Woodstock Magazine - Summer 2019

W O O D S T O C K M A G A Z I N E S U M M E R 2 0 1 9

SUMMER 2019

|

Vo l u m e 1 9 , N o . 2

An Old-Fashioned 4th of July at Billings Farm & Museum Woodstock Chamber Celebrates 70 Years President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site

CONTENTS

50 34 In the Spirit of Liberty Something Old, Something New 50

68

by Dian Parker

President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site.

by Stephen D’Agostino

Farmhouse Inn barn weddings give an iconic century-old structure a new life.

68

Area Chamber of Commerce

Woodstock

by Mary Gow

Dedicated to this vibrant community.

On the cover: Baseball on July 4.

Courtesy of Billings Farm & Museum.

This page, top: Photo by Jenna Brisson.

Inset: Photo by Lynn Bohannon.

10 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

CONTENTS

42

30

61

In Every Issue

Departments

15 Editor’s Note 16 Contributors 18 Online Exclusives &

20 Everyday Essentials

42 Dining Out

by Katherine P. Cox

24 Around & About

The Daily Catch.

by Katy Savage

80 Happenings

30 Family Fun

by Deb Thompson

Abracadabra Coffee Co.

An old-fashioned Fourth!

Business Directory

87 Advertisers Index 88 Last Glance

Tips for healthy living.

by Cassie Horner

32 Season’s Best

61 Around Town 74 Travel Time

Delightful, delicious melons.

33

Shop, Stay & Play In & Around Quechee This Summer

1 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

by Lisa Ballard Looking for the Loch Ness monster.

58

Unique Shopping, Dining & Services In & Around Woodstock

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

Brad Wuorinen Ad Design

Hutchens Media, LLC Web Design

Locable Inbound Marketing Manager

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 Š2019. All rights reserved.

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

1 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

E D I TO R ’ S N OT E

JACK ROWELL

Summer: Make the Most of It

What are your favorite summertime activities?

Will you head outdoors for a day of hiking, biking, swimming, tennis, or golf? Or will you walk into town for morning coffee or a nice lunch at noon?

When you arrive in town, be sure to stop at Abracadabra Coffee (page 61) for a delicious brew, hot or cold. They’re open weekends from 9am to 2pm. If your growling tummy is saying it’s mealtime, have lunch or dinner at The Daily Catch (page 42) and enjoy their delicious Sicilian-style seafood dishes.

We’re delighted to bring you the story of the Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce (page 68), an organization that’s celebrating 70 years of promoting businesses in the area. To Executive Director Beth Finlayson and the board of directors, the staff and I say, “Happy anniversary and keep up the good work!”

Besides planning for weeklong vacations away from Woodstock this summer, set your sights on making a few day trips to nearby places of interest. The President Calvin Coolidge National Historic Site in Plymouth Notch, Vermont, is one such attraction (page 34). Whether or not you’re a history buff, you’ll enjoy exploring the homestead as you learn about the president who was nicknamed “Silent Cal.” Check our website for a list of special events.

We’re also visiting Barry and Tory Milstone who are prepared for a busy event season at the Farmhouse Inn (page 50). Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to attend a wedding there this summer!

Wherever your warm-weather adventures take you, keep in touch with local news and events at www.woodstockmagazine.com. Enjoy!

Deborah Thompson Executive Editor dthompson@mountainviewpublishing.com

like us www.mountainviewpublishing.com/facebook S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

15

C O N T R I B U TO R S

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, art, and architecture.

Lynn Bohannon

Stephen D’Agostino

Stephen is a freelance writer living in Reading, Vermont.

Though he specializes in marketing writing and brand promotion, he loves writing about people, especially artists.

His work has appeared in local publications in Boston and New York City, museum catalogs, Night Sky magazine, and weekly in the Vermont Standard. He’s always writing a novel and is working with an agent to get his first book published.

When he’s not writing, he’s knitting, gardening, baking, or struggling with his ukulele.

Mary holds the middle place in a family with three generations of women writers. Best known for her awardwinning history of science books for middle school students, she is also a regular contributor to regional magazines. She lives in Warren, Vermont.

Mary Gow

Dian is a freelance writer published in a number of literary journals and magazines. She is also an oil painter and is curator for White River Gallery in Vermont. A solo exhibit of her paintings and drawings was at the Zollikofer Gallery in Vermont last summer. She has traveled extensively, including to Syria before its heartbreaking devastation.

Dian Parker

Katy is an award-winning reporter and freelance writer for both print and digital publications. She’s a lifelong Vermonter who enjoys all things outdoors, from running and hiking to cross-country skiing and snowboarding. She loves finding interesting people and places to write about.

Katy Savage

1 6 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

VISIT US ONLINE @

WOODSTOCKMAGAZINE.COM ONLINE EXCLUSIVES Find additional articles online at www.woodstockmagazine.com. Go to the home page and click on the “In This Issue” button under the calendar.

eNEWSLETTER STAY INFORMED

SIGN UP TODAY!

Sponsored by Mascoma Bank

What does our eNewsletter include?

•A summary of our most popular articles and comments from our readers •L ocal event listings from our calendar •S pecial offers from Woodstock Magazine and local businesses

Celebrating a Century Both St. Albans Cooperative Creamery and Cabot are marking their companies' 100th year in business in 2019.

• Exclusive insights into upcoming features and articles, and much more . . .

Discover Yoga

Sign up at www.woodstockmagazine.com

There are several yoga studios in the area­—find out about classes and locations.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK TO SHARE YOUR COMMENTS. July

CLICK ON OUR ONLINE CALENDAR TO SEE LOCAL HAPPENINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ADD YOUR OWN EVENTS.

SHOP LOCAL www.woodstockmagazine.com is proudly brought to you by these community sponsors. Visit our website for more information.

1 8 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

ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY Check out these local businesses in our directory.

CLICK ON www.woodstockmagazine.com

AMBROSE CUSTOM BUILDERS, INC.

LITTLE ISTANBUL

ANNEMARIE SCHMIDT EUROPEAN FACE

LOCABLE

AND BODY STUDIO

MAIN STREET KITCHENS

ARTISTREE/PURPLE CRAYON PRODUCTIONS

MARTHA E. DIEBOLD REAL ESTATE

BENJAMIN F. EDWARDS & CO.

MASCOMA BANK

BLOOD’S CATERING & PARTY RENTALS

MB PRO LANDSCAPE

BRAESIDE LODGING

MORNINGSIDE ADVENTURE FLIGHT PARK

BROWN’S AUTO & MARINE

MOUNTAIN VALLEY TREATMENT CENTER

CALDWELL LAW

NATURE CALLS

CARPET KING & TILE

NEELY ORTHODONTICS

DATAMANN

NEW LONDON INN & COACH HOUSE

DAVID ANDERSON HILL, INC.

RESTAURANT

db LANDSCAPING

NEXT STEP CONSULTING SERVICES

DEAD RIVER COMPANY

NORTHCAPE DESIGN BUILD

DORR MILL STORE

NORTHERN MOTORSPORT LTD

DOWDS’ COUNTRY INN

QUALITY INN QUECHEE

DOWDS’ INN EVENTS CENTER

RENEWAL BY ANDERSON OF VT

ENNIS CONSTRUCTION

RICHARD ELECTRIC

EVERGREEN RECYCLING

RIVER ROAD VETERINARY

EXPECTATIONS SALON & SPA

RODD ROOFING

FOUR SEASONS SOTHEBY’S

ROGER A. PHILLIPS, D.M.D.

INTERNATIONAL REALTY GILBERTE INTERIORS GUARALDI AGENCY HANOVER COUNTRY CLUB

THE GRANITE GROUP, THE ULTIMATE BATH STORE THE HANOVER INN AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE

HANOVER EYECARE

THE WOODSTOCKER B&B

JEFF WILMOT PAINTING &

THE WOODSTOCK INN & RESORT

WALLPAPERING, INC.

TUCKERBOX

JUNCTION FRAME SHOP

VERMOD HOMES

KING ARTHUR FLOUR

WHITE RIVER FAMILY EYECARE

LATHAM HOUSE TAVERN

WOODSTOCK AREA CHAMBER

LAVALLEY BUILDING SUPPLY

OF COMMERCE

For more information about how your business can get listed on our ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY or for other online advertising opportunities, contact Bob Frisch at (603) 643-1830 or email rcfrisch1@comcast.net.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

19

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

Summer Skin Care Y

ou’ve heard it before: The sun is your skin’s worst enemy. While we need some exposure to the sun to produce vitamin D, too much can lead to wrinkles, sun spots, premature aging, and even skin cancer. Wearing sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 or higher, is water resistant, and provides broadspectrum coverage is critical year-round, but especially in the summer. Apply it at least 15 minutes before going outdoors, and use enough to cover all exposed skin. Reapply every two hours if you’re outside.

If your skin is feeling parched and in need of pampering this summer, treat yourself to a rejuvenating facial. Check out the Spa at the Woodstock Inn & Resort (www.woodstockinn.com) or visit Strong House Spa in Quechee (stronghousespa .com) or Abigail Zsenai Skincare & Eyebrow Studio in Woodstock (abigailzsenai.com) for a variety of facial treatments.

W Keep Pets Safe

hile fireworks, backyard barbecues, swimming, and rising temperatures may be staples of summer fun for us, they all pose a danger to our pets. Fireworks can cause fear and anxiety in dogs and cats. They also pose a significant burn risk and can expose them to toxic substances.

Moreover, many foods and drinks commonly served at barbecues and picnics can be poisonous to pets, including grapes, onions, chocolate, and alcoholic beverages.

If you’re around water, remember that not all pets instinctively know how to swim. Never leave a pet unsupervised around water, and if you take your dog out on a boat, put a life vest on it. Finally, pets can get heat exhaustion just like people can. Those with flat faces (like Pugs and Persian cats), elderly pets, and overweight animals are more susceptible. Make sure your pet always has access to fresh water and shade when it’s outdoors. If your pet falls into a high-risk category, keep it in cool spaces as much as possible.

