History and Psychology Today tell us that there is a very close relationship between love, sex and food. “The human need for food and sex are basic, part of the foundation of our nature, which makes it sensible that they are so closely knit together.”

This is why the kitchen is the heart of the home. Think about the exciting scenes in Tom Jones, Like Water for Chocolate and 9 1/2 Weeks…all the passion starts in the kitchen.

Let me suggest a few sexy kitchens in Charlotte and Addison that might fuel such fires this Valentine’s Day (click on each image for full property details):

	The gourmet kitchen in this magnificent Adirondack Style home in Charlotte features granite counters, custom tile & top-end appliances, and a fireplace, not visible from this view. Wait until you see the dining room. From here, you’ll have spectacular unobstructed views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.
	This cook’s kitchen in Charlotte is the ultimate room for entertaining a large party – or just one. 68 private acres, expansive Adirondack views, 400+ feet frontage on Lake Champlain abutting conservation land, and a 4-bedroom guesthouse complete this picture of paradise.
	This absolutely beautiful home on Mountain Road in Addison is on 132 acres. It features panoramic views overlooking fields and woodlands stretching over the Champlain Valley to the Adirondacks…and a fabulous dream kitchen. This historic home, built in 1800, was restored to perfection in 1993.

Perhaps oysters are on the menu? Followed by Foie Gras, famous for its aphrodisiac qualities. And fresh figs (ala DH Lawrence) for desert?

Every fruit has its secret. Ooh la la!

image credit: http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com

Like the Hebrew calendar, the Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, a complex system that uses both lunar and solar cycles to mark time. By most estimates, the year is 4709. “Tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 4709!”

It’s the year of the dragon – most auspicious as the dragon is the only mythological creature in the Chinese Zodiac. People born during a particular year are said to share attributes with the animal for whom that year is named. Those born during the year of the dragon are said to be innovative, self-assured, brave, passionate, and quick-tempered. Though I could not find any scientific proof to back this up, I imagine that dragons do have these characteristics.

I love the traditions surrounding this festive holiday: families gather together from afar, people reconcile their differences and forget all grudges, sincere wishes of peace and happiness prevail, and homes are lavishly decorated.

Houses are traditionally adorned with blooming plants – symbolizing growth and prosperity. I encourage Vermonters suffering from seasonal sadness to fully embrace this aspect of the celebration. There are few better cures for seasonal affective disorder than fragrant blooming plants – except perhaps citrus. Citrus essential oils are a popular aromatherapy prescription for the winter blues. Part of the Chinese New Year tradition includes decorating the home with oranges and tangerines. They are considered to be a sign of abundant happiness.

Another great tradition during Chinese New Year is thoroughly cleaning the house: sweep away any bad fortune and make room for good luck in the new year. It is commonly known that cleanliness is next to godliness. Perhaps it is also a cherished characteristic of mythological dragons and their Vermont counterparts?

For the new year, I want to recommend two Addison County properties – one for its simplicity and utter newness (pictured left) and the other for its many rooms in which to capture good luck (pictured below). Click on each image for full MLS listing details.

This sunny Energy Star home in Monkton features radiant heat throughout with a 91% efficient propane heat. Maple and bamboo hardwood and ceramic tile throughout. This energy efficient country home is clean and elegant, perfect for welcoming the luck this most auspicious year promises.

This Lake Street home in Addison features seven rooms (nice lucky number) in 5361 square feet of living space on 142 acres. A contemporary-style home custom-designed and built in 2007, this Addison home features wood floors, cathedral ceilings, an open kitchen with granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and mahogany cabinetry…And glorious views of the Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountain high peaks to the west.

Contact me for more information about these Addison County properties and for more good news about the new year.

According to William Hubbell, author of Good Fences: A Pictorial History of New England’s Stone Walls, the miles of stone walls built in central New England between 1810 and 1840 had more mass to them than the great pyramids of Egypt. In her review of Good Fences, Rebecca Rule describes our primal connection to rock and stone: “We describe a rocky coast, a rocky landscape, rocks in a field that make it unplowable. But when the farmer gathers those rocks and turns them into a wall, they are transformed into stone — a stone wall. A rock becomes a stone when a human being makes use of it.”

