Eastman Inn - Your Romantic & Elegant Home away from Home

Winter Rate Reductions and Ski Packages

2012-01-03T15:00:00.002-05:00

If you are looking for a great deal this winter, try the Eastman Inn

I reduced the rates to $129 for a premium King room and $99 for a traditional Queen room

Also I am packaging Lift tickets to Wildcat and Attitash (these are interchangable, and you can use them at both resorts on the same day !)...the cost of the lift ticket comes to $50 per Adult, a savings of $40 for 2 people for a day of skiing.

Add that to the value of a full breakfast for 2 of $25 you are now saving $65 for 1 night stay over our regular room rates and resort lift tickets ! Oh wait I forgot to include the room savings of approximately of $20 per night...now you are looking at $85 per night ! That is more then enough for a great gourmet dinner at a nearby fine dining establishment or just save it and come to the Inn again.

This year I am running a rewards program. Stay 5 nights at the Eastman Inn and your 6th night is free. So come skiing for 2 or 3 weekends and there you have it. A Free Night that can be used anytime this year. Great for skiiers !

So what are you waiting for. Call today and reserve a room or go to our website http://www.eastmaninn.com/ and reserve a room on my site !

Thanks for your interest.

Merry Christmas Everyone

2011-12-25T06:06:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas from the Eastman Inn. We are closed this weekend to spend time with our family. Our 9 grandchildren from our 3 children will take all our attention this weekend so please come back on the 26th to lean about our Winter 2011-2012 specials. We have dropped our rates this winter in an effort to attract new customers.....

Again Merry Christmas and if we don't see you...have a Happy and Safe New Years Eve !!!

We're BACK

2011-12-14T06:41:00.002-05:00

OK, I have ignored this blog for over a year,.......Marta got an exciting opportunity to work in the Middle East for 2 years and she could not pass it up. So I went with her off and on, spending a few months at the Inn and a few months in Abu Dhabi....

Well, no more as of the 5th of December we are back for good and that means good for our guests.

We plan major room remodeling this winter. Marta has no job just now so she will become the Inn's decorator.

Rooms 9, 11, 5 and perhaps 8 and 3 will get makeovers. New capeting, removing the old 30 year old wall paper and fresh modern paints. Some rooms will get new mattresses and new furniture as needed. We have already started in room 5, still tearing down the wallpaper and Marta decided the bathroom needed new sinks and flooring....

So our plans of the 5 room remodel are ready to roll starting just after New Years...*full house that weekend.....

When the snow comes, then melts in the spring, it will be time to work on the outside. I need to finish the paint job from 2 years ago, the outside second floor, the decks and the rails all need fresh paint. The deck needs to be repaired inn places and repainted. The flower Beds were winterized correctly this past fall so the spring should bring some pretty flowers, I will add many perrenials this spring.

Well that should pretty much keep us busy this winter, join us if you wish, if you want to borrow a paint brush, feel free to do so....we could use the help !!!!!

Herb Tour 2011 Just around the Corner

2011-05-20T02:39:00.003-04:00

The 2011 Inn to Inn Herb tour is just around the corner. Visit 10 Inns of the White Mountains of New Hampshire for an informative and fun filled weekend. Each Inn will sponsor at least 1 herb and will feature it that weekend. Our chosen Herb is Lemon Verbena. Sherry has some great surprises for our guests. The secrets of Lemon Verbena shall be revealed all weekend. Come spend a relaxing weekend with us. Tour the Inns, and get some great recipe ideas. You wll leave with a book of recipes all contributed by the participating inns. Call us to reserve your space now.

Happy New Years

2010-12-28T02:27:00.003-05:00

Grandson River enjoying his first Christmas

2010 comes to an end and we are happy you chose to follow our blog this year. It was a much less wordy blog as I was pretty busy all year, coming and going as time permitted. Sherry is back from her extended vacation this past fall and Bekky started in November and she is doing quite well. I am away from the Inn in December visiting the Middle East and my working wife here in Abu Dhabi.

The Cookie Tour did go off quite well with 1 major hitch. The night of the cookie tour, our boiler went out...not from lack of serviceing, but rather the Oil supply Tank developed a leak at 3 am on a cold frigid morning we lost heat and hot water... Yikes...a full house and no hot water. Sherry called the Service person after we discovered that the furnace would only go on for a short time then shut off again...Elwood was able to come in and get the system running that morning while we were getting ready for the Cookie tour and by mid afternoon the boiler was cooking again. What a mess... and would'nt you know it, why don't things break during the mid-week lull...

Snow has started to fall heavily on Dec 26th and now the hillsides are covered in the magical white powder. Skiing is in full swing and we are ready to ring in the New Year. We still have 2 or 3 rooms open for New Year's EVE and we have hot water !!!! Always a good thing.

Below are some pics of the cookie tour and the Gingerbread house. Enjoy

Last Chance to get in on the Cookie Tour 2010

2010-12-04T23:56:00.003-05:00

The year 2010 is ending soon and next weekend Dec 11 and 12th is the annual Inn to Inn Holiday (Christmas) Cookie and Candy Tour. We always have a great time putting on this event. Sherry just loves to make our Gingerbread house and she won 1st place 2 years ago and 3rd place last year. It is a surprise as to what she will create this year. You will have to attend to see her creation...

This has been a much busier year then 2009, and we are happy for that, we thank all our loyal return guests and plan to repay your loyalty by continuing our 10% discount on all your return visits.

We are toying with the idea of doing something a bit different this year. Other Inns are doing a special package where in the year 2011, each visit adds another 10% off the current rate. It goes like this, your second visit is 10% off, your 3rd visit is 20% off, your 4th visit 30%, and each visit year adds another 10% off, until you get to your final visit which will mean that you get a free visit. I will limit the 'FREE' visit to be the length of your longest previous visit of 2011. This sounds like a win for all of us !

On another note, please welcome our newest employee; Rebekka. Rebekka comes to us from the Cape and she started working with us in early November. At the Cape Rebekka started out as the housekeeper, but was quickly promoted to be the resident Innkeeper late in the summer. At the Eastman Inn, Rebekka (or Bekky) for short will be the resident evening/night Innkeeper working with Sherry as needed during the day. She will also be our primary housekeeper. Join me in welcoming her to the Eastman Inn

November Specials and December Cookie Tour

2010-11-03T07:44:00.003-04:00

It is getting to be a lot like Christmas....we are in the planning stages for this years annual Inn to Inn Holiday Cookie tour. Join us for a sweet and charming weekend in the Mount Washington Valley

Each year Sherry whips up around 1000 cookies and so do the other 15 inns who participate in this fun event. During the tour you visit each Inn, sample the home made cookies and candies

You be the Judge...that's right, Judge Judy and Joe Brown move over, you have the decision making power in that each Inn sponsors a Gingerbread or Cookie, hand made creation. Last Year the Eastman Inn won 3rd place for this recreation of the North Conwway Train Station.

Lastly we know that November is a slow month, so what we do is offer an amazing special. Stay and pay for 2 nights and the 3rd night is on us ! You must call and book this special through our online system or phone. No third party bookings for this great deal.

Happy Holidays..............wait is that too early to say ? Nawwwwwwwwww

4th of July at the Eastman Inn

2010-07-06T05:42:00.003-04:00

If you were not here, then u missed a great 4th of July. We had a celebratory barbeque out on the dect with friends and family alike. Later in the evening we all sat and watched the fireworks being shot over the village. We had a perfect view from the porch. And we had some great Lemon Merangue pie and Bluberry Cream pie...Um Um.

