Summer Concert Series

So, it is that time of year for summer music at some of the El Dorado County Wineries....

Don't miss Boeger on Friday nights for Sunset Sippin = live music, wine, fun.  Just $5 per carload (not this Friday thou as Yarnival is back!

On Friday, July 13th at 6 pm ParaVi hosts live music by the Used Blue Duo!  Tom might even let you taste some futures!  The rest of their summer line up is below.

JULY 13 The Used Blues Duo  JULY 20 Pat Wilder  JULY 27 TBA AUG 3 Gary Mendoza AUG 10 Raymond and Victor   AUG 17 The Used Blues Duo  AUG 24 TBA SEPT 8 Stompy Jones

Great book about how a hate crime changed lives

Just came home from a great event at a local church who hosted a book signing and talk on "Freaks and Revelations".  It is a story about a hate crime, told from both parties sides.  The Amazon website sums it up:

"This raw, moving novel follows two teenagers-one, a Mohawk-wearing 17-year-old violent misfit; the other, a gay 13-year-old cast out by his family, hustling on the streets and trying to survive. Acclaimed author Davida Wills Hurwin creates a riveting narrative told in alternating perspectives of their lives before and after the violent hate crime that changed both their futures. This tragic but ultimately inspirational journey of two polarized teens, their violent first meeting, and their peaceful reunion years later is an unforgettable story of survival and forgiveness." 

Hearing them both share their stories today, was a gift that I wish everyone could have shared---particularly the young people of not just Placerville or El Dorado County, but all over America.  Buy this book, read it and pass it on to a young person, or donate it to your local library or school.

Feeling like getting Innspired?

Now that November is upon us, we always start to think about heading to the best B&B conference, the one put on by the California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns (CABBI)

Join us in San Diego as we Celebrate 20 Years of CABBI (okay, we have not been members quite that long, but that is how long the Association has been around supporting inns).  In all the years we have been attending this trade show and educational venue, Rita and I both have gained so much.  Whether you feel like you need to stay up on trends (and who doesn't in this economy), need some new decorating or breakfast tips, or feel like you are needing to network, this is THE PLACE to be in January!

Ever wanted to become an innkeeper? Why not join us at the 2011 InnSpire Conference & Trade Show and attend the special CABBI 20th Anniversary Dinner!

The goal of the 2011 InnSpire Conference & Trade Show is education and celebration!
Educating the California Bed & Breakfast innkeeper has always been a top priority
for CABBI. This year’s workshops will focus on marketing, operations and technology
with sessions for beginners and advanced levels.

Don't miss out on the Early Bird Discounts.
Register by December 15th!

Where
San Diego Marriott Mission Valley
8757 Rio San Diego Drive, San Diego, CA 92108

Okei-San Month at David Girard

Look what our pals at David Girard have in store for you!!!

Okei-San Month at David Girard
Wakamatsu Ranch Tour
October 16th 10am-12pm

Alan Ehrgott, ARC's Executive Director, will host the ranch tour in Gold Hill and be a guest speaker at the winemaker dinner this month.

DG is offering a special price to ARC members as well as DGV members of $75.00 for the winemaker harvest dinner catered by Mulvaney's Culinary Specialists. Dinner will be held in the tent and the price includes dinner, wine with each course, tax, tip & gratuity.  Reservations are required by 10/18.

10% of all Okei-San wine sold is given to ARC for the Wakamatsu restoration project.
This property is of historical significance as it includes the grave site of one of the Japanese colonists, Okei Ito.  A young girl of 17 when she arrived, Okei died at the age of 19 in 1871.  She lies buried on a hill on the Veerkamp property .  Okei is believed to be the first Japanese woman to die in America and has become a minor but popular folk hero in both Japan and here in California.   Contact David Girard Vineyards for tour or dinner reservations at 295-1833.

Fall Fun at the Amador Flower Fair

Don't miss out on a great place about 30 minutes from our Placerville bed and breakfast - the Amador Flower Farm! Saturday and Sunday, October 2 and 3 from 9-4 pm they will have food, fun and free tram tours of the farm. Also in October they are having a Daylily sale with 50% off hundreds of varieties. Of course they will also have the pumpkin patch and corn maze again this October.

