Right about now is the time of year that resolutions start forming.  Being travelers, chances are taking more trips to New England country inns is high on your list.  Do a search for popular resolutions and you’ll find the same old pledges to lose weight, live a more healthy lifestyle and  and save money.  What you probably won’t find, however, is that Distinctive Inns of New England offer the  perfect resolution solution for just about any resolution you might decide upon for 2012. Whether it’s a romantic New England getaway or fine culinary adventure you’ve resolved for  the coming year, Distinctive Inns of New England will prove that resolutions don’t have to be work and in fact can be fun to achieve this year.

Get rid of stress in my life: Your answer: a spa getaway.  Choose between the Manor On Golden Pond and the Inn at Thorn Hill and you’ll be treated to fabulous couples massages, facials and all the treatments you need to caress your cares away.  Add to that fine food and accommodations and you’ll return with not a care in the world, ready to face the challenges of the week.

Eat more healthy: With a focus on farm-to-table and local fare, both the Rabbit Hill Inn and Chesterfield Inn are will offer resolution results when it comes to filling  your body with farm fresh and the highest quality culinary adventure, not to mention afternoon refreshments, tea and delicious dinners and breakfasts too.

Revive the Romance: While any DINE member inn will certainly offer the perfect solution here, the Cliffside Inn with newly designed rooms offers a great solution for revving the romance.  Baths with glass showers, deep whirlpool or soaking tubs and fireplaces are just the beginning.  Add Newport’s fabulous restaurants and waterfront, and this is one perfect place to refresh the romance.  Another perfect option for romance is the Captain’s House Inn.  Offering fireplaces in every room, many with deep double whirlpool baths, the spacious rooms paired with a winter Cape Cod getaway is as cozy and romantic as it gets!  Actually, many DINE members offer romantic getaway packages so this year, resolve to romance throughout New England.

Get inn and out and get fit: Explore the Berkshires with the Gateways Inn as your home base and spend the day hiking, biking or walking through beautiful New England towns. Rather go seaside?  Check into the Camden Maine Stay and climb Mount Battie for fabulous views of Camden Harbor, and then take to the slopes at the Camden Snowbowl!

Save money: Visit Distinctive Inns of New England and you’ll find a host of New England getaway packages offering money saving ideas. 

Discover something new: While Hurricane Irene sent a five foot wall of water through the first floor of the Deerfield Inn, the good news is that construction is underway and by summer time they’ll open their doors to a brand new restaurant and selection of guest rooms.  The anticipation is building while Deerfield Inn is closed for renovations, but in just a few months, this will be the place to discover what’s new in the Berkshires.

This year, resolve to DINE better and more often.  Happy New Year!

Planning to tie the knot this holiday season….in your apron that is??  Tis the season to get jolly in the kitchen, and innkeepers from Distinctive Inns of New England are here to not only provide luxury country inn getaways, but also the perfect ideas for holiday entertaining.  Leslie Mulcahy at the Rabbit Hill Inn passed along some great advice for making your holiday gathering easy and delicious.  ” Without doubt, shrimp is ALWAYS the first thing to disappear at a party,” she mused.  “This year, forget the typical shrimp cocktail. This chilled shrimp dish will be a HUGE hit at your holiday gathering.  It can easily be prepared in advance.  As a bonus, you won’t have to deal with a messy side bowl of dipping sauce,” advises Leslie.  In fact, no need to serve margaritas – the tequila is in the marinade!  Doubly easy. Check out Rabbit Hill Inn’s best guest entertaining suggestion.

Grilled Lime Tequila Shrimp from Rabbit Hill Inn

Preparation of the Marinade (Yield 1 ½ cups)

¼ cup lime juice, fresh squeezed

¼ cup tequila

½ Tbls garlic

2 Tbls shallots

6 Tbls olive oil

1 Tbls Dijon mustard

¾ tsp fresh black pepper

2 Tbls minced cilantro

4 Tbls minced parsley

-> Combine all ingredients and incorporate well.

