Please vote for Belgravia as Best Bed & Breakfast in Colchester County!

Best of Colchester 2011 – Belgravia Bed & Breakfast

We are honoured at Belgravia B&B to have been named “Best Bed & Breakfast” in the Truro & District Chamber of Commerce’s “Best of Colchester” competition for the past two years. We’d love to be able to claim the title for the third year in a row! (That’s not being greedy, is it?)

We feel that we have earned this honor for a number of reasons:

• We love what we do
• We provide quality & value
• We develop relationships with our guests and other B&B’s in our community
• We strive to exceed expectations
• We support local businesses
• Our beds are clean & comfy
• Our breakfasts are hearty, healthy & tasty

If you can think of some other qualities I’ve missed, please add them in the comments…

We would be so grateful if you would click on the following link and write “Belgravia” in the category of Best Bed & Breakfast. You can do this a total of 5 times per IP address only:

Please click here to vote  for Belgravia in the Best Bed & Breakfast category!  

(If you have other favourite businesses in Colchester, please vote for them while you’re at it!)

Thank you! Voting ends May 15th, 2012

Running in Truro

I admit that I am more of a fair-weather runner than a serious runner.  I do go out running, but more because I should than because I have a burning desire to run.  D’Arcy, on the other hand, really seems to enjoy running.  I enjoy running in races like the Bluenose Marathon 5 & 10k, but that’s because there are people lining the streets cheering me on!

Truro is a great place to run, with routes of varying degrees of difficulty.  You can run around the downtown which is very flat, or expand your run to include hills.  Victoria Park is a favorite of many, running on groomed paths under the overhang of evergreen trees.  The park has many more challenging trails and even the dreaded Jacob’s Ladder!  It always amazes me to see people running up & down and up & down Jacob’s Ladder!

One of my favorite trails to run in Truro is the Cobequid Trail.  The Cobequid Trail is a 14 km walking and cycling trail network through central Colchester County. The Cobequid Trail takes you along a former railway, through Acadian dykelands, through forests and along brooks, and beside the tidal Salmon River.

Last Sunday, after the cleanup was finished, Alex & I set off to run the 3.5k (each way) Old Barns section.  It was beautiful!  When I run along that trail, I can hardly believe I am so close to Truro!  I took some photos with my phone, as the camera would have been a little awkward to carry! Despite the poor quality of the photos, I think you can get an idea of the beauty!

Off we go!!

Taking a break for a moment to capture the beauty before turning around...

A view of the trail.

When you come stay with us at the Belgravia Bed & Breakfast, don’t forget to ask and we’ll share our favorite running/walking/biking trails with you!

Cycling for Augmented & Alternate Communication

We were very lucky this week to host some very special guests – Skye Wattie, his mom Gail, and their new-found-friend, Janice.  Since May, Skye has been cycling across Canada, raising funds and awareness for vital Augmented & Alternative Communication services, supports and technology.  Please check out their website:  Kilometres for Communication for more information!

Janice, Gail & Skye at the Belgravia Bed & Breakfast in Truro!

Camping for much of their journey, I think they were happy to find a comfortable bed, hot shower and plentiful breakfast here at the Belgravia Bed & Breakfast!  Skye & Janice, (having just met!) spent the evening chatting and tuning up their bicycles on our back deck, before storing them in our locked basement for the night.

For breakfast, we made sure that they would be well-fueled for the 100km ride from Truro to Halifax.  They had fresh local strawberries & yogurt, muffins, juice, Eggs Florentine and a side order of four extra (just delivered!) farm-fresh scrambled eggs.

D’Arcy was sure to get a few photos as they set out for the day:

Getting final travel details sorted out!

Heading down the driveway...

And they're off!

We will be following the rest of their adventures through their website & blog:  Kilometresforcommunication.wordpress.com and we encourage you to as well!  Janice should by now be heading home to Toronto to be with her family, and Skye & Gail will be continuing on to Newfoundland where Skye will complete his journey in St. John’s, on August 4th.

Safe & happy travels – we hope to meet again!

 

How does your garden grow?

Truro is being judged in the 2011 Communities in Bloom competition.  As stated in their website, Communities in Bloom is a Canadian non-profit organization committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through community involvement and the challenge of a national program, with focus on the promotion of green spaces in community settings.

Here at the Belgravia Bed & Breakfast, the yard work is continuous.  Just last month, I was lamenting to the key-note speakers from the Nova Scotia Provincial Heritage Conference that we had not yet had the time nor the resources to fix our stone wall which fell over in a frost heave two Easters ago.  There always seems to be other priorities…  (Like a husband finishing his Masters Thesis!)  They each took a look at our wall, but one said to me, “Fixing the wall is nice… BUT… Your real priority is cleaning out that garden on the side of your house!”

