Vermont Winter came storming in this year!
Snow began falling in earnest the day before Thanksgiving and continued through the next few weeks making one wonder what the Winter in Vermont would hold this year! Hopefully lots of snow for skiing, sledding, and just chilling out in front of the wood stove.
If you’re looking for a place for dinner Christmas Eve – the Kedron Valley Inn (just 3 mi. from the cabin) is open. Make reservations at 802 457-1473
Some fairly 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 and 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 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 great (highly recommend the steak!). Beer choices are endless and there is also a token wine selection. The bartenders/wait staff are great fun too!
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), Anchor Wat 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), 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. Harpoon Brewery (at Artisan’s Place in Windsor) is open some evenings for dinner – check first as their schedule changes.
As of this time, the Prince & the Pauper restaurant in Woodstock is offering their Prix Fixe menu at $39. Great food and a charming atmosphere for a special holiday meal!
Taftsville Covered Bridge has reopened. It had been closed since “Irene” and it is 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.
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. Also in the same complex there is the Silo making Vermont’s own Vodka/Gin/Whiskey/Moonshine.
Brownsville General Store at the base of Ascutney mountain offers a daytime deli (sit down with the locals or take-out).
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 some hot foods to choose from as well as deli sandwiches made to order, to keep you from needing to cook that first meal! Large selection of beer,wine, and coffee.
Montshire Museum in Norwich, VT gets top marks for it’s displays for young and old including the outside grounds www.montshire.org
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 Water Activities – check out their calendar http://greatriveroutfitters.com
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 as well as brick oven-fired pizzas on the weekends(Summer and Fall). 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:
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, VT
Here’s a few of the recently advertised activities in the area:
Dec. 18-21 – Hanover, NH – The Christmas Revels, Hopkins Center for the Arts, www.RevelsNorth.org
Dec. 20 – Woodstock, VT – Indoor Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hall
Jan. 10 – Winter Trails Day – Enjoy free cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
Green Mountain Horse Association – South Woodstock, VT – free! Join us for winter fun on the snow! Spectators welcome.
January 10: Sleighing Combined Test
January 11: Sleigh Rally
January 24: Sleighing Combined Test
January 25: Sleigh Rally
Sleigh Rallies are pleasure driving shows on the snow. Classes include working, reinsmanship, cones, Currier & Ives, sleigh dog, and a cross-country pace (conditions dependent).
Sleighing Combined Tests include dressage and cones competition.
Remember, sleighing events are extremely weather dependent- check our website for status updates. www.gmhainc.org/driving/
Jan. 16 – Windsor, VT – outdoor ice skating party with music, free hot dogs and hot chocolate, State Street Common Rink, 5-7pm (bring your own skates)
Jan. 17-19 – Woodstock, VT – Sleighing at Billings Farm & Musuem
Jan. 17 – Woodstock, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hall, 10-1pm
Feb. 7 – Hartland, VT – The Annual Tiki Torch Trek – 5-8pm -A community evening of outdoor fun! Ski or snowshoe on trails lit by Tiki Torches, eat a great meal and enjoy the bonfire and music. Usually starts across from the Hartland Fire Station on Rt. 12
Feb. 7 – Brownsville, VT – Ascutney Mt., Big Foot 5K snowshoe and bonfire,10:00AM; Day of Registration at 9:00AM, Pre-Registration at www.IMATHLETE.com registration fee ONLY $5!
5k Loop on Mt. Ascutney , Trail Illuminated with Tiki Torches!- Bonfire and S’Mores at the Finish! Snow shoes of all sizes available for rent and supplied by Great River Outfitters. Snow shoe rental is $10.
Feb. 7 – Woodstock, VT – “The Fiddler on the Roof”, Town Hall Theatre, www.pentanglearts.org
Feb. 13-15 – Woodstock, VT – Snow Flurry – Snow sculptures on the Green
Feb. 14 – Pomfret, VT – Annual Torchlight Parade and Dance, Suicide Six Ski Area
Feb. 14-22 – Woodstock, VT – Sleigh Ride Week at Billings Farm & Musuem
Feb. 20 – Woodstock, VT – Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Town Hall Theatre, 7:30, www.pentanglearts.org
Feb. 21 – Woodstock, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hall, 10-1pm
Mar. 6-8 – Pomfret, VT – Special Olympics Vermont Winter Games, Suicide Six Ski Area
Mar. 21 – Woodstock, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hall, 10-1pm
Mar. 27-29 – Statewide – Maple Sugar Open Houses
Apr. 18 – Woodstock, VT – Winter Farmer’s Market, Masonic Hall, 10-1pm
