April's newsletter

APRIL'S NEWSLETTER ATA's 2016 season runs May 20th through October 10th ________________________________________ We are currently taking reservations for the 2016 season and have limited room's available August 19th-21st. Appalachian Trail Adventures (ATA) offers a distinctive adventure vacation with guided daily hiking, kayaking, and caving in the Green Mountains of Vermont that targets families and individuals who are adventurers, families, and those seeking an active vacation, including hikers who do not feel comfortable hitting the trails alone. ATA provides an affordable all-inclusive hiking or fitness vacation giving a real Vermont outdoor adventure. That's why it has the best hiking vacation at the lowest possible prices, starting at $232.00 per night, per person, including taxes and gratuities. Unlike most spas, ATA's owner John Keough is engaged daily with the guests, encouraging them on the trail and kayaking. ATA offers a variety of options to help customize one's vacation. The most common is the Hiking Vacation that consists of an air-conditioned room with three daily spa meals, snacks, a guided novice, intermediate or advanced hike and an afternoon of kayaking, an excursion or caving. Massages, yoga classes and tennis lessons are available a la carte. 2016 Hiking Vacation Rates Nightly rates are per person, including taxes and gratuity. The Hiking Vacation consists of an air conditioned room at the Summit Lodge with three daily spa meals; snacks; guided novice, intermediate or advanced hike; and an afternoon of kayaking, caving or an excursion. Massages ($75.00+), yoga classes ($30.00), tennis lessons ($70.00) are available a la carte. Single Occupancy Double Occupancy 1-2 NIGHTS $270.00 $245.00 3-6 NIGHTS $265.00 $241.00 7+ NIGHTS $259.00 $232.00 ________________________________________ Poses by Pistacchio Yoga and Hiking Retreat from June 10th-12th Coming Home to New England Means Teaming Up With Old Friends Living abroad is certainly a memorable experience, one that I wouldn't change for the world. However, I'm a New England kid, born and raised in Rhode Island, and over the course of the years have managed to live and work in all six New England states. New England has a certain charm to it, that I really can't find anywhere else in the world and I'm very excited to share some of my favorite spots with you. This June, I will be teaming up with John at Appalachian Trail Adventures to show you around one of New England's treasures, the Green Mountains. Yoginis and hikers of all skill levels are welcome to join this all-inclusive yoga retreat. Each class is designed to open your body, loosen your joints and ease tensions. Delicious meals nourish and sustain you, while meditation and yoga take you to a deep state of inner peace. This isn't a typical, strict, back-to-back yoga retreat, but more of a yogic holiday escape, so feel free to indulge in a dessert or a glass of wine as well! Be as relaxed or as active as you like during your vacation with optional activities such as, silent walks, kayaking, private yoga sessions a massage. There is still space in my Beginner's Yoga workshop next weekend. Share your love of yoga with a friend; this is a great way to discover the practice of yoga. The Yoga and Hiking Retreat will take place June 10th-12th, 2016. There will be 4 yoga sessions and 2 hikes with lodging at the Summit Lodge in Killington, Vermont. Check out www.posesbypistacchio.com for more details or call John at Appalachian Trail Adventures. ________________________________________ The Summit Lodge Exciting news the Summit Lodge has been sold! Appalachian Trail Adventures can't wait to begin our new partnership. The perfect fit with the new owners Emmett O'Dwyer and his wife Laura. Emmett and Laura O'Dwyer are moving to Vermont with their 2-year-old daughter, Orlaith from South Florida. However, Emmett is originally from Ireland, Laura from Pittsburgh. Emmett has over 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. A big part of the O'Dwyer family decision to move here was personal. They love the community, local schools and family values, in addition to the business opportunity. http://mountaintimes.info/summit-lodge-is-sold/ Allot is planned over the next few years but for guests this year, the main things they will notice are as follows: High speed internet due to the installation of fiber optic link to the summit and the installation of a new data suite POS System for the bar and restaurant which will help with speed and clarity whilst ordering food and drink New Flooring and a general tidy up in the large family room Continuing service on the front desk so it will not be left empty at any time when we are open New Poolside furniture Repairs are being made to all of the slate around the pool and steps in order to make it safer The dogs will not be with us this year as they belong to Billy Bauer and will be moving with him as I am going through this transition my family and I will not have dogs at the lodge at this time. We will be continuing to upgrade all services at the Summit Lodge as we go forward trying to achieve most of the renovations in our shut down periods so as not to affect our guests stay Long considered Killington's classic four-season resort hotel, the Summit Lodge is an ideal destination for your Vermont vacation that is why ATA has chosen it for their home base. Located in the heart of Killington, the lodge is situated high on a private knoll with magnificent views of Vermont's second highest mountain and the surrounding Green Mountains. With eleven acres and forty-five comfortable rooms, the facilities and grounds are extensive including an outdoor heated pool, Jacuzzi whirlpool, saunas, three tennis courts, massage therapy, a library, two restaurants and bars, duck pond, game room, a bocci court, horseshoes and shuffleboard. A sit down breakfast and a bag lunch are supplied by the Summits chef, while dinner is served at the Foundry