New England Travel and Vacation Gazette and Other Wicked Good Content

Article and Photo by Eric H. Charlie's Kitchen in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA, has been called many things in its 40-plus years of operation: a dive, a clean dive, a dive with great food, a beer joint, a college hangout, a Harvard Square landmark, tacky, loud, fun, and a general source of irritation. What sticks out most in my mind about Charlie's is that it is "The Double Cheeseburger King," and a restaurant that offers a good value. A long-time favorite of Harvard University students, professors and families who chose not to take the vegetarian route, Charlie's has all the comfort foods that any hungry person, looking for a lively time, could ever want: burgers, beer from around the world, and, at times, loud rock and roll music blaring on the jukebox. While you can get a good salad here, meatloaf dinner, spaghetti, or a lobster roll, Charlie's reputation for being "The Double Cheeseburger King" is accurate and most important here. If there's...

Article and Photo by Eric H. Essex, CT, has all the small town bells and whistles required to make it a special vacation destination: a tree-lined downtown with specialty shops and restaurants, big old historic homes up near the sidewalk,, and a pleasing park with gazebos and picnic benches leading to wonderful, relaxing views of the Connecticut River. A former shipbuilding town dating back to the 1600s, Essex looks refined and perfectly manicured today, but that polish doesn't take anything away from its authentic small town look and feel. With the old, sprawling Griswold Inn (one of the oldest continuously operated inns in the country) as one of its "anchors," Essex has a timeless quality that hasn't pandered to modern chains and cookie-cutter architecture. What's more, there are 14 miles of sidewalks that allow you to stroll through this relaxing, picturesque community. Nearby, you'll find the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat Ride , combining train and bo...

Article and Photo by Eric H. If you're looking for a cozy restaurant serving comfort food in the northeastern Connecticut countryside, then the Vanilla Bean Cafe in Pomfret, CT, might just be your favorite, future dining tradition in this genre. Beautifully situated at a quintessential New England town common, the Vanilla Bean's charming post and beam farmhouse structure dates back to the 1800s, but the food, staff and entertainment is wonderfully 21st century. Breakfast, lunch and dinner combines the best of comfort foods (soups, chili, wraps, sandwiches, baked goods, etc.), dishes from around the world and chef- inspired dinner offerings (the smoked mozzarella and basil ravioli and teriyaki chicken & vegetables are great). Add a kid's menu, fresh salads, coffee, teas, some wonderful night folk entertainment, outdoor dining, and a beer and wine menu, and you have something for everyone. What elevates the Vanilla Bean Cafe to a high level of quality dining resides in it...

Article and Photo by Eric H. National Geographic's "An Ultimate Guide for Travelers" ranked Crescent Ridge Dairy Bar in Sharon, MA, in 2007, as the eighth best ice cream place in the world. That's great news for New Englanders, as other top 10 ice cream places would have required a trip, for example, to Florence, Italy, or Paris, France (actually, a good excuse to travel). Crescent Ridge does have some truly great ice cream, including the current special S'Mores, and orange pineapple, peppermint stick, ginger, fudge ripple and the old standbys of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. While we wonder how a list of best ice cream places in the world could be narrowed to ten, the reality is that, from a local's perspective, Crescent Ridge is slightly better than the other top-tiered ice cream stands in New England. It all comes down to freshness, and Crescent Ridge somehow comes through better than most. What's more, Crescent Ridge represents the classic New...

Article by Eric H. Photo, courtesy of Travel Guide of America Newport, RI, has always been known for its lifestyles of the rich and famous and their mansions, but is it a good vacation destination for the mainstream? The answer is a definitive "yes and no!" We don't mean to skirt around the issue, but as a variation of the pharmaceutical ad moniker, Newport "might not be right for everyone." You'll find crowds, traffic, obnoxious cheap souvenir shops, annoyingly pretentious boutiques, and overly expensive restaurants. The reality is, however, that most vacation destinations are becoming this way. It's just a little more pronounced in Newport. If you can get past some of the annoyances, you just might find yourself touting Newport as a place you'll always return. The good points to this city are too compelling to think otherwise. We recommend you get in touch with the scenic and historical purity of the community where a little peace and quiet, al...

