BBAA NEWSLETTER....February 2010


 
 

Our 2010 Mini-Conference/Annual meeting was an outstanding success.  Members John & Shirley Wachtel hosted us at their B&B, Country Hideaway, Tuesday, January 19, and did a great job … the food was delicious!   Positive feedback from those that attended included the low cost and central location for our one day eventThank you, Mary Hightower and to all that worked to make it possible.  JoAnn Frazier, owner of Mistletoe Bough B&B in Alexander City, spoke to us on “Building Customer Relations”. Grey Brennan from the Alabama Tourism Department talked to us about “The Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns” and how we can take advantage of ATD’s promotions to draw folks to our B&Bs.   He also distributed new publications from ATD.  Give ATD a call at 1-800-ALABAMA and ask for James Brooks.  He can ship you a bulk supply.  New & updated publications include the 2010 Alabama Vacation Guide, 2010 Calendar of Events, 101 dishes to eat in Alabama before you die.  Thank you to all that attended… we enjoyed fellowshipping with old & new friends, the good food and guest speakers. 
Carolyn Waterman was this year’s Waldo Award recipient.  Carolyn has been an asset to BBAA from the time she joined over 6 years ago.  She has been a Board Member, Conference Chair for our Florence conference,  Standards Chairperson for many years.  Her integrity, wisdom and good sense were evident in all she did.  Thank you, Carolyn.  We wish you well in all your future endeavors and will forever value your friendship.
One of the many benefits of BBAA membership is being included in our Brochure.  Our 2010 Brochures were distributed to members at the conference to take home with them.  Those members not present will receive their supply via US mail.  We have already shipped 10,000 brochures to ATD to be distributed at the 8 Alabama Welcome Centers and overseas.   Our 4 major airports will also receive brochures to distribute to the public.  If you would like to have your B&B considered for the front cover, please e-mail a high resolution photo, that is more tall than square, in jpg format, to info@BedandBreakfastAlabama.com.  You may make the cover next year!!

BBAA had a full page inside back cover ad in the 2009 Alabama Vacation Guide.  This year, plans are in the works for an advertising campaign by BBAA on AL.comAlabama’s largest website that boasts over 1.1 million unique visitors and over 55 million page views each month. 
BBAA members will be included in a 3 full page sponsorship spread in the Stars of Alabama coffee table book, endorsed by Governor Riley.  This is a full color book “that will chronicle in words and photos, the life and times of world-famous Alabamians.”  The book will be “sold in bookstores locally and throughout the state, copies given to local schools & public libraries, distributed through national distributors such as Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Borders.com.”  It will be presented to visiting political representatives and delegates, and will be used by civic & governmental offices.  BBAA members will be able to purchase the book at a fraction of the cost for resale.  Hopefully it will be completed sometime in March of this year.

BBAA participated in the Governor’s Conference on Tourism in August/September which was held at the newly remodeled Grand Hotel in Point Clear.  A few of our members were able to attend and enjoy the conference.  Members Bonnie Ponstein & Richard Mixon hosted the BBAA table, which included BBAA Brochures for handout & a slideshow presentation of each of our B&Bs with additional photos from your websites.


This year, we are working to partner with the Louisiana/Mississippi B&B Conference which will be held sometime in the summer months.  Make plans to attend!

The BBAA Website remains our main marketing/advertising tool.  We consistently come up #1 on search engines.  Earl Hardy is our Website Administrator and diligently works to keep our website current.  Three new members joined this year and were added to the website.  Bill & Betty Maloney, owners of Longing for Home located in Rogersville & Cammie & Obby Hallmark, owners of The Cabin at the Lodge located in Hayden.  What a pleasure it was to meet Bill & Betty and Obby, who attended our conference.  The Original Romar House, who were members in the past and closed for repair after Hurricane Ivan, also became members.  Welcome!  Please be sure to add a link from your personal website to the BBAA website.   You can e-mail Earl Hardy at info@BedandBreakfastAlabama.com and request the BBAA Logo to add to your website … having your website linked with BBAA will be of benefit to you.

