I’m sure it will come as no surprise to past guests of the Stone Hill Inn in Stowe, Vermont that the two cities that provide the greatest number of our guests are Boston and New York City. And, again, no surprise that both are lauded for their support of and the quality of the performing arts that they provide.   In our next production we have a very special talent that was born in New York, has performed many times in both Boston, New York, and has built an excellent reputation as a seriously entertaining, multi-dimensional performer.

We welcome comedian Paul Reiser at the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center in Stowe, VT on October 16!

The Paul Reiser EVENINGS! package includes:

• Three nights in a Deluxe room with king bed next to a fireplace, a bath with a double Jacuzzi for two next to a fireplace, a shower, six towels and a sink for each of you.
• Gourmet three-course breakfast each morning.
• Two, side-by-side first row box seats at the Spruce Peak Performing Arts center.
• A $50 credit towards dinner either before or after the performance.

Total cost including all taxes is $1,380.00. (Seems like a lot for three nights, but it’s October 16 – peak season. The dinner and tickets are a pass-through cost from us.) Tickets are limited. Haste, please.

In addition to being a nationally known comedian, Paul Reiser is also an actor, television personality, writer, author and musician. His October 16th performance at the beautiful Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center will highlight the funny things about life, love, and relationships. Paul’s Spruce Peak show is part of his nationwide, national tour.

Paul is one of those folks that is blessed with a basket of gifts, and he continues to add to his list of accomplishments. In addition to co-creating and starring in the critically-acclaimed NBC series, Mad About You (1992), which garnered him Emmy, Golden Globe, American Comedy Award and Screen Actors Guild nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy Series, his successes also include his book, “Couplehood”, which sold over two million copies and reached the number one spot on “The New York Times” best-seller list, and “Babyhood”, his follow-up book about the adventures of being a first-time father also made “The New York Times” best-seller list. (IMBd).

Born and raised in New York City, Reiser went to college at the State University of New York at Binghamton, where he majored in Music – Piano and Composition.  After developing his stand-up comic skills in the New York clubs, Reiser had a breakout film role in 1982 when he appeared in Diner, a coming-of-age film directed by Barry Levinson. Reiser’s character, Modell, a closet stand-up comedian, effectively brought Reiser’s abilities to the attention of Hollywood.

He followed this success by playing a detective in Beverly Hills Cop (1984), a role he reprised in its sequel, Beverly Hills Cop II (1987). Reiser also had roles in James Cameron’s Aliens (the corrupt Carter Burke); The Marrying Man (1991) and Aliens (1986). (Wikipedia)

Reiser’s TV fame began when he starred as one of two possible fathers of a teenage girl in the TV sitcom My Two Dads (1987–90), and later came to prominence in North America as Paul Buchman in Mad About You (1992–99) in which Helen Hunt co-starred as his on-screen wife. He was also the co-composer of the show’s theme song, “The Final Frontier” (with Don Was), and performed the piano for the theme’s recording.^[6] For the show’s final season, Reiser and Hunt received $1 million ($1.4 million today) per episode.

More recently, he starred in two original movies for Showtime – Strange Relations (2001) (aka “Strange Relations”), opposite Julie Walters, and Chazz Palminteri’s Women vs. Men (2002), opposite Joe Mantegna and Christine Lahti. He is ranked 77th on Comedy Central’s 2004 list of the “100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time”.

This EVENINGS! program with Paul Reiser and wonderful box seats looks to be a delightful evening. Paul, clearly, is a man comfortable being on stage and is blessed with insightful comedic talent wherein he will likely poke at us, give us reason to laugh at ourselves, and persuade us to simply relax and enjoy.

Past EVENINGS! Productions:

November 8, 2014: Itzhak Perlman (sold out)

January 31, 2015: State Ballet Theatre of Russia performs Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake (sold out)

July 2, 2015: Mary Chapin Carpenter (sold out)

See more Specials & Packages at our luxury Stowe bed and breakfast.

You may recall my secret desires as a young lad as expressed in my blog about last year’s 57th Antique Car Show where I confessed a deep attraction towards a 1967 Corvette – a desire that, over the years, seem to give way to financial and emotional maturity, thus never fulfilled. Nonetheless, you have to admit this was a very cool car.

