The Grandison Grapevine

Newest Video on Youtube

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 10:17:00 +0000

The Grandison has a new 16 second video shot in mid-summer 2011, now up on youtube. If you missed it, this spot aired on freedom43 last summer.

We are thrilled to see such a fantastic short clip of the Grandison.

Women of Faith November 11-12

noreply@blogger.com (Jevon Wright) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 23:22:00 +0000

Women of Faith is returning to Oklahoma City once again. Have you made plans yet to attend? November is coming up faster than you might think. The Grandison is just moments away from the Chesapeake Energy Arena, and we have plenty of well lighted parking so you can carpool easily.

If you mention that you are staying for the Women of Faith convention when you reserve your room, your rate is just $98 a night. Offer valid on November 10th, and 11th only.

Book your room today! Call us at 405-232-8778 or book online at www.grandisoninn.com

You know it's hot when:

noreply@blogger.com (Jevon Wright) — Sat, 16 Jul 2011 18:53:00 +0000

I had to chuckle the other day when our marketing consultant booked a room to stay the night and her daughter and a friend came over earlier in the day to go "swimming" in the Jacuzzi.

One of our air conditioners fizzled out on us for a few hours a week ago and my dad ran through the house screaming "BAIL OUT! We've lost the number 3 engine"

We cool our sodas, juices, bottled waters and poweraid in a cooler with ice, and we brought it inside so the ice wouldn't melt so fast.

I almost turned off all the computers in the house hoping to drop the temperature 15 degrees.

The fridge called the front desk and said "can you turn up the air?".

I baked cookies yesterday when an oven suggestion of 350 for 10 minutes. I set the oven for 200 and baked them for eight minutes.

Staycations

noreply@blogger.com (Jevon Wright) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 23:43:00 +0000

I know we covered staycations a while back, but I wanted to go over this again because it's such a great deal.

Staycation Prices

Designed to maximize your fun, and relax your expenses. These rates include lodging.
One Night:
$219 includes 1 item from Museums and Events, and 1 item from Dinners and Amenities
Two Nights:
$419 includes 2 items from Museums and Events, and 2 items from Dinners and Amenities
Three Nights:
$599 (Our best deal) 3 items from Museums and Events, and 3 items from Dinners and Amenities.

Never heard of a staycation? A staycation happens to be a vacation while staying close to home. Wikipedia states: A staycation (also spelled stay-cation, stacation, or staykation) is a neologism for a period of time in which an individual or family stays and relaxes at home, or vacations in their own country, possibly taking day trips to area attractions.

Now, I know you are probably wondering... We just take care of the lodging right? Well, yes we take care of the lodging but we also do MUCH MUCH MORE.

Your choices for entertainment: (this list is always growing)
Museums and Events:

2 tickets to the Oklahoma Museum of Art
2 tickets to the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum
2 tickets to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
2 tickets to the Oklahoma City Zoo
2 tickets to Frontier City (Closes for the season October 31st)
2 Water Taxi Tickets on the Bricktown Canal
2 tickets to Harkins Theater in Bricktown and the movie of your choice

Dining Options: (also expanding, check with innkeepers for details)

Bourbon Street Cafe Bricktown Cajun style steak and seafood
1492 Midtown New World Latin Cuisine
Zio's Bricktown Italian
Toby Keith's ILTBG Bricktown American
Dinner at the Grandison In your room Candlelight Dinner for Two (A $15 gratuity will be added to this package)
Wine and Cheese Basket In your room
Victoria Haven Package In your room

Have an idea for a staycation destination?
Let us know! Post a comment on this blog, or on our Facebook.

Summer Travel - Gas Prices Rising

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:01:00 +0000

Wow, the cost of a gallon of as these days is amazing. Many people are having to scale down vacations or are unable to take a vacation at all. However we have all you need to get away and save on gas at the same time. It is called a staycation, and they have become popular here in Oklahoma in the last 3 or so years. It's a wonderful concept where you pick one to three nights for your "staycation", tell us your favorite dining spots (Grandison in room dinners also work) and then pick an event or sightseeing adventure and we do everything else.

When you check in you are given tickets/vouchers to the destinations you have chosen. They are good anytime, and you can divide them in any way you like. The price is right at the Grandison where you can getaway, save gas, and enjoy Oklahoma's many fantastic destinations.