I knew exactly which garden he was talking about – the one located on the Prince Street side of our home.  Because it is set off the sidewalk, I was always able to argue that “at least it looks green from a distance!”  Apparently having all that greenery against the wood shingles is not good for them…

As you can see, we had our work cut out for us!!  In the eight-and-a-half years that we’ve been here, this particular garden has been sadly neglected, but not any longer!  D’Arcy & I spent a number of hours weeding, pulling, cutting, trimming and planting…

The yard is slowly, but surely coming along and will hopefully be looking great by the time the judges arrive in Truro on July 22nd!

The Back Deck

Heavy peonies and mock orange bush at the front of the house

South-west flower bed

The Belgravia Bed & Breakfast from Broad Street

The view from the north-west corner of the property

Ta-Da!! We can see out our kitchen window again!

We'll trim the rhododendron when it has finished blooming!

The dining room window

I love to sit on the front porch in the afternoon!

The garage

Our garden this year: tomatoes, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, radishes, carrots, peas, beans, beets, spinach, cilantro, rosemary, corn, cauliflower, cucumbers, watermelon and...

... one GIANT pumpkin! (If it grows properly, it could weigh up to 500 lbs!)

!

National Aboriginal Day 2011

Tomorrow is a celebration!  It’s National Aboriginal Day and we will be going to the Glooscap Heritage Centre to celebrate between 11:30 and 5:00.  As I’ve written here before, I was fortunate this year to be the core faculty for the first Aboriginal cohort to graduate from the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) with a Diploma.    The Tourism Management program is intense, but fun, and I absolutely love my class.   The following article was published in the NSCC Student Success Magazine 2011 and distributed at graduation across the 13 NSCC campuses last week.  I am so proud to be part of this project!  I can’t wait to see the five students who are fortunate enough to be working at the GHC for their work-terms this summer, and hopefully many more of my students, there to celebrate their Mi’kmaq Culture!  I will be sure to post photos and details of the celebration, but if you’re driving along the 102 Highway, please come in and see us – everyone is welcome!

P’jilasi! (Welcome!)

*You can click on the image to enlarge and read the article!!

For more information, this article – also featuring Heather, was also featured in today’s Truro Daily News! 

Best of Colchester 2011

The following article (and photo), written by Monique Chaisson,  was featured in the Truro Daily News on Friday, June 17th, 2011:

Anne and D'Arcy McDonah are co-owners of the Belgravia Bed and Breakfast in Truro. They took home the best bed and breakfast award during the Best of Colchester awards ceremony last night. Monique Chiasson - Truro Daily News

TRURO – A number of Colchester County businesses were honoured last night for being the best in their speciality.

The second annual Best of Colchester awards were handed out in Truro. Taking home the bed and breakfast award was Belgravia Bed and Breakfast. It was the second consecutive win for the business.

“I’m happy and excited,” said co-owner Anne McDonah. “I think it’s because people enjoy our hospitality. We are committed to giving people an authentic Maritime experience with food, directing them to sites … we do it all.”

The business, in its ninth year, is expecting a healthy tourism season if early-season visitors are an indication.

“Tourism looks fantastic. We have a full house and only had one day without anyone and that’s because I was away,” said McDonah, estimating business is up about 20 per cent from last year.

Best entertainment venue and festival honours went to the Marigold Cultural Centre for the second time.

“It means a lot,” said the Marigold’s executive director Donald Ferguson.

“It’s nice to get your peers and customers (feedback) and it keeps you motivated.”

Ferguson said the Best of Colchester awards are a benefit to all local businesses.

“The community starts to take notice and visitors will want to check it out.”

Taking home the computer sales/repair award was first-time winner G&G Computers.

Anna Feltmate, employee, and Cory MacDonald, manager, accepted the award.

“It’s amazing,” said Feltmate of the business that was also nominated last year and will celebrate its 10th anniversary in Truro in the fall.

“It gives a little boost to the shop and it gives a voice to people” by voting for their favourite businesses, she said.

The winners were voted on by the community. There were 2,000 more votes this year compared to last year. Online voting took place for two weeks in May. The three nominees with the most votes in each of the 25 categories became the finalists and all awards were handed out last night at the Best Western Glengarry. The awards were hosted by the Truro and District Chamber of Commerce.

mchiasson@trurodaily.com

INFO BOX:

Here are the winners of this year’s Best of Colchester awards.

