OWN’s New Docu-Series “Checked Inn” Set To Premiere Tuesday, November 21 At 10 PM ET/PT Series Spotlights Entrepreneur Monique Greenwood Whose Family-Run Bed & Breakfast Invites Couples to Relax and Reconnect

OWN’s new docu-series “Checked Inn,” featuring entrepreneur Monique Greenwood and the couples who visit her family-run, upscale bed and breakfast, will have its network premiere on Tuesday, November 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT (after an all new episode of Tyler Perry’s “If Loving You Is Wrong” at 9 p.m. ET/PT). From Trooper Entertainment in association with Lionsgate TV, the series will air regularly on Saturdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, beginning on November 25.

In 1995, Monique Greenwood pursued a newfound love for hospitality by opening her first B&B in Brooklyn, NY while also working as a magazine editor. Then, five very busy years later, she landed a dream job at Essence Magazine, the leading publication for African American women. Monique quickly rose to become Editor-in-Chief – even as she continued to run the B&B. Much to everyone’s shock, Monique eventually decided to walk away from her high-profile job at Essence. After juggling two professions for years, she wanted to focus on building the B&B business with her husband, Glenn, with the goal of creating a legacy they could pass on to their daughter, Glynn.

Today, Akwaaba Bed & Breakfast Inns is the most successful B&B business on the east coast and Monique remains the hands-on force behind it. She runs her now four inns the only way she knows how—as the heart and soul, the everything planner and the innkeeper. Ever-helpful, Monique even finds herself offering advice to her guests when they confide in her.

Set at Akwaaba’s Mansion at Noble Lane in the Poconos, Pennsylvania, this former Woolworth estate is where couples go to push back the world, re-ignite passion and celebrate life’s most exciting events. Things may not always go smoothly, but Monique—with Glynn under her wing—and the hard-working staff, make sure their guests have an experience they’ll never forget. Celebrity guests include two-time Grammy® Award-winning singer/songwriter Peabo Bryson, black hair care entrepreneur Lisa Price of Carol’s Daughter and Pastor John Gray and his wife Aventer.

“Checked Inn” is executive produced by Dave Caplan (“Monica the Medium,” “Holy Foley”) from Trooper Entertainment in association with Lionsgate Television. The series is also executive produced by Rahel Tennione with Co-Executive Producer, Becca Guillon.

About OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey’s heart and creative instincts inform the brand – and the magnetism of the channel. Winfrey provides leadership in original scripted and unscripted programming and attracts superstar talent to join her in primetime, building a global community of like-minded viewers and leading that community to connect on social media and beyond. OWN is a singular destination on cable. Depth with edge. Heart. Star power. Connection. And endless possibilities. OWN is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Discovery Communications. The network debuted on January 1, 2011. The venture also includes the award-winning digital platform Oprah.com. Access OWN anytime, anywhere on WatchOWN.tv or across mobile devices and connected TVs. For more information, please visit www.oprah.com/own 

ABOUT LIONSGATE

The first major new studio in decades, Lionsgate is a global content platform whose films, television series, digital products and linear and over-the-top platforms reach next generation audiences around the world. In addition to its filmed entertainment leadership, Lionsgate content drives a growing presence in interactive and location-based entertainment, gaming, virtual reality and other new entertainment technologies. Lionsgate’s content initiatives are backed by a 16,000-title film and television library and delivered through a global licensing infrastructure. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring and ground-breaking content created with special emphasis on the evolving patterns and diverse composition of the Company’s worldwide consumer base.

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Blissful Bed and Breakfasts: Bewitched and Bedazzled Bed and Breakfast in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware Our Coverage Sponsored by Miraclesuit®

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On the left you see Bewitched; on the right you see part of Bedazzled.

Bedazzled, where we stayed.

Bewitched and Bedazzled are two houses ingeniously joined together by a common deck in a lovely shade of indigo by owner Inez Conover.  

This is where we stayed when we were not working hard at the beach (reading! yes those reviews are in the "to be published" pile still...) or at a restaurant, and we slept here and ate breakfast here.

When we arrived in Rehoboth it was dark, and we had never been there before.  Additionally, it was raining.  Inez was superbly gracious to pick us up in her car at the DC2NY bus stop and personally bring us to the Bed and Breakfast which we are very grateful for.  When we started to review Bed and Breakfasts as a category, we made the mistake of assuming that owners of Bed and Breakfasts live at the Bed and Breakfast because that is how it is done in Ireland, where we have visited the most bed and breakfasts before we actually reviewed any.  Sadly, the whole world does not function as Ireland does.  We are pleased to say that Inez herself lives at Bewitched and Bedazzled which is a plus.  She is good for her word and when she says she will do something, she will do it.  She is supremely accountable and you want that when you are not going back to the comfort of Chez Vous at night.  Inez answers her cell phone on the first ring.  We could not have been greeted more warmly and it was very nice of her to leave us flowers and a note which made us feel entirely welcome in addition to the lift from the bus in the dark rain.

