When in...Portsmouth, NH (Part II)

We did a little wandering around Portsmouth on Saturday before leaving to stock up before Sandy hit. We split a breakfast sandwich on focaccia and a breakfast wrap at a cafe downtown called Popovers on the Square. We had to get a popover, since neither of us had ever had one before. It was so crispy on the outside but soft and hot on the inside, and their maple butter was good enough to eat on its own! Oh, and my maple latte was perfect. I wanted to curl up inside of it and never leave. 

Portsmouth was decorated for Halloween, and it reminded me of Halloweentown—that great movie that used to show on Disney. I gotta say, that's one of the main drags of not having cable is missing out on all of the themed shows and movie specials around this time of year. Is it possible to just get cable from October 15 through December 26? Someone look into that?

We'd been to Portsmouth before, so we hit up the same stores that appealed to us last time (the kitchen supply store, Macro Polo, River Run Bookstore, Kilwin's...). It's funny because there's a Kilwin's (a gourmet candy/ice cream shop) in Atlantic Station outside of Atlanta that my sister loves going to, so when I saw it I got so excited and sent her a picture. We ended up back there for ice cream that afternoon, and the ladies gave us so many samples I thought I wouldn't have room left to buy any ice cream. Don't worry, I persevered.

All in all, it was a great trip with just enough time to enjoy everything we wanted without feeling rushed. My favorite part was probably the venue, The Music Hall. It felt like a real staple in the community. I wanted to go back to see Texas Chainsaw Massacre on Halloween night! I'm going to sign up for their mailings so we can see another show there soon.

We were fortunate enough to not sustain any major damage from the hurricane. The cover on our back porch blew off, but that was about it. My thoughts are with all of those still finding their footing in New York and New Jersey. If you're in the area and want to help, I found this great list of ways to help on A Cup of Jo.

When in...Portsmouth, NH (Part I)

For my birthday, Mike got us tickets to see Ingrid Michaelson in Portsmouth, NH, on October 26. It was kind of nice having something to look forward to long after the birthday celebrations died down. I always joke with my Mike that my birthday lasts until the end of the year, and this certainly didn't help me think otherwise.

On Friday, he picked me up from work and we drove the hour and a half or so up to this adorable little town. It kind of reminds me of Northhampton, MA, with its main drag of shops and cozy feel. We got in just in time to grab a delicious dinner at Portsmouth Brewery (you gotta try the fried chickpeas!) and head over to The Music Hall. The concert was part of their intimate series, and the venue was definitely perfect for that. We were up on the balcony in cheaper, "obstructed view" seats, and we had a perfect view. Katie Herzig opened and also sang with her on "The Chain," and was a beautiful match for Ingrid. I love her shows because she's hilarious. In the hour or so that she's performing, it feels like you're just hanging out with her. She talks and interacts with the audience, giving a background and a personality to her music. She mentioned that a reviewer criticized her for her tendency to give a play by play, but that's one of my favorite parts of seeing her live. That and she is just incredible. And even though the night ended in a splitting headache (strong beer+not enough water+wearing my contacts too long), it was perfect. 

When in...West Roxbury

This past weekend Mike and I dogsat for some friends who live all the way out in the middle of nowhere that is known as West Roxbury. It always surprises me how far what people consider "Boston" sprawls; how the GPS tells you you're only nine miles away, but it will take 45 minutes to drive there. But there's a Joann's down the street, so I was satiated. We ordered Chinese food and watched The Village while I made up my very first crochet pattern and Mike napped on the couch from a food coma. Oh, and we got to hang out with the most mild-mannered dog you ever did see. It was a great mini-staycation.

On Sunday we made a big breakfast and headed out to explore the little downtown area near their house. It's basically a main drag of Centre street with a grocery store and random other little stores. We bypassed Starbucks in search of something local, and boy were we glad we did. Sugar Bakery is amazing. First of all, they have a wide spread of goodies to choose from, including whole cakes. We chose a red velvet whoopie pie, M&M cookie, and a coffee to start. And we paid under $5 for it! So we went back for more. Mike's family was coming into town for lunch, so we got them some cookies and a whoopie pie as well and a couple cookies for us to take home. The oatmeal raisin cookie that I had two days after the fact was one of the best I've had. A two day old cookie! Blew my mind! Which blows my mind! So if you ever find yourself visiting/driving through/living/stranded in West Roxbury, check out Sugar Bakery, attached to the Real Deal on Centre Street. And bring me a cookie, will you?