Heading back to the resort for the last time it looked like there was a hole in the sky…
.
.
And before long we were approaching the Notch.
.
.
These signs are on both entrance sides to the road and it took me a few minutes to figure out what they were talking about.
.
.
TT’s won’t fit?
How odd.
.
.
As we entered the Notch, rain. I swear the mountains make their own weather.
.
.
Godzilla barfing?
No, just falling rocks.
.
.
Not sure if you can tell from the photo, but the road is positively pink. Vermont has the oddest color tar in places. Perhaps it’s mixed with Ben and Jerry’s Strawberry Shortcake…?
Since our neighbor was caring for Lord Dudley Mountcatten… as well as feeding the fox and deer.. a thank you gift was required. This meant dragging my husband shopping and you know if it isn’t antiques he isn’t happy.
.
.
A bottle of local Vermont wine…
.
.
And some Vermont chocolates were perfect, but then I lost the husband in the store.
.
.
You knew he’d find something vintage, right?
He actually collects these old gas station oil bottles and was thrilled to find a complete set with the holder. He was less than thrilled to find they were being used as decoration and not for sale.
He was so grumpy about that he wouldn’t let me go back and purchase this special maple syrup.
.
.
Which in hindsight was probably a good thing…
.
.
Because as soon as I saw they had various Dog liquor I wanted one of each.
.
.
But at nearly $200 for the pair it’s a good thing they were under lock and key.
As we were randomly driving around Vermont we hit Montpelier, the capitol, and remembered there was a fabulous high end restaurant we’d enjoyed on previous trips.
.
.
Welcome to J. Morgan’s Steakhouse.
.
.
A fabulous place that’s actually part of a hotel. It has a very retro, 1920’s, prohibition era type feel….
.
.
And we hit it at the perfect time since you can rarely get in without reservations.
Apple cider mule?
.
.
Don’t mind if I do.
.
.
It was 3:00pm… but since we hadn’t eaten since breakfast, we decided to be tacky (really) early birds and go straight to dinner. Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars. Which kind of sucked because this place can be pricey.
.
.
A marvelous wedge salad with maple bacon and homemade blue cheese for me, the prerequisite French Onion soup for the spouse.
.
.
The rack of lamb was tempting but I opted for the jumbo shrimp scampi instead.
.
.
Good call. It was scrumptious, with just the right amount of garlic and wine.
And because we were in a steakhouse?
.
.
The filet mignon with burgundy reduction for the husband.
.
.
We basically had the whole place to ourselves, just a few customers scattered here and there. And those amazing lights?
.
.
Made sure the rare filet my other half ordered was definitely that.
If you’re ever in Montpelier? Be sure to stop here. You won’t be disappointed.
As we headed out on the morning of our only full day in Vermont ( 3 days, 2 nights is simply too short a trip) we enjoyed the leaves and the scenery and headed for what I was told was the best bread in the state.
.
.
The Red Hen.
.
.
It’s a bakery and cafe.
.
.
So we sidled up to place an order.
.
.
And watched the pros at work.
.
.
I grabbed two loaves of fresh bread to take home, (a crusty peasant white and an unbelievably tasty lemon rosemary) but had to try a mushroom toasty while we were there as well.
.
.
The husband had some sort of homemade soup I didn’t get around to photographing because my sandwich was simply too divine to ignore. 3 types of sautéed mushrooms with spinach and melted cheese on whole grain bread. Sounds simple but there was an unidentified herb in the cheese and it had me smiling ear to ear.
.
.
Clearly this long armed chicka by the door could have used one.
Since resort check in wasn’t until 4:00pm we had some time to kill. And when you have time to kill in this area of Vermont? You drive through The Notch.
.
.
It’s basically a road cut right through the mountain and it’s one of my absolute favorite drives.
Twisty, turny and littered with glacial granite boulders…. it’s a rock lovers dream.
.
.
