Romantic Inn / B&B & Couples Getaway in Rochester
Kiss & Tell
Enchanted April, infused with Jazz
With the enchantment of April, my thoughts turn towards JAZZ. It all started over a decade ago with our pop up Jazz music salons. It was Jack Presberg and jazz jammers that found me. It was love at first sight, and we all became one big family~ on the first Saturday of each month, starting in April. While the Ellwanger Estate B&B knows how to jazz things up a bit, we also have a little help from our friends. So it starts once again, and our B&B guests are in for a treat this Saturday, April 2nd, from 2-4 PM as we usher in the Spring with JAZZ!
A Delicious Surprise…To Be Listed in Forbes
6 Great Places to Eat if You’re Visiting Rochester, New York
Adrienne JordanFormer ContributorTravelI cover adventure, outdoor, and wellness travel.Follow
Situated on the southern shores of Lake Ontario, Rochester is a part of the breathtaking Finger Lakes region. New York’s 3rd largest city is in the midst of a period of revitalization. Recently, there has been over $750 million invested in downtown Rochester, which in turn exploded the food, craft beer (there are 17 breweries), and dining scenes. It’s easy to sample the city’s tasty offerings: here are 6 food-driven reasons to hop on a quick 50 minute flight from NYC airports:

Ellwanger Estate Bed & BreakfastVISIT ROCHESTER
Ellwanger Estate Bed & Breakfast
Run by the gregarious Rosemary Janofsky, always ready with a quick smile, the 115 year old home of George Ellwanger has maintained its reputation of great breakfasts, like Stuffed Acorn Squash with Quinoa, topped with poached egg and Spicy Sausage & Vegetable Frittata with sausage, zucchini, bell pepper, eggs & mozzarella cheese. You will also be cozy in the themed rooms-from “Woodland Suite” to “Garden Room”– at the B&B.

Erie Grill Apple Pie MuleVISIT ROCHESTER
Choose to break your fast during brunch at the Erie Grill located at The Del Monte Lodge Renaissance Rochester Hotel & Spa. The view is stunning, with a scenic biking and running trail, historic Erie Canal, and picturesque industrial bridges. The menu is eye candy too: try the smoked salmon bagel, corned beef hash, or brioche French toast. Try the Apple Pie Mule cocktail if you want to savor a holiday-themed beverage.
Park Ave is one of Rochester’s most popular neighborhoods: the street is lined with boutiques, coffee shops, salons, dining and more. Stop along Park Ave’s Magnolia’s Cafe and try one of their many pizzas like the Quattro Fromage or Pesto. Or choose what President Barack Obama ate while in Rochester in 2013: grilled cheese and a cup of the signature tomato and artichoke soup. The casual setting with huge windows allows you to eat and watch the foot traffic go by on Park Ave.

Red Fern dining areaVISIT ROCHESTER
If you’re into healthy eats, choose one of six fresh juices at vegan Red Fern, like “Beet It” (beet, carrot, apple, ginger) or “Sunrise” (orange, carrot, grapefruit, lemon). There are also gluten-free options, including entrees, sandwiches, salads, and smoothies. You can also savor the house-baked pastries and the venue’s beer & wine selection. Since it is located across the street from Magnolia’s Cafe, you can opt for a freshly brewed coffee or herbal tea post-lunch.

