I never expected to see the day when the price of my morning cup of coffee would be neck in neck with the price of a gallon of regular unleaded but it’s rapidly approaching. As someone who has a slight (ok…major) problem with control issues, I despise the fact that I have no option but to pay the asking price or part with my second favorite beverage. I have already contacted my credit union to see if I can open a grocery club. My thoughts are that I should be able to save enough from a month’s worth of paychecks to purchase a week’s worth of groceries and maybe have a little leftover for a few of life’s little pleasures like pretzels or ice. In short, just as gray is the new black and 50 is the new 30, twenties are the new fives! Many (ok…many, many) years ago when I opened my first bank account, I remember cashing a five dollar check to have spending adequate money for the week. Now, it costs three dollars to get five and a crisp fifty might see you through til Wednesday, provided you don’t need to fill your tank so you may very well be surprised at the number of things you can do at a luxury resort while saying goodbye to just one Mr. Jackson.
If you are the active type and crave the great outdoors, you can navigate the indoor and outdoor climbing walls, play miniature golf, disc golf and receive additional discounts by purchasing an Adventure Pass and you’ll still have enough change to swing by PJ’s and enjoy a scoop of hand dipped ice cream.
If you feel artistic but haven’t quite found your medium, one cool twenty will provide a unique canvas with equipment and 200 rounds of Target Paintball.
If you like the gun but hate the paint and prefer Sporting Clays, that same twenty dollar bill pays for shotgun rental at the Shooting Academy.
If you are into nature but prefer the passive approach, part with a twenty and hop on the FatBird Express Train to see the property and the Wildlife Habitats.
If you happen to chip a nail during your outdoor experience or believe that the great outdoors isn’t all that great, a crisp Andrew Jackson can snag you a pretty polish change at the Woodlands Spa.
If you are thirsty and need to move indoors for a cool drink, wander into The WildSide and help yourself to a couple of cold domestic drafts, my first favorite beverage, a dozen delicious wings and keep the kids busy with game tokens all for less than twenty bucks.
If you find wine more appealing than a frosty beer (I guess it could happen), you and your special someone can each enjoy a glass of our house wine at the lobby bar and still keep it at an even twenty.
If you think that chocolate is one of the basic food groups, take Mr. Jackson to the Tavern and indulge in a Fudge Brownie Sunday and add the Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee for dessert.
If your culinary tastes tend to be more international, you might want to introduce good old Andrew to the Pan Asian menu on Sunset Terrace and dine on house fried rice and spring rolls.
And if you think I can’t go on and on, you don’t know me very well but take my word for it, you can experience a great deal of Nemacolin Woodlands Resort with Mr. Jackson as your traveling companion. Of course, we invite you to bring Mr. Franklin along for the ride just in case you come across the perfect sweater in one of our fabulous retail shops.
Zelma Kassimer
Director of Marketing
Nemcolin Woodlands Resort
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General
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Art Collection,
General
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Around here, with so many guests coming to “expect the unexpected”, many have come down with a case of “who done it.” Well, when it comes to unexpected and unparalleled service, which has become quite expected from our guest, one team comes to mind: The Butlers.
For many of our guests, their butler has become part of their Nemacolin Family. But, one butler in particular stands alone. He is not a Chateau Butler or a Falling Rock Butler, rather, he is a Resort Butler. He stands by quietly and ready to serve each and every guest. Silver tray in hand, he is always there just as legend says he has always been. He is Marple.
When I started at Nemacolin over six years ago, I meet Marple for the first time. He is a classic old butler- a true steward of service. What I later realized is, that although I was getting to know him for the first time, he had been a part of my life since I was a little girl- since the first time my parents brought me to Nemacolin for a day trip. When I realized this, I was working under another curator, so I asked about Marple. His response: “Ah, yes. The Butler… So, you want to know about Marple. Mr. Marple Mayham that is. Well, have I got a story for you!”
