Adventures in Bennington, VT & Williamstown, MA

Andy and I recently had the day off (well, he did; I, of course, seem to be on an eternal work vacation - but I AM looking!) and decided to go to Bennington, Vermont for a hike and then lunch.

I knew of Bennington because it's the home of Bennington College, a small writing college that I briefly had an obsession with attending. Bret Easton Ellis went there (author of American Psycho, which has scenes based in Harry's in NYC, the real restaurant where Andy and I worked and met one another).

If I visited Bennington, VT when I was looking at the school, I have no memory of it. So, always eager to explore new college towns, Andy and I were super excited to go there.

We went for a brief walk in Woodford State Park, on a rough, woody trail that surrounded the lake but on which you couldn't see the lake. Sad.

Unfortunately, the climbing, stretching and reaching I had to do on the trail seemed to upset my rib injury I'd acquired the previous week (from a fouled up, wine-induced jumping photo op that only caused me to fall flat on my face and - as I learned the day after this hike when I finally gave in and went to the ER - a cracked rib). So we turned around and instead sat and looked at the lake.

Then we went into town. There was a potential for a very cute town - there was a clear main street with shops and it was okay looking... but ultimately none of the restaurants (there weren't many - a couple of pubs and a couple cafes) had a menu that looked interesting and good. It was just the same old stuff served anywhere - a cobb salad, a bowl of chili, blah blah blah. We had a beer at a brewery and cruised over (took an awesome scenic route) to Williamstown, MA, where we'd had relatively good sushi at Sushi Thai Garden Restaurant.

After our failed attempt at sushi in Lenox, we've found ourselves at Sushi Thai Garden a couple times. The sushi is fine, and the prices aren't insane. Their lunch menu is a little limited, but overall it satisfies the sushi urge. Even though on this day I ordered the Box 4 special which is served in a big wooden boat. Kinda embarrassing. Kinda cool, though, too, so I'm not (really) complaining.
















Picture of me & Andy: I look miserable - rib injuries are REALLY painful!




Picture of me at the hospital the next day, waiting for my x-rays.

Although I look pathetic I think I look super cute in hospital robes, which makes me excited that I recently applied for some jobs where I would wear scrubs. The same thing? Not really, but both equally comfortable!

Sad Passing

To my Aunt Ramona, one of my top followers on here, and a woman unlike anyone else, ever.

Tough and sweet all rolled into one, long nails and that constant "umm hmm" that will forever keep you with me, and with all of us in this crazy family.

It's hard to think of you as gone. We love you.

Eating Out in Easthampton!

Yesterday we went to La Casita Azteca in Easthampton and it was AWESOME!

We shared the chicken Enchiladas con Mole, which were fresh and good, and the mole was truly amazing. So rich and flavorful and great. We also had a couple Dos Equis and the whole thing came to $15. We sat outside, despite clouds. It was nice and chill. I also loved the kid (he was probably 30) who was working there, he was adorable. And yes, I realize I sound like my mother when I say this. (Shut up.)

Then we went to Mt. Tom's Homemade Ice Cream & Candy Store and had some great hard-serve (is that what it's called? It wasn't soft serve...) Coffee Heath Bar frozen yogurt. Yum! This was an extra treat for me, because although I'd never been there, I have been reading the owner's blog for months, since we decided we'd be moving to the area.

Mt. Tom's is a super cute shop and was equally chill and relaxing, and I know I'll be back, with or without Andy. If not for ice cream, then for coffee, which they appear to serve as well.

This was our first foray into eating out in Easthampton (aside from that one day at Subway), and we're psyched, since this is our new home (closing date is T-minus 11 days!).

Great food in Easthampton - right on!

Just the (Food) Facts

I tend to get annoyed by my own writing, and often lose steam halfway through most things I'm trying to focus on.

This is true especially when I write about restaurants or food.

I want to share my experience with you... but I also like to cut to the chase and just get the info out there.

I've never been one for flowery writing or poetry - from a young age I found a soul mate in writers like Charles Bukowski - those who don't mince words and who tell it like it is.

That said, I'll be sharing some food experiences in this whole new world of Western Massachusetts. Short, painless, and straightforward. (Here's a recent one.)

Be prepared!

Spring Cleaning

Now that it's warmer out (and despite today's rain clouds here in Pittsfield), I felt the need to transition from the glamor and glitz of my old template to the calm floweriness of this new design. It's like Spring cleaning for my blog.

This is Andy's last day of "vacation" - he's had five days off surrounding Memorial Day, so it has felt like a vacation - and although it's rainy and we're all in a tizzy trying to find a good, cheap and reputable moving company this morning, we're determined to enjoy ourselves on this last day. I'm off to make plans now.

How are you enjoying this Wednesday? Is it cloudy where you are?

"I'll Be Back"...

When Christian Bale, "John Connor," said that in "Terminator Salvation," which I saw today, I was the only one who laughed. Andy chuckled. Seriously, hadn't the other four movie watchers lived through the nineties?

Weird.

(And by the way, I was totally disappointed in the movie. Sad. I wanted to like it.)

ANYWAY, it's true. I will be back. I've been away for two weeks, and Andy's off for the next two, so I'm trying to have quality time. I'll write soon.

Have a great Memorial Day!