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Acadia National Park Week: Enjoyed Our Stay at Bar Harbor’s West Street Hotel

After hiking on Mount Desert Island’s Quiet Side, biking Acadia National Park’s secret Schoodic Peninsula, and hitting the Atlantic via a historic Friendship Sloop and a sea kayak, our last day was spent driving the popular Park Loop. The ideal way to end a trip to Acadia is to bike the historic carriage path trails around Eagle Lake and toast your outdoor accomplishments with an iced tea accompanied by hot-out-of-the-oven popovers at Jordan Pond Gatehouse. The view of the small rounded mountains they call the Bubbles on the other end of Jordan Pond is second to none. 
 
After each day’s outing we would return to the relatively new West Street Hotel and its inviting nautical décor to shower and then swim on their rooftop pool. Overlooking Bar Island and Sheep Porcupine Island and all the boats docked in between, the view from the rooftop pool and our fourth floor balcony was breathtaking. I had the privilege of writing most of these blogs while taking in that mesmerizing seascape. The front desk will also tell you that you can swim at the Bar Harbor Club across the street. By all means, go! Their Olympic-sized pool, perfect for families or doing laps, is situated right on the edge of the ocean overlooking the expanse of sea and mountains. 
 
West Street Hotel was within easy walking distance to all the restaurants in town. Some of our favorite dishes included the zesty grilled fish tacos at Side Street Café, the blueberry pancakes at 2 Cats, the sublime lobster roll at Beal’s (in Southwest Harbor), the seafood stew at Paddy’s, the kale salad at A&B Naturals, the heavenly black raspberry ice cream at Ben & Bills Chocolate Emporium, and a pint of Bar Harbor Real Ale at the Atlantic Brewery (off Route 3). 
 
I want to thank Charlene Williams and the folks at Maine Tourism for arranging a memorable week of activity. I’m looking forward to returning next year and participating in the all the festivities surrounding Acadia’s big 100th birthday. Enjoy the weekend. I’ll be back on Wednesday after a much needed break.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Time to Relax at Lake George

Staring in late May, I’ve been to Miami, Bermuda, DC, the entirety of the New England coast, Chicago, Banff, Jasper, Vancouver, and Saltspring Island. All great trips that have led or will lead to travel articles. But I can’t say I was relaxed on those jaunts. I usually had a notebook in hand researching each destination. On the 16-day Canadian Rockies journey with the family, we had to transfer to 7 different hotels and traveled by car, train, ferry, and plane. Tomorrow I head to Lake George to see the whole Jermanok clan, including my dad, sister, brother, nieces, and nephews. This is a special retreat for me; a 30-mile long lake nestled in the Adirondacks that I learned to sail even before I learned to walk. Not having to worry about an assignment to write, I can pick up my Schenectady Gazette at the local grocery, grab a cup of Joe, and head back to the docks of our cottage to chill. If I’m a feeling a bit hungry in the morning, I’ll drive to Lone Bull for a huge stack of pancakes. Then it’s off to Goony Golf for a round of miniature golf, a sea kayak paddle around the Sagamore, or playing on the high ropes course of Adirondak Extreme. The finest vacation is often the one you return to each year, not having to worry about new sites to see or restaurants to try. Things rarely change on the shores of Lake George and that’s exactly the way I love it.

Have a great Labor Day Weekend! I’ll be back on September 7th.
 

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Context Rome Tours Provide a Wealth of Knowledge

We took two tours with Context in Rome and both of our guides were not only exceptionally knowledgeable, they have been doing this exact tour for over 20 years. On a bright and early Saturday morning, we braved the crowds at the Vatican and met our docent, Cecilia, an art historian and a native Roman with a Master’s degree in Medieval and Renaissance Art from the Sapienza University of Rome. Some 30,000 to 35,000 people visit the Vatican every day and today was no different. Cecilia was a marvel to watch as she weaved in an out of the people to wax lyrically on the long map hall, maps of Italy created in the 1500s, only open to the public in the 1700s. Outside, overlooking St. Peter’s Basilica, she sat us down and went over all the panels we were going to see in the Sistine Chapel, a place where no one can talk. But first we would visit the dreamy Raphael rooms, most striking the first room depicting his portrayal of philosophy, religion, justice, and truth. Look closely and you can see both Raphael and Michelangelo, a great inspiration to Raphael, when remarkably they both were working at the Vatican at the same time, 1508. It’s hard not to be blown away by Michelangelo’s brilliance when peering up in the Sistine Chapel, only to end at Bernini’s masterpiece, the largest church in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica. Wowza. No wonder Cecilia’s been doing this exact tour for over 2 decades. Everything else pales in comparison. 

