April 2010 Archives

This little inn on the shores of Cranberry Pond not only offers views of a cranberry bog but also a vibrant experience in many other ways. We found this traveler's review when we were brousing the iLoveinns.com bed and breakfast website. Here's a Martha Stewart manly-man writer's view of things.

"As soon as I arrive, Jeannine sets me up with a cup-a-tea and a cranberry flapjack down by the pond."

"The nip of an autumn breeze rustles the maple leaves above, fish send ripples, a water flume tinkles a calm in my left ear, and the buzz of late-afternoon insects crescendos into a Jiminy-Cricket sing-song of busy little legs."

"Everything soothes: the space, the water and Jeanine's flapjack - a delicious thick layer of cranberry under a crumble-crust of sugary oat. Life here is like this everyday, and as a guest you are treated like family. Jeanine and Kenny's B&B On Cranberry Pond set in the heart of cranberry country delivers all the mom-and-pop peace and quiet you could want, and the innkeepers will become your friends. I have made many visits, staying here while reporting on several cranberry harvests - in words and photography - for various publications around the globe, including Martha Stewart Living, The UK Sunday Times and Vogue,

"Australia, and Jeanine and Kenny have made every stay perfect. Not only that, they have actively helped me with my work, assisting in every way they could, and then there's all the delicious homemade things that get effortlessly rustled up in Jeanine's kitchen. Loosen that waistband, you'll so want to." Alastair H. On Cranberry Pond

Donna Guber called me this morning. She is the new innkeeper of Long Island's "Ruby's Cove B&B".  She called to tell me about her bicycles. "I have a fleet of bikes I give out for free. This is not only bringing in people who want to ride our bikes, but is getting Ruby's Cove known as "bike friendly" and attracting others who bring their own."

When Donna moved to Ruby's Cove last year, she discovered her favorite thing was cycling around town. So this past winter she started buying up bikes on Craig's List and adding them to her collection. People in town are even donating their bikes. Now with 14 and counting she adds back packs, stainless steel water bottles and even offers on occasion to lead her guests on a bike tour. She also encourages guests to make the most of their day even after checkout, by offer them the use of her bicycles to go to the local beaches and around town.

We salute Donna for helping keep the green in Ruby's Cove.

1870 Banana Courtyard French Quarter/New Orleans - Here's a note from Mary Ramsey, "the Banana Lady" explaining her relationship with the 40 ft. banana tree that shades the inn. THE HAVANA, ATLANTA, TENNESSEE, MARDI GRAS, BANANA TREE:

"In 1958, I accompanied my grandparents to Cuba.  We frequently heard rumblings (explosions) in the hills.  Our tour guide attributed the noise to people shooting off fireworks during a fiesta celebration. As we were to find out later, those were actually Fidel Castro's 's guerilla troops shooting at Batista's military troops.
 
When we visited one of the banana plantations, we bought a small banana tree, about 3' tall.  We took it back home to Atlanta and planted it.  Each winter, my grandparents would dig it up and take it to the basement (yes, in Atlanta, unlike New Orleans, we had basements). When my grandparents retired to Tennessee, they dug up the tree again, and took it with them.  Just as before, each winter the tree was banished to the basement. Finally, my grandmother decided she was to old to continue this tradition. Since we lived in New Orleans, she knew it could flourish here.
 
So we took the tree to our home on Napoleon Avenue, uptown. On Mardi Gras Day, we had a party while the parades rolled down the Avenue in front of our house. During the party, guests helped plant the banana tree.  It flourished and grew taller than our 2-storey house. A few years later, we moved across the lake and renovated another house there. We, of course, replanted the banana tree.  After about 4-years, we packed up again and moved back to New Orleans, because the commute was killing us. We bought a house near the river and planted the tree there.  After a couple of years, we gave up on the "burbs," and moved to the house, which is now our B&B. The banana tree has hopefully come to its final resting place: Banana Courtyard."