Woodstock Magazine - Spring 2016

SPRING 2016

Glassblowers at Simon Pearce Solarize the Upper Valley Vermont’s Oldest Public Golf Course at Woodstock Country Club

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CONTENTS

28 28 36 We Call Ourselves Glassblowers Here Comes the Sun 50

36

Golf at the Woodstock Country Club

by Mark Aiken Discover the rich history of Vermont’s oldest public course.

by Meg Brazill The choreography of making glass at Simon Pearce.

by Sally Miller and Zachariah Ralph Solarize the Upper Valley.

Cover photo by Jack Rowell

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CONTENTS

18

60

44

67

In Every Issue

Departments

13 Editor’s Note 14 Contributors 16 Online Exclusives 74 Happenings 79 Advertisers Index 80 Last Glance

18 Everyday Essentials Tips for healthy living.

by Cassie Horner

67 Travel

44 Fantastic Finds

by Lisa Densmore Ballard

by Meg Brazill

Life looms large at Heritage Weaving Studio.

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56

by Linda A. Ditch The Public House offers a pub atmosphere with an upscale kick.

22 Around & About

Unique Shopping in Woodstock

60 What’s New

Exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Shop and Dine in Quechee this Spring

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Mountain View Publishing, LLC 135 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755 (603) 643-1830

mountainviewpublishing.com Publishers

Bob Frisch Cheryl Frisch Executive Editor

Deborah Thompson Associate Editor

Kristy Erickson Copy Editor

Elaine Ambrose Creative Director

Ellen Klempner-Beguin Art Director

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Hutchens Media, LLC Web Design

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Erin Frisch Advertising

Bob Frisch KEEP US POSTED. Woodstock Magazine wants to hear from readers. Correspondence may be addressed to: Letters to the Editor, Woodstock Magazine, 135 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755. Or email us at: dthompson@mountainviewpublishing. com. Advertising inquiries may be made by email to rcfrisch1@comcast. net. Woodstock Magazine is published quarterly by Mountain View Publishing, LLC Š2016. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part is strictly prohibited. Woodstock Magazine accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photographs.

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E D I TO R ’ S N OT E

IAN RAYMOND

Wondrous Spring As the weather warms, area residents eagerly head outdoors to experience nature’s rebirth.

A sure sign of spring is seeing kids riding their bikes and populating baseball fields with their bats, balls, and mitts. Adults clean up their yards and dig into their gardens, and golfers ready their clubs in preparation for another season of play on local courses.

Did you know that golf was first played in Vermont at the Woodstock Country Club?

We’re delving into the club’s fascinating history in our story on page 28. Whether you’re a guest of the Woodstock Inn & Resort or live here throughout the year, if you love golf, you owe it to yourself to play a round on this gorgeous and historic course.

In this issue we’re also visiting the glassblowers at Simon Pearce (page 36). Get an up-close-and-personal look at these artisans who practice an age-old art locally. Plan a visit to Simon Pearce to watch them in action, and stop by their new bar for a delicious lunch while you’re there. You can also browse their shop for beautiful, handmade pieces for upcoming wedding and graduation gifts.

We’re also highlighting the work of Vassie Sinopoulos and other artisans at the Heritage Weaving Studio in Bridgewater, Vermont (page 44). The brilliantly colored rugs they create are too beautiful to be subjected to foot traffic—why not use one as a unique wall hanging! After all, they are truly works of art.

In other exciting news, Sustainable Woodstock is helping to facilitate the installation of solar heating and electrical systems in the area (page 50).

With several communities banding together to install the systems, the cost goes down for each. Now is the time to jump on the solar bandwagon, and with available tax credits, there’s no reason not to explore this option today.

The staff and I wish you a warm and wonderful season. Keep up with local news and events at www.woodstockmagazine.com. Enjoy!

Deborah Thompson Executive Editor dthompson@mountainviewpublishing.com

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C O N T R I B U TO R S Mark is a freelance writer and a professional ski instructor at Stowe. Marathoners, he and his wife live in Richmond, Vermont, where they are immersed in another endurance sport: parenting.

Mark Aiken

Lisa Densmore Ballard

A three-time Emmy-winning television producer and host, Lisa has been a familiar face around New England for her work on PBS and for various sports and outdoor networks. An accomplished writer and photographer, she contributes regularly to over 30 regional and national magazines on various adventure travel, nature, and wildlife topics. She has written seven books, including Best Hikes with Dogs: New Hampshire and Vermont and Hiking the Green Mountains.

Lynn began her photographic career in Boston, studying at the New England School of Photography, assisting commercial photographers, and color printing in photo labs. Originally from West Virginia, she worked her way north, finally landing in the hills of Vermont where she has a studio in Woodstock.

Her current assignments include photographing people, product, and art.

Lynn Bohannon

Meg is a regular contributor to regional New England magazines and teaches at the Writer’s Center in White River Junction, Vermont. A recovering punk rocker and performance artist, she lives with her daughter in South Woodstock. She is currently working on a book of short fiction when she’s not too busy living it.

Meg Brazill

Linda’s love for food dates back to times spent watching her grandmother cook in her Missouri farmhouse kitchen. Her love of wine developed while writing for the Concord Monitor and the Hippo. A freelance writer for almost two decades, her work has also appeared in the Boston Globe, Dallas Morning News, Better Nutrition, and CatFancy.

Linda A. Ditch

A fifth-generation Vermonter, Jack was born and raised in central Vermont. He has been a professional photographer for over 35 years, shooting documentary, commercial, and advertising photographs. His work has been published in People Weekly, London Independent, Time, Newsweek, the New York Times, the Economist, and the Times of London. In addition, Jack is an enthusiastic and experienced angler.

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ENGEL & VOLKERS, WOODSTOCK

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E V E RY DAY E S S E N T I A L S Tips for Healthy Living

Spring Cleaning

Even though it’s mud season, some us can’t resist the urge to scrub away the winter. You don’t need a cupboard full of cleaning products to make your home sparkle—just a few simple ingredients you already have in your kitchen can do the job.

White vinegar: This all-purpose cleaner can wipe out soap scum, mineral deposits, and more. Disinfect the interior of your dishwasher by placing a small bowl filled with vinegar on the bottom rack and run an empty cycle. Mix ¼ cup of vinegar, 2 cups water, and a squirt of liquid castile soap in a spray bottle for spotless, streak-free windows.

Lemons: The acid in lemon juice busts through dirt and grime.

Mix with salt to make a hard-working scouring paste. Dip the cut side of a lemon half in baking soda to tackle countertops, then wipe with a wet sponge.

Baking soda: To clean countertops, stainless steel sinks, and microwaves, simply sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth. When the snow has melted enough to bring out the grill, dip a damp brush into some baking soda, scrub the grate until it’s clean, and rinse. Lawn furniture can be cleaned with ¼ cup baking soda in a quart of warm water—just scrub and rinse.

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Rotate Your Mattress Spring is the perfect time to give your mattress a little TLC. Proper care of your mattress can help you get a longer and healthier night’s sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends rotating your mattress every three months and your box spring every six months. Regularly vacuum your mattress—to get rid of odors, sprinkle it with baking soda before vacuuming.

Cover your mattress with a washable pad to protect against stains and allergens.

Finally, be sure to replace your mattress when it starts to feel worn, or about every 8 to 10 years.

Ah-CHOO!

Tame Seasonal Allergies For millions of Americans, the arrival of spring means the beginning of allergy season. “Even with snow still on the ground, trees have started budding and are the first to produce pollen, creating major problems for people with allergies,” says Dr. David Rosenstreich, chief of the division of allergy and immunology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City.

If you suffer from allergies, avoid clothes made of synthetic fabrics, which, when rubbed together, can create an electrical charge that attracts pollen.

Exercise outdoors before dawn, in the late afternoon, or early evening when pollen counts are at their lowest. Limit your exposure to indoor allergens by regularly vacuuming your furniture, showering often, and leaving your shoes by the door. Also consider using a dehumidifier and an air purifier with a HEPA filter.

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E V E RY DAY E S S E N T I A L S

A Seasonal Brain Cramp?

D

o you think better in the summer? Seasons affect hormones, the immune system, and neurotransmitters, and they may also impact our ability to think. A small new study suggests that brain power is stronger during certain times of the year. Researchers studied 14 men and 14 women at different times of the year and used brain scans to observe how they handled tasks testing their attention and short-term memory. They found that attention skills were best near the summer solstice in June and worst near the winter solstice in December.

Short-term memory was best in the fall and worst in the spring.

After a cold, long winter, does spring fever make us forgetful? While scientists examine the link between the seasons and our thinking, try the following tips from psychcentral.com to improve your short-term memory this spring.

