Calling All Chocoholics for the Chocolate Festival 2-28-10!

If you like chocolate as much as I do, you'll love cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or driving to various inns and businesses to be rewarded with a myriad of chocolate goodies!  

The Buttonwood Inn already booked guests for this popular annual event on Sunday, February 28, 2010.  You can click on the following link or visit our website under Winter Packages - 20th Annual Chocolate Festival:  http://www.buttonwoodinn.com/chocolate-festival-lodging-package.html 

Christmas

Christmas Day may be behind us but the Inn is as 'Chistmassy' as ever with the smell of Paula's freshly baked scones and her baked cheddar cheese omelette. Our skiers today are headed to Wildcat and Bretton Woods for some downhill and cross-country skiing, respectively. The newest picture album addition on Facebook is chock full of Chritmas shots of the Inn taken yesterday. Hope you like them!!

Paula and I were able to connect with our family's annual Christmas get-together in New Jersey via Webcam and it was so wonderful to be able to participate in the blessing before dinner even if we were not there physically.

Have a Cranapalooza New Year's Holiday

Cranapalooza - It's a Festival!

When the sun goes down in North Conway and the lights illuminate the trails of Cranmore, the festivities begin. Saturday nights from Dec. 26, 2009 to March 13, 2010, guests will enjoy a variety of events throughout the resort in addition to top-to-bottom night skiing and tubing. Returning for its sixth season, Cranapalooza is a festival of music, entertainment and games with North Conway's favorite penguin, C-More. Additional Cranapalooza dates include a special New Year's Eve edition on Thurs., Dec. 31, 2009 and Wed., February 17, 2010. the Buttonwood is right down the street from the Cranmore Ski Resort. Still time to reserve for our extra Special New Year's Eve Package so don't delay.

Cranapalooza kicks off the season on December 26, 2009. As guests finish up a day of skiing and riding or arrive for the nighttime festivities, they can enjoy activities beginning at 2 p.m. Activities change weekly and include fireworks on select dates, games with C-More, magicians and puppets, fireworks, face painting, hypnotists, live entertainment, hot chocolate and s'mores around the fire pit and Après Ski with live music in Zip's Pub.

Another popular activity coming back for this winter is the spectacular fireworks display set off over the slopes. Fireworks will light the skies at 7:30pm on the following dates: Dec. 31, Jan. 16, Jan. 30, Feb. 13, Feb. 20, and Mar. 6th. Our guests can even view them from our front porch or out our dining room window along with the lights on the Cranmore Ski slopes.

Cranapalooza lift tickets are just $29 and are valid for night skiing for all ages from 2 - 8p.m. Night skiing is offered on 11 trails and 3 lifts for all ability levels, including the Darkside and Other Side Terrain Parks, Beginner Basin, South Slope, North Slope, Hurricane and more. Cranmore's top rated Arctic Blast Tubing Park is also open Saturday and holiday evenings until 9pm. The Buttonwood has discounted tubing tickets for our guests too!

Want the best value for night time activities? Buy the new Super Slider ticket. This all-inclusive ticket covers night skiing (2-8pm), two hours of snow tubing (anytime between 2-9pm), and two hours of Fun Zone admission (between 3-8pm). Tickets are valid for all ages and must be used by one individual on one date. The Super Slider ticket is only for sale on Cranapalooza dates.

Want to know what's going on at the next Cranapalooza? It's all listed here on their events calendar.

Santa's Village north of the Buttonwood

There's is a lot going on in the Valley and here abouts over the Christmas and New Year's Holidays. Besides the obvious skiing you can visit Santa's reindeer at Santa's Village north of the Buttonwood and have a holly Jolly old time with the big bearded guy in the red suit!

Just an hour from North Conway you can experience a day filled with wonderfully themed rides, great shows, Santa and his reindeer. Oh What Fun!
One low admission includes unlimited use of all the rides and shows for the entire day and if you come in within 3 hours of closing and you can return another day free of charge.
With all there is to see and do at Santa's Village, who wouldn't go!
Santa's Village is open from Memorial Day weekend through the summer and over the fall and holidays too!

