Presidents Day Getaway Package in Michigan

The Presidents Day holiday is celebrated on Monday February 20 in 2012. Some employers give their employees the day off to create a 3 day weekend to celebrate 2 of our great Presidents--George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. But to many workers, it's just another Monday.

 

The Munro House is a Bed and Breakfast in Jonesville Michigan that offers a special deal for Presidents Day weekend. Guests who are able to make it a long weekend can get any room on Sunday, February 20, for just $50 when they also stay Saturday night at regular rates. Guests need to mention the secret word "WASHINGTON" when they make their reservation to get the special deal for Presidents Day. 

With a staff of on-call spa professionals, massages and body wraps are available by appointment  every day. A great selection of local restaurants provides plenty of choices for lunches and dinners. Centrally located in Southern Michigan between Detroit and Kalamazoo, the Munro House is an option to driving all the way to Lake Michigan or the Mackinac Bridge for a Winter getaway.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Michigan Bottle Deposit Law

Urging citizens of Michigan to recycle bottles and cans, our state has had a deposit law for years. Many states have a voluntary recycling program, some states charge $0.05 deposit on various bottles and cans, but Michigan charges $0.10 deposit on carbonated beverages to coax people into getting their deposit money back and keeping these items out of land fills.

Most grocery stores have automated machines in which bottles and cans are inserted one at a time. A scanner reads the bar code to be sure that only brands sold at the location are refunded the deposit. The machine tallies the number of items inserted and prints a receipt that is redeemable for cash at the registers.

The scanner now reads an extra code that differentiates cans sold in Michigan with cans sold elsewhere at half the deposit or no deposit at all. Non-Michigan cans are rejected. The aluminum cans and plastic bottles are immediately crushed and dropped into a bin for the beer and pop companies to return to facilities for recycling. Glass bottles go in a separate machine and are returned intact.

With bottled water sales now surpassing pop sales, Michigan is considering putting the deposit on water bottles, too. I am doing my part by voluntarily recycling all of my bottles and cans whether a deposit was paid or not. Inserting all those items into the machines is just too time consuming.

It is a bit of a hassle, but it is a good deed worth doing. Recycling is more nature-friendly than natural decomposition, and the refund is like bonus money to me. I save the empties and store them in 30 gallon garbage cans. Each can nets $12-$15 in mad money that I try to spend on stuff I wouldn't buy otherwise, rather than putting the money back into the general fund.


Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Southern Michigan Winter Getaway

Folks from Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio can enjoy a winter getaway at a bed and breakfast in Michigan without going all the way to the Great Lakes or to the Mackinac Bridge. The Munro House is a full time B&B in Jonesville Michigan that is just 20 miles from the Indiana/Ohio border where out of state folks can go "up north" by just crossing the Michigan border.

The winter getaway package includes 2 dinners at 2 restaurants that are just 2 blocks away, 2 on-site massages by a world class masseuse, and 2 tickets to see a new release movie at the local theater. An easy walk to Saucy Dog's Barbeque and Olivia's Chop House on snowy days makes the location ideal for a winter getaway.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Michigan Winter Getaway Package

A winter getaway is available 7 days a week at this Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast. Just 90 minutes from Detroit Metro Airport and Fort Wayne Indiana. The Munro House is also just an hour from Toledo, Lansing, and Battle Creek. When winter travel distances can be an issue, it is nice to know a romantic winter getaway is very nearby.

The Winter Getaway Package is a two night stay that includes dinners at 2 great nearby restaurants. Both Saucy Dog's Barbeque and Olivia's Chop House are just 2 blocks away. Saucy Dog features beef brisket smoked overnight to tender deliciousness, while Olivia's offers a prime rib that you might be able to eat with a spoon. The convenience of 2 restaurants being an easy walk makes this a great choice for dinners on consecutive nights. A pair of movie passes are also included in the package. There is a good chance that Oscar nominated movies will be playing at the local Premiere Theater.

