The Balsams, Dixville Notch NH

Dixville Notch is that famous little town whose ballots (all 28 or so of them) are the first to be cast and counted in the Presidential elections. It's a tiny gem in this hectic technological world. It's comprised of a grand old rickety hotel, a ski slope, a golf course I presume and a few houses somewhere. Although it doesn't look Swiss, the setting is Alps-like.

I squeezed in a pre-Christmas trip to this far away, mystical ski resort many years ago. It was cold, bitterly cold and the sun hung low in the sky casting soothing late afternoon long shadows well before noon. The sky was pinkish/blue and the low sun made the snow sparkle. The ambiance was phenomenal.

Make sure you spend some quality time in the lodge too. I nabbed a quintessential rocking chair by the big stone fireplace and basked in the warm, welcomed heat.