Best Kept Secrets Tour

Sure, Lancaster County is ALL about the shopping. There's the outlet malls, the Amish 'stuff' stores, but there's one kind of shopping that's been kept secret for years. Where do the locals go? Where do they find the best stuff?

It's your lucky day! I'm going to tell you about the Best Kept Secrets Christmas Tour. This 'tour' is set up like a home or garden tour where each stop is a unique, It takes place December 3rd thru the 12th.

How to get the Best Night's Sleep EVER!

It is not uncommon, when guests sit down for their first breakfast in the dining room, for them to comment to us or other guests about the sheets that we use. The immediately want to know where they can purchase them for their own bed at home. They also have other questions like, "what is the thread count", and "do they wrinkle". 

I'm happy to report that you CAN purchase these sheets for your very own home! Just go to www.comphy.com and click on 'For Home'. 

To answer your other questions - Since the sheets are microfiber (and recyclable!), there is technically no 'thread count'. However, they have the feel of a 600-tc sheet. They do not wrinkle when removed from the dryer and folded or put on the bed in a timely manner. I must admit that mine probably spend a little more time in the laundry basket than they should, but still look great. We do touch up the pillow cases, but this takes minimal time. They also release almost any stain and are guaranteed for 300 washes. How's that for durability?!

The company also has blankets (we use those, too), pillows, duvets, towels and comforters. Because they wash so well and dry quickly, this saves us a lot of time in the laundry room. 

So, now you know how you can get the wonderful sleep at home that you've enjoyed here at the Australian Walkabout Inn

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2015 U.S. Women's Open

July is fast approaching. Do you have your reservations for the 2015 Women's Open? The LPGA is taking over Lancaster County for about a week from July 6-12 and all eyes in the women's golf world will be on the action happening at the Lancaster Country Club.  According to Barry Deach, champion director of the 2015 Open, the county could see as many as 100,000 visitors over the week-long period.

One-hundred thousand visitors means a lot of people looking for overnight accommodations. The Australian Walkabout Inn still has rooms available for the week. We are less than 20 minutes from shuttle parking that will take you to the Open. As a side note, Bob is volunteering at the Open, so he'll have an interesting perspective to share with guests. 

While you're at the Open, make sure you take some time to enjoy all of the plantings around the area. They're done by my friend, Laura Lapp of Perfect Pots Container Gardens.

We usually serve breakfast around 9am, but if you want to get an earlier start, just make arrangements with us beforehand. We're happy to accommodate schedules. 

After a day walking the course and following all the favorites, you'll be able to come back to the Inn, relax with a hot tub soak or maybe a massage!  We can then guide you to some out of the way places to have a nice dinner. 

Make your reservations soon. Fore! 

Springtime (Finally!)

Today is the day! One of my favorite places has opened for business for the year. Perfect Pots Container Gardens is my 'go to' place for the perennials that I plant around the Inn. Yes, I could easily go to HD or the 'L' place or another big-box store. But those places aren't likely to have the quality and service that I've come to enjoy at Perfect Pots. There's even a place where you can bring your own pots, baskets or containers and fill them right there! What a cool idea! The owner, Laura Lapp provides an area with tools, soil, gloves and additives (fertilizer and insect control if you need it). Bring your empty containers, buy just the right amount of plants and take home beautiful, healthy works of art! 

My Happy Place

So, it's February. Now what?

Ok, so you've resigned yourself to the fact that winter is probably going to last forever at this point. You're tired of getting zapped with static every time you touch your car door, or your TV remote or your cat. Valentine's Day is still another week away, so what to do?
You go to the Lancaster Roots & Blues Festival, of course! Friday, February 6th and Saturday the 7th in Downtown Lancaster is THE place to be. Multiple venues, dozens of artists, food, culture, art...it's ALL there and all the venues are close enough to each other to walk. Park once, enjoy the evening.
Best of all, tickets are actually affordable! There is nothing like this event anywhere close.
To complete the weekend, you'll want to stay somewhere really NICE, and close to downtown. So, of course, you'll want to book a room at the Australian Walkabout Inn B&B.  Use the promo code 'convention' for special savings.
See you soon.

