Going Green Saving Blue

So, what does it take to "go green?" While a lot of things that are labeled "green" or "organic" have inflated prices, there are many things you can do that still save you some green in your wallet as well. It is possible to conserve and save on your electric and water without spending a fortune.

Just this past weekend, the City of Mount Dora hosted a rain barrel workshop where they explained the benefits of collecting rain water, instructions on creating and installing rain barrels and even a fun outdoor painting session afterward. Did you know that during a storm where we receive just an inch of rain water, that inch equates to 600 gallons of water collected from a 1000 square foot roof? That's nothing to sneeze at!

The rain barrels hold up to 55 gallons of rain water that can be used for drip irrigation, watering potted plants, washing your car, cleaning garden tools and any other outdoor water need you can think of. They're pretty affordable, running anywhere from $45 to $100 depending on the size and style. Much more affordable and easier to set up than a cistern system. Plus, painting it is kinda fun.

Last year, Tremain Street Cottages became the 1st Certified Green Lodging in Lake County through the State of Florida's Florida Green Lodging program. Just trying to do our part to create a healthier environment for ourselves and our guests by making more informed choices. So I'm looking forward to adding this new hand-painted lawn tool to our garden to save water and green up our lawn!

--Rachelle

Happy Friday

One of the other Innkeepers once said (I think it was Inez with Christopher's Inn) that seeing empty beds is her least favorite thing about being an Innkeeper. Perhaps it is something that we all fear ... but every once and awhile it can be a welcome break.

Such as this Friday night when we had only one car in the parking lot. After hyperventilating for a little bit, we avoided a full on panic attack when we looked at our books and realized we're full tomorrow. A Friday night to be free and out on the town is a rare occasion, so we jumped on the opportunity to have a date night.

Since it's difficult to have a true "night off" in the town we live-in, work-in and adore, we drove 35 minutes to downtown Orlando for dinner and a show. There is a cute little bohemian section of Orlando where you'll find holistic food stores, cafes, casting directors, art lofts, and a wide Vietnamese restaurants. It's a speck of the size of China Town in NYC, but it is our little Asian food haven. Pho noodle bowls, bobo teas, and my favorite rice noodle spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce. I'll take two please! They even have durian fruit smoothies. Since Andrew Zimmerman won't eat durian fruit, I'm not going to be daring enough try it! At least not tonight anyway. An old favorite of ours, Little Saigon, has been winning awards for their Vietnamese cuisine for over 10 years.

When we were seated, our waitress greeted us with a big smile and said, "Happy Friday." Happy Friday indeed! As an Innkeeper, we usually loose track of what day of the week it is and weekends are spent working. Not that I'm complaining! It was just nice to have a little change.

After dinner, we grabbed a coffee, went for a walk around Lake Eola and then headed over the SAK Comedy Lab for an Improv Show. We enjoyed a good hour and a half of belly laughs before driving home. Happy Friday!

--Rachelle
Tremain Street Cottages

Shopoholics Anonymous!

I've been purposefully not turning on my television to avoid all the doom and gloom the media has been perpetuating this week. The stock market crashing, oil prices rising, hurricane devastation, election polls, mortgage crisis, real estate devalued, nah, nah, nah. The big networks would have us believing that it's the end of the world and there is nothing we can do about it.

Sorry for the rant, but I had to get it out of my system because there is something we can do about it. There ARE positive stories out there. All we have to do is share them. Work is being done, vacations are being planned, Holiday hopes are being held onto, and yes, people are shopping and having a good time while doing it!

Innkeepers, Jim & Ana, with the Mount Dora Historic Inn shared a story that brought a smile to my face and uplifted my day. Recent guests of theirs had a fabulous experience shop hopping in downtown Mount Dora. This was made possible by the friendly merchants and our small town charm. Wall Street may be down, but the spirit on Donnelly Street is looking up.

Here are there comments ...

"Every single shopkeeper we encountered were all extremely friendly and very helpful. Specifically Karen, owner of Timeless Keepsakes, whose sense of humor had us laughing and made us feel very welcome. Also, Larry at the Wildlife Store honored our VIP visitor card even though he was not a participant of this particular promotion. It made our day!" -- Yvonne & Sheri, Gainesville, FL

"It’s very nice to hear that our town has not lost its warmth and gracious hospitality. This is exactly why we moved here, and why we have made Mount Dora our home." -- Ana, Mount Dora Historic Inn

Ana also said Yvonne & Sheri also could not stop talking about Jim’s scrumptious breakfast. They raved about how beautiful the soufflé looked, and once they tasted it … they were in heaven! Full tummies, warm hearts, rested souls, and hands full of shopping bags and good memories to take home.

That's what being an Innkeeper is all about!

