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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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.

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. 

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.

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.

Paint is Cheap; Labor is Cheaper

I must admit that I sort of 'borrowed' the title of this post from those folks at Habitat For Humanity in South Florida. When Bob and I were in ministry there, our youth group volunteered faithfully at the local HFH. They usually ended up being the roofing crew. The supervisors, in order to get the kids to use enough nails, would tell them, "Nails are cheap and labor is cheaper." Obviously the nails were donated and well, we were working for free.

So, as it is, when you own a bed & breakfast in Lancaster County, PA, you go thru A LOT of paint. I once sat down and calculated that in the 5 years we've been here, I've painted well over 50 walls; and that's a conservative estimate. I've gotten fairly adept at using a paint brush and making things look nice.


We had an apple tree right outside of our back door. It was pretty to look at, especially in the spring when it would bloom. Unfortunately the apples clogged the gutter, which the overflowed onto the porch railings, rotting them. Bob replaced them yesterday with new trim and caulk. Well, of course the whole thing had to be painted. The yellow was looking a a bit tired anyway. Here's what we ended up with: 

I painted it to look like the railings that go around the front porch. As I was brushing along, I got to thinking about what makes a good paint job. 

1. Prep work! You can't paint a surface (and expect it to turn out well) if it's dirty or peeling. And, as my father would say, "If you don't have time to do it right, then you sure don't have time to do it over."
2. Take your time. Make sure you have plenty of it! I've been involved in painting projects over the course of several hours in which time I'll change my clothes 3 or 4 times while greeting guests. If you're going to be away from your project for an extended period of time, put your brush in a plastic bag. Try to rush and you'll just make mistakes. 
3. Get yourself a good brush/roller. Yes, they can be pricey, but if you clean them well they should last you for several projects. Which brings me to my last point:
4. Clean up thoroughly. Rinse, rinse, rinse! 

Painting something is probably the easiest, least expensive way to change and/or improve the look of a space.

 

An Eggcellent Idea!

An innkeeper simply cannot exist without eggs. Oh, we use them for everything...fritatas, omelets, strata, French toast, pancakes, waffles, cookies, scones and occasionally we'll even scramble a plain one or two (only if forced to do so by insistent guests). So, purchasing eggs is a given. The question is 'where'. I don't think I've ever gone into a grocery store and come out with just one dozen eggs. I tend to buy them in greater quantities than that, so up until about a year ago, I would get them at Costco in the 3 or 9 dozen packages. Lest you think that I'm falling off the 'buy local' bandwagon that I've been on lately, the Costco eggs come from a farm in York, less than an hour from my inn.

However, about a year ago, an older lady knocked at my door one Thursday afternoon and introduced herself as "Phyllis the Egg Lady". Phyllis went on to explain that she lived over in the next town and had a couple dozen chickens that produced pretty well and wondered if I might be interested in purchasing eggs from her. I was thrilled and asked about the location of her farm so that I could come pick them up. "Oh, no", she continued, "I'd be happy to bring them to you." Phyllis said that she had a weekly appointment in my area and would just drop the eggs off on her way. BONUS!! We even save the empty egg cartons for Phyllis so she can re-use them.

So now, every Thursday around 12:30, Phyllis pulls in my driveway in her little pickup truck with her eggs snugly tucked in a cooler in the front seat. Do I pay a little more for these eggs and the delivery service? Sure I do. But it's SO worth it when my guests comment about how wonderful everything tastes and looks. The brown eggs, which are almost always bigger than the white store-bought eggs, give all of my breakfast items a beautiful golden glow.

So, here's another win-win. Phyllis makes a little extra pocket money to supplement her social security income and I get oohs and aahs from my guests. My money stays local.

Local Food

Today, I went shopping. Food shopping, or grocery shopping as we called it where I grew up. I remember in Louisville, they would say, "going to the grocery", which I thought was an incomplete sentence. Anyway, grocery shopping is not an unusual chore for an innkeeper, so why am I blogging about it? It's where I went shopping that's the unique part.

