WINTER is slowly giving way to SPRING in Vermont!!

WINTER is slowly giving way to SPRING in Vermont!!

Note: Now that VT is getting into Spring (and mud season) a lot of local establishments take a vacation before the Summer rush of visitors. Be sure to call before you head to a restaurant to check their days open and hours and make a reservation to be sure of enjoying your dine out experience!

It’s time to register for summer camps for your kids!! Check out these near Leave No Trace Cabin!

1. Vermont Institute of Natural Science http://vinsweb.org/…/…/02/vins-nature-camp-schedule-2018.pdf
2. Billings Farm
https://billingsfarm.org/billings-farm-museum-summer-camps…/
3. GMHA https://www.gmhainc.org/event_d…/junior-horsemanship-clinic/
4. Artistree https://artistreevt.org/summer-camps.html
5. Montshire Museum of Science https://www.montshire.org/programs/summer-camp
6. Farm & Wilderness camps https://farmandwilderness.org
7. Soccer Camps https://www.hartlandrecreation.com/…/…/program_details.aspx…
8. Theatre Camp at Northern Stage https://northernstage.org/…/calling-6-12-year-olds-for-jun…/
9. Athletics https://www.woodstockinn.com/resort/event-calendar/kids-camp
10. Rec Center – games & hikes http://www.woodstockrec.com/…/activit…/program_details.aspx…
11. Splash Camp https://uvacswim.org/swimming/splash-camp/
12. Dance and Performing Arts https://pentanglearts.org/class/
13. Art https://avagallery.org/summer-art-camps/
14. Lots of options at these camps http://www.ultracamp.com/info/upcomingsessions.aspx…

Besides skiing, snowboarding, sitting in front of the wood stove at the cabin, there are other fun activities in the area. Try dogsledding with Braeburn Siberians at the Artisans Plaza in Windsor, VT next to the Harpoon Brewery. Book it through Great River Outfitters (802) 674-9933. (If you’re calling from the cabin you don’t need to dial the 802 but I suggest booking before you arrive as they are in great demand). One of my favorites is Sculpturefest which continues even into Winter (if you want to snowshoe the farms!). It’s an outdoor exhibit of various artists unique sculptures covering two farms. It’s free and a wonderful place to walk, take your dog and enjoy the beautiful countryside. Find directions on their website: www.sculpturefest.org. Also there are fat bike trails on Ascutney Mountain in Brownsville, Woodstock Inn’s Nordic center and now at River Outfitters at the Artisan Plaza in Windsor, VT.

SPECIALS: Prince & Pauper Restaurant in Woodstock offers a special $40 Dinner Special!
Sunday through Thursday evenings our $51, 3 Course Prix Fixe Menu is offered at a special price of $40. This includes Appetizer, House Salad and Entrée. Promotion ending April 30th!

Apr. 7 – Woodstock, VT – The Billings Farm in Woodstock offers a selection of films – check them out on https://billingsfarm.org/filmfest/

Apr. 22 – Woodstock, VT – HAIR, the Tribal Rock Musical, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 4:00 pm, www.pentanglearts.org

Apr. 26-28 – Woodstock, VT – HAIR, the Tribal Rock Musical, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm, www.pentanglearts.org

Apr. 29 – Woodstock, VT – HAIR, the Tribal Rock Musical, Woodstock Town Hall Theatre, 4:00 pm, www.pentanglearts.org

Apr. 28-29 – Woodstock, VT – Glad Rags Sale, Masonic Lodge, 9-3pm(28th) and 10-1pm (29th)

Apr. 29 – Windsor, VT – Music and (Bloody) Marys at Silo Distiller in Artisans Way, 1-3 pm

May 4-6 – Lebanon, NH – Alice in Wonderland, City Center Ballet, Lebanon Opera House, CityCenterBallet.org

May 5 – Woodstock, VT – Kentucky Derby viewing and Derby Hat Contesst, Bentley’s Restaurant

May 12 – Woodstock, VT – East End Eats, Food Truck Festival

Biking and Hiking – New last year is the Ascutney Outdoors organization. They have worked to make Ascutney Mountain in Brownsville, VT a place for all to enjoy various activities.In addition to all the Winter activities held there the trails are great for biking and hiking. There is no charge to use the trails. Check out their website for events planned and future improvements. www.ascutneyoutdoors.org/new-events/

Below are places of interest – dining – touristy – entertainment:

Some fairly new restaurants in the area! Check them out but remember in the Winter and Spring call to check days and hours of opening since they vary as they try to fit in some time off:

New in downtown Woodstock are these restaurants:

Mangalitsa restaurant (for dinner) and Soulfully Good Cafe (for breakfast and lunch).