--Rachelle

Christopher's Inn -- All Purpose Cleaner Recipe

I've asked the Innkeepers to share with us their unique tips & tricks for keeping a clean house while saving time and money.

Here are two home-made cleaner recipes from Inez with Christopher's Inn. I can't wait to try these!

All Purpose Cleaner

Add the following ingredients
to a large spray bottle:

2 1/2 teaspoons liquid soap (Dr. Bronners, etc.)
3 tablespoons of white vinegar
2 cups of water


Glass Cleaner

Soak a cloth in a solution of 1 tablespoon of corn starch
dissolved in 1 quart of water.
This will make your windows and mirrors really sparkle!

Back Pain & Bourbon

Innkeepers are always looking for a reason to celebrate. That's just the entertainer in us. Every week we all get together to clank wine glasses, break bread, make sure everyone has heads in beds, and exchange funny stories of our hospitality experiences and our Guest-zillas. Yes, I said guest-zillas. Anyone that works in some sort of Customer Service roll knows exactly what I'm talking about. But I won't be sharing those stories today.

No, the theme this week has been one of appreciation. An appreciation for dodging the last few hurricanes (though we still have our fingers and toes crossed against any new storms that emerge) ... an appreciation for Innkeepers with physical therapy and massage/spa experience for helping us when we pull out our backs reaching for bourbon ... an appreciation for the slowly shrinking number of days until our busy season starts ... and overall an appreciation for each other and the support, laughter and friendship we share.

On that note, our last social gathering was a bit bittersweet. Two of our favorite Innkeepers, Mel & Andy, are relocating for a special work project. While they have recruited fantastic Innkeepers to manage The Grandview, their friendship and community support is irreplaceable. We hope they will come back and visit often and we'll keep their place setting ready and waiting at our social dinner table.

To learn more about The Grandview, here is a history of Blog posts ...

Featured Inn: The Grandview Bed & Breakfast

Meet Your Innkeepers: The Grandview B&B

Lei Breast Cancer To Rest

Fundraiser Made A Splash


We'll miss you guys!

--Rachelle

Pumpkin Bread

Inez with Christopher's Inn, has shared with us her popular Fall recipe for baking and one of my favorite season flavors ... pumpkin! I usually just buy a pre-packaged mix for pumpkin bread and doctor it up with a few extra yummy ingredients. But, Inez has the real deal! Pumpkin Bread with all fresh ingredients made from scratch.

Here's her recipe ... Happy Baking!

Pumpkin Bread

Add the following ingredients to a large bowl and
beat on a low speed until well mixed:

1 15 ounce can unsweetened pumpkin
1 cup of oil
3 cups of sugar
3 large eggs
3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cloves

Next add the following:

1 cup of raisins
1 cup of chopped walnuts

Pour entire batter into 2 9"x5" moistened loaf pans
and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.

Voila! Your home is filled with the scent of Fall and you've got a tasty treat to share with friends.

--Rachelle

Meet Your Innkeepers: Christopher's Inn

Innside Story with Inez,

Innkeeper at the Christopher's Inn

1) What was your first experience ever staying in a Bed & Breakfast?

Inez: My first experience was in St. Augustine, FL during the annual Christmas tour of B&B's.

2) What did you do before you were an Innkeeper?

Inez: Jack, my husband, was in management for a manufacturing company. I am an R.N. and I still work part-time as an oncology and infusion nurse for a local hospital.

3) What made you decide to want to own a Bed & Breakfast?

Inez: After living in Mount Dora for 20 years, the house was up for sale and we decided it would make a neat B&B since we're in a historic town right next to a park and close walking distance to the downtown and lake. So, we stayed!

4) What is your favorite part about owning a Bed & Breakfast?

Inez: Meeting new people.

5) What is your least favorite thing to do as a B&B owner?

Inez: Looking at empty rooms!

6) How did you decide on your room themes and decor?

Inez: The house is a cross between historic country and Victorian and done in period pieces. One room is named for my daughter, Sheila. One for Shelby, my granddaughter, and the other two rooms after Charlotte and Jacqueline, my nieces that grew up in this house.

7) Tell me one thing you love about Mount Dora?

Inez: Small town ambiance.

8) Describe your favorite breakfast creation at Christopher's Inn.

Inez: Pancakes served with fruit and Wisconsin maple syrup.

9) Do you have a recipe I can post?

Inez: I have one for pumpkin bread that will be great for the fall that I'll give you.

10) Tell me one unique thing that most people don't know about you.

Inez: Christopher's Inn is named after Jack's nephew who grew up in this house. For a long time, Christopher was a radio disc jockey and loved country music. He also was an avid reader and would frequently write articles for the newspaper about subjects that were of interest to him. His son, Christopher, is now 17. He is a carbon copy of his father in his mannerisms and looks and I'm sure his father would have been proud.