Yankee Magazine May/June 2018 by Yankee Magazine

Travel New England MAGAZINE ’S Plus: Maine’s Most Inspiring Island Great Eats off the Interstate The Most Scenic Hike of All Ultimate Ice Cream Sampler GUIDE TO 200+ Editors’ Picks Where to Eat, Stay, and Play 2018

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features

71 /// Best of New England 2018

Filled with inspiration for the ultimate New England summer getaway, Yankee ’s annual travel guide has ideas for foodies, outdoor adventurers, and more. Plus: Nearly 200 editors’ picks for where to stay, eat, and play in every state.

84 /// The Many Worlds of Winnipesaukee

New England’s most popular summer lake holds something for everyone: the tourist, the nature lover, the seeker of seclusion. By Bill Donahue

96 /// A Sense of Wonder

On a small island in Maine, explorers of all ages find a wide-open window into the natural world. Photographs by Mark Fleming

104 /// The Preserve

In saving wild shoreland from developers, a group of Down East neighbors built a new sense of community. By Susan Hand Shetterly

110

/// The Last Explorer

Through her travel writing, Christina Tree has shown New England to the world. And even after 50 years, she still loves hitting the road. By Mel Allen

The Spirit of Summer

Rhode Island–based Instagram stars and trendsetters Sarah Vickers and Kiel James Patrick gear up for summer in style in their cover snapshot. Taken at Jamestown’s Mackerel Cove, the photo “captures summer travel as we imagine it to be: spontaneous, a touch nostalgic, and carefree,” says Vickers. For more on these New England style icons, see p. 9.

KIEL JAMES PATRICK (COVER); MARK FLEMING (LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE) 2 | NEWENGLAND.COM Yankee (ISSN 0044-0191). Bimonthly, Vol. 82 No. 3. Publication Office, Dublin, NH 03444-0520. Periodicals postage paid at Dublin, NH, and additional offices. Copyright 2018 by Yankee Publishing Incorporated; all rights reserved. Postmaster: Send address changes to Yankee, P.O. Box 422446, Palm Coast, FL 32142-2446. May/June 2018 CONTENTS

ABOUT THE COVER NEW ENGLAND’S MAGAZINE EWENGLAND.COM /// AY/JUNE 2018 Travel New England Plus: Maine’s Most Inspiring Island Great Eats off the Interstate The Most Scenic Hike of All Ultimate Ice Cream Sampler GUIDE TO 200+ Editors’ Picks Where to Eat, Stay, and Play 2018

One way to see Lake Winnipesaukee in style: from the cockpit of a sleek vintage speedboat.

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New England.com

Travel: Favorite Coastal Weekend Getaways

Plan your perfect summer vacation at these tip-top seaside destinations.

NEWENGLAND.COM/ COASTAL-WEEKENDS

Recipes: Fresh Ideas for Strawberries

Ten terrific recipes that make the most of this naturally sweet treat.

NEWENGLAND.COM/ STRAWBERRY-RECIPES

Travel: Guide to Lake Winnipesaukee

Discover the best places to eat, stay, and play on New Hampshire’s great lake.

NEWENGLAND.COM/ LAKE-WINNI

PREVIEW

Food: Best Fried Clams

Craving this New England staple? The region’s finest clam purveyors are ready to serve.

NEWENGLAND.COM/ FRIED-CLAMS

INSIDE YANKEE ’S JUNE ISSUE

READER PHOTOS: We round up all the best images from our Instagram community.

 COOKING WITH YANKEE: Bring some fresh-baked ﬂavor to the breakfast table with our delicious recipe for sour cream co ee cake.

PERFECT WEEKEND: Discover the early-summer charms of Burlington, Vermont.

EXPERT HOUSE ADVICE: The pros at Historic New England answer your questions.

To subscribe to or learn more about Yankee’s digital issues, go to NewEngland.com/subscribe.

RUBENS ABBOUD/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (MARGINAL WAY); KIEL JAMES PATRICK (OPPOSITE) 8 | NEWENGLAND.COM Social Media: Facebook.com/yankeemagazine, Instagram.com/yankeemagazine, Twitter.com/yankeemagazine, Pinterest.com/yankeemagazine

Connect with New England | BEYOND THE PRINTED PAGE

A view along the Marginal Way in Ogunquit, Maine.

KIEL JAMES PATRICK AND SARAH VICKERS

When you were growing up in New England, what were your favorite family getaways?

SV: Going to the beach with my family. We went almost every weekend in summer, and I always brought a friend or cousin to spend the day with. We would pack big lunches and spend part of the day clamming—I never loved eating the clams, but as a kid I had so much fun digging them up.

an iconic scene in Moonrise Kingdom was filmed. And then there’s Newport, for a drive down Ocean Drive—one of the prettiest stretches of road, hands down— followed by drinks on the lawn at Castle Hill; and Watch Hill, for lunch at the Ocean House; and finally the East Side of Providence, for a walk around town.

he cheerful, nattily dressed couple on the cover of this issue may look like models, but Kiel James Patrick and Sarah Vickers are also the brains behind the brand. The Rhode Island natives cofounded the muchbuzzed-about fashion company Kiel James Patrick, which reimagines old-school New England staples (e.g., rope bracelets, anchor motifs, flannel shirts) for a modern global audience. And when they’re not designing, they’re bringing their style savvy to life on social media, where their combined Instagram followers top more than 1 million. Here, we ask them a few questions inspired by our summer travel issue. For more on Kiel and Sarah—including what’s next for their company and how they’re handling life as new parents—see the full interview at NewEngland.com/kjp

KJP: My family has a home in the mountains of New Hampshire, and I’ve always enjoyed spending a few weeks of summer up there: backpacking, canoeing, fly-fishing, camping, sailing, telling ghost stories around the bonfire…. The great outdoors and that spirit of adventure have always really bonded my family together.

Nowadays, if you’re showing visitors around Rhode Island, what do you most want them to see?

SV: We always take first-time visitors to Jamestown, specifically the beach where

You two have reached a level of success where, if you wanted, you could relocate to a style capital like New York or L.A. What keeps you in Rhode Island?

SV: We both grew up here and never want to leave. We are so appreciative of the fact that we get to do what we love every day in a place we love. Cities like New York and L.A. are too overwhelming, and it’s a much faster pace of life. We love coming home to our place on the lake to watch the sunset each night, being a short drive away from family and friends, and living so close to the ocean. And there’s just no place like Rhode Island in the summer!

the Rhode Island husband-and-wife style mavens who are updating “New England classic” for today’s generation.

Meet

Q&A WITH NEWENGLAND.COM

Sarah and Kiel with son Harris and dog Bennie.

MARK FLEMING

For this issue, Yankee ’s senior photographer explored two timeless summer settings: a big lake [“The Many Worlds of Winnipesaukee,” p. 84] and a little island [“A Sense of Wonder,” p. 96]. The latter, Maine’s Hog Island, was especially enjoyable because of the young campers he met there, he says. “Kids either ham it up for the camera or forget it exists entirely—which is when the real fun of photographing them begins!”

JEN BEAUCHESNE

Most food stylists hate working with ice cream, but not Beauchesne [“Flavor Faves,” p. 72]—possibly because when she was growing up in Hooksett, New Hampshire, she worked at the Puritan Backroom and prided herself on “making the most beautiful soft-serve cones and banana splits.” For more of Beauchesne’s mouthwatering work, see our breakfast special, “Wake Up, Dig In!” [p. 54].

LIZ NOFTLE

This Chicago-based artist and graphic designer was raised in New Hampshire, and while working on illustrations for this issue’s food feature [“Wake Up, Dig In!” p. 54], she tried to incorporate a homey feel “to reflect the mom-and-pop breakfast spots that I grew up going to.” She adds that her favorite breakfast dish is pancakes—and she can’t wait to dig into the ones featured on p. 60.

MATTHEW BILLINGTON

Born in Toronto, Canada, where he still lives today, freelance illustrator Billington applied his talents to our Best of New England package [see “Tastiest Refueling Spots off the Interstate,” p. 74, and “Tent Sales We’re Sold On,” p. 81]. This was his first-ever Yankee assignment, and he says it was a fun one: “It really made me want to hit the road this summer and explore—I’m dying to eat a Maine lobster!”

SUSAN HAND SHETTERLY

In “The Preserve” [p. 104], this Maine writer tells how she and her neighbors helped protect a bit of coastal property, an effort that affected them as much as it did the land. “People who work to save habitat learn a great deal about each other and about what is left of the wild,” she says. “They become advocates and witnesses.” Her latest book, Seaweed Chronicles: A World at the Water’s Edge, will be published this fall.

GRETA RYBUS

A photojournalist who has worked for, among others, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times , Rybus was a natural pick for an assignment showcasing the beauty of Maine [“The Preserve,” p. 104]. She works out of Portland and recently coauthored the book Handcrafted Maine, which profiles in photographs and text a number of people working with “art, land, and sea” in her home state.

Point and Counterpoint

In your article “Rising Seas” [March/ April], professor John Anderson of College of the Atlantic refers to an assumed sea level rise of six feet by the end of the century. This is based on some “model.” A six-foot rise means that all of lower Manhattan in New York and Fenway Park in Boston would be underwater. Conversely, using the fairly stable present rise of three millimeters per year, the amount of rise by 2100 would be 9.7 inches, not six feet.

Adam Whelchel, Connecticut Nature Conservancy scientist, chimes in and talks about the day when Connecticut’s coast will become a series of archipelagos: Fairfield Island, Westport Island, Branford Island, Griswold Point. (Talk about scare tactics.) For that to happen, sea levels would have to rise six times as fast as the present three millimeters per year, on average.

Of course the outlandish forecasts are the ones that grab the headlines and get published in otherwise serious magazines. Shame on Yankee.

Jim Macdonald South Windsor, Connecticut

A truly superb March/April issue on our rising seas and on both the challenges and advances with our future stewardship of the New England environment. I was reminded immediately of Martin Ince’s small book Rising Seas , published 28 years ago.

One of our most enduring challenges in addressing human-mediated changes to both land and sea is the lag time—often decades long—between identifying a problem and beginning to take real, effective action. Thanks for this special report at a time when it could not be more important.

James T. Carlton Professor of Marine Sciences Emeritus Williams College Mystic, Connecticut

10 | NEWENGLAND.COM

INDIAN

Dear Yankee | OUR READERS RESPOND

HILL PRESS

(“PETAL PERFORMANCE”); GABE SOUZA (FLEMING); GARY SLOAN (BEAUCHESNE); GRETA RYBUS (SHETTERLY)

PETAL PERFORMANCE

Perched upon the picket fence

Are rambling roses, pink and dense.

The audience they bloom to please

Includes a hundred honeybees.

—D.A.W.

Working Memory

Ben Hewitt’s article “Back Ta Willey’s” [March/April] delightfully stirred up recollections of my summertime employment at Willey’s Store as a young teen in the mid-1940s. My tasks varied from day to day: getting whole pickles out of the barrel of brine, pumping gas, working the soda fountain, ringing up sales on hand-cranked cash registers, carrying paper bags of groceries out to customers’ vehicles.

My grandpa gave me a pearl of wisdom when I started work at Willey’s: “Always find something to do— don’t wait to be told what to do.” That became a guide for the rest of my life. Thank you for the memories.

Dana K. Kelly Winter Garden, Florida

Write us! Send your comments to: editor@yankeemagazine.com. Please include where you reside. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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Seeing with New Eyes

ome of my favorite and most enduring memories from my three years as a fourth-grade teacher in Maine happened in science class, when I would pass out magnifying glasses to the children on spring days, with the grass greening and the earth awakening at their feet. We’d go outside, to a field that stretched to the woods. Their assignment was to touch the ground and find things that they walked by every day without noticing—blades of grass, beetles, stones—and use the magnifier to discover something that surprised them. Those kids were full of 9- and 10-year-old energy, but they would become focused as they peered into this strange and curious world. The eyes of a praying mantis, for instance. The veins of a leaf. A handful of moss.

I thought about those days when looking at Mark Fleming’s photo story from the Hog Island Audubon Camp in Maine [“A Sense of Wonder,” p. 96]. When he returned from his visit, he said that he had been in an unexpected land, one where young people put away their electronic devices—and that while he was finding his photos, he was remembering how curiosity had filled his own boyhood.

In its own way, if we let it, travel can be like a magnifying glass, a chance to see from a fresh perspective. In those fourth-grade classes, a few high school seniors would come to tutor children who needed individual attention. Megan was one of the best, and we stayed in touch. When she came home from a college semester in France, she said the best part was that she had learned “to see with new eyes.” I never forgot her words.

This special travel issue of Yankee encourages you to follow your curiosity, to discover side roads, unexpected delights, new places. What these pages hold are the conversations we editors have after returning from our own outings, and our talks with trusted travel writers who know the nooks and crannies of their home territories.

Do you want to taste the best and most intriguing flavors of ice cream in New England? We have them here, including a blueberry strudel made with berries from the Maine barrens [“Flavor Faves,” p. 72]. Would you like to detour off the highway for more than a gas station snack? Maybe even find a memorable local eatery? We have that, too [“Tastiest Refueling Spots off the Interstate,” p. 74]. We reveal the region’s best scenic trek [“The Hike That Has It All,” p. 78], as well as nearly 200 other editors’ picks—which to me have always seemed like notes passed in secret, except that these are secrets we share with thousands of readers. These are our favorite places to explore, our favorite reasons to leave home, whether for a day, or a weekend or, lucky you, longer.

I also want to tell you about a book that debuts this spring: Yankee’s New England Adventures (Globe Pequot). An adventure need not be only something that makes your heart pound. An adventure can be following that unfamiliar road, tasting that dish you’ve never tried, waking up to a view you’ve never seen before. The book is a guide for every traveler beginning his or her own search.

And whenever you travel, bring along a magnifying glass. You may find more than you expected when you hold something close. You may rediscover what it feels like to be 9 years old, and the grass is greening, and the summer awaits.

Mel Allen editor@yankeemagazine.com

JARROD M c CABE

Inside Yankee | MEL ALLEN 12 | NEWENGLAND.COM

The Promise

A Most Unusual Gift of Love

THEPOEMREADS:

A Most Unusual Gift of Love

THEPOEMREADS:

Dear Reader,

The drawing you see above is called The Promise It is completely composed of dots of ink. After writing the poem, I worked with a quill pen and placed thousands of these dots, one at a time, to create this gift in honor of my youngest brother and his wife.

Dear Reader,

The drawing you see above is called “The Promise.” It is completely composed of dots of ink. After writing the poem, I worked with a quill pen and placed thousands of these dots, one at a time, to create this gift in honor of my youngest brother and his wife.

Now, I have decided to offer The Promise to those who share and value its sentiment. Each litho is numbered and signed by hand and precisely captures the detail of the drawing. As a wedding, anniversary or Valentine’s gift or simply as a standard for your own home, I believe you will find it most appropriate.

Now, I have decided to offer “The Promise” to those who share and value its sentiment. Each litho is numbered and signed by hand and precisely captures the detail of the drawing. As a wedding, anniversary or Valentine’s gift or simply as a standard for your own home, I believe you will find it most appropriate.

Dear Reader,

Measuring 14" by 16", it is available either fully-framed in a subtle copper tone with hand-cut double mats of pewter and rust at $145*, or in the mats alone at $105*. Please add $16.95 for insured shipping and packaging. Your satisfaction is completely guaranteed.

My best wishes are with you.

Measuring 14" by 16", it is available either fully framed in a subtle copper tone with hand-cut mats of pewter and rust at $110, or in the mats alone at $95. Please add $14.50 for insured shipping and packaging. Your satisfaction is completely guaranteed.

My best wishes are with you.

The Art of Robert Sexton • P.O. Box 581 • Rutherford, CA 94573

All major credit cards are welcomed. Please send card name, card number, address and expiration date, or phone (415) 989-1630 between 10 a.m.-6 p.m. PST, Monday through Saturday. Checks are also accepted. Please allow up to 5 to 10 business days for delivery. *California residents- please include 8.0% tax

MASTERCARD and VISA orders welcome. Please send card name, card number, address and expiration date, or phone (415) 989-1630 between noon-8 P.M.EST. Checks are also accepted. Please allow 3 weeks for delivery.

Please visit my Web site at www.robertsexton.com

Measuring 14" by 16", it is available either fully framed in a subtle copper tone with hand-cut mats of pewter and rust at $110, or in the mats alone at $95. Please add $14.50 for insured shipping

“The Promise” is featured with many other recent works in my book, “Journeys of the Human Heart.” It, too, is available from the address above at $12.95 per copy postpaid. Please visit my Web site at www.robertsexton.com

and packaging. Your satisfaction is completely guaranteed.

“Across the years I will walk with you— in deep, green forests; on shores of sand: and when our time on earth is through, in heaven, too, you will have my hand.”

The Art of Robert Sexton, 491 Greenwich St. (at Grant), San Francisco, CA 94133

Entering Paradise

Love for a landscape can take many forms.

lthough I moved to this farm only recently, I have loved this place for years, passing by on the road home, slowing to look. There was usually something happening: smoke coming out the chimney; a tractor in the yard being worked on; Mary kneeling in her garden, tending the phlox. And always, there was the mountain. To have come here now is a little like falling in love with an old friend, someone you have known for years, someone you never thought of that way. But all of a sudden, there you are. I never thought Mary’s farm would become mine, and to be here is like the best, most rewarding kind of love.

Mary’s fields, almost all of which are on the other side of the road from the farmhouse, have been open since the early 19th century and, so far as I know, always farmed. The farmers who worked these fields must have enjoyed it. Walk up into the fields, and the mountain is smack in front of you; the fields, separated by hedgerows, roll out on either side, like something in England.

A few years ago, in the early spring, I began to notice that the trees beside the road were getting a much-needed trimming. A young man I did not recognize was busy with his chain saw, selectively cutting trees that had grown thick. He was carefully removing the brush and then raking, so that the roadsides looked beautifully groomed, almost combed. In spots where it had been obscured by these trees, the mountain was now grandly present.

This went on for a couple of months. One day I spotted the young man beside the road. Instead of his chain saw, he was working with carpenter’s tools. The road that passes by Mary’s house is cut into a bank, which makes entrance to the field a bit challenging. Into the bank he was building a flight of wooden steps. The next time I came by, the steps were adorned with pots of flowers, and in the field there was a freestanding white arbor. The rising steps and the distant arbor, set facing the mountain as they were, seemed like an entrance to paradise.

I looked forward to my ride home from work, hoping to catch the next act in this silent play. I was not disappointed: Everywhere around the farm there were flowers, in pots, in vases, in bundles tied with ribbons. Set in the field, facing the arbor, were neat rows of hay bales. Carefully laid on each bale was a white cloth. Pews! There was going to be a wedding—a most elegant outdoor wedding! I wondered who could be getting married. Mary was a widow in her 70s, and as far as I knew, both of her daughters were married.

I wasn’t the only one who had been keeping track of this wedding-in-the-works. Several people in town drove up to the hill on that Saturday and watched from their cars as the couple joined together under the arch. Later I heard the story, told often by a woman in town who calls this “the love story.” A young man who knew Mary and loved her view asked her if he could be married in her field. In return, he said, he would cut the trees beside the road and open up her view.

The arbor is long gone, but the tidy roadside and the steps remain, to remind me of that spring of ardent preparation by a diligent young man. A wonderful love story, and I am as surprised as anyone to discover that I am now enjoying the benefits, inside a love story all my own.

A slightly longer version of this essay, the first of Edie Clark’s “Mary’s Farm” columns, was published in the June 1999 issue of Yankee . Edie’s books are available at edieclark.com.

14 | NEWENGLAND.COM

Mary’s Farm | EDIE CLARK

ILLUSTRATION

CLARE OWEN/ 2 i ART

At sunset, after a day of sailing, I had no idea where we were. So I asked the captain. He unrolled a huge paper map, which seemed a little old-timey but I was curious. He called it a nautical chart. Then he weighed down the edges with funny smelling lanterns and my dad said, “No batteries. Just good old kerosene.” He is such a nerd. The captain traced our route with his finger. We could have gone anywhere, but here we are. This is me.

LAT 44.1037°

LON 69.1089° W

N°

JOURNEY NO.56 MIDCOAST REGION 19:42 ROCKLAND 44.1037° N, 69.1089° W BE ORIGINAL. BE INSPIRED AT MAINEQUARTERLY.COM

Shown as it looked when nearly complete, back in the 1970s, this homespun cabin built by the author’s parents still stands on the family land in Enosburg, Vermont— though the years have taken their toll.

The Memory House

A father-and-son camping trip to a long-ago family homestead stirs up the past.

hen my father was 26, he came to northwestern Vermont from the suburbs of New Jersey. With $10,000 he’d inherited from his father, plus another $7,000 borrowed from the bank, he purchased 165 acres and an old farmhouse. The land and house were nestled at the bottom of a bowl formed by the Cold Hollow Mountains, a string of peaks that compose the northernmost tip of the Green Mountain range.

A couple of years later, my mother showed up. She’d been raised on an Iowa corn and soy farm, graduated from Grinnell College (also in Iowa), and thereafter spent her 20s in the throes of wanderlust. Which is how she ended up on my father’s doorstep—he’d earned a reputation for sheltering itinerant travelers, and she needed a place to stay. It turned into a somewhat longer and more complicated visit than anticipated.

I was born in 1971, in the hospital of the nearby town of St. Albans. I spent the first year and a half of my life in that drafty farmhouse, while my parents worked to complete a two-room cabin at the height of a hayfield just to the east (the house, served as it was by electricity and indoor plumbing, was evidently too commodious for their tastes).

During this period, my father wrote and taught poetry and edited poetry anthologies. My mother cared for me and rode her bike to a farm a mile up the road, where she milked a herd of cows. Together, my parents tended a large garden, kept a flock of laying hens, and for a time husbanded

COURTESY OF BEN HEWITT 16 | NEWENGLAND.COM

Life in the Kingdom | BEN HEWITT

a pair of pigs my uncle brought them as a surprise. In the summer, we cooked outside over an open fire; in the winter, we cooked indoors on a wood stove.

I do not remember much about this period of my life apart from what I’m told. I do remember that my mother had a dog named Art, and that Art died at some point during our time in the cabin, and that she buried him in the woods. I remember riding my big wheel in the swath of mown grass behind my father’s reel mower, and I remember playing in an old van parked at the side of the dirt track leading from the town road to the cabin. Or maybe it was a pickup truck. I remember visiting friends who lived a couple of miles down the road—two sisters, I’m pretty sure—and thinking their house impossibly grand, though I’m sure it was only so grand in comparison with ours. What memories I have of this time do not strike me as favorable or unfavorable; they’re neither good nor bad. I suspect this is merely a reflection of how children experience the world, the quiet acceptance that life is just what it is. It’s only later that we get picky.

We moved from the cabin when I was 6. My father had taken a job in Montpelier, an hour and a half to the south, and the commute became untenable. My parents rented a cavernous old country inn about 10 miles north of Montpelier. We packed up our modest collection of belongings and left the cabin behind. I sometimes wonder what this transition was like for me. I’d spent the majority of my young life living in two rooms, eating meals cooked over a fire, being read to by the light of a kerosene lantern, and going to the bathroom outdoors. Suddenly, there were light switches everywhere and flush toilets on every floor. For a brief period, following relentless lobbying on my part, we even owned a television, though it soon quit working. I again applied what pressure I could, but the set was never replaced.

Last fall, during bowhunting season, my son Rye and I returned to my childhood home. I’d visited the property only a handful of times since leaving it; the most recent had been nearly a decade earlier, to show Rye and his brother, Fin, where I’d spent my early years. That visit had been brief: We’d walked up the hill, poked around the cabin, and departed.

This time, Rye and I planned to camp on the land for three nights. He and my wife, Penny, had scouted it a week earlier, and he’d found a likely spot for a tree stand at the edge of a just-harvested corn field (my parents lease the open land to a neighboring dairy farmer—indeed, the same farmer my mother had once milked for). Since I don’t bowhunt, I’d filled my pack with books and a pair of hiking boots, for I intended to explore the land far beyond the few-hundred-foot circumference that forms the basis for my handful of memories.

We’d been in the midst of a lateseason warm spell, with day after day of brilliant sunshine and temperatures well into the 70s. And while it’s been my experience that the outset of camping trips frequently coincides with the demise of placid weather, such was not the case here. Furthermore, I was surprised to find that the foliage in Cold Hollow was still near peak; back home the hillsides had turned to gray, with only the birch and the beech stubbornly clinging to their yellowed leaves, all the more stunning against the backdrop of exposed branch and trunk.

Rye and I situated our tent under a canopy of sugar maples, on one of the few flat spots we could find, about 100 yards west of the cabin. We unrolled our sleeping pads and unstuffed our bags. Because Rye believes that part of the appeal of camping is to make do with less than one is accustomed to, he did not bring a pillow. Because I believe that part of the appeal of camping is to artfully re-create the comforts of home in the wild, I’d packed two

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pillows: one for my head and, because I sleep on my side, one for between my legs, to protect the inner knobs of my knees from bumping each other in the night (the boys, who know this habit of mine, have endearingly taken to calling this my “crotch pillow”). With camp established, we embarked on a ramble, meandering through the woods toward the rear boundary. This was new terrain to me—or, at the very least, forgotten terrain. The forest remained primarily hardwood for a few hundred yards; then we began descending from the height of the land, and the trees slowly shifted to coniferous species, with hemlock presiding. But even among the hemlocks we came across the odd maple with a rusted sap bucket still hanging, and I wondered if these had been left by my parents, or maybe even a previous landowner. I tried to lift one off its tap, but it would not budge, and upon closer inspection I realized that the tree had actually grown around and over the rim of the bucket, almost as if it were consuming the metal.

That night, we cooked T-bone steaks over the fire and ate them directly from the greased pan, using the bones as handles for the attached meat. (This may seem counter to my earlier claim of wanting to recreate the comforts of home in the wild, but the unflattering truth is that this is how I prefer to eat my steak at home, too.) I’d wrapped potatoes in tinfoil and placed them in the coals, but my timing was off, and the potatoes were still hard long after the steaks were gone, and we left them to finish cooking amid the dying embers. They’d be a fine start to breakfast. By 8:30, we were asleep. The next morning, we explored the cabin, which had not fared well in the absence of human habitation. Every window bore at least one pane of broken glass, and in spots the floor was so visibly compromised I dared not place my full weight atop it. As we walked through the cabin, a series of images ran through my mind: There was my father in his chair, by the old cookstove (though the stove itself was outside, rusting into the ground), smoking a Lucky Strike. There was me, lying in my bed beneath the window that was hinged at the top, and which my mother has told me came crashing down once, the glass shattering across my supine, slumbering body; I never woke up, as the story goes, and my mother picked the glass off me as I slept. And there was my mother, reaching into the little insulated cold box built into the floor, extracting a carton of milk. I could not discern whether these images were real or imagined, but it didn’t much matter, because I knew they represented something real, and that even

if the exact image of my father sitting by the fire or my mother reaching into the cold box wasn’t perfectly accurate, these things happened.

Later that day, after Rye had gone to his tree stand for his evening sit, and after I had gotten the fire going in order to cook another one-pot meal, I spent some time poking around the woods surrounding the cabin. There, I uncovered an old engine (from a rototiller, I decided), a bedspring, the business end of a spade, and a few more sap buckets—nothing surprising, nothing of any real consequence. And just as I was about to return to the fire, I spied something yellow at the base of a maple. A leaf, I figured, or a pile of leaves, and I almost passed it by, but something compelled me to investigate further. And there I found the front end of an old Tonka truck, the edges rough and rusted, the body having long since returned to the earth.

I picked it up and held it in my hands, willing an image to come. I knew I’d played with that truck, taken it into the woods, carried rocks and sticks in its bed, made rumbling noises with my mouth. But it had been four decades or more since I’d last held that truck, and in this case, at least, I couldn’t see that far into the past.

COURTESY OF BEN HEWITT 18 | NEWENGLAND.COM Life in the Kingdom | BEN HEWITT

TOP RIGHT : The Hewitt family—Geof and Janet, with a 3-year-old Ben—in a snapshot from the Enosburg years. ABOVE : The remaining scraps of Ben’s childhood Tonka truck, discovered on his return to the homestead with his own son.

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First LIGHT

Season Opener

A classic Maine island inn gets ready for summer.

BY IAN ALDRICH

here is still much to do.

Jason Schlosser, general manager of the Chebeague Island Inn, steps out of the van that has trucked up supplies—groceries and cleaning equipment—from the ferry landing. Schlosser is tall, with closely cropped graying hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He smooths nonexistent creases from his tailored blue sport coat, then scans the yellow clapboard hotel and the surrounding grounds with the eye of someone who has spent 20 years running high-end coastal hotels.

It’s a Friday afternoon in early May, opening weekend for the inn, which, as always, has been closed since October. On tap is a cocktail reception for local residents tonight, a visit tomorrow by a couple who will be married at the inn next month, and the arrival of the season’s first guests on Sunday. “We’ll be ready,” Schlosser says. “We don’t have a choice.”

There are certain places so embedded in a community that they define it. So it is with the Chebeague Island Inn. The 94-year-old building, a long, three-story rectangular

structure situated on a hill above the water, stands where a hotel has stood since 1860. Its namesake island is the largest of a scattering of more than 100 small islands that populate Maine’s Casco Bay. Just four miles long and about a mile wide, Chebeague is home to 400 residents year-round, and nearly four times that in summer.

People mingle at the post office, the seasonal coffee shop, and the general store, but the inn is the community’s preferred gathering place—in summer, at least. With its dark woods and high-ceilinged main rooms, it has a grandeur that adds size to Chebeague’s small-island life. Residents meet for a drink or a meal, make small talk with the young staffers who’ve trekked here from different parts of the world, and sit on the big porch to watch one of Maine’s best sunsets. Its reopening every May is not only a sign that the summer season is set to begin, but also proof that the island has emerged from its winter slumber.

Opening up the 21-room inn after seven months of dormancy is a carefully orchestrated dance. This time around it began in early April when the hotel’s head of maintenance, Jordan Nystedt, trudged the half mile from the ferry dock through a foot of freshly fallen snow. Plywood sheets were taken off the windows, the heating system was fired up, walls were painted, screens redone, porch balusters replaced. As a result of winter winds jostling the building, every one of the inn’s 377 light bulbs had to be replaced.

| 21 MAY | JUNE 2018

left : The Chebeague Island Inn, getting spruced up after a long winter. above : Part of the inn’s international seasonal staff, Nokukhanya Sibiya (South Africa) and Roberto Torok (Romania) finish prepping one of the guest rooms. top right : Front desk manager April Theth. PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK FLEMING

Even on this weekend, the work continues. The heating system is a perpetual headache for Nystedt, who walks around the building with a purple notebook to add to and subtract from his to-do list. The boiler shut down just two weeks ago and again this morning, when it started over

plumber,” says Schlosser, shaking his head. “And here there’s only one.”

The inn also comes to life with the arrival of staff. Over the past week, new faces have appeared every day, workers laden with small suitcases and accents from away—Romania, South Africa, Bulgaria, Jamaica. As Schlosser navigates the boiler issue, front desk man-

ager April Theth gives a rundown on guest reservations to Vicentiu Mercu, a Romanian in his 20s who came only yesterday from the Florida hotel where he had worked for the winter. “I drove straight for 22 hours,” he says, proudly. “Just a sandwich and two Red Bulls.”

In the kitchen, executive chef Matt Ginn is tweaking the summer’s menu, preparing a tasting lunch for the wedding couple, and overseeing the making of hors d’oeuvres for tonight’s cocktail reception. He chops onions for a risotto while keeping watch on the boiling pot of lobster shells for bisque stock. Nearby are racks of tomatoes and bread from the kitchen’s first order, a $10,000 supply of goods that mistakenly didn’t include eggs. “There are always some early hiccups,” Ginn says.

He pauses his chopping and looks up. “What are we listening to?”

“The Grateful Dead,” says Seth Prescott, Ginn’s 19-year-old prep cook and head dishwasher, who is slicing leeks. Somehow he’s managed to get control of his boss’s radio.

“Why, dude?” asks Ginn. “You know I have one rule in the kitchen: It has to be rap music. You’re lucky I’ve even shared the radio with you.” He squirts a large pot with olive oil for the risotto, then looks at the clock.

Just four hours until people start arriving.

The Chebeague Island Inn is a remnant of a different era. The original hotel was built to cater to wealthy Baltimore banking families who had discovered Casco Bay as a summer retreat. At one time there were as many as six ferry landings on Chebeague; today, there are only two.

Over the years the inn has experienced different owners and different states of ownership. In 2010, the Prentice family—parents Dick and Gerri and their kids, Caitlin and Casey— purchased the hotel. The Prentices, who hail from just across the bay, in Falmouth, are well-known business

First LIGHT | SEASON OPENER 22 | NEWENGLAND.COM

for Chebeague residents; the inn’s great room, whose fieldstone fireplace is the sole remnant of the original hotel on this site (built in the 1880s, it was lost to fire nearly 40 years later).

EDITORS’ CHOICE

April

POINTS J.G., Wine Enthusiast ,

2018

and real estate developers in southern Maine. Their operation of the inn is a family affair, and come May they’re anchored in the day-to-day operations of its opening.

But with a place like the Chebeague Island Inn, ownership isn’t absolute. Instead, the Prentice family are simply the latest in a long line of caretakers, stewards of a property that neighbors and generations of families feel protective toward.

Not long after buying the inn, the Prentices were brought up to speed on the community’s connection to the property. First, they needed to repair some goodwill. The previous owner had invested heavily in renovations, but locals felt excluded and took it hard when the large basement bar was converted to a laundry room and something substantially more upscale and smaller was built in the dining room to replace it. The Prentices also quickly learned it wasn’t uncommon for visitors to wander into the kitchen to chat with the cooks or to knock on the doors of staff houses to recruit help for yard work or to borrow a tool.

As the family sought to change those kinds of associations, they worked to create new ones—like tonight’s event.

At 5 p.m. the first islanders arrive. One of the earliest is Mike Robinson, a fisherman who supplies the inn with its lobsters. As he ambles through the great room, Alexandria Andronesi, a young Romanian who is back for her third season and her first as the dining room manager, spots him.

She gives him a hug and then steps back. “How was your winter?”

“Good,” says Robinson, whose family has lived on Chebeague since the

American Revolution. “I survived it. How was yours?”

“I was in Florida working at another hotel, so it was warm.”

“I’m sure it was much warmer than ours,” he laughs.

He makes his way to the bar and gets comfortable in the official “Dick Dyer Chair,” which, with its plaque and picture of the late lobsterman, serves as an homage to an islander who was a nightly fixture at the inn. “I guess I’ve sort of inherited it,” Robinson says.

As he orders a rye and Diet Coke, the island’s fire chief, Ralph Munroe, takes a seat next to him. Soon, Casey Prentice joins the two men.

“Your brother going to make it up tonight?” he asks Robinson.

“I don’t think so,” Robinson says. “Probably tomorrow. He’s changing the engine on his boat. He was kneedeep in grease when I stopped by.”

While Robinson and Munroe nurse their drinks, from her post at the front desk Theth spies some familiar faces, an older couple and their adult son, who march directly from the front door to where she sits.

The mother gives Theth a hug and runs a hand through her friend’s hair. “So good to see you,” she says. “Your hair’s different this year—it’s green.” Theth shakes it out a little. “Yeah, it’s for spring,” she says, laughing.

It goes like this for the rest of the evening. Staff and islanders, plus a few summer residents who’ve come for the weekend, catch up over drinks and food. There are lives to go over, summer plans to detail. And excitement for the start of a new season on Chebeague, where tonight summer seems less like a wish, and more a promise to be kept.

61 South Road, Chebeague Island, ME. 207-846-5155; chebeagueislandinn.com

24 | NEWENGLAND.COM

First LIGHT | SEASON OPENER

from top : Executive chef Matt Ginn, who also works back on the mainland running the kitchen at acclaimed Portland restaurant Evo; sunset from the inn’s front porch.

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Speak, the Tooth

The “holy grail” of scrimshaw, Frederick Myrick’s work is marked by artistic skill and historical accuracy—and often a certain darkly memorable saying.

n an 1831 catalog of what is today the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, there’s an entry for a scrimshaw titled “Tooth of a Sperm Whale, curiously carved.” With it, a second entry: “Another, carved by the same hand.” These two pieces were among the first scrimshaw ever acquired by a museum, and they went into the collection with no mention of the artist’s name. Which is curious, given that both were signed. And fascinating, given how revered that name is today.

Though little is known about Frederick Myrick, born 1808 on Nantucket, he looms large in the scrimshaw world. The 36 whale teeth he carved during his 1826–1829 voyage on the Nantucket whaler Susan —collectively known as “Susan’s teeth”—became famous with the publication of Everett Crosby’s Susan’s Teeth and Much About Scrimshaw. With that landmark 1955 book (and a little help from celebrity collector John F. Kennedy), the era of scrimshaw appreciation began in earnest, with Myrick as its best-known artisan.

“He’s become sort of the holy grail,” says Michael P. Dyer, curator of maritime history for Massachusetts’s New Bedford Whaling Museum (which owns four Myrick pieces,

including the Susan’s tooth pictured above). “The workmanship is superb: He gets the whaling scenes exactly right, the details of the ship he’s depicting are perfect. But he also signed his name, he dated the pieces, he included the actual name of the ship—and you just never see that in scrimshaw.”

Something else you never see: the old whaling toast inscribed on most of Myrick’s pieces, Death to the living / long life to the killers / Success to sailors’ wives & greasy luck to whalers. Stark and poetic, the quote appears virtually nowhere else in scrimshaw, and for Dyer it combines with Myrick’s painstakingly detailed scenes and symbols to capture the whaleman’s life almost like, well, Moby-Dick in miniature.

“It’s kill or be killed, and let’s hope that we do the killing and make a living at it—that’s what it was all about, you know?” he says. “If you look at a Susan’s tooth, all four sides, you’re done. You’ve got everything you need to know about Yankee whaling right there.” —Jenn Johnson

The New Bedford Whaling Museum’s Nautical Antiques Show is set for 5/4, followed by its 30th annual Scrimshaw Weekend 5/5–5/6. For more information, go to whalingmuseum.org.

ALEX GAGNE

First LIGHT | UP CLOSE

26 | NEWENGLAND.COM

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Shack Attack

A field guide to traditional New England summer retreats, in all their quirky glory.

hen you hear New Englanders announce, “We’re going up to the camp for the month,” this could mean a trip of anywhere from 200 miles to 200 yards. A camp, in New England, is a small seasonal dwelling—not a second home, but an antidote to home. While camps tend to be highly idiosyncratic, most are variations on a few basic themes:

Seaside

Name: “Spindrift” / Typical diversions: Swimming, sunbathing / Pests: Greenheads / Chore you don’t get around to: Fixing broken beach chair / Specialty of the house: Lobster / Inescapable problem: Noisy neighbors

Lakeside

Name: “Whispering Pines” / Typical diversions: Sailing, swimming / Pests: Mosquitoes / Chore you don’t get

around to: Rebuilding old dock / Specialty of the house: Sautéed trout / Inescapable problem: Friends who “just happened by” with swimsuits

Mountainside

Name: “Shangri-La” / Typical diversions: Hiking, board games / Pests: Blackflies / Chore you don’t get around to: Replacing moribund gas refrigerator / Specialty of the house: Sweet corn / Inescapable problem: Access road washes out every spring

Backwoods

Name: “Ta-Pa-Nu-Keg” / Typical diversions: Card games, shooting at empty bottles / Pests: Varmints / Chore you don’t get around to: Splitting unsplittable pieces of firewood / Specialty of the house: Defrosted deer steak with canned mushrooms / Inescapable problem: Privy needs to be moved

—Adapted from “Understanding Camps” by Jon Vara, August 1995

WE WERE RIGHT ALL ALONG

—Amy Poehler (born September 16, 1971, in Newton, Massachusetts). This multitalented comedic actress was raised by two high school teachers, which seems about right: Between acting (Saturday Night Live, Parks and Recreation ), writing (Yes Please ), and cracking wise with Tina Fey (seemingly everywhere), she’s helped support and inspire a whole generation of young people through Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls. Cofounded with producer Meredith Walker, the organization marks its 10-year anniversary in 2018.

28 | NEWENGLAND.COM EVERETT COLLECTION INC./ALAMY STOCK PHOTO First LIGHT | KNOWLEDGE & WISDOM USEFUL STUFF FROM 82 YEARS OF YANKEE

“Fighting aging is like the War on Drugs. It’s expensive, and it does more harm than good.”

P.T. BARNUM

Compiled by Julia Shipley

1810

Year that Phineas Taylor Barnum was born in Bethel, CT

Age when he opened the Barnum American Museum in New York City

850,000

Supposed number of attractions in his museum, including trained bears, a flea circus, and a “Feejee mermaid”

Age when he launched his first big-top extravaganza, later known as the Greatest Show on Earth

$50K

Amount that Barnum gave to Tufts University to establish a natural history museum (in today’s dollars, more than $1 million)

17 & 21

Number of camels and elephants, respectively, that Barnum paraded across the Brooklyn Bridge in 1884 to prove it was structurally sound

Number of years the taxidermied remains of his first elephant, Jumbo, were displayed at Tufts before being lost in a 1975 fire

1,000,000

Number of copies of Barnum’s autobiography sold in his lifetime

FOUR

Number of terms he served as state representative (and one as the mayor of Bridgeport)

TWO

Number of bigscreen biopics: (The Mighty Barnum, 1934, and The Greatest Showman, 2017)

5/21/17

Date of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus’s final performance

WRITERS ON A NEW ENGLAND STAGE JENNIFER EGAN

Tue., June 26 •

Historic Theater

The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of A Visit from the Goon Squad visits with her NY Times bestseller Manhattan Beach, just out in paperback.

