AHH Blog

The kitchen work is underway! With the help of Kelly and Ed, from Cape Cod, we have removed all the tiles and ceiling panels.  The granite people came yesterday to template the counters and in about another week it will look like new!  We are adding white bead board to the cabinets, replacing the tile floor and making the back splash and the wall paper crisp, clean and very bright.  I can’t wait to be done.  Having everyone come to my house next door for breakfast is not fun.  My house is on the market,  so we also have to coordinate the breakfast schedule with the realtor showing schedule.  Talk about having too many plates in the air!

I chose the last two weeks in January to do this work, as it is usually very quiet here.  Consequently, I’m housing Kelly and Ed and my friend, Raul, who is doing the painting.  With the Jets in the playoffs, I thought no one from NYC would want to travel, but a bunch of people are taking advantage of the warm spell to visit the Hudson Valley.  We seem to be attracting a crowd from across the US and other countries.  Our guests this weekend hail from England, Mexico, Brooklyn and California!  It makes for very interesting breakfast table talk. We even have a little guest enjoying our high chair and the orange croissant French toast.

-Barbara

Tomorrow completes my first month here!  Now, my skin is getting better and probably in a few days I can have a normal life again! It helps that the weather is warmer and much less wind. Barbara says, “Wait until the February snows…”

This week we went to a meeting of the Hudson Valley B&B Association where we learned more about how important is it to manage social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter, Trip Advisor, etc. to keep growing your business today.

This week we were also working at everything to time to keep everything in order.  The days are warmer and today it’s a sunny and beautiful day.  We have new ovens and a new grill!  I keep going to the gym and take my free day to go to NYC. This Sunday I will see the Jets at a friend’s house at Manhattan.

-Julio

The New Year has begun! Our business travelers are back! We made a major shopping trip to Bed, Bath & Beyond and now every room has extra pillows and blankets in bright clean plastic boxes under the bed. We put up additional room darkening shades in the Turret room so those who don’t smile at the morning sun need not do so.

We also experimented this week with a new recipe for a Panettone Bread Pudding with Almonds. It was not difficult, but cooked for an hour and a half in the oven! Reviews were unanimously top drawer. It has been so cold that temperatures in the 30s seem warm. Having the Panettone Bread Pudding in the oven created a warm, cozy and sweet-smelling afternoon. I think this might become a winter staple at the inn.

We’re planning a short visit to Cape Cod next week so that Julio can see Boston. Lori will be returning to the inn to take care of our weekday guests, but Julio and I will be back in time for the MLK Weekend.

-Barbara

It’s a sunny week! Last weekend, I was in Manhattan and went to Barnes & Noble, Times Square, Chelsea, etc. The City is really amazing and super close to Croton! Only 40 minutes from here to there. I had to buy more winter clothes and ear muffs. Oh, I found a friend from Brazil in NYC. I bought tickets for a party we have in Brazil and here in New York called Alegria. Also I’m looking for tickets for the Lady Gaga shows. Wednesday, I did my first breakfast alone and I’m ready to take on this responsibility. We must now practice how I can answer the phone calls. This is my next step.

I went to the dermatologist this week. My skin is still getting used to the climate, but hopefully soon and with the cream he gave me, I will be 100% again. Today it snowed in the night. It is the first day without sunshine this week, but certainly the beauty of the snow is like the sun rays.

-Julio