|
 TM
Blueberry Hill Inn- An Unforgettable
Experience
By Norm Goldman
Artist: Lily Azerad-Goldman
 Not many of us have ever heard of Goshen Vermont. If
you remember the bible, there was a Goshen in a region of ancient Egypt on
the eastern delta of the Nile River. It is here where the Israelites lived
from the time of Jacob until the Exodus.
How then did Goshen become a town located in central
Vermont? One explanation- in order to attract settlers to New England, many
towns carried connotations of rich and fertile lands.
Unfortunately, however, the early settlers, who arrived
in 1782, were disappointed, as Goshen Vermont was certainly not the biblical
Goshen with its rich fertile land.
What it did have is its magnificent location perched
high in the
Moosalmoo Region of Vermont at an altitude of 1, 136 feet.
It is also home to Romance Mountain, located in the
Green Mountain National Forest, and identified by the
Wilderness Society in 2000’ as one of the top ten spots across the USA
for romantic activities.
Where cell phones, television and all of the other
paraphernalia of modern technology can be left at home.
 Goshen is also where one of the most romantic inns in
Vermont,
Blueberry Hill Inn, is situated, and one that certainly merits
recognition as one of the centerpieces of this idyllic town.
The inn’s history dates back to 1813, when it was
initially established as a lodging establishment for loggers.
Although you may have the feeling of being isolated,
the inn is a mere ten miles from the historic town of Brandon, as well as
ten miles from Middlebury.
When you drive along the six-mile unpaved winding road
through the Green Mountains to reach the inn, you will surely holler- ah,
wilderness, the perfect place for lovers!
Surrounded by 22, 000 acres of forest, woodlands,
trails, lakes, ponds and alpine terrain, you can literally escape from
everyone, and enjoy those precious romantic moments that we all crave.
How about renting a canoe with your loved one, and
paddle into the middle of one of the many thousands of lakes in the area,
enjoying lunch with a glass of wine? Perhaps, skinny- dipping far away from
prying eyes in one of the many streams and brooks in the area, where the
water is about the cleanest in the State of Vermont.
For those who enjoy walking, mountain biking,
snowshoeing, hiking or cross-country skiing, the inn offers forty miles of
forest and walking trails, as well as more than seventy-five kilometers of
groomed cross-country ski trails.
In fact, during the winter, the inn’s cross-country ski
center offers some of the finest Nordic skiing in the entire state.
If you enjoy blueberries, very close to the inn is
Hogback Mountain that not only provides you with breathtaking views, but
also the opportunity to enjoy the most delicious wild blueberries that
mother- nature can produce.
What makes Blueberry Hill Inn so delightful, however,
is the friendliness that greets you as soon as you step into the front door.
When we visited the inn, we immediately had good vibes-
this was a happy place to visit.
Val, one of the front office employees, beckoned us to
step into the living room and with her “bubbly” smile reminded us of
actress, Goldie Hawn.
Within minutes we were whisked around the eleven
tastefully decorated rooms of the inn, all with private baths.
We also walked through a picturesque enclosed common
passageway that serves as a greenhouse, with its many windows and brick
flooring.
No matter how the climate is outside, you can still
curl up on a chair in this section of the inn and enjoy the numerous plants,
while reading a book or enjoying a cup of tea or coffee. Don’t forget to try
innkeeper’s Tony Clark’s, famous chocolate chip cookies that are available
throughout the day and evening along with the tea and coffee. You can even
purchase a box full of them to bring home with you.
Another larger Greenhouse is located a few steps from
the inn supplying the kitchen with year-round herbs. Apparently, there are
more than fifty culinary and twenty -five medicinal herbal varieties, that
are grown outdoors and indoors in the Greenhouse when mother- nature does
not co-operate in the cold winter months.
Not only are the herbs used for meal preparation, but
also for the Inn’s line of herbal bath salts and body lotions.
Blueberry Hill Inn also specializes in unique and
unusual wedding celebrations, and they are true to their word when they say
“we can make your wedding planning as simple as possible without sacrificing
creativity or quality.”
I must admit it certainly is creative when you have a
bride and groom hiking the Long Trail, suddenly to appear, while their
guests are biting their nails wondering if they would ever show up!
When we were visiting the inn, innkeeper Tony and his
crew were in the mist of preparing for a wedding, where the couple would be
exchanging vows on top of Hogback Mountain with its stunning views, while
the bride’s mother would be officiating.
It was quite exciting to watch how well organized the
inn’s crew were in setting up the wedding.
In order to accomplish this feat, we were informed that
one of the requirements is that the wedding party books the entire inn for
Friday and Saturday night with a minimum of twenty-four guests per night. In
this way, the celebration becomes the focus of the inn, and you can be
confident that your guests will receive that special touch. Weddings are
limited to three hundred people, and all groups have a choice between a sit
down reception or a buffet.
The inn’s chef, Timothy Cheevers, who is an acclaimed
Master Chef of Great Britain, uses only local game, free-range fowl and the
finest cuts of meats. Chef Tim will tailor the meal around the bride and
groom’s tastes and wishes.
Incidentally, Chef Cheever’s culinary expertise is
beyond description. Guests do relish Tim’s artfully prepared dinners-and
they are truly an unforgettable experience.
Expertly prepared fresh fish and meats are delicately
flavored with the inn’s home- grown herbs designed to only enhance the
natural flavor of the dishes.
Dishes range from truite Antoine, lobster&crab ravioli
with roasted garlic cream sauce, beef tenderloin with Irish whiskey sauce
and soufflé roll with chicken béchamel filling and roasted red pepper coulis.
To end “la grande bouffe” is Tim’s home- made desserts
that are a delight to the eye and palate.
In every aspect, Blueberry Hill Inn provides a true
Vermont country experience that focuses on a casual, relaxed and homey
atmosphere, where the personal needs and comfort of its guests are
considered to be of the utmost importance.
In return, the inn can boast that guests refer to the
inn as a special place, situated in an unassuming forest service road, where
they were warmly welcomed, and where its flawless service will always be
remembered.
Blueberry Hill Inn
Goshen, Vermont, 05733
Tel: 802-247-6735
1-800-448-0707
Fax: 802-247-3983
Email:
tc@blueberryhillinn.com
Norm and Lily Goldman are a unique husband and wife team,
writer and water colorist, who write and paint about romantic destinations.
Basically, they meld art and words in order to create an unusual travel
story, which generates interest, particularly because of the fact that each
painting appears to have been ‘custom-made’ for the story-original story and
original art.
They can be contacted at: l.goldman@sympatico.ca
Back to
TravelLady Magazine |