Autumn at Clay Corner Inn

October 30, 2010 – The recent football winning streak of the Virginia Tech Hokies is enough to make autumn sensational, but it’s been an awesome fall around Blacksburg of blue sky, sunny days, cool mornings, fresh apples and Hokie colors in nature – the burgundy and orange mixed with golds, reds and earthy browns in the trees and crunching under foot.

Inside the inn, we’ve added curved shower rods for more elbow room, full mirrors where little medicine cabinets used to be and bright banks of lights in place of dinky, one-bulb fixtures. And those wall mounted soap dishes and dated toothbrush holders? Gone. In the smallest bathrooms, we’ve added side mirrors too. The photo above only has 3 lights, not 12. It’s real tricky to take a photo of mirrors in a small bathroom without being in it!

We are proud to have Virginia Green certification, but Liz is taking everything several steps farther. To reduce water bottle waste, she’s purchased water bottles with the Clay Corner Inn logo. They are full of ice cold, refreshing water in all the refrigerators. You may have as many as you like, and leave the bottles on the counters (or buy one for $5). They are washed, rinsed, sanitized [in our commercial dishwasher] and re-filled with more ice cold, refreshing water.

Not satisfied with any effort less than the best, Liz has a new, stainless steel, compost bin in the kitchen which will be mixed with green and brown organic matter outside and turned in her vegetable garden for next year. We have Aerogrow systems for growing our own herbs and flowers in winter.

It’s exciting to be part of this great conservation awareness mood that has swept the country, our state, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg and Clay Corner Inn. And while we are eco-friendly and prudent with utility usage, you, the guest, are the most important part of our business, and we guarantee your comfort. We work for you! Thank you for coming – again and again! Joanne

Oct. 17, 2010 - So what is it about Fall?? Pumpkins, hay, Hokies, leaves, Thanksgiving, Virginia Tech football, crispy morning air, zucchini bread, chrysanthemums, sweatshirt weather??? It's all of the above and more. Virginia Tech football generates electricity in the air on weekends, and orange and maroon are in the air in falling leaves as well as in the stadium where "Go Hokies" permeates our small town lives this season.

At Clay Corner Inn, we celebrate downtown Blacksburg every day. Apples from the farmer's market are out for guests all the time. Cookie bar starts every Friday at 2 p.m. We have a new, little compost "system" and new re-usable water bottles and new towels and a new ice machine. And those medicine cabinets in bathrooms that so "date" the place?? Almost gone. New wall mirrors and new lights ... yes, ladies and gentlemen, you'll have real light for makeup application and shaving!

It's exciting just putting pumpkins on the front steps. When I did this our first year in business, 1994, John said "they'll never last" ... those pumpkins were there when I put up the Christmas decorations. We love Virginia Tech -- it's conservative yet fun, and the students are respectful. Our pumpkins stay on our front steps one block from Virginia Tech's campus until December. (John went to the Univ of Wisconsin and we lived and were married in Boulder, Colorado -- so he was thinking of those party schools, not the well-grounded Virginia Tech on the next block!)

And we love our mid-week business travelers who find Clay Corner Inn so refreshing and not the cookie cutter, look-alike, hotel rooms. A special thanks to the Nissan men who come repeatedly to visit the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. We're not asking for a car, just keep coming, and we'll keep those crepes and eggs Benedict coming your way mornings!!

Y'all have a wonderful, thankful Fall --- Go Hokies!! Joanne.

Fall Colors

There are new colors all around us as summer officially turns into autumn. The leaves are slowly starting to change colors, which will make for some beautiful scenery on all the hikes in the New River Valley. Of course, on weekends the streets become flooded with orange and maroon t-shirts as the Hokies cheer on Virginia Tech football. This weekend happens to be an away game against Boston College, but there are always students showing their pride here in Blacksburg, Va.

Here at the Clay Corner Inn, we are enjoying new colors too, mostly in our gardens. A purple hyacinth, which was given to us by a guest, is now in full bloom with vibrant shades of purple. On the other side of the fence, my tomato garden is still producing plenty of tomatoes and even a few peppers now. There’s even a cherry tomato plant
across the way that must be from John’s garden a few years ago. I’m excited to start harvesting those tomatoes soon!

We recently just finished planting a bunch of mums around the property. There are even maroon and orange ones to show our support for Virginia Tech! I know I’m enjoying the vibrant colors and I hope that you’ll be able to stay with us and enjoy them too. There’s a garden with a bench out back that has more plants around it which looks so inviting for reading a book in the evenings. Perhaps I’ll run into you out there sometime; but always know that we’re here to help you plan your visit and make your time in Blacksburg special. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions!

