Number One Grafton Street

The Artist's View of Number One Grafton Street

2011-12-01T18:23:00.000-04:00

The location of Number One Grafton Street on the corner of Grafton and West Street makes it very popular for photographers who want to record the beauty of Historic Charlottetown.

But it has also attracted the interest of artists. Earlier this year we were contacted by GG Gallery in Charlottetown www.gggallery.ca/ to ask if we would agree to a painting being made of Number One Grafton Street. The resulting picture is an incredibly colourful rendition of our property.

Recently whilst searching with Google we found that another painting had been produced. It is titled "Caroma Lodge" which is a previous name of the property. The artist is David Thauberger, a member of the Order of Canada who lives in Saskatchewan. www.davidthauberger.com/ David explained by email the presence of the church in the distance on the right "The painting of your place "Caroma Lodge" is one of a number I have made of houses in Charlottetown. I wanted to situate it 'on the Island', so included the church at Milton as a 'locater'..."

Interestingly the church at Milton was also designed by William Critchlow Harris who also designed Number One Grafton Street.

We are very grateful for receiving permission to show the images of the paintings from the artists. If anyone knows of any other paintings that have been produced of our property we would be very interested in hearing from you.

Style at Home

2011-07-15T22:23:00.000-03:00

We were delighted last year when we received a visit by Margot Austin from Style at Home when she was on PEI to carry out a photo shoot. The shoot was at a property that had been designed by Susan Snow who helped in the interior design of Number One Grafton Street.

It was a pleasure meeting Margot and her husband Kevin and their photographer Stacey.

We are delighted with the review that Margot has included in the August edition of Style at Home that is now available in stores.

On page 120 is a great photo of Number One Grafton Street and some very kind words on our inn.

It is an honour to be included in Style at Home, thanks to everyone involved.

William and Kate visit PEI

2011-07-15T22:11:00.000-03:00

The visit to Prince Edward Island on July 3rd and 4th 2011 was a special event that deserves recording in our blog. William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge chose to visit PEI as part of their Canadian Tour. It was reported that Kate had always been interested in the story of Anne of Green Gables that is based in Prince Edward Island

The Duke received his own personal flag during his visit to Canada.

The Royal couple arrived on the island during Sunday evening and after attending a press reception were driven to Government House to spend the night.

During Sunday afternoon the citizens of Charlottetown were enjoying the lovely warm weather.

But by 8pm crowds had appeared hoping for a glimpse of William and Kate.

We had walked the short distance from Number One Grafton Street just in time to see the convoy arrive and managed to get a quick glimpse of Kate as she waved before entering the house. For that one night we were the closest Bed and Breakfast to William and Kate, being situated only 300m away.

Security was tight but not overpowering with a combination of human and electronic detection devices.

The next morning we were waiting outside Government House at around 10am for the convoy to leave, taking William and Kate to Province House.

This time we got a better view of them getting into their limousine.

Security was still very tight. Here was one of the security guards on the roof of the provincial government buildings.

Once William and Kate drove out onto Grafton Street we got a much better view of them.

Then we were off to Province House to see if we could get a better view. The crowds were quite large when we arrived and the international press were ready and waiting.

But it wasn't too long before William and Kate appeared outside Province House to cheers from the crowd waiting outside.

After a series of speeches William and Kate went for a walkabout to meet the crowds. William came to our side.

He worked his way along the edge of the crowd and seemed very relaxed and enjoying the experience. Everyone appeared very pleased to welcome him to Charlottetown.

Before leaving we managed to get one good photo of the two of them together.

They left Province House in a landau to travel down Great George Street. Some friends of ours managed to capture a photo of them as they passed by.

It was a very good day in the history of Charlottetown and one that everyone who had shared the occasion will remember.

Springtime on Prince Edward Island

2011-05-13T16:43:00.000-03:00

After the challenges of winter on Prince Edward Island it is always exciting to see the signs of life returning.
Spring officially starts at the end of March and there is often still snow on the ground and ice on the beaches.