A New Bed for Divine Providence

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:59:00 +0000

After months and months of looking, we finally got the perfect bed for the Divine Providence room. When shopping we realized how different getting a bed for the inn could be, compared to shopping for a bed for your home. When looking for a personal bed, you look for pretty, comfortable, stable and reasonable pricing. For the inn we felt the bed needed to have a WOW factor when guests enter the room. At home this isn't usually necessary because we don't typically entertain our neighbors and friends in our bedrooms. An inn bed needs to be comfy just like a personal bed, but trying to get something that will please most of our guests was also important. Unfortunately we can't please all of our guests as some like soft mattresses and others like harder more firm, and yet others like something in between. We opted for something in between the two extremes.

Thirdly: An inn bed must be stable, secure, and sturdy. Not that your average home bed lacks these features, but at home if there is a squeak or two it's not that big of a deal. In a bed and breakfast one squeak is too many. I have yet to personally try the new bed, but I'm looking forward to it. We think we have found the perfect bed that fits all of our requirements. That said, if you are interested in purchasing the old King Bed that was in Divine Providence, you can give us a call.

405-232-8778

Oklahoma City Weddings

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:24:00 +0000

I was curious today about weddings in the Oklahoma City area and where to look to find information on them. After some Google searching, I was shocked at how scattered or disorganized the idea of looking for a place to hold your wedding could be.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like to present to you the Grandison's solution to a hectic search dilemma. The Grandison Bed and Breakfast loves to hold your intimate wedding ceremonies. We have greater than competitive prices, we have INCREDIBLE prices for your small service.

Our outdoor water garden provides a peaceful romantic setting for an tender, romantic service. We also have couples that love to get married in the curved turret windows in the pink parlor on the first floor. We hold up to 25 people for sit down receptions, and more if food is served buffet style. We can also setup for 75-80 on the lawn.

You can see our rates and other pictures at www.grandisoninn.com/weddings.htm

A Thank You from the Innkeeper

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:11:00 +0000

Claudia asked me to post this today and I was unsure how to deliver it to you. I decided the best way was probably a blog post.

Thank you to all those that have made a referral to us. We appreciate your passing the word about our Inn, and it's working!

You might want to share with your friends our Memorial Marathon special on April 30th. We love having runners stay with us. With their room they receive a runners breakfast of bananas, bagels, oatmeal plus we are always stocked with complimentary bottled water and juices.

The Grandison is about a mile from the starting position, and most of our runners think that is great for warming up. On top of that, we offer late check-out so they can leave their luggage in the room, come back to the in and soak in a Jacuzzi or take a shower.

You can contact us 405-232-8778 or email us at Grandisoninn@coxinet.net for more information

An Innkeepers Hours

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:57:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be an innkeeper?

I'd like to share a bit about the very rewarding life that comes from being an innkeeper. I'm using my mother as the example here, as she is... the innkeeper.

She has a very giving, very humble, serving heart. Her greatest gift is that of giving you exactly what you need to feel relaxed, at peace, joyful, and loved. I have always wanted to be like my mother in that regard. I admire those traits about her greatly.

She works very long hours in the wee morningtime to make sure your stay is perfect. From baking all the yummy treats you enjoy in our butler's pantry, to writing out special deals for your next stay, to being a full time grandma, and a full time mother at the same time. She manages the housekeepers, looks up recipes, and answers e-mails until the late am's.

I once asked her how she kept her "innkeepers" hours. And she explained it like this; "to me, my innkeepers hours are the guests who just lost their grandmother, and came to stay with us and sat down in the parlor and listened to a quartet practicing, and walked into the office to say how at peace they were at the Grandison. To me it's the business person weary from travel that writes a note thanking us for the homemade cookies that took away the bite of homesickness. To me, it's the family that comes through road weary, and tired from taking their kids all over the state and back, who write about "almost as good as a trip to grandma's" in their journal. It's the couple that comes back 8 years later and says 'we got married 8 years ago and stayed in this room, and want to stay again and create more memories'. Those are my hours, and those are what I work for every night. "

If you have ever considered being an innkeeper, and making some memories like these of your own, you can drop her an e-mail. She would be excited to talk to you about the joy she experiences giving you a home away from home.

Weddings Weddings Weddings

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 20:22:00 +0000

Wow, this has been an amazing summer so far. The Grandison has been busy with weddings. We range from small and intimate, to dance tent on the front lawn get your groove on weddings. They don't let me select the music at these events, but that is mostly due to my eclectic tastes in music. I don't have any set genre that I listen to, or play.

Be sure and check out our weddings page for a glimpse of why we are your affordable downtown OKC wedding destination.

I came across some photos of past weddings I'm going to be working on scanning and updating to the website soon. I've also been experimenting in the kitchen again, and might be tweaking the in room dinner menu again. I noticed all of our sides are potato potato potato. So all things being equal, it needs more potato. I found an AMAZING potato casserole recipe. Stay tuned for more updates.

