Maxwell Creek Inn B&B ~ Sodus Point

Loaded with history, tended by exemplary hosts, sleeping in comfortable rooms, and dining on delectable breakfasts catering to your every whim... did I catch your attention?  These are just a few highlights of our weekend at the Maxwell Creek Inn Bed and Breakfast in the Sodus, NY area.

My first ever visit to the state of New York found me shivering in 42º temps on the chilly shores of Lake Ontario and experiencing spring for the second time this season.  So different from my bustling (warm!) San Diego home, the Maxwell Creek B and B served as a peaceful haven for our weekend stay in the Sodus area.


Just outside of Sodus Point proper, this lovely B and B dates back to 1846 when William Swales built the home for his daughter Elizabeth and her new husband Mr. John Preston as a wedding gift.

Covered with round, lake-washed cobble stones, the house makes quite a statement along with its original carriage house (now turned into guest accommodations for families, groups and extended stay guests), gorgeous grounds and big red barn.  The happy Preston's bore 7 children, and this historic home stayed in the family for nearly 150 years.

With our visit in early May, apple blossoms were just popping from trees on the grounds and daffodils smiled brightly in greeting around the home's front entry.  Smiling even more brightly, owner Belinda McElroy, made us most welcome from the first hello.

Giving a short history of the house and a quick tour, we somehow felt transported some 170 year earlier to Elizabeth Swales' home.  Filled with antiques, it wasn't hard to imagine ourselves back in the mid-1800's.

Most notable in the home's history is the rumored connection to the Underground Railroad.  Recently named a local "Legend and Lore" Historical Site, the home's 6 acre grounds back up to Maxwell Creek and Maxwell Bay where small schooners sailed in to trade wheat for flour milled at Preston's Grist Mill originally built in 1794, and then rebuilt after being washed away in 1812.

View from the grounds of Maxwell Creek

It's said a tunnel ran from the creek to the fireplace in the back of the main house where slaves would hide until they could board ships across Lake Ontario to Canada.

Sitting Room for all guests

Today, the Maxwell Creek Inn boasts five guest room accommodations in addition to the Carriage house which houses families and long stay guests.

Two comfortable sitting rooms in the main house feature bright windows, comfy chairs and a tv available for all guests, and the dining room (used to be called the "keeping room") can be found on the bottom level.

With coffee available all day in addition to irresistible home made cookies (I had at least two a day!), Belinda has thought of everything.

For our recent stay we laid our head in the Gaylord Suite, the largest of the five available guest rooms.  Originally the Gaylord Boys' Dorm Room, this room features a large picture window overlooking Maxwell Bay and apple orchards along with peeks of Lake Ontario.

Furnished with a King sized bed, sofa, chaise lounge, and tv, the suite boasts a private bath with shower (no tub).  In addition, the room holds a dining table for four where guest may have breakfast served in their room upon request.

Gaylord Suite

For us though, we looked forward to breakfast in the dining room with the historic fire place and views overlooking the grounds, part of the creek and the old red barn.

Which brings us to the breakfast part of the stay.  Belinda checked with us before our arrival for any special requests or dietary needs, and our request for a diary-free meal was met with no issue and was at the time of our choice.

Our first day started with freshly baked apricot scones topped with homemade apricot jam (how did she know that was my all time favorite?), and my husband and I reached for seconds after our firsts disappeared in mere moments.  "Simply irresistible" being the operative phrase here...

Refreshing our palates with freshly squeezed orange juice, the second course arrived featuring a tempting veggie frittata served with sliced tomatoes topped with feta and sliced basil.  Two slices of hearty homemade English Muffin Bread rounded out this mouthwatering meal, and we found ourselves already anticipating breakfast the next day.

And it was that second day that left Liv begging me for a trip to the Inn.  Orange French Toast served with chopped bananas and broiled orange slices all sort of melded together with a delectably sweet orange syrup.  Photos immediately made their way across the country and onto my facebook page as I may have boasted how lucky I was just as Liv removed yet another frozen waffle (I did make them for her before I left!) from the freezer.

As we were the only visitors on our stay, I took a moment to peek into the other guest rooms before we left.  All rooms look comfortable and inviting, and many feature king sized beds with private baths, and one room on the top floor offers a twin sized bed in addition to a full-sized antique four poster.