Panmure Island - 31st March

But most of the snow soon melts by early April, except in the sheltered valleys and under trees. Unfortunately once the snow has melted the grass underneath is not the beautiful green colour we expect to see on PEI.

Number One Grafton Street - 3rd April

Of course spring is a very variable season and occasionally winter tries to fight back. A covering of snow in April is not unusual but fortunately it does not usually last for very long.

Number One Grafton Street - 20th April

Even after the ice melts the water around the island takes some time before it is able to warm up and when the air is slightly warmer this is the perfect condition for the formation of fog. The Confederation Bridge is shown here above the fog forming on the Northumberland Strait.

Confederation Bridge - 28th April

But eventually the sun works its magic on the soil and the spring colours begin to emerge. Gardens in Charlottetown become a patchwork of colour.

In sheltered rural locations Mayflowers and Marsh Marigolds begin to appear at the start of May.

And by mid May the leaves are beginning to emerge on the trees. The speed at which plants recover on the island is truly amazing.

By early June the blossom appears on the apple trees ready for another crop of beautiful fruit.

But by the end of spring the grass is green, the trees and covered in leaves and PEI is ready for summer again!

Rescheduled Hats @ Grafton Afternoon Tea Party - May 15th 2011

2011-04-25T21:13:00.000-03:00

The 1st Annual Hats @ Grafton Tea Party will now take place on Sunday 15th May from 2pm until 4pm.

http://ladyinred.ca/hatsatgraftonteaparty.html

First Annual Hats @ Grafton Afternoon Tea Party

2011-03-18T18:02:00.000-03:00

Great news! We are hosting a very special event on April 17th when the 1st Annual Hats @ Grafton Afternoon Tea Party takes place at Number One Grafton Street.

We have three wonderful speakers lined up to fascinate you.

Katherine Burnett from Lady Baker's Tea Trolley will talk about "The Pleasures of Tea",

Lady Baker's Tea Trolley

Alisha Stephen from LoveCharlie talking about "Classic Millinery and the History of Head Wear"

LoveCharlie

Heather Wilson will motivate with "Happiness for No Reason".

Heather Wilson International

The talks will take place at Number One Grafton Street accompanied by a traditional afternoon tea menu.

Hats are the order of the day and with tickets at only $37 per person it seems a great excuse to put on your best hat and come along and enjoy afternoon tea with the girls.

More details and a copy of the afternoon tea menu can be viewed at Hats @ Grafton Tea Party

For tickets or more information contact Heather Wilson: email info@ladyinred.ca or call 902.367.0189

Wintertime on Prince Edward Island

2011-02-09T19:39:00.000-04:00

Many of our guests in the summer ask us what the winters are like on Prince Edward Island. We thought this winter we would create a blog showing how the winter was developing. Usually the winters on the island are cold with plenty of snow but last year was unusual and the snow was late arriving and the quantities were rather small.

The average daytime high in Charlottetown is around minus 3 degrees Celsius in the winter and the nighttime minimum is around minus 12 degrees Celsius. Overall each winter Charlottetown receives a total of 3 metres of snow, with January typically the snowiest month.

This winter the snow did not arrive until after Christmas but it has wasted no time in building up. These cars were parked near to the Farmers Market in Charlottetown.

At the start of the year the water was still unfrozen, as you can see in this beautiful view of the lighthouse on Panmure Island.

But before long the daytime and nighttime temperatures fall well below zero and the water around the island begins to freeze over. This is the view from Victoria Park across the frozen harbour to the rear of the houses on West Street.

But just because the weather is cold it doesn't deter walkers and runners from enjoying the clean, fresh air while they are on the boardwalk.

Due to the amount of snow that has fallen the sign at Number One Grafton Street is gradually becoming buried...

...and it does make the clearing of the sidewalks an almost daily activity.

Another amazing sight across the island is the length of some of the icicles that form on buildings. PEI may receive a lot of snow but it does also enjoy numerous sunny days. Due to the sun having some warmth even in February it causes the snow on roofs to melt but as the air temperature is well below freezing then huge displays of icicles form.

