Douglas, MA and the family portion

Friday-Saturday, June 5-6. 

Family, friends and food. That pretty much sums up our time back in New England. 

The trip from Gettysburg to Dick and Dorothy's home in Douglas, MA, took us about 7 hours of (mostly) interstate highway driving. The trip was uneventful -- always a plus -- and the first two or three hours took us through more stunning Pennsylvania scenery. Susan and I have driven through the Keystone State many times but I can't recall being so struck by the luscious scenery and often dramatic vistas we were treated to this time.

Anyway, we arrived late afternoon and spent a lovely evening sipping chilled sparkling wine on their patio before another of Dor's scrumptious meals (stuffed shells à la Cathy Van Halsema).

We eased into Saturday morning with coffee and a light breakfast before heading out to Rhode Island for lunch. It has become a tradition of sorts for the four of us have lunch at the Matunuck Oyster Bar. Even though they are still in the construction phase of rebuilding after their fire of over a year ago they still pack 'em in and Dick had the foresight to make reservations. Anyway, the temporary tent system works fine and is close to the water which made the air inside cool and comfortable.

temporary quarters

Susan had a salad with grilled chicken and Dor had her favorite: lobster roll

Dick had three "stuffies" - stuffed Quahog clams 

I had a scrumptious clam chowder with a a glass of Alagash ale

Note in the photo above the Westminster Crackers. They're made in Rutland, VT where we lived for nearly a dozen years. Curiously enough we lived on Westminster Street in providence for eight years. 

After a leisurely lunch -- leisurely as some of you have discerned from many previous posts -- is how we like to travel. I suppose that explains why even when we travel to Europe we like to be independent, on our own schedule and not at the whim of someone else.

Anyway, from Matunuck and Rhode Island we crossed over into Connecticut. Dick drove us through a number of quintessential New England villages through the countryside as we made our way to Priam Vineyards. Part of the Connecticut Wine Trail, Priam is perched on a lovely bluff and provides outdoor and indoor seating. 

Dick and Dorothy choose a local chardonnay and Susie and I split a very generous four-wine flight  of local whites (including one rosé) -- which we thought just OK. We sat outside enjoying the sun, interessting conversation with table "neighbors" and very nice live acoustic guitar music.

From the vineyard we made our way to the town of Wethersfield in Connecticut where we were to meet up with the MacDonalds at Lucky Lou's Bar and Grill. Unfortunately Glen was under the weather but we were joined by niece Christina and daughter Kiera.

I had a delicious lamb gyro with potatoes (as did Christina), Susie had a chicken gyro, Kiera pasta and Dick and Dorothy each had a salad.

The food was tasty, the beer cold, the conversation warm and lovely. 

After dinner the six of us strolled around the village before saying our goodbyes. We had no sooner returned to our cars than a terrific wind, rain and thunderstorm pelted us as we left town. Whew talk about timing.

All-in-all a lovely day meandering through rolling hills, reconnecting with family, enjoying good food and fellowship. 

Tomorrow we return to Providence for lunch with friends Andrea and her mom Barbara and dinner at Dick and Dorothy's tomorrow night with niece Mallory and her dad Steele.

Keep travelin'!!

Back to Rhode Island again

 [Sunday 13 July] 

Today was our 2nd foray into Rhode Island this trip. 

After another leisurely morning over coffee in Douglas we headed south into Rhode Island about 1 pm. We had reservations to meet up with friends Andie and her mother Barbara at Bayberry Garden. Located on Dyer street in a complex of buildings dominated by Brown University's medical school, it was a short walk to one of my old offices. 

It was a gorgeous day, sunny and a bit warm but a nice breeze along the Providence River.

The six of us were seated straightaway and we enjoyed warm conversation catching up over very good food and a pitcher of Mimosas.

D & D's home

Bayberry Garden on Dyer Street

Shakshuka with grilled flatbread

Caesar Salad

After lunch the six of us walked across the street to browse the Sunday artists' market, which was in the throes of shutting down for the day. But it was nice to stroll along the river.

l-r: Andrea, Dick, Barbara, Dor, and Susie

Eventually we had to hug and say goodbye -- until the next time we return to Providence!

Once back in the car the four of us meandered through the back streets of south Providence eventually popping into the parking lot of our old place on Federal Hill. Not much had changed it seemed but we didn't stop to chat with any of the residents. Time to head home.

That evening we had another delicious salad à la Dorothy, made with her home-grown lettuce, cuke, tomatoes, and leftover roasted potatoes and flank steak, all nicely diced up. A wonderful ending to a very fine day indeed.

Hanging out in Massachusetts

  [Monday 14 July] 

Well actually we really spent the better part of today in Rhode Island and Connecticut. 

After a very leisurely morning of coffee and a light breakfast the four of us packed ourselves into D & D's car and, with Dick at the helm, off we went for our first adventure of the day. As you might expect, that involved food. 