WRITERS ON A NEW ENGLAND STAGE IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN:

PRESENTING SPONSORS:

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MEDIA PARTNER:

| 29 MAY | JUNE 2018 NEW ENGLAND BY THE NUMBERS

Historic Theater: 28 Chestnut Street, Portsmouth, NH Loft: 131 Congress Street, Portsmouth, NH B2W Box Office: 603.436.2400 • TheMusicHall.org /MusicHall @MusicHall /MusicHallNH

•

7pm

How to Throw a Ringer Every Time

To win in the big leagues of this timeless backyard game, you just have to start young and pitch, oh, tens of thousands of horseshoes.

BY JOE BILLS ILLUSTRATION BY J.P. SCHMELZER

n the 118-year history of the world championship of horseshoe pitching, only one New Englander has ever won the crown. Brian Simmons of Vermont was recognized as the best in the world in 2000, 2002, and 2011. In throwing the 2½-pound horseshoes, he notches a ringer more than 80 percent of the time, one of the highest degrees of accuracy in the sport. At 56, he’s hoping he has one more title run in him. Here, he shares some of the secrets of his success.

Be Eager to Learn

“My father was a Class A horseshoe pitcher,” Simmons says, “and I grew up watching him and his friends play. I wanted to be like them. He died in 1996, but I remember everything he taught me.”

Make It Fun

Growing up, Simmons practiced every day. As a youngster he started out closer to the pin, then moved farther away as he improved. He credits his father with finding ways of keeping it fun. “Sometimes he’d put cones or a tire around the pin, so I’d have to drop the horseshoe in without disturbing anything. He’d sit in front of the pin and I’d throw over him. It was like a job to me, but he always made it fun.”

Take One Step at a Time

“I encourage new players not to focus on throwing ringers,” Simmons says. “Start by consistently getting it in the pit. You can score for being close to the pin. Play for points, and let the ringers come.”

30 | NEWENGLAND.COM

First LIGHT | ASK THE EXPERT

Consistency Is Key

The one thing all good players have in common is consistency. “People stand differently and have different grips, but none of that really matters if your technique is good,” Simmons says. “A common tendency is to focus on the stake when you throw. I look at the stake at the start of the motion, but for me the goal is to bring the stake and the horseshoe into alignment at the moment of release. It’s like sighting a gun. When I release the shoe, my focus is on my hand. I want the same height, the same release point, every time.”

Keep Your Focus

When he’s competing, Simmons blocks out everything around him. “Horseshoes is a mind game,” he says. In tournament play, ringers score three points but can be canceled out if your opponent also throws a ringer. At the

championship level, this makes for some long games. “You have to focus on what you can control and let everything else go. I focus on being consistent and having fun. There’s no sense getting mad. The more worked up you get, the worse you’ll play.”

Love What You Do

“Money can’t be my motivation,” Simmons says, and laughs. “There isn’t any.” Instead, he’s motivated by the pride of accomplishment and by the love of his extended “horseshoe family.” He met his wife through the game, and several other members of his family play at a high level. “It’s become my social life. I’ve met so many great people.”

Don’t Give In

The high level of success that Simmons has maintained is a testament

to his ability to overcome obstacles. When he was a young man, his Crohn’s disease was so severe that he couldn’t compete. At 29 he was diagnosed with and treated for cancer. In 2003, he needed angioplasty for a heart condition. He’s had two strokes, including one just weeks before the world tournament in 2008. He still participated—and finished in second place with an 18-1 record.

Share the Wealth

Years ago, Simmons decided that his accumulated trophies—many of them quite large—were just collecting dust, so he donated most of the hardware to Special Olympics for distribution to participants in that year’s games. “The trophies meant so much to them,” he says, beaming. “That was definitely one of the coolest things I’ve done.”

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| 31 MAY | JUNE 2018

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PAGE: LIGHTHOUSE, ISTOCK; ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY: MARK FLEMING/ YANKEE

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YEARS OF TRIAL AND ERROR WITH FLOWERS AND SHRUBS, BERRIES AND VEGETABLES, HAS TAUGHT THIS ACCLAIMED GARDENING WRITER ONE THING: HER LAND HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN.

PLOT TWISTS

| 35 GARDEN TOUR | Home

Author Tovah Martin at home in Roxbury, Connecticut. Over the past two decades, she’s worked to transform these seven acres into a gardener’s paradise— and she’s not done yet. TOVAH MARTIN • PHOTOGRAPHS BY KINDRA CLINEFF

A GARDEN WAS ALWAYS PART OF THE GAME PLAN.

Even before the snow melted and the ground thawed 20-plus years ago when I first came to these seven acres in Roxbury, Connecticut, I knew exactly where I wanted the garden. Before the leaky roof was addressed and the termiteinfested basement was shored up, some muscle men were inveigled to dig a garden stretching from the converted 1790 cobbler shop, my current writing studio, to the street. The fact that the path layout sort of resembles a peace sign was accidental. Instead, the overarching design was configured so that flowers would always be just a glance out my office window. And from the opposite end, when neighbors strolled by with their golden retrievers, they would get a floral eyeful.

Back then, I thought of the garden in singular terms. Plural didn’t come until later.

As for the garden’s content, the repertoire was a total stab in the dark, except that flowers were definitely in its future. Searching for inspiration, I asked Miss Smith, the 90-somethingyear-old surviving member of the town’s founding family, whether in her recollection the property had ever hosted a garden. She pointed a shaky cane at the front yard and declared, “Of course. We had a potato patch right there.” It didn’t give me much to emulate.

I suppose that a 100-foot-long perennial border is more ambitious than what most first-time homeowners would want to tackle. As originally designed, a cottage garden seemed the only way to go, and that concept translated into solid perennials from my windows to the road. In

36 | Home | GARDEN TOUR

A sinuous garden path leads to Martin’s writing studio and, beyond, the converted 18th-century dairy barn where she lives. Bare grass is a rarity in this landscape, which is packed with low-growing shrubs such as hardy orange, Poncirus trifoliata ; perennials including hostas, asters, and sedums; and some flowering showstoppers, such as the Viburnum plicatum ‘Mary Milton’ shown at left.

OUTWITTING VARMINTS

Finding plants that ward o garden foes can lead to some nifty combinations. And the good news is that these garden companions help each other survive. A few ideas to try:

■ Surround a garden with rue. This nonedible herb emits an acrid scent if fourfooted marauders step in. Note: Rue can cause a severe dermatological reaction, so avoid physical contact and wear protective clothing when working around this plant.

■ Encircle your plantings with aromatic herbs. Deer usually avoid munching them due to their strong essential oils.

■ Intermingle daffodils with other spring bulbs. Da odils are toxic to critters and can fool them into thinking that the entire planting is toxic. Likewise, planting da odils between hostas helps deter voles.

■ Plant something tall (amaranthus, for one) between your vegetables, and spray with animal repellent the plants you won’t be eating.

■ Bonus critter tip: When planting a new bed, skip the double digging. Voles and moles love to tunnel into freshly dug soil.

| 37

retrospect, I overdid the floral contagion by a country mile. Much later, I doubled back to tuck in shrubs as large-footprint sentinels that would cut down on maintenance and give the garden structure. So this should tell you something right away: I’m not a professional landscape designer—just a gardener gone ballistic.

Initially, the colors stayed strictly in the pastel range, which seemed a safe palette for a newcomer to a staid New England town. Later, I unleashed my inner gypsy and let it rip with oranges, yellows, purples, and blues, which felt more like me. The front garden is in its umpteenth iteration, because evolution is the way of a gardener’s world. Maybe some people get it right on the first try, but most of us roll with the punches.

Change is not merely due to shortsightedness, either. Some plants like us; others do not. The giant patch of babyblue Penstemon was doomed for reasons I’ve never pinpointed. The foxgloves were fruitful, but those mavericks had a mind of their own, inserting themselves wherever they weren’t planted. As for the so-called “perennial” foxglove (Digitalis x mertonensis), I learned not to count on many happy returns.

During those first few years, the garden would pretty much peter out by July. Lilies seemed to be the perfect solution until they were hit from top to toe by combined deer/vole/lily beetle attacks. Before I discovered a source for own-root roses (that is, roses grown on their own rootstock rather than grafts), that favorite shrub was, for me, an expensive annual. Alliums thrive for about three years and then require replenishing. And who among us doesn’t initially make the stumble of all newly minted gardeners—to bombard nurseries in spring and snap up every plant that is performing?

But gradually, despite two decades of dodging bullets, the place started to gain bulk. The way some women can’t pass up shoes, I can’t spot a nursery without making a U-turn. You’d be amazed what can fit in the back of a Volvo, or maybe you already know. But it wasn’t until my gardening reached viral proportions that the property earned its name. “Furthermore” seemed like a natural fit.

Food nudged the next stage of manifest destiny. From the start, a few sparse vegetables had been incorporated into the garden swath that stretched to the street, although I remember whining that the bolted lettuce was its only compelling feature by August. Five

Freshly harvested homegrown salads proved so irresistible that a full-fledged vegetable garden was the obvious spinoff. I designed an innovative circular garden with pie-wedge raised beds. Bad idea: The circular design toppled inward. So, after several fences had imploded, I found a master fence-maker to build a new eight-foot fence with a top board that stabilized it. By that time, I’d also added a teardrop-shaped berry garden bristling with blueberries, currants, blackberries, and gooseberries.

or six years later, edible greens got a little postage-stamp space of their own behind the converted cobbler shop. And that’s when inventive solutions really became my modus operandi.

Protecting the larder (unfenced at first) necessitated a series of creative deterrents, the most successful being a ring of rue (Ruta graveolens ) interwoven with golden feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium ‘Aureum’) to fool deer into thinking that foul-tasting herbs were the sum total of this garden’s contents. It worked like a charm for deer, but apparently rabbits have a higher IQ. My double-barreled solution was to also enlist the red-leaved prince’s feather ( Amaranthus cruentus ) that appeared annually as self-sown volunteers throughout the garden. Sprayed with rotated Bobbex and Liquid Fence repellents, they deterred potential pantry-raiders.

With the berry garden, I hit maximum weeding capacity—in fact, it pushed me over. In the battle against weeds, I’d tried all the usual. Landscape fabric took just a couple of years to shred into something bearing an uncanny resemblance to a trash dump. Annual mulching proved prohibitively expensive. Finally, underplanting the berry bushes with a dense mat of calamint (Calamintha nepeta ) hit the sweet spot. Moreover, the airy mist of white flowers above small aromatic leaves is eco-friendly. After the berry blossoms delight pollinators, the calamint kicks in, preoccupying those industrious little workers for the remainder of the summer, while its interlocking stems keep weeds at bay.

Meanwhile, the neighborhood was giving me plenty of positive feedback as the garden in front matured. The alliums won constant acclaim, as did the columbines. However, the crabgrass that dominated the hell strip where the driveway met the street received no compliments whatsoever. The front lawn had to go.

I packed it with a closely knit tapestry of low-maintenance, lowgrowing shrubs, like Spiraea japonica ‘Magic Carpet.’ These mingled with

38 | NEWENGLAND.COM Home | GARDEN TOUR

EVOLUTION IS THE WAY OF A GARDENER’S WORLD. MAYBE SOME PEOPLE GET IT RIGHT FROM THE START, BUT MOST OF US ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES.

bullet proof perennials such as yellow foxglove, sedums, and asters, plus steadfast herbs. I planted them so densely that they literally wove one into the next. If the slightest hint of soil could be seen, an annual such as statice came to the rescue. That lostand-found space now rubs its previous lawn incarnation in the dirt. Dog walkers give it two thumbs up.

More plans are in the wings. Someday, no lawn will dwell in my domain. I will plant wall-to-wall. And someday, too, the magic formula for maintaining a garden gone berserk will become evident. Until then, I intend to keep wigging out into oblivion.

Maybe I’ve learned only one thing for certain over the years: Gardening is incurable.

Tovah Martin’s latest book, The Garden in Every Sense and Season , which centers on the garden she calls Furthermore, was recently published by Timber Press.

THE GREAT COVER-UP

Hate to weed? One solution is to apply mulch. But another is to plant your garden cheek by jowl. That’s how nature fills space, and the resulting display looks almost like a meadow. What you need to make it really work is a combination of weaving plants and ground covers. Some plants that play well together:

n Yarrow with thyme

n Hostas with daffodils and bugbane

n Calamint with blueberries

n Coral bells with Japanese reed grass

n Alliums with perennial yellow foxglove ( Digitalis grandiflora)

n Asters with spirea

n Oregano with edible sage

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Color unlike anything you have ever seen. Color that sweeps and darts, vanishes and reappears. One moment it’s red, then orange, then violet and on to ghostly blues and spectral greens, apparitions of a long-lost world, playing, dancing, cavorting across the surface. Colors dreaming within the gems. Look once, look twice, look a hundred times, always different.

Carry one close to your heart, pendant/necklace, hold colors near the ear, and for dramatic moments of outreach, a bracelet and a ring too. No matter what we say, it can’t convey, no matter what we show in print and video, they don’t begin to explain. Visit us and see. Visit us and in two minutes you will see something you never knew existed, you couldn’t possibly have known. Your heart will know, you must have, must take home with you…

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All the Buzz

The wit and wisdom of a Massachusetts artist’s busy bumblers.

BY ANNIE GRAVES

he bees wouldn’t leave her alone.

Walking near her home in Hingham, Massachusetts, in the summer of 2010, Cheryl Dunlap was stunned when a bee zoomed by, inches from her nose. That same week, she’d looked down to see one clinging to her shoelaces. And overnight, it seemed, they were everywhere on her deck.

“I kept trying to figure out what I wanted to paint next,” says Dunlap, who’d left a career in commercial design in 2001 to raise her children, and then decided to pick up her paintbrush again. “I vowed if I was going back into art, it was going to be fine art. I wasn’t going back to the corporate world.”

Over the next several years she’d become a veteran of local galleries and art shows, painting Nantucket scenes, flowers, and dog portraits so realistic that people still light up when describing them. Her sensitivity and attention to detail produced artful paintings and photos that cover the walls of her home.

Still, she had found the art scene worrisome. “I found myself getting frustrated,” she recalls. “I was trying to make a living, and I was becoming more concerned with painting things that would sell.”

That’s when the bees began bugging her.

“I was trying to come up with something new to paint for a gardenthemed art show. I just didn’t feel like

painting another vase of flowers,” she says. “I’d been doing yoga off and on for 10 years, and I was walking my dog and looking around at people’s gardens, and the bees just kept coming after me.” She pauses with a gleeful grin. “And then, a few days later, I was walking down Main Street, thinking, What can I do for the show ?, and this bee literally buzzes by my face. And I thought, Oh my gosh, I have to do the cutest little bee meditating, with his legs crossed, and put Bee in the Moment!”

Before long she was sitting by the water at her mother’s cottage on Silver Lake, in New Hampshire, sketching, experimenting with yoga bees. She shows me the original pencil drawings, dozens and dozens in a battered sketchbook—he’s a plump, meditative fellow, sitting on a yoga mat, his fingers closed in a delicate mudra. “A dragonfly landed on the page,” she says, pointing. “I sketched him, too.” But the rest of the page is filled with yoga bees: tilting sideways in triangle pose, barely off the ground in bridge pose, and proudly executing warrior pose.

“For days after that, it was like a download,” she says. “I must have been open and ready for this to come to me. The ideas kept coming—I could do ‘Bee this! Bee that!’”

I flip through the notebook, and there’s a reason to smile on every page. Here he is on his back, there doing a handstand, now a split. Bee a Wild Thing, suggests one. We Bee Jammin’ , say the dreadlocked bees. Anything Is Possible, If You Beelieve

“I’d never done anything even close in style,” says Dunlap, who up to that point had mostly worked from photos and painted realistically. (In her corporate days, she created exacting wildlife images for T-shirts sold in national parks across the country.) “But I knew I had to make this insect look really adorable, because some people don’t like bees. And I like detail, so I wanted the lines and antennas to look fairly realistic, not a cartoon. But I

| 43 MAY | JUNE 2018 OPEN STUDIO | Home

Three of Cheryl Dunlap’s passions—yoga, nature, and conservation—all come together in her Just Bee & Me designs, which include a line of greeting cards ( opposite ) printed on recycled paper. PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK FLEMING

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also wanted his eyes shut, because I wanted him to be Zen all the time. I knew when I had it right.”

Destiny took the bees out of the notebook and landed them on greeting cards. Dunlap began working in a local shop that sold fitness and yoga clothing, and when she told the owner about her bee sketches, the woman loved it. “She said, ‘Just do it. We’ll put them on the counter and see if they sell.’” Dunlap smiles at the memory, a pinch-me moment. “People would buy their yoga clothes and they’d start flipping through the cards, saying, ‘Oh my God, these are adorable! Who did these?’”

And then, little by little, “it just took off.” Today, Dunlap’s Just Bee & Me cards fly off shelves from Maine to Florida, with 84 different designs and bees for all occasions. From the start, the bees were eco-friendly, too, printed on recycled paper with a biodegradable sleeve. And every month, a portion of sales goes to the nonprofit Save the Honeybee Foundation.

“Everything in life, it either gives you a nudge and you don’t pay attention, or it keeps nudging you until it gets big: THIS IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO. And that’s what I feel it’s been like,” says Dunlap, as we pause to admire my favorite bee, a rotund little guy flat on his back on a pale violet yoga mat. He’s absolutely bee-atific.

Just Bee.

To purchase Dunlap’s Just Bee & Me designs, including cards, clothing, and notebooks, or to find a local retailer, go to justbeeandme.com.

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“The ideas kept coming— I could do ‘Bee this! Bee that!’”

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Hidden Away in Guilford, Vermont

And yet this classic New England property is known throughout the world, thanks to a certain remarkable lady.

fter leaving the village of Guilford, Vermont—just south of Brattleboro, on the Massachusetts border—we drove slowly along a hilly, curvy dirt road until, quite suddenly, we were confronted with a venerable covered bridge. At this point we stopped and took in the setting. To the right of the bridge, water was surging over a restored c. 1811 timber crib dam; to the left was the magnificent-looking 1830 house and barn, once a blacksmith shop, that we’d come to see. And oh yes, up on a small rise behind us was a gleaming white Methodist Episcopal church (now used only for weddings and funeral services). Add in the green fields, stone walls, and rock gardens next to the house, and, well, in all our years of moseying around New England, we didn’t think we’ve ever seen such a gorgeous combination of historic house, barn, covered bridge, river dam, and church. It was quintessential New England—all in one view.

After drinking it in for a few minutes, we noticed a woman next to the house waving us to come over. In no time at all we found ourselves at a huge Chippendale kitchen table overlooking the river, enjoying coffee as well as just-out-of-the-oven bran muffins with our hostess, Joan Seymour, longtime owner of the B&B she calls the Green River Bridge House. “I have guests here from all over the world,” she said, “including England, Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Australia, and so many others.” We thought to ourselves that each of these guests no doubt feels that

the Green River Bridge House is their own little secret, something that only they have discovered. “We’re having a group of seven from Denmark tonight,” she said, passing the muffins and some butter over to us.

As we sat there that morning with Joan, we began to realize she does everything herself. All the cleaning, bed making, yard work, gardening, mowing, cooking (“Everyone loves my breakfasts,” she told us)—absolutely everything. “Anything that needs doing, well, I just do it,” Joan said. But there’s more. Recently she baked 40 pies (that’s right, 40) for a local hospital fund-raising event. A couple of years ago she put on a sit-down dinner for more than three dozen people connected to the Rhodes Scholar office in Brattleboro. She is also a licensed

aesthetician, and people from across southern Vermont and parts of Massachusetts come to her attractive little basement spa for skin care, full-body Swedish massages, facials, and such.

Joan has been doing all these things by herself ever since she bought the property 18 years ago. “At that time, the place was practically falling down—there even were holes in the walls,” she said. So for the first year and a half she sort of “camped out,” as she put it, in the deteriorating house while paying for and participating in a massive restoration—including the foundation, the walls and ceilings, floors, windows, a second set of stairs to the second floor, and on and on. (Had she been scared to sleep in such a wreck of an empty house all by herself night after night? “Well, yes,” she admitted,

SUSAN PEASE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (B&B); PAT & CHUCK BLACKLEY/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO (BRIDGE) | 47 MAY | JUNE 2018 HOUSE FOR SALE | Home

clockwise from top : The Green River Bridge House, originally a stagecoach stop and now a cozy B&B; the house’s namesake bridge; owner Joan Seymour.

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“a little.”) Anyway, the result is that this old stagecoach stopover (on the route from Boston to Jacksonville, Vermont) and subsequent area post office is today in perfect condition.

Eventually, it was time for us to walk with Joan through the beautifully decorated living room, the formal dining room, and the full-length porch overlooking the gardens and the river. Then it was up to the second floor, where Joan’s bedroom and bathroom are located at the top of the new private stairs (“so I need not walk by my guests’ rooms in my nightie”). This is also where we peeked into the three luxurious B&B bedrooms, each with its own spectacular view and private bathroom. Also in each, recessed into the ceilings, are gorgeous chandeliers collected by Joan in past world travels.

From the room she has named the Sunrise Room (the others are the River Room and the Bridge Room), we stepped onto the outside balcony and, once again, drank in the view of the gardens, fields, and flowing river just below. And everything we could see, Joan told us, is protected under preservation trusts, so it will all forever remain as we saw it that morning.

As for Joan’s future, well, now that she’s in her 70s she feels that it’s probably getting time to retire, maybe live with or near her children and grandchildren in Australia. Her asking price: $1.4 million … for a worldrenowned B&B or simply a wonderful country home.

On our way back to New Hampshire later that day, we contemplated spending a night at the Green River Bridge House ourselves sometime. What a nice thought. We’d love to step out onto that balcony off the Sunrise Room once again. And maybe Joan would have made some more of those bran muffins, too.

For more information, contact Joan Seymour at 802-257-5771 or email grbh@sover.net.

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48 | NEWENGLAND.COM Home | HOUSE FOR SALE

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BY BRIDGET SAMBURG

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK FLEMING FOOD AND PROP STYLING BY JEN BEAUCHESNE ILLUSTRATION BY LIZ NOFTLE

Food | TRAVEL

Owner Mary Alice Proffitt bustles behind the counter at Down Home Kitchen—a popular Montpelier, Vermont, eatery and one of our top breakfast picks in New England.

WE HIT A FAVORITE BREAKFAST SPOT IN EACH NEW ENGLAND STATE TO DISCOVER A SUREFIRE DISH YOU CAN ORDER THERE—OR WHIP UP AT HOME.

PAGE 55

MARY ALICE PROFFITT likes to buy the uglier vegetables at local farms—those lumpy carrots and funny-shaped peppers that are often overlooked at market stands. “Once they’re cut up, you can’t tell the difference,” she says. Many of those less-than-comely veggies go into the roasted root hash that’s become a hit at Proffitt’s Down Home Kitchen (and that we’ve adapted here). The hash started as a special, but customers loved it so much it fast became a staple. Each bite is earthy and delicious, with a subtle sweetness from the roasted carrots. The egg on top adds a comforting creaminess. downhomekitchenvt.com

Roasted Root Veggie Hash

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR, 25 MINUTES

HANDS-ON TIME: 35 MINUTES

6 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces

6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces

3 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 medium beets, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon salted butter

Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350° and set racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Line a pair of baking sheets with aluminum foil, shiny side up.

Toss parsnips and carrots with 3 tablespoons oil, and season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Arrange in an even layer on a baking sheet. Use the remaining oil, salt, and pepper to do the same with the beets for the other sheet.

Roast the veggies, stirring occasionally and turning the pans, until caramelized and soft, 45 to 55 minutes. Meanwhile, fry the eggs in butter.

To serve, divide the hash among four plates, then top each with an egg and a sprinkling of fresh thyme. Serve immediately. Yields 4 servings.

56 |

Food | TRAVEL NEWENGLAND.COM

Montpelier, Vermont Down Home Kitchen

Southwest Harbor, Maine Common Good Soup Kitchen

POPOVERS ARE THE summer specialty at the nonprofit Common Good Soup Kitchen, where an all-volunteer staff bakes 400 to 500 every day. Hot and golden, with a perfect crunch on the outside, they’re airy and tender on the inside—and even better with a dollop of house-made blueberry or strawberry jam. In the warmer months (popovers are served mid-June through Columbus Day weekend), locals and summer people all convene on the sunny patio, which often features live music. In the winter, the café operates as a community soup kitchen. There are no prices here; customers are invited to donate whatever they feel is appropriate. commongoodsoupkitchen.org

Popovers

TOTAL TIME: 55 MINUTES

HANDS-ON TIME: 15 MINUTES

⅔ cup all-purpose flour

⅔ cup milk

3 large eggs

¼ teaspoon table salt

1½ tablespoons salted butter, cut into 6 thin slices

Butter and jam, for serving

Preheat oven to 450°. Put a popover pan in the oven while you mix the batter ( a muffin tin is fine—the results are just a little less lofty).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, eggs, and salt. Remove the hot pan from the oven and put a slice of butter into each well to melt.

Divide the batter among the cups, filling them about halfway. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° and bake until popovers are puffed and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Serve warm, with butter and jam. Yields 6 popovers.

MAY | JUNE 2018 | 57

Hanover, New Hampshire

Lou’s Restaurant & Bakery

SERVED IN A BIG BOWL with milk, Lou’s granola is so beloved that the restaurant sells one-pound bags in its adjoining store as well as ships it all over the country. “It’s been the same formula forever,” says owner Toby Fried. Though he admits that “we’ve been tempted to gourmet it up,” thankfully no one has tinkered with the ingredients. As it is, it’s perfect. The honey-based recipe gets a boost of flavor from the many add-ins, especially the shredded coconut and sesame seeds. The resulting texture has just the right balance of crunch and chew, while the flavor is sweet, nutty, and, frankly, addictive. lous-restaurant-bakery.myshopify.com

Lou’s Granola

TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES

HANDS-ON TIME: 45 MINUTES

¾ cup salted butter

½ cup canola oil

1 cup mild honey (such as clover)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5½ cups rolled oats

½ cup shredded sweetened coconut

¾ cup chopped walnuts

⅔ cup sesame seeds

½ cup sunflower seeds

¼ cup sliced almonds

1 cup raisins (optional)

Fresh berries, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° and set racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick mats.

In a 3- or 4-quart pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the oil and honey, and stir. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and cinnamon, and whisk to combine.

In a large bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients except raisins. Pour the butter mixture over the oat mixture and stir.

Divide the granola between the baking sheets and spread to an even thickness. Bake, stirring every 5 minutes, until browned and fragrant, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheets. Sprinkle with raisins, if using, then store in a tightly sealed jar. Serve topped with fresh berries, if desired. Yields about 3 quarts.

NEWENGLAND.COM 58 |

Bantam, Connecticut

Arethusa A Mano

earned raves, including a Yankee Editors’ Choice Food Award, for its farmstead cheeses and ice creams, but it’s also home to two eateries: a café called A Mano and the farm-to-table restaurant Al Tavolo. The former is a charming and bustling spot that showcases handmade pastries served with Stumptown coffee and creamy Arethusa milk (plain, chocolate, and coffee, all from just across the street). So when chef James Arena was looking for ways to incorporate the farm’s sour cream into the café menu, it wasn’t a big leap to coffee cake. At A Mano it comes with seasonal pairings, such as peaches in summer and apples and pecans in fall, but this unusually moist cake with crunchy streusel is also perfect on its own. arethusafarm.com/a-mano

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR, 40 MINUTES

HANDS-ON TIME: 40 MINUTES

FOR THE CAKE

4 tablespoons plus 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan

2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon table salt

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ cup sour cream

FOR THE FILLING

¼ cup granulated sugar

1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon

FOR THE STREUSEL

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

½ cup all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons salted butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350° and set a rack to the middle position. Grease a 9-by-9-inch baking pan (at least 2½ inches deep) or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter, then lightly dust with flour.

First, make the cake: Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat, then cook until it turns a nut-brown color (watch that it doesn’t burn). Pour into a large bowl to cool slightly.

Add 8 tablespoons butter to the bowl, then add the sugar and salt. Beat with a handheld or standing mixer until very light and fluffy, 6 to 7 minutes, scraping down the bowl midway through. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well. Scrape down the bowl with each addition.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. Add a third of this to the butter-

sugar mixture and blend at low speed. Scrape down the bowl, then add half the sour cream. Continue alternating between dry and wet, scraping down the bowl between additions.

Next, make the filling: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Now, make the streusel: Combine the brown sugar, flour, and butter with a fork until the mixture looks like wet sand with pea-size bits of butter.

Pour half the batter into the pan and smooth with a spatula (dip in hot water to prevent sticking). Sprinkle evenly with the filling, then pour in remaining batter; smooth again with spatula. Bake for 40 minutes, then sprinkle with streusel. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Yields 10 servings.

| 59 MAY | JUNE 2018 TRAVEL | Food

PANCAKES ARE A MAINSTAY at Centre Street Café, Jamaica Plain’s go-to brunch spot. The traditional ones, served with butter and maple syrup, are always available, but opt for the café’s rotating menu of “Pancakes Del Giorno.” Co-owner David Doyle says the kitchen likes to get eclectic, so one day it might be chocolate chip pancakes with caramel butter, and the next, lemon poppy seed. We’re partial to blueberry with cardamom sugar: light and moist, rich with plump berries, and finished with a hint of fragrant cardamom. centrestreetcafejp.com

Blueberry Pancakes with Cardamom Sugar

TOTAL TIME: 45 MINUTES

HANDS-ON TIME: 45 MINUTES

2 cups milk

1 large egg

3 tablespoons salted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon table salt

Vegetable oil, for cooking

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, rinsed, drained, and patted dry

¼ cup powdered sugar

⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients and use a spatula to mix in the wet ingredients until mostly combined (some lumps are OK).

Preheat a nonstick skillet over mediumlow heat. Add a light coating of vegetable oil. Using a ¼-cup measuring scoop, spoon the mixture onto the pan and sprinkle a small handful of blueberries evenly over each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until large bubbles come to the surface. Flip each pancake and cook until the berries begin to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter.

In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and cardamom. Using a sieve or shaker, sprinkle over pancakes. Serve with warm maple syrup. Yields about 4 servings.

60 | Food | TRAVEL NEWENGLAND.COM

Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts Centre Street Café

Bristol, Rhode Island

The Beehive Café

Jennifer Cavallaro first perfected her rosemary biscuits at the restaurant’s sister bakery, the Beehive Pantry. Tender and aromatic, the flaky rounds are the foundation for Cavallaro’s fresh take on eggs Benedict, in which she replaces the traditional hollandaise with simple cheese sauce (ham is optional) and adds peppery arugula and seared tomatoes on the side. Enjoy this dish in the cozy dining room, or head up to the second-floor deck, with its view of Bristol Harbor. Or just make it at home. thebeehivecafe.com

Rosemary Biscuit Benny

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR, 30 MINUTES

HANDS-ON TIME: 1 HOUR

FOR THE BISCUITS

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1½ teaspoons table salt

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into thin slices

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

1⅓ cups buttermilk

1 tablespoon milk or cream

FOR THE SAUCE AND EGGS

2 tablespoons salted butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup heavy cream

¼ teaspoon plus ¼ teaspoon table salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup shredded extra-sharp cheddar

¼ cup ricotta

¼ cup Romano cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 small tomatoes, quartered

12 large eggs

Minced fresh basil or parsley leaves, for garnish

3 cups fresh arugula

Preheat oven to 400° and set a rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick liner.

First, make the biscuits: In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use your fingers to work the butter into the flour mixture, smearing the butter as you do. (Alternatively, you can use a pastry cutter.) Stop when the mixture looks like cornmeal with lumps and bean-size bits of butter remaining. Mix in rosemary. Add the buttermilk and gently work into the dough (being careful not to overwork it).

Roll the dough out to 1-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Using a biscuit cutter or 3- or 4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 12

biscuits, re-rolling scraps as needed. Place biscuits on the baking sheet, and brush their tops with milk or cream. Bake until biscuits are puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes; set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Let mixture come to a simmer. Add the cheeses. Bring back to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

Cook the tomatoes: Set a small skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, then lay the tomato pieces in the hot oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Put it all together: Split 6 of the biscuits in half (save the rest for another use). Poach or fry two eggs per person, and place each egg on a biscuit half. Ladle cheese sauce over eggs (about ¼ cup per serving) and sprinkle with the minced herbs, if desired. Set a small pile of arugula on each plate, then top with tomato pieces. Serve hot. Yields 6 servings.

| 61 MAY | JUNE 2018

The Place

The barbecue never ends at this one-of-a-kind Guilford, Connecticut, landmark.

BY AMY TRAVERSO

t’s easy to tell regulars from first-timers at The Place. The former know to pack tablecloths, cheese plates, and wine glasses. They perch on stadium cushions or pillows and keep bottles of chenin blanc on ice. The newbies sit around their bare tables looking a little baffled: I’m sitting on a stump? And where’s the kitchen?

And yes, all 350 seats are sawed-off tree stumps supplied by a local tree-cutting business (a nearby sign reads, “Put your rump on a stump”). The red tabletops are nailed onto stumps, too, which makes them look like cartoon mushrooms springing up around the lot. There’s no oven, no griddle, no deep fryer. Everything—the clams and lobster, steak and fish, chicken and corn—is cooked over an 18-foot-long fire pit lined with concrete blocks and filled with a smoldering accumulation of coals and ash that flares up when fresh wood is tossed on. The cooks, mostly young men, poke at the coals and brush the sweat from their eyes with bandanas. A three-tier set of metal grates functions as primitive temperature control: delicate lobsters go on the top level, shellfish in the middle (until the shells open and the juices bubble), steaks are cooked closer to the coals.

There’s no roof above the tables, just a retractable tent for rainy days, but the whorling smoke chases away most of the mosquitoes. The sole building is a red shed that houses the ice machine, fridge, a prep station, and an air conditioner that provides the only climate control for the staff. The whole operation has the air of a Renaissance fair or Civil War encampment. And though the location is overtly rustic, and quite secluded among the trees, it sits on one side of the busy Boston Post Road, with a Walmart and Big Y across the street.

Don Braumann remembers when it was all fields as far as you could see, long before his cousins, Vaughn and Judy Knowles, bought The

Food | LOCAL FLAVOR

62 | NEWENGLAND.COM PHOTOGRAPHS BY

above : Brothers Vaughn, left, and Gary Knowles at The Place, which they have co-owned for more than 40 years. Both worked here as teenagers, when the restaurant was known as Whitey’s Roast. opposite : Scenes from a summer evening at The Place.

Place in 1971. Vaughn’s brother, Gary, came on as co-owner soon after. “Farmers grew corn and carrots over there,” Braumann says, pointing to the big box stores. He’s just coming off a shift, though his day job is buying and selling steel. But he comes in to help when Vaughn and Gary need an extra hand, usually on weekends. “When your family needs you, you work,” he says.

Before the Knowleses bought The Place, it was called Whitey’s Roast, and the basic concept—the fire, the stumps, the seafood—was the same. Whitey had a saying: “There’s no place quite like this place anywhere near this place, so this must be the place!” And so the restaurant was rechristened. Since then, things haven’t changed much, other than adding more tables and a handful of dishes.

The most essential element, figuratively and literally, is the fire. It perfumes the clams in their bath of

butter and cocktail sauce, singes the corn husks and caramelizes the kernels, sears a crust on the steak. To eat here under a ceiling of maple branches and stars eating fresh, smoky seafood is to get straight to the heart of summer. Food comes as it is ready: first, the corn; then, after a wait, the fattest mussels, dripping wine and garlic; then the bubbling clams. Lobster is preboiled, then split lengthwise and finished on the grill.

At the next table over, two preppy couples in their 60s spread Époisses cheese on slabs of baguette while they chat with Gary Knowles, the extrovert of the family, and “the nicest guy in the world,” per Braumann. They’re weekend regulars, New Yorkers with a place on the shore, but retirement is the topic of the night.

“Why can’t we have a place like this in Florida?” one of the women asks. “We could do shrimp, red snapper. A

place where you can just hang out, no rush, no stress.”

“It’s a lot of hard work,” Gary says mildly. The view from the stumps may be stress-free, but try cooking over a fire in August for 40-plus years.

“Well, it’s very special,” she says. And then the steaks and lobster arrive. Her husband opens a fresh bottle of red, and they eat.

901 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT. 203-453-9276; theplaceguilford.com

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Spring Vegetable Soup

In a rural community, good neighbors are the foundation of great cooking.

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPH BY KRISSY O’SHEA

e worked most of the weekend at the farm, a welcome relief from the city. Between rain showers, we set about extending the garden bed, putting a few more seedlings into the ground, and securing the feral pea tendrils to their trellis. Everything is bursting through the surface just now, and it took a good deal of selfcontrol to not eat the handful of snow peas I had popped into my basket. ¶ Midway through the day, a neighbor stopped by with a beautiful bouquet of asparagus from the bed at the back of his barn. We returned the favor, sending him home with a dozen fresh eggs. There’s a great conviviality to all things this time of year, as people shake off their cabin fever and reemerge into the agreeable sunshine.

After a long day outside, we lit a fire in the dining room and began making a meal from the handfuls of green things we had collected. I shelled fava beans over the sink and peeled the asparagus from our neighbor. The tender leaves of the season’s first spinach sat drying on towels, and my peas, I’m happy to report, also made it to the prep table. The evening’s meal was a beautiful bright green soup: simple, seasonal, and far more than the sum of its parts.

This soup is very adaptable, so don’t worry if you can’t get everything on the ingredients list. Use your own garden bounty or whatever’s at the local markets. Just be sure not to overcook the vegetables, as you want their unique flavors and textures to shine through.

SPRING VEGETABLE SOUP

To Tal T ime : 50 minu T es

H ands- on T ime : 40 minu T es

I like to use a mixture of snow peas and shelled sugar snap peas for this soup, but any combination of peas will work. And if

you don’t have fava beans, lima beans or any other broad bean will do the job nicely.

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

1 medium fennel bulb, diced

6 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tablespoon kosher salt

4 cloves garlic, smashed

4 cups water

1 cup shelled, blanched fava beans, skins removed

1 cup shelled sugar snap peas

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup chopped asparagus (cut into 1-inch pieces)

1 cup chopped snow peas (cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces)

1 cup chopped fresh spinach

Pea tendrils or minced chives, for garnish

Crème fraîche, for garnish

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the oil for about 30 seconds

before adding the leeks and fennel. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, then add the thyme and salt. Cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are very soft and have released their liquid, about 10 minutes. (If the mixture begins to brown, reduce heat and add ¼ cup water.)

Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes longer, then add 4 cups water and bring to a boil over medium high. Add the fava beans and sugar snap peas. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes. Add the pepper, asparagus, and snow peas. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the spinach. Stir through, and remove from heat. Remove thyme stems, and taste and season with more salt, if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with pea tendrils or minced chives, and a dollop of crème fraîche. Yields 4 servings.

For more stories, recipes, and home style tips from Krissy O’Shea, go to her blog, Cottage Farm (cottagefarmblog.com).

COOKING AT COTTAGE FARM | Food

| 67 MAY | JUNE 2018

WATCH SEASON 2 OF WEEKENDS WITH YANKEE

ON PUBLIC TELEVISION STATIONS NATIONWIDE (check local listings)

MASSACHUSETTS: Sundays at 12:30pm on WGBH 2 & WGBY

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Q&A WITH EVAN MALLETT

CHEF-OWNER OF BLACK TRUMPET, PORTSMOUTH, NH

LOOK FOR EVAN ON THE NEW SEASON OF WEEKENDS WITH YANKEE

Among today’s crop of New England chefs, Evan Mallett stands out for his dedication to showcasing regional flavors and seasons. At his renowned Black Trumpet restaurant in Portsmouth, New Hampshire—as well as at his new Ondine Oyster + Wine Bar in Belfast, Maine—Mallett celebrates local ingredients and the people who produce them. We recently caught up with this chef and award-winning cookbook author, who is featured in season 2 of Weekends with Yankee.

Many see you as a champion of New England and its foods. How has working and living here influenced what you do?

If I am a champion for anything about our regional food system, it is a love of its ingredients and the people who make them available to us. Fishermen, farmers, foragers, historians, aquaculturists, scientists, and yes, chefs—these are the friends I’ve made over the years in my attempt to restore responsible, healthy ingredients to a supply chain that has been broken for 70-plus years. I’ve seen positive change in our food system, both locally and nationally, since I got involved in this crusade, and I can say that I only see it getting better.

You’ve said Belfast, Maine, could be New England’s next “it” food destination. Why so?

Belfast is a little like the town that time forgot. There are multiple farmers’ markets, two independent hardware stores, boatbuilding structures that line the working port, and the notso-distant history of Belfast being New England’s poultry processing and shipping capital. Plus, its young mayor and the town council are very sensitive to the kind of unchecked growth that leads to gentrification, so I think Belfast will remain a refreshing departure from the midcoast Maine towns that have been glamorized for wealthy summer residents. Local hangouts, such as Rollie’s and Three Tides, and a good variety of restaurants that include Mexican, Italian, and even Lao influences collectively make Belfast a delicious destination.

With spring now under way, can you tell us a bit about how the season plays into your cooking? Perhaps more than any other season, spring brings dramatic changes. In the early part of the season, we begin with nothing. Then, as a reminder of nature’s power over our diets, when we are feeling as rugged as hungry

Vikings, the first green sprouts emerge—ramps and fiddleheads—and maybe a pheasant back mushroom or even the elusive morel. I forage these with relish. Not long afterward, farmers begin to deliver spring produce, beginning with asparagus. Right now, we have garlic scapes, baby courgettes, radishes, peas, and lots of tender young greens.