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• Focus. Most of us get so wrapped up in multitasking that we fail to pay attention to the task at hand. The brain needs time to encode the information properly, so taking time to focus on what you need to remember will almost always improve your memory.

• Repeat. If you’re trying to memorize something, repetition over a long period of time seems to work for most people.

• Use mnemonic devices. Imagery, acronyms, rhyme, and song help us remember things. Find one that works for you.

• Connect the dots. Often when we learn something new, we forget to make associations until later.

Research shows that memory can be stronger if we try to make associations when we first take in the information.

Protect Your Pets Spring has sprung! While you enjoy the season, the ASPCA advises you to be aware of potential springtime hazards for your furry friends.

If you celebrate Easter, keep lilies and candy away from your pets. Lilies can be fatal if ingested by cats, and chocolate is toxic to cats and dogs.

Many of us—and our pets—enjoy the breezy days of spring, but be sure to install snug and sturdy screens in all your windows. Cats are apt to jump or fall through unscreened windows.

Be cautious when you tackle homeimprovement projects. Paints, mineral spirits, and solvents can be toxic to pets. Also be aware of physical hazards like nails, insulation, and power tools if your pet is outside with you.

Springtime marks the start of tick season, and the warmer weather brings out an onslaught of other creepy crawlies. Make sure your pet is on year-round heartworm preventive medication as well as flea and tick control.

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A RO U N D & A B O U T

By Cassie Horner Photos courtesy of Mary McCuaig

Vermont Maple

Open House Weekend Top Acres, a longtime farm in South Woodstock, opens the doors of its sugarhouse to the public for Vermont Maple Open House Weekend on Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3.

Visitors take the dirt road to the farm for a warm welcome by owners Mary and Carl McCuaig. “My great-grandfather bought it in 1901,” Mary says. “Our family has been sugaring since the early 1900s.” In 2010 they built a new sugarhouse but with a traditional design.

“The weekend is a lot of fun,” Mary says.

“Many people don’t know a lot about sugar making so this is an opportunity to teach them.”

Visitors can see a sugarhouse all set up for operating, watch the sap boiling, taste samples of maple syrup, and enjoy donuts. They can check out buckets of sap to see what it looks like and stand on the observation deck in the sugarhouse. “People can look down and see the boiling and smell the steam,” she says. “The atmosphere is wonderful when we’re boiling.”

A special part of the visit to Top Acres is the

chance to view a collection of antique sugaring items such as spouts and equipment. These belong to Mary’s uncle, Irwin Fullerton, who grew up on the farm.

Vermont Maple Open House Weekend is organized by the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association. Visitors are welcome at sugarhouses and restaurants statewide. Traveling the countryside to different places and seeing the uniqueness of each sugarhouse and farm is fun—and a treat for any sweet tooth.

For directions on how to get to Top Acres and for a listing of other sugarhouses open to the public (including Sugarbush Farm in Woodstock) on April 2 and 3, visit www.vermont maple.org.

Online Extra Find information and photos for the Vermont Maple Festival at www.woodstockmagazine.com.

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Clockwise from top: Mary McCuaig oversees boiling. Top Acres sugarhouse.

Families enjoy the experience during Open House Weekend.

“People can look down and see the boiling and smell the steam. The atmosphere is wonderful when we’re boiling.”

—Mary McCuaig Owner, Top Acres

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A RO U N D & A B O U T

Paws for the Cause

Attendees enjoy cocktails before dinner and the live auction begin.

The date is set for the 12th annual Paws for the Cause auction, which raises crucial funds every year for the work of the Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society. Join in for an evening of fun on Thursday, May 26 from 5 to 9pm at The Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm.

The evening begins with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and opportunities to bid on silent auction items. Following this is dinner and the live auction, which features trips, dinners, and much more. Kicking off the live auction is the current fund in need, a specific item or issue that the humane society seeks funding for.

“We pull out a really important issue,” says Susan Copeland, auction chair and vice president of the board. Last year, this was the costly rescue of 23 Arabian horses, and $15,000 was raised in that part of the auction alone. Bidding for the

fund in need is offered in a series of steps, beginning with $1,000 and moving in increments of $50 so everyone has an opportunity to participate.

Founded in 1915, the Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society is one of the oldest continuously operating humane societies in the nation. “It is really important that we have this event every year,” says Susan. “Our community support is wonderful.”

This year, the society has rescued two more horses. Although the facility is not typically involved in large-animal rescues, it has the space, so the decision was made to do it again.

“The support of people shows us we are doing the right thing,” she observes. “There is more and more of this type of rescue because some owners can’t afford to care for their animals.”

caption

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Susan praises the support for the auction provided by sponsors—companies, businesses, and high-end donors—that raise a majority of money at the auction.

She also notes that The Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm is a wonderful venue.

“The owners are dog lovers,” she says.

“The inn provides a beautiful dinner, and they bend over backwards to help us make the event a success.”

Reservations are required, and seating is limited. Tickets are $100. To save your place with the purchase of individual tickets or a table, visit www. lucymac.org or call (802) 484-5829.

Below inset left: Lucy Mackenzie Board President Jeanne Matos (left) and 2015 Distinguished Generosity Honoree Joanna Garbisch.

Below inset right: Auctioneer Kathy Kingston in action during the live auction.

ption

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A RO U N D & A B O U T

To This Woodstock Middle School Teacher,

Family Is Everything Barbara Drufovka, an American Studies teacher at Woodstock Union Middle School, was born in Trieste, Italy, and came to the US with her parents when she was two years old.

She keeps her connections to her birthplace strong with biennial trips to Trieste with her daughters.

“The tradition continues,” she says. “We stay with my mother’s family there. It’s wonderful because I grew up in Connecticut with almost no family nearby.”

Last summer, they spent several weeks in Trieste in August. The focus was family activities—days at the beach, lots of dinners, and evenings at sagre (hill-town fairs and festivals featuring live music, dancing, and great food). They also traveled to Cortina in the Dolomites.

“It’s a tradition in Trieste to walk in the hills,” Barbara says. “Trieste has a different lifestyle than the US, especially for older peo-

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Clockwise from top: Barbara’s daughter Anya in Piazza Unità, the main piazza downtown on the Adriatic Sea. The ancient Roman marketplace at San Giusto.

Fettuccini with clams. Dancing at the sagra with family.

Trieste is a charming town on Italy’s west coast.

ple, that is healthier and more positive.

People dance, walk, bike, and hike.”

Barbara has a fascinating family history. Her father worked on a ship when he was 19, traveling from the port of Trieste. The story, which she eventually verified with the ship’s manifests, was that he jumped ship in Costa Rica in 1956. He ended up in New York, married, and had a daughter before being deported back to Trieste as an illegal alien. He divorced his first wife and met Barbara’s mother; Barbara was born; and the trio made the journey to the US. When she was eight years old, her mother sent her to Trieste to meet her Italian relatives, including her maternal grandparents. “My mother loved to go back,” she says. She and her mother returned for visits many times.

While Barbara knows her mother’s family well, she knows very little about her father’s ancestry. Trieste was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until after WWI, which explains why the name Drufovka does not sound typically Italian. Through Facebook, she has connected with a group of about 50 Drufovkas living in Nova Gorica, a town that became part of Yugoslavia (now Slovenia) after WWII. Her hope is to research her father’s family’s roots.

Maintaining the connection to her birthplace—encouraged by her mother for so many years—continues to be an important part of Barbara’s life. “It’s all about family,” she reflects.

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By Mark Aiken Photos Courtesy of Woodstock Country Club (unless otherwise noted)

Golf at the Woodstock Country Club Discover the rich history of Vermont’s oldest public course Rockefeller. Robert Trent Jones Sr. Brassies and mashies. Taverns dating back nearly to the Revolutionary War era. These names and images will give you a sense of just how steeped in history the Woodstock Country Club at Woodstock Inn & Resort is. Combine this rich history with service and amenities that earn AAA’s four-diamond rating, including friendly staff, a plethora of activities for all seasons, and one of the country’s most acclaimed golf courses, and the sum is one of Vermont’s very special and unique vacation spots. » Right: The course is surrounded by beautiful, lush green landscape.

Below: The par-3 13th hole.

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Above inset: Miss Billings golfing, circa 1900.

Photo courtesy of Woodstock History Center.

“For us, service is most important,” says Courtney Lowe. As the property’s director of sales and marketing, Courtney is quite versed in the resort’s offerings and amenities. But he’s also a perfect match for his position because he loves golf. “My favorite hole is probably number 18,” he says. A 418-yard par four with trees on one side of the fairway (“I call them jail,” says Courtney of the trees), getting on the green in two shots is a terrific challenge. Scoring a par on number 18, says Courtney, is a great way to end a round of golf.

