Town #54 Woodstock

Friday, October 2, 2009
Cinnamon Tree Bakery * Windy Acres Florist and Gift Shop * Flying Carpet Studio * Java Jive * Scranton Antiques * Scranton Country Store * Roseland Cottage * Sweet Evalina's Stand * Woodstock Thimble Cottage * Woodstock Christmas Barn * Woodstock Orchards

Woodstock’s attractions are largely unique little shops along Route 169. The town web page is one of the better organized, most useful town web sites we’ve seen. We started out near the junction of Routes 169 and 171, at the Cinnamon Tree Bakery, for breakfast, and we both had the French toast made with their cinnamon swirl bread. It was delicious, in spite of the artificial maple syrup ($15). We resisted their yummy-looking baked goods on display. We visited Windy Acres Florist and Gift Shop, in the same building as the bakery, and found a 50% off sale good on almost everything in the shop as they were reorganizing. We bought a large gray-green knobby gourd and a couple kale plants ($26.50). Our next stop, going north on Rt. 169, was the Flying Carpet Studio, a boutique with some clothes, interesting trinkets, and lots of artistic jewelry. They must have moved from up the street because the picture on their website does not show their current location. I got a few things for Bob’s birthday and myself. Bob got tired of watching me browse, so he headed next door to Java Jive for a second cup of coffee and a blueberry scone ($4). Continuing north a bit, we found Scranton’s Shops. We’d never been in Scranton Antiques, but have been by it many times in its 25 years. We each bought something we didn’t tell the other about. Just up the driveway is Mrs. Bridge’s Pantry, a British tea room. I’ve been there before, so we passed on by and went to Scranton Country Store, which sells candy and kitchen novelties. I got a jar of peach and raspberry chutney ($6).

For a change of scenery we headed north to Roseland Cottage. We stopped to read an informative plaque about the town at the Green.

A tour started at noon and we got there just in time. The guide took the four of us on the tour through every room in the house and some of the outbuildings and explained all the details of the Bowen family, the house, and the gardens. It is a beautiful example of a wealthy family’s summer home in the mid-19th century. The Bowens lived in Brooklyn Heights, NYC, where Henry—a Woodstock native—made his fortune in several businesses and authored quite a few books. The house has always been coral pink to match various varieties of roses grown on the grounds, but the shade currently in use is historically accurate. Henry was an active abolitionist, Congregationalist, and Republican. The interior has a great deal of Lincrusta wall covering, a heavily embossed, “paintable” paper, invented in 1877 and frequently used in Victorian hotels and restaurants. At Roseland, much of it was embellished with gold paint, all of which has faded. It is quite amazing. In wikipedia’s article on Lincrusta, a picture of Roseland Cottage is featured. (Admission $14)

The formal boxwood parterre garden has paths between boxwood borders and 21 flower beds with 4000 annuals, the exact varieties that the Bowens had planted.

We were ready for lunch (and a seat!) so we headed north a bit more to Sweet Evalina’s Stand—not a stand but a cute little restaurant with homemade desserts. Friends had recommended it a couple years ago and we’ve been wanting to get there. Menus are on the wall and your choices are given there. We each had clam chowder and clam cakes. I confirmed that it was New England style, but the cook didn’t know what that was. When I said it was creamy, he said that’s what theirs was. Well, it had milk in it but it wasn’t creamy, and there weren’t very many clams, although the taste was very good. The clam cakes were dense, clammy, and excellent. Bob had spied lemon meringue pie (for $2.75!) so he had to get that for dessert; I had a moose tracks ice cream cone (Lunch $27).

North again to the Woodstock Thimble Cottage, a country-style store where I bought a little girls’ purse for our granddaughter for Christmas ($8). Just beyond was the Woodstock Christmas Barn, which has been there for many years. I found a different strawberry ornament for our mini-strawberry Christmas tree and a couple other little things ($15). We asked the shop owners about finding something to do in Thompson as information was hard to come by. They suggested the Thompson Dam and explained how to get there.

We retraced our path and headed to Thompson, first stopping at Woodstock Orchards’ big farm stand. We bought a couple different gourds and squash to sit next to the green one I got this morning ($3). (Jan)