Travel across the island is generally good but you need to remember if the road you want to use has been ploughed or not!

But if you travel around the island you can find some wonderful old buildings.

There are also some of the best sunsets.

At night after a heavy snowfall, Charlottetown takes on an almost magical appearance. The snow hangs on the trees and everything becomes silent.

But at the end of the winter the ice begins to break up and forms large floating blocks.

And if you look very closely you can sometimes see a seal that is enjoying some of the warmth from the sun.

Prince Edward Island is a special place throughout the year. Most people only manage to see the beauty of the island in the summer. If they are fortunate they spend time here in the autumn and enjoy the mild temperatures and beautiful colours. But if they are very lucky they get to see the island in winter. Yes it is cold and yes, it snows but it still has a charm unlike anywhere else.

New Year Levee

2011-01-08T15:34:00.000-04:00

New Year’s Day is traditionally the day Prince Edward Island organise New Year Levees. The first levee was held in Canada in 1646 by the Governor of New France. It was originally used by fur traders to pay their respects to the government representative on New Year’s Day. This was then developed by the Canadian provinces to allow residents to meet the Lieutenant Governor and provincial dignitaries. In most provinces the levees have become more subdued but not on PEI where it was expected that thousands would attend the events. This was our first visit to a levee and we were accompanied by our very good friends Brenda and Murray. Here is a summary of the day with a description of each visit, including the food and drink supplied.

We had printed the schedule of events and had identified five locations we wanted to visit. The first began at 10am at the Lieutenant Governor’s residence, Fanningbank. Fortunately it was only a short walk from Number One Grafton Street. The whole event was an absolute pleasure. We had to wait in line for a short while before entering the building but everyone was very patient, chatting and wishing each other a Happy New Year.

Inside the building we were entertained by a string ensemble and were introduced to the Lieutenant Governor and her husband.

We then had a glass of cranberry juice mixed with sparkling wine and a piece of cake. The choices were fruit cake and gum drop cake (yes that is sponge cake with gum drops inside!). After a photo we were then off to City Hall.

At City Hall we met the Mayor of Charlottetown and all the councillors for each ward of Charlottetown. The queue this time was much shorter and in addition to a glass of wine we had some very good cheese and crackers.

Next we drove up to the University of Prince Edward Island to meet outgoing Vice Chancellor and the new Vice Chancellor. It was our first visit to the university and we were very impressed with the facilities. There was quite a long queue but at least this time it was indoors. The sandwiches were quite good and refreshments were non alcoholic which was probably appropriate.

The next visit was due at 3pm at the Bishop’s Palace but we arrived a little early and were expecting to queue. But this was not necessary as they had started early and we were able to walk straight into the palace. This photo was taken as we left.

We were introduced to the Bishop of Prince Edward Island and then had a glass of very nice sherry from the Niagara area in Ontario and some fruit cake.

We then had some spare time so we visited St. Dunstan’s Basilica next door to the Bishop’s Palace. The architecture is quite beautiful.

Finally we drove to the Confederation Centre for the final levee with the Premier of Prince Edward Island.

This was probably the most popular levee but the queue moved quite quickly and we were introduced to the Premier and members of the Government of PEI. Each guest also had their photo taken with the Premier.

The levee ended with drinks (non alcoholic again) and snacks including an interesting ‘potato martini’ made from mashed potato, cheese, bacon, sour cream and green onions.

Overall the day was a wonderful experience; it was so typical of PEI to continue such a tradition with such charm. It was also refreshing to see public officials spending time meeting their electorate.

Autumn Colours

2010-10-31T13:31:00.000-03:00

Autumn on Prince Edward Island is a most wonderful time of year. The island seems to come alive with vibrant colours. The colours of the leaves do not change as quickly as many other parts of Canada due to the warming effects of the water around the island. This results in richer colours for longer in October and into November.

And a walk through any of the many wooded areas of the island produces some unexpected beauty even on the floor of the forest.