And, here it goes...Legend has it that Mr. Marple Mayham was the first Nemacolin employee. He was hired by the Rockwell family who first owned the property. The Rockwells were a wealthy family from Pittsburgh who vacationed here. In the beginning, the property was a private hunting reserve. But, as more friends and family retreated to the Laurel Highlands, the Rockwells thought it would be a good idea to open an Inn.
Marple was hired to serve the guests, which he did loyally for many years. A strict servant of Nemacolin’s guests and of himself, Marple set a very rigid schedule. Each morning before he would start his duties, he would rise early to bird watch. Alone, Marple would peruse the grounds, binoculars in hand. Then, at precisely 7 am each morning he would take his post in the main lobby entrance (now the Hardy Lobby). One morning Marple returned with a large log. Mrs. Rockwell questioned him about it and he politely replied, “It is just a new hobby. Never you mind.” And, she allowed him to go about his merry way. But, one morning Marple did not return at his scheduled time. Mrs. Rockwell became concerned and gathered the rest of the staff. They searched the property high and low, but could find no evidence of Marple bird watching that day. When they returned to the Inn they unexpectedly discovered something very expected: Marple, standing his post in at the main entry. But, as they approached they realized that what they were seeing was not really Marple, but a wood carved figure of him, his character captured down to the simplest detail as if his spirit were trapped inside! Mr Rockwell reached forward to receive his last of many deliveries from Marple: a small tented note reading only, “Promise Kept.” as Marple promised to be at work everyday to serve the Inn’s guests.
Today, Marple stands post out side the Cigar Bar in the main hallway of the Chateau Lafayette. Maybe you have never noticed him or maybe he is quietly posed in the background of some of your favorite Nemacolin snapshots. We’d LOVE to see them!Now, you can believe the legend or not, it's up to you. Some prefer to think that Marple is merely an idea embodied by the creative and whimsical sculpture “Marple” by Jack Dowd. In fact, this “Marple” was purchased by Mr. Hardy for the resort along with several other works by the artist. Ironic, that this Marple is reportedly identical to the original wood piece that showed up upon Mr. Mayham’s mysterious appearance. Some will argue that Dowd heard the legend of Marple and then worked him into one of his characters, as the transfer of the resort property and Dowd’s creation of the sculpture both occurred in the late 1980’s. Others think that Marple was in cahoots with Dowd. Still others find it to be just a coincidence or an amusing little story.
So, next time you are here and something unexpectedly marvelous happens, you may wonder- “Who did that?” Chances are it was your Butler or any of the associates here at Nemacolin waiting to serve you. And if it wasn’t…. well, chances are that it was Marple!
If you’re heading to Nemacolin any time soon, be sure to pack you camera because The Butler Did It video contest is back! Maybe you’ll capture Marple on film during your Nemacolin adventure?
Brenda Girod
Art Collection Specialist
Hardy Family Art Collection
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Activities,
General
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Watch our very own Fatbird tackle the NEW Fatbird Canopy Tour. It is such an exciting addition that our Yeti friend left summer hybernation for the experience too!
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General,
Gourmet
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Spa
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Nemacolin Woodlands Resort welcomes you to take advantage of the Woodlands Spa during your next getaway with us! Our international acclaimed Spa features forty well appointed treatment rooms, including four couple’s rooms, and offers nearly 100 treatments and services.
Obtain the ultimate relaxation by preparing for your next Spa visit with some Spa tips from our insiders...
- Arrive early and take advantage of the facility. Use Steam or Sauna then take a cold shower and use the whirlpool to relax your body and begin the detoxification process.
- Make sure to drink a lot of water during your Spa visit to keep well hydrated and to cleanse the toxins from the body quickly.
- Find the Spa specials so that you can take advantage of multiple services and truly reach your goal. It is easier to escape reality and forget about day to day life in 80 minutes then 25 minutes.
- Do not shave or tan before visiting the spa, it will make your skin sensitive.