Our guest of honor was my Grandson River Michels, here he is in the Wildcat River being introduced to his namesake !!!

Summer has started and the valley is starting to fill. Not too busy though as the traffic was light this weekend. We hope you think of the Eastman Inn when u make your summer travel plans

Herb Tour a Success

2010-06-13T12:28:00.002-04:00

For those of you who missed it you should start planning a trip to the Valley next year. We had about 6 guests who participated in the annual Inn to Inn Herb tour and they all loved it!

We featured the herb Lavendar and presented it to our guest with all the meals and treats. It was a weekend to remember. Guests toured 14 Inns and each had special treats for all. Guests took home samples and recipies featuring some delicious foods. It is amazing what Sherry can do with Lavendar.

Spring Herb Tour in New Hampshire

2010-04-20T21:24:00.002-04:00

Had enough of this below....skiing indoors all winter !

Then the time is ripe to come to the Mount Washington Valley for a lovely late spring Inn to Inn Herb Tour. The first weekend of June plan to be our guest as we host our part of the Heracious event. We plan on a fun cooking extravaganza...Our chosen herb here at the Eastman Inn will be Lavendar. Sherry has some great recipies she has been testing and you will be pleasantly surprised with her results.

As you tour each Inn, you will be treated to a variety of different treats. Each Inn will be showcasing a specific herb and provide you with their recipies to try at home. We are not just talking breakfast here, we are talking some good food ! Have you ever had Lavendar Ice Cream ? If not then your tastebuds will be inn for a pleasant surprise. So give us a call to make arrangements for the weekend. http://www.eastmaninn.com

Spring is on the Way- 3rd night FREE

2010-03-17T12:18:00.002-04:00

This is what I am waiting for, spring warmth and snacks on the porch. This is our daughter Alicia in a picture taken last summer. She was very pregnant in this picture, now she has a 2 month old son named "River".

So spring has sprung, although they are still skiing at Cranmore Mountain this weekend per the lastest reports. So for our Spring
Special we are offering a great deal. Stay 2 nights and get the 3rd night FREE. Thats a 33% savings for your 3 day weekend. You can't beat that price. The snow is pretty much melted but the air is a beautiful blue and the streams are rushing. Spring is a good time to visit, there are very few tourists in the area and you pretty much have the place to yourself.

The entire Valley has many spring specials, food at restaurants, and the shops are having some pretty good sales. We hope to see you soon.

Restaurant Reviews

2010-02-24T08:45:00.002-05:00

For something new to write about, I though I would mention some of the restaurants we recommend. I guess you would have to say we have a top 5, but who's counting. This is my subjective opinion and I am entitled to it..hah...I think it is pretty accurate as guests tell me in the morning about how their dinner went. On occasion we all have bad nights so what may be good one night, may be a bit less the special the next. Service is always an issue. Especially in early season as new staff come on board at the restaurants. It takes a while to get some restaurants up and running at full throttle in the Summer. Another 'gotcha' are weddings. If a dining place does weddings or hosts wedding dinners, etc. you can get lost in the shuffle and your plate may be delayed. I have started asking that question before I make a reservation for my guests. So her goes

By the way , these top 5 are not in any particular order.

1. The 1785 Inn. This is one of my personal favorites for a good ole New England style place. In the winter it is fun to sit by the fireplace and enjoy the warmth it gives off. This past December we made it early during a big snow storm..and we watch the world turn white out the large windows looking towards Mt. Washington. I have never had a bad meal here. We have had the salmon, the filet mignon, the elk and rabbit cooked 2 ways.. and loved it all. The waiters are a hoot and I never tire of their antics. The Yodeler will often times catch an out of towner by surprise !

2. Decades Steakhouse. For the first year I was here I never sent anyone to this place. I simply did not like the name...*shame on me....Since last summer I have been a half a dozen times and the food is always delicious. I order a steak, but it also has good seafood and pasta. The majority of my guests like it.

3. May Kellys Cottage: Want some good comfort food, Made like your Irish aunt made it. Then this is the place. It is in an old building with lots of old junk in the hall way leading out back to the restaurant. From the pub are huge glass windows giving u a great view of Cathedral Ledge. We have eaten here a number of times and we always try something different.

4. Thai NanKoping: Or something like that. Usually pretty good food, on occasion they must have a substitute cook, but for the most part the food is tasty and hot.

5. Thompson House Eatery in Jackson. 9 miles from us I usually dont often send guests that far, especially if you want more then 1 adult beverage. But the food is fantistic. My wife and I had Christman Eve dinner here last year and it was perfect.

OK...I am keeping this to my top 5 favorites...there are many more good restaurants to choose from, but this is my blog !

Not much snow

2010-02-10T22:13:00.002-05:00

An Inch here, an inch there....what gives ? All of you down in the Mid Atlantic states are having all the fun ! We are busy getting ready for this Valentines day weekend. All the smart guys made reservations well in advance to romance your sweetie. If you waited until today or later you may want to try another inn. We recommend the Glen Oaks Inn in Intervale, or perhaps the Admiral Perry in Fryeburg, they may still have vacancies. We also suggest that you consider which restaurant you want to go to for dinner this weekend. Reservations are suggested, we can make that call for you, just let us know. Sherry is cooking up a Valentines surprise...she is always good for that kind of stuff ! Speaking of Valentines, I need to head off today and buy something for my wife. So long for now

February - WE need Snow

2010-02-07T08:18:00.002-05:00

It's early Feb and most of the east coast is getting a good dosing of snow. The White Mountains could use some of that. We have the cold, now we just need the moisture. The Eastman Inn is humming along anyway. Valentines weekend we are just about full with 1 room left, but alas it only has twin beds and what kind of Valentines day fun would that be !!!!!!.

I just added a special for February, Stay any Thursday in February and get it 1/2 off if you stay on Saturday. If you extend until Saturday Night, you get Thursday 2/3'rds off. So call INN sick on Friday, come up on Thursday and use your savings for a nice dinner or an early start on the slopes on Friday.

Holiday Weekend and Snow

2010-01-18T10:42:00.002-05:00

It has finally snowed here in North Conway. Not since Jan 1st have we have any measurable snow. So Cross Country skiing will be better and the downhill slopes have been making it because it has been very cold. The crowds are going home now so weekends will be pleasant around town. We hate the crowds (except at the Eastman Inn itself ).

New Grandchild has arrived

2010-01-06T08:54:00.003-05:00

River Louis Michels, Arthur's Grandson arrived on December 31st at 3 pm and weighed in at a whopping 10 lbs, 1 oz....21 Inches...Here is the best shot we have of him so far. Mother and Baby are doing Fine. Grandpa Art went down on Jan 3rd to spend 4 days with them....He is a fine good looking gent.....I can't wait to have him come up to the Eastman Inn...I will waive the "No Children" rule for him !!!!

Spring Inn to Inn Herb Tour

2009-12-29T11:02:00.003-05:00

The Eastman Inn is participating in a Spring Inn to Inn Herb Tour, on June 5th and 6th. This 2 day event will feature a wonderful array of herbal prepared dishes for you to sample. You will take this self guided tour of 12 Inns in the Mt. Washington Valley. At each Inn you will sample their foods prepared with the Herb of their choice. Take away a sample, several recipes and when you stay at one of the participating Inns, your breakfast will prepared using the Inns special herb encrusted foods. So Call the Eastman Inn in North Conway to reserve your room and tickets. They will sell out fast this year...

