News flash! The Chinook Observer just released their reader’s survey results for the 2010 “Best of the Discovery Coast” and Boreas Inn scored in four categories! We were named “Coziest Bed and Breakfast” and “Most Romantic Get-away” and placed second for “Best Coffee” and third for “Best Omelette”. Wow! Kudos to Cafe Mam from Eugene, our organic, shade-grown, free-trade coffee with our own Boreas Blend– French, Italian and Espresso. We couldn’t be more pleased! We still have a couple of rooms open for our New Years’ Day Celebration with Crab Cakes and Champagne! Come to the beach! (And of course, we will be watching our Ducks win the Rose Bowl!)
Posts Tagged ‘Long Beach Washington’
Boreas Inn named in Four Categories in the 2010 "Best of the Discovery Coast"!
December 30th, 2009 by susiegoldsmith
The Weekend the Hughes and the Carpenters Came to Boreas!
June 15th, 2009 by susiegoldsmith
It was the second weekend of May and we needed comic relief (apparently!). Some folks think we’re sort of picky about what we serve for breakfast at Boreas Bed and Breakfast Inn. This picture tells you everything! I told our guests that weekend about our dear guest, Tosh, who many years ago visited Boreas Inn with her husband for the International Kite Festival week. When confronted with the apparently, ominous, three-course breakfast we were about to serve her, she asked for cereal. (I’m certain that I looked surprised!) Always aiming to please our guests at whatever personal sacrifice, I had a box of Crispix cereal at our house, so I ran over and got it and served her a bowl of cereal with fresh raspberries. The next day, she got the Crispix and one course of our breakfast, and the third day, she tossed in the towel and denied herself the Crispix altogether and ate the entire breakfast with gusto and continued to enjoy the feasts for the balance of the week.
Hearing the story that fun weekend in May, guests Steve and Amy Hughes and returning guest Karen Carpenter(always with a mischievous glint in her eye) and her daughter, Lori Anne, teamed up to prank Bill and me the next morning. We arrived to cook breakfast and on everyone’s plate was a box of cereal. On our cooktop was a box of Crispix. I swear that our laughter woke everyone up that morning. (Not a bad way to wake up!) We have always said that on April Fools Day, we’re going to get a McDonald’s bag and fill it with goodies and serve it as a first course. But, again, we’re just too picky about what we serve for breakfast at Boreas Inn! The morning of the prank, I went to our house and guess what I had for breakfast! That little box of Crispix!
The Hughes and the Carpenters Prank Susie and Bill
Summer is Coming!
May 29th, 2009 by susiegoldsmith
Bill and I are about to take a couple of days off together. We haven’t done that since January–so we’re off to Bend for two days leaving Boreas Inn in the hands of our trust substitute innkeeper, KC Worrall and her husband Kirk. I have known Kirk since high school summer drama days. We were in Winnie the Pooh together; he was Eeyore and I was Owl. Pooh had vodka in his honey jar. We had some new pics of the inn taken by a professional traveling photographer. He knocked at the door and presented with a beautiful wide angle digital camera and although it is not the best time of year quite yet for the gardens, he got a few interior shots that are hard for me to get. So I will stick a couple of them up on this blog. The weather in Long Beach is turning beautiful; the garden is finally getting into shape thanks to a lot of help from Skyler, Allan and Stacey this week. It was fun working together and I will get pics of the garden up on the blog as it starts to bloom. The Saturday Market at the Port of Ilwaco is going strong and the tall ships are coming in June. For events and festivals, always go to www.funbeach.com for the most up to date information. Or call us! We have plenty of openings in June, so come see us! Remember that dining on the Long Beach Peninsula is unique and very exciting. The salmlon fishing season promises to be on of the best in the last decade and sturgeon are still biting (and delicious). Have a great weekend!
View from Innkeeper's House Kitchen
The Garden Suite is Sweet!
An Ode to Fort Columbia State Park Near Long Beach, WA
April 3rd, 2009 by susiegoldsmith
When driving on Hwy 101 N. after crossing the Astoria Megler Bridge or from Highway 4, you find yourself driving up the most spectacular piece of highway bordering the Columbia River heading northwest towards Long Beach, Washington. You will encounter Fort Columbia State Park, 2 miles west of the bridge, right after you drive through the tunnel. Lots of people miss the grand entrance to this park. This beautiful photo that I found on Flickr is of the restored Officer’s Quarters at Fort Columbia.
