This is a unique way to spend Valentine’s Day weekend in Deerfield, Massachusetts.  The seventh annual American Heritage Chocolate Celebration will be exploring everything chocolate including a sumptuous array of gourmet chocolate desserts, foods, and beverages provided by the Deerfield Inn.  Step back and learn the history of chocolate and enjoy this chocolate-filled weekend that will delight chocolate lovers of all ages.   

 In addition to the tasting of chocolate treats, there will be demonstrations and lectures on learning on how cacao grows, open hearth cacao roasting, and American Heritage Chocolate tasting as you learn about the history of chocolate.  The Historic Division of Mars, Inc. will be recreating chocolate the way it was done by early New Englanders and it will also be featured in a wide variety of dishes.   Then attend one of the many demonstrations including an experienced silversmith as they recreate a silver chocolate pot.  This is only a sampling of the days events, but just think chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!    

The Celebration begins at 10:00 and continues until 4:30 on Saturday, February 13.  Tickets can be purchased the day of the event and are $12 for adults and please note that food tickets are additional.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

Romance is in the air as Valentine’s Day approaches and romantic New England getaways can be found at the Distinctive Inns of New England!  The ten inns of the Distinctive Inns of New England are all distinctly different, but share the common thread of outstanding hospitality and luxury lodging, just perfect for celebrating Valentine’s Day or any special occasion.  Now is the hard part, deciding which Distinctive Inn to visit for Valentine’s Day? 

If you are considering a coastal getaway, consider the charming town of Chatham, Massachusetts which is the home of the Captain’s House Inn.  Newport, Rhode is always a year around favorite and as is the Cliffside Inn.  Or, if you want a cozy Maine town, try the Camden Maine Stay in Camden, Maine.  All of the Inns are within walking distance to the ocean and there is nothing more romantic than the ice blue sky and sparkling waters of the ocean during the winter months.

A romantic getaway to New Hampshire or Vermont will present endless possibilities of outdoor recreation include cross-country and downhill skiing, snowshoeing, sleigh rides, and the list goes on!  The Inn at Thorn Hill in Jackson, New Hampshire; Manor on Golden Pond in Holderness, New Hampshire; Chesterfield Inn in Chesterfield, New Hampshire; or the Rabbit Hill Inn in Lower Waterford, Vermont are sure to be great locations!  Each Inn also offers romantic fine dining so if it is a cold winter night, you can snuggle up in your room and then go to dinner without having to brave the outdoor elements after a day of playing in the snow. 

Venture a little further south to Massachusetts and there is the Gateways Inn in Lenox and the Deerfield Inn in Deerfield.  Antiquing, shopping, visiting Historic villages, or just taking a moment to stop and enjoy a romantic getaway with a special loved one!  Check out the single malts at the Gateways Inn or over 100 martinis at the Deerfield Inn before you join them in the dining room for a truly special Valentine’s dinner. 

Now the choice is yours!  Just where will you spend your romantic getaway for Valentine’s Day?

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

New Hampshire Wine Week is happening January 22nd – 31st  and the events are numerous!  This is the 7th Annual New Hampshire Wine Week and proceeds will benefit Easter Seals of New Hampshire.  The events are numerous and will vary daily.  Popular wine enthusiasts will include Richard Sanford, Steele Wines, Author Kevin Zraly, Joseph Carr an award-winning Sommelier, and many others that are too numerous to mention.  Through out the week there will be wine dinners, wine tasting, wine and food pairing seminars, seminars on how to taste wine, guest bartenders, recording artists, bottle signing events, and wine and cheese workshops.

A highlight of the week will be a Wine Tasting on January 28th at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester.  This is the largest Wine Tasting north of Boston and will feature over 1,400 wines.  Tickets can be purchased on-line and the wine tasting will take place from 6-9 P.M.  Tickets vary in pricing from $60 to $150 depending upon which tasting you select. 

The Inn at Thorn Hill will also be participating in New Hampshire Wine Week and have a spectacular Wine Dinner being planned for January 27th.  They will have the honor of working with RP Imports who will be joined by Peter Merriam, Owner/Winemaker of Merriman Vineyards and Mark Neal, Owner/Winemaker of Neal family Vineyards.  The menu is just being finalized and it will be available shortly.  If you would like inquire about the wine dinner, please contact the Inn at Thorn Hill at 800-289-8990. 

There is so much wine to taste and things to learn in one week, that it will be hard to know where to begin! 

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality

Winter fun is in abundance at the U.S. National Toboggan Championships in Camden, Maine.  The Toboggan Championships happen every February in Camden, Maine and this year they are planned for February 5th-7th.  The rules are simple.  Get 2 or 3 friends together, dress in an outrageous costume, grab a toboggan, and get ready for the thrill of your life.  We did this last year and it was a blast.  Just imagine the adreline rush as your toboggan reaches speeds of over 30 miles an hour as your toboggan plunges down an ice chute and comes to rest on the lake below. 

Toboggan teams of all levels compete in this three day event and all participants should register in advance.  There are the diehards with their custom made toboggans and then there are others that just use the toboggans which are furnished as part of your registration.  Test runs begin on Friday and the real competition happens on Saturday and Sunday with 2, 3, and 4 person teams.  There are awards for best costume, oldest team, fastest team, fastest women’s team, fastest children’s team, fastest high school team, and fastest college team.  Between taking a toboggan run, warm up while tasting the Chili and Chowder Competition and vote for the winner of the season. 

Even if you think that tobogganing is not for you, this is a great spectators sport as well!  It is just as much fun to watch all of the madness from the bleachers and cheer on your favorite teams.   Food, fun, friends, and snow make this a delightful winter weekend.  Once you visit the Maine Stay Inn to enjoy this weekend, it will be added to your winter “must do” events!   

by Rebecca, Quantum Hospitality