Things have changed

If you read my previous post, you would have discovered that I was about to move to Austin Texas some time in July or August, having sold my bed and breakfast and my Victorian home. Well, don't believe everything you read! 

Actually, I had planned to do just that, but the whole deal fell though; the buyers could come up with the necessary financing and regretfully had to back out. I have written an article for Hubpages (to be published soon) explaining where my head is now and what's going on in my life and at the bed and breakfast
 
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Apology: To all my faithful viewers and those who drop in once in a while

I know I haven't been around much lately and that you haven't seen anything new on my site for a while now. But, if you will please accept my apology, I will try to explain. I didn't want to write about this sooner, although I have known for a while now. But I had to be sure before I let you in on it.

I have sold my bed and breakfast. Yes, after 16 years of "fun and frivolity" :=), I am retiring from the bed and breakfast world and starting a new career....in Austin, Texas! So, besides selling the business I am also selling my beautiful Victorian house and packing up to go to Texas.

Do I know what I'm getting into? Well not completely, of course, but I have a pretty good idea: hot weather and lots of air conditioning. But that's not the only thing. This is an important transition in my life; one that was inevitable.

I have had two major careers, in my life, and a lot of other short term dalliances. Having been schooled in a variety of disciplines, I have had the opportunity to apply what I learned in many situations. While I was teaching for thirty years in Chicago I was able to teach across the curriculum which really set the stage for what was to come. Of course, I was able to use what had gone before to the fullest...and there was a lot that had gone before...mostly centered around the arts: music, theater, dance, drawing and painting.

All of these experience were brought into play again when I retired from teaching, moved to Louisville, Kentucky and became an innkeeper. And adding to those was the newest and probably the most challenging of all, so far. I became an entrepreneur. I had always said, up to that point, "I will never go into business! It's not for me." I'm an arts person and my personality and experience all fit that persona.

So there I was, 16 years ago, sitting in the middle of a beautiful Victorian house in the third largest preservation area in the United States trying to figure out how to launch a business. First thing was to decorate the house in keeping with the period in which it was built....Victorian. Knowing nothing about the Victorian period, I scoured the library for information and decorated the house myself, with a little help from local artisans, antique dealers, and established Innkeepers.

I must back up a bit and tell you that prior to starting the decorating project, I had to deal with the agencies in town which dictated how a bed and breakfast was to be run in their precious city. I went through a litany of rules, regulations, and required accoutrements and procedures, and finally brought the place up to standards and ready for the world of B&Bs.

During all this, I was shopping...for beds, towels, linens, decorative stuff, waffle irons, and all the that bed and breakfasts are made of. Gradually it starting taking shape. For support and information, I joined a local group of 4 innkeepers. Eventually the group expanded into the Louisville Bed and Breakfast Association, which has close to 20 members now. I also joined the Bed and Breakfast Association of Kentucky, which has over 100 members from all over the state.

Fast forward 16 years. I have learned a lot, from being a bed and breakfast business owner, about running a B&B, about people, cooking, and most of all about myself, in general. I know I'll miss the wonderful times I've had, the many interesting and lovely guests, the Kentucky Derby and other events, and the challenges. But I am really looking forward to the future.

I want to write...every day...all day long. I love it, and never realized how much until I started writing again a couple of years ago. I'm writing journal articles, poetry, and collecting stories for a memoir of the past 16 years as an innkeeper, among other things. That's what I'll be doing in Austin...and damn the hot weather. It wont affect me, cause I'll be sitting at my computer in an air conditioned room writing about everything and anything I can think of.

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Left over Easter Eggs

Got a few too many leftover Easter eggs on hand? The good news is that, if left in their shells, hard-boiled eggs will keep in the fridge for up to a week. But with the 12 hard-boiled egg recipe ideas here, they'll likely disappear a lot faster than that. In fact, you might find yourself boiling another dozen. (A note on safety: Be sure to use food-grade dye for your eggs and don't eat eggs that have been out of the fridge for more than two hours total.)

Southwestern Egg Salad Sandwich: Mash chopped eggs with a potato masher or a fork along with some mayo, a little chipotle in adobo or chipotle chile powder, lime juice, salt and sliced scallions. Place on a sandwich roll along with sliced avocado.

Egg Quesadilla: Brush one side of a burrito-size flour tortilla with olive oil. Place oiled side down on a baking sheet. Scatter shredded pepper Jack cheese over the tortilla, top with sliced hard-boiled eggs, green salsa and cilantro sprigs. Top with more cheese and another tortilla. Brush top of tortilla with oil and bake until the cheese has melted and the tortilla is crisp.

Eggs in Purgatory: Make a spicy tomato sauce with onions, garlic, a little bacon (if you like), tomatoes and some cayenne. Slice hard-boiled eggs about 1/2-inch thick, place in a shallow pasta bowl and spoon sauce over.

Potato and Egg Salad: Boil Yukon gold potatoes in their jackets until tender. Drain; peel while still warm, cut into thick slices and toss with a little vinegar (I like sherry or rice vinegar, but it's really your choice). Let sit 30 minutes then toss with hard-boiled egg slices, finely chopped red onion, a little mayo, and a little mustard. If you like, jazz it up with some ham, shrimp or cooked chicken.