A RICH HISTORY

Woodstock Inn & Resort’s hotel (called an “inn,” but with 142 rooms, hotel is probably the more accurate term) features two restaurants. The Red Rooster is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while Richardson’s Tavern pays homage to Captain Israel Richardson, whose tavern built in 1793 became the area’s first overnight-lodging accommodation.

The game of golf first came to Woodstock when a Dr. Francis B. Harrington of Boston visited the inn—and brought his clubs. He and Arthur Wilder, the

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resort manager at the time, hiked to the fields on nearby Mount Peg, where Dr. Harrington hit some balls and captured Arthur’s interest. The year was 1895, making the Woodstock course Vermont’s oldest public course, and golfers played on the round-topped Mount Peg until the course was moved onto the flatter valley floor in the 1920s.

The member-owned Woodstock Country Club limped through most of the first half of the 20th century on unstable financial ground until Laurance Rockefeller purchased Suicide Six and

Above inset: Golfing on Mount Peg. Photo courtesy of Woodstock History Center.

Above: The par-4 9th hole.

Right: The par-3 7th hole abuts a small pond.

the Country Club in 1961, and then later in 1968 he purchased the Woodstock Inn and added the ski area and golf course to the inn business.

Laurance Rockefeller brought in legendary golf course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr., who was entering the prime of his career, to redesign the course. “It pretty much is [a typical Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed course],” says Jim Gunnare, Woodstock’s resident PGA golf pro. “I had

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Above: Driving from the 14th tee box can offer challenges.

Right: The family-friendly course offers junior tees.

the pleasure of walking the course with him a few years ago, and he truly was an amazing and intelligent man.�

The Woodstock Foundation, founded

by Laurance and Mary Rockefeller, is comprised of the Woodstock Inn & Resort and the Billings Farm & Museum.

The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park is run by the National Park Service. The mansion and the land were donated to the Park Service by Laurance and Mary Rockefeller.

21ST CENTURY AMENITIES

The Inn & Resort is much more than an inn next to a golf course. Of course, if golf is your game, count on being greeted at your car in the parking lot and having access to spacious locker rooms, as well as a beautifully designed and perfectly maintained course.

If golf isn’t your game but top-rate service and a full menu of other activities are, the resort has a wide array of amenities starting with the 142-room inn and 3 2 F I N D WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E AT W W W. WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E . C O M

the five-year-old, 11-million-dollar spa facility, the Woodstock Athletic Club, with its indoor and outdoor tennis courts, indoor pool, hot tub, and a slate of fitness classes and programs.

For outdoor lovers, the resort hosts an Orvis fly-fishing program and guide service (learn to cast on dry ground before hitting the streams), a falconry center, miles of hiking trails, croquet courts, and mountain biking.

For winter enthusiasts, the resort also owns Suicide Six ski area (which celebrated its 80th birthday in January) and has Nordic ski, snowshoe, and fat-tire biking programs. If you appreciate the highest level of service and have an interest in fitness and the outdoors, Woodstock Inn & Resort has something for you.

MAKING NEW HISTORY

Tradition and history are an important part of the culture at Woodstock Inn & Resort, where the golf course regularly earns accolades as one of the nation’s very best. For example, since 1911, the club has employed only seven golf pros. This becomes even more incredS P R I N G 2016

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This lush green is just waiting for you to sink your putt.

ible when you discover that two pros only lasted a year (in 1914 and 1915).

Jim Gunnare, the current head pro, has been at Woodstock for 31 years.

Jim was serving as an assistant pro at another resort with Rockefeller connections in Carefree, Arizona, when a member from Vermont told him of an opening at Woodstock. “Best move I ever made,” Jim says.

It should be noted that Jim is not the longest-tenured pro in club history (yet); Jack Wicks served as the pro at Woodstock from 1916 to 1964. Why serve so long? “I fell in love with the village of Woodstock,” says Jim. “But more important was the membership of the club and my fellow employees over the years.”

He means members like Bunny Huntley, active in organizing an annual ladies’ member–guest tournament— always with a theme. “Bunny would always dress me up with whatever that theme was,” says Jim. For example, Elvis, sunshine, toga parties. “Being a good sport, I always went along, although it was quite embarrassing sometimes.”

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The golf course itself is a long course—nearly a mile, if you are deciding whether or not to ride in a cart.

Robert Trent Jones Sr. was sure to create lots of bunkers and hazards, and he made full use of Kedron Brook, which stands in front of at least six greens and shows up on no fewer than 12 holes.

“If you play the course perfectly, you will cross the brook only 12 times,” says Jim. Adds Courtney Lowe, “Lots of members carry ball retrievers in their bags. The brook is like a magnet for balls.”

“I think what makes the Woodstock Inn & Resort and the Country Club special is the service, the friendliness of the staff, and the condition of the property,” says Jim. In a fast-paced world where it’s easy to lose sight of little things, it’s nice to know there are still places in charming and quaint Vermont villages that have a healthy respect for our heritage and where no detail gets overlooked.

Woodstock Inn & Resort Golf Contact Information 76 South Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-6674 www.woodstockinn.com/golf-club S P R I N G 2016

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Handmade pieces come to life in the Simon Pearce workshop.

We Call Ourselves

Glassblowers The choreography of making glass at Simon Pearce

A

By Meg Brazill | Photos by Jack Rowell

midst the glowing furnaces in

the glassblowing workshop at

Simon Pearce, a theater of tight choreography, cooperative

teamwork, and impeccable mastery

of craft takes place. The glassblowers balance and maneuver heavy tools, pour molten glass, and

shape beautiful lead-free glassware. In so doing, the physical challenge is considerable; the level

of endurance is even greater. Yet, somehow, the glassblowers make it look almost effortless. Âť

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James Devins uses a handmade wooden tool to shape the gather of glass.

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Simon Pearce receives about 350,000 visitors annually, making it one of Vermont’s top tourist destinations. Visitors can observe glassblowers at work daily in the flagship store in Quechee and in Windsor at the factory outlet. The two Vermont stores carry hand-blown glassware, pottery, wooden wares, linens, and other items, but the draw for many begins with the glassblowing operation.

When Simon moved his business from Ireland to Vermont in 1981, it was a one-person operation. Today, 16 glassblowers work in Quechee; 18 glassblowers work at the Windsor facility; and 23 are in Maryland. They blow glass every day from 6am to 9pm, running two shifts. All have a different story about how they found their way to the craft.

THE DANCE, THE DANGER, THE DIFFICULTY

Bill Browne is a master glassblower and seasoned artisan, but 20 years ago he was working as a carpenter in Connecticut. When he came up to visit his sister, Susan Darling, who was working in the Simon Pearce restaurant, Bill spent a couple of hours watching the glassblowers, and then put in an application for a job.

Bill says his connection to glassblowing was immediate. “I just got it. I was thrilled with it—the beauty, the gracefulness of it, the dance, the danger. I was attracted to all those features.” Even after decades as a glassblower, the work still resonates for him. “I like making something difficult, then making it again and again, and making as many high-quality pieces as I can in a day.” (By the way, his sister Susan is still at Simon Pearce and “is one of their best servers,” says Bill.)

The same people generally work together every day to allow for the best teamwork. If they’re making a stem glass, they might make 50 pieces a day; if it’s a large glass bowl, they might turn out 25 pieces in a day. “When you and your teammate and the glass are all working as one, things happen that are very beautiful,” Bill says.

Customers notice it too. “We get a lot of comments about the teamwork and the gracefulness and how we just flow back and forth with one another. We flow like the glass flows. When you’re in the zone, the glass is crisper, it’s smoother.”

THIRTY YEARS ON: CHANGE CREATES OPPORTUNITY

Each piece is finished by hand, giving the glass its own unique character.

Pictured is Griffin Decelles.

In August 2011, Tropical Storm Irene devastated businesses and communities in Vermont, and Simon Pearce was hit hard.

“Nothing was salvageable,” Bill says of the Quechee glassmaking operation. “I took the opportunity to redesign the production floor.”

The layout had not changed since Simon designed and set it up 30 years before. They moved the stairway and made it wide open. They built a new furnace. Using the same number of employees as previously, “it’s now about 30 percent more efficient,” Bill says. Efficiency can lead to an economy of steps, reducing physical stress and making their work safer.

It’s a testament to their responsiveness and productivity that they lost only two days of production by instituting a night

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Clockwise from top: James blows down the pipe, forming an air bubble within the glass. Glassblowers are a marvel to watch; guests observe glass artisans pulling, shaping, and handcrafting Simon Pearce glassware. Master Glassblower and Production Manager Nate Cloud Sr. has been with Simon Pearce nearly 22 years.

