When an Innkeeper is also a Red Cross Disaster Worker

American Red Cross Headquarters, Washington, DC

Many of you have asked "What does Doug do when he goes on a disaster with the American Red Cross?   Doug has been a volunteer with the American Red Cross for over 20 years and has been all over the country helping people affected by natural and man made disasters.  "My motivation is to give back to the community and to be part of the Red Cross movement that helps so many people all across the country and the world" says Doug.   He loves what he does...not only in other locations, but right here at home as well.  Doug has been a Disaster Action Team captain locally for 16 years.  A Disaster Action Team will respond to local disasters such as a house fire in the middle of the night...when-ever they get 'the call' ensuring that a displaced family is provided with the basic needs such as food, clothing, or shelter.  On a disaster outside of the Wilmington area he is part of a much larger response where there may be hundreds or even thousands of Red cross workers from all over the country.  Doug has responded to the 9/11 disaster both at the Pentagon and New York City, flooding in Oklahoma, tornadoes in Georgia and Iowa, hurricane Katrina and Rita in Louisiana, hurricane Georges in Puerto Rico, hurricanes Bertha, Fran, Bonnie, Dennis, Floyd, Irene in Wilmington, Irene in New England, Isaac in Louisiana, summer storms/power outage in West Virginia as well as Sandy in West Virginia and New York and will travel to New Jersey for Sandy in February.  As a Government Operations Manager, Doug oversees several Government Liaisons who staff city, county and state Emergency Operations Centers as well as Federal facilities like a FEMA Joint Field Office during an event.  These liaisons interact with governmental agencies and act as conduits of information providing significant information to and from our government partners.  The American Red Cross is NOT a government agency and does NOT receive any direct funding from the government for any of their programs.. The American Red Cross relies on the generosity of the American public to provide time, talent and monetary donations to fulfill its mission.

Margi & Simon in the Parlor

While Doug is away from the inn for sometimes as long as a month at a time Margi is hard at work providing our guests with her expertise in the hospitality department.  There is a whole lot more to it than that, there is cooking, cleaning, shopping, taking care of Simon, marketing, banking, maintenance and ensuring the best possible experience for our guests...doing the work of two!                                              Margi is Doug's biggest supporter and Doug wouldn't be able to do it without support from Margi!  Margi is Doug's Superstar.

C.W. Worth House Bed and Breakfast Recipe of the Week--Strawberry Bread

This time of year brings wonderful strawberries to South Eastern North Carolina and to our breakfast table here at C.W. Worth House Bed and Breakfast...

Strawberry Bread                                                         Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

3 C. Flour
1 t. baking soda
½ t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1 T. vanilla extract
1 ½ C. sugar
4 eggs, well beaten
1 C. canola oil
3 C. fresh sliced strawberries or 2 10 oz. packages, thawed

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix all dry ingredients together with a whisk (except sugar) in a large bowl.

Mix oil, sugar and vanilla together in medium bowl.  Beat in eggs.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and mix in wet ingredients.  Mix until blended.

You may want to drain off some of the juice from the thawed, frozen strawberries.
Gently fold in strawberries.

Grease pans.  For two 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pans, bake for 50-60 minutes.

(Will also make 20 or so muffins.  Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.)

New Years Eve Wilmington, NC

This Wilmington NC Bed and Breakfast would like to wish you and yours a happy and healthy New Year!   Following are local New Year's Eve events and a few quotes to ponder.


An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in.  The pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. ~Bill Vaughan
 
Cheers to a new year and another chance to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey
 

May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions. ~Joey Adams

Our favorite City Stage production is The Full Monty, this year being performed on the Main Stage at Thalian Hall at 8 p.m. Decmeber 31st.  This New Year's Eve Gala includes show, drinks and food.  Tickets are $75 per person.