2 0 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

Grill a Healthier Meal

I

t’s barbecue season! For a healthier experience, grill meat at a lower temperature rather than searing over high heat. Charring can trigger the formation of cancer-causing compounds. Fish, skinless chicken breast, and ground poultry are all lower in saturated fat than beef. Tomatoes, onions, squash, mushrooms, asparagus, and peppers are all delicious on the grill. Cut them into pieces that will cook quickly and evenly and brush with oil to prevent sticking. Grill sliced pineapple, apples, or pears or halved figs, bananas, nectarines, or peaches for dessert.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

21

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

Tips for Removing Ticks

A

s you spend more time outdoors this summer, remember that prevention is your best defense against ticks. Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs, and tuck your pants into your socks. Ticks tend to stay in shrubs and bushes, so if you’re hiking, keep to the center of the trail where ticks are less likely to be encountered.

As soon as you go indoors, check yourself, your children, and your pets for ticks. Run a fine-tooth comb through hair and do a complete skin check, especially the folds of the skin.

Wash clothing in hot water to kill any hitchhiking ticks.

If you do find a tick, remove it as soon as possible with fine-tipped tweezers. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers the following tips: • Grasp the tick as close as possible to the skin with tweezers.

• Pull upward with steady, even pressure.

• After the tick is removed, clean the area with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

• Flush the live tick down the toilet.

2 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

Enjoy the Season’s Bounty

S

tarting June 5, Market on the Green is back every Wednesday from 3 to 6pm with local cheese, produce, ice cream, bread, live music, and more. There are many reasons to buy local produce, but the top reason might just be that it tastes better—crops are picked at their peak of ripeness. They’re full of flavor and put fruits and veggies that have traveled thousands of miles to shame. And since there’s less time from harvest to table, local foods retain more nutrients than those shipped from far away. Buying local supports our local economy, helps preserve green space and farmland, and promotes a safer food supply.

Did You Know?

M

agnesium is important for many processes in the body, including regulating muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure and producing protein, bone, and DNA. Foods that are rich in magnesium include almonds, cashews, and peanuts; spinach and other leafy greens; black beans and edamame; avocados; potatoes; and rice.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

23

A RO U N D & A B O U T

By Cassie Horner

2019 Ex Libris Gala a Big Success

R

“The mission is to improve the lives of everyone in the community. The gala is

ichard Blanco, US Presidential a good way to do this; Inaugural Poet, highlighted a special evening for Norman Williams it raises money to keep Public Library in Woodstock on Sunday, April 28, at the Woodstock Inn. The the library going.

18th annual Ex Libris Gala, with a reception and dinner and keynote speaker, continues We are thrilled it was the tradition of this event that is the library’s such a success.” most important fundraiser.

“He is rousing and inspiring,” says Amanda —Amanda Merk, Merk, director of the library. “In a room of 225 people, he brought every poem, every word to Norman Williams life.” In attendance were 10 students and an Public Library English teacher from Woodstock Union High School who had the opportunity to speak with the poet after the gala.

“The library wants more young Richard Blanco signs books. people to be involved—young families, high school kids—they’re the future of the library and the town,” she says. “The mission is to improve the lives of everyone in the community. The gala is a good way to do this; it raises money to keep the library going. We are thrilled it was such a success.” Norman Williams Public Library is about onethird funded by municipal sources, with the balance coming from private donations and the gala fundraiser.

The Ex Libris Gala raises money to help pay for everything from utilities to book purchases and staff. An extra cause to support is the Wish List, developed to expand the library’s offerings. “Library staff and volunteers and I consult with patrons about what kind of services they would like,” says Amanda. Examples include delivering books to the homebound and adding a streaming movies subscription. Kids have requested a fish tank for the children’s room.

Putting up bird feeders outside the room’s big windows gives kids opportunities to try out the library’s binoculars and become citizen scientists through eBird. People can donate money to the Wish List year-round.

Mark your calendars for the 19th Ex Libris Gala set for April 2020 (date to be announced). For more information about the library’s Drew Lewis with wife and NWPL Executive Director programs and services and how to help, visit normanwilliams.org.

Amanda Merk.

2 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

Clockwise from top left: Library patrons and friends Dianne Hinaris and John Gilbert.

Library patrons Patrick Proctor and Julia Cooke. From left: Library patrons Kathleen Kjerulff and Carol Wood and NWPL Trustee and Chair of Communications Committee Gina McAllister. Library patrons Mary and Ray Bourgeois. Library patron Ann Quasman (left) and NWPL Technology Director Meg Brazill.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

25

A RO U N D & A B O U T

Gina Moore, Woodstock History Center Volunteer

Small paintbrush in hand, Gina Moore tackles the painstaking job of dusting all of the intricate furnishings in the three dollhouses on display in the toy room at the Woodstock History Center on Elm Street. There are hundreds of items, ranging from chairs and tables to a grandfather clock, sets of delicate porcelain, and an old-fashioned telephone. Perhaps the most unusual item she points out is a miniature mangle, a pair of dowels mounted on a table with a crank to turn them so pieces of laundry could be wrung out and ironed. There is even a tiny iron.

“I think it’s mind-boggling, all of the pieces here,” Gina says. “It is very careful work. Some items are so old they fall apart if you’re not careful. It is all dry dusting. I don’t wash anything.” She uses a small artist’s brush for items too small for the larger paintbrush. She also reglues items occasionally, such as the leg of a bed that fell off, using a special glue.

Gina finds surprises as she works. When she removed the curtains from one of the windows, she discovered the curtain rod was a matchstick. “People made use of everything,” she says. Another surprise was a tiny sponge in one of the bathtubs.

Gina has been connected to the Woodstock History Center for a long time. “I finished 40 years working here,” she says. “I worked as a guide. This year I am volunteering.” She is a perfect fit for the History Center. “I was always fond of two fields of endeavor: languages and history,” she notes. “I taught French, Spanish, some Italian, Latin, and English, mainly in New York. I retired to Woodstock in the 1970s. At the time, the museum liked hiring school teachers because they fit in easily with people.” She signed on as a guide and also taught as a substitute teacher at Woodstock Union High School.

Her favorite room as a guide has always been the kitchen with its plethora of interesting items. She finds the toy room very engaging for the same reason. Interestingly, she never had a dollhouse as a child. “I was more for playing games like jacks in the park,” she says with a smile. “I was not much of a doll type.”

2 6 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

“I think it’s mind-boggling, all of the pieces here. It is very careful work. Some items are so old they fall apart if you’re not careful.”

—Gina Moore

The toy room is a wonderland of historical toys, games, and dolls. The three dollhouses are all different from one another. The oldest is an Italianate style from the 1880s. “I can raise the roof anytime I like,” she jokes, demonstrating how it lifts up on hinges to reveal the attic. This house boasts a piano and a wood cookstove.

The most elegant dollhouse is in Tudor Revival style and was given, fully furnished, to Mary Martha Armstrong by her father in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for Christmas in 1906. “This is a beautiful house,” Gina says. “There is even a Bible, an Edison Victrola, and a grand piano in one corner and an upright in the other.” It is also more modern, featuring a bathroom. The third house, from the 1920s, is Colonial style.

All its furnishings were in boxes, so she has been putting rooms together, a fascinating job not unlike putting together a puzzle.

Gina enjoys talking to groups of kids who tour the house. “I point out things I think are different and exciting,” she says. “Sometimes they correctly guess what the items are, and sometimes they are befuddled.”

As for Gina’s favorite item in the toy room, it’s a small doll dressed in a crocheted suit that was once red but has faded over time to rust brown. Why does she like it? “It’s little and the only one that looks mischievous,” she says.

For more information about the Woodstock History Center, including its hours and programs, visit woodstock historycenter.org.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

27

A RO U N D & A B O U T

Green Mountain Disaster Relief Team

A volunteer group from Vermont helps in Staten Island after Hurricane Sandy.

The Green Mountain Disaster Relief Team hosted a Halloween party in Apalachicola, Florida, for the children affected by Hurricane Michael.

Recent years have seen the arrival of severe storms, wreaking havoc from Vermont to Staten Island to Louisiana and Florida.

Erik and Laurel Tobiason of Barnard started the response group that eventually became the nonprofit Green Mountain Disaster Relief Team.

“It all started right after Hurricane Katrina,” Erik, of Colby & Tobiason Builders, says. “We came together as a small group in Barnard that wanted to help.” The idea was to invite people left homeless by the storm to stay with Vermont families. One refugee spent six months with Laurel and Erik.

The second response to a disaster came about when Mary Blanton and another woman traveled to Mississippi about three months post-Katrina and found a program to build an outdoor classroom for a school. “Laurel and I, Mary, John Hiers, Krista Harrington, Kyle Kelly, and Sam Benoit worked on this project,” Erik recalls.

“We cut a post and beam structure at our house, and Bellavance Trucking took it to Kiln, Mississippi. We went down to put it up.”

2 8 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

In addition to the classroom construction, volunteers teamed up to send two tractor trailer loads of goods ranging from furniture to washing machines.

“People had lost everything,” Erik says.

“We just did what needed to be done in a very informal way.”

The need shifted to Vermont after Tropical Storm Irene hit. The volunteers helped out in the Riverside Mobile Home Park in Woodstock, along with working on a Habitat for Humanity house in Bridgewater for a family who lost their house in the flood. The Northeast took another hit when Hurricane Sandy devastated Staten Island. “Laurel and I initially went to help a relative impacted by the storm,” Erik says. “When we saw the need there, we put out the word that we would be going regularly to help.”

Two years ago, Hurricane Irma caused destruction in South Florida. Volunteer Sari White remembered calling Erik to say, “We need to get the band back together.” Green Mountain Disaster Relief

A local volunteer receives a pair of gloves, one of many pairs generously donated by Green Mountain Glove of Randolph, Vermont.

Team was founded, and volunteers organized a Christmas event for the children of hard-hit Everglades City, Florida. Seeing the kids’ joy “was one of those moments you get a lump in your throat so big you can’t swallow,” he says. Sari adds, “For many kids, it was the only Christmas they had.”

Green Mountain Disaster Relief rose to the challenge most recently following Hurricane Michael. “This was the biggest, baddest of all of them,” Erik says. “It was the third worst hurricane to hit the US. This is going to take years and years of recovery. We do what we can when we can. Once rebuilding starts, we’ll be finding a project to work on. We see a need and we try to help. We were brought up that way.”

The next project will be public service work in the area affected by Michael, doing plantings and major clean-up work.