Stone Houses make great use of this magically transformed rock, but are considerably less prevalent in Addison County than stone walls. While stone houses of Vermont lack some of the grandeur and history of the stone houses of France and Italy, the do have the  potential to inspire a personal connection to the region’s history.

Take a look at these two stone homes currently available in Addison County (click on the image for full MLS listing details). Both are built right around the turn of the century (1790 and 1811 respectively) and both are built of Panton Stone, quarried from the hills of the Champlain Valley.

This stone house in Panton has spectacular views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks. The original stone house built in 1790 and updated in 1993 features gleaming, wide-pine floors. The 3-acre property has a little bit of everything: old barns, out-buildings, a pond, a meadow and a large level yard with mature fruit trees.

A classic stone house in Addison, this 1811 home (pictured right) features large rooms with wide plank floors and a beautiful Panton Stone fireplace in living room.

Read more about the magic of stone houses in Velvet and Linen. The prospect of living in a beautiful stone house just makes me want to drink a toast and toss my glass into the fireplace. But I suppose that people who live in stone houses should not throw glass, either.

Stone wall image credit: http://www.field-notebook.com

So we dust off our treadmills and determine to find fitness indoors. Middlebury alone has dozens of indoor fitness options. Topping the list are:

• Middlebury Fitness
• Vermont Sun
• Otter Creek Yoga
• Vermont Classical Pilates

Middlebury College has the Field House. There you’ll find a pool (natatorium), a climbing wall, a skating arena, indoor tennis and soccer, and a recreation center. 28% of students participate in varsity sports, so you’re bound to find some inspiration there.

Heading to the gym is a great option, unless the weather intervenes, as it seems to do more and more often. This is when we need to find fitness at home. Here are some great Addison County homes with exercise rooms and/or exercise room potential. Take a look. These thumbnails are of the fitness spaces, click on each image for the full listing details of these amazing Addison County Properties:

Billiards may not get you into the best shape physically, but having fun is good for the soul. This Lake Street home in Addison features a family room, a study, and a great room: plenty of room to move.	This New Haven home on Dog Team Road features a sauna, hot tub, and whirlpool bath. The family room is perfect for a workout space. The library is a great place to meditate.	Dog’s love fitness. The family room in this Panton, Vermont lakefront home has great potential for exercise. The guest house would make an incredible yoga studio with lake views.

This time of year reminds me of a story Rusty Dewees (Vermont actor and story teller) tells about his wife on her treadmill. In the story, she is huffing away at the treadmill that has been thoughtfully positioned in front of the bay window. She has a great view of the Vermont landscape as she burns calories. The weather suddenly changes and the power goes out. She marches full-tilt through the window into the yard.

Place your indoor exercise equipment with care.

Vermonters aren’t likely to take this information sitting down, as mountains and winter make us who we are. There are many ways Vermonters can make a difference protecting their environment. You don’t have to buy a green home to make a difference, but it certainly has a significant impact.

Making your current home more energy efficient is key. The Vermont agency of natural resources has easy suggestions for the homeowner:

• Replace light bulbs with compact florescents or LEDs
• Set thermostat limits (65F in winter, 75F in summer) and use a programmable thermostat
• Adjust hot water heater temperature to 120F (set it on a timer that corresponds to your usage)
• Compost Organic Waste
• Get an energy audit and upgrades (Efficiency Vermont)
• Consider renewable energy

In some ways the ski industry has more at stake than your average Vermont homeowner. According to Protect Our Winters, a national organization that mobilizes the winter sports community against global climate change, skiing as we know it is on borrowed time. “In the Northeast, by 2039, the average ski season will be less than 100 days and the probability of being open for Christmas will decline below 75%.”

One important thing skiers and riders can do to reduce their impact on the environment is live closer to the slopes. The automobile is the primary means of transportation used by leisure travelers in the US; our cars are the second biggest contributors to our individual carbon footprints. We use in excess of 430,000,000 gallons of gasoline every day. American car travel generates nearly 1.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year.

