Wowi Zowi doing their photography at Chilhowee Mountain Retreat in The Smoky Mountains of Tennessee

High atop Chilhowee Mountain in the diverse forests of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee you'll find this new Mountain Retreat built by Jim and Mary Haider. The 3 story 'square log' cabin is huge and beautiful with breath-taking views of the Smoky Mountain National Park.
Their place is spacious and the woodwork detail is stunning. The rooms are large with huge windows looking out over the mountains. They have thought of every amenity and when you stay here, you'll want for nothing... except to stay longer.

Here's the Wildflower Room, the room we stayed in while we were there. The king bed was great, so comfy, and the views out the windows are spectacular!

The massive deck is great for just sitting a staring out into the mountains. What a perfect place to sip your morning coffee, listen to the birds and just..... ahhhh, relax!

Jim cooks up a fantastic breakfast every morning, a major feast for any appetite. The food is almost as good as the conversations with your hosts.

We took a half a day and Jim drove us into the National Park, about a 20 minute drive through the forest. Beautiful mountains, rivers and trees, the aromatic scents filled the air and the one thing that stood out when you drive into the park, no toll booth, no fees to get in, just a sign saying welcome... NICE!

We really enjoyed finally meeting Jim and Mary, great hosts with endless amazing stories. They were meant to be Innkeepers, very gracious hosts that love this awesome place in the mountains and the awesome place they built themselves, carving out a beautful home in the forests of the Smoky's, and ready to share it with you!

Be sure to check out their new WowiZowi website coming soon with all the great photography of their beautiful rooms, and book yourself a stay at the Chilhowee Mountain Retreat... it is a treat of a retreat!

WowiZowi goes to the Guidry Estate in Luisiana.

We sure found out why Innkeepers Lyn and Ken Guidry named their Louisiana bed and breakfast 'Maison D' Memoire', because this place will surely make for some amazing memories, indeed. Thier huge, multi-acre grounds are gorgeously landscaped complete with a private lake with a bridge crossing over it, and many gardens. We told Ken he should put in a golf course around the lake as there is so much open area of fresh mown lawns.

We strolled around the lake and crossed the bridge at sunset and the sweet smell of the many trees filled the air... we sat there on the bridge, such a romantic place to be.

It's the porches that we really loved, every cottage has it's own where you can sit and have your breakfast, prepared fresh daily by Lyn herself, and gaze across the grounds. Or just sit there and enjoy a quiet glass of wine in the evening... so nice!

Along with the really cool porches, the cottages are large and comfortable with kitchens in every one. Below is the Autumn Cottage kitchen, very large with everything you'd need. All the windows have views of the gardens, lawns, forest and lake. So relaxing!

We really enjoyed getting to know Ken and Lyn, whom we met for the first time at a PAII conference at Disneyland in California. Maison D' Memoire in Rayne, Luisiana, a very special place with very special Innkeepers, Lyn and Ken, we so look forward to a time to visit them without our camera gear and just enjoy the place and the innkeepers.

WowiZowi Photo team heads to Napa to the Beazley's BnB

WowiZowi had the great honor to go to the Beazley House in Napa to photograph their rooms for their updated website being built by their son-in law. It was great to get to spend some time with Jim and Carol whom we met years ago at CABBI. They are truely awesome people and their inn is a work of art, the rooms are simply amazing.
Their 11 rooms offer everything you might need, super clean and spacious with all the great amenities... and just a minute's stroll into downtown Napa.

Shooting the rooms was a real treat, Jim and Carol we're right there to help us with whatever we needed to get the great shots. Their breakfasts are huge and delicious... so no one goes away hungry. Wine and cheese in the front room in the evening was a real treat, too, and we met some real fun folks who were staying there for their yearly visit to the Wine Country, all the way from Florida.

Jim and Carol's daughter, Sonja, was right there at the door when we arrived and she took great care of us the entire time, we surely fell in love with this family and will be looking forward to returning someday soon!

Whenever in the Napa Valley area, be sure to stop in at the Beazely House, you'll be glad you did! We thank everyone there for the extreme hospitality and their generous nature and can't wait to see them again soon!

