VERMONT/MASSACHUSETTS TRIP

We had a great trip to vermont and massachusetts (hereafter refered to only as "mass").

In Vermont I did get to do a miniature version of my Gastronomic Tour of Vermont. I will first list where we ate in order:

SATURDAY

Al's French Fries - Pizzaburger, Fried Clams, French Fries, and a Coke.

VT Pub & Brewery - Reuben, Chips and something they called "Grand Slam Baseball Beer"

SUNDAY

Breakfast at Joe & Tammy's

Apple Turnovers at Sam Mazza's Farm Stand

Lunch and Dinner barbeque at Tim & Nicole's

MONDAY

Breakfast at Joe and Tammy's

Snacks at Ben & Jerry's, Cabot Cheese, and the Cold Hollow Cider Mill (donuts and cider)

Patrick has his first taste of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. The free sample was Mint Chocolate Chip (or as I call it, Chocolate Chip Mint) which you may or may not know is my favorite flavor of ice cream. I had never had Ben & Jerry's Mint Chocolate Chip, and I will tell you this - it was pretty darn tasty.

Fiona took this picture of a German tourist.

"Guten Tag!" Wohen geht diese Youth Hostel? Ich bin sehr hungrig. Haben sie zwei oder drei Dollar fur eine Ben und Jerry's Eis Sahne, bitte? UBER!!!Veile Dank!! Tschuss!!"

Family Photo in front of the Ben & Jerry's bus. (The little girl on the left is Marnie Russo.)

Fiona having a sample of cider at the Cold Hollow Cider Mill. She said it was good, but not nearly as good as the cider we press out up at Uncle Larry's house.

Me, Nona and Patrick at Cold Hollow Cider Mill.

Me and Nona two years ago.

This apple thing was the highlight of the day for the kids. Several kids in our group went into hysterics when some other kid wanted to play with it. An Ice Cream factory, mountains and mountains of free cheese at Cabot, and literally thousands of gallons of fresh apple cider were trumped by this thing. Bizarre.

Fiona and Owen



Fiona and Ava

Marnie, Patrick, Fiona, Owen and Ava.

The Shed - Shed Burger, french fries, and a Mountain Ale. Sweet merciful Crap that is a good beer! (at this point in the tour, I started photographing my meals)

My Shed Burger, Fries and beer.

My burger was good, but not as good as I have had in the past. The mountain ale, however, was so good that it made up for the sub-par burger.

NOTE: Joe bought a beer that had an 8% alcohol content, so they said they could not serve him a 22-oz glass. They did, however, have no problem giving him a second pint serving of it when he finished the first.

Pizza Dinner at Joe and Tammy's with a Mazza's Apple Pie and Vanilla Ice Cream Desert.

TUESDAY

Breakfast at Libby's Blue Line Diner - I had eggs. potatoes, toast & coffee. Amy had buttermilk pancakes with real maple syrup, cornbeef hash and coffee.

My Breakfast at Libby's.

Amy's fan-freaking-tastic breakfast.

Due to a bad Maple harvest this year, Maple syrup is over $40 per gallon. So quit complaining about gas.

Family portrait at Libby's Blue Line Diner.

Lunch at Al's French Fries - Pizzaburger, fried clams, french fries, and a Coke

MMMMM.... Al's French Fries.

Beer Snack at Magic Hat - not nearly as good as it used to be. I had samples of Lucky Kat, Circus Boy and something else that was forgettable. I hate to sound like a crazy old man, when clearly I am just a crazy early-middle-aged man, but Magic Hat isn't as neat as it used to be. When we lived up there and I'd go there to get samples and fill up a growler, it was a really inviting place where they were happy to give you 4 or 5 decent samples in a glass glass. Now it is served in tiny paper cups, the kind mental hospitals put medicine in. Also, when I asked for a second sample of Circus Boy, the girl looked at me as if I had just asked her if I could borrow a couple pints of her blood. AND, if all that wasn't enough.... they stopped brewing Fat Angel - one of my top-five favorite beers. Yeah, well... Yuengling is still brewing Lager, Sam Adams is still brewing Boston Lager, Summer Ale, Old Fezziwig's Ale, Winter Ale. (Wow, I guess I really like Sam Adams.) And Makers Mark is still making outstanding Whisky, so I guess I will survive.

Komrads in the back seat.

Fiona and Patrick getting a little sick of sitting in the car for hours and hours and hours.

Dinner - Trattoria Delia - Spaghetti alla Pescatora. (AKA Spaghetti with clams, calamari, scallops, shrimp.) Fiona tried the calamari but did not care much for it.

Wednesday morning we woke up early and hit the road for Mass. Breakfast was Dunkin Donuts in New Hampshire some where.