Best bar/lounge/pub: The Engine Room

Best bed and breakfast: Belgravia Bed and Breakfast

Best Clothing store: Margolians

Best coffee shop/café: The Wooden Hog

Best computer sales/repair/service: G & G Computers

Best contractor/building/renovations/repairs: Cameron’s Paint Centre

Best dining/restaurant: Murphy’s Fish and Chips

Best entertainment venue/festival: Marigold Cultural Centre

Best fast food: Subway on Elm Street

Best financial institution: RBC

Best fitness centre: Joyful Yoga

Best golf course: Truro Golf Club

Best grocery store: Sobey’s on Prince Street

Best hair salon/barber/day spa: Jennifer’s & Company

Best hardware store: AJ Walker and Sons

Best home décor/furniture store: Berry’s Furniture Plus

Best hotel/motel/inn: Best Western Plus Glengarry

Best insurance provider: Caldwell Roach

Best jewellery store: Inglis Jewellers

Best media: Big Dog 100.9

Best non-profit organization: Big Brothers/Big Sisters Colchester

Best pet care/groomers/vet/supplier: Central Nova Animal Hospital

Best print/copy centre: Sid Sells Signs

Best real estate agency: Remax Fairlane Realty

Best pharmacy: MacQuarries Pharmacy, Esplanade

We were thrilled to get to spend the evening with our friends, Ann & Larry MacCormack from Tulips & Thistle Bed & Breakfast and Maarten Schurmans from Baker’s Chest.  We are fortunate to have B&B’s of such high quality in the Truro area.

Maarten, Anne, D'Arcy, Ann & Larry

Before the evening was over, I was able to go back up onto the stage to put in a plug for the Bay of Fundy as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.  The Bay of Fundy is Canada’s only entry in this contest and I was trying to stress that as a room full of people doing business in this area, it is our responsibility to make sure we “Vote Fundy!!  (To do this, you can go to:  VotemyFundy.com or text Fundy to 77077)

Blue Rodeo is coming to Truro!

The Truro Daily News announced this week that the band Blue Rodeo will be playing in Truro this summer on August 5th.  Tickets go on sale June 3rd and proceeds will all go toward the Ignite the Spirit Campaign in support of the Central Nova Scotia civic centre project.  We do still have rooms available that weekend,  but recommend that you book as soon as possible.  Rooms during concert weekends always book up in advance!

We’ve made it to the Top Three!!

Thank you to everyone who took the time & effort to vote for us in the Truro & District Chamber of Commerce’s “2011 Best of Colchester Awards“!  We made the top three in the Best B&B Category with our friends from Tulips & Thistle B&B and Baker’s Chest B&B!!  The winners of each category will be announced at an Award dinner on June 16th!

Hopefully we’ll come home again this year with something that looks like this:

Choirs for Comfort

I just received word that “Choirs for Comfort” is a go today, despite the snow!

Choirs for Comfort is a concert in which many of the  local choirs band together to raise funds for a worthwhile cause – this year,  “Doctors Without Borders”.  A free will offering will be taken at the door. For  donations over $10, if you would like receipt for tax purposes, please put your  contribution in an envelope with you name and address – the receipts will  follow.

The concert is taking place at First United Church, Truro at 3:00 p.m. (Corner of Prince & Lorne Streets) and Alex & I are both participating.  We hope to see you there!

It’s going to be a busy weekend in Central Nova Scotia!

There is so much going on in this area this coming weekend; it’s a shame some of these festivals couldn’t be spread out a bit more!  We’ve been booked full for this weekend since April and have turned – no exaggeration – at least 50 rooms away for Friday & Saturday night!   The following is a list of some of the events that will be happening:

Dutch Mason Blues Festival
Date(s): 08/13/2010 – 08/15/2010
Location: Exhibition Grounds, Ryland Avenue, Bible Hill

Millbrook Pow Wow
Date(s): 08/13/2010 – 08/15/2010
Location: Hwy 2 Millbrook

Kempt Shore Bluegrass and Oldtime Music Festival
Date(s): 08/13/2010 – 08/15/2010
Location: 5701 Hwy 215, Kempt Shore

Motorcycle Weekend
Date(s): 08/13/2010 – 08/15/2010
Location: Truro

Not Since Moses Race
Date(s): 08/14/2010 – 08/14/2010
Location: Five Islands

The Alexander Brothers
Date(s): 08/14/2010 – 08/14/ 2010
Location: Marigold Centre 605 Prince Street, Truro

Days of Sail
Date(s): 08/14/2010
Location: Creamery Square, Tatamagouche

Blueberry Winefest
Date(s): 08/14/2010
Location: Jost Vineyards, Malagash.

Carolyn & Garett’s Wedding, August 14th, Truro, NS!