Over the course of the last few decades though, Sugar Hill has slowly positioned itself as THE must-visit location in Northern New England during the month of June. It has done this simply by managing its most striking feature, the beautiful land and landscape, for the growth of lupines.

A rainbow appears over the lupines in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire during the annual festival.

With great support and effort by the entire community, the many gardens in the village, the vast fields and farms surrounding the town, and even the roadsides leading to and from are covered with this large, showy, purple or pink flower.

After a long winter, the explosion of color and the beauty of the changing landscape is something that deserves celebration, and so it is celebrated. This year, the Annual Fields of Lupine Festival turns twenty, and though there are many great events scheduled for the festival, the flowers themselves are still the greatest attraction.

The festival kicks off on Saturday, June 1^st, just as the lupine spires are beginning to open. The blooms typically last a few weeks, with the festival running throughout the bloom cycle, ending on the 15^th, with scheduled events spanning three weekends.

As a photographer, my days during the festival begin early, up before dawn to watch the first light sparkle through the flowers while they are covered in morning dew. I’m rarely alone. Some are clearly other professional photographers, but many though are there just to take in the beauty and greet the dawn. There are few more beautiful sights to see in all of New England, at any time of year.

A Hay Rake Rests in a Field in Sugar Hill, NH Surrounded by Lupines

Whether or not you greet the sun, some time during the morning you will inevitably find your way to Polly’s Pancake Parlor on Sugar Hill Road (Rt. 117) for breakfast or brunch. It’s legendary for its rustic atmosphere, amazing views and out of this world pancakes served with a variety of local maple products.

Festival activities usually begin by 10AM, and this year include an open air market with many local vendors, an art show, concerts and a town dance. But the main attraction is the flowers themselves, and year after year, they always put on a good show. The most popular location to take in the flowers is a large field up on Sunset Hill Road, with parking at the Sugar Hill Sampler. The field has wide walking paths winding through it, inviting you to stroll, or take a horse drawn carriage ride through, and enjoy the views over the flowers to the mountains that surround the village.

One of my favorite things about the Sampler Field is that along the way there are a few placards with verses by the poet Robert Frost, who had a homestead in the town and where he spent nineteen summers. The farmstead, located on Ridge Road, is now a museum and visitors center, and it is also, of course, surrounded by abundant and beautiful lupines.

The Sampler Field Offers Great Views Over the Lupines to Distant Mountain Ranges

The Franconia Notch Chamber of Commerce publishes a guidebook to the festival every year, available for a few dollars at various locations around the village, and it includes a map of all the places where the lupine are growing that year. But they won’t be hard to find. A ride down to Pearl Lake, a loop around Lovers Lane, a drive across Carpenter Road, lupines are everywhere.  For more ideas, and to stay updated on this years blooms, Harman’s Cheese & Country Store maintains a daily blog with pictures before and during the festival!

Accommodations for the festival are wide ranging. The Sunset Hill House is very popular among attendees, notoriety which is well deserved. There are other motels down the road in the village of Franconia, and a few miles further up the road in the larger town of Littleton. For more rustic experience, the Fransted Campground is within a short drive, and has many modern conveniences and a great swimming hole on the property!

As this blog suggests, I love to ‘Explore New England’, and am always looking for new places to visit and new events to experience. But this will be my ninth consecutive year visiting the Fields of Lupine Festival. It’s beautiful, it’s quaint, and it’s something I make it a point not to miss.

I’ll hope to see you there!

The post Sugar Hill Lupine Festival | Must-See Event in New Hampshire appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

But first there was the “getting there” part. En route from Keene, NH we stopped in Londonderry for a quick bite at the newly-opened Garden Market (adjacent to the Garden Cafe and Gallery), and rather wished it was time for lunch instead of a mid-morning muffin. The list of sandwiches and fresh-baked slices of pizza was tempting (I wish they had the menu online but I’m sure it’s coming), but we soldiered on.

A quick stop for a snack or lunch at the Garden Market Cafe in Londonderry.

Arriving ahead of schedule, we decided to do some wandering in Manchester Center. While it’s true that Manchester lures many shoppers with its outlet stores, there’s also room for plenty of smaller shops and family-owned eateries.

The view is also pretty spectacular.

Manchester, VT is home to many shops and restaurants in a classic New England setting.

We were able to take in the spring flowers and sunshine while browsing in a classic souvenirs-meets-candy country store, art gallery, and consignment shop on Main Street.

Strolling and shopping await in downtown Manchester.

Just around the corner on Bonnet Street is the Manchester & the Mountains Visitor Center, where you can use the restroom and stock up on brochures and guides for your visit (and the next few after that).

For lunch we opted to sit outside at Seasons, where the artichoke heart fritters appetizer with roasted red pepper aioli was especially good.

Don’t miss the artichoke heart fritters at Seasons.

Then it was on to Hildene. As someone passionate about New England and American history (I was a history major and work at Yankee Magazine for goodness sake), I was excited to learn that there even was a slice of Lincoln in New England. As we drove past the historical marker and the house came into view, my excitement kicked up a notch.

A historical marker welcomes visitors to Hildene.

But let’s back up a little…

In the summer of 1864 First Lady Mary Lincoln visited Manchester with her sons Robert and Tad to trade the summer heat of Washington (and no doubt, the stress of the Civil War) for the cool mountain breezes of southern Vermont. They stayed at the Equinox Hotel (still in operation today), and enjoyed it so much that the family made plans to visit again the following summer — this time with the President. According to the hotel’s history, a special suite was constructed in anticipation of the President’s visit, but it was not to be. He was assassinated the following April.

Still, the beauty and tranquility of Vermont must have stuck with Robert, the Lincoln’s only child to live to adulthood. Some forty years later, he purchased 500 acres in Vermont (412 of which remain today) and began building a “summer home” for his family. Lincoln called it “Hildene” from an old English word meaning hill and valley with stream, and in 1905 the family moved in. The Lincolns spent an enormous amount of time (sometimes up to 8 months a year) at Hildene, and continued to live there until the next-to-last Lincoln descendant died at Hildene in 1975. Thankfully, the local non-profit “Friends of Hildene” raised the money to purchase the estate in 1978 and began the long process of restoring the home and gardens.

Today, guests are greeted by the wonderful Hildene staff at the Oscar V. Johnson Jr. Welcome Center. Inside is a gift shop with small clustered tables artfully displaying gifts in a variety of themes relating to the work done at Hildene — things like nature, history, food, children’s learning, and Vermont-made products. You can also purchased cheese made from Hildene’s very own cows and goats!

The Welcome Center at Hildene.

Our first stop was to visit Sunbeam, Hildene’s prized Pullman car. In addition to being Secretary of War under Rutherford B. Hayes, Robert Lincoln was later president of the Pullman Company, which manufactured railroad cars. Sunbeam dates back to 1888 and was meticulously restored and brought to Hildene in 2011, where it is considered the finest example of a wooden Pullman car on display. While the car serves as a memento of a period of Lincoln’s life, it also represents a larger, complicated piece of social history. During the Gilded Age, more than 100,000 people across the country slept on Pullman cars like Sunbeam, where they were waited on by over-worked and underpaid African-American “Pullman porters.”

Strolling through Sunbeam is marvelous for anyone who has ever read a book or seen a movie where characters from the late 19th and early 20th century travel by train. The gleaming wood, plush seats, window shades, pull-down sleeper compartments, and overall swankiness is like nothing seen today. Equally compelling is the jarring change from splendid to spartan when crossing into the “Employees Only” section of the car.

Hildene’s Pullman Sunbeam offers a unique Gilded Age social perspective.

After leaving Sunbeam we headed up to the 24-room Georgian Revival house. There are many walking trails surrounding Hildene, and responsible picnicking is allowed. I’ll remember that for next time! You’re welcome to walk from site to site, but transportation is provided at regular intervals for those needing (or wanting) assistance.

The sky held some threatening rainclouds, but the early-spring sunshine won out.

Spring dandelions dot the front lawn of Hildene.

Before entering the house, take note of the rectangle of bricks in the lawn in front of the main entrance. They represent the size of the original cabin President Lincoln was born in — an astonishing comparison next to the grand house.

In front of Hildene, bricks outline the size of Abraham Lincoln’s original log cabin.

Unfortunately, photography inside the house is not allowed, but a collection of rooms (bedrooms, dining room, kitchen, study, parlor, library, etc.) are preserved with meticulous detail and care featuring the original furnishings and family effects. The museum’s collection includes a prized 1908 Aeolian pipe organ (complete with 242 rolls), and one of only three known existing stovepipe hats belonging to Abraham Lincoln, as well as one of his bibles.

The formal gardens behind the house, designed as a birthday gift by Robert’s daughter for her mother, include many of the original plantings from 1907.

The spring sun shines behind Hildene.

The most celebrated feature of Hildene’s gardens are its peonies. Thousands bloom each June, so my visit was just a few weeks too early, but yours could be right on time!

Try and plan your visit to Hildene when the garden’s prized peonies are in bloom.

The view or the surrounding mountains is gorgeous. You can see how easy it must have been for members of the Lincoln family to sit and look out the window or stroll the gardens in the summer. We soaked it up for as long as possible, stopping to visit Robert’s observatory (he was an astronomy enthusiast) before heading home.

A curved rock wall on the edge of the garden offers splendid mountain views.

As we left Manchester we made sure to drive past the Equinox — that first spot the Lincoln family visited in 1864. Today it stands as impressive as ever.

The Equinox Hotel, which first brought the Lincoln family to Manchester in 1864.

This, too, is easy to picture — Mary Lincoln visiting the Equinox with her sons, enjoying the beauty of Vermont, and making plans for the years after Washington and the war. She hoped to return with her whole family, but instead it was Robert who brought the Lincoln family back to Vermont. After more than twenty “summers” at his beloved Hildene he died there in 1926. Who says there’s no Lincoln in New England? You’ll find plenty of it at Hildene.

In addition to tours of Sunbeam, the house, and gardens, Hildene is also home to the Rowland Agricultural Center — a solar-powered barn where they herd animals and make cheese — as well as numerous school and camp programs. Learn more by visiting them online at www.hildene.org.

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On Nantucket, in late April, the daffodil is king.

Spring can be a funny business in New England. You’re loading up the wood stove one day, and the next, you’re desperately searching for a pair of shorts so you can get out in the garden. It’s winter and then it’s not. No place perhaps knows how to embrace the “not” part better than Nantucket. For the last 39 years the small Massachusetts island has turned over the last weekend of April to the arrival of spring and its star flower of the season: the daffodil.

Make no mistake, Nantucket’s Daffodil Festival is as much a celebration about what’s just ended as it is about what’s to come. “The whole island just wakes up,” a native Nantucket resident told me.”People see the boats coming with the tourists, and everybody just goes, ‘They’re here.’”

Sunrise on Nantucket.

Which is to say that after four months of dormancy, the Nantucket that summer residents have come to expect, suddenly comes into bloom. Hotels reopen, shops, too, restaurant menus expand, and the tourist buzz that defines Nantucket’s cobble stone Maine Street, returns in full force.

Two weeks ago I brought my wife and young son to Nantucket to see the festival first-hand. Yellow and daffodill were everywhere. On lamp posts, in store windows, along tourist clogged streets and even backroads. Men wore flower decorated pants, while women donned daffy designed dresses and intricate flower hats. While walking back to my hotel on Saturday afternoon I spotted Eric McKechnie, a local, sitting on a bench wearing a huge yellow flower around his head. “I just bought it at a party 15 years ago, and I’ve been wearing it on Daffodil weekend ever since,” he said. While I chatted with him, one curious couple stopped to take his picture. As the husband brought the camera into focus, his wife asked him if the flower was comfortable. “No,” he said, matter of factly. “It’s not.”

Erick McKechnie and his well-worn daffy hat.

Our lodging for the weekend was at the White Elephant, one of the island’s premier hotels. Our place was grander than some apartments I’ve called home. It featured two large bedrooms, two full baths, and a sun drenched living room that made you never want to leave.

But venture out we did. At Children’s Beach, across the street, my two-year-old boy got up on stage and danced with other kids, ran himself ragged at the playground and then got the chance ride around in a 1943 fire engine. He talked about the “big truck” for days.

In the middle of town, we got an up lose look the annual parade of antique vehicles, including a new family favorite: a 1957 BMW that seemingly weighed about as much as a Vespa and featured a front-hood that was also the car’s only door. A five-star crash tested vehicle it is not. The dog parade followed, and then it was off to ‘Sconset, where all of downtown was given over to an island-wide picnic. Tables were set up with vast amounts of food, of which anyone could come and sample, there was live music, and of course, all those antique cars.

The next day we journeyed to Bartlett Farm, Nantucket’s oldest and largest family owned farm and home to the weekend’s prestigious daffodil competition. We saw cows, one giant windmill, ate some local treats, and were steeped (a little bit) in the rules of the flower show and the many thousands of daffodil varieties that exist.

Of course, this weekend is not just about the flowers. It was about seeing one of New England’s most prized summer destinations before the official onslaught of summer. In fact, spring may just be one of the finest times of year to visit Nantucket. By Sunday afternoon, much of the island had returned to its pre-festival quiet. The stores and restaurants remained open, but we had many of them to ourselves. We ate stuffed lobster rolls at the Brandt Point Grill for lunch and then found something equally delicious with the salmon tacos at 12 Degrees East for dinner. At Steps Beach, just outside of town, we practically had the entire run of sand and water to ourselves. After such a long, hard winter, spring had officially sprung and we were more than happy to enjoy it.

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Scenes from Nantucket’s Daffodil Festival.

The party in ‘Sconset. 

Bartlett Farm and the daffodil show.

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I have a few close friends who grew up on Block Island, none of whom could believe I still hadn’t visited, and all of whom recommended I do just that as soon as possible. I knew, without question, that we’d be able to obtain several stunning options for our cover. I set out to find the hidden spots that best embody the spirit of an island in summer and the spirit of Block Island in particular. Our article, written by Peter Voskamp, was a great starting point for inspiration. I wanted to see, firsthand, each corner of the island; I wanted to find something fresh and evocative, something our readers might not have seen before: something that spoke to summer on this island, and those secret spots that only the locals know about.