Starry Starry Night at the Buttonwood

Beautiful night with a crescent moon and the constellation Orion is lookiing crisp in the southeastern sky. The telescope is set up on the back porch pointing towards the big dipper. Cold as it is outside there is something about trying to find a heavenly object that we haven't seen before that just seems to negate the cold. Of course this picture of us with the telescope was taken in the spring but it's the same scope that we use to peruse the heavens.

Christmas and New Years Specials at The Buttonwood Inn

Prepping for the Christmas and New Year's Eve visitors now that Polar Express is over. Our guests are going to have a great time with special treats and offerings here and in the Mount Washington Valley. There are still fireplace rooms and a double jacuzzi room available for the Christmas weekend and http://www.buttonwoodinn.com/New-Years-Eve-Lodging-Package.html. We are ...even running a special discount on the Chamber of Commerce's website so there are many reasonable options for those who haven't firmed up their plans yet. Take a look at our New Year's Eve package. It's sure to please!

Chocolate Chip Pancake Time!

Paula's special chocolate chip pancakes had the kids beaming this morning and the parents loved their corn meal pancakes all with sausages and hot maple syrup and a freshly cut fruit salad starter. During December we also add our Polar Express juice special, a mix of pomegranate and cranberry to the menu along with our... Mt. Surprise Sunrises (OJ & Pom) and Sunsets (OJ & Cran). The kids and parents are headed to the Cranmore snowtubing park today and to the free Mt. Washington Observatory museum and shoppes in North Conway. 

Visitor's to the Buttonwood Inn

Little Lia (4) just arrived with her parents. They will be taking the Polar Express train this evening from the North Conway railway station and is she excited! During the tour of the Inn I showed them the Mt. Surprise room. We have the movie "Polar Express" playing on the 50 inch plasma and Lia's little eyes were wide... as they could be when she saw it. Lia and her mom also liked the New England Village ceramic houses in the Mt. Surprise room, all lit up with a snowy background. Guess what---our family of 6 just arrived. Alexander, Olivia, Jarred, and Aidan have been here before with their parents. They are like part of the family having first visited us back in 2007. They will be taking the Polar Express train ride tomorrow. By the way the Polar Express movie is based on the 1985 book written by Chris Van Allsburg.

The Buttonwood Inn - Special Holiday Gift Offer

Happy Holidays from The Buttonwood Inn!

Paula and I would like to extend to you this special offer.

Show Someone How Much You Care!

Special Holiday Gift Offer!

A memorable gift for that someone special. Give them the pleasure of a stay in a "magical place"! Enjoy blissfully old fashioned hospitality, cozy fireplaces, and gourmet breakfasts.

The Buttonwood Inn

For every $100 spent in gift certificates, we will give you $20 toward your next stay in 2010!

Our gift certificates can be used at any time for Holiday and winter weekends or for special packages such as: (Click on any of the following links for some examples)


New Year's Eve 2009 Package
Harvest to Holiday Shop 'til You Drop Package
"Ski It Your Way" Ski Tickets, Dinner and More
Ski & Stay Mid-Week Special

Or for one of our special theme weekends like:


Romance Package
March Maple Madness
Ghosts and Goblin Trail Package


Contact us toll free at 1-800-258-2625 by December 18, 2009
to ensure the mailing reaches you or the person receiving the gift certificate before the 25th.

The Mt Washington Valley Arts Association (MWVAA)

NORTH CONWAY 12/7/09: The Mt Washington Valley Arts Association (MWVAA) is featuring a special Bob DeIulio Exhibit and Molly Doe Wensberg Raffle during its "Affordable Art Show and Sale" through December 20, at the MWV Visual Arts Center, 16 Norcross Place.

