Bertram Inn - Staff - bed and breakfast, Brookline, Boston, Massachusetts

With Inn

The Bertram Inn and The Samuel Sewall Inn Newsletter

Dear Friends
Boston In The Fall
The Bertram Inn News
The Samuel Sewall Inn News
Staff News
Boston Activities
When You Are Hungry
Recipe Corner
Final Words

Dear Friends

The next four months are fun, festive and wonderful. September is all about warm, sunny days and cool nights. October There is something special and exhilarating about this time of year. I am not sure who is smiling more these days-the staff, our guests or me!

is colors and Halloween at which time the inns are decorated with a multitude of jack-o-lanterns! November is Football and Thanksgiving-my favorite holiday; and December is the first snowfall, Santa and our neighborhood Christmas fest-when we decorate EVERYTHING!!!

In addition, we are planning great projects for the inns this winter. Among many are an expanded living room with fireplace at The Samuel Sewall Inn and a new gathering room downstairs for getting together, watching TV, checking your emails or the internet or holding a conference. At The Bertram, we are hoping to trellis over the outside porch and begin to train the wisteria to grow over it.

This really is a thrilling time for us. Fortunately, I have the best staff and the best guests in the world so there should be no slow down in smiles and sparkling eyes!

See you soon,
Bryan Austin ~ Owner

Boston in the Fall By: Jen Harris

A visit to Boston in the autumn months can be quite pleasing. The air outside is nice and brisk and the treetops turn such fabulous rich colors. The temperature is neither hot nor cold but just perfect! New England is definitely one of the best places to be at this time of year and spending time outdoors makes it even more special. There's so much to do outside in the next few months. A bike ride along the Charles, a hike in one of the nearby parks or perhaps a short day trip to one of the neighboring towns, the options are endless! When you think of autumn you think of hot cider, picking apples and perhaps a festival or two? Well, you can do all of this and more when you come to visit us!

Less then an hour away from the hustle and bustle of the big city is the beautiful Nashoba Valley Winery. The winery has 55 acres of orchards where you may pick your own apples and other fruits. Take a walk through the scenic orchard and choose from 100 varieties of apples. After that enjoy a hayride, a winery tour and tasting or take part in a pumpkin-decorating contest. Looking ahead, on December 7th, the "Holiday Lighting at Nashoba Valley" takes place. Between the hours of 4pm-7pm the whole orchard is "lit up". Festivities include caroling, hayrides and a special visit from old "St. Nick". Nashoba Valley Winery is located at: 100 Wattaquadoc Hill Rd. Bolton, MA; 978-779-5521.

If you are a real outdoors type who loves to hike or ride, there are some beautiful parks located just a short (half hour to an hour) drive from Boston. The Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary is located on 280 Eliot St. in Natick, MA. A wonderful way to enjoy some of the fall weather is to hike their 9 miles of trails. 617-235-3929 A little further is the Noanet Woodlands located on Dedham St. in Dover, MA. Their 10 miles of trails lead around and to the summit of Noanet Peak, where an impressive view of the Boston skyline is visible. The natural setting of Lynn Woods is the perfect spot for hiking, rock climbing, biking and bird watching; Or perhaps just relaxing and enjoying the view. Lynn Woods is located in Lynn, MA on Greta Woods and Penny Brook Roads 617-593-7773.

If you're not in the mood to drive, there are many beautiful walking trails around our inns like The Riverway, Chestnut Hill Reservoir and of course along the Charles River or through the Boston Commons. After your adventures you can relax on our couch, enjoy a nice hot cup of cider or cocoa, and tell us about where your day took you! We look forward to seeing you in the fall!

The Bertram Inn News
By: Laura Vardon

Happy Autumn! Fall is a wonderful time in Boston and here at The Bertram Inn. The cool of the nights makes sleeping conditions ideal, while the warmth of the days make exploring Boston enjoyable.

The yearly influx of college students is underway. The students always bring a great energy to the city. Oh, to be 18 and in a big city for the first time! Along with energy, the arrival of the students signals an increase in activities. There's always something to do at one of the colleges, from plays to concerts to sports. Or if that is too much planning for you, wander down to the Charles and watch the various crew teams skim the surface of the river with grace and dexterity.

Fall is a time of planning for us here at The Bertram Inn. We start the seasonal decorating in October, with scary jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween. We love having the neighborhood children stop by for candy and to show off their costumes. Maybe this year I'll be able to convince the staff to dress up!

We have so much to look forward to in the coming months. Our annual Holiday Open House will be in December. Over the past several years, this has become almost a block party. All the neighbors stop by to mingle with each other and the staff. We all have such a wonderful time, greeting old friends and making new ones, sipping mulled apple cider and sampling all the treats.

I hope you are able to visit us during this wonderful time of year. If not, we will be glad to see you whenever you can get away.

Staff News By: Steve Hofstetter

As the leaves on our tree-lined streets change color, we are reminded that fall is synonymous with change. And our staff is no exception to that rule. While we retain most of the familiar faces that have made your past stays so pleasant, we also add a few new ones, including my own. And even the regulars have some news to report.

Tanya, who previously worked in our office, but would "sneak down to the kitchen when time permitted," is now the inn's resident baker once or twice a week, as she will be pursuing her studies to pursue a master's degree.

Naida says that the three most important things in her life are her work at the Samuel Sewall Inn, her husband Richard and their black Labrador puppy, and renovating her house. They've added a fence, a retractable awning, and a stone patio, and are still working on even more. The puppy, Java, is almost a year old, and will soon be old enough to start duck hunting. Recently, Naida spent a relaxing day with Richard celebrating their two-year anniversary.

Tara has been getting into the house projects also, starting with repainting the kitchen and living room with a sunny, warm yellow. Having recently taken a few days to go White Water Rafting with her boyfriend Tom and then attending Jen's wedding, she feels refreshed and ready to decorate the inn for the holidays.

You might remember that Jen was engaged from our last newsletter. By the time you read this, she'll not only have gotten married, but she and her husband will have spent ten days in the Bahamas.

Sharon and her husband David are planning a weekend trip to Connecticut, where they will visit both the North Stonington Winery and Foxwoods Casino. She is still just as devoted to the Bertram Inn as always, "working on new and creative room packages to give our guests more reasons to come visit us again!"

Laura is planning a getaway of her own, traveling to Rockport, Massachusetts, where she says she will indulge two of her loves at once - the sea, and reading. Laura plans to climb out to the end of the rocks to read and watch the fishing boats set off for the day. "Nothing like watching the sun rise over the ocean," Laura says.

One of the newcomers is Macaela, our resident innkeeper, who starts her second semester in college this fall. She says that she's excited about two things: receiving her new video editing system, and her job here. Macaela says that her excitement to work with us stems from "all the interesting people who pass through," so make sure to say hello.

Next is Marcia, the newest addition to The Samuel Sewall Inn, who is currently balancing her new Start-Up Consulting Firm, a shift at the famous, William Sonoma store in Boston and three evenings at the inn. She is excited to be here and looks forward to celebrating the holidays with all of you.

I am also a newcomer to our staff, as well as to the Boston area. Hailing originally from New York and having attended school at Columbia University, I recently left the big apple to pursue my writing career. My first book came out just this month, and while I'm not working at the Bertram Inn, I write sports for ESPN and Maxim Magazines. I'm excited to be working here, and have never met a friendlier group of people. Thanks for your time, and enjoy your stay!