Block Island Harbor

With Peter’s article in hand, I contacted Kathy Szabo, executive director of the Block Island Chamber of Commerce. Kathy put me in touch with Stan Mickus, whose family owns and operates the Block Island Express. Our schedules clicked, and after an overnight visit with family in Old Lyme, Connecticut, we set out to catch a late-morning ferry out of New London. My husband and 1½-year-old son, Emmett, joined me. Traveling with a toddler can prove challenging, especially when you’re working within a 24-hour time frame on a task as ambitious as this. The notion of touring the island by bike was very appealing, however — with toddler in tow, I needed a quick form of transportation. I needed to make the most of my time here, seeing as much of the island as I could.

Once we landed in our room (with an amazing view) at The 1661 Inn & Hotel Manisses, Kathy suggested we start with a taxi tour with local driver Marguerite Donnelly. Marguerite was lovely and patient in addition to being extremely knowledgeable. It was no surprise to find that she’d grown up on the island. I knew we were in good hands. At every stop along the way, we had ample time to pop out of the car, explore the site, take pictures, and continue on our trek. (This seems to be the average experience with Marguerite, so if you’re ever on Block Island, be sure to take her tour.) I wanted that local knowledge, someone who really knew where to be at what time of day to get the best light and the most amazing shots that would really capture Block Island.

And so, our exploration began …

Heading to Block Island.

We boarded the Block Island Express, a high-speed ferry service out of New London, Connecticut. We couldn’t have asked for better weather. A crisp blue sky, the deep-blue ocean, the smell of the salty air, and an island on the horizon. It was idyllic. The gentle hum of the motor put Emmett to sleep for a much-needed afternoon nap before our arrival. From New London, this high-speed ferry takes almost an hour from point to point. While Emmett was asleep, I took advantage of a free moment and headed up to the deck. My excitement grew as I glimpsed of Clay Head Cliffs coming into view and finally Old Harbor and the iconic National Hotel, where our ferry docked.

A quick stop to take in the sweeping views at the Spring House Hotel.

While we were waiting for our 4 o’clock tour with Marguerite, we took a short walk up to the Spring House Hotel — a classic setting with unbelievable views looking out to the Atlantic and almost clear across the island. You can order a quick bite and eat it right out front on the lawn or sit in one of the hotel’s Adirondack chairs and soak it all in.

A visit to Southeast Light on Block Island’s rocky coast. Marguerite Donnelly (in cap), our gracious tour guide, photographed beside Lisa Nolan, administrator for Southeast Light.

Southeast Light was built in 1875 along Block Island’s Mohegan Bluffs to help deter shipwrecks that the island’s other lighthouse (North Light, built in 1829) wasn’t entirely successful in preventing. Block Island is surrounded by dangerous shoals and ledges, earning it the moniker “stumbling block” of the New England coast — a nickname that didn’t bode well for approaching vessels.

Taking in Block Island’s famous Mohegan Bluffs and Rodman’s Hollow.

Our next stop was the Mohegan Bluffs, a truly exceptional site. I’ve seen hundreds of photographs of this location, but being here, walking down the iconic steps (over 100), taking in the salty air, looking down to the white sandy beach kissed by the clear blue ocean, was something I’ll never forget. A few minutes away, as we hugged the coast with our guide, we arrived at Rodman’s Hollow. Just under 50 acres, this vast blanket of green overlooking Black Rock Point offers a number of trails you can explore on foot. The island has a surprising amount of conservation land.

It’s easy to see why The Sullivan House on Block Island is such a popular wedding spot.

The Sullivan House, owned by Rosalie and Sean Kivlehan, Mike O’Brien, and Phil O’Brien, was one of the most promising locations to capture our cover. Many weddings and other functions are held here, and no wonder — just look at the view. This location really spoke to me. The porch was the perfect inviting place to find an escape and watch the sunset over Great Salt Pond. This Victorian inn is exquisite. The rich wood interior is elegant and refined.

As they say at Dead Eye Dick’s restaurant, “Come for the food, stay for the view!”

When it was time to eat, we made our way to the interestingly named Dead Eye Dick’s, located at Payne’s Dock in New Harbor. It first opened in the 1940s and is now owned by the Wronowski family. I decided to live it up and order Surf & Turf. In addition to the food, the meal came with an unbeatable view overlooking the southern end of New Harbor and Great Salt Pond. Insider tip: Be sure to stop in for a fresh donut at Payne’s Donuts in nearby New Shoreham! They offer plain, sugar, and cinnamon. These treats are the best to begin (or end) any day.

Beautiful views from the front porch at The 1661 Inn & Hotel Manisses.

Back at The 1661 Inn & Hotel Manisses, we sat on the rooftop deck off in the Edwards Room and watched the sunset as the last of the day’s ferries floated into and out of the harbor. Our room was charming, with a 4-post canopy bed, TV, and loft with whirlpool tub. The breakfast buffet the next morning was also amazing, offering up omelets to order and all the fixings you can imagine. Apart from the to-die-for rooftop ocean view and the buffet, however, the charming front porch was my favorite part. I enjoyed sitting and watching folks stroll by.

The Manisses Animal Farm on Block Island is a kid-favorite.

The next morning, at The Manisses Animal Farm, a petting zoo located in a meadow just across from our inn, we met Nyla the friendly camel, the zebu (half zebra, half donkey), and Mr. McDuff, the Scottish Highland steer (who passed away last year). They had an array of exotic animals for the little ones to feed.

Enjoying the views near Sachem Pond and Settler’s Rock.

We made our way to North Light, and though we didn’t make the trek out to the actual lighthouse, we did spend some time enjoying the views at Settler’s Rock and the lush green around Sachem Pond.

Fred Benson Town Beach — the perfect place to end the day on Block Island.

We made our way across the island that day, but we ended the day at Fred Benson Town Beach, once called State Beach, on Corn Neck Road, where we had the chance to refresh ourselves in the cool waters. The bathhouse and pavilion are fully equipped, and best of all, there’s plenty of free parking, and admission is free, too.

I moved to New England about five and a half years ago as Yankee’s art director. I had nearly 12 years of experience working on New England-based publications and a great familiarity with much of the region. I’d always had this notion that some of our islands were just far away, this coming from a transplant now living in southern New Hampshire. I felt I couldn’t afford to go or that I needed to dedicate a significant amount of time to get to see each of them. Either way it felt daunting. Considering that we live in south-central New Hampshire, where everything seems to be 2 or 3 hours away, I figured it was inconceivable to have a meaningful trip to any one of our islands, let alone Block Island, which seemed so far. A surprising and delightful discovery was that we can actually go for a day (or an easy overnight) at a very reasonable price, especially during the off-season. Our “Daytrips” story proved to me that our islands aren’t as far away as they seem. And if you plan it right, you can find surprising deals, and even a quick daytrip can afford you ample time to explore these treasures, with a bit of time to relax, kick back on one of the beaches, soak in a little sun, taste some local cuisine, and dip your toes in the Atlantic while dreaming of your next visit. We even figured out that if we left Dublin (NH) at 6:00 in the morning we could make it to Block Island and be back in time to tuck Emmett into bed by 9:00 that night.

On a personal level, one of the things I liked most about our trip was how family-friendly Block Island is. It’s known for its miles of free public beaches, sparkling waters, spectacular natural beauty, and activities for all ages. Without question, it can be difficult to travel with small children — but all of the vendors and business owners we came across were very accommodating. It truly was a relaxing experience. This seemed to be the norm for “the Bermuda of the North,” as author Peter Voskamp calls it.

We visited in mid-July, the height of the season, when there were just enough people scattered across the island to keep the energy level high and that summer-on-an-island vibe alive. It wasn’t overly crowded, and we were able to bop around and really see it all. There’s a lot to do right as you get off the ferry in Old Harbor: plenty of shopping, dining, and so on. But what impressed me the most was that Block Island is so much larger than I originally thought (all the more to explore). We were there for only a short 24 hours, and yet the impression it left on me was everlasting. I can’t wait to return (next time we might bring our own car for ease of transport with the tot). With each trip away from the office, I fall more deeply in love with our region, and I remind myself how lucky I am to have a job that I’m so passionate about, one that affords me the opportunity to learn about and share the wonderful gifts of New England.

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Did you know there were chocolate houses in Boston around 1700? Historians have located shipping records from the late 1600s detailing imports of chocolate beans from Jamaica, and a 1773 ship’s manifest lists a shipment of 320 tons of cocoa beans. That’s enough to make 32 million cups of chocolate. Bonbons and brownies came later, but it turns out that chocolate was a source of pleasure for the seemingly abstemious Puritans.

I learned all this at a wonderful new exhibit called “Captain Jackson’s Colonial Chocolate Shop” in the  Clough House at the Old North Church in Boston (it’s the building located behind the church on Unity Street).  It’s named after Captain Newark Jackson, a member of the congregation and merchant who owned a chocolate shop on the North End waterfront around 1740. For the cost of an at-will donation, visitors can learn about the history and craft of chocolate and then taste a sample of drinking chocolate similar to the kind served in Colonial America. And who wouldn’t love a shot of good chocolate in the middle of a long day on the Freedom Trail?

The exhibit is sponsored by The Freedom Trail Foundation and Mars, the giant chocolate manufacturer in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania (and makers of Mars bars and other sugary treats). Turns out the Mars family includes some history buffs, and they have funded exhibits like these at Colonial Williamsburg and at Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York to educate the public and encourage research into early American foodways. The Old North Church gets to keep both the donations and the proceeds from the sale of the American Heritage chocolate products.

To get a taste of the exhibit and learn how chocolate was made in the 18th century, take a look at the gallery above.

You can visit from April 13-June 15 on weekends only from 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. From June 16 through October, the exhibit will be open daily from 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

The address is 21 Unity Street. For more information, call 617-523-6676.

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Tucked into the woods of Mason, NH is the popular Parker’s Maple Barn Restaurant.

What began as a small sugaring operation by the original Parker family grew into the Parker’s Maple Barn restaurant during the late 1960′s. Today it’s known for serving up breakfast (including a pancake and stuffed French toast of the month) and lunch with plenty of their pure maple syrup in a country setting just over the Massachusetts border.

Don’t be fooled by the unassuming entrance!

Once inside you’re immediately hit by the smell of breakfast — pancakes, butter, syrup, eggs, bacon, sausage — you know, the good stuff. Wooden floors, walls, and beams surround you, and a maze of tables in several rooms are full of couples and families sipping coffee (they bring a carafe right to the table) and digging in. Servers weave around like bees, fetching more coffee, pushing carts piled with plates, and keeping the steady throngs of visitors moving along without rushing them — no easy feat, I’m sure.

A cozy, woodsy interior is the perfect setting for a plate of Parker’s Maple Barn pancakes.

I headed there early on a recent Sunday with my sister Courtney and brother-in-law Jon. We knew we needed to get there early to get a seat, but fortunately, few things get me out of bed faster than the thought of a good breakfast. Jon was feeling ambitious and went for the Parker’s Special — a whopper selection that comes with two eggs, two pancakes, ham, bacon, sausage, and toast. Courtney and I opted for omelets and home fries with a single blueberry buckwheat pancake apiece. You can’t go to Parker’s and NOT have something on which to drizzle some of their complimentary pure maple syrup! Normally in my family we smuggle small jars of Grade A into restaurants in our purses — none of that maple-flavored corn syrup for us!

Pancakes, omelets, home fries, bacon, ham, toast, and more await!

As usual, I kicked myself later for not ordering the maple frappe, which always sounds delicious, but maybe not at 8:00 AM. I can never bring myself to head to Parker’s for lunch — why would I??

If you dilly-dally on the weekend and arrive at Parker’s when the line is already long, you can wander through the small covered bridge and check out the Corn Crib gift shop next door to the restaurant. Inside you’ll find everything maple for sale (syrup, sugar, candy, cream, etc.) along with penny candy, gifts, toys, and more.

The Corn Crib Gift Shoppe offers every maple treat imaginable plus an assortment of other gifts, toys, and regional items.

During maple season (roughly February through April) you can also participate in a small tour of the maple syrup production from sap buckets to syrup bottles. The gentleman working the large wood-fired evaporator boiling the sap down was kind enough to swing the door open for me to show me the blaze inside.

A behind the scenes peek at how the syrup is made at Parker’s Maple Barn.

Additionally, if you’re hungry or need a jolt of caffeine, you can head to the Outpost for a donut (plain or maple), coffee, hot chocolate, or cider. You can also consult one of the many trees surrounding the property decked with arrows pointing to distant cities and how many miles it would take to get there.

Coffee and donuts for sale while you get your bearings on how far you are from Athens.

An additional parking lot is across the street for busy weekends, and they sure do need it. Parker’s reputation draws large crowds, which aren’t limited to cars. Plenty of motorcycles bring hungry visitors to Parker’s thanks to the many scenic back roads in the area, and the restaurant has responded with a special spot just for them to park their bikes — motor vehicle drivers be warned!

Motorcycles are welcome at Parker’s — just don’t take their parking spots!

Parker’s Maple Barn is open 7 days a week from mid-February through mid-December.

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After a long New England winter, the first warm days of spring always cause a rush of activity. It’s a great time of year to get outside, as the sun is warm, the days longer and there’s nary a bug to be found.

Many of us tie the start of spring to familiar sights and sounds emerging from our neighborhood, be it the call of the red-winged blackbird, the wing-whirled sky dance of the woodcock or the chorus of peepers from a nearby vernal pool. While we find these sounds relaxing reminders of the season ahead, they actually represent a frenzied rush to stake territory, breed and continue the life cycle of their species.

Woodland wildflowers are in a rush of their own, as they have to complete the entirety of their life cycle before the leaf canopy overhead chokes out the light, their only energy source. These early exhibitors of vibrant color, known as spring ephemerals, begin their growth as soon as the snow melts, and are typically in seed by June.

