Congratulations Farnsworth House

Congratulations to The Farnsworth House Bed & Breakfast who were just awarded the prestigious 2008 White Glove Award from the Superior Small Lodging Association. Debi Dyer, with Lake County Tourism & Business Relations presented the award to Innkeepers Bob and Vivian. To read the whole press release, click here: Lake County Tourism.

I've re-posted the Feature Story for the Farnsworth House below ..

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Sometimes, when you are traveling, you just want to have the comforts of home. A soft bed, a hot shower, a warm cup of tea and a friendly smile. A place where you can let your hair down, kick off your shoes, relax and just be yourself. That’s what you’ll find at the Farnsworth House Bed & Breakfast. A late 1800’s farm-style home tucked away on one and a half acres in the quiet side of Mount Dora. A meandering driveway lures you into a step back in time with mature oaks, green gardens and a camphor tree over 200 years old. If trees could talk, this one would probably have many stories to tell. The Farnsworth House is surrounded by history, but with the modern comforts of a hot tub, screened-in gazebo, and plenty of outdoor seating to get lost in book … or a nap.

After a corporate career and an artist’s life in Miami, this was just the escape that Innkeepers Vivian & Bob were looking for. While spending nights and weekends fixing up the home with their tender loving care, Vivian and Bob named her like a captain would name his ship. Abigail. And she’s quite a beauty for her ripe old age of 122. Originally the Farnsworth family home, the estate became a boarding house in the 1920’s. On the front porch you can still find the multiple door bells and mail slots from the era. The home is decorated with period antiques and some of the Innkeeper’s original artwork. When I asked Vivian and Bob what their favorite part was about Innkeeping, she answered,

“We really enjoy spending time with our guests, just sitting around the dining room table talking and laughing over breakfast and coffee. It’s our favorite part. It’s amazing the connections you find and the people you meet.”

Breakfast at the Farnsworth House is a belly-filling feast. I joined Vivian, Bob and their guests during the Bike Festival to partake in the morning festivities. We started with fresh fruit and homemade crumb cakes. I have quite a sweet tooth, so I love dessert first! I begged Vivian to let me post the recipe, but she says you have to come stay with her to taste it. Next, Bob served their Leander Pancake Wraps with Vermont maple syrup and breakfast steaks. This has all the goodness of breakfast wrapped up into one. Eggs, potatoes, cheese, and pancakes. A little sweet and a little salty.

The most unique thing that Vivian is known for is her juice mixes. We all played a little guessing game before she would reveal her secret ingredients. Our juice cocktail blend contained cranberry, orange, lime, pineapple and blueberry. Vivian’s watermelon cooler was such a popular treat that over the years she inadvertently started a collection of watermelon themed gifts.

If you're looking for a home away from home, a peaceful escape, and a scrumptious breakfast ... then the Farnsworth House Bed & Breakfast is the place to be.

Don't Be A Scrooge ... Answers from the Adora Inn

Here are some more holiday favorites from John at the Adora Inn ...

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags unless wrapping is a must.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real Tree

3. When do you put up the tree and when do you take it down? two weeks before and one week after

4. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Egg Nog

5. Favorite gift received as a child? a yellow bike with a big black banana seat

6. Mail or email Christmas cards? Email

7. Favorite Christmas Movie? The very first version of Scrooge

8. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Two things...if we have an Italian Christmas Eve dinner its the seafood soup, if its an American one it would be the honey baked ham and ham sandwiches the following day.

9. Favorite Christmas song? "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" by Nat King Cole

10. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

11. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Both

12. Favorite ornament theme or color(s)? All white lights with silver, white & clear glass ornaments...no colors

John & Arthur
www.adorainn.com

Don't Be A Scrooge ... Answers from Coconut Cottage

This is from Gary at Coconut Cottage.
His sense of humor really shines through his answers!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Trash bags.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real.

3. When do you put up the tree and when do you take it down? July 26th through August 16th.

4. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Hot chocolate.

5. Favorite gift received as a child? The gift of speech.

6. Mail or e-mail Christmas cards? Mail.

7. Favorite Christmas Movie? The Godfather

8. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Pine cones, library paste, and stuffing.

9. Favorite Christmas song? Silent Night

10. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

11. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? Christmas morning.

12. Favorite ornament theme or color(s)? Elvis.

Gary
panther quick and leather tough.
www.motorcycleamerica.com

Don't Be A Scrooge

With only 12 days until Christmas ... we've got 12 fun holiday questions for you to get to know your Innkeepers. The first is from Rachelle at Tremain Street Cottages.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both. I've been trying to do some creative eco-gift wrap including using scarves, maps, and the comic section of the newspaper. Gift bags are great for re-using.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real Tree. No storage. Great mulch after the holidays.

3. When do you put up the tree and when do you take it down? The Saturday after Thanksgiving. It's become a fun trip down memory lane as our ornaments are a collection we've grown through all our our travels and big life events. Everything from my 5-year-old thumb print reindeer to a handmade ornament from Sorrento, Italy. We take it down the weekend after New Years.

4. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Mmm ... both. Depends on my mood.

5. Favorite gift received as a child? The most memorable was a white jean jacket with gold embroidery. I coveted that jacket in the store window for 2 months. I actually still have it in my closet as a "memento." You never know ... a lot of things come back in style eventually (wink).