Not that it’s the easiest road to navigate mind you. The switchbacks are breath taking, the proximity to boulders cringe worthy. In places you’re absolutely blind and are left crossing everything you have that nothing is coming the other way when the road narrows so tightly only one car can pass.
My husband drives it like sport.
.
.
On the other side of The Notch? Stowe… a lovely village I’ll highlight later. And in Stowe?
.
.
An amazing local brewery.
.
.
We had to stand in line half an hour to get in, on a Tuesday, at 2:30 in the afternoon. It’s that good. I was willing to wait longer to sit in one of the artfully decorated dining rooms (the giant velvet cow print couch was calling my name) but the husband snatched two seats at the bar as soon as they became available.
.
.
One flight in…. on an amazing polished copper bar, we were already loving this place.
.
.
The Kolsch was delightful, the Pink and Pale seriously puckering.
And since we were at a brewery….
.
.
I had to try the monster soft pretzel. Not only does Idletyme brew their own beer, they make their own beer cheese and grind their own mustard. A win win.
.
.
As was this hot spiced cider with rum. Hey, when in Rome…
.
.
My chargrilled mushroom Swiss burger with crispy onions and Caesar salad was good, but my husband’s choice?
.
.
Ooh la la! So beyond the normal pub fare … we might have drooled. Butternut squash ravioli with maple cream sauce, sliced almonds and a hint of cayenne for bite. It was utterly fabulous.
Too stuffed for dessert, we headed back through The Notch and it’s amazing selection of rocks.
.
.
And mini waterfalls breaking through at random intervals.
.
.
And by then, it was time to check in.
.
.
Yes, the resort is named after The Notch… which was originally used by smugglers and bootleggers. Yet another reason to love it.
A little history if you’re interested…
With cliffs on either side that sometimes reach a height of 1,000 feet, it’s also easy to see how very few people would have been caught on their way to and from one country to another. The landscape looked completely different in the early 1800s and there were far fewer people – and towns – meaning this region was even more remote. After former president Thomas Jefferson passed the Embargo Act in 1807, the restriction of trade between countries had a drastically negative impact on the state of Vermont. As the state shares a border with Canada, this trade route was by far the easiest to use, and once that was cut off there were many citizens and businesses that suffered in the northern part of the state.
This route was not only used for trading. Fugitive slaves would also utilize the route to make their way through Vermont and into Canada, which gave it another historic purpose.
The use of Smugglers’ Notch didn’t just end there, though. As Vermont progressed into the 20th century, they would be subject to yet another restriction – this time, on alcohol. When Prohibition came about in 1922, the state was lucky enough to have opened Smugglers’ Notch to automobile traffic. This meant that those using the route would no longer need to cross on foot or horseback, which opened up even more illegal trade route options. In this case, it was Vermont’s loophole during the time when it was legally a dry state.
.
.
*Not my photo , but it gives you a better idea of the scope*
The Notch is closed to tractor trailer trucks due to the precarious turns, and though there are ample signs warning them not to enter, a few idiots try it every year, getting stuck and causing horrible traffic jams and back ups.
The entire road is closed for the season starting in mid October so we were lucky and slipped in right before the gates came down.
While it’s true my face may not be as firm and tight as it once was…
.
.
I have no desire to cover it in Pepto Bismol rubber either. Sometimes the price of beauty is too high.
.
.
Is it? Because that doesn’t look the least bit appetizing to me. I need my meat to bun ratio a lot lower than this.
.
.
Would duct tape work just as well?
Asking for a friend.
.
.
I saw this remarkably accurate John Wayne doll in an antique store the other day and was ready to lambaste the seller for spelling effigy incorrectly…. until I did some research and discovered Effanbee is a company that produces collectible dolls. It’s a good thing my husband didn’t see it. I don’t need that horror staring me down in the man cave bar.
.
.
I see your dogs playing poker velvet wall hanging and raise you one toothless, cigar smoking set of gambling scallops.
River's world..... 