An onsite one hour massage for each person is a sure way to relax during the shopping season, the new year, or a cabin fever getaway. A full hour on the table with a world class masseuse is a guilty pleasure anyone is sure to enjoy.

Make the reservation with 30 days notice and mention "ROSES ARE RED, MY LOVE" and a dozen red roses floral arrangement will be your bonus gift at no charge.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner in Michigan

Six  couples joined us for a murder mystery dinner at the Munro House B&B in Jonesville Michigan. November is traditionally murder mystery month at the Munro House where several weekends are reserved for murder mysteries each year. Each person was an active participant in this interactive event.  A role was assigned to each guest by our hostess who tried to match characters with personalities.

These parties are designed to be more of a fun event than a problem solving task. Adults dressing up and acting silly is what these parties are all about. Each guest has a role to play and a script to follow. Each script has 4-8 clues in each of three acts. These clues must be shared during dinner. Additional ad-libbing is encouraged. 

A five course meal was served while the game was played. The mystery was solved over dessert. New friendships were made during the course of the evening and judging from the laughter coming from the dining room, everyone had a good time..



Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Peak Fall Colors in Southern Michigan

It is not quite peak Fall colors in Southern Michigan, but it is definitely prime viewing weather. With temperatures expected to be in the 70s and 80s through October 12, now is a great time to getaway to Southern Michigan.

Jonesville is a vibrant community with great restaurants just a couple of blocks from the Munro House B&B. Fine dining, casual dining, and fast food restaurants are all an easy walk away. Carl Fast Park in the town square is a fine example of the vibrant colors that are turning right now. Local favorite color tours include the farmlands of Hillsdale County, the Coldwater lakes area, and the Irish Hills near Brooklyn. All have a variety of color and terrain.

Any day can be a good day to play hookie or take a quick getaway to enjoy the final nice days before Winter. I have the opportunity to play hookie and ride my motorcycle around the area to enjoy the day, have a nice meal, and spend quality time with the one I love. I am lucky to have a schedule that allows time to do these things that I enjoy. Many people need to make time to enjoy life in Michigan.


Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Road Trip to Art Prize in Grand Rapids

We took the 2 hour road trip from Jonesville to Grand Rapids to view the annual Artprize Competition. Artprize is an open art competition, giving away the world's largest art prize--$500,000.  The event is part arts festival, part social experiment, and an opportunity to explore Michigan's 2nd largest city. This international art contest is decided by a public vote.   

Grand Rapids is a great ride from Jonesville heading north enjoying the Fall Colors on the way. Art projects can be found inside, outside, or as part of a building within a 3 mile radius of downtown Grand Rapids. We like the big stuff like murals and sculptures and other 3D art. All of the art exhibits are good, some are great, and more than a few are spectacular.

The competition as a whole is overwhelming, but the Artprize top 10 are must-sees. There are about 2,000 participating artists competing for half a million dollars in prize money. My recommendation is to map out the top 10, budget your allotted time, and view as many other entries as possible. Artprize art festival in Grand Rapids, MI runs September 21 through October 9, 2011.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

MI B&B Murder Mystery Dinner Party

The first Murder Mystery Dinner of the fall at the Munro House B&B in Jonesville is history. But there are 3 more murder mysteries scheduled in November plus the traditional New Years Eve Murder Mystery at the Munro House.

The event starts with the assignment of characters and dressing for the role. The costume consists of a funky hat and an accessory from our costume closet to define each person's identity. Our hostess assigns roles based on personality and extrovertedness. The game is played while a 5 course meal is served. The guilty party is divulged over dessert. The event generally takes about 3 hours.

A selection of Michigan wines is served with dinner. Our favorites are from the St Julian Winery.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Ferry Across Lake Michigan

Dreading the drive through Chicago on 4th of July weekend, we decided to take the car ferry across Lake Michigan to attend our family's summer picnic. We removed the big city from the equation because that trip is a wild card on any weekend and a holiday could make it double trouble. With no traffic, Chicago can be traversed in about 45 minutes. Our record in futility is 3+ hours from Gary Indiana to O'Hare Airport. That record was set on a previous 4th of July weekend and we were not looking forward to challenging it.

