If I had chosen to take Randy’s last name when we got married, I would now be a Hill. McCormick is a name people take—not give away—I was told. I tend to agree. I have to admit, though, that I am excited for my future kids to take on the Hill name. Not only […]
Although I travel often, I rarely stay in hotels. In fact, the only time I stay in “hotels” is on business travel when the possibility of a late arrival and anonymity are attractive to me. A recent stay at Hotel Vermont, one of the newest lodging options downtown and Burlington’s […]
The town of Pittsfield is one of Vermont’s best-kept secrets. With one (awesome) General Store, two wedding venues, 50 miles of mountain biking trails, five inns and only 400-or-so residents, Pittsfield is a quintessential New England town, home to hearty Vermonters who value their community and the ample outdoor recreation […]
When I was in college, I lived full-time in Vermont and spent the summer months working at restaurants and an inn in downeast Maine (technically Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada). I spent most of my waking hours in Lubec, Maine—largely a community of fisherman—where I befriended the locals. Although Lubec is […]
Rules are meant to be broken. You only live once. Carpe diem. When I walked into SILO Distilleryin Windsor, Vermont—the birthplace of Vermont—in the middle of “dry January,” all of these sayings came to mind as I decided to forego willpower and a month of abstention (which, let me tell you, […]
I’ve always admired family-owned businesses, as it certainly takes patience, discipline and good communication to work with family members day in and day out. In Vermont, there are an overwhelming number of family-owned-and-operated businesses from dairy farms to maple syrup operations to restaurants and country stores that have been thriving for generations. The […]
Brandon, a small Vermont town and tight-knit artistic community, is located between Rutland and Middlebury at the base of the Green Mountains and has a population that hovers around 4,000 people. The town is a quintessential Vermont village with many brick facades lining Center Street, a Greek-revival town hall and the Neshobe […]
For years I’ve considered myself a foodie. I’ve worked in countless restaurants (as a bartender, cook, server, hostess) and worked for a food magazine for a number of years. For the most part, we grow our own produce or get it straight from the farm in our local CSA, […]
One of the things I love the most about old homes is the unique details that carry throughout them. The Lang House on Main Street Bed & Breakfast, just a few blocks from Church Street in Burlington, has some of the most beautiful architectural details in a historic home […]
I’m a Vermonter who doesn’t ski and has never really wanted to do so. Growing up in New Jersey, I never learned to ski, nor did anyone in my immediate family. I attempted (once) to learn how as a freshman in college, but with rental snowboots cutting off my circulation, […]
I first experienced small-town living in college, when I spent the academic year at Middlebury College and summers in Lubec, a tiny, tiny town in downeast Maine (the closest traffic light is 75 miles away, no joke). Despite Lubec’s remoteness and the spotty cell phone service that drove me crazy at the time, […]
My first job in the hospitality industry started the summer before I headed to Middlebury College as a Feb. I was hired by Triple Creek Ranch in Darby, Montana, a Relais & Châteaux property located in the Bitterroot Valley. Triple Creek consistently wins impressive awards: Travel & Leisure’s 2014 Best Hotel in the […]
Back in the summer 2009, I spent three days touring the 20+ breweries in Vermont as part of the Vermont Brewers Association Passport Program. Trapp Lager Brewery, located in Stowe, Vermont, wasn’t yet part of the passport program; it was one of the few breweries in Vermont that I […]
There’s something utterly charming about the creaky wooden floors, hidden nooks and crannies, and unique architectural details present in 19th-century homes. I have a thing for old Vermont farmhouses and a desire to someday own one. Maybe it’s the history of an old house—the raising of children, the family gatherings, the comings […]
The Alchemist, a restaurant and brewery previously located on Main Street in downtown Waterbury, used to be one of our favorite date-night spots. We’d take a leisurely drive over the Appalachian Gap and wind our way to Waterbury. The homecooked pub food and Wild Child on tap were worth every bit of the 80-minute drive (one way). Sadly, […]