The Fussy Diner

Hartford, Connecticut: Bustling, Bounteous, Historic

2011-11-17T05:51:00.000-08:00

Inspiration, Inventions, Innovation – and a Terrific Meal at Métro Bis

In her day job, the Fussy Diner is a marketing and communications consultant who works with a lot of entrepreneurs. So, it was with some amusement – and delight – that we found a recent short vacation to Hartford, Connecticut turning into a busman’s holiday, as FD had a chance to rub elbows (figuratively) with entrepreneurs from the past. It’s encouraging to be reminded that entrepreneurs, their innovative spirit, and their inventions are everywhere - in place and in time.

Entrepreneur Samuel Colt invented the revolver – a gun that could be shot multiple times without reloading. He built a modern factory in Hartford that specialized in interchangeable-parts manufacturing for firearms, revolutionizing the business and creating a mass market for guns. He also was an early proponent of modern marketing techniques to sell his products. He became enormously wealthy during the late 19th century, including accumulating a large art collection. His widow eventually donated much of it to the Wadsworth Atheneum.

The Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public art museum in the country. It contains artworks and guns from the personal collections of Mr. Colt, along with many other works. The museum, located in downtown Hartford, includes paintings from Impressionists and Post-Impressionists as well as a large number of works from early American artists, including the Hudson River School; and from modern artists and designers such as Andy Warhol, George Segal (whose 1971 work "Trapeze" was suspended in the soaring center court of the modern wing), and Frank Lloyd Wright. We spent a half day here, but wish we had allowed for a whole day.

The Wadsworth is located right next to City Hall. Alexander Calder's massive "Stegosaurus" sculpture is in the open plaza between the museum and City Hall, and there is an interesting sculpture that depicts the wheels of industry and production.

The Mark Twain House & Museum (see photo above) is a must-visit for Twain fans, readers, history lovers – and fans of entrepreneurship. Author Mark Twain was a venture capitalist/investor and an entrepreneur, although not very successful at either. The story of his life is depicted vividly in the house (where he lived and worked from 1874 to 1891) and in a breathtaking modern museum building designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern.

As a VC, Mark Twain invested heavily in inventions and patents, including patenting a Self-Pasting Scrapbook. A printer by trade, he invested $200,000 in the Paige Compositor, the first automated typesetting machine. Only two were built, and none sold; the technology was eclipsed by the Linotype machine. Twain was forced to declare bankruptcy and went on a grueling worldwide lecture circuit to rebuild his fortune. Like many entrepreneurs, Mark Twain was successful at bouncing back – in this case, earning his second fortune as a successful lecturer and social commentator.

According to the Mark Twain House & Museum's excellent Web site, after Twain and his wife Olivia sold the mansion to another family in 1903, it went through several transitions. Eventually, it was purchased by the Friends of Hartford, with formal restoration beginning in 1963 (under the aegis of a special group formed to preserve the building). when the building was designated a National Historic Landmark. The site includes the modern museum, which you can visit self-guided; with guided tours of the house and the servants’ quarters (our docent, Jay, gave a great tour of the house). The Mark Twain House & Museum is right next to the Harriet Beecher Stowe House and Research Center, so you can do a two-fer if you have the time.

A short drive southwest of Hartford is the American Clock and Watch Museum in Bristol. In an engagingly designed multimedia exhibit (see photo above), the museum tells the story of Eli Terry, a clockmaker, inventor and entrepreneur. As a 14-year-old apprentice clockmaker, Eli Terry dreamed of making clocks affordable for everyone. He went on to found the modern clock-making industry, a major industry in Connecticut in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries.

In the early days, clockworks were made by hand from wooden parts. Customers received only the clockface and clockworks - they were on their own for the cases. And the clocks were so costly that only rich people could afford them. The museum literally walks you through the history of the modern clock-making industry, with creative displays about financing, the evolution of mass production/manufacturing techniques (interchangeable parts manufacturing, again), and distribution/marketing, starting with Yankee Pedlars. The Pedlars went from town to town selling the clocks and other goods. For advertising, they would often leave loaner clocks with prominent people in the towns. You’ll visit the recreation of a 19th century clockmaker's shop, and get a feeling for the somewhat oppressive factories where mostly young-women immigrants assembled clocks on assembly lines (women were valued for this work because of their smaller fingers).

Home base during our visit was the Simsbury Inn, a gracious, business-class hotel in the leafy suburb of Simsbury. The Simsbury Inn is a wonderful and convenient place to stay if you are exploring Hartford and environs, or following the Connecticut Wine Trail. The Inn combines business efficiency with the flavor of an inn in the French countryside.

Our king-bedded room (see photo above) had a bow window, a reading nook, and a real old-fashioned writing desk. The hotel was immaculate and operated hyper-efficiently, with many rooms that had recently undergone upgrades. There’s a comfortable fireplaced tavern and lounge that serves decent food from lunch through cocktails and dinner, and a well-regarded restaurant, Evergreens, that is open for dinner mostly on weekends. The lobby breakfast restaurant is intimate and efficient, with friendly service and food that features imaginative twists on traditional breakfast items.

The Simsbury Inn is convenient to Bradley Airport, also the location of another museum: the New England Air and Space Museum. (Next trip.)

In addition to more museums, downtown Hartford boasts a number of good restaurants, but we chose to stay in our leafy suburb for dinner. And will forever be glad that we did. We had one of the best meals of our dining lives at Métro Bis, a classic French bistro with spectacular food and service. (To read more about our experience at Métro Bis, click here for a full review.) It was one of the most memorable meals we have ever had; high-quality ingredients in simple but imaginative preparations, delivered with effortless perfection.

Our experience at nearby Abigail’s Grille and Wine Bar was disappointing, mostly because of very poor service. Located in a historic tavern (said to be haunted); Abigail’s has the vibe of a busy neighborhood steakhouse, a broad menu of continental and American food, and a great wine list. There’s a lively bar and lounge, and outside dining in season.

The restaurant positions itself as suitable for all occasions – special or everyday – and we certainly saw that on our visit: diners included families with well-behaved children, couples, and a table full of businessmen heads down in deep conversation. (To their credit, Abigail's management responded apologetically to our service problem, taking pains to track us down through our review on Open Table. We will definitely try the restaurant again on a future visit.)

If you are looking for a short but relaxing vacation in New England, check out Hartford, Connecticut. It has something for everyone – especially Type-A business people and museum nerds like us.

Métro Bis: A Classic French Bistro with Imaginative Food in Simsbury, Connecticut

2011-08-23T05:15:00.000-07:00

A Magnificent, Magical and Memorable Meal

The word on Métro Bis in Simsbury, Connecticut was so universally good that we feared it couldn’t possibly live up to its reputation. But it did – and then some. Halfway through this meal, my husband looked at me and said “I will always remember this moment.”

From the minute we walked through the door, we felt transported to Paris. The owners of Métro Bis have perfectly recreated the French bistro experience: casually welcoming and relaxing, intimate yet energetic, simple but lovingly and carefully prepared food, efficient service.

A single, airy, high-ceiled room contains a handful of comfortable tables with some banquette seating. There's touches of dark wood, feathery white cloth window shades, the requisite chalk board, dramatic velvet interior drapes, and vintage-style wallpaper. A whimsical entrance and lobby area with a Retro waiting bench evokes the real metro in Paris. The efficient, knowledgeable, and unobtrusive waiters are dressed in white shirts, black ties and black pants.

The service is crisp and traditional (in other words: free of the usual attitude and dude-speak that pollute most restaurant service these days). This place could run a side business teaching restaurants how service is supposed to be delivered.

The imaginative food, created by Chef-Owner Christopher Prosperi and his small team, emphasizes superior ingredients in creative combinations with an element of surprise to each dish. Chef Prosperi, rightly so, has attained celebrity status, but he was right there in his whites on a rainy Monday night, turning out dinners from an open kitchen that ran like clockwork. (We spotted only one sous chef that evening.) He looks like a happy man who loves his work.

Like a true French bistro, the emphasis is on quality versus quantity, with about a dozen appetizers, a dozen entrées and a few desserts on the menu each evening. We each had an appetizer and an entrée, but I suspect that one could also assemble a substantial meal from appetizers, which ranged from salads and a soup to less-traditional dishes such as crispy Thai chicken rolls. (The restaurant also has a tasting menu, which we’ll try on our next visit.)

For appetizers, we tried a crispy tart made from goat cheese and potato, served over baby greens with a terrific smoked tomato jam (surprise) and balsamic vinaigrette; and a salad of baby greens that tucked in sweet roasted garlic cloves (surprise) along with full-sized candied walnuts, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives and gorgonzola. The latter was a delightful combination of sweet and savory; the tart was like eating a cloud.

For his entree, my husband had the slow-roasted pork, which was served over steamed baby bok choy and braised fennel with roasted baby carrots and a sweet pork glaze. This dish was simply amazing – succulent, tender, aromatic, earthy and a twist on this traditional bistro dish. (We suspect that this is one of the restaurant’s signature dishes, judging by the number of plates of it that we saw passing through the dining room.)

I am a big fan of rainbow trout, but too often the beautiful simple taste of the fish is overwhelmed by too many flavors. Chef Prosperi’s presentation was a delight: it paired perfectly and lightly pan-fried fillets with a sweet potato-apple smoked bacon hash, warm tomato-bacon vinaigrette, and a daub of basil-pecan pesto. Although there was a confluence of flavors in these diverse ingredients, everything worked together beautifully. Pure bliss for this fish lover.

There’s a solid wine list with a number of good wines by the glass, including a 2009 St. Michelle Chardonnay (Washington State). While reading the menu and sipping our drinks, we enjoyed the complimentary toasted pita squares served with a roasted red pepper hummus.

For dessert, we had an Irish coffee (we’re engaged in an unscientific, multi-year study of the world’s best Irish coffees – and Métro Bis’ goes to the top of the list for flavor, style and presentation); and a lemon posset, a wispy eggless custard topped with a light strawberry sauce. Heavenly.

Our meal at Métro Bis was perfect from start to finish, and one that we will remember for a very long time.

Métro Bis is open for lunch daily (except Sunday) from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM and for dinner daily (except Sunday) from 5:30 to 9:30 PM. For dinner, most appetizers are in the $8 – 10 range, and entrees range from $22 – 29 at press time. We paid around $100 for two appetizers, two drinks (beer and wine), two entrees, one dessert and a special coffee. Such a deal.

The Fussy Diner's verdict: Two Forks Up – way up. Get thee to Métro Bis – it’s worth a trip to Simsbury, a leafy suburb of Hartford.

A Whistle Stop in White River Junction, Vermont

2011-05-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

An Historical Railroad Town Has Some New Tricks

As busy self-employed consultants, we’re finding it more difficult than ever to take traditional vacations. So, we’re taking more mini-vacations. This has given us an opportunity to explore places in Northern New England relatively close to our home.

Most recently, we took an overnight trip to White River Junction, Vermont, a historic railroad town on the Connecticut River.

Technically, White River Junction (WRJ) is part of Hartford, Vermont. The “junction” refers to the train station, which connects St. Albans (near Burlington and the Canada border) with New York City and Washington, D.C. Amtrak runs regular daily passenger service between these locations, including stops in Vermont (such as Essex Junction/Burlington and the ski areas), New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut. “The Vermonter” line is one of the northernmost segments of the Amtrak system.

Located right off Interstate Route 91, White River Junction is another one of those great small New England towns that people touch – for example, to tank up their cars in the commercial strip outside of town – but often never take the time to explore.

It’s well worth taking a detour to explore White River Junction – particularly if you’re a lover of classic small towns, early 1900s architecture, railroads, or the arts. WRJ mixes up turn-of-the-century architecture with a thriving arts scene, interesting shops, a few good restaurants, and a friendly, local vibe. Like many small towns in the North Country, WRJ is struggling a bit, but there’s a great sense of community spirit, a can-do attitude, and always new things to see and do.

An Evening at Tupelo Music Hall

The reason for our visit was a performance by our favorite comedian, Paula Poundstone. We try to catch her act whenever we can – she’s brilliant and we’ve been fans for 25 years. Fortunately for us, she is one of the nationally recognized acts that come to the North Country.

The Freight House

Paula was performing that night in the Tupelo Music Hall, a relatively new performance hall located in the renovated Freight House. With its intimate theatre-style seating – the sold-out house appeared to accommodate about 225 people that night – Tupelo is actually more like a performance club. You can bring in your own beer and wine if you want – for a nominal charge ($3/person) – and the house sells non-alcoholic beverages and snacks.

It was great to see Paula work with a smaller audience in a club-like setting. Tupelo books national acts, but not the usual commercial dreck, and the staff is great. This is a terrific way to enjoy great music and other acts in an intimate setting with a friendly, mostly local crowd.

Dinner at Elixir Restaurant & Lounge

Before Paula Poundstone’s performance, we had dinner at Elixir Restaurant & Lounge, also in the Freight House. Elixir offers cosmopolitan food and a great wine list in a laid-back setting with excellent service. This was one of the best restaurant experiences we have had in ages. (Read our full review here.) A tip: Elixir also caters the bar snacks at Tupelo.

Resting Up at the Hotel Coolidge

We took advantage of the Tupelo’s special deal ($79/night plus tax) with the Hotel Coolidge, a vast, 1920s-era hotel that we had always wanted to try. David Briggs and his team lovingly maintain this old gem, and they provide a welcoming experience and a good value. (If you require air conditioning and “modern” services, better to try the cluster of chain hotels up near the Interstate.) Although it books itself as “real North Country hotel,” the Hotel Coolidge offers modern conveniences like wireless Internet and plenty of free parking. We had fun wandering the halls of the hotel, and checking out the architectural nuances.

The rooms at the Hotel Coolidge are simple but clean and comfortable. Our request for a king-bedded room netted us one-half of a suite on the front of the building; we had not only a full bath, but also a half bath. The mattress was new, the full bath was spacious and sparkling, and there were two easy chairs and good lighting for reading.

We had only two criticisms of the Hotel Coolidge, and they are both likely due to the fact that it’s an old building.

Our first criticism was the ventilation: although the hotel had helpfully included both a space heater and a box fan in the room, we were unable to open either of the large bedroom windows that overlooked Main Street (they were painted shut). We ended up opening the large bathroom window, and propping open the broken sash with a wastebasket.

Our second criticism was the thin walls. We were kept awake by the unusually loud snoring of the guest in the next room. Therefore, I can’t really recommend this hotel if you are in town on business and need to count on a good night’s sleep. (Although I have little doubt that the hotel staff would have relocated us if we had complained – they are very accommodating.)

The Hotel Coolidge did something else very smart: one back wing of the sprawling building has been converted to hostel accommodations. As a result, the guests were an interesting mix of hotel guests and hostel guests, and nearly all adults. It had a bit of the feel of a weekend party in a very large, genteel English castle (circa 2011), with people sprawled in overstuffed chairs in the common areas reading, talking and working on laptops.

This was a unique hotel experience, and we enjoyed our adventure.

A Walker's Town

If you get hungry, there’s a deli, an excellent bakery/coffee shop (killer bagels), a new coffee bar, a pub and an old-fashioned diner (the Polka Dot) all within a block. The Tip Top Café is a few blocks north, a café by day that turns into a bistro at night, and Elixir Restaurant, with its martini bar, is two blocks south of the hotel.

Get a coffee and walk around the block. There’s a bunch of funky shops on Main Street and in the first floor of the Hotel Coolidge building, which takes up most of a whole block on its own. Or just enjoy the old buildings on and off of Main Street, which include such businesses as a typewriter store and Vermont Salvage.

The Center for Cartoon Studies is right across the street from the hotel. Step inside and check out the gallery of students’ work (free). Congratulations to the Class of 2011, which was graduating from the school the weekend we were there. We knew this because the list of graduates was proudly promoted in the window of the Coolidge.

If you’re a train lover (as we are), check out the train station. It’s a blend of old and new. Every September, WRJ hosts a special weekend event called “The Glory Days of the Railroad,” with a flea market, displays of trains and memorabilia, food and drink, and excursion rides alongside the river that offer some great views of one of Vermont’s famed covered bridges. This event ($3/person, rain or shine) is a lot of fun.

A Thriving Artists Community

White River Junction has a thriving arts community. There’s always something interesting going on – just check out the store windows or the many community bulletin boards scattered around town. Of particular note is the Northern Stage, a popular non-profit regional professional theatre that performs at the Briggs Opera House on Main Street.

White River Junction is a few miles from Hanover, NH, home of Dartmouth College as well as many restaurants, shopping, bars, a movie theatre, a performing arts center and a terrific museum, the Hood Museum of Art (admission is free).