Charming, comfortable, beautiful and historical, the Maxwell Creek Inn made our visit to Sodus, NY even more special than expected. Many thanks to Belinda for the extra special touches that made us feel so welcome.

Early morning spring dew on the grounds of the Maxwell Creek Inn

Liv Life Note:  Note that Liv Life did not receive any incentives to write this post and the Maxwell Creek Inn did not know we would be writing about our stay.  We simply had such a wonderful visit I wanted to share!

An Afternoon in Seattle... including Pike Place Market, Macarons at Le Panier, Amy's Limo Service, and a Review of the Westin

As the wife of an airline pilot I'm not often the one on the road without my family.  I am, though, the frequent recipient of envy-creating text featuring travel photos from around the world... for example, shots of fresh sushi from Japan, pictures of brews served seasonally only at the Kona Brewing Company in Kona, or views of downtown New Orleans during Mardi Gras.

However, last weekend the tables turned as I jetted off to participate in the Girard's Culinary Collective and attend the annual International Food Bloggers Conference in Seattle, Washington.  Greeted at the airport with a limo sent to whisk only me to my hotel I immediately felt like a Food TV star, and so began my own stream of envy-creating text messages back home.

Scooting to the front of my limo so as to chat with my driver Chris, of Amy's Limousine Service (highly recommended if you need transportation in the Seattle area!), I may not have brought the Food TV star look with me, but his welcoming demeanor had me feeling like we were old friends in mere minutes.  Bringing me to the downtown Westin Hotel, Chris and I chatted about everything from landmarks to Washington history with little football trivia thrown in on the side.

Amy...

Specializing in personalized services, Amy's brings a special touch to transportation.  I had a few moments to chat with Amy herself as we waited for my car to arrive, and she's indeed a true gem.  Sweet and warm, 9 years ago she didn't take her father's advice about not starting a limo company and she's never looked back.

With a fleet of discreet town cars, roomy SUVs, executive vans, touring buses and Seattle's only single window stretch limousine, Amy has your Seattle transportation needs covered.  But it wasn't the cars that impressed me most, it was her heartfelt caring that left me wanting to see with her again.  My drivers both directions brought the same caring, comfortable service, and Amy's will definitely be my go-to transportation service next time I visit Seattle.

Traditional Room - Westin Seattle

Arriving at the downtown Seattle Westin, located on Fifth Avenue, the Westin staff continued my star treatment with quick and caring service.  A Seattle landmark with their twin cylindrical towers, the Westin's location is perfect for walking the city.

Traditional Rooms bring some 325 sq. feet of space in addition to partial city views.  Comfortable for business as well as family, I found the elevators quick to zip me to the lobby considering how many floors there were in each tower.  Known to host numerous conventions, the ballrooms proved perfect for our conference with a courteous and hard-working staff.

Breakfast Buffet at Relish

While numerous dining options are available within walking distance, the hotel itself offers one restaurant, Relish Burger Bistro.  I only dined at the restaurant for the buffet breakfast, freshly made whole juice drink (beet, greens, blueberry, and pomegranate - not included in the buffet) became my healthy balance each morning.

A little pricey (but isn't that always the case in hotels??) with the juice drink at over $6 and bottled water for nearly $3, the restaurant serves its purpose and I enjoyed my bowl of steel cut oats with all the fixings (they do offer milk alternatives for those looking to go dairy-free) along with toasted Seattle sourdough toast, juice and coffee for my breakfast (buffet also included fruit, eggs, meats and assorted cereals, breads and pastries).  Note the hotel also offers a lobby bar perfect for relaxing with a nice micro brew in the evening.

Having a few hours to explore the city before meeting the rest of the Collective for dinner, I jumped at the opportunity to walk the streets of Seattle, and found myself quickly reminded of my (and Girard's) hometown of San Francisco.  Beautiful buildings dating back to the the early 1900's brought a bit of history to the walkable city, however the wonderful public transportation system incorporates buses, monorails and trains for further distances when needed.

With one destination in mind I made my way to the famed Pike Place Market to capture that famous photo for myself.  Once there I couldn't help but spend a little time watching the guys throwing fish at the Fish Market, and had to wonder just how hard it was to catch those slippery little guys.  Little did I know I would soon find out (stay tuned for the next post)...!