What’s your favorite springtime ingredient?

In my book [Black Trumpet: A Chef’s Journey Through Eight New England Seasons], I wrote an ode to rhubarb in which I refer to the great hardy perennial as a mistress of sorts. Over the years Black Trumpet has featured rhubarb in a staggering number of dishes. I guess that makes rhubarb my favorite—although there are so many ingredients to love, I hate to play favorites!

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Where

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK FLEMING, FOOD AND PROP STYLING BY JEN BEAUCHESNE Plus! Find editors’ picks for the best attractions, lodging, and dining in every state, starting on p. 119. From Cape Cod to the White Mountains to the Maine coast, Yankee’s annual travel guide is filled with inspiration for the ultimate New England summer getaway. To discover some of our favorite ideas for foodies, outdoor adventurers, dog lovers, and more, just turn the page... Great Eats off the Interstate (p. 74) The Most Scenic Hike of All (p. 78) Ultimate Ice Cream Sampler (p. 72)

Best of New England Summer Travel Guide

to Eat, Stay, and Play 2018

FLAVOR FAVES

A BAKER’S DOZEN OF NEW ENGLAND SUPER SCOOPS

1. Real Maple Walnut @ Walpole Creamery

For this “cow to cone” treat, the milk and maple syrup come from nearby farms. The flavor? From heaven. Walpole, NH. walpolecreamery.com

2. Roasted Beet & Ginger @ Grass Roots

All the Grass Roots flavors are winners, but this one—inspired by a challenge to use local veggies for an annual farm fest— is the sweet and warming standout. Granby, CT. grassrootsicecream.com

3. Dark Chocolate @ Morano Gelato

Like the best frozen pudding, this ultra-dense, ultra-creamy, ultrachocolatey gelato is, well, ultra-irresistible. Hanover, NH, and Chestnut Hill, MA. moranogelato.com

4. Mango Sorbet @ Lake Champlain Chocolates

While Lake Champlain’s ice creams are terrific, we’re suckers for the vibrant tropical zestiness of this sorbet. Burlington, VT. lakechamplain chocolates.com

5. Green Tea @ Lulu’s

This Japanese flavor done by way of Vermont is creamy, complex, and a must-try for tea drinkers. Vergennes, VT. luluvt.com

6. Kulfi @ Three Sisters Cardamom, cinnamon, and pistachio enrich this addictively aromatic take on a Southeast Asian staple. Providence, RI. threesistersri.com

7. Strawberry @ Forge Ice Cream Bar

The flavor is delicate and floral, the base is rich in butterfat, and the texture —thanks to markedly careful churning— is awesomely creamychewy. Somerville, MA. forgebakingco.com

8. Mystic Mud @ Mystic Drawbridge Ice Cream Lovers of chunk: This one begins with a chocolate base, then adds M&Ms and brownies. And fudge. And chocolate chunks. And cookies. Mystic, CT. mysticdrawbridge icecream.com

9. Blueberry Sour Cream Strudel @ Mt. Desert Island Ice Cream Start with Maine’s signature berry, then add the tang of sour cream and a buttery crumble topping. Perfection. Portland and Bar Harbor, ME. mdiic.com

10. Grapenut @ Ice Cream Smuggler

This classic New England flavor comes off like the best bowl of cereal you ever had. Dennis, MA. icecreamsmuggler.com

11. Vanilla @ Sweetcream

A certified dairy processing plant, Sweetcream makes its own bases from scratch. Taste the difference in this vanilla to end all vanillas. Biddeford, ME. sweetcreamdairy.com

12. Coffee Ice Cream @ Gray’s

From the state that gave us the gift of coffee milk comes, of course, the ultimate coffee ice cream. Tiverton, RI. graysicecream.com

13. Maple Creemee @ Canteen Creemee

We just can’t write about ice cream without a nod to the signature Vermont soft-serve. Without a doubt, Canteen’s sets the standard. Waitsfield, VT. canteencreemee.com

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK FLEMING • FOOD AND PROP STYLING BY JEN BEAUCHESNE

3 6 1 4 7 9 72 | NEWENGLAND.COM

EDITORS’ PICKS FOR Food Lovers

WHERE TO EAT LIKE A TOP CHEF

BEN SULKE

Providence, RI

WHERE HE COOKS: Birch, Oberlin. WHERE HE EATS OUT: “ Mike’s Kitchen for polenta, stuffed artichokes, or the snail salad. At North, try the ‘hidden oyster’ plate, a fried oyster inside a taco or pancake. For Chinese, it’s Chengdu Taste for cumin lamb or fish stew. And New Rivers does beautiful toasts—I love the tomato with goat cheese boursin.”

TIFFANI

FAISON WALSH

Boston, MA

WHERE SHE COOKS: Tiger Mama, Sweet Cheeks. WHERE SHE EATS OUT: “I love the steak tartare at Sarma, done Tunisian-style with a softcooked egg and harissa chips. For Indian, it’s the okra and chicken vindaloo at Shanti in Dorchester. At Shaking Crab, I order king crab and shrimp with shaking sauce, extra hot.”

BUN LAI

New Haven, CT

WHERE HE COOKS: Miya’s. WHERE HE EATS OUT: “G-Zen for the vegan crab cake (one of the tastiest things I’ve ever put in my mouth) and Bloodroot for vegan quiches. Mamoun’s, with their $3 falafel sandwiches, is probably the most beloved eatery in town. I eat less meat now, but I’ll still go to Sandra’s for chitterlings with hot sauce.”

CHRIS GOULD

Portland, ME

WHERE HE COOKS: Central Provisions. WHERE HE EATS OUT: “I stop daily at Maples — best bagels north of the tristate area—for a salt bagel with honey-rosemary cream cheese. I love Eventide for oysters and that brown butter lobster roll, Lolita for woodroasted Maine clams and torchio pasta with ’nduja and peas, and the spicy chicken biscuit sandwich at Dutch’s.”

ERIC WARNSTEDT

Burlington, VT

WHERE HE COOKS: Hen of the Wood. WHERE HE EATS OUT: “ Misery Loves Co. is outstanding for modern comfort food. For breakfast, Penny Cluse Café (if you can’t decide, get the Bellber Combo: pancakes, eggs, home fries, bacon). For dessert, the Kitchen Table Bistro beautifully reimagines familiar dishes like apple cake with warm butterscotch.”

DAVID VARGAS

Portsmouth, NH

WHERE HE COOKS: Vida Cantina. WHERE HE EATS OUT: “My local corner store, Suds & More, puts out great pizza slices. Hidden gem Susty’s Café has the most delicious vegan food. The Black Birch has amazing food and staff (and kiddos are welcome). Lastly, Carl’s Meat Market has the hands-down-best burger … but order ahead, because everyone knows it!”

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ILLUSTRATIONS BY MATTHEW ALLEN

1. The Green Spot Oakland, ME

EDITORS’ PICKS FOR FoodLovers

Expect killer pies and great lobster rolls at this beloved gourmet grocery and café. On Facebook

2. Sunny Day Diner Lincoln, NH This cute-as-a-button spot makes superb banana bread French toast and a road trip–worthy Reuben. On Facebook

3. Red Hen Baking Middlesex, VT Some of the best breads in New England are baked here. Don’t miss the egg sandwiches and tartines. redhenbaking.com

4. King Arthur Flour Bakery & Café Norwich, VT

From bread, jam, and porridge to a perfect grilled cheese, this café has daytrippers covered. kingarthurflour.com

5. Four Aces Diner West Lebanon, NH

There’s a 1952 Worcester diner car hidden in this nondescript building, and its eggs Benedict and poutine are terrific. 4acesdiner.com

6. Bob’s Clam Hut Kittery, ME

While the menu is vast, it’s really all about the fried clams (ask for them “Bob’s style”). bobsclamhut.com

BEST OF NEW ENGLAND • 2018

ILLUSTRATION BY MATTHEW BILLINGTON

4 2 3 5 1

*Beyond serving up great food, our winners also had to meet these criteria:

(1) Location is outside major cities and their parking hassles.

(2) Operating hours span at least two meals.

(3) Menu has something for kids.

(4) Setting is casual enough for travel clothes.

7. Puritan Backroom Manchester, NH They claim to have invented chicken tenders, so you have to try them—either straight up or baked parmigiana-style. puritanbackroom.com

8. The Farm Table Bernardston, MA Several restaurants inside Kringle Candle serve brunch through dinner (hit the more casual Tavern for excellent flatbreads). kringlefarmtable.com

9. Publick House Sturbridge, MA The bread basket, with its cornbread and sticky buns, is the stuff of legend. So is the classic turkey dinner. publickhouse.com

10. Modern Diner Pawtucket, RI You can’t miss with any of the many daily specials here, but we love the chouriço special and yummy custard French toast. moderndinerri.com

14. Clam Castle Madison, CT Come for fried fish and hot butter lobster rolls, then—if you time it right —catch a beach sunset at Hammonasset State Park. clamcastlect.com

13. The Lunch Box Meriden, CT This is the best place to try Connecticut’s signature steamed cheeseburgers, full stop. thelunchboxct.com

12. Dottie’s Diner Woodbury, CT

The doughnuts here are so beloved, their recipes are held like state secrets. Same with the plump, buttery chicken pies. dottiesdiner.com

11. Rein’s Deli Vernon, CT Of course the main route between NYC and Boston has a terrific deli. Love the matzo ball soup and corned beef. reinsdeli.com

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HOT DATES

A CURATED LOOK AT THIS SUMMER’S ARTS AND CULTURE OFFERINGS

world premiere of Douglas Carter Beane’s new comedy. But if you do, just know that we support you 100 percent. Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, MA. wtfestival.org

JUNE 27–JULY 1

marks the grand reopening of one of Boston’s most storied theaters. (Bring your own mocha-chocolate-ya-ya.)

Runs through Aug. 5. Emerson Colonial Theatre, Boston, MA. emersoncolonialtheatre.com

JUNE 2

Aretha Franklin

It’s a chain of fools who’ve missed the chance to see the Queen of Soul in the flesh (and hear that voice hit the rafters). Don’t be one of them. Boch Center Wang Theatre, Boston, MA. bochcenter.org

JUNE 2

“Frederic Church: A Painter’s Pilgrimage”

Debuting in Church’s hometown: an exhibit showcasing the faraway landscapes that took him, well, to church. Runs through 8/26. Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT. thewadsworth.org

JUNE 15

The Decemberists

The other Portland’s most popular export shows off its new dance floor–friendly sound (and most likely some fetching vests).

Mass MoCA, North Adams, MA. massmoca.org

JUNE 15–17

Quechee Hot Air Balloon, Craft & Music Festival

Father’s Day plans still … up in the air? Let our dad joke guide you and your pop to New England’s longest-running balloon festival. Quechee, VT. quecheeballoonfestival.com

JUNE 21–24

Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival

Attention, campers: There’s a whole lot of bluegrass in the Green Mountains at this annual session of summertime strumming. Tunbridge, VT. jennybrookbluegrass.com

JUNE 24–30

Windjammer Days Festival

Nothing brings summer to the shores of Maine like a weeklong celebration of maritime heritage (and the schooner, the better). Boothbay Harbor, ME. boothbay harborwindjammerdays.org

JUNE 26

Bimini Twist

Following man’s Bend, Hitch, sea captain Linda Greenlaw releases her fourth mystery novel, and this one’s even tougher to untangle. Author reading on 6/26 at Jesup Memorial Library, Bar Harbor, ME. lindagreenlawbooks.com

JUNE 26–JULY 14

The Closet Matthew Broderick

You don’t have to come out to see the

Ephrat Asherie Dance

Part of the lineup at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Asherie’s blend of modern dance and voguing strikes a curious pose— somewhere between Twyla and Tyra. Becket, MA. jacobspillow.org

JUNE 27

Moulin Rouge! The Musical The world-premiere stage adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s wildly popular 2001 film

JUNE 30

“Sally Mann: A Thousand Crossings”

The controversial photographer takes the family portrait to haunting new places in her first major traveling exhibition, which is hitting such cities as D.C., Los Angeles, Houston, Atlanta, Paris—and, oh yes, Salem. Runs through 9/23. Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, MA. pem.org

STAY TUNED

Castle Rock

Just when you thought it was safe to live in Maine again, Stephen King returns with 10 episodes of terrifying tourist repellent. Shot in Massachusetts, this Hulu miniseries draws on The Shawshank Redemption, Pet Sematary, It, and other King clasCheck website for premiere: hulu.com

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BEST OF NEW ENGLAND • 2018

JUNE

Teddy Ballgame is the first baseball player to be featured on public television’s high-profile documentary series. And just in time, too: The famed Sox slugger is due for his centennial tribute this Check website for premiere: pbs.org

NEWENGLAND.COM

ROBYN MACKENZIE/ISTOCK (BANJO); MYRIAM SANTOS (DAY); COURTESY OF LEAGUE OF N.H. CRAFTSMEN (POTTERY) and Shiver , starring August. Hulu sics.

AUGUST 4

Andra Day

Though the Newport Jazz Festival’s lineup of the best and brightest spans a full three days, the prospect of catching this diva-in-waiting’s set is giving us serious Saturday-night fever. Festival runs 8/3–8/5. Fort Adams, Newport, RI. newportjazz.org

JULY

JULY 3

Bound for Gold

In the latest page-turner from Massachusetts novelist William Martin, a lost journal puts Boston treasure hunters Peter Fallon and Evangeline Carrington on the westward trail of a New England fortyniner (which just feels weird to say). williammartinbooks.com

JULY 3

Macbeth

Something wicked impressive this way comes. Runs through 8/5. Shakespeare and Co., Lenox, MA. shakespeare.org

JULY 13–15

Moxie Festival

An altogether different kind of roots festival—gentian, to be precise—celebrates this unique Maine flavor. Do you have what

it takes to beat seven-time Moxie chugging champ Beau Bradstreet of Bridgewater? (Tip: You do not.) Lisbon Falls, ME. moxiefestival.com

JULY 13–22

Maine International Film Festival

Blockbusters, schmockbusters. Save the superhero movie for a rainy day and settle in for a week of fresh films from around the world. Waterville, ME. miff.org

JULY 14

Marlboro Music Festival

Spoiler alert: You won’t know who or what you’ll be hearing at this renowned chamber music series until a few days before the performance. (OK, so that wasn’t much of a spoiler.) Runs through Aug. 12. Marlboro College, Marlboro, VT. marlboromusic.org

JULY 14–15

North Atlantic Blues Festival

Time to head to the harbor for some serious wailwatching. Rockland, ME. northatlanticbluesfestival.com

JULY 27-29

Lowell Folk Festival

Didn’t click fast enough for Newport Folk tickets? No matter. Lowell’s free (free!) festival of sounds from around the globe will soothe the sting. And let you shake your thing. Lowell, MA. lowellfolkfestival.org

EDITORS’ PICKS FOR Culture Hounds

JULY 31

Moby-Dick Marathon

This 24-hour public reading of Herman Melville’s monster masterwork aboard the Charles W. Morgan makes your book club look like, um ... a book club. Mystic Seaport, Mystic, CT. mysticseaport.org

AUGUST

AUGUST 25

Bernstein Centennial Celebration at Tanglewood

AUGUST 4–12

Annual League of N.H. Craftsmen’s Fair

Dozens of lowercase weavers, potters, smiths, and even some hookers (hey, they make rugs) converge on Mount Sunapee for the 85th annual celebration of high-quality Granite State handiwork. Mount Sunapee Resort, Newbury, NH. nhcrafts.org

AUGUST 7–12

Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Fest

Much like those things your husband wears to mow the front lawn, the shorts on view at RIIFF tend to end up the talk of the town. Providence, RI. film-festival.org

AUGUST 10–11

Trevor Noah

He may play it relatively safe on The Daily Show, but odds are good that Noah will go all in for his two-night Foxwoods stand. Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashatucket, CT. foxwoods.com

You can feel the Bern throughout Tanglewood’s summer schedule, but it all comes together at this rousing romp through the composer’s bestloved works. Season runs 6/15–8/26. Lenox, MA. bso.org

HAMILTON

This might be out of line, but if you somehow manage to score an extra ticket, just remember who told you it was coming. Runs 9/18–11/18. Boston Opera House, Boston, MA. bostonoperahouse.com

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to Boston on 9/18!

Coming

THE HIKE THAT HAS IT ALL

IN 1819,

banking on a growing public interest in the White Mountains, a northern New Hampshire innkeeper named Abel Crawford and his son, Ethan Allen, blazed the first trail to the top of Mount Washington. Nearly two centuries later, the 8.2-mile Crawford Path —the nation’s oldest continuously maintained hiking trail—still delivers the rugged-but-accessible adventure its creators envisioned. It concentrates the White Mountains experience: steep ascents, sun-soaked plateaus, boulder-strewn peaks. Here is a sweeping view of the Ammonoosuc Ravine; there is a jaw-dropping shot of the Franconia Range. Challenging climbs give way to flat stretches where hikers can linger and take in those panoramics before making the push to reach the Northeast’s highest peak, whose majesty gripped an enterprising father and son so many years ago. fs.usda.gov

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PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS SHANE

EDITORS’ PICKS FOR Outdoor Explorers

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Clouds swirl over the summit of Mount Washington, seen from Mount Monroe along the Crawford Path.

UNFORGETTABLE GUIDED ADVENTURES

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MATTHEW ALLEN

RIDE THE KINGDOM TRAILS

Take in the sights (and the mud and the hills) on a one- or multiday trip with the pro pedalers at Kingdom Experiences in East Burke, VT, a bucket-list spot for mountain biking. kingdomexperiences.com

EXPLORE THE ALLAGASH

Learn to paddle, set up camp, and cook over an open fire on a five-day river journey in Maine’s northern wilderness with Mahoosuc Guide Service’s founders, both veteran Maine Guides. mahoosuc.com

ZIPLINE IN THE WHITES

Fly among the treetops on a multihour canopy tour at New Hampshire’s Bretton Woods Resort , and enjoy spectacular views of the western Whites plus local lore from your savvy wingman. brettonwoods.com

EDITORS’ PICKS FOR Outdoor Explorers

PEAK STATE PARKS

FRANCONIA NOTCH STATE PARK (NH)

The beauty of the White Mountains comes into vivid focus at these 6,692 acres in Franconia and Lincoln. Two superb lakes, the Flume Gorge, hiking trails, and even an aerial tramway all play starring roles in this natural showcase. nhstateparks.org

BAXTER STATE PARK (ME)

NICKERSON STATE PARK (MA)

Look past Cape Cod’s seaside charms and you’ll find an equally beautiful interior. Nickerson’s many trails and campsites nestle into a mix of deep woods, meadows, and freshwater ponds, while its bike path connects to the Cape’s famous rail trail. mass.gov

BURTON ISLAND STATE PARK (VT)

GO OFF-ROAD UP NORTH

Of the four main ATV tours at Bear Rock Adventures in Pittsburg, NH, the full-day ride to Dixville Peak is the one that repays both beginners and advanced riders with milliondollar views. bearrrockadventures.com

It’s a trek to reach this most spectacular chunk of wilderness, up in rural Piscataquis County— but so worth it. There’s Katahdin, of course, but also the Penobscot River, lakes, waterfalls, 215 miles of trails, and 337 campsites. baxterstatepark.org

COLT STATE PARK (RI)

While many state parks are remote, this Lake Champlain island—reached only by private boat or a 10-minute ferry ride— is a true get-away-from-it-all experience. Hike, swim, and (if you planned ahead, which you should) camp out in tranquility. vtstateparks.com

CRUISE THE SHORE

Itineraries abound at Art’s Dune Tours in Provincetown, MA, but our vote goes to the “Land ’N Sea”: an ocean fishing trip, a sunset off-road ride through stunning beachscape, and dinner. artsdunetours.com

Land and sea find scenic harmony along Narragansett Bay, as this 464-acre Bristol park beckons the recreation-minded with biking and walking trails, grassy spots that are ideal for picnicking or tossing a Frisbee, and a public boat launch on the threshold of the open Atlantic. riparks.com

HARKNESS MEMORIAL STATE PARK (CT)

Rugged, it’s not. But magical? Without a doubt. With its 1906 Italianate mansion, formal gardens, and expansive views of Long Island Sound, this seaside escape in Waterford takes state parks to a whole new level of sophistication. ct.gov/deep

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BEST OF NEW ENGLAND • 2018

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS,

PHOTOGRAPH BY CAROL M. HIGHSMITH

EDITORS’ PICKS FOR Shopaholics

TENT SALES WE’RE SOLD ON

Outlet at Pine Cone Hill

Amid discounted home goods galore, the big draws are the slightly imperfect luxe rugs that are rolled out just for the tent sales. First sale of the season: 5/25–5/28. Pittsfield, MA. annieselke.com

Pompanoosuc Mills

To snag fine Vermont-crafted furniture and home accents for up to 70 percent off, some folks actually do camp out for this venerable tent sale. 5/26–28. East Thetford, VT. pompy.com

Stonewall Kitchen

From dinnerware to specialty foods, a trove of discounted pastseason items, overstocks, and imperfects at this gourmet go-to is slashed another 30 percent. 6/21–24, 8/30–9/2. York, ME. stonewallkitchen.com

Cuddledown

Lofty Maine-made comforters, pillows, and featherbeds for up to 70 percent off? Ah, the stuff(ing) of our dreams. 7/20–7/22. Freeport, ME. cuddledown.com

Burton

Crowds line up before dawn for the year’s best prices on this legendary Vermont brand’s snowboards, boots, outerwear, and more (over 40,000 items in all). 8/25–8/26. Burlington, VT. burton.com

New Balance

While other NB factory stores also do tent sales, Skowhegan’s big running-gear sell-off coincides with the 200-year-old Skowhegan State Fair. Wheeeee! 8/9–8/19. Skowhegan, ME. newbalance.com

Cabot Hosiery Mills

Socks of all stripes—from hunting to running, plus lots of Darn Tough styles—make for happy feet. Many under $10; some for just a buck. 11/10–11/11 and 11/17–11/18. Northfield, VT. darntough.com

Dooney & Bourke

Christmas comes but once a year— as does D&B’s factory sale, which kicks off the holiday shopping season with deep discounts on posh leather goods. December, date TBA. Norwalk, CT. dooney.com

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ILLUSTRATION BY MATTHEW BILLINGTON

PICKS FOR

Dog Lovers

WAG-WORTHY

OVERNIGHTS

FIVE GREAT LODGING OPTIONS FOR FOUR-LEGGED GUESTS

HENDRICKSON

Mt. Philo Inn Charlotte, VT

Too often “cozy” can signal cramped quarters, but not at this gracious 1896 inn overlooking the long sparkle of Lake Champlain. Its four apartment-style suites and many porches provide ample room for you and your canine companion to spread out. To really stretch your legs, hit the old carriage road that winds from the back door to Mount Philo itself. With all the fellow dog walkers you’ll pass on your way to the summit, it’s easy to see how this place earned the nickname “Mount Fido.” mtphiloinn.com

EDITORS’

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PHOTOGRAPH BY COREY

Cabins at Lopstick Pittsburg, NH

Search for #dogslovelopstick and you’ll see snapshots of pups gazing out from a mountaintop, cruising in a motorboat, hanging out at an ice fishing hole, and even just snoozing in front of a cabin fireplace. Furry faces are familiar ones at this Great North Woods getaway, where more than half of the 57 housekeeping cabins are pet-friendly. Gun dogs like retrievers and pointers are a natural fit at Lopstick, a longtime favorite of hunters—but any mutt will surely love hearing the call of the wild. cabinsatlopstick.com

Woof Cottages Nantucket, MA

Cuter than a wee lobster chew toy, these 12 wharfside cottages at the Nantucket Boat Basin overlook no detail in welcoming dogs to island life: a basket of treats and toys, a personalized ID tag, a high-end therapeutic pet bed, and even doggie sunscreen. Owners, meanwhile, get a list of Nantucket’s many pet-friendly attractions—and can direct additional inquiries to Bailey the concierge, a black Lab mix who knows all the island’s ins and outs. thecottagesnantucket.com

Grace Vanderbilt Newport, RI

Though it’ll cost more than some kibble, you and your pup can live like tycoons at this 1909 Vanderbilt family mansion restored as one of Newport’s finest hotels. For hobnobbing, the garden terrace regularly hosts a “Yappy Hour” that features treats from the hotel’s “Gracious Canine Menu” (think: steak tips and wild grain pilaf, peanut butter–banana frozen yogurt). Even dog walking is elevated here, thanks to the hotel’s proximity to the ne plus ultra of seaside strolls, the Newport Cliff Walk. gracehotels.com

Inn by the Sea Cape Elizabeth, ME

Let’s face it: Rover won’t care much about Inn by the Sea’s many eco-friendly initiatives, from its native-plant gardens to its recycled paper key cards. But he’ll be swept off his paws by the dog-friendly touches at this upscale coastal Maine hotel. Plush pet blankets and Maine-made turndown treats are standard, while the “INNcredible Pets” package adds a doggie massage session, nightly snacks from the gourmet pet menu, and a personalized L.L. Bean bed. innbythesea.com

NEW ENGLAND’S MOST ADOPTABLE AMBASSADORS

CARLY COPLEY

AKA: Canine ambassador for Boston’s Fairmont Copley Plaza. Breed: Black Lab (age 7). Duties: Giving hotel guests their exercise. Likes: Riding bellman’s carts. Noted: Successor to Catie Copley, reputedly the world’s first canine concierge, who passed away in 2017.

JONATHAN XIV

AKA: UConn mascot.

Breed: Siberian husky (age 4). Duties: Boosting school spirit, serving as students’ bucket-list celeb encounter. Likes: Snowy romps with his brother, previous mascot Jonathan XIII. Noted: Helped a UConn alum propose last year by wearing a ring box on his collar.

MOLLY

AKA: “ The Thing of Evil.”

Breed: Welsh Corgi (age 3). Duties: Stealing the spotlight from her doting owner, Maine horrormaster Stephen King.

Likes: Disemboweling toys, thwarting goodness.

Noted: King will push you in front of a zombie horde to save this dog.

HARVARD DANGERFIELD

AKA: “The Most Famous Dog in Boston.” Breed: Samoyed (age 12). Duties: Making humans happy, owning the Internet. Likes: Good deeds, bow ties.

Noted: Rose to fame as a fluffy, huggable therapist on Boston Common after the 2013 marathon bombings.

ANUZZO

AKA: “Vermont’s Canine Ambassador.” Breed: Bergamasco (age 10).

Duties: Greeting visitors at Montpelier’s The Quirky Pet. Likes: Rocking dreadlocks, chilling with fellow Bergamascos (Cuba and Aria). Noted: Over 9,000 people have had a photo taken with this guy. Google him, and we bet you’ll want one, too.

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BEST OF NEW ENGLAND • 2018

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MATTHEW ALLEN

THE MANY WORLDS OF

WINNIPESAUKEE

NEW ENGLAND’S MOST POPULAR SUMMER LAKE HOLDS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: THE

WINNIPESAUKEE

TOURIST, THE NATURE LOVER, THE SEEKER OF SECLUSION. BY BILL DONAHUE

PAGE 85

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK FLEMING

hen Sophia Loren visited Lake Winnipesaukee in the 1980s, she dined at Mama Lucy’s, an Italian restaurant on Cow Island. French President Nicolas Sarkozy paddled a canoe on Winnipesaukee in 2007, bare-chested. But what of Madame Chiang Kai-shek, the demure and exceedingly private first lady of China, who for much of the 20th century maintained a tasteful summer home in Wolfeboro, surrounding herself with stoical bodyguards? What did she do, lakeside?

The historical record is, alas, vague, and we can scarcely even guess, for Winnipesaukee contains many worlds. The largest body of water in New Hampshire is, at 21 miles long, not vast, but it’s so beloved that on almost any summer afternoon it is home to water-skiers and fishermen and lackadaisical, backstroking swimmers and sleek, tanned party animals pointing their Jet Skis toward Braun Bay.

It is impossible to convey how deeply Winnipesaukee is linked with the joys of summer. One town on its shores, Wolfeboro, calls itself “America’s first summer resort,” and lakefront property is so coveted that the average home on Winnipesaukee sells for more than $1 million. Celebrities, meanwhile, keep showing the love. Drew Barrymore visits Winnipesaukee often, and when comedian Jimmy Fallon’s

I should have been snared by Winnipesaukee’s charms long ago. I’ve spent summers in central New Hampshire my whole life. But my family has always favored another, lesser-known lake, and as a kid I saw Winnipesaukee only in glimpses—when I clambered over the granite slabs atop Mount Major, say, and gazed north at the emerald waters lapping the forested sliver that is Rattlesnake Island. I knew very little, and I wondered: Was it pitch-black at the bottom of Lake Winnipesaukee, 187 feet down? I wasn’t sure.

When I moved to New Hampshire’s Lakes Region full-time in 2015, I was intent on learning about the local lake—about its people and its wildlife and its legends. My initial scheme was to kayak the length of Winnipesaukee early last summer, camping on islands, hiding my boat in the weeds as I engaged Winnipesaukee savants in long philosophical conversations. But then I learned about Winnipesaukee’s rough waters: namely, that out on the long throat of the lake the waves are at times six feet high, big enough to sustain a small but hard-core surfing community. I chickened out—and decided I would first survey the lake from the seat of a seaplane.

I fly on a clear June morning with Dave French, a 59-yearold pilot who grew up summering on Winnipesaukee’s shores, staying in a breezy camp his dad bought in 1961 for $5,000. As a boy he knew every hidden cove on Winnipesaukee, every rope swing. More recently, in his vintage 1967 Cessna he has spent roughly 1,600 hours in the air over the lake. He gives seaplane tours, often customized: When I mention I have a friend on one minuscule island, he swirls down toward the only house there, cutting so low that I half expect my friend to emerge onto his porch to chase us away with a rolled-up newspaper.

We fly over Wolfeboro and two other lakeside villages, Meredith and Center Harbor, before we buzz a hilltop church on Bear Island. French tells me enough to fill a notebook, but when I ask him about the Lady of the Lake, the 125-foot steamboat that plunged to the bottom of Winnipesaukee while being towed in 1895, he can share with me only a tantalizing glimpse. “I saw it once, when the light was just right,” he says. “There was a cloud shadow, darkening the water above it, and the sun was shining from just the right angle to illuminate the ship on the bottom.”

Winnipesaukee, I realize, listening, is a different lake every day, shape-shifting with the light and the wind and the weather. No one will ever fully know it. But still people try.

One sunny morning in July, I drive out to Wolfeboro to talk to Ron Guilmette, a retired Massachusetts state trooper who in 2011 decided he would circumnavigate every island in Lake Winnipesaukee in a kayak. Guilmette is tall, a bit intimidating, and still strapping at 70. He accomplished his goal, paddling about 150 miles in eight day-trips with his nephew, a police dispatcher named Jay Leccese. But when he sat down to write a photo-illustrated book about their adventures, he discovered that “half of the photos we had were of me standing on a rock, and the other half were of Jay standing on a rock.”

86 | NEWENGLAND.COM

PREVIOUS SPREAD:

VINTAGE SPEEDBOAT TYPHOON COURTESY OF THE KEEFE FAMILY

WINNIPESAUKEE IS A DIFFERENT LAKE EVERY DAY, SHAPE-SHIFTING WITH THE LIGHT AND THE WIND AND THE WEATHER. NO ONE WILL EVER FULLY KNOW IT. BUT STILL PEOPLE TRY.

A group of visiting teens—three hailing from Dover, New Hampshire, and one from Newcastle, England—take the plunge off a Wolfeboro dock. opposite : Ron Guilmette, coauthor of The Islands of Winnipesaukee.

Adventure beckons in the form of a vintage Cessna 206, which Lakes Region Seaplane Services owner Dave French uses to give bird’s-eye tours of Winnipesaukee and Squam lakes.

Soon, the two kayakers re-circumnavigated—and rephotographed—nearly every island. They are now the coauthors of The Islands of Winnipesaukee, a handsome selfpublished coffee table tome that has sold some 4,000 copies. When I meet them at the boat launch where they’re unloading three kayaks for us to take out, I see they’re wearing matching dark blue quick-dry T-shirts emblazoned with “The Islands of Winnipesaukee.” A large magnet stuck to Guilmette’s SUV bears the same slogan. But what I want to know is how many islands are in Lake Winnipesaukee.

Guilmette is solemn, even cryptic, in his response. “That’s an interesting question,” he says.

We put in and paddle through the calm waters of Wolfeboro Bay, left around a lone pine tree standing on Clark Point, until we reach the lakeside home of former presidential candidate Mitt Romney and spy a squarejawed 40ish fellow—a Romney son, presumably—in the boathouse. “Spitting image of his old man,” Guilmette remarks.

We continue southeast, into the unsung Varney Islands, to behold Melody and Harmony islands, Littlest Mud Island, and Cove Island. Eventually, Guilmette tells me that when he started his quest, the most common map of the lake, made by the Boston-area Bizer Corporation, listed 253 islands on Winnipesaukee (an island being any land mass that sustains vegetation). Guilmette would soon dispute that number. He documented several omitted islands, including a minuscule speck of land—two trees and a rock—that he personally christened Trooper Island.

Bizer now lists 264, but to Guilmette the count is still incorrect, as it includes Loon Island no. 4, which is connected to Alton’s Sandy Point by a causeway. “That’s not an island,” he tells me sternly. “If I can’t kayak around it, it’s not an island.”

The truth is that no one really knows how many islands there are, for they can emerge onto and vanish from the radar absent geologic forces. In the 1950s, I learn, a man living on Cow Island decided he wanted his own island, and chucked a bunch of dynamite at the island’s tip, blasting the rocks there to bits. So Rocky Ridge Island no. 1 was born. When a new owner bought the place in 1997, the dynamite man put a clause in the sales contract saying he could come back for picnics. And he has come back, once.

When white people first identified Lake Winnipesaukee as a vacation spot in the mid-19th century, they regarded the place with reverence. “The waters,” author John Hayward wrote in 1839, in The New England Gazetteer, “are remarkably pure, and [the lake’s] depth in some places is said to be unfathomable. Its sources are principally from springs within its bosom.”

What is the best way to commune with the wonders of Winnipesaukee? For some, the answer is simple: Be wealthy, and build a humongous house on the shore. In the early 2000s, Bob Bahre, the founder of New Hampshire Motor Speedway, built a 63,000-square-foot Winnipesaukee estate replete with a helipad, an infinity pool, and a man-made

LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE HAS ALWAYS BEEN LOVED. EVEN ITS NAME, GIVEN BY THE ABENAKI, CARRIES A CERTAIN FONDNESS, LIKELY MEANING EITHER “SMILE OF THE GREAT SPIRIT” OR “BEAUTIFUL WATER IN A HIGH PLACE.”

grotto. Bahre has since vacated, favoring his seaside getaway in St. Barts, but his home, now on the market for $20 million, is just one of myriad mansions jutting turrets and three-car garages and heavily fertilized, near-fluorescent green lawns out toward the lake.

Now imagine that old man on the rock, please. See the picnic basket. See the checked blanket flapping about in the wind—and know that Lake Winnipesaukee has always been loved. Even its name, given by the Abenaki Indians, who began catching shad here around 8,000 B.C., carries a certain fondness. “Winnipesaukee” likely means either “smile of the Great Spirit” or “beautiful water in a high place.”

Let’s get the bad news out of the way: The fertilizer is one of many environmental challenges facing Winnipesaukee. Water quality in the lake, while still considered “good” by the Lakes Region Planning Commission, has in the past decade suffered a “downward or negative trend,” and today areas of the lake often don a sickly green skin—an “algae bloom”—that is deadly for fish and fairly icky for Homo sapiens swimmers.

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MAP ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN O’ROURKE

Snapshots from Camp Winaukee, whose roots on the lake go back to 1920. At top left, staffer Rickey Fourney tends the grill, helping campers fuel up for outdoor fun—which Tyler Richman, Matt Geiling, and Jack Harris, left, are clearly having.

Polished up with a 2006 renovation, this famous sign has been welcoming visitors to the Lakes Region’s bestknown beach hangout since the ’50s.

With more than 250 games clacking, pinging, and beeping an invitation, kids find it hard to pass up the Half Moon Amusement Arcades at Weirs Beach.

Still, there is a beautiful bird that lives on Winnipesaukee. The loon—long-necked, ruby-eyed, and best known for its shrill, haunting cry—is actually rebounding. Its population here was under siege throughout the 20th century, largely because fishermen used sinkers made of lead. Fish ate the lead; the loons in turn ate the toxic fish and died off. In 1975, there was just a handful of loon pairs left on Winnipesaukee. But ever since then, a group called the Loon Preservation Committee (LPC) has been fiercely defending the bird: building artificial loon nests in thatches of grass, nursing injured loons, and, critically, fighting against the use of lead fishing tackle, which is now illegal.

These days there are 27 loon pairs on Winnipesaukee, and one morning I join Harry Vogel, the LPC’s director, for a meandering motorboat tour through the lake’s quietest, northernmost waters. It is mid-July, and this spring’s fuzzyheaded baby loons are by now proficient paddlers. We check out a few nests ensconced in high reeds and watch a loon plunge his head deep into the water for fish.

In time, Vogel tells me that of all birds, loons are especially appealing to humans. “They hatch only one or two chicks a year,” he says, “and from day one they have to feed their young. They have to care for them. They’re like your human family with 2.4 children. People can appreciate that they are good parents. And they’re rare. When you see a loon,

Now, I find myself savoring small pleasures that will be gone when the leaves turn. One afternoon, I pedal my bike down a forested hill and feel the humid air cool and soften as I ride by the water. Later, I visit one of the summer camps on the lake—Camp Winaukee, this one is called—and listen to the chittering sound of boys’ laughter rising and falling over the water.

There is a music to Lake Winnipesaukee, and I’m not surprised to learn that in the 1970s a composer, Wheeler Beckett, wrote a symphony titled “Nocturne, Summer Night on Lake Winnipesaukee.” Beckett pieced his opus together on Ragged Island, in a small shack appointed with a piano, before it was performed, twice, at the New Hampshire Music Festival in 1976. If there was a recording, it is now lost to time (trust me, I searched). Beckett’s legacy lingers on the lake, however. A genteel and moneyed individual, he owned Ragged Island, all 11½ acres of it, and before he died in 1986 he sold it to the Lakes Region Conservation Trust, which now maintains it for the public to enjoy.

When I at last make it out to Ragged Island, it’s late August and the weather is cool and gusty, so that whitecaps foam on the rippling water. I begin hiking the island’s three-quarter-mile shoreline loop trail, and remember what a friend told me about Matilda, the black snake who lives out here, and about the deer who swim out to Ragged

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Lending a historical vibe to the lake is the Winnipesaukee Belle, a replica 19th-century paddleboat owned by the Wolfeboro Inn.

EDITORS’ PICKS FOR LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE

STAY

AMES FARM INN, Gilford: The Ames family has tended this 135-acre property—which includes 17 cabins and a quarter mile of beachfront—since 1890. Perks include a porch lined with rocking chairs that looks out on a sprawling lakeside lawn. 603293-4321; amesfarminn.com

pub with an extensive beer list, and 44 rooms, including suites with lake views. 603-569-3016; wolfeboroinn.com

PLAY

CAMP, Meredith: With its fieldstone fireplace and peeledwood trim, this casual eatery channels the vibe of a classic lakeside camp as it serves up pot roast, mac and cheese, and other comfort food staples. 603-2793003; thecman.com

GARWOODS, Wolfeboro: Our two favorite things among many at this restaurant set on Wolfeboro Bay: a lobster bisque that rivals anything on the Seacoast, and the spectacular lakeside views. 603-569-7788; garwoodsrestaurant.com

LOCAL EATERY, Laconia: The freshest seafood, meats, and other ingredients from area providers inspire a changing menu of entrées, complemented with beautiful salads and inven tive appetizers. 603-527-8007; laconialocaleatery.com

MISE EN PLACE, Wolfeboro: Chef-owner Terry Adrignola seasons her lineup of gourmet American dishes (seared filet mignon, roasted rack of lamb) with a French flair that proved good enough for President Sarkozy himself. 603-569-5788; miseenplacenh.com

TAVERN 27, Laconia: This 1781 farmhouse turned restaurant and bar is known for delivering big flavor in small packages—namely, tapas and pinchos (tasty morsels presented on skewers). Reservations strongly recommended. 603528-3057; tavern27.com

THE BALLARD HOUSE INN, Meredith: A beautifully restored 1784 boardinghouse. Outstanding lake and mountain views from the back porch swing. Delicious homemade country breakfasts. Need we say more? 603-279-3434; ballardhouseinn.com

CHURCH LANDING/THE INN

AT MILL FALLS, Meredith: While you can’t go wrong with any of the four hotels at the Mill Falls at the Lake resort, these two are extra appealing for fourlegged guests, who can enjoy dog walking trails, pet beds, and a treat bag upon check-in. 844745-2931; millfalls.com

CASTLE IN THE CLOUDS, Moultonborough: This former country estate beckons with sweeping vistas of Lake Winnipesaukee and the Ossipee Mountains, not to mention 28 miles of hiking trails and its 603-476-5900;

(less for community theater offerings). 603-279-0333; winniplayhouse.com

WRIGHT MUSEUM OF WORLD WAR II, Wolfeboro: Founded in 1994 by collector and veteran David Wright, this under-theradar gem educates and inspires with its array of World War II artifacts, memorabilia, and fully operational military vehicles, including tanks. 603-569-1212; wrightmuseum.org

SHOP

HOME COMFORT MARKET

SHOP, Center Harbor: For relaxed style befitting a lakeside camp or North Woods cabin, stop in at this purveyor of handcarved loons, needlepoint pillows, bentwood furniture, and much more. 603-253-6660; homecomfortnh.com

LOON CENTER AND MARKUS

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, Moultonborough: The speckled and spectacular diving lake denizen gets its due with an interpretive center and a 200-acre-plus sanctuary. Easy walking trails by the water offer ample opportunity to see and hear local loons. 603-476-5666; loon.org

MOUNT WASHINGTON

THE KALLED GALLERY, Wolfeboro: Approximately 200 artisans are showcased here, but be sure to check out owner Jennifer Kalled’s bold jewelry creations, which incorporate otherworldly stones such as lace agate and boulder opals. 603569-3994; kalledjewelrystudio.com

NASWA RESORT, Laconia: Bright pastel buildings— efficiency motel units, rental cottages, a restaurant, and a gift shop—belie the down-home interiors and sensibility that keep this waterside getaway humming. 603-366-4341; naswa.com

THE WOLFEBORO INN, Wolfeboro: A short stroll from town center, this historic lakefront resort (c. 1812) boasts a private beach, a top-notch

CRUISES, Laconia: Whether on the 230-foot Mount Washington or the smaller cruiser Doris E. and the mail boat Sophie C., get an up-close look at the state’s largest lake with this venerable tour outfit. Scenic, sunset, and island cruises available. 603366-5531; cruisenh.com

THE WINNIPESAUKEE PLAYHOUSE, Meredith: This 194-seat venue stages professional plays in the summer and high-quality community theater in off months. And you can’t beat the price: $20–$34

KEEPSAKE QUILTING, Center Harbor: Bolts of colorful fabric fill the shelves at this quilt shop, reputed to have the most extensive inventory in the U.S. Bonus: An adjoining sister store is fully stocked with supplies for knitting and other crafty pursuits. 603-253-4026; keepsakequilting.com

THE OLD COUNTRY STORE AND MUSEUM, Moultonborough: At one of the oldest continuously operating stores in the nation (c. 1781), you’ll find everything from vintage lunch boxes and coffee mugs to aged cheddar cheeses and penny candy galore. 603-476-5750; nhcountrystore.com

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PLANNER

TRIP

BURGER COURTESY OF CAMP; COTTAGES COURTESY OF NASWA RESORT; LOON BY MARK FLEMING

A SENSE WONDER OF

The Hog Island Audubon Camp has been a Muscongus Bay landmark for more than 80 years. opposite : Camper Hunter Broderick gets ready for an up-close look at some insects. PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARK FLEMING

On a small island in Maine, explorers of all ages find a wide-open window into the natural world.