Fort Columbia State Park is almost 600 acres of historical parkland with 6,400 feet of freshwater shoreline right on the Columbia River. As State Parks puts it, “The park celebrates a military site that constituted the harbor defense of the Columbia River from 1896 to 1947. The fort was fully manned and operational through three wars. The area was also home for the Chinook Indians and their famed Chief Comcomly.” It was chosen as a key military defense site because of the unobstructed views of the Columbia River. The town of Astoria, Oregon glimmers across the expanse of water. There is an interpretive center, five mile of hiking trails and picnic tables… This is a great spot for a wedding or family reunion or a quiet time for exploring and imagining the time when the mighty Chinook Indians lived on the land.
The State of Washington currently plans to close around 25% of their state parks. They plan to “mothball” Fort Columbia because it is one of the lowest income producing parks in the system. Mothballing means that the gates will be chained and the park closed. This is a tragedy for the State of Washington, for our visitors and for the residents who love this park. The historic significance of Fort Columbia is important–and the vista’s from the park are simply beautiful. Perhaps there will be a reprieve. When you come stay at Boreas Inn, you should visit Fort Columbia and revel in it’s beauty and hike on it’s trails. You will never forget it!
Orchids in the Inn
February 27th, 2009 by susiegoldsmith
Where else can you find such gorgeous flowers in all of the rooms? Boreas Inn!
Orchids Are Everywhere Today!Orchid Frenzy
- Orchids in The Stargazer
Pretty Snow Day
February 26th, 2009 by susiegoldsmith
So it started hailing/sleeting/snowing before dark last night and left just a sprinkling of white stuff on the ground and roof tops this morning. The ice crystals were intermingled with darting snow flakes last evening. It was beautiful, like little itty bitty fighter kites darting here and there–but they were snow flakes with very independent minds. Today dawned crystal clear and overall, it was a beautiful day today in the 50′s. Bill saw a whale out in front, heading south, last weekend–probably a gray whale. There are reportedly bait fish and early spring Chinook at the Mouth of the Columbia and it’s rumored that J, K and L pods of Orca’s may be coming from the Puget Sound for brunch. (We haven’t seen Orca’s so far–but perhaps the cruiser Bill saw last weekend was an Orca!) So this might be an interesting whale watching weekend. But who can ever tell what the “big ones” are planning. The Long Beach Peninsula is full of wonder and delight. Here’s an early afternoon shot of the sky and the ocean in front of the inn. Come visit!
Just Another Day in Paradise
"Mug Shot" Boreas Inn's new Deneen Pottery Mugs!
February 19th, 2009 by susiegoldsmith
For years we had famous hand-thrown Deneen Mugs (Cloth & Clay was the original company name). We recently decided to re-design the mugs with our logo instead of the pen and ink rendition of the inn, and in working with the talented staff at Deneen Pottery, we came up with new mugs! They are simply gorgeous. We picked two different color combinations: dark blue with hunter white marbling and dark blue with pale blue/white marbling. We have them on sale for $17.95 per mug or $34 for two. Deneen Pottery ‘s head honcho, Niles Deneen, is a joy to work with. We are so tickled with the three dimensional depth of the logo and the photo’s I took do not do the work justice. Being hand-thrown, these mugs are painstakingly hand-crafted. A rarity in today’s outsourced world! If you’d like a mug, we can send them to you! (We have to add $8.00 for shipping plus tax.) Please let us know if you’d like one or two. They are collectible. We may soon be having a special with a free mug for a two night stay! So watch for that! Check out my “Mug Shot”!
Our Brand New Logo Mugs
Valentine's Weekend and Cape "D" Trivia
February 17th, 2009 by susiegoldsmith
Well, finally, things seemed back to normal at Boreas Inn–we had a wonderfully busy long weekend with lovely guests. The weather was glorious, the stars were brilliant each night, and the Long Beach Peninsula was looking beautiful.
