Friday, August 27, 2010

Lake Superior views are free at The Firelight Inn Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast

Lake Superior views are free at The Firelight Inn Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast every season of the year. We snapped these photos just the other day from the second floor deck and the spiral staircase on the third floor of the Inn.



The Barnum Suite and Brookside Suite have access to a second floor deck that overlooks Oregon Creek. There is a table with an umbrella and chairs to enjoy the views and sounds of the creek below. One of the windows in the Isle Royale looks out over the tops of the trees for a view of Lake Superior. The third floor suites have sky lights that serve as fire escape windows and the view from those windows is Lake Superior in all its beauty!

During the month of September we are offering a "Fall Back" special for a two-night stay Sunday through Thursday nights. Check our specials page of the website for all the details! Just mention "Fall Back" when making your two-night reservation online or on the telephone.

Make your plans to stay with us soon. There's only one Firelight Inn and our speciality is delivering your hearty and delicious breakfast to your suite each morning. You can enjoy it on an outdoor deck, in the glass-enclosed front porch or in your suite. We would be happy to serve you at the dining room table if you desire. We hope to see you on your next trip to Duluth!

Joy and Jim Fischer, Innkeepers/Owners
The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek Duluth Bed and Breakfast
Celebrating 100 years of history in 2010

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Duluth Minnesota's next big event is the Dragon Boat Festival

The event takes place August 27-28, 2010 in Superior Bay off Barker's Island in Duluth Minnesota. 90 teams will be competing for gold, silver and bronze medals in this exciting and colorful event!

A team consists of a manager, a drummer, someone to steer, 20 paddlers and two alternates. The drummer plays a vital role in the race as the constant pounding of the drum drives each team mate to row with the beat, striving to out-paddle all the other competitors.

On Friday, August 27th the evening begins at 5:20 p.m. with a rose ceremony to honor breast cancer survivors and pay tribute to those who lost their battle with cancer. Next is the parade of teams and an opening ceremony. You will be entertained with music and a fireworks display on Friday evening.

On Saturday August 28th, races begin at 8 a.m. and continue until 5:15 p.m. when the finals are held. There will be entertainment throughout the day and more music way into the evening.

The Isle Royale Suite at The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek Duluth Bed and Breakfast is still available for next weekend. Make your plans now to be in Duluth and enjoy the Dragon Boat Festival and the fine accommodations at The Firelight Inn.

Joy and Jim Fischer, Innkeepers/Owners
The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek Duluth Bed and Breakfast
Celebrating 100 years of history in 1910

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center's Pier History Tour

Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center is offering a Duluth Pier History Tour this summer which introduces visitors to the exciting history of Canal Park.

The program will explore the history of the Duluth Ship Canal, the famous Aerial Lift Bridge, canal shipwrecks, lighthouses, and many other related topics. The Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center is free and open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the summer season. Duluth Pier History Tours are available Monday through Friday at 1 and 3 p.m. weather permitting. Show up at the Maritime Visitor Center for all the fun!

While you are in town, make plans to stay at The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek Duluth Bed and Breakfast! We're celebrating 100 years of history this year as George G. Barnum's historic mansion is 100 years old. We hope to see you on your next trip to Duluth!

Joy and Jim Fischer, Innkeepers/Owners
The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek Duluth Bed and Breakfast

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The weather is delightful so travel to Duluth MN and enjoy The Firelight Inn and Split Rock Lighthouse--both celebrating 100 years of history in 2010

Duluth Minnesota is enjoying beautiful weather and over 46 days of temperatures over 70 degrees. Lake Superior is warmer than it has been in years! Now is the time to make your plans to stay at The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek Duluth Bed and Breakfast. While you are here, plan to spend a day and travel up the North Shore and enjoy Split Rock Lighthouse. Both facilities are celebrating 100 years of history in 2010.

Split Rock Lighthouse was built as a federal "aid to navigation" and served of greatest benefit to the ships that carried ore from Minnesota's iron ranges to steel mills on the lower Great Lakes. The construction was completed in 1910. The Coast Guard began its operation of the station in 1939, and Split Rock was one of the most visited lighthouses in the nation. The use of radar on ships eventually made the station obsolete and it was closed in 1969. The State of Minnesota obtained the property from the federal government in 1971 and in 1976 the Minnesota Historical Society began to preserve and interpret the station as a museum and nationally known historic site. The adjacent State Park offers opportunities for hiking, biking, camping, picnicking and exploring the lake shore.

The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek Bed and Breakfast opened in June, 1998 and for thirteen years Innkeepers Jim and Joy Fischer have greeted folks from all over the world. The historic mansion was built in 1910 by George G. Barnum a grain baron in Duluth at the turn of the century. His Barnum Grain Company eventually merged with many other grain companies to begin General Mills. Jim and Joy are the fifth family to own the home in 88 years and continue to preserve and maintain the beautiful home. Five suites feature fireplaces, Jacuzzi whirlpools for two, featherbeds, TV/VCR/DVD, CD and audio system, private bathrooms, and luxurious amenities. Their specialty is delivering a hearty delicious breakfast to your suite each morning where it can be enjoying privately in your suite and by the firelight!