Bewitched has a television theme.  Bedazzled has a movie theme.  Obviously we are totally into movies as we review them (we review tv shows also see Small Screen Scenes-we are most excited for Regis's new tv show and for Time Warner to get their act together and get CBS on)-but we review current movies as you see in Movietime in Manhattan.  Since we don't live in a cave, Casablanca we have of course seen, even though we have not seen that many old movies though we are going to now since we have been inspired by the brilliant Marion Dougherty, a fantastic Irishwoman who resides in heaven and subscribes up there too we think.  We were thrilled to stay in the Humphrey Bogart room, especially since we love love love Warner Brothers.

We could have watched his movies nonstop as Inez cordially leaves Bogart DVDs for guests to watch, however Peachy fell asleep in the first five minutes as going to the beach and staying late, late, late at restaurants wipes her out.   She absolutely hated to leave GO FISH and would have stayed all night eating the amazing fish and chips. She tried to stay up for the movie, though:

Certainly this is the place to be if it is raining in Rehoboth Beach.

The bed was so comfortable and huge.  It definitely has plenty of room for two people even if those two people are the two biggest people you have ever seen in your life.  The Bogart room is immense.  You will be thrilled by all this space you won't know what to do.  If you even brought your entire shoe collection from New York there would be room for it in here. 

It would be a massive understatement to say Inez is a cinephile.  We would not be surprised to know she was involved in this Bonhams sale we publicised in 2009 (you know in England they use s not z)  though we did not ask her.  The common room downstairs is Inez's version of Sunset Boulevard.

The Maltese Falcon that lords over the room even has papers:

In Read This, we've reviewed the books of many acclaimed architects and interior designers, and always have an opinion on that.  

The bathroom decor in the Bogart room was terrific and well done.   We really loved the wallpaper in the bathroom:

Everything was clean in both our bedroom and bathroom.

Two thumbs up on the towels.  They are even made in the USA.  Yes, we read the labels.

And you know Bogart is even with you during bathroom activities too...we told you Inez is very committed to her theme!

They are very enthusiastic about breakfast and everyone, including most perky guests, is smiling very early in the morning before massive doses of caffeine.  This was your first clue you are not in New York....Peachy does not function at all before premium caffeine (see Karen and her genius ideas.)

Peachy liked the orange juice and the fresh fruit cup served every day at breakfast the best.

Eggs were graciously presented:

And this was breakfast the second day: 

You should know if you are a private person, you should tell them that early on so your tables, etc can be more private.  They are very willing to entertain requests that make sense to them.  Bewitched has nine rooms while Bedazzled has four-Bogart, Garland, Davis and Gable, and Inez has had these since 2002 though she ran another bed and breakfast before this one.  There is an outdoor shower for getting the sand off you from the beach but we would highly recommend following that up with an indoor shower because the sand is not white sand and we found it stuck to all sunscreens.  Inez runs this establishment year-round and we bet it would be great in the winter because of the commitment to indoor entertainment going on.  The guests can be very sociable with each other-so this is a good place to go if you are looking to meet other people.   The mood is extremely laid back at Bewitched Bed and Breakfast which is conducive to unwinding. We didn't participate as we had a list of people we wanted to meet in Rehoboth established before we left New York, silly...but we met a lovely grandmother and two of her grandchildren as we were leaving for the bus.  We suggest you book at least a month in advance for a weekend visit.  It is fantastic that Rehoboth is one square mile and you can walk everywhere.  It is a puddle compared to Manhattan in size and you will absolutely feel in a small town,  but Rehoboth has quite a lot to offer, and we hope to tell you more about this picturesque town in future posts.

Our esteemed panelist adds:

Summer in New York City can be quite harsh, so it's important to have a place to get away from it all. Bewitched & BEDazzled Bed & Breakfast in Rehoboth, Delaware offers that home away from home in a truly fun and unique way, and it's within walking distance of a beautiful beach! This bed and breakfast is actually two inns in one. The Bewitched Bed & Breakfast is themed after the classic hit TV show Bewitched, and the BEDazzled Bed & Breakfast takes its theme from the golden age of Hollywood. The two are connected by a secluded deck where breakfast is served every morning and guests can gather throughout the day to mingle. There is even a hot tub sunken into the deck and shaded from the sun!   