Over the last two nights, we had a couple staying in The Dunes Suite on their honeymoon. Around our age, these two amazing people were in so many ways very inspiring to us. (This is one of the real rewards of this work–we get to meet phenomenal people!) Alan has metastatic prostate cancer, is solid and hopeful and that helped us to be as optimistic as he is! He is totally in love with his new wife, Susan, who is like an old friend. After the wedding, she tripped and dislocated her left ring finger (I think), and of course, she’s left-handed. Her hand was swollen and very painful. In spite of all the challenges, they were extremely gracious with us and so very loving with each other. How fortunate that they found each other and graced Boreas. Alan, as it turns out, is a most talented photographer. Yesterday, he caught an eagle in a classic pose down in the wetlands area at Beard’s Hollow at Cape Disappointment State Park. I tried to to copy the eagle image he sent me, but the format couldn’t copy so I will ask him to re-send the photographs as attachments. He loves taking pictures of flowers–and I may copy some of those onto a blog when I get a chance. Alan and Susan will be back to celebrate their first anniversary next year. Hopefully they will be back sooner!
The Chocolate Lover’s Dinner at The Depot Restaurant was phenomenal this past weekend. Our guests loved it! I forgot to bring home a menu. The specialty dinners at our local restaurants never cease to amaze me. We had an early Valentine’s dinner there on Friday night to celebrate Bill’s birthday, which was marred by his fracturing his right ankle on the 10th. It’s as swollen as Susan’s left hand. He will get more x-rays tomorrow and find out the prognosis.
Now for a bit of trivia about one of the most frequently asked questions at Boreas. For those of you who don’t know why Cape Disappointment and the Columbia River was so named, here’s the explanation courtesy of Washington State Parks. In 1788, while in search of the Columbia River, English Captain John Meares missed the passage over the river bar and named the nearby headland Cape Disappointment for his failure in finding the river. In 1792, American Captain Robert Gray successfully crossed the river bar and named the river “Columbia” after his ship, the Columbia Rediviva. Only a few years later, in 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition arrived at Cape Disappointment. So now you have the real story!
Eagle at Beard's Hollow
World Kite Museum Event "China Then & Now" February 7th & 8th
February 4th, 2009 by susiegoldsmith
This weekend promises to be another fine World Kite Museum event in Long Beach, Washington! To honor Chinese New Year, “China Then and Now” is a celebration taking place on February 7th and 8th from 10 am-4 pm at the World Kite Museum, right down the street from Boreas Inn. There will be exhibits including Chinese kites, puppets, stamps, hand painted silk and bamboo kites and photographs. You will be able to participate in cultural and artistic events. There will be Mah Jong games with demonstrations and “Make it and Take It” Projects with some of our finest local artists. You can learn to make Asian Greeting Cards with Annie Unwin, discover Sumic Painting with Chris Goodwin and the Kite Museum staff and volunteers will guide you in Chinese lantern making, Chinese knotting and Red Paper Cutting. So if you would like to see, experience and even take home a project that you have made, this event promises to be not only visually beautiful, but a fun and interesting experience in making your own souvenirs! It’s been warm and beautiful at the beach, so come experience a unique mid-winter weekend in Long Beach. We have a couple of openings at the inn and will set up your dinners at our local favorite spots. This will be a glorious weekend! (There is also a clam dig this weekend!)
Annual Peninsula Event, "Ocian in View", November 7-9
October 14th, 2008 by susiegoldsmith
Here is a press release about the upcoming annual “Ocian in View” weekend., November 7-9 on the Long Beach Peninsula. If you haven’t attended this event in the past, consider coming to Long Beach to attend. It looks fascinating as always!
From Hand-Carved Canoes to Columbia Condors, ‘Ocian In View’ Drifts Deftly Between The Past And The Present
LONG BEACH PENINSULA, Wash. – September 2008 – History buffs and cultural connoisseurs won’t want to miss this year’s ‘Ocian in View,’ an absorbing look at the Long Beach Peninsula’s provocative past. Slated for November 7, 8 and 9, 2008, the series of special events combines presentations by area experts with interpretive tours, educational programs and annual gatherings celebrating the Peninsula’s unique heritage.
