Vegetarian B&B opens in Brewer

BREWER - An old colonial home on East Summer Street has undergonea transformation over the last year to become the Fiddlehead Inn, avegetarian bed-and-breakfast.

Innkeeper Saundra Haley, a former third-grade teacher from Bostonwho retired in 2006 and bought the two-story home, said it'simportant to her for people to start their day with a healthful meal.

"I'm very health-conscious, and I want to help people be aware ofwhat they put in their bodies," she said while giving a tour of herbed-and-breakfast on Friday.

On the breakfast table, patrons will find breads, an egg dish -possibly fiddlehead quiche - and in-season fruits and carbohydratesgalore.

Depending on the day, "waffles, pancakes, French toast or cheeseblintzes" will be served, Haley said.

"I'll serve fiddleheads in season," she said.

Antiques, old-fashioned items, colonial-style colors andstenciling decorate the inn thanks to the Silver Tools interiordesign team, Haley said.

"I combined things I already owned, and it's amazing that theymatched so well," she said.

Each of the three guest bedrooms, two upstairs and one downstairs,has its own historic style.

The Chamberlain Room, named after Civil War general and Brewerresident Joshua Chamberlain, features matching mahogany armoires,antique pressed tin accessories and a portrait of the hero.

The Welcome Room has matching pineapple-post wooden twin beds withwindows that overlook the garden. A door leads to the reading room,which features a wireless Internet connection for those who can'tleave all modern conveniences behind.

The upstairs bathroom has a heated tile floor, antique fixturesand a golden claw-foot tub.

Downstairs is the Harriet Beecher Stowe room, named after theAmerican abolitionist who wrote "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in 1852 attackingslavery. Though not listed in the Fiddlehead Inn brochure, the roomcan be reserved for those who have trouble with stairs, Haley said.

The brochure lists the city's Freedom Park as an amenity and toutsChamberlain's role on the battlefield at Gettysburg and theunderground railroad memorial statue.

The cost to stay at the Fiddlehead Inn is $89 per room, not perperson. A Web site, www.fiddleheadinn.com, is under construction,Haley said.

Haley said she has dreamed about becoming a bed-and-breakfastinnkeeper for a decade, and with the home completely refurbished, "Iam now ready for guests."