New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com It's amazing that the peace and tranquility of Hale Reservation in Westwood, MA, is just minutes from the maniacal, sometimes hostile, commuter-crazy Route 128 in the thick of the southwest suburban Boston suburbs. More than just a basic, suburban, token place to walk and hike, Hale Reservation features 1,100 acres of untouched woodlands, scenic, protected ponds, meandering streams, long stretches of hiking trails large playing fields, and outdoor pavilions. Hale Reservation feels more like being in New Hampshire than southwest of Boston. Best known as a day camp for outdoor exploration and learning, as well as having a membership-only beach, Hale Reservation brings in large crowds, yet it never seems too busy. With all those acres, there's indeed room for everyone. My favorite hikes include the 1.7 mile Page and Saddle Trails with great views of Noanet Pond and somewhat challenging steeper hills on the south side of th...

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Somewhere in the 1980s, my esteemed Arlington High School journalism teacher Len Tammaro tipped me off about a New Hampshire television weatherman that he called "Crazy Al Kaprielian." That night, I couldn't believe what I saw: this nerdy-looking guy with a high-pitched voice flailing his arms all over the weather map, contorting his face in every direction, and squealing, "Good Eeeevening!" and "HIGH PRESSURE!" (his future trademark phrases)." All that boundless energy and the myriad antics left the viewer laughing, yet enervated at the same time. In this world of slick, Ken and Barbie television meteorologists, Al Kaprielian has been the antidote to the standard, unctuous television personality. Twenty-five years later, Al is still going strong on MyTV New England with his unique style --perhaps validation that he really loves his job. No doubt, Al has always been an unconventional, unique-looking a...

Photo by Marc H., courtesy of TravelGuideOfAmerica.com Northern New Hampshire foliage is near or at full peak, which is sure to delight all walks of life from people to your standard New Hampshire moose! VisitNH.com sent us some updates yesterday telling us that the Great North Woods Region features spectacular color all over the region with bold reds and oranges everywhere. In the White Mountains, higher elevations show near-peak conditions with plenty of bright yellows, peachy oranges and various shades of red. Franconia Notch and points north is described by one leaf peeper as a “palette beyond compare” with truly outstanding color and vibrant panoramic views. Routes 3, 142, 116 and 117 are perfect for scenic drives. Other brilliant colors can be seen on Route 49 in Waterville Valley, the Kancamagus Highway and Route 302 along Crawford Notch State Park. For a recorded report on the latest New Hampshire fall foliage reports, call 1-800-258-3608.

Article by Eric H., Photo by Joan H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Rare is the opportunity to live in a suburban Boston town like Norfolk, MA, with its population of less than 10,000 and no areas that touch a major highway. Anchored by a nice town common with gazebo, a brand new library, a big white church with a tall white steeple, and the surrounding area with ponds, lakes and country roads, Norfolk has little commercialism, and isn't on any EPA Superfund list. There's a skating rink, Jane and Paul's Farm for fresh produce and three good full-service, family-oriented restaurants -- the Eagle Brook Saloon, Guido's and Horse and Carriage. Stony Brook Reservation features an impressive boardwalk system that allows you to walk the edge of Teal Marsh for a great view of turtles, fish, muskrats, and great blue herons. With some good-looking homes under 400K, a great school system (part of the King Phillip Regional public schools at the middle and high school levels) and very ...

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Fritz Whetherbee, best-known for his down-to-earth folksy New Hampshire tales on WMUR-Television Channel 9's Chronicle , is one of my favorite regional storytellers. A lifelong New Hampshire resident, Whetherbee tells his stories with that weathered, methodical, cracked and salty voice that could only come from New England. He fondly looks back on a gentler New Hampshire that he once knew, but never seems to trash his more modern state, the earmark of a man with loyalty and love to his region. Whetherbee's genius resides in his ability to take something seemingly small and make it come to life in a full story. Much in the same vein as Garrison Keillor and Mark Twain, Whetherbee talks about the Granite State's people, places and things with an eye for detail and a impassioned perspective that make New Hampshire come to life -- even for Massachusetts residents like me! If you're fortunate enough to have Channel 9 Manche...

