We decided to go "Green Acres" after living in New York City for over 20 years (Karen) and 30 years (John). So in 2007, we purchased Ye Olde Manor House Bed and Breakfast. John retired from his job as a New York State Housing Court Senior Attorney, though he retained numerous stories about his experiences there which he penned to paper. Karen telecommuted for several years and eventually retired from her job as a policy program director at the Aspen Institute and started her own evaluation and racial equity consulting practice. We moved from a home in Victorian Brooklyn (yes there is such a place) that we'd spent nine years renovating to begin renovations on Ye Olde Manor House. Soon after moving here we added four additional guest rooms, an indoor swimming pool, indoor and outdoor water features, a ridiculous number of cottage flower beds, a large vegetable garden, a mini-fruit orchard, remodeled the kitchen, and updated all of the guest rooms. You'd think that after all this we'd be through but we are clearly serial home remodelers because we continue to find ways to update this lovely property. Every time we think we are finished, a new project pulls us back in...Is there a home remodelers' anonymous organization somewhere?
We both love to cook, so enjoy coming up with new menu items for our guests. In a brief moment of madness, we started a vegan food product company, The Elegant Vegan. Once we realized we were too old to operate several small businesses, we closed it, but continue to turn classic favorites into vegan alternatives. So we are able to provide a range of delectable options for our vegan and vegetarian guests in addition to our standard delicious fare. We are licensed to provide snacks, in addition to breakfast, so are considering adding an international-themed Tapas option to our offerings. Any interest?
John gave away his 110-gallon saltwater tank when we left Brooklyn only to create a huge koi fish tank, a saltwater aquarium and a freshwater aquarium indoors, and a fish pond outdoors. Karen didn't really give up anything when we moved since her hobbies mainly include reading and gardening. Although she did leave several purple and blue hydrangeas in Brooklyn and has spent her time in Wisconsin trying to turn the 40+ hydrangeas she planted here from pink to blue. You'll find the B&B stuffed to the brim with all kinds of books. We were also obsessive Scrabble players so you'll find Scrabble boards, several other games, and puzzles.
Our goal is to create the type of place we would like to visit...a beautiful, elegant, and comfortable retreat where we could relax, renew, and rejuvenate. We believe we've achieved our goal and will continue to make updates and improvements to ensure that our guests have the best experience possible at Ye Olde Manor House.