Restaurant. ________________________________________ The Foundry Restaurant The Foundry Restaurant's Executive Chef Sean Miller has created a delicious spa menu for ATA hikers who are seeking healthier meals. The menu is able to cater to special dietary restrictions such as vegan, low sugar, sodium-, wheat- and dairy-free options. This enables ATA to accommodate couples, athletes, weight loss vacationers, as well as all those with no dietary restrictions who seek to eat healthily. Located on the banks of the Summit Pond, The Foundry offers a distinct year-round dining experience. In addition to the ATA hikers' menu, The Foundry offers two menu options: an American Bistro-Style menu in its formal dining room, as well as a more casual Tavern menu in the bar. Their impeccable chef-driven cuisine provides guests the finest cuts of prime meats, fresh seafood, homemade pastas and much more. They use the freshest ingredients to create mouthwatering appetizers, flavorful side dishes and irresistible desserts, designed to engage all of your senses. The Foundry experience focuses on providing un-paralleled hospitality in a warm and relaxing setting. In addition to its dining options, The Foundry offers live entertainment regularly and is host to many of the area's events. ________________________________________ Aeolus the beagle update: One of the last days with snow cover it rained, later that night it froze and the next day my yard was ice skating rink. Poor little Aeolus couldn't get around to go the bathroom. He was trying to dig his nails in but it was too slick, I tried not laugh but was unsuccessful. Then with the warmer weather, we had no excuses and have been going to dog park weekly. One day there were 23 dogs, it was a sight to see. One of funniest things I've seen Aeolus do was an accidently backflip. I was giving him a raw hide bone and he was jumping up at me trying to get it. His back paws slipped on the kitchen floor, in a split second he did a back flip. However, it didn't faze him, Aeolus was right back after the bone. One of ATA's hiking guides stopped over for a visit and thought he was getting "chubby". I think Aeolus feelings were hurt, that poor little puppy. I guess we need to do more walks in the off season Aeolus is named after a cave where myself and a friend dug open a blocked passage discovering the largest cave in New England back in 2000. The cave is located just north of Manchester, VT and named after the mountain, Mount Aeolus. Aeolus or Eolus (Greek: Aiolos [jjolos]), was the Custodian of the winds in Greek mythology. A minor deity, he is the son of a king called Hippotes, and lived on one of the rocky Lipara islands, close to Sicily. In the caves on this island were imprisoned the winds, and Aeolus, directed by the higher gods, let out these winds as soft breezes, gales, or whatever the higher gods wished. Being visited by the Greek hero Odysseus, Aeolus received him favorably, and on the hero's departure presented Odysseus with a bag containing all the adverse winds, so that his friend might reach Ithaca with a fair wind. Odysseus did as Aeolus bid, but in sight of his homeland, having been untroubled by foul weather, he fell asleep and his men, curious, opened the bag, thus releasing all the fierce winds, which blew their ship far off course (Odyssey X, 2; Vigil I, 52). ________________________________________ Hiking Tip: Pre-hiking Conditioning and Strength Imagine that you're a thigh muscle and how about one of the quadriceps. You've been at rest in the passenger seat of a car for the last two hours, while traveling to a trailhead. Now you're headed toward that trailhead. You'll be expected to perform maximally without complaint for the next four hours, with only brief rest stops. What would be your dearest wish as you head out? A good long stretch, of course. Muscles are what I regard as the faithful dogs of the body, you may ask or demand, they oblige. It's unkind to ask these faithful servants to go to work without a good stretch, both before and after a hike. Quick and easy hiker's stretches will keep your muscles less prone to aches the next day. Proper body mechanics are important for avoiding backaches or neck strain. Water intake and conditioning also play a role. How to keep your muscles in shape for hiking? Cross training can be useful: biking (indoors when the weather is crummy), swimming and dancing. Brisk daily thirty minute walks, including some inclines and uneven terrain (avoid pavement, in other words), keep up my lung capacity and muscle tone. Two or three times a week, schedule permitting, Include resistance training and weight lifting and listening to music or news programs keeps it from getting dull. I try to park far away from store entrances, use the stairs, never use the elevator and walk up escalators. The hidden motive here is injury prevention. Injuries rob you of trail time and enjoyment of your favorite activities. Invest some time now in pre-hiking conditioning and strength building, so you can enjoy trail time into your golden years. ________________________________________ ATA's Dvd Recommendation: DIVE! Digging into the hidden recesses of the American food industry, this eye-opening documentary reveals the appalling amount of edible, nutritious goods that are thrown away and wasted every day in a nation where millions of citizens still go hungry. Inspired by a curiosity about our country's careless habit of sending food straight to landfills, the multi award-winning documentary DIVE! Follow filmmaker Jeremy Seifert and friends as they dumpster dive in the back alleys and gated garbage receptacles of Los Angeles' supermarkets. In the process, they salvage thousands of dollarsª worth of good, edible food resulting in an inspiring documentary that is equal parts entertainment, guerilla journalism and call to action ________________________________________ Healthful Living Tips: Healthful Living Recipe: Health Reasons to Drink Coffee Find out the health benefits beyond why