Yes, it is always sunny in Old Mandeville even on the cloudy and stormy days. The sunshine we speak of flows from the hearts of the good people of this charmed city who find the energy to do good work to benefit others.
Ok, we concede that, well, just maybe … it’s always sunny in Philadelphia, too, as the creators of the Danny DiVito-driven cable comedy series claim.
But we are focused now, not on Philly, but our beloved Old Mandeville. Here and now, we are announcing a change in the date of an important fall event in Old Mandeville.
In this space in June I informed you that the second Sunny Days run to raise money for a chosen child in our midst with serious health issues would unfold in Old Mandeville on Oct. 17.
Well, we have no doubt that Oct. 17 will be another joyful sunny day in Old Mandeville, but this very important running event for such a good cause will now take place a week later, on what will be we are positive Oct. 24, and coincide with the OMBA-coordinated Fall Foliage sales event that has also been shifted from Oct. 17 to Oct. 24.
The change was necessitated by the fact that Mandeville has been chosen to host a major marathon running event over the weekend of Oct.17-18 with some 2,000 elite runners expected to descend on event headquarters at Fontainebleau State Park and also pass through Old Mandeville as part of the event.
Ryan Green of Varsity Sports on Claiborne Street again will spearhead organizing and staging the Sunny Days run on Oct. 24. Our member merchants will have special sales and other activities to attract early seasonal shoppers during the day in Old Mandeville. The run, still being formulated, will take place during the afternoon and follow a still to be mapped course in Old Mandeville.
It is a continuation of the highly successful Sunny Days for Sadie run last year that raised money to meet staggering medical bills for the young and seriously ill granddaughter of former Mandeville Councilwoman Zella Walker.
That important concept of organizing this special race around the serious purpose of raising funds for a sick youngster continues. This time a local child with serious health issues and ever mounting medical bills will be the designated major benefactor of the Sunny Days race. That choice of benefactor has yet to be announced.
But, when the choice is made, you will know it here and through other news media outlets.
As your OMBA-sponsored recent Christmas In July event began with special sales at many participating merchants in Old Mandeville, all OMBA members, and ended with a 4 pm Poinsettia Champagne Stroll, the Fall Foliage merchant sales event will began at 9 am that day with merchants offering sales items and other activities and likely end with the Sunny Days race.
Meanwhile, your OMBA officers are talking with Councilwoman Trilby Lenfant and merchants to formulate plans to capitalize on the major running activities coming through Old Mandeville on Oct. 18. Contact me at my business, Das Schulerhaus, on Girod Street, if you have any ideas.
Begetting Bed And Breakfast Beauty's
Your OMBA congratulates three of our most enterprising members, Ed and Kellie Greene and Michael O'Brien.
All three were featured prominently in a very fascinating story about the continuing growth of bed and breakfast establishments on the northshore, especially in St. Tammany Parish, that began on the front page of the July issue of this publication.
In fact, Greene, who has opened part of his planned Pontchartrain Winds B&B, was pictured in front of his Girod Street building.
The very informative story by Rhonda Landry also extensively quoted Michael O'Brien, who has recently re-opened his stunningly beautiful Mar Villa guest house on Claiborne Street between the Broken Egg Café and Varsity Sports.
The Greene's, who purchased an historic 1890s house at Girod and Monroe streets that was once a rooming house, have finished renovations to two buildings on the rear of the property, which are now available for B&B guests. Ed says it will be a few more years before all renovation is done on the main house and more B&B rooms will become available.
Meanwhile, O'Brien, a professional historic renovator who got into the B&B business after the clients who owned the Claiborne Street home, and for whom he was converting it into a B&B, backed out and he bought the building from them. It is now open again for business.
He had been shut down for a few months when he embarked on raising the structure that had some water damage from Hurricane Katrina. In doing so, his masterful renovation and artistic skills are in full view now, giving Old Mandeville one of the most charming businesses in the metro area. It is not only a thriving business, but Michael is to be warmly congratulated for creating an aesthetic masterpiece.
The recently opened sections of Green's Pontchartrain Winds creation and O'Briens Mar Villa, join the already existing and popular PolyAnna Guest House on Lafitte Street and the soon to open Chez-Nous guest lodging that David and Laura Cressy are opening at their expansive home on Coffee Street.
Your OMBA fully embraces this important development in Old Mandeville.
We know from our friend and strong OMBA supporter Kerri Blache that visitors hoping to spend a weekend in Old Mandeville for the annual Jane Austen Festival are always seeking information on the available Bed & Breakfast outlets that will be in walking distance of the festival events.
We have heard reports that even more such establishments may be coming to Old Mandeville. We hope so. Such casual, historic lodging clustered in the heart of the commercial zone is a valuable tool to continue expanding economic vitality for all of us by bringing more and more visitors into our area.