Article and Photo by Eric H. Brookfield Orchards in Brookfield, MA, might sound like a place just to pick apples, but actually offers that proverbial "everything but the kitchen sink." Located in the middle of nowhere in central Massachusetts, the isolated but scenic Brookfield Orchards appears to be, from the outside, a farm stand with perhaps a garage or an apple producing operation attached. Once inside, however, this mammoth network of retail rooms seems bigger than tiny North Brookfield itself. Upon entering, there's a snack bar with the most delicious homemade apple dumplings. Add some ice cream and you're in snack heaven. The snack bar also serves apple pies, apple cakes, chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies, and in September and October, hot dogs, hamburgers, chili and macaroni and cheese. September and October, are, of course, the time to pick apples on its 80 landmark apple orchard acres. During apple season (beginning around Labor Day Weekend), the vi...

Article and Photo by Eric H . O'Naturals offers food that tastes as good as fast food, but with the wholesome ingredients that are commonly found in your local health food store. O'Naturals, originated by "Gary and his wife, Meg" at Stonyfield Farm, prepares its food without additives and names of ingredients you can't pronounce. The result is some amazing tasting organic and naturally-raised food, including a build-your-own-salad, soups, flatbread pizzas (after 4 p.m.), stir fry noodles, muffins, croissants, and some incredible tasting flatbread sandwiches (chicken, soy, steak, seafood and veggie offerings)! The wild prarie-raised "Wild West" bison meatloaf with red peppers, cheddar and mustard is our favorite -- unique, succulent and abundant. The flatbread bread really complements the sandwiches' filling, baked to near perfection with its organic, unbleached and unbromated flour with germ, honey, sea salt and yeast. As a example of a complete wh...

Article and Photo by Eric H. Whether it's a meatloaf "blueplate" special or tofu vegetable stir fry, the Deluxe Town Diner in Watertown, MA, has the knack for appealing to every walk of life. Looking like a classic diner with its stainless steel, counters and booths and neon and acting like a restaurant with a chef who should be working somewhere in the upper-echelon Boston dining spotlight, the Deluxe Town Diner represents the best of the modern diners -- and the best of the old school diners! Perhaps that's why you'll see everyone from blue collar types to college kids, all looking for a good bargain, mind you. The breakfast, lunch and dinner menu is quite diverse, including virtually any kind of breakfast item (pancakes, waffles, eggs any style, potato pancakes, breakfast burritos, etc.), soups, salads, wraps, sandwiches, and "blueplate specials" like meatloaf, roast turkey, mac and cheese, frank and beans, and fish and chips. For breakfast, the c...

Article and Photo by Eric H. File Portland, Maine, under "Most Improved City" in New England. This isn't one of those personal honors that found 1/20th of the city to have improved significantly, or eating at a memorable restaurant that used our appetites to think favorably of Portland. This is an honest-to-goodness, first-hand traveler's account of one who once couldn't wait to leave Portland, but who now can't wait to leave for Portland. Portland's renaissance is the real deal. While no city is immune from the urban blight that has us running for for the green suburbs or a rural spot getaway, Portland has improved enough to the point where we can safely say that it is a legitimate urban vacation destination. Always perfectly situated on picturesque Casco Bay (and between rugged coastline to the east, north and south and scenic countryside and Sebago Lake to the west), Portland has always possessed a small-town charm within its big city leanings. The tr...