Article and photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com The days of eating on the outdoor decks with water views of the harbor and Atlantic Ocean might be numbered at Champlin's Seafood in the Galilee section of Narragansett, RI, but that's no reason to stop enjoying the experience of dining coastal-style in Rhode Island. With dining hours currently set from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, the chance to feast on fresh-from-the-dock seafood at Champlin's remains through the fall season. Outside dining still exists, but for chillier times, the ample indoor dining spaces will accommodate dedicated lovers of seafood. The special aspect about Champlin's is that it's not only a restaurant but a seafood market with commercial seafood vessels landing daily at its landing docks to deliver a wide variety of fish from the deep off-shore waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and Narragansett Bay. As a result, Champlin's remains one of the region's best seafood restaurants, not only ...

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Photo Courtesy of Yankee Candle Company, Source: MassVacation.com The Yankee Candle Factory in South Deerfield, MA, has come a long way since founder Mike Kittridge started the Yankee Candle business in 1969 in his parent's basement. It just goes to show what a little perseverance does as this household-name Massachusetts travel attraction offers an overwhelmingly fun mix of shopping, entertainment and dining, including more than 160 candle varieties, 16,000 square feet of home furnishings, a candle making museum, foods from fudge to gourmet dinners (and Chandler's Restaurant), a car museum, a Bavarian Christmas Village with themed holiday shops and a 25-foot Christmas tree. Even a person like me who has an aversion and general dislike for candles thoroughly enjoyed our visit. It's like one-big cartoon with its animated look that is the size of some shopping malls. It's sort of like Disneyland with a wick. The appeal of the...

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com It was difficult for my five-year-old mind to understand why my Dad and Mom wanted to move to Arlington, Mass., so we could receive a great education. At that time in my Burlington, Mass., life, I didn't need much more than a hug, a yard to run around with neighborhood friends and to walk with my folks around the corner to the local pharmacy for a Hoodsie. Life seemed good in our 1,000 sq. ft. home, which seemed like a big, red castle that other people referred to as a starter ranch. When we moved in 1967 to a big, stucco home in Arlington, one of the first things my parents did was introduce me to the nice people at the Parmenter Elementary School. The appealing first impression of the bi-level playground eventually led to seven years of a memorable education that still serve as a template, of sorts, in always wanting to learn more and treat people well. The Parmenter school teachers and staff seemed like an extension of how our ...

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com As a little boy growing up in the Boston suburb of Arlington, MA, in the 1970s, I remember Mom and Dad occasionally taking us into Boston in their phony, wood-paneled Mercury Marquis station wagon. What a treat it was parking at the Park St. underground parking gararge and waiting for a bus to noisily take us to all the famous-and-not -so famous attractions in the "Hub of the Universe." With WVBF-FM 105.7 (now WROR) disc jockey Major Tom Lewis playing all the top 40 hits on the bus driver's low-quality radio, we soaked in the Boston atmosphere from the fresh fish smell at Haymarket Square marketplace to the baseball games at Fenway Park where Sonny Siebert, Ray Culp, Gary Peters and Jim Lonborg headed our good-but-not-good-enough Boston Red Sox pitching rotation. Perhaps one of the highlights was dining at the Parker House Hotel in Boston. Everything looked so fancy and organized at this elegant place with the fancy window d...

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Everyone loves a good diner, but how many of these landmarks remain open in the New England downtowns where the heart of our communities used to gather for an informal meal and great conversation? It seems like more diners today line the faceless highways, strip malls and remote roads leading from our town centers, but, fortunately, places like Don's Diner in Plainville, MA, grace its modest but active downtown with an old-fashioned dining spot where everyone says "hello" to each other. Plainville is just that kind of town and Don's Diner is the vehicle to enjoy that small town feeling. Don's Diner, after a brief hiatus, reopened its diner in late 2006, starting with breakfast only and then, most recently, adding lunches. A fourth generation diner dating back to 1936, Don's Diner is full of classic chrome, swinging stools at the counter, nostalgic memorabilia, newspaper clippings and family photographs ...

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com I wasn't born Greek, but my taste buds definitely have some lineage to the Acropolis -- not the famous Greek landmark, mind you, but the former Greek-American restaurant near Porter Square in Cambridge, MA. At a very young age, I felt a strong affinity with baked lamb, rice pilaf, and Greek salads. At the Acropolis, the stoic bald smiling Greek host, the water boy who rushed to fill glasses after a first sip, and the eight-track player playing "Never on Sunday" every few minutes with its short loop, provided joyful childhood memories. What made the Acropolis most satisfying, however, was that succulent Greek baked lamb with rice pilaf --- the precursor to eating perhaps a ton or two of Greek food since age seven. Sadly, the Acropolis closed in the early 1980s, but since then I have found some worthy contenders that deliver this delicious cuisine. Taso's Euro Cafe might just be the best, located at the tiny Norw...

