Archive for December, 2008

About my website

by Admin on Dec.13, 2008, under E

Many of you have sent comments about how much you like my website and have asked who did it?

Well, my website was developed by Jupiter Multimedia a web development and graphic art company owned and operated by my sons and one of their close friends. The 3 of them have been creating beautiful websites for more than 15 years now. Specializing in affordable web sites that provide all the impact of a website that would often cost far more.

Yes, this is a shameless plug however I honestly feel the sites they produce are works of art and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking to have a web site built.

So pass the word to anyone you know who might need web or graphic work done.

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“GRACENOTE” …THE REAL GRACELAND REPLICA

by Admin on Dec.09, 2008, under E

Over the years I’ve read many articles on homes that claimed to be replicas of Elvis’ famous mansion “Graceland”. Unfortunately, in most cases, the homes don’t even come close to the original.

There’s a structure in Orlando. FL that looks the part from the outside, but once inside you find that the staircase is on the wrong side of the entrance hall and there is no attempt at decorating the rooms to replicate the ” Memphis Mansion”. Another, much talked about building, is in Northridge, CA and at one time owned by a professional Elvis impersonator. The home is gorgeous and expensively decorated. But, again, once inside, the rooms hold little resemblance to the “King”s abode. Newspaper and magazine articles about Graceland Too in Holly Springs, MS often refer to it as a Graceland duplicate when, in fact, it is simply rooms loaded with lots of Presley memorabilia. Not a bad thing …by any stretch, but IT AIN’T GRACELAND!!!

Gracenote Entry Hall

Graceland Entry Hall

Graceland Dining Room

Gracenote Dinning Room

Gracenote Living Room / Music Room

Graceland Living Room / Music Room

A number of years ago, when I visited Elvis’ home for the first time, I was struck by the marked similarity between the floor plan of Graceland and my own home in New Jersey. I loved the high style of the very formal front rooms and equally engaged by the wacky themed rooms. Years ago, while still living at home with my folks, I painted an eight by forty foot mural of the chariot race scene from Ben Hur on a wall that ran the length of our living and dining rooms. I also recall turning our basement family room into my rendition of “Tiki Gone Wild”. So wacky and themed are not strange to me.
As I made my way through Elvis’ home, I remember thinking how easy it would be to recreate much of what was capturing my imagination. So here we are many years later. To date, I have duplicated Graceland’s entrance hall, dining room to the left, living and music rooms to the right.

Graceland Fireplace & Clock

Gracenote Fireplace & Clock

Graceland Upstairs Privacy Partition

Gracenote Upstairs Privacy Partition

The upstairs hallway with the privacy partition which leads to the bedroom area. I’ve recreated the billiard room complete with yards of pleated patchwork fabric
and even the infamous “Jungle Room”. Actually, Elvis called it the den area and it was the press that started calling it the jungle room. Ebay has been a wonderful resource for duplicating the furnishings of the ’50s, ’60s and 70s. What I couldn’t buy at auction, I made myself; furniture, drapes, lampshades…you name it. The various rooms also boast actual items that once belonged to Elvis.

Gracenote Jungle Room / Den

Graceland Jungle Room / Den

Graceland Living Room Detail

Gracenote Living Room Detail

Dozens of trips through the iconic mansion and hundreds of photos have helped to replicate all the nuances of Graceland. I received many a strange look from the mansion guards as I photographed odd “stuff” such as light switches, doorknobs and baseboard and ceiling moldings. I affectionately refer to my home as “GRACENOTE” …The real Graceland replica!

Gracenote Lamp

Graceland Lamp

Graceland Sidelight Entry Detail

Gracenote Sidelight Entry Detail

Graceland Above Entry Detail

Gracenote Above Entry Detail

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Random Elvis Trivia
“People ask me where I got my singing style. I didn't copy my style from anybody . . . . Country music was always an influence on my kind of music.”
 Elvis Presley (1935 - 1977)


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