Ahh, Placerville Brewfest is here…

Upcoming Theater events

Our pals at IT have some very cool stuff coming up…..you are welcome to join us (and them) at these events which are close to the bed and breakfast in Placerville.
Come to Dracula’s Lair – Thursday, April 30
Porter Media Group and Imagination Theater will be premiering the film trailer for the anticipated multi-media production of Bram Stoker’s Dracula at Cascada at 384 Main St , Placerville from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30.

All are welcome to attend the premier and support the project. A portion of the proceeds from the full service bar, 50% of the tips, and proceeds from a great raffle will go toward funding the remaining part of the project. For more information, please call Tammy Troyer (Porter Media Group) 530.417.3571 or Lanny Langston (Imagination Theater) at 530.903.6361.

Legendary Ladies of Country – June 26th at 8:00 p.m.
Join Joni Morris and the After Midnight Band for a fun evening with music from some of Country Music’s most legendary female artists. After last year’s sold out performance, Joni returns to IT! with a new show on Friday, June 26 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for $25.00 and can be purchased by calling 530-642-0404.

Calling all innkeepers and those who are aspiring innkeepers…

It is not too late to join Rita and I in Monterey for the 2009 INNSPIRE CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW. As usual the Albert Shafsky House will be attending to network with other innkeepers, attend the trade show to seek out new goodies for the rooms and guests to enjoy put on by the State Bed and Breakfast Association. This year the 2009 InnSpire Conference and Trade Show will be in beautiful Monterey, California where the famous 17-Mile Drive meets 17 years of CABBI’s dedication to educating innkeepers.

The 2009 InnSpire Conference and Trade Show will take place February 1-3, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Resort & Spa, located at One Old Golf Course Road, Monterey, CA 93940.

Innkeepers will share ideas with each other, aspiring innkeepers will get to find out if they have what it takes to make their dream a reality and all will have a great time at the trade show and getting to know one another better. We look forward to the CABBI conference all year!

Art and Wine Festival Jan. 24th

If you have never attended this wonderful event, here is your chance.  Taste more than 30 different wines from El Dorado County and get a chance to bid on original artwork that helps community members.  Book at the Albert Shafsky House for the event and we will comp your tickets (2 night min.) to the event a $50 value.  Stay either Friday-Saturday or Saturday-Sunday whatever works for you.  Limited to the first 3 couples that mention this special.

Innkeeping Conference in Monterey Super Bowl Weekend

Yes, it is that time of year when we put away the decorations at the Albert Shafsky House and think about heading to the California Bed and Breakfast (CABBI) which will be held in Monterey later this month…This year it happens to fall on Super Bowl weekend and we are so looking forward to wearing our favorite team jerseys to the event.  Go Niners!

This year the conference will be combining the aspiring innkeepers with the “old hands” (like us I suppose now).  Rita is going to be speaking this year about what it is like to live where you work, a topic we are intimately familiar with and I will we hosting a workshop on Blogs and Social Networking.

If you are interested in attending this great, informative, networking, trade show event, please click here.

FACTS:
17th Annual CABBI InnSpire Conference
Date: February 1-3, 2009
Where: Hyatt Regency Monterey
Website: www.innspireconference.com
Direct them here where they can register, look at the schedule & workshop descriptions, Hyatt info etc.
Or this link is right to the schedule and workshop descriptions:
http://www.innspireconference.com/conference-schedule.php

Murder Mystery Weekend Jan. 2009

magine spending a quiet weekend in Beautiful Historic Placerville “Hangtown” located in California’s Gold Country.

All of a sudden you find yourself in the middle of a murder!!! It’s up to you to solve the crime before any else!

Who was the victim? Who wanted them dead? What is the history behind the brutal murder? What are the facts that will solve this case? It’s up to you to find out!!!!

Are you up for the challenge?

Murder Mystery Weekend Placerville, Ca
A Weekend of Mystery in California’s Gold Country.
The Murder Mystery Weekend starts January 24, 2009. Your ticket will include the Friday nights “Murder Mystery Dinner”, Saturday nights dinner, ice cream social on Sunday where the murder is solved and the best sleuth of the murder mystery weekend is announced. And two nights stay at either the Albert Shafsky House B and B or another of the local B and B’s or hotel is also included. This package is $395.00 and covers 2 people.