We took the early morning boat from Ludington Michigan to Manitowoc Wisconsin. We spent the previous night in town and were up and ready to go with plenty of time to spare. This particular trip had a lot of motorcycles boarding for the holiday weekend. A calm day on Lake Michigan made for a very pleasurable 3 hour ride. We were prepared to keep ourselves occupied with dominoes and cards. The time went fast, the trip was easy, and our co-passengers were nice. We were surprised to see a big family of Amish on the boat. They seemed to be having a good time, too.

We spent 2 days in Wisconsin and took the midnight boat back to Michigan. We were looking forward to enjoying a state room where we could nap for most of the trip. We both were so exhausted that we fell asleep before the boat left the dock and were awakened by the crew banging on doors to wake everybody up just before reaching the Michigan shore.

The S.S.Badger car ferry was more expensive than driving the distance. However, we didn't have to pay tolls, we didn't have to buy as much gas, and we didn't get stuck in traffic. We did have 2 nice boat rides, we had a stress free driving experience, and we saved a night's lodging in a hotel. For us, this trip was a win-win and well worth the fare in both directions.

Upon departing the Badger, we noticed that the boat is actually part of U.S. Highway 10--amusing, funny, and true! We will take the Badger again and look forward to another enjoyable experience on Lake Michigan.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt Pleasant MI

On occasion, we enjoy going to the Indian Casinos in Michigan. Firekeepers Casino near Battle Creek is the most convenient and is less than an hour away. Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt Pleasant is on the way "Up North" to Traverse City or Mackinac. It is 2 hours from our house and is in a convenient location for a break on a road trip to Northern Michigan.

Lori likes to play the slots and is able to make a little money go a long way. $50 can last 2 days in her hands and she will still have enough money left to buy me lunch.  She has the ability to create excitement even when she is just watching someone else play the games. It is always fun to hang out with Lori at the casino, or anywhere.

Mike & Lori Venturini

Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper

"Life is good in Jonesville"

Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Wind Farm in Cadillac MI

A 4 hour trip from Jonesville to Traverse City, MI took us through Cadillac--which is the site of a Wind Farm that generates electricity from huge wind turbines that are situated on farmland near the woodlands of Northern Michigan. These power generators are huge--they dwarf a 2 1/2 story farmhouse in Michigan's north woods.

There is a lot of controversy that surrounds the building of these mammoth generators of wind power. Most of the debate is about sight and sound nuisance along with unknown long-term health effects on humans and animals.  The first siting of these giants rising above the tree line makes them a truly awesome vision and feat of engineering.

This form of "green energy" could help curtail our reliance on coal, oil, and nuclear power along with the pollution they produce. Fear of the unknown sight and health effects are the biggest obstacles plaguing the wind power industry. However, in the right location, they could be a savior to an ever increasing pollution problem and could help keep down the cost of electricity.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Antiquities Wellington B&B in Traverse City MI

As a long-time board member and officer of the Michigan Bed and Breakfast Association, I am a regular visitor of B&Bs from Lake to Lake for regular business meetings. On this occasion, we met at a Traverse City Bed and Breakfast known as Antiquities Wellington B&B. It is a spectacular property from the first look at the 2 story columns in front of the house to the inner look at the authentic period furnishings, to an excellent not-so-common breakfast.

The property was saved from years of neglect and abuse and renovated to its original stateliness, elegance, and charm. A tremendous amount of natural light was the envy of most of my cohorts. An incredible amount of common area for guests to gather and enjoy time inside or on the porch was a bonus. My extra large guest room included a queen size bed, gas fireplace, sitting area, and an extra large bath room with a jetted tub. A reception for over 30 innkeepers was handled very comfortably in this spacious inn.

