Gracie's

Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Budget: $30-$40/person

During our trip to Vermont, we arrived at our hotel later than scheduled and found this place called Gracie's. We were so hungry and this was the nearest place to dine in. It rained and the parking lot is not cemented so just imagine the mud on our shoes. To the restaurant, poor floor... For our car, poor me because I'd have to clean it afterwards. LOL. Anyway, we're supposed to be talking about food here so let me start.

Food
First of all, I raised to budget to up to $40 because you'd probably want to try on more food. I tell you they are sooo good!

The New England Clam Chowder tastes as good as the other clam chowders I've tasted, only better. It has the right amount of seafood and there's no shell in the soup! No crackling sound therefore. LOL. Trust me, I have tried clam chowders that looked like the ingredients were not properly handpicked. This one is smooth and creamy! Plus, they give generous packs of crackers. The Chicken Jambalaya was great. For me, they served the right proportion of  chicken (, sausages and all) vs. rice.

New England Clam Chowder and Chicken Jambalaya

Now, they have my favorite kind of Calamari. The plain and small breaded ones. There's no need to put lemon because it doesn't smell fishy at all. I've only ordered a calamari which smells slate once and I can't even remember the place. Gracie's even serve it with a sweet soy sauce, ironic right? That instantly became my favorite sauce! And do I need to review their mac and cheese? It's Kraft so it's good! I serve it for my kid at home and I like it to!

 Calamari and Kraft Mac and Cheese

Cleanliness
It was dinner time and it was a busy day. They do clean up the tables immediately but I did have to wipe it once just to make sure. As for the whole place, I didn't see anything that would make me want to lower my rating just because I have issues with cleanliness.

Kid-Friendliness
They have high chairs and kid's menu. I think that mac and cheese is the second to the lowest with regards to price. First time for me to see an almost $15 worth of kid's meal, well, what can I say, it's an 8oz. NY strip sirloin. The servers and even the other guests were kid-friendly too.

Customer Service
The customer service was excellent! From the greeter to our server. They were very friendly and though

Complimentary Stuff
Free parking.
Free bread! I love the other but not much of their famous corn bread. That's because I have a favorite corn bread which is thousand miles away from the U.S. LOL!

So, having tried and tested it, are we going back? Yes! It is now one of my favorite places to eat! I hope we have Gracie's somewhere near. ;)

DISCLAIMER I was not compensated in anyway to do a review of the products or services mentioned this post. Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.

Can't Get Enough These Chocolates!

What: Lake Champlain Chocolates

Where: 750 Pine Street, Burlington VT 05401

Rating: 5/5

We recently made a trip to Vermont for our July 4th weekend adventure. We didn't know there were lots of other great places to visit, company tours that is. By far, Lake Champlain Chocolates is the best company tour I've ever had in Vermont! 

Lake Champlain Chocolates is located in a rural area of Vermont. Though it was a holiday weekend, there was ample parking for all expected visitors. The building, as you can see from the outside is not as big as other facilities. The space is just perfect for guests. 

So, what do I love about the company tour?

1) They support Fair Trade.

2) The presentation of information about how, who and where they plant cacao trees was good. They even provided real samples of how cacao beans look like and the different types of chocolate: milk, dark and white (as you see in the cans below). The tour seats are adjacent to the production floor by clear glass panels. Even though I wasn't able to see the real production because it just ended, I was still amazed at how our Chocolate Master explained to us how they make their super-duper-good chocolates! I swear, I can forget about my favorite Hershey's kisses.

3) We were provided generous samples before, during and after the tour! That's right, I did say before because when I roamed around the store before the tour began, I saw some samples of dark chocolate cocoas around the corner of the cafe. It was so delicious and luscious I got one more for my husband to taste, and my daughter too. Oooops! ;) If you can't read, it's made of 54% dark chocolate which makes it not bitter at all! That instantly became my husband's favorite!

Sample truffles and coffee chocolates after the tour and sample dark chocolate squares at the cafe.

4) There was a table for kids so they can have fun with their own activity during the tour. Now, nobody's going to scream while  Chocolate Master's sharing chocolate-filled information. My daughter though, became the only one who didn't join the bandwagon. Therefore, she was the only kid making noises and I really feel sorry for those who were bothered during the tour. Tee-hee! I guess she ate too much sweets that I can't stop her! Whew!

5) They have a corner cafe showcasing their original and signature drinks.The prices as you can see, aren't that expensive at all. They are very affordable so you too can savor their wonderful concussion even in your drinks!

