After a 15 year hiatus from skiing, my family and I recently headed to Ludlow, VT for a long weekend of fresh powder and groomed trails at Okemo. While my skiing had a lot to be desired, I could not have asked for a better weekend from the lodging to the conditions, to the quality of instruction at the ski school. I enrolled my son in Snow Stars for two full days of group instruction. By the end of the second day, my 6-year old was skiing blue trails from the top of the mountain and wanting to try black diamonds. An added bonus - kids 6 and under ski for free. All 119 trails were open and all 19 lifts were operating. The longest I waited in a lift line was 10 minutes. Sadly, I didn't' hit the Waffle House - it was just too cold. If you've never experienced the on slope delight of a sugared waffle (also available dipped in chocolate), you don't know what you're missing. It's worth every penny of the $4 you pay for this crispy and sweet treat that with hot chocolate makes for the ultimate winter snack. And while on the topic of food - hats off to Smokey Joe's for providing something different than the usual cup of chili and chowder in a bread bowl. Go for the pulled pork sandwich and cheese steak. My girlfriend said her portobello burger was way too salty, but what do you expect ordering a vegetarian sandwich from a BBQ stand. Our accommodations were perfect too. We stayed at the Andrie Rose Inn, sort of. The inn includes a first floor condo across the street that sleeps up to 12. We were 4 adults and 3 children. With 4 bedrooms, a living room with cable TV, kitchen, dining room and 3 full baths, we could not have been happier. Plus, the free Okemo shuttle operated by a lovely gentleman named Larry stops right in front of the inn making for easy and quick trips to and from the mountain. While there are several restaurants in Ludlow, all within walking distance of the inn, we did not experience any as we took advantage of having our own kitchen. However, according to my husband's uncle, the Shell Station makes a killer breakfast sandwich (he called it a "bomb") with eggs and corned beef hash. Sorry I missed it being a big fan of corned beef hash. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention our stop at Cracker Barrel in Holyoke, MA. Our party of 7 dined for $65. Ridiculous! The fried okra was bland and the turnip greens more bitter than I like, but the chicken and dumplings and baked apples did not disappoint. Country ham and chicken fried steak also got two thumbs up. I think we spent more on candy in the country store (brilliant sales & marketing) than on our entrees. For complete information about Okemo including ski school, special events (fun stuff for kids on weekends and during holidays including fireworks) and lodging, go to Okemo.com. And if you decide to stay at the Andrie Rose, tell Michael and Irene that Hana Wolf sent you.
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