THE ESSEX SPA & RESORT: From the files of our

publisher Harriet Szabo comes news about a great

place to stay close to home in the Burlington,

Vermont area called the Essex Resort & Spa

(www.vtculinaryresort.com). Inviting accommodations

and culinary experiences await you at this 18-acre

resort.

As the Burlington area’s only AAA Four Diamond

hotel, the Essex is a true destination, offering a full-

service spa and fitness centre, cooking classes at

Cook Academy, and award-winning restaurants.

The Essex is the premier choice for your next group

event and is the perfect Vermont wedding

destination for dozens of happy couples tying the

knot each year. From its hot air balloon rides to a

wine list ranked among the best in the world, the

Essex offers you an experience unlike any other

resort in New England.

Harriet refers specifically to the wonderful spa, which

just marked its third anniversary. She raved about

the outdoor heated pool, indoor junior Olympic pool,

top-of-the-line fitness centre, the outdoor double-

sized hot tub, an incredible 9,000 square feet of

meeting places, an 18-hole golf course and the

convenience of the Essex Shoppes and Cinemas

just around the corner.

There are 120 beautiful guest rooms and suites, from

the traditional to those with fireplaces and others

meant for extended stays. This is also a pet-friendly

institution. I must say I became especially anxious

to experience the place myself after watching the

tempting video on their website.

AMUSE YOURSELF: If you are staying at a resort

then you must dine there as well. The recently

opened Amuse Restaurant is on site. Led by

Executive Chef Shawn Calley, Amuse gives your

palate something to write home about. Begin with

your complimentary amuse bouche - a themed trio

of liquid, foam, and solid that will get your taste buds

ready for an evening of culinary discovery. Amuse

is actually two restaurants in one. Savour a chef's

table experience or order from the seasonal menu.

The former offers the finest, freshest local

ingredients and creates a series of dishes based on

your tastes and preferences.

Featuring appetizers, salads, pastas, entrees, and

desserts, the seasonal menu provides an array of

flavours sure to please any palate. Amuse

Restaurant at The Essex Resort and Spa is open

Sunday through Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

and Friday and Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Please call 802-764-1489 for reservations.

DINING AT THE SCUFFER: The Essex Resort and

Spa is a short drive away from the trendy Church

Street Marketplace in Burlington. Here you can find

many good places to eat, notably the Scuffer Steak

and Ale House (www.thescuffer.com) at 148 Church

Street. It is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days

a week. The Scuffer offers the best steak in the area

using hand-cut, black Angus USDA choice meat

while the seafood selection is impressive. For those

who do not wish to eat meat, then try the salmon

or the daily fresh catch special. House specialties

include Ale House Flatbread, Scuffer Whiskey Filet

and the Blue on Blue salad. The beer menu is always

a work in progress with specialty draft beers rotating

weekly, if not daily. For more details see the full menu

on their website or call 802-864-9451.

by Mike Cohen

ADVENTURE IN TRAVEL

Essex Resort & Spa

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FEELING SMUGG: My family spent some time in

Vermont this past summer, and more, specifically

at the magnificent Smugglers’ Notch Resort

(www.smuggs.com). Did you know that this four-

season resort is Jewish-owned? Yes, Bill Stritzler

bought property there in 1977, was hired to run the

place a decade later and eventually bought it. The

condominiums here give you all of the comforts of

home and more, while the facilities are superb from

pools, restaurants, lounges, entertainment, a sport

shop, 10 tennis courts, a driving range, playgrounds,

woodland miniature and disc golf courses, a full

service conference and banquet centre, a U.S. Post

Office, a real estate office, a country store,

TREASURES child care centre, a welcome and

reservation centre, two teen centres, day

camps for the kids, a new zip lining experience

and, of course, skiing and snowboarding in the

winter. There are no kosher restaurants in the

area, but the Three Mountain Lodge

(www.threemountainlodge.com) is just minutes

from the Resort on Route 108. For information and

reservations at Smugglers’ Notch call 1-800-419-4615

or log on to www.smuggs.com.

A NOTE ON STOWE: Twenty minutes from

Smugglers’ Notch is the village of Stowe

(www.gostowe.com), home to the The Jewish

Community of Greater Stowe (JCOGS).

Check out the historic Green Mountain Inn

(www.greenmountaininn.com), which is owned by

the Gameroff Family Trust. Marvin Gameroff was a

JewishCanadian businessman who took a liking

to Stowe in the 1970s and purposely worked for

its preservation through investments that would

be both profitable for him and supportive of

the village community. The Inn is also home

to the popular Whip Bar and Gri l l

(www.greenmountaininn.com/whipbarandgrill.html).

BROADWAY 401: When in Toronto, you must get

a taste of Broadway via Mirvish Productions

(www.mirvish.com). Last summer my family and I

saw Billy Elliot The Musical. You can now look

forward to the likes of Two Pianos Four Hands; Mary

Poppins; the Blue Dragon; War Horse; and Hair.

If you want to stay downtown close to the theatre

district, consider the Grand Hotel and Suites

(www.grandhoteltoronto.com) at 225 Jarvis Street,

near Dundas. This gorgeous facility features 177

extraordinary guest suites, a free buffet breakfast,

a beautiful indoor pool and health club and a

breathtaking rooftop garden with two whirlpools.

For dinner I would recommend the Pier 4 Storehouse

Restaurant at 245 Queens Quay West

(www.pier4.ca). This attractive waterfront hideaway

offers casual dining on fresh fish, seafood, meat and

poultry, amidst the largest private collection of

nautical memorabilia in Eastern Canada.

TRAVEL

Mike Cohen’s e-mail address iswww.sandboxworld/travel for his online travel adviceand follow him at www.twitter.com/mikecohencsl.

Amuse diningroom

Essex mansion in winter

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