Christmas At Adair

We all want a white Christmas right? Well, I know I do, and Mother Nature seems to be doing her part nicely this year. We have about 10-12" of snow on the ground and more coming in the next few days. The house is decorated to the nines and just awaiting Santa's arrival.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day menus are planned and printed and the staff is in their best holiday spirit of the season.

New Year's brings it's own festivities with both New Year's Eve dinner and New Year's Day buffet. With that we have an after party with fireworks (10:00pm for those who would like to go to bed early), hor 'derves, countdown party and a champagne toast at midnight.

We just can't wait!  We all look so good in those New Year's Eve party hats!

Farm to Table

Spring is coming to Adair. Albeit slowly, she's definitely on her way, and we're ready for her.  We have baby chicks this year with the intention of producing our own organic eggs.  We're also adding some raised beds for vegetable gardens and we've planted about 20 berry bushes.  Anyone who's stayed at Adair knows we use a great many eggs and berries at breakfast and with 200 acres, why not grow our own?

We also have 5 baby ducks, though their not so little anymore. They started out about the same as the baby chicks, but they are surely twice their size by now.  The ducks will be a permanent fixture in the front pond
and I am assured by those who know that they will bed down at night with their beloved friends the chickens.  They also tell me that duck eggs make the very best pastries.  I guess we'll find out. Somehow it makes me laugh that these ducklings are SO attracted to water. They just can't stay out of the water dish.

They can all be viewed at the Adair this summer.  You best be thinking of  some names or we're gonna start naming them after the guests.

Adair Inn's New Website

It's true!  The Adair Country Inn and Restaurant has a new website.  It comes complete with packages, things to do, local events, and even online dinner reservations!  In catching up, we also recently put in a new bar and moved to an ala carte menu in the restaurant.

The Packages include some old favorites like snowshoeing Adair's 200 acres, dog sledding with Muddy Paw and golfing two Donald Ross golf courses in a single weekend. Our new soon-to-be-favorites packages include sleigh rides, hiking Flume Gorge and the Cannon Tram as well as a new Wellness Package that includes yoga, massage and our favorite green drinks.

On the Things To Do page, you can let your adventurous heart run wild with a day of soaring with the Franconia Soaring Association, take a drive up the Mount Washington Auto Road or go cross country skiing at Brettonwoods. For a softer pitter pat, perhaps the Cog Railway up Mount Washington or a trip to the Ice Castle at Loon Mountain would satisfy your search for adventure.

The New Hampshire Scottish Highland Games is quite the to-do on the Local Events page, but the Lupine Festival and Swing and Sweets in June is pretty fabulous.  For a classic New England Christmas, one really must cut down their own Christmas Tree at the Rocks Estate Christmas Tree Farm.

In January 2014 we put a new bar in the library just off the dining room.  We're like proud parents of a new baby. It turned out beautifully.  As if it was built as an original part of the house.  It has been a tremendous
hit and extremely well received from the guests.  Most of the repeat guests suggest that it was about time. ;o)

Speaking of the bar, we have also done extensive work on the wine list. We think we have developed a very interesting and wonderful list, but not necessarily wines that are commonly known. Perhaps some wine dinners would be in order.

In February, we moved to an ala carte menu in the restaurant.  The guests seem to be much happier with this idea, especially when they can order appetizers in the Apres Bar starting at 4:00. There's nothing like a nice glass of scotch in a cozy bar to warm your insides when you come back from a day of adventure in the White Mountains.

By popular demand, we now have online dinner reservations available.  If you don't see what you need at https://www.seatme.com/adair-country-inn-restaurant/ you can always call the Inn and see if we can fit you in.

Wow! We've been busy, but we heard you!

Enjoy!

Inventor Thomas Edison Returns to Adair Country Inn & Restaurant

After a successful visit last year, the greatest inventor of all time, Thomas Alva Edison, is returning to the Adair Country Inn & Restaurant in Bethlehem. Members of the public are invited to stop by and meet the world famous entrepreneur at 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 16, and learn more about his "new-fangled" ideas, such as the "light bulb" and "talking machine." Prior to these recent visits, the last time the inventor travelled to the White Mountains of New Hampshire was in 1917, so this lecture and demonstration of his inventions will astound and thrill everyone who attends.

"Jon Hively’s outstanding portrayal of Thomas Edison last year was a resounding success, so we’ve invited him to return," said Innkeeper Ilja Chapman. "Everyone knows Thomas Edison's name, but not the details of his life or his many inventions. This is an opportunity to learn more about this remarkable man."

Living History presenter Jon Hively of North Conway portrays Thomas Edison through his lectures, sharing Edison's personal history, inventions and outlook on life while demonstrating "new" inventions from Jon's own private collection of Edisoniana. Edison, who lived from 1847-1931, held 1093 patents and invented the phonograph, the light bulb, the moving picture or "movies," the storage battery, improvements to the telegraph and telephone as well as other curious inventions including "a box to talk to the dead."