Christmas at the Eastman Inn

2009-12-23T16:38:00.003-05:00

We love Christmas so much around here....the house all decorated....waiting for Santa. The Grandkids are at their own homes this year, so we will be open for the holidays

Speaking of Grandchildren, we may have a Christmas baby. I am waiting for news from our daughter in New York. She is at the doctor at this very moment....rather then wait around I went shopping to Carters and Gymboree for Children....Ok, Ok, I spent more money then planned but the prices were 70% off and I could not pass it up. My grandson deserves the best.
Here he is in the 'cooker' as I like to call it, and his sister "Cali" is jumping up on Mom, anxious for mom to get back down to regular size so they can all 3 go for walks !!!! It has been so long since Alicia was born I cant remember how small an infant really is. I can't wait...did I say that already ? Sherry will be coming in when I have to leave for NY.....

Thanks to all our Guests

2009-12-15T08:05:00.004-05:00

I wanted to Say Thanks to all the loyal guests who come time after time to spend their precious vacation/holiday time at the Eastman Inn. We have truly found some great friends...To Judy L. and her friend Doris...Kevin and Cynthia, Phil and Joann, Wendy and Steven M. . You all being here at the Eastman Inn this past weekend helped cheer up the Inn for the Holidays. Friends like you make the holiday spirit 'real' for Sherry and myself. We both recently lost beloved family members and our spouses are far away. So again thank you for sharing the Holiday's with us and we hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Peace to All.

Cookie Tour a Tasteful Success

2009-12-15T05:35:00.003-05:00

If you missed the Inn to Inn Cookie Tour you missed a very good time here in the Mount Washington Valley. This was our 13th year and it was pretty exciting.

Each Inn had 2 types of cookies on display and for the tasting. We did a German Pfeffernusse and Chocolate Kalua mini brownies.

And for the Gingerbread Contest, Sherry made a replica of the North Conway Railroad Station. We are proud to report that we won 3rd place in the Vote. Derek at the Admiral Perry won first place and Marc at the Darby Field won second place.

If you are looking for a fun and delicious thing to do in the early Summer, our Inn to Inn Herb Tour will feature tasty tidbits made from fresh Herbs. At the Eastman Inn we will cook all weekend using our chosen herb. We will have samples of foods to take home and you will receive a recipe book to store the recipes you receive from all the Inns. So join us this June. We are starting to get reservations and would love to have you here

First Snowfall/Hint of Gingerbread House

2009-12-09T23:43:00.004-05:00

Wow, Today we had our first real snowfall. About 12 inches have fallen just in time for the Annual Inn to Inn Cookie tour taking place this weekend. Sherry is almost finished with our gingerbread creation. In this blog there is a hidden clue to what our Gingerbread is going to look like. The Theme this year is Scenes of New England.. Well back to baking , only 759 more cookies to go. I have 1 more package left that we can sell by Friday at the latest so call today if you wish to join us for this fun filled weekend.

Back in the USA

2009-12-04T23:23:00.003-05:00

The Eastman Inn has been open, but I (Art) have been gone for 3 weeks. I took my wife to Abu Dhabi where she will be working for the near term.

Back at the Inn, Sherry has done a terrific job getting the Inn ready for the Holidays. Decking out the Inn in its Christmas Glory. We still have 1 room left for the Cookie tour weekend event on Dec 12 and 13th. It will be another spectacular Cookie Tour, with guests getting to travel between 13 Inns to sample dozens of cookies. If you have not made your reservation, you need to do so very soon or you will miss out.

Snow on the Way ?

2009-11-04T07:08:00.003-05:00

I hear snow is on the way...a great beginning to what I hope is a "White Winter" We plan on having discounted tickets to Cranmore Mountain downhill skiing again this year.

For sure we will be running a special for Cross Country Skiing here in North Conway. I am not sure of the details yet, but I will most likely purchase a bulk number of Day tickets and be able to provide these to my guests who stay at least 2 nights like I did last year.

In the mean time, November is planning month for the 13th annual INN TO INN COOKIE TOUR. This year tour 15 inns that have been decorated up for the holidays. We hope to do a repeat win in the GingerBread House Contest. Sherry is planning on reproducing a great local landmark. We have just 4 rooms left for the Cookie tour, it is only 4 weeks away. So call us ASAP to reserve a room/ticket Package. We don't mark up the price of the tickets, just room rental and ticket price. You will have a great time (if you love cookies) and who doesn't ?

Back in North Conway

2009-11-03T09:15:00.002-05:00

The Eastman Inn is our home, and we (Marta and I) are both back running the Inn for a few weeks. Marta Quit her job and is now at the inn Full Time for 2 weeks. Then she is off on another adventure whilst Sherry and I run the Eastman Inn

November Specials - FREE NIGHT - Stay at the Eastman Inn in November from the 1st until the 23rd, book 2 nights with us and get the 3rd night FREE. It is the quiet time in North Conway, get that extra special attention that we can lavish upon you. Call us to book this special package where you get a FREE night at the Inn.

Call us at -800-626-5855 to book

Bringing Marta to the Eastman Inn

2009-10-27T16:58:00.003-04:00

We started our road trip from Calif. To the Eastman Inn on Sunday. The Packers Came on Saturday, we should have gotten a bigger truck. I had to leave behind the Barbeque, Picnic Table and some random tools and my 1970's JBL Century 100 Speakers that I have owned since 1974...so sad. Here is a picture of Marta in a Utah rest stop. Today, Tuesday we are spending the night in Denver.

Phoenix, Arizona

2009-10-21T18:54:00.002-04:00

Tonight is my last night in Phoenix, tomorrow I head to California to pick up my wife and bring her and her stuff to the Eastman Inn.

This weekend, the 23-25th is actually pretty full, we still have 2 rooms left at the Eastman Inn. A beautiful King room on the first floor and the Queen room on the 3rd floor with private HALL bath. I remind people that it is a lodging room with a private bath, but it is located in the hall just outside the door. I provide clean laundered robes. The bathroom has an old fashioned claw foot tub and shower combination. Come stay at the Eastman Inn this weekend !

Lost Baggage

2009-10-19T13:14:00.002-04:00

48 Hours in the same clothes...OK, thank you United Airlines...you still have my luggage..I would like to change my under................................

Anway..the Inn is open, the Eastman Inn has Sherry and Peggy running the Inn while I travel cross country. The Fall Colors are still beautiful, so if you want to get away from the crowds, now it the time to come to North Conway Village, view the sites, and dine at some great restaurants.

All for now !

Another Journey Begins

2009-10-18T03:59:00.002-04:00

It is close to 4 am on Sunday Oct 18 and I am on a C and J bus to Boston Logan airport, I left the Eastman Inn a "full house" with all the rooms rented (and that's a good thing), in the capable hands of Sherry and Peggy. First stop will be Phoenix where I will spend 4 days with my brother Dan who is suffering from an aggressive form of Cancer that has spread throughout his body. I speak regularly with my other 2 brothers and 2 sisters about his deteriorating condition. We are all deeply saddened by this reminder of when our mother passed away almost 31 years ago of this same course of this rotten disease. Dan can barely speak, so I will go to his bedside and perhaps just reminiss of our childhood or read him some passages of a book I am reading.

After that I am heading to Fresno on Thursday to pick up my wife Marta. After 3 years she has found a job in the Middle East, in the United Arab Emerites. Together we shall drive cross country stopping in Denver to see Marta's son and grandchildren. then back to the Eastman Inn with all her stuff. I plan on going with her until mid December when we have the Cookie tour. After that who knows where I will end up. ....that is yet to be determined !

