Posts Tagged ‘Hodgdon Island Inn’
BOOTHBAY BED AND BREAKFAST HODGDON ISLAND INN SENDS FRIENDLY REMINDER DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME
March 7th, 2013 by richard-pamela-riley
HODGDON ISLAND INN BED & BREAKFAST BOOTHBAY HARBOR REGION PANCAKES AND BLIZZARDS
February 10th, 2013 by richard-pamela-riley
Today is Day 2 of the Blizzard of 2013 or as The Weather Channel has dubbed it, “Winter Storm Nemo”. Richard and I are sending good thoughts to fellow New Englanders affected by the blizzard. We also say “thanks” to all of our friends, neighbors and Hodgdon Island Inn Alumni who have been keeping us in their thoughts and prayers – we greatly appreciate the love and concern.
Whether you choose to call it “the blizzard” or “Winter Storm Nemo” it doesn’t alter the fact that we are dealing with virtual whiteout conditions, excessive winds, massive amounts of snow, and huge drifts – first to the south and then to the north! Needless to say, Richard and I are having a delightful day in.
Richard has started painting again. I love watching him as he brings the images on canvas to life. In the background we are listening to some of our favorite DVDs (mostly British dramas and/or mysteries, and okay, yes, the odd episode of Downtown Abbey). And me you ask? What am I doing? Well, I am curled up on the exquisite down-filled chaise lounge reading. Reading what you ask?! I am trading back and forth from cookbook (Ina Garten) to Kindle (yes, I’m afraid I’ve succumbed to technology) and to an old, but much loved, paperback copy of Lilian Jackson Braun’s The Cat Who Saw Red.
In The Cat Who Saw Red, the hero, a newspaperman named James McIntosh Qwilleran, has been given a new assignment of “food reviewer” for his imaginary newspaper, The Daily Fluxion. I have to admit it’s making me hungry – hence the switch to the cookbook. And what does one make for dinner in the middle of a blizzard?!
Answer: pancakes! Yum! So that starting me thinking about pancakes – you know – where did they come from? How long have they been around, etc? So, here are a few fun facts:
1) Archaeological evidence suggests that pancakes are probably the earliest and most widespread cereal food eaten in prehistoric societies
2) The Oxford English Dictionary records the word flapjack as being used as early as the beginning of the 17th century, referring to a flat tart or pan-cake.
3) The terms pancake and flapjack are often confused and today in the US are nearly synonymous.
4) A flapjack is a thick small pancake, generally around 10 cm in diameter. Flapjacks are often served in a stack with syrup and butter, which can be accompanied by bacon or sausages.
5) Shakespeare refers to pancakes in All’s Well That Ends Well and to flap-jacks in Pericles, Prince of Tyre: “Come, thou shant go home, and we’ll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo’er puddings and flap-jacks, and thou shalt be welcome.”Act II Scene I
6) German pancakes or Dutch baby pancakes are bowl-shaped. They are eaten with lemons and powdered sugar, jam, fresh fruit or caramelized apples.
7) In Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia, pancakes are traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday, which is also known as “Pancake Day” and, particularly in Ireland and Scotland, as “Pancake Tuesday”. (Shrove Tuesday is better known in the United States, France and other countries as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday). Pancake Tuesday is the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Historically, pancakes were made on Shrove Tuesday so that the last of the fatty and rich foods such as eggs, milk and sugar could be used up before fasting began at the start of Lent.
Hmmm, well, I think it’s going to be …
HODGDON ISLAND INN NEAR BOOTHBAY HARBOR MAINE SENDS CHINESE NEW YEAR GREETINGS
February 7th, 2013 by richard-pamela-riley
The most important holiday for Chinese around the world is undoubtedly Chinese New Year — and it all started out of fear.
The centuries-old legend on the origins of the New Year celebration varies from teller to teller, but they all include a story of a terrible mythical monster who preyed on villagers. The lion-like monster’s name was Nian (年) which is also the Chinese word for “year.”
The stories also all include a wise old man who counsels the villagers to ward off the evil Nian by making loud noises with drums and firecrackers and hanging red paper cutouts and scrolls on their doors because for some reason, the Nian is scared of the color red.
The villagers took the old man’s advice and the Nian was conquered. On the anniversary of the date, the Chinese recognize the “passing of the Nian” known in Chinese as guo nian (过年), which is also synonymous with celebrating the New Year.
2013 is the year of the Snake!
The date of Chinese New Year changes each year as it is based on the lunar calendar. While the western Gregorian calendar is based on the earth’s orbit around the sun, China and most Asian countries use the lunar calendar that is based on the moon’s orbit around the earth. Chinese New Year always falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. Other Asian countries such as Korea, Japan and Vietnam also celebrate New Year using the lunar calendar.