Our docent for the tour titled Caravaggio’s Mean Streets, Sara, was just as brilliant. Having earned her PhD in archaeology, she recently published a book about Caravaggio’s paintings in the Contarelli Chapel, helping to add insight to the late 16th century, early 17th century painter that many consider one of the greatest of all time. Unlike the crowds we faced at the Vatican, there were relatively few people peering at Caravaggio’s passionate works on St. Paul and St. Peter found on the side walls inside a chapel at the 15th century church, Santa Maria del Popolo. Caravaggio was a master of chiaroscuro, best seen by the illuminated figure of St. Paul on the ground. Sara didn’t delve into the juicy tidbits of Caravaggio’s life, like the murder he committed resulting in his expulsion from Rome, focusing primarily on his art. We spent a good amount of time at her favorite topic, the Contarelli Chapel, located at the church of the French congregation in Rome, San Luigi dei Francesi. It’s here that you insert your 2 Euro coin to lighten up another one of his masterpieces, The Calling of Saint Matthew, depicting the moment at which Jesus Christ inspires Matthew to follow him. The painting was so magnificent that we asked if it was recently refurbished. "No, not in decades," said Sara. 
 
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Favorite Fall Foliage Outings in Vermont

The last week in September is prime foliage colors in northern Vermont. Then the color change makes its way south through the state, peaking around Columbus Day. Having written more than 100 stories and close to a dozen book chapters on the state, these are a handful of my favorite outings: mountain biking the Kingdom Trails in East Burke, roaming (or biking) the Trapp Family Lodge grounds in Stowe, hiking Camel’s Hump, stopping at the Warren Country Store for a sandwich, paddling Lowell Lake near Stratton, road biking along the shores of Lake Champlain on Button Bay Road, going for a hawk walk at the Equinox, walking around the historic town of Grafton, biking along the Ottauquechee River in Taftsville, and as I mentioned last week, dining at the Simon Pearce restaurant in Quechee.
 

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Surprising Buffalo

At the turn of last century, Buffalo had more millionaires per capita than any city in America. The combined wealth helped persuade Louis J. Sullivan, Frederick Law Olmsted, and Frank Lloyd Wright to come to town to create skyscrapers, parks, and estates. Then the city fell on hard times. But it seems like Buffalo is having the last laugh. Money is staring to pour in to salvage many of their architectural highlights. 
 
I was in Buffalo this past weekend, on assignment for The Boston Globe, and I had a great stay. Wright’s Darwin Martin House (1905), rivaled only by Fallingwater in scope and mastery among his residences, just completed a 10-year, $50 million renovation. This includes the renovation of a conservatory and carriage house, linked to the main house via a 100-foot long pergola. This was my third tour of a Wright house, include Taliesen West, and was by far the most impressive. 
 
On an open-air bus architectural tour, we also checked out the former Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, a castle-like assemblage of 14 buildings designed by H.H. Richardson in the late 1800s. The gothic-looking towers have been rebranded the Richardson Olmsted complex and will soon become a boutique hotel and center for architecture. Other noteworthy stops include Louis J. Sullivan’s 13-story 1895 Guaranty Building, the first skyscraper in America, and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, considered one of the finest collections of modern art in the country.
 
The food was exceptional. On the first night we had inspired Polish fare at Bistro Europa, including pierogies and golabki, stuffed cabbage that would make my grandmother proud. The second night, we dined at the spanking new Mike A’s Steakhouse in a downtown building that was dormant the past 40 years. Saved by Buffalo’s favorite son, developer Rocco Termini, the circa-1904 Lafayette Hotel has reclaimed its French Renaissance and Art Deco glamour and is now a boutique hotel with a vintage bar. Dinner was exceptional, probably the best meal I had since dining at the acclaimed Next in Chicago last summer. Mike Andrzejewski is one of the city’s best loved chefs and he finally has a high-end restaurant that matches his talent. One taste of his wagyu beef tartare, spiced with pine nuts, capers, watercress, red onions, olive oil, truffled dijon mustard, and egg yolk, and you realize this dude’s destined for a James Beard Award. 
 

Quick Escape, Miraval Berkshires Resort & Spa

Miraval BerkshiresLisa and I spent two nights in the Berkshires last week checking out the new Miraval property in Lenox that made its debut in late July. The Miraval brand is already well known in the travel world for its two wellness properties in Tucson and Austin, so we were excited to see what they had in store for New England. They took over the former Cranwell property and expanded across Route 20, where they now house a horse farm, chicken coop, gardens, and space for archery, hatchet throwing, and pottery classes. Arriving in the rain, we were happy to see that all rooms are connected indoors via a long corridor with classes, restaurants, and lounge area. This will come in handy during the winter months when you don’t have to venture outdoors unless you choose to snowshoe or hike.