Make 2012 the year you make a difference: live where you play.  Contact me for more information about Stowe Ski Homes and Vermont vacation properties.

”Mountains make us who we are.”

If you have ever considered owning a B&B, the holidays this year might just push you over the edge. According to the Farmers’ Almanac, the forecast for late December through January calls for lots of snow. Fox Creek Inn must be seen under a blanket of white. Chittenden is less than 15 minutes away from downhill skiing at Killington. The Fox Creek Inn is less than two miles  away from world class cross country skiing and snowshoeing in Central Vermont.

The MLS description for this property is also pretty persuasive: “The Fox Creek Inn is tucked away in a quiet, tree-filled valley complete with it’s own trout-stocked creek. A member of Select Registry, it is one of Vermont’s most enchanting hospitality destinations, offering quintessential country ambiance, amenities, and service.” Take the Christmas carol “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem” and substitute the little town of Chittenden and you’ll start to get into the spirit of this wonderful place.

And then let’s think about the Yuletide. “Yule” has its pagan roots in the Norse mid-winter festival, “jol.” Some relate yule to an Indo-Europoean root word meaning “to go around.” And the “tide” in Yuletide is from Old English, meaning “division of time.” Some break down Yuletide to mean simply “time” or “season.” Using holiday algebra – we can interpret “Yuletide greetings” as “Happy go-around Time” or maybe even “it’s a great time for a happy change.” 2012 could be the year you become an innkeeper.

Here are a few of the amenities at Fox Creek Inn:

• 8 bedrooms – all with private baths, most with fireplaces
• Full furnishings
• Greeting room
• Den
• Equipment shed
• Workshop
• The Pub and wine cellar
• Exposed wood interiors
• The dining room seats 25
• Commercial kitchen
• Butler’s pantry
• Office with reservation system
• Stocked trout stream
• 7-bedroom Guest House

Contact me for more information about this amazing Vermont Inn. Yuletide Greetings!

Here’s a little more information about these great fireplaces (Clockwise from the top left):

• This fireplace is the centerpiece of a beautiful colonial two-story home that is being sold along with the Fox Creek Inn in Chittenden, Vermont.
• A fireplace in Middlebury on Morse Road. This 4810 square foot custom home is on 51 acres on Otter Creek.
• The fireplace and wood stove are oriented “side-by-each” in the guest house of this spectacular Lake Champlain waterfront home in Panton.
• Another great lakefront fireplace – this one is also in Panton and has 259 feet of waterfront.

The perfect compliment to the cozy fire of course is ice – ice wine, that is. Vermont ice wines (and ice cider) are award winners. Ice wine is a delicious dessert wine produced from grapes that have frozen on the vine. The sugars in these lucky grapes do not freeze, but the water does, creating a more concentrated nectar.

Here are a few regional favorites:
Night Fires – Lincoln Peak Winery in New Haven
Vermont Ice – Boyden Valley Winery in Camrbidge
Vidal Ice – East Shore Vineyard in Grande Isle
Estate Vidal Blanc – Snow Farm Vineyard, South Hero
and Eden Ice Cider Company sells five varieties of ice cider (called “apple ice wine” by some)

Contact me to view these incredible Vermont properties. I’ll bring some kindling and wine glasses. Until then, I’ll leave you with Robert Frost’s “Fire and Ice”:

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

The dressing room in Vermont’s MLS listings has taken on many different names, but none quite evokes the sumptuous origins of the dressing room, the boudoir.

Historically, the boudoir was a suite of rooms, adjacent to her bedchamber, where the lady of the house bathed and dressed. During the Victorian era in the United Kingdom, the boudoir (somewhat distinct from the dressing room) was a lady’s sitting room, not unlike a gentleman’s cabinet or study, where a person enjoyed gender-specified activities such as embroidery or cigar smoking (perhaps both at once?). During this same period in the States, the term ‘boudoir’ often replaced the term ‘dressing room’ because of the prestige and sophistication conferred by the use of French.

