dinner for two, up to $75

o Parker Gardens - $50 gift certificate

o The Healing Hands Spa - $125 gift certificate

o Swain Galleries - $75 gift certificate

o Plainfield Symphony Orchestra – Two $25 concert tickets

o Barnes & Noble – “The Plainfield Book” & $50 gift certificate

o The Pillars Bed & Breakfast – Overnight for two, $190

Whether you covet a prize for yourself, think it would make a neat gift in these economically challenging times, or you're just naturally competitive and can't resist a challenge, you won't want to miss this fun opportunity thrown into the mix.

The tour starts at 935 Central Avenue, where day-of tickets may be purchased Sunday between 1:00 and 4:30 PM.

See you Sunday!

Antique Christmas Tree ornaments and more.

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House Tour: An Old-Fashioned Christmas
This Sunday - December 6
1:00 - 6:00 PM

Advance Tickets: $20/person
Swain Galleries, East 7th Street and Watchung Avenue
The Pillars, 922 Central Avenue
Online credit card sales at anoldfashionedchristmas/

Day of tour: $25/person
935 Central Avenue, from 1:00 to 4:30 PM

More info at the Van Wyck Brooks Historic District website here.

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-- Dan Damon [follow]

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