Founded in 1907, Pike Place Market is home to Seattle's first farmers market and today brings produce and goods to eager customers 365 days a year.  As the story goes, the market opened on August 17th, 1907 with 12 farmers bringing their produce-filled wagons to market.  A resounding success, each wagon sold out within hours, and by November 30th of the same year the market moved into its permanent residence, the first market structure complete with 76 produce stalls.

The rest is history, and today Pike Place market remains Seattle's neighborhood marketplace presenting fresh, locally produced, and high quality goods, foods and handicrafts to locals and tourists alike.

Meandering the through market, flower lined the stalls tempted me at every turn and the scents of the Market Spice Company brought visions of new recipes and leisurely mornings with flavored teas. Local produce lined tables next to stalls featuring goods like flavored pastas and a favorite of mine, lavender products with gorgeous lavender infused honey will tempt you with every turn.

The market itself may bring a plethora of "things" to the tables, but it's the people who breathe life into the products and make the experience fun and interesting.

Smiles abound as flowers are wrapped for dinner parties or some of that flavored pasta (they had chocolate raspberry linguine...!) is offered for sample.  Everyone has a story and I found myself chatting as much as I explored.

Of note, just across the street from the market is the original Starbucks which opened in 1971.  Definitely a popular tourist attraction, the store provides similar coffee offerings as any other Starbucks store, but does hold a gift shop featuring goods only available at this particular store.  I have to admit I only snapped an obligatory shot of the sign and avoided the incredibly long queue, however the stop appeared extraordinarily popular.

The Original Starbucks...

Moving just a few doors down I found my true happy place - Le Panier Patisserie.  Dedicated to traditional French baking, the shop evokes memories of afternoons in Paris sipping espresso and enjoying a croissant or macaron.  Taking a single step inside their door one finds the aromas of freshly baked breads nearly impossible to resist.

Le Panier French Patisserie

With trays of perfectly sized (not the American super-size) croissants, the almond immediately caught my eye, but fruit flavors including raspberry and apricot in addition to sweet cinnamon and chocolate all tempted my willpower.  Freshly baked breads lined the walls and the baguettes simply beg to jump in your arms and head home with you.  Choices of sandwiches (on that beautiful baguette bread), tarts and cookies round out the tempting offerings and make choosing just one thing a difficult decision.  

Knowing I would need to bring macarons home to Liv, I felt it my duty to try the different flavors... just to make sure I found the best one for her, of course.

Filling my box with Pistachio, Citron, Chocolate, Passion, Café and Nutella, I can confidently say my hands down favorite is the Passion.  (I may have returned to the store twice more just to be sure...)

Clutching my precious macaron box close, I began the walk back to the hotel in preparation for a much anticipated dinner with the Girard's Culinary Collective.  Join me tomorrow for the next step in my adventure as I introduce you to the rest of the collective and share a special meal prepared by Chef Jason Wilson of Miller's Guild.

To be continued...  

For more beautiful Seattle photography along with comprehensive list of restaurant, shop, hotel and activity recommendations, visit

Vintage Mixer

Santa Barbara Getaway - The Upham Hotel and Louie's Bistro

We all have friends with opinions and recommendations for hotels, restaurants, etc, and of those friends we know the ones we can trust, the ones with classy, impeccable taste.  For me, that friend is Marsha.  My muse when it comes to anything travel or food related, I trust implicity what she recommends, and when she suggested the quaint Upham Hotel in lieu of a run of the mill resort for our stay in Santa Barbara I simply picked up the phone and made a reservation.  Dropping my son at UCSB for Freshman Orientation, I'm happy to say I've found my home away from home for the next four years.

Breakfast or wine on the patio anyone??

Built in 1871, the Upham Hotel claims the title of the oldest continuously operating hotel in Southern California.  Offering some 50 rooms and suites located in one of several single and two story buildings, the hotel embraces its heritage, yet brings a completely modern facility.

Featuring a generous continental breakfast, an afternoon wine and cheese and evening milk and cookies, the hotel brings more of a bed and breakfast feel than a hotel.  From check-in to check-out, the staff did everything possible to make our stay even more comfortable, all with a personal touch.