AQS Quilt Week

"The Quilters are coming! The Quilters are coming!" this is a familiar phrase we've heard in Lancaster every spring for the past 5 years. The AQS Quilt Show hosts its annual show here in Lancaster and the influx of quilters (both men and women) is just amazing.
Most just want a one-way ticket directly from their hotels to the Convention Center -do not pass 'go', do not collect $200. However, the smart ones, the ones that really want to make an event out of the whole thing, are the ones that choose to stay at a Bed & Breakfast. These are the visitors who know that there's so much more to Lancaster than the floor of the Convention Center, the shuttle and their sterile hotel room. These are the visitors who take time to enjoy all that Lancaster County has to offer above and beyond the main reason for their visit.
We hope you're one of those visitors. Come and stay with us!

Mud Sales - They're not just for Spring any More!

I've told you about Mud Sales before. However, as the years have gone by, Mud Sales have gotten more and more popular and therefore are not just in the springtime any more. There are so many here in Lancaster County, that they've spread far and wide into the summer and fall, in which case, I suppose they could then technically be called 'Dust Sales', but that doesn't have nearly the appeal, now does it?

Here's a good list. Probably more to be added. List courtesy of Discover Lancaster. 

February 28 - Strasburg Spring Consignment & Mud Sale
Strasburg Fire Co., 46 W. Main Street, Strasburg, PA 17572, 717-687-7232

March 6 - Bart Township Auction & Mud Sale
Bart Township Fire Co., 11 Furnace Rd, Quarryville, PA 17566, 717-786-3348

March 13 – 14 - Gordonville Spring Mud Sale & Auction
Gordonville Fire Co., Old Leacock Road, Gordonville, PA 17566, 717-768-3869

March 14 - Penryn Volunteer Fire Co. Sale
Penryn Volunteer Fire Company, 1441 North Penryn Road, Manheim, PA 17545

March 21 - Bart Township Building Materials and Craft Sale
Bart Township Fire Company, 11 Furnace Rd, Quarryville, PA

March 21 - Airville Fire Co. Spring Consignment & Quilt Auction
Airville Volunteer Fire Co., 3576 Delta Road (Rt. 74), Airville, PA 17302 (York County), 717-862-3806

March 27 – 28 - Gap Fire Company Sale
Gap Fire Company, 802 Pequea Avenue, Gap, PA 17527, 717-442-9549

March 28 - West Earl Fire Company Annual Quilt & Consignment Auction
West Earl Fire Company, 14 School Lane Ave, Brownstown, PA 17508, 717-989-5986

April 4 - Robert Fulton Sale
Robert Fulton Volunteer Fire Co., 2271 Robert Fulton Hwy. (Routes 272 & 222), Peach Bottom, PA 17563, 717-548-8995

April 11 – Rawlinsville Sale
Rawlinsville Volunteer Fire Co., 33 Martic Heights Drive, Holtwood, PA 17532, 717-284-3023

May 16 - Weaverland Valley Sale
Weaverland Valley Volunteer Fire Co., Terre Hill Community Park, 210 Lancaster Avenue, Terre Hill, PA 17528, 717-445-5072

May 9 - Honey Brook Fire Company Quilt Sale & Consignment Auction
Honey Brook Fire Company, Romano 4H Center, 1841 Horseshoe Pike, Honey Brook, PA 19344, 610-273-2688

June 26 - Lancaster County Carriage and Antique Auction
Bird-in-Hand Volunteer Fire Company – Location: Across from the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant on Route 340, Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505, 717-392-0112

June 27 - Refton Fire Company Sale
Refton Volunteer Fire Co., 99 Church Street, Refton, PA 17568, 717-786-9462

August 7 – 8 - Gap Relief Auction
Benefits Mennonite Central Committee, Solanco Fairgrounds, 172 S. Lime Street, Quarryville, PA 17566

August 29 – Kinzer Fire Co. Mud Sale
Kinzer Volunteer Fire Co., 3521 Lincoln Hwy. East (Rt. 30), Kinzers, PA 17535, 717-442-4121

August 29 – Bareville Fire Company Consignment Auction
Bareville Volunteer Fire Company, 211 East Main Street, Leola, PA 17540, 717-656-7554

October 24 – Cochranville Fire Company Mud Sale
Cochranville Volunteer Fire Company, 3135 Limestone Road, Cochranville, PA 19330

And Then There Were None

People often ask why visitors come to Lancaster. I tell them there are lots of reasons, but three of the 'biggies' are The Amish (of course); Shopping and Theater. Folks are usually surprised by the third one. 