Volunteers are always needed. To find out how to help, call Erik at (802) 2914163 or Sari at (802) 296-1296.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

29

FA M I LY F U N

By Deb Thompson

An Old-Fashioned

Fourth!

A family celebration with a historic twist

J

oin the fun and show your patriotism at Billings Farm & Museum’s Old Vermont 4th event, a summertime celebration for the entire family.

There are activities and games for every age, including creating a range of crafts—a flag of 1890 with 43 stars, Uncle Sam bookmarks, and fireworks stencils. Children can also compete in spelling bees and sack races, and then take a break to crank fresh strawberry ice cream and enjoy a wagon ride around the farm.

“Stepping back into time and enjoying celebration activities of a century ago provides a sense of pride in our nation’s history for all ages,” says Marge Wakefield, PR and community relations coordinator for Billings Farm & Museum.

You won’t want to miss the reading of the Declaration of Independence at noon, followed by patriotic speeches and debates. Venture outside at 2pm for an old-fashioned baseball game in the Billings fields. Join in or cheer the teams on!

For more information, visit the website at billingsfarm.org.

This sack race participant is getting a little help from his mom.

3 0 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

Above: Woodstock Boy Scout Troop #220 reads the Declaration of Independence.

Left: A young visitor takes a turn hand-cranking ice cream.

Below: Billings Farm & Museum staff and visitors play a rousing game of old-fashioned baseball.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

31

SEASON’S BEST

Delightful, Delicious Melons Have a sweet and juicy summer!

Try our simple recipes—besides being nutritious, they’re cool and refreshing on a hot day.

Watermelon Salsa MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS 3 cups chopped seedless watermelon, cut into ½-inch chunks ½ cup red onion, finely chopped 2 tsp fresh lime juice cup minced fresh cilantro Dash of salt, to taste In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, onion, lime juice, and cilantro. Toss gently and chill for an hour to let flavors blend. Serve with tortilla chips or spoon over fish, chicken, or pork.

Note: For variety, you can add chopped mango, cucumber, and jalapeno to your recipe. Experiment and have fun!

Melon Soup MAKES 2 SERVINGS 2 cups ripe cantaloupe, cut into chunks ¼ cup fresh lime juice ½ cup orange juice or pineapple juice Dash of nutmeg Dash of salt, optional Fresh mint leaves, chopped roughly, for garnish Place cantaloupe in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour in a large bowl and add the juices, nutmeg, and salt to taste. Cover tightly and chill for at least one hour. To serve, pour into glasses or bowls and sprinkle with chopped mint.

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

Online Extra For more refreshing melon recipes, go to www .woodstockmagazine.com.

Shop, Stay & Play In & Around Quechee this Summer

Quality Inn

Antiques Collaborative, Inc.

5817 Woodstock Road Route 4 Quechee, VT (802) 295-7600 qualityinnquecheegorge.com

6931 Woodstock Road Route 4 Quechee, VT (802) 296-5858 www.AntiquesCollaborative.com Open daily 10am–5pm Closed Wed

Perfect Fur Salon

Pet Groomer Quechee Gorge Village, Route 4 Quechee, VT (802) 369-2966 www.perfectfursalon.com Visit us on Facebook

Quechee Home

Quechee Pizza Chef & Mini Golf

Artifactory

Quechee Gorge Village Route 4 Quechee, VT (802) 281-6482

5893 Woodstock Road Quechee, VT (802) 296-6669 quecheepizzachef.com

Open daily 10am–5pm

Sun–Thu 11am–9pm Fri & Sat 11am–10pm Instagram @ gethoppy

Quechee Gorge Village Route 4 Quechee, VT (802) 369-2153 www.artifactorynh.com Open daily 10am–5pm

Jake’s Quechee Market

The Vermont Spot

Andrew Pearce Bowls

7161 Woodstock Road Route 4 Quechee, VT (802) 291-9900 www.jakesquecheemarket.com

Quechee Gorge Village Route 4 Quechee, VT (802) 281-6274

59 Woodstock Road Hartland, VT Between Quechee and Woodstock (802) 735-1884 www.andrewpearcebowls.com

Open daily 7am–8pm

Open daily 9:30am–5:30pm

Open daily 10am–5pm

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

33

It is a great advantage to a President,

and a major source of safety to the country, for him to know that he is not a great man. When a man begins to feel that he is the only one who can lead in this republic, he is guilty of treason to the spirit of our institutions. — PRESIDENT CALVIN COOLIDGE, 1929

3 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

Liberty IN THE SPI RI T OF

President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site

By Dian Parker

T

he 30th president of the United States reduced the national debt by one-third during a time when a large majority of Americans were paying no federal income tax. Calvin Coolidge also passed legislation making Native Americans US citizens, as well as authorizing the construction of the Hoover Dam and the St. Lawrence Seaway and dedicating Mount Rushmore, among many other accomplishments. He is remembered for his honesty, dignity, and love of the natural world.

Above: President Coolidge Museum & Education Center.

Opposite inset: Portrait of President Calvin Coolidge by Herman Hanatschek, 1924.

Collection of the State of Vermont, Division for Historic Preservation.

To honor this great president, all you have to do is visit the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site in Plymouth Notch, Vermont. The site is a treasure trove of the president and his family’s collections: presidential gifts of state, family portraits, decorative arts, household furnishings, clothing, and jewelry as well as examples of late 19th and early 20th century agricultural equipment. The village is virtually unchanged since August 3, 1923, when Coolidge was sworn in as president in the old family homestead.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

35

STEPPING BACK IN TIME

The Coolidge site covers 600 acres, with 25 well-preserved historic structures. There is the village church, general store, and community dance hall that served as the 1924 summer White House office. The cheese factory is still making cheese, using Coolidge’s father’s original 1890 recipe. You can buy the cheese today—a granular curd cheese, something like cheddar, only looser and moister in texture. It’s a true “farmer’s cheese”; the technique goes back in this country to the 1600s. On view in the barn is early farming and planting equipment in-

cluding a threshing machine, a corn harvester, and sap tanks, in addition to old Vermont parlor stoves. Calvin Coolidge’s father said of his son, “Calvin could get more sap out of a tree than anyone.” (The Hotel Coolidge in White River Junction is named after Calvin’s father. His portrait can be seen in the lobby today.)

The historic site now has a modern Museum & Education Center where programs are offered. The permanent exhibit, More than Two Words: The Life and Legacy of Calvin Coolidge, uses Coolidge’s own words and artifacts from his life and tells the story of how a boy from rural

3 6 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

Above: A c.1924 postcard of Plymouth Notch, Vermont. The Coolidge Homestead is seen at right, with the cheese factory in the distance. Collection of the State of Vermont, Division for Historic Preservation.

Right: First Lady Grace Coolidge and pet raccoon Rebecca, 1927. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Above: Fred DePaul's wagon rides are a favorite part of the site's special events. Courtesy of Vermont Division for Historic Preservation.

Plymouth Notch became the 30th president of the United States. There are also two museum stores, two walking trails, an on-site restaurant serving breakfast and lunch, and a sheltered picnic area. Visitors can also visit the Notch Cemetery on a steep hillside where Calvin Coolidge rests with seven generations of his family.

CELEBRATING THE FIRST FAMILY’S PASSIONS

This year features a new exhibit, Presidential Menagerie: The Coolidges and Their Pets. President and Mrs. Coolidge loved animals and had a menagerie of pets: dogs, cats, birds, and the First Lady’s favorite, Rebecca Raccoon. The raccoon was originally a gift for their Thanksgiving

dinner, but Rebecca Raccoon was given a presidential pardon. The raccoon loved playing in the bathtub with bars of soap.

There were also two beloved white collies from Wisconsin—Rob Roy and Prudence Prim—prompting a fad for white collies across the nation.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

37

In 1929, Grace Coolidge said of her pets, “One chamber of the human heart is set aside for the love of animals. With some it is located close to the outer walls and the door swings wide, so that even a little dog that is ‘yaller and full of fleas’ may enter.” Admirers were known to send exotic animals to the Coolidges: lion cubs, a bear, a pygmy hippopotamus, a duiker (diminutive deer), a bobcat, and a wallaby. These animals were quickly sent to the Rock Creek Zoo, now the National Zoological Park, in Washington, DC.

Grace Coolidge was also known for her afternoon “musicales” at the White House. The Baldwin Piano Company gifted Mrs. Coolidge a grand piano, which was the first piano to be flown by airplane. The president’s wife played the piano and was especially fond of Rachmaninoff. The presidential couple had two sons who also played the piano: John, who died at 93 in 2000, and Calvin Jr., who died in 1924 at the age of 16 from an infection—a terrible tragedy for the family.

3 8 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

Touching the Hearts of

Vermonters

The great flood of 1927 devastated much of Vermont. The following year, President Calvin Coolidge toured the state to inspect the recovery efforts. His trip culminated in Bennington, where 5,000 people met his train. Here he delivered his famous speech:

Vermont is a state I love.

Above: Farmer Fred DePaul harvests buckwheat at the Coolidge Site. Courtesy of Vermont Division for Historic Preservation.

Opposite top: More Than Two Words: The Life and Legacy of Calvin Coolidge, a permanent exhibit at the Coolidge Museum & Education Center. Photograph courtesy of Paul Ahad, Media-FX. Opposite, left: Postcards, c.1924, of Plymouth Notch. Collection of the State of Vermont, Division for Historic Preservation.

I could not look upon the peaks of Ascutney, Killington, Mansfield and Equinox without being moved in a way that no other scene could move me.

It was here that I first saw the light of day; here I received my bride; here my dead lie pillowed on the loving breast of our everlasting hills.

I love Vermont because of her hills and valleys, her scenery and invigorating climate, but most of all, because of her indomitable people. They are a race of pioneers who have almost beggared themselves to serve others. If the spirit of liberty should vanish in other parts of the union and support of our institutions should languish, it could all be replenished from the generous store held by the people of this brave little state of Vermont.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

39

Above: Calvin Coolidge lived in the house until the age of four, when the family moved across the road to a larger home now known as the Coolidge Homestead.

Left: A c.1924 postcard of the Coolidge Homestead at Plymouth Notch. Collection of the State of Vermont, Division for Historic Preservation.

Online Extra Discover how "Silent Cal" got his nickname and find summer events online at www.woodstockmagazine.com.