For Reservations, call our pals at “What’s The Scoop?” Ice Cream & More 530 – 621 – 4400

Sample breakfast at the Placerville Bed and Breakfast

THe reason people stay at B&B’s is partly breakfast, always a special treat at the Albert Shafsky House in Placerville.

Upcoming events in Placerville, near our bed and breakfast

Need and reason to get away?

AUGUST 10th, Craft Faire, 8AM – 3PM. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. For info call (530) 672-3436.

AUGUST 16th, Girls’ Night Out, 6PM to 9PM. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. For info call (530) 672-3436.

SEPTEMBER 28th, Antique Street Faire, – 8AM to 3PM. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. For info call (530) 672-3436.

OCTOBER 5th, Hangtown Jazz Jubilee, 11AM – 5PM. For info call (530) 622-8186.

OCTOBER 18th, Art & Wine Festival, 6PM – 9PM. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association. For info call (530) 672-3436.

OCTOBER 31st, Trick or Treat on Main Street, 4PM to 6PM. For info call (530) 672-3436.

NOVEMBER 28th, Festival of Lights, 5:30PM – 8PM. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association.For info call (530) 672-3436.

NOVEMBER 28th & 29th, Merchants Open House, Extended Hours. Sponsored by the Placerville Downtown Association.For info call (530) 672-3436.

DECEMBER 7th, 31st Annual Christmas Parade, 1PM. on Historic Main Street.Sponsored by Jim & Cathy McIntire.For info call (530) 621-5885.

Of course you can contact us at the Albert Shafsky House B&B in Placerville to arrange a room at the inn.

Bed and breakfast inns (without children)?

Many people associate inns with antiques and peace & quiet, but there is certainly no “rule” about this. Our policy at the Albert Shafsky House B&Bis that only 2 persons are allowed in the room overnight….so if you want to bring your daughter or son, and that means there are now 4 in your party…you would need to rent 2 of our rooms. That is certainly fine to do, and if you are bringing your son or daughter as a single traveler, we would be delighted to have the 2 of you stay with us….

Here is the article in the paper that prompted me to post this….

Travel Q & A: Why are children not generally welcomed at bed-and-breakfast inns?

Article Launched: 06/23/2008 11:38:39 AM PDT in the San Jose Mercury News.

Why are children not generally welcomed at bed-and-breakfast inns? I would like to understand the rationale behind this rule. And it would be wonderful if you could write about inns that are kid-friendly.
- Kim Nguyen, San Jose Imagine all the couples sitting at B&B breakfast tables right now, reading this and choking on their freshly baked orange-currant scones at the very prospect of a rug-rat invasion!
But before banishing you and your little darlings to a campground, we decided to check with the California Association of Bed & Breakfast Inns for a little history and a policy update.
“Historically, B&Bs have been associated with romantic getaways and offer quiet, quaint retreats from the hustle-bustle of life,” said Stacy Rollo, spokeswoman for the California association. “Many inns still cater to this customer and want to be known as a quiet haven.”
But, like others in the lodging industry, B&Bs have had to change with the times. Parents increasingly want to take their children along on long-weekend getaways, and many crave a civilized inn experience.
In fact, for the past five years, Rollo says, the industry has heard from more and more families who want to shun the high-rise hotel experience.
So now, 25 percent of the California association’s 300 inns are family-friendly.

Now that I am an innkeeper, now what do I do?

So, you have decided to become an innkeeper and purchased the perfect place…now the trick is to keep your sanity while working your dream job.

When we first took over the Albert Shafsky House B&B in Placerville, which had been a dream, we worked 18 hour days for several weeks.  It was grueling, it was hard and it was stupid…I am sure we were not nearly as prepared for guests as we should have been, since we were exhausted.  There was so much to do…

There is still much to do all these years later, but we have learned how to take care of guests and ourselves.  Treat yourself…take a day off now and then….leave the inn to an innsitter (a good one) and take a vacation…or a long weekend…if you are not rested, how will you possibly take care of your guests?