Misadventures of Present-Day Innkeepers

SnowStorm 17 Nov

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:13:00 +0000

It’s snowing, you all know what that means. Almost Ski Season time!!!

Monday Night / Tuesday Morning we got a lot of snow here in Southern West Virginia. It wasn’t our first snow fall, that was 28 Oct, it was just a dusting and that hardly counts. Here is what that snowfall looked like. You’ll see it wasn’t really a snowfall, just a light coating.

This snowstorm started dropping the good heavy snow early. It was that perfect snow. The kind that is heavy and fun. Almost good enough to make snowpeople, and very good to make snowballs.

The weather make me want to change up the website, which I’m going to guess you’ve seen already. If not, then you most visit it, I’d like some feedback on TV MAVIS?! Do you like it?
www.mavismanor.com

Now that ski season is approaching, rooms book up quickly so PLAN ahead! Booking early saves you some money. Can wait to see some of my winter freinds again this year!

Till I see you!

-Sir Justyn -- Baron --

Xmas Lights

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 22:54:00 +0000

Here is last years xmas light! Any ideas for this year?

Sir Justyn

Hiking @ Peter’s Mountain and the Appalachian Trail

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 16:44:00 +0000

Hiking @ Peter’s Mountain and the Appalachian Trail

Ginny and I wanted to get out and enjoy another lovely fall weekend. This time we wanted to go a little outside of our normal realm. We thought, hey lets head down to Virginia and see what we can find!

View Larger Map
We found Jefferson National Forest, which is a pretty cool place. It’s only about 40 minutes from the Manor, and has lots and lots of cool hiking. I had no idea it was so close - I normally just adventure around the house. This place was a real treat. On our adventure we found this cool stream bed, the water was flowing pretty well.

We drove some more til we found a trailhead. To our surprise, we found the Appalachian Trail! I’ve always wanted to hike the Trail, but thought it was too far away. I had a few friends who spent months hiking the entire thing, Maine to Georgia. Guess I just don’t have that much time on my hands! Just as we started up the trail, I found Teaberries. I’ve been looking for these ever since I moved from NE Ohio. I loved Teaberry gum, so it was so cool to find the berries. We picked a few, and then a few more, and then a few more, until we decided we really needed to head down the trail at least a little bit farther.

The weather was amazing, and the trail was very nice. As we hiked on, the trail got more and more interesting, mostly because of the rocks and the Mountain Laurel. We only walked for about 30 mins on the trail, and Ginny found this little spot in the woods that reminded her of World of Warcraft, so we chilled out there for a bit. It was an awesome spot, a little off the beaten trail.

We played around a little more, and found a grouse! Well, we never found it but we heard it. It’s kinda scary if you don’t know what you're walking up to. We searched for about 20 mins, but never found it, though we did really enjoy the sound and the way the sound felt, kind of like when you stand in front of a bass speaker. Ginny had never heard a grouse before, and she thought it was really neat. Then it was time to adventure on back to the car before it got really dark.

Sound of Grouse

Next time we need to spend the entire day here! I think we'll be going back this spring to play around a little more. On the Baron's Adventure Scale, I will give this a 3.5, because it might get cooler as I find more cool things.

Sir Justyn J M

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Election Day in Flat Top

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:59:00 +0000

Election Day in Flat Top

Today was Election Day. Here in Flat Top, we vote in the Post Office / Sunshine Station General Store. This year I (Mavis Manor) supplied the coffee, and Crystal Bowling supplied the snacks(cupcakes, cookies and such).

The morning started off hectic. The people that dropped off the voting machine gave us the wrong one, which meant we were only going to have one machine until the new one could arrive. Normally this isn’t a big deal, since the Flat Top Precinct only has about 500 people, but at 7:30 there was a line, and by 11:30 some people had been waiting for 1 and ½ hours. This in an area where no one waits in line, not even at banks!

By 1 o’clock the other machine was here and from there, things ran smoothly. Parking was a little tricky, but everyone figured out how to make it work, and a few people spilled over into Mavis Manor's parking lot.

By the end of the day 315 people voted in Flat Top, something they had never seen before.

Glad to see so many people got out and voted.