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shift at the Windsor facilities. “Having the two production facilities worked in our benefit,” Bill says. New furnace blocks from Hungary were ordered, and the Quechee facility opened on Mother’s Day weekend in May 2012.

The new layout also created a more enjoyable viewing experience for visitors, with far more railing space and more glassblowers. Three teams consisting of six employees are very close to the customers. It is also now wheelchair accessible.

Glassmaking has a long heritage, and the Simon Pearce shop follows a traditional method, so in that sense, not much has changed in the process. “What has changed is keeping ourselves competitive and keeping costs down,” Bill says, “how to reduce costs, reduce any kind of waste that we can.” They use heat, gravity, water, wood, steel, and newspaper. “Mother Nature has made the best tools for glassblowing,” he adds. Anything they can reuse, they do.

These days, Bill is Lean Process Improvement Manager. “It’s a new department involved in producing lean manufacturing, finding efficiencies,” he says. “It’s determining the best practice to do any specific task or process.” It’s also educating people about how to identify waste and remove it. They look at whole processes and discover all the steps involved.

The designs at Simon Pearce have changed too, becoming more complex over time. Vice President of Design James Murray pushes the glassblowers with his 20 to 30—even 50—designs every year. “Simon will tell you that some of the designs we make today he wouldn’t have even thought possible 20 years ago,” Bill says.

MASTERS AND APPRENTICES

In the age of bigger, faster, more, Simon Pearce believes in simplicity, quality, and artisanship. Each piece of Simon Pearce glass carries a story that lends meaning, authenticity, and grace to every use. Pictured is Cory Duda.

Last June, Matilda von Roth began as an apprentice glassblower. She had studied graphic design but discovered she preferred the hands-on aspects of glassblowing after taking a short course in it. “It’s hard to execute but simple to understand,” Matilda says. “You’re either doing it right, or you’re doing it wrong. It’s fun, but it’s hard.” She recalled a 100-degree day in the shop last summer. “Being able to handle the heat helps. It’s not for the fainthearted,” Matilda adds, smiling.

“You learn very quickly if it’s something you want to pursue.

It’s really rewarding when you get it right.”

Nate Cloud Sr., Quechee production manager and master glassblower, agrees. “It’s a very difficult medium. It will definitely challenge you,” he says. He began at Simon Pearce nearly 22 years ago, so the work is second nature to him now.

“But when I first started, I’d get so frustrated that I’d be on the verge of tears.”

Another glassblower steps up, and Nate uses a tool to make an air twist on the stem of a glass before handing the glass off again. Nate had been working for Bombardier in Barre Town, building trains, when a friend told him about Simon Pearce.

“He convinced me to come down and try it.” Nate holds a flat clump of wet newspaper with one hand and shapes the molten glass in it with his other. He then passes it along to his team

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Clockwise from top: Crafted by generations to last generations, pictured are father and son Nathan Cloud Jr. and Sr. Scott Swart gathers molten glass from the furnace.

The temperature of the glass is approximately 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. Griffin Decelles checks the quality of his piece while guests watch a craftsman at work.

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member. A glassblower’s skill level determines which pieces a craftsman is involved with and which parts of the process she or he works on.

“I was pretty excited and it seemed like a huge opportunity,” Nate says.

“Train building is largely assembly work.

They were decent jobs, but they didn’t really go anywhere. Here [at Simon Pearce] I could gain skills and advance.”

And he has. It’s also become a family affair; his son, Nate Cloud Jr. (known as NJ) is also a glassblower there.

“Glassblowing, at least the way we’re doing it, builds muscle memory, so you don’t have to think about what your left hand is doing while your right hand does something else,” Nate says. “You really need to have that muscle memory to move on to more complicated things.”

“LIKE A GRAVITY SPORT”

Like Bill Browne, Cory Duda became aware of the glassblowing work at Simon Pearce through a sibling. “It goes back to my brother [Joshua Duda]. He was a sous

chef and then became the executive chef and made me aware of the job possibility here.” It wasn’t an obvious fit. Cory’s background was athletic, not artistic, and he had just finished his first year of college as a sociology/psych major.

That summer of 1998 he found out he was going to be a father. “And I very much wanted that,” Cory says. “With my family here, I looked for job opportunities and tried my hand working at area restaurants.” He wasn’t satisfied with the restaurant environment though, and he also wanted something more secure.

“I’d known about Simon and his reputation for quality work,” Cory says. “The quality of the experience is very important to me.” It clicked, and he’s been there ever since.

Cory was an athlete in high school and loves downhill skiing. “More than anything, glassblowing seemed like a gravity sport,” Cory says. “For me, it’s always been a very sensation-driven job. I’ve grown to enjoy the refinement of the process, but it’s still the tapping into that

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flow that I enjoy.” He’s also gotten much better at it. “The accuracy is definitely sharper,” Cory says. “But you’re so on the edge of your seat. You need to hit it or else it’s gone—you need to hit it in the time that it’s there or it’s gone.”

Glass journeyman Scott Swart from Lyme, New Hampshire, agrees that there is a lot of rigor to the job. “You’ve got to get used to being sore—a lot. You burn a lot of calories.” Like athletes on a field or dancers on a stage, they are all in constant motion. Scott came through the first six-week apprentice program that Simon Pearce offered and was one of two apprentices hired as employees.

Prior to that, he’d been in the Marine Corps for four years; after returning home, he was working at Dartmouth Skiway when the apprentice program came across his radar.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE

“We are very much getting into the Lean and Six Sigma,” Scott says. Lean and Six Sigma is a methodology that relies on

a team effort to improve performance by systematically reducing or removing waste—including time and motion. “It goes way back to Henry Ford. You can streamline a lot of things. In the military, if you worked in cannon shop, for example, and you worked with one tool most of the day, you’d move the tool closer. It’s simple stuff like that.”

Scott says that most of the group “grew up on the other side of the fence,” referring to the railing that surrounds the glassblowers. Many of them first came to Simon Pearce as kids to watch the glassblowers. Scott himself is a 2005 graduate of Hanover High.

Nate Cloud Jr. (NJ) was also one of the kids who used to watch the glassblowers—at least in part because his father was one of them. “I was always fascinated and thought it was cool, but it wasn’t something I wanted to do.”

When he graduated from high school, he didn’t know what he wanted to do, “so I thought I’d give it a shot,” he says.

Like other glassblowers, NJ holds a

certain kind of fascination for the work itself. “I like how gratifying it is. Starting from liquid and then seeing your turnout within seven minutes,” NJ says. “I love the glass. I think it’s beautiful. You can’t hide imperfections in it. People like it, and there’s something gratifying in that.”

INSTINCT AND INTUITION

Like his father, NJ recognizes that there is an extra sense that kicks in. Nate Sr. calls it muscle memory. NJ says, “It’s letting our natural instincts take over instead of overthinking it. And the great thing is we’ve all worked together long enough that there’s a point where you don’t really need to talk anymore. They know exactly what you need.”

As if to emphasize, NJ pops his headphones back on to listen to music and heads over to a furnace to finish a task.

When he returns to the visitors’ rail, he talks about the furnaces, the fire, and the heat. “As glassblowers, I think we’re not worried about it.” Pointing to a furnace, he says, “That thing is 2,500 degrees.

I’ve rubbed up against it. When you first start taking bits [molten glass] from somebody else, it’s stressful. Having a 2,100-degree glass over your head is intimidating at first. I was sweating.”

To do the work, NJ says, you use everything, mentally and physically, to do the best you can. He says he was given some advice early on: “If you’re hurting yourself while you’re doing it, you’re doing it wrong. So if it hurts, you adjust until it feels right.” NJ’s words of advice?

“If you want to learn how to blow glass, come to Simon Pearce. Learn to do it the right way.”

Simon Pearce Mill and Restaurant 1760 Quechee Main Street Quechee, VT (802) 295-2711 quechee@simonpearce.com www.simonpearce.com

Simon Pearce Factory Outlet 109 Park Road Windsor, VT (802) 230-2402

GET CONNECTED Get listed on the woodstockmagazine.com BUSINESS DIRECTORY and you will also be included on our printed list in every issue of WOODSTOCK MAGAZINE. (See page 17.)

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FA N TA S T I C F I N D S

Vassie poses next to several Leclerc looms.

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Life Looms Large at the Heritage

Weaving Studio An ancient art meets modern sustainability

By Meg Brazill Photos by Lynn Bohannon

On the second floor of the historic Bridgewater Mill building, seven-foot-tall looms, floor-to-ceiling stacks of colorful fabric, and beautiful finished rugs fill the Heritage Weaving Studio (HWS). Run by volunteer weavers and apprentices, the Heritage Weaving Studio welcomes anyone who wants to weave or learn to weave—from novices to experienced fiber artists looking to pick up new skills.