The Fussy Diner's verdict: Two Forks Up – and a hearty “all-aboard” for White River Junction, Vermont.

Elixir Restaurant, White River Junction, Vermont: Cosmopolitan Food, Laid-Back Ambiance

2011-05-18T06:45:00.000-07:00

“Approachable” is the Word for this North Country Gem

You know you’re in for a special dining experience when you are greeted and seated by one of the co-owners of the restaurant.

So began our adventure at Elixir Restaurant & Lounge, a simply terrific restaurant located in the renovated Freight House in White River Junction, Vermont. And it just got better from there.

Seasoned restaurateurs Skip Symanski and Jane Carrier have created a dining experience that blends upscale food with the kind of welcoming, approachable environment one finds in a neighborhood place.

And in fact, this is a neighborhood place: Skip estimates that 90% of his customers are locals, and he knows most if not all of them by name. The word-of-mouth on this three-year-old place is such that it no longer advertises. We know all this because the ever-personable Skip stopped by our table and answered our endless “newbie” questions about the restaurant.

The brick-walled restaurant has a New-York-City-edge-meets-Vermont-charm feel. The high-ceilinged rooms contain about 15 tables, with comfortable modern wooden chairs and bistro-type dining tables. There’s a separate room with a table for larger parties, and a comfortable couch area for waiting or having drinks if you are lucky enough to snag it. A curved bar with high stools curves around the front corner of the main room.

Perhaps because of the high, baffled ceilings, the restaurant is both buzzingly energetic and intimate at the same time. Amazingly, we couldn’t overhear anyone at nearby tables. Quite a design feat.

The menu is short, with daily specials that are definitely worth trying. I started with a salad made of delicate local greens topped with local goat cheese, slivered almonds and an amazing pomegranate vinaigrette. My husband splurged on the truffled fries, which were accompanied by a spicy-creamy dipping sauce and were plenty for two people. Worth every calorie.

My entrée - short ribs – was one of the specials, and it was simply transcendent. A thick square of ribs was melt-in-your-mouth perfection, served on a bed of homemade spätzel and topped with local fiddlehead ferns in a light, vinegary brown sauce. Heaven on a plate. This was quite possibly the best short ribs I have ever had.

My husband had one of the popular items from the regular menu: chicken thighs dusted with smoked paprika, served over a creamy roasted tomato polenta with a cilantro chimichurri sauce and sweet corn puree with a touch of lemon. This dish was an explosion of colors with an “undefinable” rich taste. My husband pronounced it not something he would eat every time, but a unique dish worth ordering again.

Elixir specializes in creative cocktails and has an imaginative international wine list with

many wines available by the glass. Prices are surprisingly reasonable – including wines by the glass (around $6). With most other wine-oriented restaurants pressing the $8-10 level for glasses of wine, this pricing strategy allows wine lovers to enjoy themselves and try different wines without going broke. I had the wine special of the night: a Sincerité Pinot Noir from France ($6), which was light and just what I needed. There is also a short but serviceable beer list, with Corona (my husband’s favorite).

Chef Adrian Baldwin worked in Maine and the Rockies before coming to Vermont's Upper Valley area. He has a deft and unforced hand, and creates lively, memorable dishes using mostly locally sourced ingredients. We were amazed to learn that a staff of only two people runs the kitchen. Everything came out on time and was attractively plated. Skip explained that “they are serious foodies who live for food.”

Service was both crisp and warm, delivered by knowledgeable and friendly young women. We watched as one server patiently helped some regulars with a wine selection, including bringing them tastes to help them make their selection. Our server Ira was from the Ukraine, and clearly enjoyed her work.

We wished we had saved room for the desserts ($6), which included a tempting Pear Martini made with a sweet vermouth poached pear and a lemon-virgin olive oil ice cream. Next time.

Although we didn’t get to see the train roll by outside our window seat, we enjoyed overlooking the freight yard – one of the main attractions in this wonderful historical town – and dreaming about taking the train south to New York City.

But why? We had everything right there in Elixir: great food, a great vibe, great wine and great people-watching.

We paid $84 (including tax) for two appetizers, two entrees, two rounds of drinks, and two double-espressos. Such a deal. We’ll be back soon – well worth the 75-mile round-trip.

As we left, the busy bartender looked up from his work long enough to thank us for coming. That’s the kind of place Elixir is.

Elixir Restaurant & Lounge is open for dinner Tuesday – Saturday, from 5 PM to 10:30 PM. The inviting bar opens at 4 PM. Reservations recommended for dinner. (Reminder: it's always good to check hours on restaurant Web sites before venturing out.)

The Fussy Diner's verdict: Two Forks Up – and a bonus toot on the train whistle for Elixir.

The Bistro Next Door: Six Burner Bistro in Plymouth, New Hampshire

2011-05-03T06:08:00.000-07:00

Imaginative Food, Great People, Enjoyable Experience

Tucked into an old house on South Main Street in Plymouth, NH, is Six Burner Bistro, a charming restaurant that serves creative American food. After a drive, we ended up there for an early dinner on a recent Saturday night, and were cheerfully accommodated even though we didn’t have a reservation.

Chef Rob Kelley has a deft touch and weaves locally sourced ingredients (when available) into a variety of terrific appetizers, small plates and entrees. The menu features touches of Asian, Italian, French, and Mexican, alongside American classics like Maryland crab & corn chowder, mac ‘n’ cheese, and fried (homemade) mozzarella and crab cake appetizers.

Chef Kelley is a veteran of local restaurants, including several in the Common Man family; and has also worked in Florida and in Boston (North End, Museum of Fine Arts). His food reflects his eclectic experience. Everything we had was carefully prepared and fresh, and imaginatively plated.

In the classic bistro style, one can fashion a meal to meet one’s appetite and budget.

For his meal, my husband assembled a salad and two appetizers. A snappingly fresh spinach salad came topped with fresh sliced white mushrooms, slivers of red onion, shreds of hard-boiled eggs, and a balsamic vinaigrette. A piquant lemony artichoke hearts Française was light, and baked gnocchi pomadoro paired rib-warming pasta with a wonderfully light tomato sauce. I started with a Caprese salad, made from the chef’s homemade mozzarella, succulent tomatoes from Hobbit Hill Farm (coincidentally our across-the-street neighbor), and a balsamic vinegar reduction.

For an entrée, I had one of the specials: pan-fried red snapper topped with a spicy red pepper sauce and served with a small portion of spiced rice and a swirl of feather-light mustard wasabi sauce. The fish was lightly breaded and substantial, and the sauce the perfect complement. My only criticism was that the fish was a bit overcooked and thus a little dry. The salads and appetizers are substantial: we ended up sharing the artichokes.

The restaurant has a short but serviceable wine and beer list, including locally made beers. My husband had Tuckerman’s Pale Ale, a hoppy, refreshing beer, and I had a glass of Mark West Pinot Noir – both perfect accompaniments to our meals. The wine list is mostly American wines (Kendall Jackson, Mark West), with some standard international selections. Bottle prices are reasonable; wines by the glass run from $6 (house) to $8.75. The house wines are from Woodbridge.

The bistro’s prices aren’t inexpensive, but we felt that our dinner was a good value at $68 for two, including tax.

We have heard great things about the mac ‘n’ cheese (with a few different options for add-ons) and the steak frites (what’s a bistro without steak frites?), so we plan to give these a try on a future trip. And I have my eye on the Thai salmon wrap (lighter fare) and the curried pasta with vegetables (entrée). There are always daily specials, which are worth trying.

Dinner is served in one of two dining rooms, including one with a wood-burning fireplace. There is a good-sized, sunny bar off the main dining room, which also contains a few tables. The restaurant’s décor is simple, but the ambiance is warm and intimate – in the bistro style – and the service efficient and friendly, but not cloying.

Plymouth is home to Plymouth State College, so the dining options have traditionally trended toward pizza, pub fare and Chinese. (The Common Man does have two restaurants in town, Foster’s and The Italian Farmhouse; and the original Common Man is in Ashland, five miles south on Route 3.) The Six Burner Bistro definitely raises the dining game in Plymouth, and its bistro format makes it affordable enough to become a semi-regular favorite.

Open for dinner Wednesday–Sunday (from 5 PM) and for lunch daily (11 AM- 4 PM). Reservations recommended for dinner, as the restaurant is getting very popular.

The restaurant is also very popular with local business people for lunch. There is no table service: you order from the open kitchen, and you can seat yourself in the dining room or take your food out. Many of the items on the dinner menu are also on the lunch menu.

The Fussy Diner's verdict: Two Forks Up. A breath of fresh air in Plymouth, and a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Snapshot: Lucky Dog Tavern & Grill, Plymouth, NH

2011-03-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

A cold but sunny Sunday afternoon was the perfect excuse to get out of the house for a drive in New Hampshire’s Western White Mountains (where we live and work). We ended up in Plymouth, a college town with a picture-postcard Main Street and town common.

We stopped for an early dinner at one of the town’s many restaurants – and an old favorite. The Lucky Dog Tavern & Grill is a laid-back, quirky pub-style restaurant on Main Street that offers an extensive food and beverage menu. The funky-shaped restaurant (it used to be a car dealership) is fitted out with comfortable booths and tables made of dark-polished wood, along with a small bar. Downstairs there’s a large lounge that gets hopping at night, offering pool, games and live music, including an open-mic night on Wednesdays.

The Lucky Dog has something for everyone: good-sized sandwiches, burgers and paninis; vegetarian specials; chicken, pork, seafood and beef entrees; pastas; a huge selection of appetizers; soups and chili; many sides; and decently executed Mexican specialties such as quesadillas and burritos. There are always daily specials, and a small salad bar with fresh items and serve-yourself bread and cheese. This variety makes the Lucky Dog a great place for families, couples and groups of friends, because one can put together a meal to satisfy almost any appetite in the party – from light-eating vegetarians to ravenous snowboarders. (There’s also a good children’s menu.)

The food was very well-prepared – even better than we had remembered from our last visit – and a cut above traditional pub fare. Our meals were served with efficiency and a smile by our energetic server.

We both had chicken quesadillas: juicy grilled chicken, fresh vegetables and cheese in a flour tortilla, grilled and topped with dollops of rich red salsa and sour cream. It was just enough for an early dinner.

Not surprisingly, the Lucky Dog has an extensive list of imported and domestic beers (including some locally brewed beers), as well as fancy cocktails and hot drinks. An Irish coffee, made with Jameson Irish Whiskey and the house coffee (Citavo), was a work of art, served in a tall glass and topped with a pile of real whipped cream. The wine-by-the-glass list is unimaginative but serviceable (it’s a college town), and you get a good pour.

If you like desserts, this is the place for you. We tried the harvest bread pudding ($4.95), which was also served with real whipped cream and was big enough for two. Other choices included key lime pie, ice cream, and a hot fudge sundae.

The Lucky Dog is not inexpensive: we paid around $48 for our entrees, two drinks, coffee and desserts. But it delivers good value.

On past visits, we enjoyed the pastas and other Mexican specialties, and the Psycho Chicken and pork sandwiches. The Lucky Dog does chicken and beef dishes particularly well.

If you are coming or going from skiing in Waterville Valley or parts north, the Lucky Dog is a quick jaunt off Route 93. After your meal, take a stroll down Main Street in this charming town before jumping back on Route 93.

Open for dinner seven days a week and for lunch Friday-Sunday (but be sure to double-check hours, because they change seasonally).

The Fussy Diner's verdict: One-and-a-Half Forks Up and a big woof. A good, dependable and enjoyable place.

Three New Hampshire Diners Worth a Drive

2010-09-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Point Your GPS at Lincoln, Plymouth and Hanover in NH’s White Mountains

Living in the beautiful Western White Mountains, we get a lot of house guests. When we have guests, going out for Sunday breakfast is a ritual. There are many great places for breakfast within a reasonable drive of our home, but here three of our special favorites.

Sunny Day Diner, Lincoln: Located a block south of Clark’s Trading Post, the Sunny Day Diner and Bakery serves classic diner fare with some unusual gourmet twists, in a 1958 Masters Diner car with a small outdoor dining porch that’s open in season. Everything is very well-prepared here, and a surprise for a diner. The owner’s Greek heritage is reflected in the menu, with baklava and a few other items.

Try the specials. Favorite items include Eggs Benedict, Banana Bread French Toast, the Fancy Egg Scramble (a three-egg open-faced omelette made with tomatoes, sweet basil, and Provolone and Romano cheeses), and the Salmon Stack, a Benedict made from a piece of grilled salmon (instead of eggs) layered with spinach. They bake their own bread, so the toast is wonderful; you can buy loaves to take home.

The Sunny Day’s priorities are reflected in its motto: “Stop By…Say Hi…Eat Pie.” The diner, which has its own in-house bakery, offers a changing selection of pies, all terrific. Service is snappy and friendly, delivered by a team of efficient and pleasant young women. (The staff is particularly patient with children.) The place is small, so you may have to wait, but people move along quickly. The booths tend to be a tight fit, so some folks may want to sit at the counter. The Sunny Day recently added more parking spaces and spiffed up its exterior. The whole place (including the restrooms) is immaculate – unusual for a place that is always busy and often filled with families. You can get breakfast and lunch here from 7 AM to 2 PM daily. Cash only. Telephone (603) 745-4833.

Main Street Station, Plymouth: Main Street Station has great Eggs Benedict with a wonderfully light, lemony sauce, and the home fries are excellent. The restaurant is located in a classic dining car, but there is a spacious and homey dining room out back, so the place can accommodate a good number of people. The diner car overlooks the main street of this bustling college town and the campus of Plymouth State University, making it great for people-watching. The booths are a bit tight, but there is also a long counter where you can sit if you would like more room. The coffee is excellent and they keep it coming, and the service is attentive and friendly.

There are several kinds of Eggs Benedict, terrific French Toast and pancakes, and many other items – more choices than your typical diner, and served in large portions. On a recent visit, we had the breakfast burrito, a soft flour wrap stuffed with scrambled eggs, refried beans and cheese and then topped with fresh salsa, chopped vegetables, black olives and sliced jalapenos; and Eggs Marcella, a Benedict made with peppers, artichokes and mushrooms in place of the Canadian bacon. (The burrito was big enough to have been shared.) We love the people and the kitschy décor. We haven’t tried lunch here, but we hear it’s great. Main Street Station serves from 7 AM to 3 PM daily (1 PM on Sundays). Breakfast is available until noon daily and all day Sunday. Telephone (603) 536-7577.

Walk off your breakfast by strolling up Main Street and across the town common, with its old-time bandstand and famous Boy Scout statue. Some trivia: author Nathaniel Hawthorne died in Plymouth while visiting the White Mountains – a fact commemorated by a small monument on the common.

Lou’s Restaurant, Hanover: Technically, Hanover is in the Lake Sunapee region, but it’s on the edge of the Western Whites (in fact, the Appalachian Trail goes right through town). Lou’s is an institution with Dartmouth College students and professors, as well as local residents. It’s a bakery and diner-style restaurant on Main Street. Lou’s serves terrific, hefty breakfasts and lunches all day (until 3 PM) at the counter and about a dozen booths squeezed into this storefront.

Favorite dishes include puffy omelettes, and the Mexican specialties (breakfast tacos, migas, and breakfast quesadillas). As might be expected, Lou’s French toast and pancakes are exceptional – try topping with fresh fruit. There are daily specials, which are always good. The fresh-squeezed orange juice is irresistible, and the toast (made from several kinds of bread baked locally) is delectable. There’s oatmeal, homemade granola, fresh fruit and other items available for more health-conscious diners. Great coffee. Quick no-nonsense service. It’s a popular place, so there is often a line – but it usually moves fast. Telephone (603) 643-3321.

Prices at all three places tend to range from $5 -$15 per person for breakfast, starting with breakfast sandwiches and oatmeal on the low end, all the way up to steak-and-eggs and more exotic fare at the high end.

It’s best to check the Web or call the diners before heading out, as their hours may change seasonally.

Fussy Diner rating: Two Forks Up

More Unforgettable Travel Moments: Mexico, New York, Caribbean

2010-09-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

More Memorable Scenes from a 25-Year-Old Traveling Marriage

In a recent article, I wrote about five memorable moments from my many years of travel with my husband. We remember all our travels fondly, but some moments in time stand out more than most. Here are five more of them.

Living the Literary Life at the Algonquin Hotel, New York City: We took the train to New York City from Route 128 in Massachusetts, through John Cheever and Richard Yates country in Connecticut. We were escorted to our thankfully-not-too-renovated hotel room by a bellman who had worked at the hotel for 40 years. We had drinks at the Blue Bar, attended by world’s oldest barman – still impeccably uniformed and at the top of his game. We sat in the Oak Room and imagined Dorothy Parker, Robert Benchley, and their colleagues holding court at the Round Table. We saw three plays in three days – including a terrific revival of “Damn Yankees” (from front-row seats). We braved the SRO bar crowd at fern-bar Langan’s, to discover a terrific European-quality restaurant in the back, complete with white-aproned waiters.