Arriving after a four hour drive from San Diego with my 18-year old son at the wheel, I don't think I've ever looked forward to a glass of wine more than I did that night.  However, we arrived just after the evening wine and cheese event had been put away.  Describing the last four hours to the front desk, the man simply walked to the kitchen, brought me a glass of white, smiled and said, "I understand..."  I think he did.

With three of us in the room, our only option at the Upham was one of the Santa Barbara Double Queen Rooms located in the Hibiscus building.  A lovely two story structure surrounded by lush greenery and trees, Liv loved that our key was just that, an actual key.

With ample room for our party of three, we unloaded our bags into the spacious walk in closet and once again, Liv loved the "old fashioned" (her words... not mine!) touches.  Using a pull chain for the light in the closet, I had to smile realizing that in her 14 years she had never seen one.  Might I mention that the crystal door handles also brought a smile to her face.

Living in Southern California, we love to open our windows, and the shuttered windows in our room opened to provided a lovely evening breeze enhanced by our spinning ceiling fan.  No need for air conditioning on our early August stay - temps at night fell to the low 60's, days were high 70's.  While we did hear occasional guest walking to and from their cars, everyone hushed their children and we had no issues with noise.

Breakfast, while described as continental, was a delight.  Including steel cut oats with a choice of toppings (my choice included raisins and cinnamon), bagels, bread, muffins, pastries, cereal and milk, hard boiled eggs, fruit (bananas, apples and grapefruit), assorted juices, and coffee and tea, one has a wonderful start to the day, and the choice of patio dining becomes even more of a bonus.

Continental breakfast served 7am -11am

Tucked away on the bottom floor of the main part of the hotel, Liv and I found Louie's Bistro to be our choice for dinner.  Again, we chose patio dining and enjoyed the cool evening Southern California breeze as the sun set behind us.

In business for over 30 years, Louie's also came highly recommended and after a day of tourist walking adventures we eagerly anticipated our dinner.

While the wine list features wonderful Santa Barbara and Central Coast wines, I asked our server, Patrick, for a hearty IPA.  His suggestion of the SLO (San Luis Obispo) Brewing Company perfectly hit the spot, and our relaxing evening began.

Sharing the Pepper Shrimp with avocado and a fresh tomato salsa, Liv and I chatted about our day and proclaimed our dinner most likely far better than what her brother was getting at his first meal at the UCSB dining commons.

Patrick happily adjusted the pasta dish to my "I like it my way" requests and suggested the Chicken and Spinach Ravioli for Liv.  Again, both fabulous choices and we polished off both plates along with a basket of warm bread.  Inquiring about dessert Patrick just smiled and said "The Banana a la Louie, of course" (custard filled puffed pastry with caramelized bananas).  As the front desk had also gushed about the Banana dessert it seemed a done deal, and again a fabulous choice.

Pepper Shrimp with Avocado and Tomato Salsa

Banana a la Louie... custard filled puffed pastry with caramelized bananas and vanilla gelato

Satiated, tired and happy, my girl and I wandered through the quiet grounds and back to our room.  Texting my muse, Marsha, our thanks for her hotel suggestion, we know we've found our home away from home when when visiting Santa Barbara.

Liv Life Note:  Neither the Upham or Louie's knew we planned to write reviews... all thoughts and opinions are completely our own.

To Be Continued...

Click here to see also our last Santa Barbara post for more meal recommendations and a visit the State Street Farmer's Market!

Venice, Italy and the Palazzo Pisani

Venice... the Grand Canal

Timeless, magical, historical, and on the proper occasion, positively romantic.  With miles of winding canals, multitudes of bridges and even more back alleys in which to lose yourself, Venice is indeed the secret ingredient dreams are made of.

Leaving San Diego early on the morning of Liv's birthday, some 16+ hours later our Boeing 767 touched gracefully down in a different world at Venice's Marco Polo airport.  Stretching our cramped limbs and attempting to brush the sleepiness from our bodies, we collected the over-packed luggage and our tired group made way for the water taxi stand.

Rialto Bridge from water taxi

Boarding the sleek water taxi, our hearts began to fly as adrenaline woke our jet lagged minds like triple espressos on a tired morning.  Within no time, the four of us were standing at the back of the taxi in pure awe of the majesty of Venice's Grand Canal.  Nearly like something out of Disney's Epcot Center or the Las Vegas Venetian, Venice almost didn't seem real.