Till next time

- Sir Justyn J Marchese

Here is my prediction for President

Hiking @ Brush Creek

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 23:36:00 +0000

Hiking @ Brush Creek

A little off the beaten trail, pretty much only known to the locals, is a little wildlife area called Brush Creek. The Nature Conservancy maintains most of this lovely little park.

Here is the official stuff.
“The Falls of Brush Creek drop 25 feet over a sandstone ledge near the mouth of the stream's deep gorge of Brush Creek at Bluestone River. These "block" falls have been a popular local beauty spot since European settlement, though natives most likely frequented the falls for the same reason. The West Virginia Nature Conservancy, in cooperation with Pipestem Resort State Park, maintains a natural area at the falls. A rough trail leads from a picnic shelter to a ledge from which the cascade may be observed.”

If you like Mountain Laurel and cool outcrops of rocks, then this is the place for you. I always joke with friends that in the summer this is a prime spot to observe “redneck” courting practices. This is also a suspected breeding grounds too. Personally this has not been observed. LOL. During the day though, this is quite a nice park to hang out in.

I love going down to the river, and checking out all the cool crawfish and little fish you can find in the water. My friends and I like to do lots of off-path exploration. This trip we found some really cool plants and fungi.

If you want to see something off the beaten path this would be the place I’d adventure to.

The Baron rates this park a 4 out of 5, only because location isn't the easiest to get to.

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Sir Justyn

Bluestone River Adventures

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 03:37:00 +0000

Bluestone River Adventures

Hey Fellow Travelers,
It’s time again for another review of the fun things to do near Flat Top, WV. Just in case this is your first time coming across my blog, let me give you a quick recap. I’m Sir Justyn, the Baron of Mavis, an Innkeeper of Mavis Manor, an 1897 Queen Anne Victorian country Manor located in the small hamlet of Flat Top, in Southern WV. I moved down to Flat Top in Aug 2005 from Akron/Green, Ohio to build my parents a retirement business. Okay, enough about me - now to the grand adventures!

I just came across some pictures of my last trip to the Bluestone River. This is one of my all-time favorite places near my home. Here is a little secret - I was meeting a girl I’d been talking to for a little while on the phone, and I wanted to impress her with some cool serene scenery. That's why our first date was at the Bluestone River.

“The 77-mile-long Bluestone River rises along the northern flank of East River Mountain 2.5 miles southwest of Springville, in Tazewell County, Virginia (VA), and flows northeastward 83 miles through Mercer and Summers counties in West Virginia to join the New River. Eleven miles of its lower course is protected by the National Park Service as the Bluestone National Scenic River. Parts of Bluestone State Park and Pipestem Resort State Park are also located in the scenic lower section of the river. The Bluestone River is a popular warm-water fishery and canoeing is possible through mid-summer when water levels drop to a point where shoals are exposed across the stream. Kayaking is popular on the Bluestone in spring and during floods.”

The part of Bluestone River I found is easy to get to, but alas there is no way to GPS it or anything. There really isn’t any town left around my favorite part of the river, it’s just pure wilderness. It’s honestly super easy to get to. Here are directions from Mavis Manor:

Rt19 North to Ellison Ridge Rd. Follow Ellison Ridge Rd. till the road does this weird triangle thing. Turn left onto the road, (I forget it’s name but the road only goes left) and if the sign is still there it’ll say "To Bluestone NWA." Follow that road down the mountain until you get to the park's car park, and you're there.

Something about living in WV can make you forget GPS and road names, neither really seems to work. This park is totally worth the trip. The river is beautiful; the mountains are towering over you. It is definitely a sight to see.

Ps: It was a great first date… or at least it must have been because we have been dating ever since! 

Till next time.

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Sir Justyn, Baron of Mavis

White Water Rafting - New River

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:43:00 +0000

As an Innkeeper I need mini holidays sometimes. My best friend was coming down to hang out with some of her college friends for summer break before school started up again, and we had the grand idea to go White Water Rafting. Out of all the cool crazy things i've done White Water Rafting was never something I'd tried. Being only 30+ mins from the house, I just had to try this adventure.

It was a very warm September day. Mid-80s Hurricane Faye just dumped a lot of rain in the southern part of the New River via the Carolinas, so that meant great water levels for us in Southern WV.

The day began like most other days. Fed the guests some breakfast, did a quick cleanup, and hit the road for adventures. By 9am we arrived at Class VI off of Rt-19.