The Pool, Villa Montana, Morelia, Michoacán state, Mexico: I loved swimming in the pool (see photo above) at this transported-from–the-Mediterranean estate (owned by a French count), which overlooks the majestic but untrod city of Morelia. (See my full review here.)

Dressing for Dinner, Cambridge Beaches Hotel, Somerset, Bermuda: At the time, guests dressed for dinner every other night, at this gracious, faded-glory cottage colony – the oldest on the island. We felt as if we were stepping back into a more civilized time, before dinner was an event for squeezing-in between cellphone calls. At the time, the resort only accepted cash – which weeded out the riff-raff. Beautiful cottage accommodations, wonderful service, lovely campus and great house, and of course, several great beaches.

Cocktails in the Great Room, Friends Lake Inn, Chestertown, New York: We splurged on the best room in the house in an inn devoted to wine in an untrampled area of the Adirondacks. What could be better? We took advantage of the comfortable couch and wet bar in the room to try various wines before dinner every night. We squeezed in a picnic hike (with wine, of course) on the cross-country ski trails behind the inn, and sat on the small private dock by the lake. Laid-back perfection. (See my full review here.)

Gazing Up at the Mountain from the Pool, Montpelier Plantation Inn, Nevis, British West Indies: Nevis is a tiny island reached either by ferry or by the world’s shortest scheduled commercial airline flight (5 minutes, flying several feet over the ocean). It is a very special place with its majestic mountain in the center, inns converted from coffee plantations scattered on the slopes, and non-fussy but proper British attitude. The inn has breezy, simple-but-elegant cottages, a breathtaking white-sand private beach a few miles away, and a simple but industrious vibe not replicated anywhere else in the British West Indies. Cocktails were served in the reception room in the stone Great House every evening, and dinner on the porch shortly after the cocktail hour. An outpost of civilization – like living in the film “Gosford Park” without the tuxedoes, glut of servants, and patriarch’s murder.

Fussy Diner Rating: Dos Tenedores Arriba (Two Forks Up)

* Some of the establishments mentioned may have changed since our visits, so please investigate carefully before you go

Review: Wine Flights at Lago Restaurant, Meredith, New Hampshire

2010-09-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Nice Wine Pairings and Great Evening; Slightly Rocky Service

Last year, we closed out August by participating in a wine tasting at our favorite local restaurant, Lago, in Meredith, New Hampshire. This year, we took advantage of Lago’s Flights & Bites (pairings of three wines with special appetizers)

Although we had tried similar flights at other restaurants before, we were a bit confused by the restaurant’s marketing; it made it sound like the wine flights were an RSVP event instead of the traditional add-on or alternative to the regular menu. Once we sorted that out, the Flights & Bites went smoothly, with a few service hitches.

Flights & Bites gives the chef an opportunity to experiment with new appetizers not on the regular menu, and to showcase wines from the restaurant’s list. For food and wine lovers, flights are a great opportunity to try something new and experiment with wine. Lago’s wine list is relatively extensive and carefully selected, with most of the wines ranging in price from $22 to $40 (although there are a number of excellent reds in the $50 to $100 range). No matter what you order or how much you spend, Lago takes wine seriously; we watched how the waiter served a neighboring table with a bottle of the house wine ($18), treating it every bit as ceremoniously as if it were a $85 bottle of Gaja Ca’Marcanda Promis.

My husband tried the white Flight, and I tried the red Flight. Each series of bites was prettily presented on a long, white rectangular plate. Each flight was delivered on a wooden carrier with three large shot glasses (I am guessing 2-3 ounces each) of wine and a single wine glass.

Here are our verdicts:

White Flight & Bites Menu

Crab claws with lobster sauce, served with a Beaulieu Vineyard Riesling: Our favorite wine of the whites – crisp, dry and a perfect complement to seafood. We never think to order Rieslings, but we will now. This one was very memorable. While my husband is not a big crab fan, the lobster sauce was imaginative, light and delectable.

Grilled scallop with basil sauce, served with Seghesio Fiano: The plump scallop was perfectly prepared, and the bright-green sauce very light and piquant. This wine was also crisp but with a grassy nose and a bit of lemony fruit at the back. This was the favorite bite of this flight, and the favorite pairing. (Scallops are always great at Lago, no matter what the dish.)

Smoked tuna slices, served with a Robert Mondavi Fumé Blanc: The rich fruitiness of the wine nicely balanced the smokiness of the tuna. It reminded us how great Fumé Blanc can be with the right food.

Red Flight & Bites Menu

Mushroom cap stuffed with Italian sausage and ground chick pea, served with Jargon Pinot Noir: In spite of the hokey name, Jargon Pinot Noir is a very decent and drinkable pinot, particularly for the price (it retails for around $10). It’s not listed on the wine list at Lago, but they always seem to have it. The wine provided a light wrapper for the bite, which was spicy and rich and earthy. This was my favorite bite, and a great pairing. This is the bite I would most like to see on the regular app menu.

Fried duck confit with berry sauce and a slice of grilled ciabatta, served with Stephen Vincent Crimson: This was an inspired bite, which I would never think to order but was an explosion of textures and tastes. The wine, a Syrah (75%)-Cabernet Sauvignon (25%) blend from Sonoma, had a rich but clean berry taste, making it a perfect complement to the bite. This is an excellent wine, particularly for the price (it retails for around $10-$15). I liked the wine so much that I later had a glass with a small bowl of Sicilian pasta spiced with grilled anchovies – and it was perfect with this spicy, smoky dish.

Beef short ribs over potato puree, served with Donna Laura Alteo Chianti: I love short ribs, but this was a miss for me. I think it was meant to be a creative Tuscan take on meat-and-potatoes – and it was very attractive – but I found it a bit bland. The chianti was enjoyable, with hints of berry and floral, and it didn’t overpower the bite.

We finished our meals with two entrees – lasagna for my husband (which wasn’t so great) and my pasta (which was terrific).

Overall, we had a great evening. Service started out on a high note, but degraded a bit as the place became busier. Service is usually excellent at Lago, so I attribute these problems to a busy night and the change in format. We will try the Flights & Bites again if offered, and see how they do. The experience was a lot of fun and a break from regular dining.

The price for the flights – one flight for $15, two for $25 – was very reasonable; our total bill came to around $70, for a very nice night out and two well-satisfied palates.

Fussy Diner Rating: One-and-One-Half Forks Up.

Adventures in Paradise: Five Unforgettable Travel Moments

2010-09-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

Memorable Scenes from a 25-Year-Old Traveling Marriage

I am lucky to have been married to a wonderful man for the last 22 years. I am doubly lucky that he also loves to travel – and has accompanied me on wonderful adventures over the 25 years that we have been a couple.

Gentleman that he is, he’s enthusiastically accompanied me to remote Caribbean islands – even though he doesn’t like the sun and doesn’t really swim. He’s been game at trying out many quirky inns – after years as a meeting planner that took him to posh hotels all around the world. He’s held my hand through tiny-airplane flights that terrified me – not because of the plane, but because of pilots who appeared to be moonlighting from high school and who brought their girlfriends along for the ride. And, like me, he loves going off-season, because we get to really see without being seen.

As a result, we have had some great adventures, including seeing places before they got expensive and overrun with celebrities (Harbour Island, Bahamas) or targeted by package tours. We remember all our travels fondly – even without the prompting of photo albums. But some moments in time stand out more than most. Here are five of them:

Breakfast at Villa Ganz, Guadalajara, Jalisco State, Mexico: As two of the few guests at this stately mansion inn in the “Beacon Hill” of the city, we had a private breakfast served in the garden every morning during our three-day stay.

Arriving in Jost Van Dyke, White Bay, British Virgin Islands (population 103): After taking two airline flights, a big ferry, a cab and a speedboat, we finally reached our destination: a small inn with basic, octagonal cottages with outdoor showers and marine toilets. The inn lacking a dock, we rolled up our pants, took off our shoes, and waded in the last six feet, with our luggage. For a week, we lived like 20th-century Robinson Crusoes – swinging in hammocks, reading, hiking on “roads,” eating simple but wonderfully prepared food, and just watching the world go by our breathtakingly beautiful white-sand beach. Telephone service was available by cell phone, but you had to wade into the water up to your neck to get a connection. Heaven.

Dinner at Queenie’s, Saba, Netherlands Antilles: As the only guests in this dining-by-appointment-only favorite – a tiny restaurant in the chef’s home – we dined on home-cooked peanut chicken with rice, locally grown vegetables and rum punches. The smiling chef and her daughter stared at us, because she was convinced that I was an American sitcom star.

I also remember our wonderful taxi driver, Joseph Leviston, to this day. On Saba, we loved hiking Mt. Scenery in rain-forest conditions, our arrival being announced on the local radio station, and landing at one of the world’s most death-defying airports. Also sleeping in the same hotel room (#8) that Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands had slept in at the somewhat shabby Captain’s Quarters (at the time, one of the limited hotel options available – since closed).

Dinner at Chanticleer, Siasconset, Nantucket Island, Massachusetts: As the sole guests for an early-evening dinner at this continental restaurant (since closed), we had the upstairs dining room to ourselves. Wonderful French food, great wine (Grgich Hills Chardonnay), and terrific service. I felt like Grace Kelly – all dressed up with someplace really great to go, in the middle of nowhere.

Eating Mussels in North Hatley, Quebec, Canada: Located in the Eastern Townships 50 miles east of Montreal, North Hatley is to Montreal what Lake Winnipesaukee is to Boston, Massachusetts: a beautiful, laid-back lake area in the country within an easy drive of the city. There was a wonderful restaurant on the back square that specialized in mussels. We had a great lunch, with a wonderful French white wine. Unfortunately, the exquisite inn Auberge Hatley has since burned down, but for three days we felt like we were in France – even though we were only about a 125-mile drive from our home in Northern New Hampshire.

Fussy Diner Rating: Two Forks Up

* Some of the establishments mentioned may have changed since our visit, so please investigate carefully before you go

Snapshot: Your Local Farm Store, Fairlee, Vermont

2010-08-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Terrific Organic Produce and More from Vermont, in a Simply Delightful Setting

Update as of June 2011: Your Local Farm Store has apparently closed. Please visit Your Farm in Fairlee, just a few miles down the road.

I am a big fan of Your Farm, an organic vegetable farm in Fairlee, Vermont. So much so that I used to regularly make a 30-mile round-trip to Fairlee on Friday afternoons in the summer just to buy their wares from a truck parked at the old railroad station.

So, I was thrilled to learn that the people behind Your Farm recently opened a store in Fairlee.

Your Local Farm Store features not only the farm’s wonderful organic produce, but also organic goods from all over Vermont along with other select organic items from national brands.

There’s locally-made or –grown organic produce (of course), ch eeses, meats, ice creams and fresh breads.

There's jellies/jams/sauces, yogurt, coffee, granola, pasta and more – all wonderfully displayed. The clerks in the store are knowledgeable, helpful and friendly, and the shopping experience is a lot of fun. (The Fussy Diner’s day job is marketing consultant, so she’s always on the lookout for great, customer-focused marketing everywhere – and Your Local Farm Store knows how to create a terrific retail experience.)

My haul the day I visited included a fresh baguette, low-fat “Vermont Vanilla” yogurt from organic dairy Butterworks Farm (which has been sweetened with maple syrup but is still amazingly under 110 calories a cup), blueberries, and coffee beans from Vermont Coffee Company. (Next haul: Fat Toad Farm goat cheese.)

One great thing about this store: it’s possible to get the ingredients for an entire meal or even a dinner party. The only thing they don’t have is wine, but you can pick up some great wines just down the road at Chapman’s Store. Wing’s Market at the Mobil station also stocks some wines and many kinds of beer.

Your Local Farm Store even has a Frequent Buyer Card, which takes a bit of the sting out of buying true organic, which is pricey not just here but anywhere. There is also a membership option, as well as an organic bulk-buying club in the works.

According to the clerk on duty the day I visited, the store is attracting both locals and tourists. It’s conveniently located just off Interstate Route 91 and very close to the Lake Morey Resort. Take Exit 15, then turn left on Route 5 at the Mobil station. The store will be on your right.

Your Local Farm Store is located on Route 5N in Fairlee, across from the Post Office. Open 9 AM – 6 PM daily except Sundays.

Fussy Diner rating: Two Pitchforks Up.

Snapshot: Hood Museum of Art, Hanover, New Hampshire

2010-08-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

“Made in Hollywood” and Andy Warhol Special Exhibits Run Through Mid-September

For 15 years, I have been living a 45-minute drive from a terrific, imaginative art museum: the Hood Museum of Art in Hanover, New Hampshire. Somehow, I never quite made it there – in spite of its great reputation. Happily, I finally went this past weekend, at the end of a week’s vacation – and I was completely blown away.

The museum is part of Dartmouth College. It has an impressive collection – one of the oldest (collecting since 1772) and largest college collections (more than 65,000 objects) in the US. Beyond that, however, the Hood Museum hosts an ongoing series of special exhibitions and events, including two great special exhibitions that are running through mid-September:

“Made in Hollywood” – As an old-movie buff, I was enthralled by this collection of black & white publicity portraits taken by photographers for the Hollywood film studios. Portraits of Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Carole Lombard, Ramon Navarro, Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, Gloria Swanson, Marlon Brando, and others trace the history of film in the US in the first half of this century. These photos remind us that great visual storytelling doesn’t depend on animation and blow-'em-up special effects, but can be powerfully conveyed through faces, posture, dress and lighting.

The exhibit includes two closed-loop videos.“That’s Entertainment”(1974) is a popular film in which musical comedy stars play homage to 50 years of MGM musicals, such as “Singing in the Rain” and “Showboat.” In “Telephones” (1995), filmmaker Christian Marclay assembled a fast-paced montage of film clips depicting the role of telephones in the movies. Wisely, the Hood chose to play the latter on a large screen in its own room, sending the sound of voices and ringing phones throughout the gallery - and making one feel like one was in a movie or a film studio. This exhibition runs through September 12, 2010.

“Follow the Money: Andy Warhol’s American Dream” – This is a small but engaging collection of Warhol works about commerce and celebrity (what else?), including dozens of Polaroid portraits of famous and unknown people. The collection includes an unusual series of works about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, as well as mixed-media portraits of Geronimo, Mao, Nelson Rockefeller and the late actor/film director Dennis Hopper. Well-presented, and provides more insight into this artist and his singular effect on culture and commerce in the 21st century. This exhibition runs through September 19, 2010.

Admission to the Hood Museum is free, but do leave a donation if you can. The Hood Museum of Art does great work. The facility itself is breathtaking, with soaring ceilings and wonderful lighting; and there’s always something happening at the Hood.

Fussy Diner rating: Two Forks Up.

Museum-Hopping in the Berkshires

2010-08-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

Arts, Culture, Nature and Culinary Excellence Abound in North Adams, Massachusetts

I am a great fan of mini-vacations: two or three days away can be wonderfully restorative. And one doesn’t have to go far, as a recent three-day trip to the Berkshires in Western Massachusetts proved. (We live in the Western White Mountains of New Hampshire.)

Three days was just enough time to explore a great town (North Adams, Mass.), visit three terrific museums, and have two excellent dinners. A planned “dude” hike on Mt. Greylock was derailed by car trouble, but otherwise everything went off without a hitch.

Museums

The Berkshires are heaven for museum-lovers like us. We saw three beauties on this trip.

Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMoCA), North Adams: Opened in 1999, MassMoCA is one of the nation’s largest centers for contemporary visual and performing arts. The museum is housed in a complex of renovated industrial warehouses on the river, providing great space for showing a rotating collection of large-scale pieces of art. We particularly enjoyed the retrospective of wall-sized paintings by Sol LeWitt (see photo above); and the “Gravity is a Force to Be Reckoned With” display.

The Mount, Lenox: The Mount was the summer “cottage” of author Edith Wharton, who modeled her house, gardens and lifestyle after country homes found in Italy and France. She lived on the estate for several years around the turn of the century, before moving to Paris in 1911 upon the dissolution of her marriage.

After a series of different owners, the house fell into disrepair but was purchased in 1980 by the Edith Wharton Restoration to preserve and restore The Mount as a tribute to Mrs. Wharton and to establish The Mount as a cultural and literary center. The estate has been beautifully restored, although there is more to do. (Your admission fees and anything you spend in the wonderful bookstore go to support the continued restoration.)

