Murder mystery dinner at the bed and breakfast tonight

Among many of the specials and packages that we host here at our bed and breakfast in West Michigan is the murder mystery dinner package.  Tonight we have one such of these fun filled events here at the Inn.  Sometimes these groups of participants know each other and other times they do not.  Tonight’s bed and breakfast murder mystery will have a mixture of both, which always makes for a fun filled time.  And with a snowy forecast for the evening, an in-house event here at the Inn is definitely a good idea for our guests.

Brrrrr Collldddd in Saugatuck area today

Well we knew it would be coming sooner or later…the coldest blast to hit the Saugatuck area all year long.  Yup, it’s hear.  Sure does make you appreciate the warm and toasty bed and breakfast all that more.  Today when we came home from running errands, we had a nice pot of chili to warm us and boy was it ever appreciated.  On a day like today, I’m sure our bed and breakfast guests who were out cross country skiing especially enjoyed coming back to the warmth and cozy atmosphere of the Inn.

Inn guests will love Orange Cardamom french toast

Some of the breakfast dishes that we serve the Inn guests are prepared the evening before, making our lives a little easier in the morning so that our bed and breakfast guests can have more of the Innkeeper’s time in the morning as well.  One such dish is our Orange Cardamom french toast.  The flavors of the orange peel, orange zest, lemon zest and cardamom are a great combination that our Inn guests absolutely love.  We just finish preparing this dish for tomorrow morning’s breakfast and we look forward to it as well because it produces a wonderful aroma in Inn during the morning hours.

Saugatuck area ice-covered driveways

The past couple of days we have had ice/rain/snow wintery conditions here in the Saugatuck area of West Michigan.  We of course have had to use a great deal of salt here at the bed and breakfast on our driveways and walkways because it doesn’t appear that it will all melt anytime real soon as our weather forecasters in the West Michigan area.  With temperatures in the teens and below predicted for later this week,  it truly does feel like a real mid-January weather.

Bed and breakfast suite gets a face lift

One of the things we pride ourselves on is how well we keep the Inn in tip top shape.  Today began a three-day project of touching up, spackling and painting of the Duchess chambers.  One of the more popular rooms at the bed and breakfast because the bed is actually in the four-story turret of the Inn, this room has always been bright and cheerful in it’s bright yellow cream color with the pink and pastel green accents.  Not to mess with “something that works” we are asking the painters to use the same paint colors in this project.  In a couple of days the Duchess will be bright and new with a well-deserved face lift.

Full holiday weekend at the bed and breakfast

This weekend being the Martin Luther King holiday weekend, the bed and breakfast has filled up quite nicely for a mid-January time of year.  Most of the guests staying at the Inn are here for a winter getaway couples escape as it seems that everyone has a need to getaway even for a winter weekend.  Sleigh rides, dining out at fine restaurants, ice skating and cross country skiing, these guests all know how to make the best of the Michigan winter activities.

Gourmet chocolate truffles from Allegan Michigan

I always enjoy the drive through the Allegan state forest just a mile from the bed and breakfast on my way over to Allegan Michigan where our chocolate shop of choice is located.  Something Sweet is a great find of a chocolate and sweets shop owned by a local resident where she takes every effort to take good care of her clients.  Today I picked up a number of boxes of painted truffles for a romantic getaway package that I am currently offering my bed and breakfast guests.  Typical of Dianna, she sent me home with a little sample treat “on the house” which is another reason why I like going there so much.  🙂

Fluffy snow at the bed and breakfast today

So today we had a rather steady snow, well hold on, no we were dumped on with a ton of snow at the bed and breakfast today.  I mean LOTS of snow in a couple of hours, but the good thing is that it seemed to be a rather fluffy snow and was quite easy to shovel so I am at least grateful for the fluffiness of the snow.  I can only imagine though what some of the others in the country are going through right now when they mention the two FEET of snow in 24 hours.  WOW!  Two hours of it snowing that heavy was quite enough to make it pretty but the snowmaker machine can turn off (or down) for now.

Late dining with friend in Grand Rapids

The end of the day today was a nice chance to catch up with a good friend of ours over a late bite to eat in the Grand Rapids area.  Just 40 minutes from the bed and breakfast Inn, Grand Rapids is a booming Michigan city that has grown tremendously over the past years and has gained a great deal of recognition for a lot of the great things it is doing to make the economy strong.  So we do like to patronize the Grand Rapids area as much as possible.

Comfort food at the bed and breakfast tonight

Today was one of those days when a good home-cooked meal just sounded so good, especially after running errands in the snow and slush that is all a part of winter in West Michigan.  Something about a hot home cooked meal that just warms not only the tummy but also the soul.  The simple things in life yes, but many times we forget just how fortunate we are to have these comforts of home, the abundant food and the warm surroundings to come home to each day.