Bob's Bed & Breakfast

Bob and I sometimes joke about changing the name of The Grand Kerr House to Bob's Bed & Breakfast.  Bob has become the face of the B&B and it's amazing how much he does around here!

Bob is the primary breakfast cook - his omelettes, stuffed peppers and breakfast rancheros are becoming house guest favorites and are often requested by guests at check-in (though Cathy still makes a great quiche and her pumpkin bread remains a staple at the breakfast table).

When not in the kitchen, Bob is happy to be working out in the yard.  The landscaping he has completed this season was part of Cathy's three year plan - but give Bob an idea and he runs with it!  There is no stopping Bob until the job is complete and he often goes above and beyond expectation.

Even as I write this note, Bob is sitting with the guests - entertaining them with stories of the history of the house and tales of his great adventures.  So, don't just come to see The Grand Kerr House, come and see Bob - a man who taken ownership of our dream and made it our reality.

Full House at The Grand Kerr House

Today we have a full house which always makes breakfast a lot of fun for both us and our guests.  We are hosting a group of siblings with spouses who have come to town for a Family Memorial Service and Spreading of Ashes.  Surprisingly, we have hosted more than one of these groups this year.  It's nice to hear their stories and, by the time they leave, we often feel like we are part of the family too.

Our morning starts at 6:00 am - we like to be up before the guests to assure that there is a freshly brewed pot of coffee ready and we are not looking like we just rolled out of bed.  This group has some early risers - out to enjoy their morning run or looking forward to relaxing on our sunrise porch with their morning brew (did I mention that Bob grinds the coffee beans fresh every morning - it makes for such a wonderful cup of coffee!).  So we have to start early to assure everything is ready when they are.

Today we are serving Quiche.  I make the pie crust from scratch and guests always recognize and appreciate that.  A friend of my mother's, Ellen from Wisconsin, taught me to make pie crust over 50 years ago and I still use the rolling pin and recipe that she gave me.  The recipe is very simple - it's the technique that makes the difference -

PASTRY FOR SINGLE CRUST PIE

1.5 cups of Flour

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Shortening

4 to 5 tablespoons Cold Water

Sift four and salt together.  Cut in shortening with pastry blender till pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle water over mixture and blend together (this is the tricky part - kneading the pastry ball for just the right amount of time and the right feel - it's what separates the pastry chef from the cook!).

The quiche filling is equally simple - combine 4 eggs, 1.5 cups milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese.  Add in whatever ingredients you like - broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, bacon, etc. - and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes.  

Once the quiche is in the oven, it's time to set the table.  I like to have this done before the guests arrive in the Dining Room.  I think it's such a treat to come to a table that is all laid out with the good china and silver.  It makes me think of the magic of Christmas morning (though my own mother never sat the table with china as far as I can recall - her china was kept safely tucked away in the china cabinet).

By the time the guests arrive at 8:00 for breakfast, we have fresh fruit, pumpkin bread, juice, water and coffee all ready for them.  Once they are settled in, we bring in the quiche with a side platter of bacon and sausage.  It's all very impressive and such a wonderful way to start the day. 

Unless invited to join our guests, Bob and I will retreat to our quarters where we can hear the low voices (and sometimes very loud chatter and laughter) of our guests.  This is my favorite time of the day, knowing that the guests have had a good night's sleep and are enjoying their breakfast.  It's nice to know that we have provided them with a good start!

Spa Services at The Grand Kerr House

One of our best kept secrets (up to now) is our Spa Services available for House Guests and the General Public.  Whether you are looking for a relaxing, rejuvenating experience alone or with friends, we can provide a package of services or individual treatments certain to satisfy!  Some of our treatments include -

Relaxation Massage - 60 or 90 minutes - this is all about relaxing. It focuses on giving the client time to recover from the stresses of daily life.

Couples Massage - one hour - each of you will experience a massage together in the same area as individual therapists works on each person.

Signature Facial - one hour - this therapeutic treatment is tailored to the needs of each guest/client.  Facial treatment includes:  facial massage, specialty mask and complimentary foot massage.

Body Scrub and Wrap - 90 minutes - This luxury body treatment is a combination of exfoliation and hydration to leave your skin revitalized and glowing.  Treatment includes dry brushing, aromatherapy scrub and thermal wrap.

Reflexology - 30 or 60 minutes - Reflexology is a therapeutic method of relieving pain by stimulating predefined pressure points on the feet and hands. This controlled pressure alleviates the source of the discomfort. In the absence of any particular malady or abnormality, reflexology may be as effective for promoting good health and for preventing illness as it may be for relieving symptoms of stress, injury, and illness.

Aromatherapy - one hour - Aromatherapy is harnessing the therapeutic power of nature.  People have discovered the many beneficial uses of these wonderful substances. The true art of aromatherapy lies in the interaction of therapist and client. Your preferences, your needs, your goals are all considered in the creation of any customized blend.