As part of the MWVAA "Affordable Art Show and Sale," there is a tribute exhibit of deceased member Bob DeIulio's work. DeIulio's work features the vitreous flux medium. Vitreous flux is a watercolor medium where water is first loaded onto an impervious surface with pigment then being added. The pigment is then manipulated using a variety of tools to create expressionistic images. DeIulio was a student of David Baker, the originator of this unique watercolor method. The exhibit includes original framed worked and matted prints.

Member Molly Doe Wensberg, an award-winning oil painter donated an oil painting, "A View Toward Jackson" with a retail value of $2500 to the MWVAA to raffle off as a fundraiser. Raffle tickets are available at the MWV Visual Arts Center in Norcross Place during the "Affordable Art Show and Sale." Tickets are $5 each or three for $10. The winning raffle ticket will be drawn on Sunday, November 20at 4PM.

The "Affordable Art Show and Sale" runs Friday through Sunday through December 20, from 10AM to 5PM (4PM on December 20) at the MWV Visual Arts Center, 16 Norcross Place. The show and sale features the work of many local two and three dimensional fine artists, artisans and craftspeople with all work priced from $10 to $250.

For complete information on all events at the MWV Visual Arts Center visit the center online at mwvarts.org or call 603-356-ARTS (2787). The MWV Visual Arts Center is the place to see, learn and connect with the visual arts.

Two Great New Cookbooks

While on vacation recently, I read two new cookbooks in my daughter's New York apartment.  This past Fall, I watched the series on PBS with Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Mark Bittman traveling through Spain enlightening us about its culture, history, and cuisine.  Since I missed an episode or two, the book closely follows the series and also includes the recipes, many that are easy to prepare based on Mario's detailed explanations.  As in Batali's previous cookbook, "Molto Mario," the recipes are easy and fool-proof in producing authentic Italian dishes.

If you're planning a cocktail party or just want to create a special drink or appetizer, Kelly Casey, matches up the apps to the sips (cocktails).  There are trendy drink recipes and different variations on the classic drink recipes.  She also makes recommendations on glassware and barware.

I typically purchase used, like new or new, books online either from Amazon or Barnes & Noble often at half to two-thirds of the cost of a new cookbook.

Happy Cooking!

Ghost & Goblins Inn-to-Inn Halloween Tour - October 2009

This year, our 2009 Ghost & Goblins Traill Inn-to-Inn Tour brought the most costumed guests to many of our inns in the Mt. Washington Valley on Halloween.  Participants were serious about winning the game for first prize of a two-night stay at any one of our Bed & Breakfast Inns Mt. Washington Valley, including several other gifts donated by the inns.  They also had the opportunity to sample various sweet and savory treats and view the interiors of each inn.  To view more information about this event, please click on the above links and contact us to book your 2010 Ghost & Goblins Trail package now.

Mountain Garden Club's Annual Holiday Boutique "Winter Wonderland"

The Mountain Garden Club's Annual Holiday Boutique "Winter Wonderland" is on Saturday, December 12th at the North Conway Community Center next to Schouler Park in North Conway Village. The doors open at 9:30 AM and the boutique lasts until everything is gone. It usually sells out by 11:30 AM, so come early! As always..., there will be a wonderful selection of seasonal decorations, ornaments and holiday gifts, all made by the Mountain Garden Club members, as well as the ever-popular Shabby Chic table with slightly used "treasures." The Children’s Table will feature holiday presents, such as jewelry, scarves, candles, knick knacks, non-breakable ornaments, etc., for Mom, Dad, siblings, relatives, teachers, etc. All these items can be purchased for just 25 or 50 cents. There will also be outdoor seasonal hanging baskets that can be reused in the spring, indoor holiday greens baskets and centerpieces, boxwood trees, candles with decorated boxwood bobeches, hydrangea wreaths, fragrant paperwhite narcissus and dramatic amaryllis. The proceeds from the Holiday Boutique benefit the Mountain Garden Club's Valley-wide beautification projects, the MGC Alice T. Madden Scholarship Fund and Jen’s Friends.cost:free