Wednesday, August 25, 2010
What's on the Menu?
Hors d’oeuvres:
Local Cheese Platter
Cucumber & Boursin
Roasted Red Pepper & Sun Dried Tomato Crostini
Wedding Dinner Buffet:
Basket of Fresh Baked Rolls
Tossed Garden Salad with Choice Dressing
Mediterranean Rice Salad
Penne with Herb Marinara ~ Fresh Basil, Sun Dried Tomato & Mushroom
Fresh Baked Haddock with Lemon Caper Butter
Apple Wood Roasted Pork Loin with Port Wine Reduction
Roasted Red Bliss Potato with Herb Butter
Roasted Zucchini & Summer Squash
Bon Appetit!
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Look What Just Arrived…
We received a pre-wedding treat from Justin’s cousin Eric!
Delicious home brew with an amazing custom label. We will try to sample just one so there are plenty of these 22oz bottles to go with the rest of the local microbrews on the wedding weekend!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Spend the Weekend Exploring NH...
We know many of you will be around for a bit before the actual wedding on Sunday. Looking for something to do? Meet us for a hike or bike ride one day! Here is our tentative itinerary:
Thursday, September 2 –
Kingdom Trails mountain bike ride
Friday, September 3 –
AM hike
PM road ride
Saturday, September 4 –
AM local mountain bike ride w/ Justin
-or-
AM hike w/ Beth
PM bike polo and hanging out @ Franconia town park
Bring your bike and/or a study pair of shoes and let's have some fun! We'd love to explore the White Mountains with you!
More options and day trips can be found here.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
What to Wear
Also, because we are situated on a hillside, the terrain can be rather rugged. We strongly recommend leaving high-heeled shoes at home in favor of footwear that will provide sturdy footing on the gravel/dirt/sand that you will encounter on our property. Otherwise, it's quite possible that you may not make it down our driveway…
As our wedding nears, keep an eye on the weather in Sugar Hill, NH, as it can change quite rapidly--and will likely be pretty chilly in the evening.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Where to Eat
Littleton:
Your best bet for a variety of food options is to hit up the larger town of Littleton, about 2o minutes away. You'll find chain restaurants (Applebees, Ninety Nine, etc.) and local dining establishments. Some of our favorite local hotspots are:
Alburritos – A Mexican joint in northern New Hampshire?! It’s true. And it's goooood. They even have a nice selection of local brew on tap. Go there.
Miller's Cafe & Bakery - Fresh soups, salads, sandwiches and bakery items. Open for lunch year-round. Eat out on the back deck! You're right next to Littleton's Riverwalk Covered Bridge and just above the mighty Ammonoosuc river.
Chang Thai Cafe - Traditional Thai cuisine with a dash of contemporary flair. 77 Main Street.
Sugar Hill:
Polly’s Pancake House –Stop by this delicious pancake house for breakfast one clear morning. The view is to die for (and the food isn’t bad either)! It’s a tourist hotspot, so expect a crowd. Snap some family portraits outside while you wait. Absolutely stunning scenery!
Melanie's Bistro at the Ammonoosuc Inn - Beautiful setting, and a delicious, seasonal menu. Make your reservation online now. 641 Bishop Rd., Lisbon.
Franconia:
The Horse & Hound Inn - This beautiful inn offers good food, and indoor & outdoor seating, at the base of Cannon Mountain. Tucked away on a beautiful road lined with pine trees...it's well worth the visit.
Wendle's Deli & Cafe - Organic/local salads and sandwiches. Vegan/veggie/gluten concious.
Franconia Seafood and Dairy Bar – Sure it’s a strange name, but with items like lobster rolls (when in season), hamburgers, fried fish sandwiches and ice cream, how can you go wrong?
Above the Notch Restaurant & Tavern at Cannon Mountain View Motel - good food, Friday night music, and views of Gale River and Cannon Mountain.
Dutch Treat –Restaurant/bar that doesn’t look like much, but dishes up surprisingly good food!
About Our Wedding
A reception will immediately follow. Expect good music, gourmet food from the former chef of the Sunset Hill House and top quality local brew from the Moat Mountain Brewery in North Conway, NH. Homemade Italian cookies (Beth's grandmom) and wedding cake (Justin's mom) will be the highlights of dessert.
Keep in mind that this is quite literally a mountainside ceremony/reception (see photo for proof). You will need to walk up and down a steep gravel driveway to get to and from the festivities. We encourage you to wear appropriate shoes. (Ladies: high-heels are not a good idea!)
Photo taken from our deck.