4 0 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

At the time, it was common for the president and Congress to take 12-week vacations during the summer. Coolidge’s 1924 vacation at the Summer White House in Plymouth Notch lasted only 12 days, as the president was ready to get back to work following the recent death of his son, Calvin Jr. On one particularly busy day that summer, a reporter counted between 4,000 to 5,000 cars parked in a nearby field. Today the historic site receives 25,000 visitors during the season from late May through October. William Jenney has been the Regional Historic Site Administrator for the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation since

President Calvin Coolidge's gravesite, Notch Cemetery, Plymouth Notch, Vermont.

1988. “There are two big events at the site every year. One is July 4th when we have a string band, barbecue, parade, and a ceremony at the cemetery with a wreath sent from the White House,” William says. “We also have the Coolidge Holiday Open House at Christmas with sleigh rides, children’s activities, caroling, craftspeople, and 1872 Christmas decorations. Both are exciting, fun-filled events for the whole family.”

The President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site is a flashback to a fascinating time in the history of the Roaring Twenties. This was the time of automobile touring and the flapper fashion. The decade was the beginning of the modern era.

To visit the site is an education in that time in history when, as Calvin Coolidge believed, we must “review the past not in order that we may return to it but that we find in what direction, straight and clear, it points to the future.”

President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site Plymouth Notch is 6 miles south of US Route 4 on VT 100A (802) 672-3773 historicsites.vermont.gov 2019 Season May 25–October 20, 10am–5pm daily

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

41

DINING OUT

The

Joie de vivre, the essence of Maria.

Daily Catch W A new location for an old favorite

By Katherine P. Cox | Photos by Lynn Bohannon

hen visitors stop in to eat at The Daily Catch on Central Street, they soon realize it’s that Daily Catch, a fixture for more than 40 years in the North End of Boston. “They can’t believe it’s The Daily Catch here,” laughs Maria Freddura, owner of the new restaurant at 61 Central Street that formerly housed Ruth’s Table and, before that, the Daily Grind. Customers have shared with her their memories of dining at The Daily Catch in Boston or Brookline or other locations around the city that have since closed.

Woodstock is just the latest outpost of the famous restaurant that Maria and her family, which includes seven sons all

4 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

Today, The Daily Catch is known for its Sicilian-style seafood and pasta cuisine, with fresh fish from Boston’s docks. involved in the business, have opened since Maria’s husband, Paul, opened a fish market and raw bar in 1973 in what she calls a shoebox storefront on Hanover Street in Boston’s North End, known as the Italian section of the city.

Today, The Daily Catch is known for

its Sicilian-style seafood and pasta cuisine, with fresh fish from Boston’s docks.

The restaurant has a long and storied history of ups and downs, which Maria recounts with zesty detail and humor as she talks about the path that led her to leave Boston and introduce Woodstock

Clockwise from top: Classic Lobster fra Diavolo, both the finished dish and the raw ingredients.

Littlenecks from Rhode Island. Fried calamari, aka squid. Tinta di calamari, also known as black pasta.

to the fresh-from-the-sea Silician food that has captivated patrons for decades.

A BEANTOWN TRADITION

The restaurant business comes easily to Maria—she was born into it. Her father ran an Italian restaurant in Troy, New

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

43

DINING OUT

“The people are the best part of the business,” she concludes. “At the end of the day, it’s the people that make me smile.”

Maria is back where she started 40 years ago, at your service.

York, for years. Not that she was interested in the family business; she went off to Boston to study at the Boston Architecture Center in the late 1970s. Before long, she decided that architecture school wasn’t for her. She was young and living in the North End when she met her future husband, Paul. She joined him in the fish business, selling fresh fish to restaurants in the city. By 1983, they decided to open a larger Daily Catch on Northern Boulevard at Boston Harbor.

as is the commissary where they process the fish they buy on the docks and sell to other restaurants as well.

Rave reviews in the newspapers led to success there. “It was the same menu we have today. Sicilian-style linguine dishes with shellfish and baked fish, and our Lobster Fra Diavolo,” she says. Over the years since then, Maria and Paul opened and closed restaurants in various locations in the Boston area, as well as one outside Washington, DC, as their business and family grew. Today, the original Hanover Street restaurant and the Brookline location remain in operation,

4 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

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FREDDURAS AND FOR WOODSTOCK

Why the move north to Woodstock? The area is familiar to Maria and her family. She was raised just up the road in Troy, and all her sons learned to ski at Killington. In 2012, the family attended a wedding in the area, and a friend was

Clockwise from top left: Maria serves a dinner. Seafood is cooked to order. A live and kicking lobster. "May I take your order, please?" There's always room for one more in the dining room. Chef Kristen explains the menu in a trattoria-style dining room. Freshly shucked cherrystone for white clam sauce.

Dinner served for two. Sicilian-style mussels with fennel.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

45

DINING OUT

“I was up here pretty much all the time.

I made the decision that I’m not going back to Boston.”

The family coat of arms complements the modest décor.

4 6 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

looking for someone to buy into a vacation home with him in Barnard.

“I saw that as an opportunity for me.

My mother was getting elderly, and this was a nicer ride, from Vermont to Troy, than on the Mass Pike,” Maria says. Her friend, John Ruggieri-Lam, convinced her to rescue Bentleys, the beloved fixture in Woodstock, which was undergoing bankruptcy. They became partners and took over the restaurant in 2013 and

Top: Limited al fresco dining is available.

Above: New Bedford “dry” scallops, baked.

kept it going until last spring, when Maria closed the restaurant. The lease was up and she chose not to buy the building and to focus instead on The Daily Catch “and do something I enjoy doing. This was a good excuse to get my fish up here and give me something to do,” she jokes.

She bought the space that had been Ruth’s Table when Ruth Schimmelpfennig decided to close that eatery last spring. Word was left at Bentleys “for Maria” that the space would be for sale, and Maria contacted Ruth.

Maria says she looked at the space and said, “This is a perfect Daily Catch.”

The floor plan was just right for an eatery.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

47

DINING OUT

The Daily Catch menu.

And, she adds, “I was up here pretty much all the time. I made the decision that I’m not going back to Boston.”

Also factoring in her decision was that she didn’t want to “hover” over her sons, who are all involved in the restaurants in Boston and the commissary, “so they can learn to take the baton from me.”

Maria opened the latest Daily Catch here last September. The chef, Kristin Zayranski, was trained in Boston on the menu that has ensured success through all the years. Starters are all seafood—clams, mussels, calamari, and shrimp. Their signature black pasta, made from squid ink, comes with a choice of sauces, and shellfish and linguine are cooked from scratch and served in the pan. Lobster Fra Diavolo, another signature dish, includes lobster, clams, shrimp, and calamari in a sauce you can order as spicy as you like. Chances are you’ll catch Maria tending bar and enjoying building another loyal base of customers. “The people are the best part of the business,” she concludes. “At the end of the day, it’s the people that make me smile.”

The Daily Catch 61 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 332-4005 thedailycatch.com

4 8 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

5 0 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

PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN ARTHUR

Something Old,

Something New Farmhouse Inn barn weddings give an iconic century-old structure a new life

By Stephen D’Agostino

O

n July 25, 2015, a couple celebrated their wedding in the big red barn at Farmhouse Inn at Robinson Farm. The former dairy barn had something else to celebrate that year: its 100th birthday. Did Tory and Barry Milstone, innkeepers at Farmhouse Inn, plan to commence the barn’s new life as an event space in its centennial year? “No,” says Tory. “But it was serendipitous.”

PHOTO BY JENNA BRISSON

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

51

PHOTO BY HANNAH MILSTONE

Innkeepers Tory and Barry Milstone.

The path the Milstones took to hosting their first wedding in the barn was one of joy, calamity, and a slow realization that the barn could be more than just a stunningly beautiful reminder of Vermont’s past.

FROM FARMHOUSE TO FARMHOUSE INN

When the Milstones bought the property in 2007, the home was a farmhouse without the farm. The last cows had been milked in the barn in the 1970s, and the horse barn and other outbuildings, dating from the 1860s, were no longer used for their original purposes.

The Milstones converted five second-floor bedrooms into four guest rooms of the 1905 home. They hung a vacancy sign outside Farmhouse Inn at Robinson Farm on January 1, 2008, and in those first few years, they learned the art of innkeeping. In early 2009, a couple asked if they could hold their wedding on the property on Labor Day weekend the following year. Delighted that the inn could be part of their special day, the Milstones said yes.

5 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

PHOTO BY DARIA BISHOP

Above: Couples can choose from several ceremony locations.

Left: The reception floor in the big barn can seat up to 162.

The path the Milstones took to hosting their first wedding in the barn was one of joy, calamity, and a slow realization that the barn could be more than just a stunningly beautiful reminder of Vermont’s past.

As it turns out, it was not to be the first wedding the Milstones hosted. Their daughter Megan, who lived in California, decided to have her wedding in Vermont in July 2010. To accommodate family and friends, Tory and Barry tackled the remaining rooms on the third floor. By the time the wedding was over, they had a new son-in-law and expanded capacity at the inn.

In early 2011, with the inn capable of hosting up to 16 guests, Tory and Barry started planning the next phase of their project: realizing the true potential of the whole property. Their hopes and dreams came crashing down, however, along with torrential rain on August 28.

“Tropical Storm Irene closed us,” recalls Tory, “and we weren’t sure we were going to be able to reopen.” Water, mud, and debris inundated the basement, destroying the heating, electrical, water, alarm and fire-suppression systems, and the low-lying part of the grounds. Because of the extreme generosity and support they received from friends, neighbors, and even strangers, assistance for

PHOTO BY JENNA BRISSON

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

53

PHOTO BY TERRY POMERLEAU

For every wedding they hosted, there were scores of couples who declined, all for the same reason. “Brides and grooms would point at the barn,” says Barry, “and ask, ‘Why can’t we have the reception in there?’” which they are still so very grateful, they were able to resume operations on January 1, 2012.

In the years that followed, more and more people asked if the inn could host their wedding. The Milstones accommodated by setting up tents around the property, but one thing quickly became clear. For every wedding they hosted, there were scores of couples who declined, all for the same reason. “Brides and grooms would point at the barn,” says Barry, “and ask, ‘Why can’t we have the reception in there?’”

