New Rug!

Hooray, we finally got a rug for the living room! It finally feels (fairly) complete. We still have some little tables to buy and pictures to put on the walls, but it feels like a real room now.

We got the rug from homedecorators.com, which has proven to be a pretty great resource for us. We also got our TV cabinet, standing/reading lamp from them, and now we're waiting for our new dining room chandelier.

It was also a relief, because we weren't sure what colors would look good...I've gone with a semi-monochromatic look (notice how most things in here are blue?) with highlights of yellowy-gold (the couch) and the complementary color of orange (the copper of the top of the coffee table).

Anyway, the rug looks fab with it all, I think. If you disagree, don't tell me!

New Job

I started my job yesterday.

Back to the world of schools, children and perfecting my "scary" face (a.k.a. my "stop-talking-now-or-I-will-call-your-parents-and-make-your-world-hellish" face).

It was great to be back working. I'm working at two elementary schools here in Easthampton. Today I'll have my first day at a different school than yesterday. I get such butterflies in my stomach anytime I have to start something - anything - new; I just hate it. But yesterday went well and I'm sure today will, too. It's just the getting into the routine process.

It's really starting to feel like fall here in the Pioneer Valley, too. I always sleep with the windows open and there's such a chilly breeze coming through in the morning, it definitely feels like the start of the school year.

You can practically smell October and Halloween creeping up.

I love it.

Vacation at Home Reflection

Our "Vacation at Home" has just finished, and we had a great time. Edith was here staying with us for a time, so she embarked on some of these journey as well.

Thursday we went for lunch at La Casita Azteca in Easthampton, my favorite local mole place. Afterward we did a relatively brief (45 mins) walk on Mt. Tom, then we went to the Montague Bookmill, which was pretty awesome.

Friday Andy and I headed off for Quabbin Reservoir, planning to do a nice big hike and give Vivi some great exercise. Of course, as soon as we got there (about a 30 min drive) we saw the sign: NO DOGS ALLOWED. Ugh. So, we'll return some other time (though I did get to snap a couple pictures from the entrance), and instead went for a walk in some off-season fishing and hunting area. Not the same, but good nonetheless. Later we stopped at a roadside stand for fried clam rolls. Yum!

Saturday was rainy and crappy, so we went to Ikea. It was an hour and twenty minute drive, since the closest one is in New Haven, CT.

Andy, Edith and I decided to make the most of it, and stopped to get pizza at Frank Pepe pizza on Wooster St, which is supposedly the greatest pizza ever, but the line was long, we were cold and starving, so we went to a lesser known spot a couple blocks down and surely had lesser food. Ah, well. Then we bought stuff at Ikea, went home and vegged for the rest of the night.

Sunday we all went to some yard sales, but the only thing purchased was a children's book called Tea with an Old Dragon: A Story of Sophia Smith, Founder of Smith College for a buck. We dropped Edith back at home, then Andy and I went to Bub's BBQ for lunch. It was AWESOME. Great, smoky pulled pork sandwiches, awesome BBQ Ranch beans, everything was great. I'm so happy this place is open year round, and in our area.

After lunch we went for what ended up being a crazy steep and semi-difficult hike to Rattlesnake Knob in Amherst, where it was all worth it for the view. Needless to say, Vivi and I were dead for the rest of the night.

Finally yesterday we saw "Inglourious Basterds" which was okay, but I didn't like it as much as so many other people. The beginning was promising, with the conversation
at the French dairy farm that was reminiscent of "Reservoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction." ("Pulp Fiction" is also Andy's favorite movie.) But Andy and I both felt the second half (after the scene in the pub) dragged. There was still good stuff, but once again I had high expectations that I feel weren't met (sadly I felt the same about "Julie and Julia"). Ah, well.

The awesome news for yesterday, though, was that we found Banh Mi in the Pioneer Valley!! We randomly went for lunch at Miss Saigon in Amherst and there on the door was a sign that they were making Banh Mi. We are suckers for these Vietnamese sandwiches, which have gotten so popular lately, and after trying them in NY, I had searched and searched for them here and found nothing. And they were good! I'm seriously considering stopping for another one for lunch today. We'll see.

Now, it's kind of back to the grind. Andy's back at work, and I'm prepping for next Tuesday, my first day back at work since June 2008! Weird. And exciting.

How are you spending the last days of the summer?

Day Trips & Fun Spots in the Pioneer Valley

Andy has four days off next week. We'd initially thought we'd make a trip to the Cape at some point, but because of various life things right now I suggested we do a "vacation at home" instead.

So, instead of spending the money to go away and stay in a hotel AND pay for every meal, we'll stay here at home but do vacation-y, explorer-y trips each day.

After all, we've lived here in Easthampton since June and really haven't explored much, like Mt. Tom or anything. We just went to Look Park in Northampton for the first time on Monday!

With this plan we can also actually splurge on a few nice restaurants and maybe even buy some "souvenirs" in our travels, AND get some exercise AND have fun in the nature and towns of the Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts.

I was reading a recent post in a great local blog, in the valley, that has some amazing pictures from Mt. Pollux (click on that link to see them). So, I think we might try that for a picnic one (clear) evening. The sky from that spot just looks breathtaking!

Also on my list is the Montague Bookmill, which sounds very exciting to me, and the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst. Have I mentioned I'm an English Teacher? This is the stuff that gets me going!

(Now that I think of it, Mark Twain's house is in CT... maybe I should see how long the drive is?)

If you know of any fun places to go to see, eat, enjoy - whatever - anywhere here in the Pioneer Valley, please suggest it!!

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!