July 4th is here. Time for barbeques, picnics and fireworks. This year more people than ever are staying close to home due to the rising cost of gas and the overall state of the economy. This might be a good year to re-define how you spend your holidays. Instead of packing up the car, throw a blanket down in your back yard and celebrate. Sometimes just a small change can bring a festive atmosphere to the home.
Turn off the cell phone. Unplug the computer. Turn off the TV.
Have some good friends over and play music or cards or a board game.
Do something out of the ordinary.
Maybe this is a good time to plan your next getaway at a nearby Bed & Breakfast. What better way to kick back and relax and feel taken care of for a bit.
There are plenty out there and sure to be one nearby wherever you live.
So have a good holiday and enjoy yourself with family and friends.
I have to admit that I didn’t visit this Bed & Breakfast. I was downtown in Little Italy, San Diego and on my way home when we passed Little Italy Inn which advertises itself as a European-style Bed & Breakfast. Someone else was driving so I couldn’t stop, but I jotted down the name and looked it up on the internet. With 23 rooms, it’s more a cross between a boutique hotel and a B&B than the traditional small sized B&B–however, that’s something I’m not clear on–just how big can a B&B be?
I have no reservations recommending it. It’s in an upscale neighborhood and would be a fantastic play to stay for the neighborhood alone. Historic Little Italy is a fun San Diego neighborhood. It’s just a few blocks from the harbor. Not too far from the Gaslamp District. It’s a thriving arts community–as well as some colorful public art that brightens up the sides of the buildings, there are a number of chic little galleries and shops.
Some of San Diego’s best restaurants can be found in this little area as well. Needless to say, you probably won’t find better Italian food anywhere in the city, but Little Italy is multi-cultural. You’ll find food from all corners of the globe either here or in the Gaslamp District.
Little Italy Inn is also near the convention center so would be a good choice for either business or holiday.
More and more Bed & Breakfasts are becoming conscious of the environment and promoting green tourism. Of course, in many ways tourism is antithetical to environmentalism since so many carbon emissions are used to get to a destination. Still, a Bed & Breakfast can be a good way of offsetting environmental damage.
- Travel nearby. If you want to escape, but don’t want or can’t afford to go far with rising gas prices, consider finding a nearby bed & breakfast in your own town or the next town over. You can be a mile away and still feel in another world in the right B&B
- Find places where you don’t need a car. For instance, here in Southern California, Avalon on Santa Catalina is a great choice. You can take a ferry from Los Angeles and once on Catalina, you don’t need a car. In fact, there are very few cars on the island. Local residents have to wait years to get on approved. Most people get around on foot, bicycle or electric golf carts.
- Choose environmentally friendly B&Bs. Look for places that use organic cleaners, solar panels and use produce from their own garden.
The environment is everyone’s concern. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t travel, but we should travel with some awareness of our impact on the environment by making choices that will help not harm the world.
Photo: Manager of Holiday Farm B&B in Alishan, Taiwan
I came across this article about Bed & Breakfasts in Madurai, India. The Tourism Department is allowing locals to rent out extra rooms to tourists as a way to increase tourism to this area–which they are calling Bed & Breakfasts.
Having traveled a lot overseas, I think this is a great idea.
However, travelers to foreign countries, especially in places like Asia, Africa, the Middle East need to be aware that the concept of a Bed & Breakfast there is not what it is here.
While this might put some people off who want to surround themselves with the familiar when they travel, this very difference is what I love.
A bed & breakfast in another country or culture should embrace its culture, not try to imitate the West. Your breakfast might consist of rice porridge, pickled vegetables and tea instead of muffins, eggs and coffee, but if you show an openness to the way others live, you’ll gain memories that will last a lifetime and promote understanding between cultures.