Article and Photo by Eric H. The Gillette Castle in East Haddam, CT, looks so authentic in its larger-than-life stone, medieval fortress construction that you'd expect Cinderella to be walking out of this grand structure -- perhaps, in this day of age, en route to the local Payless Shoe Store. Gillette Castle, located in scenic Gillette State Park, is the former home of famous actor, director and playwright William Hooker Gillette (1853-1936). The home -- or, should we say, castle -- has been wonderfully cared for, as evidenced by the informative and entertaining tour that left us realizing that those 2,500 sq. ft. "McMansions" in our hometown aren't as big a deal as we thought. With sweeping views of the Connecticut River way down below, this castle-on-a-hill features 24 rooms, 47 unique doors, white oak woodwork and carvings, stone stairways, built-in couches, a movable table on tracks, and an inside porch fountain. Outside, you'll find walking paths with near...

Article by Eric H. Photo, courtesy of Boston's Hidden Restaurant s Restaurants like Woodman's in Essex, MA, the Clam Box in Ipswich, MA, and Kelly's Roast Beef in Revere Beach, MA, get a lot of well-deserved press for their great fried clams, but perhaps the best of them all is at Harry's, a tiny, old restaurant stuck in time on Route 9 West in Westboro, MA. Harry's has many good menu items that we recommend but its signature fried clams tops the list, getting high marks for its full-bodied, slightly greasy taste, and value for the money -- you get quite a few clams at a price lower than most competitors. Founded in 1946 in nearby Shrewsbury and in its current Westboro location since 1968, Harry's brings in crowds to its restaurant (that looks like a diner, but they don't like to be called a diner) with its down-to-earth, plain atmosphere with counter and stools included, old tile floors, salt-of-the-earth waitresses, funny cartoon signs on the wall promotin...

Article and Photo by Eric H. The Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne, MA, is one of New England's most unusual attractions, sure to please horticulturalists and probably even those who don't like flowers at all. There's no denying the vibrancy of this tourist attraction, as visionaries helped transformed a rusted-out western Massachusetts bridge into a colorful travel destination with 500 varieties of flowers, shrubs and vines as well as great views of the Shelburne River. The bridge connects Shelburne with Buckland, the former featuring a wonderful downtown with a mix of old-time "It's a Wonderful Life" types stores and restaurants with more modern, upscale boutiques, galleries and cafes. Buckland is brief, but also quite diverse with the earthy McCuskers Market (a food coop) with lots of organic foods, the working class Buckland House and Pizza, and the hip Mo's Fudge Factor where homemade fudge, Bart's Ice Cream, candies and 12-pound candy bars, pleases ...

Article and Photo by Eric H. Del's Lemonade taps into an old cliche about being at the right place at the right time. Just as the hot, New England summer sun is just about the squeeze the last amount of your energy, Del's Lemonade always saves the day with its arsenal of lemonade trucks that seemingly has a honing device to detect thirsty people. Starting as a lemonade stand in Cranston, RI, Del's has actually expanded worldwide but has remained true to its Rhode Island roots with its lemonade available at local franchise shops, markets, and restaurants. It's the trucks, though, that provide the most valuable service. Everytime we seem to be on the verge of dehydration, there's a Del's Lemonade truck at key travel destinations like downtown Newport, Roger Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett, the East Bay Bike Path in Bristol and Block Island. Del's goes beyond just plain lemonade with flavors like watermelon, peach mango, cherry lemon burst, blueberry and ki...

Article by Eric H. Photo by Skye Chalmers from Vermont Vacation Someone from up above blessed Burlington, VT., with one of the greatest city locations in New England. Beautifully situated on Lake Champlain with stunning views of the New York State Adirondack Mountains, this very liberal "college" town also features enough attractions and events to create a great urban vacation. Home of the University of Vermont, Champlain College, Community College of Vermont and Burlington College, Burlington comes across as a what some call a mini-San Francisco with it hilly streets leading to the shores of Lake Champlain. Church Street Marketplace makes the downtown special with its colorful, four-block pedestrian area of shops, restaurants, bars, cafe, galleries, shops and street vendors, entertainers and festivals. The lakefront area is another jewel with scenic walking and biking areas, dining, a park, the stunning Burlington Community Boathouse, sailing charters, and a wonderful seaso...