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“A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement.... If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder … he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in....”

—Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder

For a few days last August, on an island in Maine, Yankee senior photographer Mark Fleming witnessed what some parents might call a miracle. In an age when so many children seem tethered to their electronic devices, oblivious to the sights and smells and sounds of the world swirling all around them, he would awaken in his cabin at sunrise and “kids would already be up,” he

recalls. “It’d be so quiet. I remember one kid just sitting on a rock and looking at the water.”

Fleming came to the Hog Island Audubon Camp’s weeklong Family Camp uncertain of what he would find, but he knew what he was after: those moments when joy and curiosity fill a child’s face. And maybe, too, when an adult rediscovers a childlike spirit.

The island is 330 acres of forest and rocks lapped by waves, with 30 acres devoted to the nature camp, just a few hundred yards off the Pemaquid Peninsula on Maine’s midcoast. Since 1936, people of all ages have come here to immerse themselves in the lives of seabirds, to walk on trails edged with ferns and mosses, to peer into tide pools. Famed ornithologist Roger Tory Peter-

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left : Osprey Cabin, one of the rustic but comfy dorm-style buildings that dot the camp property. right : Situated in a restored 19th-century farmhouse, the dining room is often filled with the buzz and laughter of children talking about what they discovered that day.

son once served as the education director; the naturalist Rachel Carson, who had a summer home near Boothbay, visited frequently. In the Audubon orbit, Hog Island is looked upon as a treasured retreat, one barely known to the tourists who flock to the Maine coast.

While the Family Camp week brought together multiple generations, Fleming focused his camera mostly on the kids. He saw them embrace learning through play as they whisked nets to capture insects along the island trails; afterward, they’d press close to entomology expert Steve Mason as they displayed their finds. They discovered how to use a compass and how to unravel the mysteries of what their nets collected from the ocean. He rode across the choppy bay with them to Eastern Egg

Rock, where a resurgent puffin population lives—largely because of the work that Stephen Kress started here to repopulate the once-thriving colony—and came aboard a lobster boat to watch children pulling traps.

“It reminded me of being a kid, to see just how much joy and actual interest they showed,” Fleming says. “They were always talking about what they were learning.” The children watched seals and birds, listened to nightly talks. And they soaked up Maine, in sun and fog.

“I arrived a bit jaded,” he says. “I left filled with hope.”

Mel Allen

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To see more of Mark Fleming’s photographs from his time on Hog Island, go to newengland.com/hog-island. Among the many notable naturalists who have helped inspire Hog Island visitors was Roger Tory Peterson, the camp’s very first ornithology instructor. Here, young campers carry on his legacy as they watch for seabirds during a trip aboard the Snowgoose III , a converted lobster boat.

Camille and Hannah Spreha check out what Paul Overbeck, a fisheries scientist at Drexel University, has scooped up from the tidal pools with a seine net.

clockwise from top left : A pathway into a swampy forest that’s ideal for kids looking to net some insects; Gabby and Lexis Richards on a scavenger hunt for various flora and fauna; a snapshot of the camp buildings’ nautically themed names; learning the skill of compass reading; Mesfin MacManamy and Ian Fernandes huddling over what their seine net hauled in; an osprey with a freshly caught meal gripped in its talons.

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clockwise from top left : Staffer Eric Snyder rows a Hog Island group over to neighboring Harbor Island; signs of a serious nature-watcher; Family Camp participants trek through Harbor Island’s blueberry barrens.

Food always seems to taste better by the sea, as these campers discover while chowing down at Harbor Island.

THE

PRESERVE FOR A GROUP OF DOWN EAST NEIGHBORS, THE GOAL WAS SIMPLE: TO BUY WILD SHORELAND TO PROTECT IT FROM DEVELOPERS. THEY COULD NOT GUESS WHAT BIGGER CHANGES THEIR GOOD INTENTIONS WOULD BRING.

BY SUSAN HAND SHETTERLY PHOTOGRAPHS BY GRETA RYBUS

We thought we had lost something after we saved this 23-acre plot of land, with its half-mile rocky ledge at the head of Morgan Bay, a sheen of mud before it at dead low, and its deep upland of softwoods and hardwoods that had not been cut in more than 60 years. It faces directly south down the entire three-mile length of the bay and into the incoming tide. It had been a secret place for us, neighbors who knew it in detail and in season. That it didn’t belong to us was a fact we hardly considered, because whoever owned it had forgotten it entirely and forever. Or so we thought. Long enough to raise our children close to it. Long enough for one of us to die, ashes tossed from this shore and carried out by the tide.

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In summer, we could step away from our work to walk here, lie down on the dark schist ledge that held the day’s accumulated heat, and listen to the slosh of the waves. Most often, no one else was here. It was just the warm and comforting rocks, the water moving in a rhythm like our own blood—and the trees, because even on a still day the trees would be a murmuring presence, whispering.

On hot afternoons, we might walk the length of shore, strip naked, and dive into the water at Spruce Cove, a deep cup ringed by trees. In winter, some of us took our children to the bay to sit bundled up in the dark, in the snow, flashlights off, the stars close, and taught ourselves Orion, Canis Major, Castor and Pollux, and Perseus.

We were a small community of families raising our kids along a dirt road, a handful of neighbors in small ownerbuilt houses, living close to abandoned farm fields and mixed woods and bay water. A community that began in the ’70s, hard-working, gray-haired now, we thought we owned this land because we had treasured it for so long, and because no one else visited it except for a few clam diggers who left with the incoming tide.

The land had once been part of a holding belonging to the Carter family, among the first settlers who built homes and farmed and fished and cut wood and raised kids in this town. Over generations their land was divided, and most of the Carters are today scattered all over the country. We who live here now imagine something of what this land, the bay, and the streams must have meant to the original families and their children. The abundance must have seemed to them like another chance at Eden. They chose land rich in woods and wildlife by a gentle shore, and they grew into it, as people do who depend on a home place to give them their lives in exchange for hard work. We have become a country with a culture that thinks it doesn’t need this sort of anchoring, this dynamic mutuality between a place and a people. But I think we do. At least here, at the head of this bay, we do.

buy the land to save it as a preserve. He went door to door to the people with substantial homes next to the water: “Do you want to lose that view of the head of the bay, there, the one that has nothing on it but trees?”

They did not. It is quite a view.

“At every tide, and every time of year, there is something going on out in the bay and within the preserve,” says the author (shown at right, surveying the seascape at Carter Nature Preserve). “The trick is to have the patience and the focus to discover what it is.”

In the evenings, after work, we—Hugh’s neighbors, the people along the dirt road—gathered at one another’s kitchen tables and wrote letters to town officials and to more neighbors. We asked for money. We listed the reasons why we thought a preserve on salt water, open to all, would contribute to the life of the town. We knew the place. We knew that for years the pines and spruces grew uninterrupted there. The yellow birches and the white birches and the red maples filled in. We had seen arctic and common terns, bald eagles, ospreys, common loons, red-necked grebes, and Bonaparte’s, ring-billed, herring, and laughing gulls from its shore. Diving ducks flew in every fall and stayed until ice kept them out. Porpoises chased runs of herring in summer. Harbor seals stuck their heads up and floated on their backs in the high tide. Once we spotted a young moose on the marsh grazing the newly sprouted salt grass. Some of us were lucky enough to see mink. Some of us saw river otters swimming in the salt water close to shore. Two of us walked right past an adult harp seal basking on the ledges, until it moved, and we turned around to meet it face to face. Migrant songbirds sang from the thickets and trees every spring, and shorebirds flew in to feed on the flats on their way south.

How could we lose this?

Two maiden aunts had willed the 23 acres that were left of the original spread to a handful of their relatives. Willing land to many gives it to no one in particular, of course, unless one of the inheritors can afford to buy it from the others. The family knew, and then we did, too, that the land’s rectangular length could be broken into neat two-acre lots with saltwater frontage, each one worth a windfall. But it had no road access. Discreetly, a Carter family spokesman began to make phone calls to the abutting neighbors proposing a nice amount of cash if one or the other of them would provide a right-of-way for a development road to the landlocked parcel. In the first go-round, everyone said no. A few weeks later, he called again. The price was rising.

My neighbor, Hugh, was an abutter. He asked the other abutters to hold off on any agreement with the family, because he wanted to see if he could raise enough money to

I remind myself that the potential of any land anywhere never goes away. It’s always there, under the roads and parking lots, the foundations and clear-cuts and industrial farms. But I don’t know how we retrieve it when we figure out we need it back as wild and complicated as it once was. Land means money. We look at it and instinctively—like any good real estate agent—calculate its worth. But in writing our neighbors about our experiences at the bay on the Carter land, we were using a different standard. Good nesting habitat for ovenbirds and Parula warblers and barred owls; good mud flats for great blue herons, yellowlegs, and black ducks; a shoreline of saltworts and blooming beach heather and spartinas; good dead trees for woodpeckers and fishers and raccoons; good browse for deer. We were reading the land as an osprey might, or a doe, or an ermine. How much is this land worth to species other than our own? And how much are those species worth to you?

We folded copies of our letter and licked stamps and addressed envelopes. And asked for more money. It came in. A few dollars. A few hundred dollars. A few thousand dollars. The board of the land trust in the next town agreed to take the property if we ever found ourselves in a position to buy it. One of the abutters promised an easement across his field for a narrow footpath for public access. No abutters offered an easement for a development road.

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Neighbors wrote us notes telling us they appreciated the work we were doing. But we had no idea when to stop, because we didn’t know what amount of money would be enough. So we kept on going, writing and writing, until one night, the same Carter spokesman called Hugh to tell him the family was willing to sell for $50,000.

“Are you sure?” I asked Hugh when he told me the news.

“I’m sure,” he said. “It seems too good to be true, doesn’t it?” He was laughing with relief. “But they said $50,000— and we’re close to that already.”

The land now belonged to everyone. And we, the neighbors, had become the brand-new preserve’s caretakers. Would the people who came here treasure this place as we did? Was it worth the Carter family’s development loss? We used to come here because the land was big enough to lose ourselves in it for a time—it was a corrective, full of life that was not human life. It had taken good care of us then, and we were about to learn what was needed to take good care of it now.

People visited. They had never been here before, it was something new, and they brought picnics, dogs, cooking gear—one year, a tent, a clothesline, a plan to spend high summer at the shore. Some liked to pile stones into attenuated cairns and arrange sculptures out of high-tide driftwood. They left with stones they liked and flowers they picked. With sudden access to the woods, dogs would take

off, their owners chasing behind them, or letting them go.

Lost dogs began showing up in our yards, confused, a little panicky. But the dogs weren’t as confused as we were—picking up garbage, breaking up fire rings of stones and charred wood, disinviting summer campers.

What was going on?

After the deed passed to the land trust, we met to write a land use policy. What, we asked ourselves, does preserve mean? Preserved for what? And for whom? We decided on a narrow path that winds from one end of the land to the other, not too deeply cut, just enough to offer the walker a sense of the woods. We decided to clear the path, and keep it clear, but to leave trees to fall as they might at either side, opening windows of light that would wake the dormant seeds of new trees. We decided, too, that the land must belong first to the native wild plants and the animals that live here, and that the people who entered must come as guests.

Norman, a neighbor and a fine carpenter, built a glass and wood kiosk that listed our rules: Leave the Preserve the Way You Found It; No Dogs in the Woods or on the Woods Path; No Fires; No Camping; No Overnights. We did honor, however,

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Out in the bay, beyond the rocky ledge, rises the ghostly shape of Jed’s Island—yet another bit of land that’s been preserved in part by the Blue Hill Heritage Trust.

the summer tradition of owners bringing their dogs to the high-tide ledges for a walk and a swim. We planted the sign right by the entrance. And that is when we learned that people don’t read signs. Or not this sign.

We reworked it. We offered a hand-painted map of the preserve and the trail. We offered pamphlets with the preserve history and a list of birds. We wrote “Please.” We wrote “Thank you.” We ended it with a quote from Aldo Leopold: “When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”

One day in early fall, I was walking the right-of-way path across the field as a tall girl with a swinging blond ponytail strode toward me carrying two big plastic garbage bags. I’d never seen her before. We smiled as we passed each other, and I glanced down. Her bags were crammed with sea lavender, the entire plants: flowers, stems, leaves, and roots—and mud still clinging to the roots. She’d just finished a bountiful harvest, and would probably be using the plants to make wreaths and dried flower arrangements. Which is a fine endeavor, except that this species of sea lavender, a perennial, is a plant of ecological concern in Maine because it’s been overpicked. Which is beside the point, really: This land is a preserve. That word means something.

Perhaps if I’d noticed the lavender neatly clipped, implying that she cared enough to leave at least the roots in their place, or if her harvest had been enough for one wreath instead of 20 or 30—I don’t know—but something snapped inside me. I was done with people trashing this place.

“This is a preserve,” I said. “You’re not allowed to pick anything here.”

“Yes, I can,” she said.

“Did you read the sign at the entrance?”

“It’s fine,” she said. “Don’t you worry yourself about it.”

“I’m not worrying myself about it. I’m telling you it’s not fine. This is a preserve, and that means it’s for everyone—not just you.”

She cocked her head and swung the bags impatiently. “Oh, shut up,” she said and pivoted and walked away. But she turned back once to look me in the eye. “You just shut up!”

When I knocked on the door of his house, Norman opened it, took one look at my face, and handed me a piece of paper towel to wipe my tears. He made me a sturdy cup of tea, and we sat down at his table. He couldn’t help it, he was laughing—and I began to laugh, too.

“‘Shut up,’” he said. “That’s pretty good.”

“‘OH, shut up,’” I corrected him. “And ‘You just shut up.’” We laughed. And then were both quiet.

“ I’ll bet there’s not one sea lavender plant left standing,” I said.

Norman sighed. “People haven’t been taught to take good care of land,” he said. “They’ve been taught to take as much as they can as fast as they can and trash the rest. We’ve got to figure out how to get them to behave better.”

“They never will,” I said.

“I think they will,” he said.

He was right. It didn’t happen overnight. It took seasons, which turned into years. It took walks and talks:

botany walks, bird walks, geology walks, tide pool walks— you name it. It took working with school groups and with the land trust. It took articles in the local papers about the value of saved land.

It took a change of heart.

Around us, a bigger picture was emerging of the extent of damage to natural places all over the world. We read about river tribes, woodland tribes, fishing villages, and rural towns trying to protect their best wild places, and failing.

Aldo Leopold’s words printed on our sign are from 1949. Years have passed since they were written. People have grown up and grown old and died, and still we need to learn this simple lesson: “When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”

Today there are no more sea lavender rampages. No more dogs running in the woods. People I’ve never met before pass by me now and say, “Isn’t this a wonderful place?”

The preserve is now 23 years old. It receives visitors every season. They know how to treat the land—most of them— and they leave it as they find it.

We have learned that saving 23 acres is a beginning, that wildlife, to thrive, needs much more than that, and that keeping the character and the heritage of a beloved place also needs much more than that. Working with our land trust, we have helped save more than 200 acres in the Morgan Bay watershed, including our Carter Nature Preserve. Children growing up around here will have what my children had, not remnants, but the real thing: wild places deep enough to teach them about the world.

On a late August afternoon, I was walking the ledges back to the road with my dog, who likes to sit in the water at Spruce Cove at midtide, when I met a boy and his parents coming down the stone stairway we’ve built. They were from the next town. The mother carried a baby. The boy paused to pat my deaf springer, and then headed for the pool that was just emerging from the falling tide. His father stopped to look across the bay at the diving terns.

He said, “Are those arctic or common terns?”

“I can’t tell from here,” I answered. We both watched the half-dozen birds diving. Neither the man nor I had brought binoculars, but he had good eyes. “Common,” he said after a bit. “I see the black tips on the bills.” The birds were plunging, rising, shaking off, and flying away with thin silver fish.

The mother shifted her sleeping child and told me that her son had been part of the school nature classes here, and he loved this place and had been trying all summer to get them to come.

“So this morning we thought we’d check it out,” the father said, his gaze slowly following the shoreline.

I smiled at them. I touched my springer lightly on the head between his ears, which means it’s time to go. I nodded to the man.

“It’s all yours,” I said.

For information on visiting Carter Nature Preserve, part of the Blue Hill Heritage Trust, go to bluehillheritagetrust.org/ carter-nature-preserve.

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THE LAST

Explorer

Christina Tree’s travel writing has shown New England to the world. And after 50 years, she’s still hitting the road in search of new adventures because, as she puts it, “I never wanted to be left behind.”

BY MEL ALLEN PORTRAIT BY MARK FLEMING

ne day in July 1968, Christina Tree, a freshly hired assistant travel editor for The Boston Globe, drove into Ogunquit, Maine, to report her first story. Actually, a friend was driving: The 23-year-old Tree owned a hastily bought powder-blue stick-shift VW Bug, but she had passed her driving test only a few days earlier on an automatic and did not know how to drive this one.

Among the questions the Globe asked before hiring her, an obvious one had been missed: Could she drive?

Up until that point, Tree hadn’t needed a car to find adventure. She grew up in New York City, and on her last night before moving to Boston she had walked over the Brooklyn Bridge at 3 in the morning, and then went to Sloppy Louie’s in the Fulton Fish Market for chowder. She called a tugboat company, saying she was a writer for The Boston Globe and wanted to see life on a tugboat for a potential story. At dawn she was onboard, eating breakfast with the crew, watching them bring in the ocean liner New Amsterdam. “That was my good-bye to New York,” she recalls.

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In Ogunquit, which she knew from childhood vacations, she walked the Marginal Way, drifted in and out of the hotels, and spoke to as many people as she could about what made the beach town special. “I was trying to remember where I used to swim, the nature of the place, the surge of people on weekends,” she says. Fifty years later, what she remembers the most from her first assignment is riding a bicycle up Mount Agamenticus, her basket filled with strawberries, and taking a spill that left her clothes smeared with red—then having to go into a packed Ogunquit Playhouse looking as if she had been mauled. Her challenges did not end there: Her friend could not stay and drove the car back to Boston, leaving the new Globe assistant travel editor to buy a bus ticket home.

A few days later, she wrote her story.

The Abenaki Indians long ago picked a strip of firm beach and white dunes as their “Ogunquit” or “place by the sea.”... Like a high tide, weekend visitors flow in to the wide beach, eddy around the cove shops, studios and restaurants ... and then recede, leaving the town much as they found it.

She wrote about how the Marginal Way had come to be, and about the now-forgotten trolleys that ran through town after the turn of the century. She suggested places to eat, and where travelers could stay by the sea. She also let readers in on a local secret: Roby Littlefield, a man who helped preserve the beach for public use, still sold strawberries at 35 cents a basket. (Money is left at the counter of the barn while he tends his patch.)

The components of the Chris Tree style were clear from the start: history, to show how the past percolated into

the present; crisp observation; bright language; and an insistent curiosity, which led her to offbeat characters away from usual tourist haunts.

Since that first article, she has never stopped telling travel stories. When she became a mother (three sons), she left the Globe to freelance for the paper as well as for Yankee, and to write travel books. She has driven a succession of 10 other cars since the VW and has seen the odometers spin to just shy of a million miles—nearly all in the service of showing off New England to the world. On a rotating basis, she returns to its states—especially Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire—to find out what is new, what has changed, what stories she may be missing, year after year. A Chris Tree sighting in many towns has become as much a part of the local calendar as their festivals. “We used to joke that I could have my car break down on any road anywhere,” she says, “and I’d be able to call someone who lived nearby.”

That “we” refers to Chris’s husband of 46 years, Bill Davis, who was a Globe travel editor for more than three decades. The three of us are sitting together on a sunny October morning in the living room of the late-19thcentury house they bought in 1975 on a quiet Cambridge, Massachusetts, street. They purchased the house with what Chris calls her “windfall advance” for what would eventually become Massachusetts: An Explorer’s Guide. Though that initial book enjoyed only modest success, it spawned a seemingly endless flurry of Explorer’s Guide titles by Christina Tree (later written with a tight cadre of coauthors). The first travel guides since the Depression’s WPA books to focus on individual New England states—and the first to go beyond the “go, see, do” formula—

they have sold more than 400,000 copies to date. Over the years, Chris also wrote a historical tour of New England ( How New England Happened ), a lodging guide ( Best Places to Stay in New England ), and books devoted to back-road trekking and the Maine coast and its islands.

Chris chafes at the caricature of a travel writer as someone who scoots in and out of hotels testing mattresses and peering into bathrooms, all the while scribbling away; who gets chummy with chefs and dines out constantly on the house; or, more recently, who dives into the Internet and writes travelogues via TripAdvisor reviews. “So many people think, Oh, the gravy train ,” she says.

She prides herself on being a chronicler of place and an observer of how tourism has shaped the times and culture we live in. She peppers her accounts with history, characters, and local color, while still choosing the places to eat and sleep and visit that she would want to show her friends. For anyone looking for just a quick travel tip, her books can seem daunting: They depart the printer at nearly 600 pages, sometimes more. It’s as if she’s absorbed so much of a destination that she simply has to pour it all out. For her part, Chris says her books are like “recipes with lots of ingredients, so the readers can pick and choose to plan their own discoveries.”

This summer will mark half a century of Chris Tree’s road-tripping through New England. I have known her for a good chunk of that time, and I doubt we ever had a story meeting that did not last at least twice as long as I had anticipated: She always arrived with too many of her “great finds” to fit into any plan I may have made for my day.

I’ve arrived at her home on this fall day to ask how she did it, how she kept searching for new roads, how she kept

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“Chris is relentless,” her husband says. “The most relentless person I know.”

finding surprises, kept knocking on doors and stepping inside. She is 73; her husband, who has been a frequent travel partner, is 85, beset by shaky knees, and the road for him has gotten harder. Chris has had her own share of health setbacks, but still she heads north. “I’m addicted to puzzling out places,” she explains. “I have to find out about them. I can’t let go of the fun of walking the streets.

“It’s what I do,” she continues. “And I have to go back to see if I still have it right.”

There is definitely a missionary zeal that comes through—what Bill calls “a passion that nobody else will ever have like this.” (Indeed, Chris wrote me recently that she feels her work “provides a noble service by getting readers off their butts and out to enjoy the amazing places and people within easy reach.”)

“She is relentless,” Bill says, smiling. “The most relentless person I know.”

Chris’s hair is short, more gray than not. She is dressed casually in a purple top and sweater and dark slacks. Her face is pixie-like, round and open, with eyes that spark with curiosity. When she tells about her life, she talks fast, her hands rarely still. At times, I struggle to keep up.

Kim Grant knows what this is like. A graduate of Chris’s alma mater, Mount Holyoke College, Kim was recruited in 1984 to help research inns and B&Bs for Best Places to Stay, and later went on to her own travel writing career. In her first meeting with Chris, “anecdotes from her years on the road oozed from every cell,” she tells me via email. “Back stories that would infuse my reviews with detail darted around like pinballs. And they kept coming. I madly scribbled notes. Wait, is that town in the Champlain Valley or the Northeast Kingdom? Wait, which of those two B&Bs was just sold? Wait, wait....”

Chris tells me about being an only child and traveling the world with her mother and her international-banker father. Arriving in each new foreign town, her parents would pore over their Michelin Guide to find where they would stay. Chris would write or draw what she had seen in her journal. She

was learning to look around and feel new places through her skin.

When we start talking about her years at the Globe , she and Bill both smile at the memories. There was the time when the two once shared a desk and a typewriter; she was supposed to clear out by 5 p.m. each day, and he would take over at 6. But she was often late to file, and finally Bill sold her his old Smith-Corona for five dollars so they could both work. Then there was her bosses’ brilliant idea to send “the new girl”—who’d had only a few ski lessons on modest Mount Tom— to ski the biggest mountains in New England. Each time she arrived at the base, she would be met by a mountain pro who naturally assumed that a ski writer could easily keep up, no matter how wild the descent.

She tells me about having three sons, spaced only a few years apart, and how, after she left the paper, she

would tote them around on the road like a mama kangaroo to the amusement of the people she met. (Her son Tim remembers what it was like when his mother picked him up from summer camp in Maine: “There was never any going straight home. Mom always insisted on making a million stops. It would take us days to drive home.”)

But mostly the story she wants me to know is how she came on the scene to write about New England just as the region was being rediscovered as a major destination, in the late 1960s and through the ’70s. She became an expert

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top : Chris Tree with her first-ever travel guide, published in 1979; to her left is James Carlin, then the Massachusetts commerce commissioner. above left : Chris with Topher, the youngest of her three sons, c. 1982. COURTESY OF CHRISTINA TREE

on New England’s history in time for the Bicentennial; she immersed herself in B&Bs and small inns just as travelers were starting to look beyond chain hotels and roadside tourist courts. As the outdoors boom began to get under way, she became an adventurer who rafted, canoed, kayaked, biked, hiked, cross-country skied, and joined every inn-to-inn tour imaginable. “I never wanted to be left behind,” she says.

She was there when the grand hotels found new life. She was one of the first to see the potential of Portland’s Old Port, and she was there when new highways opened up the north country, and travelers began to discover that the Maine coast went beyond Bar Harbor. She was there to see old mill towns and old seaports surge into new lives. She was there to see a conservation ethic sweep over New England, and thousands of acres preserved.

These are the stories she loves to tell.

“I was so lucky,” she says. “I just grew with it. I rode the crest of the wave.”

Not long after my visit to Cambridge, I meet Chris in the southern Vermont town of Brattleboro, which she describes as “a college town without a college.” It’s a blue-sky Friday, with foliage still coloring the hillside. A few weeks ago she put the finishing touches on a new book, Backroads & Byways of Vermont. Today she’s doing a final scouting trip for the next edition of Vermont: An Explorer’s Guide.

I find her in Amy’s Bakery Arts Café on Main Street, sitting by the window. The view looks out to the West River and a mountain—Wantastiquet, she tells me, a touch of pride in her voice, after checking her barely-held-together 2015 edition of the Vermont Explorer’s Guide. She wears a vest over a blue fleece top, jeans, and sneakers. Resting on the table beside the Vermont book is the third edition of Best Places to Stay in New England, as she often re-reads her books when walking through a lodging, to see if her description needs amending. In her hand she holds a 6-by-8-inch notebook. A few words will remind her of what she observes.

Chris sips her coffee and says she slept little the night before. She stayed

in a small B&B south of Woodstock, where she had been doing some factfinding. A few years ago she had taken a tour of this same B&B with its new owners and been impressed enough to include it in the Explorer’s Guide . This time the place felt off-putting, its innkeeper disengaged, and her sleepless night would be offset by the consolation of dropping it from the new edition. This is how she shows displeasure—not with criticism, because she understands how precarious the tourism business can be, but with omission.

Her agenda this morning includes visiting the chamber of commerce to ask what has opened, closed, or moved. There are shops to browse, an art gallery to check in on. There are two B&Bs and one inn to visit, and she has already phoned their innkeepers so as not to take them by surprise. She does not do hit-and-runs.

Outside, she directs my gaze to a massive brick building that in the late 1800s housed the Hotel Brooks. “This is where Rudyard Kipling hung out in Brattleboro with a local doctor,” she says. “The doctor told him about a ship captain in Gloucester, and that gave him the idea for Captains Courageous.” I say that she knows as much about most towns as locals do—it’s as though she has hundreds of hometowns. She replies that her father never owned, always rented. “When I walked with him through neighborhoods,” Chris says, “I felt he owned it all. When you know about a place, you can own it.”

At the Crosby House, she hugs owner Lynn Kuralt, who recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of turning her home into a B&B. They talk about the many years they have known each other. Chris pokes her head into the living room. “Yes,” she says, “I had written ‘marble mantel,’ and there it is.”

Kuralt shows Chris a bedroom with a black faux-marble fireplace. “I am sure I stayed in this room,” Chris says. She recalls that Kuralt’s late husband, Tom, had done much of the “amazing” woodwork throughout the house.

“This is what I remember, all these touches,” she says. At the end of their visit, the two women walk outside.

Kuralt says she hopes to find a buyer

soon. “I won’t take that seriously until you tell me sold ,” Chris says, then adds, “This may be my swan song, too. But maybe, as long as I can do this”—and she executes three deep knee bends.

The day unfolds with stops and starts, with stories of the road, stories she wants to do. She talks about a new development in Wilmington, Vermont—and did I know what a seventhgeneration Vermonter was doing to revitalize White River Junction? She describes, almost as in a reverie, going to the Rockingham Meeting House, and how the woman who greeted her knew so much of its history, and how she told Chris about a country ride that would take her through a covered bridge and past one of the most beautiful small cemeteries she would ever see—all within minutes of the Vermont Country Store and the crowds of people stopping there who wouldn’t know it existed.

The week before, at her home, Chris admitted she was working her way through a low period. She said she had written in her journal two years ago: What am I to do, now that my career is ending and familiar roles no longer apply? Is there any use for all this info in my head? She told me, “I had energy I don’t have anymore. And I had words I don’t have anymore.” In her last story for the Globe, she had misspelled someone’s name. “I was ashamed,” she said. But she had also recently opened boxes and found letters she had received over the years from readers who had been led to unexpected places, and from the staff of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, who said nobody had ever captured it so well. “Wow. Such air in my sails.”

Late last summer, Chris and Bill took an 11-day trip through northern Maine. They made a circle along the Washington County coast: up through Grand Lake Stream into Aroostook County, then up into the St. John Valley, then down to Millinocket and along the rugged Golden Road to Moosehead Lake, before ending on the Blue Hill Peninsula.

“I’d drive,” Bill told me, “and it took forever to get anywhere. ‘There’s a dirt road,’ she’d say. ‘What’s down there? Back up! Back up!’”

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THE GRAND, ELLSWORTH

Funded by the city of Ellsworth as part of the community’s rebirth from a devastating 1933 fire, the Grand was a model of art deco elegance when it first opened in 1938. Now a nonprofit performing arts center that draws audiences from throughout Down East, it has retained its original beauty while adding more comfortable seats and a stage extension for concerts and live theater. But cinema remains the mainstay at the Grand, which offers a stellar lineup of first-run art films and documentaries and frequent special repertory screenings. 207-667-9500; grandonline.org

FAMILY ADVENTURE

SUNDAY RIVER ZIPLINE TOUR, NEWRY

Fearlessness might be the best gift that any parents can give their kids. Every family member bigger than three feet tall (and weighing between 70 and 270 pounds) can join this zipline rush down the mountain at Sunday River. Think of it as summer’s substitute for racing skis. A sequence of six lines, ranging from 100 to 300 feet each, stretches through the woods and over a ravine. The tours last about two hours and reach speeds up to 25 miles per hour, delivering just the right amount of adrenalin to fuel thrill-seekers of all ages. 207-824-3000; sundayriver.com

FARMERS’ MARKET

PORTLAND FARMERS’ MARKET, PORTLAND

From late April to late November, the Saturday morning market based in Deering Oaks Park celebrates everything that can be grown, raised, tended, or fermented for nearly a hundred miles around. That bounty comes in a rainbow, ranging from more than two dozen colors of cherry tomatoes to a broad palette of peppers, carrots, and beets. Portland chefs are buying from these same agricultural specialists, scooping up ingredients such as wild mushrooms from North Spore and yogurt and fresh cheeses from Swallowtail Farm—which means that your market visit will also tell you what’s really in season on a restaurant’s menu. portlandmainefarmersmarket.org

GENERAL STORE

BESSIE’S FARM GOODS, FREEPORT

A short hop from the outlet stores of downtown Freeport on the way to Wolfe’s Neck,

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Bessie’s is as tightly focused on local goods and local needs as the outlets are on name-brand bargains. The loving project of former teachers Kathy Heye and Deede Montgomery, Bessie’s is a reinterpretation of what a general store can be. The shelves are positively overflowing with homemade wares (lobster mittens, anyone?), garden produce, locally spun yarn, and more. Folks stop in at Bessie’s as much to chat as shop, and a neighbor might phone in to reserve the last mint brownie. 207-865-9840; bessiesfarmgoods.com

HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE

BURNT ISLAND “LIVING LIGHTHOUSE” TOUR, BOOTHBAY HARBOR

Being a lighthouse keeper might sound like a romantic adventure in isolation, but the historic interpreters on Burnt Island ground that romance in the quotidian details of eking out a living and keeping the light on for vessels coming into Boothbay Harbor. The 15-minute cruise aboard the Novelty from Boothbay’s Pier 8 takes passengers back to the 1950s to “meet” keeper Joseph Muise, his wife, and their three daughters. Tours operate Monday and Thursday from July to late August. 207-6332284; balmydayscruises.com

LAKE CRUISE

THE BIRCHES RESORT’S MOOSE CRUISES & SAFARIS, ROCKWOOD

Maine’s biggest lake and its biggest land mammal seem to have an affinity for each other. Moosehead Lake is prime feeding ground for moose, the largest member of the deer family, which—despite stretching almost nine feet long and standing six feet high at the shoulder—can prove tricky to spot. But summer is a good time to look for cows and calves foraging at the edges of the lake, especially with these seasoned wilderness guides bringing you close to the feeding grounds via pontoon boat. 800-825-9453; birches.com

MUSIC CLUB

ONE LONGFELLOW SQUARE, PORTLAND

This nonprofit performance center located in the heart of the Arts District in Portland’s West End presents more than 200 concerts

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NATURE EXPERIENCE

CASTINE KAYAK ADVENTURES

BIOLUMINESCENCE NIGHT PADDLE TRIPS, CASTINE

Location, location, location. Gorgeous glowin-the-dark phytoplankton flourish in just a few spots around the world, and luckily for us their favored hangouts include Castine Harbor, where the Bagaduce River meets the cold Penobscot Bay. The best way to experience their magic is on one of Castine Kayak Adventures’ nighttime group trips: Every dip of the paddle makes the night sea glow with the tiny bioluminescent creatures, rivaling the swirl of stars in the Milky Way overhead. 207-8663506; castinekayak.com

NEW CULTURAL ATTRACTION

CENTER FOR MAINE CONTEMPORARY ART, ROCKLAND

With its sawtooth corrugated metal roof and array of north-facing windows to let in the coastal light, Toshiko Mori’s stunning design for the Center for Maine Contemporary Art gives it a commanding presence in Rockland. Three galleries house ever-changing exhibitions of contemporary art, much of it heroic in scale. Artists have a Maine connection by birth or by choice, and sharp curatorial choices emphasize both sense of place and aesthetic achievement. The new CMCA joins the Farns worth Art Museum in making Rockland the art capital of the midcoast. 207-701-5005; cmcanow.org

SPECIALTY MUSEUM ABBE MUSEUM, BAR HARBOR

This splendid museum of Maine’s native peoples shifted its focus a few years ago from archaeology of a vanished world to an emphasis on living culture. Many Wabanaki artists helped design the core exhibit, “People of the First Light,” which explores the 12,000-year continuous history of people living in the Wabanaki homeland. Exhibits bring together archaeological finds with oral histories, personal knowledge, and cultural and artistic traditions. The tales of confrontation, adaptation,

| 119 MAY | JUNE 2018 BEST OF NEW ENGLAND

And discover much more.

and survival paint a picture of a resilient—and very much living—culture. 207-288-3519; abbemuseum.org

LODGING

BOUTIQUE HOTEL WHITEHALL, CAMDEN

Though the core of Whitehall may be an 1834 sea captain’s home, the building has progressively accreted rooms since becoming an inn in 1901. Reimagined in 2015 as a chic coastal getaway, the 36-room hotel and its rambling porches sprawl across green lawns between the rounded peak of Mount Battie and the lapping blue waters of Penobscot Bay. Touches like aged barn board and grasscloth wall coverings produce a breezy contemporary decor that still echoes the leisurely rusticators of a century past. 207-236-3391; whitehallmaine.com

FAMILY LODGING

THE LODGE ON THE COVE, KENNEBUNKPORT

Both retro-cool and budget-friendly, this 21st-century makeover of a motor lodge is colorful and upbeat, with a mix of vintage and contemporary furnishings in 30 guest rooms spread throughout four buildings. The centerpiece of the resort is the main lodge, which has a big lounge on the upper level and a restaurant below that opens out onto the pool. Keeping little ones entertained is a cinch, with complimentary use of beach cruisers and kids’ bikes, lawn games, shuffle puck and Ping-Pong tables, and Saturday-night movies. Plus, the shops and attractions of Dock Square are just a 15-minute stroll away. 800879-5778; lodgeonthecove.com

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The fjord of Somes Sound cleaves Mount Desert Island in two. The 24-room Claremont sits on the take-a-deep-breath-andexhale western lobe, removed from the bustle of Bar Harbor and the main attractions of Acadia National Park. Since 1884, it has welcomed guests to its six-acre spread at the mouth of Somes Sound with views across to Greening Island. Six modern inn-style rooms and 14 cottages are other options, but stretching out on a sleigh bed in the main inn, with the breeze ruffling the window sheers, feels like visiting the home of the Down East grandma you wish you had. 800-244-5036; theclaremonthotel.com

LAKESIDE LODGING THE RANGELEY INN, RANGELEY

A perfect example of Maine’s “serial architecture,” the multiwinged Rangeley Inn was built in pieces in the early 20th century to offer hospitality to the sporting crowd that came by rail. The trains no longer run, but the

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MAINE

dine stay play shop 200+ Shops, Inns, B&Bs, Restaurants & Attractions visitfreeport.com LARGEST SELECTION OF Maine Tourmaline AND SO MUCH MORE! 13 Middle Street , Freeport, Maine 207.865.1818 | rdallen.com Featuring Maine Artists and Designers Enjoy Outlet Savings & Catch a Movie at Nordica Theatre! onefreeportvillagestation.com for store hours & coupons. Parking is free in our covered 500-car garage. The Look For Less Clothing • Jewelry • Accessories NewItemsArrivingDaily! www.consignfreeport.com 27 Bow Street Freeport, Maine www.facebook.com /FIOREoliveoils www.facebook.com /FIOREoliveoils OPEN YEAR ROUND Offering freshest and highest quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegars Come in and taste for yourself! www.FIOREoliveoils.com WE SHIP! 8 Rodick Place • Bar Harbor 503 Main Street • Rockland 88 Main Street • Freeport 90 Maine Street • Brunswick At the Vault • Lewiston At Tiller & Rye • Brewer Maine’s 2013 Woman-Owned Business of the Year 2” 2” A Family-owned Green Hotel Supporting Local Farmers and Growers A classic country inn with two of New England’s most acclaimed restaurants — Broad Arrow Tavern and Maine Harvest Restaurant Voted Top Hotel in Maine, third in New England by Conde Naste Readers’ poll, 2016 Award-Winning Lobster Sunday Brunch! 162 MAIN STREET, FREEPORT, ME 04032 • 800.342.6423 WWW.HARRASEEKETINN.COM

mountainous woodlands and lakes of western Maine remain as alluring as ever. Wellstocked Haley Pond—just outside the inn’s back door—is a fine spot to practice angling or paddle around for an hour in a loaner kayak. Want to explore the Rangeley Lake itself? Inn staffers are happy to point you to a neighboring cruise company offering scenic outings on one-of-a-kind restored wooden boats. 207-864-3341; therangeleyinn.com

LUXURY ESCAPE

CLIFF HOUSE, CAPE NEDDICK

Set high atop a cliff of black volcanic boulders between York and the sandy beaches of Ogunquit, Cliff House has enjoyed an osprey’s view of the ocean since opening in 1872. Recent renovations went beyond mere restoration to create a sleek contemporary hotel with every imaginable creature comfort and an ambitious spa for beauty and wellness treatments. All 226 rooms and suites come with private terraces and those same incomparable views that have been the resort’s calling card since Ulysses S. Grant was president. 207-3611000; cliffhousemaine.com

NEW LODGING

SANDY PINES CAMPGROUND, KENNEBUNKPORT

For those looking to rough it like a raja in the Maine woods, Sandy Pines’ 12 luxurious glamping tents offer designer decor in 18-by-24-foot canvas “rooms.” Each has its own meditation garden and king-size bed, some have adjacent tepees for the kids, and all share a communal fire pit for making nighttime memories (and s’mores). More traditional overnight setups are available, too: The majority of the 300-plus wooded sites here allow for RV camping, with 100 nice tenting spots as well. Bordering the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge, Sandy Pines’ 60 acres ensures everyone has room to spread out. 207-967-2483; sandypinescamping.com

OCEANSIDE LODGING

SPRUCE POINT INN, BOOTHBAY HARBOR

Diffuse ocean light surrounds this 1892 inn and cabin community at the southern end of the thumb-shaped peninsula separating Boothbay Harbor from Linekin Bay. Seven inn rooms feature private decks where you can sprawl in Adirondack chairs to watch sails billow on the bay below. Other options include oversize rooms in modern lodges and woodsy housekeeping cottages, many with multiple bedrooms for family getaways. The village is a 1½-mile bike ride away … assuming you can tear yourself away from the view. 207-6334152; sprucepointinn.com

ROMANTIC GETAWAY

THE INN AT DIAMOND COVE, PORTLAND

You and your significant other can leave both car and cares on the mainland when you hop a Casco Bay Ferry to Great Diamond Island, where bicycles and electric golf carts are the chief alternatives to walking. An inspired

Conveniently located in the heart of downtown on historic Park Row. The picturesque village green is our front yard, and downtown is just steps away. 165 Park Row Brunswick, ME 04011 207-729-4914 800-299-4914 thebrunswickinn.com T HE B runswick Inn Authentic New England Charm & Elegance New Harbor, Maine 04554 New Harbor, Maine 04554 At the harbor entrance 207-677-3727 www.gosnold.com New Harbor, Maine 04554 At the harbor entrance 207-677-3727 www.gosnold.com 122 | NEWENGLAND.COM

MAINE

for something fun to do in New England? Search our events calendar for some of the region’s best food festivals, craft fairs, concerts, art shows, and more. Search by state, date, price range, time, and even event category. newengland.com/calendar/ Looking for something fun to do in New England?