Oh my Goodness, who turned on the heat

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:57:00 +0000

Is it too early to be this hot out there or what? I was grilling dinner for some guests today, and figured that I did not have to turn the gas on, I could have grilled with residual heat. Which reminds me, I grill an AMAZING steak. You should come stay with us and get the in room dinner.

Anyways, back to the heat. I've decided it is a very good thing that we have tickets to White Water Bay, and Frontier City on sale for only $20 each. Both parks offer bundles of fun. White Water of course is all water park and slides, but Frontier City has water rides as well.

Did anyone ever find out who Stella was? We know! Stella's is a restaurant here in Midtown, and it smells AMAZING. Speaking of dining options, we recently visited Rand MacNelly's pub around the corner and really enjoy the atmosphere and food.

Caleb reports that the breads at Thunder Prairie Bakery have stolen his heart. He loves them.

We are still seeking out hole in the wall, and lesser known eateries to explore. If you have any ideas, or would like us to check out a restaurant for your, drop us an e-mail.

How do you like fresh veggies? I know we love them! We were recently surprised to find that there is a farmers market at Saint Anthony's Hospital right across the street. It is very well attended, and we have buying some of the most amazing tasting hydroponic grown tomatoes. They really do taste like tomatoes. You should check them out every Friday. If that isn't your thing, the Grandison Garden is growing well. If it doesn't get too hot, we will have homegrown corn, okra, green beans, tomatoes, green peppers, jalapeños, and fresh mint! If all goes well, we will have plenty to share.

Hope you see you soon!

Oklahoma`s Weather

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Thu, 20 May 2010 08:26:00 +0000

Hello Grandison Fans We are thankful for protection during the past storms that hit OKC. Some of our friends and family were hit by the hail storm, but have not heard of any that suffered from tornado damage. Friends Peggy and Mike were in two different places---she at home and he on the road and both had twisters come much too close. Peggy and her next door neighbor only had roof damage, the rest of houses on street were leveled. Please know that we are thinking of all of you that had any kind of harm or damage and praying for quick recovery. We are booking a lot of weddings and hope to give reviews of some of the upcoming ones as they happen. The Maney family- whose ancestors owned this property-had a wonderful celebration the end of April here. Mike and Nema Maney celebrated 50 years of marriage and their kids did a bang up job---a raspberry brides cake, chocolate w/strawberries grooms cake, outstanding selection of foods to snack on and, of course, champagne to toast. The house was filled with fun and laughter. For us, the most special thing was that this was Mike and Nema`s very first wedding reception!! They eloped 50 years ago and waited that long to have a special celebration. We hope to be posting pictures soon.

Crazy Travel Stories

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 18:15:00 +0000

Greetings again Grandison fans,

I apologize that it has taken me so long to keep things updated on the facebook, twitter, and blog fronts. I won't make excuses, even though I REALLY REALLY want to.

We want to hear from you about your recent and not-so-recent travel stories. What happened on that cross country trip last year that you really liked? What went horribly wrong in the middle of things and how did you overcome it? What sites did you see? what would you like to see again?

We will feature some of your stories in our upcoming posts.

Opening Night - New Year's Eve

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:14:00 +0000

Opening Night is a New Year’s Eve celebration with music, dancing, theater and fireworks! Since 1987, Opening Night has been the way to ring in the New Year. All performances take place in a safe, family-friendly environment.

Opening Night 2010 takes place on Dec. 31 from 7 p.m.-midnight in venues around Downtown Oklahoma City. This year's entertainment features a variety of performances from some of Oklahoma's brightest stars.

An Opening Night admission wristband allows you access to all venues, all night long. Wristbands are $8 in advance, or $10 at the event. Purchase advance wristbands starting Nov. 20 at 7-Eleven Stores of Oklahoma, metro Homeland stores, Mathis Brothers and MidFirst Bank Locations.