After a short bus ride we were at the river. I was a little afraid. I love doing new things, but still...this was slightly dangerous. Well, onto the river we went. Our guide Doug was a local. We swapped a few stories about Winterplace Ski Resort, the Ghent/Flat Top Area and the people we knew.

Now it was time for the fun part! Class I and II are kinda like playing in the ocean, but Class III and IV are very fun. Joop's friend Cathrine got thrown out of the boat. It was funny!!! LOL. She climbed back in and wanted to do it again.

All and all it was a great adventure. It will be added to The Baron's Venture's book.
If you've never been rafting, it's something everyone needs to try.

A Baron's Rating of 5 Coolness Factor

Ducky whitewater trips aren't what you might think they are. On our full day Upper New trips we take the whole family, from six years old to 86 years young, down a wonderful stretch of class I and II rapids with lots of river fun and floating in between. With the emphasis on fun, adventure, and safety, Class VI customizes our trips to the age and abilities of your family members. Everyone in the group will have the option of taking a ducky, which is like a small personal raft, or relaxing in a full-size guided raft. There really is something for everyone on this family river trip, from running the gentle rapids to swimming and floating in the lazy drifting pools. From start to finish, there's no better way for the family to spend a day together than doing the Upper New river with Class VI!

This is a great trip for families, scouts and youth groups.
The Upper New is rated Class I to Class III with gentle, playful waves and plenty of calm water in between to enjoy the majestic scenery!
Depending on water level and the Upper New Canyon we are able to run, we will stop at Dowdy Creek to play under the waterfall or stop at Jump Rock (you guessed it - a rock you can jump off!)
There are plenty of opportunities for swimming, bird watching, picture taking or just plain tuning out.
Don't forget to add meals and lodging for money saving packaging.

Till next time!

-Sir Justyn

Satori - The Sappy Stories

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:24:00 +0000

The Sappy Stories
Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, 'Yes I'll do it if it will save her.'

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away'.

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her but he had chosen to save her anyway.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Always remember those who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

'How much is an ice cream sundae?' he asked.

'Fifty cents,' replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.

'Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?' he inquired.

By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient.

'Thirty-five cents,' she brusquely replied.

The little boy again counted his coins.

'I'll have the plain ice cream,' he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies..

You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

Life Writing Weekend Retreat

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Mon, 19 May 2008 20:49:00 +0000

Thank you to everyone for a great event. Hope to see you all next time. Good Lucky with all those wonderful book starts!!

-Archbaron of Mavis (Sir Justyn)

Life Writing Weekend

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 01:18:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT
J.P. Grace 304-617-1292 or Sir Justyn Marchese 888.628.4798

LIFE WRITING WEEKEND RETREAT JUNE 6-9

People who keep saying "I'm going to write a book" will have an opportunity to get started, or move their manuscript forward, during a Life Writing Weekend retreat June 6-June 9 at the Mavis Manor Bed & Breakfast in Flat Top, West Virginia.

The Weekend Retreat will be led by John Patrick Grace, Director of the Huntington-based not-for-profit Publishers Place, Inc. Author or coauthor of five nonfiction books, Grace has edited dozens of books for publication and has agented books to major publishers as well as published books under several imprints.

To date he has conducted 23 sessions of The Life Writing Class in venues from Ironton, Ohio, to Huntington, Hurricane and Charleston, West Virginia. Thirteen books have thus far been published by alumni of this class, including the national award-winning historical novel Father's Troubles by Carter Taylor Seaton.

Another alumna of the class, Justine Rutherford, was named 2005 West Virginia Author of the Year by Tamarack, the showcase of West Virginia crafts, located in Beckley. Rutherford has written and published two books created from her work in the class, Rough Lumber and Wild Mustard, both memoirs.

Space is limited for the weekend, which will cost $425 per person, based upon double occupancy. Fee includes a full weekend of exercises to prep a book concept, outline, and drafts of material, two nights lodging, wine and cheese reception on Friday, two breakfasts and two lunches. Also included is a complimentary copy of The Life Writing Class book edited by Grace and issued by Publishers Place.

For more details or to register please see www.lifewritingclass.com or phone Mavis Manor 888-628-4798. You may also email Dr. Grace at publish@cloh.net or call at 304-617-1292.