Link to Abu Dhabi

2009-10-13T18:28:00.002-04:00

This is a link to a bunch of pictures of Abu Dhabi I have been studying
http://www.gomideast.com/UAE/AbuDhabi/index.html

Enjoy, these are all city views..there is a vast desert where I have seen some beautiful pictures, yet the pics don't portray the 132 degree heat and 100 percent humidity in July and August

Night for now

Last Post for the Day

2009-10-13T15:33:00.003-04:00

I have not posted much in the past month...it has been for a variety of reasons. Foremost are family issues. My brother Dan is suffering from Lung Cancer that has spread throughout his body and he is extremely ill. I went to Phoenix in September for a few days and I am returning this Saturday the 18th to spend another week at his bedside. I have a wonderful family. They are all taking turns going to Phoenix to spend some time with him and his wife during these hard emotional times. I pray he does not suffer much.

On another front, most of my guests know that I run the inn myself with the wonderful assistance of Sherry. My wife has been looking for an executive position on the East Coast for 3 years now to no avail. She was offered a position recently to assist the Cleveland clinic Management Group in putting together a Revenue Cycle department in the UAE, (United Arab Emerates), yup, the Middle East. So this weekend I am off to Calif. (after a few days in Phoenix) to pick her up, drive her cross country, visit relatives, children and grandchildren along the way. She will spend a few days in New Hampshire, then together we will both go to Abu Dhabi. We are staying at the Sheraton Hotel for a few weeks. Thats the hotel on the left and a bedroom.

Abu Dhabi skyline/waterfront

I will be back in December for the Cookie Tour and other Holiday events. But most importantly for the birth of my very first grandchild from my daughter Alicia. I am very excited about this and won't miss it for the world. Of course we will stay open with the wonderful help of Sherry and Peggy. So the breakfasts will not suffer at all.

Fall Foilage

2009-10-13T15:30:00.002-04:00

Well the Fall Foilage Leaf Peeping season is drawing to a close and I can take a breath. During Columbus day weekend we were 100% full for 5 days. We had some wonderful guests, the weather held out pretty well and the colors were magnificent ! I don't believe we had parking problems, but the streets were backed up for milesw in each direction.

It is getting colder now, and it actually snowed this morning during breakfast, big fluffy flakes. It is 3 pm now and the sun is out. It is cool but it is again a beautiful day in the Mt Washington Valley.

Winner of Cookie Tour Drawing

2009-10-13T15:28:00.003-04:00

The winners of the Cookie Tour Ticket drawing were Kevin and Cynthia G. They will be our guests in December during the annual Inn to Inn Cookie Tour in the Mount Washington Valley. Kevin and Cynthia increased their chances to win by staying with us twice this summer during our contest !

I believe I will do this drawing again next year. Stay tuned

And the Winner IS :......

2009-09-30T08:53:00.002-04:00

We finally performed the Drawing for the Gift Certificate for a 2 night stay at the Eastman Inn. We were delayed due to illness in the immediate family....then the busy foilage leaf peeping season began so early this morning we held the first drawing.

The winners are Martin and Kelli H. from Manchester New Jersey. They were guests back in Mid August. I notified them via email this morning.

Our next drawing later on today will be for the 2 Free Cookie tour Tickets. The Cookie tour is the second weekend of December....Visit 13 inns all decked out in Holiday decorations and partake of thousands of cookies baked by the Inn.

I'm Back !!

2009-09-23T08:49:00.002-04:00

I have been gone for 10 days to Arizona and California with a short stop in Las Vegas in between. My older brother has been ill and was hospitalized again last week so off I went to visit. It was good to see him.

We also went to Las Vegas for 2 days, sat at the pool all day and got a good ole fashioned sun burn. It was in the 100's those 2 days. Then off to California to visit the rest of the family at a barbeque in Santa Barbara, Calif. It was good to see family.

On another sad note, a good friend of mine passed away that week. Karl was a VW maniac and poker playing buddy. For 12 years he helped me keep my Ghia tuned up and running and was an excellant poker player...I will miss him a lot

Stay tuned for the 2 drawings we are going to do this week...One for a 2 night stay at the Inn and another for 2 tickets to the December Inn to Inn Cookie tour. We will announce winners on our web site and here on Thursday when Sherry gets back to work.

Alicia and Monish Cleaning Up

2009-09-08T10:24:00.003-04:00

I thought this was a good shot of Alicia and Monisha helping to clean up on Labor day morning !

Where's Chris (at the river of course )

Labor Day BBQ !

2009-09-08T09:55:00.002-04:00

It's Labor Day weekend and what a weekend. Sherry took vacation and on Saturday and Sunday we were at 100% capacity !

Red Eagle Pond

Chris winning at Barrel of Monkees !

On Sunday Evening Alicia, Chris and I went Moose Hunting (with cameras)..Do u see a moose in the pictures...We did not, we went to Red Eagle Pond, then the Salt licks on the Kanc Scenic Byway. Nothing, it got dark pretty fast, and at Lilly pond I took this picture of the setting sun over the pond, I think it came out pretty good.

On Saturday evening we had a Barbeque. Phil and Joanne from Ottowa, Jean and John from Granby MA. and Alicia and Chris, Peggy, my assistant and myself of course...Phil grilled the Steaks and Mushrooms, Peggy made the Corn and the dessert cake. Salads, Potatoes...oh my gosh we almost could not get off the chairs that evening. Only the mosquitos finally drove us in after it got dark. It was a perfect evening, warm enough to not need sweaters till well after dark ! Phil, Joann, John and Jane have become good friends as well as repeat guests. I look forward to their next visit !

Happy Labor Day !

2009-09-05T06:27:00.003-04:00

The sky's are brilliant Blue and pretty much cloudless this weekend with the forcast calling for mid 70's and cooler on Monday. There is a craft faire in the Village, Fishing on the Saco, Kayaking the Saco and hiking 'everywhere'. Now is the time to come to the North Country.

The Inn is winding down it's summer...and North Conway is quieter. Both Peggy and Sherry have seen bears in the past 2 days wandering along our road. Not so much moose, but the moose tours are supposedly seeing moose on 100% of their trips.

Our mid September drawings for a 2 night stay and for Cookie Tour tickets will happen when I return from Vacation on Sept 23rd. If you stayed the summer you are eligible ! Stay tuned for the announcement on this post and the website !

Flowers Everywhere

2009-08-16T09:50:00.004-04:00

New Hampshire has had a week of SUN...so now the water logged flowers are shooting up to the sky....

Lake Chocorua, NH

2009-08-15T18:28:00.003-04:00

I give this lake a 2 toes up !

I pass this lake a lot, it is right off the 2 lane highway about 15 miles from the Inn but I have never stopped. This morning right after breakfast I snuck away under the pretense of going to the Market to buy Strawberries for tomorrows breakfast. I took a magazine and a camera. The water was just right, cool but not cold. I waded in (I forgot my swim trunks) for about 15 minutes and sat on the rocks for another 15 to dry off. What a beautiful small uncrowed lake. The parking lot had only about 5- 8 cars and there were just 2 boats, a Kayak and a sailboat on the lake....it was a relaxing 1 hour break from the Inn. Next time I will take my swim trunks and floaties out.

Mt Chorcorura is in the background and a closeup is the one in the middle. Many people make the long climb to the top. I think it is about 12 miles because it is so far back off the roads.

Summer is almost over

2009-08-12T08:09:00.002-04:00

I can't believe summer is almost over. There are still crowds coming to North Conway, every day we see lines of cars heading over to Storyland filled with children, and parents who really need a break..they should come to the Eastman Inn and get away from the rug rats !..

