The Inn at Bay Ledge Blog

A Stretch Of Good Weather And Cupcake Brownies

2009-08-10T13:36:00.000-07:00

We actually did the unthinkable this morning; we hauled out the sprinklers.

After the rainest beginning of the summer ever, the Weather Gods have made it up to us in August by giving us loads of sunny days that aren't too hot, which is making us happy but leaving the plants in need of some hydration. The lilies probably have no idea what to think of this crazy weather pattern!

This afternoon, our snack is the cutest little cupcake brownies you've ever seen or tasted. I actually caught myself licking the wrapper when I knew no one was looking. Mmmm....

Hope your day is equally enjoyable!

Good News, On The Rocks

2009-07-10T17:18:00.000-07:00

A young pregnant couple came in a few days ago and just got back from sitting on the beach.

"We found out whether we were having a boy or a girl today. We got the card and waited to open it until we were sitting on a rock overlooking the ocean. It was a really special moment."

I know, sweet. I do like to think that the inn is not only a place where people come on vacation (which seems quite trivial) but also a place where important things can happen.

By the way, it's a boy. No names yet... Maybe "Bay Ledge"?

OK maybe that's being a little too enthusiastic about a vacation, but we are hoping that this is the beginning of an important tradition for this couple of coming up to the Maine coast to remember their love for one another, and the start of their family.

How Are You Different Then A Hotel?

2009-07-08T15:01:00.001-07:00

Someone called the inn this afternoon and asked us a very valid but interesting question:

How are you different then a hotel?

I told her a few things:

I have compared the feeling of staying here to feeling like you are staying at your favorite aunt's vacation house in Maine. It's a nice place, but very cozy and personal at the same time.
We serve breakfast, and not just a continental kind!
We have tea and freshly baked cookies (or scones or cheesecakes or brioches...) every afternoon.
There is a lot of interaction between guests and between staff and guests.
We are on a private road and a few miles from town so it's very quiet.
We have a private beach, and a sauna/steam room... a couple added bonuses that no one expects but can certainly be appreciated.
We have well maintained common areas where you actually want to hang out (not like the lobby of a hotel).

It was hard to put a price on what I was telling her, then I saw this:

BedandBreakfast.com has analyzed the value of bed and breakfasts verus hotels and found that when considering a complimentary home cooked breakfast, parking, internet, afternoon refreshments, etc. what a bed and breakfast includes in a guest's stay would cost an additional $150 at a hotel.

That is certainly a higher figure than I was expecting!

For those of you who know the Inn At Bay Ledge, or maybe have just stayed in your share of hotels and bed and breakfasts/inns, how are they different? What value would you put on an inn's 'extras'?

And Then There Was Sun

2009-07-01T17:07:00.001-07:00

For almost 20 days, Maine has been pelted by rain, obscured by fog, and otherwise a sad place to be.

Yesterday and today, the sun made brief appearances and made everyone noticeably happier.

"The forecast was completely wrong!" one of the guests said.

The atmosphere is a chaotic place and weather can only be determined 24-48 hours in advance. Plus Maine has odd weather anyway.

So you might as well be optimistic about it all and wear a few layers, just in case.

And while the sun is out, sit on a porch and take it in. After all this rain, we all certainly deserve it!

Princesses, Lemony Cheesecakes, And The Bar Harbor Garden Tour

2009-06-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

When life hands you rain and lemons, make lemony cheesecakes.

Ok, that might not be the old adage but our afternoon snacks are sure to bring a smile to anyone that has one, even on a dull and dreary coastal day.

We had two princesses stop by this afternoon in addition to our regular guests. These little girls know that what a small heart-shaped lemon cheesecake can't fix, a princess dress and tiara can. They stopped by with Kirsten, who used to work at the Inn at Bay Ledge. It's nice to know friends can still stop by for a visit.

And speaking of visitors, the Inn is going to be part of the Bar Harbor Garden Club Tour for the first time ever. Coming up July 19, you can see all the prettiest gardens in Bar Harbor in one day. We're honored to be part of the 75th anniversary of this event!

