Les Quatre Vents/Eastern Seaboard Itinerary

Note: Days in blue are flexible days, meaning little to nothing important is planned that day. Days in red are inflexible days, meaning something has to happen that day or it won’t happen at all.

Thursday, 8/19: Travel Day

Fly into Quebec City: Dep. Seattle 11:30 AM Air Canada #698, arr. Toronto 6:55 PM; dep. Toronto 10:00 PM Air Canada #522, arr. Quebec City 11:28 PM.

Car: Pickup in Quebec City

Accommodations: Comfort Inn, (418) 872-5038 (4 miles from airport; reserved 5/24/04): $95.25 US for 2 double beds

Friday, 8/20: Quebec City

Sightseeing

·         Fodors walking tour (Lisa recommends.) If you don’t take the whole route, she highly recommends strolling along Terrasse Dufferin with the Quebecois and having a beverage at the café/bar around sunset.

Drive from Quebec City to La Malbaie (100 miles)

Accommodations

·         Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, (418) 665-3703. Expedia booking ID: 17683337; itinerary #19669263295. $514 CAD including taxes and extra guest charges for 2 nights, or $257/night CAD.

Saturday, 8/21: Les Quatre Vents

Gardens

·         Les Quatre Vents, La Malbaie, Quebec

Accommodations: Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu

Sunday, 8/22: Travel Day

Drive from Le Malbaie to Mount Desert Island (369 miles)

Food

·         Dinner (closed for lunch) at Moose Point Tavern, 16 Henderson Rd., Big Wood Lake, www.moosepointtavern.com “Great lake views are served supersized from both the dining room and outdoor desk at this log cabin restaurant. Bring your big North Woods appetite and plan to enjoy a relaxed evening watching the setting sun burnish Sally Mountain across the way. Call for hours 207-668-4012. Yankee Magazine editor’s choice. Serve dinners Thursday-Monday, 5-9 p.m. (9:30 Fri and Sat.)

Sightseeing

·         Weird moose stuff general store in Jackman, ME (moose alley)

Gardens

·         Garland Farm (Patrick Chasse’s place)

Accommodations: Patrick Chassé’s place (Garland Farm)

Monday, 8/23: Mount Desert Island

Gardens

·         Beatrix Farrand Garden at College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor

·         Wild Gardens of Acadia, Acadia National Park

·         Asticou Azalea Garden, Mount Desert Island

·         Thuya Gardens, Rt. 3, Northeast Harbor, Bar Harbor. A Yankee Magazine editor’s choice: “extensive flower garden, set amid a clearing beyond sturdy gates, was designed by famed landscape architect Charles K. Savage, and it’s as peaceful as it is stunning. Open July-Labor Day daily 7-7 and by appointment.”

Accommodations: Patrick Chassé’s place (Garland Farm)

Tuesday, 8/24: Mount Desert Island[1]

Gardens

·         Roxana Robinson Garden (private; Patrick Chasse’s client)

·         Rockefeller Garden (private)

·         Skylands (private; Patrick Chasse’s client)

Accommodations: Patrick Chassé’s place (Garland Farm)

Wednesday, 8/25: Massachusetts

Drive from Mount Desert Island, ME to Watertown, MA (225 miles)

Shopping: Freeport, ME

·         LL Bean headquarters, open 24 hours per day. 877-552-3268.

Food: Freeport, ME

·         Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster Company, Town Landing, Freeport, 207-865-3535. Lisa P. / Road Food recommendation.

Gardens

·         Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA. Featuring BIG BUGS through October 17th. Open Tuesday-Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last admission one hour before closing. $7 admission fee.

·         Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts. First landscaped cemetery in the U.S., 15 minute walk from Lisa and Marcus’ house in Watertown.

Accommodations: Linda’s sister’s place in Watertown, MA

Thursday, 8/26: Alan Haskell and Green Animals

Drive: From Watertown, MA to Avon, CT (175 miles)

Gardens: Massachusetts

·         Alan Haskell Horticultural Nursery, New Bedford, MA (Linda & Bruce have already seen)

Gardens: Rhode Island

·         Green Animals Topiary Garden, Plymouth, Rhode Island. (Linda & Bruce have already seen)

Gardens: Connecticut

·         White Flower Farm, Litchfield, CT. (Fergus Garrett’s long border). Open daily 9-5:30.