The Hartland Diner in Jessup’s Plaza at Hartland 3 Corners – open 7 days a week for lunch and breakfast (served all day!).

The owners of the former Stella’s restaurant have opened a restaurant in Windsor at the railroad station (Windsor Station Restaurant and Barroom)serving dinner with lots of music events as well!

Opened in Quechee, Singleton’s Market and Jake’s Market with food items, deli, Vermont products and clothing. It has almost everything you could need from fresh fish, homemade sausages, wine, beer…the list is endless!

Another popular restaurant in Woodstock – The Worthy Kitchen where the Eastender used to be (on the East end of Rt. 4)! Very casual atmosphere, limited menu but the specials change and the food is great (highly recommend the steak!). Draft Beer choices are endless and there is also a token wine selection. The bartenders/wait staff are great fun too!

Another new restaurant on the West end of Woodstock on Rt. 4 is the 506 Bistro in the fancy On the River Inn. In Quechee, The Public House, near the putt-putt golf, offering food and craft beers and they have also just opened the Public House Diner in Quechee. A new restaurant in White River Junction is Piecemeal Pies serving English savory pies.

If you are returning to the area from previous visits please note there are lots of restaurants in the area you may wish to try: Trap Door Bakery and Deli in Quechee, and in Woodstock: Melaza Bistro, Pi Brick Oven Trattoria and Pi Martini Tapas Bar(with Jazz music every Wed. at 7pm), Anchor Wat and Mon Vert Cafe. Of course, many of my “old” favorites are still there: Kedron Valley Inn and Tavern(S. Woodstock)-every Sun. is Burger and Beer night; Keeper’s (Reading), The Black Rock Restaurant (Springfield), Long Trail Brewery(Bridgewater) for lunch, Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Simon Pearce restaurant and The Parker House Inn(Quechee) and many more!! The Kedron Valley Inn is only 3 mi. from the cabin. Bentley’s restaurant in Woodstock offers dancing to their DJ on Friday and Saturday nights at 10 pm. Harpoon Brewery (at Artisan’s Place in Windsor) is open some evenings for dinner – check first as their schedule changes. In the summer there is often Oven-Fired Pizza offered outside.

Another food “establishment” which has garnered a big following is the “elevated food truck” called Chef Brad’s Crazy Side. The food truck has relocated from Hartland to Rt. 4 near the Fat Hat on the way to Quechee. They now have an actual building which is open after October when they close up the food truck. It will reopen inside Nov. 1 for lunch 11:30-2:30. Brad is a fantastic chef, thus the big following. You can follow the restaurant specials on his Facebook site. People rave over his fish in a basket. I personally like his hamburgers or lamb-burgers and sweet potato fries. When the temperatures are cool I always try one of his homemade soups.

Harpoon Brewery – Windsor – don’t forget live music on Thurs. evenings. And visit Farmstead Cheese (Sustainable Farmer) next door! They offer lots of local products. During the summer they have oven fired pizzas for sale to eat on the picnic tables outside. Also in the same complex there is the Silo making Vermont’s own Vodka/Gin/Whiskey/Moonshine. Often the Silo and Farmstead Cheese team up with some local musical talent and hold a special event at the Silo, serving cocktails and food bites. These places are located in Artisan’s Park in Windsor off Rt. 5 – home to many other interesting places such as Simon Pearce outlet store and Great River Outfitters who feature a lot of Water Activities – check out their calendar as well as an adjacent hiking area called Path of Life Garden http://greatriveroutfitters.com. Sometimes in the winter dog sledding is there – check with www.braeburnsiberians.com

Brown’s Tavern is also open for dinner at the Ascutney Resort in nearby Brownsville, along with their Maple Kitchen restaurant which features Prime Rib on Thursday nights.

If you stop at Mike’s Mobil just off Rt. 91 on Rt. 12/5 you’ll find some hot foods to choose from as well as deli sandwiches made to order, to keep you from needing to cook that first meal at the cabin! Large selection of beer,wine, and coffee. It’s also the closest place to get diesel and wi-fi.

Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT gets top marks for it’s displays for young and old including the outside grounds www.montshire.org

I recommend a visit to Sugarbush Farm (www.sugarbushfarm.com) where they have a wonderful educational display and video on sugaring, an animal petting area and a wonderful cheese and maple syrup tasting room with of course a gift shop full of goodies to take home or buy for gifts.