Preparation of the Shrimp:

2 lbs large shrimp (deveined and shelled)

-> In ziplock bag, soak in marinade for 2-3 hours (longer if possible)

-> Remove shrimp from marinade and let drain for 2-3 minutes

-> Oil hot grill rack to prevent sticking

-> Grill on both sides until done (3-5 minutes total)

Serve warmed or chilled. Either way, it will be FANTASTIC!

There’s an interesting campaign underway sponsored by the B&B industry which might be of interest to everyone in search of  romantic New England getaways and New England travel.  A sort of “Got Milk” campaign to help travelers discover what today’s inn and B&Bs offer, the Better Way To Stay campaign is determined to show the world that inns and B&Bs are simply the better way to stay.  Recently a story about choosing an inn over a B&B appeared on the Better Way To Stay blog which is worth sharing  here with DINE guests who share a love of New England luxury travel.  If home for the holidays conjures up visions of anxiety rather than sugarplums for you, let us convince you that choosing a DINE inn rather than Mom’s lumpy sofa bed might be a great idea for you.  Here’s an excerpt from the Better Way To Stay blog about why inns might be the better choicde this holiday season…

It’s countdown to the holidays and while the family gathering is supposed to be joyful, the anticipation of sleepless nights on the sofabed…or worse yet blow up mattress… is not putting visions of sugarplums in your head.   While it takes less energy to smile than frown at family gatherings, sleepless nights in the uncomfortable guest bed – whatever it may be – means you’d better use caution that you don’t fall asleep while roasting chestnuts near the open fire. 

No need to lose any more sleep thinking about how to explain the dark circles under your eyes to Mom and the family.  There’s surely still plenty of room at the inn nearby.  Consider these ten reasons a B&B is the better way to stay this holiday season.

1.       Their walls don’t talk:    Everyone needs time to process that insensitive comment from the sister-in-law, crazy Aunt Helen’s antics or the re-gifting of the blue scarf you gave your brother last year.  Rather than being overheard at Mom’s house, retreat to a quiet B&B where you can rehash all the family fun with your spouse later in the evening.

2.       A place for your toothbrush:  Pet peeve #21 about staying at Mom’s: no room for the toilet kit.  Book a holiday stay at an inn or B&B close to Mom’s and you’ll have a private bath all to yourself.  And you don’t even have to put the toilet seat down if you don’t want to!

3.       Start the day out right:  While you know Mom wants you to get plenty of fiber, her idea of soupy oatmeal is not your idea of the perfect breakfast.  Since breakfast is the half the B&B’s name you can count on a delicious and hearty start to your day if you book a stay this holiday season.

4.       Greetings with a smile:  The holidays can take their toll on Mom and Dad, especially when company is involved.  Check into a nearby B&B and you’ll be greeted with a smile from an innkeeper who’s happy to carry your baggage rather than remind you of it.

5.       No need to make the bed:  You don’t make your bed at home but when you stay at Mom’s it’s not only a requirement it has to be done to her specs.  Leave the bed making to your innkeeper, and spend your holiday making holiday pies not beds.

To read the rest of the top reasons to choose an inn over Mom’s house this holiday season, go to http://www.betterwaytostay.com/blog/ and remember, this holiday season, make a New England Distinctive Inn your refuge.

It’s always amazed me that in a small consortium of nine inns, two of the DINE member inns are owned by innkeepers who’ve come from Italy.  You can imagine the meetings when DINE innkeepers get together – lessons in Italian and fine Italian food once in awhile too! I thought it might be fun to explore some Italian Christmas traditions, and Claudio Latanza, co-owner of the Camden Maine Stay Inn, along with his bride Roberta (also an Italian native) responded to my request for info about Italian holiday traditions with the tale of Befana.