Accommodations

·         Residence Inn, Avon, CT, (860) 678-1665. $139/night for 1-queen and 1-sofa bed. Confirmation #82500733.

Friday, 8/27: PepsiCo and White Flower Farm

Drive: From Avon, CT to Nutley, NJ (175 miles)

Gardens: NY state (north)

·         Stonecrop Gardens, Cold Spring, NY, (914) 265-2000. Open to visitors by appointment only from April 1 thru October 31 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and the first and third Saturdays of every month. 1:00 reservation.

Note: driving distance from Stonecrop to PepsiCo is approximately 40 miles.

·         Donald Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo Headquarters, Purchase, NY (Linda has already seen). Open daily year-round from dawn to dusk (7:30-ish). Free. (914) 253-2000.

Accommodations: Silas Mountsier’s home in Nutley, NJ

Saturday, 8/28: NYC

Gardens

·         New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY (open 10-6, $13). Exhibitions include Victorian Ornamentals, Waterlilies & Lotus: A Summer Aquatic Exhibition, Exotic Courtyard Garden.

·         Wave Hill, Bronx, NY (Linda & Greg have already seen; open 9-5:30).

Show: Wicked @ the Gershwin Theater, 8:00 PM

Accommodations: Silas Mountsier’s home in Nutley, NJ

Sunday, 8/29: Pennsylvania with Renny Reynolds

Gardens: Pennsylvania

·         Hortulus Farm Gardens and Nursery, Newtown, PA

Accommodations: Silas Mountsier’s home in Nutley, NJ

Monday, 8/30: Connecticut with Renny Reynolds

Drive from Nutley, NJ to North Adams, MA (200 miles)

Gardens:

·         Rudin Garden (private; Renny’s client)

·         George’s Garden (private; friend of Renny’s)

·         Cantor Garden (private; Renny’s client)

·         Bunny Williams Garden (private)

Accommodations: Litchfield, CT

·         Porches Inn in North Adams, MA (35 miles from Stockbridge. Reservation #1234C08509149. Lisa P/Yankee Magazine recommendation. $245 per night. Reserved non-smoking queen suite with one queen bed and one queen sofa bed.

Tuesday, 8/31: Idyllic Vermont

Drive from North Adams, MA to Woodstock, VT (100 miles)

Sightseeing

·         MassMOCA. “The Interventionists” in the gallery.

Accommodations

·         The Winslow House, Woodstock, VT. (802) 457-1820. $140 for 2-room suite, includes breakfast; Fodor’s choice; reserved 7/14/04; 14-day XCL policy.

Wednesday, 9/1: More Vermont Idylls and then Montreal

Drive from Woodstock, VT to Montreal (200 miles)

Sightseeing

·         Quechee (Guy recommends)

·         Ben and Jerry’s Factory Tour in Waterbury, VT. Tours 7 days a week. Late August tours start at 9 a.m. and end either at 7:00 or 9:00 p.m. Call! 1-866-BJ-Tours.

Baseball: Expos vs. Chicago Cubs, 7:05 PM

Accommodations

·         Le Saint Sulpice in Old Montreal. (514) 288-1000. Expedia itinerary #19681077916; booking ID 17683513 (24); hotel confirmation #24000. Expedia quote is $163.87/night CAD for a superior loft suite.

Thursday, 9/2: Montreal

Sightseeing: Montreal

·         The World Film Festival through 9/6/2004. The Montréal World Film Festival is open to all cinema trends from around the world. Every year, films from more than 70 countries, including well-known and first-time filmmakers alike, are presented. Free outdoor films and performances on Sainte-Catherine Street in front of Place des Arts.