Last year when we visited here the four of us had lunch at the Matunuck Oyster Bar in Matunuck, RI. (Susie and I had eaten here with friends Andrea ad Barbara back when we lived in Rhode Island.) Although none of us are particularly fond of oysters (the Phlegm family of food as Dave Barry referred to them) the location is lovely and the food very good.

Sadly, back in May of this year, there was an extensive fire which naturally caused the business to close. But not for long. They opened back up about two weeks ago under a large tent just across the road from their old building. They have food prep trailer close by and the best port-a-potties any of us have ever seen!

After dropping our car off with the valet (valet parking only) we walked across the road -- no jumping from the bridge of course -- and since we had reservations were seated straightaway.

The food was still scrumptious and the service spot on, as we expected. Dorothy had a lobster roll (a standard with her) while Dick had one of his favorites: a stuffie with a bowl of New England chowder. Susie and I each had the blackened chicken sandwich which was truly blackened low-country style.

waiting for the rebuild

the place was hoppin'

D & D just happy to be here

blackened chicken, yummmeeee

across the road from the big tent

temporary dining room

After a relaxing lunch, fueling us up for the next leg of the day, we drove out of Matunuck and eventually crossed over into Connecticut. (For those of you living in more wide open spaces, you must remember how close things are in New England.)

Our next destination was the village of Chester, CT. Located a stone's throw from the Connecticut River, it boasts the last remaining ferry on the river and is also home of the Gillette "Castle". More of that shortly.

After about an hour or so cruising the back roads of CT we pulled into Chester. But before stopping in town we drove the mile or so to check out the ferry crossing.

In the distance, we could see William Gillette's "castle" on the hill on the opposite side of and overlooking the river. We opted not to cross and check out the castle, today a state park, but you can find out more right here.

Osprey nest?

Gillette Castle up on the hill

In Chester itself we found parking plentiful and enjoyed a half hour so strolling this lovely, quaint village. We stopped for coffee at Simon's Marketplace along the Main street and were greeted by a trio playing a set of tunes reminiscent of folk singers Peter, Paul, and Mary.

Simon's Marketplace along Main Street

We made our way back to the highway and were soon off to Glastonbury and the MacDonald home for dinner. After another hour or so driving we found our way into town with the goal of locating the Whole Foods to pick up a prepared salad and a couple of bottles of wine. We found the store just fine but they didn't sell wine so Susie and I walked across the street to a liquor store and grabbed two bottles. Unfortunately they didn't have much of a deli section at Whole Foods and so off we went to the Highland Market (a Christina recommendation) where we picked up a large container of red bliss potato salad. 

A few minutes later we were ensconced on the patio at the MacDonald's with a glass of wine in hand. Christina put a plate of hummus with diced cucumber and tomatoes and olives which went like the proverbial hotcakes. Deeeelicious!

Liam was at home and Kiera arrived not long after we sat down. All of us spent a wonderful evening chatting, catching up on the latest developments in Lego Land and got to see Kiera's costume for the upcoming ConnectiCon (Connecticut's version of Comic Con) in Hartford. 

Dinner proved to be another outstanding home-cooked meal: flank steak on the grill, cheesy potatoes and potato salad (OK compliments of Highland Market). Dessert was a blueberry pie à la Christina and Liam's Rice Crispy Treats, the latter having just the right amount of chewiness I thought.

Eventually it was time for goodbye hugs. I have no idea when we'll see these guys again -- sooner than later I hope -- and will miss their company. The Bergman kids and their various spouses are always a joy to be around and their kids a special treat for us. 

Tomorrow the four of us meet up with old friends Andrea and her mom Barbara for lunch in Providence. Always food, of course.

 

Off to Massachusetts

 [Friday 11 July] 

After checking out of our hotel we were back on Route 4 heading into Rutland. But before we had gone 15 minutes we pulled off in Mendon to have breakfast at our old haunt Sugar & Spice. Located right at the junction of Route 4 and Meadow Lake Drive, the restaurant was a short drive from our old house in Chittenden.

Susan had a waffle with blueberries, a scrambled egg and side of bacon and I had a stack of pancakes with sausage. We thought the food rather mediocre, and Susie remarked she thought the waffle had an artificial off taste. But things, times, people and apparently food change.

I ate the bottom quarter of this stack thank you very much

It was a quick drive around Rutland, skirting the town via the backroads to the hospital and then beyond, eventually making our way to Route 7 south of town. Our destination, indeed our goal for coming to Vermont in the first place, was to pay our respects to Lena D. and so we did.

Her monument is high up in St. Patrick's cemetery in a spot that overlooks the valley below and the hills to the west, to the sunset.