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:20:00 +0000

Happy St. Patty’s Day!

Erin go Braugh!

A slow week here at Mavis Manor, we are just enjoying the little kittens. They are just starting to get mobile. After the mama cat moved them upstairs, we thought that the safest place for them would be in the bathroom downstairs. We put some blankets in the tub, moved the kitten cave in, and that is where they are living for now. Soon, I will need to make a new area for them.

If you ever wanted to learn about writing a book, Mavis Manor will be hosting a Life Writing Class retreat weekend June 6-June 9. Please visit www.lifewritingclass.com.

Till next time

Archbaron Justyn

Mobile blogging

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 04:01:00 +0000

The Archbaron has just learned how to blog via mobile phone! This is the first mobile blog. For those out there in the internet 'verse this is a really cool thing. See, I have a Sidekick w/ the keyboard, so txt and email from the phone is super easy. I don't really have anything else much to report. Kitten update: all 4 have their eyes open and are moving around a little bit. If you visit my Facebook I have pictures - xdrfirefly@hocking.edu for my page. I've got my clean team supplies and it is a lot easier; I'll tell you more about that later. The Archbaron of Mavis -out-

Sir Justyn

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Sent from my T-Mobile Sidekick®

Heavy Snow

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 02:36:00 +0000

Hey guys,
Wow I can't believe how much it snowed in the last few hours. I think we got almost a foot since 5. The roads are getting bad, but luckily I just got back from a little store trip. Late season snow is nice. It's a perfect snow for making snow forts or snowmen, so hopefully I'll get out there and have a good old time...

That's all for now!

Cheers

Sir Justyn

Did someone say Kittens?

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:37:00 +0000

Straight and to the point:

We now have 4 kittens. We didn't even know that the cat was preggy...

Long story... I'll maybe tell you about it later!

Well, anyway there are 4 little kittens. 3 striped ones, and 1 black one.

very cute...

No names for them yet. I also don't know how to sex them either. Sheesh! I know. The Baron doesn't know how to sex kittens. Give me a break. Just cause I worked at a zoo for 4 years doesn't mean I know everything about animals...
When I get more info I will pass it along. We have guests coming this weekend so I need to get going on the cleaning.
I really need to find a faster way to clean.

Cheers

Sir Justyn

The Fish and Skype

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 00:53:00 +0000

Hey guys,
A lot of you have been bugging me about my fishes. I told you back in Jan. I purchased 24 “feeder” guppies. They were anything but feeder guppies. Most were nice Mollies. 2 or 3 were black and white mollies. So, now it has been a month. I counted today and there are 11 still alive. That is a great return for fish that were .20. I even think there are a few babies in there.

I was thinking about setting up a webcam for the tank. What do you think? When I get around to doing this I will email you with the links.

Now, to Skype. If any of you out there in Internet land have Skype 304.460.0137 is my new Skype phone number… So, for you out there who don’t know what Skype is, it’s a Voice over IP and a IMer built into one. It’s a super cool idea. Ring me sometime if you want to try it out…

Till next time!

- Sir Justyn

YouTube and Mavis Manor

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:45:00 +0000

I've been reading on ways to improve your google page ranking and hits to your sites. Social Networking sites seem to be one of the strongest ways. I have a Myspace for Mavis Manor Myspace Page. This is a cool place to have guests join my friends list and swap stories. Not everyone has myspace so I made a FaceBook group too. FaceBook Now, I decided that YouTube is going to be the next best place. This way I can post videos. YouTube SiteSo make sure you check these bad boys out.

Snowing outside again, back to snow plowing!

PS don't forget the Total Lunar Esclipse is tonight Starting at 845PM ET

Cheers

Sir Justyn Baron of Mavis

St. V Day

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:42:00 +0000

Will you be my Valentine?
This is a great weekend for lovers. If you run a B&B you can set something up special for this weekend. My manor is booked with skiers so nothing grand for me.

The weather is still cold. Not a lot of snow, but Winterplace can make snow so no worries, it will be great skiing weather. FYI, by next year I plan to have a new webcam set up so you can see the slopes at Winterplace.

Back to work...

Cheers
Sir Justyn Baron of Mavis

Fat Tuesday

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:37:00 +0000

This month is just jam-packed with holidays. I can hardly keep up. I normally love to dress up for Mardi Gras, which I will do today... Any chance I get to do something out of the ordinary is grand.