- Book a facial to receive massage movements that will enhance your muscle tone by lifting and firming.
- Look for services that will replenish your body of vitamins and minerals lost from daily harmful environmental exposure.
- Your mom was right, you shouldn’t pick at your face, leave that to the professionals. Your skin care professional will perform extractions which will minimize your pores and make your skin look clear during a 50 or 80 minute Personalized Facial.
- Don’t be scared of a deep tissue massage. Yes you can be a little sore afterwards but that can be normal. Always communicate with your provider and drink plenty of water. One reason that you can be sore after a good deep tissue or sports massage is that the muscular and skeletal systems have both been manipulated and worked on just like if you had worked out or done some type of difficult activity. That’s why massage has been labeled the “lazy persons workout.”
- Do you workout regularly? Swap your workout once a month for a massage. Your mind will be clearer and your body will thank you and perform better.
Do you have spa tips or secrets that maximize your Spa experiences? If so, please share with our readers. And, one additional tip... want to know the best places to find the spa specials at Nemacolin's Woodlands Spa? Each month a Spa Special is featured. You can learn about these specials through Nemacolin's Facebook and Twitter pages.
"Treat Yourself Good, Treat You Body Better!"
Stephanie Hostetler
Director of Spa Operations - The Woodlands Spa
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
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General,
Sales and Marketing
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Tom Leonard, President and CEO of Stew Leonard’s stopped by Nemacolin Woodlands Resort to share with our Management Team what makes their company such a success. It didn’t take long for us to see a parallel in our management philosophies: "Take good care of your people and they in turn will take good care of your customers."
The success of this family-owned business and their legion of loyal shoppers is largely due to their passionate approach to customer service and fostering a fun and fulfilling work environment, much like here at Nemacolin.
We’d like to thank Tom for his time and for sharing his story. Below is a clip from his presentation.
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Gourmet
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With the hospitality industry ever growing, there are many ways to receive a culinary education. The three most common are:
1) Traditional culinary school where students study everything from gastronomy to foods from around the world, product identification, and culinary math.
2) A staggerie which is typical of studying overseas where individuals usually work under a well-respected chef and will learn the ideas and concepts from that chef’s career.
3) A formal culinary apprenticeship either overseas or here in the states. Here in the states most apprentices are young adults (with some exception) that work at a certified apprentice site (mostly resorts and hotels) while attending a local community college culinary program.
The reason I chose to write this article is because I am one of the chefs that lead our apprenticeship program here at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and I take great personal pride in the development of our students. Our students are under the careful eye of our Vice President of Food and Beverage/Executive Chef Brent Wertz, CEC, AAC; along with our chef leadership team including Executive Sous Chef Paul Haines who was just awarded “Chef of the Year” for the Laurel Highlands American Culinary Federation (ACF) chapter.
At Nemacolin our students work a full-time schedule in our kitchens on a rotational basis. Here the students learn the culinary basics to succeed in one of the most demanding career fields. As well, the students attend culinary classes at Westmoreland Community College which is where they receive their formal schooling.
Apprentices go through this program which takes approximately 3 years and in return receive an associate’s degree in culinary arts along with certification through the American Culinary Federation (ACF). In order for the students to finish the program, they are put to the test once they conclude their studies by passing a written exam and culinary cooking practical.
Over the past 2 months I have had the great privilege, along with a few other chefs at our property, to train 3 students to go through this vigorous process to reach their ultimate goal. This is an industry of passion, love, and dedication. Those that join the culinary ranks will quickly understand that they will miss out on important times of the year (holidays, birthdays, weekends off, and much more) but will grow to love the instant satisfaction of pleasing palates on a daily basis.
All options for culinary education have a unique style of training and the choice is yours. If interested in a formal apprenticeship make sure to check us out. You will enjoy years of studying under a variety of chefs with an immense amount of experience and receive certification from a Five Star-Five Diamond luxury property.
Seth Mahler
Chef De Cuisine, Falling Rock Hotel
