The Wine Bar at Friends Lake Inn, Chestertown

We pulled into the gravel parking lot on this sunny winter Saturday, not sure what to expect from the Wine Bar at Friends Lake Inn. The first sight to greet us was a stream tumbling gently over rocks just outside a tiny structure we later learned was the sauna. A tiny footbridge traversed the waterfall where the stream began a steeper descent. Approaching the main building, screened balconies and seven gabled dormers emerging from the cedar shake roof of the inn’s modest grey clapboard exterior, we were greeted by one of the inn’s arriving employees who entered with us and pointed the way to the bar.

The Wine Bar and its dining area features beautifully crafted mission oak cabinetry with brass hardware. Gleaming wine glasses, each polished by hand, neatly hang like rows of crystal bubbles. Two of the room’s oak-paneled walls are constructed almost entirely of windows, inviting plenty of natural light. Overstuffed leather sofas and chairs in two separate common areas invite those not afraid to relax. The Wine Bar dining area has tables to seat 40 to 50 guests. The bar seats 8. Though no formal happy hour is featured, weekly drink specials encompass mixed drinks in summer months and martinis and mixed drinks in the winter season.

The Wine Bar at Friends Lake Inn is much more than its name implies. Located on Friends Lake in Chestertown just far enough from the main highways to feel secluded, this elegant country inn speaks of luxury, yet maintains an air of unpretentious hospitality. Though renowned for their superior wine collection, we were looking for something of the beer and liquor variety. As Pam took her time looking over the liquor selections, Kim found a draft beer to please her tastes. The bar regularly serves Stella Artois, Samuel Adams seasonal (Winter Lager) and two regional brews (Long Trail Hibernator and Davidson Brothers Brown Ale). The impressive wine menu boasts 30 different red and white wines by the glass.

Just as Pam was discovering the drink specials board, the bartender, Hawazin, suggested she might want to see the martini menu. Like a giddy five-year-old on Christmas morning, Pam’s eyes lit up as she smiled, her head bobbing in enthusiastic assent. With ten martini choices, she narrowed it down, eliminating the fruity, and selected the Espresso Martini: triple espresso vodka, Tia Maria and a shot of espresso served in a chilled glass and garnished with freshly peeled (and knotted) lemon zest. Though pricey at $12 to $16, one is all you will need to put a glow in your cheeks. The signature martini, Friends Lake Inn L'Orange Martini, sells for $22 and features Grand Marnier Cent Cinquantenaire (150th anniversary blend), Grey Goose L'Orange, fresh lemon and organic wild clover honey.

Much more than a bar, the Wine Bar offers appetizers of artisan cheeses, crab cakes, mussels, soups and salads. Entrees include flank steaks, cod filet, Black Angus burgers and an open-faced elk sandwich, to name a few. The Wine Bar is open for dining Monday through Thursday 4 to 9 p.m., Friday 4 to 9:30 p.m., Saturday 2 to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday 2 to 8:30 p.m. The bar has last call at midnight. They are open year round, but close Monday through Wednesday in the off-season from November through Christmas and from mid-March through late May. Just in case, check the hours on their website before you go. Musical entertainment is occasionally featured. Rich Ortiz, a local favorite, will be performing on New Year’s Eve. Cell phone reception is spotty, but The Friends Lake Inn does have WiFi.

We met Ellen and Hal, a couple who has made the Wine Bar a favorite destination for over 20 years, stopping in frequently on their way to Brant Lake. The Wine Bar at Friends Lake Inn is not for the faint of wallet, but is well worth the visit. Dining specials are offered on Sundays ($7 entrees before 7 p.m.) and Thursdays ($17.95 three-course dinner). The atmosphere is charming, warm and welcoming and the service is superb and professional.