Article and photo (of Blackburn Hall) by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com If you're looking for a friendly, small-town New England seasonal fall event next weekend, we highly recommend the Walpole Arts and Musical Festival to be held on Sat., Oct. 4, from 10-4 p.m., at Blackburn Hall on Stone St. in downtown Walpole, MA. One of those New England events that flies under the radar but is, nevertheless, a joyful way to spend a day, the Festival will include local painters, sculptors, musicians, puppeteers, jewelers, thespians, blacksmiths, poets, culinary aficionados, writers, and illustrators. It's a laid-back scene, located at a historic New England building with large grounds and a local crowd where everyone seems to know each other. Last year, we enjoyed some of the local folk and country music (some amazingly talented entertainers) and the highly creative local artists that work their craft for the love of what they do, and not for the fame. It's part of that modest ...

Article and photo by Eric H, at VisitingNewEngland.com One of our favorite day trips is traveling to the postcard-picture perfect town of Pomfret, CT, enjoying the rolling country hills, shaded country roads, expansive traditional New England village green and dining at the special Vanilla Bean Cafe. A charming, converted, renovated 1800s farmhouse, the Vanilla Bean Cafe will warm your heart and fill your hearty appetite with its great breakfasts, lunches and dinners in a casual, cozy setting. The dining experience perfectly complements the laid-back, relaxing feel of this area known as the "Quiet Corner" of northeastern Connecticut as it's almost like an indoor community village green where people come to meet over a cup of fresh coffee and delicious homemade meals. What's more, the Vanilla Bean becomes an entertainment spot on Saturday night with folk singers (some famous including past performances from Geoff Muldaur and Lori McKenna). With pleasant outdoor seati...

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com The Prudential Building's 50th Floor Skywalk Observatory is one of Boston's more interesting tourist attractions, providing sweeping panoramic views of the Boston area. From this height, Boston looks like a miniature toy village, including views of Boston Harbor, the Charles River, Fenway Park, the even-taller Hancock Tower and the outlying suburbs. And you thought you had great views from your third-floor walk-up attic! Having this type of view from far above makes great sense in a city like Boston where the diverse neighborhoods filled with fascinating architecture really come to life. To make more sense of it all, visitors can utilize a personal audio system that educates the listener on Boston's historic and cultural points of interests at designated sections of the Skywalk. The Skywalk Observatory is open seven days a week and costs, at this writing, $11.00 for adults, $9.00 for seniors and students with IDs, an...

Photo of fall, in East Topsham, VT. (photo by Andre Jenny at Vermont Vacation.com ) The good folks at VermontVacation.com tell us that its beautiful state is featuring many interesting fall events in October, ranging from fall foliage festivals to Halloween extravaganzas. More about those events, after a brief personal perspective of fall in Vermont and a favorite Vermont village... There's nothing quite like a Vermont autumn event with its colorful leaves, a chill in in the air, a gentle feeling radiating from its Green Mountains, and the community spirit of people convening at farms, village greens and historic buildings. Add a nice glass of apple cider, some fresh Vermont cheddar cheese and you've got the perfect New England vacation. My personal favorite Vermont town is Weston, a charming little village nestled in a valley within the Green Mountains. The entire village is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and features a splendid village green with gazebo, ...

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com The Western Hotel seems to be located somewhere between Gomer Pyle's gas station and Little House on the Prairie, but don't let its out-of-the way location in tiny Harrisville, RI, deter you from sampling a bit of history, loads of character and some terrific comfort foods. Situated in a former 1700s stagecoach stop that once accommodated Abraham Lincoln (don't worry, not recently), this lonesome-looking, historic, craggy long wooden building features a cozy, rustic, all-wood dining room and swinging doors leading to a friendly and equally rustic bar. You would expect to see Gary Cooper walking in here at high noon, but the reality is that the Western Hotel is family-friendly with the proof being in the glitter crayons for the kids. The service is really pleasant -- the staff makes you feel like part of the family. Locals rave about the great bar pizza, prime rib, marinated steak tips and fish and chips, but I reall...