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redeployment of the former barracks of the 1890s Fort McKinley, the 44-room Inn at Diamond Cove offers a plush and tranquil retreat. To up the intimacy factor, ask for a parlor suite with fireplace for snuggling on a cool night, and reserve a waterfront table at the inn’s sister restaurant, Diamond’s Edge. 207805-9836; innatdiamondcove.com

ROOMS WITH A VIEW

THE EAST WIND INN, TENANTS HARBOR

A prime waterfront location on the St. George peninsula south of Thomaston guarantees that all 19 rooms at the East Wind Inn have views of the lobster boats anchored in the harbor and the islands offshore. Guests can choose between two adjacent buildings: a 19th-century former sail loft or an erstwhile sea captain’s mansion. The rooms are simply furnished with finds from local antiques dealers, striking precisely the right note for this unpretentious working stretch of the Maine coast. 207-372-6366; eastwindinn.com

WILDERNESS RETREAT

LITTLE LYFORD LODGE & CABINS, GREENVILLE

So far off the grid that you have to ski in during the winter, Little Lyford is a complex of nine log cabins, a bunkhouse, and a main lodge in the middle of a 66,000-acre forest owned by the Appalachian Mountain Club. The AMC also operates the restored 1874 camp. It’s definitely rustic: propane lights, woodstove, cold running water. BYO sheets or sleeping bag, but canoes and kayaks are provided—as are three squares a day. Reserve fishing gear ahead, as you’re one landlocked salmon away from nirvana. 207-280-0708; outdoors.org

DINING

BREWPUB

THE LIBERAL CUP PUBLIC HOUSE & BREWERY, HALLOWELL

Brewer Geoff Houghton wants customers to linger in his Hallowell incarnation of a classic English country pub, so he makes a generous pour. The seven-barrel brewery produces a rotating list of English-style sips, mostly session ales and bitters, served in 20-ounce Imperial pint glasses (hence the name of the establishment). The kitchen dishes out innovative pub grub most of the time but offers fancier gastropub specials on weekend nights, sometimes using mushrooms foraged by the chef himself. 207-623-2739; theliberalcup.com

CHOWDER

ERICA’S SEAFOOD, HARPSWELL

A good chowder should have far more fish than liquid, and the liquid should be creamy without added thickener. Andrea Hunter is the cook at Erica’s (named for her daughter), and she always packs the seafood chowder with lobster, shrimp, haddock, and clams.

Be gin a tradition in the heart of Ogunquit .

Experience the heart of Ogunquit at your door every season of the year—lobsters and lighthouses, sandy beaches and sunsets, world class dining and relaxation.

Let us help you begin a Maine tradition today.

Sca op Cove, Swan’s Island

For more info & video go to: scallopcoveme.info

36± acres of pristine and private wooded shorefront with nearly a half-mile of oceanfront coastline. Located on beautiful Blue Hill Bay between Mackerel Cove and Casco Passage with dramatic panoramic views of Bass Harbor Head Light and the mountains of Acadia National Park. Several buildable lots, surveyed, soil tested, with electricity. Private beach, deeded private deepwater cove, and road leading to land.

$650,000

Ted Koehler

Listing Agent

207-266-5051

gotokola@gmail.com

Bar Harbor, ME 04609

Ogunquit, Maine I 800-633-8718 I reservations at: meadowmere.com I I Ogunquit, Maine I I 800-633-8718 reservations at: meadowmere.com Ogunquit, Maine 800-633-8718 reservations at: meadowmere.com | 123 MAY | JUNE 2018

Theperfectlunch/dinnerspotonthewater. Inthe“OldPort”atLongWharf 180CommercialStreet,Portland,Maine www.portlandlobstercompany.com 207-775-2112 LARGEGROUPSWELCOME IntheheartofPortland’shistoricwaterfrontdistrict VotedPortland’sBestSeafood &LobsterRoll Wine-LocalBeers-LiveMusic OpenEveryday-EatInorTakeOut ThePortlandPhoenix JoinUsOnTheDock&GetCrackin’ 145 Fore Street • Portland, ME • 207-761-1660 marriott.com/pwmdt Residence Inn by Marriott® Portland Downtown Waterfront Lobby Bar with Fireplace Complimentary Full Breakfast Buffet Indoor Pool & Fitness Area Short Walk to the Old Port Outdoor Courtyard with Fire Pit Discover Portland’s Only All-Suite Downtown Hotel. Check in and check out the 24/7 casino excitement, and so much more! With over one hundred rooms, including luxury suites, now you can stay just steps from the casino excitement. Come enjoy a night of Wicked Good Fun at Southern Maine’s Casino, where the fun never ends! Persons under 21 years of age may not enter the gaming area unless licensed as employees. Gambling problem? Call 2-1-1 or for help. Reserve your room today at OxfordCasino.com or call (207) 539-6777 OxfordCasino.com YOUR MAINE ESCAPE AWAITS! 800.306.4185 VISITPORTLAND.COM

20 Milk Street, Portland, Maine - 207.774.4200 - 800.727.3436 - www.theregency.com PORTLAND’S FIRST AND FINEST HOTEL IN THE HEART OF THE HISTORIC OLD PORT VISITPORTLAND.COM 800.306.4185

126 | NEWENGLAND.COM Island Retreat” Same Family Ownership Since 1900 • Jackman, Maine Attean Lake Lodge Fifteen Lakefront Cottages Totally Undeveloped Mountain Lake Boating • Sailing • Kayaking • Canoeing • Hiking Wildlife & Bird Watching • Full American Plan 207-668-3792 www.atteanlodge.com Great ships. Great food. Great fun. SAIL MAINE 3- to 6-day adventures Depart from Camden & Rockland 1-800-807-WIND www.sailmainecoast.com Ask us about our specialty cruises, too! Maine’s Best Vacation Value! 3 Inns, 3 Restaurants, 13 Cottages, 18-hole Donald Ross Golf Course Kayak across the lake, walk the historic trails, enjoy nightly entertainment, play mini golf, make new friends, watch the amazing sunset over the White Mountains, play tennis on grass courts, swim in our huge pool, and much, much more! Or take the shuttle to the Oxford Casino only minutes away! Speak with one of our friendly staff at 1-866-998-4351 www.polandspringresort.com Poland Spring Resort CASTINE MAINE Under The Elms And By The Sea Loi Thai Photo Castine Merchants Manor Inn • Pentagoet Inn visitcastine.com

Sometimes she also adds scallops and sweet threads of crab meat. The cash-only takeout shack has the usual lobster and crab rolls, but a bowl of chowder will leave you perfectly full. BYOB. 207-833-7354; ericasseafood.com

DOUGHNUTS

THE HOLY DONUT, PORTLAND

It has long been a tradition in Maine potato country to add mashed spuds to doughnut batter, yielding a fluffier, moister dunker. So when Leigh Kellis decided to open a doughnut shop in Portland in 2012, it was only natural that she would make her rounds with potatoes. The results not only nail the perfect texture but also come in 20-odd flavors that are uniformly excellent. Don’t miss the chocolate glazed sprinkled with sea salt, the ideal foil to all that sweet, chocolatey goodness. Locations in Portland and Scarborough. 207-775-7776; theholydonut.com

FARM-TO-TABLE

THE FIDDLEHEAD RESTAURANT, BANGOR

From spring’s first asparagus to autumn’s bounty of pumpkins and squashes, it helps to have your own farm if you run a restaurant serving farm-to-fork cuisine. Late each winter, chef Mel Chaiken and her partner’s husband, Aaron Peppard, who oversees the greenhouses and gardens, choose the seeds with which to plant the summer menu. Meats, seafood, and cheeses come largely from Maine farms, fishermen, and cheese makers. Raised in Japan by a Malaysian mother and an American father, Chaiken brings some innovative Asian treatments to otherwise recognizably New England food. 207-942-3336; thefiddleheadrestaurant.com

HOT DOGS

SIMONES’, LEWISTON

Loyalists here are split between ordering their hot dogs grilled or steamed, but in either case they’ll get a classic Maine red snapper—a beef and pork frank in a natural casing that “snaps” when bitten. (The startlingly bright hue is harmless food coloring.) The family business launched in 1908 on the other side of Chestnut Street but moved into its current quarters in 1966. With the next generation already in the kitchen, Simones’ could be here for another 110 years. Steamed dogs are a dollar on Wednesday. 207-7828431; simoneshotdogstand.com

NEW RESTAURANT DRIFTERS WIFE, PORTLAND

Launched in 2016 as a small, quirky boîte where patrons could dine while they tasted the great wines sold in the back at Maine & Loire, Drifters Wife truly came into its own this winter when it and its sibling wine shop relocated to a bigger space next door. With the move came a full kitchen, a full bar, and nearly double the seating. It’s terrific news for fans of chef Ben Jackson, who cooks with a lusty palate, contrasting and concentrating strong flavors in a constantly changing

| 127 MAY | JUNE 2018 MAINE

Come experience the sweeping ocean views and luxury accommodations of the Bar Harbor Inn & Spa. Simply relax and recharge after a busy day or enjoy seasonal gourmet favorites, fresh local seafood, and waterfront dining at the Reading Room Restaurant, Oasis Club Lounge or outdoor Terrace Grille.

Pull up a Chair. Relax. Enjoy the View.

menu. Think mackerel with aioli, scallions, and paprika, or crispy duck with kimchi and lardo. 207-805-1336; drifterswife.com

OYSTER BAR EVENTIDE OYSTER CO., PORTLAND

The bar’s huge block of granite and ice topped with oysters signals you’ve come to the right place. Eventide made the old-fashioned oyster bar cool again by offering at least a dozen varieties—mostly from Maine but a few from “away”—on the half shell along with a sassy cocktail program. (The Dirty Dirty Martini pairs the booze with olive brine, oyster brine, and hot sauce.) The fried fish is often hake, an underutilized species this side of the Atlantic but a Parisian favorite. 207-7748538; eventideoysterco.com

rooms

view, private balcony and access to the beach! Enjoy casual fine dining, a full bar and a relaxed atmosphere at our Bistro restaurant.

SEAFOOD SHACK

MCLOONS, SOUTH THOMASTON

When people all over the world dream of eating Maine lobster on the coast, they probably imagine themselves in a place like the modest red-clapboard waterfront shack of McLoons. The surroundings are quintessential midcoast Maine, right down to rocky Spruce Head Island, where the seafood shack and its parent commercial lobster wharf sit. (It’s connected to the mainland by a causeway but also welcomes boaters.) The simple lobster salad roll at McLoons is the best in the state, but many diners also love the roll of sweet hand-picked crab. Burgers and grilled cheese feed the pescaphobic. 207-593-1382; mcloonslobster.com

SUSHI

SUZUKI’S SUSHI BAR, ROCKLAND

An oasis of tranquility awaits you just steps from Ogunquit’s famed Marginal Way. With its sophisticated flair and magnificent water views, you will find yourself immersed in a wonderful blend of Maine charm and laid-back beach luxury.

The Trellis House has been Awarded 207-646-7909

The 2018 Traveler’s Choice Award! 2018 Top 25 Inn/B&B’S in the United States.

Keiko Suzuki Steinberger certainly changed local attitudes about raw fish when she opened this Japanese restaurant in downtown Rockland. The seafood that’s used in sushi and sashimi creations is as seasonal as any other harvest, and Suzuki eagerly awaits the herring and mackerel runs, the brief window in which to catch tiny northern shrimp (ama edi ), and the late-summer run of bluefin tuna (toro ). She’s on a mission now to get more Mainers to eat uni, the roe of the ubiquitous sea urchin. The day’s local catch is posted in the sushi bar’s front window. 207-596-7447; suzukisushi.com

WATERFRONT DINING

NINA JUNE, ROCKPORT

Rockport has the prettiest slot harbor on Maine’s coast, and Sara Jenkins’s Mediterranean restaurant occupies the prime perch overlooking it, at the corner of Central and Main in the old red-brick Union Hall. Angle for a table on the back porch for views of the lobster boats, sloops, and schooners while you enjoy great risottos and pastas or Italian or French treatments of Gulf of Maine fish. During the height of summer and fall, Jenkins marvels that her only nonlocal produce ingredients are lemons, limes, and oranges. 207-236-8880; ninajunerestaurant.com

THE TRELLIS HOUSE BED + BREAKFAST • OGUNQUIT , ME 119 Eden St • Bar Harbor ME 04609 800 336 2463 • aobarharbor.com

www.trellishouse.com

Experience the beauty of Maine’s rugged coastline at the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel & Event Center. All of our diverse, stylish

have an ocean

1 Newport Drive • Bar Harbor ME 844 289 5251 • barharborinn.com Yankee Magazine | One Third | v4 128 | NEWENGLAND.COM

MAINE

MaineTourmaline

MoreBrighterthanemerald.brilliantthanemerald.

BESTOF MAINE

Mint-Green Teal Maine Tourmaline

Saturday night, standing in line to buy a theater ticket, phone rings. Voice says, “This is Jeff, we hit a pocket this afternoon, thought you might like to come up.” I said, “What time?” He said, “8:30.”

Sunday morning at the mine. First photograph: SparHawk tourmaline and watermelon crystals in place (1924 silver dollar for reference). After that, the day just kept getting better. Jeff won’t allow us to talk about quantity, but someone said to him mid-day, “You can stop smiling now.” –RHP, June 8-9, 2013

By now everyone has heard about this famous discovery of mint-green-teal tourmaline just outside the city of Portland. SparHawk tourmaline is still being found at this site. SparHawk Mint Green Teal is a bright lively green color, brighter, more brilliant than emerald, and best of all, the gems are crystal clear—pure, pristine, perfect.

Pre-select on-line, click and buy, or stop in, we’d love to see you.

SparHawk

Visit CrossJewelers.com/sparhawk Cross Jewelers 570 Congress Street Portland, Maine CrossJewelers.com 1-800-433-2988 Power Imperative F7782.....$8,895 Tide’s Edge X3830....$1,975 Lady Captain’s Ring F6567.....$1,300 Mountain Laurel F8137.......$1,485 Two Lights X3854.....$2,550 Longfellow Square F7658.....$2100 Elizabeth Islands F8602.....$2,595 Palm Beach F8338.....$7,950 Empress F6962.....$2,950 Museum F7048.....$2,495 Viking Ring X3838.....$2,850 Sweet Grass F8295.....$2,750 Wellesley F7882.....$2,795 Will and Kate F7191.....$3,250 Saturday X3825.....$2,850 Castle Gate F7075.....$4,150 Colonial Lantern Earrings F8176.....$4,550 Bar Harbor F8200.....$2,850 Y56183

SparHawk Tourmaline Crystal Silver Dollar Pocket

NEW HAMPSHIRE

ATTRACTIONS

ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES

NEW HAMPSHIRE ANTIQUE CO-OP, MILFORD

Museum-quality pre-Columbian artifacts, art nouveau jewelry, art deco porcelain, rare American Indian art, Chippendale chests, historical maps—this emporium doesn’t have just a few rare pieces but rather entire cases and rooms full of them. Modest collectors shouldn’t be intimidated, though: Additional rooms are filled with budget-friendly collectibles ranging from teddy bears and crocheted doilies to tin cookie cutters and the books we loved as kids. For genuine antiques, fine art, and just everyday old-fashioned stuff, this 20,000-square-foot group shop is a candy store for collectors and browsers. 603-673-8499; nhantiquecoop.com

FAMILY ADVENTURE

LOST RIVER GORGE AND BOULDER CAVES, NORTH WOODSTOCK

This giant natural funhouse in Kinsman Notch tells a dramatic tale: Mile-deep glaciers melted into streams that rushed through cracks in the bedrock, eroding them into a gorge. Stones and gravel washed through, scouring and carving potholes and chutes. Then wind and winter freezing took over, tearing huge slabs from the granite walls that fell and covered the river. Today you can climb through the gorge they created, following the brook through caves and narrow passages to see it burst out in waterfalls and swirl in huge potholes, as your kids learn about glaciers and geology and even, for a small fee, pan for gemstones and fossils in the Lost River mining sluice. 603-745-8031; lostrivergorge.com

GENERAL STORE

HARRISVILLE GENERAL STORE, HARRISVILLE

Overlooking a picture-perfect red-brick mill complex, Harrisville General Store has been its town’s gathering point for nearly two centuries. Saved from closing by the nonprofit group Historic Harrisville, the store has all the right ingredients for a local grocery but serves them

MORE ONLINE!

Find editors’ picks for the best summer events in New Hampshire at newengland.com/nh-events-2018

up with a uniquely Harrisville flavor. Premium brands prevail, and area products get first dibs: The bacon and sausages are from Mayfair Farm; the free-range eggs, fresh vegetables, honey, and jams from other nearby producers. Order a fresh-baked muffin or custom-made sandwich, and join locals at a table. They’ll advise you not to miss the cider doughnuts. 603-827-3138; harrisvillegeneralstore.com

HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE

REMICK COUNTRY DOCTOR MUSEUM & FARM, TAMWORTH

Medicine and farming share the spotlight at this 18th-century family farm, home to two generations of Remick doctors. The role the country doctor played in the community blends with an emphasis on how he grew vegetables and kept livestock just as his neighbors did. His wife churned butter and made bread, activities demonstrated in the big kitchen during seasonal events. The rest of the time, visitors can visit the two homes, barns, sugarhouse, dairy, icehouse, and gardens, where exhibits and hands-on experiences teach them the finer points of ice cutting, maple sugaring, preserving, sheepshearing, and more. 603-323-7591; remickmuseum.org

NATURE EXPERIENCE

GORHAM MOOSE TOURS, GORHAM

Although moose-spotting is a notoriously unpredictable pastime, the odds of seeing one of these magnificent beasts are heavily in your favor on these town-sponsored tours. With special permission from the state, Gorham Moose Tours’ buses are outfitted with lights that not only make moose easier to spot but also easier to photograph. The reported success rate is better than 90 percent, which offers a much more attractive prospect than prowling the roads in your car at dusk: Yes, you can spend hours sitting by the roadside along

Moose Alley and hope, but it’s a better bet— and safer—to go with the pros. 603-466-3103; gorhammoosetours.org

SHORT HIKE

THE FLUME, LINCOLN

Into the steep-cut slopes of Franconia Notch, a mild-looking little stream carved an 80-footdeep canyon into the rock. Now one of New Hampshire’s most beloved natural attractions, the Flume is the main feature of a two-mile walk through piney woods over moderately hilly terrain. Along with leading right through the base of the 800-foot gorge, the trail passes mammoth boulders left by the glaciers, a covered bridge, and two waterfalls: Avalanche Falls, above the Flume, and Liberty Gorge Cascade. 603-745-8391; nhstateparks.org

SPECIALTY MUSEUM

AMERICAN ARCADE CLASSIC MUSEUM, LACONIA

No, you’re not a teenager again … it just feels that way. At this one-of-a-kind destination, more than 250 vintage arcade games blink hypnotically in a dimly lit room, all of them still costing just a quarter to play. Pong, Astro Invader, Q*bert, Punch-Out—they’re all here, ready to bring you back to a time when the ability to guide a frog safely through traffic was the criterion by which you were judged by your peers. 603-393-7903; classicarcademuseum.org

WALKING TOUR

BLACK HERITAGE TRAIL OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, PORTSMOUTH

While New England’s long African-American history is too often overlooked, Portsmouth has seized a unique opportunity to spotlight it. The trail, well marked with 27 detailed historical brass signs, leads from the waterfront auction block where slaves first arrived as ships’ “cargo” to sites related to the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Personal stories—including that of Prince Whipple, one of 20 Portsmouth slaves who petitioned the state legislature in 1779 to abolish slavery— put human faces on the history. 603-318-5120; blackheritagetrailnh.org

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130 | NEWENGLAND.COM

BEST OF NEW ENGLAND

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134 | NEWENGLAND.COM THE BEST WAY TO WAKE IS ON THE WATER. BOA TINGLAKE SUNAPEEVISITNH.GO V The Restaurant at BURDICK’S 47 Main Street (603) 756-9058 Fine dining for lunch and dinner Just 3 miles from I 91 - Exit 5 Bastille Day July 14th Oktoberfest Fine dining and ﬁne fun! Special Celebrations October 28th & 29th 47mainwalpole.com Walpole, NH The Largest Arcade In The World! • 600 Games for All Ages! • Bowling • Mini-Golf • Bingo • Zip-Lines • Jordan’s Ice Creamery • Tavern • Restaurant Rt 3, Weirs Beach, NH • FunspotNH.com OPEN ALL YEAR

Village Condominium Waterville Valley, NH 4 Inns • 5 Restaurants • 10 Shops Event Spaces • Cascade Spa & Salon Lake Winnipesaukee 312 Daniel Webster Highway Meredith, NH . (844) 482-7077 . millfalls.com Stay at the Lake. Destination shopping in the White Mountains COACH POLO RALPH LAUREN LOFT OUTLET THINK KITCHEN settlersgreen.com | 888-667-9636 Tax-free shopping at 80+ brands! Public art, foot soak spa, and 13 restaurants & eateries. WHITE MOUNTAIN HWY

| 135 MAY | JUNE 2018 RETAIL STORE 4 Mill Alley, Harrisville | 603-827-3996 | harrisville.com Yarns ● Looms ● Classes ● Fiber Art Kits ConwayScenic.com 800-232-5251 • ( 603 ) 356-5251 Experience old-fashioned train rides, all departing from our 1874 Victorian Station in North Conway Village, NH. Choose from two Valley routes or the legendary Notch Train First Class dining on both trains Excursions from 1 to 5½ hours April 14 though December 31 All Aboard! A White Mountains Attraction cottageplace@gmail.com 603-968-7116 cottageplaceonsquam.com

Whether you’re looking for an extended-stay hotel, a family-fun getaway to swim and play, or you’re traveling for business, we’re waiting to welcome you to Concord. StayConcord.com 4 Gulf Street Concord, NH 603-224-4011 ConcordFairfieldInn.com 91 Hall Street Concord, NH 603-226-0012 ResidenceInnConcord.com 71 Hall Street Concord, NH 603-226-4100 ComfortInnConcord.com 70 Constitution Avenue Concord, NH 603-225-0303 CourtyardConcord.com One Of New Hampshire’s Top Rated Family Campgrounds Proudly Serving Campers Since 1965 Playground Horseshoes Basketball • Rec Hall Heated Pool Waterslides • Splash Pad Fishing Pond High Speed WiFi Pet Friendly 24 Longview Rd • Hancock NH • 03449 WWW.SEVENMAPLES.COM - (603) 525-3321 Call and request our Free 12-page camping guide Camping Cabin Rentals Water/Electric Sites Water/Electric/Sewer Sites Seasonal Sites • Camp Store LP gas, wood, ice Dump station • On-site owners Enforced quiet hours Kayak/Canoe rentals

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GOING WITH THE FLOW DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN FOLLOWING THE CROWD.

 

       

LOCH LYME LODGE

“Get back to the basics”

20 cabins with ﬁreplaces

Restaurant Late June – Labor Day

Play, swim, boat, ﬁsh, hike, bike, and relax by the lake

Open May to October • Pet-Friendly 800-423-2141

www.LochLymeLodge.com

~since 1923~

Better than Broadway!

Award-winning Professional Theatre for the North Country...Monday-Saturday

Our 53rd Season: July 7 to Sept. 1, 2018

SEVEN great shows in alternating rep all summer long - shows change nearly nightly, and you can see up to four different productions in a single week . . . including the blockbuster musical CHICAGO

BOX OFFICE opens late June

603-837-9322- visit online anytime!

www.weathervanetheatre.org

389 LANCASTER RD., WHITEFIELD, NH

136 | NEWENGLAND.COM

KAY AKINGANDROSCOGGIN RIVERVISITNH.GO V

In-Room Jacuzzis  Indoor Heated Pool Great Room w/ Fireplace & Big-Screen TV Exercise Room  Free WiFi Kitchenettes  Indoor & Outdoor Pools Saunas  Free Wifi  Private Balconies Many More Amenities! 800-654-6188 www.lodgeresort.com STUDIOS & 1 BEDROOM SUITES FAMILY SUITES, FULL KITCHENS 888-784-7829 www.rivergreenresort.com Rivergreen Resort The Lodge 603-606-1736

.com or on Facebook - Antiques on Elm 321 Elm St. • Manchester, NH Open 7 days a week Anti ues on elm • A group shop • 10,000 sq. ft. of yesterday’s memories . . . . . . all on one floor Discover purityspring.com | 800 373-3754 Lakeside Rooms & Dining, Lobster Cookouts, Hiking, & More Classic, Summer Fun For All Sandy Beaches, Waterskiing, Kayaks & SUPs, #Lakelife

www.antiquesonelmmanchester

ALL OUR ROADS EVENTUALLY GO OFF THE BEATEN PATH.

The

Museum of World War II Wolfeboro,

Since 1994, educating visitors about the WWII-era Americans called, “the greatest generation”.

See extensive 1939-45 Home Front displays; vintage tanks & weapons; period art & music and more.

Please join us for these 2018 Special

“Memories of WWII: Photos from the Associated Press Archives”, May 1-June 17

“The Forgotten War: Korea” Max Desfor Photographs, June 24 – August 12

“Manufacturing Victory, WWII: The Arsenal of Democracy” August 20 – October 31

138 | NEWENGLAND.COM

BIKINGBARTLETTVISITNH.GO V

Wright

Exhibits:

•

12-4

us at www.wrightmuseum.org to view complete offerings •

3-hr. round trip on eco-friendly

trains.

Courier’s Favorite Scenic Railroad • Cog Railway Museum at the Base

NEW Summit Weather Exhibit OPEN MAY- NOV BOOK IN ADVANCE THECOG.COM 800.922.8825

Station Rd, Marshfield Station, NH (6 mi. from Rt.

Woods, NH) A NATIONAL HISTORIC ENGINEERING LANDMARK THE MOUNT WASHINGTON The World’s First mountain-climbing Cog Railway and the Only One east of the Rockies! byTrain!! Ride to the Top of Mt. Washington... 603.745.8031 lostrivergorge.com 1712 Lost River Road, North Woodstock, NH Located in New Hampshire’s White Mountains “Superb Adventure in Beautiful Setting” – TripAdvisor Melville Academy Museum www.jcvis.org 39 Thorndike Pond Rd. Jaffrey, NH Open 2-4 pm July & August weekends VisitWhiteMountains.com

#whitemountains The White Mountains of New Hampshire are a wonderful place to escape, explore and create unforgettable memories. Experience towering peaks, stunning scenery, spectacular waterfalls, limitless recreation and 17 popular attractions that have provided a lifetime of memories and cheer for generations of visitors. Condo Resorts Coast to Coast Village of Loon Mountain Rates starting at $94/night!* *restrictions may apply ykmg myvacation.com call today! 866.469.8222 www.vriresorts.com

Open May 1 – Oct 31 • Mon.-Sat. 10-4

Sun.

Visit

603-569-1212 •

biodiesel or historic steam

•

Base

302

Bretton

DISCOVER

NH HERITAGE MUSEUM TRAIL

For

Joyce’s Craft Shows 2018

18 World-Class Museums from the Mountains to the Seacoast

Wedding Rehearsal Dinners

After Wedding Parties

Lunch & Dinner Daily • Live Musical Entertainment Nightly!

Serving award-winning, gourmet pizza, pasta, seafood, steak, chicken, veal, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free pizza and pasta, soup, salads, sandwiches, desserts and cappuccino.

O ering two full bars, an international wine list and 10 beers on tap!

Join us in THE GROTTO AT GIUSEPPE’S! Karaoke, Thurs. at 10 pm DJ & dancing, Fri. & Sat. 10 pm - 1 am.

Take-out • Delivery (within 5 miles)

Reservations highly recommended.

Corner Rts. 3 & 25 • Mill Falls Marketplace, Meredith, NH (603) 279-3313 • Menu, daily specials, menu, hours & info. at giuseppesnh.com

North Conway Community Center

May 26-27 • July 21-22 • Aug. 25-26

Wolfeboro – Brewster Academy

July 6-8 • Aug. 10-12

Gilford – Gunstock

June 30-July 1 • Sept. 1-3 • Oct. 6-8

| 139 MAY | JUNE 2018

information

to www.nhmuseumtrail.org

The New Hampshire Heritage Museum Trail ~ TripAdvisor review

(603)

www.joycescraftshows.com

528-4014

140 | NEWENGLAND.COM WITH 944 LAKES, EVERYONE CAN FIND THEIR PIECE OF PARADISE. C ANOEINGLAKE WENTW OR THVISITNH.GO V 603-878-2308 www.parkersmaplebarn.com A family establishment since the late 1960s serving hearty breakfasts and lunch. One of New Hampshire’s Top Ten Restaurants. We make our own maple syrup. Visit our sugar house & gift shop in Mason, NH, or visit our online store. PARKER’S MAPLE BARN Proudly Off The Beaten Path JOIN US FOR DINNER OR A STAY AFTER A DAY OF ADVENTURE! (603) 447-2818 136 stewart rd • eaton, nh 03832 snowvillageinn.com 10 mins from conway village • 15 mins from ossipee Proudly Off The Beaten Path Marshmallows Taste better Whatever you like to do, there’s a NH campground for you! Download or order your free copy of the New Hampshire Camping Guide at www.nhlovescampers.com 1172 Easton Road Franconia, NH 03580 info@franconiainn.com 800.473.5299 franconiainn.com Casually elegant lodging & dining Breathtaking Views Award-Winning Cuisine Cozy & Inviting FOUR CLAY TENNIS COURTS • HIKING HORSEBACK RIDING • GLIDER RIDES HEATED OUTDOOR POOL & JACUZZI MOUNTAIN BIKING • X-COUNTRY SKIING SLEIGH RIDES • ICE SKATING • TUBING SNOWSHOEING & MORE... www.PooreFarm.org S u n d a y , J u l y 1 s t A m e r i c a n M o u n t a i n M e n R e e n a c t m e n t A t t h e : P o o r e F a r m M u s e u m Learn about the early Trappers and Traders of the area, by the Great North Woods Party. Visitors can see firsthand what life was like on the frontier and how the guns of the day work. Please join us for our 18th Annual Open Barn and Celebration Celebrating Kenneth’s 127th Birthday Sunday, July 1, 2012 Open to the public: 11 a. m. to 4 p. m. F R E E B r t h d a y c a k e a n d l e m o n a d e w i l l b e s e r v e d at The Poore Family Homestead Historic Farm Museum Route 145, Stewartstown, NH Music by: Harold Boydston, playing authentic western Cowboy tunes on guitar and mandolin, Also: Hope Manseau, will be demonstrating: rug weaving on the Poore Family loom, preparing wool and spinning on a traditional spinning wheel. Be ready to get involved, Hope will have you helping in the process and showing you how to make yarn on a drop spindle that you can make at home. Directions: 7 miles north of Colebrook, on NH Rte. 145 Regular Museum Hours, June 1st to September 30th: Saturday & Sunday 11:am to 3:pm, - - Weekdays 11:am to 1:pm Sponsored by: The Poore Family Foundation and The Tillotson North Country Foundation More info: www.PooreFarm.org 603-237-5500 American Mountain Men Living History and 24rd Annual Open Barn & Celebration Regular Museum Hours: June – Sept. Fri., Sat. & Sun. 11 am to 3 pm (or as posted) Celebrating Kenneth’s 133rd Birthday Open to the public 11 am – 4 pm FREE Birthday Cake & Lemonade will be served

Family Homestead Historic Farm Museum Rte. 145, Stewartstown, NH • 7 miles north of Colebrook Sat. & Sun., June 30 & July 1, 2018 Admission to either event: $10 Donation/adult Accompanied Children Under 12 are FREE Live Music: On the Front Porch also Weaving, Spinning, Soap Making, Tanning Hides, and more. Audience participation is encouraged!

August 11, 2018

Farm Concert An afternoon performance at the Poore Farm Amphitheater & Stage Venue, just o NH Rte 145 - Watch for Signs

Poore

Sat.,

Poore

| 141 MAY | JUNE 2018 • 100 Free Nightly Concerts • 17 Spectacular Fireworks Wednesday Nights & Holidays • Master Sand Sculpting Competition: June 14-15-16 • Children’s Festival: Aug 13-17 • Talent Competition: Aug 24-25-26 • Seafood Festival: Sept 7-8-9 Rediscover the #1 rated U.S.A. Super Star Beach! Newly updated facilities & Seashell Stage! HAMPTON BEACH, NH HHHHH 5 star r ating! For F R E E Travel Guide or to view our the ocean with our live Beach Cam, visit www.hamptonbeach.org National Resources Defense Council "Testing the Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches" top 100 beaches water quality & safety Hampton Beach in top 5 beaches & top 10 resorts in USA call today! 866.469.8222 www.8664myvacation.com Rates starting at $97/night!* *restrictions may apply ykmg proudly managed by: Unique Store and Mail-Order with our “World’s Greatest” Cheddar Cheese, aged two full years. A tradition for 63 years. Open year round. Free tasting samples 1400 Rte. 117, Sugar Hill, NH 03586 603-823-8000 www.HarmansCheese.com Harman’s Cheese & Country Store Enjoy the beach during your summer vacation at NH’s only resort on the sand. Celebrating more than seventy-ﬁve years as a favorite family destination. SeasideVillageResort.com 603-964-8204 The only resort in NH that’s “right on the beach” – Frommers Guide Seaside Village Resort Never Ends! LakesRegion.org 603-286-8008 / 1-800-60-LAKES Salmon FallS Stoneware Traditional New England Salt-Glaze Pottery Handmade by Local Artisans Open Every Day 9am - 5pm 75 Oak Street, Dover, NH (603)749-1467 www.SalmonFalls.com

WILDERNESS EXPEDITION

REDLINE GUIDING, INTERVALE

Wondering how to cross a river when there’s no bridge? Preparing to embark on a hike across a glacier? Learn these and other wilderness secrets and skills on professionally guided outdoor adventures in the White Mountains. Mount Washington and other rugged terrains are the year-round classroom for teaching mountaineering essentials such as backcountry camping and navigating with a map and compass. And here’s a tip for free-spirited lovebirds looking to tie the knot: You furnish the license, and they’ll furnish a justice of the peace who’s also a licensed guide. 603-617-8788; redlineguiding.com

LODGING

CAMPGROUND

GLEN ELLIS FAMILY CAMPGROUND, GLEN

Sandwiched between the Saco and Ellis rivers, Glen Ellis puts campers in the heart of the White Mountains while still offering seclusion from the North Conway scene. Yes, you’re just minutes from Storyland and the outlets, but it’s also more than OK to stay put at this family-owned facility, now in its 39th season. The riverside sites are some of the most prized car-camping spots in the state, while the pool, playgrounds, and game barn will keep the kiddos entertained all weekend long. 603-3834567; glenelliscampground.com

FAMILY LODGING

HUTTOPIA, ALBANY

Traveling with kids gets a European twist at this, the first U.S. outpost of a French chain of upscale campgrounds. The menu at the onsite café includes crepes and espresso; wines are available in the small grocery. Yet the core appeal of this “glamping” spot—which includes spacious, fully equipped platform tents—is how it removes the logistics from families’ outdoor adventures. Whether learning to fish, canoeing in the lake, or enjoying a concert under the stars, they can simply revel in nature and each other—something that parents the world over can appreciate. 603-447-3131; canada-usa.huttopia.com/en

FARM STAY

THE INN AT EAST HILL FARM, TROY

Part working farm, part destination resort, the Inn at East Hill Farm makes it easy to unplug and get back to the land. If you’ve never milked a cow or collected the eggs for your own breakfast, find out what you’ve been missing. Meals are served family-style, and when chores are done, there’s outdoor recreation aplenty, as well as perfect spaces for an afternoon of petting animals, playing games, or reading. 603-242-6495; east-hill-farm.com

LAKESIDE LODGING

MANOR ON GOLDEN POND, HOLDERNESS

Lovely Squam Lake—the “Golden Pond” of

Hepburn-Fonda fame—ripples below this stately manor house set on a hillside of tall pines. The interior is filled with turn-ofthe-20th-century details: carved balusters on the grand staircase, elegant mahogany paneling, and original Grueby tiles surrounding the fireplace. Savor the ambience and decor over salmon sandwiches at a genteel afternoon tea in the library, or at dinner in the paneled dining room over smoke-roasted duck or local beef braised in stout. 603-968-3348; manorongoldenpond.com

LUXURY ESCAPE

MOUNTAIN VIEW GRAND RESORT & SPA, WHITEFIELD

One of the grandest of the grand hotels that still dot the landscape of northern New England, this Victorian-era retreat has been generously updated for the 21st century. Relax in the infinity tub while soaking up White Mountain views, surrender to a hot-stone massage in the “tower spa,” or chip away at that handicap on the hotel golf course. However you choose to amuse yourself during the day, when evening comes be sure to grab a well-deserved drink on the sprawling veranda. You’ll feel like so many of the A-listers before you who found refuge and relaxation at this special mountainside retreat. 603-837-2100; mountainviewgrand.com

NEW LODGING

GREAT ISLAND INN, NEW CASTLE

Crisp, uncluttered guest rooms overlook the harbor from a cluster of residences that might have seen Paul Revere on his 1774 midday ride—which happened more than four months before his more famous midnight excursion— to warn local patriots of British plans on nearby Fort William and Mary. Great Island Inn’s neighborhood may be historic, but its guest rooms are up-to-the-moment modern; even better, they’re equipped for longer stays with full kitchens, sitting areas, and washers and dryers. A pretty patio with a grill invites guests to gather outside in good weather, and a personal concierge service can help plan explorations of the Seacoast. The beach is a five-minute walk away. 603-436-2778; greatislandinn.com

ROMANTIC GETAWAY

ADAIR COUNTRY INN, BETHLEHEM

For the full effect, arrive in the evening, when this stately home is aglow with lights, welcoming you and your significant other as warmly as its wealthy former owners once greeted their guests. Their antiques and collections still grace its rooms, which retain the intimacy of the original country home. The dining room offers some surprises, as the chef draws on occasional influences beyond New England for a sophisticated yet approachable dinner menu; breakfast begins with popovers fresh from the oven. Take a stroll in the romantic Olmsted gardens below the house, painstakingly restored by new owners. 603-444-2600; adairinn.com

142 | NEWENGLAND.COM Actually Fly a bird! Call Nancy Cowan 603-464-6213 Email: falconers@comcast.net Touch the wild in a way you never dreamed possible! Located in the beautiful, accessible hill-country of Southern NH. NHSchoolofFalconry.com MAKES A GREAT GIFT! PHOTO: LIZ BELCHER

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Explore. Conquer. Unwind. Savor. NHGRAND.com

ROOMS WITH A VIEW

SNOWVILLAGE INN, EATON CENTER

Rising above gardens in the summer and snowy meadows in the winter, the full-on view of the Presidential Range from Snowvillage Inn fills a spectacular 180 degrees. The three king suites at the front of the main inn—built in 1916 as a summer home for the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Frank Simonds—are the best bets for those seeking maximum panoramas, but most of the cozy, well-appointed rooms in the three buildings here provide more than a glimpse of mountain grandeur. None have TVs, but heck, who needs ’em? 603-447-2818; snowvillageinn.com

