Website of The Grey Swan Inn. See website at www.greyswaninn.com.

Southern Virginia has many large, beautiful, old homes.  They overlook our streets and rural routes, and some are open to us to enjoy, either as part of a historical tour or as a bed and breakfast.

The Grey Swan Inn is one such home.

Official Brief History of Home

The home was built in 1902 and was the home of Douglas Longstreet Tuggle, a tobacco merchant, and his family.  It stayed in the family until 1980′s.  It then was transformed by renovations, and has five guest rooms; four are on the second story and a third suite is on the third floor.  The parlor and living room are off the main foyer and are made cozy with heirlooms and other antiques brought in by Christine and Jim Hasbrouck.  The Hasbrouk came from Baltimore and bought the home,  reopening it 2007.

At Home With Jim and Christine Hasbrouck:  An interview

What made you want to run a bed and breakfast?

We’ve been staying at b&b’s for years. When Jim was transferred to a position in Washington, DC, we felt that this would be a good time to start thinking about his retirement from the USDA Forest Service. “What if we could run a b&b” that was a seed planted by staying at inns over the years which developed into, let’s check it out. We started sharing our dream with our friends who were very encouraging. So we started seeing what properties were on the market, talking to innkeepers about the business while staying at the inns, and taking a one day course. After that course we knew that’s what we wanted to do and we started in earnest to pursue our vision. We met with Peter Scherman, of The B&B Team one weekend and signed up to take his firm’s Aspiring Innkeeper’s course – Once we had our vision clearly outlined on paper it became easier.  We knew we wanted an inn with 4-5 guest rooms, to be located in a college town if possible, a turn-key operation, and within driving distance to my family in West Virginia.

Why did you decide on this house in Blackstone, Virginia?

We found this inn on the internet.  We had looked at a lot of different properties and none were “just” right. Jim came down one Saturday to look at the Grey Swan.. driving into town he knew that I would like Blackstone. Then he met with the realtors who showed him the house and he knew that this was “the place.”  I came down the following week and agreed with him. While we were in Blackstone, we visited a couple of businesses to get the feel for the community…. we were greeted by warm and interested people. I was even hugged by a gal at one shop when I told her we were interested in coming to Blackstone – that cinched the deal as far as I was concerned.

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Heirlooms

It was a perfect size for all our heirlooms.  I’m still investigating the details of some of Jim’s items.  I’m going through his grandmother’s diaries, so secretes will be revealed!

A table with elaborate inlaid wood, one of many antique pieces at the inn.

A painted desk was one of the antique desks used by Hasbrouck dentists.

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The Oval Portrait

Dr Ferdinand Hasbrouck, Jim's great grandfather. Photography by Dawn Van Ness.

Dr Ferdinand Hasbrouck is Jim Hasbrouck’s great grandfather, and his painting hangs in the parlor off the foyer.  In 1893, Dr. Hasbrouck assisted a team of surgeons who operated on President Grover Cleveland to remove cancerous growth from the President’s mouth.  The operation was performed in secrecy as President Grover’s team of advisers thought public knowledge of the cancer and surgery would further weaken the economy.

For more about Dr. Hasbrouk and President Grover,  click here to read another entry on The Virginia Reel.

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What is up and coming at The Grey Swan Inn?

Upcoming events/attractions – we want to have about 4 packages to offer our guests…. we currently are promoting a romance package for February, but we working on a package that will include an art show and community theater and another package which will include a private in home concert. Other ideas we are considering are a girlfriends’ getaway, a mancation, and packages that would be centered on events happening in our community – arts and crafts festival, cruise-ins, wine festivals, Relay for Life, etc

What amenities are you offering?

 Amenities – Free wireless internet, private baths, turn down service, air conditioning, TV’s in 3 of our larger rooms, daily housekeeping service, afternoon or evening coffee/tea availability, work area or in-room desks, wake up service.  Onsite amenities include: iron and ironing board, library, dvd library, piano, fireplace, mini-refrigerator, board games, hairdryer, satellite TV.

What are some favorite refreshments?