Flowers like Hepatica (liverwort) and Bloodroot are first out of the ground, with flowers emerging ahead of their leaves, and giving the cultivated crocus a run for the money for earliest blooms in the area.

Soon after Trout Lilies, Spring Beauty and Bunchberries cover the ground, and the showy Ductchman’s Breeches and Trillium stand (relatively) tall over the forest floor. After the winter season of brown, gray and white, the exhibition of color in the forest can lead to a spectacular sensory overload.

Naturalists have long noted the phenology, or annual cycle, of these woodland beauties. Thoreau started careful notes of the bloom dates of several species at Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts, a tradition that continues to this day on the reservation bearing his name. It’s an activity I also enjoy every spring in the woods of Pawtuckaway State Park near my home in Southern New Hampshire as a way to connect myself to the natural world. I’ve revisited the same locations in the park for many years now, and very much look forward to seeing the annual blooms!

The woods of Pawtuckaway exhibit fantastic displays of flowers that are not unlike the woods all over New England, but each environment will only host a few of the hundreds of wildflowers listed in guidebooks. Limited by terrain and temperature as well as soil type, a wildflower fan would have to visit locations in all six New England states over the course of two months to find every species.

Or, they could simply visit the New England Wildflower Society’s ‘Garden in the Woods’ in Framingham, Massachusetts.

I recently visited these unique botanical gardens as they prepared for their opening this coming weekend. With a late heavy snowfall this year, the flowers were a bit behind their historical bloom dates, and only a few species were in full display. But it was still spectacular!

An easy, one mile long graded trail winds through the former property of noted botanist and collector William Curtis, who gifted his property, and collection of nearly 2000 native plant species to the non-profit organization in 1965. Though an actively maintained and largely cultivated landscape, the property has a very natural feel to it, with plants growing in habitats feel true to their wild counterparts.

The path begins at Curtis’ old cabin, on a plateau above the woodland gardens. Looking down on this early spring day, you could imagine a few weeks ahead when the redbud and rhododendron would be in full bloom above a floor filled with herbaceous ephemerals.

From there, the path swung past a rock garden, to a pond filled with frogs and turtles and lined with highbush blueberry and irises. A succession rolling hillsides feature more families of flowers, and just before the path turns into the woods, an alternating rich swamp and acidic bog bring you close to rare orchids and carnivorous pitcher plants.

The path then leaves the cultivated area, and brings you into a beautiful natural forest, and along a small brook. I could easily imagine myself with a book on one of the wooden bridges crossing the stream on a hot day in summer, surrounded by asters and cardinal flowers.

For visiting families, there is a great activity area in the forest for kids to explore, with much needed open play space amidst an environment that might otherwise seem limiting to children (Why can’t I pick the flowers?). The path then swings past the rare and endangered plant garden on its way back to the visitors center and garden center.

In my visit I found the staff of the New England Wildflower Society to be friendly, passionate and engaging. They offer a great variety of tours and educational opportunities, from guided walking tours (Daily 10AM weekdays/2PM weekends) to specially arranged trips around the property on golf cart. The garden center on the property offers many of the wildflowers for sale, and encourages the use of native species in landscaping. The staff of the garden center was most helpful in determining what type of plants would be suitable on my property.

While nothing can replace the experience in a walk your local woods this time of year, you certainly can’t beat the educational experience, biodiversity or beauty of the Garden in the Woods. They open for the season this weekend (April 13th), and peak blooms this year should occur around Mother’s Day, with waves of flowers continuing throughout the spring and summer.

I can’t wait to go back!

The post Finding Wildflowers at ‘Garden in the Woods’ appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

But on a recent Saturday afternoon I pointed my car north. It seemed counter-intuitive, considering just how ready my wife and I were for a little warmth. Confounding the matter was the fact that we were going to Jay Peak, which prides itself on its mammoth snowfalls. But skiing, big jackets, and hot chocolate were not on the agenda. Meeting up with a couple of friends, we beat it right to the Pump House and its steady 86-degree temperatures.

Yes,  if we couldn’t actually go to the beach, we were going to get a little beach like weather. And that’s exactly what we found. If you’re not familiar with it, the Pump House is one of the more impressive indoor adventure destinations you’ll find in New England. A 60,000 square dome of glass, complete with a retractable roof (you know, for those actual summer days), the facility is a fun house of water tubes and slides, kiddie pools, surfer waves, and the longest indoor action river in the country. For those ready for it, there’s also a really long bar, which you can sit at in your bathing suit.

Balcony view of the Pump House.

Upon arriving we quickly made our way to the locker rooms to change into our bathings suits, and then just as fast, made a rush to the water. Much of the afternoon was spent in the kiddie area, where our two-year-old son fell in love with short, yellow slide that dumped him in a small pool of water. He did it again. And again. And again. I mentioned he liked it, right?

The kiddie slide.

Tubing down the Lazy River.

The Pump House water tubes.

What I never managed to take on, never quite mustered the courage to try, was La Chute. Let me explain exactly what this ride involves. It requires you to climb several flights of stairs. It requires you to get into a pod. It then requires you to hear a countdown, before the guy running the thing pushes a button and–Whoosh!–you experience a 70 foot vertical free-fall before coursing through an upside down loop. The upshot is you end up moving 300 feet in about four seconds.

I wanted to do the darn thing. Even made my way up all those stairs to get in line. And then, well, I chickened out. I let others pass by me. No, please. Go ahead of me. I’m just waiting for someone. Not a big deal, at all. I eventually went back down those stairs and watched others get the full La Chute experience. Me? I was content taking on a slightly more relaxed endeavor. Like grabbing something to eat at the snack bar, sitting back in a recliner, and taking in this little bit of prime summer weather. In New England. In February.

Yes, it does still manage to stay 86 degrees even at the bar, which, appropriately enough, is called The Drink.

Water basketball always presents a good excuse to improve your jumpshot.

A boogie boarder takes on the The Double Barrel Flowrider.

Interested skiers take in the action. And yep, it was still cold outside.

See what I mean?

The post Saturday Escape to Jay Peak’s Pump House appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Bustling Congress Street on a sunny Sunday in Portsmouth.

We had no agenda: just poke about, soak up sunshine, inhale the sea, and stroll streets packed with attractive shops, restaurants, and historic homes.  At times I didn’t know if we were following the clouds drifting across the blue sky, or if the clouds were following us.

We numbered four, including my son Josh who was soon returning to teaching at Nature’s Classroom in Ivoryton, Connecticut.  Last winter he wrote a blog for Yankee about his months as a ski patrolman at Okemo Mountain, and readers of the blog learned about his zest for food: it was not an accident that his nickname amongst his patrollers was “Muffin.” So, fittingly, as a going away present — and because a day of rambling always goes better with a great meal — we were taking him to one of the most famous breakfast eateries in the land: The Friendly Toast right smack on Congress Street.  Good Morning America dubbed it one of the four best breakfast stops in America.  And Yankee’s newest food feature (March/April on newsstands next week) also highlights breakfast at The Friendly Toast.

For Josh Allen, and our good buddy Donna George, a Portsmouth day begins at The Friendly Toast.

The décor features Dentyne colored walls, adorned with a kitschy collection of 2oth century memorabilia, or what would result if a  restaurant mated with a flea market. Our waiter, Tony, like nearly all the wait staff, was efficient, friendly, wool capped, and adorned with tattoos. It’s all part of the experience, and why people say there’s no place like it.

The Friendly Toast is a Portsmouth treasure – as colorful as it is popular.

We downed slabs of exotic flavored toast  as thick as a hand, and hearty delicious dishes. Annie and Donna feasted on Omar’s Homefries: red potatoes, broccoli, corn, onions, parmesan, artichoke hearts, a dash of soy sauce. Need I say more?  Josh, who has never met a platter he couldn’t finish, vanquished a heaping amount of eggs, cheddar, avocado, black beans and salsa. And eyed Annie’s and Donna’s plates as their pace slowed.

I stayed true to Yankee’s featured selection: New Hampshire’s Finest Scramble. Here is the recipe, (from our upcoming March/April 2012 issue)  if you can’t make it to The Friendly Toast soon.

New Hampshire’s Finest Scramble at The Friendly Toast.

The Friendly Toast’s “New Hampshire’s Finest Scramble”

Ingredients
2  tablespoons salted butter
6  large eggs
4  asparagus spears, cut into 1-inch pieces
2  tablespoons finely sliced scallions
4  cooked bacon strips, chopped
1  teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1  cup chèvre (the restaurant uses Heart Song Farm cheese from Gilmanton, New Hampshire)
Toasted anadama bread, cornbread, or toast of your choice

Directions

• In a small (8- to 10-inch) skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter.  Add eggs, asparagus, scallions, bacon, salt, and pepper.
• Scramble eggs with a wooden spoon, pulling the cooked curds toward the opposite side of the pan and tilting to recoat with uncooked eggs.
• When eggs are mostly firm but still a little wet, crumble fresh goat cheese in small chunks and stir gently. (You don’t want the cheese to melt completely into the eggs.)
• Remove from heat and let sit an additional minute until eggs are fully cooked. Serve with anadama bread, cornbread, or toast.

Yield: 2 servings

For dessert we had the beguiling city beneath our feet. I know of few places where moving about is more rewarding. We were carried along by a steady stream of walkers and window shoppers, (and one fine horse and buggy) as we ambled up and down the myriad of side streets that were too inviting not to explore.  It is as though the city has passed an ordinance that no street, no house could be boring or undistinguished.

Downtown transportation options are plentiful – walk, bike, or hail a horse and carriage!

For a few minutes we stroked our inner child at G.Willikers! right off Market Square. Just as all bookstores sell books, but only special ones stir the desire to plunk right down with a book, so too GWillikers! makes you want to be seven again. And if so, if the urge rises to play, you can. They want to see kids (and parents) play. I spoke briefly with Bob Breneman, whose parents started the store some 34 years ago, when he was only 14. Bob was at the counter and he called over his daughter, Emily, 19 years-old, and the third generation to surround itself with toys and all things kids.

Bob Breneman and daughter Emily surrounded by all things kid at G.Willikers!

Then we headed to Strawbery Banke and the waterfront. Seagulls circled over the stillness of the famously restored historical site.

The Strawbery Banke Museum’s more than 40 restored buildings also includes one very unique birdhouse.

This, of course, was off-season, so nothing was open, except our imaginations, as we walked past buildings and gardens filled with the echoes of centuries past. And to think that only 50 years ago, the impulse to raze so much of historic New England, to make way for “urban development”, shopping centers, apartment buildings and the like, nearly claimed the structures that today are the heart of Portsmouth’s seafaring legacy.

Across a few lanes, Prescott Park, which in summer is alive with events nearly every day, stood witness to strollers, sitters and either people walking dogs, or dogs walking people. It was never clear.  If Portsmouth is not the most dog friendly small city in New England  I’d like to know what is. Seeing so many dogs outside put a bounce in our steps. And people all around us were smiling.

Portsmouth sidewalks are a welcome spot for dogs of all shapes and sizes.

The day itself seemed to breathe slowly, just taking its ease.  Inexorably our feet were tugged down Ceres Street, where they were forced to stop at the entrance to Annabelle’s Ice Cream, a fixture since 1982.

New Englanders enjoy more ice cream per capita than any other region. Apparently our dogs do as well.

For the Portsmouth pup, a dish of Annabelle’s ice cream is worth the wait.

The day ended perfectly six miles south at Wallis Sands State Park. Low tide, easy walking, the Isle of Shoals visible to the east as the sun slid behind the homes that lined the breakwater.  Posted signs warned no dogs on the beach. But this was a soft winter’s Sunday.. And to the dogs that scampered about as buoyant as kites, it was a birthday and Christmas, and the last day of school all rolled into one.

Wallis Sands State Park – a dog’s winter playground.

The post Winter Day Trip to Portsmouth, New Hampshire appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Downtown Kennebunk

When my husband and I took a day trip to my hometown of Kennebunk, recently, Parsons Beach was our first destination. Unlike the better known Kennebunk beaches that have a public roadway running alongside them, Parsons – a  privately owned beach off the beaten path – is sheltered, making it the perfect place to take our four-legged traveling companion, Brewski, who had been confined to the car long enough to need to run. Dark clouds hung heavy in the sky suggesting our excursion might not be dry a one, but also worked in our favor as only a handful of people were out braving the weather, allowing us to snatch up a parking space.

The rules of the beach set forth on a large sign at the head of the path leading to the shore are quite simple: Respect. Respect the land, respect the wildlife, respect the landowners. With that in mind, we let Brewski romp in the surf, sprint across the long stretch of sand, and chomp on sticks until he was the wettest, dirtiest – and most likely, smelliest – dog on the beach. A wet, dirty dog is also a tired one, so with that task out of the way, we left him in the care of my parents and headed downtown.

Parsons Beach is the perfect place to take a dog in the off-season.

We weren’t going to shop – though there are many independently-owned stores worth checking out – but to take a leisurely stroll past some of the town’s stately homes. In 1963, Kennebunk became the first town in Maine to set up a historic district, and the streets are lined with stunning examples of architectural styles that date back to the 18^th century. I’d seen them many times before, of course. They were part of my childhood landscape: I’d trundled past them on the school bus, whizzed by them on my bike, and barely noticed them by the time I was driving. Today I would really look at them.

Had this trip happened later in the season, we would have signed up for a walking tour at the Brick Store Museum. Instead, armed with a copy of their guidebook Windows on the Past, we walked up Main Street to Summer Street, equipped to identify which of the mansions that once housed Kennebunk’s merchants and sea captains were classified as Italianate, Federal, Greek Revival and Second Empire.

House styles clockwise from top left: Italianate, Second Empire, Greek Revival, and Second Empire

The most famous of Kennebunk’s historic homes is the Wedding Cake House. It sits further down Summer Street than we were planning to walk, but, if you’re in the area, it’s certainly worth a look. Legends surrounding the origin of its ornate trim are plentiful, but just that — legends. While ship builder George Washington Bourne did indeed build this house for his bride Jane Jefferds, it was not a replacement for a wedding cake they were unable to eat before their ship set sail. Nor did Jane die as a young bride at sea.

