Berks Jazz Festival Is Right Around the Corner

Here at the Adamstown Inns & Cottages, we know spring is just around the corner when we begin to see advertisments concerning Berks Jazz Fest.  From the Inns, it only takes a minute or so to cross over into Berks County and Berks Jazz is a local favorite.

On March 19-28, 2010, Berks Reading will once again host the 20th annual Jazz Festival.  This ten day event will feature over 120 different artists and will provide an amazing opportunity to enjoy various jazz performers.  Artists this year include: Chris Botti on Friday, March 19, 7:30 p.m. at the Reading Eagle Theater at theSovereign Center, and the music of Grover Washington Jr. featuring Gerald Albright on Saturday March 20, 7:00 p.m. at the Scottish Rite Catherdral.  Another exciting performance also at the Scottish Rite Cathedral will take place on Friday March 26 at 7:00 p.m. which spotlights Rick Braun and Friends and features string and horn sections.  I've only scratched the surface of jazz artists who will descend upon Berks Reading for this annual music event. 

A newly added part to the Jazz Fest will involve a local radio station, headlining a special program called "Berks Jazz Fest Backstage".  This event will be hosted by musician Gerald Veasley and jazz journalist Diane Dayton.  The show will provide listeners and jazz fans with up-close-and-personal interviews with festival headline artists and an unique behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to produce the event.

It doesn't stop there.  'Reel Jazz Classics' offers vintage films to be screened at Miller Center for the Arts on March 7 starting at 2 p.m., located on the campus of Reading Area Community College. Admission is FREE.  Thanks to the amazing Jazz Icons DVD series, fans will be able to enjoy vintage, unseen concerts from these timeless legends. Artist include Art Blakey, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman, and Wes Montgomery.
If you are a jazz lover, Berks Reading is the place to be in March.  We would love to share that experience with you.  Please join us at the Inns and who knows it may even be a good opportunity to snap some unique and original photos for our photo contest.

Ted

Photo Contest

I've noticed recently that everyone seems to be an aspiring photographer.  From posting all kinds of pictures on facebook or blogs, even having friends do wedding pictures instead of hiring a photographer.  And why not, when you have a digital camera at your finger tips which allows you can take hundreds of pictures until you finally get that perfect shot.  Then, if that perfect shot is not quite so perfect you can simply go to your computer and correct the lighting until you have the look you desire, adjust the angle so that it is just right, and then crop out all those unwanted people.  So we thought, why not utilize the gifts and talents of our guests and capture some of those perfect shots by the burgueoning photographers out there.  That's why we initiated a photo contest here at the Inns.  I know many of you who stay with us capture some great pictures and we would love to share those magnificent pictures with the worldwide web and award you at the same time.         EXAMPLE PHOTO

We are looking for lots of pictures to choose from so we've included a number of categories such as; best winter scene or holiday festivities, or could capture Springs First Arrivals, some Amish farmlands, or the best photo of the many covered bridges in Lancaster County and the surrounding region.  We also would love to see your pictures of the Amethyst Inn, the Adamstown Inn, or the Cottages.  We're also looking for the Most Serene, Most Original, Most, Humorous, and Most Creative.  I hope we have provided plenty of options for all you photographers enjoy coming to Lancaster County and lodging with us at the Inns.  If your photo is chosen you will receive a $25 gift certificate to stay with us here at the Amethyst Inn. 

The contest will run until May 31, 2010, so start snapping those shots now. 

Gift of Time in Lancaster, PA

The second gift of "time" was for my boyfriend. In his second year at the Virginia Military Institute, we do not get the opportunity to see each other often. That is why I chose to take advantage of the holiday season and give him “time” for Christmas!

From hearing all the positive reviews and hype about Longwood Gardens, it is no surprise that I decided to take my boyfriend there for Christmas. Only an hour and 15 minutes away from Adamstown Inns &Cottages, it is a trip well worth taking! We arrived around 3:30 in the afternoon so that we would be able to see the displays both in the light and once it got dark.

Our senses were overwhelmed upon entering the indoor conservatory. The scents from the flowers were pleasing and the abundance of colors and designs of the flowers were beautiful. I never imagined the different types of flowers, and how enormous some of them were! My favorite part was the rooms that were dedicated specifically to one type of plant. I marveled at the resemblance of bonsai trees to fully-grown trees and I was amazed at how tall cacti can grow. The orchid room was blossoming with bright colors, and fresh scents of roses adorned yet another room. Waterfalls, wreaths, and hanging baskets added to the decor of each room. Every corner that I turned, I marveled at the beauty surrounding me and found it difficult to take in every detail.

Every trip to Longwood Gardens can be different and tailored to fit your style. There were options for a buffet, caroling, and even an ice skating performance. While they did seem enticing, we bypassed them to catch the fountain and light show. Set to music, the fountains danced in the glow of the lights.

We made sure that we did not miss the train display and the terrace, which was lit up with green lights. Walking along the paths, our journey was accompanied by twinkling Christmas trees and reindeer displays. At one point during the evening, we toured a tree house that was made entirely from recycled wood that had been salvaged from old businesses. Although the house was not lit up, it was interesting to walk through. The rose garden, which I can imagine would be beautiful when they are in bloom, was lit up with blue lights, casting an elegant glow against the moon in the sky. It is difficult to describe just what an amazing trip Longwood Gardens is and the only way for you to find out is to visit it yourself!

It is not too early to start planning a special trip to Adamstown Inns & Cottages for Valentine’s Day. The Fulton will be showing “Driving Miss Daisy” and Longwood Gardens will be celebrating their Orchid Extravaganza. Take advantage of the many great places in Lancaster County and the surrounding areas to spend time with the special people in your lives.

Liz-Assistant Innkeeper

Gift of Time by Liz

I have been working for Adamstown Inns & Cottages since May of 2009 and am in my senior year at Elizabethtown College. I am studying Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship because I would like to own my own B&B one day. This semester I am starting an internship with Adamstown Inns & Cottages as the assistant innkeeper. Over Christmas break, I was given the chance to discover what Lancaster has to offer and would encourage you to do the same.

We all know that time is precious and that it is becoming more difficult to get together with friends and family members during our busy lives. Therefore, this Christmas I chose to give “time” to my mother and my boyfriend for their presents.

Since my mother loves shows, I took her to see “Annie” at the Fulton Opera House. Only 30 minutes from the Amethyst Inn, this is a beautiful theater. Every performance that I have seen there has been phenomenal! There is no bad seat in the place, and the actors have you hooked from the very beginning.

After the show, we had dinner at the Black Horse Restaurant in Adamstown, only two minutes from Adamstown Inns & Cottages. We started the meal with lobster risotto, which was a wonderful preview of how delicious the rest of our meal would be. I had crab cakes while my mother had salmon. The food was delicious with bursts of many different flavors and even the portions were perfect. I left feeling full, but not stuffed like in many restaurants. The ambiance in the restaurant added to our dining experience and allowed us to have a nice mother/daughter evening together.

If you enjoyed reading about this outing, then stay tuned for my second gift of time this holiday season!

Liz