Favorite beverages: Jim’s fresh roasted and ground coffee; multiple varieties of Stash teas; Gal Juice (what is gal juice, you might ask – it’s proprietary recipe involving fresh ginger, apple juice & lemon juice served in the warmer months with fresh mint, sometimes with a splash of sparkling water for fizz).  Favorite foods: strattas, goat cheese quiche, biscuits, muffins, Croissant French Toast with fresh strawberries

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Check out FRUITINI WITH BLUEBERRY SMASH by Christina Myles Hasbrouck

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What are some memorable moments?

The children visiting our inn have surprised me…1. We had one family visiting for a Blue/Grey Ball – their 3 daughters, all home schooled, had made their gowns in the period of the mid 1800′s… It was wonderful seeing them come down the stairs in the gowns before going to the ball – beautiful!!! And they even entertained us with their musical talents.

 Another child left us the nicest note and drawing of our dog. She and her parents bought us a small swan dish to add to our collection. The review she left us is priceless and we have put it on our website for others to read.

A third child made us a swan origami – added that to our collection!

A swan is a popular gift that guests leave for Jim and Christina Hasbrouck. Picture by Dawn Van Ness.

What have you gotten out of running an inn?

We attract the nicest guests – listening to their discussions around the dining room table while we are serving breakfast is refreshing. We occasionally get to join them over coffee after breakfast is served or in the evenings in the parlor or on the front porch. Finding our common connections is easy and hopefully they leave the inn feeling they have gained a friendship with us. We certainly feel that we have been blessed by their presence here.

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Fruitini With Blueberry Smash is a smash hit at The Grey Swann Inn in Blackstone, Virginia. Photograph by Christine Myles Hasbrouck, owner and inn keeper.

This recipe is an inspiration from the PAII Conference (Professional Association of Innkeepers International) that Jim and I attended in Little Rock, AR in January 2012. While I attended the marketing classes, Jim attended the food classes and then shared with each other what we learned. He described the Fruitini and Blueberry Smash, but didn’t have the recipes.

So below is my interpretation…

Find your pretty martini or wide stemmed glasses to use for your fruitini.

Martini glass with a sugar rim. Photograph by Christine Myles Hasbrouck.

Part I – The Fruitini

Carefully put fruit in sugar rimmed glass. Photography by Christina Myles Hasbrouck.

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Part II – Blueberry Smash

Fruitini With Blueberry Smash. Photograph by Christine Myles Hasbrouck.

Triple Chocolate Brownie Trifle. Photography by Angie Pugh Sklute.

February is always synonymous with chocolate.  The first two weeks of the month, you can’t go into any store without seeing cellophane wrapped hearts filled with various chocolate delicacies–and the chocolate covered strawberries!!  Delish!

And even though Heart’s Day has come and gone, my favorite TO-DIE-FOR chocolate dessert is my Triple Chocolate Brownie Trifle.  It was always a hit at the Blackstone Bistro, satisfying many a chocoholic’s desire!  It’s very simple to make.  Make your favorite brownie recipe, or if you don’t have one, I recommend Ghiardelli’s Brownie Mixes.

Ghiardelli's Chocolate Brownies. Photo By Angie Pugh Sklute.

While they are cooling, prepare the whipped creme.  Now, you can use the store bought creme, but WHY??  It’s a snap to “whip up.”. Take the mixer bowl and whip and place them in the freezer for 5 minutes; the colder, the better.

Whip-cream Picture 1. Photo By Angie Pugh Sklute.

Pour a pint (16oz.) of heavy whipping creme into the mixing bowl and whip on slow.

Whip-cream Picture 2. Photo By Angie Pugh Sklute.

Add 1 TBS of sugar and whip on high until stiff peaks form.

Whip-cream Picture 3. Photo By Angie Pugh Sklute.

Next comes the Piece de Resistance–the Hot Fudge Sauce!  And my favorite is simply Hershey’s Hot Fudge Sauce found in the ice cream toppings section.  Melt the sauce to get it creamy and pourable.

Chocolate Sauce. Photo By Angie Pugh Sklute.