Clockwise from top left: Weaving a table runner with fine wool. Some of the studio’s original rug designs. Cutting a tee shirt into strips.

FROM RAGS TO RICHES

Operating under the auspices of the Bridgewater Sustainable Earth Foundation, the weaving studio recycles clothing from the foundation’s third-floor thrift shop, remaking garments as rugs and other useful objects. The studio is open three days a week so the public can watch, learn, and weave—or purchase rugs, table runners, and other items for sale. On most days,

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FA N TA S T I C F I N D S

Clockwise from top left: Winding the tee shirt weft onto a shuttle. A view of the studio with a counterbalance loom in the foreground and a barn loom on the left.

Apprentice Amber Dusik weaves placemats. Detail of rug texture. Finishing the rug by knotting the fringes.

founder Vassie Sinopoulos sits at one of the historic looms, showing how she’s weaving tee shirts (and sometimes jeans) into rag rugs, remaking old clothing into useful textiles.

“Rag rugs are the simplest kind of weaving,” Vassie says. “At times people give us wool, so we’ll weave wool rugs or a table runner.” And every week they get loads of clean tee shirts from the Bridgewater Thrift Shop. “I like the soft fabric of tee shirts,” Vassie says. “It’s supple.”

According to Vassie, weaving is not difficult to learn but dressing the loom (setting up the hundreds of threads on the loom) is.

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THE OLDEST ARTS

“People used to make everything at home,” Vassie says. “They often raised sheep so they could make blankets or more decorative items. They would make rugs out of clothing that was disintegrating.” Fabric scraps left over from sewing projects would also be put to use making a rag rug. Nothing that could be reused went to waste. These days it’s recognized as a welcome way to reduce waste, lower our (collective) footprint, and transform those materials into something beautiful.

Vassie was born in a Greek village “where every family had a loom and weaving was an indispensable household activ-

Karen Weinstein and Vassie repair a broken warp thread.

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FA N TA S T I C F I N D S

Clockwise from top left: An example of one-of-a-kind rug design. Irene Corb Gaffigan, Karen Weinstein, and Vassie work on different projects. A four-harness Leclerc loom. A Flokati rug made from locally donated tee shirts. Threading the warp through the heddles.

ity.” She recollects vivid childhood memories of weavers getting together to dress the looms. “Official weavers would help my older sister measure the threads. Many elder women in the community would help the younger weavers do their weaving.”

Vassie began weaving 30 years ago when she was given an heirloom family loom for her newborn baby daughter. When the loom arrived from Ohio, it was in pieces— the only practical way to ship it. Local weaver and loom expert Haldor Issente helped her put the loom together and also became Vassie’s first weaving teacher. Later on, she also took some weaving lessons at the Windsor Craft Center.

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“In 1994 I took my whole family to Greece for a year, and I attended the Women’s Weaving Center in Athens.” She spent a lot of time weaving there.

The Heritage Weaving Studio began seven years ago after Vassie attended a sustainability workshop in Woodstock. “I signed up for the section to do something with crafts or artwork. I thought recycling material would be my first choice, especially knowing there was a thrift shop where I could have endless supplies.”

Vassie originally co-founded the Heritage Weaving Studio with weaver Linnea Thompson, who has since retired.

Over the years, volunteers have par-

ticipated in the program, and current participants include Andy Bird, Amber Dusik, Irene Corb Gaffigan, Calee Simpson, Karen Weinstein, and Eve Winslow.

New volunteers are always welcome. No experience is necessary—just a love for handcrafted work and for people.

IT ALL ADDS UP

It’s estimated that HWS uses an average of 14 to 16 tee shirts to make a single rug, although some rugs call for more. The studio produces at least 100 rag rugs of various sizes every year, recycling, or upcycling, about 1,600

about 150 years old and more than 250 years old, respectively. Barn Frame Loom is the name usually given to looms constructed of large beams with mortise-and-tenon joints, and with dowels and/or wedges as fasteners. The footprint of these looms is sizeable at 25-to-30 square feet and six- or sevenfeet high. Their construction resembles the framing of a barn, giving the looms their name. It’s said they were often placed in the barn, as they were too big for settlers’ homes.

Because of their size, old looms are usually dismantled for storage, and

“This used to be a weaving mill. It was the center of the community,” Vassie says. “Having a weaving studio here is revitalizing the memory of the mill.” tee shirts annually. Over seven years of operation, the Heritage Weaving Studio has probably reused more than 11,200 tee shirts to create rugs.

The rugs are easy to clean and care for.

Unlike mass-produced rag rugs, rugs like these—made by hand on a loom—will last a long time. “The cotton rugs can be put in a front-loaded washing machine and they come out beautifully,” Vassie says. And they are very affordable. “The public benefits from mostly volunteer labor in the form of low prices. We cover our rent, electricity, and the cost of our warp [threads] and the occasional cost of a part-time worker.”

SOLVING THE PUZZLE

The Bridgewater Mill, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1825, and processed fine wool well into the 20th century. A new volunteer at HWS, Amber Dusik, says her grandmother, Anna Worth, worked in the mill. “This used to be a weaving mill. It was the center of the community,” Vassie says. “Having a weaving studio here is revitalizing the memory of the mill.” The HWS provides a touchstone to that history as well as providing a 21st century service.

In another nod to history, the Woodstock and Pomfret historical societies have each loaned a loom to the studio,

they don’t come with directions. “They use wooden pegs and have no nails.

Putting them back together is like a puzzle,” Vassie says. “The one from the Woodstock History Center was a bundle of beams and sticks that had been stored in its attic for decades. To put those looms together, you need four or five people to hold the pieces in place” while the puzzle is completed. Then you have a loom—and the fun begins.

Vassie describes herself as an advocate of the importance of women’s contributions to the evolution of humankind. She has completed two documentaries, Women Healers and Midwives and Women at the Loom. At the Heritage Weaving Studio, she donates her time and teaches for free.

Heritage Weaving Studio Bridgewater Mill Mall, 2nd Floor Bridgewater, VT (802) 672-1990 Heritage Weaving Studio does not have a website, but you can see some samples of Vassie’s work at her personal website, www.woventreasuresvt.com.

Open Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday 11am–3pm

Online Extra View more photos at www. woodstockmagazine.com.

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Here Comes the Sun Solarize the Upper Valley

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Roof-mounted solar array, South Woodstock.

By Sally Miller and Zachariah Ralph

B

efore Aldo Leopold and Rachel Carlson, before modern-day climate change advocates like Bill McKibben, there was George Perkins Marsh, the father of the modern environmental movement who was born right here in Woodstock, Vermont. Man and Nature, Marsh’s landmark book published 150 years ago, addresses issues ranging from watershed pollution to loss of forests, the imbalance of invasive species, and the consequences of human-induced climate change. »

Woodstock Aqueduct’s solar trackers, Woodstock.

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Left: Proud solar homeowner in Woodstock.

Below: Delighted South Woodstock solar homeowner.

SUSTAINABLE WOODSTOCK

Following in Marsh’s footsteps, Sustainable Woodstock, a not-forprofit organization founded in 2009, builds on Marsh’s and Woodstock’s legacy in its vision of a vibrant, inclusive community for living sustainably now and in the future. With a mission to inspire, educate, and empower everyone to live environmentally, economically, and socially responsible lives, Sustainable Woodstock works to reduce the town’s carbon footprint by encouraging more recycling, promoting more local food systems, exploring alternative transportation, and reducing energy consumption as well as switching to renewable energy like solar.

In fall 2014, the Sustainable Woodstock Energy Group joined Pomfret to participate in the Solarize Upper Valley program—an initiative that reduces the costs of going solar through collective purchasing. The local team competitively selected a partner solar installer to offer homeowners good value and competitive pricing. Between October 2014 and January 2015, 25 Woodstock and Pomfret households signed up to install solar, and more than 170 kWh worth of clean solar energy were created.

These new residential arrays join other Woodstock projects including an array at Rivendell Stables built in 1999, one of the first solar installations in the Upper Valley. At Woodstock Union High School, data from the solar array installed as part of the Solar in Schools Initiative is incorporated into science and math lessons.

The Shire Woodstock is a designated green hotel; its roof-mounted solar panels are a wonderful example of how solar can align with the aesthetics of the village. Woodstock Aqueduct Company has invested in solar with an array of trackers that can be seen following the sun along Route 12 north of the village. »

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Far Left: The Shire Woodstock Hotel’s solar panels are barely visible from the road.

