Learn 18th-Century Ettiquette and More at Bayou Bend

Here is something Houstonist would love to attend. Bayou Bend, the Memorial Park-area former home of Houston arts patroness Ima Hogg, will be the setting for Adult History Camp, a four-week series dedicated to learnin' to live 18th-century style.

Bayou Bend is now owned by the Houston Museum of Fine Arts and serves as a gallery for the museum's extensive collection of antiques, many of which belonged to "Miss Hogg", as museum employees like to refer to her.

Adult History Camp begins tomorrow with a class called "The Basics," covering topics like writing with a quill pen, dressing in 18th-century clothes and using 18th-century furniture.

Classes continue through February:

February 11: "Things You Must Know": Candlemaking, foodways of the period

February 18: "The Tea Party": Using an 18th-century tea pot, the proper way to hold a tea bowl, how to decline another cup of tea

February 25: "Learning about Others": Meet a British soldier, learn about Bayou Bend portraits, partake of 18th-century leisure activities.

Look at that list! "How to decline another cup of tea!" "Partake of 18th-century leisure activities!" Houstonist is positively aflutter in our own Jane Austen fantasies! We're so excited about it we can hardly breathe. On second thought, maybe that's because of the corset.

The classes are limited to 36 people per session. Cost is $50 an individual session, or $150 for all four, and all sessions include dinner. MFAH members get a 10% discount. Call 713-639-7758 to make reservations.

Photo courtesy of flickr user cybertoad