fusion of bookstore and cafe / bar nestled inside a grand building made of New Hampshire granite . ( It was designed by Ammi Young , who also designed the U . S . Treasury building in Washington , D . C .) We linger over the wide selection of new and used books and board games and take a bracing iced Americano to go .
WEDNESDAY EVENING : We change and head off to the swanky Rooftop at the Envio ( rooftopportsmouth . com ) for an open-air dinner with gorgeous views of the Piscataqua River . We share a charcuterie board , limoncello shrimp and mushroom toast — all divine — and split some cappuccino and sticky toffee pudding for a sweet end to our sunset feast and our time in Portsmouth .
THURSDAY MORNING : Of course , we can ’ t leave this city of wonderful eateries without visiting just one more . The Green Room ’ s ( greenroomnh . com ) sunny , inviting vibe provides a soothing setting for my cinnamon rainbows toastie , a slice of sourdough ( again !) topped with peanut butter , strawberries , blueberries and bananas and dusted with cinnamon , and Kurt ’ s breakfast burrito , both washed down with a tasty , high-octane cold brew . We depart for Little Rhody , happy and content , talking about all the things we loved about Portsmouth , and all the things we must do when we return .
Fall Escapes : Southern Vermont
| | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 55
pond and scope out the Hut . We grab a few s ’ mores kits for the kids and order more cocktails to sip ( we can walk back to the cabin , after all ) while listening to live music on the patio . The kids run around the pond , then we head to the lodge ’ s arcade , where there ’ s air hockey and a handy claw machine stocked with rubber duckies of all personalities . Thankfully , $ 1 earns a guaranteed prize ; it ’ s play until you win . We go home with seven quirky ducks all in a row .
SUNDAY MORNING : It ’ s slightly rainy , but that doesn ’ t dull our spirits . We clear out of the cabin , then head to nearby Bob ’ s Diner ( bobsdiner . business . site ) for a hearty breakfast of omelets , waffles and French toast with Vermont smoked bacon . We ponder luxury Manchester Center outlet shopping ( man chesterdesigneroutlets . com ) with stores like Michael Kors , Marimekko and Vineyard
Vines , but opt for a cheese farm with a petting zoo instead . North Meadow Farm ( northmeadowfarms . com ) makes its own cheese and yogurt and sells grass-fed beef and free-range chicken as well as eggs . The best part is the petting farm , where kids can snuggle bunnies , feed goats and catch a glimpse of both piglets and a giant 600- pound heifer ( don ’ t get any ideas , chefs !).
SUNDAY AFTERNOON : We drive to the Stratton Mountain Resort gondola ride ( stratton . com ), hoping the clouds will clear . From the top , you can usually see across four states including the red , yellow and gold-flecked White Mountains , Adirondacks , Berkshires and Green Mountain ranges . We ’ re out of luck with rain today , but vow to return when blue skies beckon . We make our way home with stops at a few breweries along the way . About a fifty-minute ride away is Hermit Thrush Brewery ( hermitthrushbrewery . com ) in Brattleboro , where passionfruit and farmhouse sours rule . We do a quick tasting there , then continue toward home .
SUNDAY EVENING : We end our weekend adventure with dinner and a beer at Moon Hill Brewing Co . ( moonhillbrewing . com ) in Grafton , Massachusetts . The kids split a cheese pizza , while I dig into a Thai noodle and peanut salad while sipping the signature Candy Mountain , Charlie ! peach kettlesoured wheat ale . The moral of today is when the weather won ’ t cooperate , there ’ s always beer .
Fall Escapes : Sunapee , New Hampshire
| | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57
SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING : We head back to the harbor area for smoothies and snacks from Stacy ’ s Smoothies & Coffee Bar ( stacyssmoothies . com ) and check out the nearby restaurants , ice cream parlor and old country store . We decide that we ’ ve had enough adventure for the day and settle on a leisurely game of chess while enjoying live music echoing around the lake .
Later , we head over to Bubba ’ s Bar & Grille in Newbury for a lakeside dinner ( bubbas barandgrille . com ). The restaurant has a large selection of freshly caught seafood from down the road and a variety of pizza and pasta dishes . We order the Prince Edward Island mussels to start , served in a delicious garlic tomato white wine sauce ; no crostini necessary to sop up the remaining sauce . Out come the mains : balsamic chicken risotto and the chef ’ s fish of the day , which happens to be swordfish with a pineapple salsa , green beans and mixed rice . Make sure to order the specialty seasonal cocktails , too .
SUNDAY MORNING : We decide to begin our day a bit earlier than the previous at Blue Loon Bakery in New London ( blueloonbakery . com ). It operates out of an older house , with multiple rooms for sipping and chatting with old friends .
We order the blueberry lemon scone and two egg-and-cheese presses . While we nurse on our iced beverages ( my iced mocha is one of the best I ’ ve ever had ), we watch employees through the glass window as they prepare homemade bread and other baked goods . It ’ s busy on weekend mornings , filled with family , friends , tourists and nearby Colby-Sawyer College students , so get there early if you can .
After breakfast , we head across the street to Morgan Hill Bookstore ( morganhillbook store . com ) for unusual puzzles , artisans ’ wares and a small — but very current — book selection . Because the weather has been onand-off rainy , the cashier says , “ It ’ s another puzzle day ” as I pay for my purchase .
We manage to escape the weather , however , as we head to Pumpkin Blossom Farm in Warner ( pumpkinblossomfarm . com ). The back roads are my favorite part of northern New England , with winding hilly routes leading to the most unexpected places , including this lavender farm . For a few short weeks in July , the farm serves as a pick-your-own lavender farm , but at the end of the season , you can still find a wide array of lavender products inside a spacious barn . Soaps , sprays and even simple syrups can be purchased . We enjoy lavender-infused mocktails with zero-proof alcohol as we mosey through the rest of the barn .
SUNDAY AFTERNOON : We head into town , and by town , we mean just one main street filled with restaurants and shops . Parking is limited , so we decide to kill time by heading up to Rollins State Park and driving the auto road to the summit of Mount Kearsarge ( nhstateparks . org ).
Unfortunately , due to the misty weather , there isn ’ t much to see once we park , but the experience of driving through the literal clouds is one to remember . On a clear day , you can see the Monadnock , Crotched and Uncanoonuc mountains and even the Boston skyline . 🆁
158 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l SEPTEMBER 2023