South of Lansing lies Eaton Rapids. There may be other things to do there, but Andrea and I go there for The English Inn, a stately mansion built by an Oldsmobile executive in the 1920’s and now a bed and breakfast. Behind the house is a long sloping yard and gardens that ends at the river, an often-used spot for weddings. The lawn, not the river.
The English Inn, Eaton Rapids
(Okay, we have also gone to Eaton Rapids for a cooking class at Le Chat Gormet, but I’ve only done that once. Andrea has done it a couple of times.)
This was our second trip to The English Inn, and this time we stayed in the Windsor room. Very elegant, very spacious, and very quiet, the perfect room for a night away. Even though we were only a half-hour from home, the refined atmosphere of the Inn made it seem like much farther away. No singing Kai Lan doll’s or talking Wow! Wow! Wubbsy books around, that was for sure.
Windsor Room, The English Inn
I would rave about dinner were I able to remember what I had. Does that ever happen to you? I remember enjoying it, but I have no clue what it was. And dinner was accompanied by a live piano player. As opposed to a dead one. He even played a Vince Guaraldi tune from “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
After dinner, we had drinks in the basement bar. The bar is an intimate (i.e. small) space, and I relaxed and watched the Red Wings while drinking vodka martinis. I have no idea if they were shaken or stirred.
And the breakfasts were good. We had a choice of a half-dozen items, impressive for a B&B. I went with the cheese and bacon quiche and managed to eat some of the fruit as well, just to balance things out.
And just for April, The English Inn is participating in Restaurant Month. A 3-course meal for $21.95 is a great deal for such a nice restaurant like the Inn. Go forth and partake!
And a parting shot of the Windsor room:
Windsor Room, The English Inn