During Autumn there are also many market stalls displaying pumpkins for sale

and Mums are always a popular item to brighten up the home

At Number One Grafton Street we have used pumpkins and mums to add colour to the verandah.

Prince Edward Island is a wonderful place to visit at any time of the year as there are so many different things to see and do. In future blogs we will show how winter feels on the Island and how beautiful a stay in Charlottetown can be.

Location, location, location

2010-08-21T22:46:00.000-03:00

One of the most frequent comments we receive from guests is their surprise at our location. We try and explain where we are situated on our website and when we talk to guests on the phone we try and assure them that we have probably one of the best locations for a Bed and Breakfast in Charlottetown. But it is only when guests arrive that they begin to fully appreciate the benefits of staying at Number One Grafton Street.

Firstly the surrounding neighbourhood is mostly residential and has little traffic. Therefore it is quiet and relaxing, a perfect location any time of the year.

Number One Grafton Street is on the corner of Grafton Street and West Street. West Street has some very impressive and historic homes all within a few minutes of our B and B.

Secondly the Boardwalk is only one minute's walk from our front door.

This section of the boardwalk passes in front of Beaconsfield Historic House, another 'must see' location.

The boardwalk is used by walkers, joggers, runners and tourists to see the beauty of the Charlottetown harbour and to get some fresh, clean air and exercise. Alongside the vehicle road is a motor free road that is available for cyclists to follow the same route as the boardwalk.

The third benefit of staying at Number One Grafton Street is its location in regard to restaurants. Most restaurants are within 4-5 blocks of our B&B and therefore easily walkable.

And what a choice of restaurants ...... but more of that in a future blog!

PEI Heritage

2010-07-22T18:01:00.000-03:00

Number One Grafton Street - 1895

There was an interesting report issued today by the University of PEI Tourism Research Centre claiming that 91% of visitors to PEI visit a historic site, museum or art gallery.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2010/07/22/pei-tourism-heritage-sites-584.html

This seems a rather high proportion of visitors but it does reflect the importance of the historical resources on the Island.

The work that we have carried out on Number One Grafton Street has been to protect and enhance the heritage of this wonderful building and to enable as many guests as possible to share in the beauty of a truly historic home.

"The past is not the property of historians; it is a public possession. It belongs to anyone who is aware of it, and it grows by being shared. It sustains the whole society, which always needs the identity that only the past can give." (Dr. Walter Havighurst)

Number One Grafton Street - 2010

Thanks Susan!

2010-07-05T19:32:00.001-03:00

One person we have yet to introduce in our blog is Susan Snow of Moving Designz. We have known Susan since 2005 when she helped us decorate our cottage on Panmure Island. The work she managed for us was excellent and the result was so impressive that we were included in an article in the first issue of Island Living magazine in 2006.

Since working on our cottage Susan has become a good friend and therefore when we started work on Number One Grafton Street we consulted with her to develop our thoughts on how we wanted the rooms in the house to look. We wanted to create a welcoming and comfortable environment within a heritage building. We were also keen to ensure that we included some antique pieces of furniture but kept the overall appearance quite soothing and uncluttered. This was quite a challenge but with Susan's help we believe we have managed to achieve our aim.

Due to PEI having a relatively limited number of suppliers of suitable materials and furniture we called on Susan's experience to help us source items for the Bed and Breakfast.

Fortunately as well as her interior design consultancy Susan also runs a beautiful store in Summerside, PEI which stocks the most stylish range of items on the Island. Details on her store can be found at her website http://www.movingdesignz.com/

She is also an excellent blogger and regularly includes beautiful images of her project work and the island. It is well worth a visit to http://movingdesignz.blogspot.com/

Over the period of the renovations Susan has been including blogs to record some of the details of the work on Number One Grafton Street. Look for the following blogs:

http://movingdesignz.blogspot.com/2010/05/one-grafton-st-site-visit.html

http://movingdesignz.blogspot.com/2010/05/grafton-st-part-two-suite-1.html

http://movingdesignz.blogspot.com/2010/05/monday-field-trip-to-grafton-st.html

http://movingdesignz.blogspot.com/2010/04/egg-quisite.html

http://movingdesignz.blogspot.com/2010/03/design-attic.html

http://movingdesignz.blogspot.com/2010/01/historic-renovation-part-one.html

http://movingdesignz.blogspot.com/2010/07/one-grafton-project-complete.html

Susan is a great designer and we have been very grateful for her involvement in the project. There will forever be a part of her in Number One Grafton Street.