The Wedding Cake House

Once past the main cluster of historic homes, we were lured down Trackside Drive by the promise of finding treasure at Old House Parts, an architectural salvage company that specializes in parts dating from 1730 to 1930. Part retailer, part museum, there’s plenty to see there including – but certainly not limited to – myriad antique doors, doorknobs, windows, fireplace mantels, a cat with the word “joy” swirled in his fur, and one of my favorite finds – a 2000 Yankee placard from when Old House Parts Company had been featured in the article, “3 Ways to Love an Old House.”

You never know what you’ll discover at Old House Parts

Old House Parts Company president Tom Joyal is a friendly guy with a ready smile and a crackerjack memory. As is the way with small towns, when chatting with Tom about how he got started in the salvage business, the conversation eventually turned to growing up in Kennebunk. When I told him the name of the street I grew up on, he thought for a moment, snapped his fingers, and came up with my last name. Impressive. Turns out he was a classmate of my sister’s, and that fellow with him behind the counter – my 8^thgrade science teacher, Dick Beer.

Tom Joyal and Dick Beer pause for a photo at Old House Parts Company

After poking around the freight house and touring the workshop to see the beautiful, custom pieces Tom was creating from salvage, it was time to grab a very late lunch. A trip to the coast wouldn’t be complete without a lobster roll, so we returned to the car and made our way to the Landing Store. I was pleased to see that their lightly grilled rolls are packed with fresh meat and no fillers – lettuce being optional. After adding a whoopie pie to our order, we moved on to Mother’s Beach to enjoy the most casual of seaside dining experiences.

Grab lunch at the Landing Store and head to one of Kennebunk’s scenic beaches.

Before our day wound down, we managed to cram in a few more stops: to the Franciscan Monastery to walk the trails, Federal Jack’s for a beer, then to Cummings Market to pick up an Italian sandwich – don’t call it a sub – for dinner later that night.

A busy day in all – one that left us completely satisfied and blissfully dry. We’ll return to Kennebunk in summer to hit the bike trails, drop our kayaks in the water, lounge on the beach, and explore the other summer offerings.

The post A Day in Kennebunk, Maine appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

At the invitation of the newly reopened Nantucket Hotel and Resort, I was lucky enough to spend a winter weekend on Nantucket back in late January.

I set out from Keene, NH on a Friday morning, and after crossing over the Bourne bridge into the Cape (no traffic this time of year!), I made a beeline for Pain D’Avignon. Tucked down a side street next to the airport, it’s a marvelous bistro/cafe/bakery, and the ideal “last stop” before heading on to the outer Cape, Martha’s Vineyard, or Nantucket. I grabbed a coffee, baguette, and some biscotti. Yum…

After stocking up it was time to park and board the ferry, which was busier than I thought for a cold winter weekend. Despite the arctic wind on the deck, I had to venture out to snap a few photos of the chairs draped in ice. Looks cozy, doesn’t it? Brr.

Upon arriving in Nantucket, I was met at the dock by Jamie Holmes, General Manager of the hotel. In truth the hotel was so close to downtown I could have walked, but since it was a cold day and I had a suitcase, the ride was much appreciated!

Along the way, Jamie told me about the hotel’s history. It was originally opened as “The Point Breeze” in 1891, a grand hotel boasting amenities such as running water, gaslights, croquet lawns, and a ballroom — all with stunning sea views. It had weathered several highs and lows during its 122-year history, including new owners, name changes, and periods of closure, but its most recent transformation came about in 2012, when Gwenn and Mark Snider bought the property and put it through a major restoration and renovation.

Parked in front was the old-fashioned green and yellow bus the hotel uses in-season to transport guests to and from the ferries.

Inside, the sunny lobby was awash in nautical blues and whites…

…along with a nod to the island’s whaling past in a prominent spot behind the reception desk. The steampunk-style (sort of Victorian meets industrial) mechanical whale from local outfitter Steampuffin is certainly worth seeing!

The scheme in the lobby continued into my guest room, which was large and comfortable with plenty of options for seating, sleeping, and relaxing. The latter for me included taking a hot bath, digging into my Pain D’Avignon goodies (with the help of items found in the kitchenette), and curling up on the sunny window-seat/daybed (not pictured, but off to the left) the next morning to plan my day.

It turns out I didn’t have to plan much, because Jamie had already arranged for me to have breakfast in the onsite Breeze Cafe with local fisherman Charlie Sayle and his son. Because it was scallop season, we’d hoped to be able to head out onto the water to do some real scalloping, but because the temperature was so low it wasn’t possible.

After an informative breakfast (where I learned that 99% of Sayle’s bay scallops head off-island to points all over the country, and that The SeaGrille Restaurant was where I should go for the best seafood dinner) Jamie offered to take me on a guided driving tour of the island. Because it was too cold for biking and I hadn’t brought my car, I was grateful for the invitation. Nantucket isn’t enormous, but it’s still to big to see entirely on foot!

The first stop on our driving tour was Bartlett’s Farm – Nantucket’s oldest and largest family-owned farm.

Open year-round, the farm’s on-site market offers seasonal fruits and vegetables (plus a wide selection of organic foods, prepared meals, and household staples) as well as a garden center.

Above the market is a large room for the popular lectures and events that take place throughout the year. The topics range from food and nature to sustainable energy, but on the day of my visit, Tom Berry and Liz O’Connell (executive chef and executive pastry chef respectively) from the Great Harbor Yacht Club were doing a demonstration

Cisco Brewers is another year-round Nantucket institution. The brewery/distillery/winery delights drinkers region-wide, and for those on-island, no stay (or perhaps weekend) is complete without a visit for a drink, tasting, or to enjoy the frequent live music. You might also want a nip of Notch whisky, the highest rated American-made single malt according to the 2012 Whisky Bible.

Be sure to say hello to native islander Pat Wynn if he’s working!

After leaving the bar we headed out for a look at Cisco Beach. It had snowed just enough the night before that the road looked more like a white carpet than a thoroughfare.

Then it was time for a look at the island’s famous 1745 windmill before the all-important stop at Downyflake Doughnuts, a top family restaurant/doughnut draw for both locals and visitors since the 1940′s.

After Jamie and I enjoyed our doughnut each, it was time to check out Sankaty Lighthouse, which looked picture-perfect thanks to the fresh snow.

As we continued to drive along east, Jamie pointed out a large, grey-shingled, gabled, oceanfront home that looked different from the rest, meaning it wasn’t meticulously maintained. In fact, it looked abandoned, like a Nantucket version of a haunted house. I’d love to know more about who owns it and why it’s not lived in…

Up next we drove through the village of Siasconset (or ‘Sconset), with its tightly clustered cottages (wee little things compared to the ship captain houses downtown and large mansions scattered elsewhere on the island), many which used to be fishing shacks.

And then, circling back towards town we made a stop at Charlie Sayle’s retail and takeout spot — Sayle’s Seafood.

Here, the lovely Angela gave us a peek at the day’s scallops, along with a look at a waving (unfortunate) 5 1/2 pound lobster.

After wishing the lobster godspeed, we headed for Brant Point Lighthouse, which was established all the way back in 1746…

…and then made a quick stop at Steps Beach, which is accessed by a narrow path between two private houses, so the path is marked (like many others) with a “Public Way” marker to let you know you’re not trespassing.

Even in winter, the view is stunning.

Finally, we stopped to admire the Jethro Coffin House, known as the “Oldest House” because it is the sole surviving structure from the island’s original seventeenth-century English settlement. It was built as a wedding gift in 1686 for Jethro Coffin and Mary Gardner, and has been owned since 1923 by the Nantucket Historical Association.

In 1987 the house was struck by lightning and nearly cut in half, but was carefully restored by the NHA. Historic properties find they are in very loving and admiring hands on Nantucket, which makes the island an especially beautiful and interesting one to visit for those of us looking for more than a peek into the past.

The tour over, I thanked Jamie for his hospitality and headed to my room, but as night fell, I couldn’t resist a walk downtown. Lit up inside, the quaint and snug shops on Main Street shone from the inside out like dollhouses, their light spilling onto the cobblestone streets below.

On Sunday morning, I stopped in at the Petticoat Row Bakery for coffee and an enormous slice of bread pudding before setting out on a walk. The bread pudding at Petticoat Row is more bread than pudding, and after tasting a sample I asked what was in it. The answer was “whatever is left over at the end of the day.” My slice was spicy and fragrant, like carrot cake mixed with cinnamon and vanilla and anise. Yum!

Despite the chilly weather, icy patches (ouch), scattered snow, and bare branches, downtown Nantucket still managed to look inviting.

Iconic images are everywhere — from whales and whitewashed churches to classic cars and Murray’s Toggery Shop, official supplier of “Nantucket Reds” since 1945.

While many shops and restaurants are closed for the off-season, plenty remain open — often with bargain menus or rock-bottom sales to make way for new merchandise before the spring season starts. The Starlight Theatre and Cafe offers both cozy meals and movies, making it the perfect winter night out.

The newly opened Dreamland Theater is another option for movies, plays, and other entertainment.

Of course, if you want to head back to your room to curl up with a good book, the island has you covered there as well. Mitchell’s Book Corner on Main Street is open-year round, along with my favorite Nantucket book shop — Nantucket Bookworks.

With creaky floors, bright colors, and colorful scattered hooked rugs (most with whale motifs), the books, toys, gifts, and cards at Bookworks give you plenty to look at while you warm up.

If it’s open, you should (of course) also visit the superb Nantucket Whaling Museum. It wasn’t open when I visited, but you can see what I thought in another Nantucket post — Budget Weekend on Nantucket.

After browsing my way through downtown, I headed for a small patch of beach to hunt for scallop shells. The harbor shore had frozen in a natural wave pattern, which reminded me of childhood stories where a character touches another and he turns to stone. It was as if one moment the wave was lapping the shore, and the next, it was frozen in an icy crust.

Still, there were plenty of beautiful scallop shells to gather — some trapped under ice that I gently pried up with the toe of my sneaker so I could get to them. I think I gathered roughly 20 shells to take home for a future craft project. Scallop shell success!

And despite the cold weather, I was (of course) not alone on the beach…

The ducks had found where the water still flowed and rippled near the dock, and they swam and bobbed underwater in the sunshine.

I tossed them my bread pudding crumbs before heading back to the hotel to gather up my things. My winter weekend on Nantucket was over, but I hope it’s only a matter of time before I’ll be back on ACK!

Looks like the ducks hope so, too.

The post Winter Weekend on Nantucket appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

The Kanc, as its locally known, is very popular in the summer, with numerous swimming holes, waterfalls, hiking trails and campgrounds along the marathon-lengthed highway. Its fame, though, is garnered from the autumn colors which concentrate along the corridor, and visitors come from all over the world to leaf-peep along the route.

I vividly remember my first trip across the Kancamagus Highway shortly after moving to New Hampshire. It wasn’t in summer or autumn, though I’ve since spent a great deal of time exploring it’s length during those seasons as well. It was spring, on a warm day in mid-May, right in the heart of the unheralded season of mud and bugs, and even though flowers were in bloom at low elevations, I was amazed to find an impressive pack of snow at the 2850 ft Kancamagus Pass. For someone in the process of moving up from New Jersey, this was quite the novelty.

The Kancamagus Highway receives a lot of snow each year. The first snowfall usually occurs before the leaves have fully fallen, and the last snowfall may not occur until Memorial Day. Winter is long along this road, but it is well maintained, and opportunities for winter recreation abound for cross country skiers, snowshoers, hikers, photographers, as well as the causal visitor.

A recommended first stop on your journey across the Kanc in winter is the US Forest Service Ranger station just west of the town of Conway, where you can get information on the latest conditions along the road, as well as maps highlighting the many sites to explore on your journey.

Snow on the Swift River

From there, heading west, the first stretch of the Kanc is low and level, and follows the boulder strewn Swift River, choked with green and blue ice. After a few miles, you come to the first must-see site at the Albany Covered Bridge. In all other seasons, the bridge is open for traffic, allowing travelers to connect to the Passaconaway Road, which would take you back east to North Conway. In winter though, the road is closed and the bridge is gated to cars, leaving it snow covered and quintessentially quaint.

Albany Covered Bridge

Across the bridge lies the eastern terminus of the Nanomocomuck Cross Country Ski Trail, which follows the Swift River upstream on the opposite bank of the Kanc for seven miles to Bear Notch Road. The trail is quite popular, easy to follow and well tracked out by skiers and snowshoers there to take in the fantastic views of the mountains over the river.

There are many other great places to strap on the snowshoes and cross country skis before the road begins to climb in elevation at around the halfway point. Another scenic and popular ski trail loops from the Oliverian Brook Trailhead, and at scenic Rocky Gorge, you can find another access to the Nanomocomuck.

Views from the Oliverian Brook Ski Trail

Other areas to explore on the eastern Kanc include Lower Falls, a popular summer swimming hole that offers amazing opportunities for icy roadside exploration in winter, and further west, at the Sabbaday Trailhead begins an easy one mile round trip trek to a short gorge, beautiful blue pool, and unbelievable ice formations. And for those looking for a real challenge and a full day’s hike, the Champney Falls Trail will take you all the way to the top of popular Mount Chocorua.

Ice at Sabbaday Falls

Just beyond the entrance to Sabbaday Falls, the highway begins to climb in elevation and the views from the road become more distant. Not all of the overlooks are plowed in winter, and that may be just as well. The weather at the pass is often blustery, even on the calmest days at lower elevations, and snow showers can develop even on sunny days in the valleys.

The trip down from the pass puts you in the heart of a rugged area of the White Mountains, as high peaks tower above the winding road for a few miles back down to the level. Just before the Kanc leaves the National Forest, the large, Lincoln-Woods Trailhead, just outside of the town of Lincoln allows access to much of this great wilderness surrounding you.

