Finding a good hair stylist

A couple from Fort Wayne checked in on Thursday. Our conversation led to one about finding a good hair stylist. My barber died recently, and I have been having a hard time finding someone that I click with. My female guest told me that she hasn't had a good hair stylist for several years. The next day, another couple checked in from Fort Wayne. I mentioned that they would be having breakfast with someone from their city the next morning. On Saturday morning the two couples met--it was the client and hair stylist from 6 years ago. They reunited as instant long-lost friends and had a great time enjoying each others company over breakfast. I love it when stuff like this happens at my house.


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

New Years Eve Party in Michigan

It is New Years Eve. We are hosting a Murder Mystery Dinner Party at the Munro House in Jonesville, and it's 41 degrees outside. That is just too nice a day to not be able to enjoy because of work, so I took 30 minutes and rode my motorcycle around town. I got a snapshot of me in front of the time and temperature at the bank, in front of the Jonesville Water Tower, at the local gas station, and in the Wal-Mart parking lot. So this is my time capsule of what it was like on this day. The price of gas was reasonable, my town was progressive, the parking lots were full, and the weather was outstanding (for December). Now I've got a house full of nice people and everyone is having a good time. Lady Gaga will be on the countdown from Times Square. We'll pour champagne at midnight and I will have to work on day 1 of 2012. It is all good.  Life is good in Jonesville.

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

Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Gifts from Guests

We get a diverse cross-section of people at the Munro House B&B in Jonesville, MI. Very often, we compliment guests on their clothes or accessories. A few weeks ago, a large box arrived in the mail. Inside was a fur coat and a note. The note mentioned how Lori mentioned how nice the lady looked in the coat. The lady wore it home, had it dry-cleaned, and sent it to us as a gift. Lori loves the coat and looks great in it. People are so nice!

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

Free Rooms for Vets Article

November 15, 2011 Section: News Page: 1 Memo:Munro House The Munro House was the American Legion Post in Jonesville in the 1940s and '50s. Venturini said he is very interested in local history and is looking for photos of the Munro House from that era. Munro House offers free lodging Holly Roney holly.roney@hillsdale.net JONESVILLE - The Munro House Bed and Breakfast in Jonesville opened its doors to veterans for the second year as part of "B & Bs for Vets," a program that provides veterans and their spouses free lodging the night before Veterans Day so that they can attend local events the next day.

Munro House filled their seven rooms with veterans, providing them with a free dinner on Thursday night at Olivia's or Saucy Dog's and a breakfast on Veterans Day. They have guests representing Vietnam, the Gulf War and current active-duty. One guest, Misty Wolthuis, is an active-duty Sergeant First Class (SFC) who will be leaving for Liberia to teach the Liberian army armory operations on Saturday. "I just think it's the right thing to do," said Mike Venturini, who owns the Munro House with his wife. "I think more people should do things for the veterans." The Venturinis released their rooms by encouraging potential guests to friend them on Facebook. Then they released rooms individually, letting their Facebook friends be the first to know. They said that way they were creating some anticipation about the event. Guests came from Grand Rapids, Ida, Lambertville and more. There were also guests at the reception before dinner Thursday that were local veterans and their families. "Everybody's welcome at my house," Venturini said. The reception offered appetizers such as cheese and crackers, and apples with caramel. Guests ate, told stories and relaxed before heading off to dinner. On Friday, they were encouraged to attend the memorial rededication at Carl Fast Park in Jonesville. "This place is phenomenal," said guest Larry Fry, who came from Grand Rapids with his wife. "There's a lot of history here." Jeff Venneman and fiancee Misty Wolthuis, both active-duty Sergeants First Class, enjoy the snacks offered. DAILY NEWS/HOLLY RONEY

Copyright, 2011, The Hillsdale Daily News, All Rights Reserved.  Mike Venturini

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

Scottish Terrier Goes for a Walk

Ozzie, resident Scottish Terrier at the Munro House in Jonesville, loves to go for a walk. Guests often ask permission to walk with him around our small town neighborhood. Thanks Joy. Ozzie loved it!

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

Christmas Ornament Gift

Bobbie and Jimmy were visiting family in town and stayed at the Munro House B&B in Jonesville for a full week. They enjoyed our hospitality so much that they left us with a parting gift. Our personal Christmas Tree is decorated with commemorative ornaments and gifts from friends and acquaintances. We now have our first Santa depicted with his companion Zwarte Piet (Black Pete), a wonderful addition from our guests that will be remembered every time we decorate the tree.

