Last week I had the pleasure of exploring the Nashoba Valley area (and beyond) with my mom. She’s an artist and the area is culture-rich so we treated it as a mini artist retreat, exploring sculpture gardens, sketching, and enjoying wine at the local vineyards. Because, you know, wine is an essential part of the creative process.
Where to Stay
The newly rebuilt Groton Inn hosted us for the visit and it was spectacular to be able to see the restoration first hand. The Inn was one of the oldest continuously running Inns in the country (established in 1678). It tragically burned down a few years ago and has been meticulously rebuilt to merge its original history and charm with modern, luxury amenities. As a lover of both history and luxury, I found it to be unparalleled in the area.
Art abounds even here, with a gallery of local arts in one of the Inn’s hallways and historic clocks on loan from a local antique dealer. When we weren’t admiring the artistic touches we were cozied up by the fireplace, of which there are several. There’s really nothing like a glass of red and good book by the fire once the weather gets cool.
Stay tuned for a separate post next week exclusively featuring our time at the Groton Inn.
What to Do
The three primary attractions in Nashoba Valley are vineyards, art galleries, and antique shops. In other words it was my dream trip. One of our favorite stops was the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. I’ve always wanted to go but as a car-less reporter it’s tough for me to make the journey. The sculpture park is otherworldly. A lush landscape teaming with exquisite pieces of work, it transports you into a sort of wonderland of sculpture. We spent hours walking the grounds, my mom sketching and me taking pictures. It was a nice way to re-inspire our creative practices.
We also had a tour at the Gropius House, the historic home of Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus art and design movement. It was amazing. The home is preserved exactly as the family lived in it from 1938-1974. It even has their possessions still in place. It’s astounding that such a contemporary vision was used in interior design that early in the twentieth century. So many of the elements we witnessed wouldn’t come in to popularity in interiors for decades.
I highly, highly recommend both of these attractions if you’re visiting the area. They’re about 40 minutes by car from Groton but it’s so worth the trip. And they’re right down the road from each other so it’s two-for-one. Be sure to make an appointment for the Gropius House in advance, especially during the winter they mostly operate on a case-by-case basis. If you’re only interested in the sculpture park at the deCordova then go on Monday or Tuesday when the museum is closed, admittance to the park is free on those days. If you want to visit the museum plan for later in the week.
For antique shopping a good place to start is the Hobart Antique Mall in neighboring Townsend. It’s an indoor marketplace that has over 80 antiques vendors under one roof. I will note that there isn’t much in way of clothing, only some sparse accessories. But there’s a lot of china, books, furniture, art, and other items.
Where to Eat
Ah, my favorite category: food. We started our culinary journey at LaBelle Winery in Brookline, NH, just a 30-minute drive from the Groton Inn. I chose LaBelle because it’s female run by Amy LaBelle. She and her husband Cesar left their corporate jobs to start this vineyard as a passion project, now it’s blossomed into a huge enterprise with plans to expand into a hotel. You can really feel that commitment when you’re on site, it’s clear that this is a labor of love for everyone involved.
We had a tour of the vineyard as well as wonderful lunch in their bistro which recently debuted the fall/winter menu. We kicked off the meal with a cheese and charcuterie board (which feels basically mandatory at a winery). Then we sampled the ancho chili coffee rubbed ribeye which paired beautifully with the Malbec they had just released the day we arrived. We’re used to Argentine Malbecs but this was made with grapes from Washington state and had a very interesting depth to it. We both went home with a bottle.
A lot of wineries will invest all their interest in the vineyards and leave the restaurant as an afterthought. Not so with LaBelle. They locally source most ingredients from New England area producers and plan the menu to perfectly compliment the wine. They also make many of their accouterments in house, including a spicy mustard, a wine-infused blueberry jam, and the spices for a delectable warm mulled wine. They sell many of these items in the neighboring shop as well.
When we got to the Groton Inn we were wiped. After resting up in the historic surroundings we went for dinner at Forge and Vine the trendy, on-site restaurant located behind the Inn. The culinary team poached chefs from some of Boston’s best restaurants (L’espalier for example) and it shows. This restaurant could easily be on the streets of the city, it’s a truly artisanal experience from start to finish.
The interior is an industrial aesthetic with an open kitchen and a spacious bar. We went on a Monday night and it was absolutely packed. For dinner we sampled from a few different dishes: gorgonzola gnocchi with house-smoked bacon, shaved brussels, and sage cream; glazed pork belly and scallops with brussel-apple slaw, butternut squash, and picked golden raisins; chestnut arancini with butternut squash cream and brown butter chestnuts; and the rotisserie chicken (one of their specialties) with honey mustard brussels, butternut squash, and local mushrooms.
And that was just the main meal! I also had a very dynamic craft cocktail and we finished the evening with a dangerously good spice cake. This is definitely one of the culinary hotspots in Nashoba Valley; add it to the top of your list.
Another must in Groton is the Groton Station House, which just opened in the summer. It’s a family owned joint in a restored firehouse with an upscale, vintage vibe. The owners also have a farm in Groton and some of the ingredients come directly from their land. Most of the ingredients are otherwise locally sourced as well. According to one of the family members, that was never a question. Quality was always a top priority.
The seasonal menu is a dynamic mix of flavors but accessible to a large audience which is key. This is a restaurant that could work for families enjoying a meal out, date night at the old school style bar, or an after-hours business dinner all in one go. We had the Groton Center Farm salad (the family farm!) with local greens, strawberries, blueberries, beets, cave-aged sharp cheddar and honey champagne vinaigrette; lobster risotto with vegetable based creamy acquerello risotto with shrimp, lobster, corn and spinach; and wild mushroom ravioli with three seared scallops and tomatoes in grand marnier sauce. Our host had steak which I snuck a bite of and it was very well prepared, a tough feat in a busy kitchen!
What impressed me about the Groton Station House, in addition to the attentiveness of our host, was the attention to detail that went into every aspect of the experience. Unlike a chef centric restaurant where the menu is king, the Station House creates delicious meals in a historic environment for a wide range of diners. All of those elements matter. I can’t recommend it enough.
Groton and Nashoba Valley is only an hour away from Boston and it has so much to offer. Whether you’re interested in experiencing art, touring vineyards, hunting for high value antiques, or just relaxing in a country setting, this is the weekend getaway for you.
Please note: I was provided with complimentary goods and services by some of the above businesses, however, all opinions expressed are my own.