More information about the tour can be found on the Bar Harbor Garden Club website.

So lots to celebrate on this foggy coastal day. Hope your day is filled with flowers, princesses, or cakes as well!

If You Can Stand The Walk Down, Head To The Ovens

2009-06-08T15:24:00.000-07:00

It's low tide and a couple staying the night has just headed down the eighty something steps to the private beach to check out The Ovens, which are a series of caves along the beach.

Hard to believe that most of the time, this is the ocean floor, isn't it?

It is certainly worth a little huffing and puffing down the wooden staircase to see these cool features up close.

Today at the Inn At Bay Ledge, here is what else is going on:

Temperature: 66 degrees F
Weather: Sunny and cool, low tide at the moment
In the teacup: Bluberry tea
Snack: Orange cranberry cookies
People currently staying in: All three cabins, Summer Cottage, Rooms 4, 8, 9, and 10

Afternoon plans/goals: Reading about cool DIY projects in This Old House magazine while sitting on the porch, getting the guide books for the rooms ready, watering the plants on the porch in case it doesn't rain tomorrow

So it's back to porch sitting until the sun sets!

Photo by John Swinconeck

We Are Open!

2009-05-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

The Inn at Bay Ledge is officially reopened for the season. At first it felt like August (90 degrees Farenheit in May?!?) but now it's feeling like April with cool showers and lots of fog over Frenchman's Bay.

Sitting with a hot cup of tea is in order and with the view from the enclosed porch overlooking the water, it's hard not to feel instantly relaxed. Thank goodness tea time is 3-6 pm!

So here's your official first dispach from Inn at Bay Ledge In Bar Harbor, Maine:

Temperature: 47 degrees F (it apparently also feels like 47 degrees F, but how do weather people even know that?)
Weather: Foggy and drizzling
In the teacup: Chocolate mint oolong
Snack: Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
People currently staying in: Rooms 1, 2, and 7 with more people coming tonight!
Afternoon plans/goals: Updating this blog, folding laundry, drinking tea, limiting myself to 2 cookies

Thinking about a trip to Maine? We're great even in the rain. Check out the rooms, etc. on our site: www.innatbayledge.com.

Have a great weekend!

A New Addition to the Bay Ledge Family!

2008-08-21T16:40:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, August 17th at 1:10a.m., Julie - a long time member of our Bay Ledge family - gave birth to her first child, a beautiful baby girl. We have long been preparing for the arrival of this little miracle, celebrating with Julie at her baby shower, buying and making gifts and sending love and warm thoughts to Julie and her husband throughout the last nine months. We are so pleased to find mother and baby, at home, happy and content.

"I'd rather be sailing…On an open sea"

2008-07-08T17:15:00.000-07:00

July brings warm weather, and with it, the chance to get out on the water! Mount Desert Island's cultural and economic history has strong ties to the water and we offer countless opportunities to leave land behind and take off into the other wild blue yonder. Perhaps you'd like to paddle quietly around Bar Harbor's Porcupine Islands and take in the beauty of Bar Harbor's natural history. National Park Sea Kayak Tours, Aquaterra Adventures, Coastal Kayaking Tours, or Crystal Seas Kayaking can all get you started. Perhaps you would rather catch sight of a whale on a Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co. trip. Maybe you want to spend the day sightseeing on a Lulu Lobster Boat Ride or want the hands-on experience of Diver Ed's Dive-In Theater. Maybe you'd like to go fishing with Bar Harbor Fishing Trips or just want to relax and spend the day sailing on a Downeast Friendship Sloop Charter. No matter what you choose, there's ALWAYS something to do on the water in Bar Harbor!

IT'S JULY 4TH WEEKEND IN BAR HARBOR!!!

2008-07-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

Bar Harbor's July 4th festivities offer event goers entertaining and unique ways to celebrate the birthday of the United States! At 10a.m., the holiday weekend kicks off in downtown Bar Harbor with the most fun you'll ever have a 4th of July parade. Don't miss locals strut their stuff and demonstrate offbeat humor on homemade floats. Wave at the Jackson Lab's employees dressed as mice in the annual installment of their "Mouse Float." Clap at the fast and furious pace of more than a dozen shriners from the Anah Temple in Bangor as they maneuver tiny cars around and over each other. Enjoy the feeling of patriotism and community that only a small town New England parade can provide!