Gardens

·         Montreal Botanical Garden, Montreal, Quebec (Fodor’s says it’s supposed to be one of the largest in the world). Exhibit entitled “Flower Power” running until 9/6/2004. Info: (514) 872-1400. $11.75 CAD. “In the late 1960s, "Flower Power" was a slogan representing peace and love that fed our imaginations and spirits. But whether they are youth protest symbols, sources of food or romantic offerings, flowers have had power over us for centuries.” Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Accommodations: Le Saint Sulpice

Friday, 9/3: Montreal

Gardens

·         Mount Royal

Accommodations: Montreal (nr. airport)

·         Four Points by Sheraton Montreal Airport. Reservation #537322618. (888) 625-4988. Can cancel up to 6 p.m. 9/3. Two double beds, non-smoking room.

Saturday, 9/4: Travel Day

Drop off car at Montreal airport

Fly home: Depart Montreal (YUL) at 6:00 AM Air Canada #481; arr. Toronto 7:20 AM; dep. Toronto 8:40 AM Air Canada #1091; arr. Seattle 10:45 AM. Flight reserved.


Sightseeing, Food and Alternative Accommodations

Quebec City

Accommodations

·         Chateau Bonne Entente, Ste-Foy (Fodor’s recommends; Expedia quote is $165 CAD): http://www.chateaubonneentente.com/

·         Hotel Lowes le Concorde, Place Montcalm (Fodor’s and Lisa P. recommends; $150 CAD): http://www.loewshotels.com/hotels/quebec/default.asp?source=adwords

·         Le Canard Huppe, St. Laurent (Fodor’s recommends; Expedia rate $125/night CAD for 2 queens; not centrally located): http://www.canard-huppe.qc.ca/

·         Hotel Cap Diamant, upper town (Fodor’s recommends this small guest house with nine rooms) ($120-$165 CAD): http://www.hcapdiamant.qc.ca/

Food

Word of advice: always check out the table d’hote—always a great value, but bring your appetite (as Marcus likes to say, the table d’hote kicks his butt each visit). When we’ve ordered off the main menu and table d’hote, the quality has always been the same—always a very fine plate!

·         Marche de Vieux Port (Farmer’s Market, lower town, on the water). Great stuff! Bring cash, most places don’t take credit and dictionary if you have particular needs (Marcus wanted elk sausage and we were left with pantomime)

·         Aliementaiton Petit Cartier. Great market—really a collection of small gourmet food stores. Avenue Cartier between Grand Allee est and Boulevard Rene Levesque est—walls of terrine, petit fours, and cheese

·         Aux Ancien Canadiens. Old fashioned Quebecois food in a great little house, right in the middle of Vieux Quebec. The table d’hote is a great value.

·         Le Café de la Terrasse (buffet at Chateau Frontenac). A Lisa favorite—dessert table is about 40 feet long. We’ve just been for lunch—you will not need dinner! View of the St. Lawrence and the terrasse.

·         Chalet Suisse (close to Place d’Armes). Moderately priced—try one of the fondues with broth, as well as the cheese and dessert fondues! It’s not the first place we’ll go, as there are so many fabulous restaurants, but where we’ll go on night 3 or 4 for a non-fussy plate.

·         Crepes Breton. I little kitschy, as the waitresses wear traditional Cape Breton hats, but they make a mean crepe, it’s inexpensive and although the place down the road is supposed to be better, we’ve been to both and think they are equal—and the line is never as big at Crepes Breton. I believe they’re open for breakfast, too

·         A la Table de Serge Bruyere (Bistro Livernois?) We went to the upstairs restaurant, less casual (no jacket required) and less expensive that the main restaurant, but not the a la Petite Table mentioned in your 1995 Fodors (p. 188). I enjoyed this meal more than Le Saint Amour

·         Le Saint Amour (for a fancy plate)—very fussy French service, which is a negative for us, but great food

·         Cafes (Grand Allee est, te main street between Lowes Le Concord and city walls). Great place to sit and watch the world go by. Be sure to walk on top of the city walls on the way back into Vieux Quebec