BB's is a locally owned, Amish-operated grocery store. They're not open on Sundays, nor do they accept credit cards. To say that they have an 'internet presence' is a gross overstatement. There is a substantial 'hitching post' where the buggies park separate from the parking lot. There are no electric lights in the store. Today was cloudy, so browsing the aisles wasn't the blinding fluorescent experience like you get when you go into Target. You have to literally walk into the refrigerated and freezer sections through a 'door' made from thick pieces of  plastic that sort of remind you of vertical window blinds. Oh, don't worry, if you forgot your jacket there are several hanging on the pegs outside the cooler area that you can borrow.

BB's is the epitome of "Think Local". Fruits and vegetables from local farms, eggs, milk and cheese from nearby dairies and meats from neighboring smokehouses are all available at BB's. Yes, they have soups, crackers and cereals in boxes, bags and cans, too. They employ local Amish people to work the registers, bag the groceries, stock the shelves and gather the carts from the parking lot.

This is one of the propane gas lights in the parking lot. Since BB's is open Monday thru Friday till 8pm, I imagine that they actually need to use these in the winter months. I've never been there in the evening.

And THIS is what I bought for about $65. That included: milk, lunch meat, cheese, cereal, crackers, yogurt (4 containers for $1), fresh fruit, bacon ($2.99/lb), several frozen items, brown sugar (91 cents a pound), raisins (two boxes for $1), vinegar, toilet bowl cleaner, body wash, baking items, orange marmalade, tortilla chips, pasta and a few other things that I can't recall at the moment. Had I gone to a large superstore to buy these items, I probably wouldn't have gotten out the door for under $100. So, here's yet another example of how I can enjoy the benefits of keeping my money local and making it stretch further.  

Commercial Approach

For over a year now, I've been the chair of the marketing committee for our local B&B association . I get to work very closely with a lot of very talented people who are passionate about innkeeping. In addition to marketing together as 40 unique B&B properties among about 160 in Lancaster County, PA, we also share ideas, stories and a lot of laughs.

We've done our share of rack cards, print advertising in newspapers & magazines and social media like Facebook and Twitter. This year, we decided to pull out all the stops. At the end of April, we produced a commercial for our association. We would not have been able to do this without the help of our local CVB and a matching grant from the state. It was a long day and a lot of people worked very hard to turn out a great product. You can see it here:

Another very similar version of the commercial is airing this week and next on cable stations and WGAL. We had great participation from the association members. Thanks to Bob & Vivian Abel of the Pheasant Run B&B - they were so gracious in hosting the event.

Just wait to see what we do next!

Springtime in Lancaster County

Well spring is officially here, at least that's what my calendar says. Although the nights have been quite chilly lately, the days have been warm and sunny. The leaves on the trees are bursting with all-encompassing color and my porch is green!

Actually, my front porch is painted red, but all the pollen in the air makes it look a sickly shade of green even if I hose it off each day. But that's alright, the pollen is a sign that summer is on the way! I love the change in seasons and I'm one of those people fortunate enough NOT to have to deal with seasonal allergies.

We lived in South Florida for 4 years. At first, I was quite excited to be in a place where it's summer all the time. But it got old really fast. I missed the change in seasons - the leaves changing color in the fall, spring crocuses and daffodils. After about 2 years, I even missed snow and I didn't think that was even possible! I grew up in Northwestern Pennsylvania where winters can be long and harsh thanks to that lake-effect snow.

The thing I missed most was my ritual of spring planting! When I was a kid, my grandmother had two greenhouses. She grew and sold all kinds of plants, especially geraniums. I still think of her when I smell those plants. Now, as an innkeeper, I take great pride and joy making the grounds look fabulous! And, since Grandma's green thumb seems to have found its way to my hand, things around The Australian Walkabout Inn look pretty good, even if I do say so myself.