Article and Photo by Eric H. Some New England traditions never grow old. Take, for instance, the village green, or town common, that dates back to the Colonial days. Traditionally located in the center of a community, the town common has often been used as a meeting place for community events and public ceremonies. Fortunately, these wide-open parcels have stood the test of time -- remarkable in this day of age where commercial, industrial and residential developers have their eyes set upon any remaining unused land. Besides serving as a community meeting place, the typical New England town common offers classic New England aesthetic beauty with its wide-open, green spaces. In a typical New England town, the village green is often framed by white churches with tall steeples, and well-maintained older homes -- perhaps the prototype of what you'd expect a New England community to look like. All village greens in New England look great. Some look even better. My personal favorite is t...

Article and Photo by Eric H. Several years ago, Vello's came to the rescue to the family dining-starved southwestern suburbs by opening a restaurant offering well-prepared food with flair at affordable prices and friendly service. Owner Victor Servello worked his tail off, spending much of his time at Vello's (which he still does), enjoying his work and making sure he hired help that was interested and content working at his restaurant -- very much opposite to the detached, self-entitled, "How can I not help you?" staffs we have dealt with at other restaurants. What's more, Servello made sure to create dishes that are well above than what you'd expect from a family restaurant. The menu consists of eclectic/New American dishes with a heavy dose - and homage to -- the best traditional American foods. The clam chowder special could give renowned seafood restaurants a run for the money for the best chowder in the area. The shrimp risotto rivals any dish you'l...

Article and Photo by Eric H. If you're feeling "caged" in to a dull summer routine, we suggest escaping for a day trip to Southwick's Zoo in Mendon, MA (east central Massachusetts, 20 minutes east of Worcester). Along with Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, RI, Southwick's Zoo stands as a premier New England zoo. More than just a zoo with caged animals, Southwick's has committed itself to environmental and animal ecology issues through the educational, on-the-premises, non-profit EARTH Limited. Southwick's overall mission is "To provide environmental and conservation education with an emphasis on animal ecology, endangered species and threatened habitats." Earth awareness and betterment is in style and quite necessary these days, but what about going to a zoo to see animals? Isn't that the point of a zoo? Well, the news is good on that front --Southwick's houses hundreds of animals, including giraffes, lions, tigers, monkeys and kangaro...

Article and Photo by Eric H. Brown's Ice Cream, in York Beach, Maine, captures the essence of the quintessential New England ice cream stand by garnering crowds, and serving wonderful homemade ice cream into the increasingly comfortable summer twilight. After a day of beach, zoo and amusement park attractions two miles down the road at downtown York Beach, it's especially satisfying and rewarding to enjoy the moment of going to Brown's. After all, the "moment" isn't there the majority of the seasons, as the boarding up of Brown's signifies the end of summer vacation and the beginning of hibernating. Our favorite Brown's flavors include the blueberry-packed Wild Maine Blueberry, whole-bodied black raspberry and the loaded cookie dough. While the ice cream ranks as some of the best we've sampled in New England, the experience goes beyond the ice cream. It's a way of life to eat ice cream at Brown's, something that dates back to our child...

Article and Photo by Eric H . The Maynard Outdoor Store in Maynard, MA, brings us back to a gentler, closer time when personalized service, quality merchandise and reasonable prices all came together in a trip-back-in-time interior store design, probably not looking much different than when the store opened more than 50 years ago. It's a wonderful experience shopping here, not only for the old-fashioned feeling, but to buy up-to-date clothing, shoes, sneakers, jackets for all seasons, hiking boots, baseball gloves, and winter gear. Brand names sold here include Woolrich, Nike, New Balance, Levi's, Pacific Trail and Timberland. The previous-era window front displays, the red and white tile floors and original tin ceilings add to the overall charm. Shoppers know that what they can buy at the Maynard Outdoor Store, they can buy somewhere else, but they also know that the experience is more pleasant here. That's why this current generation has followed their parents and grandpa...