you should be drinking coffee. Over 18,000 studies have looked at coffee use in the past few decades. Lately more and more are reporting real health benefits for coffee drinkers but they must be balanced against the brew's possible bitter effects, especially in higher, caffeinated doses. An ideal "dose" of java is hard to determine, since peopleªs perceptions of "a cup of coffee" vary as widely as coffee-mug sizes do. But the good news is that many of the benefits are associated with around two to four (8-ounce) cups a day and thatªs what most Americans drink anyway," notes Joe Vinson, Ph.D., a coffee expert at the University Of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Some intriguing findings: Health Benefit 1. Brain Gains: Moderate coffee drinking between 1 and 5 cups daily may help reduce risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, as well as Parkinson's disease, studies suggest. Coffee's antioxidants may prevent some damage to brain cells and boost the effects of neurotransmitters involved in cognitive function, say experts. Preliminary studies have noted that as coffee (or tea) intake rises, ¬incidence of glioma, a form of brain cancer, tends to drop. Some researchers speculate that compounds in the brews could activate a DNA repairing protein in cells possibly preventing the DNA damage that can lead to cells becoming cancerous. Defeating Diabetes: Studies link frequent coffee consumption 4 cups per day or more with a lowered risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Scientists suspect that antioxidant compounds in coffee cholorogenic acid and quinides may boost cells sensitivity to insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar. While most of the research did'nt assess whether the brews were caffeinated, decaf may be even better, since other studies have found that caffeine tends to blunt the insulin-sensitivity boost. Some studies show that moderate coffee drinkers (1 to 3 cups per day have lower rates of stroke than non-coffee-drinkers; coffee's antioxidants may help quell inflammations damaging effects on arteries. Some researchers speculate that the compounds might boost activation of nitric oxide, a substance that widens blood vessels, lowering blood pressure. More java isnt better: a 5 cup or more daily habit is associated with higher heart disease risks. Researchers ¬believe excessive caffeine may sabotage the antioxidants effects Health Benefit 4. Liver Lover: Though the research is limited at best, it appears that the more coffee people drink, the lower their incidence of cirrhosis and other liver diseases. One analysis of nine studies found that every 2 cup increase in daily coffee intake was associated with a 43 percent lower risk of liver cancer. Possible explanation: caffeine and antioxidant chlorogenic and caffeic acids in coffee might prevent liver inflammation and inhibit cancer cells. ________________________________________ Healthful Living Recipe: Low-Calorie Muffin Recipes: Lemon-Cranberry Muffins This healthy muffin recipe is a satisfying breakfast for 350 calories or less. Whether you're baking fresh muffins on the weekend or are looking for a quick and easy breakfast to grab and go, this low calorie muffin recipe are the perfect healthy breakfast. These lemony cranberry-studded muffins crunch lightly with cornmeal and are topped with a kiss of sugared lemon zest. They're great warm from the oven, but also keep well for a few days and freeze beautifully. + cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided + cup nonfat plain yogurt 1/3cup canola oil 1 large egg 3 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest, divided 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups white whole-wheat flour (see Note) 1/2 cup cornmeal, preferably medium or fine stone-ground 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen (thawed), coarsely chopped (see Tip) Preheat oven to 400¬F. Coat 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups with cooking spray or line with paper liners. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, yogurt, oil, egg, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the yogurt mixture and fold until almost blended. Gently fold in cranberries. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining l teaspoon lemon zest in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the tops of the muffins. Bake the muffins until golden brown and they spring back lightly to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Make Ahead Tip: Individually wrap in plastic and freeze in a freezer bag for up to 1 month. To reheat frozen muffins, remove plastic, wrap muffin in a paper towel and microwave on High for 30 to 60 seconds. | Equipment: Muffin tin with 12 (1/2-cup) cups Note: White whole-wheat flour, made from a special variety of white wheat, is light in color and flavor but has the same nutritional properties as regular whole-wheat flour. It is available at large supermarkets and natural-foods stores and online at bobsredmill.com or kingarthurflour.com. Store it in the freezer. Tip: To make quick work of chopping cranberries, place whole berries in a food processor and pulse a few times until the berries are coarsely chopped Nutrition Per muffin: 187 calories; 7 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 18 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 10 g added sugars; 4 g protein; 3 g fiber; 255 mg sodium; 96 mg potassium, Carbohydrate Servings: 2. ________________________________________ ATA's Recent Press Release Vermont's premier hiking spa Appalachian Trail Adventures announces an affordable hiking and kayaking vacation for the spring, summer and fall, please visit PRWEB to read the release ________________________________________ ATA's Facebook & YouTube Links ATA's Facebook page helps guests keep in touch and recommend us to their friends. Check out ATA's Facebook Page for weekly photos, videos and our YouTube Page. ________________________________________