With its diverse natural gifts and strategic seaside setting, the Long Beach Peninsula has lured explorers throughout the centuries. “‘Ocian in View’ answers some of the questions about why people live here at the edge of the continent, on a little bit of land where the irresistible force of the Columbia River slams into the immovable Pacific Ocean,” said Washington State Historical Society tour guide and lifelong local resident Jim Sayce. “Looking back in time allows for thoughtful and engaged commentary on what the area must have looked like to visitors in the late 18th century.”
Launching the ‘Ocian in View’ festivities on Nov. 7, Chinook Indian Tribe chairman Ray Gardner will illuminate the past with his talk called “The Finest Canoes: The Chinook Canoe and its Role in Traditional Culture.” The lecture will start at 7 p.m. at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum in Ilwaco. Tickets will cost $10 per person, sold at the door, with first-come first-served seating.
On Nov. 8, participants can hop aboard a bus and retrace the explorations of Euro-American sailors before the days of Lewis and Clark. Called “Land in View,” the modern-day adventure will be led by Sayce, sharing a wealth of tales about the captains and crews who ventured across unforgiving seas in search of the Northwest Passage. Departing from the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum at 9 a.m. and again at 1 p.m., each tour costs $30 per person. Reservations should be made early for this unforgettable three-hour trip by calling 360.642.3446.
Other highlights of ‘Ocian in View’ include the following:
- On Nov. 8, participants can treat themselves to a savory combination of hot cider and history during the 11th annual “November on the North Shore,” a free Open House at the Knappton Cove Heritage Center. Guided walks will take place from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at the historic site – formerly a U.S. Public Health Quarantine Station Hospital – located 3 miles east of the north end of the Astoria-Megler Bridge. For information, call 503.738.5206.
- Nov. 8 serves as the date of the Chinook Tribe Seafood Dinner, a bounty of regional seafood, salad, Indian fry bread, dessert and beverages. Prepared by Chinook tribe members, the meal will cost $15 per adult, $13 for seniors (ages 55 and older) and $5 for children under 12. Diners can join the fun from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum. No reservations are required.
- Also on Nov. 8, naturalist/author/teacher Jack Nisbet will impart his vast knowledge of David Douglas, a trailblazing 19th-century London Horticultural Society botanist. Douglas made three visits to the Pacific Northwest between 1825 and 1833, and his remarkable acquisitions provided a unique look at regional plants and animals during the period of contact. The lecture is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Ilwaco’s Hilltop Auditorium. Admission will be $10 per person.
- Nov. 9 heralds the dedication of a California condor sculpture crafted by nationally known artist Bart Kenworthy. A life-sized replica with a 9-foot wingspan, the bronze sculpture has been erected as a tribute to the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which found a ‘vulture of the large kind’ in 1805. The condor is posed on the ribs of a whale, with both creatures attached to a basalt rock weighing 40,000 pounds. The free ceremony begins at noon at the Port of Ilwaco’s covered pavilion.
- On Nov. 9, condors continue to command attention during “Columbia Condors: Forgotten Giants in the Sky,” a free lecture by Oregon Zoo Research Associate David Moen. Through the Condor Recovery Program, the Oregon Zoo is involved with captive breeding of the bird, once nearly extinct and now an integral part of the natural and cultural history of the Pacific Northwest. Moen will share his insights at 1 p.m. at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum.
- Throughout Nov. 9, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center will welcome guests to a memorable Open House. Coffee, juice and cake will be served at the center, where extensive exhibits spotlight the landmark 19th-century Corps of Discovery Expedition. The free event will run from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Cape Disappointment State Park.
- In addition, Nov. 9 features the dedication of a large-scale replica of the United States Mint nickel, created to honor the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial in 2005. Photographer Andrew E. Cier – whose photograph inspired the nickel’s design – will attend the free ceremony, held at 3:30 p.m. at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.
‘Ocian in View’ is presented by a partnership of community non-profit organizations, led by the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum and the Pacific County Friends of Lewis and Clark. For general program and destination information, please call the Long Beach Peninsula Visitors Bureau at 1.800.451.2542 or access the Peninsula’s website at www.funbeach.com.
