For the fifth year, Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania presents its Wine and Jazz Festival.  Enjoy a full day of great jazz, Pennsylvania wines, and wonderful food while enjoying the spectacular gardens.  Price includes admission to the gardens all day.  Performers begin at twelve noon and the last performance begins at 4:30.  Each performance is an hour long and includes the Tony Miceli Quartet, Kenny Barron Trio, the New York Voices, and Ravi Coltrane Quartet.  There will be 18 different Pennsylvania wineries participating.  For more information call 610-399-1000.

Mark your calendar for the fund raiser by Delaware County’s 55th annual SPCA  Wags ‘n Whiskers fashion show.  This show benefits  the homeless animals at the Delaware County SPCA. This year is the year of the cat, yet both cats and dogs will be featured at the fashion show.

The event will be held at the Drexelbrook, in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, March 26th, 2011, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Tickets are $45.00 each.

Models will wear fashions by the Philadelphia Premium Outlets. CBS’ Carol Erickson and WMGK’s Debbi Calton will be co-hosting the event!

Tickets for the event are $45 and will include a goody bag and a sit-down lunch. The event will also feature a silent auction. All proceeds will benefit the Delaware County SPCA.

For ticket information or to place an ad in the program in memory of a lost pet or an outstanding animal welfare citizen, click here.

For any other information, contact Justina Calgiano, Director of Community Relations: jcalgiano@delcospca.org or 610-566-1370 x231.

Hamanassett Bed and Breakfast donates old linens, towels, pillows, etc. to the  Delaware County SPCA.  If you live locally and would like to drop off anything or if you are planning a visit to the Brandywine Valley, please feel free to bring any unwanted CLEAN linens.  The dogs and cats aren’t picky if it has a stain or is a little threadbare.

Baby its cold outside but we have a hot deal for you.  Stay with us  2 consecutive nights any time between now and April 1, 2011 and receive a gift card to Brandywine Prime in the amount of $50.00.  The restaurant is 6 miles from Longwood Gardens and less than 1/2 mile from the Brandywine River Museum.  It  received a complete redo of the 300 year old Chadds Ford Inn in 2007.  The cuisine is strictly twenty-first century with an emphasis not only top quality cuts of beef, like the 10 oz. barrel cut ribeye, but fresh seasonal seafood, like soft-shell crabs and wild salmon. The comfortable bar beckons you in with a Best of Philly burger, ahi tuna club and a local draft beer.  Modern finishes to an historic building create an inviting, hip atmosphere.  For more on Brandywine Prime www.brandywineprime.com.  We have a limited number of these gift cards so make your reservation now.    To learn more about our special and reserve your rooms, click on www.hamanassett.com.

Why not combine Longwood Garden’s Orchid Extravaganza with the Philadelphia Flower Show?  The Orchid Extravaganza runs from January 22 through March 27, 2011.  You will see thousands of orchids from all over the world.  It culminates in the ”International Orchid Show & Sale.”   For more information on Longwood www.longwoodgardens.org

The Philadelphia International Flower Show, featuring “Springtime in Paris” run from March 6 through March 13.  For more information on the flower show http://www.theflowershow.com/ShowInfo/index.html

Hamanassett Bed and Breakfast www.hamanassett.com is only a 20 minute drive to Longwood and 30 minutes from Philadelphia.  For even more convenience to Philadelphia you can drive 10 minutes and take the train in.

Our 5 foot Santa from Vermont with wax face.

Train that runs around the base of the tree in the solarium.

Close up of snow village under train.

 

Dining Room Mantel

Close up of Della Robia decoration

Living Room Mantel

Hope you enjoy these pictures.  Will try to get more of the 10 foot tree in the living room as well as some outdoor shots with the house lit up.  To all of you who are reading this blog we wish you a joyful holiday season and prosperous New Year.  Glenn and Ashley

I just came across a fabulous web site if you still need inspriation to come the Brandywine Valley during the Holiday Season.  The web site is www.donnan.com/Longwood-Christmas.htm and it has fabulous pictures as well as the sounds of Justin Hartz who led a Christmas carole sing-along in the Grand Ballroom while playing Longwood Garden’s 10,010 pipe Aeolian Organ.  Below we see one of the nine pipe chambers that line the right wall of the room shown in the photo above.   Below that is a picture taken in the four acre conservatory. 

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A Holiday First Friday ~ This Friday!

Forget about the malls and the crowds for a short time this weekend.  Lots of exciting events going on in the quaint town of Kennett Square, Pa.  For those of you unfamiliar with Kennett Square, it is in Chester County four miles south of Longwood Gardens.  From Philadelphia it is about a 40 minute drive and 20-25 minutes from Hamanassett Bed and Breakfast.

