The King's Daughters Inn

204 N Buchanan Boulevard, DURHAM, North Carolina 27701
Innkeeper(s): Colin & Deanna Crossmans
 
Previous
Next

Goodbye Magnolia Grill, Hello South Durham Farmer's Market 17 May 2012, 11:02 am

The Final Bites of the Last Supper at Magnolia Grill!
It comes with much sadness to bid adieu to Magnolia Grill. A staple of Durham, NC for 30 years, Magnolia Grill started the food revolution that the Bull City has to offer. 

Last night, Samantha (Director of Marketing & Events) enjoyed a final meal at the restaurant which included Twice Baked Grits Souffle, Halibut with Pesto and Shrimp and delicious desserts of Pecan Waffles with Ice Cream and Panna Cotta (above). NO, she did not eat all of this herself...she had help! 

On behalf of the King's Daughters Inn: Thank You Magnolia Grill. We are so thankful for small businesses like you for pathing the way in Durham.

With one door closing, another opens! The South Durham Farmer's Market has opened! Every Saturday at the Greenwood Commons at 5410 N.C. 55 from 8am-12 noon. We are particularly excited because our great friends, Kat & Dave, of Prodigal Farms Goat Cheese will be there with bells on!

Kat at one of our goat cheese and wine tastings last year!

Graduation Galore! 10 May 2012, 8:06 am




It's that time again! 
Graduation weekend and Duke and UNC. We are so excited to be hosting several families that will be celebrating their family member's college graduation.  There will be several gatherings here this weekend with family & friends and we are ready to begin the party!

And, don't forget, Mother's Day is on Sunday! Treat your Mama to a gift certificate for an evening stay at the Inn.  Not only will she have a lovely place to stay they next time she is in town, but you won't have to make up the guest bed!

To get your gift certificate, call us at 919.354.7000 or e-mail us at info@thekingsdaughtersinn.com.

Tech Time! 24 Apr 2012, 10:35 am


The new IPADs will be great in every room!
 The Inn prides themselves in having a luxury and historic feel, but with a modern twist. This includes being up to the minute on technology! We offer complimentary wireless throughout the property and have flat screen televisions with Mac Mini computers in every overnight accommodation. We also offer flat screens and an LCD projector connected to an Apple computer for Powerpoint Presentations, etc. for business meetings (included in the meeting space rental).

This summer, we have decided to upgrade our technology! Starting in July, each overnight accommodation will have an IPAD for guests to surf the Internet, check their e-mail and check out the latest news!  We will switch to an HDTV with Time-Warner cable that boasts 65 channels and will host over 7,000 on demand movies!

We are so excited to have an EASY remote control! 

Come check it out this summer!


3 Years and Counting! 19 Apr 2012, 9:41 am

Image from Sarah C. Designs
Yesterday marked our third birthday at the Inn! It has been an incredible adventure and we are so thrilled to have all the love and support from the Durham community.

As a celebration, we would love to offer 33% OFF our regular rate an evening in July*!
To make your reservation, call us at 919.354.7000 and mention this blog post. 
This offer will end on May 1st, 2012.

Cheers to Three Years....and Many MORE!

* Based on availability

Why a Winter Wedding? 12 Apr 2012, 11:03 am

Photograph By Simple Moments Photography
WINTER! We are just heading into Spring! I know, I know.  As we roll into the gorgeous and lush springtime, many people get hitched to show off all the beauty of North Carolina. Spring and Fall are peak seasons here in the Triangle and like many venues we book up fast! There may not be any camping outside the Inn (see the Duke Chapel camping situation here), but we do have many people inquiring about April, May, September and October. 

While these are all amazing months, I would ask you to consider a winter wedding if you are struggling to find a date that works for you. Why a winter wedding? Let me count the reasons! 1) Decor, decor, decor! Most venues (including the Inn) dress up their space with holiday trees, pretty bows and garland! You can spend a bit less on decor and maybe a bit more on delicious food or fun entertainment. 2) For some venues, it is considered a off peak season for weddings. At the Inn, we have a one night minimum to rent the whole Inn which can be more cost efficient. 3) Gathering friends and family during a special time of year! You may be spending the holidays with one side of the family or the other. It may be a nice way to see everyone before you head out for your tropical honeymoon! 4) Eggnog, hot apple cider or mulled wine. These are some great and cozy cocktails that everyone can enjoy warming up with at the reception.

We have had some amazing couples that have gotten married in December! Take a look at Cindi & Mike's wedding last December photographed by Simple Moments Photography: http://simplemomentsphoto.com/blog/?p=7398

If you are interested in a winter wedding, complete the form here.
We have several weekends still available!


