It ain’t easy being an innkeeper. The hours are long and the laundry never seems to end. There is always one room that needs to be cleaned or needs some sort of repair. You live your life in a constant state of being one project behind where you should be.
However, there are some real pluses to the job. We LOVE our guests (really do!). We get to experiment in the kitchen a lot (not always with good results) and we get to live in a beautiful old home full of stories and charm. One of the other big pluses to the job is drinking awesome coffee…every morning.
I did not realize that I had become a coffee snob until last week.
Tom and I went to the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII) Innkeeping show in Little Rock, AR. It was awesome!! I got to see some friends I only see once a year and learn some amazing cool things (watch for some new stuff to come).
However, the coffee in the hotel and at the show was AWFUL. I mean really AWFUL!! I mean rot gut! Blech!!
We have been ordering our coffee from a roaster in Shreveport called Jelks Coffee for some time now. We change the flavors for the season and order whole bean so that we grind fresh coffee every morning. Right now we are working our way through Mardi Gras/ Valentines Day flavors. We drink what the guests drink and I forgot what bad coffee tastes like. YUCK!!
We spent a lot of time at this year’s show talking about why bed and breakfasts are a “Better Way to Stay” then hotels. Well here is one reason. We will NEVER serve you a bad cup of coffee ever and we will ALWAYS serve your coffee in a fabulous mug (think a Deneen Pottery Mug) not a Styrofoam cup.
A good cup of coffee to start the day really does make us a Better Way to Stay!!
After spending the last 8 weeks doing some major restoration work on the Carriage House B&B, we are almost ready to begin serving breakfast to our guests again. We had to shut down the kitchen (and the main house) to do our final push in remodeling and the restoration of this 130 year old house. We have been restoring this old house for almost two years now and this is the big (hopefully) final push.
The kitchen was ancient and not in a cool antique way but in an out of date wiring and leaky plumbing kind of way. The appliances were beyond awful. They were unlevel and cooked inconsistently. The counter tops were cracked and the cabinets had holes in them. It was a hobby of Tom’s and mine to complain about the kitchen.
So we spent a couple of years planning our new kitchen and decided that the best time to do the work was in the slow season which is the heat of the summer for us. It has been a grueling process that tested both our patience and our good natures at times but we are almost done. All that is left is to paint and do the nit-picky stuff.
Friday night we cooked our first meal in the kitchen. We made up a batch of Mama Ronchi’s Marinara sauce. It is Sunday morning and we are making a mess and fixing breakfast (only for ourselves).
It feels good to be back! Life is starting to get back to normal.
Next week, we officially reopen the kitchen and the main house for guests. Come on by sometime and we will show you all of the awesome changes that we made.
East Texas has so many wonderful places to enjoy the great outdoors. We have some wonderful State Parks with Caddo Lake and Lake o’ the Pines State Parks only 20 minutes away from the B&B. If you would like to spend the day hiking; boating; kayaking; and fishing; then you will need to pack a picnic lunch. The best place to pick up the yummies for your picnic lunch will be at Joseph’s Riverport BBQ only a block and a half away from us here at the Carriage House B&B.
I will put this BBQ up for comparison to anybody elses. The ribs are so tender that the meat just falls off of the bone with just the right amount of bark and sauce to give it that smokey taste. The brisket is tender and succulent and they have fabulous fried catfish. Seriously, this is some good stuff! Joseph’s Riverport BBQ is offering their food in bulk for the holiday weekend. If you are interested, just give them a call at (903)665-2341 or by e-mail at riverport2@yahoo.com!!!
Whole Briskets (feeds 12-16) … $45.00
Whole Pork Butts or Pork Loin (feeds 8-10) … $30.00
We get a lot of mother-daughter, sisters, best friends come stay with us at the Carriage House. One of the reasons for this is we are one of the few places in town that has a room set up for a group. Our Ruth Lester room has two double beds making it perfect for a couple of girls to stay in. Our Ruth Lester room also has an oversized bathroom with a claw foot tub which is perfect for a long bubble bath.
Because we get so many girls trips here at the Carriage House, we have developed a package perfect for a couple of girls. It is aptly named the Girlfriend Getaway. This package gives our girls something fun and unique to do while they are in Jefferson.
We set up a Fancy Foot Massage Party in their room for them. We have a masseuse come over to the house and give them both foot massages, paraffin foot dips and a peppermint foot rubs all from the comfort of their room. We also have a basket of chocolates waiting for them in their room (because there is nothing better than a foot massage and chocolate). We will have 2 $50 gift certificates for the store Fashion and Art Revival so that they can indulge in some retail therapy and we will bring them their breakfast in bed (that way they can stay in their jammies).
If you think you may be interested in the Girlfriend Getaway, please call us at 903-665-9511 or go online to our website at www.carriagehousejefferson.com.
So if the Naughty and Nice package is not for you, we have the Love and Devotion package which may be right up your alley. This package is perfect for honeymooners, birthdays and marriage proposals. In fact, it is perfect for any couple who needs to get away for from all of the hustle and bustle for a few days.
