‘Tis the season to be “Green”!

November 30th, 2010 by Angie Allen

Yes, it’s here – the Holiday season (and winter) in Duluth, Minnesota!  Though not necessarily as snowy as our years spent in the Upper Peninsula on Lake Superior’s South Shore, it is nonetheless one of the most beautiful cities to live no matter what the season.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; Duluth is without a doubt…spectacular! 

The city of Duluth is alive with wonderful holiday events taking place; too numerous to mention in this post.  One event that must be mentioned is the participation of the AG Thomson House Bed and Breakfast and the six other Inns of Duluth, MN in the Historic Bed and Breakfast Inns of Duluth Holiday Tour!  All seven of the Duluth, MN Bed and Breakfast Inns are opening our doors on Sunday, December 12th from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.  Tickets are $20 in advance; $25 at the door.  And to enhance the holiday season of giving, we will be collecting toys for the Salvation Army Toyland Express Toy Drive.  An unwrapped gift valued at $15 brought to any Inn will give you a chance to win a night’s stay at any one of our Inns!  For more great seasonal events, check out our Events page for a full list of ways to enjoy Duluth Minnesota this holiday season. 

In preparation for the Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast tour, the AG Thomson House has officially completed its holiday decorating; and there is a lot of it!  This year we are proud to have “greened” it up around the Inn.  We have converted our exterior C-9 lights to LED’s of the same size and it is gorgeous!  We could not be happier with the decision to convert on an aesthetic level, but are even happier with the environmental impact it will have.  Instead of using over 2975 watts of electricity on the illumination of the exterior, this conversion reduces our usage to just 79 watts!  Which encompasses lighting up the Main House, the Carriage House, and the garage (yes, we definitely deck the halls and even the garages at holiday time!)  This is a reduction in energy use by over 98%!  It’s gratifying on so many levels to be “green”; and an ongoing, day to day effort at our Inn! 

Finally, we are incredibly proud and honored to have been featured in the December/January issue of Lake Superior Magazine, this region’s premier magazine.  The article highlights the AG Thomson House Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast decked out for the holiday season, as well as some history behind the journey that we have been on to bring back the warmth and beauty of this incredible home.    Check out one of our accomplishments, the before and after of our kitchen – the heart and soul of a bed and breakfast! 

We thank all of our family, friends, past guests and future guests for the support you have offered us in this very speedy year of 2010, and we look forward to another successful and fun 2011!  Our best and warmest wishes to all of you during this holiday season and throughout the year!

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Duluth – Our Lake Superior Port City on the Rise!

November 1st, 2010 by Angie Allen

  With another extraordinary summer season behind us, we now have some time to reflect on the past three years as Innkeepers and caretakers of the spectacular AG Thomson House Historic Bed and Breakfast Inn, and the past 5 years of our new life in Duluth.  

When the US Air Force sent us to Duluth 5 years ago, we immediately fell in love with this spectacular Lake Superior port city.  Sitting along the shores of Lake Superior, Duluth had everything you would hope for from dining, shopping, arts & theatre; and of course an unlimited resource for all outdoor activities in an area of breathtaking beauty. 

Since 2005, we have watched and participated in the exciting growth and new additions that have taken place in Duluth.  What draws you to Duluth is the indescribable beauty that Lake Superior and the North Shore offer, but additionally what keeps you coming back are the award winning restaurants like the New Scenic Cafe, cutting edge arts and theater like the Teatro Zuccone and Zinema 2; and new, thrilling activities like the Timber Twister at Spirit Mountain – the only Alpine Coaster located in the Midwest.  The renovation and reopening of the Pickwick brings a fresh new look, along with incredible food back to this historic restaurant.  The Zeitgeist Arts Café, a place to dine then catch a movie or theater performance within the same building.  Mexico Lindo, a long standing restaurant in the area, now located in the Fitger’s Complex offers patrons authentic Mexican food while enjoying the outdoor deck overlooking Lake Superior.  And Clyde Iron Works, a renovated Ironworks warehouse now offering casual dining, along with popular musical performances like Minnesota’s GB Leighton, for example.  And that’s just a small list… 

Those of you who have stayed with us and followed us here at the AG Thomson House, are aware of all of the new, and up to date additions, amenities, and packages that we have added to the Inn, and awards received – all with our guests comfort and relaxation in mind.  Like in-room breakfast delivery to all of our rooms, new flat screen HDTV/DVD’s, more rooms with king size beds; and that’s just a small sampling. We encourage you to peruse our website, “Like” us on Facebook where we continually update, post photos, and comment about the “goings on” around the Inn and Duluth; and of course, Stay with Us!  As Trip Advisor’s #1 Bed and Breakfast in Duluth and Minnesota, we are here for you!  Duluth is not just a summer destination, Duluth is a year-round destination and we encourage you to embrace all that our Lake Superior Port City offers, and embrace your new destination of the AG Thomson House Historic Bed and Breakfast Inn, your Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast!

