Inside the Honeymoon, Part I: Accommodations

So, we're back and, for the most part, FINISHED with all the wedding festivities. The day of the wedding and those following it were some of the greatest memories we'll ever have. But, I'm ready for some normalcy to return. I just can't get as motivated as I'd like to, for example, work on house projects or blog entries. Perhaps it's the newlywed slump...or maybe it's the fact that I don't know what to do with myself now that I'm not planning the wedding! It'll pass (especially with the holidays and an end to the renovation at work coming up) -- I was excited that I just happened to get the urge to share with you some of our honeymoon fun!

With that said, I figured I'd start by telling you about where we stayed. We had originally booked a bed-and-breakfast and found out that the room that we'd fallen in love with was no longer available. We accepted that for awhile, but as the plans of our VT trip started coming together, we realized that we also wanted to be relatively "centrally" located (we traveled along the western side of the state, up and down, but you know what I mean). So, we picked the aptly-named Middlebury, VT to make our 3-day home.

I chose Middlebury Inn for several reasons. A) It was centrally-located. B) It's HISTORIC! Boy, is it!! C) It's GREEN. D) They had a nice room available for our time at a reasonable price (although it was still a splurge by our standards).

We discovered several "pluses" to add to the list after we arrived, although we did run into an issue. When we arrived, admittedly early, we were told to leave and return at a certain time. Okay, so we schlepped our bags back out to the car, walked around town, grabbed something to eat, and returned at the allotted time...at which point we discovered that they still didn't have the room ready AND there were no apologies. So, we partook in "Afternoon Tea" (on the veranda, nonetheless!) to wait for another 30 minutes. It was kind of ridiculous that they had a good handful of people working the front desk but zero hospitality or kindness.

Enjoying some tea and a gorgeous autumn day in VT

But, that didn't get us upset. Once we walked into the Porter Mansion and our suite, any annoyance in our bodies melted away. It was incredibly roomy and the entire inn (which is actually three buildings) was green-certified in its energy practices. Also, the tavern (which was more like a nice restaurant) was part of Vermont's Fresh Network, which connects chefs with local food sources (farms) to give patrons the best, freshest possible meals. Gotta be frank: we ate organic/local practically the whole time!

Dave, already enjoying the comfy couch and learning about the area.

This was the same floor I had once considered
buying from Lowe's...vintage!

Yet, with all this modernity, the history of the place was palpable. The inn opened for business in 1827, and the decor of everything felt historic but not "old" or worn. Everyday, we ate in a separate dining area for breakfast and I couldn't stop looking at the wallpaper. Granted, I'm not usually a wallpaper person, but when it's high-end and GORGEOUS, you just have to appreciate it.

Also on the National Registry of
Historic Places (just like the theater!).

We had two dinners (we stayed two evenings, left on the third day) at Morgan's Tavern (which I LOVED the name of -- my niece's name is Morgan). The first evening, we had our "big meal", which was gourmet and awesome, and we decided to go there for a more "pub" experience the next night. IN-CRE-DIBLE! Oh, and that breakfast? Best thing we ate the entire trip! BEST. WAFFLES. EVER. (ie I had to buy myself a waffle maker the WEEKEND after. Must discover their secret.)

Dave, enjoying his breakfast, trying
his best to be a good husband
while I snap pics.

Looking pretty pale and sleepy...but SO excited for this meal!

So, all in all, our experience at Middlebury Inn was awesome. The food service was impeccable (which I noted in our survey at the end of our stay -- wishing that the rest of the staff at the inn could take lessons), the ambiance of the inn was elegant yet warm, and it provided the perfect geographic center-point for our trip.

Stay tuned to hear more about our actual honeymoon activities, meals, and other "favorites".

*If you know us, you know we're not a "sexy couple." So, sorry if you saw the title of the post and are disappointed that I discussed where we stayed and what we did, and nothing more. :-D Pervs.*