Zig Zags Pub Lake Placid

Two days of Happy Hour indulgence began with the first bar we encountered as we walked from our hotel down Main Street in Lake Placid. Somewhat amused by the bobsled parked on the sidewalk, we entered Zig Zags without hesitation. As we approached the bar in Zig Zags Pub, Kim commented that there were no women in the bar. The bar itself was fairly full, but she was correct in her observation. The bartender approached, and Pam, once again, couldn't resist. Sometimes she has no filter between thinking and speaking. "Do you serve women?" she asked him, a fleeting deadpan look on her face, then she flashed her 'I just can't help myself' smile. He came right back with something like, "When they're available. On a plate," etc. Ice broken and raucous greetings ensued...

A pool table waited in the center of the room and Pam's competitive streak was kept in check due only to our time constraints. Darts (traditional and electronic), foosball and a few video games are placed around the room. An area near the entrance is occupied by several pub tables looking out onto Main Street. Zig Zags is named for curves 13 and 14 on the bobsled run, and numerous posters, photos, signs and memorabilia support predominant theme.

Brett's "bartender" face

We ordered our drinks and soon launched into describing our purpose. Conversations started to fly, left, right, up, down, zigzagging, about Zig Zags. Suggestions about where else we needed to go came from other patrons. We were introduced to Rob Kane, the owner of The Great Adirondack Brewing Company, who gave us the bartender's name there. That would be our next stop, but we had work to do here. We met Lisa Randall from The Cottage Bar and Restaurant on Mirror Lake. A few women had slipped in unnoticed. Our bartender and owner of Zig Zags, Brett, was kept busy by his patrons and with exchanging insults with the regulars at the end of the bar. Lisa helped Pam with questions about Zig Zags, then continued by answering questions about The Cottage. We promised her that The Cottage was on our list for the next day.

Tony & Wayne

While Pam conducted interviews, Kim snapped some photos of the bar and its less camera-shy patrons, declined a marriage proposal (being already spoken for), and made some new friends, including Wayne, Adirondack Guide and owner of Middle Earth Expeditions whitewater rafting adventures, and Tony, who offered to take us to some "real" bars not on the map. We'd have to get there by four-wheeler or snowmobile, and it all sounded just a bit sketchy. Ladies, Wayne claims that "If you're looking for a man, come here," listing his qualifications as hardworking, can hunt deer, build a log cabin and skin a bear.

Zig Zags, the only true "bar" in Lake Placid, is open daily throughout the year from 3 p.m. until 3 a.m. Lisa claims the best time to visit is between 10 p.m. and 12 a.m., but we know otherwise - anytime is a good time. They have been in business for 10 years, have Happy Hour Monday through Friday, 3 to 6 p.m. with varying specials daily, and feature live music on Friday and Saturday nights. With plenty of draft and bottled beers and a standard liquor selection, Zig Zags has a come-as-you-are, I am what I am, laid back and fun personality. We talked to almost everyone in the bar, who seemed both accustomed to and tolerant of tourists, which is not always the case. The impression was one of a locals' hangout that likes to have company.

Note the Happy Hour in the High Peaks hat on Rob

Regretfully, we left Zig Zags, hopeful that our subsequent stops would be as rewarding. In the coming weeks we'll review several of the bars on the Lake Placid leg of the summer tour. Next week we review the second bar on our Lake Placid tour, the Great Adirondack Brewery. Workaholics that we are, we'll be continuing the summer tour in Old Forge this weekend. Suggestions are encouraged! Cheers and bottoms up!

Timeless Tavern Northville

Northville is one of the few places that is not on our way to anywhere else in the Adirondack Park. With overnights planned in both Lake Placid and Old Forge in the next two weeks, most places are on the way to or beyond either one of them.

The drive through Hadley and the town of Day along the Great Sacandaga Lake was alone worth the hour and fifteen minutes. Pam was on a trip to Virginia, so I flew solo on this one. However, I did allow my husband to chauffeur.

