Move
over Flat Stanley, the Red Chair is the newest travel icon
over Flat Stanley, the Red Chair is the newest travel icon
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| Jarvi Homestay Bed and Breakfast hosts The Red Chair |
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 after a long day, the
lowly wooden chair has been elevated to celebrity status, and is being welcomed
at inns and B&Bs throughout America.
It’s all part of a multi-year
B&B awareness program that focuses on a traveling red porch chair to highlight
the comfort, hospitality and friendliness of bed and breakfasts. Since its
start in New England in 2012, B&Bs and inns have taken inspiring photos of
the Red Chair from beaches to bandstands.
B&B awareness program that focuses on a traveling red porch chair to highlight
the comfort, hospitality and friendliness of bed and breakfasts. Since its
start in New England in 2012, B&Bs and inns have taken inspiring photos of
the Red Chair from beaches to bandstands.
The Red Chair makes its way across the United States,
bringing attention to B&Bs and beautiful travel destinations. It traveled along the East Coast and Southern
states in 2014, spent 2015 touring the West Coast, and so far in 2016 the chair
has ventured into Alaska and Canada. Participating
B&Bs, including Anchorage’s Camai Bed and Breakfast and Jarvi Homestay Bed and Breakfast host the Red Chair, tell its stay with blog posts and
photos on www.RedChairTravels.com and other social channels. Thanks to a partnership with BedandBreakfast.com, the Red Chair makes its way across the United States, bringing attention to B&Bs and beautiful travel destinations.
bringing attention to B&Bs and beautiful travel destinations. It traveled along the East Coast and Southern
states in 2014, spent 2015 touring the West Coast, and so far in 2016 the chair
has ventured into Alaska and Canada. Participating
B&Bs, including Anchorage’s Camai Bed and Breakfast and Jarvi Homestay Bed and Breakfast host the Red Chair, tell its stay with blog posts and
photos on www.RedChairTravels.com and other social channels. Thanks to a partnership with BedandBreakfast.com, the Red Chair makes its way across the United States, bringing attention to B&Bs and beautiful travel destinations.
From May 7 to May 21, the chair visits Anchorage, first to visit Jarvi Homestay Bed and Breakfast
and then Camai Bed and Breakfast. Look
for innkeepers Mary Rydesky and Caroline
Valentine shooting
images of the Red Chair at scenic and unique venues throughout Anchorage. Both
inns have attained the “Inspected & Approved” badge of quality from the
Anchorage Alaska Bed & Breakfast Association (AABBA) through peer review.
and then Camai Bed and Breakfast. Look
for innkeepers Mary Rydesky and Caroline
Valentine shooting
images of the Red Chair at scenic and unique venues throughout Anchorage. Both
inns have attained the “Inspected & Approved” badge of quality from the
Anchorage Alaska Bed & Breakfast Association (AABBA) through peer review.
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| Loussac Library’s water sculpture suits the Red Chair for reading and multimedia |
“We are honored to be selected,
and to receive the chair as National Travel and Tourism Week is closing, as it
continues the celebration of B&B participation in Alaska’s booming tourism
industry”, said Rydesky.
and to receive the chair as National Travel and Tourism Week is closing, as it
continues the celebration of B&B participation in Alaska’s booming tourism
industry”, said Rydesky.
It
all started in winter 2012 with a single image. Innkeeper Beth Colt of Woods Hole Inn posted a picture on Facebook of her simple red chair
perched on the ice behind her house and watched her page light up with “likes.” The picture was shared on the Facebook page
of a nature photographer from California, who was inspired by the image to
visit the Woods Hole Inn and took an amazing second photo of the chair on a
local beach.
all started in winter 2012 with a single image. Innkeeper Beth Colt of Woods Hole Inn posted a picture on Facebook of her simple red chair
perched on the ice behind her house and watched her page light up with “likes.” The picture was shared on the Facebook page
of a nature photographer from California, who was inspired by the image to
visit the Woods Hole Inn and took an amazing second photo of the chair on a
local beach.
During these years, 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 9-month tour.
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 9-month tour.
“This
chair is the little engine that could,” said Colt. “I could never have imagined that it would
travel so far, to every corner of America, all on the kindness and hospitality
of innkeepers. It’s a barn-raising of sorts; the sharing of a piece of
Americana.”
chair is the little engine that could,” said Colt. “I could never have imagined that it would
travel so far, to every corner of America, all on the kindness and hospitality
of innkeepers. It’s a barn-raising of sorts; the sharing of a piece of
Americana.”
Stories from the Red Chair’s travels have been chronicled on blogs
at each stop throughout its journey. Look for tales of the Red Chair’s travels to
Camai Bed and Breakfast and
Jarvi Homestay Bed and Breakfast on the AABBA Blog (http://blog.anchorage-bnb.com) as
well as on the websites and social media for Jarvi Homestay and Camai Bed and Breakfast.
at each stop throughout its journey. Look for tales of the Red Chair’s travels to
Camai Bed and Breakfast and
Jarvi Homestay Bed and Breakfast on the AABBA Blog (http://blog.anchorage-bnb.com) as
well as on the websites and social media for Jarvi Homestay and Camai Bed and Breakfast.
For a compilation of these blogs, visit http://www.redchairtravels.com/blog.html . For
a complete view of Red Chair photos, visit http://www.redchairtravels.com and
get ready to be inspired. To learn more about Jarvi Homestay, visit www.jarvihomestay.com and
Camai Bed and Breakfast at www.camaibnb.com.
a complete view of Red Chair photos, visit http://www.redchairtravels.com and
get ready to be inspired. To learn more about Jarvi Homestay, visit www.jarvihomestay.com and
Camai Bed and Breakfast at www.camaibnb.com.
About the Hosting Bed and Breakfasts
Craig and Caroline Valentine have been operating Camai Bed and Breakfast since May 1981 and welcome visitors from the world over. Caroline is a retired public school mathematics teacher. She is
now a math adjunct at University of Alaska Anchorage. Craig is a retired civil
engineer. Caroline is a handbell director and church musician. She remains active in AABBA and has served as President, Vice-President and Treasurer
now a math adjunct at University of Alaska Anchorage. Craig is a retired civil
engineer. Caroline is a handbell director and church musician. She remains active in AABBA and has served as President, Vice-President and Treasurer
Mary M Rydesky opened Jarvi
Homestay in 2007 to host health care practitioners traveling to and from
the rural communities of Alaska. Today,
travelers seeking a ‘healthy way to stay’ are her guests. She teaches business
management for Wayland Baptist University and the University of Anchorage,
encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit in every student. She currently serves
as President of the Anchorage Alaska Bed and Breakfast Association (AABBA).
Innkeepers
Anchorage Alaska Bed & Breakfast Association