Many of you will be reinspected this year ... JoAnn Frazier, Mistletoe Bough, will be taking over for Carolyn Waterman, as BBAA Standards Chair and will be contacting you to update the documents in your file.  Our Independent Inspectors will also be contacting you to set up a mutually agreeable time to perform your reinspection.

The Bed and Breakfast Association of Alabama has a page on Facebook thanks to member Ellen Mixon of River Rest!  Many of you have become Fans.  You can also add the link to your personal website to the BBAA Facebook page.

 

 
 

BBAA NEWSLETTER....August 15, 2008

Editor: Carmen Day, Quaint on Brooklyn B&B
 

OK.  I am back.  Sorry for the delay, but I have been in a whirlwind, or maybe you could call it a tornado.

"To me old age is always fifteen years older than I am."  I wish I could take credit for that statement since I am turning 60 this month, but I will have to give the credit to Bernard Baruch.

At thirty I thought I had my life mapped out.  At forty, I found out I was wrong and had taken some wrong turns.  At fifty, I cried and thought everything worth happening was over, and found out that it was the best time of my life.  At sixty....so far it has been sad.  My best friend of thirty years, passed away due to cancer and my dear friend, Katherine, had a stroke and is in rehab.  What am I going to do?  Don was always there when I needed to vent about work, and Katherine tended to the flowers, told me what was a weed and what not to pull up because it was a real plant. She kept everything watered and ready for the next event, be it guests or a wedding.  And she didn't yell at me when I went crazy with the Round-Up.

Just got back from an assignment in Guntersville.  What a beautiful place.  The scenery, the mountains, the trees are beautiful.  There is not a lot to do unless you are into water sports, but if you want to rest and just get away, I recommend that you make your reservations now for the January Conference.  ß-link to Conference info)   There are boat rentals at the Guntersville Boat mart.  And many good recommended places to eat, such as Top of the River, El Camino, Winzells Oyster House, Garners Bar B Que for ribs, and the Blue Parrot Lounge.   There is also an outstanding buffet on Sunday morning at the Lodge.  Deb Stone has tentatively agreed to do the Aspiring Innkeepers, and I think Bonnie is going to do the Innsitters.  We will also have the ServSafe class.  I recommend this if you haven't done it already.  It will be required soon. Very informative.  These three classes will be held on Sunday.  I don't mean to bore you with repeating all of this every newsletter, just trying to keep you informed so you can make your plans.

Several of the men are interested in playing a round of golf on Sunday.  We are hoping to come up with something special for the ladies while the men golf.  I know that Boaz is supposed to be a great outlet mall.  However, when I was there about a year ago, things looked pretty slow.  I will talk to the Chamber and see what is happening.  You know, if the girls don't want to shop, maybe we can come up with an art project or a cooking class.  Any volunteers? 

Mary Hightower of Columbus Street Inn in Fayette, was kind enough to share her Chocolate Chip Banana Split Pancake Recipe with us this month.  Thank you again, Mary.  This sounds like a dessert for breakfast.  My kind of meal.

2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk
2 Tbs. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
1 large banana, chopped
1/2 miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Sliced fresh strawberries
Sliced bananas
Whipped cream

1.  Heat griddle to 375 degrees or heat skillet over medium-high heat; spray with nonstick spray. 

2. Beat eggs in large bowl with wire whisk until lightly beaten.  Beat in flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, butter, and vanilla.  Stir in chopped banana and chocolate chips.

3.  For each pancake, pour batter by slightly less than 1/2 cupfuls onto hot griddle or skillet.  Cook about 1 1/2 minutes or until puffed and dry around edges.  Turn; cook other sides until golden brown.

4.  Layer 3 pancakes on each plate, placing strawberry and banana slices in between pancakes.  Top with whipped cream and a fanned strawberry.  (Layers look really pretty when staggered instead of straight to allow the strawberry and banana slices in between to "peak out.")

Also, Mary wanted me to mention that everyone is invited to her son's wedding. (You are so brave.)  The bride and groom’s names are Bethany Johnson and Mark Hightower.  It will be Friday, August 29 at 7:00pm The ceremony and reception will be held at Piney Grove Freewill Baptist Church in Beaverton, Al.  (See photos of Mark & Bethany and invitation.)