Left: The Woodstock Union Middle School and High School boast a roof-mounted solar array.

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Above: Pole-mounted solar array in Woodstock blends in with its setting.

Left: Rivendell Stables’ roof-mounted solar array in Woodstock was built in 1999 and is one of the first solar installations in the Upper Valley.

Below left: Solar trackers at Woodstock Aqueduct.

EXCITING PLANS AND EVENTS

Sustainable Woodstock will continue efforts to bring more renewable energy into the area by launching another round of Solarize in 2016. From March through June, residents in Barnard, Bridgewater, Hartland, Pomfret, Reading, and Woodstock will be encouraged to take advantage of a free site visit to see if their homes are candidates for solar energy.

Community events throughout the campaign will include solar driving tours and open houses, and information sessions on heat pumps, Tesla batteries, and more. Through a tiered pricing system, as more residents go solar, the cost is reduced for all participants.

Sustainable Woodstock is also exploring the possibility of creating a community solar array as an option for residents who do not have good sites for solar, and as part of Solarize 2016, the Energy Group will have a list of community solar options available so everyone can go solar.

Even though Woodstock is arguably the birthplace of the modern environmental movement, there is still work to be done. Solarize 2016 is another part of Woodstock’s long tradition of conservation, which will continue into the future.

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Roof-mounted solar array in Woodstock village.

Roof-mounted solar array on a repurposed stable in Woodstock.

Pole-mounted solar array at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, Woodstock.

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Unique Shopping in Woodstock

Fine Diamonds Farmhouse Pottery

NT Ferro Jewelers

South Woodstock Country Store & Deli

1837 West Woodstock Road Woodstock, VT (802) 774-8373 www.FarmhousePottery.com

11 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1901 www.FerroJewelers.com

Mon–Sat 10am–5pm Sun 11am–4pm

Mon–Sat 10am–5pm Sun 11am–4pm

Mon–Fri 6:30am–6pm Sat 7am–5pm Sun 8am–4pm

Caulfield Art Gallery

Whippletree Yarn Shop

Collective – the Art of Craft

11 The Green Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1472 www.CaulfieldArtGallery.com

4800 South Road South Woodstock, VT (802) 457-3050

7 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1325 www.whippletreeyarn.com

47 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1298 www.Collective-TheArtOfCraft.com

Mon–Sun 10am–5pm

Please visit our website for current hours.

Mon–Sat 10am–5pm Sun 11am–4pm

Danforth Pewter

Frameworks Studio of Woodstock

9 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-7269 www.danforthpewter.com Mon–Sat 9:30am–5pm Sun 10am–4:30pm

63 Pleasant Street Barn Woodstock, VT (802) 356-5235 Open Tue–Sat

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Worthy Kitchen 442 Woodstock Road Woodstock, VT (802) 457-7281 www.WorthyVermont.com Mon–Fri 4pm–10pm Sat 11:30am–10pm Sun 10am–9pm

Shop Local for the Best Selection

Gallery on The Green

Angkor Wat Restaurant

Unicorn

1 The Green Woodstock, VT (802) 457-4956 www.GalleryOnTheGreen.com

61 Pleasant Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-9029 www.AngkorWatRestaurant.com

15 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-2480 www.UnicornVT.com

Open daily

Tue–Sun 4–9pm

Mon–Fri 9:30am–5pm Sat 9:30am–5:30pm Sun 10:30am–4:30pm

FH Gillingham & Sons

Woodstock Hops N’ Barley

Anything Printed

16 Elm Street Woodstock, VT 802-457-2100 www.Gillinghams.com

446 Woodstock Road Woodstock, VT (802) 457-2472 www.WoodstockHopsNBarley.com

2490 East Woodstock Road Woodstock, VT (802) 457-3414 www.AnythingPrinted.net

Mon–Sat 8:30am–6:30pm Sun 10am–5pm

Open daily

Mon–Fri 8am–5:30pm

R.T. Home

The Village Butcher

Woodstock Home & Hardware

43 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-5700

18 Elm Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-2756

452 Woodstock Road Woodstock, VT www.WoodstockHomeandHardware.com

Mon–Sat 10am–5pm Sun 12pm–4pm

Open daily

Mon–Fri 7am–6pm Sat 7:30am–5:30pm Sun 8:30am–4pm S P R I N G 2016

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Shop and Dine in Quechee this Spring

The Vermont Spot 5573 Woodstock Road Quechee, VT (802) 281-6274 Open daily 9:30am–5:30pm

Quechee Mobil 3479 Woodstock Road Route 4 — Exit I-89 Quechee, VT (802) 296-6617 Mon–Fri 5am–9pm Sat 6am–9pm Sun 7am–9pm

Quality Inn

Andrew Pearce Bowls 59 Woodstock Road Hartland, VT Between Quechee and Woodstock (802) 735-1884 www.AndrewPearceBowls.com

Quechee Service Center Rte. 4, Woodstock Road Quechee, VT (802) 295-6282 www.quecheeservicecenter.com

Open daily 10am–5pm

Mon–Fri 8am–5pm Sat 9am–12pm

The Lucky Elephant

Shepard Interior Selections

Quechee Gorge Village Route 4 Quechee, VT (802) 281-4717 www.iLuckyElephant.com Open daily

Jake’s Quechee Market & Café

5817 Woodstock Road Quechee, VT (802) 295-7600

7161 Woodstock Road Quechee, VT (802) 291-9900 www.jakesquecheemarket.com

www.qualityinn.com/quechee

Mon–Thu, Sat, Sun 7am–7:30pm Fri 7am–8pm

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9295 East Woodstock Road Quechee, VT (802) 457-1116 www.shepardinteriordesign.com Mon–Fri 9am–4pm Anytime by appointment

Quechee Home 5573 Woodstock Road Quechee, VT (802) 281-6274 Open daily 10am–5pm

W H AT ’ S N E W

The

By Linda A. Ditch Photos by Lynn Bohannon

Classy Pub The Public House offers a pub atmosphere with an upscale kick You might say Andrew Schain is an accidental chef. He started his professional life as an accountant. After entering the restaurant world, he spent 10 years as the general manager at Bentleys in Woodstock, where one day the chef informed him he was moving to Florida . . . in an hour. Thanks to a great kitchen staff, he survived this culinary baptism by fire and developed his skills as a restaurant cook.

Those skills have found a home in Andrew’s own restaurant, The Public House at Quechee Gorge. He and partner Scott Bacon, owner of Perfect Coat Painting, opened the doors in September 2015. “Scott and I were looking for a place for quite a Right: Owners Andrew Schain (left) and Scott Bacon.

Below: House-crafted New York Deli Burger.

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1. Sign over the front door welcomes guests.

2. The House Chopped Salad.

3. Katie Hanscom pours a beer.

4. The dining room offers plenty of seating.

5. Take a seat at the bar or at a table in the tavern.

6. Find your favorite beer on tap, or try a new one.

7. “You had me at schnitzel.”

while,” Andrew says. “This one came up, and when we saw the location right on Route 4, by the gorge, in a freestanding building with lots of parking, we said, ‘We’re in!’”

COMFORT AND STYLE

Andrew and Scott did a complete makeover of the building, which was next to the Quality Inn hotel. Andrew’s mom, an interior designer, helped style the space into what he describes as a pub with décor and ambience on a classier scale. The bar was expanded to seat 20; new lighting sets the mood; and artwork decorates the walls. Televisions were also installed, and 12 varieties of beer are available on tap. When the weather gets

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Amy Kaminski sets a table.

warmer, seating will be available outside on the deck.

“It’s definitely a pub-style atmosphere with the craft beers, the long bar, and the TVs,” Andrew says. “But it could easily be turned into a finedining establishment. It’s a pub atmosphere with an upscale kick.”

“YOU HAD ME AT SCHNITZEL”

The menu is equally as diverse as the décor, featuring dishes that range from ribeye steaks to hot dogs. Weekly specials include burgers on Mondays, wings on Wednesdays, and fish on Fridays, with Thursdays saved for home-style offerings such as meatloaf or chicken pot pie. Saturday is steak night, with a different cut of meat featured each week.

Since the pub opened, three menu items have proven to be the most popular. The loaded tater tots are smothered in smoked bacon, tomatoes, jalapenos, green onions, and cheddar cheese and topped with sour cream. The burgers are made with locally sourced beef and can be topped with everything from the traditional onions and pickles to mushrooms, maple-bourbon bacon, and a farm-fresh 6 4 F I N D WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E AT W W W. WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E . C O M

egg. The most requested dish is the chicken schnitzel, which is a breaded chicken breast served with lemoncaper butter.

On their first night, a female customer said, “You had me at the schnitzel.”

