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The two work practically side by side at Journey Inn Bed & Breakfast in Hyde Park.
It wasn't always this way. Valente said she and her parents were apart for almost 30 years -- she lived in Manhattan, and they were in North Carolina and then Florida. It wasn't until she and her partner, Eric Miller, were looking for an inn to buy that dad (and mom, Victoria) came back into the picture.
Victor, who worked for a long time in the high end luxury hotel business, was bored in Florida.
"He hated not working so they both decided it was time to be with me," she said. "I'm an only child and they're not getting any younger, so it worked out for all of us."
Both parents are huge helps with the business -- Dad in particular helps serve breakfast and keeps on top of the coffee and other beverages, said Valente. He also does almost all of the food shopping.He also helps around the garden.
Mom, meanwhile, is sous chef and helps with laundry – she is a master stain remover, according to Valente.
The only challenge -- as with many family businesses -- is that Victor doesn’t always love taking orders from his daughter. There's never any anger, just the two of them needing some space, Valente admitted.
She said she looks like her father so guests can immediately tell the two are related and love hearing they all work together.
"Our dynamic can be funny sometimes, and the guests really do have a positive reaction to Mom and Dad working here," she said. "It's a nice story – and it makes the inn more homey."
As for what they'll be doing for Father's Day? Working, said Valente. Not that she minds it. "June is one of our busiest months and Sundays are our busiest days of the week," she said. "We like to work, so it's just fine for us."
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