#203: Soniat House (page 638)

We were invited to a wedding in New Orleans this past weekend.  I have three things left to see in New Orleans in the 1000 Places book (I've been here once before in 2004 and did Preservation Hall, French Quarter, etc - of course I did that all again this time around too! ;)).  The bad news..... two of those three things (Mardi Gras and the Jazz Festival) are date specific, but the good news is that I was able to do at least one of those three things - the Soniat House!

My 2003 edition states that rooms go from $195, but 2017 prices range from $325-$700/night.

They have their own antique shop.

And a beautiful balcony overlooking Chartres St.

And it is well known for its two private courtyards.

No wonder, this boutique hotel has made it on to Fodor's choice Top 20 in the world.

There are 31 rooms beautifully and uniquely decorated with four-poster beds, Oriental carpets and antiques.  And what makes it really neat is the location..... you can experience the New Orleans/French quarter vibe while still having a luxury, almost European experience. 

Verdict:  No.  It's lovely, no doubt.  But definitely not a must-do before you die!

Side Note:  This was my 200th sight in my 1000 Places book!  I'm on #203 because I've added a few things that should be in the book, but anyway.... 200 down, 800 to go!

#202: Manchester Village (page 723, 2nd Ed pg 886)

Aug. 18, 2017

The Equinox resort has a lot of history - over 200 years in fact.  American Revolutionaries gathered at the Marsh Tavern and it has been visited by four U.S. presidents including William Howard Taft, Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt (who actually gave a campaign speech close to where I'm standing) and Benjamin Harrison.

Mary Todd Lincoln and her sons spent time here in 1864 and made plans to come back here with her husband the following year.  The hotel constructed a special suite and anticipated their arrival.  Sadly, he was assassinated in April 1865 and never made it. However, their son loved this area so much that he built a home just down the road from here.

The view from the courtyard.

Verdict:  It's lovely.  It's a great place to stay, walk around, have dinner, etc.  But it's not a must-do before you die. 

#201: Shelburne Farms (Page 725, 2nd Ed pg 888)

Aug. 18, 2017

Our first glimpse of the Farm Barn.  A little bigger and more grandiose than I was expecting!

Gilbert recommended we watch this 8 minute film on how cheese is made.

Most places these days make cheese by machine.  Here at Shelburne Farms, it is still made by hand and you can watch them do it.  And then you can sample the finished product. Yum!

From there, we went to the Inn, which is a 1.5 mile walk from the Barn.  Here is our first glimpse of the Inn (former Vanderbilt home).  

Quite a sight!

It is situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Champlain and is breathtakingly beautiful!

It has now been named a National Historic Landmark.

The Inn has retained much of the furnishings and lay-out to still make it feel like you are in the home of William Seward Webb and his wife Lila Vanderbilt Webb.

The back yard.  

Grab a drink, pull up an adirondack chair and you are all set!

The back side of the home.  Lake Champlain is directly behind me as I took this picture.

Verdict:  We had mixed reviews on this.  As I asked my two friends what they thought, one said yes and one said no.  The one that said no decided not to do the 3-mile R/T hike to see this house.  And here's the thing.  The farm is really, really cool.  The Farm Barn, the dairy, the farm to table food, the cheese making.  It's all cool.  But it's not a must do before you die.  This however...... a huge mansion on a bluff overlooking Lake Champlain with the Adirondacks draped behind the lake all while sitting and walking amongst landscape designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (of Biltmore and Central Park fame) and considering that you are in a home, built in 1899, which was the largest home built in the entire state of Vermont.  Well, that's what makes it a Yes. 

Note: As this visit has marinated more (I'm writing this on 2/20/19) with me, I have loved it more and found myself happy that it made the cut for the 2nd Edition!

#200: Stowe Mountain Resort (Page 726, 2nd Ed pg 889)

August 18, 2017

Most people think of Stowe as a ski retreat, which it most certainly is.  But Stowe Mountain resort has taken pains to make it a year round destination with zip lines, hikes and all kind of other activities.

Including this gondola which you can ride for $28.

The lodge from the front, which offers valet parking.

And the lobby.

This is a Be-a-utiful lobby!  A huge fireplace is there and lots of nooks and crannies of places to sit.  It's big yet cozy.  Loved it.

The book also mentions the von Trapp Family Lodge, so we went there as well.

And I learned that the von Trapp family is actually buried here.  Maria and the Captain are in the middle plot and are surrounded by their children on either side.

Verdict:  Yes.  I absolutely loved Stowe.  Whether you stay at either of these two places, you should at least visit them and at least spend a few nights in Stowe.  It is beautiful year round with lots to see and do.  Two thumbs up from me!

