Mr. Cups, some friends and I enjoyed a trip to beautiful Barnard, Vermont this past weekend.  It was shocking to see the extent of the damage wreaked by Hurricane Irene back in late August, including the washout of some of the area’s covered bridges and roads.  During the flooding, the water was *just* short of the restaurant floor shown in this picture.  Yikes.

Fortunately, though, the Simon Pearce store and restaurant have reopened in Quechee (though the glass blowing workshop remains closed).  In “making lemonade out of lemons” fashion, they’ve taken this opportunity to refresh their restaurant menu, resulting in some delicious new options.  One of my favorite things about dining at Simon Pearce is eating and drinking from their beautiful plates and glasses while looking over the falls.  And enjoying a glass of their Simon Pearce-branded wines, which are produced by the Rutherford Wine Company in St. Helena.   While my friends opted for a California Sauvignon Blanc, I went in to full Autumn mode with a glass of the delicious Cabernet Sauvignon – which is available for $21 a bottle in the store.

Bargain hunters: don’t forget that Simon Pearce in Quechee has a “seconds” shop — still a bit pricey but full of tempting options, particularly with the holidays looming.

My advice?  Go support the Vermont economy and have a fantastic time in the process!