Our first guests ...

2010-06-21T07:05:00.000-03:00

We opened for business on Monday 14th June and have been pleasantly surprised by the number of bookings that we have received in such a short period of time. Some dates are filling up fast and next weekend we will be full for the first time.
The guests we have received this week have been wonderful and we had the privilege of having Roger, Jessica and Roland from Pennsylvania as our first guests.

They arrived at Number One Grafton Street after visiting Cape Breton. They certainly made the most of their time on PEI and managed to go fishing off Rustico, saw a sunset over Panmure Island and cycled around Victoria Park. They also had time to relax in their second floor corner room and watch the US draw with Slovenia in the World Cup.

They left on Friday to visit the Bay of Fundy. We were sorry to see them leave but they have promised to be back again in the future.

We are really enjoying having the opportunity to meet some very interesting people and having the time to help them plan their visit to Charlottetown. We also learnt some very interesting information such as the fact that the West Edmonton Mall uses as much electricity as the whole of PEI!

The sign arrives

2010-06-14T17:27:00.000-03:00

In today's modern world the talk is usually about websites and blogs and traffic and clicks but important though these may be in the world of innkeeping there is still a centuries old tradition of putting out a sign to let people know who you are.

Innkeeping in North America dates back to Colonial times when homes were made available for travellers and the best way of indicating that a room was available was to hang out a sign. Well now we have one and if there are any passing travellers they now know who we are!

But most of our business will come through internet bookings and we now have listings among others at http://www.bbcanada.com/ and http://www.tourismpei.com/ as well as our website. We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of these sites to create booking for us.
The general website traffic is increasing as people get to know who we are, telephone enquiries are increasing and we are starting to see bookings. We have a number of activities scheduled over the next few days to increase our exposure as the best way to impress people is to have them to stay.

On the last blog we talked about the renovations that had taken place to the house. When we purchased Number One Grafton Street it was operating as a three apartment building and had lost much of the feel of being a single family home. This was the entrance hall.

After researching the history of the building we came up with a room layout that took the building back to having the feel of a home. The most immediate change was to the entrance hall which had been divided by a wall to create two of the apartments. This removed the feel of a grand entrance, so the wall had to go!
The repositioned staircase then gave a beautifully welcoming appearance into the hall.

Opening Day approaches .....

2010-06-09T18:12:00.001-03:00

Our website is now live, and so is our blog ... welcome!

The website for Number One Grafton Street can be found at http://www.onegrafton.ca/

The rooms are now looking good and we are putting the final touches together. We have also received some bookings which is great news.

But the story we have to tell is more than just about opening a bed and breakfast and some of you will already be up to speed on our story so far. But for those of you who are new here is a shortened version.

We are Graeme and Judy Sheldon and were born in the UK. We have lived in a number of countries around the world including Canada, France and Malaysia and for the past 5 years have owned a beautiful cottage on Panmure Island, PEI.

In July 2009 we left the UK to emigrate to Canada and to convert an 1895 heritage building into a bed and breakfast. The building we had chosen was in a great location on a corner lot in the heart of the historical district of Charlottetown, very close to the boardwalk and Government House, the home of the Lieutenant Governor. The house had been converted many years ago into three apartments and the challenge was to take it back to the look and feel of a single family home, which we have managed to do over the last 7 months.

Over the next few blogs we will describe how the house has been tranformed.

So welcome to Number One Grafton Street, our beautiful bed and breakfast in Charlottetown, PEI. We are open for bookings from Monday 14th June and look forward to any comments and suggestions you may have.