Stowe, Vermont

When I first decided to work in New England for the summer I was really hopeful that they would need me to extend through the fall so I could get the chance to see the fall leaves change colors.  Growing up in Florida, it is not exactly something that I got to witness and while I have traveled to places to see all the beautiful color spotted trees, I have never seen the process of the trees changing colors.  Of course, after making the decision to come up here and hope to see the leaves showing off before winter I had an amazing opportunity arise to go to Iceland in the beginning of October (more about that to come in another post) which was also suppose to be prime leaf peeping season.  So I booked a weekend up in Stowe, Vermont for the last weekend in September with hopes of see radiant reds and yellows before the leaves abandoned their trees for the winter.

I left early Saturday morning and resisted the urge to stop at Dunkin Donuts on my way out of town which seems to have become my road trip ritual but knew I would be indulging in the fall delights along the way including my first stop just outside of Stowe at the Cold Hollow Cider Mill for apple cider donuts and hot apple cider.  The second my car door swung open the heavenly scent of cider donuts filled the air and the crisp fall air felt brisk and comfortable.  I poked around the shop for a bit  but didn't find anything that I could live without before taking my spot in line to pick out my donuts and cider.  The Cold Hollow Cider Mill has tables with swings attached outside and I was able to enjoy my donuts while swinging like a kid.  Great start to the weekend!

I made my way into Stowe and drove around for a bit to get my bearings before stopping for lunch at the Blue Donkey for a burger and sat myself outside to enjoy the view.  From there I traveled to Moss Glen Falls and after a short hike I could here the thundering of the falls before I could see it.  Cascading down the hill in tiers instead of a straight fall it was worth the short hike to get there.  Once the some of the crowds left the area it was quite peaceful to listen to the water falling.

My next stop for the day before checking into my hotel was to try to find a covered bridge.  Emily's Bridge was one that was listed and you could still drive through it if you wanted to although I didn't.  One of my favorite movies is an old Chevy Chase movie from the '80s called Funny Farm and I always quote the line "That's not a bridge, that's termites holding hands!" whenever I see an old wooden covered bridge.  This one was in good shape though and was fun to walk through and around.  I later did more research and learned it is called Emily's Bridge because it is supposedly haunted by a little girl named Emily.  Kind of happy that I read that AFTER I walked around and explored the bridge.

I stopped at a brewery for dinner and bellied up to the bar to test out the beer as well.  I ordered the truffled mac and cheese for dinner and when the bartender asked if I wanted bacon on that... Ummm, do bears have ears?  Yes.  Bacon makes everything better.  I got to watch part of the Gator game and then a couple from Britain ended up sitting next to me.  They had been to the U.S. 8x and were traveling around New England for 2 weeks and we had a great time laughing and comparing cultural differences.  My Gators won and it was a fun night!

Sunday morning, I had to die for Kentucky Bourbon Caramel Crepes at the café at the hotel (have you noticed a food theme yet??) to fuel me up for the day.  I drove up to the Trapp Family Lodge (yes, those Trapps) where the theme driving in is "A little bit Austria, a lot Vermont."  I had no idea when I planned the trip that the Trapp family of The Sound of Music fame had settled in the area when they had to leave Europe.  The story goes that they chose the area because it reminded them of Austria and they frequently had guests from making friends around the world while performing.  Eventually they opened the lodge to the public and there are all kinds of activities you can do on the property.  It was really worth the stop even though I only looked around and looked at the pictures hanging in the lodge.

From the lodge I decided to drive over to take the gondola to the top of the mountain and have lunch at the restaurant up there.  There are lots of trails that I could have hiked on and even a zipline on the top of the mountain but my quick weekend away did not allow much time for that.  The view of the valley below with pops of red and yellow from the trees changing colors made for a great companion view to a delicious lunch.

My last stop on the way out of town was the Ben and Jerry's Factory.  I couldn't go all that way without at least a quick stop.  I decided to take the tour with an entertaining video of how it all got started and then getting to peek into the factory itself.  Our guide was entertaining and explained a lot about the ice cream making process.  Of course, the highlight was the free sample at the end!

The drive back home was beautiful winding along the highway.  The were so many times that I said wow to myself especially when the light hit the leaves just right.  I really wish I could have stopped to take a picture but instead I get to carry the mental picture with me instead.

Ogunquit, Maine

I think I've fallen in love... there is so much beauty in the United States and I have had the privilege of visiting quite a bit of it but Maine is up there high in my favorites.  At least in the summertime.  I'm not sure these southern bones would survive a winter although I am sure it would be pretty spectacular as well.

Maine's slogan when you enter the state is "Vacationland" and I think that is a perfect word for it especially in the summer.  I have traveled up to Maine several times since I have been on the North Shore with it being just slightly over an hour from Salem, Mass it makes an easy day trip.   Ogunquit, Maine is just an hour and fifteen minutes from here and on the recommendation of a friend, I spent a day exploring the little town.

I booked a trip on a sailboat because there is no better way to explore a coast line than from the ocean itself.  The Gift is a nice sailboat and I sat by and chatted with a lovely couple who had been coming to Ogunquit every summer for 20+ years.  They raised their families with fond memories of the town and it was fun to get their perspective and advice for places to see.  Our sail was about an hour and a half long and it was so peaceful listening to the wind in the sails and the gentle lapping of the water against the boat while dreaming of the stately homes along the shoreline.

I don't know what it is about the water that always creates quite an appetite but as soon as the sail was over I headed straight for the lobster roll!  There was a little stand with no seating right next to the footbridge serving lobster rolls with huge chunks of lobster meat and you can choose if you want mayo, plain or butter... I went with butter and it has been, hands down, my favorite lobster roll since I got here. I took my little basket to a nearby picnic table with a view of Perkin's Cove and watched boats come in and out and the little drawbridge on the foot path be raised as the taller boats sailed in and out.  It was a perfect setting for lunch!

Perkin's Cove is where the boat left from but is also a great spot if you are looking for restaurants and shops to visit.  I strolled in and out of the shops looking at the little treasures.  There was an entire shop dedicated to jewelry made of sea glass that had some unique and intriguing pieces.  I bought a few things at Maine-ly Drizzle, a fun store of specialty olive oils and flavored balsamic vinegars.  I've been enjoying a vanilla balsamic vinegar drizzled over strawberries for a healthy dessert since then!

The couple I sat next to said to make sure I take the Margin Pathway along the ocean and leading past some fancy homes and hotels with views of the town and the rocky coast.  The path led from Perkin's Cove to the main section of town and down to the beach.  There are benches along the way that I occupied for bits of time to just sit and enjoy the view along the way.  People would bring chairs and set them on the rocks farther out enjoying their own impromptu parties with friends.  While shopping in town, I couldn't pass up a pair of earrings that have a little bit of Ogunquit sand in them as a sweet memory of my time here.

On my way home I made a stop at the Stonewall Kitchen flagship store.  I had actually made a quick stop there in the morning on the way into town but since I had a reservation for sailing I couldn't spend much time and had to make a second stop on my way home.  Stonewall Kitchen makes all kinds of specialty jams, jellies, mustards, salsas and such.  It reminds me of Harry and David but had a lot more options to choose from and the best part of going in the morning was there were lots of tasting options too!  It is definitely worth a stop if you are in the area.  The Maple Champagne Mustard has been classing up my ham and cheese lunches the last few weeks and I have been really enjoying the extra addition!