Article and Photo by Eric H. The Great Sausage Company, located at the corner of Brookline Ave. and Yawkey Way, stands as one of the classic outdoor food stands in Boston. With some of the best sausage in the region, a surprisingly good Italian-style pizza, hot dogs that require ordering beyond a quantity of one, steaks tips as good as restaurants that charge twice the amount, and the much-needed-on-a-hot-summer-day soft serve ice cream, the Great Sausage Company goes well beyond its name. We love to sit outside Fenway Park and eat the great Sausage Company comfort food -- one of the more classic summertime things to do when it comes to eating less-than-healthy, but delicious food in the City of Boston.

Article and Photo by Eric H. One of the great joys of a New England summer is the fun and nutritious activity of picking berries. In New England you'll find many farms that grow their owns berries and allow you to load up on these tasty fruits, usually at a low price. One of our favorite Boston-area places to pick berries is the 110-acre Jane and Paul's Farm in the southwest suburb of Norfolk. Jane tells us that strawberry picking has begun on their two-acre berry field and will last until approximately July 4th. Then, blueberry picking will start, lasting until the end of August. Each years differs in regards to how long the season lasts, so call ahead at (508) 528-0812 to get the latest updates. Besides being a fun activity, the ellagic acid in strawberries and anthocyanins in blueberries are just a few of the myriad compounds in these revered fruits that may offer health promoting properties. Some scientists believe that blueberries might encourage improved memory function...

Article by Eric H. Photo,of Swan Boats Ride, courtesy of MOTT A visit to Boston sometimes requires a second mortgage, but, upon closer inspection, there are many ways to spend time in the "Hub of the Universe" without giving away too much of your hard-earned money. WODS-FM (Oldies 103.3) is once again presenting the Oldies 103.3 2008 Free Summer Concert Series at the DCR Hatch Shell Memorial in Boston. This year's lineup includes David Cassidy with the Firth Dimension (June 21), the Guess Who with John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band on July 21 (the latter from Rhode Island), Felix Cavaliere's Rascals ("Good Lovin'", "What a Beautiful Morning") with the Cowsills ("Indian Lake") on July 26, and the legendary K.C. and the Sunshine Band on Aug. 16 (I'll be there!). We applaud Oldies 103.3 for bringing these fun affordable concerts to Boston, and also for its on-air commitment to keeping great music alive, as well as the presence ...

Article and Photo by Eric H. The Galilee section of Narragansett, RI, isn't exactly the glamour child for New England travel, but therein lies its strength. This imperfect, but scenic and interesting authentic, working-class fishing village combines fishermen working hard at their craft on some very weathered boats and a tourist industry that features some great seafood restaurants and the presence of a great ocean beach named Salty Brine Beach. With water view seafood restaurants like Champlin's (256 Great Island Rd, Narragansett, RI, Tel. (401) 783-3152) and George's of Galilee (250 Sand Hill Cove Rd., Narragansett RI, Tel 401-783-2306) bringing you seafood straight from the adjacent boats and the wonderful stretch of sand at Salty Brine, an imperfect place never seemed so perfect. Galilee is one of our favorite New England summer coastal destinations because it is so real and... so really fun! Read more about Rhode Island at VisitingNewEngland.com. Search for hotels in ...

Article and Photo by Eric H. The 1761 Old Mill restaurant in Westminster, MA (north central Massachusetts), serves as kind of a greatest hits collection of everything good about rural New England. Outside is a waterfall, covered bridge, beautiful pond with ducks swimming, scenic vistas, and hiking trails. Inside this former sawmill are post-and-beam ceilings, a roaring fireplace, a downstairs gift shop with nooks and crannies in its stone architecture, and, yes, delicious Yankee fare. Particularly good are the chicken vegetable pie, roast country duck, New England clam chowder and for dessert, the apple crisp a la mode. The Sunday morning brunch is quite impressive, too, with homemade corn fritters, pecan rolls, scrambled eggs and bacon and various chicken, beef and seafood dishes. It's a rarity for a restaurant to not only serve great food, but also serve as one of rural New England's most scenic attractions. The 1761 Old Mill certainly delivers, being much more than a place ...

