OHEKA Castle is a historic mansion in Huntington, Long Island, New York. Built in 1919 by financier Otto Hermann Kahn, it is one of the largest private homes ever constructed in the United States. The castle spans 109,000 square feet with 127 rooms and sits on 443 acres.
Designed in the French château style, OHEKA features grand staircases, elaborate gardens, and luxurious interiors. After Kahn’s death, the estate changed hands and served various purposes, including as a military academy and a retreat.
In the 1980s, OHEKA underwent significant restoration and now operates as a hotel, wedding venue, and event space. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has appeared in numerous films and TV shows.

OHEKA Castle has been a popular filming location and event venue, attracting celebrities and artists. Taylor Swift filmed her 2014 music video “Blank Space” at the castle, which perfectly complemented the video's dramatic and romantic aesthetic. The video showcases the castle’s grand ballrooms, sweeping staircases, and expansive grounds, highlighting its timeless elegance.
Swift’s video brought renewed attention to OHEKA, cementing its place in pop culture. Today, the castle continues to serve as a luxury hotel, wedding venue, and event space, drawing visitors eager to experience the setting of one of Swift’s most iconic videos.

As you drive along the road lined with beautiful large fence trees, you finally arrive at the castle courtyard. Since it is valet parking, a staff member will come out to meet you. Even though there are many parking spaces around, you must leave your car with the valet.

The castle is not grand and overwhelming, but rather has a cute, gentle feel. It gives the impression of being clean and well-maintained. It is built in French style, so it is definitely a good course to experience European architecture in the United States.

As you open the large wooden front door, you are immediately greeted by the familiar lobby seen in music videos. It is a beautiful lobby with beautiful chandeliers and a staircase on both sides that curves down beautifully.

The lobbies of castles and wealthy homes seem to have been given more attention than other spaces, perhaps because they symbolize the image of the house when you open the door.

Beautiful and antique decorations, paintings, fireplaces, and props are visible everywhere. Perhaps I visited the castle because I missed European life, all the props are remembered with a sense of nostalgia.

Christmas lunch at OHEKA Castle is priced at $150 per person, with a special children’s menu available for $40. This price includes tax, though gratuity is not covered. The experience, however, goes beyond just a meal – it’s an opportunity to dine in an enchanting, historic setting.
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The castle’s beautifully decorated interiors, twinkling holiday lights, and sweeping views of the manicured gardens create a magical and intimate atmosphere perfect for celebrating the season. The combination of exquisite cuisine, impeccable service, and the charm of the castle’s grandeur makes the lunch feel like a luxurious holiday escape.

For families, the children’s menu ensures younger guests enjoy the experience just as much, adding to the overall value. While the price may seem steep, the stunning castle views and cozy, festive ambiance make it well worth it for those looking to create unforgettable holiday memories.

The rooms below are not rooms where you can dine, but they are available for you to view.

For the short winter vacation, I visited Disney World in Orlando, Florida on a 3-day, 2-night course.

It takes about 3 hours to fly from Long Island MacArthur Airport, a small airport on Long Island, New York, to Orlando, Florida. Because it was a quiet airport that wasn't visited by many people, the waiting time wasn't long, so we were able to travel relatively comfortably.
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​The weather was clear so I was able to take pictures outside from inside the plane.

​My child was lucky enough to sit by the window on the plane. Of course, there were a few people on the plane that day.

​Since it was a 3-day, 2-night trip, we only had one day to play, so we decided to enjoy the Magic Kingdom in one day. To do this, I woke up at 5:30 in the morning, took a rental car, and drove from the hotel to the Magic Kingdom in about 30 minutes. I took the monorail to Magic Kingdom, arrived at the entrance, briefly checked our baggage, showed the entrance ticket, and went inside. In order to have fun at Magic Kingdom, we installed the app provided by Disney and purchased Disney Genie for $25, which is said to reduce waiting time.
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​Seeing Disney Castle reminded me of Neuschwanstein Castle, which I visited when I lived in Germany.

Neuschwanstein Castle is located in southwestern Bavaria, Germany. The castle is located on a hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in Bavaria, southwestern Germany.

This castle was built as a resort by King Ludwig II of Bavaria as a tribute to Richard Wagner. The castle was built as a private refuge for the reclusive king, but was opened to the public shortly after his death in 1886.

Since then, more than 60 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle. The castle has been the inspiration for numerous works of fiction, including Disney's Sleeping Beauty Castle.

​The back of the castle is more ornate and splendid. We went in right after it opened, so I was able to take pictures when it was quiet.

To enjoy Magic Kingdom well, you must install the mobile app provided by Disney. Through this app, you can receive information such as Genie Plus, which reduces waiting time, mobile food reservations, and maps that save waiting time for  food orders.

​disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/my-disney-experience/mobile-apps/

​My daughter loved meeting, talking to, and taking pictures with Disney princesses.
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​I visited Disneyland in California 18 years ago. When I revisited the Disney Castle over the years, it felt like it had been greatly upgraded. ​Above all, there was no mobile app before. At that time, cameras had limited memory, so it was difficult to take as many pictures as we wanted. We had to wait a long time to ride the rides while looking at a paper map. However, as mobile phones became more common, I realized that waiting times were reduced and everything became more convenient thanks to various mobile app functions.

