Trip advice? Visiting Montreal and northern Vermont...

[Tommygurl]

Bonjour mon ami. Ca va? Ou est la toilette? Salut! De rien. Je ne sais pas.

Ahhhh francais....My arch nemesis in high school. I hated learning french.

[JEZ]

Originally Posted by StewartG

Hey, guess what? THAT was the place I had already had pegged!!!

Glad to hear I was on the right track! So were you up there for skiing? Kelli and I don't ski (and its before the season in Nov), so we just wanted to drive around, see the countryside, go shopping, etc. You think Stowe is a good "base camp" for that?

The whole area is great. I liked Burlington too, and there was another place called Woodstock if my memory serves me well. You will have a great time !

[KelliG]

Originally Posted by JEZ

The whole area is great. I liked Burlington too, and there was another place called Woodstock if my memory serves me well. You will have a great time !

Ooohhh.....we were there last October.....it was BEAUTIFUL...truly was EXACTLY what I expected for a Vermont small-town...
It IS gonna be chilly, but considering we are the type who go to NYC and Chicago in February, Estes Park in December, and Playa in June and July, we are accustomed to getting the WORST (or at least close) weather for the season...and this isn't even close!
I am sooo excited for this trip. Stew and I LOVE to just get in the car and meander the countryside, stopping at little shops/cider mills/cheese farms etc.....
Looking forward to Gibbys in Old Montreal.....and the cheesy and cheap college hangout, the Peel Pub....talk about a dive!!!

[bufante]

I lived in Vermont for several years...no trip is complete without taking the tour of Ben and Jerry's!!!! That place is way cool and very environmentally conscious....not to mention the free samples and the way cheap "second" pints (usually too much of a good thing for everyday sales).

Have fun! Say Hi to Champ for me when you are in Burlington.

[Jodeci]

Originally Posted by KelliG

Ooohhh.....we were there last October.....it was BEAUTIFUL...truly was EXACTLY what I expected for a Vermont small-town...
It IS gonna be chilly, but considering we are the type who go to NYC and Chicago in February, Estes Park in December, and Playa in June and July, we are accustomed to getting the WORST (or at least close) weather for the season...and this isn't even close!
I am sooo excited for this trip. Stew and I LOVE to just get in the car and meander the countryside, stopping at little shops/cider mills/cheese farms etc.....
Looking forward to Gibbys in Old Montreal.....and the cheesy and cheap college hangout, the Peel Pub....talk about a dive!!!

The weather will not be bad. November is not a bad month for Montreal. I have been to both Gibbys and Peel Pub, which could not be more at opposite ends of the spectrum, but both wonderful in different ways. You will find lots of students at the Peel but it is fun. And you are guaranteed a fabulous meal at Gibby's - mmmm love their steak.

Montreal is a beautiful and romantic city and you will have a great trip. However, next time you should come to Nova Scotia and come in October - a beautiful month!

[caramba]

Yeah, the weather definitely shouldn't be much different in Montreal vs. VT.
Stowe is really nice. You might check out the Trapp Family Lodge and get that "hills are alive..." feeling. Seriously though the food is good, at the lodge and at their Austrian Tea Room for lunch.
We also like to go to Mr. Pickwick's Pub for drinks and their delicious cheese spread, and we always take a jar home.
Actually there are lots of great restaurants in the area. And driving through Smuggler's Notch is really beautiful.
Just too bad that you won't be there for foliage season. Have fun!

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by caramba

Yeah, the weather definitely shouldn't be much different in Montreal vs. VT.
Stowe is really nice. You might check out the Trapp Family Lodge and get that "hills are alive..." feeling. Seriously though the food is good, at the lodge and at their Austrian Tea Room for lunch.
We also like to go to Mr. Pickwick's Pub for drinks and their delicious cheese spread, and we always take a jar home.
Actually there are lots of great restaurants in the area. And driving through Smuggler's Notch is really beautiful.
Just too bad that you won't be there for foliage season. Have fun!

Well, we hit Boston, southern VT, NH and Maine during foliage season LAST year. This year we are trying to keep a bit more control over our budget. We found that the time AFTER foliage and BEFORE skiing seemed to be a good bargain!

