25th Year Anniversary Feature - Raleigh Downtowner

Here's the link to the Raleigh Downtowner, a local newpaper, that expounds on the goodness of Raleigh Downtown: http://www.raleighdowntowner.com/RaleighDowntowner-Vol5-Iss11.pdf. The Oakwood Inn Bed & Breakfast has a very nice and wonderful story on the 25th Anniversary of the Inn. The Raleigh Downtowner talks about the Inn and the wonderful reunion of the past innkeepers, with their first Inn guests in 1984 and the current Innkeeper, Doris Jurkiewicz. It's a great story that I am surprised that CNN or Oprah have not picked up yet. You can't beat an up-lifting story like this, compared to all the murder and mayhem that occurs in our daily lives. Yeah.... it is a little boring, except to those who are close emotionally to the Inn... like my daughters in Michigan.

In the same issue, it talks about a great party downtown having to do with collecting toys for tots. The Oakwood Inn gave away a one night stay at the Inn for a $139 value for a door prize. The party was on Thursday, December 17, 2009. Hope a wonderful nice couple won it, so they can have a nice quiet and romantic evening out on the town but staying with us at The Oakwood Inn Bed & Breakfast. It was for a great cause... toys for those children who would have been without this Christmas. No Scrooge at The Oakwood Inn B & B!!

Downtown Raleigh Ice Rink

Yup... Downtown Raleigh has a beautiful lighted Christmas tree in the Plaza. A nice tall one brightly lite. We also have an ice skating rink in the Plaza downtown. Un-huh... an ice rink down in the South! I'm not sure if it is real ice or that fake plastic stuff. Sounds kinda nice, though. I almost wish I didn't sell my hockey skates! In case you plan on coming to visit Raleigh over the next few weeks, and want to do some skatin', well... bring your skates.

Admission to the AT&T Raleigh Winterfest Ice Rink will be $6.00 per person, which includes the rental of a pair of ice skates. The admission price is the same whether you rent skates at the rink or bring your own. The new skating rink can hold up to 140 skaters. The hours of operation vary, so be sure to check the Winterfest website for details. It is a 40-by-85-foot rink, kept frozen by portable chillers, will be open seven days a week through Jan. 31 at City Plaza on Fayetteville Street, between the Progress Energy and BB&T buildings.
Admission, including skate rental, is $6 for as long as your legs hold up. The rink can hold up to 140 skaters at a time, though the ice may be crowded at that capacity.

I can't seem to find a good photo of the rink, but it looks like a hockey rink with boarded sides. Something different to do down in the South.

GRAND HOTEL of Mackinac Island

My cousin, Sandi and her husband Carl came to visit over Thanksgiving. Both of them work at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island which is right at the tip of the "mitten" of Michigan. Actually, the island is between the two peninsulas. We had a great time with them. Ate dinner at 18 Seaboard and J. Betski's in Raleigh. Two of our favorite restaurants. This was the forth times the they have come to Raleigh to visit and it usually is over the Thanksgiving Holiday. The hotel and actually the whole island close down for the winter.

If you never have been to Mackinac Island, you need to make room on your calendar and go some time. The only mode of transportation on the Island is by bicycle, horse, horse and carriage, or walk. No cars or trucks are allowed on the island, so it sort of brings you back to yesteryear. The only way to get to the island is by ferry or fly. There's a small landing strip in the middle of the island.

There's a lot of interesting history for you history buffs. A lot of small gift stores for you shoppers. And for those with a sweet tooth... well, there are the fudge shops. One on almost every corner. The fudge is good and it comes in all flavors, but honestly, they all taste about the same to me... however, I am not a fudge connoisseur. However, the thing that I do love about the fudge shops is watching them make it. Some of the shops have a little entertainment setup with the fudge makers, who are usually good looking male and female college students, singing a little song and maybe a little dance. Quite entertaining!

Another interesting note about the Grand Hotel (http://www.grandhotel.com/) is that this is where the movie, Somewhere In Time, was filmed. It starred a young Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour in a wonderful love story about a young playwright who goes back in time to meet a woman he met in at his opening night of his play. The Grand Hotel is where he supposedly met this woman back in time... in another life. Beautiful music.

The Hotel boasts having the largest wooden porch in the world. The Hotel is made out of North While Pine native to Michigan. It is a very exclusive place, high end, but very charming and very good food. Your room rate includes breakfast and dinner.

If you have not had a chance to visit Mackinac, you really should. And, of course, don't forget about visiting Raleigh. We may not be the Grand Hotel (although the Oakwood Inn is made almost entirely of wood), and we may have cars drive through our neighborhood, and we may not have fudge shops, but we have the same historical charm and homemade cookies!
Sandi and Carl always have a great time when they come and visit and we certainly enjoy their company. Hope they can make it again next year, and maybe bring her brother (my other cousin) Brennan and his wife Peg.