·         Places for a spiffy glass of wine: the bar and terrasse at the Frontenac or L’Astral (rotating restaurant on top of Loews Le Concorde—they’ll usually let you get a glass of something later in the evening at their last seating. Food is decent too—one new years it was the only place we could get reservations and another time we just had to try the festival of game meat menu)

·         Great breakfast place (can’t remember the name) on Grand Allee est between Place Montcalm and rue d’Artigny—it’s on the right hand side if you’re headed toward the city walls, big glass windows, before the cigar bar

La Malbaie, Quebec

Accommodations

·         Econo Lodge: www.choicehotels.com ($105/night CAD)

·         Auberge Larochelle: http://www.aubergelarochelle.com/  ($125-$195/night CAD)

Gardens

·         Les Jardins de Métis, Grand Métis, Quebec (210 miles east of Quebec City), a.k.a. Reford Gardens, “one of the most extravagant and exquisite great gardens in Canada” according to McLean’s magazine. Unfortunately, way out of the way: 300 miles to backtrack to Jackman, Maine.

 

Jackman, Maine

Bar Harbor, Maine

Accommodations

·         Bass Cottage Inn, Bar Harbor: http://www.basscottage.com/index.html ($225-$325)

(Lisa P. says: The town of Bar Harbor will be swamped in August—she suggests staying in Southwest Harbor or around Somes Sound.)

Food

·         The Lobster Pound, 127 Bar Harbor Rd. (Rt 3) Trenton. Yankee Magazine editor’s choice. “Think of it as one of Maine’s original roadside attractions. Since 1956, the Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound has been serving up steaming lobsters with few frills. The location on busy Route 3 isn’t terrifically scenic, but expect good lobsters, good prices, and a meal that will exceed your expectations.” Open for takeout, lunch, and dinner: ww.trentonbridgelobster.com

Freeport, Maine

Portland, Maine

Food

·         Porthole Restaurant (Lisa P. recommends). Dockside, with old-fashioned soda fountain like counter—right on the Portland’s working waterfront, inexpensive and great pick for dinner or lunch. Habibi’s ashes are sprinkled at the end of the dock as well as next to DiMilo’s, a seafood restaurant on the big ferry, if you would like to pay your respects.

·         Café Uffa, Congress St. A Lisa favorite for breakfast, but they changed hands last year—I had a meal there right after they changed hands and it seemed to be quite a bit the same

·         Portland Public Market. Lots of great food shops and inexpensive little restaurants. If you go out to the 8th Maine Regiment House, pick up groceries here or the Green Grocery (main street next to the water—I think it’s Commercial St.)

Shopping

·         Cute historic district with some nice browsing. Lots of restaurants.

Kittery, Maine

Shopping

Lisa P. says: “Ignore the outlet stores and stop at the Kittery Trading Post, a 1930’s sporting goods store—tres woodsy Maine, good stop for terrible Maine t-shirts and outdoor gear”

Food

·         Chauncy Creek Lobster Pier, Chauncy Creek Rd. 207-439-1030. Road Food, p. 195 (if this is the place Lisa thinks it is, it is a good road food pick)

Portsmouth, NH

Food

·         Café Mirabelle, 603-430-9301, 64 Bridge St., www.cafemirabelle.com. “This chic blend of classic European and country bistro is the perfect place to enjoy updated French cuisine with an emphasis on freshness and flavor.” Open for dinner Wed.-Sun. Yankee Magazine editor’s choice.

·         Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Café, 150 Congress St., 603-766-3474, www.jumpinjays.com. “With an innovative approach to fish and raw shellfish, Jay’s offers treats such as pan-seared mahimahi. The Catch of the Day has a choice of sauces. Open for dinner daily” Yankee Magazine editor’s choice.

·         Café Brioche, Market Square. Nice little café—good place for a light breakfast or sandwiches, quiches.

Ipswich, MA

Food

·         Woodmans, 121 Main St., 508-768-6451. Road Food, p. 221. Lisa sez “one of our favorites!”