The guided tour of The Mount provides an entertaining look and rich insight into this remarkable woman and great literary talent. A series of rooms – labeled “Dramatic License 1,” Dramatic License 2,” and so on – show how Mrs. Wharton’s works have been interpreted in films, plays and popular culture.

This is the *best* tour of its type that I have taken in the US. Our young guide, Cecily, was terrific: a local resident, she was drawn to Mrs. Wharton and is in her third year as a guide. Don’t miss this place if you are visiting the area.

The Sterling & Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown: The Clark Institute is surrounded by 140 acres of lawns, meadows and walking trails, which are open to the public. From various places on the property, you can see Williamstown and its rolling hills and (to the north) the Green Mountains of Vermont. The permanent collection includes European (1400-1800), Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, including works by Degas, Renoir, Monet, Lautrec and Manet; as well as American works of art by Sargent, Homer, Cassatt, Remington, and others.

Through September 12, 2010, the Clark is showing a special exhibition, “Picasso Looks at Degas,” which shows how Degas influenced Picasso’s work. It’s a rare opportunity to see many works of art from both artists, from multiple sources including the museum’s permanent collection; the Museo de Picasso in Barcelona, Spain (which collaborated in organizing the exhibit); and private collections. Artworks are displayed side by side, clearly showing the influences. Fascinating and not to be missed for art-lovers!

Restaurants

Gramercy Bistro, North Adams: Recently relocated to the MassMoCA complex, this restaurant offers wonderfully hand-crafted and engagingly presented food made from local ingredients. There’s a short but thoughtfully assembled wine list with reasonably priced wines by the glass, including a Celestin Blondeau sauvignon blanc (France) that was just terrific. Service was pleasant but a bit uneven the night that we were there. The restaurant is housed in a high-ceiling room with white tablecloths and a European vibe. We paid $100 for two for entrees, appetizers, drinks, and coffee. Reservations are strongly recommended. Fussy Diner Rating: Two Forks Up.

Mezze, Williamstown: This is a simply wonderful restaurant located in a new, farmhouse-like building on a hill. The farm-to-table concept is imaginatively and flawlessly executed here. There is a short but terrific wine list, with unusual selections. The service is unobtrusive, delivered by knowledgeable and well-trained waiters: a "you-guys"-free zone. This was the best restaurant meal that we have had in a long time. We paid $125.00 for two, for entrees, appetizers, drinks and a shared plate of local cheeses for dessert. Reservations are a must. Fussy Diner Rating: Two Forks Up – and a Fussy Diner Top Pick.

The Porches Inn

We made North Adams our home base, staying at the Porches Inn. The inn has deservedly been written up in many travel publications, for its vision, architecture, concept and guest experience. The inn was part of the real estate plan for the nearby MassMoCA complex, which is within easy walking distance.

The project converted a series of derelict, turn-of-the-century wooden row houses into an elegant and unusual inn. The 50 rooms – standard, suite and extended-stay options – combine history with modern convenience. The rooms are individually furnished in “granny chic” with whimsical period touches. For example: our room had a display of Depression-era plates on the wall. There’s free wi-fi throughout; a fantastic continental breakfast; a small bar (open 3 to 10 PM daily in the living room); comfortable common areas; a swimming pool, hot tub, sauna and fitness room; an outdoor fire pit; hiking trails behind the inn; and many more amenities.

The inn is staffed 24 hours a day, mostly by young people. The inn promises “attitude-free” service and it certainly delivers on this – the service was flawless and unobtrusive. (Porches could open a school for innkeepers and B&B owners who aspire to perfect service.)

We paid $180 plus tax for a deluxe standard room (with a king bed but no porch). The room was spacious, with a spectacular all-white bathroom with huge walk-in shower, a claw-footed tub and a huge marble sink.

Fussy Diner Rating: Two Forks Up – and a Fussy Diner Top Pick.

North Adams: Hot Times in the Summer

If you have more time, check out the many art galleries and related events in downtown North Adams. Pick up a Down Street Art pamphlet (available everywhere), or get oriented by taking a Trolley Tour. And take a drive up Mt. Greylock, or take a hike (there are many trails for people of various levels of ability). Williamstown is also very charming, and 15 minutes up the road.

North Adams and this corner of the Berkshires are gems.

Come Fly with Me: The Piper Aviation Museum, Lock Haven, PA

2010-03-22T04:43:00.001-07:00

Exploring the Life and Legacy of the “Henry Ford of Aviation”

As part of her “day job,” The Fussy Diner recently had the opportunity to take a one-day trip to Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, the home of the Piper Aviation Museum. The museum is located in the former Piper Aircraft engineering building, adjacent to two factory buildings that churned out tens of thousands of Piper Aircraft planes – including the beloved Piper Cub - from the 1930s through the 1980s. Many of these planes are still flying today.

Piper Aircraft is now based in Vero Beach, Florida. But the company’s story is preserved and presented very imaginatively here in Lock Haven. I love small, unusual museums, and this one is a gem.

The museum tells the story of entrepreneur William T. Piper, Sr., a salesman and oilman who almost accidentally found himself in the aviation business when he bought into a local airplane manufacturer in 1930 for $400.

Mr. Piper (no one ever called him anything else) had a vision: everyone should fly.

Under his guidance and later that of his three sons, Piper Aircraft produced a series of iconic airplanes that were easy to learn, easy to fly and affordable. For this reason, Mr. Piper is known as the “Henry Ford of Aviation.”

Mr. Piper was a tireless and creative promoter of personal flight. He engaged in some colorful and successful promotional stunts, including offering beginners their first flying lesson for only $5. He championed the establishment of small airfields and aircraft harbors to accommodate small planes.

Through dogged persistence, he also convinced the U.S government of the value of light planes to the war effort in World War II (he was right).

Mr. Piper was a decisive businessman who innovated ways to build and manufacture planes to lower the cost of flying. He steered his company through floods, fires and turbulent economic times. Piper Aircraft today continues to be an international force in general aviation.

It’s a great story that’s told in the museum by a film, interesting displays of historical photos and other memorabilia, and, of course, the planes themselves. Our docent, who guided us through the museum, was knowledgeable, witty and full of humorous anecdotes. The museum also contains an archive, which we were able to tour. Some of the people who work at the museum remember the Piper family, and it was a treat to hear them share their personal stories and observations.

Other highlights for me included the strategic role of Piper Cubs in World War II; the Tomahawk simulator room; and the missions – from strategic to stunts — that many Piper customers engaged in over the decades. I also enjoyed learning about the many experimental planes and how the company marketed the Cub, Cherokee and other planes to the American public.

Do not miss the ground floor, a large hangar filled with Piper planes from different generations – each of which has an interesting story behind it. There’s also a paint shop where experts work on repairing and maintaining the classic planes on display.

Every June, Piper enthusiasts fly into Lock Haven from all over for the museum’s annual “Sentimental Journey.” It’s a chance to see many Piper planes up close and in action.

The Piper Aviation Museum is interesting for all ages and not just for pilots. It tells a great American business story — one that I wish some actor or director would option and turn into a film. (Calling Harrison Ford.)

You can read more about Piper in the book Mr. Piper and His Cubs. It’s out of print, but I found it at our local college library and was able to buy a used copy on Amazon.

Quite appropriately, I flew to the museum. My colleague Michael Kolowich, an experienced pilot, flew us in his four-seater plane. The two-runway William T. Piper Memorial Airport is next to the museum, a five-minute drive by car. It was a perfect day for flying, and we saw only one other plane on the whole four-hour-or-so roundtrip from Hanscom Field in Massachusetts (so much for the crowded skies).

Mr. Piper believed that everyone should fly. I do too: it’s a different world. General aviation is a parallel universe to the hot, flat and crowded world of commercial aviation. I can’t wait until my next flight.

The Fussy Diner rating: Two Wings Up for the Piper Aviation Museum.

10 Reasons to Visit Plymouth, New Hampshire

2010-02-17T08:57:00.000-08:00

From culture to restaurants to charming shops, Plymouth entices you.

Sometimes some of the best travel adventures and most appealing attractions are right under one’s nose. In the Fussy Diner’s case, it’s Plymouth, New Hampshire, the closest “big” town to the little farming and logging town where we live.

Many NH visitors whizz right by Plymouth as they are flying up Route 93N to go skiing or hiking in the White Mountains. Or, they consider Plymouth a convenient stop to gas up the car and get road snacks – as it is, with dueling gas stations located right off of Exit 25.

But there are plenty of reasons to stop and spend some time in this charming little town.

Here are my top 10 reasons to visit Plymouth:

Main Street: Plymouth has a wonderfully strollable main street, with restaurants, shops, coffee shops, an ice cream parlor, bookstores, an old-time barber shop, a movie theatre, and a gourmet grocery store. There’s a small town common in the middle of town, with benches, a bandstand and an interesting statue of a Boy Scout; in the summer, there are free concerts and other events on the common. (Even an anti-war protest or two.) With its five-cent on-street parking meters – and 30-minutes-free spaces in front of the stores – Main Street is inviting to visitors and locals alike. It’s like stepping back in time.

Plymouth State University: Part of the State of New Hampshire university system, Plymouth State has a picturesque campus scattered on a hill overlooking town. The Herbert H. Lamson Library is nearly brand-new, holds 300,000 cataloged print volumes, and has a learning commons with free wi-fi for students. Local residents can get a library card for a nominal fee.

Silver Center for the Arts: Part of Plymouth State University, the Silver Center for the Arts hosts a schedule of cultural events, including musical performances by symphony orchestras and internationally recognized musicians; free readings by noted authors (we saw Richard Ford, NH's Ernest Hebert, and Chris Bohjalian); and plays put on by students of the school’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance. The plays – with a top ticket price of $20 – are well worth the money; we have seen high-quality performances of “City of Angels,” “Guys & Dolls” and “The Spitfire Grille.” Twice a year, the faculty selects productions that challenge the students’ skills, and they always rise to the occasion – and then some. Not to be missed.

Main Street Station: This wonderful diner serves breakfast and lunch. Great coffee, imaginative omelettes, and several kinds of killer Eggs Benedict – with friendly home-town service. Park yourself in a booth and watch the world go by on Main Street. The place is bigger than it looks, with a dining room out back.

Chase Street Market: This gourmet grocery store has a deli counter that makes great sandwiches and salads. It also has a surprisingly large and lovingly selected collection of wines, including a selection of under-$10 bottles. Ask for Paul – he knows his wines. There are gourmet cheeses, imported beers and snacks (hey, it’s a college town), mustards and sauces, a small selection of produce, spices for cooking, and regular grocery items. It's a great place to put together a picnic lunch to take hiking, or to assemble a gift basket for your hostess. There are wine tastings in season; discounts kick in at six bottles. Check out Café Monte Alto, which abuts the market – great coffee, teas and snacks, warm atmosphere. Downstairs and out back is Biederman’s Deli, a lunchtime favorite of locals and visitors alike.

Dressers Unlimited: This is a funky little store that offers women’s clothing, some men’s clothing, costume jewelry, and household items such as placemats and candles. Everything in the store is for sale, including the display furniture. It offers interesting one-of-a-kind items, as well as carries items from Woolrich and other quality brands. Some great bargains: I usually do a lot of Christmas shopping here because you can get really interesting things for not too much money. Watch for special events and sales. Lots of fun, and nice people.

Peppercorn Natural Foods: Located in a two-story house on Main Street, Peppercorn packs an amazing selection of foods (fresh, canned, packaged and frozen), spices, grains, dried fruits and nuts, organic produce from local farmers, some breads from local bakers, meats, health and beauty items, teas and coffees, and homeopathic remedies. Not inexpensive, but very high quality. Nice and helpful staff. I am addicted to their homemade granola.

The Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center: Local hero/restaurateur-hotelier and one-man civic-pride organization Alex Ray recently bought this beautiful art deco theatre at auction. And he’s bringing it back in classic Alex Ray style, offering first-run movies in the duplex theatre, dinner-and-a-movie deals, and performances by local arts groups.

The Plymouth House of Pizza: In a town with nearly a dozen pizza shops, the PHOP reigns supreme. Thin-crust pizza, salads, sandwiches, grinders (subs), full meals, and more to take out, or to eat in the recently renovated dining room. There’s a full liquor license, and a bar in the back that gets hopping late at night. Our favorites are the white pizza (four cheese) and the vegetable pizza, made with fresh vegetables (more like a salad with some pizza dough under it – at least that’s my excuse!). Not inexpensive, but the food is carefully made and fresh. Also not fancy, but good service and nice people.

The Common Man Inn: This is another great Alex Ray production: a funky country inn, restaurant and spa housed in a renovated baseball-bat factory. Right off Route 93, this is a convenient place to stop for drinks or dinner at Foster’s, a multi-level restaurant built inside the old boiler room; it’s part of the Common Man chain of restaurants, so the food is great and a good value. The inn is a warm stopping off place for an overnight or a few nights exploring the local area, convenient to the Waterville Valley Ski Area and Squam Lakes region. The Common Man Spa offers a full complement of services for face, body and mind.

There are many more places to like in Plymouth, including:

The relatively new Thai Smile restaurant and the Six Burner Bistro, both of which we have heard great things about but have yet to try.

Plymouth Ski & Sports will suit you up for skiing or snowboarding in the winter, or rent you kayaks and canoes in the summer to explore the Pemigewasset River or Squam Lakes. This place runs excursions in the summer, and offers pick up and drop off transportation for kayakers/canoers.

Hikers are close to Rattlesnake Mountain in Rumney, famous among rock-climbers; and the Plummers Ledge Natural Area in Wentworth.

The Fussy Diner gives Plymouth, NH, Two Forks and a snowshoe up.

Check it out: Exit 25 off Route 93N.

Naples, Florida: A Quick Trip to the Mediterranean - without a Transatlantic Flight

2010-02-01T04:20:00.000-08:00

I travel to Naples, Florida, on business occasionally. Naples has a reputation as a vacation spot and it’s great for that: beaches, natural beauty and attractions (including proximity to the Everglades), great restaurants and shopping, and interesting cultural activities. But it’s equally great – and efficient – for business. I recently took a three-day business trip to Naples, and had a terrific time: successful business with some pockets of time to explore.

Founded in the late 1800s, Naples was renamed by some enterprising local business boosters after Naples, Italy, because of their similar climates and beautiful bays. So it’s no surprise that Naples, Florida, has a Mediterranean feel to it.

Here are some highlights of my trip:

Doubletree Guest Suites: My second stay at this wonderful hotel was as great as the first. This is perfect for me as a business traveler: great location (convenient to both downtown and my clients north of downtown), and spacious and elegant suites with wonderful beds and huge bathrooms. The staff can’t do enough for you, including a concierge who bends over backwards to make sure guests have a wonderful time. The place runs like a Swiss clock, and it is one of the best hotels in the Doubletree chain. You can read more about my experience on TripAdvisor.

Charlie Chiang’s: This is an Asian-fusion restaurant right next to the hotel. My expectations were low, but the food is imaginative and fabulous. They have a surprisingly good wine list as well, and service is crisp and efficient. The dark and austerely furnished restaurant opens up to a light-filled dining room at the back, overlooking a deck and a creek. The $7.99 lunch specials include a cold appetizer, a hot appetizer (such as a spring roll), and an entrée; they are a great deal. Instead, I went with a salad topped with steamed chicken (one of several options for salad toppings) served with a tomato vinaigrette, and it was perfect. My lunchtime waiter, Michael, was efficient and personable (he previously worked in luxury-goods retailing).

I later had a perfectly prepared Thai Red Curry Chicken for dinner – spicy, so beware. This dish has now set the standard by which I judge all Thai red curry chicken - including my homemade version. I also had a fabulous (although pricey) glass of 2006 Bottega Catena Zapata Malbec. Charlie Chiang’s is a great value, and a very comfortable spot for a solo diner.

Riverwalk at Tin City: Tin City is a downtown shopping destination located in a former clam-shelling and oyster-processing plant. The Riverwalk Fish & Ale House is a funky open-air restaurant with a large bar and tables that overlook the water. Boaters can tie up here. The menu is pure Southwest Florida: heavy on local seafood served with fresh local fruits and vegetables. The restaurant also had great salads – my lunch companion and I both had the Cobb salad – sandwiches, pastas, and other items. Tourists and locals congregate here. It’s not inexpensive, but the food is plentiful and very good, and the atmosphere bustling and a lot of fun. The Tin City shops sell reasonably priced local goods (no chain stores) and are a lot of fun for browsing and shopping.

Naples Tomato: Naples Tomato is a wonderful restaurant located in North Naples. It serves Neapolitan food with imaginative twists, and has a convivial bistro-like atmosphere that reminds me of Europe. All the food is homemade, including the pastas (which you can see being made). The restaurant is known for its wine program: it has earned the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence since 2007, and installed the first self-serve wine bar (enomatic) in Florida. You can sample dozens of wines in one-, three-, and six-ounce pours, while relaxing on big soft couches in the wine lounge or while dining. It’s a lot of fun.