 

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

Scottish Terrier Gift from Guests

A lot of guests at the Munro House in Jonesville  leave a lasting impression on us or a nice note in the room or a positive review online. The real special guests leave a gift. A couple from Texas knew we collected Scottie Dog figurines and found one at the antique mall that they were sure we didn't have in our collection. They were right, and now we have our mascot depicted on our business card holder. Thanks Lee and Beth!

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

Celebrity Guests at Michigan B&B

Celebrities travel to Michigan all of the time. But, how often do they come to Jonesville to stay at the Munro House B&B? Over the years, we have had the pleasure to serve a few celebrity guests out of all of the famous people in the world of news, sports, radio, television, politics, and music. Today was one of those days.

I have only lived in Michigan for 12 years. In that time, I have become aware of many Michigan celebrities that were formerly unknown to a guy from Wisconsin, but were synonymous with Michigan culture. So when a guest at our house, who is a lifelong resident of Michigan, recognized a famous person at our communal breakfast table, it was a moment of fandemonium followed by the realization that they are really just nice people who happened to share breakfast at my house.

I am sure that the celebrity was more interested in having a pleasant getaway than talking about themselves, so the conversation moved on from their personal experiences to the current situation of their industry to life in general. We enjoyed their company and sent them on their way.

So if you happened to be shopping at the antique malls in Allen today and thought that one of the other shoppers seemed familiar. Yeah, that was the person you thought it was, and it was a good thing that you didn't make a scene.

Name withheld to protect privacy.



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

Girls Night Out Part 4-Free Day

Sylvia and her lady friends had 3 special events planned at the Munro House B&B in Jonesville. A Murder Mystery, a Spa Day, and a Chef Night Cooking Party. The final event was a free day of shopping at nearby Jackson Crossing Mall then dinner in the private dining room at Olivia's Chop House in downtown Jonesville.

The ladies had made the most of their girlfriend getaway weekend. They spent a lot of their time in our house or on our private patio talking and laughing and participating in our interactive parties. We could tell that they were all cut from the same mold and enjoyed each others company, immensely.

Jackson Crossing Mall is about 30 minutes away and was an easy day trip for these women. Upon their return, I noticed that most of their shopping bags came from T.J. Maxx. Their trip to the mall was very successful. Some of the ladies also found deals at Kohl's, Bed Bath and Beyond, and others.


They got all dressed up and enjoyed a fine dining experience at Olivia's Chop House. It is an easy 2 block walk from the Munro House, but they elected to drive rather than walk in their dresses and heels. They did their best to eat all of the generous portions offered at Olivia's but still had to commandeer space in our guest refrigerator for left-overs and dessert that was too good to pass up--mmmm, creme broule.

We love it when our guests come here and make themselves at home while enjoying each others' company. We try to make our house a home away from home for all of our guests. These women were particularly good at it and are welcome back any time.


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

Girls Night Out Part 3-Cooking Party

Sylvia and her girlfriends had a murder mystery dinner and a spa day to begin their women's weekend getaway in Southern Michigan. Now it was time for the original Chef Night Cooking Party--a regular event we have been hosting for years. This is not a class, it is a party where teams of 2 work together to do their part in creating a feast. On this day, we created 11 dishes for all participants to enjoy--3 appetizers, 1 soup, 1 salad, 2 entrees with 2 side dishes, and 2 desserts.

Modern and classic music were played in the prep areas while a tight kitchen added to the fun. Everything but the salad needed to be cooked, but with just a standard 4 burner stove to cook all this food, some negotiating was in order. With everyone being an experienced cook, instructions were kept to a minimum while the hosts were on-hand to locate particular utensils and equipment. Because not all stoves or microwaves are created equal, there was a fair amount of help required to cook in the convection oven or to program the microwave.

The first appetizer came out in the first hour, while additional appetizers followed. The actual meal was served 3 hours after the start of the event. We ate like royalty from an uncommon menu. Bruschetta, seafood nachos, and cheddar bay biscuits are favorite starters that were well-received. Cream of asparagus soup and Greek salad comprised the next 2 courses. Chicken Lombardy and Shrimp Parmesan were flanked by lentil/rice pilaf and carrots Marsala. We finished the evening with fresh raspberry cobbler and Lori's Secret Recipe Crepes.