Albert Shafsky House B&B wins Top Blog award

 From Online Schools, "Many people are choosing to stay at a bed and breakfast over a hotel because they offer similar accommodations at a comparable rate to hotels. Moreover, even though some hotels offer a continental breakfast, bed and breakfasts offer a full, homemade gourmet meal each morning that their guests love. Each of our bed and breakfast winning blogs provides countless amounts of information on the best bed and breakfasts places to stay all around the world. They explain the benefits of a bed and breakfast and describe the atmosphere of “home” is greater than that of a hotel. Therefore, if you’re planning a trip and searching for some great places to stay, these blogs are a great resource to make your bed and breakfast experience even better."

We are very happy to be considered a top blog.  We have written about our experiences as innkeepers for the last several years on our blog Innside Innkeeping and hope to provide insight into the life of an innkeeper as well as fun things to do in El Dorado County.  Our Placerville bed and breakfast has also won awards for Best Breakfast and has been voted the best inn by readers of the Mountain Democrat in Placerville.

Who wants breakfast?

Rita loves to create in the kitchen...so who wants breakfast?

This is a picture of her Apple Pancake breakfast.  Yummy!!!  Breakfast is always a treat at our Placerville bed and breakfast.  Book today for your next breakfast with us.  The whole month of February we add a special bit of romance with petals (upon request).  And if you are looking to add champagne, flowers or chocolate, just ask us!  We will take care of it....along with dinner or massage reservations.

Don't let the Gold Discovery Park be closed...

So, we went to the Gold Discovery Park today and had a great time....just one thing...it is on the list to be CLOSED....

If you can help, we would love it...we have had a number of friends and family, and guests go to the the park and we all love it.  At just minutes from the Albert Shafsky House B&B, this is a one the treasures that we really don't want to lose.

So, here is the page from the website with donation information and places to write letters...and there is a meeting in the park Thursday, August 27 @ 6:00pm in the park by the museum - BRING A FRIEND

-----
Help Stop the Closure of the State Park Where Gold Was Discovered!
Written by Administrator
Saturday, 22 August 2009 08:17
Latest Updates

Next Meeting: Thursday, August 27 @ 6:00pm in the park by the museum - BRING A FRIEND
Flyers and posters will be available for download Saturday evening or Sunday. Feel free to copy and hand them out.

What's Going On...
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park is on the closure list. Not much information is available from the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), and we are told a decision on the final list of closures will not be available until after Labor Day. This is the most significant historic park in the state and probably west of the Missouri river. Over 70,000 school children visit every spring to see the living history Coloma brings to life with docents, tours, and demonstrations of the Gold Rush era. It is the number one destination in the Sacramento area.

The closure will not stop people from coming to the park. Highway 49 runs right through the park and fencing it off is impossible. People will not stop coming and if the State closes it the historic buildings and sites are in danger of vandalism and deterioration. The public safety during closure is of high concern to DPR. Artifacts now in the museum will have to be moved to Sacramento for safe keeping. People will not stop coming to the park. We are determined to stop the closure and keep the staff and volunteer programs.

How you can help:
Write letters, pass out flyers,etc. (Flyers will be posted for download soon.)
Let us know your ideas (contact gdpa@marshallgold.org )

Talking Points for letter writing campaign:
The park won't really close, it will just deteriorate without oversight and upkeep
No security for historic treasures - they will be lost
Thousands of visitors every year will find no parking or public restrooms
Over 70,000 school children visit every year and would be turned away
Living history with historic buildings and docents interpreting the Gold Rush era
Twenty plus years of building a volunteer base will be lost
Public safety, health & welfare must be maintained by keeping it staffed and serviced
It has immense historic and educational value - in California history, and as the nucleus of the CA State Park system
It is a wonderful recreational resource for many types of people and families
It is an important economic engine that many local and CA businesses depend upon
It will be more expensive to try to keep people out than to keep it open & running

How to Help...
Write Letters:
Governor Schwarzenegger - http://gov.ca.gov/interact , State Capitol Building, Sacramento, CA 95814
Director of California State Parks Ruth Coleman - rcoleman@parks.ca.gov , Director of Parks and Recreation, P.O. Box 942896, Sacramento, CA 94296
Legislators in the area and outside the area...
WE NEED STATEWIDE SUPPORT FOR THE PARK.
Find your legislator at assembly.ca.gov and senate.ca.gov and gov.ca.gov

