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Stowe Earns My Respect

It was Martin Luther King Day, 2006, when I skied down an icy patch at Stowe, only to turn awkwardly and hear my ACL snap. The conditions had been horrible, raining all morning but I wanted to ski Upper Lord, one of the oldest runs on the mountain that swoops down along the ridgeline from the top of Vermont’s highest peak, Mount Mansfield. Since that time, I have been back to Stowe on several occasions with the kids but always stuck to the fairly easy trails on neighboring Spruce Peak. This past weekend, blessed with an excellent instructor, Mike Beagan, and a dusting of six inches of snow, I conquered my fears. Beagan started off on a couple easy blues like Ridge View and Sunrise, going off trail to ski through the trees. Feeling comfortable, we then did a couple jumps on the terrain park at Tyro. Then we hit Upper Lord. It was icy up top and I was feeling nervous, but I think the joy of skiing with my son, Jake, an excellent skier, and under the steady guidance of Beagan, who’s been teaching at Stowe for 15 years, I carved those turns and felt comfortable. Comfortable enough to take the gondola up to the top and ski Perry Merrill, one of my all time favorite New England trails, twice. That afternoon, I earned my apres-ski pint of Switchback ale at the Stowe Mountain Lodge. I had finally overcome my anxiety and relished the fact that I could ski this classic mountain once again. 
 

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A Well Deserved Best Chef in the Southwest Nod to Steve McHugh

In May 2014, my sister and I walked into a new restaurant in San Antonio called Cured and were blown away by dish after dish. Everything presented that meal was masterful from the selection of innovative charcuterie to the symphony of favors found in that ridiculously good pig’s head dish. “Crawfish Love Letter” was a tribute to the decade Cured’s chef Steve McHugh spent in New Orleans as chef de cuisine to John Besh. Even the mundane burger, a patty made with bacon and topped with smoked onion and homemade American cheese was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had. All delivered in a classic 1904 space in the burgeoning Pearl District (see my story on this emerging foodie neighborhood in The Washington Post). So I was delighted to read last week that McHugh is getting the acclaim he deserves, chosen as one of the semi-finalists by the James Beard Foundation as one of the Best Chefs in the Southwest. He’s the only nominee from San Antonio, which I find hard to believe, because it’s one of my favorite places to dine in America. Do yourself a favor this spring and book a room in the new Hotel Emma, housed in a former 19th-century brewery, and simply walk to dinner every night in the Pearl District to one of the 15 restaurants. You’ll thank me. 

 
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The March 2018 ActiveTravels Newsletter is Now Available

Twice a year, Lisa and I go to big Virtuoso travel agent events to learn about the latest developments in the hotel, adventure, and cruise world. We just returned from an intensive 4-day conference in New Jersey where we met over 100 suppliers in the business, jumping from desk to desk every 15 minutes to hear what’s new and exciting in the travel world. To hear the 6 trips that got us truly excited, please check out our latest newsletter. I’ll also introduce readers to two other suppliers next week, so stay tuned. 

 
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Deal of the Month: Winvian in Litchfield Hills, Connecticut

When the Smith family decided to transform their 113-acre estate into one of New England’s most unique and exclusive resorts called Winvian, they spared no expense. In 2006, they hired 15 architects to create “cottages” nestled into the meadows, ponds, and rolling farmland that flanks their circa-1775 Main House. Today, these 18 finished works are rare architectural gems where inside each spacious abode, you’ll find hidden wonders like an intact fully restored 1968 helicopter that now serves as the bar and entertainment center in the Helicopter Cottage. The Treehouse Cottage is a two-story structure 32 feet off the ground, suspended atop a tree. We stayed in the Library Cottage, inspired by the libraries of yesteryear and dominated by double-story shelves of books. A ladder accesses a wraparound second level balcony surrounding a glorious stone fireplace.

 
When not admiring the cottages, you can stroll through the wildflowers to a pond where we spotted a great blue heron or take a much longer hike in the surrounding White Memorial Foundation, a 4,000-acre wildlife sanctuary. Afterwards, opt for a facial or massage at the spa. Winvian is a Relais & Chateaux property as you’ll soon realize at dinner or the exceptional breakfast where I dined on poached eggs carbonara, over a bed of fresh eggplant and zucchini just plucked from their garden. Dinner was a 4-course feast of tuna crudo, rabbit tortellini, and veal cooked two ways. Lisa’s Atlantic halibut was also tender and fresh. After dinner, we played a game of pool downstairs before walking outside and looking up at the shimmering stars in the night sky. This retreat is as close to perfection as you get in a New England country estate. 
 
Winvian reopens Wednesday with the best rates of the year, $399 a night. The rate is only available for stays from March 20 through April 4. So if you need a quick escape at a one-of-a-kind resort, please contact ActiveTravels and we’ll check availability. 
 