Eggs with Asparagus and Parmesan Cheese: Do a riff on an Italian classic that usually has poached or fried eggs atop roasted asparagus. Trim ends of asparagus, then cut them in half crosswise. Place in a bowl, toss with olive oil to coat and roast at 400 degrees until lightly browned and crisp-tender. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and panko breadcrumbs and roast a few more minutes until cheese has melted. Top with chopped hard-boiled eggs and chives, and if you like, a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.
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Quick Egg and Vegetable Hash: Cook some chopped onions, diced red pepper, and thinly sliced peeled carrots in a combo of butter and vegetable or olive oil until the onion is golden brown and caramelized. Add diced cooked potatoes and cook until the potatoes are nicely browned. Add chopped hard-boiled eggs and just a little cream or half-and-half; cook until eggs are heated through.

Not Your Usual Egg Sandwich: Use a baguette or a couple of slices of thick whole-grain country bread. Spread hot pepper jelly on both sides of the bread and top with arugula, sliced prosciutto and sliced eggs.

Warm Bacon, Spinach and Egg Salad: Cook a few slices of bacon until crisp, save the bacon fat and whisk it together with red wine vinegar, red currant jelly (or a little brown sugar) and toss while still warm with fresh spinach and sliced sautéed or grilled portobello mushroom caps, hard-boiled eggs cut in wedges and crumbled bacon. If you don't want to use bacon, omit it and make the dressing with olive oil.

Rich and Creamy Salad Dressing: Halve hard-boiled eggs and separate yolks and whites. Push yolks through a fine-meshed strainer. Whisk in olive oil, mustard, a touch of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss with a hearty lettuce, such as romaine, and garnish with chopped egg whites. Variation: Combine sour cream, mustard, yolks, and mayonnaise for a creamy thick dressing.

Norwegian Butter Cookies: This treat is a perfect use for egg yolks. In a mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, 2 mashed hard-boiled egg yolks, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Beat until well combined. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon grated orange zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and, if you like, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom. Fold in 1 cup all-purpose flour. Using a teaspoon measure, drop cookie dough mixture 1-inch apart onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, until golden around edges and set. Cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely

Meatloaf with Eggs: Put together your favorite meatloaf mixture. Pat half of it into a loaf pan, then make a trench lengthwise down the center and place a row of hard-boiled eggs in the trench. Top with remaining meatloaf mixture, patting it down to enclose the eggs and bake.

Gratinéed Eggs: Make a white sauce by melting 3 tablespoons butter and whisking in 3 tablespoons of flour, cooking over medium-low heat until just beginning to turn golden. Whisk in 2 cups milk, a little nutmeg, salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Cook until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Whisk in about a cup of shredded sharp cheddar (or more if you like). Spoon some of the mixture into an 8 x 8 baking dish that's been brushed with a little butter. Place 6 to 8 thickly sliced eggs in the dish and top with more sauce. Sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and bubbling.
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Humana Festival of New American Plays 2010

The 34th annual HUMANA FESTIVAL OF NEW AMERICAN PLAYS is in full swing in Louisville, Kentucky

February 21-March 28, 2010

Actors Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival of New American Plays is an annual site of pilgrimage where theatre lovers from around the world converge to get the first look at the future of the American theatre. More than 400 plays have been produced in the internationally acclaimed Humana Festival, representing the work of more than 200 playwrights.

List of Plays

Sirens by Deborah Zoe Lauferdirected by Casey StanglFebruary 21 - March 28

Fissures (lost and found) by Steve Epp, Cory Hinkle, Dominic Orlando, Dominique Serrand, Deborah Stein and Victoria Stewartdirected by Dominique SerrandFebruary 26 - March 28

Phoenix by Scott Organdirected by Aaron PosnerMarch 5 - 27

Ground by Lisa Dillmandirected by Marc Masterson March 2 - 28

The Method Gun by Kirk Lynndirected by Shawn Sidescreated and performed by Rude MechsMarch 16 - March 28

The Cherry Sisters Revisited by Dan O'Brienoriginal music by Michael Friedmandirected by Andrew Leynse March 18 - April 11part of the Brown-Forman Series

Heist! conceived and created by Sean Daniels and Deborah Steinwritten by Deborah Steindirected by Sean Daniels with animation by Adam Pinney in collaboration wih René Dellefont performed by the 2009-2010 Actors Theatre Acting Apprentice Company March 11 - 28 performances at 21c Museum Hotel, 700 W Main St

TEN-MINUTE PLAYS March 27 & 28

Let Bygones Beby Gamal Abdel Chasten

Lobster Boyby Dan Dietz

Post Wave Spectacular by Diana Grisanti

An Examination of the Whole Playwright/Actor Relationship Presented As Some Kind of Cop Show Parody

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It's snowing again

I cannot believe how much snow we are getting this year. It's more than any of the sixteen years that I've been here. Of course, being from Chicago and before that Detroit, I'm used to a lot of snow, but I never thought Kentucky would get that much. ..maybe a little because Louiville is situated in the northern part of the state, but certainly not this much.