Rochester Public MarketVISIT ROCHESTER
Rochester’s City-run Public Market is a one stop shop for a fresh lunch. The outdoor and indoor market has been in operation since 1905 and is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays. Since there are over 300 vendors on site, you have an opportunity to collect fresh produce and ethnic delicacies. There are also local businesses to hop around at the market, like cafes, food stands, coffee shops, specialty food purveyors, and breweries.
For Latin-inspired eats served with craft cocktails in a candlelit setting in a mansion from the 1880s, Ox & Stone favorites include braised ox tail and paella, and the crispy tortillas are made in house. Farm to table comes into play here as regular menu items feature seasonal ingredients from locally sourced farms and merchants.
Initially published Dec 17, 2018
Supply Chain Crisis Makes Way For The “Ellwanger Experience”
![]() People are shopping early like never before. And it’s not just Black Friday or Cyber Monday. This year, shopping early is far more accelerated because the supply chain is so backed up. Note these headlines: Christmas at Risk as Supply Chain ‘Disaster’ Only Gets Worse, Bloomberg The World Is Still Short of Everything. Get Used to It, NYTU.S. Supply Chain Too Snarled for Christmas Fix, Reuters Starting now will ease your mind. Here is a sampling of great gift experiences in the South Wedge: –Artful Gardener Not just for gardeners, it’s a combination of Craft Gallery & Garden Design Studio offering an ever-changing selection of Fine Art & Craft, Home Goods, Garden Accents, & Unique Gifts. –Cheesy Eddie’s Incredible desserts made with the finest natural ingredients-FROM SCRATCH! –Tea class at Happy Earth Leaf Tea. Curious to know more about tea: the different varieties of tea, their origins, quality markers and best ways to make them? –Designs by Bradley James Floral designer, interior designer, photo shoot stylist , collector of antiques, good wine, and cats. Specializes in floral for corporate events, weddings and special events. –Hedonist Artisan Chocolates, for hand-crafted, exquisite chocolates. –Historical House Parts Supplier of architectural salvage: doors, hardware, mantels, registers, cabinets, plumbing fixtures, lighting, woodwork & more; antique & reproduction. –Mt Hope Cemetery tours. Special-themed self guided walking tours. And now you will need a home base…so make way for that Rochester Experience at the Ellwanger Estate B&B. And during your stay you may wish to embrace a greater sense of well-being, with a Spa massage at the Ellwanger. Enjoy a massage in the comfort of your room. ![]() |
‘I Wake With Wonder’