The Timeless Tavern sits on Main Street in Northville amid a row of storefronts in what appears to be a timeless town as well, reminiscent of a Look Magazine Hometown USA spread. Both village and tavern were pretty deserted, understandable at mid-afternoon, but the tavern was open, or almost open. Their hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 4 to 8 p.m. on Sunday; closed Monday. The bartender seemed to be getting the bar set up so it may not have been quite 4:00 when we went in.

The bar area is spacious with lots of natural pine; neat, well lighted, and with simple decor. Several tables, simply and elegantly covered with matching linens, are positioned in the tavern, a few next to windows; the others far enough away from the bar to be able to enjoy dining but close enough to be in on the action. The bar menu features sandwiches, burgers, specialty salads and light entrees in the $10.00 to $12.00 range, while the restaurant entrees are all priced between $17.00 and $25.00. Flagrant Red Sox and New England Patriots fans, owner Tom's New England accent betrayed his allegiance as we asked where the Yankees memorabilia was. We'll overlook it.

I made an immediate trip to the ladies' room. Contemporary and spotless but otherwise unremarkable. When I returned, my husband commented on the men's room, uncharted territory for me. Displayed over the urinal is a glass case containing several jokes for a gentleman's amusement, at the expense of we women, I'm sure. Doesn't the task at hand (so to speak) require some sort of attention? How does one steady the stream while pee(r)ing around the room? Just saying.

An inspection of the beer cooler divulged at least thirty bottled brews, including six or seven Sam Adams choices alone, the usual domestics, and even Molson Golden, which we didn't even think was still produced. Yuengling, Blue Moon, Sam Adams seasonal and a couple of others rounded out the beer list. The bar is well stocked with several flavored vodkas, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, Jeremiah Weed, Maker's Mark and American Honey to name just a few.

The Great Sacandaga Lake region of the Adirondack Park is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and seasonal visitors, though not as commercial as other areas like Lake George and Lake Placid. The Timeless Tavern is open year round and is accessible by snowmobile in the winter. The beer is cold, the staff is friendly and the menu is varied, though a little pricey.

Cheers!
Kim Ladd

BarVino: Captivating

It didn't quite feel like spring when we left Warrensburg on what started as a breezy, sunny day, but it did hold promise that winter was loosening its grip. It seems whenever we mention our book or blog, barVino in North Creek is suggested. We were off to find out what all the buzz was about.

A visual sweep of the high ceilings, clean simple lines, and a sense of order and unpretentious sophistication registered a sense of calm.  In real life, I'm a photographer so I was naturally drawn to the framed back-and-white photographs hanging on the warm adobe-hued walls, this month's gallery exhibit. barVino regularly graces its walls with local artists' works.

The page-and-a-half-long beer menu boasted a nearly global selection of bottled and draft beers. Draft beer featured Guinness and an assortment of craft brews from Davidson Brothers, Adirondack Brewery, and Dogfish Head. The endless bottled list? Lagers and ales and wheats and belgians and stouts and porters, oh my! I ordered a Davidson's Ctrl-Alt-Del. The color a warm reddish brown, the aroma a little wheaty, it had a slightly bitter flavor with a hint of nuttiness.

Pam ordered a glass of white wine. Not to be outdone, and it is barVino after all, the five page wine list requires a passport. Selections from Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and California in red (55 bottled; 16 by the glass), rose, port, white, dessert,  and champagne by the glass or bottle. You can download PDF's of barVino's menus at www.barvino.net.

A trip to the ladies' room revealed more ambience. An eclectic collection of antique mirrors in the hall way and a vintage oak dry sink in the restroom held baskets of fresh hand towels. A humble print depicting an old woman carrying bundled sticks on her back, entitled "Gathering Firewood" hangs over the sink.

barVino's, where local simplicity meets urban chic. We could easily have been sitting in a bistro on Newbury Street in Boston. Not to be missed.

