Chris Mason
Where do you Live? Ypsilanti, Michigan
Since: 1993
Why did you choose the city / state you now live in? I answered an ad for an innkeeper/manager of this newly opened bed and breakfast and moved here from Ann Arbor, right next door.
What do you love most about where you live? This is a university town, next to another larger university town and so we have the best of both worlds. The Inn is right in the downtown area, and so we can walk to just about everything, which is also great for our guests. Our backyard is 30 feet above the Huron River, giving us a spectacular river view. This is the second oldest city in Michigan with the third largest historic district with wonderful museums, cute shops and fantastic restaurants. The people here love this town and it has a diverse population, so there is never a dull moment. I joined several local organizations 20 years ago and met some wonderful people…and after all isn’t it the people who make or break a town? Now that one of my daughters and her son live here, it really feels like our home. Next year my other daughter will move here and actually be learning to be the next innkeeper. So …I love this town because it is home.
What is your favorite restaurant in your town? I really love Red Rock Downtown Barbeque, because I lived in the south for a long time and missed that smoked meat. Now I can just walk 2 blocks to get it.
What is your Age Group: I am actually 70+
What is your favorite All Time Movie? “My Cousin Vinnie” …probably because I lived in the South for 22 years as well as the New york area for 10 years, so I can relate to the story.
Do you have any Pets? NO
What is your favorite thing to do in your free time? I love to read…swim and putter around my garden.
What is your favorite season and why? I have to say that here in Michigan the summer is my favorite. I love to watch the garden unfold from the tulips and daffodils, to the roses, to the day lilies. I also love to sit outside in my patio with a glass of wine and read a good book while enjoying the lovely weather and the flowers.
If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do? Get an attorney to make a family trust and have them all be beneficiaries.
If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? I think I would like to learn a foreign language. I took 2 years of French in high school and found it to be useful with my guests from France…but I would like to be much better at it, and maybe learn Italian as well. Love the romance languages.
If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be? I would have loved to be one of the early settlers of this country. My pioneering spirit just wants to see what’s around the next bend.
Which celebrity do you get mistaken for? Well…I once had a man draw me as a cartoon character, and put that picture in the breakfast room. People thought I looked like Sara Palin…so i always say “I can see Ann Arbor from my front porch”…
Where do you work? The Parish House Inn bed and breakfast.
What is your title? Owner, manager, innkeeper
How long have you worked there? 20 years
What do you love most about your Job? The variety…I get to wear lots of hats.
What is your Experience and Background in the Travel Industry? I had none until I became the innkeeper. However, I had moved a lot, lived in different areas of the USA and felt like I had been a tourist wherever I was. So I looked at this area the same way and found all kinds of neat things to do. I also have been involved in the local CVB’s since I began.