All the food here is great – particularly the pastas – so I have a hard time singling out my favorites. On this trip, I had the special of the day: succulent veal in a light sauce with olives, onions and truffle oil served over pappardelle (those broad noodles that are so hard to get for home cooking); My dining companion and I also shared a mozzarella bar: a series of several hand-made cheeses (the burata is my favorite) served with a selection of condiments (such as fig jam). After tasting a wonderful Hanzell Chardonnay, I splurged on a glass of Two Hands Shiraz for my dinner – every bit as good as the reviews had promised, and 50% off that evening. If you go to Naples Tomato, don’t miss the mozz bar and save room for dessert, including their famous Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding. (Disclosure: Naples Tomato is a client, and they were nice enough to comp me on my meal and wine.)

To read what other diners have said about Naples Tomato, check out OpenTable.

Old Naples: No trip to Naples – business or pleasure – is complete without a walking tour of Old Naples and a peek at the Naples Pier. Old Naples (anchored by Third Street) is open to motor traffic, but well-observed speed-bumps make it safe for walkers. There are many wonderful shops, local and chain (Tommy Bahama’s); art galleries; and restaurants. Beautiful flowers and fountains, with half-hidden walkways, make walking and browsing a lot of fun. Parking is usually free, available in small lots scattered around the downtown. A walker’s paradise!

Coconut Point: If you are a shopper, try Coconut Creek in Estero, just north of Naples. It’s a “green” planned community with a huge mixed-use (commercial-residential) mall called Coconut Point, which resembles a Mediterranean village. I am not a real shopper, and I usually hate Disney-fied places like this. But the mall provided a great walking opportunity for an unseasonably cold day, with the ability to duck into Barnes & Noble and other shops to get out of the cold and browse. There are also many restaurants here, including a Ruth’s Chris and The Grape, which looked very appealing. A nice diversion for a few hours.

The Fussy Diner gives Naples Two Forks Up+. I can’t wait until my next trip.

It’s A Wonderful Lunch: Great Places in Northern New England

2009-12-22T08:45:00.000-08:00

From bistros to bar & grilles, these independent restaurants are terrific for a pre- or post-Christmas lunch

As a self-employed marketing communications consultant, I find one of the nicest things about the holiday season is that things slow down a bit for a few weeks as our wonderful clients take time off to celebrate and spend time with their loved ones. And that means we can sneak out for a leisurely holiday lunch – and we always do.

I am a great fan of independent restaurants. Here are a few of our favorite places for lunch in Vermont and New Hampshire, with links to our reviews. Enjoy and Happy New Year.

New Hampshire

Ashland, NH: The Common Man restaurant serves imaginative American fare in an old house in this classic mill town. It’s the flagship restaurant in the locally owned Great American Dining chain, so if you are on Route 91, Route 93 or Route 95 in New Hampshire, you are never far from a Common Man restaurant. They are all good, and most of them serve lunch. (Reviewed November 3, 2009)

Hanover, NH: Our new favorite is Canoe Club Bistro on Main Street, which specializes in creative American fare with an authentic European flair. The restaurant uses local ingredients whenever possible, and makes its own sausage. Wow. (Reviewed November 6, 2009)

Hanover is a great little restaurant town, with many indie restaurants. Other places to try include:

Molly’s Restaurant and Bar, also on Main Street. It’s a classic fern-bar/saloon-type restaurant (booths and lots of brass) that serves serviceable American food. My favorite is the grilled vegetable salad. You get amazing homemade bread with your meal. Ask for a window seat and watch the world go by.

The Jewel of India, down Lebanon Street near the high school. Great Indian food. (Call them first to verify their hours.)

Walpole, NH: L.A. Burdick’s Café. This master chocolatier has cafés adjoining its stores, and this one is terrific, with a brasserie menu that reminds us of France and the old Brasserie Restaurant in Manhattan. Buy some chocolate to go – sinfully delicious. Bring money.

Vermont

Quechee, Vermont: Simon Pearce Restaurant serves wonderfully simple food made from local ingredients, in a renovated mill building that seems to hang out over the falls. The atmosphere is warm and bistro-like, the service crisp and professional, and the food imaginatively prepared. A Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence winner. Specialties include cheddar cheese soup and quiches - anything with locally made Vermont cheddar is special. Not inexpensive, but worth every penny. (Reviewed August 3, 2009)

For a decent meal with good service, try Fire Stones, around the corner from Simon Pearce in an huge old building that houses antique dealers. This place serves wood-fired pizzas, flatbreads, burgers, salads and more, in a casual, lounge-like setting. They really shine at Sunday brunch, offering several varieties of Eggs Benedict and quiches – with some unexpected twists. Great Blood Marys. Good fallback for Simon Pearce, if it's too busy. (Reviewed July 24, 2009.)

Woodstock, Vermont: Bentley’s is a casual, fern-bar-like restaurant in the old bank building right in the square (paging George Bailey). It serves classic American fare prepared with care: great rollups, sandwiches, salads, lunchtime entrees and more, with decent service and good value. The daily specials are usually worth trying. Nice bar, with a good wine list. Sit here and watch the world go by. Run by the same folks who run Fire Stones. After lunch, check out F.W. Gillingham’s general store across the street, or the two indie bookstores right around the corner.

Burlington, Vermont: Another real restaurant town, where I have never had a bad meal. My current favorite is Leunig’s Bistro, on Church Street, which transports you to Paris for a few hours. Imaginative bistro menu, including items such as Salade Nicoise, Crocque Monsieur, and Beef Bourguignon. Great bar. My favorite: the duck tacos. Outdoor dining in the summer.

Another favorite is the Penny Cluse Café, which offers amazing breakfasts with a Mexican/Cajun bent (try the Zydeco breakfast) and serves until 3 PM daily (qualifying as lunch in my mind). The café also has a lunch menu, including Baja Fish Tacos. They make their own Mexican chorizo-style sausage and andouille sausage, and these are enough to make me forget I am mostly a vegetarian.

Montpelier, Vermont: Montpelier, the smallest state capital in the US, has a wonderful downtown with many indie restaurants. Sarducci’s and the Main Street Grill & Bar are our favorites. After lunch, spend some time on Main Street and the surrounding streets – many wonderful shops. (Reviewed July 29, 2009).

Chez Albert, Amherst, Massachusetts: Transcendent French Food Meets Neighborhood Bistro

2009-12-08T05:12:00.000-08:00

Tucked into an unassuming and narrow storefront on this college town’s main street is Chez Albert, a superb restaurant that combines simply wonderful French food with the warm ambiance of a neighborhood joint. The restaurant’s slogan says it all: “Good. Simple. Food. Voila!”

It’s obviously a neighborhood place, where the wait staff greet people by name. Although it was our first visit, we felt instantly at home thanks to the staff. Our waiter, who hailed from Angers in France, was efficient, animated and very knowledgeable about the food.

The focus here is on great food, simply prepared and enthusiastically presented. Patrons dine at simple copper-topped tables seated on chairs or the banquette, as mostly classic American jazz and blues play in the background. The evening’s menu and wine/beverage list are scrawled on blackboards above the entrance to the open kitchen. The high-ceiling dining room is done simply in dark wood with touches of orange. The one concession to the Christmas season was an amusing mini-Eiffel Tower with flashing lights.

Chef Paul Hathaway and his team turn out simply amazing food from a kitchen that’s smaller than a Greenwich Village studio apartment. Before opening Chez Albert in 2005, Chef Hathaway worked with some of Boston’s iconic chefs, including Todd English and Jody Adams; and took a culinary pilgrimage through the United States, learning various cuisines. The result is a style that defies easy description but delivers perfection on a plate. Chez Albert takes beautiful advantage of local ingredients and other bounty from the Pioneer Valley. For this reason, we’d recommend the evening’s specials.

The wine list is short and French, with reasonably priced bottles and several wines by the glass (less reasonably priced). My French Chardonnay was light and crisp, and my husband enjoyed Jenlin, a French ale made by Brasserie Duyck.

I started with a simple salad of baby spinach, roasted beets and pecans, topped with a slice of wonderfully creamy, locally made goat cheese. For an entrée, I had a piece of striped bass, which was pan-seared quickly then finished in the oven. This preparation provided a wonderfully crispy texture on the outside while bringing out the slightly sweet flavor of the fish. It was topped by a simple Provençal sauce that was light and complemented the fish perfectly without overpowering it (all too often chefs tend to err on the heavy side). The fish was served on a bed of mashed potatoes with a small swirl of sautéed beet greens. Perfection.

Cockles – small clam-like mollusks – were on the menu as an appetizer that evening, so my husband just had to try them. (This was the first time we had ever noticed them on a menu in the U.S.) The cockles were served in a large bowl with a light basil sauce – again, basil can often overwhelm a mild shellfish, but it was a perfect complement in this case. For his entrée, my husband had veal cordon bleu with a simple au jus, served over semolina with beet greens. Light but hearty, and perfectly prepared.

We don’t usually order dessert, but since they are all made on premises we decided to splurge. My pumpkin crème de caramel was served with an apple reduction, and topped by a ginger crisp. Although my husband is normally not a hazelnut fan, he ordered the hazelnut cake topped with chocolate parfait. Both were out of this world, and the cake made subtle use of the hazelnuts.

French coffee was rich and clear, and a wonderful ending to this meal.

Chef Hathaway has a light but sure hand that only comes from intelligence and maturity, and the place hums with a practiced rhythm.

This was a very special and memorable dining experience. The service was country-style friendly and efficient. It reminded me of the Café Un Deux Trois and Le Zinc (now closed) in New York City in their heydays, but with better food and more personable service.

At $122 before tip, our meal wasn’t inexpensive but it was worth every penny. Great food, great service and a great time.

For dinner, entrees range from $20 - $30 and appetizers from $6 (for salads) to $10 (for pâtés and more elaborate apps). On my next visit, I might assemble a meal from appetizers and sides, accompanied by a good bottle of wine. I bet it’s the kind of place where the house wouldn’t mind if you did this.

Chez Albert is open for lunch and dinner. Reservations are recommended due to the popularity and the small size of the place (about 10 tables). Note: Chez Albert’s web site is a little fluky; I have had trouble accessing the home page.

The Fussy Diner rating: Two Forks Up++.

It Could Happen! The Fussy Diner Meets Paula Poundstone

2009-12-07T03:47:00.000-08:00

A Memorable Night with America’s Most Original Comedian

This past weekend, I had the privilege of meeting Paula Poundstone, my favorite comedian. The occasion was her show at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, Mass., where she regaled the audience for several hours with her distinctive brand of wry, intelligent and witty comedy. I woke up laughing the next morning.

For material, Ms. Poundstone draws on her own complex life: three kids, 13 cats, motherhood, a somewhat incongruous role on National Public Radio, a demanding job and crazy travel schedule, her frustration at getting older, and a bag of neuroses, including her famous inability to ever shut up.

In other words: she’s just like many of us.

Just like many of us except for a lightning-fast wit and amazing improvisational capabilities. Part of the fun was watching Ms. Poundstone engage various audience members in a humorous grilling about their jobs. She manages to gently make fun of people and some of the nutty things we do for money, without demeaning anyone. Ditto making gentle fun of the community of Northampton, observing that it may be the only place in America where people have a choice of two stores where they can buy skirts made from twigs. She has a rare talent.

Meanwhile, she skewers things that demand skewering, including: CNN, the public school system, the state of California, the airlines, the “healing arts,” childrearing experts, Barbara Walters, Nancy Grace, and the health care bill.

Ms. Poundstone has published a book, There is Nothing in This Book That I Meant to Say, and a CD of a recent performance in Maine, “I [Heart] Jokes: Paula Tells Them In Maine.” Both are a hoot and well worth the money.

After the show, she met with anyone who wanted to meet with her, saying “you don’t have to buy my book or CD, come by even if you just want to say hello or take a picture.” She happily signed autographs for a few hours and posed for pictures, even though she was clearly tired. A refreshing anti-celebrity: warm, gracious, genuine.

If you like intelligent, philosophical comedy – of the George Carlin school – you’ll love Paula Poundstone. Check out a future performance. She typically performs in smaller venues, often in college towns.

It’s an inexpensive night out that will deliver priceless laughs and memories.

You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Do not miss her slice-of-daily-life videos.

Canoe Club Bistro, Hanover, NH: Zurich on the Connecticut River

2009-11-06T11:33:00.000-08:00

This past Wednesday found us in Hanover, New Hampshire, with time to kill between business meetings. Happily, it was lunchtime. I say happily because it gave us an opportunity to try a restaurant that we had been meaning to try since it opened in 2003. (Clearly, we need to get out more.)

Canoe Club Bistro is on Main Street in Hanover, home to Dartmouth College. Owned and run by amiable and experienced restaurateur John Chapin, Canoe Club specializes in creative American fare with an authentic European flair. The restaurant uses local ingredients whenever possible, and makes its own sausage. There is a creative, reasonably priced wine list, with many wines available by the glass; although I wasn’t having wine with lunch that day, I spotted a Torrontes (Argentina) and a MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir (Sonoma County) that I will definitely try in the future.

The bistro-like atmosphere feels like one is a private mountain club in Switzerland, but without the overbearing clubby attitude. There are wonderful. overstuffed leather couches in the lobby, an impressive wooden bar, and canoes and canoe memorabilia everywhere. The air is casual but refined, and the place seemed to attract many regulars, including college professors, professionals, retirees and some students.

We opened the place up at 11:30 AM, and were seated at a window table – great for people-watching.

I ordered the cassoulet ($12), which was classic, incredible and worthy of Paris. It included homemade garlic sausage, flagolets, braised chicken, scallions, smoked bacon and spinach in a wonderfully rich, winey broth, and it was served with several crostini for mopping up the sauce. Heavenly. (If I lived nearby, I would eat here every day, and soon weigh 400 pounds.)

My husband had the Canoe Club Charcuterie ($10), which was made with house-made sausage and chutney, and artisan cheese, fumed honey, pickled red onion, Alsatian potato salad, organic greens and beet vinaigrette. This dish also came with crostini. Although not as great or authentic as my cassoulet, my husband (who has spent a lot of time in France) declared it “respectable.”

We splurged on dessert – all homemade. My warm apple galette ($7) came with a small scoop of perfect vanilla bean ice cream and was drizzled with a caramel almond sauce; this dessert was light and visually a work of art. My husband had the chocolate martini ($6), a chocolate pudding dotted with espresso beans and whipped cream. Canoe Club has its coffee custom-blended by the Dirt Cowboy Café up the street (smart move), and it was great: dark and rich, stopping just short of traditional French coffee.

The rest of the lunch menu is classic bistro fare, but imaginatively executed by the look of it. Burgers, salads, wraps, sandwiches, an en croute, and a torte – all of which one can customize with add-ons such as fries (thank you for not calling them “frites”), Vermont chevre, mesclun greens and garlic aioli (can’t wait to try this).

The service was impeccable. Our waiter, Ian, was efficient, knowledgable, unobtrusive, and just friendly enough. The owner followed us out and introduced himself, and we spent a few minutes talking about life in the Upper Valley and some people it turns out that we knew in common. (Yes, NH is a small state.)

Although not inexpensive (about $40 including tax), the meal was simply wonderful: rich and filling, but not heavy. The whole experience was like being in Europe for a few hours. We are plotting our return for dinner.

The restaurant also has late-night and mid-afternoon menus, and live music every night.

Kudos to the chef(s), Mr. Chapin and the entire team. This was one of the best meals we have had in months. A 100% dining experience.

Hanover is a wonderful college town, with several decent restaurants, the Dirt Cowboy, a good hotel, bookstores, a picture-perfect small movie theatre, banks, professional services, and retail shops. It is also home to the Hood Museum of Art and the Hopkins Center for the Arts, both affiliated with the college. Hanover is a wonderful place to spend the day in any season. (The Fussy Diner plans to write an article about Hanover in the near future.)

The Fussy Diner's verdict: Two Forks Up, and she can't wait to come back.

Common Man Restaurant, Ashland, NH: Consistently Good Food in a Warm, Quirky Atmosphere

2009-11-03T04:59:00.000-08:00

I have a soft spot in my heart for the Common Man, a restaurant located in the old mill town of Ashland, New Hampshire. It was the first restaurant that we visited after relocating to the Western White Mountains from the Boston area nearly 15 years ago.

But the Common Man has continued to win our hearts and stomachs for 15 years.

