The Weird in the White House. Just the rooms.

Weird.  That which is very strange or bizarre.  There are weird things everywhere.

Like talking to your toaster.  It is also kind of weird when people save their toenail clippings.  Eating pickles dipped in peanut butter is a bit off the charts.  Or putting mayonnaise in coffee.  What about having a collection of doll heads? Yeah, let’s face it. Some things are just weird.

 

But how about things that shouldn’t be weird?  Like. The White House. 

 

If there’s anything to take away from former or current White House officials, it’s that the United States government operates under a thick veil of secrecy.  Boo. A lot of strangeness happens there every day.

 

But there is another kind of weird there. Like the White House’s mysterious rooms. We all know the famous, regular rooms, like the Lincoln Bedroom, the Blue Room, and the Situation Room.  Yet, there are the less-talked-about rooms are just as interesting as the famous ones.

 

Who knew?

 

The White House has a Chocolate Shop.  It is a small kitchen located in the basement of the White House.  Of course, they make chocolate treats there for large events and dinners.

The Chocolate Shop is especially busy around Easter.  Of course, that is when the White House Easter Egg Roll takes place.  They make massive chocolate bunnies, eggs, and such.

 

The next one.  The Solarium.  William Howard Taft erected the Solarium as a cool and comfortable place for the First Family to sleep on hot summer nights.

Also called the Sky Room or the Sun Room.  It has been remodeled a few times over the years. 

In 1974, Nixon called a family meeting in the Solarium to inform them of his decision to resign. In 1981, First Lady Nancy Reagan was in the Solarium when she learned her husband had been shot. That’s sort of weird.

 

Next. Roll ’em.  There is a Family Theater in the White House. It has 42 seats and is located in the East Wing. It used to be a cloakroom.  Who changed things up?  The space was transformed into a screening room by Franklin Roosevelt in 1942. Four overstuffed armchairs can be found in front of the theater-style seating, reserved for the president and the First Family.

 

We’ve all heard of the next one. And my favorite.  In fact, I want one for my house.  The Bowling Alley. This incredible one-lane bowling alley was built in the White House basement at the request of the Nixons in 1969. As it turns out, both President Nixon and the first lady were massive bowling enthusiasts.

 

Other good rooms?

The Calligraphy Office — Yep. For writing in calligraphy on invitations and such.

The Flower Shop —  Where the flowers are kept cool, waiting to be used.

The China Room — Not the country.  Like, for all the china plates.

 

There are many more.  But these are some of the most interesting rooms, in a weird kind of way.

 

If the White House has weirdness, why can’t we? Yes, indeed. We should all embrace the weirdness in ourselves.  Unless, of course, it is really gross. Like the toenail thing.