“We knew the dairy barn had a lot of untapped potential and deserved a new job,” says Tory, “but for some time the project was on ice because we weren’t sure what direction to go with it, or if we could afford to do what was needed.”

HIGH DRIVES, HAY BALES, AND THE START OF A PROBLEM

Surprisingly, the work the barn needed wasn’t caused by nearly 100 Vermont winters but by a shift in technology early in the barn’s life.

5 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

PHOTO BY BELINDA NORRIS

In 1915, the year the Robinson family built the barn, hay was gathered in the fields and loaded onto horse-drawn wagons in tall piles. The carts were driven into the fourth floor of the barn, known as the high drive, from the back. The hay was weighed and then pitched to the third floor, known as the hay mow. One floor below, up to 40 Jersey cows waited to eat that hay and be milked.

The second floor also had a milking room, providing a convenient way to exit the barn and get the milk to market.

Within a decade, an innovation we now take for granted changed the nature of haying. That change was baling. To take advantage of this new technology, the Robinsons removed some structural beams and installed a hayfork along the ridgepole; thus the strength of the barn was compromised over many years.

“We learned that the barn lacked the structural integrity to hold itself together,” Tory says. “Its weight was slowly pulling it apart.”

PHOTO BY JENNA BRISSON

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

55

Have Your Wedding at Farmhouse Inn Farmhouse Inn hosts weddings of 80 to 162 people in the Red Barn. For smaller receptions or events (up to 50 guests), the rustic 900-square-foot White Barn is also available. For more information, visit FarmhouseInnVT.com or call (802) 672-5433.

SOMETHING OLD BECOMES SOMETHING NEW

In 2013, the Milstones applied for a Vermont Barn Preservation grant, which offers matching funds to people who are trying to save these iconic structures. Their grant was approved for structural repairs, and in the barn’s 99th year, the work began.

“The most important thing to be done,” Barry says, “was to stiffen the beams.” Additional work was needed to secure the floor of the hay mow and reattach the cupola, which, due to the barn’s settling, had become separated from the building. Apart from the structural work, Barry says, “additional work was cosmetic or for safety reasons and not part of the grant.” Those changes included widening a flight of stairs, leveling out sections of the floors that had become warped or had buckled, and installing posts on the railing along the high drive.

With those changes, the barn was ready to begin its new life.

Picture a gorgeous late-summer Saturday afternoon. Guests are mingling on the grass outside the back of the barn, enjoying the last of the golden twilight as the sun dips below the hills to the west.

Entering the high drive, they await the newlyweds who are posing for pictures elsewhere on the property.

The band is set up on the floor below, and their music reverberates 5 6 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

through the massive open space.

Once the happy couple has arrived, the guests go downstairs to the third floor, which has been beautifully decorated with customcrafted farm tables. Café lighting strung from beam to beam casts the space in a warm glow. The reception is in full swing.

Of course, it takes more than a beautiful space like this to have a memorable wedding. Though the Milstones don’t offer full wedding packages, they are very happy to work with couples to find a caterer, music, flowers, a salon for the bride and bridesmaids, and anything else couples need to provide their guests and themselves with an event to remember. “It takes a lot to pull off a wonderful wedding,” says Barry, “and venues capable of hosting large gatherings obviously help the local economy.”

When the last wedding guests leave and the Milstones turn out the lights in the barn, the majestic structure stands silent. Things are not the same in Woodstock today as they were in 1915, but despite a century of change, the barn continues to serve the local economy and to embody what makes Vermont the place it is. “It’s 104 years old now,” Tory says of the barn, “and it’s having more fun than ever.”

Farmhouse Inn at Robinson Farm 5250 West Woodstock Road Woodstock, VT (802) 672-5433 www.farmhouseinnvt.com

Online Extra Find fun facts about the Red Barn at Farmhouse Inn at www.woodstockmagazine.com.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

57

Unique Shopping, Dining, and Services

Abigail Zsenai Skincare & Eyebrow Studio

Ellaway’s Attic Selective Consignment Shop

5 The Green, Suite 9 Woodstock, VT (802) 280-5892 abigailzsenai.com

14 Central Street (Upstairs) Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1066 www.ellawaysattic.com

By appointment only

Mon–Sat 10am–5pm Sun 12–4pm

The Village Butcher

Yoga & Wellness with Maeve

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

Private Classes Bridal Party Yoga Wellness Workshops

Open daily

www.gracekellyyoga.com

FH Gillingham & Sons 16 Elm Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-2100 www.gillinghams.com Mon–Sat 8:30am–6:30pm Sun 10am–5pm

The Barnard Inn Restaurant & Max’s Tavern 5518 Vermont Route 12 Barnard, VT (802) 234-9961 www.barnardinn.com Tue–Sat 5–9pm

Fox Gallery

Sleep Woodstock Motel

506 on the River Inn

5 The Green Woodstock, VT (802) 457-3944 www.thefoxgallery.com

Woodstock’s Budget-Friendly Motel 4324 West Woodstock Road Woodstock, VT (802) 332-6336 reservations@sleepwoodstock.com www.sleepwoodstock.com

1653 West Woodstock Road Woodstock, VT (802) 457-5000 www.ontheriverwoodstock.com

Open daily 11am–4pm or by appointment anytime

Just 8 minutes from Downtown Woodstock 5 8 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

In and Around Woodstock, Vermont

Clover Gift Shop 10 Elm Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-2527 pj@clovergiftshop.com

Melaza Bistro 71 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-7110 melazabistro.com

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

Open daily 10am–6pm

Open daily at 5pm from July 1 throughout summer Visit our Facebook page for events

Teago

Danforth Pewter

Mon Vert Cafe

2035 Pomfret Road Pomfret, VT (802) 457-1626

9 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-7269 www.danforthpewter.com

28 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-7143 monvertcafe.com

Mon–Sat 9:30am–5pm Sun 10am–4:30pm

Mon–Sat 7:30am–5:30pm Sun 8am–5:30pm

Gallery on the Green

Woodstock Hops N’ Barley

Collective–The Art of Craft

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

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

47 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1298 www.collective-theartofcraft.com

Mon–Sat 10am–5pm Sun 11am–4pm

Open daily

Mon–Sat 10am–5pm Sun 11am–4pm

Mon–Sat 7am–6pm Sun 8am–4pm

Mon–Fri 9:30am–5:30pm Sat 9:30am–6pm Sun 10:30am–5pm

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

59

Summer Fun Around Woodstock!

Summer

Woodstock Area

EVENTS

WEDNESDAYS JUNE 5–OCTOBER 16

Woodstock Market on the Green 3–6pm www.woodstockvt.com

JUNE 1–2

The Prince and The Pauper

NT Ferro Jewelers

24 Elm Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1818 www.princeandpauper.com

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

Cocktails in the Tavern at 5pm Dinner served 7 nights a week starting at 5:30pm

Mon–Sat 10am–5pm Sun 11am–4pm

27th Annual Covered Bridges Half Marathon & Pasta Supper Race starts at 8:15am Race details–www.cbhm.com Pasta Dinner–www.woodstockvt.com

JULY 4

Old Vermont 4th Traditional firework shows, BBQs, patriotic and historic activities and games throughout Woodstock. www.billingsfarm.org

JULY 26–28

11th Annual Bookstock Literary Festival www.bookstockvt.org

AUGUST 10

Sleep Woodstock Motel

Pizza Chef

Woodstock’s Budget-Friendly Motel 4324 West Woodstock Road Woodstock, VT (802) 332-6336 reservations@sleepwoodstock.com www.sleepwoodstock.com

Route 4 Woodstock, VT (802) 457-1444 Sun–Thu 11am–9pm Fri & Sat 11am–10pm

Just 8 minutes from Downtown Woodstock

10th Annual Taste of Woodstock Woodstock’s annual street festival with over 50 vendors on Elm Street 10am–6pm www.woodstockvt.com

SEPTEMBER 7–8

Woodstock Chamber Fine Art Festival on the Green Sat 9/7 10am–5pm Sun 9/8 10am–4pm www.woodstockvt.com

SEPTEMBER 7–8

Fall Hunter Jumper Show Green Mountain Horse Association www.gmhainc.org

OCTOBER 12

Frameworks Studio of Woodstock 63 Pleasant Street Barn Woodstock, VT (802) 356-5235 Tue–Fri 10am–4pm Sat 10am–noon or by appointment anytime

R.T. Home 43 Central Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-5700 Mon–Sat 10am–5pm Sun 12–4pm

6 0 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

47th Annual Penny Sale Woodstock Union High School www.rotarywoodstock.com

OCTOBER 12–13

47th Annual Apples & Crafts Artisan Fair Sat 10/12 10am–5pm Sun 10/13 10am–4pm www.woodstockrec.org

A RO U N D TOW N

By Katy Savage | Photos by Lynn Bohannon

Abracadabra Coffee Co. Outstanding Sustainable Coffee with a Laid-Back Attitude

A

ntoinette and Clint Hunt and their best friend Sarah Yetter learned some of their most important life lessons living in a yurt outside of Reading, Vermont.

The tiny 150-square-foot structure didn’t have electricity or hot water at the time, and it didn’t have heat beyond a woodstove in the winter. Clint and Antoinette moved eight years ago after leaving Columbus, Ohio, to be closer to family. Sarah visited them in the summers before moving to Vermont full time and taking her turn living in the yurt. “It taught us all a lot about self-efficiency and life in general—living in a quiet, rural area,” Sarah says.

Left: Dropping a batch of freshly roasted coffee from a single farm in Colombia.

Below: Owners (from left) Sarah Yetter, Antoinette Hunt, and Clint Hunt enjoy the sunshine with their mascot, Boo the dog.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

61

A RO U N D TOW N

Eddie Moran of Taco’s Tacos takes orders. He opens his mobile business outside of the coffee shop on weekends.

The three viewed Vermont as a place that would support their entrepreneurial aspirations. They thought of starting a goat farm here.

Instead, they bought a coffee roaster, piled giant bags of coffee in their dining room, and began roasting in their backyard simply because there seemed to be a need. “We couldn’t really find specialty coffee here,” Antoinette says.