The Saco river is still running good, not high, and the crowds have thinned (I am still looking for a used Kayak in trade for a few nights at the Inn).

Rain has become part of the daily ritual...good thing I have a new roof on the Eastman Inn.

Herb tour tickets for next spring are drawing an interest. Stay 2 nights at the Eastman Inn and visit 13 inns who will all be cooking with different herbs. The tasty treats will delight the flavor buds.

Beautiful Day in North Conway

2009-08-07T21:19:00.003-04:00

Summer is here, the Inn is full this weekend (8/7/2009)....spent most of the morning out weeding in the perennial gardens on 3 sides of the Inn...the soil is moist so it is relatively easy and the weather was a perfect 72 degrees with a slight breeze. North Conway is buzzing with visitors to the valley. The rivers and streams have come down a lot so we have guests going out Kayaking (ok still looking to trade a few nights at the Inn for a good used Kayak).

Hikers are asking for maps and directions to the best hiking trails around the White Mountains and we can supply both.

It was so nice to day and my lower back was feeling pretty good, so I also did some scraping and painting on the South facing wall. There is a lot of fading going on there and some water damage from the rains so now it looks much better

Been a while

2009-08-04T07:32:00.003-04:00

August is here and summer has actually begun..I think we had 26 days of rain in July..not sure exactly but it felt like precipitation every day..8 inches in total. Never had to water the lawn or flowers...we have had 2 days of sunshine now and the vines that were yellow are starting to shoot up green and strong (morning glory and Mandevilla) on the back porch over the trellis's. I will take a picture when there is something to see. We planted Zuchinni back in May and they are just now producing fruit. I missed one and it grew to 15 inches long and too big/stringy to use in food. We will use it to make Zuchinni bread. Bugs Bugs..hated to do it but I resorted to bug Sevin Granules...the carpenter ants were everywhere and eating my deck and framed house..cost 2000 to replace 3 feet of lath and joists and clapboards on the back porch..the foundation sill was completly gone and joists were hanging in mid air.

But that's all fixed now and summer is here..beautiful 78 degrees yesterday and more of the same today...I may get to do some outside painting if we have 1 more day of sunshine and 2-3 days predicted after I paint....

Time to finish cooking...off the Kitchen, Sherry is off today

Truth in Advertising - RAINY day adventures

2009-07-26T12:58:00.003-04:00

OK, it's still RAINING....so.....things to do on a rainy day:

Go to a movie, we have a movie house that only shows independant films, the Majestic and you enter through the cafe. You buy your food in the cafe, they give you a tray for the movie house.
Go shopping at Settlers Green Outlet Center. There are around 50 outlet stores within 3 miles of the Eastman Inn
Go Kayaking..hey you are already wet and the river is pretty quiet. No large groups drinking beer to compete with
Go the Weather Museum in town. It is a good way to kill 2 hours looking at all the exhibits.
Go to some Antique or Consignment stores in the area. We can give you directions.
Stay in your room and play naked twister.
Go for a spa treatment at local spas
Read a book from our Library
Play a game from our Library
Sleep

The Rain has stopped (for the most part)

2009-07-23T07:50:00.002-04:00

Check Accuweather, our incessant rain has stopped and now we are getting just the ususal evening thundershowers that last an hour or so. We are full this weekend (Parents weekend at the summer camps). But mid - week there is plenty of room and our rates are adjusted downwards mid week. The rivers are flowing slower so Kayaking is great and the price for mid week Kayaking is just $20 for any boat. You can't beat that. Of course hiking is still a good bet. With all the rain the forests are brilliant green and our guests have been seeing moose every day along the Kanc scenic by way. So get off the sofa and come up to the wilderness and enjoy the scenary. A wet day in the White Mountains is better then a dry day in front of your TV

Something to Do

2009-07-16T08:18:00.002-04:00

Guests that only have a short overnight stay or for those who cannot do hikes, there still is an opportunity to view some awesome sights. A quick trip up to Cathedral Ledge on the West side of the Valley is a short 10 minute drive up the hill. You come to the end of the road, and park anywhere along the turnaround. Then walk about 50 meters EAST through the woods, following the well worn trails. Watch for bare roots as there are quite a few of them from all the foot traffic. As you get near the cliffs, you will notice a chain link fence that stands about 3 feet high. High enough to provide safety to the regularly intelligent person, altho I have witnessed young adults playing frisbee up there and climbing over the fence and walking the precipice. You may get a chance to see the Rock Climbers coming up or getting ready to rappell down. The views are awsome. Sometimes I come up here to watch a sunrise and get away from the crowds. You get a view of the entire valley from this vantage point.

Pile of Dirt

2009-07-13T17:42:00.003-04:00

This pile of dirt was ordered in May...I used about 1 Yard of the 5 Yard dump truck... The supposedly 'screened' loam, (I believe they used a football sized screen) has too many boulders to put on the lawn..it tore up the lawn mower...so every day I wake up and look at it and it is still there. It is not locked, I was hoping someone would make a 'midnight' shopping trip and take it away...but alas today I started to move it from the Lawn to the shady 'shade' garden of wild briers that holds rabbits, squirrels,chipmunks and 2 cats. I was only able to work it for 1/2 hour before my lower back gave out and now I have consumed a Vicodan, Naprosyn and 3 Advil..starting to feel better.

Sunday-Kayak Days

2009-07-12T09:04:00.003-04:00

It may be a Kayak Day..the sun is out and guests are going home....time to get outside. By the way, I am looking to trade for a Kayak for a 2-3 night stay at the Inn. If you have an old Kayak lying around, I am willing to barter!

North Conway Summer Concert Series

2009-07-11T19:41:00.006-04:00

Every Thursday all summer you can attend some very nice Outdoor Concerts in the park. Held at Cranmore Mountain at the base of the ski slope on that outdoor stage you can hear a variety of music. This past Thursday, it was Livingston Taylor (James brother) and it was a great concert. I started out at the outdoor bar for a pint of Tuckermans and sat with some lovely people I met there. A couple who own the Toy Chest in town and a motorcycle rider from Conway who was about to start a cross country ride to Port Angeles and back.

Dan and Davey did the warm up with some nice Celtic/Irish music. It was the perfect warm summer evening.

GingerBread Sponsors Needed

2009-07-10T08:17:00.003-04:00

We are getting ready for the Xmas Inn to Inn Cookie tour in December. Yesterday I went to the Whitney's Inn in Jackson where a bunch of us put together the 28 Cookie Post Card Recipes..It took about 3 hours for the 10 of us to put them together. Now we need to figure out how to deal with the Gingerbread House contest. Of course you may remember that we WON last year's contest. The 300+ guests each had a vote and we received around 200 of those votes. Sherry did a MAGNIFICENT job. Here are some pictures.

So now I am looking for a Sponsor for this years contest. Sponsorships are $50 and go to help defray costs for the various charity give aways. The winning Inn gets to choose the Charity of our choice for $500. Plus if you are a business, your business is displayed on the Country Inns Web page. Plus it's fun and you get 2 tickets to the Inn to Inn tour yourself. So if you are interested, let me know

The 4th of July - Pizza, Bear, Fireworks, Wind

2009-07-07T07:44:00.008-04:00

A lot happend on the 4 of July weekend, where to start ?

