Winston-Salem Monthly Features Graylyn

Graylyn International Conference Center
Photo by J. Sinclair

If you haven't already, pick up this month's copy of Winston-Salem Monthly. Editor Michael Breedlove and his writers and staff are at it again delivering a wonderfully informative magazine featuring Winston-Salem's best treasures.

This month you may notice that Graylyn has taken the cover of the magazine. Not only featured on the front, but open to the middle and you'll find a creatively written story from journalist Nancy Oakley about the hidden treasure of Graylyn - its boastful accommodations, luxurious ammenities and breathtaking landscape. Jay Sinclair provides artful images to go along with the story and really showplace Graylyn's luster.

If you don't receive Winston-Salem Monthly Magazine you can find the online article here.

We'd like to thank the staff at Winston-Salem Monthly for their continued loyalty to Winston-Salem and its historic beauty!

-From all of us at Graylyn

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Graylyn's Very Own Murder Mystery (A Night You'll Die For!)

January 24th marks the commencement of one of Graylyn's spookiest weekends of the year, the Murder Mystery. A bone-chilling, real life game of Clue, Graylyn's Murder Mystery weekend is packed with frightful excitement and suspicion. Channel your inner sleuth and get ready for the challenge. We'll need to solve the mystery before it's too late!

Keith O’Leary and Margo Morrison, creators of Murder at Graylyn, are award winning writers, producers, and directors with extensive backgrounds in motion picture, television, and theatrical production. Since 1985 they have been responsible for over 7,000 live mystery productions worldwide and have been featured in the print and television media in 37 different countries.

Labeled as “The Masterminds of the genre” by the Los Angeles Times, their mystery weekends and events have been co-hosted by such luminaries as Mary Higgins Clark, Peter Falk, and Dr. Henry Lee, and have been featured on Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous as well as all major television networks. Now, they bring their handiwork to Winston-Salem, NC.

The Murder Mystery Weekend includes:
Accommodations - Friday and Saturday night
Friday evening Welcome Cocktail Reception (cash bar) with Hors d’oeuvres
Saturday Breakfast, Lunch, Cocktail Reception (cash bar) and Dinner
Sunday Breakfast wrap up and solution to the mystery
Interactive mystery adventure by the producers of the world's most famous Murder Mystery Weekend

Unfortunately there are no more spots available for this Murder Mystery, but check back with us, as we'll be posting a schedule of upcoming dates (if you dare!).

For more information please call 800-972-9596, or visit us online at www.graylyn.com.