A 100 year celebration is planned at The Firelight Inn for October 10, 2010 from 1-3 p.m. at 2211 E 3rd Street, Duluth, Minnesota. Admission is $5 at the door which includes a tour, refreshments and birthday cake.

Joy and Jim Fischer, Innkeepers/Owners
The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek Duluth Bed and Breakfast
Celebrating 100 years of history in 2010

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Volume III of The Firelight Inn Bed and Breakfast Cookbook is complete!

Delicious breakfast recipes and more from The Firelight Inn Bed and Breakfast are now available in Volume III of the Inn's cookbook. In our 13th year as Innkeepers of The Firelight Inn and as we celebrate 100 years of history in George G. Barnum's historic home, we are happy to share more recipes of the food we prepare for our guests who travel to stay with us.

Volume III includes entrees, muffins and scones, coffee cakes and fruit recipes. Some of our guests favorites that are included are Apple Cheddar Breakfast Strata, Blueberry Croissant Puffs, Tofu Veggie Scramble, Chocolate Chip Scones with Clotted Cream, Oatmeal Brown Sugar Muffins, Butterscotch Scones and Fruit Salsa.

You can purchase all our cookbooks, mugs, Silk Petal Soaps and more at The Firelight Inn or you can order them online from our gift shop at our website. One cookbook is $15.95, two cookbooks are $30 and all three volumes of the cookbooks are $45 plus tax and shipping costs.

We hope to see you on your next trip to Duluth Minnesota!

Joy and Jim Fischer, Innkeepers/Owners
The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek Duluth Bed and Breakfast
Celebrating 100 years of history in 2010

Monday, August 2, 2010

Travel to The Firelight Inn Duluth Bed and Breakfast in August and enjoy a picnic lunch on us!

Your romantic getaway or vacation package is complete with a Firelight Inn picnic lunch carefully prepared and packed in a basket. When you reserve your three-night getaway at Duluth's Firelight Inn Bed and Breakfast in August the picnic lunch is on us!

Deli-style sandwiches, pasta or potato salad, pickles, fruit, beverages, brownies, china plates, silverware and cloth napkins and tablecloth are all packed on ice in a lovely wicker basket. We will help you find the perfect spot in Duluth or up the North Shore for your romantic picnic lunch.

Reserve your three-night stay in August and mention the picnic lunch special. Plan it now--August is a busy month! We look forward to hearing from you and greeting you at our front door at The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek.

Joy and Jim Fischer, Innkeepers/Owners
The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek Duluth Bed and Breakfast
Celebrating 100 years of history in 2010

Friday, July 30, 2010

Reading reviews in Firelight Inn guest journals is better than going to the mailbox and is music to our ears!

Our inspiration is often found in what our guests write in the journal, their online reviews and comment cards of their stay at The Firelight Inn Duluth Bed and Breakfast. Here is the latest news from the Brookside Suite--music to our ears!

"July 28, 2010

Dear Jim and Joy--

You have set a benchmark for B&Bs!

Coming in during a downpour was quite an event! However, Jim was so gracious and helping and bringing in the luggage was so very kind.

The eclectic/transitional period to more modern is absolutely phenomenal!

Your warmth and unbeatable hospitality are incredible and establish you as perfect hosts!

Thank you so much for the help in acquiring a dentist for Bob's "dental emergency." We are about to see how that all unfolds!

Later...with post-dental visit results!

12:30 - Dr. Adam Huneke, D.D.S. on Piedmont Ave. and his staff, could not have been more efficient or personable! An exam, xray, meds, and we're back in business. t
Thanks, Joy, for the great directions--and also directions to the Maytag laundromat. Super!

The Strudel breakfast was totally tasty and absolutely magnificent. Thanks for "going the extra mile" to prepare such a scrumptious feast (terrific muffins and poppyseed bread) and Bob, despite the tooth debacle, was able to eat it (feast on it!) comfortably!

How joyful to spend some time this afternoon on the deck! The breeze off Lake Superior has returned, the abnormally high dewpoint has subsided, and it was glorious. Following sun/wind/and lunch from Valentini's, a nap was in order! What a comfy bed with superb linens. Pure delight and a chance to rest from seeing, driving, and activities. Vacation at its best!

Thanks heaps for the dining referrals. Blackwoods was perfect last night. Scott, the bartender, rounded up some great Knob Creek bourbon--one of our "local" (Kentucky) faves and made fabulous drinks. Food and service were so terrific and the restaurant so wonderfully close that we're headed there again.