The Windsor Station Restaurant(Windsor, VT) has live music every Tuesday and Friday. Harpoon Brewery (Rt. 5 Windsor) has live music every Thursday and first Saturday. Browns Tavern (Ascutney Resort, VT) has Live music every Sunday. Skunk Hollow Tavern (Hartland 4 Corners) has live music every Wednesday and Friday. For details of who is playing check the links below.

For Windsor area entertainment information:
Windsor Station: http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Harpoon: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/breweries/windsor
Brown’s Tavern: http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Skunk Hollow: http://www.skunkhollowtavern.com/Entertainment.aspx

For info on what’s happening at the Woodstock Town Theatre then check out: www.PentangleArts.org

For more cultural activities in the nearby area check out these sites:

http://www.woodstockvt.com/woodstockvt/events

The nearby Billings Farm Museum has an activity going on most of the weekends.

Home

www.hop.dartmouth.edu Hanover, NH

www.TupeloHall.com White River Junction, VT

www.ClaremontOperaHouse.com Claremont, NH

www.OperaNorth.org Lebanon, NH

www.NorthernStage.org White River Junction, VT

www.ArtistreeVT.org Woodstock, VT2016

Spring???…..sometime in 2014!

Spring???…..sometime in 2014!

Obviously Woodstock believes Spring is just around the corner….of the snow piles. Check out the Spring issue of the Woodstock Magazine: http://issuu.com/mountainviewpublishing/docs/woodstock-magazine-spring-2014

New restaurants! Check it out:

The Hartland Diner in Jessup’s Plaza at Hartland 3 Corners – open 7 days a week for lunch and breakfast (served all day!).

The owners of the former Stella’s restaurant have opened a restaurant in Windsor at the railroad station (Windsor Station Restaurant and Barroom)serving dinner!

Opened in Quechee Singleton’s Market with food items, deli, Vermont products and clothing – check it out on Facebook. It has almost everything you could need from fresh fish, homemade sausages, wine, beer…the list is endless!

Firestone’s Restaurant in Quechee is now closed but River Stones restaurant is open in the same location with a lot of the old favorites on the menu as well as some new delicious sounding items.

Another new restaurant in Woodstock – The Worthy Kitchen where the Eastender used to be (on the East end of Rt. 4)! Very casual atmosphere, limited menu but the specials change and the food is good. Beer choices are endless.

If you are returning to the area from previous visits please note their are lots of restaurants in the area you may wish to try: Trap Door Bakery and Deli in Quechee, and in Woodstock: Melaza Bistro, Pi Brick Oven Trattoria(with Jazz music every Wed. at 7pm), and Mon Vert Cafe. Of course, many of my “old” favorites are still there: Kedron Valley Inn and Tavern(S. Woodstock), Keeper’s (Reading), The Black Rock Restaurant (Springfield), Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Long Trail Brewery(Bridgewater) for lunch, Harpoon Brewery (Windsor), Simon Pearce restaurant and The Parker House(Quechee) and many more!! The Kedron Valley Inn is only 3 mi. from the cabin. Bentley’s restaurant in Woodstock offers dancing to their DJ on Friday and Saturday nights at 10 pm

Kedron Valley Inn restaurant, S.Woodstock, April hours, Fri. and Sat. 5:30-9:00pm

Keeper’s Cafe in Reading, VT, closed from Apr. 1-17

Taftsville Covered Bridge has reopened. It’s been closed since “Irene” and it will be a great relief to have that access to River Road re-opened!

I recommend a visit to Sugarbush Farm (www.sugarbushfarm.com) where they have a wonderful education display and video on sugaring, a animal petting area and a wonderful cheese and maple syrup tasting room with of course a gift shop full of goodies to take home or buy for gifts. Call first during the Winter and Mud Season to make sure roads are passable.

Harpoon Brewery – Windsor – don’t forget live music on Thurs. evenings. And visit Farmstead Cheese (Sustainable Farmer) next door! They are expanding into cheesemaking at this location as well and offer lots of local products. Also in the same complex there is the Silo making Vermont’s own Vodka/Gin/Whiskey.

Brownsville General Store at the base of Ascutney mountain offers a daytime deli and a special dinner offering (eat in or take out) from 5-7pm every Friday night.

Brown’s Tavern is also open for dinner at the Ascutney Resort nearby.

