Tim spends all his time online planning a two-year round the world trip and Chloe keeps dashing in with details of gorgeous listed countryside mansions, available for the price of a one-bedroom broom cupboard in central London.
More details about Howard Slatkin's masterpiece mansion are available in his new book, "Fifth Avenue Style" (The Vendome Press, $60).
The properties, at 85-89 Jane Street, carried an asking price of $35 million when first listed in 2009 and were marketed as "the last great mansion site available in Greenwich Village" by Jim St. Andre and Peter McCuen of Peter McCuen and Associates.
For $95, visitors can peak inside Shenandoah's modest original home, tour one of the horse barns and wander inside the "Mansion," (also available as an upgraded package for $24.50-$24.50-$4970s wedding cake of a house, with grand white pillars and Grecian statues out front.
Among the mansions currently available are those belonging to Randy Travis, Jane Seymour, Merv Griffin and -- oh, yes -- Charo.
When looking for a home in Berlin, he writes, the Dodds found many good prospects, "though at first they failed to ask themselves why so many grand old mansions were available for lease so fully and luxuriously furnished".
Mr. Bush hosted a luncheon for Mr. Obama with all the living former presidents, and the new president did not even complain when it turned out that Blair House, the government guest mansion, was not available to his family until five days before the inauguration.
Best advice: Go only if the mansion rooms are available and there isn't a capacity-sized meeting elsewhere in the house.
Like many of the mansions in the area, this house is also available as a vacation rental.
Tours of the mansion and wine tastings are available throughout the year.