This year’s presiding animal zodiac is the Snake. Richard was born in the year of the Dragon, the most revered of all the animal zodiac figures and yours truly was born in the year of the Monkey (reported to be the cleverest of the animal zodiac figures) 
We wish one and all the happiness of the season!
HODGDON ISLAND INN BOOTHBAY B&B CELEBRATES AMERICAN HEART MONTH
February 1st, 2013 by richard-pamela-riley
Show your support in the fight against America’s #1 killer of women – wear red!
Did you know that February is American Heart Month, and not because of Valentine’s Day? Every year since its congressional approval in 1963, the President has issued a proclamation to this effect, to help raise public awareness of heart disease.
“Heart disease takes the lives of far too many people in this country, depriving their families and communities of someone they love and care for—a father, a mother, a wife, a friend, a neighbor, a spouse. With more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes a year, and 800,000 deaths, just about all of us have been touched by someone who has had heart disease, heart attack, or a stroke.”
- Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
February is American Heart Month, and unfortunately, most of us know someone who has or had heart disease or stroke. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day.
Here are some things we can all do to help our hearts:
- Limit intake of fat
- Choose heart-healthy fats over saturated fats and trans fats
- Limit intake of sugars
- Limit intake of sodium/salt
- Choose more whole grains, legumes, fresh fruit and veggies and low fat dairy products
- Choose lean meat and poultry
- Include fish in our diet
- Exercise portion control
- Become physically active for 30 to 60 minutes a day
- Stop smoking
- Limit intake of alcohol
Even though most people associate heart disease with men, it’s also the leading cause of death among women. To raise awareness of this fact, the American Heart Association’s Go Red campaign aims to help women take action against heart disease. So please consider showing your support by wearing something red tomorrow on National Wear Red Day, Friday, February 1st.
For a heart healthy breakfast item, be sure to check out Hodgdon Island Inn’s “Heart-Healthy Parfait” recipe.
BOOTHBAY B&B, HODGDON ISLAND INN, MOST REQUESTED RECIPE FOR JUNE, 2012
July 28th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
From the kitchen of Pamela Byrne Riley, Hodgdon Island Inn, Boothbay, Maine … Photographs by Richard B. Riley
Baked eggs in bread bowls – easy to make and fun to eat!
Baked Eggs in Bread Bowls – Fun to Eat and Easy To Make!
Ingredients
- 8 crusty dinner rolls
- 8 large eggs
- 1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley, chives and tarragon
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Slice off top of each dinner roll and gently remove some bread until there is a hole large enough to accommodate an egg. Arrange rolls on a rimmed baking sheet. Reserve tops.
2. Crack an egg into each roll, then top with some herbs and a bit of cream. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
3. Bake until eggs are set and bread is toasted, 20 to 25 minutes. After eggs have cooked for 20 minutes, place bread tops on baking sheet and bake until golden brown. Let sit 5 minutes. Place tops on rolls and serve warm.
HODGDON ISLAND INN BED & BREAKFAST HOST SHARES SPOTLIGHT ALONGSIDE EMILY POST’S GREAT-GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER IN COASTAL LIVING MAGAZINE
June 26th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
December 2011/January 2012 Issue
In the December 2011/January 2012 issue of Coastal Living Magazine (http://coastalliving.com /), in an article titled “Full House” written by Pamela Redmond Satran, Hodgdon Island Inn Host, Pamela Byrne Riley, provides insights along with Lizzie Post as to how to make your houseguests feel right at home. Lizzie Post is the great-great-granddaughter of etiquette guru, Emily Post, and co-author of Emily Post’s Great Get-Togethers.
A summer’s day at HII
Pamela and her husband, Richard (http://www.stonehouse1817.com/ ), marked the beginning of their third season as owners and innkeepers at Hodgdon Island Inn or HII, as Pamela and Richard affectionately call the nine-room bed and breakfast inn, this past May and they are enjoying every minute of it! “Running the inn is a natural for us”, says Pamela – “we love to entertain and we love people!” The Number One rule at HII is that the minute you walk through the door you become family”.
Hodgdon Island Inn is located just minutes from Boothbay Harbor and the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (http://mainegardens.org). The décor reflects a casual, tasteful elegance. Its dominant views are westward looking and each room is painted to frame the magnificent Maine sunsets in pinks and blues, and to echo the shoreline hues of gold and green. In addition to enjoying the first floor common rooms, guests may relax on the porch, explore the grounds, sit by the water’s edge in a super comfy Adirondack chair, sip a glass of wine while being hypnotized by the water, or take a dip in the beautiful heated in-ground pool.
