Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/438368
136 an orchard apple picking with a chef before heading back to the kitchen to learn how to make a perfect pie, as well as off-site guided excursions to places like local breweries. Like many eateries these days, The Essex's signa - ture restaurant, Junction, has a farm-to-table theme, "but the twist here is that it's an open kitchen and the chef is actually your guide for the evening," Glanville says. The chef interacts with diners during their meal, walking them through the menu and providing in - sights into how the dishes were created and sourced. There's also a lot to do at The Essex beyond simply eating and drinking. "We infuse culinary [inspiration] into a lot of the things that we do," Glanville says, pointing, for instance, to the resort's spa, where treatments might incorporate locally sourced herbs. The resort also of - fers on-site hot-air ballooning, a ropes course, snow- shoeing, golf, tennis, bike rentals, and s'mores making by the bonfire, not to mention easy access to nearby Lake Champlain and six different ski resorts. The Essex, Vermont's Culinary Resort & Spa, 70 Essex Wy., Essex (Burlington), VT, 802-878-1100, essexresortspa.com CAVALLO POINT: THE LODGE AT THE GOLDEN GATE A stay at Cavallo Point Lodge in Sausalito, California, combines postcard-perfect views of San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge with luxury, style, and a wide range of culinary experiences at the lodge's on- site cooking school. The bright, sunny 1,200-square- foot Cavallo Point Cooking School offers a variety of classes for guests, with an emphasis on local ingredi - ents sourced from nearby farms and sustainable sup- pliers, many of which have close relationships with the cooking school. Classes run the gamut from holiday baking to the ins and outs of whiskey, and many go beyond simple demonstration, sending guests home with things like the cookies they baked during class or kits for mixing killer cocktails at home. Some classes also incorpo - rate multicourse meals into the experience, allowing guests to indulge in Tuscan- or Spanish-themed din- ners after they've learned the basics of those cuisines. Cavallo Point Lodge also has on its property two restaurants that are popular with both guests and lo- cals. Murray Circle Restaurant focuses on relaxed fine dining, whereas Farley Bar allows guests to kick back with small plates and cocktails, as well as live music every Monday night. in-depth PLACES