Abracadabra Coffee Co. was launched about five years ago, and demand for their sustainability-focused products has taken off since. After starting with farmers’ markets, they opened their own shop in Woodstock last year. Their red building near the Ottauquechee River looks like a house from the

Center: Matt and Aless, owners of Royal Oak Coffee in Middlebury, Vermont, stop

by Abracadabra to chat with owners Clint and Antoinette.

Bottom row, from left: A couple pairs an Abracadabra signature drink with a Liège waffle. Pastries are made fresh daily in-house.

Abracadabra is a great place to meet up with friends and enjoy the weekend.

6 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

We take coffee very seriously— but really, what it comes down to is, is it fun, and is it approachable? — Clint Hunt, Abracadabra Coffee Co.

From top: Clint crafts an espresso drink with Norwich Farm Creamery milk, sourced from the cows at Billings Farm. Working hard or hardly working? It's always a good time when you work with friends.

Each box of retail coffee is hand-labeled during production.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

63

A RO U N D TOW N

We do things the way we do them. We’re just not stuffy. We want to do everything our own way.

— Sarah Yetter, Abracadabra Coffee Co.

outside, but inside, coffee beans from all over the world—places like Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Columbia—are roasted.

DOING THINGS THEIR OWN WAY

Clint, Antoinette, and Sarah learn as they go. “The three of us have learned a lot and taught ourselves a lot about owning and managing a business,”

A photo bomb from outer space!

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

Local Woodstock sisters sip on a single-origin cold brew.

says Sarah, who has a background in managing bars and creating cocktails.

“It’s constant experimentation and blending the lines between beer, cocktails, wine, and coffee,” she adds.

“We’re always experimenting.”

Abracadabra Coffee is different from other businesses in the area and different from other coffee roasters.

The three best friends, now all 36 years old, have combined their love of coffee with their love of art, food, music, and culture. They have laid-back attitudes and aren’t afraid of “being as weird as we want,” Clint says. “A lot of coffee people are still snobs,” he explains. “We take coffee very seriously—but really, what it comes down to is, is it fun, and is it approachable?” Sarah adds, “We do things the way we do them. We’re just not stuffy. We want to do everything our own way.”

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

65

A RO U N D TOW N

BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Everything from the name of their company to the packaging reflects that.

The owners of Abracadabra search for the highest quality beans they can find. They focus on transparency and sustainability. The farmer’s name is printed on their packaging, along with the country of the beans’ origin and how they were dried and processed.

“Our goal is to have relationships with these farmers,” Clint says.

Abracadabra has expanded with the help of other businesses in Vermont.

They partnered with hemp growers Luce Farm in Stockbridge last year to create a CBD-infused cold-brew coffee. “People went pretty crazy over it when we released it last summer,” Clint says. “Our companies are similar in that way, where transparency and quality are important.” The partnership has benefited both companies. “It was one of our favorite partnerships,” Luce Farm owner Rebecca Pimentel says. “Their coffee is outstanding. There’s been a terrific response.”

Coffee roasted weekly is available for purchase at Abracadabra.

6 6 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

It was one of our favorite partnerships.

Their coffee is outstanding. There’s been a terrific response.

— Rebecca Pimentel, Luce Farm

Abracadabra produces three varieties of singleorigin cold brew cans.

Abracadabra sells coffee in Woodstock and ships beans to restaurants and cafés throughout the Northeast. Worthy Kitchen in Woodstock has been a supporter since the start. “I love to see the small businesses coming in and people working hard,” says Worthy Kitchen General Manager John Knight. “The town seems to be embracing it.”

Clint and Antoinette live in West Woodstock now while Sarah lives in East Barnard. They admit moving to rural Vermont from a city wasn’t an easy transition, but they say this state has been the ideal place to start their business and grow as friends. “It’s one of the most meaningful experiences of my life,” says Sarah. “It’s a new adventure every day.”

Abracadabra Coffee Co. 54 Pleasant Street Woodstock, VT www.abracadabracoffeeco.com Open every Saturday and Sunday 9am–2pm

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

67

70th

WOODSTOCK AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Dedicated to this vibrant community

H

By Mary Gow

Photos by Lynn Bohannon

arry Truman was president, the Vermont population was a whopping 369,000, and Studebakers and Mercury coupes rolled along Central and Elm Streets as tourists took in the sights of Woodstock and locals frequented downtown stores. Business was good in Woodstock in post-war 1949, but an energetic group of local business people recognized that it could be better. With the view that they could accomplish more by working together, they founded the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce.

Seven decades later and still going strong, the Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce is celebrating 70 years of working together to promote and invigorate the community. Names and faces have changed through the years, but the commitment and vision of the Chamber have endured. Today, as in the beginning, Woodstock’s Chamber of Commerce is a member-driven organization, now roughly 200 members strong. And today’s members, like the founders, are resourceful and dedicated to this vibrant community and to furthering its economic well-being.

6 8 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

From left: Rick Reno, Woodstock Inn; Beth Finlayson, Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce; Charlotte Hollingsworth, Ardmore Inn; Brenda Blakeman, First Impressions; Board President Rich Kozlowski, Mascoma Bank; Macy Lawrence, WCTV; and Matthew Powers, Woodstock History Center.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

69

“We’re here for visitors and local people. We serve a multitude of purposes. We promote businesses and also promote Woodstock to visitors.”

— Beth Finlayson, executive director

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

Opposite: Beth at the Town Crier with Woodstock greeter Annabella.

Clockwise from above: Woodstock revisited the Business of the Year and Volunteer of the Year in 2013.

Dave Beach was honored in 1954; the illustration is by Tad Bailey. The Woodstock Chamber has always worked closely with the Woodstock Inn and Suicide 6. The Bunny's sticker and the winter brochure are from 1955.

Membership dues are an important part of Chamber life, as this "chicken feed" note from 1952 reminded members. The Chamber has been helping tourists since the early 1950s.

“We’re here for visitors and local people. We serve a multitude of purposes. We promote businesses and also promote Woodstock to visitors,” says Beth Finlayson, the Chamber’s executive director. She notes that the Chamber serves the greater Woodstock area, not just the town, and that its diverse membership includes businesses, nonprofit organizations, professionals, and more. The organization’s work falls into four general categories, Beth explains: advertising and promotion, events, beautification, and partnering and communication, including with the Vermont Chamber of Commerce.

A RESOURCE FOR LOCALS AND VISITORS

From the beginning, attracting tourists and supporting great tourist experiences have been central to the Chamber. In the early 1950s, volunteers at the group’s compact tourist information booth helped visitors find accommo-

dations, meals, and attractions. The Chamber published an annual brochure—the 1955 winter issue touted Woodstock’s spiffy new Poma lift, the first of its kind in New England, that could transport 1,000 skiers up the slope every hour!

“The single most important source of income in Woodstock is tourism. Having an active Chamber to promote and provide information to tourists is vital,” says Jeff Kahn of Unicorn, a delightfully

eclectic gift and toy shop he opened in 1978. A member for 40-plus years, he notes, “The Chamber is a wonderful resource for anyone who wants to visit Woodstock.” For members, he adds, “The Chamber is responsive. I’ve seen it change, and it continues to change.”

Attuned to the times, the local economy, and members’ priorities, the organization has nurtured successful projects and has also moved in new directions, including social media, he says.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

71

SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT WOODSTOCK

From chalkboard to digital screen, old and new media alike are found in the Chamber’s tool bag. On the old-fashioned side, Beth and Kathy Avellino, the organization’s assistant director, maintain and update the Town Crier, the popular bulletin chalkboard at the corner of Elm Street. From Bingo to roller derby and benefits, band concerts, art exhibits, and club meetings, all kinds of local tidbits are posted on the Town Crier. Once, Beth recalls, a fellow called and asked them to write his marriage proposal on it. When he and his intended drove into Woodstock, he strategically parked by the Town Crier.

And yes, she accepted.

On the digital side, the Chamber now reaches all corners of the globe through its website, www.woodstockvt.com.

The site is a product of collaboration with Woodstock’s Economic Development Commission and is funded by the town’s 1 percent local option tax. With extensive links to Woodstock businesses and services and a consistently updated calendar and blog, the website includes far more than most community sites. Like the Town Crier but accessible to millions, its weekly calendar features dozens of offerings around the area—gardening workshops, book signings, pub quizzes, sales, events at Billings Farm & Museum and MarshBillings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, and on and on.

The Chamber also gets the word out through its annual brochure (12,000 distributed last year) and by working with travel writers, publications, and other media. Last year it facilitated an upcoming television segment with

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

HGTV. As in the Chamber’s earliest days, personal attention and face-toface service run strong. Staffed seven days a week, the Welcome Center greeted 46,000 visitors last year.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Events are central to the Chamber.

The Market on the Green, now in its 12th year, features more than 30 local vendors selling produce, cheese, meat, crafts, and more every Wednesday afternoon from June to mid October. At Taste of Woodstock, over 2,000 visitors feast on culinary treats from area purveyors. The Woodstock Art Festival and the Pasta Dinner for the Covered Bridges Half Marathon are among the annual endeavors.

Wassail Weekend, the second weekend in December, ushers in the holiday season in breathtaking style. Its

traditional horse and carriage parade hosted by High Horses is an annual favorite that brings 6,000 to 7,000 people to town. “Everyone looks for that magical Christmas holiday. Wassail Weekend is that experience—horses going around town, sleigh bells; we often have snow. The Chamber sponsors it, but many organizations make it happen,” says Beth.

Chamber collaborations contribute to ongoing beautification. Every summer, 23 spectacular hanging flower baskets, planted and grown and by Woodstock High School students, are placed and maintained throughout downtown. Come winter, area arborists install Christmas lights to brighten the streets.

On a business end, the Chamber maintains important local and state connections, including partnering with Woodstock’s Economic Development Commission. With the EDC’s recent visioning process on revitalizing downtown, the organizations have an eye to ensuring Woodstock’s continued appeal for families and young Vermonters. A downtown business owners’ forum brings state experts to update the community on issues including labor law. At legislative breakfasts, the area’s legislators answer questions.

Rich Kozlowski, newly elected chair of the Chamber’s board of directors, sees a bright future for the group. “We focus on what we can do and do well, events that have a meaningful impact on members and the town,” Rich says.

“I think the Chamber will be here serving the community for a long time.”

Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce 3 Mechanic Street Woodstock, VT (802) 457-3555 www.woodstockvt.com

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

73

T R AV E L T I M E

7 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

Story and Photos by Lisa Ballard

Looking for the Loch Ness Monster A perfect reason to explore the Scottish Highlands

A

s my husband Jack and I rolled northwest along route A82 in the Scottish Highlands, between Fort William and Inverness, he begged me to keep an eye on the passenger side of the road. Driving on the left for the first time, Jack anxiously peered down the narrow, windy motorway, concentrating on staying in the correct lane. He tended to stay too far to the left, despite the lack of turf outside the thin, white line. The pavement ended with a foot-plus drop-off. A wheel off the road would spell trouble for our undersized rental car, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the loch (lake) on our right. Maybe I would see it!

The A82 hugged a steep hillside along the northwest shoreline of famous Loch Ness, where the legendary serpent supposedly lurked. It was on this very road, in 1933, that a husband and wife purportedly saw the Loch Ness monster with a critter in its jaws, head-

ing back to its aquatic lair. The couple’s eyewitness account jump-started a worldwide fascination with the creature that continues to this day, though they weren’t the first to claim they saw the mysterious beast.

SERPENT SIGHTINGS

Loch Ness is the largest lake in the British Isles. It’s 23 miles long and a mile wide for most of its length. It’s a freshwater fjord fed by seven major rivers and numerous burns (brooks), with only one outlet, the River Ness.

The river flows for seven miles through the city of Inverness into Moray Firth, a large coastal inlet of the North Sea on the northeast coast of Scotland.

Loch Ness is named for its resident monster, Nessie or Niseag in Scottish Gaelic, which was first sighted during the 5th century, though the account was not documented in writing until 100 years later. Apparently

Opposite: View of Loch Ness from Urquhart Castle.

This page: Inverlochy Castle, a unique, luxurious boutique hotel near Loch Ness.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

75

T R AV E L T I M E

Clockwise from top left: The view from Urquhart Castle, looking south at Loch Ness. Farmland across Urquhart Bay near the castle. A street in Inverness.

ing an eye out as we drove along Loch Ness, just in case.

THE SKEPTICS

Saint Columba, an Irish monk staying near the River Ness, came upon some locals burying a dead man who had been mauled and dragged underwater by a leviathan. As the story goes, later, one of Columba’s followers went swimming in the river. When the monster reappeared and approached the swimmer, Columba ordered it to “go no further” while making the sign of the cross. The creature retreated back to the dark

depths from whence it came. Columba’s disciples declared it a miracle.

Monster-believers use this story as evidence of the Loch Ness monster’s existence over millennia. Some say it’s a giant ocean serpent that can access the loch via the river. Skeptics disregard the Saint Columba account, saying tales about serpents and dragons were common during medieval times.

I figured there was no harm in keep-

7 6 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

Scientists have disproven virtually all of the 3,000-plus sightings of the Loch Ness monster, attributing the longnecked, hump-backed creatures in those reports to seals, otters, oversized fish, logs, and floating barrels.

The theory that the Loch Ness monster is part of a remnant population of plesiosaurus dinosaurs is also unlikely, given that the region was under a glacier for 20,000 years during the last

ice age. (It was glacial recession that carved out the lake.) Plesiosaurs were cold-blooded, marine reptiles that lived in tropical water. The average temperature of Loch Ness is a chilly 42 degrees (F). Even if plesiosaurs had been warmblooded, they would have required more food than what Loch Ness could have provided, though the loch didn’t exist when they did. Paleontologists believe they became extinct during the late Cretaceous period, about 65 million years ago, along with most other dinosaurs on the planet.

Since 1901, researchers have con-

ducted numerous studies of the lake, attempting to “see” the monster using film crews, sonar, submarines, underwater cameras, and, most recently, a DNA survey of the entire lake. The DNA survey was scheduled for release in January 2019, but as this magazine goes to print, the results are still unpublished.

URQUHART CASTLE

Just north of the small tourist town of Fort Augustus, Jack and I came to the ruins of Urquhart Castle perched above Loch Ness at the top of Urquhart Bay. The castle is a must-see historic site in

the Scottish Highlands, steeped in 1,500 years of history. Though now it is as much rocky rubble as sturdy ramparts, we were curious to see this former strategic stronghold.

After learning about the castle’s turbulent past at its visitor’s center, we walked across an expansive lawn toward the remains of the castle, passing a towering trebuchet catapult. We imagined a siege, 700 years ago, when the attackers used the catapult to hurl massive stone balls through the air, creating holes in the previously impenetrable castle walls.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

77

T R AV E L T I M E

Travel Savvy

A visitor explores the crumbling ramparts on Urquhart Castle, or is he really looking for the Loch Ness monster?

CASTLE ACCOMMODATIONS Stay at Inverlochy Castle, Queen Victoria’s former royal retreat, now a 17-room luxury hotel. It’s an upscale base camp from which to explore the Scottish Highlands.

InverlochyCastle.com

TASTINGS Numerous single-malt whiskeys are produced in the Scottish Highlands. Even if you’re not a whiskey aficionado, it’s worth sampling these fine, distilled spirits (some of the best in the world). The dining room at Inverlochy Castle and other nicer restaurants offer “tasting menus” that pair whiskeys with local gourmet foods.

GATEWAYS International flights from the United States go to Edinburgh and Glasgow. If you land in Edinburgh, plan a night at the Sheraton Grand Hotel. Its restaurant offers an exceptional tasting menu, and you can walk to Edinburgh Castle.

TRANSPORTATION Rent a car at your gateway airport. Most rental cars have standard transmissions that you need to operate with your left hand! If you’re uncomfortable with a stick-shift, be sure to request a car with automatic transmission. Once driving—on the left side of the road—remember to look left and stay left, especially going into and out of roundabouts.

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE LOCH NESS MONSTER Nessie.co.uk

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT TRAVELING TO LOCH NESS VisitScotland.com

7 8 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

We entered the castle via the main drawbridge, then spent a couple of hours exploring the surviving ramparts, living quarters, kitchen, and dungeons.

Different parts of the castle were built during different eras, but all afforded exceptional views of Loch Ness. As we peered at the lake through a castle window, Jack imagined an archer letting loose an arrow on a potential invader.

I looked for Nessie. People had spotted the monster from the castle’s ruins more than once.

In 1955, a man took a photograph from Urquhart Castle showing two black humps in the water. Were they part of Nessie’s back or a wave effect from three trawlers traveling up

the loch? The authorities eventually deemed the photo had been doctored to look like the monster when it appeared differently in a book 20 years after it was originally published.

In 1977, a professional magician and psychic camping next to the castle took several remarkably clear photos of the monster, which he claimed to have summoned from the depths. The photos showed a creature with a long, trunk-like appendage and a white spot (eye) at the base of the trunk, but authorities deemed it another hoax as there were no ripples surrounding the creature as it surfaced.

Since the 1960s, scientists have conducted various sonar studies of Urquhart Bay. In 1968, D. Gordon Tucker, a department chair at the University of Birmingham and a sonar developer, placed a device in the bay creating an “acoustic net” to detect all underwater movement.

During the two-week experiment, the device picked up numerous schools of fish, along with other unidentified objects, traveling at speeds up to 10 knots.

In 1987, during Operation Deepscan, 24 boats equipped with sonar equipment spread out across the loch. They picked up several moving objects of

“unusual size and strength,” including one large moving object at a depth of 590 feet near Urquhart Bay. “There’s something here that we don’t understand,” said sonar expert Darell Lowrance at the time. “There’s something here that’s larger than a fish, maybe some species that hasn’t been detected before. I don’t know.”

These unknowns leave the rest of us wondering about Nessie and secretly hoping to see it. Scanning the windswept chop from Urquhart Castle, I looked for a long neck or a hump as I contemplated whether the Loch Ness monster really existed. Certainly, there have been numerous fabrications over time. While the scientific community says it’s a mythical creature, the question remains open in my mind. At the very least, it’s a fun reason to travel to Loch Ness. Numerous lochs lace the Scottish Highlands, each beautiful, but only one is steeped in monster lore, making it a fascinating place to visit.

Online Extra Find Loch Ness facts online at www.woodstockmagazine.com.

Inverness Castle, on the hill above the city of Inverness, at the mouth of the River Ness.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

79

HAPPENINGS

Summer 2019

JUNE | JULY | AUGUST

July 27

Farm to Ballet!

Billings Farm & Museum, 6:30pm BILLINGSFARM.ORG

8 0 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

Through October 16, Wednesdays Market on the Green Woodstock Village Green, 3–6pm

June 22–23 Dairy Celebration Days Billings Farm & Museum BILLINGSFARM.ORG

June 6, 13, 20 Play Bridge at Norman Williams!

Norman Williams Public Library, 2pm NORMANWILLIAMS.ORG

June 6, 13, 20, 27 Thursday Afternoon Knitting Group Norman Williams Public Library, 3:30pm NORMANWILLIAMS.ORG

June 7–July 26, Fridays Mah-Jongg Games Norman Williams Public Library, 1:30pm NORMANWILLIAMS.ORG

June 7–August Foodways Fridays

June 10–July 29, Mondays Baby & Toddler Story Time

Billings Farm & Museum

Norman Williams Public Library, 10:30am

BILLINGSFARM.ORG

NORMANWILLIAMS.ORG

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

81

HAPPENINGS August 4 Antique Tractor Day Billings Farm & Museum BILLINGSFARM.ORG

June 10 History of the Woodstock Inn Stables

June 11, July 9 What’s on Your Nightstand?

The Not-a-Book-Club Book Club

Dale Johnson will share recollections and information about the historic Woodstock Inn Stables, which ultimately burned down.

Woodstock History Center, 7pm

Norman Williams Public Library, 10am

WWW.WOODSTOCKHISTORYCENTER.ORG

NORMANWILLIAMS.ORG

June 15 Exhibit Opening: Character: Unforgettable People of Woodstock Woodstock History Center, 4pm

June 16 Celebrate Father’s Day Fathers receive free admission!