Lancaster is full of wonderful talent! Tickets are usually much more available and affordable than other venues such as Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York. Parking is better, too!

From January 27 to February 15, the Fulton Theatre is offering a spectacular production of Agatha Christie's popular murder mystery, And Then There Were None. Come see this suspenseful and thrilling production live on stage. 

The Fulton is just 15 minutes from the Australian Walkabout Inn B&B. 

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

3 Eggs, separated
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. vegetable oil
3/4 c. ricotta cheese
2 Tbs sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp lemon extract

In small bowl, beat egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Set aside. In large bowl, beat egg yolks with all other ingredients. Fold in beaten egg whites gently but thoroughly. Spoon onto hot griddle until golden brown.

Yeild 6-8 pancakes.

You'll want to make more! Very popular and they melt in your mouth.

Beer Near Here

I'll bet you didn't know that in the state of Pennsylvania, there are more than 100 breweries, providing some 60,000 jobs. That's not only a huge economic impact, but it provides beer-lovers with a lot of choices. I'll also venture to say that you have no idea which county in Pennsylvania has the most breweries. Well, you can probably guess... Lancaster.

How fortunate for us and our guests! The furthest away is probably  Stoudt's in Adamstown or Union Barrel Works in Reamstown. One of our favorites is more local, Lancaster Brewing Company (I'm partial to the Strawberry Wheat) 

In addition, there's Appalachian Brewing in Lititz; Iron Hill and Spring House (Taproom in Lancaster and Brewing Company in Conestoga);  Bube's in Mount Joy;  Rumspringa Brewing Company in Intercourse; JoBoy's and Swashbuckler Brewing Company in Manheim (at the PA Renaissance Faire) and St. Boniface Craft Brewing in Ephrata .

For beer-lovers, this should keep you occupied for at least a week!

Amish Mud Sales 2013

I went to my first Mud Sale last weekend. It was fascinating. Not just because one could bid on just about anything imaginable - from plants to new or used furniture to household goods, but because of the masses of people there and the way it was organized.

Each item to be auctioned was meticulously tagged. There were several auctions taking simultaneously in separate tents. I love to listen to the auctioneers! I must admit, however, that I'm way too intimidated by the process of the auction to register to bid. I get absolutely no enjoyment from having to out-bid others and spending my hard-earned money while I'm doing it. No thanks.

Then there was the parking. We had to park a considerable distance away because there were so many people. There were Amish boys with wagons who would help people cart their treasures to their vehicles (for a tip, I'm sure).

I was certain that if you really wanted an item that you'd have to be willing to spend a good deal of time waiting around for it to come up for bid. Then, of course, there was no guarantee that you'd even get the item. It seemed to me like an exercise in patience and potential failure. Unfortunately I don't have that kind of time.

Of course, this is Lancaster County, so it wouldn't be a gathering of any sort if there wasn't food to be had. There were several food vendors offering everything from sausage sandwiches to crab cakes and apple pie. I enjoyed watching this guy make French Fries. He could cut through a 20 lb.pound bag of potatoes in nothing flat! And people were gobbling them up just as fast.

Here's a list of the mud sales in and around Lancaster throughout the spring, summer and into the fall of this year. Most are just minutes from the Walkabout Inn.

Lest you think that we innkeepers only know how to make breakfast foods...

Cincinnati Chili

1 T. vegetable oil                                                                  pinch of red pepper

2 pounds lean ground beef                                                 ½ oz. unsweetened chocolate

½ cup chopped onion                                                         ¼ c. chili powder

1 tsp cumin                                                                           1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp allspice                                                                        ¼ tsp cloves

4 cups beef broth                                                                 2 T. cider vinegar

1 (15oz) can tomato sauce                                                 1 bay leaf

Cook beef and onion in oil in deep skillet. Drain and transfer to large pot. Add chocolate, spices, broth, tomato sauce, and vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1/12 hours, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate overnight (it's much better the next day anyway). Next day, remove bay leaf and heat gently over medium heat. Serve over pasta and top with cheese, onion and sour cream. Makes enough to cover 1 pound of pasta. 

