Archive for February, 2012
Feb. 27th 2012
“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.” –Anonymous
Although we, Dave and Heidi Lanford, are the head innkeepers here at the Iris Inn, there is a third individual who whole-heartedly welcomes guests on arrival. She helps show them to their rooms, keeps them entertained, and bids them farewell when they leave. We are, of course, talking about Katie, our 12-year old border collie who has been our constant companion since she was five months old.
A few reasons why we all love Katie:
- Guests enjoy using a “launcher” to throw tennis balls for Katie outside. She always returns with a tennis ball, but we suspect that it’s rarely the same ball that was thrown. There are tennis balls scattered about the surrounding woods, and Katie always manages to bring one back so as not to disappoint the thrower.
- To the delight of most everyone who meets Katie, she has a trigger word—“tail.” Say this word to her, and she will immediately begin chasing her tail, her barks growing louder as her viewers’ laughter increases. Sometimes it requires a firm command of “stop” before she actually ceases the pursuit of her tail.
- If Katie wants you to throw her ball for her inside the inn, she certainly lets you know. She nudges it towards you with her nose, and then backs up in anticipation.
- Katie knows she is not allowed in the rooms, so after she had helped show guests to the rooms, she patiently waits at the threshold, nudging her ball into the room so that guests will play with her.
Know that when you arrive here at the inn, you will be met with the utmost warmth and enthusiasm, not only by your innkeepers, but also by our beloved Katie.
 Katie and Ariel
Feb. 10th 2012
We here at the Iris Inn know what makes those long days just a little bit more enjoyable: WINE! We are once again offering our ever popular Wine Therapy packages for price of $150 (plus the cost of the Iris Inn room of your choice). This package includes a light dinner on the Friday evening of your arrival, along with four desserts paired with four wines, all served on the Inn’s sunset deck. Next comes the Saturday events: breakfast, wine tasting at three premier vineyards, a gourmet lunch, and then a meal at the wine festival, along with live music and EVEN MORE WINE TASTING!!!! This package is made complete not only by a final delectable breakfast at the Inn, but also a complementary “Virginia Wine in My Pocket” app for your phone. Go ahead and book your room now.
And now, I present to you a list of upcoming festivals. Check our blog for posts closer to the event date, as they will list more details.
1. April 20-22 Virginia Fly Fishing and Wine Festival: A fine festival of fly fishing, feasting, and fantastic wine.
2. May 18-20 Ash Lawn-Highland Wine Festival: Fun festivities of food, frolicking, and free wine glass souvenirs.
2. June 8-10 Veritas Starry Nights: A medley of bluegrass music, a delicious dinner, and an affluence of wonderful wine.
3. July 6-8 Veritas Starry Nights: In case you missed Round One of this event, here’s another opportunity for you to go!
4. July 20-22 Andre Viette’s Daylily and Wine Festival: Named one of July’s top 20 events by Southeastern Tourism Society, this event offers floral and flag festivities and artsy attractions, and of course, wine tasting.
7. August 10-12 Veritas Starry Nights: And if you missed Round One and Round Two of this event, here’s one more chance for you to attend!
Wine Therapy at the Iris Inn: Book your weekend today. Choose your room, and then add the Wine Therapy Package. We will take care of the rest!
 © Jon Sullivan
Feb. 6th 2012
“From the start it has been the theatre’s business to entertain people … it needs no other passport than fun.” –Bertolt Brecht, A Short Organum for the Theatre
If you read our blog entry about Staunton, Virginia’s Blackfriar Playhouse, then you already know that we have a wonderful theatre nearby the Iris Inn. But this Shakespearean marvel is not the only drama to be found in and around Waynesboro. There are numerous community theatres around the area that illustrate local talent and provide good quality entertainment for viewers in the Shenandoah Valley. So book a room at the Iris Inn, and then take in a show at one (or all) of these excellent local theatres:
Waynesboro Players, Waynesboro, VA- Climb aboard the M.S. Stillwater in a comedic tale of modern day piracy. See the antics of Walker D. Plank and his minion Halitosis Halvard as they attempt to overtake a cruise ship in the name of the Pirate Appreciation Movement. This show, written by local Matthew Warner, runs from February 23-26, 2012. (Your humble blogger also happens to be a cast member of this production, so this may or may not be a shameless promotion…)
Live Arts, Charlottesville, VA- Enter the surreal world of the Belgian painter Rene Magritte and step into the bizarre magic of his mind that inspired his paintings. This show, written by Barry Kornhauser and directed by Will Rucker, runs through February 18, 2012.
ShenanArts, Staunton, VA- Witness the life and times of Woodrow Wilson in ShenanArts’ production of “Woody,” written by Richard Adams and adapted by Diane Stewart. The show runs from February 24-26, 2012, and there is a dinner option on the Saturday evening of the show.
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