Historic Kennett Square presents the December Art Stroll this Friday! The public is invited to visit  unique, independently owned shops, galleries, and restaurants and enjoy special exhibits, delicious food and refreshments, plus live music by Fiorenza-Dowlin. 

Bedbugzz… features local author, Karen O’Lune Hahn, who will be signing her delightful children’s book Millicent and the Faraway Moon, as well as showing more of her fun whimsical artwork.

Paintersfolly.org, a unique experiment in living with the arts in support of the nonprofit community, will hold their gala opening at 201 E. State Street (below the Kennett Square Inn) from 5-9 p.m
 

This presentation is part of the National Geographic’s  exhibition of  “Cleopatra, The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt which is at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia through January 2, 2011.

Date: Thursday, December 2 Time: 7:00PM Location: Franklin Theater First Floor FREE with advance registration, please call 215.448.1254.  Visit the Franklin Mint for a presentation and panel discussion centered on the history, symbolism and controversy of Cleopatra and the queens of Africa who preceded her. Leading scholars will debate how history has shaped the stories of these powerful rulers in this fast-paced journey through the power and strange fates of Cleopatra and other female pharaohs. Panelists Include: Dr. Molefi Kete Asante | Professor, Department of African American Studies at Temple University Dr. D. Zizwe Poe | Associate Professor of History at Lincoln University Dr. Ama Mazama | Associate Professor of African American Studies at Temple University Hamanassett Bed and Breakfast is a short 30 minute drive to the Franklin Institute. Combine your visit to the Franklin Mint with a visit to all the wonderful events happening in the Brandywine Valley during this magical holiday season.  We are still offering a $50.00 coupon good for a future stay at Hamanassett when you book a 2 night mid-week stay at Hamanassett between now and December 23, 2010.  Use it for your own return visit or as a gift.  See our web site for details.

All year long we consider ourselves so fortunate to live in such a beautiful area.  This is even more true during the holiday season.  Below are just a few of the events going on the Brandywine Valley during November and December.  Hamanassett Bed and Breakfast is within a 10-25 minute drive of all the attractions and we still have availability for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Not to be missed, the always enchanting Longwood Gardens.  See their 52 baskets of poinsettias in the conservatory.  This year they are hanging white poinsettias rather than the traditional red.  For railroad buffs, there is the garden railway display.  As always,  the Brandywine River Museum has an incredible train display.   It is one of my favorite places to go during the holiday season.

 

GARDEN RAILWAY DISPLAY

This event occurs on the following dates:

Daily from Tuesday, September 07, 2010 through Wednesday, November 24, 2010
9:00 AM — 5:00 PM

Daily from Thursday, November 25, 2010 through Saturday, January 09, 2010
9:00 AM — 9:00

 November 20, 2010-January 9, 2011

Experience traditions of the past and dazzling holiday entertaining displays in this special wintertime tour. New this year are vignettes depicting mid-1800s Christmas celebrations at Winterthur and the January 1938 wedding festivities of Pauline Louise du Pont. Garden-inspired trees and the perennial favorite, Winterthur’s magnificent dried-flower tree, will also be on display. A full series of special events, performances, and workshops will help to make your season bright. 
Winterthur is open on Mondays throughout the Yuletide season. Tuesdays, December 7, 14, 21, and 28 feature extended hours with evening tours and shopping and dining opportunities.
Tour reservations are recommended. Purchase tickets there or call 800.448.3883 or 302.888.4600. 

Even Nemours is decorated and open for the holidays.  Their hours for holiday tours are from 11/5/10 through 12/31/10.  Reservations are definitely suggested.

   
A toy monkey found in the attic of the Nemours Mansion sits under a Christmas tree in the main foyer Monday. (The News Journal)

20 On The Town” – A Town-Wide Promotion!  Only 5 miles from Hamanasstt Bed and Breakfast

This Saturday, November 13 will mark the 1st Annual “20 On The Town” event throughout downtown Media’s shopping district. All day Saturday, over 45 shops and restaurants throughout Media will feature discounts or other promotions focused around the number 20.  The discounts and specials will vary from location to location. You’ll receive savings like 20% off everything you can fit in a bag at Ten Thousand Villages, or 20% off iZon lenses at the Media Eye Works “See 20/20/20″ event.

Look for this logo on the doors and windows of participating business.   Click here to see the Facebook event page for more info! 

Nov 13th is also 2nd Saturday. Media is your go-to destination for unique and authentic shopping and dining, so mark your calendars, invite a friend, and get a jump on the holiday season in Media, PA – A New State of Mind.