Summer Staycation! 2 Apr 2012, 9:08 am



As we head into April and the warm weather arrives, many people are planning their summer getaways and staycations!

The "Go Triangle Transit" system is highlighting many of the exciting local adventures that families can do this summer for free or at a discounted price when you buy a Regional or GoPass for the bus.  The King's Daughters Inn is offering 10% off to anyone who shows their Regional Bus Pass at check in! We would love to host you and your family for your staycation or mini getaway. We have a laundry list of activities within miles for you to check out and explore! Check out the program: http://www.gotriangle.org/go-info/staycationguide.

We hope to see you this summer! Just imagine sitting under one 
of our market umbrellas (above photo) sipping our homemade ginger ale! 
Ahhhh.

Spring Special Events Council 30 Mar 2012, 7:27 am


Yesterday afternoon, we were thrilled to host the Duke Special Events Council. This organization is a compilation of event professionals that plan and execute numerous meetings and events for Duke University.  Since we are just 25 ft. from Duke University's East Campus, we love to meet new university planners and catch up with familiar faces!

We were fortunate enough to work with some amazing vendors for the event.  Catering Works  and their delightful staff created a delicious spring menu including curry chicken salad, shrimp salad and pasta salad. The English Garden provided colorful floral arrangements for every table.

As always, we raffled an overnight stay and event space at the Inn and The English Garden raffled the wonderful centerpieces.

It was a great way to start our weekend!

Tre Bella Bridal Salon 21 Mar 2012, 11:02 am

On Monday afternoon, I was asked to fashion a Jenny Packham bridal gown for Tre Bella Bridal Boutique.  The Inn has worked with several brides that have both worn gowns from Tre Bella Bridal or have hired Tre Bella Flowers for their wedding flowers. The sisters of Tre Bella are so incredibly talented!

No, I was not just wearing a gown for fun (the first one I have ever tried on)! My Carolina Today in conjunction with Southern Bride & Groom (another one of our favorite wedding vendors) did a spot on Spring wedding fashion! Jenna from Southern Bride & Groom did a great job explaining the current and upcoming bridal trends. 

If you are planning a wedding in the Triangle, you MUST pick up a Southern Bride & Groom magazine at the Inn or check out their website! It will be your go to guide on planning, fashion and fun for your wedding.

To see more wedding fashion, vendors and more,
you can also attend Tre Bella's Altar Ego Fashion Show on March 31st!

 

Experiments in the Kitchen! 16 Mar 2012, 12:39 pm



Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day! While we would usually host a public tea,  a group of lovely ladies beat us to the punch and reserved our Dining Room and Parlor for a private tea. Our team has been busy at work experimenting with some new baked goods that are sure to be winners! As the marketing and events director, my baking skills are limited...I take pride in singing like the Swedish Chef and sporting cute aprons if caught in the kitchen microwaving my frozen lunch!

The Inn's bakers take great pride in discovering and experimenting new recipes in the kitchen. Today, we will be taste testing Strawberry Shortcake Cookies, Earl Gray Pinwheels filled with Apricot Jam, Toasted Sesame & Black Pepper Biscuits as well as Fig Vanilla Scones.

Who wants to stop in a try some?

Elegant Wedding Luncheon 28 Feb 2012, 10:37 am


This past weekend, Lynn & Owen exchanged vows in the parlor in front of their closest family and friends. With a four string quartet accompanying their entry, you could feel the warmth and love in the room.  Not only was there a whole lot of love, but the sophistication of Lynn's wedding was impeccable.  From the amazing ivory color scheme (the anemones were perfect) of the  floral arrangements from Tre Bella to the well appointed linen choice from Party Tables to the DELICIOUS wedding and groom's cake from Cinda's Creative Cakes, this wedding made the Inn look amazing.  

Following the ceremony, guests were invited to the Main Dining Room for lunch. Lynn had Yellow House Calligraphy create escort cards that were simple and sophisticated to direct guests to their seats. Everyone indulged in passed hors d'oeuvres as well as a hearty lunch of  short ribs, potatoes and greens from Durham Catering Company. 



After lunch, Lynn and Owen cut into their raspberry filled cake. The groom's cake was a decadent chocolate cake that looked stunning on the Private Dining Room's side board. 

It was a beautiful February day and marked the beginning of wedding season. Thank you to all the wonderful vendors that helped make Wedding #1 of 2012 so lovely! We hope to show you some professional photography from Missy McLamb Photography in the next few weeks!

Congrats to Lynn & Owen!