So Alicia and Chris came up for the weekend, it is always great to see them and have them visit. Cali was forced to go to the Dog Jail for the weekend as our Dog friendly room was reserved by Kevin and Cynthia and of course Porter the black lab. The 3 of us took a drive on Friday way up to northern NH looking for trout. We ended up just north of Errol NH, and Chris fished the Pontook Dam and caught 3 fish, here is the largest one he caught.

On Saturday we poked around town, there was a craft fair and we took in all the sights, we were on a search for a "Dog on a Stick" but there were none to be found. The 4th was a rainy day but by nightfall, it was windy and cold....not at all like a summer holiday. We just about filled up the Inn for the Night. About 1/2 of the guests were return guests who came up to North Conway to celebrate the holidays and watch the fireworks from the front porch. Kevin and Cynthia and Porter from Southern NH were here. They are our skiing regulars and have become good friends. Jane and John our resident Quilt Crafters were back for both the craft fair and the fireworks. Mary and her husband showed up on our doorstep around 5pm on Saturday. Mary A. is a repeat guest and they and their cooler and friends were having a grand celebration. Patty and Terry who have been here the past 5 years on the 4th made it also...it has not been a good year for them, they lost a son and their jobs...it was good for them to get away for the weekend, they did some hiking and reading on the Porch. Terry loves to sit outside room 4 with his railroad magazines. They are good people !

You can see as we waited for the evening to progress, the sky cleared up a bit and we actually were able to see the fireworks pretty good from the porch.

BUT..we had some excitement. I was not a witness as I was inside eating Pizza, we heard a screech of tires outside, thought Oh No, someone got in an accident...I went outside to investigate and everyone was up and looking around the parking lot and lawn. Apparently a juvenile BEAR had crossed the road from the Muddy Moose Parking log (which was full of course) and crossed to our lot. It almost got hit, some of our guests were witnesses..then it crossed our lawn towards Peggy where she was sitting having a cigarette up on the Owners Quarters porch...we all heard her yeallig "Bear Bear Bear"...and she was wide eyed....I missed it all, but that kept the excitement up for a while !

Stay the Summer, Win a free Stay at the Eastman Inn

2009-07-02T21:48:00.004-04:00

So here is the deal, go out our lodging packages page and read all about our great deals this summer. I think the best ones are the 2 drawings we will hold in September. We have 2 drawings, the first is for a Gift Certificate for 2 nights at the Eastman Inn ! All guests who stay 2 nights MID WEEK this summer until Sept. 14th are eligible to win.

The second drawing is for 2 tickets to the Cookie tour in December. You must stay at the Eastman Inn this summer for 2 nights and you are entered into this drawing automatically. The drawing will be held on Sept 15th. The Cookie tour is officially called the 14th Annual Inn to Inn Holiday Cookie tour. Visit 13 Valley Inns all decked out for the holidays. Sample delicious cookies, warm chocolate and other refreshments. You don't want to miss this great Holiday Event ! Ask us about it during your stay this Summer !

Fishing In New England

2009-07-01T07:39:00.004-04:00

The White Mountains have some of the best fishing on the East Coast. Alicia and Chris Michaels come to North Conway every 3 day weekend. They stay at the Eastman Inn and head out to the rivers/streams right after breakfast. Chris says that besides his mothers cooking, the food at the Eastman is the best he has ever had ! (No offense to Alicia). Ok I am prejudiced here, Alicia is my daughter and Chris is her husband. Both work in NYC and visit often and for that I am very glad. These pictures were not taken around North Conway, probably in Upstate NY or Conn. Anyway I wanted to show them off a bit. What a beautiful girl, even in waders (not sure who the guide is ?). Chris is a fly fishing addict and it's hard to tear him away from the rivers. We do see him in between streams or when he is hungry. We have some great fishing streams in the area and Chris enjoys the Fly Fishing only streams.

Sherry hard at work

2009-06-30T10:30:00.003-04:00

This is a picture of Sherry, the Assistant Innkeeper, who doubles as primary Innkeeper when Art is in California or just out and about. Notice her hard at work...or something. Sherry has been with the inn for about 6 years now is the most loyal employee. She treats the Inn like it was hers (except she does not make the Mortgage payment). Sherry trains all our housekeeping staff, she trains the Innkeeper and does not let me cheap out when I want to cut corners. About all Sherry Cuts are fresh flowers from our Garden or from the abandoned property next to us.

I could not run the inn without her !

4th of July at the Eastman Inn

2009-06-29T10:40:00.004-04:00

4th of July is just around the corner and the Eastman Inn is getting ready in a big way ! Our many return guest will be arriving on Thursday and Friday night to celebrate our Nations Birthday at the Eastman Inn. North Conway puts on a traditional small town parade, a carnival down at Schouler Park (6 blocks from the Inn), Food and a great Arts and Craft Show for the 3 day weekend. Some of the Crafters stay at the Eastman Inn. On Saturday night we will move all the rockers and other chairs, some warm quilts and perhaps some snacks to the North side of the Porch. From there you get a pretty clear view of the Fireworks. You don't have to fight for a parking space in Town and when it's over, there are no crowded streets to manuever through. Last year we had great little time, when it got a bit cooler the quilts came in handy. We hope to see you all here this weekend, I still have several rooms available, but we should fill up by Thursday. The rains are tapering off now so we are hoping the weather will not be a problem. See you on the 4th !

Summer Touch ups and Moose

2009-06-25T05:51:00.003-04:00

New Hampshire is being over run by moose. The local newspaper did an article this week on perhaps lowering the speed limit on the Kanc. Scenic byway because of the number of moose on the roads. Several of our guests are seeing more and more moose this week in broad daylight. Marta and I saw a moose just past the Mt. Washington Hotel 2 weeks ago at 11 am, this is his picture. Great for tourism, these big old beasts of the forest.

The guest list is starting to grow and many guests are taking advantane of some of our specials. The most popular so far is "Stay 2 nights Mid week and receive a FREE rental of a double Kayak" at Northern Extremes Kanoe and Cayak". The Saco river is just across the road a bit so we are at a great location. Go to our http://eastmaninn.com/lodgingpackages.html link to see all the specials we are running this summer. Drawing for free nights, Cookie Tour tickets, discounted Dinners...

Forecast Rain - Acutally Dry

2009-06-23T03:41:00.005-04:00

The weatherman has struck out again. Rain was predicted all week, however, except for a few light showers, it has been relatively dry.

The sky is a bit overcast, but this picture taken from the Parlor towards the street shows some sunlight outside. We have been porch sitting and enjoying the relative quiet after Motorcycle week has concluded !

A lot of people ask about the 2 Head
Stone Rubbings up on the 2nd floor.
These are from the Year 1821 and 1823 and are of the original settlers Noah and Hannah Eastman for which the Eastman Inn is named. They lived in the house accross the parking lot. One of my guests did these rubbings last fall as a gift and we love them. Many guests comment on them and their orgins. We have a book on the History of North Conway and the Eastmans are mentioned quite often during the early years of the settlement. If you look closely, the reflection in the mirror is actually of the headstone on the bling wall that you can't see in the picture. It kinda looks like the picture is a reflection of the one on the right, but they are slightly different. Click on the picture above to see the detail !

Quiet has Returned to the Valley

2009-06-21T09:04:00.002-04:00

The Motorcycle crowd has departed the Valley !!! We at the Eastman Inn are particularly grateful as quiet returns and we can sit on the porch and enjoy our evening wine or cocktails. We had a good weekend, ending today. Happy Fathers Day to all those fathers out there.

