A Bit of a Break

It’s far from the famous beaches of the New Jersey Shore and not well-known to people south of New England: Lake Winnipesaukee is about 100 miles north of Boston in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire where the classic cinematic masterpiece “On Golden Pond” was filmed.

This massive island-studded glacial lake covers 69 square miles and is encircled by low-lying ranges south of the White Mountains which, in turn, lie about an hour or so ‘up north,’ as Granite State natives are fond of saying.

On the way up we spied license plates from states like Maryland and Virginia, but none from New Jersey. Nonetheless, the region is well-known in the New England states and in eastern Canada for its great vacation and recreational facilities. Despite the condition of the down-trodden economy nationally, recreational facilities of all types in this area seem to be doing well.

Last night at Canoe’s, a highly popular restaurant in Center Harbor, we made the mistake of pulling into the parking lot without a reservation: 45 minutes to wait for seating. Too hungry for that, we scooted down to the Town Docks in Meredith where all the outdoor tables were in use, but only a 15-minute wait.  If you like lobster at a reasonable price, this is one of the places to patronize.

A New England favorite is the ubiquitous lobster roll. No chintzy servings of that tasty crustacean are allowed – not if you want to stay in business, that is. Served in a plain hot dog roll which disappears under a mound of large, lightly seasoned lobster chunks, you get a treat that goes well with your favorite cold beverage.

Thanks for reading, and have a good rest-of-the summer. If you don’t hear from me as regularly in the next week or so, it’s because I’ll be chilling out.

Photo:  An early morning view from Black Cat Island into the wide-open expanse of Lake Winnipesaukee which stretches 21 miles long (by Dick Bergeron).