Article and Photo by Eric H. One of the best ways to enjoy your New England vacation is to connect with the sea. There's really nothing quite as enjoyable, travel-wise, than visiting the many quaint, coastal towns in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire (very limited coastline) and Rhode Island. We'd be interested in hearing about your favorite places to stay by the ocean in New England. For us, we enjoy the Katahdin Inn in York Beach, Maine (pictured in this blog post), a small but cozy, friendly, affordable Victorian-by-the-sea with nice rooms (a few with private baths) and right across the street from lovely Short Sands Beach. It's the ultimate wide-screen ocean view! Please feel free to post your personal favorite New England ocean view inns, hotels, motels, resorts and bed and breakfasts. Happy travels! Find hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, resorts and motels with ocean views in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island at Visitin...

Article and Photo by Eric H. The Traveler Restaurant is "literally" the most unique restaurant we've been to in New England -- you get three free books with every meal. Just over the central Massachusetts line on Route 84 in Union, CT (near Southbridge and Sturbridge, MA), the Traveler's previous owner needed to reduce his extensive book collection, so he shelved them at the restaurant and the idea was received with "great reviews" by dining patrons. Approximately, 100,000 books are given away each year! The book idea is all well and good, but what about the food at the Traveler? The overall "book" on the breakfast, lunch and dinner selections is a hearty "thumbs-up," with home style meals like tender strip steak , tasty, full-bodied pancakes, fresh tossed salads, an excellent New England clam chowder and for dessert a rich chocolate overload cake. It's diner food at its best, but in a cozy, dimly-lit restaurant setting. We highly re...

Article and Photo by Eric H. Short Sands Beach, in York Beach, Maine, might be small in size at a quarter mile long, but comes up big as a perfect Maine family beach. Framed by the famous rocky Maine coast on one side and spectacular Victorian homes on the other side, the low-key Short Sands Beach seems like your own travel discovery (even with crowds as well as a bowling alley (!) and arcade at the beach. As well could be expected, the Maine ocean water at Short Sands Beach is chilly for swimming (warmest at the end of August), so many people choose to be perfectly content sunning on the soft sand, taking walks, and just breathing in the salt fresh air. There's also a charming gazebo where concerts take place, a playground, and lots of York Beach shops, restaurants and the York Kingdom zoo/amusement park all within a few minute's walk. Sunsets at Short Sands Beach can be spectacular, giving this beloved southern Maine beach another endearing personality. Whatever the time of t...

Article and Photo by Eric H. The Tan Turtle Tavern in Northeast Harbor, Maine (Acadia National Park), serves an amazing 1 1/2 lb. lobster roll that is not only ample, but high on the taste quality meter. At this writing, the Tan Turtle Tavern lobster roll costs a reasonable $16.95 (subject to change, of course) -- not a bad price for the best lobster roll we've tasted and in this day of age where everything seems more expensive. With many restaurants cutting back and offering lobster rolls that are just a "shell of itself," the Tan Turtle Tavern gets high marks from us on bringing more of what we like (lobster) to the table. If, by the way, you don't like lobster rolls, the Tan Turtle Tavern offers just about everything under the sun on its extensive menu, including a phenomenal steak dinner, mixed greens salad with salmon, and a wonderfully creamy, New England clam chowder. Tan Turtle Tavern, 151 Main St., Northeast Harbor, Maine. Tel. (207) 276-9898 Read a dining r...

