Friday, December 28, 2012

Yuletide Tours!

Thank you to all docents who are giving Yuletide Tours during this snowy weather.
Our visitors are loving them!  As Liz Angelbeck of Orchard Park said after her tour yesterday, "How wonderful to see such a jewel on the lake shore be reclaimed and restored!  Fabulous tour not to be missed."

Special thanks to Earle Newman, for the wonderful job he did snowblowing all the pathways!


Thursday, December 20, 2012

David Wright House Saved

David Wright House
Thank you to all Graycliff volunteers who signed the petition in the Pavilion....we all did our part....
The David and Gladys Wright House in Phoenix, Arizona has been purchased through an LLC owned by an anonymous benefactor. The transaction closed on December 20 for an undisclosed price. The property will be transferred to an Arizona not-for-profit organization responsible for the restoration, maintenance and operation of the David Wright House.

Planning has begun for the restoration of the house and grounds, and additional donations from the public will be sought for the costs of restoration at the appropriate time. The new owner will request that the City of Phoenix grant landmark designation to the house. The goal after restoration is to make the house available for educational purposes.

Built in 1950-52 for Frank Lloyd Wright’s son David and his wife Gladys, it is the only residence by the world-famous architect that utilizes a circular spiral plan similar to the Guggenheim Museum in New York, whose construction followed it by six years. Several architectural historians and architecture critics consider the David Wright House to be among the most significant Wright buildings. 

Monday, December 17, 2012

Graycliff Elves

Bet you thought Graycliff was very quite these days, as we near the Winter Solstice. No...not at all! Graycliff Elves have been hard at work, in a variety of ways:




Barb Abbatoi

Preparing mailings....

Earle Newman



Raking leaves....










Decorating for Yuletide Tours....

Melissa Peters











David Solowiski

Gail Solowiski














Mary Kay DiPaolo


Docents, thank you so much for helping with Yuletide Tours next week....we're looking forward to seeing you then!  The only Yuletide Tours still available to lead are on Thursday, December 27  and Sunday, December 30th --- In-Depth at 10:30 am and Basic at 11 am.  If you wish to lead a tour (and see the spectacular Yuletide Decorations) please give Shannon a call at 947-9217

Until then, Happy Holidays to all from Frank and his merry elves!

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Docents: Update to December Schedule

For the first time, and due to popular demand, Graycliff will be offering tours on weekends this month, in addition to the Yuletide Tours that take place between Christmas and New Years (Dec 26-31, 2012).
Tours will take place Saturday and Sunday, December 8 & 9, 15 & 16, and 22 & 23, with an In-Depth Tour at 1 pm, and a Basic Tour at 1:30 each of those days. Weather permitting, of course, but with the weather we've been having...

If you're out of town or otherwise engaged during Yuletide Tours, consider giving a tour on one of these weekends.

Graycliff Elf Volunteers have done a particularly wonderful job decorating the Isabelle R. Martin House this year....you won't want to miss seeing it!

Happy Holidays!  Best--Reine

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Green Team: Meeting and Exceeding the Challenges

The Graycliff Green Team enjoyed a challenging Spring and Summer of lakeside gardening. Even though the summer set records for heat and low rainfall, we successfully kept the estate’s many plantings alive, well, and colorfully blooming for all our many guests. Many thanks to our new members, Kathleen Leuthe, Margaret Astridge and Babara Harris, as well as long time gardeners Beth Bloomquist and Barbara Rickard.

We began in March with an energetic group at the Spring Clean Up. In April Nellie Gardner, the resident horticulturist at the Martin House, visited our gardens, sharing stories and offering helpful advice. In May we worked together to design and fill over a dozen large planters, the double window box under the kitchen window, and several fern containers. The rest of the summer was spent keeping all our annuals well watered and trimmed. (note from Graycliff: this meant watering, watering and more watering! An enormous thank you from everyone at Graycliff to the entire Green Team for their dedication and hard work throughout this long, hot, dry summer.)

On Sept. 9th and 15th, with the Landscaping Restoration Project nearing, we dug up over 200 plants from the pond area and transplanted them into new gardens along the wall and at the end of the pavilion’s side path. We are all very interested in the changes that the new historic landscaping may bring. We are now anticipating October leaf raking with the help of community volunteers.

- Kathy and Dale Marriott, Green Team Leaders

Special thanks to the Volunteers at Graycliff

Volunteer Dinner 2012: Phyllis Spears,
Carol Wahlenmayer, and Kathy Mehltretter

The Heart, Soul and Muscle of the Conservancy

It has been a very busy year for Graycliff’s volunteers. Many, many thanks to all of the docents who have led tours, to the chaperones, the Green Team that has cared for our grounds, the Housekeeping Teams that have kept the house looking clean and tidy, the volunteers who have assisted in the gift shop and with mailings, those presenting the Wright-on-the-Road program to groups, and also the volunteers who have helped out with special events during 2012.