But long before reaching college where the Corvette picture hung on my wall, there was the 1952 Hudson Hornet. (Hudson who? Who knows?) A hand-me-down from grandparents who were no longer driving, this became our unexpected second car. This, it would turn out, would be the car I would use when taking my first driver’s test.
Driver’s tests were simple in those days – read the pamphlet, answer the questions – no problem. Eye exam was a waste of time for 16 year-old eyes, and driving a couple of blocks was….well, also a waste of time. However there was one element of the driver’s test that was a bit challenging. The parallel parking test. (Do they still have that?).

How do you parallel park a 3,620 pound, 17.3 feet long, 6 ½ feet wide beast with no power steering? Carefully and with a lot of practice. I knew it would be the toughest part of the test. Despite sweaty palms and an accelerated heart rate, remarkably I passed. Immediately this tank-like vehicle became the taxi for four of us to attend all away basketball games for our high school team. (We won the state championship that year.)

But the Hornet had its peculiarities. About 30% of the time when you stopped at a stop light the car would unexpectedly die. And then it wouldn’t start, despite constant cranking. After several embarassing moments as captain of the Hornet taxi – losing some face with the lads – we diagnosed the problem. The engine wasn’t getting enough air. Thus, we became a veritable pit crew. The lads poured out of the car, one lifted and held the hood, another removed and remained at the ready with the canister on top of the carburetor that contained air filters which probably had become totally dirt, and a third held the butterfly valve in the carburetor 30% open and I cranked the engine again. Success! We could even do this in the time it took for the light to change. Impressive crew.

Such is the zeal with which I approach this 58th annual event in Stowe, VT!

The 58th Stowe Annual Antique Car Show is a perennial favorite in Stowe, Vermont. After 57 years, Stowe has gotten pretty good at capturing some of the most interesting Antique cars from all over the U.S. while making the show quite charming. After a restorative night’s sleep and healthy breakfast at Stone Hill Inn, which this May was among the first to ever be inducted into the Trip Advisor Hall of Fame for performance excellence, you are ready for a full day of Stowe and the Antique car show!

Over 800 antique & classic cars are on display flanked by food concessions, giant automotive Flea Market, and the Car Corral. Stowe, Vermont has hosted the Vermont Automobile Enthusiasts, Inc. Antique and Classic Car Meet for more than 50 years. It is one of the largest and oldest in New England and has become a cherished summer tradition in Stowe. The show will be located on Nichols Field, Route 100, South of Stowe Village. Be sure to book a stay with us at the Stone Hill Inn for your weekend!

Some of the events that take place are:

Automobile Judging
Vintage Fashion Judging
Flea Market & Car Corral
Automobile Parade Awards Ceremony
Street Dance Saturday night from 7 – 10p
(closed to traffic but the cars will be there!)

B3 Fest: Bikes, Bevs & Beats

FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY June 26, 27, and 28!

A celebration of Vermont Mountain Biking!

Featuring Vermont music, Vermont craft libations (beers, wines, spirits, ciders, root beer), and a celebration of Vermont mountain biking.

This is a town-wide event, with restaurants serving as the venues!

Area bike shops are hosting mountain bike group rides in town for the B3 Fest weekend, which will start and end at participating B3 Fest venues.

B3 Fest Kick-Off Party Friday, 4:30 downtown Stowe Village! Music, food and drink tastings from vendors including Alchemist, Green Mountain Distillers, Trapps Brewery, Crop Brewery, Stowe Cider, Sage Farm Goat Dairy, Mt. Mansfield Creamery and others. Beer, Wine, Spirits, & Cider Promos!

All weekend at Bikes, Bevs & Beats:

• Guided Group Mountain Bike Rides!
• Free Beginner Mountain Bike Lessons!
• 10 different restaurants participating
• Kids Rides + Free Popsicles!
• Pool parties & bouncey houses!
• BBQ’s, races & mini-golf!

Mary Chapin Carpenter:  July 2, 2015; 7:00pm  

Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center

Stone Hill Inn currently includes the Mary Chapin Carpenter as its latest Evenings! promotion.  (Two-night stay, tickets to the concert, and $50 off dinner before or after the show at Phoenix Table and Bar.  Click here for our website.)  Over the course of her acclaimed career, Mary Chapin Carpenter has recorded 13 albums and sold over 13 million records. With hits like “Passionate Kisses” and “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” she has won five Grammy Awards (with 15 nominations,) two CMA awards and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012. Her songs speak to the most personal of life’s details and the most universal. She will perform in Stowe with her trio. Tickets: Prices start at $20. $45 & $55 regular, $65 premium.

