Houses of the Hamptons

Everyone that knows me is well aware that I would rather receive a book as a gift more than anything in the world. This year, for my birthday, I received Houses of the Hamptons, which profiles some of The Hamptons great houses from the late 1800s to early 1900s. The old-school houses are refreshing from the houses that are popping up in The Hamptons every summer. Each of the houses are reminiscent of the architectural grandeur of old world barons. Most of the the houses featured are not existent anymore, which is really disheartening. If you are really interested in seeing these types of grand homes, Newport, Rhode Island has some of the most fantastic homes in the country, which can be toured because most of the them are preserved by a number of historical societies. I have not been to Newport, RI, but I am dying to go.  And one of my favorite things about the book is that it comes with floor plans for most of the houses!