6. Mail or email Christmas cards? Definitely regular mail … more personal and more fun.

7. Favorite Christmas Movie? White Christmas with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. I still cry at the end. Something about people being nice and doing something thoughtful for another. Seems rare these days.

8. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Sugar cookies ... with hot coffee or cocoa to dip them in. And my Grandmother's Tourtiere

9. Favorite Christmas song? Winter Wonderland, Rockin Around The Christmas Tree

10. Angel on the tree top or a star? Blinking Star

11. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning: We used to stay up all night Christmas Eve watching holiday movies and then open gifts at midnight. Christmast morning we'd have a great big breakfast and then go visit family.

12. Favorite ornament theme or color? Traditional Red & Green.

Lights, Camera, Decorations

Where has the month gone? Is it really already the 8th??? I refuse to believe it! I seem to have been so caught up in trying to create some video blogs that I've neglected the "good ole fashioned" written blog. Ha! Seems funny to say that, but it's true. In the middle of trying to learn something new and create some fresh content, I've also been sucked into the eggnog-drinking-sleigh-bell-ringing-light-hanging-bow-making holiday vortex. Anyone else there with me? Writing holiday and Christmas cards, trimming the tree and planning decorations for our cottages for an event happening this coming weekend (The March of Wines). Sure, I thought that would all be done in a days work. A little overly ambitious in my plans.

I wish I had some little elves to help me along with all of these festive preparations. I even had to do a little unexpected home re-decorating. Or maybe I should call it re-organizing. We went out and picked a live tree this year (more later on the eco-friendliness of this choice), but when we brought it home and cut the twine ... it seem to have exploded. Yes, exploded. Pine needles everywhere. We thought it was going to be a "small" tree because of it's height, but it is actually so fat and fluffy it takes up half of our small little cottage living room. Ha! At least it puts me in the holiday spirit because it makes me giggle every time I have to side step around it to get through the house.

Now, about the eco-friendly tree thing. Real tree or fake tree? At first glance, you would think the mantra for eco-enthusiasts would be to save the trees. However, most artificial trees are made with PVC, are not biodegradable or recyclable and usually end up in the garbage. Real Christmas trees are grown with the very purpose of being enjoyed for the holidays and then the crops replanted. After the holidays, it can be recycled, mulched or just thrown away as it is 100% biodegradable. There are even some trees you can purchase (roots and all) and plant in January. I even heard on the radio that there is a rent-a-tree where they re-plant them later. Check out the National Christmas Tree Association website for more interesting and fun facts.

Happy decorating!

--Rachelle

Turkey Stats

I recently picked up a publication that glossed over the stats of holiday economics. It's hard to believe we're in a "down" economy when you read these sales projections ... 30 million live Christmas trees sold ... over $5 billion spent on games and toys ... over 100 million pounds of eggnog consumed. These big numbers sound fascinating and surreal to me. I thought, wouldn't it be interesting to get some of these types of facts locally from our Innkeepers?

One local Innkeeper, Tamara at the Captain's Inn, not only had a house full of guests, but a house full of relatives as well! A total of 10 guests, 8 relatives and two neighbors came over for Thanksgiving dinner. So what does it take to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for a party of 20? Considering that I'm an only child and my holiday dinner parties typically never exceed 6 people ... inquiring minds want to know ...

Let's see ...

144 eggs

20 loads of laundry ... (and as of today) 8 more to go ... 3 washers and 3 dryers running

30 lb turkey

25 lb ham

40 potatoes

4 gallons of milk

2 gallons of orange juice

2 gallons half & half

2 home baked apple pies

2 home baked pumpkin pies

6 cases of soda

over 500 ornaments decorating 7 Christmas trees throughout the house

and too many bottles of wine to count!

Although she's practically been living in the kitchen for the past 3 days, Tamara says she loves entertaining. "I've really enjoyed spending time with my family. Especially my 12 year old granddaughter. Everybody pitches in and helps out." And isn't that what the holidays are really about!

--Rachelle

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Light Lure

Edward Johnson created the first string of electric Christmas lights in the late 1800's and it seems we have been in awe of the luminescence of the season ever since! You can't help but smile while driving by homes and businesses decorated with strands of lights, illuminating the night during the darkest month of the year.

Even before we donned trees with candles and then electric lights, Innkeepers used to place a candle in a window to show that the room was vacant and this tradition later evolved into a universal sign of "welcome."

Last night we enjoyed that warm and fuzzy "welcome" feeling as we watched our city flip a switch for Light Up Mount Dora. This festival kicked off the holiday season turning on a display of over 2 million lights that will sparkle throughout Donnelly Park during the season.

If you happened to miss it, don't despair. The lights will be on every night through the end of January and there are several other events of merriment with entertainment, carolers, late shopping and even Santa Clause. Mount Dora's Christmas Walk will be taking place this coming Friday in downtown from 6 to 9 pm.

Later this month, there will be an old fashioned Christmas parade and a lighted boat parade, snow in the park for the kids, a Movie In The Park (Polar Express), and the Innkeepers 2nd Annual March of Wines benefiting Toys for Tots. For more specific information about these events, please visit www.WhatToDoInMountDora.com.

Come and see us! Enjoy the season.

--Rachelle