Stowe Music in the Meadow:

Open air concerts  — bring your own chair! July 5th and July 12th

A long running tradition in Stowe, Vermont, the Music in the Meadow Concert Series is a favourite among both visitors and residents.

Stowe Performing Arts had its first concert in Whisker’s field back in 1976—this perennial summer series eventually became known as the Music in the Meadow concerts.

To audiences’ delight, The Trapp Family Lodge Meadow acts as a natural amphitheatre allowing concert performances to clearly project over the greens. The front half of the meadow is for blankets and low-back chairs and the rest is “picnic-style” on a “first-come, first-served basis”.

July 5th  Vermont Symphony Orchestra;  7:30pm

As if a summer’s evening in Vermont weren’t magical enough already…the VSO conjures up a dreamscape of enchantment. Wizards, witches, and trolls, oh my! Our musical sorcery spirits you to Middle Earth—and then safely back to your picnic spread. As always, concerts conclude with the spectacular 1812 Overture, marches, and fireworks.  $30 in advance; $35 at the gate.

July 12th A Far Cry

Founded in 2007 by a tightly-knit collective of 17 young professional musicians, Grammy-nominated A Far Cry stands at the forefront of an exciting new generation in classical music.  Take a look/listen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUmxHXsxsug

According to The New York Times, the self-conducted orchestra “brims with personality or, better, personalities, many and varied.” A Far Cry was founded in 2007 by a tightly-knit collective of 17 young professional musicians, and since the beginning has fostered those personalities. By expanding the boundaries of orchestral repertoire and experimenting with the ways music is prepared, performed, and experienced, A Far Cry has been embraced throughout the world with hundreds performances coast to coast and across the globe.  $30 in advance; $35 at the gate.

Hot Air Balloon Festival. July 10-12, 2015

This 29th annual celebration will include live entertainment, delicious food, a beer and wine garden, hot-air balloon rides priced at $275 per person, plus tax — advanced reservations are recommended. Tethered rides on the hot-air balloons may be available for $10 per person

Festival Agenda:

FRIDAY, JULY 10th

• 4:00 pm: Gates Open
• Children’s Activities Begin
• Food, Beer & Wine Tent Opens
• Gift Shops Open
• Spa Tent Open for Chair Massage & Facials
• 5:00 pm: Live Music Begins
• 7:00 pm: Approximate Time for Sunset Launch!

SATURDAY, JULY 11th

• 6:30 am: Approximate Time for Sunrise Launch
• 4:00 pm: Gates Open
• Food, Beer & Wine Tent Opens
• Gift Shops Open
• Spa Tent; Open for Chair Massage & Facials
• 5:00 pm: Live Music Begins
• 7:00 pm: Approximate Time for Sunset Launch!

SUNDAY, JULY 12th

• 6:30 am: Approximate Time for Sunrise Launch

Thirsty?  Me too.  Let’s have a beer!

Well maybe one or two – not like [younger] days past when the good natured challenge “Have a beer and be somebody” couldn’t be passed up!

Today, like many, I prefer something with a more interesting taste than just a “nice lager.”  Fortunately, here in the area surrounding Stowe we are blessed with one of the best locations for high quality beers in America.  We have a lot from which to choose!

Six well-known Vermont Breweries To Visit

Below are some of our guests’ favorite breweries in Stowe, VT and northern VT area.

• The Alchemist : Heady Topper; Waterbury, VT; Alas, they are not open to visitors, but you can find their store delivery schedule on their website, so that your wait in line will be less!
• Magic Hat Brewing Company :  So. Burlington; Mon-Sat 10am = 7pm; Sun 12pm – 5pm.
• Hill Farmstead Brewery : Greensboro VT; 12pm – 5pm Wed – Sat; closed Sunday – Tuesday.
• Rock Art Brewery : Morrisville VT; 9am – 6pm Mon – Sat. Closed Sunday.  Tastings daily until 5:30pm.  Tours at 2pm and 4pm.
• Vermont Pub and Brewery : Burlington, VT; Sun-Wed 11;30am – 1 am; Thurs – Sat 11:30am – 2 am.
• Long Trail Brewing and Pub : Bridgewater Corners, VT.  Open 10am to 7pm daily.  Self-guided tours.