Every Morning I wake with wonder and dive into the day I grasp for my phone like a lifeline, a buoy, I rise among the displaced dreams of yore Supplanted plans, disrupted from the year So distanced from all social life before I set out on my way To make snacks for three kids because that’s all I seem to do with them here all the damn day And it’s hard work. ‘Cause it’s heart work. This is artwork. I rise Like the sap in the maple tree knowing it’s time to feed its budding branches. Like seedlings struggling towards the light, even though I need a baptism of magic waters to cure all that aches I don my gowns and masks and gloves Tend to the sick, the lost, the tired, the dead. I say a prayer, talk to God think of things I love: Birds and flowers and books dandelions, earthworms, mosses, all those things I never thought to love, or not enough. I rise even when the news of the day makes me want to stay in bed Even when the outlook is bleak: I’ve not seen my eighth graders smile. Or smirk. my neighbor cut down the massive oak that shaded my yard, My wife died alone In an skilled nursing facility bed. Oh yes I mourn those we have lost And the cost of human lives But still I rise Still ire eyes Cry for those who are gone Who have marched on Still fire eyes Burn for justice denied Flame hot for truth We rise even when our spirits feel deflated because this too shall be past because we are made of stardust I am A new breath in an older body with A future to ponder. I no longer take hugs for granted. The music at church yesterday, with full choir, was glorious. I sing of loss and grief and hope, Of joy and pain and memory, Of yesterday and tomorrow. I became best friends with my computer. And learned something spectacular: Disconnection has connected us more than ever. The Zoom “LEAVE” button calls for me So, I am easing out of this rabbit hole I will find my equilibrium and my verve Be who I am. Lose 40 lbs and improve my mental health meet every patient as they are and care for them as best I can Try to celebrate The fact of my existence Birds tweeting, wind blowing, leaves rustling. I notice it all now. I like this new world. Even though I’m in my nineties, I have learned to love more the old man across the hall who has trouble with his eyes. the touchy woman down the street In this world of Bad audio connections, I have learned to listen After such stillness, Nothing’s the same. I rise on this new day out of bed like a miracle. I tie my own shoes. I linger with a full pot of Barry’s Irish tea, each slurp an act of contemplative prayer I spend so many days watching my child grow mourning dove pretends to be an owl, a cardinal rides a slip of a limb, up and down. What was simple is made extravagant. So I lift my gaze Forward, slowly To hike up, not give up To sing out, not cry out to like who I am, even when, especially when, I stand alone. return to my books to find support to make the coffee. to watch ducklings drop to waterglory following Mama hen through fervent streams. To fill each day, not miss one to see the world full on. to pace the house at midnight, watching the moon wax and wane, to live and love to write to work to laugh to share to fight To create a world of generosity A world where we are inspired To help each other in every moment So rise, my friends, rise up All one heart Be the change and when you wonder How you will likely spend your life With the time left to borrow Know that To fight is to be human, for times short or longer, For through the struggle, we may hope to become stronger. Morning Edition asked NPR’s audience to write a poem using Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” as inspiration. NPR’s resident poet Kwame Alexander took lines from submissions to create a community poem about the challenges of the past year and hope for times ahead. https://www.npr.org/2021/05/28/1000234056/i-wake-with-wonder-a-crowdsourced-poem-of-pandemic-pain-and-hope |
A Crowdsourced Poem Of Pandemic Pain And Hope
The Ellwanger Estate caters to solo women travelers
We all have gift and talents. The most important thing is to recognize yours. We at the Ellwanger Estate B&B recognize that we are talented in catering to solo women travelers.
As a businesswoman myself, I know that I am interested in creature comforts that suit me as a female traveler: from luxurious robes to vanity mirrors. So the Ellwanger Estate has gradually been doing more to cater to solo women travelers.
Everyone wants a safe, comfortable place to sleep, wash up, and maybe get some work done. So how does the Ellwanger Estate cater to solo women travelers? Find out what solo women travelers art looking for and you give it to them. And women want serene spaces, abundant nature, and a spa: everything from license massage therapy, luxurious bathrobes, vanity mirrors, book lights, yoga mats, gourmet coffees and teas, and satin-covered hangers. And then there is the jaw dropping wrap-around veranda, gardens and a library with books galore!
There are more women solo travelers now than ever, which gives the hospitality industry the opportunity to provide resources for women including innovative places to stay that cater to all ages and are friendly to solo travelers. By providing such items as luxurious robes, slippers, wellness kits, make-up removal kit, hair dryers, magazines, large sizes of toiletry products, pillow menu, yoga mats, weights, rolls, and binoculars for bird watching, the Ellwanger Estate B&B has given women more space in their suitcases for shoes.
However, it’s not all about superior levels of service and amenities, it’s also about safety. Some concerns, such as safety, are important no matter what your gender. The Ellwanger Estate offers on site parking, steps from the front door. The grounds are surrounded by a gated stonewall, and a home security system. You have a sense that you are in a secret garden.
But it does not end there. Almost every woman I know who travels a lot -works out a lot. Just a block from the estate is the Genesee River Trail. This trail runs up to 7 miles with loops from 0.6-2.6 miles along the scenic Genesee River. Great for a run or a stroll. How about yoga or tai chi in the Ellwanger Garden?
Travelers also expect to be rewarded for their loyalty. Loyalty is huge. So the Ellwanger Estate has a return guest 10% discount. For our return guest, the Ellwanger Estate provides consistency, and the more consistency you can have in your travel, the less disorienting it is.
One of our guests was so enamoured with the Ellwanger Estate, that by the-end of her trip she was a bit reluctant to leave, stating, “I wish we would of had more time to spend enjoying those spacious living rooms and reading nooks. Being in the historic part of Rochester with all the mature trees was excellent with the fall foliage. Whether being indoors looking out from a reading nook or out on the grounds of the estate -it was relaxing. “
The feeling is welcoming. The look is more European, yet clean and crisp. The response has been “positive, positive, positive.” And yes “The Ellwanger Estate is on my list”.