I'm now fortunate enough to live in one of the most fertile places in the country...well, in regards to the soil, that is. And, we have the most wonderful greenhouses around with good prices, spectacular selection and friendly, helpful people.

When you're looking for bountiful plants, trees and shrubs, you'll find them here in Lancaster County. Ask me about my favorite places. See you soon.

The Quilters are Coming!!!

...and the railroad enthusiasts and the volleyball players...and the barbershop quartets...


Earlier this year, Lancaster welcomed the opening of our long-awaited Convention Center. While it's still working out the kinks of trying to service a whole new market of visitors and convention-goers, I believe it's going to be a good thing for Lancaster County tourism. Do the math - some of these conventions host thousands of people. The AQS Quilt Show and Contest , for example, is supposed to draw 17,000 people to the area. The Convention Center has only 300 rooms. So, as an innkeeper with a B&B only about 10 minutes from downtown, I'm wondering how I can get a piece of that pie.


Granted, the AQS quilt convention is one week out of the year, but these people will most likely come early, stay longer and come back if they feel welcome here. So another member of our Bed & Breakfast Association and I met with the organizers of the convention. We were not able to make any appreciable headway with any of our suggestions (a LONG story...for another blog, maybe) , but it did give us a new outlook on how these things are organized. We're still trying to get a meeting with people at the convention center, and that will eventually materialize. But in the meantime, each B&B will be encouraged to do what they can to make themselves attractive to the convention-goers.


Location is certainly a big factor when considering lodging options during a convention. Sure, you can stay right at the hotel (if you're one of the lucky 300), but then you don't get to experience all of what Lancaster County has to offer - Amish culture, superb shopping, great food, beautiful countryside. And staying at the convention hotel will not only set you back over $150 a night, but in addition, you'll have to pay for parking ($14/night), breakfast ($20+pp), and oh, don't touch that bottle of water in your room or it will show up on your bill at check-out.


On the other hand, stay at a local B&B and you'll get a special convention rate , but of course breakfast is included, parking is free and so is the bottled water you'll find in your room! So, when you're attending a convention at our beautiful, new convention center downtown, don't be afraid to think a little 'out of the box' and reserve a room at one of Lancaster's finest - a bed & breakfast!

A Little Marriage TLC

If you didn't know who Jon & Kate Gosselin were, you probably do by now. Their names and faces have been showing up all over national television, magazines & tabloids and even in our local newspaper. It's a shame that what once was a great show about a very unusual family has now turned into something that should more appropriately be called 'Jon & Kate Set a Court Date'.


Our 10 y/o daughter loves this show. About a year ago, she begged me to send an e-mail to invite Jon & Kate to stay at our B&B . At the time they were still living in Lancaster County, but have since moved to Berks County, about an hour from us. As crazy as I thought the idea was, I did send that e-mail. Of course, to no one's surprise (except our daughter's), we never heard anything from them.


So what does this have to do with the B&B industry in Lancaster County? Well, for one thing, I like to think that as an innkeeper, I provide that much-needed retreat from the world. Bob & I are big proponents of the philosophy that 'happy couples make effective parents; and effective parents make well-adjusted kids'. It's really a trickle-down effect. If parents put a priority on working on their marriage, then they'll be more satisfied people in general. After all, you're going to be spending a lot of time with this person you've chosen to marry. Problem is that many parents do nothing to grow and support their marriage relationship for the 18 or 20 years while raising the kids. When the kids leave the nest, the couple looks at each other and says, 'who are you?' and then realize that they've grown into two different people. I guess with Jon & Kate, the time it took them to get to that point must have accelerated by a factor of 8.


