Les Flâneurs

Two scrumptious meals -- one in Narragansett and one in Providence

Chez Feldman in Narragansett, just across from Scarborough Beach. A wonderful day outmatched only by a delicious meal.

fresh and local scallops

the kitchenettes

fried potatoes and onions

a French Tarte treat for dessert

And then there was Jacky's Waterplace restaurant in downtown Providence. Located along Waterplace Park it's upscale Chinese:

Hadrian's Wall at Housesteads

I have the habit of collecting the occasional vintage postcards, usually relevant to something I'm interested in at the moment. As a result, over the past year I've spent a fair amount of time (and a little money) collecting postcards of various tombs in Pere-Lachaise cemetery in Paris, views dating back to the late 19th or very early 20th century.

Anyway, after our recent all-too-brief trip to see and walk Hadrian's Wall -- a walk cut dramatically short by cold rain and even colder wind -- I spotted the following card online. It was taken sometime in the early part of the 20th century. The copse of trees in the distance is pretty much where the Roman fort at Housesteads is located -- and also represents the short portion of the wall that we walked, indeed it's also noted as the section of the wall that you can actually walk on top of.

Croissants waiting to become croissant aux amandes

Two goodbyes and one hello

I suppose a change in our mode of transportation was inevitable, that it was only a matter of time before we readjusted our lifestyles: now that Susan closed up shop our lives became infinitely more flexible in terms of who needed the car when.

So, a week ago last Friday I put the motor scooter on cragislist and within the hour it sold. In the rain no less.

And then last Friday we traded in our "ice blue" Mini Cooper for a "twilight blue" Subaru Outback. I suppose we're more normal now, driving a car that actually allows us to carry things in the back, with four doors no less. We were looking for a reliable all-wheel-drive vehicle and so we now have one. And the myriad of sinkholes and potholes that pass for streets in Providence don't have quite the spine-jarring impact on our bodies that seemed to be the hallmark of driving a Mini. But the car was fun. . .

Tiverton nature trails: Weetamoo and Ruecker Wildlife Refuges

It was a gorgeous day when our friend Magali drove over to our condo, parked her car in our lot and joined Susie and I on an outing to the wilds of Tiverton. Our goal was to spend some quality time in a pair of wildlife refuges not far from the water: Ruecker and Weetamoo and we were not disappointed. As I said, it was beautiful day for a stroll in the woods and although we only got an occasional glimpse of the water through the trees at Ruecker, it was fun to be outdoors enjoying the fresh air.

And Weetamoo was interesting as well but for different reasons: an old sawmill that could have been operated by the Etruscans for all I know it was so old -- and spectacular views after a bit of clambering up a large rock.