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Summer Lovin’

June 24th, 2010 by Angie Allen

It is shaping up to be another whirlwind of a summer at the A.G. Thomson House!  In 2009 the A.G. Thomson House had it’s best year ever despite the recession, and so far 2010 is shaping up to surpass what was an amazing year!  We continue to work diligently to improve and impress.  To name just a few…

The most obvious is the recent launch of our new website!  This process began some time ago with design ideas and has come to fruition to be what we believe one of the nicest sites around.  We have improved the size of the pictures so guests can really see what our rooms look like with no “make-up.” We have added additional pages and kept the navigation easy, but beautiful.  One additionwe are particularly proud of is our “Plan Your Stay” page.  We spent a great deal of time working on putting this page together.  It offers guests an in-depth list of things to see and do around Duluth, no matter what the season.  We have established sample itineraries for Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter because there is always something to do in Duluth – no matter what the season or the weather!!  We know we will continue to improve and tweak the site, but we couldn’t be more proud to offer our guests this great new venue!

Other things keeping us busy this year, besides our wonderful guests that have passed through our doors, are the new Hickory wood floors in the North Shore Retreat and Brule River Retreat.  It’s a truly amazing transformation of these two cozy rooms, among their other wonderful amenities.

All of our rooms have received new Flat Screen TV updates, with the most dramatic in our unbelievable Lake Superior Suite!  The Lake Superior Suite now has a new 40″ High Definition Flat Screen TV – perfect for watching any of our over 500 DVD’s in our movie library, or that baseball, basketball, football game – or whatever your favorite sport may be! 

Another addition to our breakfast is the option to receive a full breakfast delivered to your room – just like room service!  This new addition proudly won us the Best In-Room Dining in the Duluth~Superior Magazine poll this Spring!  It has proven to be a great amenity for our guests!

The Ryerson Suite received another new update with the addition of an outrageously comfortable King Size Bed, making this our third room to offer a King Size bed as an option – very rare in the Bed and Breakfast world!

And last, but not least in our ongoing efforts to make the A.G. Thomson House your home away from home, we have added a new raised bed garden so we can grow and use fresh herbs in our already tasty breakfast dishes.  I’ve already been cutting!  And as we do each year, we have added more beautiful flowers and plants to our perennial gardens all around the Inn, two new fountains, and added more potted annuals around the Veranda than ever before.

One thing is for sure, we will never stop improving the A.G. Thomson House!  We invite you to visit our site, peruse our photo gallery, and even join us on Facebook where we continually add updates, pictures, and information.  And if you are thinking of staying here, book soon!  Our advance bookings are way up this year.  So pick out that perfect room and join us this summer, fall, winter or spring at the AG Thomson House!

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Tourists for a day!

April 21st, 2010 by Angie Allen

In this line of work, we are sending our guests to all of the incredible and beautiful attractions around the North Shore and Duluth nearly every day.  So when the opportunity arose for us to take a little time off from our beautiful bed and breakfast to enjoy our surroundings, we jumped at it and took a day to travel the North Shore of Minnesota and Lake Superior.

Palisade HeadWe began by driving up Scenic Highway 61 along the shores of Lake Superior with our ultimate destination of Tettegouche State Park. One of our first stops was Palisade Head, a rugged lakeside cliff rising nearly 300 ft up from the shores of Lake Superior.  This is a great spot to soak up the sun, have a picnic, and be inspired by the pure natural beauty and view of Lake Superior.  We continued further along the north shore, and did a little hiking along the Temperance River Gorge.