Opening Night 2010
Performer List

All About Irish Performance Troupe – Irish Dance, Venue 1, Cox Convention Center- Exhibit Hall 3, 7:00, 9:00

The Ambassadors’ Concert Choir – Choral/ Gospel, Venue 9, First National Center, 7:00

Boru’s Ghost – Modern Celtic Rock, Venue 7, Kerr Auditorium, 7:00

Bricktown Clowns & Face Painters – Children’s Performer, Venue 1, Cox Convention Center – Lobby, 7:00-11:00

Brother Summit Band – Old School/Jazz, Venue 6, Bank of Oklahoma, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00

Built for Speed – Rock, Venue 7, Kerr Auditorium, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00

CDS Jazz Band – Jazz, Venue 4, Ronald J. Norwick Downtown Library, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00

Charlie Hill – Acoustic Guitar, Venue 1, Cox Convention Center – Lobby, 7:00, 9:00

Cori & Chelsey Emmett with No U-Turn Band – Contemporary Country with ‘70s and ‘80s Rock & Roll, Venue 10, Chase Tower, 7:00, 9:00, 11:00

David Thomas and the World of Magic– Magic/Variety Artist, Venue 1, Cox Convention Center – Exhibit Hall 2, 7:30, 9:00, 10:15

Desert Fire – Aalim Princesses (Belly Dancers), Venue 1, Cox Convention Center – Lobby, 10:00

Duo Fisher: Dueling Pianists – Dueling Pianists, Venue 1, Cox Convention Center – Lobby, 8:00, 10:00

Eden Sharmaine – Experimental Progressive Indie Rock, Venue 1, Cox Convention Center – Exhibit Hall 1, 9:00

Edgar Cruz – Classical Guitar, Venue 3, Stage Center – Tolbert Theatre, 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, 10:30

Floyd Hanes Orchestra – Big Band and Classics, Venue 5, Leadership Square, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00

Harrison Academy Symphonic Winds – Wind Ensemble, Venue 9, First National Center, 8:00

Jamie Bramble – Acoustic/Rock, Venue 2, Myriad Botanical Gardens, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00

Justin Echols – Jazz/Standards, Venue 4, Ronald J. Norrick Downtown Library, 7:00

Lola and Sparkle – Music and Comedy, Venue 3, Stage Center – Arena Theatre, 8:00, 10:00

The Non – Experimental/ Rock/ Ambient, Venue 1, Cox Convention Center – Exhibit Hall 1, 10:00

OK Chorale – Chorale, Venue 9, First National Center, 9:00, 10:00

Oklahoma Children’s Acting Guild – Youth Musical Theatre, Venue 1, Cox Convention Center – Exhibit Hall 3, 8:00. 10:00

Oklahoma City Roller Derby – Roller derby, Venue 1, Cox Convention Center – Exhibit Hall 1, 7:00, 8:00

PowerHouz – Variety, Venue 8, Kerr Park, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00

Red Dirt Improv – Improv, Venue 3, Stage Center – Arena Theatre, 7:00, 9:00

Tall Cotton String Band – Traditional/Folk, Venue 10, Chase Tower, 8:00, 10:00

Total Equilibrium – Juggling/Comedy, Venue 1, Cox Convention Center – Lobby, 8:00, 10:00

The Uglysuit – Psychedelic/Rock, Venue 1, Cox Convention Center – Exhibit Hall 1, 11:00

Unity – Instrumental/ Multicultural, Venue 2, Myriad Botanical Gardens, 7:00

Upside Down Artist – Family Entertainment, Venue 1, Cox Convention Center - Lobby, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00

For a venue map, click here.

The Twelve Days of Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:38:00 +0000

Some interesting facts about the Twelve Days of Christmas: From the Grandison Bed and Breakfast

The Twelve Days of Christmas are the festive days beginning on Christmas Day (25 December). This period is also known as Christmastide. The Twelfth Day of Christmas is 5 January - the day before the Feast of the Epiphany on 6 January.

In England in the Middle Ages, this period was one of continuous feasting and merrymaking, which climaxed on Twelfth Night, the traditional end of the Christmas season. In Tudor England, Twelfth Night itself was forever solidified in popular culture when William Shakespeare used it as setting for one of his most famous stage plays, titled Twelfth Night. Often a Lord of Misrule was chosen to lead the Christmas revels.

Many in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations still celebrate some aspects of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Boxing Day (26 December) is a national holiday in many Commonwealth nations, being the first full day of Christmas. Victorian era stories by Charles Dickens (and others), particularly A Christmas Carol, hold key elements of the celebrations such as the consumption of plum pudding, roasted goose and wassail. While these foods are consumed more at the beginning of the Twelve Days in the UK, some dine and dance in the traditional way throughout, all the way to Twelfth Night.

Nowadays, the Twelfth Day is the last day for decorations to be taken down, and it is held to be bad luck to take decorations down after this date. This is in contrast to the custom in Elizabethan England, when decorations were left up until Candlemas; this is still done in some other Western European countries such as Germany.