In Mass, Amy painted a picture of Peter Rabbit on the wall of Andrew's new room. Amy is wicked wicked talented. She went in there, sketched it on the wall, and then painted it. And it looks really good. She amazes me. And she does it with such confidence - no dilly dallying - she gets the idea and executes - she takes no prisioners.

You look at that and you know it is Peter Rabbit

It's not like you look at it and Amy sez: "It's supposed to be Peter Rabbit"and you say "Oh yeah, I can see that. Yeah, that looks like Peter Rabbit."

.

Bumble Bees.

Andrew meets his new rabbit friend.





I suggested a painting of Pop-Pop in his hunting gear aiming his 12-guage at Peter Rabbit. It was vetoed.

I also suggested a couple of B-12 Bombers, you know, just for fun.

On Friday, we went to Fenway to tour the stadium. It was a lot of fun. Even though I don't care much for the Red Sox, it was neat to be inside that stadium. It is such a huge part of Baseball History. Every great player the game has ever seen has played on that field. All the way back to before Babe Ruth. I don't want to make more of it than it is, but those truly are hallowed grounds when it comes to baseball.

Fiona at the Fisk Pole.

Really cool mural inside the stadium.

Patrick and I inside the press box. This wasn't as exciting for me as sitting in Harry Kalas' chair in the Phillies Press Box, but it was still pretty cool.

Patrick really is a cute kid, isn't he?

This is the same photo before I manually removed that lady in the background.

Seriously, I don't mean to brag about my kids and all, but Fiona is just so cute.

Andrew noshing on some breakfast.

Dinner at the Lobster Trap. Again - Pretty darn tasty.

Fiona standing next to a gigantic wooden fish.

Reen Makes dinner on the grill.

About an hour away from home Fiona started asking "are we home yet? are we home yet? are we home yet? are we home yet?" At that time we called in the re-enforcements - the Muppets DVD's on the portable DVD player.

After we did get home, Dad, Chris, Samantha, Sara, Fiona and I went to the Reading Phillies. Fiona at a hot dog, cotton candy, french fries, dippin' dots ice cream, a soft pretzel and a sodey pop. By the time we went back to Mom & Dad's house, picked up Cisco and got home, it was 11:15. With the exception of a few cat-naps in the car, Fiona had been up since 4:30.






Check it out!!! Behind us at the Reading Phillies was Amy Winehouse!!!

No! Wait, it is Jane's Addiction singer, Perry Farrell!

Peace

MPH

Very Very Funny Comic

Good Friday

My 2 Princesses

Fiona in her Cinderella dress and Mama in her wedding dress. Both wearing Fairy Wings and McDonald's Happy Meal Cinderella crowns.

Fiona and Lisa Loeb: Seperated at birth?

KOTO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE

So in my Gastronomic Tour of Vermont Post I mentioned going to Koto Japanese Steak House.

Here is something I wrote in Smokin' Dog back in 2001 about going there one time with Maureen.

ME, REEN, ARNOLD & JIM

Last year, Maureen came to visit and she and I went to one of thos Japanese restaurants where they cook the food right in front of you. There was another family sitting with us. (We were trying to avoid talking to them, but it was no use.)
ARNOLD: So, where are you from.
ME: We're from Reading PA, but I leve here and my sister lives in Virginia.
REEN: So anyway, we get to the movies and this lady...
ARNOLD: What do you do for work?
ME: I work for Bell Atlantic.
REEN: And I work for an engineering firm.... so this lady sits right in front of us and she has this huge hat on her huge head...
ARNOLD: Are you an engineer?
REEN: No, I am in human resources.... so she's got on this hat and I asked....
Then the chef, Jim, comes to the table.
JIM: Hello everyone, my name is Jim and I'll be your chef this evening.
ARNOLD: HELLO JIM. MY NAME IS ARNOLD.
JIM: Hi.
ARNOLD: WHERE ARE YOU FROM?
JIM: I'm from Ohio.
ARNOLD: WHAT PART OF JAPAN ARE YOU FROM ORIGINALLY?
JIM: Actually, I'm Chinese.
ARNOLD: YOU SPEAK VERY GOOD ENGLISH.
JIM: Well, I should, I've lived here my whole life.
This banter went on for some time. When we left the restaurant we get in my car and Reen starts imitating the guy in the restaurant, only louder.
REEN: WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I AM FROM BURLINGTON VERMONT. DO YOU KNOW WHERE BURLINGTON VERMONT IS?
I was laughing so hard that I started to cry.
REEN: EVEN THOUGH YOU SAID YOU WERE NOT FROM JAPAN AND ALSO STATED THAT YOU DO NOT SPEAK ANY JAPANESE I AM GOING TO ASK YOU THE JAPANESE WORD FOR EVERYTHING. WHAT IS THE JAPANESE WORD FOR FORK? WHAT IS THE JAPANESE WORD FOR PLATE? HOW DO YOU SAY SODA IN JAPAN? I AM A JACKASS. HOW DO YOU SAY JACKASS IN JAPANESE?
And then Arnold came out of the restaurant and looked over at us and we drove away laughing.

