Guest Post: Hearst Castle

Hello hello Selective Potential readers! I’m Jamie of Paint the Gown Red, here today to share with you my trip to Hearst Castle… and I can hardly contain my glee. Tieka was one of the first bloggers I really identified with and I’m honored to be able to contribute a little sumthin-sumthin to a blog I admire so much. Now without further ado, to the castle!

Hearst Castle, located in central California, is one of the most magnificent historical palaces I’ve ever seen. Built for newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, it’s quite the display of architectural beauty and opulence. It’s so massive that construction of it took over 30 years to complete. But we’ll give ol’ Willy a break. I’m sure it’s tough decorating 165 rooms and 127 acres of gardens, terraces, pools and walkways. Consider yourself warned: exploring the grounds is a bit of a workout. But it’s well worth it, I promise.

I challenged myself not to peek at any photos of the castle before my visit, so I wasn’t sure what to expect and more importantly, what to wear! I chose this vibrant polka dotted ModCloth dress because it has the illusion of being much fancier then it actually is. Also if I got lost in a garden somewhere, someone was bound to spot me. In truth, this little pinup number is one of the most comfortable dresses I own. Shhh.

I couldn’t begin to tell you which aspect of the castle was more spectacular. I could easily have wasted an entire day wandering through the splendor. People often compare Hearst Castle to Jay’s mansion from the Great Gatsby and I couldn’t agree more. If you have the chance to visit, take it!