Article and Photo by Eric H. Providence, RI, has transformed in little time from a city to pass by quickly to one of New England's most impressive cities. With former Mayor Buddy Cianci helping pave the way to his city's renaissance, Providence quickly saw its skyline grow and its cultural, shopping and dining scenes turn into a viable travel alternative to Boston -- and a city with parking! Additionally, the Providence TV series didn't hurt the city, either, by making it the trendy place to visit. Providence, however, goes way beyond being trendy, given its historical preservation and recent political and citizen visions to make the city a place for all walks of life to enjoy. Providence always had potential, given its charming, tree-lined, somewhat quaint College Hill area (home of Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design), the Italian-flavored neighborhoods and restaurants of Federal Hill, the mile of Colonial homes of Benefit St., and the Roger Williams...

Article by Eric H. The 2008 Brimfield Antique and Flea Markets Show in Brimfield, MA, will take place from July 8-13 and Sept. 2-7. Antique lovers, unite! Antique shopping never grows old at the Brimfield Antique and Flea Market Show. Having been around since the 1950s, It's regarded as one of the biggest outdoor antique shows in the United States. More than 5,000 antique dealers and 250,000 visitors flock to this six-day show, according to BrimfieldShow.com . I always remember my aunt and uncle, both passionate and dedicated antiques aficionados, from Rochester, NY Brimfield Antique and Flea Market Show 2008 Schedule Check hotel availability in the Brimfield area (Sturbridge, MA) for your visit to the Brimfield Antique and Flea Market Show.

Article by Eric H. The Eastern States Exposition (The Big E) in West Springfield, MA, has been a favorite New England attraction of ours for the past several years. With a seemingly endless offering of agricultural events, a petting zoo, horse riding competitions, musical entertainment, amusement rides and arcade games, junk food and regional shopping, the Big E is sure to bring a smile to even the most dour person. This year's (2008) event will run from Sept. 12 to the 28th. Musical groups Sugarland, new country sensation Ashley Gearing, and former Monkee Mickey Dolenz are just a few of the musical headline acts. We recommend checking out the Big E Web Site for a complete list of information. Make hotel reservations in the Springfield, MA, area.

Article and Photo by Eric H. Newburyport, MA, might not be every one's cup of tea, but we strongly recommend visiting this small North Shore city to see "what's brewing." Lovingly restored throughout the years with its brick sidewalks, old-fashioned street lights, charming alleys, and renovated historic buildings that house restaurants, boutiques, art galleries, clothing stores and more, Newburyport is surely one of New England's most attractive coastal communities. Unlike other similar towns and cities, there's a minimum of rough areas and a plethora of old sea captains homes, as well as other stately and elegant Federal styles along High Street and nearby tree-lined neighborhoods in this once prosperous fishing and trade settlement. For dining, we especially like the Grog, a famous neighborhood restaurant and bar where locals and visitors can feast on steak, seafood and chicken dishes done better than most other places in the community. Fowle's variety ...

Article and Photo by Eric H. When Rossi's closed last year, we were so sad that we wanted to make ourselves feel better by going out for a nice dinner. That was impossible, however, as Rossi's closed! Fortunately, the original Rossi's owners took over this esteemed but somewhat "hidden gem" restaurant and reopened in April 2008. With its several quaint dining rooms within this stately Victorian home and outdoor dining on the veranda, the wonderful American regional cuisine with European influences, and a romantic feel, locals like us are ecstatic about Rossi's returning as a dear dining friend. Recommended dish: Seafood All' Apassionata, with fresh linguine sauteed with lobster, shrimp and scallops, tossed with bacon, plum tomatoes, garlic, butter and ripe olives. Rossi's also serves a global variety of wines from lesser known vineyards! Rossi's Restaurant, 270 Exchange St., Millis, MA. Tel. (508) 376-1004 (located about 45 minutes southwest of Bo...