Views from Kancamagus Pass

The trip across the Kancamagus Highway in winter can take as little as 45 minutes, or you could spend a whole day exploring its hidden treasures. The trailheads along the highway offer access to hundreds of miles of hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails that take you to viewpoints and waterfalls. There are opportunities for activities for anyone willing to brave a winter day to explore.

But my favorite part about the Kanc?

Ending in either the towns of Conway and Lincoln or North Conway and North Woodstock and enjoying the charms of these mountain towns after a wonderful day in the New England wilderness!

The post Driving the Kancamagus Highway in Winter appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

All roads lead to the town dock…

All roads lead to the Town Dock and the adjacent Connecticut River Museum, which was once a historic 1878 warehouse. Today the museum remains a touchstone for the town, hosting exhibits, eagle tours, and special events that draw young and old to its sprawling lawn at the water’s edge.

Entrance to the museum, with the river beyond

On Main Street, village shops and early Colonial and Federal-era homes jostle side by side. A short stroll quickly reveals why Essex was named the “Perfect Small American Town” in 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Another guidebook names Essex #1 on its list of “The 100 Best Small Towns in America.”

Ooh, what a pretty Main Street…

Everyone knows the Griswold Inn, fondly known as “The Gris,” which has been welcoming travelers since 1776.

The Griswold Inn has been welcoming travelers since 1776

Could there be a more iconic Tap Room? With live music throughout the week, five dining rooms, historical menus, and a trendy Wine Bar, The Gris plays host to a range of appetites. Folks plan weekends around the inn’s famous Hunt Breakfast on Sunday.

The inn’s historic Tap Room

The view across the street from the Griswold Inn seems out of another century.

Across the street, Goods & Curiosities sells gifts with a historic theme

And if you’re looking for somewhere to roost, this beauty on Main Street is currently offered by Sotheby’s. Check out the birdhouse.

Further down Main Street: Historic birdhouse for sale, house included…

Post holiday, these Main Street pups still look pretty jaunty.

Post holiday, these pups still look jolly…

Up and down Main Street, you’ll find plenty of places to duck in out of the cold. Like the Black Seal, for seafood; Olive Oyl‘s for creative takeout, and Essex Coffee & Tea for pastries and cappuccino. Shoppers can spend their doubloons at The French Hen, Toys Ahoy, and The Christmas Barn. Still more temptations open up on North Main Street — Truffle Shots and Weekend Kitchen, oh my.

In fact, there’s a bit of a dog theme (this guy hangs out at Essex Coffee & Tea)

It doesn’t always end well…

The best way to discover this “Perfect Small Town,” is on foot. Sidewalks wind past historic homes snugged up against each other, leading down to the harbor in one direction, or north, out of the village onto wide, tree-lined avenues that spill into parks and conservation land.

Fourteen miles of sidewalks invite strolling

Peaceful views invite frequent detours off Main Street…

…with frequent detours to the water

…although it hasn’t always been so quiet. In 1814, the British sneaked up the river and burned 27 ships in Essex harbor. This event, historians say, rallied the Americans to eventually defeat the British during the War of 1812. Each May, Essex remembers it all, in a parade led by fife and drum corps dressed in period clothing, who march through the village streets before winding up at the museum, where hundreds gather for a day of festivities.

At other times of the year, the Museum hosts such singular events as the wildly popular Holiday Train Show, a massive, 26-foot model train layout created by Steve Cryan, now in its 20th year.

Steve Cryan lands a helicopter!

Is there such a place as the perfect small town? Essex (which also comprises the villages of Ivoryton and Centerbrook) would say ‘yes there is.’

It’s there in the details…

…pauses to appreciate the details…

…and in the larger, lovely landscape of a harbor village steeped in history.

…and a final look across the water

The post Historic Essex Village -The Perfect Small Town appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

I have a family connection to Fort Myers that keeps me coming back – my Massachusetts-born cousin Jaime and her Mississippi-born husband Ben live there with their two small daughters. While I hate that she’s so far away, it does sweeten the pot when I can temporarily leave the snowy, cold New England winter behind for a few days and escape down to Florida for a sunny, warm visit – which is exactly what I did this year.

From my own experience and their suggestions, I’ve put together a list of some Fort Myers Musts to keep in mind for your own visit. Let’s head to Florida!

Opened in March 2012, the 11,000-seat JetBlue park (Go Sox!) contains many of the trademarks from Boston’s Fenway Park, including a 37-foot Green Monster wall in left field with a restored version of the manual scoreboard that was previously housed at Fenway. The field dimensions are also identical. Games start in February so check out the schedule and grab your tickets!

Norman Love Confections is next door to JetBlue Park, and if you’ve got a sweet tooth, you won’t want to miss it. For sale are wide assortment of gourmet truffles, along with premium coffee and a newly opened gelateria, serving Italian artisan gelato, French crepes, Belgian waffles, and other sweet treats.

Flavors Clockwise: Peaches and Cream, Vanilla Cupcake, Coconut, Hazelnut Praline, Pumpkin Pie, Tiramisu

On a healthier note, the large artificial orange outside Sun Harvest Citrus is a beacon for both tourists and local citrus-lovers alike. Equal parts fruit stand, tourist shop, bakery, and post office, Sun Harvest is the perfect place to stock up on postcards, gifts, toys, specialty food items, souvenirs, muffins, juice, and yes…oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, and tangelos.

Helpful staff are on hand for gift orders, which is a good idea, since bringing home bags of fruit yourself adds significant luggage weight. I learned this the hard way…

Free juice samples are a welcome treat, as are the jumbo muffins and pastries for sale in the display case. They offer fresh smoothies and soft-serve ice cream, too.

Once you’ve had your citrus fix, jump in the car and head to Sanibel Island, widely touted as the best spot for seashell gathering in the country (if not the world).

It was a hot day and I was grateful for the soda machine, which, after several tries, finally gave up a few bottles of water.

Sandy paths and wooden bridges lead the way to the beach, sometimes crossing over kayakers. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife!

Then finally — the beach!

Sanibel’s beaches are truly littered (in the best sense of the word) with seashells. They don’t call it the “Sanibel Stoop” for nothing — scanning the beach for seashells will have you hunched over for hours if you let it! Choose a few souvenirs, but first make sure your shells are no longer home to any sea creature.

After enjoying the sun and gathering as many shells as your pockets can hold, stick around to enjoy a perfect sherbet-colored sunset, or grab a bite on the island before heading back to Fort Myers.

Back on the mainland, don’t pass up downtown Fort Myers, which has maintained or restored much its historic charm, including period architecture and brick-lined streets and sidewalks perfect for strolling. Popular events include an Art Walk the first Friday of each month and Music Walk the third Friday of each month.

Shopaholics will find everything on their list (plus things that aren’t) at the Bell Tower Shops, Tanger Outlets, or Miromar Outlets in nearby Estero with over 140 top designer and brand name shops. Golf-lovers will also rejoice — the area has dozens of courses, ranking it high nationally in the number of golf holes per capita according to the National Golf Foundation.

Families will love visiting Lakes Park, with its seasonal farmers market, lakeside paved trails, birdwatching, an old steam locomotive, boat and bike rentals (the latter seating up to 4), and kid-friendly water park and miniature train ride.

History buffs can head to the Edison and Ford Winter Estates on the banks of the Caloosahatchee, the historical museum and accompanying 17 acres of botanical gardens on the sister sites of the winter retreats of the famous inventors and friends.

Naturally, all of this sightseeing will really work up an appetite…

There are many dining options in the Fort Myers area, but here are some of the places I’ve been to or that come with promising reviews.

A colorful salad from Jason’s Deli and ice cold bottle of ginger ale and quesadillas from the Island Cow kept me going on my last trip to Fort Myers.

Bennett’s Fresh Roast offers (as their name implies) fresh roasted coffee and hand cut from-scratch donuts along with soups, paninis, and sandwiches. Need I say more? Start your day at Bennett’s and never look back!

Jason’s Deli is a chain throughout the southern and some central parts of the country, and I wish (I wish!) they would make their way to New England! A real crowd-pleaser of a place, Jason’s has an enormous deli menu along with a first-class salad bar. With an emphasis on organic and no trans-fats, high fructose corn syrup, or MSG anywhere on the menu, you can feel good about stopping at Jason’s for lunch.

Fat Katz Sports Bistro a bit south of the city took care of our large group under an outdoor covered patio. My veggie burger was homemade and chock full of grains and veggies, alongside crispy, salty hand-cut fries. Word of warning, have backup selections at the ready — they were out of several things listed on the menu.

The large menu at The Island Cow on Sanibel Island truly offers something for everyone in a casual, colorful indoor/outdoor setting, often with live music. Seafood, burgers, pasta, sandwiches, and more.

Ford’s Garage is great new spot for burgers and craft beers in a hip downtown setting. Bonus points for the vintage Model A Ford car hanging from the ceiling, and door handles and bathroom faucets designed to look like filling station gas nozzles.

The Firestone Grill, Martini Bar, and Sky Lounge recently opened downtown and is perfect for a night out, boasting four floors of food, drinks, and fun with the only waterfront rooftop bar in town.

Am I missing anything? Add your contributions to A New Englander’s Guide to Fort Myers, Florida in the comments section, and think warm Florida weather thoughts for an early New England spring!

Special thanks to Jaime and Ben for their help with this list!

The post A New Englander’s Guide to Fort Myers, Florida appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

A country lane leads to the Mason town line, then the quietest 3-way intersection you’ll ever find, and the entrance to Pickity Place.

In the 1940s, the Caldecott Award–winning illustrator and writer Elizabeth Orton Jones (1910–2005) bought herself a little cottage in Mason with the proceeds from her first book, Twig. When she was called upon by Little Golden Books to illustrate the 1948 edition of Little Red Riding Hood, she drew inspiration for the art from the nearby red Cape-style house that is Pickity Place today. Knowing that, the owners have fun with the property’s brush with fame. Peek into “Grandmother’s Bedroom.”  It’s decked out like a page from the storybook. The “wolf” in residence may look ferocious, but the resident cats know better, and often curl right up with him in the bed.

Nothing to fear here, my dear.

The 1948 Little Red Riding Hood story, illustrated by Eliz. Orton Jones.

Pickity Place is open year-round, and every day except major holidays. In the summer, bees, butterflies, and birds zip from blossom to blossom, and the meandering brick pathways connecting the extensive gardens and open lawn are filled with visitors enjoying the surroundings. In the winter, fresh tracks in the snow indicate that only the deer have been investigating the grounds. But the stillness in the air is refreshing, and you may find yourself speaking in a whisper as you walk from building to building, just to preserve the quiet.

The herb shop is chock-full of gift items, aromatic scents, baking mixes, kitchen accents, gourmet goodies, and treats for your pet.

Pay a visit to the gift shop on your visit.

Purchase a few well-priced spices or pick up a hostess gift for your next evening out, and then make your way over to the dining entrance to take part in one of three daily luncheon seatings. (Even on a Monday in January, the restaurant had several guests. Reserve in advance, no matter the time of year.) The five-course meal is an inventive menu, and each month offers something new, depending on what’s in season.  Herbs and seasonings grown right on the property enhance each entrée.

The January menu begins with a smoked paprika spread and crackers, followed by piping-hot, creamy broccoli soup, alongside honey–molasses bread with ginger butter. Next up, a colorful Southwestern-style toasted-corn salad. Select either baked and stuffed chicken saltimbocca or butternut-squash lasagna for your entrée, and top it all off with the delicious crème caramel.

The entrance to the dining room; creme caramel and chicken saltimbocca.

Courses are presented at a comfortable pace. Sample it all, and if you clean your plate, make like Rosemary, one of the resident cats …

Rosemary the cat enjoys a sunny window ledge set directly above a warm radiator.

… Head home, curl up in a warm room, and take a nap.

Want a special treat?  Reserve a table at Pickity Place’s upcoming event: a Valentine’s Day dinner by candlelight.

The post Travel | Little Red Riding Hood’s “Pickity Place” in Mason, NH appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Between the gas lamps, the cobblestone streets, and the slate-roofed Federal style townhouses, the neighborhood does appear to have been built by a team of set designers. In these streets, the world’s perception of Boston as a patrician, bookish, history-minded place is distilled into something like proof. But there’s no denying its beauty and romance. I’ve lived in Boston for just about 15 years and a walk through these streets always makes me fall in love with my home all over again. Come along…

If you’re driving in from out of town, drive down Charles Street to see if you can park at a metered space (I usually have good luck). Alternately, you can park at the underground Boston Common Garage. If you’re traveling by T, get off at the Charles/MGH stop.

There’s lots to see on Charles Street, the  main commercial drag…

…but I like to start on the side streets. It’s a compact-enough area that you can’t get lost or wander too far, and you’ll come across all kinds of unexpected treasures. For example: The homeowners of Beacon Hill don’t have large yards to maintain, so they focus all their effort on window boxes, urns, and small pocket gardens. A whole cottage industry of floral designers is kept afloat by this one zip code. This makes for abundant eye candy on every side street.

Even the doorways are beautiful.

Notice the purple glass in the windows below? In the early 1800s, glass windowpanes containing excess manganese were installed all over the neighborhood. Over time, the element began to turn purple as it reacted with sunlight. The faulty panes are now something of a status symbol.

Some of the grandest homes can be found on Mount Vernon Street (which, incidentally, is a citywide magnet on Halloween, famous for its over-the-top decorations).

Louisburg Square, a private square bordered by early 19th Century Georgian houses, is currently home to John Kerry and Teresa Heinz, and the former address of William Dean Howells and the Alcott family (including daughter Louisa May).

Time to get back to Charles Street with its charming shops, cafes, and restaurants. For a glass of wine and delicious tapas, I love to stop at Bin 26 Enoteca.

For lunch, I go to Beacon Hill Bistro at the far end of Charles, near the Public Garden. It has the look and feel of a Parisian eatery.

For shopping, you can peruse toys and clothes at The Red Wagon…

…buy the perfect hostess gift and cute jewelry at Flat of the Hill…

I was so charmed by these figurines made by the Petersen family of Carlisle, Massachusetts. Called Wee Forest Folk, they’re available at Blackstone’s.

