The patio is what any real estate agent would lead a prospective buyer to in order to clinch the deal. It was designed expressly for the grand view of the bay it affords; this view is, in fact, the main reason the house was built at the edge of the cliffs above the inlet rather than a more earthquake-safe area. A waist-high iron railing protects any wave-watchers; were the mansion public property, one might expect to see coin-operated binoculars sprouting from the fence. As it is, guests must bring their own or observe unaided. Doors near the railing lead inside, to the dining room and the ballroom.