Breakfast was superb. I was served a generous portion of a secret recipe quiche (with cherry mustard in the crust) along with al dente asparagus and a pistachio muffin. An elegant glass of fresh cut pears with raspberries and yogurt rounded out a complete, filling, and healthy breakfast along with milk, juice, and coffee.

Mike Venturini

Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper

"Life is good in Jonesville"

Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Governor's Award for Innovative Tourism Collaboration

Accepting the Governor's Award for Innovative Tourism Collaboration in Michigan was Mike Venturini President of Michigan Lake to Lake Bed and Breakfast Association and owner of Munro House B&B in Jonesville. The award honored the association's nine member inns who participated with Pure Michigan and website developer InsideOut Solutions to combine forces in creating an upgraded tourism presence in Michigan.

It started with the creation of a cutting edge website that integrated photos, links, and user friendly maps. It continued with the implementation of a successful and well-followed Michigan bed and breakfast blog, and a well used social media platform that contains regular postings to facebook and twitter.  e-marketing efforts through state tourism partner Pure Michigan gave us access to over 100,000 additional visitors who participate in their e-mail advertising campaign. An avalanche of publicity and goodwill was generated when 33 member inns participated in a national "B&Bs for Vets" campaign in November.

Our Association is all about Michigan says Keith Charak of Sherwood Forest B&B in Douglas. “Our bed and breakfasts stretch across this state, from the Keewenaw Peninsula on Lake Superior to Algonac on Lake St. Clair, from Oscoda on Lake Huron to Douglas and Saugatuck on Lake Michigan. We are the heart and soul of Michigan and always ready to open our doors to show people the warmth and hospitality theyʼd expect when they come for a visit.”

When you think about it, what is Michigan Lake to Lake Bed and Breakfast Association (L2L) but a collaboration of small businesses that pool resources, including money, time, and talent, to obtain a level of tourism marketing and promotion (plus education and influence) that is not realistically possible for us to achieve on our own?

What do members get out of the partnership in an ordinary year? Barb Phillips of Dewey Lake Manor in Brooklyn, said “Dewey Lake joined L2L when we first opened 20 years ago -- didnʼt know much about it (or anything for that matter) but because it was a collaboration of the stateʼs B&Bs, I felt it gave us credibility and that we could learn lots from others, which we have. And the e-specials are an example of something that would be too expensive to do on our own but, working as a group we can promote all of us.”

Janice Duerr of the State Street Inn of Harbor Beach, said: “For the past ten years, we have looked to Michigan Lake to Lake Bed & Breakfast Association for guidance in many areas of innkeeping and operating a bed and breakfast, from marketing strategies, understanding state laws and new legislation that affects innkeepers and state tourism, to best business practices, proper business insurance and so many other topics.”

In 2010, we all pulled together in an extraordinary way on several fronts. These four cooperative initiatives are the basis on which we staked our bid to be recognized for contributing an “Innovative Tourism Collaboration” that benefits many organizations around the state and, most of all, the traveling public.




Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Lake to Lake Bed and Breakfast Conference

I attended the Michigan Lake to Lake Bed and Breakfast Association annual conference in Chelsea. It was a three day event at the Comfort Inn and Conference Center of Chelsea.  Day one was a workshop that helped innkeepers get up to speed on social media.  A half day of information exclusively about blogging, facebook, and twitter techniques left a few heads spinning, reassured many that they were on the right track, and lead everyone down the road to improvement.

A business meeting regarding the status of the Michigan Bed and Breakfast Association provided results of the previous year's effort and a plan for the future.  A new state association website had been the main focus of the board's attention for most of the past 12 months. Upon completion, the site that was developed is the kind of website that most B&B associations can only dream about.  Our committee selected the best of what we had seen across the U.S. and developed additional functions that has put our directory at the state of the art.