Sorry guys, I messed up once again, had a beautiful newsletter and lost it to cyberspace.  Oh, well.  Maybe I can improve on this one......

It is so hot outside; I guess I don't need to remind anyone of that fact.  It feels good to sit down in front of the laptop and vent a little.  There is a wedding tomorrow and the ladies are out front decorating the arbor and probably wishing it were December.   Whoever decided summer was the time to have a wedding!!!

Actually all of mine were winter months except one, and that didn't last either.  Oh, well.  I do believe it is going to rain.  Now that is going to be a trip.  The last wedding I hosted, it rained also.  Can't control Mother Nature.  I keep trying to tell everyone that, but no one listens.

Well, I should know the news by heart, but I had better check my notes, just to be on the safe side.  For starters, the Garden Path Inn is still for sale and would be a wonderful opportunity if you are looking to get into the business.  Alexandria and RJ's is still open for business.  Saw Kim and Randy today, and everything is going well.  Sweet Gum Bottom and Camellia House have had busy summers thus far, and we hope the trend continues.  Laura Oswald's daughter, Lindsey, appeared in the LBW College summer production of The Boy Friend, which was produced by Kathy Dowdy.  The show was August 1 and 2nd at the Dixon Theatre in Andalusia.

Just a brief mention of the July Board Meeting and a chance to throw in some pictures of all the beautiful people.  There was a lot of input and creativity as well as willingness to participate in the work of BBAA.  Sheila & Ira Chaffin, Cobb Lane B&B, were gracious hosts.  Their home is fabulous. If you haven't seen it you need to take the time to "drop Inn ". 

The next Board meeting is planned for Tuesday, October 14 at the Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge.

Just a reminder to update your webpage on the BBAA website for the 2009 Brochure.  All the info in the brochure will be taken off of your BBAA Webpage. 

Congratulations to Bay Breeze.  They were written up in Southern Breeze as being "eco" friendly.  We all need to be aware of the environment and the issues we face today.  Let's take an example from Bay Breeze.

A dear correspondent, someone who always sends a friendly note, just celebrated her 40th birthday with her family in Destin.  She stopped in with a friend and had tea at the Smith-Byrd House on her way down.  Beth and Dave are up and funning, I mean running.  Congrats to them and to the fab 40's

Can anyone give me any info on Larry Fidel, President of AHA and ARA?  As you probably know he was in a car accident in June and underwent surgery at USA .  Please remember him and his family in your prayers. Here is a link to a site that’s been set up for news about Larry: http://www.alabamarestaurants.com/index2.cfm

Now, more info on the Murder Mystery Parties....  The party is held around 6pm .  It takes about three hours to complete.  You could serve appetizers during the first act, dinner between acts two and three, and dessert when it is finished.  The preparation involves communicating with the participants to get them their assigned parts and give them a chance to assemble their costumes.  The invitation gives them the info they need to get ready.  It is apparently a tremendous amount of fun with laughs galore.  Please contact JoAnn Frazier from Mistletoe Bough Bed and Breakfast if you need more information.

One of our own, Suzanne Haley, owner of Roses and Lace B&B in Ashville, underwent surgery on the 4th at St. Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham.  She was resting comfortably Tuesday morning and was planning on being released that afternoon to return home.  She will be undergoing chemotherapy, also.  Please keep her in your prayers and I'm sure she would appreciate your notes of encouragement.  Suzanne's e-mail is Suzanne@20roselane.com 

Well, this is the end of another newsletter.  I had my doubts if I was going to get it out.  First with that noose of depression, I call it a noose because that is what it feels like, or maybe an albatross.  And then with the whole cyberspace thing, what was that all about.  What can I say....life goes on.  We have worked diligently all year, so whether we sit on the beach, take a tour of the USA or of a foreign country, or simply stay at home this summer, stop for a moment to remember, to be aware of what makes you feel happy.  Create and think of good memories, the possibilities, the rewards, and being in touch with family and friends.  

Happiness does not depend on outward things,
but on the way we see them.    
      

                                                    Leo Tolstoy