WILDERNESS RETREAT

AMC CARDIGAN LODGE, ALEXANDRIA

On the slopes of Mount Cardigan, the Appalachian Mountain Club’s 1,200-acre forest is traversed by 50 miles of hiking trails. At the end of the access road is the Cardigan Lodge, where families can stay in either private rooms or private bunkrooms with shared bath, or camp at walk-in tent sites. Summer and fall, dinner and breakfast are served family-style; winter and spring, guests can prepare their own meals in the lodge kitchen. Hike the trails to the summit, join in guided family explorations, pick wild blueberries, snowshoe, ski, or just soak up the quiet. 603-466-2727; outdoors.org

DINING

BREWPUB

SCHILLING BEER COMPANY, LITTLETON

Housed in a gristmill built on the Ammonoosuc more than 200 years ago, the Schilling brewery and its airy taproom have birthed many a modern beer nerd. The lineup of house brews borders on the overwhelming, from Belgians and Czech-inspired creations to German lagers and wild ales. Leave it to others, though, to wax rhapsodic about the subtle toffee notes or bready undertones they’re picking up: Your mission is simply to take a seat above the water and drink up the summer sights and the wicked good brews. Hungry? Take a look at the other tasty menu, of Neapolitan flatbread pizzas from the pub’s wood-fired oven. 603-444-4800; schillingbeer.com

BURGERS

BRGR BAR, PORTSMOUTH

These burgers are piled high with fixings, so don’t expect to get your mouth around one, even with the lid off. (The most architectural come impaled with a steak knife to hold them upright.) Like to build your own? There’s an array of cheeses, house-made sauces, and “bling”—ranging from fried egg to bacononion jam—ready to go. So if you happen

to have a hankering for duck with avocado, smoked Gouda, and sriracha aioli, it can be yours. 603-294-0902; brgr-bar.com

DINER

SUNNY DAY DINER, LINCOLN

Sunny Day began life in 1958 as the shiny new Stoney’s Diner in Dover, where it was a local fixture into the 1980s. In 1988 it was moved to Lincoln, where it’s been serving breakfast and lunch ever since. Its red-and-gray-tile interior is filled with gleaming chrome, checked curtains, and lots of chatter from happy patrons. Eggs Benedict luxuriate in lemony housemade hollan daise, and you can forget about lunch after a stack of fluffy pancakes with real maple syrup and a pair of oversize sausage patties. 603-745-4833

DOUGHNUTS

HARVEY’S BAKERY, DOVER

Glistening honey-dipped rounds, fat jelly doughnuts sparkling with sugar, big creamy maple bars—at least four generations have stood before this glass counter and tried to decide which to bite into first. There’s bread hot from the oven, and the case is filled with cinnamon buns dripping with frosting, muffins bursting with local blueberries, and whoopie pies. Harvey’s also has a lunchroom and a solid menu (which includes a standout

NEW HAMPSHIRE

pork pie), but it’s the jellies we’d stand in line for. 603-742-6029; harveysbakery.com

HOT DOGS

PUPPY LOVE HOT DOGS, CONCORD

What’s not to love about a menu composed solely of hot dogs, perfectly steamed and dressed in condiments? From April through October, look for the red pickup with the “PUPLOV” plates in the alley next to Northway Bank; in the winter, look for the orange awning next to CVS. Service is fast, but on busy summer days you may have to wait in line. It’s worth it. puppylovehotdogs.com

NEW RESTAURANT

THOMPSON HOUSE EATERY, JACKSON

When Jeff and Kate Fournier left the Boston restaurant scene for the White Mountains, they were looking for more farm-to-table bona fides than a city plot could offer. Now, with a restaurant and farm on a 200-year-old homestead, they’ve helped turned Jackson into a legit dining destination. There’s a coziness to the menu, with its roasted chicken and artisanal cheese board, but plenty of surprises, too, and the house-made breads, sambals, pickles, and pastas showcase a broad mastery of global techniques. 603-383-9341; thethompsonhouseeatery.com

OYSTER BAR

ROW 34, PORTSMOUTH

If you want the best oysters, go to the guys who grow them. Skip Bennett started farming his Island Creek oysters back in 1995, and today they’re known as some of New England’s finest. With partners Jeremy Sewall and Garrett Harker, Bennett now supplies his own restaurants, including Row 34 in Portsmouth. Here you’ll find a top-notch beer program, the best lobster roll in town, and oysters aplenty, from the house brand and beyond. 603-319-5011; row34nh.com

SEAFOOD SHACK

PETEY’S SUMMERTIME SEAFOOD, RYE

All those cars parked higgledy-piggledy around Petey’s should tell you the folks here are doing something right. Namely, freshfrom-the-water seafood. “We catch our own lobster,” Petey’s proudly proclaims, and it’s true. The shrimp, clams, haddock, and scallops are just as fresh, which may account for the wall filled with dining awards. You can get a cheeseburger here, but why would you? 603-433-1937; peteys.com

TASTING MENU

STAGES AT ONE WASHINGTON, DOVER

If the words “progressive New England cuisine” sound at all oxymoronic, let chef Evan Hennessey enlighten you. His tiny restaurant/food lab in a converted mill building near Portsmouth takes ultralocal ingredients—such as Irish moss, juniper, black walnuts, apples, and duck—and spins, sears, and swirls them into poetic, seasonal compositions in an ever-changing lineup. 603-8424077; stages-dining.com

SAVE THE DATE Craftsmen’s FAIR 85th Annual AUGUST 4-12, 2018 Mount Sunapee Resort, Newbury, NH VISIT OUR EXHIBITION GALLERY, PERMANENT COLLECTION MUSEUM 49 S. Main St, Suite 100 | Concord, NH Exhibition Schedule at NHcrafts.org. Discover New Hampshire’s Creative Side SHOP OUR EIGHT NH FINE CRAFT GALLERIES: Concord, Hanover, Hooksett, Littleton, Meredith, Nashua, North Conway, Center Sandwich (May-Oct)

PICKERINGHOUSEWOLFEBORO . COM 116 SOUTH MAIN STREET | WOLFEBORO , NH | 603-569-6948 INTRODUCING THE NEWEST INN IN AMERICA ’ S OLDEST SUMMER RESORT an imaginative luxury lodging experience in the heart of downtown wolfeboro Built 1813-Renovated 2018 144 | NEWENGLAND.COM NEW HAMPSHIRE

Top-bottom: Basket by Sharon Dugan, Bracelet by Ritvaliisa Ojanen, Clay Jar by David Orser

*Some restrictions apply. Exclusive and last chance items not included.

Please drink responsibly LiquorandWineOutlets.com No matter where in New Hampshire your travels take you, you’re never far from one of over 75 New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet locations. Take advantage of our large selection and our low, tax-free prices. at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets.

your trip Top off

VERMONT

ATTRACTIONS

FAMILY ADVENTURE

ARBORTREK, JEFFERSONVILLE

You’ve driven through Smugglers’ Notch, hiked its trails, maybe blasted down a ski trail—but how about soaring above it all? ArborTrek’s 4,500 feet of ziplines lace the treetops at heights of more than 70 feet, offering a falcon’s-eye view of the notch’s rugged and beautiful terrain. Choose the “Wild Ride” for up to three hours of guided ziplining, including one rappel and two sky bridges, or the shorter “Express,” which subtracts the bridges. There’s also a treetop obstacle course, for summoning your inner Indiana Jones. 802-644-9300; arbortrek.com

FARMERS’ MARKET

CAPITAL CITY FARMERS’ MARKET, MONTPELIER

It’s only appropriate that the state’s capital should have one of its oldest and most eclectic farmers’ markets. On Saturdays from May through October, more than 50 vendors gather to sell some of the region’s finest produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods, and crafts. Live music creates a festive atmosphere, and the market attracts a colorful collection of locals as well as tourists. 802-793-8347; montpelierfarmersmarket.com

HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE

ETHAN ALLEN HOMESTEAD MUSEUM, BURLINGTON

One of America’s colonial folk heroes spent his final years in a foreign country: the Vermont Republic. Ethan Allen settled along the Winooski River in 1787, four years before Vermont became a state, and today his reconstructed cottage offers a look at his legacy as well as 18thcentury farm and home life. For those who like a little exercise with their education, the museum has miles of trails through woods and wetlands. 802-865-4556; ethanallenhomestead.org

LAKE CRUISE

WHISTLING MAN SCHOONER CO., BURLINGTON

Cruising under sail—with only the sounds of water and wind—has a timeless appeal for many travelers. If that includes you, hop aboard the 41-foot sloop Friend Ship, and you’ll be sightseeing from the only sailboat on Lake Champlain certified for passenger service. From spring to early fall, the Friend Ship offers twohour daytime and sunset cruises that include a fascinating recap of the lake’s geology, history, and legends—and you might just spot Champ,

MORE ONLINE!

Find editors’ picks for the best summer events in Vermont at newengland.com/vt-events-2018

Vermont’s very own lake monster, before you’re done. 802-825-7245; whistlingman.com

MUSIC CLUB

LIGHT CLUB LAMP SHOP, BURLINGTON

Yes, there are lamps here—hundreds of vintage models, in fact, the product of owner Lee Anderson’s growing obsession—and yes, they are for sale. The younger sibling of Anderson’s Radio Bean music club, Light Club maintains a “living room” vibe while serving up a range of genres and top-shelf acts. (In January, Rachel Price and Vilrary of the band Lake Street Dive played there.) Punchy craft cocktails are on the menu, as is international street food from Anderson’s other next-door business, ¡Duino! (Duende). 802-660-9346; radiobean.com

NATURE EXPERIENCE

SOUTHERN VERMONT NATURAL HISTORY

MUSEUM, WEST MARLBORO

When naturalist and taxidermist Luman Nelson began preserving animal species of the Northeast in the early 1900s, he likely didn’t anticipate that his collection would become the foundation of one of the finest natural history museums in his native New England. Today, Nelson’s work is superbly showcased—along with live animal, ecology, geology, and natural history exhibits— at this educational gateway adjacent to the Hogback Mountain Scenic Overlook. After soaking up some knowledge, stretch your legs on the surrounding 600 acres of hiking trails. 802-4640048; vermontmuseum.org

SHORT HIKE

SNAKE MOUNTAIN, ADDISON AND WEYBRIDGE

While it may not match the Green Mountains’ lofty peaks, this 1,287-foot outlier of the Taconic range rises abruptly from the surrounding terrain to offer Vermont’s finest panorama of dairy lands, Lake Champlain, and the Adirondacks. Access the five-mile trail loop from either the west side (in Addison) or the east side (in Weybridge), and traverse a 1,215-acre preserve encompassing oak, maple, and hickory forests; a 9,500-year-old glacier-born bog; ledges where peregrine falcons nest; and, at the top, the ruins of an 1870 hotel. vtfishandwildlife.com

SPECIALTY MUSEUM

VERMONT MARBLE MUSEUM, PROCTOR

There’s marble everywhere in Proctor: a marble church, marble sidewalks, and even a marble bridge. To learn how this became Proctor’s bedrock, head to the former Vermont Marble Company, which supplied the stone for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the U.S. Supreme Court. Today it’s a museum that tells the story of Vermont marble, from how it formed to how it’s been quarried. Don’t miss the Hall of Presidents sculpture collection and the samples of over 100 marbles, including lusciously hued stone from vast underground quarries in nearby Danby. 800-427-1396; vermontmarblemuseum.com

SPORTS EXPERIENCE

VERMONT LAKE MONSTERS, BURLINGTON

How do you get from Vermont to California?

Try putting up good numbers with this Oakland Athletics farm club. If you can’t make the team, though, you can still get in on the action at Centennial Field, where the Monsters play their home games from mid-June through midSeptember. There’s ample baseball talent on display, tasty food, and the between-inning antics of Champ, who emerges from the depths to root for Burlington’s boys of summer. 802-655-6611; vermontlakemonsters.com

LODGING

BOUTIQUE HOTEL

FIELD GUIDE, STOWE

Ideal for folks wanting a bit more than a B&B but less than a traditional resort, Field Guide occupies a longtime inn that was completely renovated in 2015 by the Lark Hotels chain. Upscale country chic is on full display, from the tree-stump end tables and birch log “walls” in the lobby to the mounted (papier-mâché) deer heads and whimsical wallpaper. Downtown is minutes away, but should you choose to stay in, the on-site restaurant, Picnic Social, is a worthy stop. 802-253-8088; fieldguidestowe.com

FAMILY LODGING

THE HOTEL JAY, JAY

Jay Peak Resort is about much more than winter these days, especially since the construction of a host of new lodging options in town—including the resort’s marquee hotel, the Hotel Jay, which has 170 rooms and suites, all with kitchenettes or full kitchens. Enjoy the 60,000-square-foot indoor water park, the aerial tram, the 18-hole golf course (day-care facilities come in handy

146 | NEWENGLAND.COM

BEST OF NEW ENGLAND

VERMONT INN to INN WALKING TOUR

WALK FROM INN-TO-INN AND SEE VERMONT AT 10 MILES A DAY

The “Vermont Inn-to-Inn Walking Tour” is a four-day, selfguided walk averaging 10 miles a day, mainly through old country roads of gravel and through the villages of Chester, Weston and Ludlow. The four historic inns–Inn Victoria, Old Town Farm Inn, Golden Stage Inn, and The Colonial House Inn–are linked by their owners’ shared love of Vermont and a commitment to their under-the-radar walking tour. The oldest and longest running tour of its kind in the state, Vermont Innto-Inn Walking Tour is well established and focused on guest safety and comfort.

It’s simple and efficient. The innkeepers transport your bags door to door, Vermont sherpa-style; greet you at the end of the day

with refreshments and a home-cooked meal; and, in the morning, send you on your way with a hearty breakfast,snacks for the road, a map of your walking route, and best wishes for a pleasant day.

A final feature that sets this tour apart from so many others? You’re on your own, so you can set your own pace. Walk alone or with friends; do as much or as little of the walk as you like. Basically, the tour is as idiosyncratic as the state in which you’re walking. Join us from mid-May through the end of October.

www.VermontInntoInnWalking.com 802-875-4288

THE WALK

PART 1: (9 1 miles)

INN VICTORIA TO OLD TOWN FARM INN

INN VICTORIA 321 Main St., Chester, VT 802-875-4288

InnVictoria.com

PART 2: (10 7 miles)

OLD TOWN FARM INN TO GOLDEN STAGE INN

OLD TOWN FARM INN 665 Route 10, Chester, VT 802-875-2346

Otfi.com

PART 3: (8 8 miles)

GOLDEN STAGE INN TO THE COLONIAL HOUSE INN

GOLDEN STAGE INN 399 Depot St., Proctorsville, VT 802-226-7744

GoldenStageInn.com

PART 4: (11 2 miles) THE COLONIAL HOUSE INN TO INN VICTORIA

THE COLONIAL HOUSE INN 287 Route 100, Weston, VT 802-824-6286

CoHoInn.com

“It’s a meditative walk. Long before the village of Chester appears and I’ve come full circle, I realize that my life has become breathtakingly simple in the last few days. I walk; I look at wildflowers; I avoid poison ivy; I take a deep breath and listen to nature singing; I wonder what’s up ahead; I try to remember to look back from time to time. Occasionally I hum–and then try to get the song out of my head.

“And then I take another step. Am I closer or farther away? It’s my path, my walk. I get to decide.”

–Annie Graves, Yankee Magazine, May/June 2012 | To read more, visit: NewEngland.com/Inn

advertorial

MAP ILLUSTRATION BY MICHAEL BYERS

here), and—if you just can’t wait for winter—the indoor ice rink. 800-451-4449; jaypeakresort.com

FARM STAY

SHEARER HILL FARM, WILMINGTON

Patti and Bill Pusey raised seven children here— so when they say kids are welcome, you know they mean it sincerely. And with berries to pick and cows to feed, they know how to keep little ones busy. There are three rooms in the main house and a two-bedroom suite and handicapaccessible room in the Carriage House, all with private baths. 802-464-3253; shearerhillfarm.com

HISTORIC INN

THE INN AT SHELBURNE FARMS, SHELBURNE

The centerpiece of this grand estate turned nonprofit teaching farm is the Webb family’s 19th-century summer home, now a beautiful inn with 24 guest rooms and four cottages set amid manicured grounds and views of Lake Champlain. The farm’s own meat, produce, and award-winning cheeses are menu staples at the inn’s restaurant, which is one of Vermont’s most celebrated. 802-985-8498; shelburnefarms.org

ISLAND LODGING

NORTH HERO HOUSE, NORTH HERO

There’s no city on North Hero’s City Bay; in fact, there’s little more than this cozy lakeside

inn, opened in 1891. But that’s plenty for us. Some of the 26 rooms, spread among four waterside buildings, have screened-in porches and/or fireplaces; most offer splendid lake and mountain vistas. The inn’s main dining room showcases produce grown on-site, and casual fare is offered in summer and on fall weekends at the bar and grill. 802-372-4732; northherohouse.com

LAKESIDE LODGING

BASIN HARBOR CLUB, VERGENNES

Family-owned for over 100 years, with a prime Champlain location, this place is as timeless as a resort can be. Families return year after year for summers filled with all kinds of on-site activities: biking, tennis, golfing, and water sports (ranging from paddleboarding to cruising in a vintage Chris-Craft). Plus, it’s pet-friendly— dogs even have their own swimming beach! 802-475-2311; basinharbor.com

LUXURY ESCAPE

THE PITCHER INN, WARREN

The village of Warren provides a classic Mad River Valley backdrop for this Relais & Chateaux gem, which offers nine sumptuous rooms and two suites. From the folk murals of the Calvin Coolidge Room to the antique sports gear of the Ski Suite, no two lodging options are alike, but most do have stunning custom fireplaces.

In the GARDEN

March 17–

August 26, 2018

Menus at the inn’s restaurant, 275 Main, are built around locally sourced meats, produce, and cheeses. 802-496-6350; pitcherinn.com

NEW HOTEL

KIMPTON TACONIC, MANCHESTER VILLAGE

You, the kids, and even your Great Dane will be pampered at this four-story luxury hotel, one of the area’s biggest local construction projects in recent years. After settling into lodgings that offer a modern take on Vermont’s grand inns, you can relax on the sweeping porch overlooking the mountains, take a fly-fishing course at the Orvis school, or shop up a storm at the nearby outlets. 802-362-0147; taconichotel.com

WILDERNESS RETREAT

THE LODGE AT SEYON LODGE STATE PARK, GROTON

Deep in the heart of 27,000-acre Groton State Forest, Vermont’s only full-service state park lodge offers eight cozy guest rooms (baths are shared), a spacious living room with fireplace, and, for an extra charge, three home-cooked meals daily. There’s also the opportunity to cast a line in Noyes Pond—the park system’s sole fly-fishing-only, stocked-trout waters—from a rental boat. 802-584-3829; vtstateparks.com

DINING

BAKERY

BOHEMIAN BAKERY, MONTPELIER

For years, pastry lovers trekked to East Calais on Sundays to line up at Annie Bakst and Robert Hunt’s homestead bakery. The journey paid off in such treats as buttery, thousand-layer croissants; sugared squares of puff pastry cradling thin-sliced apricots, apples, or plums; and cappuccinos brimming with rich froth. In 2017, Bakst and Hunt moved their operations to a light-filled space near downtown Montpelier, so the goods are more available now—the bakery’s open Wednesday through Sunday—but no less divine. 802-461-8119; bohemianbakeryvt.com

BURGERS

THE WORTHY BURGER, SOUTH ROYALTON

The superlative beef-tallow French fries here are merely the supporting cast for the alwaysperfect burgers, made with local Wagyu-Angus meat and seared over a wood fire. These patties (or their fish, veggie, or duck counterparts) can be had with thick-cut bacon, fine cheeses, or zippy house-made kimchi. Pair your pick with a beer: Worthy’s draft list highlights some of Vermont’s most sought-after breweries. 802-7632575; worthyvermont.com

CHINESE CAI’S DIM SUM TEAHOUSE, BRATTLEBORO

On most summer Saturdays, you’ll find Cai Xi and Adam Silver at the Brattleboro Farmers’ Market, dishing up fragrant rice paper dumplings and airy steamed bao. But by night—and by appointment only—they welcome guests to their Victorian parlor gallery for spice-laden stir-fries, crispy-skinned fish broiled with

148 | NEWENGLAND.COM

VERMONT

shelburnemuseum.org

In the Garden is sponsored in part by the MARIE AND JOHN ZIMMERMANN FUND, the Oakland Foundation, and Donna and Marvin Schwartz.

Stowe Mountain Lodge | 7412 Mountain Rd. Stowe Vt 05672 | 844.285.6821 ViSit ouR webSite foR Stay & PLay offeRS! | wwww.StoweMountainLodge.coM 36 HoLeS of MountainView goLf on two diStinctiVe couRSeS offeRing goLf cHanneL acadeMy inStRuction excLuSiVe acceSS foR Lodge gueStS

Szechuan peppercorns, and sesame dan dan noodles tucked beneath sweet ribbons of carrot. To complete your meal, pairings are available from the couple’s extensive collection of rare Chinese teas. 802-257-7898; dimsumvt.com

DINER

MISS LYNDONVILLE DINER, LYNDONVILLE

If it’s a Sunday morning, good luck getting a table here, as folks queue up for short-order eggs and cream pies and a homey atmosphere (the coffeepot-toting servers might just call you “hon”). Look for specialties such as French

toast stuffed with marmalade and cream cheese; skillet breakfasts of bacon, home fries, and eggs blanketed in sausage gravy; and buttery blueberry pancakes as big as your face. 802-626-9890

DOUGHNUTS

MISS WEINERZ, BURLINGTON AND WINOOKSI

In 2012, Chittenden County fell in love with the doughnuts at Winooski’s Misery Loves Company, where baker Ren Weiner crafted pillowy sourdough rounds flavored with in-season fruits, veggies, and even flowers. Then, in 2014, Weiner went solo. These days you can find her

Cr as h to Cr e at i v i t y

sweets—glistening with local ginger glaze or plump with wild grape jelly—at locations ranging from Burlington’s Scout & Company and Onyx Tonics to the farmers’ markets in Burlington and Winooski. missweinerz.com

FARM-TO-TABLE

PIECEMEAL PIES, WHITE RIVER JUNCTION

While the inspiration for this meat pie purveyor may have come from Great Britain, the flavor is pure Vermont, thanks to chef Justin Barrett’s focus on area farms. Vermont beer and cider have pride of place on the drink menu; the savory pies are stuffed with ribboned Upper Valley rabbit and bacon or curried lamb. Barrett designed his space with an open kitchen, so guests can watch as he and his and crew freeze, dry, and can flats of fruits and bushels of beans, peppers, and tomatoes for their winter pantry, ensuring that local bounty remains the star year-round. 802281-6910; piecemealpies.com

TASTING MENU

LINCOLN INN AT THE COVERED BRIDGE, WOODSTOCK

Chef Jevgenija Saromova and host Mara Mehlman don’t fuss with plebeian concerns like à la carte service. Instead, they guide guests through fixed menus of four or seven courses, with plates such as holiday smoked duck and seared tiger prawns with asparagus. In the private dining room, Saromova celebrates a high mass for avant-garde gastronomy with a 12-course tasting menu. There, find beetroot spun into bubbly foams, sculptures of butter-poached lobster with crisped mascarpone, and other decadent flights of fancy. 802-457-7052; lincolninn.com

VEGETARIAN REVOLUTION KITCHEN, BURLINGTON

Tucked into an alley behind Church Street Marketplace, the Queen City’s first all-vegetarian restaurant woos herbivores with dishes that balance elegance with creative surprises. You might lament that the kitchen spaced the guac atop your black bean nachos, only to delight in finding it corralled within crisp won ton pockets moments later. And if you catch yourself thinking that the skewers of ginger-kissed seitan satay, pungent with tamari and grilled to a tantalizing crunch, far outpace your memories of eating “real” chicken-on-a-stick, all the better to revel in it. 802-448-3657; revolutionkitchen.com

WATERFRONT DINING

THE SPOT ON THE DOCK, BURLINGTON

When balmy weather hits, Burlington residents look to the lake to pass the time. Last year, local entrepreneur Russ Scully opened the Spot on the Dock, a sister restaurant to his popular surf-inspired breakfast and lunch café (dubbed simply the Spot) across town. At the lakeside location, with its sweeping Adirondack views and epic sunsets, locals gather for midday mojitos, crisp Cobb salads, and tuna poke on a windswept teak patio. Come evening, you can shoot the breeze over a pork belly banh mi sandwich. Open May through October. 802-540-1778; thespotvt.com

150 | NEWENGLAND.COM Combining 19th-century charm with 21st-century service. 802-652-2500 langhouse.com 360 Main St. • Burlington, VT 433 Mountain Road, Stowe, VT fieldguidestowe.com STAY. EAT. CELEBRATE. VERMONT HISTORY INNOVATION A HISTORY INNOVATION ART HISTORY INNOVATION A HISTORY INNOVATION Bennington, VT • 802-447-1571 • benningtonmuseum org F a n c s C o b u r n 1 9 0 91 9 8 4 ) C h a e y S m h a n d H s B a r n c a 1 9 3 9 ( d e a ) O o n c a n v a s 3 8 5 x 3 3 2 5 n c h e s C o e c o n o B e n n n g o n M u s e u m

T h e N e w D e a l i n V e r m o n t June 30 through November 4 Fostering a culture of creativity and innovation among writers, artists, and civil workers Also on vie w Contemporary Outsider Art • 20th Century Modernists Paintings by Grandma Moses • Early Vermont History Crash to Creativity - Yankee Mag 1-6 - 030118.qxp_Layout 1 3/12/18 11:02 AM Page 1

PACK YOUR BAGS

BURLINGTON, VT

Tucked alongside the shore of Lake Champlain, Burlington invites you to enjoy its city vibe— museums, nightlife, dining, shopping—but also lures you outdoors to play. Boasting a grand bike path featuring lake and mountain views, and green space aplenty, the city quickly woos both urbanites and their country-mouse counterparts. Church Street Marketplace, a lively pedestrian open-air mall extending four blocks, is a must-do—and just a short drive away, the se rene landscape of the Champlain Islands awaits discovery. Whether on the water or on foot, by bike or by car, the Burlington area makes for a memorable getaway.

DO Take advantage of your lakeside location and get out on the water! Choose your cruising style: Dinner, brunch, and dancing may be on the menu when you come aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen III, but if you’d prefer to pack a picnic and board a traditional gaff-rigged sloop, book yourself a day, sunset, or moonlight with the

locally sourced foods, the acclaimed Hen of the Wood hits all the high notes at both its Burlington and Waterbury locations. On the ever-changing menu reflecting the best Vermont ingredients, flavor combinations manage to be both simple and sophisticated, while always delicious and beautifully presented. Try the restaurant’s namesake mushroom toast.

802-540-0534

henofthewood.com

SHOP What could be a better gift—for yourself or someone you treasure—than a one-of-a-kind work selected from among the offerings of the 200 juried artisans represented by Frog Hollow Vermont Craft Gallery? The beautifully curated gallery houses striking photography, jewelry, ceramics, and functional items both large and small—a bit of Vermont you can enjoy long after your vacation ends.

802-863-6458

froghollow.org

Courtyard Burlington Harbor 25 Cherry Street marriott.com/BTVDT 802-864-4700 Lake Champlain Chocolates 750 Pine Street lakechamplainchocolates .com/visit-our-factory 802-864-1807 Shelburne Vineyard 6308 Shelburne Road shelburnevineyard.com 802-985-8222 Leunig’s Bistro & Café 115 Church Street leunigsbistro.com 802-863-3759

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION | 151 MAY | JUNE 2018

MASSACHUSETTS

ATTRACTIONS

CINEMA OR DRIVE-IN

MENDON TWIN DRIVE-IN, MENDON

Since 1954, the Mendon Twin has been the summer go-to for under-the-stars movie-watching. While the vibe is nostalgic here, the movies are first-run and the projection is digital. The eats go beyond just bags of fresh popcorn to encompass burgers and pizza, and even ice cream sundaes for dessert. In the beer garden, you can sit by a fire pit with a draft beer or a glass of wine without missing a single big-screen moment. 508-473-4958; mendondrivein.com

FAMILY ADVENTURE

ZOAR OUTDOOR FAMILY FLOAT TRIPS, CHARLEMONT

Zoar Outdoor may be synonymous with whitewater thrills, but the company also runs Deerfield River rafting trips suitable for even the littlest paddlers, the 5- and 6-year-olds who are too young for introductory whitewater journeys. The Family Float Trips run midafternoon to early evening on a calm stretch of the river with one patch of mild rapids. Everyone is issued a paddle, helmet, and life vest, and the trip includes a stop at an island or riverbank beach for swimming and a picnic supper. 413-3394010; zoaroutdoor.com

FARMERS’ MARKET

PLYMOUTH FARMERS’ MARKET, PLYMOUTH

Set on the grounds of Plimoth Plantation, this market gets extra points for its scenic backdrop and living-close-to-the-land vibe. Held outdoors every Thursday from May to October (and once a month indoors during winter), it rounds up the region’s bounty from 40 vendors that run the gamut from farmers and fishermen to beekeepers and bakers. Relatively speaking they’re a small group, but one clearly devoted to a larger mission—our Pilgrim forebears would no doubt have approved. plymouthfarmersmarket.org

HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE

HANCOCK SHAKER VILLAGE, PITTSFIELD

For a religion focused on the next life, the Shakers sure had ingenious ways of dealing with this one. The radial stalls in the landmark round barn, for example, are an elegant display of labor-saving animal husbandry. The rhythms of their daily life echo in the demonstrations of woodworking and blacksmithing and visits to the medicinal herb garden. But nothing captures the Shaker spirit more than hearing voices rise in unison in Shaker tunes of worship. It wasn’t just a gift to be simple—these folks worked at it. 413-443-0188; hancockshakervillage.org

MORE ONLINE!

Find editors’ picks for the best summer events in Massachusetts at newengland.com/ma-events-2018

HOUSE MUSEUM

THE MOUNT, LENOX

In building her home in the Berkshires, the wealthy and well-traveled novelist Edith Wharton created an English-style country estate with a French-style courtyard and an Italianate terrace. But the 1902 property is not as imposing as its pedigree; tours make the hostess seem present in every room. Summer and fall, Wharton spent mornings writing in her bedroom overlooking the gardens. In the dining room, she favored a round table so her guests could all engage in lively conversation. Talked out, they could end the evening with table tennis on the back terrace. 413-551-5111; edithwharton.org

MUSIC CLUB

THE GUTHRIE CENTER, GREAT BARRINGTON

Located in the Old Trinity Church (c. 1829), where Alice of “Alice’s Restaurant” fame once lived, the Guthrie Center was founded by legendary singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie as an interfaith church in 1991. Each summer, its weekly Troubadour Series draws top folk musicians to perform intimate concerts for invested audiences. Beer, wine, and a full dinner menu are available on show nights. 413-528-1955; guthriecenter.org

NATURE EXPERIENCE

CAPE COD FIELD SCHOOLS, SOUTH WELLFLEET

Get up close and personal with the flora and fauna in one of New England’s most beautiful settings, the Cape Cod National Seashore and Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. In these excursions (basically environmental day camp for adults), you might study a stranded sunfish, photograph insects, or learn to identify scat and tracks. And come prepared: “We bill them as active, full-day, in-the-field programs, just so people aren’t caught off-guard by a five-mile hike or late-night—and cold—turtle patrols!” says Jenette Kerr of Mass Audubon. 508-3492615; massaudubon.org

NEW CULTURAL ATTRACTION

THE AMAZING WORLD OF DR. SEUSS MUSEUM, SPRINGFIELD

Fifteen years after the Springfield Museums complex honored native son Theodor Geisel with a huge sculpture grouping in the court-

yard, Dr. Seuss got his own museum. Opened in June 2017, it delves into the creative impulses behind some of the world’s most beloved children’s books. In the brightly colored rooms of the museum’s first floor, interactive exhibits engage kids (and parents) in their own experimental doodles, rhymes, and storytelling. Memorabilia in the upstairs galleries hint at how Geisel’s talent blossomed in Springfield. 413-263-6800; springfieldmuseums.org

SHORT HIKE

SOUTH SUGARLOAF TRAIL, SOUTH DEERFIELD

Not to be confused with its much bigger cousin in Maine, this Sugarloaf Mountain is, for nature lovers, a literal sweet spot. The 1.4-mile trail to the south summit is short yet steep enough to get the endorphins going; there are several trail branches and an auto road, which means hikers can change up their route up and back; and the 652-foot summit, crowned with an observation tower, is an unbeatable vantage point for gazing out over the Connecticut River, the Pelham Hills and Berkshire Hills, and the Pioneer Valley towns of Deerfield, Sunderland, and Amherst. 413-665-2928; mass.gov

SPECIALTY MUSEUM

NEW BEDFORD WHALING MUSEUM, NEW BEDFORD

Founded to preserve the history of the New Bedford whaling industry, this museum has grown into a cultural center, a destination for scholarly research, and a major repository of fascinating artifacts. Did we say major ? Make that massive : The museum is home to the world’s most extensive collection of scrimshaw, the largest library of whaling logbooks, and the biggest model ship (not to mention four complete whale skeletons). This summer the museum unveils its latest conservation and digitalization project, a 1,275-foot-long panoramic painting of a whaling voyage. It’s believed to be—you guessed it—the longest painting in the world. 508-9970046; whalingmuseum.org

LODGING

BOUTIQUE HOTEL

SALT

HOUSE INN, PROVINCETOWN

Though the team behind Salt House Inn also owns the newer Eben House in Provincetown (plus two other properties in New York and New Jersey), we’re still stuck on this, the flagship of the Salt Hotels mini chain. Tucked away on a leafy side street and featuring clean lines, a soothing white-on-white palette, and thoughtfully collected antiques, it’s a handsome respite

152 | NEWENGLAND.COM

BEST OF NEW ENGLAND

Escape toSoutheastern Massachusetts...

Escape toSoutheastern Massachusetts... Escape toSoutheastern Massachusetts...

Attleboro Area Industrial Museum, Inc.

42 Union St. Attleboro, MA 02703 508-222-3918

www.industrialmuseum.com

Come discover the Attleboro Area Industrial Museum collection with five permanent exhibits; including The L.G. Balfour Exhibit, Philip Kraczkowski Exhibit, and The History of Button Manufacturing. See many other displays highlighting industries and products crafted in the Attleboro area.

Destination New Bedford

133 William St. Room 119 New Bedford, MA 02740 508-979-1745

www.destinationnewbedford.org

Home to the #1 Fishing Port in America and named as one of the most artistic cities in the country, you can walk a top of the Blue Lane, spanning the city’s waterfront with spectacular water views or stroll the cobblestone streets of history in the Whaling National Historic Park..

New Bedford Whaling Museum

18 Johnny Cake Hill New Bedford, MA 02740 508-997-0046

www.whalingmuseum.org

Explore whale ecology and marine mammal conservation, and marvel at massive whale skeletons. Board the world’s largest ship mode, discover the dramatic history of whaling, and experience a whaling voyage around the world. Enjoy remarkable collections of art, artifacts, and scrimshaw.

Port of New Bedford

52 Fisherman’s Wharf New Bedford, MA 02740 508-961-3000

www.portofnewbedford.org

Visiting the Port of New Bedford by water? Pope’s Island Marina will welcome you with outstanding customer service, essential amenities, marina-based launch service, and nearby restaurants offering seafood fresh off the boats of America’s #1 Fishing Port.

Greater Attleboro | Greater Fall River | Greater New Bedford | Greater Taunton | Tri-Town

Come and relax on the south coast of Massachusetts. Enjoy a day on one of our many beautiful sandy beaches basking in the sun. Visit historic sights and experience a cultural festival. You can take a ferry to the islands for the day, followed by a romantic dinner & show.

Food/ Drink/ Art/ Culture .. we have that. It’s all so close to Boston, and so far from the crowds. We have a place waiting for you by the ocean.