The Common Man is part of the Great American Dining chain, founded in 1971 by visionary restaurateur and area resident Alex Ray. The Ashland Common Man – there are several in the state, all located close to Route 93 and Route 95 – is the flagship restaurant.

This Common Man is housed in an old farmhouse, where you can dine in one of several low-ceilinged, cozy rooms. Comfortable, well-worn booths or tables accommodate couples or families, and the tables are far enough apart to provide some privacy - yet the atmosphere is still convivial.

Two wood stoves crackle in the fall and winter, and there is outside dining in the summer. There is also an upstairs lounge (with its own great menu), with an outside deck. Old farm implements, books, old-time magazines and records (for sale), and signs showcasing Alex’s quirky sense of humor add to the décor, but in unforced way. Even the restrooms contain a bit of quirky (but tasteful) humor - make sure you make a visit, even if you don't need to.

The restaurant specializes in solid yet imaginative American fare - comfort food-plus - and in delivering good value. The regular menu has a broad selection of fish, pasta, chicken, vegetarian and beef entreés, with some interesting appetizers such as “almost escargot” (made with mushrooms instead of snails), crab cakes, a dreamy lemony artichoke dip, and baked brie. There are specials that change every day, and they are usually worth trying. The menu and specials list suggested wine/beverage pairings.

On a recent Sunday evening, we dined on the country meatloaf (my husband’s favorite, and always consistently great); it’s made with three kinds of meat, and served with mashed potatoes, a vegetable and gravy. It’s the kind of meatloaf that’s hard to make at home because of the number of ingredients, and it stands up on the plate and is very rich.

I ordered the pasta special, vegetarian lasagna, which was made with several different kinds of cheese and served in a casserole. Unfortunately, this dish wasn’t great: it was mealy, a bit disconnected and overcooked. (In fairness, it's almost impossible to do a great lasagna if one prepares it the traditional way - my chef-friend and client Jack Serfass explains why.) In retrospect, the Atlantic salmon, which I have had before, would have been a better choice. The vegetable of the evening – Brussels sprouts braised with whole cloves of garlic – sounded all wrong, but was in fact delicious.

Another great dish is the Classic Mac & Cheese - highly recommended. They excel at chicken dishes – whether a simple chicken breast filled with apple stuffing or chicken sauté served over pasta. Everything is prepared with care and usually with fresh ingredients, often locally sourced. (The Common Man buys from my favorite local organic farmer, Owen’s Farm in Holderness.)

There’s a full bar and an interesting wine list that’s heavy on American wines with some wines from Argentina, Italy, Spain, and New Zealand – again, the focus is on good value. I find that that per-glass prices are a bit high, so it’s usually better to buy a bottle (in NH, you can take the rest with home with you if you don’t finish it). The Common Man makes and bottles its own house wines, and they are actually pretty good and well-priced. Like many other restaurants, the Common Man has recently added wine and scotch flights, as well as fancy martinis. Hope to try these soon, probably with a meal of appetizers.

The desserts are to die for, particularly the White Chocolate Bread Pudding. It’s served with whipped cream and a warm caramel sauce. Indian pudding and baked apple are also superior.

Since the portions are decent-sized, I usually plan to order an appetizer instead of an entrée if I am planning on ordering dessert.

You will never leave the Common Man hungry. Entreés include a small house salad and a bread basket with good French bread and (surprise) banana bread. You can help yourself to a cheese-and-crackers bar before dinner – with a great Boursin cheese spread - and each meal ends with a few pieces of the house white chocolate.

The Common Man Ashland is also open for lunch, and has great sandwiches, burgers, salads, quiches, pastas and a subset of entreés from the dinner menu. Lunch here is a lot of fun. (Stop into the Common Man company store across the street, which offers wine, candles, gifts and interesting house wares and toys.)

Alex’s restaurants have always been known for their service – efficient, warm, friendly but not too, and unobtrusive. In fact, we had stopped dining anywhere else because the service at other area restaurants was so bad that it inevitably spoiled our meals.

Unfortunately, of late, the Common Man Ashland – our bastion of good service – seems to be succumbing to the smarmy and overly familiar attitude that today passes for service.

For example: the hostess asked us “how many are we this evening?” My husband (aka Mr. Clarity) replied “My wife and I are two. I am not sure about you.” That seemed to shock her back into reality, because she asked the next people in line: “how many in your party this evening?” Fortunately, we weren’t called “you guys” that evening, but we experienced a bit of the condescension that wait staffs seem to reserve for older people. Our waiter was new (third day on the job), polite and efficient.

Ask to be seated in Marilyn’s section – she’s a gem. If she’s still around – she’s worked there since the place opened, 38 years ago.

The Fussy Diner rating: Two Forks Up for now – but FD hopes that the service doesn’t slide further, because we do love this place.

A new menu debuts on November 5. We will be there.

NOTE: The restaurant doesn't accept reservations, but don't be dismayed by the line: they move people in quickly, and the place is actually bigger than it appears from the lobby. The upstairs bar is always a good Plan B.

Villa Montaña, Morelia: European-Style Elegance, Michoacán Warmth and Soul

2009-10-06T06:46:00.001-07:00

As the weather turns cool here in the Western White Mountains of New Hampshire, I am remembering some special travels of the past few years.

A few years ago, we spent two weeks in the beautiful state of Michoacán in Central Mexico. During our trip, we had the pleasure of spending several nights at Villa Montaña in Morelia. (This blog post summarizes my experience of that trip: please check the hotel’s web site for the latest information and the web for more current reviews.)

Michoacán is the heart and soul of Mexico, anchored by the beautiful Colonial city of Morelia and full of wonderful little towns populated by artisans with unique specialties such as copper-making and mask-making. It is an area rich with history and culture, and populated by wonderful, warm people.

Villa Montaña is an elegant but non-self-conscious, full-service hotel perched in Morelia’s Santa Maria hills, with a breathtaking view of the city. Owned by a French count, the Villa Montaña feels like a Mediterranean villa, with a variety of different rooms located in brightly colored buildings scattered over the hillside. The hotel is punctuated with beautiful landscaping and whimsical statues.

We spent several days in a junior suite, which was very spacious with a king-sized bed (high-thread-count linens); living area with couch, easy chair and tables; large walk-in closet (with safe); fireplace; and a large bathroom with plush robes, slippers, nice amenities and snappy plumbing.

The hotel has a wonderful restaurant that serves three meals a day (including a great Sunday brunch – don’t miss the fresh-squeezed juices, particularly the papaya) with interior and patio seating. The menu includes both Continental and Michoacán specialties (definitely try the latter). There is a wonderful bar and a patio that overlooks the city, and a piano player most evenings. The ambiance is elegant but not fussy, and the menu is such that one can eat simply or elaborately. Not surprisingly, the restaurant and bar are frequented by local business people, but the place never felt crowded or noisy to us in spite of all the business being transacted. Room service is available from 7 AM to 11 PM. The service at every meal was impeccable – attentive but non-intrusive.

The hotel has a Hockney-esque pool that overlooks the city, as well as tennis courts, a full-service spa, and a business center with high-speed Internet connections (including PCs in case you don’t want to lug your laptop).

The whole place is spotless, inside and out. There is a concierge desk whose staff is knowledgeable and experienced in catering to guests’ requests, whether it’s for a special kind of bottled water or for a non-traditional tour of the area (both of which we made and were granted effortlessly).

As wonderful as the hotel itself is, what makes the Villa Montaña shine are the people.

While we hesitate to name individuals – every single person we encountered was helpful and attentive, and appeared to consider our happiness his personal responsibility – we must call out Santiago, the maitre d’hotel/head concierge.

Santiago was incredibly helpful and enthusiastic throughout our stay. He has a real “owner’s mentality” about the Villa Montaña and its staff – to the extent that he even helped carry our luggage when we returned to the hotel to spend the last night of our trip at the Montaña. (Santiago also upgraded us to a Master Suite for the night, which was out of this world.)

The staff has just the right blend of formality and friendliness – something that is so rare these days, particularly in the US.

Finally, we strongly recommend the services of Giovanni Rubio, an experienced guide and local travel-services entrepreneur. Educated in Canada (bachelor’s and master’s degrees), Giovanni is a Purépecha Indian with an extensive knowledge of the area and an obvious love of showing it to visitors. We spent two days with Giovanni – one touring Morelia and its neighborhoods (our special request) and one touring nearby Patzcuaro (known for its Day of the Dead celebration) and other small towns to see the local artisans. Ask him to take you to La Mesa for lunch – great ostrich burgers and Tarascan soup (a local specialty).

We later rented a car from Giovanni for several days, to do our own touring. In addition to his guide services, Giovanni has many different services and special tours available to visitors through his company, Morelia DMC. Request Giovanni through the hotel.

Although the food at the hotel was so good we rarely ventured
off-site for meals, we can strongly recommend three places in
Morelia that we enjoyed:

San Miguelito (haute Michoacán cuisine in a relaxed, colorful environment, located near the convention center – try the steamed fish in banana leaves)

Los Mirasoles, a wine bar downtown; and

La Fonda de Mercedes, serving great Michoacán cuisine and continental fare in an old house downtown with an interior patio, whimsical décor and multiple fireplaces – try the huitlacoche crepes.

Fussy Diner rating: Two Forks up for Villa Montaña, Morelia, Michoacán state and the three restaurants.

Vermont General Stores: Field Notes from a Fan

2009-09-26T12:15:00.000-07:00

Stop In, You May Be Surprised

The Fall foliage season has arrived in Northern New England, and it’s off to a beautiful start. It’s a great time for hiking, antiquing and just driving around taking in the natural beauty.

One of my favorite things about Vermont is its general stores. Yes, some are indistinguishable tourist traps that peddle cheese, maple syrup and candy, jams/jellies, a few bottles of locally made wines, and gifts. These places often seem like they were drop-shipped from Hollywood and put on their foundations.

But in my travels over the last 15 years of living in Northern New England, I’ve come across some real gems that transcend the genre. By “gems,” I mean thoughtfully and creatively presented stores, staffed by warm owners and people who clearly love what they do - and who love to talk about it. Size doesn’t matter – sometimes the smallest stores deliver the most wonderful experiences.

As a food and wine lover, I particularly like exploring stores and finding delightful and thoughtfully selected wines – usually tucked in the back.

Here are a few of my favorite stores:

Chapman’s Store, Fairlee, Vermont: A funky general store housed in a former Rexall drugstore. It’s been in the Chapman family for generations: the patriarch was a pharmacist. Today, owner Aleta Chapman offers toys, creative clothing, wines and more. Chapman’s offers an ever-changing range of domestic and international wines in different price ranges, and Aleta is adventurous in her choices. For example: the store was one of the first in our area to start carrying Spanish whites like Albariños. Case discounts kick in at three bottles, and the staff is always ready to point out great values. Update as of August 2010: Chapman's has a new web site, with online ordering of some items.

The Taftsville Country Store, Taftsville, Vermont: This is a picture-postcard Vermont store, offering the usual cheese etc. in addition to grocery items and a small but inspired deli counter. There is a shop in the back with a small but creative collection of wines. Each wine has a small hand-annotated sign with tasting notes. On my last visit, the collection was heavy on wines from Italy, Spain and Argentina, which are my favorites these days because of their variety, quality and value. Case discounts start at six bottles. I always hope to catch the owner – a wine-lover – when I visit, but haven’t yet. Nice people, and two old dogs that you will have to step over.

The Newbury Village Store, Newbury, Vermont: Newbury is a charming little town on the Connecticut River north of Fairlee. The store, with its inviting front porch, is housed in an old building across from the town common. The store is the place where locals buy deli and pick up grocery items, but there is also a tiny wine collection with some surprisingly exotic selections, from Argentina and elsewhere. Don’t expect any help with wine selections, but nice people.

FH Gillingham & Sons, Woodstock, Vermont: I find Woodstock too Disney-fied, so I had low expectations for Gillingham’s, a Woodstock institution since 1886. But they do a nice job of catering to tourists and locals. They carry groceries – including pantry staples and many wonderful gourmet items; they even have a produce section with locally made cheeses (beyond cheddar), patés, fresh pastas, pre-made entrees, and ice cream, along with bread from local bakeries. Their wine nook tends toward the higher-end wines, but there are also some great values, and it’s an international list. If you are looking for gifts, you could do your entire Christmas shopping here (except for clothing). There are toys, tablecloths and napery, crockery, naturally made toiletries, baskets, and more – all at Woodstock prices. The staff members are generally nice and helpful, and most have an owner’s pride – surprising given the size of the place. Warning: you may have to move the cat before you can pick up your shopping basket.

The Fussy Diner awards Two Forks Up to each of these establishments.

Other general stores on my list to explore in more detail:

The Warren Store, Warren Village, Vermont

Bailey’s & Burke, Burke, Vermont

So, if you pass a general store, take a moment to drop in. You may be surprised by what you find, and you will be supporting the local economy if you find something worthy of buying.

If you want to go to the source, there are a number of wineries in Vermont, producing mostly fruit wines but also some interesting varietals, such as Seyval Blanc. Most welcome visitors.

Laidback Elegance in the Adirondacks: Friends Lake Inn, Chestertown, New York

2009-09-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

Friends Lake Inn is in Chestertown, NY, a few miles from Lake George but worlds away from its hustle and bustle. We’ve taken two trips here over the last several years, and both were spectacular.

Innkeepers John and Trudy Phillips have created a wonderful oasis for couples who want to get away from it all. Although the inn itself doesn’t look like much from the outside – it’s down a side road, across from the small lake – inside is a different story.

The inn (an operating inn since the late 1800s) has been completely and carefully updated and is beautifully furnished, with every thought given to guests’ comfort, pleasure and entertainment. The 17-room inn includes a variety of traditional inn rooms with lake views and four fire-placed luxury suites furnished in classic Adirondack style and overlooking the frog pond and gardens (see photo above). We have stayed in both types of rooms (most recently room #11) and all were great.

The Great Room (see photo below) has a large fieldstone fireplace, a king-sized bed, a comfortable sitting area with overstuffed couch and chair, a wet bar, and a large bathroom with Jacuzzi tub, double sinks, and double-headed steam shower. It also has a porch. There’s wireless Internet access in the common areas.

The inn has 32 KM of maintained cross-country/hiking trails (ask for a picnic basket), a cross-country ski center, a beach with canoes and kayaks for guests, a swimming pool and many other amenities.

The chef prepares wonderfully creative meals using fresh local ingredients; we dined on elk, venison, buffalo, fish and free-range chicken, as well as local cheeses and vegetables.

Winner of Wine Spectator Magazine's Grand Award since 1997, Friends Lake Inn is a wine lover’s paradise, with a cellar of more than 25,000 bottles. Owner/sommelier John Phillips is knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and his love of wine is infectious. The wine has been carefully integrated into the inn experience, via the dinners, the tavern (which serves bistro-style food), and an on-site wine shop. At various times, we had a 1997 Corton Charlemagne Bonneau du Martray, a Michel Torino Don David Torrontés (my introduction to Torrontés) and a 1997 Talbott Chardonnay. They also have a broad selection of wines by the glass, and a full bar that serves excellent after-dinner coffees, ports, etc. The inn runs a series of wine-related events throughout the year.

Best of all: the service was impeccable across the board, with an unforced but crisp European feel. We felt that every person we met considered our comfort and happiness his personal responsibility. Most waiters were knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the food and wine they were serving (even the young people on the staff), and the service was crisp and non-intrusive.

Such attentive service is depressingly rare these days but Friends Lake Inn has achieved it, and in a natural, unforced way.

Most recently, we took The Fussy Diner’s mother here for her 75th birthday, and the staff couldn’t do enough for her. We had notified them in advance, and the inn presented her with a wonderful birthday cake at dinner on the first night – and then kept it for us for dessert the next two nights of our stay.

At breakfast one morning, my mother decided to get the buffet and said, “I will just get a muffin from the buffet.” The waitress overheard her, and said that they were not serving muffins that day. My mother didn’t care and selected fruit. However, an hour later, one of the front-desk people knocked on the door of her room and presented her with a freshly baked apple muffin.

My mother was so impressed that she still tells everyone about this place – even two years later.

There are many things to do in the area, including the must-see Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake. Don’t miss it. The drive to the museum will take you through many wonderful small towns in the Southeastern Adirondacks. It’s like going back in time to a simpler world.

Friends Lake Inn is a place to just…be. I can’t wait to go back.

A Summer of Wine Finds

2009-09-13T05:58:00.000-07:00

A world tour, without leaving my backyard

Summer is nearly over here in New England. While this saddens me, I will have fond memories of this summer for the many new wines I tasted. This summer, I looked for new-to-me-wines for under $15 - and found many good ones. I also discovered some new varietals that I had never heard of, including Godello grapes from Spain.