One of the things that sets this bed and breakfast apart form all others is its one-of-a-kind theming. We stayed in the BEDazzled Bed & Breakfast, so we were surrounded by fantastic movie star memorabilia.

 

The common area is themed after the classic film, Sunset Boulevard, and each guest room is themed after a famous Hollywood actor or actress. We stayed in the Humphrey Bogart Suite. This room was adorned with photographs and magazine pages showcasing the famous actor. There is even a Maltese Falcon mounted on the wall that was cast from the original mold used for the movie! The suite came furnished with a beautiful and comfortable California King sized bed, two French club chairs, a gorgeous faux marble fireplace, and a giant 42" LCD flat screen HDTV, complete with cable, a DVD player, and a choice of Humphrey Bogart films. 

 There is a closet and chest of drawers to put all of your clothes and belongings, and the bathroom has a two-person private jacuzzi and rain shower! The suite was spacious and comfortable, and the perfect place to rest my head after a long day at the beach.  

Another characteristic that makes this bed and breakfast so special is the friendly and hospitable staff. They truly made me feel welcome in their home. Inez Conover, owner and innkeeper, actually picked us up in her car from the bus stop so we wouldn't have to walk to the B&B in the rain. I cannot think of a friendlier welcome than that!

 

Our first morning, we woke up to another friendly face. Smiling staff member Aquila served us a tasty breakfast of cranberry oatmeal bundt cake, fruit salad, a mouth watering croissant stuffed with bananas covered in a Nutella chocolate sauce, and orange juice. The second morning of our stay Chef Patrick made a frittata with artichokes, onions, and cheese and baked blueberry muffins. 

 

There is no better way to start off your day than with a smile and a freshly made breakfast!  

Rehoboth Beach is a quaint seaside town with lots of great places to eat, cute shops, and exciting nightlife. Although not well known in the New York City area, it's a great town to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, and still have plenty of fun things to do. And now with DC2NY's new bus route, it's just a bus ride away from New York. The bed and breakfast is located on a quiet street away from the noise of the restaurants and bars, but within walking distance of everything in town, including the beach. It's an ideal location for anyone wanting to visit this lovely town by the ocean. They have free parking, but no car is necessary in order to get around.  

If you have a dog, you have one more reason to visit Bewitched & BEDazzled Bed & Breakfast! The inn is pet friendly and even has a 24 hour doggie park and run for your furry friends to run around off-leash. Even though dogs are welcome, no need to worry about that doggie smell lingering in your room. The staff does an impeccable job of cleaning, and you would never know a dog was ever in the room.  

During our stay in Rehoboth, we had excellent weather, so we made the most of the beach while we were there. If the weather doesn't turn out as you hoped, do not worry! This bed and breakfast has hundreds of free movies to watch on demand and free WiFi, so you can easily use your laptop and all your other iDevices.  

Thanks to the wonderful hospitality of the staff at Bewitched & BEDazzled Bed & Breakfast, I had an excellent weekend vacation in Rehoboth Beach. I felt welcomed and comfortable during my stay.

http://www.bewitchedbnb.com/

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Blissful Bed and Breakfasts: Whom You Know Recommends American Guest House in Washington DC Our Coverage Sponsored by Maine Woolens

Peachy's room!

Maine Woolens is a weaver of blanket and throws located in Brunswick, Maine. We work primarily with natural fibers, like cottons and worsted wools and are committed to using renewable natural fibers from American growers whenever possible. We do piece dyeing and package dyeing in house and the combined experience of our excellent employees exceeds 300 years. Our wool and cotton blankets and throws are 100 percent machine washable, soft and luxurious to the touch, cozy warm and comfortably light. We have many styles to choose from. Our clients are very positive about our products and happy to support a Made in Maine, USA company. Visit our website at www.mainewoolens.com

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Maine Woolens, affordable luxury and tradition. 

So, here is the bed part, and it was fantastic.  If Peachy wasn't so busy running around Washington seeing patriotic everything and dining out she would have spent more time in it! She immediately took a catnap upon arrival, post-picture taking.  As you see it was a sunny day and we were taking a picture into the light, but the bed couldn't move and pose for the picture so you see sunlight coming through on the left-the room does have a warm glow to it!  Whom You Know is thrilled to inaugurate a new column, Blissful Bed and Breakfasts. 100 columns simply was just not enough, and this is different from Haute Hotels as we expect this column to be more quaint.  We are hoping it is not less luxurious! Luxury is important at home and away from home. The sheets were terrific and we especially liked the memory foam pillow. We almost brought out own pillow but as it was Peachy had six bags. You didn't think she traveled light, did you??!?!? Of course not silly.  A big thanks to innkeeper Jonathan from France who carried it all up the stairs, and down the stairs too for that matter.  He was an absolute delight to work with and he greeted us at the door the exact moment we arrived. Jonathan also doubles as a breakfast cook and he is great at it.  Good thing too as French people have a pretty good track record here on Whom You Know in cuisine from our friends Claude to Jean-Louis to Jean-Claude to many more; the list could be a whole separate article.  Remember, this is coming from someone who has reviewed nearly 250 restaurants.  

