Jim & Jamie’s Adventures In Napa

The Inn On First actually made it to the Napa Register for the Holiday Tour. You can read all the juicy details at http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2007/12/19/business/local/doc4769c13e251c6378528373.txt. They even took a picture of the choral group in front of the fireplace, although we weren’t noted at the location of the photograph. Nonetheless, out of 13 inns, our name made it into the article. As a newly formed business this was an important distinction as we are competing against the very best of bed and breakfast inns in Napa. As the newcomers on the block, only 6 months in business, we were feeling a bit overwhelmed by the history of some of these innkeepers: upwards of 26 years of experience. How do you compete against that? The bottom line: you don’t. You compete against yourself. You continue to work hard, provide good service, quality food, and hope that you guests will come to appreciate the unique offering of attention they receive here at the Inn. Are we perfect? Not at all. Sincere? Absolutely. We care deeply for each person who walks through the door. We can’t always guarantee, though, that our gifts or offerings will match what the guests require. I suppose that is why we are willing to tell people: “We may not be a good fit for you”. There are times that potential guests express hesitation at staying here at The Inn On First, and we cannot be afraid to encourage them to continue looking elsewhere for lodging. Sometimes it really is best to admit that you cannot meet every need, want, and desire. The best we can do is to offer someone or someplace else that might be able to do that. As for the guests we do serve, we are grateful that they are propelling us to success; and for as long as we succeed we will strive to remember that service above self is what matters.

Last week we participated in the Napa Bed and Breakfast Inns Holiday Tour, our first major event as the new owners of The Inn On First. More than 350 participants streamed in and out of the house for 5 hours, enjoying delicious Crab Tostadas made by Pilar’s restaurant (www.pilarnapa.com) and Drunken Skirt Steak and Bleu Cheese crostinis made by Bleaux Magnolia (www.bleauxmagnolia.com). These were paired with Mumm Napa Sparkling Wine Brut Rose (www.mummnapa.com) and Badalcci’s Cabernet Sauvignon (a recent 95 point winner with Wine Spectator) and Pinot Noir (www.baldaccivineyards.com). With 12 other Bed and Breakfast Inns as part of the tour every guest was ensured to have plenty to eat and drink by the night’s end. This was the first year that many local limousine and car services donated their vehicles to the event (a fundraiser for pancreatic cancer), including Platypus Tours (www.platypustours.com), Beau Tours (www.beauwinetours.com), and Elegant Tours (www.elegantwinetours.com), three of our preferred vendors. Participants were welcomed into each Bed and Breakfast Inn which was decorated for the holidays, were able to view one or more rooms in each inn (we opened Budding Vine and First Crush). We sold out all tickets two weeks prior to the event thanks to an article in the Napa Valley Register announcing the details.Jamie did a magnificent job at decorating the house and as soon as we are able, we will publish some pictures for you to enjoy some of it. The 9′ live Christmas tree in the living room, the pillar candles that line the mantle with red and white holly garland, a Christmas Village that lights up at night, the second tree in the foyer, and even a third tree in the dining room. From our perspective, you can never get enough of the holiday season. When it was all over we were both exhausted and very happy; it was just one more confirmation for us that this incredible journey we began seven months prior when we bought the inn was worth all the hard work and extra hours and energy we had invested. We know we cannot go back to who we were; and the truth is, we don’t want to as we love the who and the how of what we are called to do and be here in Napa Valley. Jim