Music In the Orchard

July 13, 2013 from 6-8pm, enjoy the music of Spirit Wing and Leticia Joy. According to their website, www.spiritwing.org, Their music comes from a strong folk/acoustic music tradition along with traditional Native songs that date back hundreds of years. All four members of Spirit Wing have performed in various types of bands and ensembles that feature rock, blues, bluegrass and country music.

Pack a picnic, grab your lounge chair! The Hans Herr House is 5 minutes from The Australian Walkabout Inn B&B.

Joey's Rules of the Pool

As far as I know, we're the only B&B in Lancaster to have private indoor hot tubs. Here I am inspecting one after it has been drained, scrubbed clean and refilled. This takes about 2 hours total. What necessitated this laborious chore you might ask. Bubble bath! Yes, we had some guests who mistook our hot tub for an extra large bath tub and added about a half cup of bubble bath!! It did smell pretty nice though.

Nonetheless, the only way to get the bubble bath out of the tub was to throw the water out with it. Wait, haven't I heard that saying somewhere before? Involving a baby, maybe? Ah, yes, but I digress...

I love when the tub is full again and the chemicals, ph and temperature all back to normal. I like to look into the sparkling clean water and think how happy it will make our guests. Most of them are so appreciative of all the hard work we put into making our place a refuge for them. This hot tub is just one example.

If I had to list Rules of the Pool:

1. Please, no bubble bath.
2. Relax
3. Enjoy
4. Repeat

Baked Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Casserole

2 C. of Milk (to make lactose-free, substitute soy, almond or rice milk)

¼ c. packed brown sugar

2 T. Butter (or margerine)

½ t. salt

1 C. Old Fashioned Oats

2 t. Cinnamon

1 t. Nutmeg

2 finely chopped apples (skins on or removed)

½ C. raisins (I prefer golden)

½ C. sweetened, dried berries (blueberries, cherries, cranberries, etc.)

½ C. sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease medium casserole dish.  Combine milk, brown sugar, butter and salt in a saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to simmer, cook until butter is melted (don't boil).  Remove from heat. Put oats in casserole.  Stir in milk mixture, cinnamon, nutmeg, apple, nuts and raisins. Stir to moisten well.  Bake for 20-30 minutes. Serve with milk or cream.

Oh, Sheet!

Joey again...last week, I explained the importance of folding all the towels just right so they fit on the shelf (hey, that elf has got nothing on me!) So, this week, I thought I'd move on to sheets. Most of the beds in the inn are queen sized. The Outback Cottage has a king-sized bed.

Regardless of the size, we have some really NICE sheets! Folding sheets is an acquired skill. The folding of the fitted sheet is very important. The fitted sheet then gets matched with its flat sheet and they're placed on the shelf in a nice, neat stack - all ready for taking to the guest rooms and putting on the beds.  One of our time-saving tips - the sheets for the king bed are either gold or chocolate brown so that they can found easily.

Pillow cases are ironed. Why? This is one of the little, unexpected 'extras' at our inn. We have certain parameters in between which everything must fall. Everything that the guest experiences must be just a little more special than what they might have for themselves at home (not many people iron their own pillow cases) but not TOO far out there that anyone feels intimidated (think of that really frilly hand towel that you see at Bed, Bath and Beyond that you think is pretty, but won't buy because if you did, you'd be afraid to use it).

So, after all the ironing and folding is done, and it's all placed neatly on the shelf, it's time to move on to other chores.

CATS

Most of our guests don't even realize that we have a cat. The cat, on the other hand, thinks all the guests come here just to pay attention to him and is therefore quite put out when I deliberately keep the doors shut to our owners'quarters and therefore isolating him from any potential belly rubs, ear scratches or head pats by the guests.

But, I'd like to discuss a different type of feline persuasion. Andrew Lloyd Webber's CATS will debut at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater on May 16th and run thru June 29th. This is a production that should not be missed.

The Dutch Apple Dinner Theater is an easy 20 minutes from the Australian Walkabout Inn. Great food and superb entertainment, all in one package.

Mountains of Towels!!