Andrew decided to quote her in naming the dish. He says, “Honestly, if I had only schnitzel, burgers, and loaded tots on the menu, we would be okay.”

Andrew selected the menu items based on his almost 20 years in the restaurant trade. He also pays attention to what sells and what customers request.

While he says the menu is always a work in progress, he doesn’t plan to make changes very often, choosing instead to be creative with the specials.

The one exception so far is the addition of the quarter-pound gourmet hot dog, which was so popular as a special he decided to make it a regular option.

PUB TRADITIONS AND MORE

In keeping with pub tradition, The Public House has a trivia night every Thursday, with teams and individuals competing for five to six rounds of general trivia knowledge. Live music is featured each Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. Andrew also creates menus around special events, such as the Super Bowl and holidays. » S P R I N G 2016

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Stop in for a tasty meal.

Andrew acknowledges this first year in business is a learning process, not only in making menu selections but also in other areas. He expects the busy season to run from Memorial Day to Halloween as visitors make their way through the area. As he learns the ebb and flow of customers to the pub, he foresees making further adjustments along the way, such as adding lunch hours every day instead of just on weekends. (He says following the pub’s Facebook page is the best way to keep up with the latest happenings.)

“It’s challenging, and I love a challenge,” Andrew says. “I love working with people and the public, and I’ve come to love cooking food. I find it really enjoyable. There is a peace of mind while cooking. It’s satisfying to complete a shift, after a big rush of people, and high-five the guys on the line.”

The Public House 5813 Woodstock Road Quechee, VT (802) 295-8500 publichousevt.com www.facebook.com/Publichousevt

Online Extra Andrew shares recipes online at www. woodstockmagazine.com.

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T R AV E L

Blue Smoke Exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Gatlinburg, Tennessee Story and photos

by Lisa Densmore Ballard

As a hiker who has spent 25 years of my life in the Woodstock area, at the vortex of the Appalachian Trail (AT) and Vermont’s Long Trail, certain other famous places to hike along the AT have crept onto my trekker’s wish list. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the Tennessee–North Carolina border, is one of those.

Exploring the Great Smoky Mountains has been on my radar since my 20s, but it was not a destination that topped my list when someone asked, “Where do you want to go next?” Yet a curiosity about those big mountains below the Mason–Dixon Line lingered.

The elevation of the highest mountain in Vermont and thus the Long Trail, Mount Mansfield is 4,393 feet. Mount Washington, highest on the AT in the Northeast, scratches the sky at 6,289 feet. Clingmans Dome, the highest point in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and in Tennessee, is even higher at 6,643 feet. Anything higher than my two favorite peaks in the Northeast needed to be climbed at some point in my life. Last June, a conference in Knoxville, Tennessee, finally gave me the opportunity to see the Great Smoky Mountains. »

Top: The author descends the Forney Ridge Trail toward Andrews Bald.

Bottom: A buck deer, its antlers in velvet, near Cades Cove.

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GATLINBURG

Approaching from Knoxville, 39 miles to the north, Gatlinburg is the logical base camp for forays into Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The town is named for Radford Gatlin, who established a general store and post office there in the 1850s, about 50 years after the first settlers arrived in the area. Gatlin was unpopular for his political views. A Confederate sympathizer in a pro-Union village, he was eventually run off by other townspeople, but his name stuck.

Today, Gatlinburg is a tourist mecca.

The bustling town swells up steep slopes along a long, narrow valley beside the Pigeon River. The main street is crammed with tee-shirt shops, restaurants, hotels, mini golf courses, craft and antique stores, and chairlift and tram terminals—not for skiing but for scenic rides. It’s a happening place with an endless flow of people and vehicles heading into and out of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The hub of activity surprised me. I expected a quaint mountain village.

I should have done my homework.

Gatlinburg and Great Smoky Mountains

National Park are within a day’s drive of two-thirds of the US population east of the Mississippi. It is not a place where one seeks solitude.

Likewise, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a busy place. About 10 million people visit each year, the most of any of our national parks, but at 522,427 acres, it’s sizeable enough to spread out the crowds. And there’s much to see, both wild and historical, within its boundaries.

CLINGMANS DOME

The hike to the top of Clingmans Dome turned out to be rather easy, a mere mile round-trip. From the parking lot at the trailhead, I walked the steady half-mile climb up a paved path to the summit where I found a round, concrete observation tower looming above the spruce and fir trees. A cloud hung on the summit, giving the round tower and the arcing walkway to it an extraterrestrial look.

I ascended to the viewing platform.

The pea-soup fog ebbed and waned enough to catch glimpses of other hikers at the base of the tower. However, on a clear day, the view from the tower pur-

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From top: The observation tower atop Clingmans Dome. Downtown Gatlinburg, a tourist mecca.

Mountainside mini golf in Gatlinburg.

The historic grist mill at Cades Cove.

portedly extends 100 miles in every direction. Those days are rare. The Cherokee called the Great Smoky Mountains “the land of blue smoke.” High humidity, and nowadays air pollution, give the view a hazy bluish hue, which I was able to take in atop nearby Andrews Bald.

ANDREWS BALD

In addition to the trail to the tower, several other trails either start or cross the road to Clingmans Dome, including the highest point on the Appalachian Trail (6,643 feet, just below the summit of Clingmans Dome) and the Forney Ridge

Trail to Andrews Bald. Upon descending from the observation tower, I followed the Forney Ridge Trail, a dirt and rock footpath with lots of boardwalks and other recent improvements.

The hike dropped down the southern flank of Clingmans Dome, and then continued another 1.5 miles to the bald.

In the Great Smoky Mountains, opentopped mountains are called “balds,” but they are not the rocky domes speckled with tundra-like flora common to the alpine zones of Vermont. Though higher than most peaks in the Northeast, the tops of the Smokys are not in the alpine zone. The mountains are timbered to the top as their more southerly location does not bring the sustained, harsh winter weather and scouring winds to which alpine flora are uniquely adapted. Rather than ground covers like mountain cranberries and alpine sedges, balds are verdant meadows, which, if not maintained, would eventually become forest again. »

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A bull elk wanders through the woods near a park campground.

Andrews Bald (5,906 feet), the highest bald in the Great Smoky Mountains, was an eye-popping destination, in part for the scattered bushes in its summit meadow. Brilliant orange azaleas bloomed around the grassy opening where some hikers picnicked and others simply relaxed. In the Smokys, wild azaleas and rhododendrons color the trails and woodlands in June and July.

Seeing them was as much a treat as the classic layers of blue mountains that extended to the horizon.

CADES COVE

Upon returning to the trailhead, I opted to spend the rest of the afternoon driving the 11-mile, one-way loop to Cades Cove, where elements of settlement dating back to the early 1800s offer a 70 F I N D WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E AT W W W. WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E . C O M

Wood sorrel and other wildflowers abound beside the hiking trails.

Sign at the entrance to the Cataloochee Valley within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, site of the elk reintroduction.

look at pioneering life in the Southern Appalachians. Along the narrow route, I stopped to see several churches of that era, an ancient graveyard, and a couple of homesteads, but the settlement at Cades Cove was the highlight of the loop.

The walking tour of Cades Cove begins with the blacksmith shop. Iron was a critical metal during early times in rural Appalachia. Every village had a blacksmith who made tools, nails, horseshoes, and other necessities. At Cades Cove, one can see traditional blacksmithing demonstrations on certain days and times.

From the smithy’s forge, I followed a footpath to a creek where I was thrilled to find numerous pale rhododendrons in bloom. The creek powered a waterwheel that ran an old gristmill. Remarkably, the mosscovered wooden wheel has turned for 150 years. Though it no longer grinds grain for a village, it remains a tribute to the ways of the early settlers in the region. It was also the most scenic spot in the park.

WILDLIFE

From Cades Cove, it was a slow drive out of the park. On the bright side, the stop-and-go traffic on the one-way, one-lane road gave me a chance to look deeper into the woods and meadows.

As the sun set, several whitetail bucks, their antlers covered with velvet, appeared beside the road to graze. Âť S P R I N G 2016

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Then a fox trotted past and a dozen wild turkeys strutted along a fence line. That’s when I realized the park’s role as a haven for wildlife.

The Great Smoky Mountains are steep and tall. The lowest areas of the park are around 875 feet above sea level and the highest over 6,000 feet above sea level. Rainfall varies from 55 inches per year in the lowlands to 85 inches on the mountaintops. The variations in elevation, rainfall, and soil make Great Smoky Mountains National Park a place of exceptional plant and animal diversity. The park contains over 100 species of native trees, 1,600 flowering plants, 4,000 nonflowering plants, 200 kinds of birds, 66 different mammals, 50 species of fish, 39 reptiles, and numerous amphibians including 24 species of lungless salamanders that “breathe” through their skin and the linings of their mouths and throats. But perhaps the biggest surprise was seeing elk in the park.