The inn’s heated in-ground pool
The innkeepers take a great delight in spoiling their guests. A full gourmet breakfast is served each morning and “Dessert & Conversation” is presented each evening. Complimentary hot beverages and bottled water are available throughout the day. Extra special touches include honoring special dietary needs/preferences, fresh flowers in the rooms, an ice machine on the porch and Pamela and Richard’s assistance in planning your stay.
To check out what Hodgdon Island Inn guests have to say about their visit to the inn and their hosts, go to (http://www.tripadvisor.com/The_Hodgdon_Island_Inn ) or to make a reservation, go to http://www.boothbaybb.com/ and click on the RESERVATION/AVAILABILITY line at the top right-hand side of the inn’s homepage or call Pamela & Richard at 1.800.314.5160
HODGDON ISLAND INN, BOOTHBAY BED AND BREAKFAST INNKEEPERS CELEBRATE 100th ANNIVERSARY OF AN AMERICAN FAVORITE!
March 6th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
HII Innkeepers,Richard & Pamela, prepare to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Oroe cookie
Tuesday, March 6,2012 is a very important day. Why you ask? Well, it could be because it is only 14 days away from the first day of spring; or it could be because it is just 11 days away from the much beloved St. Paddy’s Day; and it could be because it is just 9 days away from the infamous “Ides of March”, but no, none of the above applies.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012 will mark the 100th anniversary of the Oreo cookie! (Oreo is a trademark for a popular cookie sandwich by the Nabisco Division of Kraft Foods. The current design consists of a sweet, white filling commonly referred to as ‘cream’, sandwiched between two circular chocolate or golden cookie pieces.)
Personally I think it calls for a celebration. Why you ask? I’m glad you asked! Because when you stop and think about it, very few things have been around for the length of this duration for most of us alive today (there are very few folks alive over the age of 100, right?). 100 years is a milestone in any shape or form. Now I know that the Oreo cookie has not been immune to its metamorphoses, but the overriding fact is that over 491 billion of these cookies have been sold since they were first introduced, making them the “best selling cookie of the 20th century”. Its two deliciously crunchy outer chocolate wafers are still here to be screwed apart along with the delicate and rich creamy white inside to be licked clean before, during or after enjoying a cold glass of milk (or the beverage of one’s choice)!
On Tuesday, March 6th, at Hodgdon Island Inn you will find Richard and me conducting our own “Oreo Anniversary Party”. We are looking forward to having an excuse to stuff ourselves with one of our very favorite store-bought cookies. Richard likes to demolish two Oreos at one time by unscrewing the chocolate tops off the cookies and smushing the two white centers together (still attached to the other remaining chocolate wafers) – you know, kind of like his own version of the “Double Stuffed” – before munching on the remaining chocolate wafers. Too much work for me – I want that instant Oreo gratification! I dunk the entire cookie into my cup of hot tea (complete with milk and sugar) and then quickly pop it into my mouth so as to savor the fudgy cream mixture of melted Oreo. Yum! Of course, I also keep a spoon handy because I have occasionally been known to fail in not moving ye olde dunked cookie fast enough from cup to mouth and have experienced the old kerplop of melting cookie into tea. Not pretty, but I digress …
Hmmm … I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking I’m not going to make it to Tuesday. I want my Oreos right now!
P. S. If you have a favorite way to eat Oreos, please share. And don’t forget to check out our website for one of my favorite dessert recipes using what else?! Oreos.
HODGDON ISLAND INN BED AND BREAKFAST INNKEEPER, PAMELA BYRNE RILEY, ELECTED TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT, BOOTHBAY HARBOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
February 28th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
Landmark footbridge, Boothbay Harbor, Maine
On Monday, February 20th the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce (BBHRCC) welcomed its new Board of Directors. The Board will guide the long term strategic direction of the Chamber in the areas of membership, community and visitor relations, public policy, marketing, and revenue generation with the goal of fulfilling the BBHRCC’s mission: to promote a positive business climate by focusing on advocacy, access and leadership.
From its humble beginnings in 1962, the BBHRCC has grown into a first-rate multi-service membership organization that currently serves over 330 members in the communities of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, East Boothbay, Edgecomb, Monhegan, Newcastle, Southport, Westport and Wiscasset. Its programs are a continuum of services that address the needs of all business in the region whether they are open year round or are just seasonal operations. The BBHRCC also partners with other area nonprofits; local, state and regional government entities as well as mainstream institutions and tourism councils. Its advocacy efforts include community planning and infrastructure; economic development; healthcare and education; marketing and visitor relations; and other issues pertinent to a future of greater social and economic equity, in support of a better quality of life for all in the region.