Today the term boudoir tends to refer to Renaissance and French inspired bedroom styles, but let’s stick to the concept of the dressing room as a place to get dressed for an evening out (or a lavish evening in). It’s a room where style, luxury, and practicality come together.

This lovely room seems to have fallen out of the Vermont vernacular, both in terms of language and architecture, in Addison County. Instead the MLS property descriptions and architectural plans refer to walk-in closets, master suites and sitting rooms. But the once beloved room is coming back into vogue in Vermont. Small rooms that once held cribs and stuffed toys are finding new purpose housing Jimmy Choo sandals and Brioni suits.

The following Vermont homes feature wonderful dressing rooms, sitting rooms or incredible walk-in closets:

• This Hartland Vermont home on 94 acres has a Four and a half baths, five bedrooms and a sitting room off the master bedroom.
• This Stowe home on Cottage Club Road has a bright, open floor plan, en suite bedrooms, and a Master on the main floor with sitting room, dressing room/walk in-closet and spacious full bath.
• Stonemeadow in Barnard features a master bedroom suite with his and hers dressing rooms and separate laundry.
• Here is another Stowe home. This one features a main-floor master suite with fireplace, spa bathroom with sauna, hot tub and over-sized dressing room.
• This Dorset Vermont home features a spectacular oval-shaped dressing room.

Here are some wonderful dressing room links to inspire you:
The Enchanted Home
Architectural Digest
Fabulous Dressing Rooms and Closets

Dressing room images credit: www.theenchantedhome.blogspot.com

While many of the Vermont residential properties I represent feature open meadows (like this Chittenden property on Dam Road) and lakefront (like this historic home in Bridport), the frosty air made me think of the woods and wood stoves. These Vermont homes with sugar houses aren’t all in Addison County, but they do offer terrific Vermont mixed terrain, acreage and maple stands. Some might think it blasphemous, but sugar maples are a good source for heat, a fact that becomes more and more important with the approach of winter weather.

This winter poem by Vermont poet David Budbill, “Into the Winter Woods” might get you into the mood:

The Eastern Wild Turkey, the one we see so often in Vermont, is the most abundant of all species of wild turkey. In the 1800s, extensive forest clearing and the spread of agriculture pushed Vermont’s wild turkeys to extinction. They were first reintroduced in 1969 and fortunately have made a prodigious come back. They are now widespread in our state’s deciduous forests.

According to Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, the best turkey habitat in Vermont is in the Champlain Valley and in the southeastern and southwestern parts of the state. A turkey needs several types of habitat within its range:

• Forests which include trees that produce nuts for food, large trees for roosting, and evergreens for winter cover. Southern slopes are preferred because they are warmer in the winter and have less snow accumulation.
• Open fields provide nesting sites and insects during the summer
• Croplands provide forage for food
• Tall grass and shrubs provide both feeding habitat as well as areas for hiding nests

According to American history, Benjamin Franklin preferred the turkey over the eagle as our nation’s emblem. In a 1784 letter to his daughter he wrote:

For my own part I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral character. He does not get his Living honestly. You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.

With all this Injustice, he is never in good Case but like those among Men who live by Sharping & Robbing he is generally poor and often very lousy. Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District. He is therefore by no means a proper Emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America who have driven all the King birds from our Country…(source: wikipedia.org)

According to the Vermont MLS, Addison County has some wonderful homes with formal dining rooms. Among Vermont real estate currently on the market, my favorite dining room is this one in this home on Mountain Road in Addison, Vermont. The kitchen here is spectacular, sunny and spacious. The kitchen island is perfect for cooking and entertaining (all the action at a celebration takes place in the kitchen anyway). I’d love to cook a Thanksgiving meal here with friends and family. Click either image below for full listing details.

The exposed beams over the table lend a wonderful sense of history to this wonderful formal dining room.	Sunny and beautiful, this Addison County gourmet kitchen is fully equipped and perfectly appointed.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

turkey image credit: www.nwtf.org