Other favorites: Wish, for women’s clothing, Devonia for browsing antique china, and Savenor’s for delicious meat, produce, and gourmet foods.

Last of all, I have to share my favorite house in all of Boston, Sunflower Castle, located at 130 Mount Vernon Street, at the corner of River Street. This Queen Anne gem is the former home of the artist Gertrude Beals Bourne and the architect Frank Bourne, who gave the house its name. It is now on the market for a mere $4,495,000.

There’s so much more to see here—the Nichols House Museum, the State House, the African Meeting House—but these are just a few of the places that make my heart sing.

The post Beacon Hill, Boston appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

The range contains some of the highest mountains in New England, which tower above surrounding valleys to heights where trees can no longer grow.  As the snow begins to pile up, and the rime ice accrues on the barren summits, there is nothing to interrupt the vast sea of white shining against the bright blue winter sky.

No mountain stands out more so than Mount Washington, with its impressive height of 6,288 feet, its distinct shape, and its formidable reputation.  You can plainly see its ghostly profile from the coast of Maine, from the mountains of Massachusetts, and even from the Adirondacks some 130 miles away.  But the peak is much more impressive close up, in towns like North Conway and Jackson New Hampshire, in a region of New Hampshire simply known locally as the Mount Washington Valley.

Mount Washington and the Mount Washington Valley

Mount Washington is world renowned as the ‘Home of the World’s Worst Weather,’ a claim that aids in its appeal as one of the most popular tourism draws in the region.  In summer, more than 250,000 people ascend its slopes, on foot, by car or even by train, to sample a landscape and climate similar to the arctic tundra.   In winter, the visitors total just a few thousand hardy adventurers.

You don’t need to ascend the mountain in winter though to get a feel for its power, history, beauty and mystique.  You can safely watch in awe as the light and weather changes over the peak from the surrounding valleys, or experience a small taste of it in nearby notches or on adjacent mountains.

View of Mount Washington’s Eastern Slopes Above the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center

East of the mountain, Pinkham Notch in the White Mountain National Forest offers a true wilderness experience, with lots of short hikes on the lower slopes of Mount Washington.  The AMC’s Pinkham Notch Visitor Center offers rustic lodging, great food, a gift shop, and advice for both short walks and ambitious hikes.  Also in the notch, Wildcat Mountain offers an exceptional view and classic New England skiing, on a neighboring peak that climbs to 4000 feet.  From nearly anywhere on their trails you can watch for skiers and ice climbers in the ravines on Mount Washington’s grand eastern slopes.

On the western side of the mountain, the Bretton Woods Resort offers a view of the steep slopes of Washington from anywhere on their property, and you can cross country ski, snowshoe, sleigh ride, zipline or snowboard in the shadow of the impressive peak.  And after a fun day of winter activities, there’s nothing like watching the warm alpenglow at sunset from the comfort of the Mount Washington Hotel.

View of the Presidential Range From Bretton Woods

For those wishing for a more up close look, the Mount Washington Auto Road will take you to treeline on Mount Washington in their winter ready vans, retrofitted with tracks instead of tires.  The steep mountain road is a thrill in summer, but a snowtracked trek definitely ups the excitement even more.

The height of adventure in winter though resides at the top of the mountain, where the Mount Washington Observatory maintains a scientific outpost, observing the extreme weather year round. The scientists at the top work an eight day shift, living and working in some of the harshest conditions on Earth, and they offer opportunities to visit, and even spend the night on the peak!

A Mount Washington Observatory Adventure Begins With a Snowcat Ride

An Observatory Summit Trip begins in Pinkham Notch, where you board a snowcat which ferries you to the summit where you will find modest accommodations and a winter experience like no other, either for a day trip or overnight. An average winter day on the peak will hover around five degrees, with winds averaging fifty miles per hour, and regularly exceeding hurricane force.  The peak is a snow lover’s dream, and though they’re not everyone’s idea of a comfortable getaway, the trips are always filled.

An Observatory Scientist Surveys the Scene From the Summit

Mount Washington has been calling adventurers for years to challenge its slopes and conquer its summit.  Today, adventure has been leveled, but excitement still abounds.  With so many ways to enjoy the legendary mountain, perhaps an adventure of your own is in your future!

The post Winter on Mount Washington appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

On a recent Saturday, as Boston was absorbing a full on crush of holiday shoppers, my wife and I took our son, Calvin, to Boston for a visit to the New England Aquarium. Crowds greeted us there, too, of course, but the throngs of families seemed much more manageable than say what awaited us at Faneuil Hall.

Funky colored fish, something the New England Aquarium has featured since first opening its doors in 1969, helped. We, meaning the parents, issued a lot of “oohs” and “ahhhs” at the sight of say, the Little Blue Penguins, the exotic Lion Fish, and the rather elegant Moon Jelly fish.

All this despite the fact that the New England Aquarium is undergoing some extensive renovations. Gone was the multistory and iconic Giant Ocean Tank, which is undergoing a $17 million overhaul.  Absent, too, was the lineup of African penguins that have become a hallmark at the aquarium.

A disappointment? Perhaps. But there’s still plenty to see (more than 800 creatures, in fact) and the aquarium has adjusted ticket prices during the construction work. Renovations are scheduled to be completed by early summer. But, really, if you have the time, there’s no need to wait until then to spend a Saturday at the New England Aquarium.

A pre-visit drink. With all the excitement around his first visit to the aquarium, Calvin knew it was going to be important to stay hydrated.

Entrance to the New England Aquarium. Saturdays often finds the place packed with families and this day was no exception.

The fun begins even before you actually enter the aquarium. Just beyond the ticket offices sits the first exhibit: a roving, curious group of sea lions. Calvin loved them.

With the Giant Ocean Tank under wraps, the centerpiece that greets visitors is the penguin pool, which currently serves as the home to some 800 different creatures, including green and loggerhead sea turtles, moray eels and dozens of species of small tropical fish.

No doubt the most talkative residents at the Aquarium, we finally had to say goodbye this pair of seals after Calvin insisted on joining them in the water and started pressing his lips against the heavily handled glass in front of him.

Is he king of the sea? Hardly, but this Lionfish certainly captivated our attention, as did many other of the New England Aquarium's exotic creatures.

Lemonpeel Angelfish

Longfin Bannerfish

Pacific Sea Nettle

The post Saturday at the New England Aquarium appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Theodore Lyman, a Bostonian, had enjoyed success in his trade and shipbuilding businesses, and was looking to spend some of that hard-earned cash on a grand Federal-style summer home. By 1793 he’d secured enough acreage in Waltham to build “The Vale,” known around town as simply “The Lyman Estate.” The estate encompassed 400 acres at one point, but just 37 acres remain today.

The Lyman Estate is open for tours on the third Saturday of each month.

Lyman, like many men of means in this time period, was enthusiastic about gardening and horticulture, so he built greenhouses along with the mansion. To have fresh produce in winter—very chic. The Lyman greenhouses were expanded over the years and housed rare and exotic plants as well as roses and other flowers meant for cutting arrangements.  Today, these are believed to be the oldest working greenhouses in the country. Indeed, the staff still grows grapes obtained from cuttings acquired in the 1800s, hundreds of varieties of orchids, and a mix of citrus plants. Come winter, the century-old camellia blooms in shades of red, white, and pink, providing much-needed color. Pop in here to feel the warmth of the sun-baked bricks and see the flowering displays. The greenhouses are open year-round and are chock-full of plants for sale.

The bougainvillea, housed in the Grapery section of the greenhouses, offers bright blooms much of the year.

The peach wall extends beyond the end of the greenhouses and was used for growing fruit tress in the espalier style. The brick absorbed the sun’s heat, which was transferred to the plants for added warmth.

The Lyman Estate was enlarged and renovated through the years. The changes were influenced by what was popular in the moment, so the 1882 expansion was done in the Victorian style, while the 1917 renovation is indicative of Colonial Revival influence. The Lyman family and descendants enjoyed the property up until 1952, when it was then entrusted to Historic New England. It’s become an event venue while in the organization’s care. With wide hallways (you could walk four abreast), elaborate moldings and chandeliers, and a ballroom with tall windows overlooking the lush grounds, it’s built for entertaining. Take note of the then-trendy “Oval Parlor” when you visit. The closet doors were steamed in order to make them pliable enough to mold into a seamless fit with the bowed wall. In fact, both the parlor and the ballroom remain true to the home’s original Federal style.

By all accounts, the Lymans were a close family, and when the second generation came into ownership, the land was sectioned off to let the children build homes in Waltham, too.  Lydia Lyman married social reformer Robert Treat Paine, and the home they built, Stonehurst, is less than a mile farther up the road. Though now owned by the city, it still feels remote, with no other homes in view. Completed in 1886, Stonehurst boasts the design collaboration of architect Henry Hobson Richardson and famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The wooded trails throughout the 109-acre property are exceptionally well maintained, with some so wide and level that they’re even wheelchair accessible. The trails are pet-friendly, too—on the day we visited, most hikers had a leashed dog in tow.

Stonehurst is open for guided tours by appointment.

The grounds of Stonehurst offer wooded trails, distant views, and an expansive lawn.

The next stop before dusk was Gore Place. The brick estate of former governor Christopher Gore, also from Boston, served as his family’s rural retreat and working farm when it was built in 1806 (this home sports a fashionable “Oval Room” as well). The place continues to house goats, sheep, chickens, and pigs as would’ve been found in the early 19th century. To protect the flock, there’s one modern addition to the farm: a llama.  It’s a beauty (though it eluded my camera) and very protective of the smaller animals.

Scenes from the farm and lush grounds of historic Gore Place.

If you make the rounds to all three of these historic properties and still have energy to spare, download maps of the six walking paths downtown. The maps were developed by Let’s Move Waltham in an effort to promote good health in the community, and pathways are well-marked and often scenic.  For each city trek, the distance and even the estimated calorie burn are noted.

The Granite Pillar marks the entrance to the Riverwalk Downstream which takes you along the Charles River.

All this activity is sure to work up an appetite. With the number of restaurants along Moody and Main Streets, you won’t go hungry. In a Pickle gets rave reviews for lunch (if you’re willing to wait for a table), as does Tom Can Cook. But it was the sun-filled Café on the Corner that drew us in with a wide selection of coffee, teas, pastries, and sandwiches.

So, there you have it: Country retreats, exotic plants, walking trails, and natural beauty aren’t lost to Waltham’s past. They’re all still here awaiting your exploration.

The post Exploring Waltham, Massachusetts appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Beinecke's rare books include a Gutenberg...

I’m not saying New Haven is magical, but it’s definitely a bit mysterious. The folks who live here are fierce in their devotion, fans in the extreme. And their city is complex in that way that interesting wine tends to be, holding something in reserve, audacious then subtle, and finally, a surprise in store.

Here’s what most people know about New Haven: it’s the home of Yale University. The school’s prestigious roots date back to the 1640s; famous alums include Meryl Streep, Bill and Hilary, the Pres. Bushes, and Anderson Cooper. It’s also home to Skull & Bones, a secret petri dish of future movers and shakers, plus, surprisingly, Paul Giamatti. The school radiates out from the historic New Haven Green, like a sun pulsing out into the cosmos.

Medieval splendor

The college is a knockout, its various schools quilted together into a medieval tapestry of towers, slate roofs, inner courtyards, and wrought-iron gates. The first night, after checking in at The Study at Yale, a pretty boutique hotel nearby, we went for a stroll. Following on the heels of a few students, we slipped inside a wide, hushed courtyard. Clang. Explored the alcoves and then tried to exit the other side. We were locked in—literally on the inside looking out—until a student came along and released us. Out on the sidewalk, a young woman swooped alongside, jittery and animated…a poet…could she recite a poem…if we liked it…?

Lower Chapel Street's intriguing shopping...

It’s the paradox of New Haven, and it’s what makes this city lively and unusual. There’s freshness and grit and tradition here, stewing and fermenting all together. There’s fine dining, creative shopping, and an exciting burst of urban renewal at the bottom of Chapel Street, where startup dreams are blossoming. All of it anchored by blue-blood tradition that dates to this country’s infancy (a charming Eddie Redmayne look-alike toured us through the campus and its stunning Beinecke Rare Book Library).

Speaking of good food, there’s loads of it. Miya’s Sushi, the first sustainable sushi restaurant in the world, is a treat (Bestu James Bondo Ever Roll!). Claire’s Corner Copia has been a beacon of organic goodness since 1975, a spot where Jodie Foster could feel as at home as the generations of Yalies who’ve devoured Claire’s Lithuanian Coffee Cake.

Thinking about it at the Yale Art Gallery

Scattered amongst these touchstones are glittering gems and diamonds in the rough, but at least one treasure sums up the paradox that is New Haven. The Yale University Art Gallery is a feast of Impressionism, medieval art, African treasures, and relics from the ancient world. You can wander through Pollocks and Picassos, or linger over Van Gogh’s Night Café. Take your time. Come back the next day. Or the day after that. In fact, you can come back as often as you like. This magic is free.

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The post Nuances of New Haven appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Taking place each year on the second weekend in December, the self-guided tour for enrolled participants runs from 11 to 4 on both Saturday and Sunday, stretching from Harts Location to Chocorua, NH. Each of this year’s thirteen participating inns will be opening their doors and offering fabulous holiday treats and decorating ideas to get you in the holiday spirit, set against the beautiful backdrop of the Mt. Washington valley. You’ll take away recipe cards from each inn so you can recreate your favorite treats at home, and once you’re done visiting each stop, you’ll also receive a brass snowflake ornament to take home and put on your own tree. Participants that opt for the lodging package can also rest their heads each night at one of the inns, and enjoy a full breakfast in the morning.

I was delighted to have the opportunity to participate in the 2011 Inn to Inn Cookie Tour. My sugar rush kicked off at the Riverbend Inn in Chocorua, where I was also staying for the evening. After checking in, I joined the throngs of fellow cookie-goers to admire the Christmas decorations and sample the inn’s treats.

The Riverbend Inn

While I believe each inn is only required to serve one signature cookie or treat, many serve two or three, and sometimes even more than that. You won’t ever be hungry — trust me.