The trail stretches along side the rushing river, and is alive with waterfalls pouring through the gorges – simply spectacular and a must see!  On our return home, we stopped in at Split Rock Lighthouse, a spot we haven’t been in quite awhile, and spent some time walking the grounds and taking in the view.  The lighthouse will be open for tours in just a couple of weeks, but you can enjoy the grounds and the trails nearby now.  A short distance from Split Rock Lighthouse is Gooseberry Falls – a must see along the North Shore.  We walked around the upper and lower falls, which is a nice relaxing trail. But if you want to spend the day at Gooseberry State Park, you will find some great trails of nearly 18 miles; part of the Superior Hiking Trail & several small spur trails to waterfalls, overlooks, up the river and down to Lake Superior.

Temperance River

As we were heading home to our Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast, we were so happy to have been able to take the time to enjoy an absolutely beautiful, sun filled day along the North Shore!  We are now even more informed about these great spots to share with our guests!

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Duluth's exciting summer ahead!!

April 1st, 2010 by Angie Allen

I think we are all shaking our heads around here, and giving thanks, for the absolutely beautiful weather that we have been fortunate to experience this early in the spring. The shipping season has kicked off early with the first ship leaving Duluth’s port on Tuesday. This is a great sign for the economy; orders were ready and waiting to go out and now they are on their way!  And once again, the summer is shaping up to be exciting around Duluth, the North Shore, and the A.G. Thomson House Bed and Breakfast. From Grandma’s Marathon to Blues Festival – Duluth is not only one of the most spectacular areas in the country for pure, natural beauty; it is jammed packed with fun activities and events throughout the year.

One of the biggest and most anticipated events taking place this summer is the Tall Ships Challenge scheduled to begin on July 28th through August 2nd. A fleet of eight international vessels will sail into Duluth’s port, one of only six cities chosen in the US and Canada, and the only Lake Superior port! It’s a rare chance to catch a glimpse, step aboard, and even set sail on some of the grandest ships of yore. The festival grounds open Thursday, July 29 with sounds and sensations ranging from a pirate school for kids to four days of performances of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, a musical presented by the UMD School of Fine Arts.

Perhaps one of the most fascinating ships included in the fleet is the Freedom Schooner Amistad. It is the official flagship and tall ship ambassador of Connecticut, and more notably, holds historical significance as one of the ships used in the trading of slaves. The Amistad made history in 1839, when slaves aboard the ship revolted to secure their freedom while being transported from one Cuban port to another. The current mission of the Amistad is to provide visitors an intense and direct reexamination of the history of the Atlantic Slave Trade and its legacy found throughout the nations of the Atlantic Basin.

Of course, while you are visiting this great city, the A. G. Thomson House Bed and Breakfast should be your choice to stay!  We have spent our quiet season continually working on our Inn, improving and increasing our amenities, and looking forward to each guest that walks through our doors!  This year we were named the Best Bed and Breakfast in the area, along with the Best Hotel Rooms and Best In room Dining by Duluth~Superior Magazine – an honor we are very appreciative and proud!

So as you plan your summer vacation; or short getaways this season, be sure to put Duluth and the A.G. Thomson House on your schedule. You will be surrounded by superior natural beauty while taking in some spectacular events and activities along the North Shore. Mark your calendar for the Tall Ships right away and give us a call to book your room!  In 2008, the entire city sold out as soon as news hit the major newspapers!

Join us at the A.G. Thomson House Bed and Breakfast; we look forward to seeing you this summer in spectacular Duluth, Minnesota!!

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A G Thomson House named Best Bed and Breakfast by Duluth~Superior Magazine!

March 25th, 2010 by Angie Allen

We couldn’t be more pleased to announce that we have been named the winner in three (3) different categories from a recent Duluth~Superior Magazine “Best of Duluth~Superior” issue. The “Best of” poll offered readers the opportunity to select their favorite businesses and attractions in the Twin Ports area.

The categories we were named and recognized as the “Best of” are: 

1) Best Bed and Breakfast

2) Best Hotel Rooms

3) Best Hotel In-Room Dining

The April issue of Duluth~Superior Magazine hits newsstands by March 31st, and will be online by April 1st.

We are grateful to all of you who voted for our Inn!  We are proud and humbled with an invigorated sense of purpose – to continue to exceed our guests’ expectations each time they choose our Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast to spend their valuable time and resources.

We have worked very hard to bring back the beauty of this incredible home and the reputation of the Inn as well as the genuine hospitality that our guests deserve each time they step through our doors!  And we thank you for acknowledging our passion and desire to be the best Innkeepers we possibly can – because we believe you deserve it! Thank you, thank you!