Yoga Class - 75 minutes - Gentle and Adaptive Yoga with an approach of ease, comfort, and humor.  Suitable for women and men of all ages.  Saturday mornings and Tuesday evenings.

Private Yoga Instruction - one hour - an individualized session with assessment and therapeutic application of Hatha Yoga including postures, breath work and meditation with awareness of personal concerns and/or medical conditions.

Check out our facebook page for feedback and reviews - and be sure to "Like" us when you are looking-

5 Stars From Kris, February 2018:  Best spa day ever!! I Love this place, I hope to return soon!! The new owners are fabulous. And the therapists that work there are amazing!!

5 Stars from Churee, January 2018:  My friends and I had the most relaxing weekend in this beautiful 1880s Queen Anne- style Victorian home. It has been restored beautifully, has all of the original woodwork, and is decorated with period antiques. The owners wowed us with their warm hospitality. They kept a perfect balance of attentive service and comfortable privacy. We could easily have never left the house and just enjoyed the spa services, but the village's main street shopping was only two blocks away and we couldn't resist. We will be back, often and soon!

Sessions can be scheduled on line through The Grand Kerr House website or by calling us direct.  We can't wait to see you and show you what you have been missing!

Rhythm on the River Concert Series in Grand Rapids, OH

There are so many wonderful things happening throughout the summer in Grand Rapids, OH!  Among our favorite events is The Rhythm on the River Concert Series.  Every show is a different genre so you are certain to find at least one performance (if not all of them) that is sure to please.

At The Grand Kerr House, we love starting Concert Sunday with a leisurely breakfast on the front porch (Bob makes the best omelettes!), walking into town afterwards to do a little window shopping (OK, sometimes I do a lot of real shopping), grabbing a late lunch at one of the many fine Grand Rapids restaurants, meandering along the towpath (with the beautiful river views), then grabbing our chairs and settling in for the show.  What a perfect Summer Sunday!

The event is held by the Wright Pavilion on the towpath along the Maumee River.  Concerts begin at 4:00 p.m. and are FREE and open to the public.  Be sure to bring a chair or blanket, maybe even a picnic snack, then relax and enjoy the show.

In the event of inclement weather, events are moved to the Old Fire Station on Main Street.

This year's schedule is:

June 17th - DC Taylor - 50's through Today's Hits
June 24th - Toraigh - Traditional Irish Folk Music
July 1st - Bliss - Acoustic Rock/Folk
July 16th - Quartet Bernadette - Unique Blend of Jazz, Pop and Gems from the Great American Songbook
July 29th - Buddy Love and the Coconuts - 50's & 60's Rock Band
August 26th - North Coast Big Band - Jazz, Swing Music, Big Band Sound
September 9th - Ol' Creek Road - Folk Band Playing Bluegrass & Gospel
October 7th - Otsego Swing Choir & Marching Band

Hope to see you there!

Welcome to the New Year - 2018 has arrived!

Looking back on 2017 and our first year here as the owners and hosts of The Grand Kerr House, I have to say, it's been an amazing year.

We spent our first year investing a lot of time, money, energy and sweat into this beautiful home.  When I listen to Bob telling people about the improvements and changes we have made, I am constantly amazed at his vision and his ability to make his dreams a reality.

Day of the Auction -                                                                                     And Today -













In the past year we have probably doubled our initial investment in this old house - and thanks to the wonderful craftsman that helped us with the work, the house is grand again.  We started with the rebuilding of the four chimneys and repairing of the mortar (Eagle Masonry), patching and painting of the soffits and exterior surfaces (Black Swamp Exterior Painting), replacing the roof with a steel roof that will long outlast us (Erie Construction), putting on custom gutters and downspouts (Crawford Eaves), replacing the exterior drainage system, and restoring the beautiful porch (OK, that's still a work in process but at least it is in process).  And all that just on the exterior!

Inside we replaced two of the three HVAC's (Kendall Plumbing & Heating), leak proofed the basement, removed the forty-year-old carpet, refinishing the original floors where possible (CJ's Hardwood Floors), and putting in new carpet (Taylor Perz Flooring) in the areas that required it.  We had new wallpaper hung in the first floor bedroom (it needed to be replaced due to water damage), added a walk-in shower on the second floor, and are working on putting the first floor kitchen back in it's original space.











And with all that going on, we still opened our doors to House Guests on Memorial Day Weekend, less than a year after buying the house.  We have had such wonderful guests come through our doors this past year.  As we wrote in our annual Christmas Poem -

Opened up the Bed and Breakfast, lots of work and also, fun

So many guests have stayed with us - we liked them every one!

And that's the truth!

So here it is, the start of 2018 and I am making my New Year's Resolutions -

1.  To Blog at least once a week 

2.  To keep up with the bookkeeping and the paperwork (OK, I admit, I am already behind)

3.  To work on marketing and increase our occupancy rate 50% this year (we were blessed with 15% occupancy our first year - better than expected!)

Who knows, maybe you will stumble across this Blog Site and decide to follow us during this year's adventures.  It's been a crazy ride so far...