Dirty Dancing

Although I have lived in New England for over 2 years, I have not done much traveling within and explored much more then my somewhat close surroundings. I have driven through many of the nearby states, but very rarely actually stopped and explored.

This past weekend I ventured 1.5 hours away to New London, NH and Little Lake Sunapee where a friend has a lake house. The drive there was amazing...through the mountains and lush green acres of Vermont and New Hampshire, past little cottages with rusty tractors and stray cats, brooks and streams, locals walking their dog and waving to all passersby, little stores and delis.

We rolled up to the house in the early afternoon. Now, I have to quickly back-up to about .5 miles before the house...this is where "Dirty Dancing" comes in. My friend's house is within a place called "Twin Lake Village" and as you turn in, you pass the golf course, the main hall, tennis courts, shuffle board, little golf shop and other cabins. TLV officially opens in 2 weeks and when it does, it is full-on Dirty Dancing. Families have essentially time-shares at the cabins and come the same week every summer. My friends family has owned their house for 2 generations and are just at the edge of the village so can come any time they want. TLV vacationers enjoy the variety of outdoor activities including lawn games, shuffleboard and tennis, golf, nature walks, the dock and all the lake has to offer as well as visiting with their neighbors. Every evening a different cabin hosts cocktail hour prior to the dining hall ringing the dinner bell. Dinner includes mandatory dress-up and arriving on-time. There are themed parties and dances all summer long. Loves are formed, memories made, generation after generation summer there. The history behind it is not only adorable, but steeped in tradition. My friend's parents actually met there while working there one summer. We flipped through photo books at her house and laughed over photos of her parents and grandparents at various theme parties, dances, and sunny afternoons at TLV. There was something magical about that place.

It is no wonder why so many people have summer homes in New England. It really is "gods country".