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Jan/Feb Graylyn Estate News

Graylyn Estate News Jan/Feb 2014 Vol. 12.0 Graylyn International Conference Center THE ESTATE BUSINESS MEETINGS TEAMBUILDING SPECIAL EVENTS WEDDINGS GUEST ROOMS DINING CONTACT US TOUR POUR DU JOUR Sunday Jan. 19th and Sunday Feb. 16th 4:30pm to 6:00pm $20.00 per person Includes a guided tour, two glasses of Graylyn wine and a fruit and cheese reception. Tour dates will take place on select Sundays and will be posted each month at www.graylyn.com. After the tour, we would love for you to stay and enjoy Graylyn Dining, a tempting four-course experience created for our guests by our award-winning culinary staff. For more information, to book a tour, or to make a reservation, please call 336.758.2425or visitwww.graylyn.com. Your Journey Awaits. Cold Facts About Fireplaces When you light a blazing fire on a cold winter day it looks and feels wonderful, but it can be an expensive and inefficient endeavor. A fireplace sends most of the heat in your house straight up the chimney emitting as much as 24,000 cubic feet of air per hour to the outside! But, there are ways you can limit the loss of heat when enjoying a quiet evening by the fire. 1. Reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox. 2. Keep it clean by hiring a chimney sweep to inspect your chimney each year. And keep ash and soot from collecting in the fireplace to improve efficiency. 3. Install tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system that blows warmed air back into the room. 4. Check the seal on the flue damper and make it as snug as possible. 6. Keep your fireplace's damper closed when you aren't using it. 7. Consider a gas fireplace if you are planning to install a new one. These provide the enjoyment of looking at flames but can be 70% more efficient than regular fireplaces. GRAYLYN DINING Don't forget. Graylyn dining is available every night. Celebrate your next birthday, anniversary or whatever theoccasion. Call 336.758.2425 or complete a reservation request online.   QUICK LINKS Reservations & Meeting Requests Packages Promotions Floor Plans Directions                     5 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues at Work  At this point in the winter, the sparkle of the holiday season has faded and offices are grinding again at full force. For some of us, the weather can affect our mood - and unfortunately, our productivity. Winter "blahs" can lead to burnout that lasts well past the last snow. Here's how to feel brighter on the job during these cold winter months: See the light early and often The major reason for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) is lack of light associated with shorter days. If you're feeling a little under the gloomy weather, find light whenever you can. Walk outside before work, at lunch time, or on breaks. Put an extra lamp on your desk to decrease the amount of flourescent lighting in the office.    Book a brighter conference room On a similar note, try to get light into your office calendar. Is the main conference room that you normally book windowless? Do whatever you can to change that. Hold your meetings at conference centers that cater to natural lighting and aesthics. Graylyn prides itself on its many conference rooms that boast natural lighting along with scenic views.  Daydream about sunnier seasons Are you a gardener? Swimmer? Sailor? Preparing for those spring and summer activities, or putting photos of those pastimes on your desktop, can help lift your spirits. Just make sure to daydream outside of work! Start a walking lunch club Instead of ordering lunch in, organize a lunch group that goes and picks up lunch on a short walk. You'll all get out into the light, boost your endorphins with exercise, and possibly become a closer team in the process. Become a weekend winter sports fanatic Swore off skiing years ago? Give it another chance. Keeping your mind and body active during the winter will increase your mood and leave you feeling energized and refreshed. So don't give in to those winter time blues, it's bright skies on the horizon heading into spring!   Valentine's Day Packages at Graylyn Nothing says "Be Mine" like Valentine's Dinner at Graylyn Available February 14th - 16th Graylyn Dining $104Includes Four-Course Dinner and Champagne. 5:00 - 10:00 p.m. by Reservation Bed & Breakfast Package $169Includes Overnight Accommodations and Breakfast Buffet Grand Estate Package $249Includes Overnight Accommodations, Four-Course Dinner, Bottle of Champagne, In-Room Ammenityand Breakfast Buffet for Two     The Sweet “Suite” Soiree  $399.00Includes Premium Suite Accommodations, Four Course Dinner for Two, Prosecco and Chocolate Covered Strawberries delivered to your room, Breakfast Buffet for Two, Historic Butler Tour of the Estate, Late check-out and Personalized Graylyn Print as a memento of your stay. (*Please visit the Front Desk by midnight to personalize your Graylyn Print which will then be presented to your guest upon check-out)                                                                                                                                                                      Weekend Package                                                                                                      Add an additional night stay to                                                                                                   any package for just $119                                                                                                      Includes Breakfast Buffet.                                                                                             Limited Availability. For more information and upgrade options, please call 800.472.9596 Subject to estate fee, tax and gratuity.Based on standard estate accommodations double occupancy.   Complete Meeting Packagestarting at $209.00 per person* February 1st-7th February 10-26th  ♦ March 7-13th March 25th-31st CMP includes: Overnight Accommodations, Gourmet Breakfast and Lunch Buffet, Flexible Dinner Options, AM & PM Continuous Brain Food Coffee Breaks and Standard Audio Visual Package. Promotional rates are also available for our Complete Training Package Request a Proposal*Per person per night double occupancy estate guestroom. Rate quoted does not include tax or service fees. Rates are based on availability for new qualifying groups that accept the group contract terms and conditions. Cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts. For more information contact Graylyn Sales at 800-472-9596 or visit our website at www.graylyn.com   FOOD & BEVERAGE CORNER Chef Rollins' Featured Recipe: Butternut Squash and Granny Smith Apple Soup                          Ingredients: 1 small diced granny smith apple 6 cups chicken stock 4 cups butternut squash, peeled and seeded 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 tbsp unsalted butter 1/4 cup heavy cream 1 medium onion, chopped Nutmeg 1/2 cup chopped celery Salt & ground pepper    Method:Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onions, celery and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and add heavy cream, maple syrup with nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper and served with diced apples for garnish.   Enjoy, Beverage Corner: Duval Leroy Champagne Brut NV    Since 1859, the Duval-Leroy family have been perfecting the quality of their non-vintage Brut, balancing their passion with an aesthetic sensibility. It is in this product that one can feel the unique power and character which marks out a top-of-the-range champagne. Consistency, expertise and a creative spirit ensure a success which needs no further  demonstration.The Maison Duval-Leroy revels in the art of blending Pinots and Chardonnays. Enriched with around fifteen crus and genero us quantity of reserve wines, Duval-Leroy Brut confirms its complexity and is recognized for its consistency. Providing a perfect balance between finesse and power, it draws out flavors of dark chocolate, cinnamon and roasted yellow figs, expressing its subtle, melt-in-the-mouth vinosity. 90 PTS WINE SPECTATOR. Duval-Leroy is firm with a lively bead and a wel-meshed range of smoky mineral, white peach and candied lemon; full bodied with notes of biscuit and ginger flavors.        A single shot rings out in the night, causing our guests a horrible fright. There's a killer among us at the Graylyn Estate. Help solve the mystery before it's too late! January 24 - 26th, 2014*$369 per person The Murder Mystery Weekend includes: Accommodations - Friday and Saturday night Friday evening Welcome Cocktail Reception (cash bar) with Hors D’Oeuvres Saturday Breakfast, Lunch, Cocktail Reception (cash bar) and Dinner Sunday Breakfast wrap up and solution to the mystery Interactive mystery adventure by the producers of the world's most famous Murder Mystery Weekend For more information or to reserve a room, please call 336.758.2425 or click here.  *Based on double occupancy. Subject to tax, gratuity and estate fee.