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Help make A G Thomson House a "BEST OF DULUTH/SUPERIOR"

January 23rd, 2010 by Angie Allen

Duluth Superior magazine is holding a “Best of” poll of some of your favorites around the Duluth/Superior area.  Those of you who enjoy getting away to this magnificently beautiful area of Lake Superior, the North Shore, and Duluth may have your favorites and we would love if you would consider voting the A G Thomson House as a Best Bed and Breakfast and Most Romantic Getaway  as one of your favorites for this poll.  Just go to the link: http://www.duluthsuperiormagazine.com/?p=2779 , enter your email address, fill in the areas where you may have a favorite (please enter in the area of Best Bed and Breakfast and Most Romantic Getaway), click vote after each entry, and submit – it’s that easy!  The deadline for submitting your favorite of this poll is February 28th, but the sooner you submit a vote, the better; and you can only vote once so it won’t take much time at all.  Your vote for us is greatly appreciated!!!

The Duluth/Superior area is one of the most beautiful, and yet still undiscovered by so many.  If you haven’t been to the A G Thomson House and the North Shore of Lake Superior yet, think about a visit soon!  The John Beargrease Sled Dog race is just around the corner, not to mention Valentine’s Day.  We have just one room left for the weekend of Valentine’s Day so don’t wait much longer!  And if you haven’t had a chance to see those amazing dogs, now is the time – why wait!!  Get here early and watch the Cutest Puppy Contest!

See you next weekend, or on your next visit to Duluth and the A G Thomson House; where you are always welcome!

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Tall Ships returning to Duluth in 2010!

January 21st, 2010 by Angie Allen

Once again, the spectacular Tall Ships will be returning to Duluth!  This event is one that you don’t want to miss.  It is an opportunity to step aboard and tour one of these magnificent vessels, and even set sail on beautiful Lake Superior.   The fleet will feature international vessels racing to six cities in the US and Canada, and this is Lake Superior’s ONLY port of call for this challenge.   They will begin arriving on July 28, 2010 with the Parade of Sail; the grand entry through the canal and Opening Ceremony on July 29th.  You will be able to tour the ships in the harbor and of the festival grounds from July 30 through August 2.  On August 3rd the ships will depart to their next leg of the Challenge.

Now, needless to say the city will swell to enormous levels during this time, so make your reservations at the A G Thomson House today so you don’t miss out on this event, and a stay at one of Duluth’s finest Bed and Breakfast.  We are ideally situated in Duluth’s historic mansion district, minutes from the event and a great retreat at the end of experiencing this historic event.  Our private, secluded grounds will allow you to wind down, relax, and rejuvenate after a day of experiencing history and the beauty of Duluth, the North Shore, and Lake Superior. 

At our Duluth MN Bed and Breakfast, we are ready to welcome you – always!  But we encourage you to reserve your room now, and secure this time to enjoy a once in a lifetime event.  You won’t be sorry!!!  We will see you soon!

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A G Thomson House Historic Bed & Breakfast Inn featured in premier edition of IMPACT; a Green Hotels Association publication

January 19th, 2010 by Angie Allen

DULUTH, MN, January 19, 2010 – The A G Thomson House Historic Bed and Breakfast in Duluth MN announces its recent feature article in the premier edition of the Green Hotels Publication, IMPACT. A monthly publication distributed in print and online format. “Impact” is a GHA-approved publication published by Faircount Media Group, a specialty publishing company with clients such as Rolls Royce Owners’ Club, Steinway & Sons, Raffles Hotels & Resorts and the PGA.

Owners of the A G Thomson House, Tim and Angie Allen, were approached by Environmental Journalist Judith Stock, Member Society of Environmental Journalists, for a feature story focusing on their efforts to reduce the carbon footprint at their Inn while still providing the modern conveniences and amenities that guests expect from a luxury Bed and Breakfast.

 When Tim and Angie took over the A G Thomson House in August of 2007, included in their efforts in providing guests a fine lodging experience was to reduce their environmental impact while offering the modern conveniences and amenities that their guests expect. Their efforts have led them to become accepted as members of Green Hotels and Green Routes. Tim and Angie are proud to be members of these organizations, and proud of the support of the Duluth, MN community and its efforts toward promoting and encouraging environmental responsibility. Tim and Angie take their responsibility toward the future of our environment and community very seriously, and will continue to expand upon their efforts with future projects scheduled.

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