Tag Archives: TravelTreks

ColorBreak

A few brave purple crocuses have emerged. Otherwise sky and earth are blurred into April gray on our Vermont foray. The economy has taken its toll as stalwart sandwich shops in Wilmington and Dover have gone away. Boarded businesses up and down the byways. But, thriving treasures are still to be found.

DunberryHillDesigns was our primary destination for this side trek. Recalling a beloved artwork from Fillamento in San Francisco, I searched for a similar painting to adorn our newly refurbished hardwood. Cameron Howard’s studio is filled with breathtaking color and artistry. Sratton Mountain vistas where vibrant hues live year-round. Can’t wait to create masterpieces for our floors.

Finished MadMen5 marathon. Still say MadEnd. MadMen6 begins. Yay.

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Filed under Arts, Northampton, San Francisco

ShelburneFalls MovieSet

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Another film to be set in SideTrekFalls, our favorite tableau. The Judge, starring Robert Downey, Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, is rumored to start production in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts this summer. A drama/comedy.

Still haven’t seen Labor Day come to the screen yet. Jason Reitman’s movie set, starring Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet. Based on J.D. Salinger’s paramour’s book.

Dr.Husband’s Shelburne Falls header photo above.

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Filed under Film, Travel, Writing

WasteLand

It’s almost porch reading season. Help! Good books wanted. Best Sellers. Either, I’ve read most of them a year ago. Or, they are 50 shades of insipid romance. And, I don’t follow Patterson or any other mystery serials. Any ideas? Donna Tartt’s third book in 30 years, Goldfinch, doesn’t come out until October.

Passover-Easter. Second week of Spring break continues. If you don’t like basketball, you are screwed. Sweet 16. Still have 3. FGCSU. Who? Golf delayed. Johnny Miller livid, a Tiger Sunday gone with the wind. Golf Channel today.

Too cold to take Sugar Shack Side Treks. Maybe next week.

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Filed under Books, Sports, Writing

FirstTrek

cropped-img_04881.jpgFirst foray on a New Year’s New England winter day. Villages frozen in time. Continuity and comfort.

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Filed under Arts, Travel, Writing

SandySanduskySandyHook

2012 in a nutshell. Good, bad, very ugly. Here’s hoping 2013 will bring sanity, bonne santé, un esprit de corps. Bonne année.

Best ~
Giants SuperBowl Win
MadMen5-Joan’s revenge
Obama re-election team

Worst ~
Sandy
Sandusky
Sandy Hook

Best Books ~
The Cat’s Table
Gone Girl
Defending Jacob

Worst Books ~
ManBooker LongList- most
Bring Up the Bodies- especially

Great Restaurant Treks ~
Gramercy Tavern- NY
ABC
Kitchen- NY

 Biz Fail ~
Facebook
IPO

Au Revoir ~
CaffertyFile on CNN

SuperBowl Pick ~
San Fran beats Denver-wishful
Atlanta beats Denver- realistic

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Filed under Books, Politics, Sports

SeptemberStock

Taking stock as summer vacation ends and elections loom. Looking back at my January 3 Predictions for 2012. How am I doing? Hmmm. MR2, half right. R2. Romney-Ryan. Not Mitt-Marco. Ron nor Don mounted a third party spoiler. Callista Gingrich’s hair still hasn’t moved. Charlie not replaced by Willie on CBS morning show. Mika & Joe did have a love-child named Barnacle. Tiger didn’t win a major. CandyPantsOpen morphed into Grandma’s 80th Birthday Invitational.

My only witch-worthy triumph was that the Giants did beat the Pats in the SuperBowl. And I picked that even before NY won the wild card game! Will the rest of my predictions come true? Obama wags-the-dog in October. Israel. Iran. Stock market finishes flat at 12,000. Mayans were right and the world ends.  

If it doesn’t, who will be President in 2013? I didn’t predict that. Can you?

Photo: mAdBen, 9/2012

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Filed under Economics, Journalism, Politics, Sports

SeptemberSunrise

mAdBen’s morning. Not bad. He made it to the summit of that peak.

Great photo at 6am, Ben. HuaynaPicchu. Click on it!

La luna llena “azul” anoche en Aguas Calientes. Esta noche en Cusco.

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Filed under Travel

WhistleStop

 SideTrek East. Route32 through Belchertown and Ware to Gilbertville, Mass. Whizzed past diner depot the Whistle Stop. Actually stopped at our original destination, Rose32 Bakery for lunch. My Mom told me about a SanFran couple who transplanted pastry talent to this tiny town. Bread, cookies, cakes and croissants in an unlikely converted garage. Circled up to Barre, Petersham, back around to Quabbin Reservoir on a Lochnessy Day- see photos on TravelTreks page.

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Filed under Restaurants, San Francisco, Travel

MondayMarket

Jacques Pepin and daughter Claudine are visiting Thorne’s Marketplace today in Northampton, Massachusetts, for a special Farmers’ Market. Sponsored by Public Broadcasting, they are here to celebrate our fertile offerings from the Pioneer Valley. RecipeDetours.com does as well. It’s the happiest time of year when Connecticut River soil sprouts luscious fruits and vegetables.

The Chaperone, by Laura Moriarty, is a very good read. ****
See review on TrekBooks page.

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Filed under Books, Food, Northampton

BonusWeekend

What started out as boring and drippy, turned into a weekend of unexpected perquisites. SideTrekked up to Lee, on routes 66, 112, 20. Stopped at the ‘outlets’ and achieved some actual purchases before meeting up with our faves, MadMan and PithyV. Hanging a left at the Red Lion in Stockbridge, we continued on Route 7 ’til we came upon a little complex where we lunchez-vous’d at Cafe Adam, just shy of Great Barrington. It had the most delectable soft-shell crab BLT.

Then, mAdBen announced that he would be gracing our B&B with former roommate SuzyZ. Got lobsters from NorthShore and ready for a classic New England bake with bonus early local corn. Final dividend, lower humidity.

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Filed under Northampton, Restaurants