#199: Northeast Kingdom (Pg 724, 2nd Ed pg 887)

Aug. 18, 2017

The courthouse in the middle of downtown St. Johnsbury

A view of the church-steeple dotted skyline of St. Johnsbury

In 1949, a former Vermont Senator in awe of the beauty of his state's three most northeastern counties (Orleans, Essex and Caledonia), dubbed this area the "Northeast Kingdom".  St. Johnsbury is the "unofficial gateway" to this area.

Verdict: No.  As a disclaimer the book says "when foliage flames each autumn, they could very well be the most beautiful place in America." And we were there in August, well before the flame of foliage.  It was still a beautiful area to drive through.  Rolling hills, lakes, small towns and villages, quaint churches, etc.  But we all agreed there are many places like that throughout the country and there didn't seem to be any one thing about this particular area that made it stick out against other similar quaint, charming, beautiful areas/towns. 

#198: The Balsams (page 661, Listed as The Great North Woods in the 2nd Ed, pg 824)

August 17, 2017

I can see why the Basalms made the top 1000 list

Because it looks like this.

But..... my verdict is.....

Verdict: No.  Because it's closed.  We drove all the way there, planning to eat lunch, spend the afternoon, stroll the grounds, etc.  Only to find it closed.  And apparently (per the townspeople), it's been closed for like 7 or 8 years.  It is undergoing massive renovations and is being changed into a time share.  I even called to see if there was any way I could get a tour.  But two of the roads to get there were closed and the woman that answered the phone said that you have to make a timeshare appointment to even walk inside the place now.  So, looks like you only have 999 places to see before you die now.

Note:  In the 2nd Edition, it doesn't list this anymore.  I thought it was for obvious reasons (see above) until I read the entry and it specifically talks about visiting the Balsams "a magnificent, old-fashioned resort....over 200 guest rooms and offers loads of activities."  My only explanation is that the book was published in 2011 and it maybe closed between then and when we visited in 2017? And the locals who said "7 or 8 years" were off by a couple years? I just looked up the history of the place and found this "As of 2017 (the year I was there), The Balsams is closed for renovations after being purchased by new owners for $2.3 million in December 2011 (the year the 2nd Edition was published)."   It's listed as "The Great North Woods" in the 2nd Edition, but even so, my verdict doesn't change.  We drove all around this area.  It was scenic and the towns were cool, but nothing about it was a "must do before you die" experience.  Maybe once this place opens after the planned $170 million renovations, it will be!  For that much money, I would hope so!

#197: Mount Washington (pg 663; Listed as The White Mountains in the 2nd Ed, pg 826)

At the top of Mount Washington on Aug 17, 2017

The 6,288 foot summit!

The weather up here is no joke.  It's SO windy and cold! There are no other mountains protecting it, so at the summit, the weather literally blows you away.  At times, apparently, it is comparable to Antarctica and has earned the phrase of "the worst weather in the world."

Having fun on the cog on the way back down.

Here you can get a visual of our cog going down and another on its way up.

Verdict:  Yes. Do it.  I absolutely loved this experience.  You can hike or cog your way to the top and hike or cog your way back down.  We took the cog both ways and I'm glad I did!  Not so much because of the distance or elevation but because it was SO windy and cold, for me, the last part of that hike once you got close to the top just would have been absolutely miserable.  And besides, the cog is so cool! Just a fun, unique experience. The Mount Washington Cog Railway was the first mountain-climbing cog railway in the world.  It began in 1866 and the first excursion to the top was in 1869.

Cog Cost: Adults $69 R/T, Seniors $65 and children 4-12 $39

#196: Woodman's of Essex (pg 648; Listed as Cape Ann in 2nd Ed, pg 810)

In 1916, Chubby and Bessie decided to fry up some clams and sell them at a roadside stand. They decided to do this at the suggestion of a friend after Chubby and Bessie had commented on how slow business was.  At the time, fried clams were unheard of.  They played with the batter, tried it out on some friends and it was a hit.  The rest, as they say, is history!

Woodman's of Essex is now known the "Best Waterfront Seafood Shack" (2016- USA Today) over 100 years and 5 generations later.

The menu

It still definitely has that down-to-earth "shack" vibe.

The Clam Cake, Crab Roll and chips. Bon appetit!

Verdict: No.  This is a fun place to stop and have lunch, but it's definitely not something you need to do before you die.

Cost: It obviously depends on how much you order. Plan on spending ~$10-$20/person.