Billings Farm & Museum BILLINGSFARM.ORG

June 17–August 22, Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays Afternoon Art Studio Summer Camp ArtisTree, 1–4pm ARTISTREEVT.ORG

WWW.WOODSTOCKHISTORYCENTER.ORG

June 15 I Remember Better When I Paint: Treating Alzheimer’s Through the Creative Arts Grange Theatre, 4pm ARTISTREEVT.ORG

June 15–16, July 13–14, August 3–4 Gravity Camp Weekends Suicide Six Resort WWW.WOODSTOCKINN.COM

June 17–21 Days of Knights and Unicorns, Exploring Fiber Arts, Flip-Flop Acrobatics, Magical Worlds, and VINS Peeps: Up in the Air! Summer Camps ArtisTree ARTISTREEVT.COM

June 15 Woodstock Vermont Film Series: Stan and Ollie

June 22 Sculpture Fest Garden Reception

Billings Farm & Museum, 5pm

Woodstock History Center, 1pm

BILLINGSFARM.ORG

8 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

WWW.WOODSTOCKHISTORYCENTER.ORG

Pentangle Council on the Arts 31 The Green, Woodstock, VT (802) 457-3981 WWW.PENTANGLEARTS.ORG

June 13 A Room with a View

July 18 Purple Rain

Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

June 20 Something’s Gotta Give

July 22–26 Performing Arts Camp

Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Town Hall Theatre, 9am–4pm

July 1–12 Creative Dance Camp

August 3 Natalie Merchant

Town Hall Theatre, 9am–4pm

Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

July 11 To Catch a Thief

August 8 Smokey and the Bandit

Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

July 13 Creative Dance Camp Final Performance

August 15 Moonstruck

Town Hall Theatre, 1pm

Town Hall Theatre, 7:30pm

June 25 Surviving Progress Town Hall Theatre, 6pm

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

83

HAPPENINGS June 22 Of Mind and Music Grange Theatre, 4 & 7pm ARTISTREEVT.COM

June 24–28 Creating in Wood, Fun in the Forest, It’s Sew Fun!, and Music Madness Summer Camps ArtisTree ARTISTREEVT.COM

June 29, July 27, August 17 Garden Tour Billings Farm & Museum, 2pm BILLINGSFARM.ORG

July 1–3 Arts and Crafts Grab Bag, Self-Portrait Drawing & Painting Lab, Spa Camp, and Wizard Summer Camps ArtisTree ARTISTREEVT.ORG

July 2 Recite! Poetry Norman Williams Public Library, 5:30pm NORMANWILLIAMS.ORG

July 2–August Time Travel Tuesdays Billings Farm & Museum BILLINGSFARM.ORG

July 3–August Wagon Ride Wednesdays Billings Farm & Museum, 11am–3pm BILLINGSFARM.ORG

Facebook Contests, Sweepstakes & Giveaways!

Like us on Facebook for your chance to win great prizes! www.facebook.com/ mountainviewpublishing 8 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

July 4 Old Vermont 4th Billings Farm & Museum BILLINGSFARM.ORG

July 5 Old Time Band Concert and Ice Cream Social Woodstock History Center, 7pm WWW.WOODSTOCK HISTORYCENTER.ORG

July 22 Women Prostitutes, Patriots, and Spies Professor John Belohlaver will discuss the role of women on both sides of the Mexican-American War as they were propelled by the bloody conflict to adopt new roles and expand traditional ones.

Woodstock History Center, 7pm WWW.WOODSTOCKHISTORYCENTER.ORG

July 22–26 Ceramics: Our Feathered Friends, Flippin’ Good Time, Sense-sational Art!, and Valley Quest Summer Camps ArtisTree ARTISTREEVT.ORG

July 27–September 15 33rd Annual Quilt Exhibition Billings Farm & Museum BILLINGSFARM.ORG

July 8–12 Ceramics: Kids’ Wheel Throwing, Computer Programming: Animations and Games, Dino-mite Drawing!, Farm Frenzy, Super Comics, and VINS Peeps: Animal Adventures Summer Camps ArtisTree ARTISTREEVT.ORG

July 8–19 Into the Woods Jr. Musical Theatre Camp Performances will be July 18–20.

ArtisTree ARTISTREEVT.ORG

July 11–August 29 Thursday Threads Billings Farm & Museum BILLINGSFARM.ORG

July 13, August 10 Farm House/Manor Tour Billings Farm & Museum, 2pm BILLINGSFARM.ORG

July 15–19 Band in a Box, Little Camp on the Prairie, Mysteries of Ancient Greece Summer Camp, and VINS Peeps: Anybody Home?

Summer Camps ArtisTree ARTISTREEVT.COM

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

85

HAPPENINGS

July 29–August 2 Beginning Computer Animation, Claymation! Stop-Motion Animation, and VINS Peeps: Pomfret Pioneers Summer Camps ArtisTree ARTISTREEVT.ORG

August 5–August 9 Dance with Kaitlyn, Improvisation Theatre, Jewelry Boutique, VINS Peeps: VINS Adventures, and Woodland Creatures and Fairies Summer Camps ArtisTree ARTISTREEVT.ORG

August 10 History Hike to Mount Peg Golf Course Woodstock History Center, 9pm WWW.WOODSTOCKHISTORYCENTER.ORG

August 12–16 Artful Experiments, Beach Vacation, Camp Cirque, Fairy Tales and Other Treasures, and Storytelling for the Stage Summer Camps ArtisTree ARTISTREEVT.ORG

August 25 Excursion to Gilbert’s Hill Woodstock History Center, 1pm WWW.WOODSTOCKHISTORYCENTER.ORG

August 29–September 1, 4–8, 11–12 ArtisTree’s Music Theatre Festival Presents Souvenir Grange Theatre ARTISTREEVT.ORG

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

8 6 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

ADVERTISERS INDEX 506 on the River Inn................................................ 58 APD Lifecare/The Woodlands................................. 14 Abigail Zsenai Skincare & Eyebrow Studio............ 58 Alice Williams Interiors........................................... 48 Andrew Pearce Bowls............................................. 33 Anichini...................................................................... 8 Antiques Collaborative........................................... 33 Artifactory............................................................... 33 ArtisTree/The Grange Theatre................................ 21 Billings Farm & Museum......................................... 48 Carpet King & Tile................................................... 84 Clover Gift Shop..............................................41 & 59 Collective—The Art of Craft................................... 59 Crown Point ............................................................ 17 Crown Point Select.................................................... 4 DHMC Dermatology ................................................. 5 Danforth Pewter..................................................... 59 Deer Brook Inn........................................................ 81 Ellaway’s Attic.......................................................... 58 Ennis Construction.................................................... 2 F.H. Gillingham & Sons............................................ 58 First Impressions Salon & Spa................................. 23 Fore U Golf.............................................................. 27 Fox Gallery............................................................... 58 Frameworks Studio................................................. 69 G.R. Porter & Sons................................................... 73 Gallery on the Green............................................... 59 GeoBarns.................................................... Back cover Gilberte Interiors....................................................... 6 Green Mountain Plumbing & Heating................... 86 Hanover Country Club............................................ 57

Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce/ Quechee Balloon Festival..................................... 31 Hull Maynard Hersey Insurance.............................. 15 Jackson House Inn................................................... 22 Jake’s Quechee Market & Café............................... 33 Jancewicz & Son........................................................ 9 Jeff Wilmot Painting............................................... 67 KW Real Estate........................................................ 22 Kedron Valley Inn.................................................... 64 Kendal at Hanover.................................................. 85 Kimball Union Academy......................................... 65 Landshapes.............................................................. 73 LaValley Building Supply........................................ 49 Little Istanbul........................................................... 23 Main Street Kitchens................................................. 7 Melaza Bistro........................................................... 59 Mertens House........................................................ 79 Mon Vert Café......................................................... 59 Montcalm Golf Club................................................ 47 Mt. Ascutney Hospital............................................. 67 N.T. Ferro Estate & Custom Jewelers..............57 & 60 Neely Orthodontics................................................. 73 Pentangle................................................................. 16 Perfect Fur Salon..................................................... 33 Piecemeal Pies......................................................... 56 Pizza Chef................................................................ 60 Quality Inn............................................................... 33 Quechee Home, Porch & Closet.............................. 33 Quechee Pizza Chef................................................ 33 R.T. Home................................................................. 60 Rain or Shine Tent and Events................................ 84 Ramunto’s Brick Oven Pizza................................... 29

Renewal by Andersen of VT................................... 13 Silver Lake Getaway................................................ 66 Sleep Woodstock Motel.......................................... 58 Snyder Donegan Real Estate Group .....................Inside front cover & Inside back cover Splendid Chaos........................................................ 86 Teago General Store............................................... 59 Terrigenous Landscape........................................... 27 The Barnard Inn Restaurant & Max’s Tavern......... 58 The Braeside Lodging............................................. 31 The Carriage Shed................................................... 11 The Daily Catch........................................................ 85 The Gilded Edge...................................................... 66 The Lincoln Inn.......................................................... 3 The Prince and The Pauper..................................... 60 The Public House..................................................... 19 The Quechee Club..................................................... 1 The Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm..................... 41 The Vermont Spot................................................... 33 The Village Butcher................................................. 58 The Williamson Group............................................ 21 Tuckerbox................................................................ 83 Unicorn.................................................................... 59 Upper Valley Haven................................................ 56 VINS.......................................................................... 66 WISE......................................................................... 47 Wagner Hodgson.................................................... 46 Woodstock Chamber/Woodstock Art Festival....... 79 Woodstock Farmers’ Market.................................. 14 Woodstock Hops & Barley...................................... 59 Woodstock Inn........................................................ 86 Yoga & Wellness with Maeve................................. 58

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

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 19.)

HERE’S HOW! Email Bob Frisch at rcfrisch1@comcast.net, or call Bob at (603) 643-1830.

Find out how you can connect with our readers. It’s easy, inexpensive, and another way to reach an affluent and educated audience.

SUBSCRIBE Share the wonder of our beautiful area and the latest news all year long with a gift subscription.

Friends and family who have moved away from the area will be especially appreciative. Be sure to order a subscription for yourself too!

Send a check for $19.95 for one year (4 issues) to Woodstock Magazine, 135 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755. Or conveniently pay online using PayPal at www.woodstockmagazine.com.

S U M M E R 2019

|

WO O D S TO C K M AGA Z I N E

87

LAST GLANCE

If summer had one defining scent, it’d definitely be the smell of barbecue.

— Katie Lee

8 8 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