Funded in part by the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism

Viva Portugal Festival, Downtown New Bedford

visitsemass.com • ph: (800) 288-6263

• image by Sergio Dabdoub

from the Commercial Street crush. On the lovely sun deck or in the shaded garden, you can tuck into daily breakfast treats such as a chorizo, spinach, and roasted red pepper frittata and homemade blueberry doughnuts. Like the luxe hand soap in the bathrooms? Pop over to the just-opened Salt Supply store to take some home with you. 508-487-1911; salthouseinn.com

CAMPGROUND

MYLES STANDISH STATE FOREST, CARVER

About 400 campsites around four kettle ponds or in the woods are distributed through this extensive forest straddling the Plymouth–South Carver line. The location is convenient to Plymouth attractions, but there’s also plenty to keep you busy in the piney woods. Fifteen miles of bike paths encourage two-wheel exploration, and bridle trails entice equestrians. (Thirty-two campsites are reserved for horse camping.) Swim at your campsite pond or in the day-use area at College Pond. 508-866-2526; mass.gov

FAMILY LODGING

WEQUASSETT RESORT AND GOLF CLUB, HARWICH

Imagine: You’re soaking in the rays as your kids paddle around this resort’s main pool overlooking the ocean when a 1950s-style Good Humor truck pulls up, doling out free ice cream for all. It’s this kind of amenity that makes the

Wequassett so memorable for young guests. Other highlights for wee ones and their families include a free shuttle to a secluded Cape Cod National Seashore beach, a nautical-themed playground, and movie nights, but the pièce de résistance is the Children’s Center, offering programming for toddlers and kids such as scavenger hunts and a day shadowing the property’s pastry chef (perfect for budding foodies). 508-432-5400; wequassett.com

HISTORIC INN

THE OLD INN ON THE GREEN, NEW MARLBOROUGH

It’s unlikely that the stagecoach passengers who bedded down in this 1760s Berkshires inn enjoyed quite the comforts as today’s guests, who sleep on bigger beds and perform ablutions in their private baths. But the restoration of the inn shows an unforced sense of history that makes a stay feel quite luxurious, even as the decor stays true to the inn’s colonial-era roots. Lest anything seem too modern, the dining rooms are lit entirely by candles and fireplaces. Five of the 11 rooms are TV-free. 413-229-7924; oldinn.com

ISLAND LODGING

GREYDON HOUSE, NANTUCKET

Uber-chic guest rooms and nautical-tinged decor by award-winning Manhattan design firm Roman and Williams. A cocktail list

curated by star Boston barman Jackson Cannon. A laid-back fine dining restaurant (open year-round, by the way) helmed by Michelinstarred chef Marcus Gleadow-Ware. Amenities galore, including beach supplies on demand and bath and beauty products from the likes of Ursa Major and island favorite Follain. No wonder this inviting 16-room inn is set in what was once a doctor’s home practice: It’s a modern shot in the arm for Nantucket’s bed-and-breakfast scene. 508-228-2468; greydonhouse.com

LUXURY ESCAPE

BLANTYRE, LENOX

A Berkshires country estate turned five-star hotel, Blantyre has seen its historic glamour polished to a high gloss under passionate new ownership (its principal buyer first fell in love with Blantyre on a visit 35 years ago). A multimillion-dollar renovation early this year refreshed the decor and expanded the spa; new dining options include a French bistro and, for high-end fare, a formal dining room called the Conservatory. One thing that won’t change: guests being pampered like Gilded Age grandees. 413-637-3556; blantyre.com

NEW HOTEL

THE HOTEL SALEM, SALEM

Set on the bustling Essex Street pedestrian mall, this chic 44-room boutique hotel occupies the

Apples • Famous Cider Donuts Maple Syrup • Homemade Candy Delicatessen • Scratch Bakery & More! Enjoy A Unique Shopping Experience Where Old Time Customer Service Is An Everyday Treat. The Original Country Market! FLAGSHIP STORE: AT THE CORNER OF ROUTE 116 & BAY ROAD • SOUTH AMHERST, MA Tel. (413) 253-9528 or (800) 594-9537 www.atkinsfarms.com VISIT OUR SATELLITE STORE: 113 COWLS RD. NORTH AMHERST visitWesternMA.com 007•2017•GSCVB.GuideBook(F).indd 10:20 800-723-1548 The Yiddish Book Center The World’s First Yiddish Museum amherst, ma sunday–friday yiddishbookcenter.org Named a “Local Treasure” by Yankee Magazine Discover an authentic New England village historic-deerfield.org · 413-775-7214 Get Your FREE Western Mass Guide C M Y CM MY CY CMY K Springfield CVB.pdf 1 2/18/2016 11:11:37 AM BRIMFIELD STARTS TUESDAY • MAY 8 th 5,000 Dealers of Antiques &Collectibles 2018 SHOW DATES: May 8 -13, July 10-15 & September 4-9 www.brimfield.com Rte 20, Brimfield, MA TAKE NOTE Antique Lovers

MASSACHUSETTS

Freetown Cohasset Rockland Abington Whitman Duxbury Plympton Rochester Marion Onset Pembroke Marshﬁeld East Bridgewater Bridgewater Brockton Norwell 44 6 6 495 3A 3A 3A 3 3 58 106 25 28 28 24 SeePlymouth.com Come for the history, come for the fun... ...then relax at an ocean harbor inn Where will YOUR visit begin? PLYMOUTH Cape Cod Scituate Quincy Paragon Carousel the Centerpiece of Nantasket Beach for 90 seasons! One of only 150 hand-carved historic carousels left in the U.S. Experience the magic of this treasure, uniting generations. Available for birthdays and special events. 781.925.0472 • 205 Nantasket Ave., Hull Events@ParagonCarousel.com ParagonCarousel.com Boston Hull Middleborough County

building that once housed Salem’s downtown department store anchor. Innovative design includes some bargain-priced “microrooms” and more spacious rooms with sleeping lofts. Mad Men –era motifs such as the “tumbling dice” trompe l’oeil floor tiles and the gray herringbone grasscloth wall coverings inject a note of playfulness. Salem’s only rooftop bar is high enough to survey the city down to the harbor. 978-4514950; thehotelsalem.com

ROMANTIC GETAWAY

THE INN AT CASTLE HILL, IPSWICH

While it’s daunting to imagine living in the palatial Great House of the Crane Estate, the shingle-style former guesthouse has precisely the kind of seaside ease that suits a lodging on the green lawns above Crane Beach. Vistas from atop the knoll—marshes and beach and fairy woodlands—suggest command over all that you survey, but each of the 10 rooms is a hushed and private retreat made for two. The air of effortless privilege extends to on-site massage in six rooms . 978-412-2555; thetrustees.org

ROOMS WITH A VIEW

BEAUPORT HOTEL, GLOUCESTER

More than 150 years ago, Gloucesterman Fitz Henry Lane set up his easel at Fort Point to paint luminous canvases of Ten Pound Island and Gloucester Harbor. Today, the restaurant, bar,

roof deck, and about half the rooms at the Beauport command those same views. The luxury hotel opened in June 2016 on the site of Clarence Birdseye’s first fish-freezing factory. It’s a perfect spot to watch vessels come and go in one of America’s most historic harbors. 978-282-0008 or 844-282-0008; beauporthotel.com

WILDERNESS RETREAT

BASCOM LODGE, ADAMS

This sprawling 1930s stone-and-timber lodge at the 3,491-foot summit of Mount Greylock is a welcome sight to through-hikers on the Appalachian Trail. Yet it’s also accessible by road for a getaway at the top of Massachusetts. Fieldstone fireplaces and arts-and-crafts-style seating give common areas a rustic panache, while private bedrooms and group bunk-bed rooms are more simply furnished. Breakfast and dinner are available. Some summer nights feature live entertainment, but the stars shine nightly. 413-743-1591; bascomlodge.net

DINING

BREWPUB

THE PEOPLE’S PINT, GREENFIELD

While bottled versions of People’s Pint beers are available across Massachusetts, only the original

brewpub restaurant serves them with the upper Pioneer Valley bonhomie that has made this 20-year veteran of downtown Greenfield one of its most enduring gastronomic institutions. Don’t expect extreme brews here: The wellbalanced session ales, ambers, and stouts are brewed to be perfect for drinking with food or just laid-back sipping. Try the veggie peanut rice bowl with a pint of bright, slightly piney Training Wheels. 413-773-0333; thepeoplespint.com

BURGER

20 RAILROAD PUBLIC HOUSE, GREAT BARRINGTON

Dating back to at least 1919, the mirrored mahogany bar from the Commodore Hotel in Manhattan is one of the few things here that isn’t local. In a cozy space dominated by exposed brick, warm wood, and vintage-style lighting, chef Sean Corcoran serves produce and humanely raised meats from a long list of regional farms. The star of the show is the burger, which benefits from a custom grind of short rib and brisket; house-made applewoodsmoked bacon is optional … and recommended. 413-528-9345; 20railroadpublichouse.com

CAFÉ

SUNBIRD, ORLEANS

Perched at the edge of a shopping plaza in Orleans, this café is a little slice of California

Nuovo Restaurant Southwick’s Zoo Hang Glide New England

156 | NEWENGLAND.COM

Asa Waters Mansion

MASSACHUSETTS

Breathtaking views of Martha's Vineyard Sound, and award winning gardens. A short stroll to Vineyard Boats (with FREE DAY PARKINGfor our guests), waterview restaurants, sandy beaches, picturesque Nobska Lighthouse and the world renowned marine science center and exhibits. Your choice of our contemporary inn with private balconies and patios or the gracious charm of our Harbor House with its many working fireplaces. Secluded outdoor heated pool. Wi-Fi

Stay at one of VRI’s 13 beautiful condominium style resorts BREWSTER DENNISPORT FALMOUTH HYANNIS MASHPEE NANTUCKET YARMOUTH RESERVATIONS 866.469.8222 vriresorts.com the best kept secret on the cape Experience Cape Cod redjacketresorts.com800-CAPECOD 800-227-3263 Red Jacket Beach Resort and Spa | Blue Water Resort Riviera Beach Resort | Green Harbor Resort and our Blue Rock Golf Course adjacent Blue Rock Resort OCEANFRONT RESORTS | PRIVATE BEACHES SPA | GOLF | ACTIVITIES Your Perfect Cape Cod Vacation Welcome to Cape Cod Welcome to Cape Cod Overlooking The Harbor In Woods Hole Village 549 Woods Hole Road, Box 106 Woods Hole (Falmouth), MA 02543 • 508-548-6300 Reservations: 1-800-841- 0114 www.sandsoftime.com Inn & Harbor House

cool on the Cape (think chalkboard menus, tables fashioned from wood slabs). Originally opened as the brick-and-mortar outpost of a popular but now-defunct Wellfleet food truck, Sunbird serves up porchetta-and-fried-egg sandwiches and quinoa porridge with coconut milk, dates, and candied ginger coupled with Counter Culture and Tandem coffee by day, and worldly snacks and plates—ramen, rigatoni with pork sugo, and pho, oh my!—by night. 508-237-0354; birdinthesun.com

CHOWDER

CHATHAM PIER FISH MARKET, CHATHAM

Hike down the steep slope of Barcliff Avenue, where this busy market dominates a busy working pier, and you might think our judgment has been swayed by the setting: the keening seagulls, the bobbing seals, the weatherworn fishing boats. But we’d choose this chowder even if it was spooned up miles from the coast. Rich with brine and clams, just creamy enough, never gummy, it’s worthy of a day’s journey from wherever you are. 508-9453474; chathampierfishmarket.com

DOUGHNUTS

BACK DOOR DONUTS, OAK BLUFFS

Everyone from The New York Times to Condé Nast Traveler has waxed poetic about these sweet treats, and for excellent reason: Fresh,

cheap, and available between 7 p.m. and 12:58 a.m. in-season from the rear door of Martha’s Vineyard Gourmet Café & Bakery, these doughnuts might just be the island’s worst-kept secret (as demonstrated by the nightly long lines). Raised and cake varieties are on offer, and co-owner Janice Casey counts the maple-bacon and butternut crunch among her favorites. Conflicted about deviating from your summer frozen-dessert routine? Order the “Charlie,” a doughnut of your choice topped with chocolate or vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate. 508-6933688; mvbakery.com

FARM-TO-TABLE DINING

BLACKFISH, TRURO

Designated simply by a hanging wrought-iron fish on Truro Center Road, this blacksmith shop turned restaurant has been reeling in lower Cape diners since 2007 with refined fare starring bounty from nearby purveyors: Nauset mussels, Longnook Meadows Farms lettuces, Wellfleet Chicken Coop eggs, and so on. In other words, chef Eric Jansen was doing farmto-table well before it was buzzy. Not content to rest on their locavore laurels, however, Jansen and company now host a winter pop-up at his burger spot, Local 186, in Provincetown, and also operate the Crush Pad food truck at Truro Vineyards. 508-349-3399

HOT DOGS

JACK’S HOT DOG STAND, NORTH ADAMS

Now starting on its second century in the same spot, this family-owned lunch counter is a downtown North Adams institution. You could order a burger, but the diminutive hot dogs custom-made by Wohrle’s in Pittsfield are Jack’s calling card. The two most popular variations are “with everything” (which translates as mustard, relish, and onion) and “chili cheese,” which signifies a dog wrapped in orange American cheese and slathered with the house chili sauce. All come served on squishy steamed buns. 413-664-9006; jackshotdogstand.com

NEW BAKERY

THE BAKER NEW BEDFORD, NEW BEDFORD

Opened in late 2016 next door to the police station, the Baker New Bedford may inspire some predictable joking about its clientele. But members of the local constabulary aren’t the only ones stopping in here for a cup of coffee and a doughnut—and a whole lot more. After honing his craft in Boston, Brandon Roderick chose his hometown of New Bedford for his Parisian-style bakery-café. It’s usually open until midafternoon, but fair warning: Roderick sells only what he baked fresh that day, so when the scrumptious breads, croissants, and quiches run out, time’s up. 774-202-1901; thebakernb.com

WAMPANOAG HOMESITE • 17TH-CENTURY ENGLISH VILLAGE • CRAFT CENTER • WATERFRONT EXHIBIT SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO? • PLIMOTH GRIST MILL • PLIMOTH BREAD COMPANY WHERE HISTORY COMES ALIVE! Outdoor exhibits open 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. through November 137 Warren Ave Plymouth, MA (508) 746-1622 plimoth.org

MASSACHUSETTS

CELEBRATING PEOPLE the

Experience the triumphs, trials and textures of everyday life in the 1830s –a period driven by agriculture, industry, family and the seasons. Find relevance from their stories, put your hands on history and be inspired.

Wo ol Days | May 26 – 28

Great Scout Camp Out | June 9

Transportation Festival | June 9 – 10

Father’s Day | June 17

Independence: 4th of July | July 4

NEW! The Charlotte’s Web Experience | July 4 – August 26

Old Sturbridge Inn and Reeder Family Lodges

Historic Setting. Modern Amenities. New England Hospitality. Call 508-347-5056 for a Yankee Magazine subscriber discount.

NEW ENGLAND CUISINE

SALEM CROSS INN, WEST BROOKFIELD

Travelers whose appetite for the historic has been stoked at Brimfield or Old Sturbridge Village tend to make a beeline for the Salem Cross Inn, situated on a 600-acre farmstead that dates back to the early 1700s. The inn’s atmospheric restaurant and tavern elevate traditional dishes such as pot roast, clam chowder, and Indian pudding with an emphasis on from-scratch freshness and local ingredients—a laudable ethos that’s applied to more modern menu options, too, like vegan veggie ribbon noodles and cedar-plank salmon . 508-867-2345; salemcrossinn.com

NEW RESTAURANT

VERS, ORLEANS

Forgive our stretching the rules with this category. Vers (the word means “farm fresh” in Dutch) is technically a reopened restaurant, having shut down its original Chatham location in 2015. But its reopening in a larger space in Orleans, with an expanded menu and beverage program, has been the cause of too much rejoicing to ignore. Owners Jonathan and Karen Haffmans are back to doing what they do best: jewel-box plating, crystal-clear flavors, ahamoment flavor combinations. Don’t miss the tuna tartare, the pastas, or the “Truth or Dare” dessert, composed tableside. 774-561-2185; verscapecod.com

Boston + Cambridge

ATTRACTIONS

BOTANICAL GARDEN

ARNOLD ARBORETUM, BOSTON

The stats on this crown jewel in the Emerald Necklace park system are enough to make any green thumb giddy: 281 acres that are home to 15,000 living plants, including 4,000 kinds of trees, shrubs, and vines. You can wander at will, of course, but to really explore this urban oasis, check the calendar for weekly free events, from guided nature walks to morning yoga beneath the branches. Arriving on two wheels? Thanks to the recent Casey Overpass grounding project, there are now off-street bike lanes for an easier connection from the busy Southwest Corridor path. 617-524-1718; arboretum.harvard.edu

CINEMA OR DRIVE-IN

KENDALL SQUARE CINEMA, CAMBRIDGE

In 2016 (the year it actually turned 21), this beloved theater won permission to begin sling-

ing beer and wine—and not just any beer and wine, as it turned out, but stellar local selections from Cambridge Brewing Co. and Lamplighter Brewing Co., among others. Installing the bar was among the renovations completed at this nine-screen venue last year; there’s also fresh carpeting and lighting in the lobby and cushy reclining seats throughout. And while it’s technically part of the Landmark Theatres chain, Kendall Square Cinema retains an art-house ethos: There’s always something intriguing on its schedule, from new indie releases and foreign-language films to festivals and other special events (local premieres, Italian opera). 617-621-1202; landmarktheatres.com

FAMILY ADVENTURE

GEORGES ISLAND, BOSTON

Accessible via a 45-minute ferry ride and the home of spooky 19th-century Fort Warren (supposedly haunted by the “Lady in Black”), this Boston Harbor Island feels worlds—and centuries—away from downtown. Adding to the back-in-time appeal are Civil War–era baseball games with vintage rules and uniforms, while staff-guided tours, kid-friendly concerts, lawn games, and Lego fort-building sessions round out the activity roster—all in all, a day of entertainment well worth the $43 for a family four-pack of round-trip tickets . 617-223-8666; bostonharborislands.org

MASSACHUSETTS

Stay & Play in the #MerrimackValley

Make your memorable experience happen here!

Seating 7,000, the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell is one of Massachusetts finest venues providing quality entertainment for all ages. Home to the NCAA Division I UMass-Lowell River Hawks hockey and basketball, the Center is also a full service, multi-purpose venue serving the region. It also features a beautifully landscaped outdoor area and function rooms overlooking the Merrimack River.

Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Lowell, MA 978.934.5760 www.tsongascenter.com

Visit historic downtown Lowell and stay in the heart of the city!

Featuring well-appointed guestrooms, the UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center is within walking distance to Lowell’s historic attractions, museums, shops and cultural destinations. Stop by 50 Warren Lounge to enjoy classic crafted cocktails and many of your pub favorites.

UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center 50 Warren St., Lowell MA 978.934.6920 877.886.5422 www.uml.edu/icc

@MERRIMACKVALLEY

WWW.MERRIMACKVALLEY.ORG

#AdventuresAwait

Spend the Day Stay the Night

FARMERS’ MARKET

UNION SQUARE MARKET, SOMERVILLE

One of the state’s largest farmers’ markets, this ever-expanding bazaar bursts with vibrant veggies and fruits, tasty small-batch treats (from buzzy vendors such as Fox Point Pickling Company, Jaju Pierogi, and Q’s Nuts), and street snacks from mid-May to mid-November. Sure, Union Square lies a bit outside downtown, but you can easily make a day of it: Grab brunch at recently renovated neighborhood favorite the Independent (think sweet potato biscuits and high-octane bloody marys) or head to newly opened Bow Market and keep the artisanal foods and craft beers coming. 617-955-0080; unionsquaremain.org

NEW CULTURAL ATTRACTION

THE WATERSHED, BOSTON

Turning a condemned factory in the East Boston shipyard into a space for art exhibits and cultural programs is a gutsy move—as is setting the admission price at zero dollars. In honor of the Institute of Contemporary Art’s bold vision for its seasonal satellite, we’ll go out on a limb ourselves and predict that the Watershed, which opens June 27 with a major installation by pioneering California artist Diana Thater, will be a lasting high-water mark for its parent museum . 617-478-3100; icaboston.org

WALKING TOUR

BITES OF BOSTON FOOD TOURS, BOSTON

For lunch with a side of history, book a tour through this boutique company founded by Bay State native Alyssa Schoenfeld. Currently on offer are the trivia-filled “Sweet & Savory South End” jaunt—featuring snacks and stops at six neighborhood standouts, including cheese mecca Formaggio Kitchen and Joanne Chang’s original Flour bakery— and the “Allston Arts & Eats” ramble around an up-and-coming Boston dining destination, with bonus street art. You’ll leave with a full stomach (we couldn’t finish our mac and cheese at Stephi’s on Tremont, the last hurrah on the South End stroll) and new perspectives. 617-477-0567; bitesofbostonfoodtours.com

LODGING

BOUTIQUE HOTEL

THE VERB HOTEL, BOSTON

Think Boston is more Brahmin than rock ’n’ roll? The retro-leaning Verb Hotel begs to differ. From the rehabbed 1947 Flxible tour bus parked out front to the in-room Crosley record players and fully stocked vinyl library and music memorabilia in the lobby, this

The American Icons in the Berkshires

tourlexington.us GUIDED TOURS & HISTORIC SITES LODGING & DINING ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MASSACHUSETTS

The more you see, the more you save! Visit any American Icon and use your receipt to receive a $3 discount at the next Icon you visit. See all four Icons and save $9. Must present receipt from initial purchase of a full-price adult admission to receive discount. Cannot be combined with other discounts. Other restrictions may apply. 413.298.3579 chesterwood.org 413.551.5111 edithwharton.org 413.443.0188 hancockshakervillage.org 413.931.2221 nrm.org

Daniel Chester French Edith Wharton Hancock Shakers Norman Rockwell

2018 Berkshire Gateway Jazz Festival Lee, Massachusetts June 14 - 17 berkshiregatewayjazz.org

sets this organization apart? Fans tout the highly personal experience. The Fitzpatrick Main Stage is an iconic 1928 venue that brings in classical productions, the smaller Unicorn Theatre presents experimental and avant-garde work. The Colonial Theatre is the go-to for summer musicals” -Yankee Magazine, Best 2017 Summer Stock Lauren Ridloff and Joshua Jackson in Berkshire Theatre Group’s production of Children of a Lesser God , 2017. Photo by Matthew Murphy www.BerkshireTheatreGroup.org (413) 997-4444 2018 Highlights: Hair, Tarzan, Coming Back Like a Song! The Petrified Forest We’ve got you covered when visiting the Berkshires! Pittsfield, MA 413-448-2222 t LenoxPittsfield.HGI.com Great Barrington, MA 413-644-3200 t Marriott.com/GBRFI Enjoy our award-winning hotels, minutes from major theatres, restaurants & attractions. BerkshiresArtsFestival.com | ONLINE TICKET DISCOUNT 17TH “The Berkshires Premier Summer Art Event” AnAmericanCraftsman.com 22 Walker St. (at Church St.) Lenox, MA | 413.298.0175 An

Craftsman NEW

JULY 6-8 • 175 ARTISTS Ski Butternut, Rt 23 | Great Barrington, MA Fall Foliage from Stone Hill Jessica Hecht in TheCleanHouse Williamstown Theatre Festival 2017, photo by Daniel Rader. Clark Art Institute, photo by Tucker Bair. Annual Holiday Walk’s Reindog Parade DISCOVER WILLIAMSTOWN

unique village where art, culture, and natural beauty thrive. williamstownchamber.com 413.458.9077 destinationwilliamstown.com Great Barrington, MA • mahaiwe.org AIMEE MANN ALAN CUMMING PEKING ACROBATS PAT METHENY AIR SUPPLY and more ! photo by Michael Lavin Flower The Berkshires The Berkshires

“What

American

Lenox Gallery

colorful four-year-old crash pad is just steps from Fenway Park and a far cry from buttonedup Beacon Hill. Adding to the one-of-a-kind atmosphere are the heated, see-and-be-seen outdoor pool and the tiki-inspired tipples at Hojoko, the Verb’s on-site izakaya (aka Japanese pub). Try the frosé or, if you’re traveling with a crowd, the Jasper’s Rum Punch. 617-566-4500; theverbhotel.com

CITY STAY, AFFORDABLE

YOTEL, BOSTON

The first local outpost from this U.K.-based micro-hotel chain is now open in the Seaport, stylishly chipping away at the Hub’s reputation for sky-high lodging rates. Snag a “cabin”— Yotel parlance for guest room—for less than $200 a night and enjoy mood lighting, a heated towel rack, and other smart, tech-y touches, such as self-service check-in kiosks. Not surprisingly, the rooms are on the small side (most are just 150 square feet), which is all the more reason to explore the sleek common spaces, such as the indoor-outdoor 12th-floor lounge. 617-377-4747; yotelboston.com

CITY STAY, UPSCALE

BOSTON HARBOR HOTEL, BOSTON

It’s the perfect introduction to Boston: feel-

ing the salty breeze and watching the skyline unfurl from aboard a water taxi from Logan Airport directly to this harborside luxury hotel. After docking, the delights continue, as you settle into a spacious guest room replete with Frette linens and done up in elegant shades of blue (some with soaking tubs and all with views). With such a serene setting, you’d be forgiven for staying put—perhaps taking in an al fresco “Summer in the City” concert or movie from the outdoor terrace at the hotel’s Rowes Wharf Sea Grille?—but nearby top attractions such as the New England Aquarium and the Boston Public Market also beckon. 617-439-7000; bhh.com

FAMILY LODGING

KIMPTON MARLOWE HOTEL, CAMBRIDGE

Located a hop, skip, and a jump from the Museum of Science, this property has thought of everything to dazzle pint-size guests. And while welcome toys plucked from a treasure chest and animal-print mini robes are sweet, it’s the amenities that families can enjoy together that really put this hotel over the top: a fleet of bikes and tandem kayaks plus two new paddleboards for exploring the Charles River and the city; a kids’ menu at the on-site eatery Bambara, helmed by Barbara Lynch

empire expat David Bazirgan; fidget spinners and a balloon animal–making magician to entertain little ones during complimentary wine hours for adults. Cheers to that. 617-8688000; hotelmarlowe.com

NEW HOTEL

THE GODFREY HOTEL, BOSTON

This 242-room Downtown Crossing hotel has an older sibling in Chicago and a Hollywood location on the way, but its character is uniquely Boston thanks to the setting (the renovated turn-of-the-century Amory and Blake buildings) and the city-chic rooms (gray plaid headboards, tall windows framing the skyline). Adding to the local appeal: The grandfather of Hub coffee roasters, George Howell, has a serious cafe in the lobby, and on-site restaurant Ruka, turning out seafoodcentric Peruvian-Japanese fare, is the newest venture from the Boston-based team behind Yvonne’s and Lolita Cocina. Burn off the calories with a free group running tour offered at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays March through November, weather permitting. 617-8042000; godfreyhotelboston.com

ROMANTIC GETAWAY

XV BEACON, BOSTON

After a long day playing tourist, you and your significant other can be forgiven for pretending that this art-filled boutique hotel around the corner from the Boston Common is your very own swish pied-à-terre. The fact that it’s an inn for all seasons only adds to the fantasy: Peep panoramic city views from the rooftop deck in warmer months, and retreat downstairs to burrow under a cashmere throw in front of a gas fireplace (every room has one) when there’s a chill in the air. You’ll never want to go home. 617-670-1500; xvbeacon.com

DINING

BURGER

CRAIGIE ON MAIN, CAMBRIDGE

Having already garnered ample praise and a cult following, this burger’s not easy to get. Chef Tony Maws gets a limited supply of grass-fed beef from a farm in Massachusetts, enough to make 18 patties a night. If you want one, you have to show up early. So why tease you with this unwieldy pick? Because it’s worth the effort. Maws spent months perfecting his recipe: the three cuts of beef blended with suet and bone marrow, the miso powder, the perfect grind. He developed a specific bun and his own ketchup. So putting this on your bucket list, if it isn’t already, is a fair challenge. 617-497-5511; craigieonmain.com

CHOWDER

DAILY CATCH, BOSTON

No pasty, gluey stew here. Just a perfectly creamy chowder enriched with loads of clams, bacon, cream, and potato. The clincher: a savory biscuit topper that beats the usual oyster

164 | NEWENGLAND.COM

A National Historic Landmark On The Freedom Trail One Block From Historic Faneuil Hall Welcome To America’s Oldest Restaurant Specializing In Hearty Portions Of Yankee Style Seafood, Fresh New England Lobster And Grilled Meats Sunday-Thursday 11 am-9:30 pm • Friday & Saturday 11 am-10 pm • Union Bar til-Midnight Functions • Validated Parking • All Major Credit Cards Honored • Reservations Recommended Visit Our Website • www.unionoysterhouse.com 617-227-2750 41 Union Street • Boston Yankee Travel 2012 4.875x4.75 2/16/12 11:54 AM Page 1 MASSACHUSETTS

I-91, Exit 24 · 25 Greenfield Road, South Deerfield, MA 877.636.7707 · yankeecandle.com/village Like us on Facebook @ Yankee Candle Village MA #YankeeCandleVillage Explore Yankee Candle Village —there’s lots of fun in store What will you NEW! Personalized Photo Candles Make an instant souvenir of your visit —in minutes! FIND YOUR NOOK and settle in... 125 Rooms & Suites • 3 Restaurants • Outdoor Courtyard Dining Year-Round Outdoor Pool • Centrally located in the heart of the Berkshires redlioninn.com

Salem s Most Visited Museum Start with

Because...HistoryMatters

crackers (much as we love them) by a mile. The Daily Catch may be best known for seafood pasta served in skillets, but its chowder is, ahem, quite a catch. Locations in Boston and Brookline. thedailycatch.com

DINER

MIKE’S CITY DINER, BOSTON

New England is the birthplace of the diner and we have a lot of them, but what makes Mike’s stand out is the from-scratch goodness of the cooking. The turkey in the club sandwich and the signature turkey dinner is roasted on-site; the gravy begins with homemade stock. Even the pastrami and corned beef are made right here. Weekends offer a breakfast menu only—but the French toast is so good, you won’t miss that turkey. 617-2679393; mikescitydiner.com

DOUGHNUTS

BLACKBIRD, BOSTON

Some doughnut shops excel at coming up with fun flavors (looking at you, maple bacon and pumpkin ale). Others master one form—the cake doughnut or the yeastraised type—but fall flat on the other. Blackbird wins because it does it all, serving up inventive flavors such as chocolate pretzel and strawberry rhubarb and pulling off all styles with panache. The Boston cream is a dream, and the classic chocolate glazed is so richly chocolaty no one can top it. 617-4829000; blackbirddoughnuts.com

NEW RESTAURANT

TASTING COUNTER, SOMERVILLE

INSIDE YANKEE ’S JUNE ISSUE

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This quirky prix fixe concept—which asks you to purchase a ticket in advance, then complete an online questionnaire about your food preferences—is a leap of faith. With chef Peter Ungár behind the stove, however, there’s always a soft landing. The food is highly technical but not gimmicky, allowing the flavors of seasonal ingredients—half of which are grown in Massachusetts—to shine in gorgeous compositions such as lobster tortellini with pine mushrooms in beef broth, and miso-marinated duck. Composed plates dazzle, flavors sing. And at the end of the night, there’s no tip to calculate or server to wrangle. You’ve already paid. All you have to do is float home. 617-299-6362; tastingcounter.com

SEAFOOD

MOONCUSSER FISH HOUSE, BOSTON

Carolyn Johnson rose to acclaim with 80 Thoreau, a farm-to-table gem whose reputation drew jaded Boston diners out to idyllic Concord. Now, she’s brought her clear vision and sourcing genius back to the city to reinvent that regional mainstay, the fish house. Here, the all-local catch is dolled up with a balance of skill and restraint: tuna with chestnut and red wine, monkfish with kohlrabi and tarragon. Like a well-conducted quartet, these flavors play in harmony. 617-917-5193; mooncusserfishhouse.com

PREVIEW

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Open Year Round 19 1/2 Washington Square North Salem, Massachusetts 01970 Visit us on Shop at our museum store onsite & online! 978.744.1692 salemwitchmuseum.com

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MASSACHUSETTS

CONNECTICUT

ATTRACTIONS

CINEMA OR DRIVE-IN

PROSPECTOR THEATER, RIDGEFIELD

Lives forever changed. That’s not just some Hollywood tag line at the Prospector, a 1940 movie house rescued from demolition that’s become both a model for employment inclusivity and the state’s most accessible entertainment venue. The nonprofit four-screen cinema pulses with playfulness and pride, from its sparkly purple lobby walls to its must-see preshows starring employees, most of whom are disabled adults fulfillingly employed for the first time. Descriptive narration headsets and closed-caption glasses, low-mobility seating in prime viewing locations, and sensory screenings featuring turned-down audio, turned-up lights, and freedom to move about combine to make the thrills of moviegoing. 203-438-0136; prospectortheater.org

COASTAL CRUISE

MYSTIC WHALER CRUISES, NEW LONDON

The winds of fate brought husband-and-wife captains John Eginton and Pat Beck together, and when you sail with this duo, the voyage— whether it’s a brunch, lunch, or lobster dinner cruise or a multiday sleep-aboard adventure— will remind you that life’s little clues only reveal themselves when your senses are fully awake and attuned. Aboard the half-century-old Mystic Whaler schooner, you’ll savor every morsel of galley-cooked meals, rediscover simple joys such as conversing with newfound friends, and find the relaxation that’s eluded you on land. 860-447-1249; mysticwhalercruises.com

FAMILY ADVENTURE

NASKART, MONTVILLE

Head socks are required. That’s the first clue that the world’s largest multilevel indoor gokarting facility isn’t just child’s play. A full bar is clue two. Toasting victory costs extra, but your mandatory protective headwear is included with the small annual membership fee charged for access to twisting tracks that challenge even experienced drivers. It’s easy to learn karting basics and safety rules. Racers must be 58 inches tall, but that doesn’t mean little family members are left in the dust: A massive trampoline park has fun features for all ages. 860-444-7700; naskartracing.com

FARMERS’ MARKET

COVENTRY FARMERS’ MARKET, COVENTRY

Connecticut’s largest market for growers and makers tends to back up traffic for more than half a mile along the tree-lined road that leads to the Nathan Hale Homestead. So set out early

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and allow plenty of time to sample and shop for in-demand products such as Norm’s Best marinated mushrooms and Dragon’s Blood Elixir hot sauces, plus handcrafted gifts, meats, cheeses, and a cornucopia of just-picked produce. Live music, food trucks, and free tours of the historic farmhouse satisfy diverse Sunday Funday cravings. Weekly themes keep the vendor lineup fresh from June through October. 860-742-6917; coventryfarmersmarket.org

MUSIC CLUB

INFINITY MUSIC HALL & BISTRO, HARTFORD

It’s the rare sequel that outshines the original: Dan Hincks’s second Infinity Music Hall is one of the biggest draws in downtown Hartford. Music fans who’ve been to the Norfolk original will find much to recognize here, from the starry backdrop to the reggae punch and lobster hush puppies. Like its sibling in northwestern Connecticut, this concert venue’s phenomenal acoustics, intimate vibe, and spirited bistro keep top-notch musicians and their fans coming back. Comfier seating, covered parking, stagelevel restrooms, and handicapped access to the mezzanine are among this second incarnation’s advantages. 860-560-7757; infinityhall.com

NATURE EXPERIENCE

BLACK HALL OUTFITTERS, OLD LYME

Sharp-eyed ospreys, eagles, and egrets know the 500-acre Great Island salt marsh well, but odds are you’ve never heard of this paddling paradise. The savvy folks at Black Hall Outfitters are determined to introduce first-time and experienced kayakers to the wildlife refuge’s serene and shallow waters, which few humans have explored. Rent kayaks or SUPs, book a guided ecotour, or join a small group for a sunset outing, when each dip of a paddle sends iridescent ripples through the brackish liquid. 860-434-9680; blackhalloutfitters.com

NEW CULTURAL ATTRACTION

THE STORYTELLERS’ COTTAGE, SIMSBURY

Is that bookcase laden with antique volumes a secret door to a castle chamber? Of course it is.

From the steampunk library to the Jane Austen salon, every room in this storybook Victorian is filled with details to create a book lover’s bliss. Since her literary attraction’s debut, Lisa Natcharian has embraced every plot twist, allowing

diverse activities to flourish within the enchanting spaces she’s created. Visit during free open hours, when quiet nooks beckon to readers and writers, or attend a book talk, workshop, or vintage-themed event. Mystery-room “escape” games for any-age groups are best-sellers. 860-877-6099; storytellerscottage.com

SHORT HIKE

TALCOTT MOUNTAIN TOWER TRAIL, SIMSBURY

The visual rewards far outweigh the moderate effort required to hike the 1¼-mile trail up Talcott Mountain. Pause often to admire everexpanding views of the verdant Farmington Valley; to the southeast, Hartford’s skyline juts up from the waves of green, looking regal and remote. Picnic at the summit before climbing to the top of 165-foot-tall Heublein Tower, built as a summer residence in 1914. You’ll be following in the ’50s-era footsteps of future presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan, who visited back when this mountaintop exclamation point was owned by The Hartford Times 860-242-1158; ct.gov/deep

SPECIALTY MUSEUM

NEW ENGLAND CAROUSEL MUSEUM AND MUSEUM OF FIRE HISTORY, BRISTOL

A rented space, a single carousel horse, a dream. Fast-forward 28 years, and this Bristol nonprofit now owns the 1837 factory building that houses a collection of 150 artfully carved carousel animals, plus a plethora of carnival memorabilia, a restoration workshop, a thunderous band organ, and a fully operating Venetian carousel you’re invited to ride. After an exhilarating spin, head upstairs to view installations devoted to firefighting history and Greek culture. Curious why they’re here? Ask your guide … or embrace the lost art of wonderment. 860-585-5411; thecarouselmuseum.org

SPORTS EXPERIENCE

365 SYNTHETIC SNOW PARK AT POWDER RIDGE, MIDDLEFIELD Skis? Check. Ski boots? Check. Helmet? Check. Snow? No longer required—not even on the hottest July day. Last year Middlefield’s small but spunky Powder Ridge became the Northeast’s first (and the nation’s fourth) ski area to install a synthetic skiing and snowboarding slope, plus two year-round, carpet lift–serviced “snow” tubing lanes. It takes only a handful of runs to adjust to the feel of the polymer surface, which mimics hard-packed snow. Downhill mountain biking and a free Saturday-night summer concert series add to the mountain’s burgeoning off-season appeal . 866860-0208; powderridgepark.com

| 167 MAY | JUNE 2018 BEST OF NEW ENGLAND

LODGING

CAMPGROUND

HIDDEN ACRES FAMILY CAMPGROUND, PRESTON

Every activity on a 1960s kid’s summer to-do list is offered at this tucked-in-the-trees campground. Bring your tent or RV or rent a cabin, and within an hour of checking in you’ll feel like part of a big family. The pride that Bill and Priscilla Migliaccio and their children take in preserving traditions that stretch back to 1972— when Bill’s father bought Boy Scout Camp Quinebaug—makes this the rare destination where multigenerational bonds are knit tight. Kids will remember river tubing, fire truck rides, Saturday night dances, and free-ranging like the campground’s resident muster of peacocks. 860-887-9633; hiddenacrescamp.com

CITY STAY, AFFORDABLE

THE QUINNIPIACK CLUB, NEW HAVEN

Connecticut’s best lodging deal is unadvertised and exceedingly unusual. Walk past the colonial-looking brick “Q Club” building a half block from the New Haven Green, and you’d never know that nonmembers can instantly gain temporary membership privileges by booking one of 21 guest rooms. Fine dining and room service; billiard room, duckpin bowling alley, and 24-hour health club; and opportunities to view art and socialize with interesting professionals—these experiences, along with inexpensive rates (from $115), make it easy to forgive the rooms’ outdated decor. Plus, your stay helps sustain this 147-year-old community organization. 203-562-3147; graduateclub.com

CITY STAY, UPSCALE

THE GOODWIN, HARTFORD

Hartford’s grand dame hotel awoke last summer from a nine-year slumber looking as alluring as ever on the outside and dramatically rejuvenated on the inside. It’s not the first rebirth for this 1881 Queen Anne–style red-brick-and-terracotta building, but it’s a quantum leap forward for capital visitors who appreciate high-tech amenities, enticing dining, and a soothingly contemporary design aesthetic. Just enough woodwork and other architectural details have been preserved to honor the hotel’s original grandeur. 860-246-1881; goodwinhartford.com

HISTORIC INN

BOARDMAN HOUSE INN, EAST HADDAM

An expertise in architectural restoration makes Swedish innkeepers Andre and Mia Hymander ideal stewards of this 1860 mansion, built in dramatic Second Empire style more than a dozen years before Goodspeed Musicals’ famous opera house debuted nearby. You’ll perceive only comfort—in touches like downy bedding and heated bathroom floors—and none of the labor that the Hymanders put into fashioning this peaceful retreat. Claim a wicker porch chair and listen for the occasional strains of performers rehearsing their songs, as Goodspeed’s Artists Village for visiting talent is adjacent to the inn . 860-873-9233; boardmanhouse.com

INN FOR FOODIES

ROGER SHERMAN INN, NEW CANAAN

“Celebrity chef” doesn’t do Francois KwakuDongo justice. The Wolfgang Puck protégé has been a superhero in the fight to save this landmark inn, which was on the brink of doom a year ago. With local support and a worldly vision, Kwaku-Dongo has boosted the property’s culinary profile. Evolving menus nimbly leap from pan-seared New England seafood to classic French dishes. Stay overnight in one of 17 simple yet spacious rooms, and you can linger late over chocolate desserts handcrafted with fair-trade Omanhene chocolate from Ghana (another of Kwaku-Dongo’s admirable endeavors). 203-966-4541; rogershermaninn.com

LAKESIDE LODGING

THE HOPKINS INN, WARREN

Even as competing inns that once ringed Lake Waramaug have fallen into private hands, Beth and Franz Schober—owners of the Hopkins Inn for 42 years and counting—have remained resolute that views of Connecticut’s prettiest lake should be shared. The cheery c. 1847 inn’s 12 rooms aren’t huge, but they’re priced reasonably, considering that many look out on the hillsurrounded lake. Son Toby’s European-inspired fare and an extensive wine list make lakeside outdoor dining popular even after dark. Sweaters are available to borrow: True hospitality is all about warmth. 860-868-7295; thehopkinsinn.com

LUXURY ESCAPE

SPICER MANSION, MYSTIC

This richly restored sea captain’s home on a hilltop overlooking Mystic gave new meaning to indulgent lodging when it opened with eight rooms and a jackets-preferred restaurant in 2016. Last year, Room No. 9 was completed. No, it’s not another sanctuarylike guest room with a heavenly Duxiana bed and high-tech amenities. Instead, a bookcase in the entryway is a secret door to the mansion’s hip new subterranean speakeasy, where canoodling feels as mandatory as drinking. A pianist tickles vintage ivories on Friday and Saturday evenings, while regional spirits flow. 860-245-4621; spicermansion.com

NEW HOTEL

DELAMAR, WEST HARTFORD

With glossy magazine–worthy common areas, bold art on loan from the New Britain Museum of American Art, and champagne at check-in, Blue Back Square’s long-awaited boutique hotel is astonishingly sophisticated for its suburban location. Even visitors who aren’t staying in the quiet, natural light–filled guest rooms can book a restful session at the hotel’s European-style spa and savor farm-to-table fare at the indoor-outdoor restaurant Artisan, where the chef’s garden and dreamily illuminated pergola create the illusion that this is wine country, not West Hartford. 860-937-2500; delamar.com/west-hartford

OCEANSIDE LODGING

THE KELSEY HOUSE B&B, BRANFORD

Any thoughts weighing on you will dissolve the instant you step up to this Victorian cot-

tage’s porch. On a clear day, you can see Long Island from this Maine-esque rocky point; ospreys nest on neighboring Kelsey Island. Innkeeper Susan Kelsey’s great-grandfather built the house, which she and husband Ken Olson now happily share with guests. Her ancestors—some of Connecticut’s earliest settlers—discovered this spot while searching for fish bone-meal fertilizer. Now, visitors in pursuit of calm are nourished by water views and three-course breakfasts starring freshly baked, seasonally inspired muffins. 203-481-5207; kelseyhousebb.com

ROMANTIC GETAWAY

THE WALLINGFORD VICTORIAN INN, WALLINGFORD

Built as a wedding present in 1891, this Queen Anne–style inn offers modern couples the gift they crave: carefree time away. Five posh suites are stocked with everything needed to unwind. The decor is period-inspired, yet restrained. Custom-cooked breakfasts are served at private, candlelit tables. And while restaurants and shops are just a two-block walk away, you’ll be content to porch-sit, play backyard chess, or listen to the player piano’s nostalgic tunes. 203-265-1200; thewallingfordvictorian.com

DINING

BURGERS

PRIME 16, NEW HAVEN

In the city that lays claim to the first-ever hamburger, America’s favorite meal on a bun is being reinvented daily. Prime 16 is a boisterous den of beer and beef, where the creative team behind juicy, high-stacked menu stars like the honey-truffle burger is sometimes outdone by diners who go the build-your-own route. The math gets a little crazy when you calculate possible combinations of nine distinct patties, from bison to vegetarian; dozens of cheeses and toppings; and 20 house-made condiments—particularly when you factor in the unconventional craft-beverage selections pouring out of 20 taps. Additional locations in Orange and Pelham. 203-782-1616; prime16.com

CHEF’S TABLE PRESENT COMPANY, TARIFFVILLE

In 2016, pedigreed and passionate chef Jeffrey Lizotte ditched downtown Hartford’s most elevated kitchen, On20, to catapult this rustic yet refined 50-seat restaurant in his suburban hometown to the top of Connecticut’s culinary heap. With co-owner Tom Gale wrangling details, Lizotte is free to incessantly outdo himself, fashioning never-tasted dishes from fresh-harvested ingredients. The sizzle and steam, the smells, the chance to talk shop with the mastermind behind five-course tasting menus—and to witness the precision Lizotte demands from his team—make courtside seats at the open kitchen’s counter the best in the house. 860-658-7890; presentcompanyct.com

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CONNECTICUT

DOUGHNUTS

DONUT CRAZY, SHELTON

Mmm … maple-bacon doughnuts. If the mere thought of syrup-glazed orbs encrusted in bacon hunks has you drooling, you’ll understand why this only-in-Connecticut chain is the state’s sweetest success story. Now with four locations (and two in the works) since the original opened in Shelton in 2015, Donut Crazy has achieved doughnut domination by constantly unleashing new flavors with wow-factor taste and visual appeal—and by offering evening hours for fans who know that crème brûlée, s’mores, and cannoli doughnuts are worthy desserts. Additional locations in Stratford, New Haven, and Westport. 203-538-5560; donutcrazyct.com