Distribute Flyers
Download and Print
Flyers (3 on a 8.5x11 sheet) Available soon
Poster (for business windows, mailboxes, etc.) Available soon

Join March on the Capitol
Planning stage - volunteer to help
Needs to happen in next 7 to 10 days

What is being done:
Ron Briggs, 4th district county Supervisor bosfour@co.el-dorado.ca.us
Working on a request to meet with the Governor
Pursuing political avenues
Holding community meetings
Has put together a resolution to keep the park open
Is putting together a "Red Team" like they did with the Camino Mill closure
Is working to help coordinate local efforts to keep the park open

Community Action Committees being formed
Letter Writing Campaign - contact Lois Fortress, gdpa@marshallgold.org
Contact schools that have visited the park and request they send letters to the Governor or legislatures (teachers, kids, districts, etc)
Create flyers to hand out in community, to teachers, to school children, post in businesses, etc
March on the Capitol - contact Lois Fortress, gdpa@marshallgold.org
Organize children and docents in period dress, if possible, to gather at the capitol on a certain date
Ron Briggs is working on the best date and arrangements
Coordinated by Ron Briggs and Lois Fortress for now, need a chairperson
Impact on Community, contact Marjorie, info@colomacountryinn.com
The Lotus/Coloma Chamber of Commerce is taking the lead on this one. Info will be posted on www.coloma.com
Links will be provided here when available

Aspiring Innkeepers

If you long to run and inn or take over a bed and breakfast, do your homework first. Talk to innkeepers, as many as you can. Offer to stay, take them to dinner, whatever they want so you can "pick their brains"...it will be well worth it in the end...afterall, what if you decide that you don't really like getting up to make breakfast, or that chatting with strangers is not your favorite thing...better to learn that BEFORE you commit to changing your lifestyle and purchasing a new home (B&B).

Attend a conference, like the one at the end of the month in Santa Rosa, put on by CABBI and get to know some of the inns and outs of really running a bed and breakfast before you make the change.

Are you an aspiring innkeeper?

Join CABBI at the ANNUAL ASPIRING INNKEEPING AS A PROFESSION (IAP) CONFERENCE
REGISTRATION: Choose the 2-day or 3-day workshop
TWO-DAY WORKSHOP
Regular Registration by 1/25: $590 (single) $950 (double)
Onsite Registration: $695 (single) $1195 (double)
THREE-DAY WORKSHOP (includes InnSpire 2008)
Regular Registration by 1/25: $885 (single) $1600 (double) 
Onsite Registration: $935 (single) $1700 (double)
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS: Please contact the Hyatt Vineyard Creek & Spa directly for your hotel reservations at 800-233-1234 and ask for the CABBI conference rate of $129. This rate is good until 1/11/08. This hotel is located in Northern California.s wine county at 170 Railroad St. in Santa Rosa, in walking distance from the Historic Railroad Square District.
CANCELLATION POLICY: Conference cancellations must be received in writing by 12/31/07 for a full refund less a $25 processing fee. After 12/31/07, no refunds allowed.
REGISTER ONLINE or visit the Workshop page

This weekend Dec. 8 & 9

Christmas in Coloma
Annual old-fashioned Christmas, with period crafts, strolling musicians, historic trade demonstrations, 19th century children's games, and wreath making. A visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus is a colorful highlight of the day. Vendors offer hand-crafts aswell as a variety of foods. Snow is guaranteed! 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, 8 miles north on Highway 49 from Placerville in Coloma. The admittance fee is only $7.00 per vehicle, everything else is free (except $3.00 cost of photo with Santa). Children can visit Santa for free without a photo. www.marshallgold.org For more information contact: Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, call the events line (530) 295-2162

OR
Annual Historic Country Inn Holiday Tour
Tour 12 inns decked out in seasonal finery, meet the innkeepers and enjoy Inn specialties and refreshments. Weekend tickets available, good for both Saturday and Sunday.Portion of proceeds benefit local charities Each day from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This is a self guided tour going to the Historic Country Inns located throughout El Dorado County. $15 in advance or at the door. Tickets are available at every member inn or www.goldcountrylodging.com or call Historic Country Inns 8772624667