I’ve always considered elk a Western ungulate. In fact, elk once inhabited much of the Eastern United States, but they were extirpated by overhunting and loss of habitat as the East was settled. The last elk in Tennessee was killed in the mid 1800s.

In 2001, the National Park Service, with help from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, reintroduced elk to the Cataloochee Valley in the eastern part of Smoky Mountains National Park. About 50 elk were released in the park over a two-year period. Today, 7 2 F I N D WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E AT W W W. WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E . C O M

Hikers cross the summit of Andrews Bald.

the herd numbers about 150 and is a big draw for elk watchers.

During my second day in Smoky Mountain National Park, I toured the Cataloochee Valley looking for elk.

What a thrill to see a huge bull grazing placidly in a small field beside the road!

Later in the morning while resting at a campground, another bull wandered within 30 yards of me. It was an upclose wildlife encounter I will never forget, on par with any I’ve had in Yellowstone National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, and other iconic national parks in the West.

Seeing the elk and learning about the successful initiative to bring them back to the Southern Appalachians capped what was a delightful and insightful visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park teems with wildlife. It also gave me a deeper appreciation for pioneer life in these rugged mountains and a chance to hike outside New England. Afterward, I wondered why I had waited so long to plan a trip there.

For More Info Great Smoky Mountains National Park: www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm Gatlinburg Convention and Visitor’s Bureau: www.visitgatlinburg.com Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: www.rmef.org

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HAPPENINGS: SPRING 2016 MARCH | APRIL | MAY

Every Tuesday Figure Drawing ArtisTree www.artistreevt.org/figure-drawing 6–8pm

March 26

Last Saturday Painters ArtisTree www.artistreevt.org/ last-sat-painters 9am–4pm

Through April 16 Exhibit: Mammals on the Meadow

March 26 Baby Animal Day Billings Farm & Museum www.billingsfarm.org 10am–4pm

VINS Nature Center www.vinsweb.org

March 31, April 28, May 12, May 26 Open Mic Night

March 26 Woodstock Vermont Film Series Presents Keep On Keepin’ On

ArtisTree www.artistreevt.org/ open-mic-nights 7–9pm

Billings Farm & Museum www.billingsfarm.org 5pm

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April 2 The David Bindman Sextet ArtisTree www.artistreevt.org/music 7–9pm

April 2 Maple Madness Suicide Six Ski Lode www.woodstockvt.com

April 12, May 10 What’s On Your Nightstand?

Norman Williams Public Library normanwilliams.org 10:15–11:30am

April 24 Charles Cobb: Woodstock Through a Different Lens Woodstock History Center woodstockhistorical.org 2pm

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HAPPENINGS April 29–May 1, 6–8 CATS the Musical Woodstock Town Hall Theatre

Pentangle Council on the Arts 31 The Green Woodstock, VT (802) 457-3981 www.pentanglearts.org April 1 Greg Abate Quartet Woodstock Town Hall Theatre 7:30pm

April 29–May 1, 6–8 CATS the Musical Woodstock Town Hall Theatre

May 10 AIE: The Lightning Thief Woodstock Town Hall Theatre 10am

May 20 AIE: Malek Jandali Woodstock Town Hall Theatre 10am

May 21 The Malek Jandali Trio Woodstock Town Hall Theatre 7:30pm

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May 21 The Malek Jandali Trio Woodstock Town Hall Theatre 7:30pm

April 16 12th Great Gardens and Landscaping Symposium The Woodstock Inn and Resort www.woodstockvt.com

April 17 Airi Yoshioka ArtisTree www.artistreevt.org/music 6–8pm

May 7, 8 Sheep Shearing & Herding with Border Collies Billings Farm & Museum www.billingsfarm.org

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HAPPENINGS

May 28, 29 Cheese & Dairy Celebration Billings Farm & Museum www.billingsfarm.org

April 30 Billings Farm Opening Day – 34th Season!

Billings Farm & Museum www.billingsfarm.org

May 6, 13, 20, 27 Foodways Fridays Billings Farm & Museum www.billingsfarm.org

May 22 M.J. Pettengill Discusses the Town Farm Woodstock History Center woodstock historical.org 2pm

Online Extra Find more events online at www.woodstockmagazine.com.

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ADVERTISERS INDEX Allen Pond Dental .................................................. 34 Ambrose Custom Builders...................................... 42 Andrew Pearce Bowls ....................................35 & 58 Angkor Wat Restaurant ......................................... 57 Anichini ..................................................................... 5 Anything Printed .................................................... 57 Artemis Global Art ................................... Back cover ArtisTree.................................................................. 73 Bartolo Governanti State Farm Agent .................. 72 Bentleys................................................................... 25 Blood’s Catering ..................................................... 71 Boynton Construction ............................................ 78 Braeside Motel ....................................................... 14 Brown’s Floormasters ............................................. 79 Carpet King & Tile .................................................. 49 Catamount Solar .................................................... 14 Caulfield Art Gallery .............................................. 56 Charles Silva Jr. Builder/Designer........................... 73 Clear Choice MD ..................................................... 27 Collective, the Art of Craft .................................... 56 Danforth Pewter .................................................... 56 David Anderson Hill ............................................... 64 Donald Neely, DMD................................................ 77 Engel & Volkers ...................................................... 27 Ennis Construction ................................................. 66 Farmhouse Pottery ................................................. 56 FH Gillingham & Sons............................................. 57 First Impressions Salon & Spa ................................ 77 Five Olde Tavern & Grille ....................................... 76 Four Seasons Sotheby’s ............................................ 4 Frameworks Studio of Woodstock ........................ 56

Friends of Norris Cotton Cancer Center ................ 71 G.R. Porter & Sons .................................................. 76 Gallery on the Green.............................................. 57 GeoBarns.........................................Inside back cover Gilberte Interiors ...................................................... 2 Harvest Hill/The Woodlands .................................. 19 Henderson’s Tree & Garden Services ..................... 69 Hull Maynard Hersey Insurance............................. 13 Jake’s Quechee Market & Café .............................. 58 Jancewicz & Son ....................................................... 6 Jeff Wilmot Painting .............................................. 78 Junction Frame Shop.............................................. 64 Kedron Valley Inn ................................................... 55 Landshapes ............................................................. 33 LaValley Building Supply.......................................... 7 Mascoma Savings Bank .......................................... 15 Mertens House ....................................................... 70 Mindful Dermatology ............................................ 75 Mt. Ascutney Hospital ............................................ 76 N.T. Ferro Jewelers .........................................21 & 56 Newhall Farm ......................................................... 49 Ottauquechee Well Drilling ................................... 72 Pi Restaurant .......................................................... 17 Public House of Quechee ....................................... 75 Quality Inn .............................................................. 58 Quechee Home, Porch & Closet.....................58 & 65 Quechee Lakes Listing............................................ 59 Quechee Mobil ....................................................... 58 Quechee Service Center ......................................... 58 R.T. Home ................................................................ 57 Shepard Interior Selections.................................... 58

Simon Pearce ............................................................ 9 Singleton’s .............................................................. 12 Snyder Donegan Real Estate Group .......................Inside front cover South Woodstock Country Store ........................... 56 Stone Dental ........................................................... 33 Systems Plus Computers ......................................... 21 Terrace Communities ............................................. 25 The Carriage Shed .................................................. 72 The Lucky Elephant ................................................ 58 The Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm.................... 73 The Vermont Spot ..........................................34 & 58 The Village Butcher ................................................ 57 The Williamson Group ............................................. 1 Unicorn ................................................................... 57 Upland Construction .............................................. 75 Upper Valley Haven................................................ 66 Upper Valley Ride ................................................... 65 Vermont Facial Aesthetics...................................... 78 Vermont Farmstead Cheese ..................................... 3 Vitt & Associates ..................................................... 70 WISE ........................................................................ 55 Whippletree Yarn Shop ......................................... 56 William Raveis Real Estate ..................................... 11 Woodstock Beverage ............................................. 77 Woodstock Chamber of Commerce ...................... 17 Woodstock Chiropractic ......................................... 19 Woodstock Farmers’ Market ................................. 12 Woodstock Home & Hardware .............................. 57 Woodstock Hops n’ Barley ..................................... 57 Worthy Kitchen ...................................................... 56

For more information about print and online advertising opportunities, contact Bob Frisch at (603) 643-1830 or email rcfrisch1@comcast.net.

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LAST GLANCE

Life stands before me like an eternal spring with new and brilliant clothes. —Carl Friedrich Gauss

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