This is our first feature in Blissful Bed and Breakfasts, and it marks the first time Peachy has ever stayed at an American bed and breakfast. Ever.  She has stayed at them in Europe only before....and before this all of the owners lived at the B&B.  Here, the owner does not and innkeepers are here who behave like owners.

Tiffany lamp, check!  We love this look.

Beautiful painting on the wall, check!  We believe it's Venice though Venice is still on our to do list.

Mirrors, check! Beautiful desk, check!  Closet area, check!  (of course, not closet area for living, for travelling...it is a modest space but definitely enough space for everything in the six bags.) And very important, nice flat screen tv with about 30 channels we found.  We like to see how local news is done outside of New York.

A fan circulates the air nicely and is easy to operate.

Here's the view outside the window.

When you go up the stairs and look up, you see this:

When you go down the stairs and look down, you see this:

We were seriously tempted to slide down that banister... 

The common room downstairs is lovely. One of the reasons why we loved American Guest House is that it reminded us of a dorm at Miss Porter's, our alma mater. If you are thinking about any old dorm, you clearly do not know Farmington so this must be the first thing you've ever read on Whom You Know, named after Peachy's 10th grade English class there.  There probably isn't another school in this country with better dorms, and one of the more famous graduates went on to move into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue with her husband, President Kennedy just down the road. 

House Facts, so says the Innkeeper!

• Four-story row dwelling built in 1898 for a US Senator which has been used as a rooming house since 1969

• 5400 square-feet. Generally rectangular interior lot, measuring 22 feet wide and 87 feet deep, and fronting on the west side of Columbia Road.

• Bed & Breakfast use with 12 rooms each with its own private bathroom, under current owners (Lucia and Claudio Rosan) established in 2004.  They graciously allow luggage storage.

For any additional questions or information please contact Lucia at: 703-769-4244...the inn requests that you know this about them as well:
-Proximity to Metro Station in Dupont Circle (it took Peachy ten to fifteen minutes walk)-Proximity to Washington DC sights and attractions-you are not in Maryland or Virginia you are in the city!
-Tea, Coffee, Hot Chocolate and Cookies

We felt very good about seeing all of the pictures of Ronald Reagan on the walls; this definitely made us feel like home. We LOVE President Reagan as you know. He dominates the Quotable Peachy column, and we highly recommended An American Life by Ronald Reagan.   We really wish we could go see him at The White House now but alas we are too late.  If you like other Presidents note there are others on the wall too it is not only him.

Do not feed the pictures jellybeans!

They do take their breakfast seriously; they are not kidding. Remember Peachy is a food critic....

DAY ONE BREAKFAST

Yes we do like bagels with cream cheese!  We did not like going down 3 flights before coffee was consumed.  Some people got quite a fright seeing Peachy without coffee and without makeup.  Who can put makeup on without drinking coffee first though? It is important to note that you must be on time for breakfast: the early bird gets the worm.

Fresh fruit! It is cold. We waited for it to warm up because Peachy's teeth are real.

Day One-the hot breakfast was potato hash with egg. Very good and remember Jonathan does the cooking you just sit there.  And he's from France and everyone from France can cook.  That's what they do over there.  We were looking for the Champagne... Considering how fantastic dinner was at 701 the night before, it is a miracle she was even hungry.  Ashok is awesome and that is where you should go for dinner-stay tuned for his glowing review.  He is also famous for The Bombay Club and a laundry list of places we need to try out next.  We can't wait.

DAY TWO BREAKFAST

There is the essential coffee!  We missed our Keith Brymer Jones mug but this cup was nice too.

The second day we had some lovely scrambled eggs and a spinach and cheese croissant.  

So there you have it-we've got another home away from home! 

And you do too, if you are smart enough to make a reservation before they fill up.  This is not just any B&B, and you wouldn't want to stay anywhere basic and ordinary anyway!  Whom You Know Recommends American Guest House.

Not far from Dupont Circle

American Guest House

2005 Columbia Rd NW

Washington, DC 20009-1310

www.americanguesthouse.com

info@americanguesthouse.com

(202) 588-1180

Please visit their Blog! "LIKE" them on Facebook! Follow them on Twitter!

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