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.

Hamanassett Bed and Breakfast in the Brandywine Valley has ties to the Civil War as it was once home to General Montgomery Meigs, Quartermaster General to President Abraham Lincoln.  

On Sunday, April 3, 2011 from 2-5 pm, the Western Delaware County collaborative, Legacies and Lessons will host “The Civil War Homefront: a Sunday Afternoon at Hamanassett”.  Hamanassett was home to General Montgomery Meigs, who had been Quartermaster General to President Lincoln during the Civil War.   General Meigs recommended that property in Arlington, Virginia owned by Mary Custis Lee, the wife of Robert E. Lee, be used as a military burial ground.  Based on this recommendation, Arlington National Cemetery was created in 1864.  In October of that same year, his son, First Lieutenant John Rodgers Meigs was killed at Swift Run Gap in Virginia.  He is buried at Arlington Cemetery.

There will be tours of the  historic mansion as well as civil war re-enactors  and refreshments.  Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.  They can be purchased at the Rachel Kohl Library, Darlington Arts Center and at Newlin Mill in Chester Heights, Pa 

The national commemoration of the American Civil War is underway and Southeastern PA is part of it.  “This mighty scourge,” as Lincoln described the Civil War, changed how we live and indeed the course of the nation.   The national Civil War sesquicentennial will be a four year event (2011-2015) and is a fresh opportunity for a new generation to rediscover our nation’s rich history as well as the key role many Pennsylvanians played in the war and in which the war impacted our region. 

 In Southeastern Pennsylvania a collaboration of 11 organizations ranging from local school districts and inns to area historical societies and a community arts center have joined together to prepare appropriate and historically accurate state-sponsored activities to commemorate the richness, diversity and significance of the PA Civil War experience. 

The collaboration has been meeting for the past fifteen months, planning programs that will continue throughout 2011, and possibly beyond. Lectures, demonstrations, at least one re-enactor encampment, concerts, games and various other activities are planned to appeal to all ages. The centerpiece will be the Pennsylvania Civil War Road Show, which will tour the state for the next four years. We are especially honored that Delaware County was selected for the first year. A large semi-trailer filled with exhibits and interactive displays, the Show will arrive August 11, and remain on site at Garnet Valley Middle School for five days. During its stay, Legacies & Lessons (the name of our collaborative group) will host a lively History Fair at the same site, showcasing local talent and collections, with food and entertainment.

The Road Show also aims to reassemble Pennsylvania’s Civil War history, one story at a time. Through a “Share Your Story” recording booth, individuals will be invited to share their own Civil War-era family photographs, artifacts and other material and stories—digitally and/or orally, to be uploaded into a public, online repository that will grow as the Road Show travels. 

The local Civil Collaborative worked hard to get an appearance by the Road Show and plans to use it as a cornerstone of its Civil War 150 commemoration plans.  The group plans a web site, promotional materials and advertising for all its activities.  With the publicity surrounding the three day visit from the Road Show, the collaborative anticipates about 5-6,000 people will attend the Road Show itself and there will be increased interests in other aspects of Civil War 150 commemoration activities

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. 

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.