Motorcycle Week

2009-06-16T19:41:00.004-04:00

We are back from Canada, Marta and I had a wonderful 8 day vacation to Canada. We toured Montreal, Quebec City and St Andrews on the New Brunswick Coast. We stayed at 3 B and B's and one Comfort Inn. All in all it was a good trip. We put on an astonishing 1345 miles on the car although it did not seem like we drove that much until we crossed New Brunswick...Except for all the green, it reminded me of driving through Texas.

This is the beginning of Motorcycle Week in New Hampshire and the roar of the engines can be heard throughout the valley. Marta is leaving back to California on Friday morning (boo hoo). Business is starting to pick up and the phones are ringing again.

Here are a few pictures of our trip to Canada

To Canada

2009-06-08T07:33:00.003-04:00

We started our trip yesterday and headed north to Canada. Less then 30 minutes out of town we saw a crowd on the side of the road (moose I thought). Yup, just off the road was one of the largest Moose I have seen since I arrived in New Hampshire. No antlers, but nonetheless it was huge. Every time Marta is in town, I see a moose, pretty weird eh? My camera is bonkers, I tried to get a good picture, but the the telephoto part is NOT working...I may need to buy a camera up here in Canada. We are in Montreal today, arrived last evening to a lovely bed and breakfast in the Latin quarter. The Inn has a secret passage to the dining area...pretty cool, one has to place hand in a certain spot on the fireplace and a door swings open revealing an entrance to the other side of the inn and the dining room. On the opposite side you must do the same.

Off to Explore Montreal today. Cheers

Quilts and Marta

2009-06-06T21:29:00.003-04:00

2 Things, first Marta (my wife) is here in town for 2 weeks Yea !

2nd I bought a half dozen quilt runners for the Inn. They are beautiful handmade runners of different sizes and colors I purchased from our guests John and Jane of Quilts by Jane.....We had a private showing here at the inn and left out about 50 quilts overnight to 'settle' in and to let the ghosts have a say so. In the end we chose 6, quilts, including a very large beautiful Flag. I will post pics of them all soon, but hey my wife is here and I have not seen her for 2 months, so we have more important things to attend to right now ! Tomorrow we are off to Quebec, Montreal, and Nova Scotia on our own vacation ! Enjoy a few pics of the quilts

Cathedral Ledge

2009-06-03T08:17:00.008-04:00

People often ask, what is there to do around here if you only have 1 day to explore? Another issue are persons with disabilities who want to experience the outdoors, but have trouble with hiking in the forest. The answer is twofold - Cathedral Ledge and Rocky Gorge

Today I will discuss Cathedral Ledge. Cathedral Ledge sits on the west side of the Valley. You can drive there in less then 15 minutes and from the summit you can see the entire valley. I was able to spot my New Red Roof recently, although now that the trees are greening up, that might not be possible. I have been up on the ledge for Sunrise's and I was blessed with a fantastic sunrise one Spring morning last year. When you drive up there, you park at the end of the road and walk less then 100 yards to the fenced off ledge. You are right at the precipice so be careful. The fence will protect you, but I have seen children climb over the fence...it is a 400 foot drop straight down.

You may be lucky enough to see mountain climbers who are on the mountain every weekend during the summer. Don't throw any rocks as the sign indicates as you may hit someone.

I suggest sitting quietly and enjoy the great view. It is awesome to say the least. Don't forget to bring your camera.

The Day After

2009-06-01T15:12:00.009-04:00

Yesterday evening was a 'weather adventure' to say the least. Around 6 pm the winds picked up with gusts up to 40MPH at times for about 1 hour. Our guests up in room 11 were out on their private deck and they said the wind blew and bent the tall pine trees near their window dangerously close to the Inn. But those trees have survived worse storms and are still strong and standing Tall. All the Quilts did blow off the deck and some rocking chairs rolled over. I just buttoned up the storm windows and went back to my book til it was over.

Well, I did some marketing research yesterday, specificall about Google Marketing. A professional wrote about how he experimented with Pay for Click markteing. For 1 item he created over 100 different PCP ads for the same item (a Vespa Scooter sales firm). Then he used Google Analytics and other analysis to see which ads produced the most Clicks and most sales. To make a long story short, I took my 1 Google Ad and made 5 variations and posted them. Then I put $$ into that specific account and I will watch it for 1 week and do the same type of statistical analysis. (Hey, what if that writer was a Google Hack just trying to get people like me to spend more money on PCP ?). Well anyway I can take that chance. It is fun to review my Google Analytics and see where all my traffic comes from, how they got to me, how long they stayed, which pages they looked at and and whether they just bounced away after a quick glance.

The Phone has started to ring....4 reservations in 24 hours...a record for a late spring day! See them all standing at attention ! Are they smiling ? A couple from Germany reserved for the 4th of July party I am having and 2 random 1 nighters, and another couple of girls coming to shop in Tax Free New Hampshire Outlets this weekend. I am getting happier now...I can cut back on the Valium (just kidding).

In between the phone I have tackled pruning the large mother of all gnarly evergreens out front. I whacked at it for 2 hours this morning and cropped it back to 1/2 of it's original size... I need to think about whether to take it all out or just leave it like it is. I can't wait until all my plantings start growing and blooming ! Enjoy the latest pictues. Art

A big fat Zero

2009-05-30T19:30:00.003-04:00

Summer is here, there is rain, there are no crowds, the spring planting has passed, the lawn planted and mowed. Herbs cooked for the Herb tour tomorrow. 2 rooms sold on a Saturday Night is not good. The Valley seems pretty empty, or at least all I see are day trippers or people with Summer houses up for the weekend. The phone has absolutely NOT rung more then 5 times in the past 10 days about a reservation inquiry. Do I sound depressed, well yes I am a little bit. June is always slow for the first 2 weeks and this year seems no different. Not much to talk about this evening so I am going to go to my room and read and maybe watch TV. The Inn is wide open for those who wish to visit...I lowered our rates to historic lows, 89 for a Queen Room (down from 119 and 129 for a King room, down from 159. And we even have a pay for 2, get a 3rd night free at our regular rates until June 17th. So go ahead and give us a call ! We will be glad to talk to you - Art

It's an Herby Day

2009-05-29T15:52:00.005-04:00

The Herb Tour weekend is upon us and we are ready. There are 30 people taking the tour. Our herb/spice is Mustard. Yes we know it is NOT really an Herb, it is a Spice, but if you look it up, you can see it listed on the Internet as an Herb....and we all know that if it's in the internet, it has to be true. Sherry is cooking several Mustardly dishes this weekend and we put a small gift package together for our guests. Enjoy the Pictures !

View from the Porch

2009-05-28T18:00:00.003-04:00

Another cold and rainy day in New Hampshire. I decided to stop griping and do something. So Sherry and I decided to "shampoo" all the carpets in the Inn. I rented a Rug Doctor from Hannafords and we started on the 3rd floor at aroung 9 am. We worked all day and actually Sherry did most of the heavy lifting because of my bad lower back. What YUCK we pulled from those carpets. But the all look great now. We got rid of all the stains and it really cleaned up nice. At the same time we did a thorough re-cleaning of all the rooms, getting into the corners and dusting and cleaning up even the baseboards with damp rags. It is amazing how much dust we get if we leave the windows open at all. The rooms smell fresh now and they are amazingly clean. I took the time to replace toilet tank flappers. They seem to only last about a year here, is is the water ? Anyway with 16 bathrooms that in itself is a job...but all in all it has been a good day to be an Innkeeper. If only the Phone would ring...we did get a reservation for Mid July, some repeat guests and their mother and they are using 2 rooms so that is great news. Other then that just a few telemarketers and my lawyer working on a problem we are trying to resolve. That's the report for today. Remember I lowered prices this weekend by $30 off retail, so our King rooms are only $129/night and the Queen and Twin rooms are $89/night and that still includes the full breakfast !! You cant beat that can you..