Wanting to take advantage of the two nights/three days we spent on property, we signed up for a busy regimen weeks before arrival that included classes in fitness, yoga, mindfulness/meditation, farming, and nutrition. We ended up taking three walks outdoors, along the shoreline of Stockbridge Bowl and beside a rolling brook in October Mountain State Forest, all glorious during the peak of fall foliage. We also took four meditation courses with Will, known as Chill Will, including an introduction to Qigong and Forest Bathing; a fantastic cardio drumming class with Tariq; a visit to the farm to feed the horses and chickens with Jen; a fun flow yoga class with Mark; and an informative lecture on keeping a healthy gut with Annie. We would quickly learn that all of the instructors are excellent and that most have devoted their lives to their particular passion. Will has taught meditation to people in drug rehabs the past two decades; Annie led the nutrition department at nearby Kripalu; Jen not only owns a farm, but was involved in education at Sturbridge Village. Miraval had to know the wealth of talent they would find in the Berkshires, a hub in the northeast for wellness and yoga thanks to Kripalu and Canyon Ranch.

With mild October temperatures, many of the classes were held outdoors. We pounded those drums on a grassy patch near the large pool. Some fitness classes like spin cycling are still on hold until after the pandemic, but the spa was open for massages and facials. When weather cooperated, dining was outdoors on a large patio. Otherwise, you’ll be having meals indoors in a large restaurant, Harvest Moon, with high ceilings. They do a good job of limiting and separating people in the restaurant, especially during dinner, when you have to reserve a time in advance. The food, like most classes, is included in the price. As you would expect, they try to make it healthy, with numerous vegetarian and fish options. Everything we tried was delicious, from the fresh greens to avocado toast to grilled salmon and tuna ceviche. Unlike Canyon Ranch, they do serve alcohol. There’s also have a café next door, Roost, to grab lattes and yummy cookies and casual fare, all-inclusive. Rooms were spacious with large balconies outdoors for taking in the view.

Feel free to ask us any questions! ActiveTravels is here to help book Miraval when you feel comfortable traveling. As part of Virtuoso, we can also offer $175 resort credit, per person, per night to spend on your choice of spa services, activities and private sessions with Miraval specialists.

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Biking Isle-aux-Coudres

To reach Isle-aux-Coudres, you take a free 15-minute ferry from the mainland. Once there, it feels as if all the woes of modernity are washed away, replaced by the salty air of the St. Lawrence and a serene island from yesteryear. If you were looking for a good workout, you could speed around the 23-km circumference of Isle-aux-Coudres in little over an hour. But then you would miss the stone houses and their carefully manicured potted plants in the windows, the rocky shoreline that creeps into the vast river at low tide, and the ski trails of Le Massif that slice down the mountainside on the opposite shores. If you don’t take your time, you won’t stop to snap photos of the small chapels not much larger than doll houses, tour a working windmill and watermill from the 1820s, and sample the hard apple cider and tasty apple and pear mistelle from Verger Pedneault. Most importantly, if you don’t slow down and appreciate the island on two wheels, you won’t meet the wonderful people, like Patricia Deslauriers, owner of Motel L’Islet, a professional jazz bassist who now owns a lodging on a peninsula that juts out of the southernmost part of the island. She wakes up every morning to a sunrise and goes to bed after a glorious sunset. She also brings world class musicians to the island every Sunday for concerts that often attract over 1,000 people. Then there’s the maitre’d at Hôtel Cap-aux-Pierres, who spends his winters at Langkawi, the cluster of islands off Malaysia in the Andaman Sea. Or the world champion kitesurfer who now teaches her sport to others at her kitesurfing and yoga studio on the island. Isle-aux-Coudres is a magical island, one where you foolishly spend one day and soon realize you should have spent a week.
 
I’m off to Quebec City for a little more biking on my last day. I’ll be back on Monday to talk about the lodging and food on my trip. I want to thank Cynthia Lacasse at Tourisme Quebec for helping to design a perfect week of multisport adventure in Lac-Saint-Jean, Saguenay, and Charlevoix. Next time, you come to Quebec City, make sure you extend your trip by at least 3 days to see this spectacular region of the province. Have a great weekend and keep active! 
 

2 Comments

  1. Steve and Lisa:
    Thanks for sharing your magical times in Bar Harbor and Acadia. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful destination in the State of Maine! I am so glad you were able to spend time there and share your adventures with all your readers!
    Best,
    Nancy

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