8 PM Another fabulous meal @ Blackwoods. We're connected with bartender Scott, the waiters and hostesses. Just as you said, Jim, not fine dining, but excellent food. Super variety! We recommend a combo of satisfying appetizers--Bits of tenderloins with onion straws and horseradish crostini--super-super-super!

7-29-10 6:30 a.m. A beautiful day to greet us--sunshine, breezy, and typical lower humidity. A fine night's reset in a sumptuously-furnished room and we are refreshed.

With 100,000 to 200,000 folks expected to see the Tall Ships, we're not sure what we will be able to view...but what a fabulous economic boom to the area!

Beautiful morning to sit on the expansive, well-appointed porch and read/relax/talk with a cup of tea. Thanks for all of the authentic conversation. Great chatting with you. Both of you were born to be innkeepers! Your guests want for nothing and your hospitality is boundless!

Another bountiful breakfast! Marvelous Eggs Benedict and the scones were perfect. What a feast!

A little note about the bathrobes...they fit! This is not always the case, so we very much appreciate having the large, roomy, ones! {smiley face written in book]

The all-encompassing best comment we could possibly make is that both of you, Jim and Joy, have successfully anticipated all of your guest travelers' needs. You are both so accommodating, helpful, and generous. Many thanks.

Some extras we have enjoyed: the hand-crafted "welcome card" greeting us on our arrival! The petal soap is so pretty, dainty, and such festive colors! The offer of wine, the ultra quiet/high-tech room AC. The available relaxing music.

AMENITIES ABOUT! YES! You both have this "professional innkeeper" thing mastered. Kudos.

What a relaxing day! After travels to Hayward, WI and Grand Marais/Hovland with many activities, this "lazy day" has been delightful.

Thanks for the use of your printer to print off our boarding passes. We have so very much enjoyed our time here and look forward to a return visit!

Cool things about this room: Positioning of the table to enhance illumination from windows. Convenience of electronics, but they do not dominate the room. The splendid mirrors on wall. Fireplace. Comfy chairs/table and marvelous ultra-comfy sofa. Rocking chair to relax in. Super comfy bed and gorgeous linens. Dresser space for several people. (Back to bed) often a 4-poster consumes the room, but not here. Triangular-shaped jacuzzi doesn't take up lots of space but two people (even we Amazons) can fit comfortably! Oversize wastebaskets and places to hang things. The silent AC. Great bath mats for comfort. Plenty of pillows! (for great sleeping!)

7-30-10 Our last morning in Duluth. The initial part of our journey from Burlington, KY took us to Hayward, WI for the World Lumberjack Championships. Very warm weather, blue skies and lots of physically fit folks showing strength and endurance. Great food and the stay at the McCormack House was a delight. That time was afforded Bob as a "big birthday" gift.

Next leg required driving up North on 53 to 61 to Grand Marais, where Bob used to be a logger (30+ years ago). Big memories there. Then, in the midst of a terrific thunderstorm, we drove south on the North Coast (61) to this remarkably beautiful Firelight Inn. On the porch we're enjoying the many varieties of tea on is 1,000 square feet with 6-7 tables, comfy chairs, great literature and opportunities for relaxation abound. What a calm and terrific way to begin the day and the journey home.

This most charming and fascinating B&B is located in the perfect part of Duluth. Surrounded by well-kept-up mansions, a dead end, a tree-cheated buffer zone, it is so quiet. That is not easy in a city the size of Duluth (especially with major events such as The Tall Ships in town). SERENITY -- no motor cycles, barking dogs, or screaming infants leads to the perfect ambiance. So delightful to walk away from the hustle/bustle of every day life and the regions of "have-tos".

So, we came to celebrate Bob's big birthday, but I have enjoyed it equally. We are already planning a re-visit--the dates need to be firmed up but we will make it happen.

We are hopeful that some of this less humid air and cooler temps will travel sound with us today. The summer has been so hot with incredibly high tropical dewpoints so we're hoping Canadian/Minnesotan high pressure drudges southward.

We also hope to return having more of your wonderful warmth and kindness "rubbed off" on us.

Jim and Joy--you are both phenomenally giving and caring. The Lord must be very pleased to see you spending so much of your time for the contentment and happiness of others. We are truly blessed for having stayed here! We will leave refreshed and return home to Kentucky with a new perspective--body and soul. When we allow God to lead us, we always get to the best places--and right where we should be.

Having such a labor-intensive business, you recognize the need for personal leisure also. Our prayers for you will be to have a successful summer and then have God lead you to a beautiful paradise for some rest and relaxation. You more than deserve it. You're the best!

Joyfully, prayerfully, and with great delight, Bob and Judy Parsons. Burlington, KY 41005

P.S. The great potato breakfast rates 5 stars! Ditto the strudel!"

Joy and Jim Fischer, Innkeepers/Owners
The Firelight Inn on Oregon Creek Duluth Bed and Breakfast
Celebrating 100 years of history in 2010