WELCOME TO WOODSTOCK, VT.

we're mixing it up a bit this week at chaletmommma - it's a takeover - we have a guest writer.

Christina F. Marks was visiting Woodstock, VT recently and sent me a few images saying "you should do a piece on this town it's beautiful" and my reply was "why don't you write it?"

so she did!

ENJOY!!!

Woodstock, Vermont is an idyllic, charming New England town perfect for a weekend getaway or an easy day trip while in the Green Mountain region. I try to visit at least once a ski season when the weather keeps me off the mountain. Woodstock's architecture, quaint shops and delicious food are not to be missed. Highlights in town include: The Woodstock Inn, F.H. Gillingham & Sons General Store, Norman Williams Public Library and the Covered Middle Bridge.

The Woodstock Inn is the vision of the late philanthropist Laurance S. Rockefeller - he and wife Mary were married in Woodstock at the Congregational Church in 1934. He started redevelopment of the Inn in 1968 after the original building was sadly deemed as unsalvageable.

The cozy lobby greets guests with a roaring fire and gorgeous stone fireplace.

I could post 100 photos of the great decor, but, will keep it to just a few...

These Quimper plates look to be very old (edges are rough) but, in excellent shape overall. My great grandmother had a collection of this french pottery and these pieces always catch my eye.

Blue and White galore a favorite of Chaletmomma.

THIS! This is a treasure - located in the bar of The Red Rooster, the Inn's AAA Four Diamond Award winning restaurant. The cask looks to be from the days of Madame Clicquot. How much do we think this amount of Veuve would cost today?

This reading room off the main lobby is heavenly with it's papered ceiling and rich lacquered walls.

This stately home is right off the Green and is just one of the hundreds of stunningly unique houses in town.

Doesn't get any quainter than this!

Next time I'm definitely going into the Woodstock Pharmacy, as I'm sure they have a great assortment of unique products. (I love that they still advertise having Kodak Camera products on the outside of the building!)

This expanded farmhouse is a little out of town, complete with a horse barn and magnificent views. The resident Orange Tabby Cat was keeping an eye on us!

Thanks for reading! For more of my images, follow me on Instagram @Teensie83

friday fun!

my son had a few days off and we were trying to decide what to do. we like museums and luckily he does too. he is particularly fond of the gift shops (ha!) he is his mother's son after all!.

recently we've visited some local museums as well as the American Museum of Natural History to enjoy the Egyptian exhibit and we visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art regularly.

my brother-in-law suggested The Met Cloisters it was a quick trip on route 80 and over the George Washington Bridge to Tryon Park. if you're not familiar with the Cloisters it's a branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art which focuses on the art, architecture and gardens of the middle ages.

i love boxes especially old wooden ones.

this example of a painted chest is extraordinary. it shows scenes of the Capture of Orange. it was made in France 1220-1225. look at the way the metal supports are holding it together. i could stare at this for hours.

this door handle is remarkable - not to mention the carving on the door itself. i'd love this for the chalet!

old stuff is definitely my jam!

it's hard to believe just how old these pieces are and remember the tools they had when these were fabricated in the 1200's.

the interior of the chapel had a number of stone coffins. i think this one is especially lovely with all it's details. thinking of the time it took to carve is staggering.

these lovely ladies are in fact reliquaries. i learned the containers often reflect the contents. so these busts may have contained skulls. while arm bones were held in the golden statue. you can see openings where glass was - allowing the viewer a look inside at the bones.

  Reliquary: a receptacle or repository for relics, especially relics of saints. www.dictionary.com

it was a stunning day - though windy. we plan to return in the summer to view the spectacular gardens in all their splendor and enjoy the cafe which is now closed for the season.

my son is thrilled with his gift shop purchase! here he is with his trusty companion sir jackson. he asked if the next place we visit could be the Moma - not bad for a 6 yr old!

thanks to my hubby and sister for sharing some images with me for this post.

please leave a comment - what is your favorite museum?

til next time.

five days

what a magical time i had - i was blessed to spend five days in turks and caicos with my oldest and dearest friend of 39yrs - just us two! she organized this adventure from start to finish and wanna know the best part- she lives there!!! i mean really... yep hahaha! but, i hadn't been there in twenty years. heck i hadn't been on an airplane in years - since my honeymoon to London in 1998. travel became something closer to home. car rides with stops along they way and yearly family trips to the beach in-state.

i admit it i geeked out a bit and took a ton of pics from my window seat. the freedom tower looked spectacular at take off.

my bestie was happy to relax with me for a few days and leave her day-to-day life in providenciales behind while we stayed at the palms resort.

we did exactly what you think - we drank - we ate - we drank some more - all the while sitting by the pool or the ocean - evidence by the corks i brought home to add to the collection. we write down the dates and who we shared it with and we keep them in an old sap bucket on the sideboard in the diningroom. its fun to go through and remember the good times!

i do think 9 corks over 5 days is pretty good and let me not forget the banana daiquiris that nelson made for me! 

oh we did get massages one afternoon which were heavenly the palms offers a world class spa.

we shopped a bit, or rather i did. there is a wonderful main shopping area not too far from the resort.  turks and caicos has come a long way from the dirt roads of 1997.  yes, the two recent hurricanes have unfortunately reeked some havoc- and there are residents still getting things sorted - but, everywhere i was on island it was business as usual. notice the cars parked on the opposite side of the road. as a british territory they drive on left.

this gorgeous view is chalk sound. the colors of the water are mystical.

look at this view from livingroom window of the condo. i mean it's amazing.

i had more than a bit of a hard time deciding which images to share in this post.

 spent all saturday afternoon moving between sun and shade in this lovely spot- it was blissful!

my last day we woke early and hit the beach by 9:30am wanting to soak up as much time as possible before i needed to get to airport and back to reality.

the sand is very smooth and velvety above the shore line - it's hard to find shells with color.

this was the last image i took .... til next time provo!

i must thank my wonderful hubby for taking the best care of our son - i had not a moments hesitation about taking this trip- love you B. & thanks Ro for making it happen! xo