Recently I visited Taiwan and one of my most rewarding stays was at The Holiday Farm Bed & Breakfast in the stunning and mountainous Alishan tea-growing area. The proprietors didn’t speak English but their warmth and hospitality was unmistakable. They served local teas, taught us to make sticky rice and in the morning the mist hovers over the mountain giving it a truly magical feel.
One of the memorable experiences for us was in the morning. We had a traditional breakfast for that area–salty eggs, green tea, porridge, lotus root. We all enjoyed it, but being Westerners really craved a cup of coffee. So after our traditional breakfast we hesitatingly asked if there was any coffee (I lived in China for three years so speak a little Chinese). The manager smiled and signaled us to come up to the common room. We followed, grateful, but expecting a cup of instant coffee.
To our surprised delight, he pulled out a bag of locally grown coffee beans, ground them up and pulled out a kind of French-press contraption and brewed us one cup of coffee at a time that could rival anything I’ve ever had at Starbucks.
He was a delighted as we were at our enjoyment of it and as entertainment, did imitations of birds in the area!
If you are ever lucky enough to go to the Alishan Mountains in Taiwan, do make Holiday Farm one of your stays.
Posted on June 30th, 2008 in
Taiwan | Tags:
bed and breakfast,
Taiwan | Author:
jordanc |
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A couple days ago I wrote about food in Bed & Breakfasts and how unique, regional dishes are often what guests remember best.
This morning I came across a news release about a new cookbook by Amelia Painter called Discover Iowa Cooking with Iowa Wines, Meats and Other Iowa Products which is a collection of recipes from Iowa Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers.
Who would have thought there was wine in Iowa, but this book provides a list of wineries. It also includes all kinds of recipes: desserts, appetizers, main courses, beverages that use Iowa products.
Painter and her husband own The Prairie Cottage B&B in Fostoria, Iowa and she’s a well-known journalist and presenter at Bed and Breakfast Association meetings in Iowa. She’s also the author of Owning and Operating a Bed and Breakfast in the 21st Century which would be a good reference for any one thinking of starting a B&B.
As well as recipes, the book is a great resource for finding out more about Iowa B&Bs.
Posted on June 29th, 2008 in
Books,
Iowa | Tags:
bed and breakfast,
cookbook,
Iowa | Author:
jordanc |
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Just five minutes from Moonlight Beach–a beach as romantic as it sounds–Seabreeze Bed & Breakfast sits on top of a hill with a panoramic ocean view. Seabreeze B&B has a Mediterranean, yet contemporary feel to it. The rooms are cozy and comfortable. Some have a Jacuzzi.
The penthouse suite on the top floor is definitely the crown jewel of this place. Private. Hot tub. A view to die for. Seabreeze is a good choice if you want beach culture.
Moonlight is one of Encinitas’ prime surfing beaches, and just six miles south is Swami’s, which is known for surfing throughout the world. It’s not unusual to see dolphins leaping in the waves, and if you’re lucky, you might even catch sight of a gray whale migrating by.
Moonlight is also a perfect strolling beach. A wide stretch of sand goes in both directions seemingly forever. Early mornings are especially magical when the fog still hovers over the waves and pelicans dive into the surf to catch fish.
Seabreeze is an all occasion B&B. Whether you’re traveling for business, pleasure, a romantic getaway or a family vacation, you can be comfortable at this B&B.
Encinitas is the perfect place to pass summer or winter days. With sunny weather nearly year round, it’s hard to go wrong in this beach community just north of San Diego.
One of the things people most enjoy about staying in a B&B is the homemade breakfasts. Just as each B&B has its own special character and decorations, each Inn also has its own culinary delights.
One of the reasons people often open a B&B is because they do like to cook and this gives them a way to share that in a far less stressful way than opening a restaurant. B&Bs by their nature are small. You only need to cook for a few people at a time.
Baked goods are often a specialty. Sometimes the manager might serve homemade jams and jellies as well. The food also reflects the location. Cold climates seem best suited to hot chocolate, coffee and homebaked breads, pancakes and waffles. Sea side stays might have shrimp or crab omelets. Local produce is always a big plus.