FARM-TO-TABLE

PLANTIN’ SEEDS FARM KITCHEN, CANAAN

Sit down to a meal; leave deeply aware of the oneness of all humanity. It’s an ambitious mission, yes. Yet connections are sparked whenever this Canaan storefront restaurant serves its family-style, farm-fresh fare. Ingredients for each evening’s feast are sourced from local agricultural enterprises, including Plantin’ Seeds founder Dale McDonald’s own Pom’s Cabin Farm. You’ll be warmly greeted and invited to take the next seat available in this communal (but solo diner–friendly) country kitchen. Leave a cash donation after you polish off dessert. The price you pay for healthy nourishment and conversation is entirely up to you. 860-453-4363; plantinseeds.org/kitchen

HOT DOGS

JACK RABBITS AND THE RABBIT HOLE TAVERN, OLD SAYBROOK

A citrus-bright, family-friendly café? Or a dimly lit bar serving boozy milkshakes? Whichever door you choose at this two-for-one dining destination, you’ll be among hot dog devotees. It can be excruciating, choosing among traditional styles and amped-up originals (like the OneEyed Jack, slathered with caramelized onions, bacon, corn relish, and mustard), all with Hummel, kosher beef, kielbasa, red hot, turkey, and vegetarian dog options. And that’s before you notice the game changer: lobster hot dogs. These hand-rolled, soy paper–wrapped tubes of buttered, shredded lobster are as decadent as dogs get. Try the Angry Red Dragon topped with red chili mayo and onion-jalapeño relish. 860-510-0048; jackrabbitsct.com

NEW RESTAURANT THE ESSEX, CENTERBROOK

Chef Colt Taylor has come home to Essex, Connecticut—not merely to launch a restaurant but rather to invent his own chic culinary world, where local and upscale ingredients are as meldable as Play-Doh in a preschooler’s clutches. Inside a deceptively staid Tudor mansion, the spontaneous energy of a live cooking show swirls through brightly lit open kitchens, a bar stocked with artisan spirits, and a gourmet market. Expect unpredictable menus, particularly if you opt for omakase-style tasting experiences hosted in the quieter Hearth. Trust Taylor to startle

| 169 MAY | JUNE 2018

All tracks lead to new Hand on the Throttle, Eagle Flyer, Essex Clipper Dinner Train, Day out With Thomas, Rhythm by the Rails, Music on the Riverboat, North Pole Express... and so much more! essexsteamtrain.com 800-377-3987 Follow us! we’re social art and the New England Farm May 11– September 16

Thomas Nason, Midsummer, 1954. Florence Griswold Museum, Gift of Janet Eltinge.

your palate, even if you’re no stranger to adventurous dining. 860-237-4189; theessex.com

SEAFOOD SHACK

CAPTAIN SCOTT’S LOBSTER DOCK, NEW LONDON

When the occasional train rolls by, you’ll catch a look in the eyes of window-side passengers that’s easy to identify: envy. So be thankful you braved the line at this waterside, open-air, BYOB seafood-feasting spot. The wait gives you time to build your dream order: steamers and butter-splashed lobster roll, whole bellies and flaky fried fish. Besides, cooling your heels for a bit is nothing compared with the owners’ ancestor’s act of endurance. As legend has it, Captain Thomas A. Scott saved hundreds aboard a sinking ferry in 1870 by “corking” a hole with his body for more than an hour. 860439-1741; captscottsnl.com

STEAKHOUSE

GABRIELE’S

ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE, GREENWICH

Want VIP treatment at a sumptuous oldworld steak emporium? Simply walk through the doors of this celebrity-magnet restaurant, where polished, personable servers and triviaslinging general manager Tony Capasso make every guest feel entertained and indulged. Order a glass of wine: A third of a bottle arrives in an extra-large goblet. Pastas are homemade; the filet mignon is fork-cuttable. Spicy, juicy charred broccoli is the star of the sides, although the football-size stuffed baked potatoes are contenders. Have a special request? You’re likely to hear, “Everything is possible here.” 203-622-4223; gabrielesofgreenwich.com

VEGETARIAN G-ZEN, BRANFORD

The message isn’t preachy, but it’s clear: This snug, all-organic restaurant is powered by plants. Still, one bite of the raw taco will immediately have you wondering how a vegan concoction can taste so meaty, so satisfying. Chefs and farmers Mark and Ami Shadle are driven to make healthful, sustainable cuisine accessible and inventive. Burgers, pizza, pastas—even a rich lemon-lavender “cheesecake”—are familiar yet ingeniously crafted without animal-derived ingredients. The same conscientiousness goes into the lineup of elixirs, cocktails, wines, and craft brews. 203-208-0443; g-zen.com

WATERFRONT DINING SHELL & BONES, NEW HAVEN

The boat-filled waters of New Haven Harbor are visible not just from the deck, with its fire pits for warmth and pizzazz, but also from practically every seat inside this subtly nautical restaurant with an open floor plan. Cleverly named to reference both the Yale secret society Skull and Bones and the superfresh seafood (such as black garlic cod as thick as filet mignon) crowding the surf and turf menu, Shell & Bones is a place where playful plating and exotic flavor twists will have you conflicted about whether to gaze at your meal or the sunset views. 203-787-3466; shellandbones.com

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CONNECTICUT

RHODE ISLAND

ATTRACTIONS

CINEMA OR DRIVE-IN

CABLE CAR CINEMA & CAFÉ, PROVIDENCE

Founded more than four decades ago in a repurposed truck garage, this art-house theater coaxes audience members away from their streaming devices and into a fun little realm where moviegoing remains an active, shared experience. It’s not just the lure of bottomless popcorn and a menu of coffee drinks, baked goods, sandwiches, and beer that keeps Cable Car’s 100 or so seats filled. It’s also the thought-provoking handpicked flicks and the conversations they inspire (sometimes with even their creators). If it’s date night, arrive early to claim a loveseat. 401-272-3970; cablecarcinema.com

FAMILY ADVENTURE

RAIL EXPLORERS, PORTSMOUTH

Buckle up. Don’t tailgate. Watch for turtles. A few simple rules—and the willingness of at least one person in your party to pedal—are all that’s required for an all-ages rail biking adventure. Tandem and quad options can be linked, so even extended families can share the camaraderie of a six-mile outing along Narragansett Bay. Riders glide along Old Colony Railway tracks, laid in the 1860s but reborn as a recreational attraction thanks in part to a Korean soap opera: Company founder Mary-Joy Lu brought these South Korean rail bikes to America after spotting them onscreen. 877-833-8588; railexplorers.net

FARMERS’ MARKET

HOPE STREET FARMERS’ MARKET, PROVIDENCE

Homegrown and handmade join forces each Saturday from May through October, transforming tree-shaded Lippitt Memorial Park into the capital’s liveliest shopping destination. More than 40 farm, fish, and gourmet food businesses aren’t the only ones popping up perky white, red, and blue tents and arranging captivating displays: At the concurrent Providence Artisans Market, juried participants show off their freshest fashions and one-of-a-kind gifts. Unfurl a blanket, and enjoy a food-truck lunch, a jar of Fully Rooted’s cold-pressed carrot-apple juice, live music, and Tricycle Ice Cream’s latest cookie sandwich sensation. hopestreetmarket.com

HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE

SLATER MILL, PAWTUCKET

No thief’s done more for America than that sneaky Samuel Slater. The English textile worker illegally crossed the pond with a headful of knowledge, and the water-powered cotton mill he built in 1793 is the centerpiece of

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this namesake complex in Pawtucket. Engaging tours of the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution introduce visitors to the ingenious machinery and the families that powered a new era. You’ll see the 1758 cottage where Slater spent his first night in Pawtucket, and the 1810 Wilkinson Mill with its rare working waterwheel, too. The sounds and vibrations of old will transport you. 401-725-8638; slatermill.org

NEW CULTURAL ATTRACTION

BELCOURT OF NEWPORT, NEWPORT

This Richard Morris Hunt–designed mansion has quietly reopened for by-reservation-only tours of a restoration in progress. Gone are the clutter of antiques and the overembellished stories of the “Belcourt Castle” days: Alex and Ani founder Carolyn Rafaelian purchased the property in 2012 with the intent of returning it to its 1895 appearance and sharing it with the public. Now’s a rare chance to witness and support a large-scale preservation effort, while hearing well-researched tales of the estate’s original occupants—including Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont’s pampered horses. belcourt.com

RIVER CRUISE

LA GONDOLA, PROVIDENCE

Some of the most stirring musical performances in Rhode Island don’t take place in any concert hall. They’re sung—sometimes in Italian and quite often for an audience of only two— beneath the acoustically magical bridges that span the Woonasquatucket River in the heart of Providence. Authentic gondolas and their striped shirt–wearing, serenading gondoliers are as much a part of this city’s allure as Venice’s. Bring a favorite beverage, request a meaningful song, and cherish the most romantic moments you’ll ever share with a third wheel. 401-421-8877; gondolari.com

SHORT HIKE

NORTH LIGHT, BLOCK ISLAND

If you’ve walked the Las Vegas Strip, you know that feeling that an attraction is closer than it turns out to be. From the parking lot near Settlers’ Rock on Block Island, North Light is clearly visible. And the half-mile trek through the Block Island National Wildlife Refuge doesn’t seem intimidating. Yet your hike over squishy sand and sea-polished stones will take

twice as long as you anticipate. The exertion is worth it: The 1867 stone-block lighthouse, home to a seasonally operating museum, strikes a majestic pose above windswept dunes at land’s end. 401-466-3213; blockislandinfo.com

SPECIALTY MUSEUM

NEWPORT CAR MUSEUM, PORTSMOUTH

There isn’t a museum anywhere that polishes its treasures to a higher gloss. Gunther and Maggie Buerman consider the 50-plus American and imported autos in their collection “kinetic art,” and these coveted machines’ brightly lit, sharply designed new home shows them off like gleaming sculptures. Playful midcentury furnishings invite you to sit and contemplate masterpieces of style and horsepower, from ’50s finned beauties to some of the fastest cars on the planet. Video screens and racing simulators mesmerize even those too young to drive. 401-848-2277; newportcarmuseum.org

WALKING TOUR

RHODE ISLAND RED FOOD TOURS’

NEWPORT NEIGHBORHOOD TOUR, NEWPORT

Newport’s rich culinary scene makes visitors wish for more meals in a day. Want to know where the locals go? Where history and food intertwine? What the cleverest chefs are up to, and which regional specialties are the most sublime? On these three-hour-plus walks, your guide is your foodie best friend, with all the inside intel. Nothing brings people together like food (and optional alcoholic beverages), and by the end of this seven-stop tasting odyssey, you’ll be laughing and clinking glasses and plotting return visits to hidden-gem restaurants. 866736-6343; rhodeislandredfoodtours.com

LODGING

BOUTIQUE HOTEL

THE ATTWATER, NEWPORT

Unless you have a designer’s eye, you probably wouldn’t mix bright coastal hues, nautical accents, and zebra stripes. Yet this playful combination works exceedingly well at the Attwater—and from the moment you set bags down in the hotel’s chic sitting room, your journey will take equally unexpected but delightful turns. Walking distance from Newport’s attractions and happening spots, yet far enough from the waterfront scene to be peaceful, this Lark Hotels property has a staff that’ll impress you with breakfast tapas and baked treats, and they’re smarter than any smartphone. Trust them to help design a getaway that’s distinctly your own. 401-846-7444; theattwater.com

| 171 MAY | JUNE 2018 BEST OF NEW ENGLAND

CITY STAY, AFFORDABLE

NYLO, WARWICK

A 19th-century brick factory that churned out cloth for Civil War uniforms and, later, Fruit of the Loom underwear may seem an odd place to spend the night. But if you’re budget- and open-minded, NYLO’s modern, loftlike rooms will suit you well. Located three miles from T.F. Green Airport and 10 from downtown Providence, this pet-friendly hotel’s industrial walls and exposed ductwork add character to funky spaces such as a riverside restaurant and bar with a string-lit outdoor lounge. 401-7344460; nylohotels.com

CITY STAY, UPSCALE

RENAISSANCE PROVIDENCE DOWNTOWN HOTEL, PROVIDENCE

Providence’s swankiest lodging property turns 90 this year—at least, on the outside. The grand marble-pillared exterior of the Renaissance went up in 1928, but the structure, designed as a Masonic temple, was left unfinished and empty for decades. Then in 2007, a monumental restoration project gave the city an instant landmark hotel; a recent facelift cemented the Renaissance Providence’s position at the top of the luxury scale. You’ll appreciate top-tier amenities such as plush bedding and all-day room service, but don’t sleep in: City highlights are right outside the door. 401-919-5000; marriott.com

FAMILY LODGING

PLEASANT VIEW INN, WESTERLY

Yes, Rhode Island is the Ocean State, but a family property directly on a private beach here is still a rarity. So forget that the rooms at the Pleasant View Inn aren’t fancy or huge. Stepping out the door and into the surf is the real luxury here. Just hearing the roll of waves throughout your stay is priceless, and a heated outdoor pool and an arcade will keep kids happy as clams (a three-meals-a-day restaurant and full bar are added stay-put conveniences). Book a balconied room, so you can unwind in the sea air after the littles’ bedtime. 401-348-8200; pvinn.com

HISTORIC INN

THE FRANCIS MALBONE HOUSE, NEWPORT

The tunnel that morally flexible shipping merchant Francis Malbone used to smuggle goods up to his house from Newport Harbor is long gone. But plenty of colonial details—wide-plank floors, moldings, fireplaces—have remained to make this 1760 inn the place to curl up for history buffs. Furnishings are antiques, but the Wi-Fi’s free and fast. And even the rooms in a sensitively designed addition offer a graceful sense of the past. Guests may not need their car for days, since the location is just that convenient—and there are enticing reasons to not wander far, including afternoon tea and a lush, secret courtyard. 401-846-0392; malbone.com

LUXURY ESCAPE

OCEAN HOUSE, WATCH HILL

In a class all its own, Ocean House boasts architectural splendor, Atlantic views, and a level of service that should be experienced by everyone who appreciates superlatives. Drinks on the veranda are the perfect entrée to this Gilded Age hotel, meticulously rebuilt to preserve as many original 1868 features as possible. You won’t want to leave, and the perks of staying include every imaginable amenity, from private beach to nature-inspired spa to indoor saltwater lap pool. Learn from chefs, play croquet or squash, hear live music, savor made-to-order mini doughnuts—every activity is destined to linger in your sense memory. 401-584-7000; oceanhouseri.com

NEW HOTEL

EAST ISLAND RESERVE HOTEL, MIDDLETOWN

Think a dense cluster of cute vacation cottages seems oh-so-’60s? This year-round resort updates the model for a generation that’s made Airbnb a hit. You’ll receive the entry code for your two-story “tiny house” before you arrive, so you can come and go on your own schedule— and your dog’s, if he has a reservation. Central air and full kitchens make extended stays comfortable. Even the hotel-style rooms in the main lodge feature kitchenettes. A new outdoor pool will make this second summer even cooler than the first. 401-685-0233; eastislandreserve.com

Yes…there is a guide for that! ▶ Wicked Good Eating… ▶ The Getting Lost Bucket List… ▶ Where to Crash… ▶ Getting Lost on the Wild Side… ▶ Immersion Shopping… ▶ Inspiring Stories and… ▶ Interesting Places to Get Lost! All in the Blackstone River Valley in central Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island, the Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. Get a free electronic guide at BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org Or request a printed guide by calling 508-234-4242 or mail@BlackstoneHeritageCorridor.org THE GET LOST GUIDE FREE Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Exploring the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor GET LOST in the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor 172 | NEWENGLAND.COM

RHODE ISLAND

| 173 NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2009 Maine 500 All of Maine 501 Southern Coastline/ Greater Portland Area 502 Midcoast 503 Northern Coastline/ Down East 504 Central/Western 505 Northern New Hampshire 600 All of New Hampshire 601 Monadnock/Sunapee 602 Central/Seacoast 603 Lakes 604 White Mountains/ Grand North Vermont 700 All of Vermont 701 Southern 702 Central/Mad River Valley 703 Northern/ Lake Champlain Massachusetts 800 All of Massachusetts 801 North of Boston 802 Greater Boston/ South Shore 803 Cape Cod and the Islands 804 New Bedford/ Fall River Area 805 Central/ Blackstone River Valley 806 Western/ The Berkshires Rhode Island 900 All of Rhode Island 901 Northern/Central/ Providence Area 902 Southern/Coast 903 Block Island Connecticut 1000 All of Connecticut 1001 Northeastern 1002 Central 1003 Northwestern 1004 Southeastern 1005 Southwestern New York 1100 All of New York Fill out and mail the attached response card. REQUEST FREE TRAVEL INFORMATION CANADA 703 702 701 VERMONT 801 802 804 803 806 805 MASSACHUSETTS 1003 1002 1001 1005 1004 CONNECTICUT 505 504 502 503 501 MAINE 604 603 601 602 NEW HAMPSHIRE 901 902 • 903 RHODE ISLAND NEW YORK 1100

OCEANSIDE LODGING

BEACH HOUSE ROOMS AT CASTLE HILL INN, NEWPORT

Hoist the shades. Gaze out the French doors at morning light shimmering on ocean waves. And know there’s nothing to rival your beachfront retreat. Situated on Castle Hill Inn’s private arc of sand, these airy king-bed rooms’ recently renovated bathrooms have two-person soaking tubs and showers. But don’t rush to conclude they’re only for kid-free couples, as galley kitchens and queen-size sofa beds make them equally ideal for family escapes. The crowning touch is access to the mansion inn’s beloved luxuries: afternoon tea, cocktails on the lawn, fine dining, and an intimate spa. 401-849-3800; castlehillinn.com

ROMANTIC GETAWAY

THE VILLA, WESTERLY

Love takes time. No innkeepers know this better than Michael and Betsy Cardiff, who tumbled for each other in 1965 and were married … in 2014. Knowing how precious time away is for twosomes, they’ve created an adults-only B&B where pampering and privacy prevail. With its rough-cut stone walls, fireplace, and Jacuzzi for two, the Blue Grotto is the most sought-after room. Share an elaborate breakfast in bed, poolside, or in the dining room. When night falls, the garden-enshrouded hot tub is your own personal Eden. 401-596-1054; thevillaatwesterly.com

DINING

BURGERS

CHOMP, WARREN

Even armed with a knife and fork, diners may not know quite how to attack these burger behemoths. The Mac & Cheeseburger erupts with molten-cheddar-pasta lava. Burgers showcasing pork dumplings and glazed salmon more than satisfy nontraditionalists. And nothing says “supersize” like the Stack: a 10-inch tower of beef, chicken, pork, house-made bacon, and cheeses. The lineup of craft beers is assembled with equal care. 401-289-2324; chompri.com

CAFÉ

SYDNEY PROVIDENCE, PROVIDENCE

A tribute to Australia’s independent-coffeehouse culture, this newcomer turns usually ho-hum coffee shop fare on its head—try a Sapphire latte brewed with Blue Majik algae extract or the latest neon-shade lemonade. Home-baked goodies, seasonal salads, and dishes such as smoked salmon–topped avocado toast studded with watermelon radishes add even more color to your day. 401-648-4994; sydneypvd.com

CHOWDER

THE MOORING, NEWPORT

What makes the classic New England–style

chowder at this waterside restaurant a standout? It’s perfectly creamy, spattered with paprika, and so loaded with potato cubes and tender, buttery bites of clam that your spoon faces a veritable obstacle course—in a word, perfection. But a dilemma awaits: Herby-sweet corn chowder swimming with Georges Bank scallops is also on offer, and it has just the right hint of lemon for dunking a “Bag of Doughnuts,” aka salty fritters embedded with lobster, crab, and shrimp. 401846-2260; mooringrestaurant.com

DINER

JIGGER’S DINER, EAST GREENWICH

Made from cornmeal stone-ground just up the road at the venerable Kenyon’s Grist Mill and doused with real maple syrup, the state’s best johnnycakes are just one of the dishes done right inside this 1950-vintage Worcester diner car. The specials supplement a voluminous menu, and portions are more than you bargained for. Classics from eggs Benedict to grilled cheese get grown-up makeovers, and there’s no question the milkshake-like coffee cabinets are authentically local. 401-884-6060; jiggersdiner.com

DOUGHNUTS

PVDONUTS, PROVIDENCE

So enormous, so artful, these doughnuts look as if they were handcrafted for a “food that’ll blow your mind” photo shoot. But they were baked in

174 | NEWENGLAND.COM NewpoRT Ri bowenswharf.com WOODEN BOAT SHOW Sept.13-16 & Oyster festival May 18-20 Looking for something fun to do in New England? Find region’s best food festivals, craft fairs, concerts, art shows, & more. newengland.com/calendar/ Looking for something fun to do in New England? RHODE ISLAND

the wee hours for devoted fans waiting in a line out the door (thankfully, it moves fast). Each month’s new menu of limited-edition delights features both crumbly, cake batter–style doughnuts and brioche dough creations that are surpassingly fluffy. Local collaborations make every morsel—and sip of coffee—an only-in-RI experience. pvdonuts.com

HOT DOGS MISSION, NEWPORT

In a state known for hot dogs, Mission is a standout for its snappy, meaty, ground-inhouse versions topped with all the classics, from kraut to chili to cheese. And of these the slaw dog, tucked into a purple and orange tangle of tart house-made coleslaw, is the ace that topples other contenders. Add an order of hand-cut fries, and you’ll still get out for less than 10 bucks in a city where affordable dining options are few. 401-619-5560; missionnpt.com

NEW RESTAURANT

TROOP PVD, PROVIDENCE

The decor is off the chain, the ’90s hip-hop beats are uncensored—and there’s nothing curbing chef Jason Timothy’s creativity. The Johnson & Wales grad and his partners finally have a permanent venue for the authentic and accessible street food that’s made their Laughing Gorilla Catering a smash. Revival Brewing founder Sean Larkin is among the owners, so expect hyperfresh beers for washing down diverse global treats such as Korean short ribs; black bean falafel; spicy, melty pork belly banh mi; and the best tacos in the state. trooppvd.com

SEAFOOD SHACK

BLOUNT CLAM SHACK, WARREN

If you were designing a place worthy of the name “Home of the Giant Lobster Roll,” you’d situate it waterside, with boats coming and going. There’d be umbrella tables and a tent for shade. And the Adirondack chairs would be red, of course. Now that the setting’s perfect, let’s get to what really counts. At Warren’s Blount Clam Shack, “giant” is no exaggeration: A half pound of buttered or dill-mayo-dressed lobster gives grilled rolls their blimplike shape. The chowders and meaty clam strips here are colossal winners, too. Season’s over? Menu favorites remain available at the market across the street. 401-245-3210; blountretail.com

WATERFRONT DINING

COAST GUARD HOUSE, NARRAGANSETT

Stationed overlooking Narragansett Bay’s famously vigorous waves, the enduring Coast Guard House is a year-round destination for all the sea-born delicacies Ocean State visitors crave. Raw clams and oysters are justplucked. Calamari’s caught off Point Judith. Local lobster is served whole, heaped in a roll, or nestled inside cheesy mac or homemade ravioli. Bring a jacket even on warm summer days: If you’re lucky, you’ll land a table on the terrace or rooftop deck, where surf sounds and salty breezes will spike your thirst for cocktails mixed with regional spirits. 401-789-0700; thecoastguardhouse.com

Welcome to Block Island. We Saved You A Seat. Tourism Council www.blockislandinfo.com 680 Bellevue Avenue Newport, RI 401–847–8344 newportrestoration.org/visit Free parking on-site Wheelchair accessible The Newport Home of Doris Duke | 175 MAY | JUNE 2018

Quarry Hill offers it all: a gracious, maintenance-free home with easy one-floor living and priority access to the fullest spectrum of care. Enjoy all the beauty and cultural sophistication of Camden, Maine and discover your best future. For Adults 55+ AT HOME IN CAMDEN 207-921-6116 | quarryhill.org  Pen Bay Medical Center | A MaineHealth Member SouthgateAtShrewsbury.com Southgate discover the difference | at ShrewSbury Southgate at Shrewsbury 30 Julio Drive Shrewsbury, MA 01545 • 200-Seat Performing Arts Theater • Restaurant-style Dining • Full-Service Health Club • Indoor Swimming Pool • State-of-the-Art Woodworking Shop • Social, Cultural & Educational Programs An exceptional retirement community located in historic Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Call today to schedule a visit or to receive a brochure! 1-800-492-8331 retirement & REAL ESTATE Fitness classes Social and cultural events Pets welcomed 29 wooded acres of nature trails 25 Thornton Way, Brunswick, Maine 04011 ThorntonOaks.com • 800-729-8033 We found the perfect home at Thornton Oaks. Come for a visit and see why residents say Thornton Oaks has “that special something.” A walkable downtown RESIDENTIAL CARE IN DOWNTOWN MONTPELIER Contact us today! (802) 223-3881 www.thegaryresidence.com Caring 24/7 Sta • Med Management Chef-made Meals • Engaging Activities Transportation • Housekeeping/Laundry SUITES AVAILABLE!

retirement Whether you want to stay active or just take it easy, retirement living is better with stunning bay views. Take advantage of home ownership without property maintenance at Penobscot Shores. Ocean House for sale or rent. Private cottages for sale. Waldo County General Hospital 207-338-2332 | penobscotshores.com 10 Shoreland Drive, Belfast And Time To Enjoy It. Murder Mystery Dinner • Mardi Gras Celebration • Cinco De Mayo • Halloween Parties • Barbecues • Cold Comfort Theatre’s Production Of Driving Miss Daisy • Oyster & Beer Tasting • New Resident Welcome • Craft Fair • Holiday Dinner And Open House • Bocce Ball Pudding Tournament • Trips To Asticou Azalea Gardens In Northeast Harbor • Thuya Gardens • Asticou Inn • Appleton Creamery • Savage Oak Winery In Union • Acadia National Park Jordan Pond House • Top Of Cadillac Mountain • The Maine Botanical Gardens In Boothbay • Point Lookout For Turkey Dinner Schooner Timberwind For A Sail In Belfast Harbor • Created Mason Bee Hives • New Raised Garden Beds • Music From Paper Moon • Sargent Quartet • John Cameron • Lincoln Blake • Mid-Coast Uke Band Bennett So Much To Do... Whether you want to stay active or just take it easy, retirement living is better with stunning bay views. Take advantage of home ownership without property maintenance at Penobscot Shores. Apartments in the Ocean House for sale or rent. Private cottages for sale. Waldo County General Hospital A Member of MaineHealth 207-338-2332 | penobscotshores.com 10 Shoreland Drive, Belfast And Time To Enjoy It. Enjoy your retirement... with a view. So Much To Do... Whether you want to stay active or just take it easy, retirement living is better with stunning bay views. Take advantage of home ownership without property maintenance at Penobscot Shores. Apartments in the Ocean House for sale or rent. Private cottages for sale. Waldo County General Hospital A Member of MaineHealth 207-338-2332 | penobscotshores.com 10 Shoreland Drive, Belfast And Time To Enjoy It. Enjoy your retirement... with a view. So Much To Do... Whether you want to stay active or just take it easy, retirement living is better with stunning bay views. Take advantage of home ownership without property maintenance at Penobscot Shores. Ocean House for sale or rent. Private cottages for sale. Waldo County General Hospital 207-338-2332 | penobscotshores.com 10 Shoreland Drive, Belfast And Time To Enjoy It. Enjoy your retirement... with a view. So Much To Do... 207-338-2332 penobscotshores.com 10 Shoreland Drive Belfast, ME to it bay views. home maintenance at Ocean for Waldo | 10 Shoreland Drive, Belfast And Time To Enjoy It. Enjoy view. So Much To Do... Whether you want to stay active or just take it easy, retirement living is better with stunning bay views. Take advantage of home ownership without property maintenance at Penobscot Shores. Whether you want to stay active or just take it easy, retirement living is better with stunning bay views. Take advantage of home ownership without property maintenance at Penobscot Shores. Ocean House for sale or rent. Private cottages for sale. Waldo County General Hospital 207-338-2332 | penobscotshores.com 10 Shoreland Drive, Belfast And Time To Enjoy It. Enjoy your retirement... with a view. So Much To Do... Exceptional Care at an A ordable Price Non-Proﬁt Assisted Living Serving Our Community. A Warm and Welcoming Environment Offering: • 24-Hour Nursing Sta with Assistance Tailored to Individual Needs • Delicious, Home-Cooked Meals • Engaging Social Activities and Events 795 Central Ave. Dover, NH 603.742.7406 WentworthHome.org is is retirement 207-781-4460 oceanv iewrc.com Ocea nV ie w AT • FA LMOU TH A 21st century retirement community TM 20 Blueberr y Lane, Falmouth, Maine 04105 Loca lly owned a nd managed, w it h a proud 30+ yea r histor y of excellence in sustainable retirement liv ing, OceanView is just minutes from Por tland. O ering a n independent , active lifestyle on 8 0 beautifully wooded acres, you ca n enjoy maintenance-free liv ing in a w ide variet y of cot tages a nd apartments, w it h peace of mind for t he future. INDEPENDENT LIVING * RESIDENTIAL CARE * MEMORY CARE 100 EastView Terrace, Middlebury, VT 05753 802-989-7501 * EastViewMiddlebury.com Nonprofit Retirement Living in the Heart of Middlebury

North Carolina

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s a Jensen community near you.

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TODAY!

Pain and Aging?

Just Ask Christina.

Christina Walker Chief Science Researcher

SCIATICA BACK PAIN?

Are radiating pains down the back of your leg, or pain in your lower back or buttocks making it uncomfortable to sit, walk or sleep? Millions are suffering unnecessarily because they are not aware of this proven treatment.

MagniLife® Leg & Back Pain Relief combines four active ingredients, such as Colocynthis to relieve burning pains and tingling sensations. Although this product is not intended to treat sciatica, it can help with the painful symptoms. “I am absolutely amazed at how it works and how fast it works.” - T Martin. Tablets dissolve under the tongue and do not interfere with other medications.

MagniLife® Leg & Back Pain Relief is sold at Walgreens, CVS/pharmacy, Rite Aid, Albertsons and Walmart. Order risk free for $19.99 ($5.95 S&H) for 125 tablets per bottle. Get a FREE bottle when you order two for $39.98 ($5.95 S&H). Send payment to: MagniLife S-YK, PO Box 6789, McKinney, TX 75071 or call 1-800-516-3481. Money back guarantee. Order now at www.LegBackPain.com

STABBING FOOT PAIN?

Do you suffer from burning, tingling, or stabbing foot pain? You should know help is available. 20 million Americans suffer from these symptoms and put up with the pain, because they are not aware of this proven treatment.

MagniLife® Pain Relieving Foot Cream contains Gnaphalium to relieve pain, while natural moisturizers restore cracked, damaged, and itchy skin. “It’s the ONLY product that helps relieve

the burning, and tingling feeling in my feet!” - Mable NY.

MagniLife® Pain Relieving Foot Cream is available at Walgreens, CVS/pharmacy, Rite Aid and Walmart, located in the footcare and diabetes sections. Order risk free for $19.99 ($5.95 S&H) for a 4 oz jar. Get a FREE jar when you order two for $39.98 ($5.95 S&H). Send payment to: MagniLife NC-YK, PO Box 6789, McKinney, TX 75071 or call 1-800-516-3481. Money back guarantee. Order now at www.MDFootCream.com.

Also ﬁnd MagniLife® Antifungal Foot Cream and Diabetics’ Dry Skin Relief in the diabetes section at Walgreens and Rite Aid.

AGE SPOTS?

Are unsightly brown spots on your face, hands and body making you uncomfortable? Liver spots, also known as age spots, affect the cosmetic surface of the skin and can add years to your appearance. Millions of people live with dark spots and try to cover them with makeup or bleach them with harsh chemicals because they are not aware of this topical treatment that gently and effectively lightens the shade of the skin.

MagniLife® Age Spot Cream uses botanicals, such as licorice root extract to naturally fade age spots, freckles, and other age-associated discolorations, while protecting skin from harmful external factors. “It is fading my liver spots. This product actually works!!!” - Patricia C, NJ.

MagniLife® Age Spot Cream can be ordered risk free for $19.99 ($5.95 S&H) for a 2 oz jar. Get a FREE jar when you order two for $39.98 ($5.95 S&H). Send payment to: MagniLife AC-YK, PO Box 6789, McKinney, TX 75071, or call 1-800-516-3481. Complete satisfaction guaranteed. Order now at www.AgeSpotSolution.com.

Stabbing Foot Pain?

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We serve up our favorite strawberry recipes to celebrate.

 /// Reader Photos

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 /// Perfect Weekend

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 /// In Season

We round up all the best images from our Instagram community.

Bring some

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Discover the early-summer charms of Burlington, Vermont.

The pros at Historic New England answer your questions.

highlights To subscribe or find out more, visit: newengland.com/yankee-digital COMING NEXT MONTH IN THE JUNE ISSUE OF YANKEE ’ S DIGITAL EDITION THE PALMER/ISTOCK

NEW ENGLAND’S marketplace To advertise please call Steve Hall at 800-736-1100, ext. 320 888-213-1402 DRbatterytools.com 18C11X © 2018 Lawn Mowers • String Trimmer • Chainsaw Hedge Trimmer • Handheld Blower 3 Models available— 21" Self-Propelled shown Our compatible tools are powered by 62 Volt Lithium-Ion Batteries PROFESSIONAL GRADE. BATTERY-POWERED. POWERFUL 62-VOLT lithium-ion batteries provide the performance of gas, without the noise, maintenance or mess! HI-TECH BRUSHLESS MOTORS are powerful, durable, and energy efﬁcient. LONG RUN TIMES of up to 75 minutes! DURABLE STEEL DECK but half the weight of most gas mowers. Call for FREE Catalog & Special Offer! TOLL FREE Introducing the Next Generation of Lawn Care from DR® POWER EQUIPMENT! 62 VOLT BATTERY SOME LIMITATIONS APPLY Call or go online for details. FREE SHIPPING 6 MONTH TRIAL MAY | JUNE 2018 | 183 15 Orchard Park • Madison, CT 06443 All Sizes • Any Paint Color Shipped Nationwide Family Owned • Made in USA Hard-To-Find Traditional Moveable Louver Bifold Shutters Call Today! 203-245-2608 Shuttercraft.com

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Ergonomic Seats Made to Fit Your Body

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800-451-7247

Brigger chairs, rockers, recliners, and sofas come in standard and custom sizes. Many have become favorite companions for reading, watching, and relaxing. We have helped many customers with back problems or health and age-related sitting issues. Call to find out what we can do for your comfort. Or visit our showroom in Gloucester, MA

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PIVOTING BLADE allows for bevel cuts along garden borders (up to 15º).

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EnergAire continuously puri es up to 4,000 cubic feet (a large room) of air and makes it breathable and invigorating. Restores natural ion balance to unhealthy environments caused by industrial pollution, automobile exhaust, central airconditioning, and heating, smoke, dust, pollen, animal fur. . . removes microscopic pollution particles not removed by any other method of air puri cation. EnergAire was rated Number One for speed of removal of cigarette smoke by the leading U.S. consumer protection magazine. It has no noisy fan, no costly lter, and requires no maintenance. Uses less than 2 watts. 9" high. 3" diameter. Weighs less than 1 pound. $69.95

RODAR is the super-powerful professional ultrasonic pest repeller with up to 60 or more times the power of other devices — and power is what makes RODAR so e ective. RODAR ultrasound equals a jet engine — noise unbearable to pests but at frequencies humans and pets cannot hear. RODAR units are completely safe. RODAR drives pests out and keeps them from getting in. Handsome simulated walnut cabinet 5-5/8" high. Weight 1-1/2 pounds. Uses less than 5 watts. $99.95

90-day money-back guarantee — 12-month warranty.To order: Send cost for unit(s) plus $10.00 each for shipping and handling (in Mass. add 6.25% tax) by check, money order, MasterCard, Visa, or Discover number and expiration date to Micron Corp.

Thanks to BetterWOMAN, I’m winning the battle for Bladder Control.

Frequent nighttime trips to the bathroom, embarrassing leaks and the inconvenience of constantly searching for rest rooms in public– for years, I struggled with bladder control problems. After trying expensive medications with horrible side effects, ineffective exercises and uncomfortable liners and pads, I was ready to resign myself to a life of bladder leaks, isolation and depression. But then I tried BetterWOMAN

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Depth of Field

In his life and legacy, photographer Arthur Griffin covered far broader territory than the halcyon New England landscape.

or as long as there have been coffee tables, it seems, there have been New England coffee table books. With the subject itself doing much of the heavy lifting—providing glowing fall foliage, romantic lighthouses, and neat-as-a-pin town greens—photographers have flocked to this area as persistently as gulls.

Native son Arthur Griffin, born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in 1903, was the first to publish an all-color photo book on the New England landscape, in 1962. Though he’d been an accomplished photojournalist for nearly three decades, that book—titled simply New England —and two more that followed helped establish him as “New England’s photographer laureate.” His poetic landscapes became ubiquitous, shaping the way people everywhere saw this region. As one biographer wrote in 1994, “It is a rare home that does not have an Arthur Griffin photograph from a telephone book, calendar, annual report, magazine, or book.”

But Griffin, who passed away in 2001, left a legacy that goes beyond scenic beauty. Among New England’s early photojournalists, he was the first to use a 35mm camera; he was also a pioneer in color film, shooting the first color picture published by the Boston Globe (and, incidentally, by this magazine). He was a master of human moments, as seen in the divers suspended thrillingly in midflight in Quincy Quarry ; the balletic pose of Ted Williams in The Swing ; and even the skinny but game little kid dwarfed by his boxing gloves in Young Boxer, Charlestown Boys Club

Most of all, Griffin was passionate about sharing his art. In 1992 he founded a nonprofit center in Winchester, Massachusetts, to archive his 75,000 images and to host rotating exhibits. Today it has grown into the Griffin Museum of Photography, which showcases established and emerging artists from around the world—including many who grew up right here, in the landscape Griffin knew and loved so well. —Jenn Johnson

QUINCY QUARRY © ARTHUR GRIFFIN, COURTESY OF THE GRIFFIN MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHY 188 | NEWENGLAND.COM Timeless New England | CLASSIC IMAGES OF OUR REGION

Arthur Griffin’s Quincy Quarry. Featured on the cover of Life in 1938, this Massachusetts landmark would ultimately prove too dangerous to remain a swimming hole. Filled in with dirt from the Big Dig in 2001, it’s now part of a state park.

WE’VE BEEN ENTERTAINING GENERATIONS OF TRAVELERS FOR GENERATIONS. We’re experiencing a renaissance that’s attracting friends and families from all over to our lush countryside. Roll the dice at Resorts World Catskills. Revitalize mind, body and spirit at Yo1 Wellness Center. Visit the historic site of the 1969 Woodstock festival and stay for an outdoor concert at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Hit the beverage trail for Peace Vodka, Bootlegger Bourbon or Two Headed Stout. Fly fish in the waters where the sport was born. Fast pace or slow pace— this is the place. Come join us. 1.800.882.CATS SullivanCatskills.com #SullivanCatskills ® I LOVE NEW YORK logo is a registered trademark/service mark of the NYS Dept. of Economic Development, used with permission. How’s this for a Change of Place?

Seasonal packages and specials are available. Mention YANKEE when calling. 844.805.4871 mountainviewgrand.com ✦

Yankee Magazine May/June 2018

features

71 /// Best of New England 2018

84 /// The Many Worlds of Winnipesaukee

96 /// A Sense of Wonder

104 /// The Preserve

/// The Last Explorer

The Spirit of Summer

More Contents

New England.com

PREVIEW

INSIDE YANKEE ’S JUNE ISSUE

KIEL JAMES PATRICK AND SARAH VICKERS

MARK FLEMING

LIZ NOFTLE

MATTHEW BILLINGTON

SUSAN HAND SHETTERLY

GRETA RYBUS

Point and Counterpoint

PETAL PERFORMANCE

Working Memory

Seeing with New Eyes

The Promise

A Most Unusual Gift of Love

A Most Unusual Gift of Love

A Most Unusual Gift of Love

Dear Reader,

Entering Paradise

Love for a landscape can take many forms.

LAT 44.1037°

LON 69.1089° W

The Memory House

A father-and-son camping trip to a long-ago family homestead stirs up the past.

First LIGHT

Season Opener

A classic Maine island inn gets ready for summer.

Speak, the Tooth

H I P O R K N E E PA I N ?

Shack Attack

A field guide to traditional New England summer retreats, in all their quirky glory.

WE WERE RIGHT ALL ALONG

P.T. BARNUM

How to Throw a Ringer Every Time

Be Eager to Learn

Make It Fun

Take One Step at a Time

Consistency Is Key

Keep Your Focus

Love What You Do

Don’t Give In

Share the Wealth

The Retirement of a Lifetime

PLOT TWISTS

A GARDEN WAS ALWAYS PART OF THE GAME PLAN.

OUTWITTING VARMINTS

THE GREAT COVER-UP

Early Welo Opals

Treasures from a long-lost world

Cross Jewelers

All the Buzz

The wit and wisdom of a Massachusetts artist’s busy bumblers.

Lady Captain’s Ring

“I Want to Wear My Ring All the Time”

Hidden Away in Guilford, Vermont

And yet this classic New England property is known throughout the world, thanks to a certain remarkable lady.

a Problem?

Stay in the Home You Love!

Stay in the Home You Love!

Stannah

Stannah Provides Excellent Value

Spring Always Returns

Handmade Pierogi Handmade Pierogi

Roasted Root Veggie Hash

Southwest Harbor, Maine Common Good Soup Kitchen

Popovers

Hanover, New Hampshire

Bantam, Connecticut

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Bristol, Rhode Island

Rosemary Biscuit Benny