Hopping into my car, I set out to visit the next inn (and then the next), sampling cookies and getting decoration ideas for my own holiday home. Sometimes I even spotted some familiar books on the sitting room shelves.

The Brass Heart Inn

There were cozy fires at nearly every stop. None of the inns are more than 15 minutes driving away from one another, and many are much closer than that.

Inside the Brass Heart Inn

The Inn at Crystal Lake in Eaton was hosting a holiday craft fair in addition to welcoming cookie-goers, making it a busy and fun stop.

The Inn at Crystal Lake featured an animal tree and a slew of cookies.

Then it was back on the road, which wasn’t a bad thing when the views were so pretty.

Entering the White Mountain National Forest with stunning views.

The high-altitude Darby Field Inn offered especially lovely dining views.

The Darby Field Inn

They also had several yummy cookies to keep me energized.

Okay, fine...I'll try all three.

In North Conway, I first stopped at the wreathed Eastman Inn.

The Eastman Inn

Their homemade peppermint marshmallows and rich peanut butter treats left me thirsty — time for hot chocolate!

Just down the road was The 1785 Inn.

The 1785 Inn

It might be on a busy road in a bustling downtown, but inside everything is all 18th century, with cozy dining rooms and large fireplaces to keep things warm.

Wooden beams add to the cozy colonial charm of the 1785 Inn dining rooms.

Some dining views were mountainous indeed.

The 1785 Inn

The nearby Glen Oaks Inn in Intervale was also decked out for the holidays — look at that “Merry Christmas” tree topper!

Glen Oaks Inn

The cheerful Old Red Inn and Cottages in North Conway draw visitors with their main inn…

Old Red Inn and Cottages

But the cottages (and the inn’s overall brightness and warmth) are also a nice perk for families or those looking for extra privacy.

Old Red Inn and Cottages

When I left the Old Red Inn and Cottages it was getting close to 4 pm, so I brushed the cookie crumbs off my sweater and headed back towards the Riverbend Inn to sleep off my sugar coma. In the morning, innkeepers Jerry Weiss and Craig Cox cooked up a delicious breakfast to get my day started right. Served in their beautiful dining room, the poached pear in yogurt with granola was heavenly, as was the french toast that followed. Nothing like more sugar on an already sweet weekend!

Delicious breakfast and warm hospitality at the Riverbend Inn

Heading back through North Conway for my final stops gave me additional lovely views of Mount Washington.

Main Street in North Conway, NH

The Inn at Ellis River in Jackson was not only warm and cozy, it also served my favorite cookie of the weekend! Their White Mountain Mudslide Cookies were irresistible thanks to hints of Irish Cream Liquer and Irish Whiskey, plus cappuccino chips and bittersweet chocolate drizzle. Yum.

The Inn at Ellis River

Finally, I made my way up the winding road to the secluded Notchland Inn in Hart’s Location, where I was greeted (as are most guests) by one of the inn’s two friendly Bernese Mountain Dogs, as well as the elegant and beautiful rooms the Notchland Inn is known for.

Notchland Inn

Stuffed and going a little sugar-crazy, it was finally time to pick up my snowflake ornament and head back home, full of holiday cheer and ideas for the coming weeks before Christmas.

The 2011 Inn to Inn Cookie Tour brass snowflake ornament.

Want more information about this year’s Inn to Inn Cookie Tour, taking place on December 8-9, 2012? Want to know more about the inns themselves? Check out the Inn to Inn Cookie Tour website and reserve your spot today! I can’t speak for your waistline, but the rest of you will certainly not regret it.

Happy Holidays!

The post Mt. Washington Valley Inn to Inn Cookie Tour appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

130 miles west of Boston, in fact, and tucked into the Berkshire hills, Stockbridge represents to many the very best of small-town New England. What began as an Indian mission prospered to a resort town with the most famous Main Street in America thanks to a memorable Norman Rockwell painting. While still maintaining its rural village feel, Stockbridge draws throngs of visitors each year — in my case for the chance to eat lunch in one of the nation’s oldest continuously operating historic inns (The Red Lion Inn) and tour a museum dedicated to a beloved American artist (The Norman Rockwell Museum).

If our visit had been a few weeks earlier we would have seen the town aglow in the show-stopping colors of the autumn foliage, and if we’d waited a few weeks, we could have seen Main Street decked out for the holidays, but since free weekends are few and far between, early November it was.

We parked on Main Street and followed our grumbling stomachs to the historic gem, the Red Lion Inn, for lunch. The Inn (originally named Inn at the Sign of the Red Lion) was founded in 1773, making it older than America itself. Throughout its history the Inn has had several names, but has always been identified by the red lion. Former guests include five presidents and numerous other notable figures, including Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

The facade is a bit peculiar with its four stories of windows in various shapes and sizes, but when you consider the Inn has stood and operated (and grown) continuously from the same spot for over two centuries, you only feel humble appreciation for the opportunity to walk up the steps of its large, wide front porch and (if its nice outside) settle into a rocker…

…or (if its cold) head inside to settle next to the fire in the lobby, which has the feel of a living room parlor from the 1800′s.

Today, the Inn has 125 guestrooms ranging from B&B with a shared bath, to deluxe suites. A working Birdcage elevator lends historic charm, as do the “telephone booth rooms” wallpapered with Saturday Evening Post covers, and Staffordshire china above the doorways. Guests and visitors have the option of three different dining options — the upscale main dining room or intimate wood-paneled Widow Bingham’s Tavern on the main level, or the lower-level Lion’s Den Pub.

Craving pub food with local cider and beer on the side, and mindful of our wallets, we opted for the Lion’s Den Pub, and were instantly pleased with our choice. The low tin ceilings were painted dark red, and booths with plush backs ran the perimeter of the room, snuggled up to tables. We were seated next to a crackling fire (a REAL fire!) that made the whole experience deliciously warm and intimate.

The meal was great, too. We started with herbed cheese, seed crackers, and fruit with our drinks (Berkshire Brewing Company beer and Johnny Mash hard cider) before enjoying sandwiches — a grilled veggie panini for me and a “day after Thanksgiving” style sandwich for him.

Full and warm, we headed back out to wander past the seven buildings on Main Street that former resident Norman Rockwell made famous when he painted them at Christmastime, but more on those later!

Norman Rockwell lived in Stockbridge from 1953 until his death in 1978 at the age of eighty-four. He loved the town, and it loved him back. As proof of this, the Norman Rockwell Museum was founded in 1969 with the help of Norman and his third wife, Molly. The museum’s current home, built in 1993 and just a short ride from Main Street, is set on 36 scenic acres and houses the largest collection of original Norman Rockwell art in the world.

They have a wonderful website — if you’d like to get a better look at any of the paintings I mention in this post (they allow no-flash photography in the museum, and although it’s hard to capture Rockwell in the best of conditions, I did my best — all images in this post were taken by me), head over and browse the collection.

Right away I sought out one of my favorite Rockwell paintings (and maybe yours, too), 1948′s The Gossips from the March 6 Saturday Evening Post — its most popular Rockwell cover in thirty three years. Apparently inspired by a personal experience, Rockwell didn’t feel comfortable going ahead with the idea until he included his wife (second and third in the third row) and himself (bottom row in the gray hat) in the “gossip chain.” Naturally, he is the final one to hear the gossip, and gives the original whisperer a piece of his mind.

Wandering through the main level took us past the museum’s permanent collection, main gallery, sports gallery, and display of The Four Freedoms. These were some of my favorites…

Clockwise from L-R: The Lineman (1949), Before the Shot (1958), Repairing Stained Glass (1960), Saying Grace (1951), The Recruit (1966)

The Four Freedoms series was painted in response to a World War II speech by President Franklin Roosevelt, in which he described four principles for universal rights: Freedom from Want, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, and Freedom from Fear. Originally published by the Post, the paintings then went on tour to sixteen different US cities to raise money for war bonds.

Clockwise from L-R: Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear, Freedom of Worship, Freedom of Speech

Rockwell loved using “everyday folks” like family, friends, and neighbors as models in his paintings, including himself! Here, you see a photo of Rockwell posing for a spot in Casey at Bat, along with his likeness in the final result. As soon as the medium became widely available, Rockwell painted from photographs rather than real-life models.

In 1963 Rockwell ended his relationship with the Post and began working with Look magazine, which allowed him more creative freedom in pursuing depictions of social issues. Here, photographs of the model and the dress she wore from his iconic 1964 civil-rights-inspired painting The Problem We All Live With are on display (the painting itself hung in the White House from July – October 2011 at President Obama’s request, and is now part of a Rockwell exhibit at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento through February 2013). It shows six-year-old Ruby Bridges on her way in to an all-white public school in New Orleans on November 14, 1960 in the midst of racial desegregation, a thrown tomato smearing the wall behind her.

Another favorite of mine from this era is New Kids in the Neighborhood, again for Look magazine, in May 1967. Two groups of children take each other in, one African-American and one white, but each with a pet and baseball equipment.

One of Rockwell’s most enduring Christmas and small-town America scenes (and a particular favorite in Stockbridge) is Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas, mentioned earlier. He began painting it in 1956, but it took until December 1967 to complete.

Here you can see the buildings as they look today, alongside their painted counterparts.

Every year on the first weekend in December, Stockbridge celebrates the painting and their beloved former resident by recreating the scene (complete with vintage automobiles) as part of its Main Street at Christmas. The popular weekend-long event also includes a house tour, caroling, and concert.

The lower level of the Norman Rockwell Museum has a jaw-dropping exhibit dedicated to Rockwell’s 323 covers for The Saturday Evening Post over the 47 years he worked with them. Arranged chronologically, the framed covers fill three of the room’s walls, while on the fourth, a short but thorough documentary on the artist’s life runs on a loop.

It’s a terrific display, and when seen all at once it’s fascinating to observe how Rockwell’s style grew and changed over the years, as the nation he so lovingly and faithfully painted did as well.

I’ve always had a history-nerd soft spot for the original Rosie the Riveter cover from May 29, 1943, so I sought her out right away. In truth, I could have spent hours looking at the covers, but it was getting late.

Outside, a path winds behind the museum and takes visitors to Rockwell’s original Stockbridge studio, transported to the museum property and open to visitors from May through October. Along the way, climbing structures done by Rockwell’s son Peter decorate the grounds.

Unfortunately, I was four days too late to see inside the studio, but that didn’t stop me for posing from a picture at the door.

Seeing the inside of the studio is one reason to return to Stockbridge, but it’s far from the only one. I could also check out the Berkshire Botanical Garden for a springtime woodland walk and picnic, take in a summer concert at nearby Tanglewood, tour sculptor Daniel Chester French’s home Chesterwood, enjoy a performance from the Berkshire Theatre Group, or relive the Gilded Age with a summer tour of 44-room historic “cottage” Naumkeag. Whew! For one small town, Stockbridge certainly has a lot to offer, topped with friendly folks and stunning scenery. I’ll definitely be back!

The post Visit to Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and the Norman Rockwell Museum appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

A view of the manor from across the expansive back lawn, and a peek at the dock area.

Time to head to downtown Bristol.  I park the car in the spaces alongside Independence Park and start walking. It’s a patriotic town, known for its enormous 4^th of July celebrations—the oldest continuously celebrated Independence Day festivities in the country.  And, yes, the July 4^th parade route sports a red, white, and blue median year-round; a spirited touch.

Note the patriotic median. It indicates this is part of the Independence Day parade route.

Antique stores, galleries, and unique shops dot Main Street, adding to the charm. You’d expect a memorial to fallen soldiers in such a patriotic town, but the garden area adjacent to Burnside Memorial is particularly arresting.

Scenes from the memorial adjacent to the Burnside Memorial building on Hope Street.

A few steps down the road is Linden Place, a magnificent example of Federal style architecture, originally built by George DeWolf. Generations of DeWolf’s and Colt’s (two big names in this town’s history) made use of the home up until 1989 when the property became a house museum, open to the public.

The historic Linden Place in Bristol, Rhode Island.

There are several dining options in Bristol, Rhode Island, and an early lunch crowd is already packing Le Central bistro and Bristol Bagel Works.  But, I’m already thinking about the list of excellent dinner options ahead.  From past experience, I know S.S. Dion prepares both steak and seafood equally well, and The Lobster Pot does a brisk dinner business, too, with its wall of windows bringing sunsets over Bristol Harbor direct to your table.  The much acclaimed DeWolf Tavern occupies a remarkable c. 1818 stone building—a former rum distillery once operated by another of the DeWolf’s (James, the nefarious slave-trader).

Now DeWolf Tavern, this building has seen a lot of history in its nearly 200 years.

It’s difficult to reconcile the legacy of the DeWolf’s in Bristol. They certainly helped this town prosper in its early days, but so much of the DeWolf’s wealth in the 1700s and early 1800s came from slave-trading.  In fact, descendents of the family recently explored their own discomfort with the family’s past through film and literature. Tom DeWolf penned Inheriting the Trade, and his cousin Katrina Browne is the filmmaker behind the 2008 documentary Traces of the Trade.

Just outside town is Colt State Park.  If we all had such a park in our backyard, we’d be walking or bike riding each and every day.  The property once belonged to Samuel P. Colt, nephew to the Colt arms manufacturer.  It’s 464 acres and the entire western border is open to Narragansett Bay.  The 14-mile East Bay Bike Path runs through here, and Colt offers an additional 4 miles of its own biking trails.  You could easily spend an entire day enjoying this park:  walking and biking along the ocean’s edge, tossing a Frisbee or playing ball on the open tracts of manicured lawn, having a picnic in view of the bay, setting sail from the public boat launch, or just watching seabirds cruising around the marsh.

Scenes around Colt State Park — picnic area by the bay, biking, and the colorful marsh teeming with wildlife.

Natural beauty and wonderful stone walls abound in Colt State Park.