When you pick the Love and Devotion Package, we will set the mood for your stay by having a custom made flower arrangement waiting for you in your room. We will also have a $75 gift certificate waiting for you to the Stillwater Inn or Lamaches Italian Restaurant. No romantic getaway is complete without a quiet and romantic meal together and these two restaurants off the perfect ambiance. Because this stay is all about the two of you rekindling your romance, we will bring your breakfast to you in you room during your stay. That way you can stay in your jammies and relax. Before you leave, you get to select two of our hand thrown mugs as a keepsake of your quiet and romantic getaway.
If this sounds like the type of getaway that you are looking for, please call us at 903-665-9511 to book your room.
Soooo…Valentines is right around the corner. Have you started to make your plans yet? The Carriage House Bed and Breakfast has several different romance packages put together to make your Valentines VERY special. You pick the package and we will take care of everything else.
The Naughty and Nice package is a sexy and romantic package for a Valentine’s weekend full of adventure. The entire weekend is built around the two of you reconnecting and getting that time together that you just cannot get at home. When you arrive, we will have a custom made floral arrangement waiting for you in your room as well as a meat and cheese tray so that you do not need to go out that night.
The whole evening is built around the two of you playing the sexy Enchanted Evening game. Before you start, each of you writes down a wish on a piece of paper. Then the game starts and the two of you move your game pieces around the board, drawing the appropriate cards. The game cards will direct your actions. Some cards ask for verbal responses, which are positive and supportive. Other cards suggest gentle touching, some playful, others subtle and ambiguous. Whoever wins the game gets their wish granted. It will definitely be a night that you will not forget!
An example of a game card
The ‘How Much Feeling Can You Put Into a Kiss’ contest has just begun. You are a contestant. Give your partner the winning kiss.
To help you keep the weekend as relaxing as we can make it, we will bring breakfast to you in your room both mornings. You do not need to even get out your jammies. Before you leave, you can pick out two of our signature coffee mugs to take with you as a keepsake of the weekend. Don’t forget, the game and flowers are yours to take as well.
So call us today at 903-665-9511 so that we can help you plan your perfect Valentine’s Getaway at the Carriage House in Jefferson, Texas.
Although it is the dead of winter, we are preparing for spring here at the Carriage House. Like most people, we are just plain tired of winter at this point. As of this writing, it is overcast and 39 degrees. We don’t have it as bad here as they do in other parts of the country but this Texas girl can’t deal with too much cold weather. Bring me some Bluebonnets!
Part of this planning process is putting together some room packages so our guests can have the best possible experience when they stay here at the Carriage House. So here is what we have come up with so far. If there is anything that you think we should add, please send us an email or call us at 903-665-9511.
Breakfast in Bed – One of the best parts of being on vacation is the ability to just be lazy. We never get to do that in real life. It is up and at ‘em to go to work, take the kids to soccer practice, get breakfast started, and so on. Wouldn’t it be the ultimate in relaxation if you didn’t have to get out of bed in the morning at all? Well if you select the Breakfast in Bed package, we will bring breakfast to you in your room. This package is perfect for that romantic getaway.
Romance Package -Instead of a morning in, maybe you would like a quiet evening in? We can do that too. Our romance package, will give you everything you need to stay in and have a quiet evening just the two of you. This package includes a meat and cheese tray, homemade cookies, fresh fruit and a bouquet of flowers. All of this will be waiting for you in your room when you check in.
Caddo Lake by Boat – If you are coming to Jefferson for more of an adventure trip, we have something for you too. We have partnered with the Graceful Ghost on Caddo Lake for private boat tours on a pontoon boat. This personalized tour will take you into parts of the lake that the big boats can’t go. Some of the best sites on Caddo are deep into the swamp. In fact, if you are gator watching, this will be the only way to possibly see one (no guarantees – they are shy). This package is perfect for the photographer, lake lover, bird watcher or anyone who really wants to get deep into the swamps and bayous.
Brown Bag Lunch – No matter what your plans are for your trip to Jefferson, you may just not be near a restaurant when lunch rolls around. No worries! We will make your lunch for you. Our Brown Bag Lunch will have a sandwich with deli sliced meat and cheese, a bag of chips, a piece of fruit and a bottle of water. This package is perfect combined with the Caddo Lake by Boat package, bike trips, hiking out at Caddo Lake State Park, a day at Lake o’ the Pines or any other adventure you can find out here.
Carriage Ride – Even though it has been a full day of exploration and fun, there is still more to do. Let us schedule a horse drawn carriage ride for you through the beautiful historic district of Jefferson. The carriage will pick you up here at the Carriage House and take you on a personalized tour through the historic district.
If there is something that you would like to do that is not on this list, please feel free to call us at 903-665-9511 or send us an email at info@carriagehousejefferson.com. All of these packages can be booked when you make your room reservations online or by phone. Please give us a few days notice so that we have time to prepare or schedule your package.