Happy Fall!
Liz

New Sheets!

While we finally got some much needed rain on Saturday, it proved to be a soggy day for the first Virginia Tech home football game. Our guests here at the Clay Corner Inn appreciated coming back to a warm house and taking an afternoon nap between our new Compy spa sheets. I’ve been told that they are soft and “buttery” and are “simply amazing”! Hopefully I’ll get a chance to try the sheets out next week when we aren’t so busy. Some guests enjoy the sheets so much that they decide to buy a set from our gift shop. While some would consider a queen set to be pricey at $129, anyone who has slept on these sheets would tell you that it is definitely worth the money to have a luxurious nights sleep.

Our recent investment in new sheets is just another example of how we strive to improve our guests’ experience. Through constantly updating our amenities and services offered, we hope to be able to provide you with a warm and enjoyable experience. As always, if there’s anything that we can do to help make your stay special, don’t hesitate to contact us. While we can’t control the weather or make sure the Hokies win, we can always help you make dinner plans, prepare a plate of homemade cookies, or suggest a great day hike. I’m most positive that you’ll enjoy your stay in Blacksburg and feel at home at the Clay Corner Inn.

Liz

Edible Creations

Here in Blacksburg, we’re gearing up for the first Virginia Tech football game and preparing the inn for a busy fall. Thankfully we have a break in the heat spell and have the chance to clean and bake in a more comfortable setting. I know I appreciated the cool breeze today when I was picking flowers to replenish our vases on the breakfast tables. Arranging flowers is one of the more creative sides to innkeeping that I find very enjoyable!

There happens to be creative opportunities available most days here at the Clay Corner Inn. Every morning I get to garnish plates with fruits and occasionally fresh herbs from our garden, or even pansies, which are an edible flower. Certain evenings we have guests arrive who are celebrating an anniversary or a birthday. Then I get to put together a cookie platter to leave in the room.

On our website we offer certain specials that can make your stay more enjoyable. My personal favorite to prepare is the snack basket which includes cheeses, crackers, fruit, and nuts. It’s a lovely idea for an afternoon after a long drive, or for a relaxing evening after you’ve been at the Virginia Tech football game. We’d be happy to put together a treat for you, so don’t hesitate to let us know if you’re celebrating a special occasion or would just like something to munch on before dinner. Plus, it gives us a chance to be creative and have fun! We’re here to provide you with a friendly atmosphere and warm hospitality, so we look forward to hearing from you soon!

Liz

Michael's books

August 28 - Last Thursday evening, local author Michael Abraham held a book signing at Clay Corner Inn --- the B&B guests didn’t seem to mind his dozens of friends and fans wandering through enjoying wine, punch, cheese, fruit, conversation and buying books. “Union, WV” is a novel about healing and redemption in a small West Virginia town, and “The Spine of the Virginias” is a non-fiction look at people, places, history and culture along the Virginia-West Virginia border. They can be ordered at http://www.bikemike.name/.

Graciously, he displayed a few of my books "Solomon Says" -- thanks Mike.
This plug is for you! Nice turnout.
So, you can't be sure whom you might meet at Clay Corner Inn -- but this is certain: you are sure to "meet" warm hospitality and comfortable lodging in a great location next to Virginia Tech campus. Have a great day! Joanne

Summer's cake and mid-week events

August 28, 2010. As the summer draws to a close, we bid farewell to Summer with a cake … not any ol’ cake. It has to have a horse! As an incoming freshman at Virginia Tech, this year’s cake also sported a VT logo, some horseshoes for good luck and a chicken for her animal and poultry science major. And check out that grass [frosting!] All the best to you, Summer – enjoy being a Hokie! [photo with her mom, left; Summer, right]

Clay Corner Inn is sold out September and October weekends, so come on the other five nights. Stay for three nights Sun-Thurs between Sept. 15 and Dec 15, and we’ll take 50% off the 3rd night. The Kandinsky Trio performs Sunday, Sept. 30th, on campus, and the Kronos Quartet will perform at the Lyric Theatre downtown on Wed., Oct. 6. “The Good Person of Szechuan” – a blend of Chinese opera, Brooklyn lingo, World War II-era socio-ecnomic struggles and gutsy cabaret–style songs is one presentation by Theatre Main Stage, School of Performing Arts at Virginia Tech. Dates are Nov. 5-6, 9-13, 16-18.
It’s a short walk to any of these performances, and sitting outside on a warm fall evening with some Virginia wine and homemade cookies (always complementary at Clay Corner Inn) is guaranteed to provide the kind of relaxation we all need from time to time. Joanne.