We drove up to Melrose, MA on Sunday morning to spend the afternoon with the Yee family. They are the owners of a wonderful Victorian home that once belonged to Anna Eva Fay. She was one of the most famous and successful mediums and mentalists of the twentieth century. She was a celebrity and a close friend of Houdini and Kellar and one of the last century’s greatest mind-readers. …and a relative of Jennifer Yee!
Gene and Jennifer extended this invitation to us several weeks ago and we were immediately excited about the possibilities. With a little planning, everything came together and Sunday was the day for the visit! This is a very warm and gracious family. Their hospitality is genuine and heartfelt. We rarely feel so comfortable with people we’ve never met but everyone – Gene, Jennifer, Joshua, and Kyle – was exceptional.
We arrived in the early afternoon and were greeted warmly with smiles, hand shakes and hugs. We toured the grounds of the Manor including the amazing log cabin in the backyard! Gene and Jennifer shared stories – past and present – adding their personal flair to the history of the house and its famous owner.
There was a picture taken of Anna Eva Fay and Houdini outside the house, in one of the garden areas, peering over a gazing ball. It’s a great picture and Cindy and I had the chance to “attempt” to recreate the pose! All of us took turns over the gazing ball!
After the outside tour, we moved inside to see a remarkable collection of antique magic and portfolios of articles on famous magicians and, of course, Anna Eva Fay. This is a very cool and charming old house built in the mid 1800’s and in extraordinary condition. We could tell the Yee Family provided a lot of love and respect for the home and the history.
After the inside tour, we sat in the charm of the kitchen and shared lunch – wonderful treats that they had prepared for us. It was amazing that they knew so many of our favorite things to eat, from Mexican to Chinese foods! It was delicious!! And for desert, a traditional Chinese cake that was cooked/steamed in a wok. Light cake with a thin layer of icing and slivers of various fruits decorating it.
After some wonderful conversation, we had to climb back in the car and drive back to Springfield. It was a GREAT and memorable afternoon – one we will not soon forget!
This morning, we were up early and heading for Virginia….12 hours later, we’re home and I’m off to bed.