While Befana does not bear any physical resemblance to the jolly old soul, her intentions are certainly as noble.  She arrives well after Santa has done his rounds, on the eve of the Epiphany (January 5  – just in time to catch plenty of after-Christmas sales!) so children awake on January 6 (celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany) to gifts.  Befana assumes the character of a kindly old witch.  She enters through the chimney to leave the gifts for the children in the big socks provided for this use.  According to Claudio, “the Befana  would bring gifts to the GOOD children, while the bad ones got only pieces of coal, which by the way were made of sugar and were not bad at all”.  Our question to Claudio is how many times did he get coal rather than candy?

According to Claudio, some of these age-old  traditions are changing in Italy.  He tells us that Italian families now gather on Christmas Eve to enjoy a family dinner and to exchange gifts, and increasingly, holiday lights and decorations are appearing in Italian neighborhoods, according to Claudio. Yet, I am sure that socks still are hung by Claudio and Roberta’s chimney in hopes that this year Befana will leave sweet gifts.

It’s holiday time and throughout DINE inns, holiday decorations are WOWing guests.  Fresh pine and red berries, baby’s breath, boxwood, and Santa hats add holiday cheer.  Yet for some decorating-challenged Martha-Stewart wanna be’s (like me), the holidays pose a particular challenge.  While we all want our homes to look like a distinctive inn, some of us simply don’t have the flair.  We asked DINE innkeepers to share some of their wisdom collected from years of creating breathtaking  settings during the holidays and beyond.  Here are some tips they shared.

From Judy Heuber at the Chesterfield Inn:

Here are my tips for easy-to-make decorations using nature’s holiday trim:

1) Add sprigs of boxwood to a traditional evergreen wreath for another dimension. The boxwood looks good for months, which is how long we keep Christmas wreaths up in Northern new England!

2) Fill a glass vase with fresh cranberries, add water, holly branches with berries and  big red bow.

3) Glue cinnamon sticks to a white pillar candle for a woodsy look, and set it in a shallow bowl filled with greens, red Christmas ornaments, and pine cones

From Leslie Mulcahy at the Rabbit Hill Inn:

1) Mantels are a focal point in all of our common rooms and each one deserves a unique décor treatment.  However, I need to decorate them in a quick & easy fashion.  I always begin with a high quality pre-lit green garland.  I then place varied heights of candle holders in the garland.  To prevent a fire hazard, I replace candles with large, striking ornaments on top of the candle holders (secure the ornaments to the holders using adhesive putty).  I decorate the garlands, to include some longer shaped ornaments cascading down the sides, and also adorn the back wall to create some height to the scene.  The soft glow of the lit mantel and light reflective decorations adds outstanding festive ambiance to any room.

2) Tree décor tips – add lights, then MORE lights, especially deep along the trunk of the tree for an awesome effect.  In addition to the traditional use of lights & ornaments, I also use a “filler” product to create a visual effect.  A recent example is a high quality artificial baby’s breath (ordered from a wholesale floral company).  I cut off most of the wire stem and place these flowers on the tree and deep inside the branches.

From Jill and James at Captain’s House Inn

This might not work for every dining room, but we add “Santa Hat Seat Backs” to the chairs in our dining room for a whimsical and fun effect.  The red and white hats along with our red tablecloths and tables decorated with natural greens create the perfect holiday scene.  Kids will love these too!

You want every moment of Christmas day to be special, and we all know that the best way to start the day is with a good breakfast.  Breakfast is half the name of the B&Bs and inn-members of Distinctive Inns of New England.  Here are two recipes shared by the Captain’s House Inn and Chesterfield Inn to make Christmas morning….or any other morning just a little more special.

