The Other Side of the Tracks

Holy Smokes. This weekend, serendipitously, a friend from the city needed a ride up to Lake Placid because they had traded their Vermont timeshare for a weekend stay at The Whiteface Lodge. This is one of those places that we had passed thousands of times on our way to the barn and sniffed our noses at these ridiculous fancy resorts and how they are ruining the feel of the Adirondacks. I am certainly glad I had never put those thoughts in writing because wowza, did we have fun. So as guests of our friends, we had full use of the facilities AND our friends were treating us to dinner at the restaurant. The boys ice skated at the private rink. They warmed themselves in the warming yurt with hot chocolate. They played pool and bowled in the private gaming room. They contemplated watching a movie in the...say it with me....private movie theatre. Meanwhile the adults hung by the incredible fireplace in the grandest of rooms and had civilized cocktails. The picture in the post is the outdoor lean-to where you can order cognac and cigars outside, next to the private rink. We then had a terrific dinner with great wine and ended our evening with s'mores (this was after four desserts btw) from one of the dozens of fire pits and bonfires throughout the property. My only regret is we didn't get a chance to swim in the heated, steamy outdoor pool. As my brother in law, Doug is fond of saying, "if rich people do it, chances are it's pretty fun." After our day of luxury and fun, we were still so excited to get back to our own estate, The Barn, with our private bathroom...which currently has a mystery leak. Neighbor Bill (and Doodle) to the rescue!