Hively will disclose why Thomas Edison succeeded when other inventors, who were working on similar ideas at the same time, did not. "Edison invented things to improve people's lives and reduce hardship," said Hively. "He changed people's lives dramatically and we are still reaping his legacy."

The event is free and members of the public are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served. Adair Country Inn & Restaurant is located at 80 Guider Lane, just off Route 302, in Bethlehem. For more information, call the Inn at 444-2600.

Meet an Owl during Full Moon Snowshoe Event

at Adair Country Inn & Restaurant

BETHLEHEM, NH — Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! The call of an owl on a snowy winter’s evening is a special treat, but how many of us have seen one of the nocturnal birds of prey up close and personal? On Sunday, January 27, an owl from Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness will be the special guest of the Adair Country Inn & Restaurant at the conclusion of its Full Moon Snowshoe Evening.

“Our Full Moon Snowshoe events are meant to be fun, but we also like to be able to educate our guests about what they are seeing as they snowshoe around the Adair property, so we have partnered with Squam Lakes Natural Science Center,” said innkeeper Ilja Chapman. “Having a naturalist from the Science Center lead our hike will give guests a chance to learn about the 200-acre property and the animals who inhabit the fields and woods of northern New Hampshire. And we are so pleased that the Science Center is bringing along one of its owls so that we can learn about its habits and habitat.”

This is the fifth year that Adair has offered its Full Moon Snowshoe Evenings that combine the glow from the full moon with a beautiful setting, excellent food and a walk in the woods, where guests will have the opportunity to discover the tracks of fisher, fox, snowshoe hare, deer, squirrels and mice.

The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a New England-style buffet in the fire-placed Granite Room at Adair, followed by a moderate guided snowshoe walk on some of the trails of the 200-acre property, with a finale of s’mores and hot drinks around the fire pit. The Science Center’s owl will join the group at the fire pit, where the naturalist will share some myths and facts about one of nature’s most beautiful and elusive creatures.

The cost for the evening is $29.95 per person, and reservations can be made by contacting Adair Country Inn & Restaurant at (603) 444-2600.

Adair is a country estate built in 1927 by Frank Hogan as a gift to his only daughter, Dorothy Adair, upon the occasion of her marriage to John W. Guider. Its scenic grounds and gardens were designed by the Olmsted Brothers, and its 200 acres are managed as a tree farm and for multiple use, including snowshoeing, hiking, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Innkeepers Ilja and Brad Chapman run the inn and restaurant for Nick and Betsy Young and their children, the fourth and current owners of the property. For more information please visit www.adairinn.com.

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center’s mission is to advance understanding of ecology by exploring New Hampshire’s natural world through live animal exhibits, educational programs and outreaches. They are the only Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited institution in northern New England. For more information visit www.nhnature.org.

The Red Chair travels in Bethlehem

When Beth Colt, innkeeper at the Woods Hole Inn on Cape Cod, posted a photo of a red chair on a frozen pond behind her house on her Facebook page last year, she had no idea that the simple wooden chair with the cherry red finish would resonate so deeply in viewers’ hearts and souls, but that photo and a later one shot by California photographer Julie Ann Cromer inspired the Red Chair’s travels. The Red Chair’s journey began on Cape Cod in the spring of 2012, and this fall it has been crisscrossing New England, visiting inns and B & B’s, and attracting attention wherever it’s spotted.

World travelers themselves, Innkeepers Brad and Ilja welcomed the well-traveled Red Chair (www.redchairtravels.com) to the intimate and romantic inn during a late October visit (October 22-25) for relaxation and sightseeing.

During its sojourn at Adair, the Red Chair enjoyed a restorative bit of meditation by the ornate gates leading to the White Garden…

Sampled Innkeeper Brad’s famous breakfast popovers and the lovely melon boats…

And, tried to converse in Dutch with Innkeeper Ilja … but that’s a story for another time!

Innkeeper Ilja helped the Red Chair become better acquainted with several local businesses during a morning of sightseeing, and invited Jackie Nagle from J. Harper Photography along as photographer to document the outing. Jackie was thrilled to be introduced to the Red Chair and have the opportunity to photograph it on the morning’s adventures.

First stop, the famous Harman’s Cheese and Country Store in Sugar Hill, where owners Maxine and Brenda Aldrich offered an array of cheeses to sample, with the smoked cheddar being a particular favorite.

Then it was on to a family reunion with the Red Chair’s cousins at Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill, where some of the chairs are 75 years and older. Wish you had been there to hear all the chatter! There was a lot of catching up to do.

 It’s not too early to be thinking of the holidays, so at The Rocks Estate Christmas tree farm in Bethlehem, the Red Chair tagged a handsome and fragrant Christmas tree and decorated it with red bows, sparkly snowflakes, and special Adair Country Inn ornaments. The tree will be cut closer to Christmas and placed in Adair’s dining room.