Last year we stayed here during foliage season in southern VT. It was AMAZING!!!

Thanks again for all the suggestions everyone. I will try to make a nice TR with photos!

[pamplemoose77]

have fun you two!!!

and be sure to take an icecream cover pic at ben and jerry's

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by pamplemoose77

have fun you two!!!

and be sure to take an icecream cover pic at ben and jerry's

Damn hippies!

[Eileencc]

Stew and Kelli, there's a great place for crepes (all meals, not just breakfast) in Old Montreal. I believe this is the place...OMG wonderful breakfast crepes, in a charming setting.

ALso, you should try to get to Chinatown, which borders Old Montreal. Lots of fun shops and great restaurants, very inexpensive.

In the White River Junction section of Vermont, the scenery is lovely and there are lots of small microbrewery-type places that often have tours available. We went to a BBQ festival at the Harpoon brewery there over the summer. Very fun.

Have a fun and romantic time!

[MWC]

Please don't accuse me of ethnic profiling, but ...

There is a strong Jewish community in Montreal. The reason I mention it is that the bagels there are supposed to be terrific, chewy TRUE bagels ... and there is at least one storefront selling smoked-meat sandwiches that are supposed to be out of this world. I think it's Schwartz's, but you'd be better off googling it.

We never got there, but every tourist guide said it was a must-eat.

[KelliG]

Originally Posted by MWC

Please don't accuse me of ethnic profiling, but ...

There is a strong Jewish community in Montreal. The reason I mention it is that the bagels there are supposed to be terrific, chewy TRUE bagels ... and there is at least one storefront selling smoked-meat sandwiches that are supposed to be out of this world. I think it's Schwartz's, but you'd be better off googling it.

We never got there, but every tourist guide said it was a must-eat.

I've been there!!!! I had a corned beef sandwhich...and I remember that it was AWESOME...that was, however, 15 years ago....but I am SURE it is still there!!!
Yummy!!! Add that to the list Stewey!!!

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by Eileencc

Stew and Kelli, there's a great place for crepes (all meals, not just breakfast) in Old Montreal. I believe this is the place...OMG wonderful breakfast crepes, in a charming setting.

ALso, you should try to get to Chinatown, which borders Old Montreal. Lots of fun shops and great restaurants, very inexpensive.

In the White River Junction section of Vermont, the scenery is lovely and there are lots of small microbrewery-type places that often have tours available. We went to a BBQ festival at the Harpoon brewery there over the summer. Very fun.

Have a fun and romantic time!

Did someone say "microbrewery?"

And yes, we will definitely pick up some of those bagels and jewish food in Montreal. Kelli - you know how I love going back to my "roots" and mackin' on that "purina jew chow!"

Between the beer and the bagels, the VT cheese and the Ben and Jerrys, I better pack my expand-a-belt trousers!

[Snowdogs]

Hey Stewart,
Our suggestion for a New England Inn experience is the Southern Vermont Inn bed and breakfast Newfane VT Four Columns Inn while I understand the Four Columns is very highly rated I've not stayed there but I've stayed at the Equinox The Equinox Resort & Spa, Vermont Hotel, Manchester Village & Southern VT Reservation which was fabulous. Might also suggest spending a little time in Manchester, Manchester and The Mountains Chamber of Commerce--Home Page

[StewartG]

Originally Posted by Snowdogs

Hey Stewart,
Our suggestion for a New England Inn experience is the Southern Vermont Inn bed and breakfast Newfane VT Four Columns Inn while I understand the Four Columns is very highly rated I've not stayed there but I've stayed at the Equinox The Equinox Resort & Spa, Vermont Hotel, Manchester Village & Southern VT Reservation which was fabulous. Might also suggest spending a little time in Manchester, Manchester and The Mountains Chamber of Commerce--Home Page

Hey, nice to see you guys!

Too bad we aren't going to be near Maine's frozen tundra...

Thanks for the suggestions, but I think we are going to be mostly in the northern part of the state.

I think we did visit Manchester though, last fall. Kelli? Do you remember?