Here are snapshots of some of the wines I tried this summer. My ratings are: N = Not for Me G = Good VG = Very Good and VG! = excellent.

Red Belly Black Chardonnay 05, S. Australia: Crisp, melon/lemon, slight mineral undertone, mellow. G. Paid $15.50.

2007 Santa Julia Torrontes (Organic), Argentina: Nice, crisp with citrusy overtones & a bit of spice at the end. VG. Paid $8.99.

Errazuriz Estate Sauvignon Blanc 08, Chile: Pear and citrus, with spice underneath, crisp & clean. Smooth. VG. Paid $13.00.

Delas Freres 2007 Côtes-du-Rhône Saint-Esprit, France: A simply amazing red, poor man’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape. VG! http://tinyurl.com/lm4tkj Paid $12.50.

Domaine de la Fruitiere Muscadet "Petit M" 2007, France: Fresh, lemon teaser, light finish. G. Paid $12.00.

Wild Rock Elevation Sauvignon Blanc 2008, New Zealand: Crisp, lime and peach, light floral undertones, smooth finish. VG. Paid $15.99

Cote EST Catalan 2007, France: Crisp white with a tart/lemon zing and soft floral finish. Sunny-day wine. G. Paid $10.99.

Salvalai Pinot Noir 2007, Italy: Light and fruity, good with food. A bit too watery for me. N. Paid $9.99.

2006 Fairview Sauvignon Blanc, S. Africa: Crisp, grassy, tart burst with ripe-fruit finish. VG! Paid $11.99.

Cusumano Insolia Sicilia 2007, Italy: Grassy; hints of lemon & peach. VG! Paid $12.99.

Tamas Estates Pino Grigio 2007, Italy: Crisp, citrus-y, little hint of vanilla. Good summer wine & with food. G. Paid $11.99.

Just a reminder that good wines from all over the world are becoming more available everywhere. There are interesting little wine shops sprinkled throughout Northern New England, and great little collections lurking in some unexpected places. Two of my favorite places are Chapman's Store in Fairlee, Vermont and the Taftsville Country Store in Taftsville, Vermont (just outside Quechee). The Newbury Village Store in Newbury, Vermont, also has an interesting wine nook.

So, in your travels, take a minute to stop into that general store and ask if they have wine. You may be surprised at what you find.

Note: The October 15, 2009 issue of Wine Spectator identifies and rates 500 under-$20 wines.

Saying Goodbye to Summer at Lago on the Lawn, Meredith, New Hampshire

2009-09-07T07:30:00.001-07:00

We had always wanted to attend the Monday-evening summer wine tastings at Lago in Meredith, NH, one of our favorite local restaurants. We finally made it to the last tasting in the 2009 series, on August 31.

We enjoyed picture-perfect late summer weather (a bit cool), dining on the patio at umbrella tables overlooking the lake as the moon came up. We shared a table at the over-subscribed event with a charming couple from Massachusetts (local summer residents of the area) and their equally charming sister/sister-in-law – all veterans of the tasting series. (So we had some color commentary about how this evening’s event compared with events earlier in the season.)

Good company, good appetizers, an interesting mix of wines, and a lot of fun. It was interesting to note that two of the wines were misspelled on the event menu – hmm.

Here is a quick rundown on the wines and the food pairings. (I have provided retail prices for the wines, taken from the Internet and my local wine stores).

Canella Bellini, a prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) infused with peach ($11.99/bottle). Served with a coulommier from the Sandwich (NH) Creamery. This was a Brie-like cheese that was very good, according to our tablemates. (We arrived a bit late so missed the appetizer.) Nice wine, unusual but not my taste.

La Vieille Ferme 08, a rosé ($7.00/bottle). Served with a roasted beet and goat cheese risotto ball. La Vieille Ferme Rosé is made from grapes from the Côtes Du Rhône area of France, and the 2007 version received an 86 rating from the Wine Spectator. La Vieille Ferme wines are generally pretty serviceable table wines particularly given the price. I am not a rosé fan, but this wine paired well with the risotto ball, which I loved (it combined three of my favorite foods). The wine was light, fruity and wonderful with food. I would buy this to serve at home – high praise from me.

Sannio Falanghina 08, a crispy white varietal from near Naples, Italy ($19/bottle). Served with a lobster and peach salad with garden mint. I couldn’t eat this app because I can’t eat shellfish, but it was a big hit at our table. (Note to self: next time, accept the appetizer and give it to my husband; when he asked if he could have it instead of me, it was whisked away by the server. No two for you!) This was a lovely wine: crisp, lemon and lime with a bit of mineral (which I like) and a richness on the end. I would definitely order this wine again.

Jargon Pinot Noir 07, a mellow pinot noir from the Trinchero Family Estates Winery in California ($11.99/bottle). Served with mini zucchini rings with a sun-dried tomato aioli. Great little wine, and an excellent value. Ripe, tart with berries, and spicy, but light enough so it didn’t overpower the appetizer, which were some lightly breaded and fried vegetables. Wonderfully smooth aioli, and great with the rings. I have since bought this wine for home, and will likely be drinking it frequently – great value in spite of the annoying name.

Monte Antico 06, a great little Sangiovese from Italy. ($9.99/bottle). Served with Portobello spring rolls with ponzu (a ginger-soy dipping sauce) – great app, with a plump mushroom and some slaw in a fresh wrap. Another keeper wine – we have since had it at home, and it goes great with whole wheat pasta and other semi-hearty fare. Also good solo. Fruity, smooth, Tuscany-invoking – a good everyday drinking wine.

Festival 34-Cabernet Sauvignon varietal from California, made from grapes from Paso Robles and Monterrey vineyards ($8.95/bottle). Served with pancetta-wrapped grilled asparagus – my favorite app, hands down. Snappingly fresh vegetable wrapped with real Italian pancetta. This wine was bursting with flavor – rich and plummy but not too heavy.

Although Lago did a nice job with the food and wine, the event seemed rushed. The sommelier (?) and his staff didn’t seem to know much about the wines, and glasses weren’t replaced between most of the wine courses. They seemed to be rushing to get to the point where they could produce full menus for us to order meals and bottles. The ambiance of the tasting was marred by the speed and overly chummy style of the service.

But perhaps my expectations were too high for $25/head.

Overall, it was a pleasant experience, and something different for a Monday night. We were introduced to several new wines - all good and a few really good - that we might not have discovered easily on our own. All were good values.

We ended our night by having a bowl of Carbonara and the flatbread special (tomato, basil and mozzarella) at the bar, with an excellent beer and glass of Pinot Grigio. Both dishes were wonderfully fresh and excellent. The bar is cozy and the service was good, although the TV was on (of course) and we were addressed as “you guys” by the young woman bartender.

The Fussy Diner gives Lago on the Lawn One Fork Up. We may give it another shot next summer.

The Art of Produce: Owen’s Truck Farm, Holderness, New Hampshire

2009-08-22T11:30:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about August in New England is that it’s the time when the freshest, most tasty produce is in abundance. Roadside stands – from mom & pops to industrial-size operations – offer New England’s bounty to locals and visitors alike.

But Owen’s Truck Farm in Holderness, NH, has elevated produce to a near art form.

After buying Owen's organic produce for years from my local health food store, Peppercorn Natural Foods in Plymouth, NH, I finally made a pilgrimage to the source.

Owen’s Truck Farm is a quirky and wondrous farm stand located on Route 175 in Holderness. (To get there, take Route 93 North to Exit 25. Turn left at the bottom of the ramp, then follow Route 175 South for just about two miles. Owen’s is on your right.)

New Jersey-ite Chris Owen and his family have run the place for 22 years. His personality is evident in the many whimsical signs and statues dotting the farm stand and the fields.

As you approach Owen's, it appears to be a small, slightly disheveled farm stand with some covered shacks. But it explodes in a riot of colorful produce lovingly displayed in open bushel baskets with hand-lettered signs. This is one farmer who understands how to market produce.

For example, my favorite item – mixed greens – come packaged in a plastic bag with a handful of colorful edible flowers tucked into the top. These greens are so fresh you will never forget them - they literally snap to life in your mouth. Just toss them with a simple vinaigrette and some black pepper for a memorable salad. Add some locally baked bread, a bottle of Semillon Blanc or Pinot Grigio, and you’ve got a great meal for a hot summer evening. Owen's sells locally baked organic bread from the Sunnyfield Brick Oven Bakery in nearby Wonalancet ($5); the sunflower-seed and sourdough are out of this world.

Produce, eggs, herbs and flowers don’t get any fresher than this: you can see where your food comes from, the acres of fields stretching out behind the stand. The owners putter about bringing the harvest straight into the stand and your hands. You can visit the fields and even pick your own produce if you want.

My haul today included huge ears of butter & sugar corn; fresh cilantro, rosemary, thyme and arugula; and red onions. Everything is spectacular at Owen's but greens - arugula, kale and so on -are their specialty.

If you’re visiting the Lakes Region in New Hampshire this summer, make a trip to Owens. Not only is the produce incredibly tasty and fresh, but also the place is a lot of fun. The staff are friendly and clearly love what they do.

Owen’s also sells to local restaurants, so if you eat at the Six Burner Bistro in Plymouth or any of the excellent local restaurants in the Common Man chain, you will be eating Owen’s work.

The Fussy Diner's verdict: Two (Pitch) Forks Up – and a big thanks to Chris and other farmers for their hard work and devotion to the craft.

His sign reads “Open 7 AM to 7 AM,” and that’s probably no joke.

A Perfectly Wonderful Wine Shop: Vinodivino, Newton, Massachusetts

2009-08-21T08:40:00.000-07:00

When I moved from the Boston area to central New Hampshire years ago, it was with no regrets.

Until now, possibly.

The reason is Vinodivino, a perfectly wonderful wine shop located in a modest building on Walnut Street at Beacon Street in Newton, Mass. For a half-hour this week, Vinodivino transported me to a place reminiscent of a neighborhood wine shop in Paris.

Vinodivino consists of one very large, high-ceilinged room with dark wooden shelves that display a small but thoughtfully selected collection of wines from all over the world, with an emphasis on small producers. The wines are beautifully and artistically presented. Call it the anti-Marty’s (a large, warehouse-like liquor and wine store a few miles away).

Most of the wines are priced at under $20, and most are rated 90 or above. Although they didn’t have my favorite whites – Albariño (from Spain) and Torrontes (from Argentina) – the very knowledgeable manager recommended some alternatives. He spent time asking me what I liked in wines, what I had tried, and so on. I left with four bottles of wine for less than $55.

So far, the two we have drunk - a chenin blanc and a côtes-du-rhône – were wonderful.

The Cave de Vendomois 2008 Montagne Blanche was a wonderfully light white with lemony undertones, a minerally nose (which I like) and a very smooth finish. I served it with open-faced omelettes made with goat cheese and fresh chives. The Delas Freres 2007 Côtes-du-Rhône Saint-Esprit was a simply amazing red, with a blackberry/black cherry snap, a hint of spices, and a wonderful clean finish. We drank this with a whole wheat pasta tossed with garlicky wilted greens, red kidney beans, grated parmesan cheese and plenty of black pepper.

Vinodivino sends you home with printed tasting cards for every bottle – and even emails you pdfs of the tasting cards if you sign up for their Connoisseurs Club (rewards program). This makes it easy to keep your own notes and to share your wine finds with friends. While you are checking out, a flat screen on the counter displays pictures and stories of wineries.

This was just about most perfect wine-buying experience I have ever had – anywhere.

If you are a wine lover, you must try Vinodivino.

Fussy Diner rating: Two Forks up, followed by enthusiastic applause. Bravo!

Snapshot: Black Trumpet Bistro & Wine Bar, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

2009-08-13T14:45:00.000-07:00

We were in Portsmouth, NH, on business yesterday. After a long day of meetings, we decided to stop by Black Trumpet Bistro on Ceres Street for some wine and a late-night snack.

We almost cried when the previous tenant of this charming, two-story brick townhouse overlooking the water, Lindbergh's Crossing, disappeared. It perfectly captured the ambiance and cuisine of an elegant, back-street Parisian restaurant. Fortunately, the former chef and his family opened up a new venture, Black Trumpet Bistro & Wine Bar, that is every bit as creative, welcoming and perfect as its predecessor - perhaps more so.

We love the bar, located in an intimate, low-ceilinged room on the second floor with a picture-postcard view of the harbor that reminds us of Van Gogh's "Starry Night." The room has a few tables as well as a small bar with perhaps a dozen seats. There is also a full dining room on the first floor. (The whole place is intimate, with about 60 seats - so reservations for dinner are strongly recommended but you don't need them for the bar.) The full menu is served in both places.

The bar is staffed by chirpy, black-clad young women who provide excellent, unobtrusive service and know the menu. The menu is classic modern bistro, with a small number of wonderful menu items in each category: small plates, medium plates, soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. They also have a robust and terrific list of unusual wines by the glass. I had a glass each of an excellent Godella (from Spain) and a Torrontes (from Argentina), both light but rich white wines - and today I am kicking myself for not taking more detailed tasting notes. My partner had Red Stripe beer. We both ordered a medium plate: puffed homemade ricotta with roasted beets dressed with a mix of basil oil and some kind of fruity vinaigrette.

We were going to leave, but that was before we saw the dessert menu. I had a blueberry lavender creme caramel, and my dining companion had the coffee tart with almond creme.

Wow. Both were exquisitely prepared. The coffee tart was very sweet but the almond creme was truly my-last-meal-quality, and the components worked well together. The creme caramel was a wonderfully light pudding that was rich at the same time, and the plump blueberries and light sugar syrup drizzled over the creme caramel were perfect complements. American coffee was a rich roast, but it could have been hotter.

While pricey ($75 before tip), this meal was a perfect end to a productive day in Portsmouth. Go to Black Trumpet and order whatever you can afford. I have no doubt it will be well worth it and memorable.

The Fussy Diner's verdict: Two Forks Up, and she can't wait to come back.

Playing Hooky in Bath, New Hampshire

2009-08-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

A Relaxing Time in the Uncrowded Western White Mountains

Last Sunday, we took advantage of a rare sunny Sunday here in central New Hampshire to take a drive up Route 25 through Haverhill and other towns. Although we had no destination in mind, we ended up – as we often do – in Bath, NH.

Bath is the home of the famous Brick Store, the oldest general store in the United States (dating to 1790). Although it’s a well-known tourist stop – the Obama family stopped in while on the 2008 campaign trail – we always find it interesting and enchanting. It handles its split-personality duties well: tourist trap and general store/post office to the local community.

The store is famous for its homemade fudge (also available by mail order) and jams; a smokehouse out back produces meats and smoked rat-trap cheese, and there are pre-made sandwiches and other gourmet items. It’s possible to assemble a great picnic lunch here, although you will need to get your wine elsewhere. And there’s no shortage of beautiful spots to stop by the side of the road and picnic.

The store carries the usual souvenirs, but also has our favorite hiker hats, heavy sweaters and other apparel for North Country aficionados. It’s a great place to poke around in, and the people are very nice (free samples of the fudge). Locals and visitors alike take advantage of the chairs on the porch and the invitation to “set a spell.” Kitschy but always fun.

There’s an ice cream parlor and gift shop next door (with clean restrooms and an impressive collection of Beatles memorabilia.) But we usually save our appetites for the Pink Shack Ice Cream stand in North Haverhill on the way home (Route 10S). A tiny pink shed located next to a brightly painted Victorian house, Pink’s has homemade ice cream in season. Mango, coconut and banana were among the flavors on the menu last Sunday - and the mango was great.

Behind the Brick Store is one of Bath’s covered bridges, which links the town to Haverhill.

Before leaving Bath, take a short drive up Route 302N. You will pass through a neighborhood with some impressive brick row houses and Federal-style homes.

Getting There

From Route 93, take Exit 26. Follow Route 25 west through the small towns of Rumney, Wentworth, and Warren to Woodsville, the county seat (it's about 50 miles or so). The road winds through the many villages of Haverhill, NH, offering some great views of Mt. Moosilauke, the westernmost of the White Mountains. Route 25W ends at Route 10. Turn right on Route 10N (also the continuation of Route 25W), and then bear right onto Route 302N at the big intersection in Woodsville in the commercial section. Bath is several miles up the road.

Other Favorite Places

Returning home, we stayed on Route 10 S, which winds through Haverhill, Piermont and some very pretty farming country. The road takes you along a high ridge that overlooks the Connecticut River. During the summer, there are many farm stands offering local corn and other produce. Buy some produce – it’s usually just-picked fresh and comparably priced to the produce in city supermarkets. But sometimes there are some great bargains, as well.