We went 11 for 11 with successful menu choices and chef expertise. Everything was great--but the bruschetta, chicken, and crepes were outstanding.

Many people do not cook from scratch anymore. Prepared foods are very common, very good, and very quick to prepare. Going "old school" with nothing prepackaged was a nice change. Cooking with a partner was another great experience that is becoming a forgotten art. We encourage camaraderie, patience, and new experiences at the Munro House. Interaction of diverse personalities while completing a common task is a fun way to have a hands-on, fun-time experience in our kitchen.

Our complete menu is titled "General Sylvia 11" and is online at food.com.


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

Long Term Stay in Jonesville MI

Don has stayed with us over 100 nights per year for the past 4 years. He has become more than a guest and we hope we have been more than hosts. A job transfer landed him in a situation where a combination of things led to a long term stay at this Jonesville Michigan B&B. A 2 hour weekly commute was a better alternative than uprooting his kids, finding his wife a new job, selling his house and buying a new one. He had considered hotels and motels in Hillsdale and Jonesville but opted for a homier experience.  We negotiated a loyalty rate that was a good deal for both of us.

Don has been very predictable. He checks in late and goes to work early. I made it a point to wait up for him most nights. He would arrive around 11 p.m. and we would watch TV and play Words with Friends while having a beer or two until midnight. He was up at 7 a.m. and opted for a simple breakfast of cereal, fruit, juice, and coffee rather than the big breakfast that we also offer. We would sometimes talk about work, but mostly about the day's headlines, current events, and family stuff.

He had a specific room that he liked, so we arranged for him to be in that room just about all of his 400+ nights. Familiarity when he came to town and went to 'his' room was a key part of his out-of-town trips. That made his stay with us a lot like being home.

Over the years, we have met his wife and kids on several occasions. We also met many of his coworkers, visitors, and potential hires. The Munro House became his home away from home and we treated him and his family like our family.

I have travelled for a living in a past life. The loneliness on the road was the hardest part of travelling on business. Having someone to wait up and greet you when you arrive and sharing breakfast with a familiar face are some of the little things that make being away from home on business a little more enjoyable. The Munro House Bed and Breakfast is a better way to stay for long term guests in Jonesville or Hillsdale Michigan.


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

Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Visiting Michigan

The best part of my job as a Michigan Innkeeper is the people I get to meet. Every day is a pleasant surprise when an interesting person stays over on a business trip, or when a couple comes here to celebrate an event, or when someone comes back to Jonesville to visit family.

We had all of that and more--just this week. The stories they tell about their life, their family, and their experiences enrich my life as a regular guy who lives in a small town and is interested in people. How else could I even meet this cross-section of cultures and spend an appreciable amount of time with any of them?

I refer to the people who stay here as my "peeps". This week, my peeps included a college professor, a desert soldier, an accountant, small business owners, executives, some high school kids, some strangers from my home town, return guests, and visitors from Germany and Switzerland. All of them were fascinating in their own way.


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

Interesting Breakfast

The best thing about our bed and breakfast is the breakfast--and it is not necessarily because of the food. The conversations over breakfast at our house leave lasting impressions on us, and hopefully on our guests, too. Just when we thought we met the nicest people in the world, more people check-in to reaffirm our belief that there are a lot of really cool people out there. They get together at our house where mingling and meeting new people is encouraged at our big old breakfast table.

When was the last time anyone said that an accountant was the life of the party? It happened twice this weekend at our house. Art was a very interesting and colorful communicator who enlightened everyone at the table with an accountant's perspective on everything from politics to the economy, higher education to investments, and history to housing in a very informal and engaging manner. We encourage the extrovert in everyone to emerge at our house

We may not have the nicest B&B in Michigan, but ours is right up there when it comes to comfort and hospitality. Who knew that Jonesville Michigan could be such a melting pot of people from across the Midwest and around the world? We hope we made a lasting impression on the getaway girls, the CPA families, the Hillsdale College parents, the anniversary couple, and the Nigerian college professor and his lovely wife. We are eagerly awaiting the next interesting people to grace our home.

