FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Kitty Cayo
KAC Communications
10862 West Law Road.
North East, Pennsylvania 16428
814.725.1880. Phone and Fax
Kathryn.cayo@verizon.net 

March 18, 2005 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

You Don’t Have to Go far to experience the English Countryside.

Head to “Lana’s The Little House” in Chautauqua County.

 

Forestville, NY…”Home Sweet Home,” couldn’t ring more true for Buffalo native, Lana Lewis.  Not only is she passionate about her special home in the woods, it also provides her with a pretty good livelihood.

            Deep in the forests of Chautauqua County you’ll find,  “Lana’s The Little House,” a country cottage that looks as if it jumped off the pages of “Grimm's Fairy Tale’s,” That’s because the home is actually fashioned after cottages found in the Cotswold countryside of Central England.  Like an English Cotswold, the dwelling was handmade from materials found in the region; timbers hewn from oak and hemlocks and slabs of flag stone.  The little house is surrounded by 21 acres of hills and woods and a kaleidoscope of showy flowers and plants.

                        In June of 2003, Lewis began to offer tours of Lana’s The Little House that included its unique history and construction details.  In late fall of ’03, Lewis added the option for teas with tours. Many guests choose to relax and chat with Lewis over fine English teas, homemade scones, butter tarts and tea sandwiches.  After the tour, guests browse the “little” gift shop where they can purchase the special teas and scone mixes as well as Lana’s The Little House official stationary and other mementos. 

                        To date, almost 700 people have come from near and far to Lana’s The Little House.  Some make the short jaunt from nearby Forestville or Fredonia, while others have traveled from as far as England and Thailand.  Lewis believes the enormous appeal of Lana’s The Little House is that it allows its visitors to step back in time. “People are yearning for a special place where time slows down, a place where they can leave their cares behind, and escape the rat-race, if only for an hour or two,“ says Lewis.  And, she believes her guests appreciate the personal service that comes with each tour.  “They like the attention to detail given at the little house, and the fact the experience is personalized and not some big commercial venture.”                    

                          This spring, Lewis is opening her home and property for special events.  There will be cottage concerts one a month in April, May and June featuring desserts and tea tastings.  In May and June, a gardening workshop is scheduled.  A journaling experience for those who like to write is on tap for June as well. All of the details can be found on the extensive website at www.LanasTheLittleHouse.com.  

                          Photos appearing on the site are convincing testimony to the cottage’s beauty and charm. Yet, the words of those who have experienced Lana’s The Little House firsthand offer perhaps its most compelling tribute.     “..A journey back in time into a well read fairytale, topped with a dose of gracious hospitality makes this one of the memories you hang onto especially on gloomy days – like walking into a spot of sunlight on a cold dark day.”                                        

 

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            PLEASE NOTE:  Detailed descriptions of spring events referred to in the above press release follow this page. Tours and Teas are available throughout the year and can be arranged by phoning Lewis at 716-965-2798.           

 

            Lana’s The Little House is available for photo backdrops, retreats, and garden parties. And, Lewis is open to suggestions for other occasions or uses.


 

Lana's The Little House
Storybook English Cottage
Tours ~ Gardens ~ Retreat ~ Photo Backdrop ~ Afternoon Tea
"Little" Gift Shop

P.O. Box 267 · Forestville, NY 14062
(716) 965-2798  (215) 754-6131 Fax

Special Events for April, May & June 2005

invite your friends and family - space is limited - make your reservation early
reservations accepted until one week prior to event

open to the public by reservation

Cottage Concerts
Garden Workshops
Journaling Workshop
 


Cottage Concerts
Thursday, April 14, 2005
 Tuesday, May, 17, 2005
Wednesday June 15, 2005
 

Be enchanted by the traditional folk music of Dick and Carmen Gilman at Lana's.  The duo has made music together and with the Newton Street Irregulars for over twenty years.  The music they play is rooted in the traditional music of the Appalachian Mountains, old-time string bands, and songs and ballads from the British Isles.  They accompany themselves with hammer dulcimer, guitar, fiddle, and Dick's hand crafted lap dulcimers and fretless banjo.  Dick and Carmen are among the leaders of workshops and concerts at Mountain Music Weekend at Great Camp Sagamore in the Adirondacks, and have performed at numerous concerts, conferences, schools, festivals, and square/contra dances in the northeast. They can be heard on CDs produced by Sleeping Giant Records and Northern Roads Productions.