Sandwich, ME

Food

·         Main inn in the middle of town (Daniel Webster?)—nice tavern, good lunch stop. There’s also a great turn of the century ice cream shop about 10 miles east on King’s Highway, but I can’t remember the town.

Guilford, CT

Food

·         The Place, 891 Boston Post Rd., 203-453-9276. Road Food, p. 74—Lisa sez outstanding!

Stratford, CT

Food

·         Stick to Your Ribs, 1785 Stratford Ave., 203-377-1752. Road Food, p. 75—Lisa sez outstanding!

Norwalk, CT

Food

·         Swanky Franks, 182 Connecticut Ave., 203-838-8969. Road Food, p. 76—Linda knows.

Hyde Park, NY

Food

·         Culinary Institute of America (www.ciachef.edu). Fabulous food, great value. Lisa ate at the Italian one, but there are five or so “training” restaurants. Student chefs serve in each part of the restaurant—makes for charmingly bumbling service, but they are of so passionate about the food!

North Adams (nr. Stockbridge), ME

Sightseeing and food

·         MassMOCA (www.massmoca.org) . Fabulous contemporary art museum and nationally-known example of using the arts to revitalize a former mill town.  Marcus can’t decide if it’s better to describe it as a museum or insane asylum—some avant garde stuff. 12,000 feet of galleries are in cavernous old mill buildings. Both restaurants also have great food, if you’re doing a drive by.

Sightseeing/food/behold the power of cheese!

·         Vermont Cheese Trail (www.vtcheese.com). Lisa favorites: Crowley Cheese (oldest cheese factory in VT—actually a barn) and Grafton Village Cheese.

Food: Middlebury, VT (quaint college town, good stop on the way to Burlington)

·         Woody’s, 5 Bakery Lane (overlooks Otter Creek). Nicer lunch, great food.

·         Storm Café (haven’t been, but good description in Lonely Planet, p. 387)—basement of Frog Hollow (see below)

Shopping: Middlebury (VT)

·         Vermont State Craft Center at Frog Hollow, 1 Mill St. Gallery and gift shop of Vermont artisans (couple blocks from Woody’s)

Food: Burlington, VT (pretty little college town on Lake Champlain, pleasant pedestrian shopping area in the center of town)

·         New England Culinary Institute (www.neci.edu) has a restaurant or two in Burlington, VT—again, similar deal as Culinary Institute of America, student chefs in the dining room and in the kitchen, great food, great value (more info. on their restaurants on their web site). They also have a couple in Montpelier, which is where NECI is located

Sightseeing: Waterbury, VT (a bit out of the way from Burlington, on Hwy. 89, so easy drive)

·         Ben and Jerry’s factory tours

Sightseeing: Montreal

·         Vieux Montreal. Touristy, but worth a stroll if you have time

·         Rent bikes on Rue de la Commune (Vieux Montreal). Bike to the market, pick up the fixins’ for a lunch, and bike along the Lachine Canal. If I had just a half day in Montreal and it was nice weather, this would be my pick! There were also some fabulous topiary gardens enroute to the market

Food: Montreal

·         Schwartz’s Delicatessen, 3895 boulevard St. Laurent. During Jazz Fest, the line is a block long. Fabulous smoked meats, a classic

·         Lots of great outdoor cafes and restaurants along St. Denis—the area between St. Denis and St. Laurent north of boul. de Masonneuve is a very young, student area, so good values on food, lots of little shops

·         Jardin something or another restaurant (Place Jacques Cartier and rue St. Paul, Vieux Montreal) has a lovely outdoor patio. Nice spot for a civilized lunch

·         Lunch at Musee des Beaux-Arts de Montreal (Montreal Museum of Fine Arts), rue Sherbrooke Ouest and Musee d’Art Contemporain (rue Ste. Catherine Ouest), is also a tasty and civilized affair. I remember particularly enjoying the latter (museum and restaurant)

·         I’ve wanted to try Toque, but two visits during Jazz Fest, we couldn’t get reservations.

·         Republican National Convention: 8/30-9/2 in NYC



[1] Guy says eat in Camden (or stop at least) at lobster barns