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Luberon, Provence at its Finest

Guest Post and Photo by Jessica Bloom Galen
 
The approach into the hilltop villages of the Luberon was unforgettable. The winding "two-way" streets barely held our Renault convertible – it’s hard to imagine how two cars could pass simultaneously. We were rewarded for our faith in the GPS (highly recommended) and ambiguous road signs with a view of Gordes, an absolutely breathtaking village out of a picture book. It is one of the more touristy villages in the area so I recommend selecting accommodations in a more remote section of Luberon.
 
We stayed at Le Phebus and Spa, a rustic and charming inn on a street that had almost nothing else on it, in a town called Joucas. Our room was in a free-standing unit about 100 feet from the lobby, complete with a small balcony to look out on the grounds where we ate our breakfast of coffee, bread, meats, and cheese every day. Like many hotels in the area, Le Phebus’ restaurant is graced with a locally renowned chef who creates over-the-top gastronomic experiences every day. The tasting menu we had our first night there was filled with unusual and challenging offerings, like the sheep sweetbread croquettes and smoked mackerel accompanied by thin strips of octopus. The meal was heightened with the truly exceptional wine pairings, which we requested from the sommelier.
 
Which brings us to one of the true delights of the Luberon trip: the wine. It was a completely different experience of wine than we ever had before. We drove around just looking for signs to vineyards and tastings, known locally as "degustation" (as soon as you find one, pick up a guide to find the rest) as the hotel had been unable to provide much guidance. Our favorite by far was the Domaine de Tara, where a hilariously snarky guide with surprisingly good English led us through his delicious selections.
 
Another favorite stop was the Maison de la Truffe (truffle house). It hosts a small museum with artistic renderings of truffles through the ages, as well as some unexpected history of the fungus and its role in global commerce. They also have a beautiful courtyard where they serve delightful dishes featuring truffles (prosciutto, brie, fois gras) which, when paired with a glass of local rosé, formed one of the trip’s most iconic meals. On your way out through the gift shop, make sure to sample the truffle aperitif, a liqueur used locally in a sparkling wine cocktail, like an earthy kir royale. We also greatly enjoyed stumbling upon a few olive oil producers.
 
The populated towns like Gordes and Apt are nice to walk around for a bit, but to be honest, the really special part of the trip was letting the roads and our whims dictate what we saw and experienced. 
In short, here are out tips for a trip to the hilltop villages of Luberon:
 
• Select an adorable inn with a restaurant you won’t mind eating at more than once.
• Have a car, with a GPS.
• Just drive around, and be ready to stop short whenever you see a sign for a degustation (tasting).
 
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Favorite Travel Days 2011, Sea Kayaking Sheepscot Bay, Georgetown, Maine

 

North of Freeport, Maine, fingers of land dangle down from coastal Route 1 to create miles of sheltered bays to paddle. One of my favorite spots is Georgetown, where last June, I rented a room at Coveside B&B and had Seaspray Kayaking deliver an oceanworthy kayak to their docks. Careful not to start or end near low tide (or I’ll be digging for clams in the muck), I paddled south past the lobster boats to the Five Islands Lobster Company wharf. On the way, I spotted ospreys sitting atop their oversized nests, seals popping their heads out of the water like periscopes, and the distinctive orange beak of the American Oystercatcher. Yet, the reason this little jaunt makes my list of top five favorite days is the kayaking north on Little Sheepscot River, sheltered from the surf by MacMahan Island. The boulder-strewn shoreline is draped in seaweed and topped with velvety moss, creating a soothing, shady retreat in the late afternoon hours. An image that I remember vividly more than six months later. 
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Diving Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos

On terra firma, Grand Turk is a sleepy former British outpost, where you stroll past the Victorian homes on Front Street in a matter of minutes. Underwater, Grand Turk is home to the Wall, where without warning the reef plummets to a mind-boggling 7,000 feet to mark the edge of the Turks Island Passage. On the rim of this great blue abyss, it’s not uncommon to see humpback whales migrating in winter, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles swimming gracefully and unafraid, and herds of spotted eagle rays, with wing spans upward of eight feet, their thick black tails churning behind. Better yet, the dive sites are all less than a five-minute boat ride away on the leeward side of the island. Here, the reef is protected by strong winds and current, allowing divers of all abilities to access one of the most pristine locales in the Atlantic. Try the Tunnels, where you hit the reef at a depth of 65 feet, go through a tight chute and get your first glimpse of the Wall’s dramatic plunge. 
 

2 Comments

  1. Way to go Bro! Just like in bronc riding, you got to wipe off the dirt and get back on again and ride. Glad to see you’re enjoying it again. Let me know when you’re ready for the Rockies.

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