Fee:  $38 per person
for concert, desserts and tea tasting
Arrive: 1:00p.m.
Concert: 1:30 - 2:30 comfortably inside Lana's cottage
Desserts & Tea Tasting:  2:30p.m. - 3:30p.m.
with workshop guests and Dick and Carmen
Also, enjoy shopping in the "little" Gift Shop

Garden Workshop – I
Wednesday, May 11, 2005 

Tour Lana's charming Cottage Garden that surrounds The Little House! Enjoy a lively discussion that touches upon the history and design fundamentals of Cottage Gardening. We'll share some secrets that make Lana's garden so special, and talk about plants most suitable for Cottage Gardening with an emphasis on wildflowers native to the Northeast. 

Fee:  $32 per person
for workshop, desserts and tea tasting
Arrive: 1:00p.m.
Workshop: 1:30 - 2:30
Desserts & Tea Tasting:  2:30p.m. - 3:30p.m.
with workshop guests and Sara
Proper shoes and raincoats please if necessary!
Select native wildflowers will be available for sale, ready for transplanting into your own garden.
Also, enjoy shopping in the "little" Gift Shop

Garden Workshop - II 
Thursday June 9, 2005 

Get in on some secrets, little known facts and ancient folklore of the wildflowers that thrive happily in Lana's charming Cottage Garden at The Little House! We'll walk the gardens and tell a few of the fascinating stories behind the naming of plants. Then, you will choose among a variety of select, potted native wildflowers to take home and plant, and create your own personalized Naming Stone to take home with it!  

About the Garden Workshops Presenter:
Canadaway Wildflowers is a small native wildflower nursery located in the Canadaway Creek Valley in western New York State. Sara Baker Michalak, nursery owner, began propagating wildflowers many years ago to restore the native flora to the woodland property where she and her family built a home in the  1980s.  The nursery was established in 2002, offering native wildflowers to individuals interested in gardening that celebrates the regions natural diversity, encourages interactions between flora and fauna that, in turn, support a healthy environment, and enhance the gardeners own deeper connection with the natural world, too.

Fee:  $32 per person
for workshop, desserts and tea tasting
Arrive: 1:00p.m.
Workshop: 1:30 - 2:30
Desserts & Tea Tasting:  2:30p.m. - 3:30p.m.
with workshop guests and Sara
Proper shoes and raincoats please if necessary!
Additional plants for sale, too.
Also, enjoy shopping in the "little" Gift Shop
 

Journaling Workshop
Tuesday June 21, 2005
 

Let the lovely ambience of Lana's cottage garden in peak bloom nurture your inner muse.  Breathing in the beauty and intricacy of the surroundings, learn to center yourself with gentle relaxation techniques. Using guided mindfulness, open your inner self to the present as it unfolds moment by moment. Then, taking pen in hand, begin to record the natural world from your unique perspective. Learn to really experience the world within and around you as you embark upon a journaling experience that just might provide pleasurable richness and new depth to your life!


About the Workshop Presenter:
CAROLYN GRADY teaches in the English Department at SUNY Fredonia.  A former WNY Writer-In-Residence, sponsored by JUST BUFFALO, Carolyn has led writing workshops in a wide variety of venues including art galleries, woodlands, and in the middle of Canadaway Creek.  Her poetry, which has been widely published, has been featured in performances with local musicians, and has been visually represented in shows at Adams Art Gallery in Dunkirk NY. 

Carolyn is also a nationally certified yoga instructor who has been teaching in Fredonia for several years. Her classes are known for warmth, humor, and her supportive attitude. She says yoga is what continues to ground her and nurtures the wellspring of her creativity. 

Fee:  $39 per person
for workshop of relaxation & writing.  A selection of favorite nature journal excerpts will be provided to workshop guests. Also, Lana's The Little House Journal and Pen provided to workshop guests.  Includes desserts and tea tasting.

Arrive: 1:00p.m.
Workshop: 1:30p.m. - 2:30p.m.
 Desserts & Tea Tasting:  2:30p.m. - 3:30p.m.
with workshop guests and Carolyn
Also, enjoy shopping in the "little" Gift Shop 

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For Information or Reservations
Call Lana at 716-965-2798 - or -

Email Lana at info@LanasTheLittleHouse.com

All Special Event information is available on the website too:
www.LanasTheLittleHouse.com

Reservations accepted until one week prior to event

Please arrive by 1:00p.m.  This will provide all workshop guests the ability to get settled and ready for the 1:30p.m. workshop or concert start time.  Each workshop or concert will occur from 1:30p.m. to 2:30p.m..  From 2:30p.m. to 3:30p.m. you'll enjoy desserts and tea tasting.  The desserts will be excellent quality, homemade by Laura, the official Lana's The Little House master baker.  You'll also taste and enjoy a variety of world-class silken tea sachets. Upon confirmed reservation, you will receive a confirmation including directions.  Please invite your friends and family to join us!

©2005 Lana's The Little House, Lana Lewis. V2005.02.26