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com The Yum Yum Shop in Wolfeboro, NH, aptly reflects it name, specializing in absolutely amazing gingerbread men cookies as well as a full-spectrum of delicious baked goods including cookies, puff pastries, cakes, donuts, muffins, danishes, turnovers, breads and whoopie pies. A seasonal business, the Yum Yum Shop will close for the season on Oct. 13 and reopen in the spring. Making up to approximately 200 gingerbread cookies a day, the Yum Yum Shop makes for a joyful experience with its incredibly nice staff, and gingerbread man designed seats and tables in a pleasant dining room overlooking the serene eastern shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. From the baked goods to the water views, visiting the Yum Yum Shop has been a sight to behold since 1948! The Yum Yum Shop, Main St., Wolfeboro, NH, Tel. (603) 569-1919

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com The other day while driving to the Eastern States Exposition (The Big E) fair in West Springfield, MA, I noticed one of our favorite restaurants was closed. I later learned that the Ivanhoe had shut its doors permanently at this location in July of 2007, mainly because of losing a significant amount of parking space to an expanding furniture store. When driving back to suburban Boston from our frequent Cooperstown, N.Y., vacations, the Ivanhoe served as a welcoming dining friend for supper. While we were always sad to leave Cooperstown, the Ivanhoe could stand on its own as a revered last vacation meal with really great food, superb service, and a comfortable atmosphere. It didn't matter that the "Anytown USA" strip mall look of West Springfield couldn't hold a candle to pristine Cooperstown; the Ivanhoe became a wonderful tradition that became part of the fabric of our overall Cooperstown vacation. In the past few years...

Photo of Wolfeboro, NH, by Eric H. What better time to visit beautiful New Hampshire than during the fall foliage season? The fall foliage in New England is as good as it gets, an added benefit to the inherently rugged, dramatic mountain ranges, the family-friendly traditional attractions and events, and the many lake towns that gently force you to relax. Mt. Washington affords the most amazing mountains views with its 6,288 ft. of rural splendor, but I also recommend the following communities: Wolfeboro, for its quaint, active downtown and location on the quieter side of Lake Winnipesaukee. Meredith for its extended lake walks and shopping at the Mill Falls Inn and Marketplace. Hollis for its winding country roads, quintessentially quiet downtown village-like look, and pleasant farms that offer apple picking. Keene for its Oct 25 Pumpkin Festival, one of the most vibrant small-town, downtowns in New England, and the academic look of Keene State College. Peterborough for its artsy feel...

Our good friends at MaineFoliage.com report to us that recent evening frosts have sped up the foliage process -- good news for those wishing to leaf peep sooner than later in the "Pine Tree State" (the state's nickname really doesn't give justice to the fall foliage season here). As of Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008, The Maine Department of Conservation stated that rangers in far northern Maine have reported observing between 50 and 75 percent peak leaf color in western Aroostook County and the northern portions of Somerset and Piscataquis County. Rangers are also reporting between 30 and 50 percent peak fall leaf color in eastern and southern Aroostook County, northern Penobscot County, and locations north of Rangeley in Franklin County. Foliage, however, in northern Washington County is low -- 10 to 30 percent peak color -- which is also being reported in the southern part of the county, and in Hancock, Kennebec, Androscoggin and southern Penobscot counties. The Maine...

Article and photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com When Kerrigan's Market and Deli opened in late December 2007, its presence created an immediate benefit for locals wanting made-from-scratch, take-out food within a close distance of home. Located in sparsely-populated, scenic West Burke, VT, and surrounded by other beautifully, isolated "Northeast Kingdom" mountain communities, Kerrigan's Market and Deli is not your basic, modern-day, hermetically-sealed, big-soft drink mini-mart. Owner Judi Kerrigan says that "everything here is made from scratch." Opening early with the Vermont mountain sunrise and closing late at night with the chilly high elevation air, Kerrigan's offers homemade salads, pizzas, subs, wraps and a special pulled pork sandwich that is baked for six hours with a special rub -- then hand-pulled and topped with Kerrigan's "special" barbecue sauce. The steak and cheese is also a favorite with shaved black angus steak m...

