Monday, April 30, 2012

Reservations from the Air!

In the April issue of the US Airways Magazine, our beautiful Cumberland Valley was featured in a 13 page article.  Would you believe that we got a call from a US Airways plane as the caller had just seen us in the magazine.  Tim and Beth booked and stayed with us this past weekend for the Spring Carlisle auto event!

Remember the old saying...
                  "Pennies from Heaven"?

Sunday, April 15, 2012

"Look out! An ice-cube on the bow!"



The Astors
Last night we had the great pleasure of helping out at a dinner party where we, along with some of our best friends, recreated the last First-Class dinner served on the Titanic!  Friends of ours, Skip and Anne Ebert had donated the evening as an auction item for the benefit of the YWCA.

 First to arrive were "the Astors of Manhattan", John Jacob Astor IV and his wife.

The menu was amazing!


Punch Romaine
First Course
Oysters Mignonette
Shrimp Butter on Toasts

Second Course
Consommé Olga

Third Course
Poached Salmon with Mousseline Sauce, Cucumbers

 

Roasted Squab on Watercress
Fourth Course
Filet Mignons Lili

Potatoes Lyonnaise
Vegetable Farci

Fifth Course
Roast Duckling, Apple Sauce

 

Asparagus Vinaigrette
Sixth Course
Sirloin of Beef, Chateau Potatoes
Green Pea Mousse

 Seventh Course
Punch Romaine

Eighth Course
Roast Squab & Cress


Pate de Fois Gras
Ninth Course
  Cold Asparagus Vinaigrette

Tenth Course
Pate de Foie Gras
Celery Fan

Eleventh Course
Waldorf Pudding, Chocolate Eclairs, French Ice Cream



So what did Mary and Alan spend the evening doing? Well as we run a Bed and Breakfast which not only is one of Pennsylvania's top B&B's according to Tripadvisor.com, but we are also members of Select Registry, so we are recognized as really, really good at what we do.

And we proved it! We spent the whole evening from 7pm through 11:15pm washing and drying dishes, plates and glasses. As they say, "if you have a talent, flaunt it!".

The really good news is that between us and our friends the Eberts, Myers, Reitzels, Hegglins, and Squab Queen Laurie Hanel we raised $1,375 for the YWCA.  Life doesn't get much better than that!

Sunday, April 8, 2012

How Mary spent Easter...


Well, one of us (Alan) had to stay and keep the Carlisle House running, but Mary took a really well-deserved vacation with her son and two grand-daughters. While Alan was doing the cooking and the laundry, Mary was zipping round the North Carolina countryside. Literally. On a zip-line - actually on lots of zip-lines! They walked across rope bridges, and generally had an amazing time.





We'll add the video later, and quite a few more photographs.  In the meantime, we have renamed our boy Tarzan, Mary is now called Jane, and our two grand-daughters are now Cheetah-1 and Cheetah-2!

As you can see by her expression, Jane - OK, Mary - didn't enjoy it at all.... not!





Fortunately, Alan didn't know about this until afterwards so he could concentrate on making the English Quiche (Smoked Ham, Sharp Cheddar, Leeks, and a little touch of English Colman's Mustard), and on breaking his own record for the number of blueberries in a muffin!