This is a good time (to you all of you out there that are looking for idea for your B&B business) to think about murder mystery weekends. I plan to start this in the summer. Murder Mystery Weekends are when guests come and play a part in a murder mystery. There are some great sites online with game data. If you want me to zip you some of that knowledge just email me.

Time to run.

Cheers

Sir Justyn Baron of Mavis

Happy Groundhogs Day

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:31:00 +0000

Happy Groundhog Day,
It's also Imbolc so happy Druid spring holiday too. I believe Phil saw his shadow, so that means 6 more weeks of winter, which is good for me. More skiiers!!! Next year, I want to plan a Groundhog Day event. Being an Innkeeper I have lots of events i'd love to plan, but you need time for event planning. I didn't really have to much of that last year. I need to adjust my time this year, and plan more events. Again, Happy Groundhog Day!

Cheers

Sir Justyn Baron of Mavis

Fish Tank

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 01:26:00 +0000

I have a few minutes so I thought I would update everyone. My fish tank with my Channel Catfish was looking pretty sorry. On my weekly trip into town I found that the guppy/mollies were on sale. I know they won't all live, but I got enough to make the tank look well populated. I also picked up a few plants because I like to make my tanks look as natural as possible. I'll give it a month and report back on the fish tank.

Other then the fish, things have been happily quiet on the Manor front. I've been redesigning the website. If you haven't visited it lately please do. Mavis Manor

It's starting to snow again. Time for some snowplowing.

Cheers

Sir Justyn Baron of Mavis

Day at the Manor ( of a Inn Keeper)

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:19:00 +0000

Weather has been a little warmer then expected. which drives business down a little bit. No worries though,, that just means I get to work on different kinds of projects. See as an Innkeeper it's hard to plan your week in advance. You need to have flexible plans. Some days I get to work on improving the website. Other days I need to design my landscaping for the spring. If guests are coming, I call those days "Hurricane of Cleanliness," meaning I go around and make sure all the room are clean and in tiptop shape. You'd think that if you cleaned a room 4 days ago, and no one has been in it, it stays clean. Nope! Dust creeps in and then you're dusting again. Plus, there are the general traffic areas. These need to be extra clean. Why? Because these are the areas most used by guests. BRB, phone is ringing.... See, just what I was talking about - I wasn't expecting any guests and now I am!

I hope everything is well with everyone. Till next time!

Cheers

Sir Justyn Baron of Mavis

Books of the Trade

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 18:04:00 +0000

Hey Friends,
Many of you out there may want to know what it takes to be your own Innkeeper. In this week's blog I will tell you all about the books I started with.

Book 1: So You Want to Be an Inn Keeper

I like this book for a lot of reasons. First, it is the most complete book about Innkeeping I have ever read, and I still use this book today. There are parts to this book you will continue to look back on.

Book 2: Upstart Guide Owning & Managing a Bed & Breakfast

Another really good book to get ideas from. Worth checking out.

Book 3: Opening and Operating a Bed & Breakfast in the 21st Century

This is the first book I've seen in the B&B guides to talk about the importance of Online Marketing, web design and placement!!

---- About the Manor ----

I hope that helps some of you out. Now, to some of the stuff that most of you want to know...

The weather at the Manor has been pretty warm this week. It got up into the 50s. Not good for skiing, though the slopes are open. Well, at least 90% of them are. I'm looking forward to a busy ski season. See you next time.

Cheers

Sir Justyn Baron of Mavis

Mavis Manor 2008 Blog of the New Years

MavisManor@gmail.com (Mavis Manor) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:05:00 +0000

Hello Friends,
Let me quickly introduce myself to anyone who doesnt know who I am. My name is Justyn, I'm the Innkeeper at Mavis Manor. Mavis Manor is going to be my parents' retirement business, but until my father retires, I'm running the show. I built this business from scratch. I moved here in August of 2005. This 1890s Queen Anne Victorian Manor needed a lot of TLC. After about a year of hard work, lots of help from my family, a few tears, and enough of my blood, Mavis Manor was ready to open.

Every day I learn something new. The last 2 and 1/2 years have been a ride. I'm glad you found me. I hope you stay and enjoy the ride with me!

Cheers

-Sir Justyn Baron of Mavis