Unable to blogcast live at Adirondack Pub & Brewery

Though not able to blogcast, we gathered a lot of information and had an enjoyable time. We started with a sampler and I made it a point to try each one. The Bobcat Blonde was not on the sampler, but was recommended by our contact, Laura. It was the perfect beer for me and I drank a whole pint! Kim took a brief tour of the brewery and I'm sure will comment on that. The Pub is now selling bottles of beer to take home. They offer clever tee shirts and pint glasses as well. They are planning to stay open weekends year round starting this year and I think they are making some followers very happy.

It's a great place to relax, talk, eat, etc. There was a lot to take in visually, with sleds and canoes and old photographs and stuffed bobcats found just within my view. I wandered outside to look around. The deck is huge and would have been most welcoming if not covered in several feet of snow. Note to self... revisit this place in the warmer months. I like a place that has a good outdoor venue. I have a terrific outdoor space at home, so it's a treat to find someplace as inviting as that. One thing I might find here that I don't get at home (besides the beer and the servers), however, is afternoon and evening sun.

I found a mixed drink special on their menu called the Adirondack Sunrise. It's made with Malibu Rum, orange juice and grenadine. Will try this one at home but I'm already thinking of "enhancements". It sounds like a summer drink that I could "winterfy" pretty easily.

Bottoms Up!
Pam

Thoughts before we go to Adirondack Pub & Brewery

A brewery is definitely Kim's comfort zone - she likes microbrews and beer, in general.  I, on the other hand, am not a beer drinker by nature, but I think I'm going to have to explore.  Ordering an "Ultra" beer in a brewery is probably like ordering a white zin spritzer at a wine tasting!  I recently commented that I wasn't a martini drinker, but I sure enjoyed the pumpkin martini at Trappers.  My quest today should be finding the best beer for self-proclaimed non-beer drinkers.

Trapper's Tavern: Our First Review

Less than 30 minutes from exit 23 of I87, Trappers Tavern at the Copperfield Inn in North Creek is a perfect place to stop along your way to points further north, or as a destination in itself.  We had been to the tavern a couple of years ago when my husband and his musical co-horts played a gig there, and it was well worth revisiting.


Armed with Pam's checklist of must-know information, and nerdy little folders, we sat right at the bar and started taking the place in, probably making the staff a little suspicious. Trappers Tavern's cozy Adirondack-themed interior is appealing in a not-overly-rustic kind of way. It was warm, inviting and friendly. The beer selections, while not extensive, included a variety of both bottled and draft choices in domestic, import and craft brews. I had a brown ale pint (I think it was a  Dogfish Head), which was excellent, and sampled a stout and a Saranac Trapper's lager, crafted especially for Trapper's Tavern.


BUT, one of the yummiest drinks I have ever tasted, as Pam mentioned, was the pumpkin martini, which we shared, and I think helped to break the ice with the bartender and other bar patrons. The concocting of the drink created some curiosity among customers, who waited eagerly for our reactions to the first sip. I didn't really think I'd like it all that much, being primarily a beer drinker, but we figured we'd better order one of the house specials since we would be writing about the place, and our book will focus on drinks as much as it will places. 


We gradually got some conversations going, and the "Front of House Manager" Steven Joiner, gave us a list of specialty martinis, a menu, and a copy of the book Trapper's Tales, from which inspiration for the Tavern menu originates and includes such cleverly-named offerings as The Smokin' Ugly Horse and The Most Impertinent Chipmunk.


We stayed less than two hours and had considered stopping at another bar, but we were pretty excited about what a great experience we had just had and wanted to get our blog started right away. There's also the driving issue, so we made sure to be smart keep it legal! I think this is a place we will find excuses to visit on a regular basis. As Pam mentioned, Trappers Tavern has set the bar pretty high. By the way, our check was surprisingly (and pleasantly) low-end. Their prices are very reasonable, with the exception of the Pumpkin Martini, but that was worth every dollar!


Can't wait for the next adventure inside the blue line. We have a place and day picked out. Check back in about a week.


Cheers!
Kim