Monday, June 28, 2010
What to Do in the White Mountains
Make the most of your stay in New England:
- Take the tram up Cannon Mountain for spectacular 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains. On a clear day, you can see Canada!
- Watch the bear show at Clark's Trading Post! Local black bears--bribed with ice cream cones--play basketball, swing, skateboard and more. Don't miss it!
- Cool off at Whale's Tale water park!
- Challenge us to a game of tennis! The Sugar Hill tennis court is just a mile or so from our house!
- Go golfing! The Sunset Hill Golf Course in Sugar Hill boasts the best golf course view. The Lisbon Village Country Club is a historic 9-hole golf course that offers an alternative set of tees the second time around.
- The 16 Major Attractions in the White Mountains Cannon and Flume Gorge are especially close by.
- Three Itineraries to Help You Experience Classic New England
- White Mountain Covered Bridges Littleton Covered bridge is nearby...in downtown Littleton!
- Horseback Riding, a Moose Safari, Corn Mazes and More!
- Take a Hike! There's plenty of hiking in the area. One option is Artist's Bluff--it's super close, short and offers stunning views. Bridal Veil Falls is another closeby option. This 5-mile round-trip hike has you follow the Coppermine Brook until you reach a scenic cascade on the northwestern side of a ridge. We'd be happy to give you directions (and join you if we're not too busy)!
- Visit Mount Washington - The highest mountain in the northeast!
- Go For a Bike Ride! For the mountain bikers (we know you're out there): Kingdom Trails is just 30 minutes away! Ride endless miles of twisty, flowing singletrack. One-of-a-kind New England scenery--belted cows, maple syrup tubing and sugar shacks--dot the landscape. Or take the road bike out for a spin on the Franconia Notch Bike Path. Start just 10 minutes down the road and ride 7 miles to the Basin, a 30-foot wide, 15-foot deep crater swirling with fast-moving mountain water. You'll pass the historic Old Man of the Mountain site along the way. Hit us up for directions!
- Canoe or Kayak right down the street! We have extra boats.
- Scenic Byway Loop - A gorgeous driving tour of Northern New Hampshire!
- Take a tour of the Cabot Cheese Creamery in VT! Only an hour away.
- Visit and tour the Ben & Jerry's ice cream factory in VT! (About 1.5 hours away)
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Where to Stay
But there are plenty of places to stay in Sugar Hill and the surrounding towns. From cozy bed and breakfasts to rustic cabins to luxurious inns, here's a list of places to suit all tastes.
Sunset Hill House
Sugar Hill Inn
The Franconia Inn
The Hampton Inn (a 15-minute drive)
Franconia Notch Vacation Rentals
Cannon Mountain View Motel
Kinsman Lodge
Lovett's Inn
Stonybrook Motel and Lodge
Rustic Log Cabins
Getting Here
Here are directions from the Manchester Airport.
Driving?
Here are directions from the Philadelphia area.
No matter where you are driving from, the following is very important:
GPS, Google Maps, Mapquest, and any other mapping programs DO NOT find our house or our correct street. They will get you as far as the town of Sugar Hill.
From route 117, it is important to take Center District Rd. (left coming from 91, right coming from 93). Follow Center District Rd. for 1.2 miles and turn left onto Gilman Hill. If you are coming from route 91, this will be the SECOND time you see Gilman Hill road. (The first is off of 117).
After .8 miles on Gilman Hill, the road will bend to the left and turn into Kathy Rae Dr. As you crest the top of Kathy Rae Drive, our house will be on the right (#248).
*IF YOU PASS A SIGN FOR GILMAN HILL OF OFF 117, DO NOT TAKE IT - This portion of Gilman Hill Road is a jeep trail and you will bottom out and scratch your car. Instead, as the directions state, proceed to Center District Road, make a left, and then make another left onto (the opposite end of) Gilman Hill.
**Please park your car on the right-hand side of the road.
About Sugar Hill, NH
Sugar Hill has the best view of the White Mountains in all of New Hampshire. The view from our deck isn't so bad, either! ;) The beautiful, rural landscape is like nothing we've ever experienced--both calming and inspiring.
Back in the day, the community was a fashionable Victorian resort. People from all over arrived by train to escape the heat, humidity and pollution of summers in Boston, Hartford, New York and, yes, even Philadelphia.
Out of all the hostelries built, the grandest was the Sunset Hill House, built in 1880. It has the longest porch on a single side in New Hampshire and the oldest 9-hole golf course in the state (built in 1897).
The first resort-based ski school in the U.S. was opened right down the road from our house in 1929 by Katharine "Kate" Peckett with her husband, Austrian ski instructor Sig Buchmayer, both important figures in the history of skiing.