If you stop at Mike’s Mobil just off Rt. 91 on Rt. 12/5 you’ll find a lot of hot foods to choose from, to keep you from needing to cook that first meal!

Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT gets top marks for it’s displays for young and old including the outside grounds www.montshire.org

Winter Activities at the Artisan’s Park in Windsor off Rt. 5 – home to many interesting places such as Harpoon Brewery, Sustainable Farmer (cheese making and other VT products), Simon Pearce outlet store, The Silo (manufacturer of Gin, Vodka and Whiskey) and Great River Outfitters who feature a lot of Winter Activities such as: dog sledding, sleigh rides and snowshoeing – check out their calendar http://greatriveroutfitters.com/winter-schedule

The Windsor Station Restaurant(Windsor, VT) has live music every Tuesday and Friday. Harpoon Brewery (Rt. 5 Windsor) has live music every Thursday and first Saturday. Browns Tavern (Ascutney Resort, VT) has Live music every Sunday Skunk Hollow Tavern (Hartland 4 Corners) has live music every Wednesday and Friday. For details of who is playing check the links below.

For Windsor area entertainment information:
Windsor Station: http://windsorstationvt.com/live-music
Harpoon: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/breweries/windsor
Brown’s Tavern: http://brownstavern.webs.com/apps/calendar
Skunk Hollow: http://www.skunkhollowtavern.com/Entertainment.aspx

Music in April at RiverStones restaurant in Quechee, VT – Friday night at 8pm

Apr. 4 – Gregory Brown

Apr. 11 – Rick Redington

Apr. 18 – Pete Meijer

Apr. 25 – Eric Boedtker

April Music at Skunk Hollow Tavern, Hartland Four Corners, VT – Brownsville – Hartland Road

APRIL 4TH, PETER CONCILIO JAZZ TRIO, ANOTHER GREAT NIGHT OF OUTSTANDING JAZZ!!!

APRIL 11TH, FRYDADDY, COME PREPARED TO DANCE YOUR SOCKS OFF!! OUR HOUSE BAND

APRIL 18TH, THE PARTY CRASHERS ANOTHER GREAT, GREAT BAND

APRIL 25TH, SULLIVAN, HANSCOM, AND DAVIS, THESE GUYS REALLY ROCK!!

Apr. 3 – Hanover, NH – Imani Winds, Spaulding Auditorium, Dartmouth College, 7pm

Apr. 4 – Woodstock, VT – Doug Perkins Trio Concert, Town Hall Theatre, 7-9pm

Apr. 5 – Woodstock, VT – Hyannis Sound, a cappella men’s group, performing at the North Universalist Chapel Society, 7:30pm

Apr. 12 – Woodstock, VT – Little Red Riding Hood, Children’s Opera – live, Norman Williams Public Library, noon – 12:30

Apr. 19 – Woodstock, VT – Billings Farm Museum, Baby Animal Day

Apr. 25 – Woodstock, VT – Glad Rags Sale, Masonic Temple across from Mac’s Market

Apr. 25 – May 4 – In Vermont – Restaurant Week – check to see if your favorite restaurant has a special discount this week

Apr. 26 – Woodstock, VT – Town Theatre, Source to Sea, Robin and Linda Williams, 7:30pm

Apr. 26 – Woodstock, VT – Blue Horse Inn, Cantare Con Spirito, 7pm

Apr. 26 – Woodstock, VT – Glad Rags Sale, Masonic Hall

May 3-4 – Woodstock, VT – Billings Farm Museum, Sheep Shearing and Herding with Border Collie Dogs

May 10 – Woodstock, VT – Mt. Tom Road to the Pogue 10K race www.roadtothepogue.com

May 15 – Woodstock, VT – Studio 31, Blue Horse Inn, Project Trio, 7:30, Reservations – www.pentanglearts.org

A preview of Summer events:

June 1 – Woodstock, VT – 23rd annual Covered Bridges Half Marathon, www.cbhm.com

June 13-15 – Quechee, VT – Hot Air Balloon Festival and Crafts Fair, www.quecheeballoonfestival.com

June 21 – Hartland, VT – Third Annual Hartland Community Arts Jazz Festival

July 25-27 – Woodstock, VT – Bookstock, Green Mountain Literary Festival, www.bookstockvt.org

Aug. 23 – Quechee, VT – Scottish Festival, Sheep Dog Trials

Aug. 24 – Woodstock, VT – First VT Overland Grand Prix, 53 mile dirt road bike race