2 Comix (Good ones this time)

Amy: so so mean to me.

Fiona is wicked funny:

Vermont Food

So Joe told me he went to Vermont Pub and Brewery the other day and had a Reuben. It made my mouth water. I consider myself something of a Reuben Connisuer and the VT Pub and Brewery has very very good Reubens.

So I added VT Pub and Brewery to the list of restaurants I want to visit the next time we go to Vermont. Then I made lists of all the other restaurants I want to go to next time we visit Vermont.

It took me about an hour and a half to plan out

My Gastronomic Tour of Vermont.

It will be 3 meals a day for 6 days. My 6 favorite breakfast places, my 6 favorite lunch places, and my 6 favorite dinner places.

Of course, we will be enjoying Green Mountain Coffee as often as possible and drinking Magic Hat beers unless otherwise noted. And desserts will be: Mazza's Apple pies with Ben and Jerry's Vanilla Ice Cream, or a waffle cone of one of the following Ben & Jerry's Ice Creams: Chubby Hubby, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, or Phish Food.

DAY 1 - BURLINGTON

Breakfast at Leunigs -

Eggs Benedict (Leunigs is really snooty and aloof, like they are better than everyone else, and normally I don't like places like that, but their Eggs Benedict are so so good that I am willing to put up with the jackassery. Even the description of the Eggs Benedict sounds snobby. Everyone knows what is in Eggs Benedict. And they say "Wolferman's English muffins" as if Wolferman's are the greatest English muffins in the world. Like it would be an affront to the delicate palates of the French-Canadian snobs who eat there to eat a Thomas' English muffin. BUT I must reiterate... these truly are the best Eggs Benedict in the world. I think the ingredient they didn't mention is ground up crack cocaine.)

Lunch at Vermont Pub and Brewery - Reuben Sandwich.

Dinner at Koto Japansese Steak house

DAY 2 - BURLINGTON

Breakfast at the Oasis Diner (from what I've read, the people who owned when Amy used to go there a lot have sold the place. Hopefully it is still as good.)

Lunch at Ri-Ra's - Beef and Guiness Stew and a Harp Lager.

Dinner at Kwan's, my favorite Chinese restaurant for General Tso's Chicken. (Amy CLAIMS there was a bug in her Pork Fried Rice one time... I am pretty sure it was just some burnt rice. Either way, that was the last time she ordered from there. I did not let it stop me, though.)

Day 3 - AMERICAN-STYLE FOOD STARTING IN BURLINGTON AND MOVING NORTHEAST TO STOWE

Breakfast at the Libby's Blue Line Diner for pancakes and sausage.

Lunch at Al's French Frys for a sausage sandwich and a pizza burger and a pint of fries.

Dinner at Gracie's for "The Boxer" - Half-pound cheddar bacon burger (yeah, it's $9 but really well worth it.)

Day 4 - JOHNSON, MORRISVILLE, STOWE

Breakfast at Plum & Main in Johnson.

Lunch at Munchies for a couple of greasy burgers and fries.

Dinner at The Shed. I'm going to go with the Shed Burger - Ground Beef marinated in Beer and spices. At the Shed, I will get a Ski of beer - it is a miniature ski with 6 - 6oz glasses of beer. We went there on Christmas Eve 2001 with our friend Tracey Jackson and they had the best Holiday beer I've ever had. It was so light and crisp. I am not a beer connisuer, but I know what I like and I really really liked that beer.

Day 5 - STOWE

Breakfast at the Troll Trail Bed and Breakfast. (I couldn't find a web site for it - maybe it is no longer in operation. They used to have the freaky troll come out and handed out wooden coins. One snuck up on my dad and nearly scared him to death. I am pretty sure my dad still has his troll coin.)

Lunch at Depot Street Malt Shop - Grilled Cheese and Tomato, and a malted milk shake.

Dinner at Von Trapp Family Lodge. They actually have a real dress code - this is a real classy place!!!

Appetizer

Wild Mushroom Cake with Chanterelles on Asparagus Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette $10.50 (Being married to Amy, I don't get to eat mushrooms very often, let alone a mushroom CAKE!)

Soup

Alpine Mushroom Onion Soup with an Emmenthaler Crostini and Scallions $6.50 (Again with the mushrooms.)