Hodgdon Island Inn Owner, Pamela Byrne Riley, will serve as President of the Board; Vice-President is Doug Roberts (Owner, Oak Street Provisions), Secretary is Evelyn Andrews (Associate Relations Manager, Hannaford), and Treasurer is Sue Wood (Professional Volunteer, Barter’s Island).
Pamela Riley, Lorna Weber, Jim Chaousis, Dorothy Freeman,Tim O'Donnell, Evelyn Andrews, Peter Robison, Sheri Gordon,Doug Roberts and Catherine Wygant. Not pictured: Susan Wood andEileen King.
Other members include Jim Chaousis (Town Manager, Boothbay), Dorothy Freeman, PhD (Director of Philanthropy, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens), Sheri Gordon (Owner, Midcoast Clock Sales), Eileen King (Superintendent of Schools), Timothy O’Donnell (O’Donnell, Lee, McCowan & Phillips, LLC), Peter Robison (Senior Sales Rep for On Premise Sales, Central Distributors), and Lorna Weber (Branch Manager/AVP, The First, N.A.)
The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce (http://www.boothbayharbor.com) along with its signature event, Windjammer Days, will be celebrating their big Five-O anniversaries this year! Preparations are under way now to ensure that this community-wide signature event, scheduled for Tuesday June 26 & Wednesday June 27th of 2012, will reflect the quality and unique character that is associated with Boothbay Harbor and its maritime history. All friends of the Boothbay Region are invited to attend this incredible 50th anniversary celebration. Be sure to check the Chamber’s website along with your favorite Boothbay Region businesses for upcoming WJD specials.
Catherine Wygant serves as Chamber Executive Director.
SNOW DAY AT HODGDON ISLAND INN BED AND BREAKFAST NEAR BOOTHBAY HARBOR, MAINE
January 19th, 2012 by richard-pamela-riley
Snow Day at Hodgdon Island Inn
In nearby Boothbay Harbor today it is 28 degrees Fahrenheit, the humidity is at 92%, the winds are from the north at 5mph and it’s snowing! Here at Hodgdon Island Inn I am sitting at my desk looking out at a landscape which only can be described in terms of not black and white, but grey and white.
A multitude of grey for that matter! As I look westward across the Inn’s circular driveway I can just barely discern the water at the end of the yard. It looks like molten pewter, the sky overhead looks like a soft dove grey, the trunks of the horse chestnut trees are the color of ashes and the boughs of the giant pines standing watch over the north corner of the yard appear to be a dark brownish grey.
The water looks like molten pewter beneath a soft dove grey sky
The seagulls that can normally be seen perching on the rooflines of both the Trevett General Store and the Mill Cove Lobster Pond across the street are almost invisible as their grey and white feathers blend perfectly into the background. Of course all of these surfaces are being covered with lots of very wet and very white snowflakes. In short, it’s beautiful!
It is so nice to be at home sitting at my desk. Richard and I (and Charlie) have just returned from our annual sojourn south to celebrate the holidays with family and friends back in Kentucky. We hope your holiday season was as joyous as was ours. It is always nice to catch up on the “gossip”, overeat, visit the old haunts and in short, make wonderful new memories, but it is always good to come home. And home it is here at Hodgdon Island Inn! Last night’s run to Hannaford’s in Boothbay proves it: we ran into someone we know at the grocery store!
FOR HODGDON ISLAND INN ALUMNI ONLY
December 18th, 2011 by richard-pamela-riley
All Hodgdon Island Inn Alumni from 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons qualify for the HII Alumni discount of 15% on all 2013 stays of two or more nights.
Offer is good through the 2013 Season; cannot be used with other specials or discounts; and is based on double occupancy and availability. 7% Maine state lodging tax is extra. Rates subject to change. Please mention being an “2010, 2011 or 2012 HII Alum” at the time of booking or put in the “Comments Section” when making an on-line reservation. Rates subject to change.
Be sure to tell your friends to ask about the HII Referral Program … we have a little something for them too!
HODGDON ISLAND INN B&B NEAR BOOTHBAY HARBOR SHARES EASY RECIPE FOR MEMORIAL DAY TREATS
IN BOOTHBAY ON HODGDON ISLAND INNKEEPERS CELEBRATE J.R.R. TOLKIEN AND SECOND BREAKFAST
HODGDON ISLAND INN B&B BOOTHBAY REGION SHARES GOOD NEWS ABOUT MAINE LOBSTER FISHERY