Article and Photo by Eric H. Someone forgot to tell Wolfeboro, NH, to be loud, obnoxious and overly commercial. Unlike other well-known New England vacation destinations that have become a shell of its former charming self, Wolfeboro remains true to its original billing of being "America's oldest resort community." Not that Wolfeboro is an isolated tourist destination with nothing to do. Sure, Wolfeboro has many pleasant downtown clothing, boutique and gift shops, dining options, and crowds. That's very different, however, than being overwhelmed by amusement parks with water slides, cheesy souvenir chops and people who always seem to be yelling at someone or something. Wolfeboro, on the other hand, keeps it small-but-developed downtown in relatively peaceful check. The presence of Lake Winnipesaukee in the "backyard" of the downtown (with a classic gazebo), the grace of the renowned 1812-constructed Wolfeboro Inn, grand mountain views, the fresh mountain air...

NEVER MIND, CARMELLA'S JUST WENT OUT OF BUSINESS! Article and Photo by Eric H. Sometimes, it's hard to find a normal restaurant, anymore. Everything seems "gourmet," "infused," hand-rubbed," or other monikers that translate to higher dining prices. Just what we need during tough economic times! Carmella's in Walpole, MA, on the other hand, keeps things simple. It's like walking into some one's dining room with its small eating area and friendly "local" service, complete with Boston accents and lifelong roots. There's even an outdoor patio area, almost as big as the indoor dining room! Carmella's offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, has an ice cream stand, charges reasonable prices, and makes you feel good about dining out by treating you well. What more could you ask for when you're looking for a "home dinner" away from home? Whether it's omelets with home fries, tuna melts, lobster rolls, pasta, root bee...

Article and photo (downtown Bristol, RI) by Eric H. Looking for a great fourth of July celebration? Then try the 4th of July celebration in Bristol, RI, America's oldest continuously-running 4th of July celebration. This year's parade begins at 10:30 a.m., at the corner of Chestnut Street and Hope Street (Rt. 114) and ends on High Street, between State Street and Bradford Street. Special events are planned throughout the day, with a fireworks display at 9:45 a.m. I attended a few of these celebrations many years ago, and remember it as one of the best I've ever been to -- no surprise, given Bristol's dedication to patriotism, small town living and maintaining and enhancing its town's big, old homes and stately buildings. What's more, Bristol is close to Newport, RI, known for its spectacular mansions, ocean beaches and myriad shopping, lodging and dining opportunities. Bristol, however, is a great travel destination in its own right, with a classic downtown wit...

Article and Photo by Eric H. The Red Wing Diner in Walpole, MA, seems like an unlikely place for what we feel is the best clam chowder in the Boston, MA, area. It's a rather ugly, red-colored shack on commercial, generic-looking Route 1, about 20 minutes from the ocean. Once inside, however, it's a clean place with a plain-looking cafeteria-style dining room and a 1933 dining car, incorporated into the restaurant as a bar. The Red Wing Diner has lots of good things going for it -- pizza, fried clams, lobster rolls, fresh roasted turkey carved daily off the bone, homemade pudding -- but the New England clam chowder stands out as the best item on the menu. With full clams, fewer potatoes and a perfect creamy base, we found the Red Wing Diner version to be better than expensive coastal restaurants that tell you how good they are. File this under "What's a great clam chowder like you doing in a place like this?" On closer inspection, however, it's all about the f...

Article and Photo (Tangerini Spring Street Farm, Millis, MA) by Eric H. The New Oxford American Dictionary recently declared the word "Locavore" as the 2007 word of the year. Simply put, a Locavore is "Someone whose diet consists of food grown or produced within an area most commonly bound by a 100-mile radius of their home. Locavores usually shun large supermarket chains, opting for farmer's markets and local gardens instead. It is also a current trend for many high-end restaurants as well." We're really not into trends or people who "go green" just because it's popular, but we do like the idea of shopping locally for food in New England. It's many times cheaper, the food is usually more nutrient dense as it's fresh off the local farm, and often void of chemicals. In the Boston area, we really enjoy finding fresh produce at Jane and Paul's Farm in Norfolk (seasonal), Belkin Lookout Farm in Natick, Wilson's Farm in Lexington, V...