Several seminars regarding marketing, inspiration, and more marketing was the main focus of the gathering.  A representative of the Pure Michigan state tourism advertising group reviewed their past successes and laid out the future plans, pending state budget approval, that will keep Michigan a major Midwest tourist destination..
A very interesting and enlightening seminar on bed bugs was most informative. We were happy to discover that the bed and breakfast industry was one of the groups least affected by the growing concern over bed bugs as reported in the media. The changeover of bed sheets multiple times per week by innkeepers was enumerated as a top reason for B&Bs to not be experiencing the problems that are growing in apartment buildings and other facilities where people sleep. Innkeepers are aware that clutter is a major hiding spot for the creatures who mostly come out at night to feed on human blood. A neat and well-kept bedroom with special attention given to the cleanliness of mattress covers and pillow cases help to identify and treat a concern long before it becomes a problem.  Our inspected inns are aware of the public's apprehension towards this matter and have taken steps to keep our rooms fresh, clean, and orderly.


Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Bruce Caswell for State Senate

 
Bruce Caswell is running for the 16th district State of Michigan Senate seat which represents Hillsdale County plus St Joseph, Lenawee, and Branch County. He is our former Michigan House of Representatives Delegate who is no longer eligible for that position due to term limits.

I have met Bruce on several occasions and have always been impressed with his genuine concern for me and my business.  At a social function several years ago, he asked me what he could do for me.  I told him that I wanted one of those blue highway signs that points travelers towards gas, food, and lodging.  My lodging facility in Jonesville is one block off of Highway 12 and is often unknown to passersby.  Research found that those signs were controlled by the Michigan Department of Transportation and could only be erected at highway interchanges and in unincorporated areas.  I had a desire for one in my Village and asked him to help. 

Months went by and I pretty much forgot about our brief conversation.  Then I got a call saying that the law was changed and that I could apply for a sign and could pay to have one erected if it fell under the guidelines of the local planning commission.  I was thrilled.  I lobbied with my local officials to allow the signage and mustered a favorable change in the local sign ordinance and got my sign.

I have not actively endorsed anyone's position as an elected official until this year. Bruce Caswell did me a huge service that was born out of a brief encounter at a social function.  He has proven to me that he is an advocate of small business who listens to his constituents and is a genuine good guy that I want to represent me in our state government.

Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Historic Home Tour Marshall Michigan

The historic Marshall Home Tour is traditionally held each year on the weekend after Labor Day. The tour is the oldest historic home tour in the Great Lakes area. This year, eight private homes, a church, a business, and up to six museums are scheduled to be open for the two days of the tour. There will also be roving musicians, demonstrating craftspeople, a juried craft show, ethnic foods, antiques for sale, and a Civil War Ball with elaborate costumes during the weekend festivities.

Flemming house Marshall Michigan

The most famous midwest home tour is being held for the 47th time the weekend of September 11-12 in historic Marshall, Michigan.  Marshall is a small city in South Central Michigan with a population of about 7,500 people.  Marshall is best known for its cross-section of 19th century and early 20th Century architecture. It has been called a "virtual textbook of 19th-Century American architecture" by the keeper of the National Register of Historic Places.  It is home to the one of the nation's largest National Historic Landmark Districts with over 850 buildings included in the Landmark.

National House Inn Marshall Michigan

With limited lodging in the area, an equally impressive historic home in Jonesville Michigan is also a bed and breakfast. The Munro House is located about 30 miles South East of Marshall at highways 12 and 99. The Munro House is the oldest house in Hillsdale County, dating to 1834. It is also the oldest home in Southern Michigan that was originally built as a private residence. The Greek Revival style house was used as a Station on the Underground Railroad and still has a secret room big enough for 20 people to stand in, along with the remains of what was once a 200 foot underground tunnel.

Munro House B&B Jonesville Michigan

A tour of historic homes in Michigan requires a trip that includes Marshall and Jonesville.


Mike Venturini
Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper
"Life is good in Jonesville"
Munro House Bed and Breakfast