6) The store was full of Lake Champlain chocolates of assorted flavors and some items you wouldn't think they offer. Most of their chocolates are handcrafted for a more delicate look. Oh, they have aprons and shirts too! 

I am still savoring the taste of Lake Champlain chocolates I got from the Factory Seconds shelf! I got dark, white and milk and a few organic ones too.

7) Last but not the least, I loved it because the tour was free! Probably the only place where we didn't pay to enter. LOL! Though I would have paid for it if required. 

Lake Champlain Chocolates for me is more than Hershey's and on the same line as Godiva. If you'd like to try Lake Champlain Chocolates, you can order online. I read they ship the same day if you order on weekdays. If you're not an online shopper, I heard our Chocolate Master say that their products are available at Whole Foods. 

 

DISCLAIMER I was not compensated in anyway to do a review of the products or services mentioned this post. Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.

You Get The Room You Pay For In This Hotel!

Stowehof Inn:  434 Edson Hill Road, Stowe VT 05672

Rate: One Bed Queen; Bought at $89 thru Hotwire; Available at Groupon for 2 nights at $200

Amenities: Indoor and Outdoor Pool, Jacuzzi, Sauna, Restaurant, Chess, Library

Rating: 3.5/5

We went on a road trip to Vermont without hotel reservations so me and my husband tried to find good deals online. I told him there's one at Groupon for 2 nights but we'll only stay for the night so we can't get it. Then we tried Hotwire with their lowest possible promotion - get one of the 3-star hotels in the area. When we arrived there, it looked familiar, and oh yes, we were able to book the same place they're trying to sell in Groupon! We got lucky, I told my husband.

We arrived at Stowehof Inn after 6PM and the receptionist told my husband there was no available room anymore but one so we took it. My husband was also told how come we were able to purchase it at a very low price, when their rooms are normally $100+. My husband didn't know what to say but "It was from Hotwire". Then we went out for dinner. As soon as we get back, my husband started complaining that it was hot. Then we realized the AC was not working and we were with a 2-year old. MY OH MY, THEY DIDN'T TELL US OUR ROOM DO NOT HAVE AN AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM! Sorry for the caps lock, just imagine me screaming. My husband tried to tell the receptionist but was sarcastically told, "Is there no electric fan up there?" or something like that. That is not the best customer service-oriented person I expected from a physically good-looking inn and who claims to have a great hospitality service. It is not right that we get that kind of room even if we were able to get it at a low price. It is not our fault. We tried to contact Hotwire to and they were not able to help us. Oh well, we just have to get through the night and we're totally out! That was the only not-so-good thing that happened though. I just told my husband to forget it.

The Room

According to the book provided in the room, the inn was renovated. Maybe not our room since in the first place, the AC's not working. The wallpapers were old as well as the paint. Some paint on the door's frame were chipping and I thought the lock was hard to manipulate. Good thing the bed sheet and all looked clean. I always bring a lint roller with me and I thought I didn't need it. As you can see, there's a small table where the TV and electric fan was placed. The window in the corner was the only window in the room and the view was the way to the entrance and the parking area. It's not awful, just weird. That door you can see leads to the bathroom. Need to mention that there were hangers in the dresser but there's no ironing board. Maybe because it's not an office area.

The Bathroom

Ample amount of towels were provided. There were shampoos and conditioners as well as lotion. It looks nice in the picture but the toiled and the basin's not updated. I can't sit in the seat, actually. Even if I use sanitizers already. Also, you can't leave your kid along in the bathtub because it was slippery. My daughter slipped and almost hit her head, good thing I held her in my arms. My husband told me to use the towel and place it in the tub so we won't get into any accident. I hope they provide tub mats to avoid untoward incidents. 

Breakfast
The next best free hotel breakfast I've ever had. There's this I think famous restaurant within the inn and I think that's where we were served breakfast. There were four options of the main dish, unlike the usual two. I thought the bacon and pancakes+syrup were homemade, even the eggs tasted different, by that I mean great! There was coffee and Swiss Miss branded hot chocolate and single-served Kellogs cereals for kids.

You dine in a plain white cloth covered round table with up to four chairs with the view of green grass, mountains and the outdoor pool. The people you'll get to be with looks pleasant and even the servers that morning were great! I wonder ho my husband met the night before.

Parking
The parking near the inn is always full so you have to walk like 500 feet to get to the other lot. It rained during our two days in Vermont so you'll have to walk through an unpaved walkway and if you're not careful, you'll get your feet soaked in mud. LOL. I think that's one thing they need to work on.