Stowe Brewers Festival 2015!!

Book your room at our luxurious Stowe bed and breakfast as soon as possible for what will likely be a sell-out crowd for the Stowe Brewers Festival 2015.  Festival tasting sessions August 14 & 15 and the Townwide Craft Beer Celebration runs August 10 – 16, 2015 in Stowe, Vermont!

Award-Winning Vermont Craft Beer

There are more than 2,700 craft breweries operating in the U.S., however “the best beer town in New England” is Waterbury, VT – nine miles from Stowe.  (Boston.com; Sep 2012).  Vermont also boasts the number one rated brewer in the world according to RateBeer:  Hill Farmstead Brewery about 40 minutes from Stowe in Greensboro, VT.  As a state, Vermont has become a craft beer focal point for the US.  In 2011 and 2012, the Brewer’s Association ranked Vermont as the state with the greatest number of breweries per capita.  Vermont ranks 3^rd in craft beer industry output per adult and 4^th in the U.S. with beer as a percentage of its state GDP (2.4%).

Apparently one of the reasons for the success of Vermont craft beers is the product itself.  Today, as in is found in the coffee, bread and several other food-related segments, tastes have changed. Beer drinkers today demand more authenticity, flavor, and diversity.  (Brewers Association).

In 2012, Jeff Baker wrote The Case for the Vermont IPA. In 2013, Gary Dzen of the Boston Globe called the style “East Coast IPAs”, but noted that Vermont “brewers have started something of their own IPA revolution, helping to loosely create the category of ‘East Coast IPAs’. While these beers can be as bitter as their counterparts out west, they’re generally less so, focusing on aromatics and perceived bitterness rather than actual pucker-factor. These brews are heavily dry-hopped and lighter on the palate, forgoing malt sweetness for levity in the quest for balance.”  In 2014, Jeff Baker restated his case saying Vermont IPAs are “bright golden and hazy (unfiltered typically) in appearance, soft in mouthfeel, dense with hop flavor and aroma, yet restrained in bitterness allowing for balance to occur between the hops and the malt.” (Wikipedia) 

So, Vermont began its claim to worldwide recognition:

• 2005 Greg Noonan, owner of Vermont Pub & Brewery won the Brewers Association Russell Schehrer Award for innovation in craft brewing.
• 2009 Steve Parkes, owner of the American Brewers Guild and Drop-in Brewery won the same award.
• 2011 Hill Farmstead Brewery was named Best New Brewer in the World by RateBeer
• 2012 Heady Topper was Best Beer in Vermont (RateBeer)
• 2012 Lawson’s Finest Liquids’ Double Sunshine earns a perfect rating of 100 on RateBeer.com (produced within 30 minutes of Waterbury)
• 2013 Hill Farmstead Brewery was named Best Brewer in the World (RateBeer)
• 2013 Heady Topper named Best Beer in the World (Beer Advocate)
• 2014 Hill Farmstead and Heady Topper named best in Vermont (RateBeer)
• 2014 Lost Nation Brewery named Best new Brewery in Vermont (RateBeer)

Both John Kimmich (Alchemist – Heady Topper) and Shaun Hill (Hill Farmstead) plan to double production within the next year.  Hmmm.  (You mean you won’t have to wait in line anymore?) Thirsty for more?  Stop by the Prohibition Pig in Waterbury for lunch or dinner, featuring New England’s largest curated selection of craft beers and cocktails – the original site of Heady Topper!

Vermont’s 30 craft breweries:

• 14th Star Brewing
• The Alchemist
• Backacre Beermakers
• Bobcat Cafe and Brewery
• Covered Bridge Craft Brewery
• Crop Bistro and Brewery
• Drop-In Brewing Company
• Fiddlehead Brewing Company
• Foley Brothers Brewing
• Grateful Hands Brewing
• Harpoon Brewery
• Hill Farmstead Brewery
• Kingdom Brewing
• Lawsons Finest
• Long Trail Brewing
• Lost Nation Brewing
• Madison Brewing
• Magic Hat Brewing Company
• McNeills Pub and Brewery
• Northshire Brewery
• Norwich Inn
• Otter Creek Brewing
• Rock Art Brewery
• Switchback Brewing
• Three Needs Brewery
• Trapp Family Lodge
• Trout River Brewing Company
• Whetstone Station
• Vermont Pub and Brewery
• Zero Gravity Craft Brewery