The Red Chair Makes Coast to Coast Journey
I never knew about Flat Stanley, but soon came to discover that he had been around since 1964. Where travelers once held photos of Flat Stanley in unusual places, photographers now shoot photos of a humble red chair. Long considered simply a place to rest one’s buttocks, the lowly wooden chair has been elevated to celebrity status, and is being welcomed at inns and B&B throughout America. It’s all part of a consciousness raising experiment among innkeepers. After a short drive to to Davis/Fairfield, we found The Red Chair waiting for us, excited about the the next part of this trip in the historic Napa Valley, home to over 400 wineries and world class wines as well as Michelin-star-studded chefs with great cuisine.
Of course we needed to visit the Grape Crusher Statue that welcomes all guests to the Napa Valley . He stands at the entrance to the Napa Valley and is the enduring symbol of what makes this valley so famous. This week the chair is making its way to The Inn On First, our beautiful 10-room Napa Bed and Breakfast Inn. Look for innkeepers Jim Gunther and Jamie Cherry shooting images of the Red Chair at local Napa locations.
Throughout 2012 and early 2013, the Red Chair developed a personality of its own being photographed by innkeepers in communities from one end of New England to the other. Starting in Cape Cod, the Red Chair journeyed throughout the six New England states on a nine month tour. Follow the Red Chair’s travels on www.RedChairTravels.com where inspiring photos of the Red Chair can be seen from beaches to bandstands. Throughout 2013 and 2014 photos and stories from the Red Chair’s journey to nearly twenty states will be added to the website as they are captured.
Look for tales of the Red Chair’s travels to The Inn On First on this blog over the next few days. “We are privileged to be able to participate in this nationwide adventure,” said Jamie Cherry, co-owner of The Inn On First. “We want to show off the best that the City of Napa has to offer in the way of food, wine, and lodging.”