spring break vacation, Day 7

Day 7 we left New Hampshire.  Sigh.

It was a nice drive down to the Boston area, and thanks again to Ed for driving us.  We set out at a decent time of the morning, enabling us to stop in Lawrence, an outer Boston suburb, so that Conrad could visit a museum there and see a specific piece on exhibit.  The Lawrence Heritage State Park was a nice stop en route, I have to admit.  A fine little museum about the industrial history of the city including labour strife, disaster, and the growing presence and influence of a Latino community. 

And, sorry, but the person staffing the park welcome desk was a friendly and handsome mature guy.  Sue me, I'm gay!  ;-)

It wasn't long after that that we arrived at our hotel in the Seaport area of Boston.  I hadn't been in Boston in ten years, and the last time I was there, the Seaport area was rather less developed.  I'd had to stay out that way for a conference at the new (at the time) convention center.  This time I chose it because it is relatively easy to get from there to the airport across the water.

We were able to check in right away,

then we took Ed for lunch nearby (mocktail, shrimp tacos)

before sending him on his way home to Rhode Island.  We spent the rest of the afternoon napping (not pictured) and strolling around the area a little. 

Such beautiful spring weather!

I was excited for dinner.  No, not for the food, but for the company. 

I first got to know Robert ages ago, I think it was on Flickr.  We met once for dinner back on my last trip to Boston in 2016 (I had a cassoulet that was nowhere near as good as what I would have at Yoshi's), and I'd looked forward to another chance to meet again.  Oddly enough, we were both in Palm Springs last month at the same time but not realizing it.  We almost missed the chance to have dinner in Boston - Robert was booked to be in Hawaii on vacation.  However, the torrential rains that Hawaii has received in recent times had him reconsider, and that meant he was in town and free for dinner. 

Yay!  Conrad got to meet him, too, which was a bonus.

We met up at Woods Hill Pier 4 not far from the hotel, a nice little walk.  Robert was already enjoying a drink when we got there, and we soon joined him in that pursuit once seated.  The dinner was good, and I liked the food, but the only thing that stuck with me was the salt-roasted celery root.  The star of the meal.  Everything else was great, though. 

I confess, after a week of dining out and drinking, I was looking forward to getting home and maybe trying a little more of a regular diet again.

Anyway, a lovely dinner.  Robert is a character, and that is a compliment.  Stylish, a raconteur.  It was fun conversation. 

We walked him partway to where he could get transit

then headed the other way back to our hotel.  There was no rush for us the next morning, so we knew we could wind down and sleep as late as we liked. 

spring break vacation, Day 6

A full day in New Hampshire, the only one of the trip - that was day 6 of spring break.

But I lie, a little.  We actually did dip into Vermont again.  More on that to come!

Our hotel was kind of in this odd area between Hanover and Lebanon, near the Dartmouth College hospital complex, in among offices and a shopping plaza and even some apartments.  It was a cold morning (patches of snow still here and there in New Hampshire),

so Conrad and I bundled up

and made a bit of a walk around the area,

making sure to stop in at Starbucks on the way back.  We had some hotel breakfast, then Amy picked us all up to head into Hanover.

Day 6 was the last day that we were visiting any libraries and the last day of meeting up with librarians we hadn't already met up with.  Amy parked in town and then led us onto the Dartmouth College campus.  Past what looked like an art museum. 

Into the central quad.  And there was the Baker-Berry Library. 

Wow.  Classic looking, beautiful.  Our destination for the tour.  We arrived in side right when John was coming from his office and arriving at the welcome desk.  Nice timing!

John took us around various parts of the library, showing off such cool things as a room dedicated to Theodor Geisel,

a marvelous Orozco mural,

spaces for printing and related arts,

and all the other beautiful spaces. 

It was such a treat to see.  John has worked there for a number of years, so it felt like we were getting some cool insights into the library that a regular tour might not enjoy.  Such a nice time.

The tour done, we all - John included - headed across the quad to PINE Restaurant in the Hanover Inn. 

There we had a leisurely lunch (fried chicken bao buns for me and a mocktail)

and gossiped.  Eventually we set John free to head back to work and the rest of us strolled in the little town, buying a few souvenirs.  Amy finally bundled us back up into the car, and we were off to Vermont!

Yes, Vermont again.  Just across the Connecticut River from Hanover, so it wasn't some massive trek, assuredly.  Conrad and I have a friend and former neighbour in Chicago who is a Dartmouth alum, and he was sending us all kinds of recommendations (and expressing his pride and delight that we were visiting that area).  One thing he suggested was that we go visit King Arthur Baking Company,

and so we did.  That was fun, browsing the large shop, picking up a few items.  We capped that with a coffee and snack (maple sandwich cookie for me),

and then headed back to the hotel for a while.

Ed drove us the opposite direction that evening, away from Hanover and down to Plainfield where Amy and her husband Thom live in a condo in a schoolhouse that they had converted. 

We had a round of Last Words there,

then walked nearby to Poor Thom's Tavern,

the tavern that Amy and Thom own.  Finally, we met Thom! 

Great guy.  And he runs a terrific tavern.  Cocktails,

then a fried chicken poutine to share,

and then a burger for me that met all my hopes and expectations. 

Oh, and peanut butter pie - yum! 

What a terrific meal we had, what a fun time.  Thom was able to join us for much of our meal, and that was great.

Dinner done, it was time to head back to the hotel.  On to Boston the next day.  Sadly, that was the last we got to enjoy time with Amy.  I'm hoping I can get her and some others to meet up in northern California with me this summer!