In North Haverhill, you will find the aforementioned Pink Shack Ice Cream and the Aldrich General Store. The Aldrich General Store masquerades as a Mobil gas station and mini-mart, but it’s actually a full-service market with fresh baked goods and a full butcher shop. We purchased chicken and pork chops, which were excellent and fairly priced. For home chefs, Aldrich also sells spices in chef-sized jars – very good and well-priced. (The spices are private-labeled by a company in Connecticut).

Heading south, you will pass by Haverhill Common, which is ringed with beautiful and stately old homes built in the 1800s and 1700s.

In Piermont, the road passes two round barns – one original that’s operational for dairy farming and one that’s a copy containing the usual gift shop and ice cream window.

If you decide to take Route 25C south in Piermont to find your way back to Route 93, the road will take you past Lake Tarleton and Lake Katherine (the latter is now owned by the Nature Conservancy). This area was a favorite summer destination of city people back at the turn of the century, in the pre-air-conditioning days. In fact, Lake Tarleton was the site of a resort that had a famous nightclub that attracted comedians and musicians back in the 20s and 30s. (The resort burned down).

In Warren, you will pass the Morse Museum, a stone building that used to house the artifacts of a famous world traveler and adventurer. (It’s now a private home.) You will also see the infamous Redstone Missile, which graces the town common. (Yes, it's a real missile - don’t ask.) Calamity Jane’s is the local restaurant, and Fat Bob’s down the road is a local favorite for ice cream.

In Wentworth, you will see several stately homes on the town common – these used to be boarding houses for the summer visitors who came up by train. If you like architecture, check out the stone library and the Bulfinch-style Congregational church at the end of the common.

If you have time, take a detour through downtown Plymouth before jumping on Route 93. It’s a classic New England town with a college (Plymouth State College, part of the University of New Hampshire system), a small common, and a bustling Main Street with some interesting shops. I will do a post on Plymouth in the future.

This area – the Western White Mountains – is a naturally beautiful area that has many things to do but rarely is overrun with tourists. It’s low-key: it has many outdoor activities (hiking, swimming, canoeing, hunting, fishing) and a few natural attractions (such as Lost River Gorge), but not a lot of nightlife or fancy restaurants. But it fits the bill for people seeking peace, quiet and natural beauty – and it’s just a few hours from Boston.

Always remember to bring a good road map.

Quechee, Vermont: Simon Pearce Restaurant is Simply Wonderful

2009-08-03T14:38:00.000-07:00

A Springlike Lunch on a Rainy Summer Day

Last Friday, I braved a monsoon-like rainstorm to have lunch with a long-time colleague at the Simon Pearce Restaurant in Quechee, Vermont. And I was glad I did because I felt like I was in Paris or Milan, however briefly. Simon Pearce had perfectly captured European bistro dining: simple food, lovingly prepared and carefully presented by staff who are proud to be serving great food.

The restaurant is located in a painstakingly renovated old mill building on the river in “downtown” Quechee. The complex also houses the Simon Pearce Store, which features glass, pottery, wooden bowls and other household furnishings designed by this unique designer and made in Vermont. The items are expensive, but they are beautifully designed with a completely fresh style that combines clean lines with earthy materials and a hand-crafted approach. Buy one beautiful piece, whatever you can afford. It will remind you of the simple wonder of life every time you use it.

The store is great for browsing. Check out the glassblowing demonstrations in the basement if you have time. (Meanwhile, here’s a great video.)

The restaurant has creaky wooden floors, a high ceiling, and lots of windows, making it seem like it hangs over the falls (part of it does). The place has an airy feel and farm-style wooden tables and chairs. The table settings, napery, plates and other tableware are all from the Simon Pearce Store, a great way to showcase the products “in action.”

All the food is made from local ingredients whenever possible. I had the quiche of the day, with smoked salmon, red onions and capers; my colleague had the sesame chicken. Both were exquisitely prepared (classic Simon Pearce) and came with local field greens tossed with a light vinaigrette. Your meal includes a small plate of fresh breads – wheat bread and small baking powder biscuit squares the day we were there – accompanied by sweet butter. We had glasses of a house Sauvignon Blanc, which was light and crisp. (I am kicking myself for not having asked the name.) We both splurged on dessert: I had a locally made pear sorbet and my colleague had a blackberry cobbler (again made from locally sourced ingredients) – “because I never had cobbler before,” he said.

I’ve eaten here several times before, and have never had a bad meal. The Vermont cheddar soup is out of this world. They also have a Wine Spectator Award (two-glass).

The lunch menu is simple but thoughtful. It usually includes the famed Vermont cheddar soup, a soup of the day, some simple salads, about eight entrees, and several desserts. Entrees run $12 - $20, and are not large if you are a big eater but are large enough alone for a light lunch. Service is crisp, adult and professional.

The place is always jammed, but it’s worth the wait and they move people in and out pretty efficiently. The crowd can be a bit annoying sometimes – mostly those entitled folks who can afford to buy lots of Simon Pearce and want you to know they can– but the tables are far enough apart to prevent catching “contact entitlement.”

Go to Simon Pearce Restaurant. You will emerge refreshed and energized.

Simon Pearce gets Two Forks Up from the Fussy Diner.

Moments in Montpelier, Vermont

2009-07-29T05:02:00.000-07:00

Montpelier, Vermont, is the smallest state capital in the US. It’s convenient to Interstate Route 89, which cuts across central New Hampshire and goes all the way to the upper left-hand corner of Vermont (to Burlington – another great town, but that’s another post).

Montpelier is a mini-city with a beautiful, gold-domed capitol building fronted by a sprawling and people-friendly lawn; the Vermont state museum; a small but pulsating Main Street with some nice (non-chain) restaurants and shops; and a folksy city vibe. It’s 50 miles from my home, and a great day trip through lovely back roads.

While The Fussy Diner hasn’t even begun to explore all the wonders of Montpelier, here are some of her favorite places.

The Coffee Corner: This is a small, bustling diner with great food, a warm neighborhood feel and snappy service. The breakfast menu (served all day) has daily specials, such as Eggs Benedict served a few different ways, a Greek omelet, and fancy French toast. Home fries (the specialty -- big chunks of red potatoes with spices and onions -- don't miss these!!!) come with most breakfasts, but you can also order them on their own. The diner is also known for its home-baked bread from Manga Bakery-- of many varieties. A gem – with food that transcends a diner. You can read some more reviews (including mine) here on TripAdvisor. The Coffee Corner gets Two Forks Up from the Fussy Diner. UPDATE: The Coffee Corner was put up for sale in early August. I hope someone nice buys this little gem and keeps it operating. It's a great place.

Sarducci’s: This is an Italian bistro-type restaurant right at the head of Main Street. It’s open for lunch and dinner, and has great pastas, salads, wine and more serious entrees. Great service and nice ambiance. Sarducci's: Two Forks Up.

Main Street Bar & Grille: This is a wonderful restaurant serving creative American cuisine for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch (closed Mondays). It is the training ground for students from the New England Culinary Institute (NECI), which is located in town. It’s not uncommon to see student chefs walking through town in their chef’s whites with their cooking knives in leather cases. (La Brioche, an NECI bakery, is right across the street.) We have eaten lunch at Main Street Bar & Grille several times, and both the food and the service were always wonderful. Salads, sandwiches, and main dishes are all lovingly prepared, and usually feature some creative twists. There is a lounge on the lower floor, and outdoor dining on a small patio in front in good weather. It’s not cheap, but it’s well worth the money. (The Fussy Diner has always dreamed of attending NECI.) Main Street Bar & Grille: Two Forks Up Plus.

There are several other restaurants in Montpelier – just haven’t gotten to them yet – so visitors have a variety of choices.

Bookstores: I love independent, local bookstores, and there is a gem in Montpelier. Rivendell Books, right on Main Street, is a storefront crammed with new, used and children’s books. It’s a browser’s paradise that attracts locals and visitors alike. There’s also Bear Pond Books, also on Main Street. Both stores have online ordering. Thanks to both – and many other local booksellers throughout New England – for keeping the spirit alive.

Walking: Be sure to walk off your meal by strolling through Montpelier. The downtown is compact, and there are many interesting shops and businesses. There is also some interesting architecture, including lovingly restored, turn-of-the-century houses (and older) on Main Street. The local newspaper – The Barre-Montpelier Times-Argus – has an office right on Main Street. (As a newspaper junkie, I love this. )

Drives: Just a short drive north of town (Route 2 to Route 14), there are beautiful farm lands and little towns such as Adamant. (Technically, I believe that this is a neighborhood of Montpelier. A great name!)

For overnighters, there is a business hotel in town right across from the capitol (the Capitol Plaza Hotel and Conference Center) and a luxury inn on Main Street (The Inn at Montpelier), plus some B&Bs and motels. We haven’t stayed at any of these, so check TripAdvisor and other consumer rating sites for feedback from other people.

And a Side Trip: Barre, Vermont, is about 6 miles southeast of Montpelier (take Route 2 to Route 302 South). The largest city in Central Vermont, Barre is known as the “Granite Capital of the World.” The once-thriving industry attracted talented stone-cutters from all over the world and resulted in some wonderful work spread throughout the city. You can see some of the most impressive granite work at the beautiful Hope Cemetery, just north of the city. (Follow the signs in the center of town.) The city has some lovely old homes and buildings, and a Main Street that’s like stepping back in time. The city has a nice community vibe with an arts scene, an opera house, and a granite museum.

Stowe, Vermont’s main skiing town, is about 22 miles northwest of Montpelier, either by Route 89N (if you are on a schedule) or by the two-lane Route 2, which parallels Route 89 (if you have time). It’s possible to combine both in a single day trip and Stowe is also wonderful – but don’t miss Montpelier.

Montpelier is a non-Disney-fied, New England paradise in miniature. Enjoy!

Vermont Find: Friendly, Funky Fairlee

2009-07-24T12:01:00.000-07:00

Fairlee, Vermont, is a quiet little river town on the beautiful Connecticut River. It’s right off Route 91 about 20 miles north of White River Junction.

My favorite place in Fairlee is Chapman’s Store, a 100-year-old+ establishment that used to be a Rexall drug store but today is a funky kind of general store offering toys, creative clothing and more. It’s been in the Chapman family for generations, and is currently run by Aleta Chapman and various family members. My favorite thing about the store – aside from the people – is the small but carefully thought-out wine collection. Chapman’s offers an ever-changing range of domestic and international wines in different price ranges, and Aleta is adventurous in her choices. For example: the store was one of the first in our area to start carrying Spanish whites like Albariños. Case discounts kick in at three bottles. Do drop in – you won’t be disappointed. Mrs. Chapman’s Store next door has cards and gifts. Update as of August 2010: Chapman's has a new web site, with online ordering of some items.

Fussy Diner Rating: Two Forks Up.

Some other favorites:

Wing’s Market – A Mobil station and mini-mart that hides a surprisingly big super-ette, with wines, produce, locally baked breads, a deli and a decent meat market. They make pizzas on Friday nights in summer, and there’s an ice cream shack out back.

Fairlee Diner – Good place for breakfast or an early lunch.

Lake Morey – Wonderful lake nestled in the pines, with old-time camps and family homes speckling the shores. Driving around the lake is like driving back into the 1930s.

Leda’s Restaurant – A very informal place specializing in Greek food, eat in or take out. Run by Connecticut transplants who have been here for years.

The Wippi-Dip – Legendary ice cream stand.

The Flea Market – There’s a flea market at the Old Train Station every Saturday and Sunday from late May through the Fall. Farm tools, books and lots of local color.

YourFarm of Fairlee – This local organic farm sells fresh produce on Friday afternoons in the summer, from 4:30 to 6:00 PM at the Old Train Station. The produce is wonderfully fresh and flavorful – I have never seen snow peas so big. UPDATE: the Friday farm stand will be open through the October.

All of these places (except the lake) are right on Route 5, the main road through town. The lake is on the other side of Route 91, where you will find a road that circles the lake.

Across the river (Orford, NH), there is a wonderful restaurant called Peyton Place. Jim and Heidi Peyton serve internationally inspired cuisine in an old house. Cross the bridge into New Hampshire and take Route 10 south for about three-quarters of a mile. The restaurant is on your left.

If you are staying overnight, there are a few places although I have had no personal experience with them. These include the Lake Morey Resort, the White Goose Inn (in Orford, NH), and the Silver Maple Lodge & Cottages.

Overall Fussy Diner Rating for Fairlee: Two Forks Up

A Perfect Sunday in Quechee, Vermont

2009-07-24T05:14:00.000-07:00

We took a day trip to Quechee, Vermont, recently. Quechee is a small rural town in central Vermont, about 8 miles west of White River Junction and easily accessible from Route 91, the interstate that runs along the Vermont/NH border; or Route 89. Quechee is on the way to Woodstock, Vermont, its more commercial and well-known neighbor. Follow Route 4 West from Route 91 or Route 89, and enjoy the drive.

Quechee Gorge

Quechee is home of the famous Quechee Gorge, our reason for visiting. The gorge is maintained by the state of Vermont. It has a handful of well-maintained and marked trails offering easy hikes into the gorge and upstream to view the manmade dam. (We saw people hiking in flip-flops, although I'd recommend cross-trainers or light hiking shoes.) There is free parking and a visitor center with information about the gorge and area attractions, along with restrooms and a staffed information desk.

We hiked down into the gorge, a one-mile round trip. The gorge flattens out at the bottom, where you can walk on the rocks, sun yourself and take in the wonderful surroundings.

We also hiked upstream to view the dam, a 3/4-mile round-trip trail that winds through a pine forest (although it's close to a local road) and has picnic tables scattered along the way. The dam is used to generate electricity, and behind it there is a large pond with beds of rushes so perfect the scene looks like an Impressionist painting.

It was a sunny day, so there were lots of people hiking the gorge: mostly families, groups of friends (of all ages) and people with their dogs (allowed on leashes). Everyone was having a great time and being very pleasant and well-behaved (for once).

This is one of the most interesting and beautiful places in Vermont, in my opinion, for people who like a laid-back experience in the outdoors with lots of natural beauty. And it's completely free: no charge to visit, hike or park.

There are concessions nearby, including a snack shop and a small commercial strip up the road with a diner, shops, and occasional flea markets. But many people bring picnic lunches.

Fussy Diner Rating: Two Forks Up

Fire Stones Restaurant

We had a late brunch at Fire Stones Restaurant on Route 4. They offer both indoor and outdoor dining, and a brunch menu heavy on woodfired flatbreads (pizzas), salads, soups, pastas, burgers/sandwiches, French toast entrees, and eggs Benedict varietals. This is good although not imaginative food in a low-key, tavern-ish environment. We had a pepperoni flatbread and smoked salmon with poached egg and hollandaise served over puff pastry. The service was great, and the Bloody Marys substantial although not cheap ($7). We've eaten here before, and the food and service have always been good.

Fussy Diner Rating: One-and-a-Half Forks Up

Taftsville Country Store

Just west of Quechee is Taftsville, a little neighborhood of gracious old homes and a covered bridge. At the crossroads, you will see the Taftsville Country Store. From the outside, the store looks like hundreds of others that dot the Vermont landscape and sell cheese, maple syrup, jams and other local specialties. (The Taftsville Country Store does this better than most.) But the owner, a wine-lover, has also built a wonderful shop in the back with a small but creative collection of wines. Each wine has a small hand-annotated sign with tasting notes. The collection was heavy on wines from Italy, Spain and Argentina, which are my favorites these days because of their variety, quality and value. Case discounts start at six bottles.

Fussy Diner Rating: Two Forks Up

We finished our Sunday by driving down Route 12 from Quechee and taking Route 5 North home (it parallels Route 91, so you can easily jump off at any point.) These roads go through charming (and sometimes a bit hardscrabble) Central Vermont towns.

Welcome to My Blog

2009-07-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

Thanks for visiting my blog. During the day, I am a high-powered marketing communications executive who counsels the captains of industry. The rest of the time, I am an aspiring professional chef, restaurant reviewer, travel writer, wine critic, film critic, and highly opinionated pain in the butt.

I received the title of "The Fussy Diner" when I was two-and-a-half years old. (That's me in the photo. Pretty disarming, eh?) My mother was frustrated that I would not eat her carefully prepared evening meal of hamburger patty with overcooked green beans and overworked mashed potatoes (hey, it was the Fifties). She declared that I would sit at the dinner table until I ate my dinner. She gave up at 11:30 PM, but only because it was about four hours past my bedtime (she says). In short, I had won my first standoff -- and my nickname.

On this blog, you will hear me rave and rant about food, wine, travel, films, books and popular culture. I promise to try and be entertaining, and history suggests that I will be annoying. So, my apologies in advance, and I hope you enjoy my company.