The first is www.walkscore.com .  This site ranks how walkable certain neighborhoods are.   What this means is that it approximates the distance from your home to grocery stores, restaurants, schools, hospitals, and more!  Whether you are looking to purchase a home or just want to see how your current home fares, this is a fun way to get to know a neighborhood.

Another great way to find the perfect neighborhood is http://drivescore.fizber.com.  This site is similar to the Walk Score site, however it rates addresses by the proximity to community establishments by driving rather than walking.  This site is another fun way to see how close you are to local amenities and is also great if you prefer driving.

If you are looking to find out what communities like Lebanon, Hanover, Enfield, Norwich, and Hartford have to offer, these sites are nice resources to help you find your perfect neighborhood.

Chris

For more information call the Norwich Historical Society at 802-649-0124. You can also check out Wednesday’s Valley News or www.vnews.com.

Chris

More Later……..Matt

Poverty Lane Orchards

One of the great things about living here in the Hanover/Dartmouth College region is that as the seasons change, interesting seasonal foods and beverages appear for our enjoyment.  This time of year I always look forward to getting a gallon of cider made by the Patch family at Walhowden Farm in Lebanon Barbara.patch@myfairpoint.net.  They are located at 33 Walhowden Way in Lebanon, NH. A trip to their beautiful farm in the fall is a great day out.  I like their cider best of the local producers because they do not pasteurize it – they use ultraviolet light instead to kill any bacteria.  That leaves the cider with its natural tangy and clean taste; pasteurized cider tends to get a bit syrupy and loses some of the biting taste I appreciate.  Another great beverage that is produced here from local apples is hard cider.  The best known producer in the area is Farnum Hill Cider in Lebanon, NH  by the Lebanon Municipal Airport. They produce a half dozen or so hard ciders. I have sampled them all over the years and can attest to the great flavors.  You can find locally produced cider and hard cider at most local general stores this time of year and always at the Hanover and Lebanon Coops.

Barb and Matt Patch
33 Walhowdon Way
Lebanon, NH 03766
(603) 448-4130    f-(603) 448-0423

The Ava Gallery and Art Center, located at 11 Bank Street just off the Green in Lebanon New Hampshire, is another amazing organization that helps make life here in the Upper Valley have that “metropolitan” feel.   Who would think that an arts organization the caliber of AVA would be located in our backyard?  The fact that it does exist is a testament to the diversity of people who have chosen to call this area their home and reflects the incredible cultural depth they bring with them.  Carol and I have attended several AVA silent auctions. The art available for purchase is always interesting and exciting. Carol and I often find a piece we must have – in fact one hangs in our Hanover office.  This past Friday evening we attended an artists opening that was well attended by a wide variety of interesting Upper Valley residents.  Cocktails and finger food make the experience of mixing with the crowd and viewing works from the various artists that much more enjoyable.  After cocktails and art at AVA, we joined some friends at Elixer in White River Jct. VT and enjoyed some live music with our dinner.  Ahhh, life here is good……:-)

Matt & Carol

Upper Valley Fall Foliage

Fall Foliage Drives

New Hampshire attracts visitors from all around the world during peak fall foliage. As the leaves turn to gold, the brilliant beauty from the Great North Woods to the Merrimack Valley shines. Take a “peak” for yourself, with our list of the best routes to take on your leaf-peeping journey.

Dartmouth-Sunapee Region

• Route 12A, from Claremont to West Lebanon. You’ll find four covered bridges off this scenic route, including the longest two span covered bridge in the world. This road meanders along the Connecticut River.
• Route 31 from Newport to Washington. Classic small town beauty along this route.
• Route 103A & 103B Lake Sunapee takes you around the Lake, and offers the view of the Lighthouse at Blodgett’s Landing, one of three on Lake Sunapee.
• Route 103 & 11 from Newbury to New London offers lake and mountain views and, at the right time, spectacular foliage.
• Route 10 north from West Lebanon to Hanover and into town, where the Ivy League serves as a perfect New England backdrop for all the vibrant fall color of the Upper Valley.

Carol and I discovered another great music venue in the Upper Valley area last Saturday night,  Suicide Six in Pomfret, Vt..  We saw both Dr. John and The Neville Brothers on a double bill show that lasted over 4 hours.  The acoustics were great, sitting in that beautiful Vermont valley watching the artists was spectacular and each of the hundreds of folks there had a great view of the show.  Dr. John was amazing, to see a man his age banging away on the piano, playing guitar and singing with all his soul was a treat to behold.  The Neville Brothers were great as well; they played all the old favorites and a nice selection of songs from their new album.  Both bands have new albums out that are focused on post Katrina New Orleans and the reality that the city has been forgotten by our government and is still suffering the effects of that devastating storm.

The show was put on by The Pentangle Council on the Arts. You should check out their website for upcoming shows, they have some more good stuff coming our way.  The Woodstock Inn located in Woodstock VT and the Harpoon Brewery, which is located in Windsor, VT both sponsored the event and offered food and beer for sale.  You could bring your own picnic, which I would probably do if I had time to plan next time I see a show there, but you can’t bring in any alcohol, so the presence of Harpoon was appreciated.  The Point FM also sponsored and promoted the show, another website that should be on your favorites list if you enjoy getting out and seeing live music.