So long from the Porch. The View is beautiful !

Art

Rainy Day Doings

2009-05-27T20:00:00.007-04:00

What does an Innkeeper do on a rainy day ? I for one like to play hookey ! So as per usual I was up at 05:30 and out of the house by 06:00. A quick stop at Starbucks then down the Kancamagus Scenic Highway. Along the way I saw 1 lone turkey, 1 silver flox slinking into the underbrush and lots of drizzle. I made a few stops (the coffee had it's usual effects) and stopped at the Sabbaday Falls rest stop. Then on to the summit of the Kanc to take some dreary picture. I had breakfast at "Pegs Cafe" in North Woodstock, NH then continued on 112 to 117 North to Franconia. I missed my turn to Sugar Hill, but instead stopped by the Franconia Inn where a couple of realtors were walking around with wads of paper. I went throught Littleton but there was a lot of construction in the downtown area. I came back down the 302 through the Crawford Notch and back to town. It was still raining so I decided to paint the ceiling in room 3 after I patched it up. Check out the pictures. It is so dark and gloomy and the house is empty so I took a few pictures of the dark dining room and outside it is pouring rain ! At least my garden is getting a good soaking. Enjoy the Pictures

The Back Deck

2009-05-26T21:16:00.006-04:00

Still working on the outside of the Inn. We spent Today raking the back lawn, cleaning out the raised flower bed and prepping it for summer Zucinni for those sweet Zuccini Pies this summer. On the Back deck I put up 7 metal trellis and at the base of each we planted Scarlet Ohara Morning Glory Plants. The plan is for them to climb up the Trellis and spread accross the entire deck. By Mid-Summer it should be bloomin beautiful ! Then I snuck around to the Front and pulled out the second to last gnarly old everygreen shrub. I have to sneak because Sherry won't let me do any heavy lifting because of the bad back I have. I am not supposed to lift anything greater the 15 lbs...do you know that just about everything around the Inn weighs more then 15 lbs ! Anyway there is just 1 shrub left, but it's a monster...the biggest we have. It is about 8 feet wide at the base and 10 feet tall. It has about 25 small 2 inch trunks that need to be sawed off first, then a hole needs to be dut half way to China to get it out. Perhaps we can use Sherry's truck to pull it out ?

Late Spring-Early Summer Discounts

2009-05-25T07:02:00.004-04:00

Due to popular demand and great weather, we are going to extend our Spring special rates until June 17th. That's right, if you plan right, your 2 day stay can be extended to a 3rd night completely free. If you rent one of the traditional Queen rooms, it works out to $39/night per person, double occupancy. And that includes a gourmet breakfast every morning! Read our reviews on Tripadvisor and you will read how our guests rave about our food. So take advantage of this great offer.

Looking for things to do. Here is a short list:

Bretton Woods Zip line - $80/pp

Northern Extremes Kayaking - ~ $25-$37/pp

Hiking - FREE

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-24T07:53:00.006-04:00

Alicia and Chris are here for the holiday weekend. Of course Flyfishing is on the agenda for Chris. He is basically addicted to flyfishing and there appears to be no cure known to man for this affliction. If he catches any fish today I will be sure to post a picture. He was skunked yesterday in the Saco and Ellis River. The North Conway Crafters fair continues today. There are a variety of Crafts and Artwork being shown and sold. A musician provided songs for the young and old and he took requests. "I'm a little Teapot" was among his repetorie ! Guests spent the evening on the covered porch, using rockers and adirondack chairs and the Quilts for warmth and watched the world pass by.

Flowers and Wind

2009-05-22T19:18:00.004-04:00

Memorial Day Weekend off to a good start here at the Inn. Many Flowers planted and Occupancy is picking up, 8 of 14 rooms sold and it's still early on Friday Night. This weekend in North Conway there will be 2 events. An Arts and Crafts fair, we have 2 craftspersons staying with us and a New England Artisans fair (basically a more expensive crafts fair). They are taking place about a 10 minute walk into town. In addition the Outlet Mall is having a sale weekend. Brooks Brothers Outlet is having 40% off their prices....what a deal. Our daughter Alicia and her husband Chris are coming tonight. Chris the fly fishing addict will be off to the Saco River at the break of dawn..we will have a barbeque on Sunday.

Memorial Day Weekend coming up

2009-05-21T21:37:00.004-04:00

The White Mountains are beautiful this upcoming weekend. The weather will be PERFECT ! Today was a hot day in the high 80's but that's the high for the weekend. Saturday and Sunday will be Kayak Days for the adventerous. The Saco river is running just a bit on the high side but there are no restrictions on the river to delay Kayaking. Northern Extremes Kayak just down the street rents Kayaks for a very reasonable rate, plus they will shuttle you to the drop off and pick up points. Today 2 guests from Nova Scotia went up to the Bretton Woods Zip lines. They said they paid $80 for the 3 hour Zip ride. Evidently you have 7 or 8 different segments to get you down the hill and they LOVED it. I have not been, but it is worth a try before I heartily recommend it to my guests. We are not done sprucing up the place, today we scrubbed down most of our 1500 square feet of decking that wrap around the house. A few more plants went in the pots on the decks afterwards and out back the private deck is getting 7 trellis's that will be home to a dozen red Morning Glory Plants for the summer. We hope this will provide a beautiful backdrop and hide the hole where the house next to us was demolished last fall.

The Moose are Loose

2009-05-21T05:21:00.003-04:00

The Inn had an odd visitor, a young male moose passed by the Inn on his way to the river. It's not often that moose walk into town, being that we are on a main street with traffic. The moose made 3 attempts to cross the road, twice he turned back because of traffic. Then a car came down the road from behind him and that provided enough motivation for the Moose to dash accross the busy White Mountain Highway. This picture is where he stood for a moment in the small patch of woods on Locust Street before he made his escape !

Spring cleaning - Great Discount Rates

2009-05-20T14:25:00.000-04:00

If you don't mind a mop bucket or a paint brush laying around, now is a good time to come to North Conway, New Hamshire. The weather is beautiful (although it may change minute to minute). There are not very many touristas, so you get our full attention. To that degree, we are trying new recipies for the summer and you can help decide which ones are winners and which are Losers... We are sprucing up the place a bit, cleaning off that winter haze of dust off the building and planting new flowers. We started a Perennial garden out front, tore down the old gnarly evergreen bushes that were more brown then green and planted a lovely assortment of fresh flowers. Out back we are putting up some screening from our neighbors who tore down a building and are leaving a blank empty field. Our back deck will become a private garden paradise by mid July. Anyway check our our spring specials..our rates are way down until June 30th.

2007-03-27T07:14:00.000-04:00

Here we are at Harry's house, just getting started, Don't we look fresh and raring to go !

Only 3189 miles to go !

2007-03-27T07:09:00.000-04:00

We learned how to pump diesel at a truck stop....try it sometime...it is tricky and we finally found a trucker to show us how to pump. You gotta swipe on the Drivers Side, Lift that handle, go accross to passenger side, lift that handle, (there is no swipe or controls on that side), pump gas....but don't let handle on driver side go down as it shuts off the passenger side....too complicated for me..then Harry lifted the handle and sprayed diesel all over the truck and himself, it pumps about 20 gallons a minute. !!!!!! What rookies we are !