After her family, the monument clearly illustrates the four things most important to Lena: her church (with which she involved herself deeply on many levels), quilting and doll making, the Boston Red Sox and her life as a caring, loving health care professional.

looking west

One of the wonderful things about strolling through a cemetery is that you never know who you might find. Like the Timbers family:

We left the cemetery a little before a graveside service was about to begin and made our way out of town on Route 140 to 103 in East Wallingford. From there we cruised along through Ludlow and pulled in to one of our frequent stops in years gone by, the antique shops at the Stone House in Chester. It's always fun to browse and the fact they have bathrooms is a plus.

Back on the road as we neared I-91, we had to make a stop at the Vermont Country Store in Rockingham. A Vermont staple, the store has sold everything from soup to nuts over the years and it's always fun to browse yet another "general  merchandise" establishment.

 

But we still had miles to go today so we were soon back on the road. We hopped on I-91 south and got off at Ingleside in Massachusetts to check out another old stop of ours: the Barnes and Noble Store.  As you can tell by now, this trip has been one of what I will call relaxed driving, taking time and not hurrying along. Travel can often be stressful when one has a set destination and wants to get there NOW. That wasn't our approach on this trip to New England and certainly not today.

From I-91 we switched to the Mass Pike (I-90) briefly before getting off on to I-291 and soon right onto Route 20 east.

We remained on Route 20 all the way to I-395, then south to Webster, switching to Route 16 which took us to Douglas and Dick and Dorothy's home.

Route 20, fluctuating between 2- and 4-lane, was naturally slow going with the occasional stoplight. And the route was a bit depressing as we passed many abandoned buildings, businesses that had come and gone, their spaces sitting unused, untended and apparently unwanted.

As we were driving along Susan thought out loud, wondering if the Brimfield Flea Market was underway - sure enough! We crawled our way through, the road going directly between the maze of tents selling all manner of junk and stuff, past stands selling lemonade and Italian sausages and what not to eat. 

But we weren't held up too long and soon found ourselves zipping along through Sturbridge (lots of past stops at Yankee Spirits there) ending up at D & D's a little after 4:00 pm.

After settling in, the four of us sat outside on their patio listening to the bubbling of their fountain and enjoying the peace and quiet of this place they have called home for nearly 30 years.

That evening we were treated to a delicious home-cooked meal: flank steak on the grill, roasted potatoes, and a scrumptious salad made with lettuce from their garden. A lovely ending to a wonderful day spent recapturing the past.

that's a home-cooked meal!

Tomorrow it's off to lunch at Matunuck Oyster Bar in RI and then on to Glastonbury, CT with some exploring of eastern CT in the bargain.

A Massachusetts Interlude

Friday was a very low-key day in Douglas. While I read and worked on the computer, the rest of the group worked outside, prepping various parts of D & D's garden for the summer. Susie spent quite a bit of time cleaning up the hydrangea bushes with Dick stacking his five cords of wood in their shed and Dorothy supervising all.

That evening we drove south to Warren, RI, for dinner with Andrea and Barbara at Metacom Kitchen. Susie and I had last eaten here in 2015 for my birthday (and what a wonderful experience that was); we were not disappointed this evening either.

The place looks small and nondescript but here as in much of life looks can be deceiving:

Everything was incredibly well-prepared and very tasty, from the opening cocktails to the apps of burrata, charred octopus, edamame and hummus to the various pastas and scrumptious desserts spoke to all of us. We have shared many meals together with the Feldmans when we lived in Providence and have rarely been disappointed. This evening remains one of the most culinary stellar experiences to be sure.

Saturday was leisurely for all of us, well for me at any rate. We're on vacation so there are no daily chores and it's nice to see Susie able to just enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. 

D & D had put together a lovely little picnic basket of coffee and banana bread for our meetup with Uncle Frank VH in Quincy. A little before 10am the four of us headed off into the greater Boston suburbs. Traffic was busy but not too bad for a Memorial Day weekend and we made good time driving to UF's place.

There were some open tables at the patio outside his building so we set up there while Dick tracked Frank down. It was good to see him again and that elfin smile was as bright as I remembered from past years and at times he seemed like his old self. He certainly enjoyed the house-brewed coffee and homemade treats and of course the company.

Our drive back home took us past Frank's house in Willow ave in Quincy before returning to the highway south. Although traffic was brisk, the drive went smoothly and we were back in Douglas, MA. After lunch and helping to set up the patio furniture Susie and I had our afternoon HB (thanks Sheldon!) followed by my taking a much-appreciated nap. . . For someone who has done very little these past couple of days my napping skills have grown immeasurably.

That evening we were joined for supper by former brother-in-law and stalwart human being Steele Shane. After sitting outside for an aperitif we moved indoors for a scrumptious dinner of grilled flank steak and lovely roasted baby potatoes. We all spent the remainder of the evening catching up with Steele and the journeys he has taken since last we saw him far too many years ago.

Warm conversation and good food have always been a hallmark at 51 Linden. Thanks to D & D for their hospitality and generosity!

Tomorrow it's off to Maine and then Nova Scotia on Monday morning.