I must say it's beautiful. I'm sitting in the suite on the second floor and looking out of the window. All of the magnolia trees are laden with the white, fluffy stuff and the streets, walkways and cars are barely peeking from underneathe it. It's quite cold too. Around 19 degrees and evfen colder, with the wind chill.

Fortunately, the snow hasn't kept visitors from coming to the bed and breakfast. I have three business people from London, England here who checked in last night. They flew into Chicago and what should take around a five hour drive took them ten hours. It seems they googled for directions and ended up in Detroit. They called from the road, got the right directions from Robyn and made it by ten o clock last night.

If any of you have been contemplating coming to Louisville, please don't be put off by the snow. It's beautiful and you'll love it. The city has been on alert and the streets and highways have been cleaned off. It isn't icy, just white and powdery. All the shops and restaurants are open and our bed and breakfast is ready for you, with comfy beds and wonderful gourmet breakfasts. Y'all come.

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Farm Machinery Show: Where are all the farmers?

Well, the Farm Machinery Show is this coming week (Feb 11-14) and I don't have a single booking as yet.. Last year I had a full house; interesting people who own farms and come into town each year to enjoy the displays and new equipment at the fair grounds and have a good time. My guests all went to one of the local restaurants last night for dinner (will post on local restaurants later) and said the food was great. It's an Italian restaurant called Amici's and , since it changed hands a couple of years ago, they now have a terrific owner and chef, and they are top notch!

So what's going on? I'm always booked for the Farm Machinery Show. Are people waiting 'til the last minute? Or is this a sign of the bad economy? One of the biggest reasons for coming to the show is the Tractor Pull! What fun! Officially introduced to the world in 1969 during the fourth National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS), the Championship Tractor Pull is now celebrating 40 years of making champions. The competition had been a vision of its originator, Billy Joe Miles, and was so popular in its first year that 15 drivers signed up to compete in the inaugural pull before it was officially established.

Truck and tractor pulling, also known as power pulling, is a competition using tractors and large trucks to pull a heavy drag along a 'track'. It's very popular in rural areas. Usually the drag offers progressively greater resistance as it is pulled. It can be a great spectacle, although the vehicle produces a great deal of noise and smoke and tends to kick up dirt. Also, the tractors pulling don't actually travel very far (a typical "full pull" is 300 feet). There are many different classes, from "factory" tractors, to custom built vehicles with multiple engines.

When farming machines were pulled by horse, farmers would boast about the strength of their horses, claiming their's could tow the largest loads. They would challenge each other to contests to prove who had the strongest horse. A barn door was removed and laid flat the ground, the horse was then hitched to it and the farmer urged the horse to drag the barn door along the ground. One by one, people jumped on the door until the horse could no longer drag it; the horse pulling the most people the greatest distance was judged the strongest. This event, was called horse pulling,. Although still carried out today with specially bred horses, in around 1929 power pull contests began utilizing motorized vehicles. By the 1950s and '60s, the tractor pull had become a popular sport. For complete history see: http://tinyurl.com/ar4o7c

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It's February: A message from the Innkeeper

I'm looking out the window and everything is covered with snow. Robyn came yesterday and cleaned of the sidewalks in front for me, in case we got some bookings over the week-end. It's been pretty slow lately.....January usually is. But it will be getting busy soon. February is usually a pretty good month for us. There's Valentine's Day, the Farm Machinery Show, and visitors who just want to get away or who are traveling here on business.
We have been focussing on Valentine's Day lately; putting Sweetheart packages together and making plans for decorating the rooms with flowers and candy. One of our Valentine's Packages includes champagne, red roses, chocolates and accommodations in a beautiful Victorian room with four-poster bed. It's very romantic.

We enjoy making confections for Valentines day and have tried cakes, candies, and fondue. Fondue is one of our favorites and we have a great recipe which I have posted here.

Chocolate Fondue
serves: 6-10
Ingredients
6 ounces dark good chocolate
3 ounces of bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
2 tablespoon Gran Marnier or Kirsch
fruit, chunks of Angle food cake, and/or marshmallows

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a double boiler, Stir until melted and well blended.
Transfer to a Fondue pot. Keep warm. Supply each person with a long fork and a small plate.
Have guests take turns dipping fruit, cake and/or marshmallow into the chocolate

Love Notes

Besides candy, flowers, and confections, it is traditional to send cards or to write poetry for the one you love. We have included a poem here, written in the name of love.

Falling In Love Again

I'd crept into the deepest darkest place,

Where life and love no longer saw my face.

My heart was cold, my very soul was dead.

My only solace, memories in my head.

You came to me and caught me unaware,

And unprepared, I fell into your lair.

I struggled as you crawled into my mind,

Afraid of what your loving me might find.

And as I stayed resistant to your touch

You never turned away, instead t'was such

an oh so gentle nudging at my soul

that woke me with your ever sweet cajole

'Til finally I melted in your arms

Unfolding as a child would, free from harm.

I gave myself completely, so beguiled.

A whole new world had opened when you smiled

(N. Hinchliff, 2009)

Click here: for info on a lovely Valentine's Day week-end

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