In particular, at that time, most moving dolls were real dolls and their mouths and eyes moved unnaturally, but Disney dolls from almost 20 years later have natural facial expressions as if they are alive, and most scenes are digitized and three-dimensional, giving a sense of immersion.
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The most impressive thing is the American White Ibis , which are commonly seen in every restaurant, with funny faces like Disney cartoons.

​We went non-stop from the Magic Kingdom opening to the fireworks at night. Although it rained a lot while watching the fireworks, it was also a good memory of this trip.

  To escape the sweltering heat, we went camping in Getaway Eastern Catskills for 2 days and 1 night. The cabin at the campsite here is a concept that looks like a campervan, and the cabin is equipped with a bed with a mattress, a bathroom, and a kitchen.

​  Small, clean and modern cabins are set on flat ground surrounded by tall, dry trees all around. The yard has lounge chairs and a space for a campfire.

  We have forgotten the most important piece of camping equipment, firewood. But when it arrived, the wood was prepared in a small black plastic box that I saw. The price is 8 dollars. What makes this camping site unique is that you cannot meet staff. Of course, there are stores selling camping gear, but most of them are remote cabins. The entrance to the cabin is in the form of a digital door look, and you just need to enter the verification code that the company gives you through your mobile phone before you arrive. It felt like an unattended hostel because I didn't meet the staff directly.

  We have a small child so we booked a 2 bed room. The two-bedroom has an loft structure with a small staircase as shown below. On one side of the cabin is a one side curtain wall, out of which the densely packed trees are directly visible.

  ​And right in front of the bed is a small table.

  ​The cabin is overall very clean. There are radios and books to read, and bowls, cups, cutting boards, frying pans, and pots for simple cooking are provided. Coffee and tea are also available, but you have to pay. It is recommended to bring it in advance. And you should always have mosquito repellent ready. There are a lot of mosquitoes.

  ​There is a refrigerator without a freezer function, and there is an air conditioner. And there's a red phone you can call in case of an emergency.

 The bathroom is equipped with a shower and hot water is available. But there is no washstand, so you have to use the sink in the kitchen. Towels and shampoo are well stocked.

  ​Below is the equipment to make simple marshmallows by lighting a fire.

  The downside is that the two-story attic is suitable for small children, but I wouldn't recommend it for adults. The ceiling is very low and stuffy like an MR.I machine, and my daughter often bump her head. The mattress upstairs is thin so your back will hurt a lot when you sleep.

  Overall, it is a good place to stay for a while when you want to relax and enjoy camping in a cozy and clean environment in a quiet wilderness. Very quiet and clean.

 In my case, it was interesting because it was my first time staying in a camping car. If you have never used a camper before or want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life, it would be good to stop by for a while.

  A long time ago, I traveled to Évora and Sintra, Portugal for my husband's seminar. Today, I picked some of my favorite photos from that time.

  ​In Sintra, I realized how enjoyable it is to take pictures. Even if you take a picture of a pretty town from any angle, it makes you feel as if it is a painting.

If you travel to Portugal, you will often see murals made with blue-painted tiles on buildings or cathedrals. These murals are called azulejos.  

 Azulejos belong to the art world of Spanish and later Portuguese traditional tiles. Their production begins in the 14th century with the arrival of the Moorish invaders. The word azulejo comes from the Arabic (al zulaycha), meaning a small polished stone.

 Originally they had neutral tones and simple geometric shapes. Blue and white were initially the focus of color. Blue dominates in azulejos, but the name does not mean azul or blue in Portuguese.

​ Alicatados described tile mosaics as the earliest type of azulejos in the 13th century. These glazed tiles were very simple and can be seen today at the Alhambra in Granada. Alicatado is an expensive process that requires a lot of manual work for cutting tiles.

  Trams that run through the hilly alleys of Lisbon, along with cathedrals and monuments, are a great cultural heritage of Portugal.

  ​The University of Évora is a public university in Évora, Portugal. It is the second oldest university in the country, established in 1559 by the cardinal Henry, and receiving University status in April of the same year from Pope Paul IV, as documented in his Cum a nobis papal bull.

  ​The Roman Temple of Évora, also referred to as the Templo de Diana is an ancient temple in the Portuguese city of Évora. The temple is part of the historical centre of the city, which was included in the classification by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

  Karlsruhe is a city on the Rhine in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is in the north of the Black Forest, close to the French border. Karlsruhe is famous in Germany for both hosting two federal courts and being a major hub for science and technology. With 300,000 people, Karlsruhe is the largest city within 60 km.

 ​Karlsruhe Palace was built in 1715 for Margrave Charles III William of Baden-Durlach after a dispute with the citizens of his previous capital, Durlach. The city of Karlsruhe has since grown around it. The building is now home to the main museum of the Badisches Landesmuseum.

  ​I stayed in the beautiful city of Karlsruhe from 2006 to 2013. The above photos were taken during that period, and many parts have been changed now.