Article by Eric H., Photo by Joan H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Belfast, Maine, has all the Maine coast visual bells and whistles you could ever want: rocky shoreline and ocean views, docks with lobster men working their craft, scenic countryside and a charming, old-fashioned downtown. Filled with art galleries, antique shops, dining and lodging options and locally-owned "service" shopping, this historic mid-coast community has remarkably preserved its homes, buildings, and maritime industry. It's best to walk the downtown and marvel at this preservation. For dining, we especially like Darby's (155 High St., Tel. 207-338-2339), located in a historic building built in 1865 and serving as a restaurant or bar for the past 140 years. As expected, this great lunch and dinner place offers chowder, fish 'n chips, and haddock, but the eclectic menu also features Pad Thai, portabella sandwiches and chicken enchiladas! Darby's also makes a terrific crab melt. Belfast...

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com If Aunt Bea from the Andy Griffith Show lived in the Boston area, she sure would be ticked off that someone made a better chicken pot pie than her. The fact that Aunt Bea is no longer with us and, come to think of it, a fictional television character makes the argument kind of pointless, but you get the down-home-cooking concept. Harrows, in Reading, MA, trumps the supermarket brands with its slow-cooked overnight farm-fresh chicken and vegetables, perfectly married with a succulent gravy and topped with the most amazing flaky crust. You can order the chicken pies with potatoes and carrots, or without. Harrows is strictly take-out, although they used to have a very cozy, dimly-lit restaurant on the premises that we wish was still around. Not fazed by the restaurant's closure, there seems to be more crowds than ever before for the take-out -- perhaps testimony to America's love with traditional comfort food and good pricing value ...

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com I love a happy restaurant -- a place where food is served in ample portions, kids are everywhere except the assigned dining table, waitresses crack jokes, music plays off the jukebox, and you can get away with making funny sounds with the plastic ketchup bottle. What a pleasant alternative to the crowd that uses the search engines in the afternoon to find "great 18th century artist" information and then claim authority of the subject during conversation at your local snob restaurant requiring an attitude and second mortgage for the meal. At Budabing's in Millis, MA, everyone seems to be having a good time, including the waitresses -- and the brave cooks working by the 100,000 degree wood-fired oven. The restaurant walls are even fun with "I Love Lucy," Elvis, Three Stooges, Texaco, Speed Racer and other memorabilia signs. The jukebox lends authenticity to the 50s look, with further nostalgic validation created by...

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Fenway Park in Boston, MA, will once again become an autumn sports "destination" as the Boston Red Sox clinched an American League playoff berth last night by defeating the Cleveland Indians 5-4. The win not only put them in the playoffs, but eliminated the rival New York Yankees from playoff contention this year. It's nice, once again, to revel in the baseball fall foliage version of the Red Sox turning over a new leaf this century by producing yet another quality playoff-bound team, not to mention winning 90 or more games six of the past seven years. Fenway Park has been a popular destination through the years, given its loyal fan base, but the present sure feels better than the past watching, for example, a spirited, talented Jonathan Papelbon pitch relief than a underwhelming Jim Burton, a good-guy power hitting fan favorite David Ortiz slug away instead of a mercurial, mean-spirited Carl Everett, and a determi...

Article and photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Driving into a working-class residential neighborhood on Savin St. in Norwood, MA, will lead you to a building that could pass as a lousy-looking home, an even lousier-looking auto body shop or perhaps a warehouse that sells boiler plant parts. Most locals fondly know this building as the Colonial House Restaurant, but people outside the area generally have no clue about this truly hidden restaurant. For all of its homely exterior, things change quickly upon entering up a few steps into the lively bar area with a modest wide-screen television and chances to play Keno. Upon further inspection, however, the restaurant, as a whole, looks incredibly inviting. The Colonial House Restaurant is truly one cozy looking place with a fireplace that roars warmly in the winter, wall sconces by each booth, wide plank wooden floors and post-and-beam ceilings in the two back dining rooms that would make George Washington, your grandmother, ...

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Sometimes, traveling to less obvious New England autumn destinations works wonders for the soul. Take for instance, the beach, that antiquated travel destination from what already seems like generations ago -- the past summer. While we strongly encourage touring New England for the once-a-year colorful treat called fall foliage, you might want to consider a beach vacation or day trip, also. Gone are the wall-to-wall people, the traffic jams and in some cases, the high parking rates. Suddenly, the beach takes on a different perspective -- more lonesome, natural and wide open to better encourage those proverbial long walks on the beach without as much distraction. Long Sands Beach at York Beach, Maine, is one of our favorite fall beach destinations. Walking the two-mile beach with slightly cooler temperatures, vacant beachfront cottages taking a breather for high-energy renters, peaceful views of Nubble Lighouse and the rocky Mai...