At the WREN Local Works store in downtown Bethlehem, the Red Chair lent its support to shopping locally — the store is brimming over with handcrafted items made by local artisans — and admired artist Michele Johnsen’s paintings in the gallery.

More art was hanging on the walls next door at the Cold Mountain Café, where artist Kristine Lingle’s paintings were a vibrant counterpoint to the yummy salad awaiting the Red Chair.

The Red Chair received top billing across the street at The Colonial Theatre, one of the oldest continuously operated movie theatres in the country.

After a busy morning of sightseeing, freshly brewed coffee and hot out-of-the-oven chocolate chip walnut cookies provided a quick pick-me-up for the Red Chair at Maia Papaya, the cozy breakfast, brunch and sandwich shop next to the Bethlehem Post Office.

After a relaxing few days with the hospitable folks at Adair, the Red Chair donned its traveling clothes once again and headed off to the Inn at the Round Barn Farm in Vermont.

Innkeeper Ilja noted that the Red Chair’s visit created a buzz in town, people talked about it, businesses were excited to have it visit and it created a real sense of community. Come again, Red Chair!

Adair Employees Give Thumbs Up To

“10 Years Younger in 60 Days” Program

We know you’ve all been anxious to hear how successful we’ve been with our “10 Years Younger in 60 Days” program. As you recall, Innkeeper Ilja challenged the employees at the Adair Country Inn & Restaurant to a two-month program of better health and fitness. 

  

Each Tuesday evening during the two-month program, we met as a group to weigh ourselves, have our blood pressure taken, and discuss our progress in meeting the goals we had set. Each week we also enjoyed a program given by a guest speaker that was inspiring and educational, everything from the benefits of following the Weight Watchers program and the importance of good dental health to decreasing stress in our lives, mindful eating, massage and meditation.

So, how did we do? Several of us lost varying amounts of weight, but nowhere near the person who lost 22-23 pounds, halfway toward his final goal. “I have certainly gained better eating habits,” he said, “though at times it has been a challenge. I know more now about how hard -- but also how easy -- it is to get into better shape. Hopefully, once I get to where I want to be, I will also have the knowledge, skills and motivation to stay at that weight and/or to quickly lose any unwanted weight gain. I met some goals, not all. Hopefully, as the warm weather comes along, the outside activities/exercises will increase.”

  

Most everyone noted that the program helped them make better food decisions, whether that was by watching calories or becoming more aware of the foods they were eating and watching portion sizes. “My diet is so much better,” one woman said. “I’m eating better food, watching calories, watching how much I eat at one time. I did good with working out for awhile.” 

Another woman in our group had set a goal of climbing Mt. Washington this summer. Here’s how she summed up what the program had meant to her: “I’m exercising daily, and still planning to climb Mt. Washington this summer! And I really liked the notebook (where we could record our progress each week). I used it to start a personal journal unrelated to 10/60.”

Other comments included:

“It made me aware of many different things I could be doing that would be better for my mind, spirit and body. Just by getting out and doing things you can lift your spirits, which in turn eases your mind and gives your body exercise.”

 “I do exercise more regularly, and feel more energized and I am more focused on what I eat. It has been a great experience with the team. I learned about different ‘tools’ to improve my being.”

“The program helped me make better food decisions. I made the time to exercise more.I didn’t lose 10 pounds – I lost four -- but I feel better all over.”

  

“I’m more educated on health and wellness now.”

 “I became very mindful of what I eat – the quantity and intervals/times. I have always known what to eat, as in good food, but I always ate too much and not often enough. I became more aware of exactly how exercise affects me. In my younger days I used to meditate often and even studied it a bit. This event made me aware again of how important meditation is.”

On our final evaluation forms, everyone answered, “Yes” to the question “Did the 10 Years Younger in 60 Days program change your body and/or your life,” but not everyone felt they had met their goals. There were a couple of definite “Yesses,” one definite “No” and several “kinda” and “somewhat ” to the question, “Did you meet the goals you set?” One person sustained an injury while the program was in progress and wasn’t able to participate as fully as she would have liked. 

Based on everyone’s feedback, Innkeeper Ilja and the Adair employees gave a thumbs up to the “10 Years Younger in 60 Days” program primarily because it helped us to increase our awareness of how the foods we eat, the exercise we get, and the ways in which we take care of ourselves affect our overall well-being.

“One of the objectives of the program,” said Innkeeper Ilja, “was healthy and fit employees who are better able to serve the Inn’s customers because they are rested, exercise regularly, eat nutritious food, and get regular medical and dental check-ups. This program helped all of us pinpoint the areas in our lives where we need to make changes, and we were able to do it in a fun way, so I think it was a great success. I hope the program has inspired our employees to continue working toward their goals, and I hope we’ve inspired some of you out there reading this blog to take up the challenge for yourselves to get healthy and fit.”



Kathleen White



Pete Thompson



Innkeeper Ilja





Lynn Driscoll



Chef Orlo Coots



Tinah Whitcomb





 

Innkeeper Brad