All's Fair at the Sussex County Fairgrounds

The New Jersey State Fair, also known as the Sussex County Farm and Horse Show, will be held at the Sussex County Fairgrounds from August 3-12, 2012. The Fairgrounds are only a 30-minute ride from the Whistling Swan Inn, which makes us a perfect home base if you plan on visiting the fair.

Held annually, this year's event is shaping up to be a real extravaganza. In addition to the horse show, there will be daily agricultural and cultural exhibits and a plant sale. There's even an entertainment area, and food, food food!

The Fairgrounds are located at:
37 Plains Rd.
Augusta, NJ 

For online tickets, visit: https://www.newjerseystatefair.org/html/tickets.cfm or call 973-948-5500.

Hope to see you there.


Ros

Ros Bruno
Innkeeper
The Whistling Swan Inn
110 Main St.
Stanhope, NJ 07874
973-347-6369
www.whistlingswaninn.com
Check availability

Fine Dining Near the Whistling Swan Inn

It's no secret that I love to eat, and in our eight months of innkeeping, Tom and I have had the opportunity to try several fine dining restaurants in and around the Whistling Swan Inn. Two of our favorites are Bell's Mansion and the Black Forest Inn.

Black Forest Inn

Bell's is within walking distance of the inn. Once the home of Herbert Salmon, one of the builders of the first concrete highway in New Jersey, the residence was sold in 1977 and was turned into a restaurant the New York Times calls "a working restaurant, vibrant, bustling community hub."  High praise from a sophisticated publication...and well deserved. Jack and Maria are wonderful hosts who have quality and customer service always top of mind. The menu is eclectic, and offers something for everyone, from the simple to the elegant. My particular favorite is Maria's homemade pierogies.

Down the road apiece is the Black Forest Inn, one of New Jersey's last surviving German restaurants. At my  birthday dinner last March, I had my perennial favorite German dish: sauerbraten, red cabbage and spatzle, and it was the best I've eaten anywhere. On Friday nights, they serve a fabulous buffet featuring a variety of specialties in addition to the traditional German fare.

Both restaurants have a full bar. Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly on the weekend. So this summer, why not consider an epicurean weekend, one which combines a relaxing getaway at the Whistling Swan Inn, a northern New Jersey bed and breakfast, with fine dining in the Skylands' best restaurants?

Bell's Mansion
11 Main Street
Stanhope, NJ 07874
973-426-9977

Black Forest Inn
249 US Highway 206
Stanhope, NJ 07874
973-347-3344

Hope to see you there.

Ros

Ros Bruno
Innkeeper
The Whistling Swan Inn
110 Main St.
Stanhope,  NJ 07874
973-347-6369
www.whistlingswaninn.com
Check availability

Grape Stomping at Four Sisters Winery

Lucille Ball at her best

I am a devoted fan of "I Love Lucy". As a kid, I arranged my day around the small-screen antics of that wacky redhead. The show was so brilliantly crafted that it would be hard to choose my favorite episode, however one of the most memorable was when Lucy decided to try grape stomping in Italy.

Well, one of my favorite local places, Four Sisters Winery, is offering "Barefoot Grape Stomping" a la Lucy, on Saturday, July 21, 2012 from 6:00-9:00 pm. Wowee ... this is the foot massage of a lifetime!

Four Sisters likewise at its best

Only a 25-minute drive from the Whistling Swan Inn, Four Sisters Winery is located in Warren County on a 250-acre farm owned by the Matarazzo family. After your adventure, you'll want to sink into one of our Jacuzzi tubs. Not only will it be relaxing, the purple stain will wash off your feet...

Reservations are required, so call 973-475-3671 for tickets. Tickets are $57.50 per person (including tax and gratuity) and include:

• Buffet-style dinner
• Formal wine tasting 
• Educational wine cellar  tour

Oh, yes, and grape stomping in your bare feet.

Maybe I'll see you there...

Ros

Ros Bruno
Innkeeper
The Whistling Swan Inn
110 Main Street
Stanhope, NJ 07874
973-347-6369
www.whistlingswaninn.com
Check availability

NEW! Celebrate Your Birthday at the Whistling Swan Inn

Red Velvet cake.... MMM good

Birthdays have always been special to me. It's the one holiday where it's all about the honoree, so that's why The Whistling Swan Inn is now offering a new package to enhance your northern New Jersey bed and breakfast experience.

Treat your special birthday guy or gal to a "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby" surprise. The package includes a personalized, gourmet couple-sized cake, baked with the finest ingredients by a renowned area pastry chef, a bottle of chilled champagne or sparkling cider and a keepsake ceramic coffee mug, hand-thrown by the Deneen Pottery Co. and emblazoned with the inn's logo.

The birthday package can be either ordered online or by phone when making your reservation for a relaxing getaway. To ensure you are not disappointed, please reserve this package at least 48 hours before your stay. For this special treat, please add $59 to your room rate.

As Marie Antoinette once said: "Let them eat cake"!


Ros

Ros Bruno
Innkeeper
The Whistling Swan Inn
110 Main Street
Stanhope, NJ 07874
973-347-6369
www.whistlingswaninn.com
Check availability