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

Power Failure in Jonesville

I awakened this morning to find that the power was off throughout Jonesville. I got up before dawn to figure out if it was my problem, or everybody's problem.  Apparently, a transformer blew up and affected everybody in Jonesville. With no electricity, it was about to be a basic breakfast. I found my handy headband light and got a lantern for my early rising guest. He was able to shave by lamplight while I prepped coffee, fruit and juice (my coffee maker has pre-heated water).  We just had cereal and enjoyed an old-fashioned breakfast while we waited for the sunrise to naturally light up the house.

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

Kitchen Help

Every now and then we get some help in the kitchen. We refer to them as our "Kitchen Elves". We have a kid-size apron that keeps their clothes clean while they lick the bowl and the beater.

Mike Venturini

Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper

"Life is good in Jonesville"

Munro House Bed and Breakfast

Oh, My! What to Do???

I got up to make breakfast for my 4 scheduled business guests and noticed there were no cars in the parking lot. Unusual because these same 4 people had breakfast together all week at 7:00, they had to be to work by 7:30, and I was expecting the same through Friday.

The breakfast was ready to go and I didn't hear a sound in the house up to their regular departure time, so I decided to clean their rooms or at least check up on them to make sure they were O.K. The first room I checked was undisturbed from the cleaning I did the day before.  All of their luggage was gone. I found the same in the 2nd room--odd.  I got to the third (and largest) room and had to pick my jaw up from off the floor. All of the windows were open, and it's a little early in the season for that. The furniture was rearranged into a semi-circle with 3 empty wine bottles (that appeared to be from my collection) along with 6 crushed beer cans and an empty bottle of Cognac. The Jacuzzi tub was still filled with water and what looked like chocolate cake, Cheerios, and rice. If that wasn't enough, I then found one of my signature coffee mugs stuffed with cigarette butts and half a cigar--hence the open windows. A Teddy Bear was wedged between a curtain rod and the wall with a note tied around his neck with a shoe string. The note said "We won the Powerball. We quit. We're outta here!"

What am I supposed to do?  Is it my responsibility to inform their employer (my client) that they quit? or can I assume that they will do that? Will the client pay the bill? or will I have to locate the individuals?  I understand all the empties, and I kinda understand the chocolate cake, but what's up with the Cheerios and the rice?

I hope you had a better day than I did.

Mike Venturini

Jonesville Michigan Bed and Breakfast Innkeeper

"Life is good in Jonesville"

Munro House Bed and Breakfast

P.S. April Fools!!!

Turkish Coffee Cup Reader

Just when we thought we met the most interesting people, some more checked in. This week's memorable guests were here for a spa day. 3 ladies and their mom came on short notice, had their day, and were having breakfast the following morning when one of the girls asked to use our kitchen to make Turkish Coffee. We agreed, she brought her own coffee service, and prepared a cup of "mud" for each of us.  Turkish Coffee is served unfiltered, so the grounds need to settle before it can be drunk. "Mud" settles at the bottom of the cup.

Upon finishing, one of the girls asked her mother to "read a cup".  Vicki was trained in the ancient art of reading coffee cups.  She then told my wife, Lori, to turn her cup over onto the saucer and let it sit while the grounds ran down the side of the cup and settled on the saucer.  They then told the story of how they fled Iran when the Shah was deposed.  The mother has a Russian background through which she learned to read the coffee grounds much like a psychic would read a palm, tea leaves, Tarot Cards, or a crystal ball.  After a period of time, she asked Lori to turn the cup back up. The liquid formed a seal and the cup was stuck to the saucer. Vicki said that was a sign that Lori would be kissed.

The cup was released and Vicki began to read the stains on the cup. She told Lori about what was happening in her life and what to expect in the near future.  I was the only one at the table who actually knew anything about my wife. Vicki was eerily accurate.  Then the saucer was read, and Lori was told to press her finger into the mud residue that was left in the cup. That imprint was read, also.

My cup was then read. The things she told me were spooky-cool.  This woman didn't know me, but she told me things she shouldn't know. Apparently, the stain patterns left by the coffe grounds can tell a lot about the person. For the reading to be meaningful, or accurate, the coffee is supposed to be sipped while relaxing or in a comtemplative mode.

There are a lot of cool people who spend the night with us and tell their story over breakfast. We never know who will walk through the door, next. We are often amazed by the variety of people, the talent they have, and the tales they tell.

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