I did a quick search on this and there do seem to be a few cookbooks out there, but it seems like this could be a worthwhile item to put together and sell in respective B&Bs, especially if it were a place with a particular favorite dish.
Although breakfast is the main meal for a B&B, one time when I was traveling alone I stopped at a place in Bishop, California (I’ll see if I can find it and write a review) and in the evening the owner served fruit, cheese and wine. It was a wonderful way to end the day, and it’s these little gestures that stay with a person and mean so much.
If I were to open a B&B–and this is something I’ve considered from time to time, my specialty would be chocolate bread.
Couples will love the romantic Black Orchid Bed & Breakfast in Encinitas, California. This New Orleans style Bed & Breakfast is located in a quiet residential neighborhood in charismatic Encinitas where surf culture still infuses the downtown atmosphere along with classy boutiques, art galleries, first-rate restaurants and coffee shops, and some of the most eclectic second-hand shops in the county.
The Black Orchid is a labor of love created by husband and wife team Earl and Linda Flores. Earl, a country singer and talented builder, re-designed their small ranch-style home into the seven bedroom, six bath mansion it is today. Linda has added her touch to the interior decorating, cooking and gardening. Her culinary creations are rumored to please the palette of even the most discerning guest.
The three guest suites each have their own individual themes. The honeymoon suite has a balcony that looks out over the garden, while The Garden Room has a veranda with an ocean view in the distance. At sunset the cozy Riverboat Room turns golden in the fading light.
The Black Orchid is not a place to bring the children. The community living room and individual suites are filled with antiques and fragile knick-knacks that don’t mesh well with little ones’ energy. The Black Orchid is better suited to quiet getaways and those seeking an opulent escape from the everyday world.
It’s conveniently located so you can take advantage of San Diego’s many fine attractions, yet return to a cozy home away from home in the evenings.
Greetings! I’m Jordan and this is my first post in the Bed & Breakfast blog so thought I’d use it to introduce myself to my fellow B&B bloggers and to anyone else who might read this.
I’m a freelance writer and do a lot of travel writing so I thought this would be a natural fit. I love B&Bs and stay in them whenever I can. The thing I like about B&Bs is their individuality. Unlike hotels where you can be anywhere and not know it, B&Bs tend to reflect some of the atmosphere and culture of their surroundings. They’re also more inclined to be theme related–books, organic food, local crafts.
One thing I have noticed lately is that there is some merging of B&Bs and Boutique Hotels. I’ve stayed at Boutique Hotels that also call themselves B&Bs. Some of them are very classy places but they don’t have the same vibe as what I consider a traditional B&B.
Recently, I returned from Taiwan and they are trying to promote B&Bs over there. I stayed in one and absolutely loved it (I’ll do a review of it in another post). It was completely different from what you find in the U.S., but that was part of its charm.
I’m currently living in California so I imagine that a lot of my posts are going to be reviews of places in this part of the country.
Looking forward to taking part in this community!
Posted on June 23rd, 2008 in
California,
Hello | Tags:
bed and breakfast,
inn | Author:
jordanc |
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Whether you are looking into staying at a B&B for the first time or if you are someone who has a love for them, I would recommend grabbing this guide book. The author is a very well known travel expert and is very dedicated to the B&B industry. She also has a great website where you can find information on B&B’s in all areas, including great deals and featured B&B’s. You can also sign up for her newsletter or create a log on to store destination searches, B&B favorites and the feature I like best is the recipe finder. She has created a recipe list in a variety of categories from the different B&B’s she has visited. Innstar B&B Guidebook Review has given her a 5 star rating and I can see why. Click on the link below to purchase her book.
The Complete Guide to Bed and Breakfasts, Inns & Guesthouses
~Pamela Lanier
Posted on June 4th, 2008 in
Books | Author:
maya |
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