Comments on: What Personal Finance Lessons can one Learn from Newport, Rhode Island? http://www.myjourneytomillions.com/articles/what-personal-finance-lessons-can-one-learn-from-newport-rhode-island/ Elite Personal Finance and Estate Planning Information for Everyone Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:43:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Evan http://www.myjourneytomillions.com/articles/what-personal-finance-lessons-can-one-learn-from-newport-rhode-island/comment-page-1/#comment-3533 Evan Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:35:49 +0000 http://www.myjourneytomillions.com/articles/what-personal-finance-lessons-can-one-learn-from-newport-rhode-island/#comment-3533 Their beauty was so amazing that an emotional waste land (as the wife calls me) made comment and was moved. When I used the word ridiculous I really meant shocking. Not shocking in a bad way, but just plain shocking! On your topic - When I visited Greece what I found amazing (and I am SURE it is the same in Russia) is their definition of "old" is 1000times different than US' definition of old. Their beauty was so amazing that an emotional waste land (as the wife calls me) made comment and was moved. When I used the word ridiculous I really meant shocking. Not shocking in a bad way, but just plain shocking!

On your topic – When I visited Greece what I found amazing (and I am SURE it is the same in Russia) is their definition of "old" is 1000times different than US' definition of old.

]]> By: kitty http://www.myjourneytomillions.com/articles/what-personal-finance-lessons-can-one-learn-from-newport-rhode-island/comment-page-1/#comment-3531 kitty Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:55:22 +0000 http://www.myjourneytomillions.com/articles/what-personal-finance-lessons-can-one-learn-from-newport-rhode-island/#comment-3531 "two of these RIDICULOUS homes" It's funny, how the impression of these old mansions is different for someone who look at them from a practical standpoint of a contemporary and very practical American and from someone like me who grew up in Russia and visited great royal palaces - both in Russia and in Europe.Reminds me of some American woman who, after seeing a 19th century operetta Die Fledermaus from the Met on New Year's eve, wrote a letter to PBS about how irresponsible it was to show drinking on stage (during Champaign song sung at a high society ball) when drunk driving is such a big problem. She couldn't grasp that a) there weren't cars at the time b) the people at the ball had someone else like their servants to take them home... Historical context is important - both in appreciating 19th century art and 19th century mansions. A few years ago I visited St Petersburg - where I was born - again. I brought back a booklet from the completely recreated fabled Amber Room in the Catherine's Palace near St Petersburg to a co-worker. He is a smart and educated guy, but he hasn't traveled much outside the US and doesn't care about architecture or history of art. He wasn't particularly impressed. For him it was "cornucopia of opulence". Sure, I'd imagine if someone decorated their own 21st century home in the way Russian tzars ( or 19th century millionaires) decorated theirs, it would be pretty tasteless - especially if everything hadn't been in the same style. But when one keeps in mind the specific style that was fashionable at the time, the impression is completely different. I don't see these homes as "ridiculous" nor do I compare them to my home. Instead, I compare them to the old palaces in Europe. To me they look beautiful - probably among very few mansions in the US that can actually compare to the old palaces in Europe. Nope, I wouldn't decorate my home this way. But then I don't live in a palace. The way to appreciate the beauty of these places is to look at them as museums that they are and not as homes you'd consider living in. To really imagine living in them, you've got to transport yourself mentally to the same society and the same time frame. Think about costumes, balls, all aspect of life of high society. For this type of life, these mansions are much more suitable than your home. It's a bit off topic, though. Good points otherwise. "two of these RIDICULOUS homes"
It's funny, how the impression of these old mansions is different for someone who look at them from a practical standpoint of a contemporary and very practical American and from someone like me who grew up in Russia and visited great royal palaces – both in Russia and in Europe.Reminds me of some American woman who, after seeing a 19th century operetta Die Fledermaus from the Met on New Year's eve, wrote a letter to PBS about how irresponsible it was to show drinking on stage (during Champaign song sung at a high society ball) when drunk driving is such a big problem. She couldn't grasp that a) there weren't cars at the time b) the people at the ball had someone else like their servants to take them home… Historical context is important – both in appreciating 19th century art and 19th century mansions.

A few years ago I visited St Petersburg – where I was born – again. I brought back a booklet from the completely recreated fabled Amber Room in the Catherine's Palace near St Petersburg to a co-worker. He is a smart and educated guy, but he hasn't traveled much outside the US and doesn't care about architecture or history of art. He wasn't particularly impressed. For him it was "cornucopia of opulence". Sure, I'd imagine if someone decorated their own 21st century home in the way Russian tzars ( or 19th century millionaires) decorated theirs, it would be pretty tasteless – especially if everything hadn't been in the same style. But when one keeps in mind the specific style that was fashionable at the time, the impression is completely different.

I don't see these homes as "ridiculous" nor do I compare them to my home. Instead, I compare them to the old palaces in Europe. To me they look beautiful – probably among very few mansions in the US that can actually compare to the old palaces in Europe. Nope, I wouldn't decorate my home this way. But then I don't live in a palace.

The way to appreciate the beauty of these places is to look at them as museums that they are and not as homes you'd consider living in. To really imagine living in them, you've got to transport yourself mentally to the same society and the same time frame. Think about costumes, balls, all aspect of life of high society. For this type of life, these mansions are much more suitable than your home.

It's a bit off topic, though. Good points otherwise.

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