“When you leave a beautiful place, you carry it with you wherever you go.” ~Alexandra Stoddard
I wrote this post a four years ago, for a friend’s blog. I thought it would be fun to resurrect it here as it was a beautiful spot we visited on a glorious May day. Revisiting the views from the back of the house and back gardens, certainly has added sunshine and color to my winter’s day…..
Note updated commentary is in italics!
A few months ago for my birthday (remember this was four years ago), I decided I wanted to go away for the day some where within an hours distance and relax. So when a coupon special appeared in my email for 10 Fitch-Luxurious Romantic Inn, (pictured here is the back of the house) I decided to check it out online. The house and rooms looked amazing. I love antiques and older homes so we called and reserved the Equestrian Suite. My camera does not do the room justice so visit the website and check it out.
10 Fitch is located in historic Auburn, NY. For those that don’t know much about Auburn, it is the home of such notables as William Henry Seward and Harriet Tubman. Seward was Governor of New York, Secretary of State to Presidents Lincoln and Johnson, and was responsible for the purchase of Alaska. Tubman settled in Auburn after the Civil War. During the war, she was a leading figure in helping slaves gain their freedom North using the Underground Railroad. After the war she operated a home in Auburn for aged and impoverished African-Americans.
There is so much to do in the surrounding area of Auburn: theatre, the Finger Lakes, wineries. You can stop over at 10 Fitch, and see the surrounding sights, or you can simply get away and stay at the Inn. I chose the latter. I wanted to just spend one night away to relax, and had no idea what we would be in for. To say 10 Fitch exceeded my expectations is putting it mildly.
We found the Inn easily in the historical section of Auburn on a quiet street. Our hosts left us a detailed email so we knew directions and where to park. As we alighted from our car, the first sound I heard was trickling water. I immediately moved to the side of the house to see this wonderful sight, a fountain. On the front door was an envelope with our keys and a welcome letter telling us to let ourselves in that our host would be back soon.
The interior of the house is a mix of antiques and whimsical pieces from MacKenzie-Childs. Each room is wonderfully decorated in detail. There are snacks upstairs with a refrigerator outside our rooms and coffee and snacks (home-made to die for chocolate chip cookies) downstairs as well. There is one room downstairs that reminds me of an old-fashioned conservatory where hand-made items like soaps are displayed, and there is a table with a jigsaw puzzle you can work on. There is also a library with many books and DVDs.
We easily found our room, and were relaxing in the magnificent backyard when our hosts returned. Here (in the back garden pictured at the top of the post) we were surrounded by trees with a sweeping lawn. Gardens surround the beautiful stone patio that has many tables and lounge chairs. Pictured here are Spanish bluebells, columbine and Bachelor’s button.
There is a path toward the back woods where one of the 2 large beautiful ponds is located. Looking down at the pond from this path, the heron, in the center, is a statue used to scare away herons from eating the goldfish living here.
This pond area (looking at it from the house) has a sunken seating area with tables and chairs.
The other pond is located right off the patio. Gardens surround both ponds, and both have lovely waterfalls making you feel like you have entered a wonderful oasis. You have no sense that you are in a small city, but instead you feel like you have been transported to the country.
10 Fitch is surrounded by wonderful restaurants within 5-20 minutes drive. There is a book in your room with local sights and places to eat for your information. We chose instead to have the picnic basket dinner which is served in your room. But our hosts suggested we eat outside on the wonderful patio and set up a table for us. The amount of food was even too much for us: freshly made grilled panini sandwiches, spinach & strawberry salad with pecans and poppy seed dressing, a large cheese plate with fruit, bag of Terra Exotic Vegetable Chips (my fav) and a bottle of chilled sparkling juice. We stashed the leftovers into our refrigerator for snacking later. About an hour after our meal, dessert arrived in our room; sweetheart brownie & ice cream! I could hardly move after dining, and we were only able to eat one panini between us.
There were chocolates on the pillow and a lavender sachet on the turned down bed. Each room has an iPod docking station with wonderful romantic, soothing music. Our room was right above the fountain and we could hear the sound of water all night. The king-size sleigh bed was so comfortable, I was lost in sleep quickly. Our room had a jacuzzi tub and marble rain shower with hand-made soaps and bath salts.
Truly I couldn’t think of one thing our hosts had not thought of to make our stay incredible. But there was one more delight awaiting us the next morning, breakfast (just inside the back patio doors here). They alternate between a sweet and savory fare and we lucked out that ours would be savory. The table was beautifully set with delicious coffee, juice and fresh fruit followed by an Eggs Benedict with white wine & tarragon hollandaise sauce served over Tuscan garlic toast to die for. The best we have ever eaten. We didn’t leave a morsel on our plates. We lingered a while longer before check out and talked with our hosts.
I could not have asked for a more wonderful birthday get-away. Well worth every penny, and definitely we will be traveling back to stay again to explore the area more next time during a different season (here is the far pond again with the heron statue that looks so real). Of course we will explore a different room next time since each is a unique adventure.
What do you do to get away and recharge, reconnect? What places do you like to visit?
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In A Vase On Monday
During a thaw this weekend, I created an experiment in a holiday dish for this vase. I took moss growing on the patio, and added it to the dish. I wanted to see if it would grow if I watered it regularly and put it in indirect light.
A few close-ups taken in difficult lighting…we shall see how it grows.
I am joining in with a few memes this week as I prepare these vase: Cathy@Rambling in the Garden for her wonderful meme, In a Vase on Monday, Today’s Flowers hosted by Denise@An English Girl Rambles 2016 and Judith@Lavender Cottage who hosts Mosaic Monday.
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Next up on the blog:
Monday, I will be giving you another close up of a garden area in a Stuck Foot post.
I am linking in with Michelle for her Nature Notes meme at her blog, Rambling Woods. It is a great way to see what is happening in nature around the world every Monday.
I am also joining in I Heart Macro with Laura@Shine The Divine that happens every Saturday.
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