Hi! It's Joey again. Today I'm helping Lynne fold towels. It's Monday, so there is lots and lots (and LOTS) of laundry!

The 'fold' is very important. There's a lot to think about. Separate types of towels - hand towels, bath sheets, spa towels, washcloths, makeup washcloths and bath mats. Each of these things has a specific area where it has to go on the shelf. If it's not folded properly, it won't fit on the shelves and it's not fun having to run all around the inn looking for things when they're not where they should be!

Now, this shelf might not look too organized, but in this space, everything has it's place! In this picture, I'm sitting in the basket that holds the washcloths and the bathrobe ties. These items go in a basket because they tend to get too messy sitting on the shelf outside of the basket.

Our innsitter, Anne of Two Hearts Innsitting is very impressed with our linen storage!

Next week...sheets!

Remote-ly Overwhelmed

Hi! I'm Joey. I'm the little kangaroo who usually lives in the Barossa Suite here at the Walkabout Inn. Lately, though, I've been out and about...getting into things like mischievous inn mascots are prone to do. Today I went around and counted all the remote controls. There are 13. And over 2 dozen batteries (AA and AAA) are needed to keep them operating in perfect order.

Keeping up with the technology of innkeeping is hard work. There are 5 televisions and 5 accompanying DVD players and 4 cable converter boxes. Not only do these things attract dust like magnets, but it seems that they all have different settings and quirks that you have to know in order to make them do what they're intended to do when they need to do it.

Just one more item on the 'to do' list of innkeeping. I'm hoping that you'll join me as I see what else there is around here to get into.

It's THAT Time of Year Once Again!!

Well, Thanksgiving is over and (most of) the halls are decked here at the Australian Walkabout Inn B&B. This year was a bit different in that we weren’t met with our usual early-November lull in guests thanks to Sight & Sound’s running Jonah through to the end of the year.

Speaking of the end of the year…that brings a NEW Year. Back by popular demand is our BOGO. Stay with us one night in January or February 2013 and add week-night for only $20.13! Of course, holiday weekends are excluded and some other restrictions apply, but you really can’t beat this deal!

But wait!!! There’s lots going on in Lancaster before the end of the year– too much to fully appreciate in just one day. You’re going to need two or three, at least.  And where else to lay your head after a busy day full of fun things to do? Well, the Australian Walkabout Inn, of course! Currently, we’re offering 25% off a consecutive 3-night stay.

            First of all – Shopping!! Outlets, including Rockvale and Tanger. Not to mention Park City Center, Kitchen Kettle Village, the shops in Downtown Lancaster and a myriad of other choices, both commercial and Amish. Don’t forget to get a little something for yourself!

            Next, we have theater! I’ve already mentioned Sight & Sound, but there’s also The Fulton, with a fabulous production of Singing in the Rain, but they’re also doing A Christmas Carol (my personal favorite) on December 1, 8, 15, 22 and 27. The American Music Theater has its original Christmas show, Home for the Holidays, that’s not to be missed. Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre is currently running a production of A Swingin’ Christmas. And, don’t forget Rainbow Dinner Theatre’s offering of Christmas In Paradise. Of course, all of these places also offer gift certificates, so you can pick up gifts for someone special while having a good time yourself.

            Historic offerings this time of year? Just a few…how about Wheatland Yuletide, Historic Poole Forge, or Country Christmas Village?

            If you’re interested in trains, we have just the ‘ticket’! All Aboard Railroad at Landis Valley is a 800+ square foot display of American Flyer Trains. The Columbia Historic Preservation Society offers a model train layout of over 1000 square feet depicting Columbia from the 1920’s to the 1950’s (eight trains running at a time at this display!) For life-sized trains, you can visit the Strasburg Railroad for their ‘Night Before Christmas Train’ on Friday, December 14^th.

            After all that excitement, you’re going to get hungry and you deserve to treat yourself to someplace special. Some of our favorite places to have dinner include – The Brasserie, The Greenfield Restaurant, Fenz, John J. Jefferies, Checker’s Bistro, Ciro’s, Lancaster Brewing Company or Carr’s. Here again, gift certificates are available – perfect for stocking stuffers!

            So, there you have it! Just the little extra push you need to schedule that much-needed getaway to Lancaster! See you soon.