It may be a small town in the small state of Rhode Island, but Bristol offers much to see and do, and a rich history worth exploring.  Best to plan on staying awhile.  An overnight at Bristol Harbor Inn provides a downtown location with the bay as your backyard.  Or just minutes away is the elegantly appointed Governor Bradford Inn, set on 200 bucolic acres known as Mount Hope Farm.  Check in for your chance to check out Bristol.

A view from Independence Park in downtown Bristol.

The post Bristol, Rhode Island | Fall Day Trip appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

Foliage in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts

The village of Shelburne Falls is an anomaly in that it spans two towns – Shelburne and Buckland, both of which offer much to explore on a crisp fall day. Each year, sightseers flock to the Bridge of Flowers, which stretches over the Deerfield River to connect Shelburne and Buckland. A former trolley track, this 400-foot arched bridge had fallen into

disuse after the railway company that operated it went bankrupt. Enter the Shelburne Falls Women’s Club, who sponsored a project in 1928 that would take the bridge from visual blight to public garden. Today the community still works together to keep this popular perennial garden in bloom.

The Bridge of Flowers was still blooming in late October.

When strolling across the bridge in autumn, you might be surprised to find flowers dotting the foot path’s borders well past their usual season. The bridge does close at the end of October, though, so if this is on your must-see list, be sure to plan your visit accordingly.

Shelburne Falls’ other claim to fame – and the one I was most interested in seeing – is its glacial potholes. They’re right downtown and easy to find – just let the giant arrow lead you down Deerfield Avenue to the scenic overlook to enjoy this spectacle of nature. At the foot of the falls, the combination of granite and water spinning around like whirlpools gouged more than 50 holes into the rock surface at the end of the glacial age. These potholes – also known as kettles – range in size from a few inches to several feet in diameter. The biggest one extends 39 feet, making it the largest natural pothole on record. Folks used to scramble down the rocks to lounge in these pools on hot summer days, but that’s no longer allowed due to risk of injury. So if you’re fascinated with the power of nature, this is a site worth visiting…from the safety of the viewing platform.

Potholes from the viewing platform.

After stopping to watch the water pound over the falls, I headed back to Bridge Street for a quick perusal of my breakfast options and popped into Fox Towne Coffee Shoppe. The service was fast, the regulars chatty, and my bill totaled less than seven dollars. Consider me a fan. If you’re looking for a quick caloric pick-me-up that’s more refreshing than filling, I suggest a stop at the Baker Pharmacy which still features an old-time soda fountain. Perch atop one of the vintage bar stools and enjoy a cold drink.

This Yankee placard was on display in the Shelburne Arts Coop.

Shelburne Falls supports area artisans and you can find locally crafted goods on both sides of the river. A wide array of fine arts and crafts can be found at Shelburne Arts Coop and Salmon Falls Artisans Showroom located in Shelburne and Buckland, respectively. And if you love independent bookstores, you have three to choose from! I was lured into Boswell’s Books on Bridge Street by the prominent display of titles penned by regional authors as well the chance to meet local celebrity, Boswell the cat.

Stop in to Boswell's Books to meet Boswell.

A word of advice – if you can make this trip on a weekend, do so. More shops are open and the No. 10 trolley runs from Memorial Day through the end of October. By visiting during the week, I missed the chance to hop aboard this 1896 trolley car to be whisked around town.

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Lobsters are cooked in seawater in the wood-fired kettles outside.

Consuming crustaceans is messy business, and as a bystander who’s been spattered with flying seawater and lobster bits, I’ve learned to sit beside, not across, from anyone that’s exuberantly breaking apart the shell. No matter where you sit, such fare is always best at a true lobster pound like this, with a hand-washing station in the dining area, and tables shaped like trays to contain any spills.

Cross over the Trenton Bridge, and all of Mount Desert Island awaits. Downtown Bar Harbor is our first stop.  It’s a busy downtown with enough fun shops and galleries to occupy the entire day. You’ve got Cool as a Moose for an assortment of t-shirts and logo sweats, Bark Harbor for gifts for your four-legged pals, and Sherman’s Bookstore for local titles and more, just to name a few. Plus, there’s the historic West End Drug Co., a pharmacy established in 1917, now in its third generation of family ownership, that’s still offering daily soda fountain specials.  It can be tough to choose a restaurant among all the choices, but Rupununi’s is a favorite for casual fare, and best followed up by a visit to Mount Desert Island Ice Cream. Sample unique flavors like Five Spice and Bay of Figs.  To get out on the water, you can choose to board a whale watch or nature cruise, or take a relaxing excursion on the Schooner Margaret Todd.

Fog lifts from the harbor, revealing the Schooner Margaret Todd.

Of course, taking in the view while enjoying a crabmeat quesadilla and specialty cocktail at the Terrace Grill (the outdoor dining venue at the iconic Bar Harbor Inn) is always a good option.

The iconic Bar Harbor Inn offers excellent dining options.

And finally, we can’t leave town without following the easy one-mile walking path that’s been in existence for over 100 years, the Shore Path, that begins alongside the Inn. It offers tranquil seaside views, but also a peek at a few of the finer inns and residences in town.

Follow the Shore Path which begins alongside the Bar Harbor Inn.

Just up the road lies Acadia National Park. A fantastic mix of water and mountains, capped off with the carriage trails designed and in large part financed by good ol’ Mr. Rockefeller, a major player in the park’s history. It seems John D. Rockefeller, Jr. did not embrace the automobile; he preferred to travel by horse and carriage.  His affection for the island, and his love for road building resulted in a nearly 30-year project (1913-1940), culminating in state-of-the-art, wide, well-groomed, broken stone roads that wind for 45 miles throughout the park. All roads lead to stellar scenery. Today, you can walk, bicycle, or take a horse-drawn carriage ride along these trails, forever free of motorized vehicles.

Note the large granite "coping stones" serve as aesthetically pleasing guardrails.

On this particular day, we cover nearly half the trails on bike, and still we have the place all to ourselves at several points along the route. As we come around a bend, a deer continues munching away at the grass, unfazed by our intrusion. We’re pedaling at an easy pace but make a number of stops for the sole purpose of sitting back and admiring the natural beauty all around us.

The view across Jordan Pond to small mountains known as The Bubbles.

Yup, it’s a park like no other. In fact, “A Park Like No Other” is the cover line Yankee used to describe Wayne Curtis’s story on Acadia, “The Art of the Trail” in the May/June 2011 issue.

It’s wonderful to have blue skies for the outdoor adventures through Acadia, but the fog and the clouds can play upon the scenery in unexpected ways, too.  Initially, we fretted that our hike up Cadillac Mountain would leave us disappointed for our efforts because the morning air was thick with misty haze.  Part way up we turned to look back.  We were above the clouds, and below floated an enormous cruise ship.  It was moving along through the ocean, but in that swirl of fog and clouds, and from the distance, it looked like a child’s bath toy, suspended in air.

A cruise ship floats on fog.

With so many trails, Acadia offers a number of easy walks, or shorter hikes that provide excellent views for just a little effort.  Check out these…

Long Pond as seen from an overlook on the Beech Mountain Trail.

Views to the rocky coast (above) and Sand Beach from Gorham Mountain Trail.

So much about this area is simple entertainment. Go for a walk, ride a bike, stroll through shops, roll up your sleeves and dig into a lobster.  Or just park yourself on a rock along the shoreline, and fritter away a couple of hours doing nothing at all…

These folks have the right idea, enjoying one of the many vantage points along the 2 mile Ocean Path.

The post Exploring Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park appeared first on Yankee Magazine.

In fact, it’s also completely lovely, this stroll through a patch of New England waterfront history, dropped like flotsam along the banks of the swiftly moving Merrimack. Hard to imagine the seediness and hard drinking that made this town a place to avoid, rather than a destination, until the late ‘60s and ‘70s, when Mayor Byron Matthews stepped in and cleared out the water rats. Brawls gave way to bistros, and the luster of a bona fide Federal-era beauty began to shine through. Sidewalk cafes serving Mexican, Italian, and Indian specialties rest side by side with all the seafood you’d expect in a bustling port town.

Find your own side street, feel the cobblestones under your feet, and inhale the salty smell of history.

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The fair began in 1917 as a way to promote the region’s agriculture through displays, contests, entertainment, and of course, food. The tradition grew and evolved, and the fair officially began using its “Big E” nickname in 1968.

I attended opening day at the Big E fair this year on Friday, September 14th and made a valiant effort to take in the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and spirit of day. The task proved to be impossible, since there are simply too many things to see, do, and eat for one person in one afternoon…but here we go!

THE FOOD

I need to start with the food because it just might be the number one reason folks visit the fair. Traditional fair foods like candy apples, ice cream, cotton candy, funnel cakes, hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, and lemonade are plentiful at the Big E, but so are a fantastically large number of increasingly eye-widening deep fried delicacies. I saw signs (or entire booths) advertising deep fried lasagna, deep fried Samoas Girl Scout Cookies, deep fried cheese cake, and even deep fried shepherd’s pie.

And of course, this being a New England fair, there are several places to get your lobstah roll fix, apple cider donuts, or Maine baked potato heaped with all of the fixins’ — plus deep fried whoopie pies.

The food stands are classic carnival style. Who doesn’t feel like a kid again walking up to the counter of a booth like this? Especially when you walk away with a paper plate overflowing with hot, sweet dough topped with strawberry sauce and a shower of powdered sugar…

Or maybe you prefer more savory treats, and only popcorn, onion rings, chicken wings, or crispy, salty french fries with a squirt of ketchup will fit the bill.

No matter what non-diet food you’re craving, the Big E has you covered. They also have a few “signature” dishes — the Big E Cream Puff and the Big Eclair in the dessert department, as well as the Big E Craz-E Burger, where a bacon cheeseburger is tucked between two halves of a grilled glazed donut. Oh, boy…

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In agricultural fair tradition, contests will also be held this year seeking the best in bread, cupcakes, and cake decorating.

Even pooches don’t go hungry at the Big E. The cookies are pet-approved.

THE ENTERTAINMENT

With two performance stages, featuring acts like comedian Jeff Dunham, the Big E Doo Wop Show, and country singers Rodney Atkins and Alan Jackson, you’ll have plenty to keep you laughing and your toes tapping. Also at the fair is a “greeting card come to life” winter wonderland exhibit, Mardi Gras parades, and a one-ring, European-style circus.

You can watch seals perform…

Or take in a comedic hypnotist while stretched out on the green at Storrowton Village, an authentic reconstructed 19th century New England village with period craft demonstrations, children’s games, and tours of its historic buildings.

While the main fair stage was taking five during my visit, music was still happening in other parts of the fair. This duo performed within one of the state houses on the Avenue of States (which we’ll get to in a minute).

Of course, you can also leave the entertainment up to the kids themselves. This booth uses Hollywood “green screen” special effects technology to impose the kids’ heads onto singing and dancing cartoon bodies. Now that’s a unique take-home souvenir!

THE MIDWAY

Ah, the Midway. As a kid this is probably where I would have raced as soon as I had finished my deep fried Samoas. Put simply, it’s where the games and rides live, so it’s colorful, in constant motion, and overflowing with stuffed animals and prizes packed into the rafters of every game booth.

It’s tough to resist the games when they seem so simple, but as we all know, winning that elusive prize isn’t as easy as it looks.

Giant slide? Check. Ferris wheel? Check. Giant stuffed banana? Check.

The midway has it all.

I couldn’t resist a ride on the ferris wheel for a bird’s eye view of the fair spread out below. There are actually two ferris wheels, and this shot only captures one section of the fair.

THE ANIMALS

Animals at the Big E are plentiful. The free petting zoo is a great way to get started. The coin-op food dispensers and (hand washing stations upon exiting) are a draw for kids and adults like myself that can’t resist petting the soft, velvet fur on a cow’s head, or the wooly body of a sheep.

As you wander through the fair, more “traditional” animal opportunities await. For $1 you can catch a glimpse of Lil’ Muffin, billed as the “world’s smallest horse” (not a pony, not a colt).

Or you can also pay a larger price to see a larger (giant) horse with, unfortunately, no name.

And if horses aren’t your thing, perhaps Porky the Giant Pig (and still growing) is worth a look?

Getting back to basics, inside the Farm-O-Rama building the emphasis is on agricultural education exhibits and demonstrations. Here, a chick-hatching station gives you a front row seat to baby chicks emerging from their shells, while a few steps away, a snoozing sow is tackled by her litter of hungry piglets (I dare you not think of Wilbur from Charlotte’s Web, then I dare you to go eat a pulled pork sandwich). When they aren’t busy, the Hallamore Clydesdale horses hang out here, too.

And in keeping with the fair’s historic traditions, the Eastern States Exposition Horse Show takes place each year featuring numerous horse shows and competitions.

Finally, don’t forget to check out sculptor Jim Victor (I missed him!) carve more than 600 pounds of butter into this year’s theme of “Cash Cow.”

AVENUE OF THE STATES

For many, “saving the best for last” at the Big E means strolling the Avenue of the States, featuring replicas of each New England state capitol with local foods, products, crafts and vacation information inside specific to that state.

Similar to national embassies, the statehouses and the land on which they sit are owned by the respective state and are administered by representatives from each state’s police force during the fair.

Food for sale on the Avenue includes take home staples like coffee syrup, herb mixes, honey sticks, maple syrup, cheese, kettle corn, and breads. Still other offerings beg to be consumed immediately, like a cup of cold apple cider, ice cream cone, or steaming bag of clam cakes made with Kenyon’s stone ground yellow cornmeal from Rhode Island.

I sampled a cup of pumpkin ice cream from J. Foster Ice Cream in Connecticut. It was smooth and creamy with the cozy, spicy flavor of pumpkin pie – yum.

Each state also has items for sale, like these vintage dairy milk bottles, cutting boards, prints, woolens, toys, and other gifts. Many also have photo ops, like the bear from Clark’s Trading Post in New Hampshire.

So, are you ready to head to the Big E?

This is just a sample of some of the things you can expect to see, but check out the Big E website for more information. The fair schedule changes daily, so no two trips to the Big E are the same. All the more reason to go again and again!

The 2012 fair runs through September 30th, so don’t wait!

See you at the fair!

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