Amenities
My husband and little one tried the pools. The outdoor pool was okay but there were insects floating and swimming. It's tolerable though. Maybe it's normal because it's outside and there are lots of trees. The indoor pool was not heated. The sauna was too hot. Didn't try all the other amenities mentioned above.

If you want to know what our room number was so you can avoid it, just comment on this post so I can PM you.

Having tried this inn, do you think we'll come back? Well, maybe, but if I am going to recommend this to my friends, I'm going to tell them to at least avoid Room Number... ;)

*Approximate only and rates were available during the July 4th weekend; Other fees and taxes exclusive

DISCLAIMER I was not compensated in anyway to do a review of the products or services mentioned this post. Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.

A Bit Disappointing Factory Tour

What: Ben and Jerry's Factory Tour

Where: 1281 Waterbury-Stowe Road, Waterbury VT

Admission: $4 Adults; $3 Seniors; 12 and under Free

Rating: 3/5

I rarely watch TV but I often see myself tuning on to Travel Channel. There, I learned that Ben and Jerry's provide factory tours. It seems to me that the marketing was overrated or maybe I just expected too much.

Last July 4th, I somehow forced my husband to take a road trip to Vermont instead of going to Cape Cod/Martha's Vineyard just to see Ben and Jerry's. In the TV it looked so big, so cool, so nice... So, I wrote in down in my go-to-places wish list, take note, I only had four. 

I was so excited when we arrived. We parked on the lower area so we needed to climb up the hill. It was a good exercise and this made me more excited to see how it looked like for real. The outside view was great, there were tables with umbrellas and quite a long line at the ice cream store. It was inviting! So inviting I wasn't able to take a photo of it and wanted to start the tour already! So, I paid for our tickets and waited for less than 5 minutes. Then our guide called our batch. I let all the other excited visitors to go ahead so I can take photos. It was a 3-part tour and I'll explain it in more detail:

Part I.

A short video clip of how Ben and Jerry's started. I thought it was humorous. Just like the other informative videos provided in tourist spots, it was okay.

Part II.

This is where I got dismayed. After the video presentation, we were asked to go upstairs to the other "room" where you can take a look at how they make their euphoric ice cream. The "room" was like a bridge with clear glass panels on both sides. Pictures are not allowed in this area. There were two small televisions where you can watch the production process. There was no production at that time because it was holiday, July 4th. If you stayed on the other side of the room, there's a high chance you won't be able to take a glimpse of the other side of the production floor because the "room" is too small for the number of people in the tour. Unless, you let them go first to the next room so you can have a few seconds to take a closer look at it.

At this stage, I know that the next will be the last part of the tour. I was like, "So, that's it?! After more than 8 hours of driving, this is it what we'll get?! With $4". It's so not worth it! It should have been free. LOL!

Part III.

Probably everybody's favorite because we all get to taste a sample of their free ice cream of the day! The serving was like a scoop of ice cream or maybe less but it was so delicious. It's one of their new ice cream which doesn't have a name yet. It's a mix of berries and dark chocolate chunks! Sooo good! They make everyone suggest a name for the ice cream, if they choose the name, that person will win Ben and Jerry's ice cream for a year! Awesome! (...if I win. LOL)

After the tour, we were able to look at the stuff they offer at the store. There were beach towels, shirts, cow bells, the usual souvenirs - though I thought they have low-quality fridge magnets and they are being sold cheap of course. They also sell the pints at a higher price compared to grocery stores. At the ice cream shop, we tried stuff the we can't buy from home like smoothies/shakes, sundae and banana split. =) Still a bit pricey but they're good! 

It rained that day and most of us got stuck inside. There's no way we can't get out of the main building without getting wet. They do have a short covered pathway but they need to place like an extended roof so those who are entering the car won't get wet. We haven't gone to the graveyard yet so we waited until the next day to view it. I didn't expect much this time. Good thing because the graveyard was just so-so. The RIP notes were humorous or at least are trying to be. I took some photos of my favorite. 

Overall, even if I was disappointed with the tour, I was thankful because if not for Ben and Jerry's, I wouldn't realize how wonderful Vermont is. There's a lot of other companies offering free and paid tours within a 30-mile radius and you can read about them on the Company Tour tab.

DISCLAIMER I was not compensated in anyway to do a review of the products or services mentioned this post. Everything was based on my 100% honest opinion.