Vaporettos passed filled with camera toting tourists, restaurants bordering the canal found couples enjoying late morning pastries and espressos, gondoliers tidied their gondolas for a days work, and water taxis zipped skillfully in between it all.

In my research for our time in Venice I remember a tidbit regarding the homes, or palaces in particular, of the city.  Apparently the rule was to build like your neighbor, but no better than your neighbor.  As such, much of Venice resembles the rest of Venice, bringing a beautiful mosaic of color, sculptures, columns and flower box lined windows to life.  In essence, pure magic.

Palazzo Pisani - middle building with the flags

Passing under the Accademia Bridge, or Ponte dell'Accademia, our taxi suddenly veered left, slowed and entered a small canal.  Stopping just meters beyond the canal entrance, a foot bridge appeared and was lowered, a hand extended and after a few steps I found myself standing in history.

The Palazzo Pisani, my home for the next 24 hours, remains more than a boutique hotel along the Grand Canal.  With history dating back hundreds of years, the Palazzo at one time belonged to the family of the 114th Doge of Venice, Alvise Pisani.

Stepping into rooms lined with paintings and frescoes depicting the history of the Palazzo and Venice itself, the architecture is simply breathtaking with detail.  Mirrors lining our bedroom were said to be original, and I'm guessing date back to the 18th century when the Palazzo "added on" after purchasing the building fronting the Grand Canal.

Doge Pisaani and the Palazzo

Looking up, Liv exclaimed in wonder while gazing at the detail of the ceilings, and again as she found a secret door, which just happened to lead to our bathroom.

Staying in the Doge Suite, our family was treated to a majestic sitting room complete with floor to ceiling windows opening to balconies overlooking the Grand Canal below.  A separate bedroom, where it has been said the likes of Bill Gates have stayed, and a hidden, modern bathroom completed our suite of rooms giving us a taste of old Venice.  Liv later mentioned that she had fallen asleep that evening wondering who else may have enjoyed these rooms over the last few hundred years.

Greeted as welcomed guests, Nicolo provided a tour of the Palazzo public rooms while giving a running commentary on the history of the building.  His pride in Venice and Venitian history shines in his face as fact after fact slips from his tongue, and the Palazzo seems to come alive.

Suite del Doge sleeping arrangements - beds added for the kids overlooking the Grand Canal and master bedroom

Suite del Doge sitting area, complete with very, very tired teenager

Bringing us back to our room he smiled and offered, "How about a taste of Prosecco?", to which my husband and I responded, "That would be lovely!".

Toasting the beginning our our trip, our sleepy family smiled and headed to the balconies overlooking the Grand Canal to spend some time taking in the Venetian magic.  As the afternoon sun began its descent, so did the kid's eyelids, and it wasn't long before I was awake alone.

Checking email, my mind drifted, and soon a distant voice reached through our open windows.  Notes of deep baritone drifted over the canal and drew me once again out onto the balcony where the magic continued.

Groups of gondolas made their way leisurely up the canal for a view of the Accademia Bridge, and then turned, as if in formation, right in front of my balcony.  With the last sips of Prosecco in my glass, I smiled for the cameras as the gondola riders snapped their pics, and raised my glass to the magic that is Venezia.

Welcome to Venezia!  (He really gets going around the 17-22 second point)

Rising early, our bodies attempted to adjust to a new time zone, and we found ourselves the first to arrive in the Grand Lounge that is now the dining room where breakfast at the Palazzo is no stingy affair.  Small dining tables set with silver and linens surround a large main table laden with treats.

Breakfast Room

Liv's eye immediately spotted the trays of filled croissants and pastries, while my son quickly headed for the breads, meats and cheeses.  Bowls of fresh fruit along with cereals and an array juices rounded out the prepared offerings, and within moments, the beautiful Fatima, an employee who actually worked for the last remaining member of the Pisani Family, arrived to take orders of coffees, teas and cooked to order eggs.

Fueled by the fabulous Palazzo breakfast and an espresso or two, the Jewel of the Adriatic awaited.  Walking shoes on, cameras in hand, we pocketed our old fashioned key and headed out to begin our own Venetian adventure.

To be continued...