Spring Fest comes to Warwick

As innkeepers, we are always concerned with the comfort and well being of our guests. Well, this past weekend the innkeepers became the guests of the guests.

On Saturday evening, Bill and I (and by "I", I mean Joe, Bill's partner and assistant) were treated to a wonderful dinner by two of our regular guests, Nora and Lucy. Nora is a great cook and in our kitchen made a delicious shrimp and clam fra diavolo over spaghetti and tilapia pinwheels stuffed with lobster. Yum, it was a terrific dinner. We finished it off with coffee and a scandinavian almond cake baked by yours truly. It was a fun evening and gave us a chance to sit back and get "waited" on. The conversation and company was a great way to spend a mild spring evening.

One of the things we talked about was the upcoming Spring Fest in downtown Warwick. It has been around for about 10 years and has become as anticipated an event as the Fall Apple Fest in October. The event which is taking place on Saturday, April 25th from 10am to 5pm is a home and garden expo with vendors lining the streets of Warwick. You will find all sorts of entertainment and dancing also. And of course don't forget to visit the food stands and sample all the delicious food that the Hudson Valley has to offer.

The other thing that you will want to visit is the farmer's market set up at the Spring Fest. This is the first farmer's market of the season. Here you will find fruits and vegetables and all sorts of food grown right here in the Hudson Valley. After this, the market will be set up every Sunday morning beginning on the first Sunday in May.

Well, enough for now. Check back soon for more of whats going on at the Inn at Stony Creek and the town of Warwick. Have a great week.

Guests for Breakfast

When I was a little boy, my favorite meal was always lunch, especially on school days. My mom or my grandma used to pack me my favorite sandwich, a piece of fruit and at the bottom of the bag, a surprise treat. And there was always that little note that said, "I love you" or "Be a good boy". But now that I am all grown up and have been with the Inn at Stony Creek for the last 5 years, my favorite meal has become breakfast.

Now, you might think it's because of the breakfast foods we prepare or the great smell of fresh roasted coffee that we brew. But it might surprise you to know that my favorite part of breakfast at the Inn are the guests. Its a wonderful experience every morning to meet the different people that come to stay with us. They come with a variety of backgrounds and stories and more important, a wealth of diverse culture.

Whether they are from Europe, Asia, Scandinavia, or even right here in the good old USA, they come to us with stories and experiences from all aspects of their lives. Our relaxed atmosphere allows them to feel comfortable in sharing things about their homeland, their reason for coming to the Inn, or even stories about their families.

We have one family from Ireland who have become friends to us. They come a couple of times a year with their empty suitcases joking that they've "come to shop". After breakfast, they head to Woodbury Commons and shop until they have filled their bags. And the next morning, with that wonderful Irish brogue, they regale us with tales of their shopping adventure over a hot cup of coffee.

But its not just the international guests that provide so much color to the Inn. It's also the folks who come from all parts of the United States. They come from parts of the country that might as well be a foreign country. Their backgrounds and experiences are just as diverse as if they had come from overseas.

So, you can see why I love breakfast at the Inn at Stony Creek. It's a wonderful, friendly, international experience for all our guests to enjoy. Hope to see you all sometime soon. Spring is here and we have lots of things to do here in Warwick.

Oh, and by the way, if you are coming to take advantage of our Shop and Stay package, be sure to ask for our certificate, good for a coupon book at Woodbury Commons.

Spring at Last!

Well, its about time. Spring has sprung and we are getting excited about getting the inn ready for the warm weather season.

We will be doing a lot of landscaping this season, especially around the new addition. But lots of color will abound around the whole property with all sorts of flowers and greenery. We're also adding a vegetable garden to add that extra bit of freshness to our already wonderful breakfasts.

Speaking of breakfasts...We've added a new recipe to our morning repetoire. You can find our delicious Stony Creek Scones served up with our homemade Devonshire Cream. Our scones are made with a variety of fruits or sometimes plain with a dusting of cinnamon sugar. They are already a hit with the guests.

Well, off to the garden to till and hoe. Hope to see you all real soon. Happy Spring everyone.

60th Birthday Party at the Inn at Stony Creek

This past Saturday eve (March 14th) we had a family of guests here celebrating the husbands 60th Birtyhday. It was a surprise and his wife made up a story to get him here, but he was sure fooled and stunned when he walked in the front door! They were experts at making green apple Martini's and picked out the best Dark Chocolate Torte I have ever tasted from the Georgia Cafe in Manahattan. The family went out for a celebratory dinner at a local restaurant, The Landmark, and then returned to the Inn for desert and coffee....and more Martini's. A great time was had by all and they mentioned returning for another party in the future. We really enjoyed hosting them!

The Carriage House addition is looking good!

During the Fall of 2008, we built the Stony Creek Carriage House addition and it blended surprising well with the existing Inn. We have a few more details to finish on the outside this Spring. The landscaping will be started as soon as the weather warms and we are looking forward to putting in a blue stone patio where we can serve afternoon tea over looking Mount Adam! Shortly thereafter we will start the new office area for check in and our new personal living quarters. Of course it will be for all to enjoy if you care to check it out!. Then our final phase will be the 6th guest room with private entrance, jacuzzi and fireplace. It will be a challenging year for us, like everyone else trying to balance what we finish and these difficult economic times. We are hoping The European Tourists start coming for sight seeing and shopping at Woodbury Common starting in April. And.........of course our American guests who are the mainstay of our business! Come see what we have accomplished thus far, relax and visit one of Warwick's Wineries. Don't forget the Warwick Drive Inn Movie on a summer night!

Running a Bed and Breakfast

If you are suited to running your own bed and breakfast, it can be a great way to have financial freedom and some time to relax during the week and to do hobbies that you love such as painting, restoration, cooking and gardening. I started up my B and B eight years ago in the lower Hudson Valley in the historic town of Warwick, NY. I was a Realtor for 17 years there and during that time found a handyman farmhouse perfect for opening a B+B. The only problem was it needed work before I could open the doors to customers, so I rolled up my sleeves every night after work and tackled a room at a time. For some of the heavy work I hired contractors but did most of the finishing work myself. As a realtor, I got to know most everyone in town. This was a great connection for me beacuse the people that knew me sent me business. I also had experience marketing myself from Real Estate Sales and used all those skills to get my place out there. Before I knew it I had repeat customers and many referrals and had to expand from 2 to 4 rooms. Now I am ready to expand to 6 rooms and will start a barn addition this March 2008. You must have great beds, good food and a clean establishment if you want to succeed. And most of all a smile when you greet them at the door or serve breakfast And if you don't want to wear yourself out you need to hire help to change the rooms and clean. I send my linens out to a service every week to save on wear and tear and utilites. This is how I prefer to do it so I can spend time doing photography, puttering in the garden and laying in the hammock on warm afternoons or socializing with the guests. I am very hands on however and don't overlook much with regards to details. All guests should be made to feel that they are the most important guests you have and should want for nothing. Over the years I have added every amenity possible to pamper my guests so they will not even consider staying somewhere else. And if they do they will come back to me next time. If you are thinking of opening a B+B and would like to comment please do so.