Entree

A Duet of Wild Game: Wild Boar Sausage and Venison Chop on Hunter’s Potatoes with Asparagus, Chestnuts and Lingonberry Demi Sauce $36.00 (Surcharge: $10.00) I am also going to ask for a side order of Spetzel.

Desert

Apfelstrudel: Layers of light flaky crust, rolledwith sliced apples, raisins, and cinnamon.

Day 6 - MORRISVILLE AND BACK TO BURLINGTON

Breakfast at my favorite "after church" restaurant - the Charlemont - I will have the Charlemont Breakfast Sandwich - Bacon, Eggs and Chese on an english muffin.

Lunch at Marco's in Burlington for a pepperoni Calzone and some Garlic Knots.

And then, for our last mean in Vermont: Dinner at Trattoria Delia.

Appetizers

Bruschetta: Wood-grilled country bread rubbed with garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh herbs and topped with vine-ripened tomatoes. $ 5.50

Scamorza alla Griglia: Wood-grilled handmade smoked mozzarella served on a bed of arugula with grilled tomatoes, eggplant and zucchini drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil. $ 8.50

Main Course
Spaghetti alla Pescatora: Fresh baby clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari sauteed with olive oil, white wine, garlic, herbs and tomatoes. $17.50

Dessert
Tiramisu:` Tiramisu means “pick me up,” and this traditional Venetian dessert will do just that! Lady fingers lightly soaked in rum and espresso, in a rich custard with mascarpone cheese, topped with shaved Belgian chocolate. $ 6.50 (There is usually enought rum in these things to get Amy nearly drunk.)

Thus concludes my 6-day gorging in the state of Vermont. I am now poor and in debt and I've put on about 25 pounds.

reacap of my day thus far.

it is 5:58 and I've been awake for about an hour.

i've had my coffee, paid the bills, (diznee credit card, subaru payment PPL) read about last night's Bruce concert (apparently it was awesome and some kid had a sign that said "rosalita, please" and Bruce played it), watched video on youtube of andrew walking, listened to some music on myspace (SeaWolf, Vampire Weekend), looked at some stuff on ebay that I'd love to buy if I wasn't so poor (mostly old bruce posters and t-shirts, movies on dvd, baby einstein videos, diznee movies, star wars movies, and lp records), and made a list of music to buy (Shawn Colvin, Moldy Peaches, Vampire Weekend, The Pupinni Sisters, The Ramones, People Take Warning).

that is all.

Incidentally, i made a list concerning andrew's youtube video. you can find it at my listville site:
www.listville37.blogspot.com

peace.

The Beatles

I was looking at my friend's facebook page and she had a question posted on it: What Beatles song describes your life right now?

I have recently come to the realization that I don't really like the beatles. I like Rubber Soul, Revolver, and parts of Sgt. Peppers, but for the most part, I can take them or leave them. Like today I heard 'A Day in the Life' on XPN and realized how good that song is. Later in the day I heard Yellow Submarine and realized how bad that song is.

I think I don't like them because I don't like 3 of the people in the group. I can't stand Paul McCartney. I think John Lennon was an ass. And I think Ringo is just some lucky douchebag who was fortunate enough to meet John and Paul. Ringo records albums like he has some kind of songwriting talent - he doesn't.

George was the best Beatle. He was in the top ten best songwriters of the 60's and 70's... unfortunately he was in a band with the top two songwriters.

Anyway, I don't like to ruffle feathers with my I-don't-like-the-Beatles talk, but I have to be honest.

Some things John said were interesting and thought-provoking, but most of what he said sounds like idiocy to me. Kind of like that "I'm famous so my opinions matter" mentality. But, I guess if you have the power to work for good, you should use it. He just seems so self-reighteous. I think if anyone did the things he did, like the bed-in or the bag-in or the starting of a country called Newtopia - if any Joe Schmoe would have done it, they'd have been thrown in a loony bin.

To be fair, Bruce does some of that stupid crap too, like writing editorials in the New York Times and campaigning for John Kerry. And it irks me when he does because I have willingly allowed myself to be so identified with him that people (i.e. my dad and my brother and other republicans I know) make fun of me when they see Bruce on tv criticising the president. That is the cross I bear for being a Bruce fan.

Summary:
Paul McCartney - something of a jerk
John Lennon - some sort of weirdo genius who if he wasn't rich and famous would have wound up ranting and raving on a street corner somewhere
Ringo Starr - by far and wide the luckiest talentless bastard in the history of mankind
George Harrison - awesome.
Bruce Springsteen - also awesome.
Michael P. Holland - some sort of weirdo genius who if he didn't have a good woman like Amy in his life would have wound ranting and raving on a street corner somewhere.