The varied special events that Graycliff volunteers have assisted with setting up, working at, and cleaning up after include:
  • Graycliff Gala
  • Four lectures at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center
  • Boom Days
  • Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market
  • Hamburg Garden Walk
  • Graycliff’s first Insiders Tour and Luncheon
Volunteers who assisted at these events include Earl Amidon, Lori Ann Conti, June Crawford, Mary Kay DiPaolo, Lynette Domanski, Sally Dondero, Wendy Duignan, Susan Havey, Cornelia Hennon, Nancy Holtz, Cheryl Lickfield, Roz Lindner, Joan Osborne, Melissa Peters, Karen Procknal, Michelle Puma, Lorraine Sandow, Margaret Santi, Marion Schmidt, Phyllis Spears, Gary Tornquist, Carol and Jerry Wahlenmayer, Linda Weyand, Phyllis Weyer, Bill and Carol Wolfers, Marcy Workman, Loretta Worth, and Tammy Yekich.

Unfortunately, there was no Graycliff garage sale this year. If any member has a good venue and can host a garage sale in 2013, please call 947-9217 and let us know so that planning may begin to resurrect this event.

Two housekeeping teams are keeping Graycliff ready for the guests that come from so many parts of the world. On the first Friday each month Beverly Nenno, Judy Jones, Jeanne Barrett, Loretta Davis, Jill Barrile, Linda Weyand, and Carol Wahlenmayer work on the first floor. A second team comprised of Arlene Morrow, Gary Tornuist, Pam Pelechaty, Lorraine Sandow, Deb Gorski, Earl Amidon and Maureen Amidon prepare the second floor on the second Saturday. In 2013 Linda Weyand will coordinate the teams. Many hands make light work, so your contribution to one or both of the teams would be welcome. Call Graycliff at 947-9217 to express an interest.

The Green Team was especially busy this season, transplanting perennials in anticipation of the historic landscape restoration. Over two weekends in September nearly 200 perennials were transplanted out of the pond garden and into a new bed near the driveway gate and the garden along the home grounds wall. After their work was completed on Sept. 15th, the Green Team members gathered at the picnic table for a snack of sandwiches, scones and cider. We know these gardens will enhance the Graycliff grounds and look forward to enjoying these plants in their new homes next summer. Dennis Wojiechowski prepared the beds; while Dale Marriott dug the compost, helped with transplanting, and spread mulch. Beth Bloomquist, Barb Rickard, Marge Astridge, Kathy Leuthe, and Kathy Marriott dug up the plants and transplanted them.

Graycliff welcomed several new volunteers this season. Welcome to Barbara Abbatoy, Earl and Maureen Amidon, Kathleen Baldwin, Kathy Burke, Erin Clark, Loretta Davis, Nancy Dennis, Barbara Harris, Susan Havey, Nancy Holtz, Mary Kaiser, Diane Keller, James Kubiniec, Sheila Martinec, Elizabeth Masarik, Erin McNichol, Lori Mik, Joli Morgan, Michael Pack, Pam Pelechaty, Amy Picinich, Karen Procknal, Jane Reedy, Jason Sanderson, Kathy Schwinger, Anne Sellers, Ketty Sheff, David and Gail Solowski, Rita Staffan, Wendy Stoklosa, George Struebel, Gary Tornquist, Dan and Susan Wiedemer, Cindy Woods, Mary Lou Woods, and Mary Yachetta.

To all of Graycliff’s volunteers, new and old – thank you. We couldn’t do it without you!

- Carol Wahlenmayer & Phyllis Spears, Volunteer Co-Chairs

WGRZ Coverage of Graycliff

WGRZ-TV Channel 2's Heather Lee did a great job of covering much of Graycliff's back story. Estate Director Reine Hauser is interviewed in this 2:41 clip from Channel 2 News.

See the complete video here.

Graycliff in Bloomberg News...


The October 2, 2012 issue of Bloomberg News featured an article, titled, Rescued Wright House for Soap King Crowns Buffalo Rebirth on Graycliff and the Martin House Complex, along with mentions of other area architectural assets. The article, written by Daniel T. Billy was very complimentary of Western new York.s achievements in restoring it's architectural gems.

Of Graycliff, he writes, "Reine Hauser...led me through the house and gardens. She pointed out recurring design themes, notably the diamond shapes seen in window casements and carried over to light fixtures." And the comment we clamor to hear being said in the national press, "Now Buffalo is getting a cultural recharge."

You can read the entire article here.