Cross Town Thoughts
Monday summer trek. Along General Lafayette Trail, Route 143 West, up hills and down vales to Ireland Street in Chesterfield, Mass. Take a right toward the Westfield River and then… a natural wonderment surprise. Chesterfield Gorge. More photos on TravelTreks.
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.
SideTrek Route 5 North to Bernardston on a sunny 70-degree day to try FarmTable restaurant. Outside umbrella, please. Crabcake okay, if light on crustacean. Burger tasty. Sass Pinot Gris delightful. Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale delicious. Took home a loaf of their bakery’s olive bread, it was so good. Lunching al fresco on a warm mid-October afternoon, priceless.
Hopped over to Northfield on Route 10. Meandered along the Connecticut River on a back road that parallels Route 63. Through Montague, Sunderland. Hatfield farm-stand stop. Mums and bread in tow. Perfect IndianSummer Saturday.
Travelled to our favorite SideTrek tableau, Shelburne, a new way. Took a bucolic route from Conway past Bill Cosby’s rolling colonial acres. Off off the beaten trek. A blue clapboard Garrison on an old post road. Book mills, inns dot the meandering byway, scenes of Indian skirmishes as part of the Mohawk trail.
The Bridge of Flowers was in earlier than normal bloom. Town is abuzz. Kate Winslet and Josh Brolin are coming. They will be filming Labor Day based on a novel by Joyce Maynard. It’s about a 13 year-old boy, his Mom, secrets. Set in a fictional New England hamlet, Holton Mills. Juno director, Jason Reitman.
We made a stop at Wandering Moon jewelry boutique and hit pay dirt. For me. Silver bracelet by a Manitoba artisan. Owner Laura Roberson’s finely crafted earrings. As we headed out to Route 112, a metal sculpture guy bid us adieu.
Back home through Goshen past the original 1775 Williams House.
Photos by the talented Dr.Husband, including the Richard Russo-esque header – State Street, in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts.
On a respite before the next rain, enjoyed a weekday side trek. Meandering up Route 5, we happened upon School Street in Hatfield, Massachusetts, where we found an Old Mill Inn and Pioneer Valley Vineyard. Little vineyards are cropping up along the Connecticut River. Will it be the next Napa? Not with our typical winter weather. Some varietals can do well here as in upper New York State.
We continued southeast past our Atkins Farm fave to Andrew’s Nurseries in South Amherst. Lots of garden goodies. In search of a sundial or artwork for our old oak stump as a pedestal. This photo in Hatfield, too. Not bad for a Monday.
February 30th? No. 30 years ago February. Where were you? Letterman began on Late Night TV. Living on Greenwich Avenue, West Village, weekends in East Hampton, planning adventure to China, Mongolia, Tibet.
(Mongolian minder and me).
Working at Republic National Bank of NY, commuting on the B train to 40th & Sixth. No thought of getting married nor moving to SanFran a few months hence. In the moment.
GOOD
mAdBen’s Crazy Great Year. NYU accolades. New view. Career
Mama & 3 bears in the yard
The Night Circus
Ocean House, Watch Hill- 60
BAD
People on TV. Cover your skin. Sleeves. Pleez.
Amy Winehouse. Sad
Cough, cough. Sniff, sniff. Couch Hunters’ International weekend. Why would you move half way around the world for a bathroom with two sinks and a walk-in closet? Just asking. I mean some of these house hunters’ condos in exotic locales could be in Kansas. Telephoto lens slice of the sea. Clogged head speaking.
Margin Call, newly released movie on-demand. Yay. It was reminiscent of my banking days past crises with added fluff, but fun. Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons. Worth a watch. Hillary’s flipped out on all the Sunday shows. Is there a country McCain wouldn’t invade and occupy? Sniff. K9Queen celebrated bday in Hawaii.
Green to brown to down. Leaves muted if color at all this season. Vibrantly glorious weather for Columbus holiday weekend though. No complaints. Lobster rolls al fresco, picnic tables packed. Autumn’s last stand. Side trek time.
William Cullen Bryant homestead up route 112 North, in Cummington. An architectural menagerie of Dutch, Arts & Crafts, it was his contemplative outpost for pastoral poetry and Thanatopsis thought.
Click on photo.
Side Trek . NYC 