Presentation is everything with trifles.  At the Bistro, we used footed dessert cups and martini glasses.  For this example, I’m using my favorite wine glass.

Take the brownies and spoon a nice sized amount into the bottom of the glass.

Layering. Photo By Angie Pugh Sklute.

Layer hot fudge sauce and then the whipped creme.

Fresh Whipped Cream. Photograph by Angie Pugh Sklute.

Keep layering until you reach the lip of the glass.  Top off this wonderful creation with a dollop of creme and drizzles of hot fudge sauce.

Triple Chocolate Brownie Trifle. Photography by Angie Pugh Sklute.

Et voila!!  You have an incredible chocolate masterpiece that can be enjoyed year-round…..and everyone loves!!!

Max Sklute enjoying Triple Chocolate Brownie. Photo by Angie Pugh Sklute.

Savor the Sweetness!! ~ Angie Pugh Sklute, Restaurateur and Virginian

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To print recipe without photos, click here.

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Chocolate Fondue

It only takes 15 minutes, and you can dip anything you like!  Even microwaving the chocolate can be ok, but if you can keep it warm while you take your time enjoying desert, all the better.

You’ll need:

• 3/4 cup heavy whipping, reserve 1/4 cup to thin if fondue begins to thicken
• 4 bittersweet chocolate bars, chopped, 3 1/2 ounces each

For more:

Rachel Ray

Free Clip Art from Deposit Photo.

Snow leopards are “one of the most mysterious and elusive of the wild cat species, earning them the local and endearing term, ‘Mountain Ghosts’” (Panthera). They are also classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because it is estimated that as few as 3,500 – 7,000 remain in the wild across twelve countries:  Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan (Panthera).

The snow leopard is a solitary cat by nature that prefers broken terrain at altitudes of 10,000-20,000 feet high in the mountains. Keith Laidler, author of Animals: A Visual Guide to the Animal Kingdom, describes snow leopards in great detail as having relatively small heads which carry small ears and a distinctively heavy brow.

“The pelt is thick and dense as protection against the intense cold of its habitat. The snow leopard also uses its thick, well-furred tail as a natural scarf to warm its face and body while sleeping” (Laidler, 149).

Snow leopard legs are short with large, heavy paws designed to bring down large prey. Furthermore, the paws are wide and heavily furred, allowing them to act as snowshoes in deep drifts.

Like the tiger, snow leopards are solitary hunters that stalk and pounce on their prey; however, during breeding season mated pairs have been known to hunt as a team. Wild goats and sheep primarily make up the snow leopard’s diet, but if food is scarce then they will hunt hare, marmots, and birds. Breeding season lasts from February to March. Later the female gives birth to between one and five cubs in a den she lines with fur.

Due to their preferred habitat, snow leopards are rarely seen by humans; however, recently snow leopards have received press thanks to the camera traps set up by Panthera’s Snow Leopard Program. In partnership with the Snow Leopard Trust, Panthera runs the largest study of snow leopards in Mongolia, collecting high resolution data images from the previously mentioned camera traps. These images contribute to and guide conservation plans currently in place.

According to Panthera’s 2011 Year in Review Report, Panthera currently has GPS collars on fourteen cats in the Gobi Desert, which in conjunction with the camera traps continue to teach us new information regarding snow leopards and their home ranges. There is new data regarding the size and distribution of snow leopard populations: “their proximity to and interactions with local human communities; snow leopard mother and cub interactions, including the amount of time devoted to rearing litters and mothers’ reproductive success; and other valuable information that can help us judge the health of and gauge threats to populations.”

Laidler notes that the snow leopard’s largest threat is human encroachment on their habitats. For example, “when food is scarce they hunt livestock and are shot on site to protect the herd. Also, people hunt blue sheep as food for themselves, thereby reducing the food supply available to the snow leopard.” To try to prevent these sad outcomes, Panthera uses their newly acquired knowledge to reach out to communities within snow leopard territory. One of the most important measures is bringing in predator-proof livestock enclosures. This not only protects villagers’ food sources but removes the reason people resort to retaliatory killings of snow leopards (Panthera 2011 Report).