While supporting our children physically, socially and emotionally during their formative years is very important, neglecting the marriage relationship during this time is most likely not going to lead to a desirable result. That's why it's important for couples to get away from the kids for a little while. Now, I'm not suggesting a mandatory yearly 3-week vacation in Tahiti while the kids are parked at grandma & grandpa's. It need not be that elaborate, lengthy or expensive, and this is where we come in. A lot of Bed & Breakfast properties do not accept children and this is one of the reasons why. We're trying to create an atmosphere where adults can come to get away from all the kid-centered aspects of their lives.


It's interesting that, even at 10 years old, our daughter gets this! She understands that while mom & dad love her very much, they still need time to themselves. Prior to owning our B&B, we were never able to really have a 'date night' on any kind of regular basis. And we still don't, but every year around our anniversary (20 years this week), we would make sure that we took at least a long weekend to reconnect. Our daughter looks forward to this time, too. She stays with cousins, aunts & uncles and grandparents and gets a little spoiled (it takes me a few days to get her back to reality when she comes home). We're fortunate to have a great support system not too far away.


Do you have relatives you can count on to take the kids for a night or two? Maybe some good friends? We have friends who do not live close to family, so they 'swap' kids with another couple on a routine basis so each couple can take some time to be together. Again, it's not an elaborate vacation, but just a few days away, without the kids, to reconnect as a couple. They return feeling, refreshed and ready to be the best parents they can be.


So, it's really too bad that Jon & Kate ignored our invitation. I'm not suggesting that one night at a B&B would have solved all of their problems or prevented them from ending up where they are today. I do believe, however, that an attitude and desire to grow a strong marriage will help when encountering the inevitable challenges along the way. I sure hope you'll put your marriage first.

What's Goin' On?

So, here we are in the 'middle' of winter. According to that famous Pennsylvania groundhog, what's-his-name, we've got 6 more weeks of winter. blah! That puts us well into March before we have any hope of thawing out. Personally, I'm sick of winter and being cold; tired of snow boots, hats, gloves and ear muffs; grown weary of getting shocked every time I get out of my car.

However, there are some redeeming qualities to the winter months for those of us who live in, and those of you who visit, Lancaster County. Because there are fewer tourists, we can take advantage of less traffic, more open and available seating at restaurants and shows, and a generally slower pace of life than we experience from June through October.

A couple of weeks ago, we were finally able to go to one of the new restaurants in town that we've been wanting to experience. Fenz Restaurant has a very hip decor and fantastic food. Entrees range from $12- 28 and there are plenty of wonderful appetizers to choose from as well as an ample (and reasonably priced) wine list. This place opened this past fall and my guess is that come summer, you'll need reservations at least a week in advance.

Another Lancaster offering that we've been able to sample during the winter is the Rainbow Dinner Theatre. This is not someplace you go to for the cuisine, as it is pretty much a run-of-the-mill, feed the masses buffet. The talent, on the other hand, is something NOT to be missed! The producers have done well and keep their audience in mind regarding content of the shows as well as length and other physical attributes of the stage. There's no bad seat in the house.

Next weekend, of course, is Valentine's Day. Today I did a little checking to see which of the restaurants to which we commonly refer guests, still had reservations available. I was surprised to find that most places are almost completely booked for Saturday and both Friday and Sunday are filling up fast as well. Did someone say there's a recession going on? Looks like there are many people who are refusing to participate.

While my schedule of bed and breakfast guests is still somewhat light, I've made a list of Lancaster County offerings that I want to take advantage of. They include - Herr's Snack Factory Tour, Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, a Ghost Tour, Lancaster Newspapers Newseum, the Lancaster Quilt & Textile Museum, Susquehanna Glass Factory, the Ephrata Cloister, President James Buchanan's Wheatland , and the Conestoga Area Historical Society. We've been here 18 months and I've still got so much to get out there and see!!

Of course, we've always got room for you, whether you want to enjoy Lancaster County during the cooler winter and spring months (don't forget, Mud Sales are going on!) or if you want to wait a while until the daffodils, tulips and iris start blooming. We hope you'll join us soon.