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Top New Year's Resolutions For The Workplace

If you are like most people, you probably still haven't figured out a New Year's resolution. Last year's resolution of going to the gym four days a week lasted, well, a whopping four days, and losing 10 pounds the year before didn't work either. Those darn Krispy Kreme doughnuts that always magically show up a work.

Well, speaking of work, why not try to focus on creating a resolution for the office. Afterall, it is a place that you spend the majority of the week.

In order to help people start 2014 off right, here are some common New Year's resolutions that can be used for the workplace:

1. Pay attention: There are plenty of ways to be more productive at work. Studies suggest that listening to classical music provides short-term enhancement of mental tasks — including memorisation — known as “spatial-temporal reasoning.“ A standing desk will give you more energy by keeping your blood flowing and your mind alert.

2. Take better care of yourself! Take advantage of your workforce’s health and wellness benefits: provide discounted gym memberships or subsidised annual flu shot to avoid the plague and stay healthy. It’s worth waiting in line for.

3. Use it or lose it, people!: There is a cap on the maximum amount of vacation time that you can have in a year. Once the maximum amount of hours is reached you stop accruing more hours, essentially wasting hours that can be used to accrue more time. And studies prove, a break from work actually help you perform better in your job.

4. Mobile Freedom: Mobile devices have increased our capabilities outside of the office, allowing employees to receive and write emails, schedule meetings, make sales calls and even use your mobile phone as a hotspot to connect your other mobile devices to the Internet. Provide your workforce with a data plan with plenty of memory for larger downloads or offer a mobile data reimbursement plan.

5. Limit that inbox: By reducing the amount of emails you have in your inbox, you can reduce the amount of stress you have and make sure you are keeping up to date on request and action items vs. letting them fall by the wayside.

We hope that you have a happy and prosperous New Year! From all of us at Graylyn. 

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