Panthera has also partnered with numerous Tibetan monasteries in 2011 to educate local villages about this mysterious big cat as well as encourage their participation in snow leopard conservation. Panthera works to train locals to set up camera traps and assist in monitoring snow leopard populations (Panthera 2011 Report). By including local people in snow leopard conservation it helps generate understanding toward a cat many used to fear.

Just another exotic ambassador at our local zoo.  Visit Richmond Metro Zoo.

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LEARN MORE

To learn more about Snow Leopards and to see what you can do to help with their conservation, please visit the following links:

Panthera Snow Leopard Report Card

Panthera Snow Leopard Brochure

Panthera Snow Leopard Program

References:

Laidler, Keith. “Snow Leopards.” Animals: A Visual Guide to the Animal Kingdom. London: Quercus, 2009. 149.

Panthera Snow Leopards page

Panthera 2011 Year in Review

Steven Faulkner, Ph. D. Asst. Professor at Longwood University and author of Waterwalk: A Passage of Ghosts, is looking forward to seeing the movie made from his book for the first time this April at Longwood University.

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Video Interview With Steven Faulkner

Faulkner talks about getting the call from his publisher that someone wanted to make a movie out of his book and the growing significance of travel literature.

Other Links

Waterwalk:  A Passage of Ghosts on Amazon

Waterwalk, The Movie

Steven Faulkner, Ph. D. Asst. Professor at Longwood University

Libby Parrish is a textile craftsman living in Blackstone, Virginia. Here she is pictured seated by her loom with some examples of her work. Photo by Dawn Dickson Van Ness. February 2012.

 Libby Parrish has lived many years in Blackstone, Virginia, first in downtown Blackstone and now out on the outskirts of town, next to a wooded farm lot, atop of a slight hill.  Her home is welcoming and cozy, decorated with hand thrown pottery, knitting projects, shelves of books and family photos.  But the room of interest, past the shadow boxes of Oriental stencil brushes, is the loom room.

“I was on business and did not like the hotel I was staying in when I found this business card at the airport,” Parrish explains.  ”There was this interesting bed and breakfast called the Loom Room.”

While staying, Parrish spent her evenings with the owner of the inn, become friends and learning how to use a loom.

Decades later, Parrish now has her own loom and spends her limited free time weaving textiles that she then cuts and sews together to make sweaters, totes, scarves, and other interesting items.

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VIDEO Interview with Libby Parrish

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Libby Parrish now sells her her colorful scarves and some other items in Blackstone, Virginia at Trend on Main Street.  They range from blue and fuzzy to something like garland for a Christmas tree.  Each piece is smile worthy and would make a lovely gift for a friend or sister or a nice indulgence for yourself.

The blue scarf adorns a manikin in Trend's storefront., located in Blackstone, Virginia.

Parrish has bought yarn by the cone at closeout sales with a friend in Southhill who runs a craft store, as well as buying from Charlottesville and Richmond.

“There are less and less craft stores, so it is harder to find the high quality or variety of yarn I look for,” said Parrish.  ”I really love this new yarn I bought.  It is recycled Saris yarn and it is made by women to help them raise a little more income.”

Recycled Saris yarn is made in the spare time of women living in the remote areas of the Himalayas.

 Recycled Saris Yarn

The yarn is vibrant silk yarn made from recycling Saris.  Handmade by Nepali women living in remote, rural areas, the yarn is something they can produce in their limited free time while caring for their families.    To learn more, click here.

Other Links

TREND

Dinwiddie & Chesterfield Benefit from Amazon

Last week, Dinwiddie was to lose 900+ jobs due to mandatory facility closings.  But along with Virginia collecting $26 million dollars in taxes a year from internet sales, Dinwiddie and Chesterfield could see job creation.  Virginia has spent $4+ million enticing Amazon to place distribution centers in Virginia.

“Amazon unveiled plans to construct two distribution centers in the commonwealth — in Dinwiddie and Chesterfield counties — along with more than 1,300 jobs.”  READ MORE FROM THE NEWS & ADVANCE