Or you can bring in the New Year on a cruise.  The Henrietta Riverboat will be celebrating with entertainment, dancing, hors d'oeuvers, party favors and champagne.  Tickets are $85 per person.  www.cfrboats.com

If you want to spend some time at the beach, Carolina Beach will be dropping the giant lighted beach ball at midnight followed by a spectacular fireworks display.  This free event features a DJ and dancing with refreshments and party favors.  The party begins at 9 p.m. on the Boardwalk.  www.islandoflights.org/newyears.html

How's about a concert for the evening. Keller Williams, from Fredericksburg, VA, will be in concert at the new venue Brooklyn Arts Center.  Williams music combines elements of bluegrass, folk, alternative rock, reggae, jazz, funk and other assorted genres.  For this New Year's Eve show expect some of  his 'one-man jam-band' act plus appearances with Keller & the Keels and Kdublicious.  www.brooklynartsnc.com  $50.

For a delightful dinner try "Midnight in Paris" at Le Catalan French Cafe and Wine Bar on the Riverwalk.  A three course meal and a glass of Bubble for $49.90 per person begins at 5:30.  Reservations 910-815-0200. 

"Give thanks for what you are now and keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow." ~Fernanda Miramontes-Landeros

HAPPY NEW YEAR Everyone from your friends at C. W. Worth House Bed and Breakfast.

Wilmington NC Bed and Breakfast receives prestigous award

C.W. Worth house Bed and Breakfast has received the 2011 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.  TripAdvisor awards this certificate to properties who consistently receive excellent ratings from their members.  A rating of 5 is something that all businesses on TripAdvisor strive for and we work very hard to maintain an environment that continually exceeds our guests expectations.  Thank you to all our guests that have left "rave revues".  We look forward to seeing you again.

           
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C.W. Worth House Recipe of the Week--Lemon Artichoke Strata

This casserole was a big hit this morning with our bed and breakfast guests.  A Strata is a bread casserole, like bread pudding but lighter, which is usually savory and includes cheese and veggies.

Lemon Artichoke Strata

Serves 8
Can be made ahead of time.

Ingredients:

8 eggs
2 cups milk
¾ t. dry mustard
½ t. salt
1 t. ground thyme (can use any herbs you like)
Zest of one lemon

1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained, squeezed and chopped

2 cups cheese—pepper jack, Swiss, cheddar, or any combination, divided

1 loaf French bread (or 16 - ½ inch slices hearty bread, cubed)

Procedure:

Whisk the eggs; add milk, dry mustard and salt.  Set aside.
In another large bowl place bread cubes and pour egg mixture over and gently mix to blend and let soak, mixing occasionally.  Do this for 5 or 10 minutes until mixture has absorbed the egg/milk custard.

Layer one half of the bread mixture in a 9 x 13 baking dish which has been sprayed with PAM.  Then layer the chopped artichokes, lemon zest and thyme over that.  Add one cup of the cheese  over the artichokes and lemon zest.  Then finish with another layer of the rest of the soaked bread cubes.  Top with the second cup of cheese.  Cover with tin foil which has been sprayed with PAM so it won’t stick to the cheese on top.

Bake covered at 325 degrees for 50 minutes, turning half way through.  It will be puffed up.  Remove the tin foil and let brown for 5 minutes.  The guests at our bed and breakfast love this recipe...

Wilmington, NC Restaurants

Wilmington, NC Restaurants: 
C.W. Worth House Historic Wilmington, NC Guide to Restaurants and Dining.  These are our favorite places to dine in Wilmington.  What are your favorite places?  Post them in the comments below with a short review and we'll add them to the map with a link to their website and phone number.


View Historic Wilmington, NC restaurants in a larger map

New Years 2011 C.W. Worth House Bed and Breakfast Wilmington North Carolina

So, here we are in the last week of 2010 (where did the year go?) ready to ring in New Years 2011 with new ideas and fresh starts.  We want to thank all of our friends (formerly guests) who found their way to Wilmington, North Carolina and spent a night or two with us.
 
You had a choice when you came to stay and we thank you for choosing C. W. Worth House Bed and Breakfast.


Well, instead of posting a new "recipe of the week", we will bring back a favorite and most requested recipe from the "archives".  Banana Pecan Upside-Down Pancake...with a slight change, instead of putting the pecans on with the bananas, wait till you pour the batter then top with the pecans.  Enjoy and have a Healthy, Happy and prosperous New Year!

Doug & Margi and Simon