Stollen Scones from Captain’s House Inn

Oven Temperature:   350°

Yield: Single batch  – 10 /12 scones, Double batch – 22 / 24 Scones

Cutter: #3 Plain Circular Edge Cutter

Ingredients (single batch)

2 Cups  all purpose flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

3 Tbsp sugar

½ tsp Cardamom

½ Cup butter

½ Cup mixed dried fruit

2 large eggs (for a double batch only use 3 eggs)

1/8 Cup  heavy cream

Ingredients – Egg Wash

1 egg

A little heavy cream

Pinch raw sugar

Method

1.     Sift the dry ingredients into the mixer and cut in the butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs and then incorporate the mixed dried fruit

2.     Add the eggs and then the cream a little at a time. Do not over moisten the dough.

3.     Roll the dough LIGHTLY to a ¾” thickness and use a #3 plain circular edge cutter to shape the scones.

4.     Place the scones on a greased cookie sheet and brush them lightly with egg wash (beat the two egg wash ingredients together).

5.     Sprinkle a little raw sugar on top.

6.     Bake for 15 minutes at 350° until they have risen and are lightly browned.

Christmas Morning Pancakes from Chesterfield Inn

Ingredients:

1 Cup whole milk

2 eggs

3 Tbsp, plus ½ t. vegetable oil

8 Tbsp. butter (1 stick), melted and cooled

1 Cup flour

4 tsp. baking powder

4 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

Mix together milk, eggs, and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl. Then whisk in butter. Stir together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in another bowl. Whisk in egg mixture until just combined. Heat   ½ teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet. Pour 1/3  cup portions of batter to make the pancakes, adding more oil between batches. Cook until bubbles form on the top of each pancake before flipping. Cook until undersides are golden. Serve with warm New Hampshire maple syrup.

You can add blueberries to them or serve with sugared strawberries  on top, but we like them just plain with syrup.

 Stay tuned for more great holiday recipes to be posted on the DINE blog soon!

Sometimes the holidays bring out the best in people, yet the shopping quandary can  also raise the ire of some not sure what to give this holiday season.  What to get Grandma and Grandpa who want nothing, yet give lavishly?  What about Aunt Helen, who sends a fruitcake each year, something that can’t even be re-gifted?  Mom and Dad travel, but have all the luggage and travel gadgets they could ever want.  The answer to the greatest-gift-query is simple.  This holiday season, give the gift of travel.

Travel comes in all sizes, shapes and colors.  It will easily adapt to every taste and fits every budget.  Best of all, it’s perfect for that hard to shop for person who has everything but enough fun in his or her life.  Eyes light up and minds start planning when they open the gift of travel.

This year, why not give the gift of a Distinctive Inn of New England getaway?    According to a recent BedandBreakfast.com survey, 90-percent of B&B travelers say they’ll travel as much or more next year, and two out of three of those travelers say they seek romantic destinations.  Send Mom and Dad to one of the nine DINE inns as your gift in 2012, and your gift won’t only bring smiles, it’ll offer a lasting memory of relaxing nights and fun-filled days.

Each of the Distinctive Inns of New England is also a member of Select Registry, a national consortium of inspected select inns and B&Bs.  Purchase a Select Registry gift certificate  and it can be used at any of the DINE inns for a 2012 getaway.  If you have a favorite DINE inn and would like to send your loved ones to one in particular, each of the DINE inns also offer their own gift certificates too.

This year Camden Maine Stay in scenic Camden, ME is offering a bonus for those purchasing gift certificates through December 31.  Buy a $100 Camden Maine Stay gift certificate and receive a $110 gift certificate.  Buy a $200 gift certificate and receive one for $225.  Buy a $300 gift certificate and receive a $50 bonus for a $350 total!  A seaside getaway to coastal Maine, Cape Cod or Newport RI, a mountain getaway to Jackson, NH, West Chesterfield, Lower Waterford, Lenox or Deerfield or a lakeside getaway to Holderness, NH all make the ideal gifts for that person who has everything but time for romance.

Contact your favorite DINE property this holiday season; they’ll each be happy to suggest just the right thing for everyone on your list.

Here’s to a successful shopping season and a joyful holiday!