Wowi Zowi returns to Ferndale to photograph the new VI Restaurant

The WowiZowi Photography team is at it again! This time up in Ferndale where we get to visit our good friends Lowell and Jenny who recently took over and rebuilt the restaurant which resides inside their Victorian Inn. Previously Curleys, Lowell and Jenny have put their talents together and the new revised restaurant is better than ever. It is now the VI Restaurant and it's beautiful and the food is outstanding!

We were treated like royalty and we ate at the new restaurant for every meal we were up there and we can't say enough about the chef and his amazing creations. The new dining room is elegant and spacious and the service is spot on!
The dessert creations not only taste great but look incredible as well. It was great to shoot these beautiful sweet treats because we get to eat them as well! MMMMMMM, just look at these guys!

The menu has got something for everyone's palate, so if you're ever in the area, stop in for a great meal and stay there at the Inn, it is quite a treat!

Great steaks, chicken, veal, seafood, vegetable dishes, we had them all, they are really going all out to satisfy. Yum, we're gonna need to come back soon to visit Lowell and Jenny and the rest of the VI crew and sit down to some fabulous food! Be sure to check out their new restaurant website at http://virestaurant.com/ and say hello!

CABBI 2010 - Napa, California

Just returned from the CABBI Conference in Napa. The place was packed, as usual, and it was very fun and informative. Wowi Zowi did the photography for the event so we were really busy... all the time! Carolyn and Cathy taking notes and preparing for the busy day at our booth.

Once in a while I actually sat down and chatted with innkeepers between photo sessions.

There was lots of great information for all the innkeepers, but there was also lots of food... our compliments to the chefs!

The CABBI girls keep everything moving forward and well organized, it's always good to see them again and again every year.

It's always great to see all of our friends while we're there, and meet some new ones, too. I think everyone had a great time and looking forward to next year down in San Diego, which we like as it's just down the road from us. We'll see ya there!

Wowi Zowi... in Arkansas at the Amazing Rivertowne BBQ

Here we are in Ozark, Arkansas photographing the Rivertowne BBQ. The place has a waiting line out front continuously, a reflection of the superb food that’s instore for you inside! The ribs were the best we've ever tasted, tender and meaty... oooo la la!

We had the extreme pleasure to meet and hang out with owners Kevin and Pam Doyle, native San Diego-ians, and stayed at their home in the forest overlooking the river and town while we were there to do the photography for their new WowiZowi website.

They are absolutely meticulous in running their restaurant and their customers always go away happy and FULL! The staff is also ‘spot on’ and very, very fun! It’s no wonder folks drive many miles to get some of that Rivertowne BBQ! It just doesn't get any better that this!

Just look at that plate of 'melt-in-your-mouth' pulled pork... you know we had the honor of eating that meal when we finished shooting it! They hand make everything there, the cole slaw, potato salad, all the sauces... makes my mouth water just thinking about it! All the meats they purchase are of the highest quality you can buy and in the smokers early every morning... even before the rooster crows! You can smell it a mile away... Mmmmmmmmm!

We had a great time with Kevin and Pam, such awesome and generous people. Kevin also plays the bass guitar for their church and Pam has an organization to help with the homeless animals in the area... can you imagine what the feral cats get to eat when Kevin and Pam come home? You guessed it, some of that good old Rivertowne BBQ!!!

Look for their new Wowi Zowi website around the middle of Febuary at

www.rivertownebbq.com/

Wowi Zowi returns to Gettysburg for more Photography

Wowi Zowi were out and about again, this time to revisit the wonderful Innkeepers at the Brafferton House in downtown Gettysburg. Joan and Brian have been working on updating some of their rooms so we came out to shoot them and get the remodeled rooms up on their Wowi Zowi website.

Here's their new Peartree Suite, large and luxurious and very comfortable. It was so nice to be there with them and especially to have one of Brian's awesome breakfasts!

We had a great time with Joan, Brian, Amy and their two beautiful daughters, and the photographs came out really nice. Look for the new rooms on their website at http://brafferton.com/ in the near future!