After the parade, follow the crowds to the MDI YMCA Annual Lobster Races. Place your bets on lobsters sponsored by local businesses and help raise money for the MDI YMCA Scholarship Program. Sometimes your lobster wins, but it is more likely to just sit at the starting gate or even move backwards! Still, you'll never have more fun betting on something that is likely unaware it is racing.

As the day draws to a close, make your way first to the Bar Harbor Village Green to hear the Bar Harbor Town Band do what is has done for over 100 years -- entertain event goers with a free concert. Then, continue to down to the waterfront and your final destination -- Bar Harbor's Agamont Park -- to enjoy the annual fireworks display over Frenchman's Bay. Enjoy the night sky as it glows and lights up the outer islands and fishing boats moored a safe distance away. It is truly a unique and unforgettable event that brings visitors back year after year.

The art of making art is putting it together

2008-06-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

The Legacy of the Arts Festival returns to Mount Desert Island for a 10th straight year from June 15-22. The festival offers revelers the opportunity to create their own art and/or appreciate the works of local and visiting artists. Events include workshops, demonstrations and exhibits at local galleries, tours of historic homes and gardens, and outdoor evening concerts. This weekend, June 21-22, stroll through the Village Green in Bar Harbor to check out lots of great local art at the 58th annual Art Show. Become part of the legacy, support a local artist and bring a piece of MDI's art home.

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks. ~ John Muir

2008-06-10T16:56:00.000-07:00

June is a wonderful time to take advantage of Acadia National Park! Acadia is the only national park in the northeast and while things around the island are steadily becoming busier, June remains a great time of year to enjoy the beauty and serenity of Acadia. Take advantage of Acadia's many ranger-led programs. From a moderate hike up Gorham Mountain, which features extraordinary views of Acadia’s coastline for much of the hike, to star gazing on Sand Beach, to an early morning birding walk during the Acadia Birding Festival, which runs from June 12-15, 2008, these programs include something for everyone. Or explore the wonder of Acadia on your own. We gladly suggest hikes, walks and other outdoor activities.

June makes the bay look bright and new, sails gleamin' white on sunlit blue

2008-06-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

This time of year, one needs only to open the front door (or the front page of the Bar Harbor Times) to be reminded of all the wonderful events that await both tourists and locals. Memorial Day weekend marked the start of the summer season on Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park, our beautiful bays, and lovely seaside towns are offering some great ways to appreciate all coastal Maine has to offer.

Some Events of Note…
National Trails Day is Saturday, June 7! Head out to Acadia National Park to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this event. Enjoy a guided hike up Beech Mountain and the rare opportunity to ascend the fire tower, which will be open until 3 p.m.

You may notice, as you take in the beauty of Frenchman's Bay, a striking, red sailed, four-masted schooner. That can only mean one thing -- the Margaret Todd is back! The Margaret Todd sails 3 times daily from the Bar Harbor Inn Pier and is as pleasant to sail as she is to watch.

On June 15, the Abbe Museum's exhibit "Journeys West: The David and Peggy Rockefeller American Indian Art Collection" will come to a close. The Abbe Museum is located in downtown Bar Harbor and is open from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm. Admission is $6 per person and is a great way to spend a rainy afternoon in town.

Along Came Pretty Little May

2008-05-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

Spring has been kind to us on Mount Desert Island! After a long and snowy winter, the tulips and forsythia have blossomed and the trees are beginning to unfurl. The skies, not to be outdone, have been bright and blue. We have welcomed many warm sunny days and a few spring showers -- which have only served to make the trees and grass more green and vibrant. From our deck, Frenchman Bay vacillates between brilliant blue, turquoise, and steel gray, but most often we find it emanates a silver blue shimmer. Nights are crisp, still cool enough to enjoy the warmth of a fire.