With the onset of more Americanized and secular traditions throughout the past two centuries (such as the American "Santa Claus"), also the popularity of Christmas Eve itself as a holiday, and rise in popularity of New Year's Eve parties as well, the traditions of the Twelve Days of Christmas have been largely forgotten in the U.S. This is also heightened by the commercial practice to have "After-Christmas Sales" begin on 26 December and run usually until New Year's Eve. Indeed, contemporary marketing and media tend to espouse the (erroneous) belief that the Twelve Days end on Christmas and thus begin 14 December.^[3]^[4]

However, a small percentage of Christians of many sects have held on to their own favorite ways to celebrate and those who choose to also have their own church to guide them in a spiritual way of marking this reverent holiday. Americans who celebrate various ways include secular Christians of all backgrounds, religious Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Moravians and those of the Amish and Mennonite communities.

Today, some celebrants give gifts each of the Twelve Days, feast and otherwise celebrate the entire time through to Epiphany morning. Lighting a candle for each day has become a modern tradition in the U.S. and of course, singing the appropriate verses of the famous song each day is also an important and fun part of the American celebrations.

Some still celebrate Twelfth Night as the biggest night for parties and gift-giving and some also light a Yule Log on the first night (Christmas) and let it burn some each of the twelve nights. Some Americans also have their own traditional foods to serve each night.

As in olden days, Twelfth Night to Epiphany morning is then the traditional time to take down the Christmas tree and decorations.

(All information comes from the wikipedia entry located at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas )

The Grandison Guide to Hanging Christmas Lights

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 19:34:00 +0000

The Grandison Inn on hanging Christmas Lights

We all know that decorating for Christmas can be a bit of a stressful event your first time. If you are planning on decorating your home for the first time, or even if you are looking for a more structured approach we have posted the list we found most useful for decorating.
You can find this list in its original posting here(about.com).

Create an electric plan. Know exactly where you want your lights, but most importantly, know how you intend to plug them in. Too many strings connected together will often blow fuses (especially on the cheaper strings of lights), so consider structuring your set-up to utilize a couple of electrical outlets.
Check safety issues. Consider cleaning dried leaves out of gutters to prevent any fire risks. Make sure all electrical cords are intact. Verify that hooks (or whatever you're using to attach the lights) are secure.
Get the proper tools. Make sure you have the proper tools already out for the job. You'll most likely need a ladder, a tape measure, light clips/hooks, your lights and extension cords. You also might need a hammer, pliers and a screwdriver.
Lay out and inspect lights. Before you hang anything, stretch out your lights across your yard or driveway. Get all of the twists and/or kinks out of the strings and check for any broken bulbs or split wiring. Go ahead and plug in the strings and replace dead bulbs. It'll be much easier to replace them on the ground than after they're hung.
Hang hooks/clips. Evenly space your hooks or clips along the eaves of your home. Make sure they are firmly in place and not spaced out so far that the strands will dangle. A foot or so is usually about right. Go ahead and hang all of the hooks along your planned area before attaching the lights. Do not use staples or nails. You may split the wires and ruin the strands or potentially cause serious electrical hazards.
Hang lights. Make sure your ladder is on flat ground and firmly placed if leaning it against the house. If possible, always have a helper hold the ladder. As you hang the lights, make sure to hold the strings up so that the weight of the un-hung portion doesn't pull off any clips or hooks.
Prepare the power. Plug in all strings of lights to their respective cords or outlets. Set any timers you may be using. Make sure to secure any extension cords, not leaving dangling cords or wires that may cause a safety hazard.
Flip the switch. Turn on your lights and do another check of any dead bulbs or strings. If you have an entire string out, check the connections first before replacing any strings. Odds are it is a connection or a single bulb rather than a bad string if it worked a few moments before hanging.
Enjoy! After cleaning up and putting away all of your tools, take a walk away from your house and enjoy your work. There's just something about holiday lighting to get people in the spirit of the season.

The Grandison on Discover Oklahoma

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:54:00 +0000

Trans Siberian Orchestra in Oklahoma City Dec 20th

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 17:58:00 +0000

Guess what we just discovered? The Grandison Bed and Breakfast has learned that Trans Siberian Orchestra will once again be stopping on Oklahoma City. Are you coming to see the show? Of course you are, because this is an event that you just do not want to miss. The question is, where are you staying to come see this amazing show? Why the Grandison of course! We are moments away from the Ford Center on the northern edge of Oklahoma's Downtown/Bricktown district.

Inagural Post

noreply@blogger.com (The Grandison) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Greetings from the Grandison: This should be a blast keeping everyone up to date on current happenings at the Grandison. Stay tuned for more soon.