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sofiavioletNorthampton was a nifty place, even if it did rain on us twice. We will have to go back. Pictures tomorrow, since some of the ones I want to post are on Ellie's camera (mine being a rapid consumer of batteries that died very early on), but the summary:
Woke up, was still very tired. That's what going to bed at 3 and waking up at 6 will get you, I suppose. Went back to bed for half an hour, then showered. Poked Ellie. Noodled around on computer. Poked Ellie after half an hour. Got dressed, packed up my camera and ipod and wallet and stuff.
Ellie had originally wanted to leave around 8, and we actually managed to get on the road just half an hour late! We stopped at Dunkin Donuts for noms, Jiffy Lube for an overdue oil change, and then hopped on the Pike. (While driving, we bitched about the people driving in the rain with their lights off. After a while, Ellie realized that complaint included us; the lovely folks at Jiffy Lube must have turned her lights off, and she didn't think to turn them back on because she apparently never turns them off.)
We drove around downtown Northampton for a while, searching for parking that was not 15-minute or 2-hour. Found a meter with a 10-hour limit, fed it some quarters, and went off for lunch.
Green Bean: I had some bacon and a pancake, with delicious raspberry jam and real maple syrup. Ellie had a grilled cheese sandwich made with gouda. Apparently an all-gouda grilled cheese is a big deal? IDK, I do not eat that.
Then we wandered around Smith until we found a campus map. Located botanical gardens, went tromping through the woods, walked through the gardens and greenhouses, looked at an exhibit on wood.
When we left, it was raining. :( Went to Woodstar Cafe for a snack. It stopped raining by the time we were ready to leave. Ellie wanted to stay for dinner but we didn't exactly know what to do, other than wander around.
First stop, the Old Book Store. Ellie found a four-book series on house-framing, a book on industrial shops, and a book on boatbuilding. I got books on paper-making, feminism and socialism, and Python. Then I went to Urban Exchange, a higher-end used clothing shop, and Ellie disappeared while I was looking at their clearance racks outside. I wound up with a pair of brown plaid pants from Express, and Ellie returned just as I was checking out.
Then we walked up and down the road for a while. Ellie informed me of her wish to eat Thai food for dinner, so when we walked past a Thai restaurant, we glanced at their menu. After some more wandering, we found Raven Used Books, where I proceeded to gather an armful. Seven books: queerness, feminism, pinups, alchemy, and two novels off the $1 shelf.
10 books for under $50! Very good day!
Of course, by that point it was raining again, and we had put the big umbrella (the actual official Umbrella Academy one, because I am a dork) back in the car along with the first round of books. We had the names of two Thai restaurants from one of our former-Smith-student friends and we headed for the one we had passed earlier in the hope that it was one of the recommended places.
Which is was! Ellie and I got our usual meals: basil fried rice for her and panang curry for me. I could have had it with duck, but I stuck with chicken because I wasn't feeling that adventurous. Om nom nom.
Then we went home and I fell asleep.
Upcoming: long-ass link roundup, as soon as I actually backread all of my dreamroll! Skip=300 and I am on yesterday!
Woke up, was still very tired. That's what going to bed at 3 and waking up at 6 will get you, I suppose. Went back to bed for half an hour, then showered. Poked Ellie. Noodled around on computer. Poked Ellie after half an hour. Got dressed, packed up my camera and ipod and wallet and stuff.
Ellie had originally wanted to leave around 8, and we actually managed to get on the road just half an hour late! We stopped at Dunkin Donuts for noms, Jiffy Lube for an overdue oil change, and then hopped on the Pike. (While driving, we bitched about the people driving in the rain with their lights off. After a while, Ellie realized that complaint included us; the lovely folks at Jiffy Lube must have turned her lights off, and she didn't think to turn them back on because she apparently never turns them off.)
We drove around downtown Northampton for a while, searching for parking that was not 15-minute or 2-hour. Found a meter with a 10-hour limit, fed it some quarters, and went off for lunch.
Green Bean: I had some bacon and a pancake, with delicious raspberry jam and real maple syrup. Ellie had a grilled cheese sandwich made with gouda. Apparently an all-gouda grilled cheese is a big deal? IDK, I do not eat that.
Then we wandered around Smith until we found a campus map. Located botanical gardens, went tromping through the woods, walked through the gardens and greenhouses, looked at an exhibit on wood.
When we left, it was raining. :( Went to Woodstar Cafe for a snack. It stopped raining by the time we were ready to leave. Ellie wanted to stay for dinner but we didn't exactly know what to do, other than wander around.
First stop, the Old Book Store. Ellie found a four-book series on house-framing, a book on industrial shops, and a book on boatbuilding. I got books on paper-making, feminism and socialism, and Python. Then I went to Urban Exchange, a higher-end used clothing shop, and Ellie disappeared while I was looking at their clearance racks outside. I wound up with a pair of brown plaid pants from Express, and Ellie returned just as I was checking out.
Then we walked up and down the road for a while. Ellie informed me of her wish to eat Thai food for dinner, so when we walked past a Thai restaurant, we glanced at their menu. After some more wandering, we found Raven Used Books, where I proceeded to gather an armful. Seven books: queerness, feminism, pinups, alchemy, and two novels off the $1 shelf.
10 books for under $50! Very good day!
Of course, by that point it was raining again, and we had put the big umbrella (the actual official Umbrella Academy one, because I am a dork) back in the car along with the first round of books. We had the names of two Thai restaurants from one of our former-Smith-student friends and we headed for the one we had passed earlier in the hope that it was one of the recommended places.
Which is was! Ellie and I got our usual meals: basil fried rice for her and panang curry for me. I could have had it with duck, but I stuck with chicken because I wasn't feeling that adventurous. Om nom nom.
Then we went home and I fell asleep.
Upcoming: long-ass link roundup, as soon as I actually backread all of my dreamroll! Skip=300 and I am on yesterday!
no subject
Date: 2010-05-10 06:20 (UTC)Also, so much love for Raven Used Books. They have the best collection of randomly awesome stuff out of most of the local bookshops. I'm glad you found what sounds like an excellent collection of books.
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Date: 2010-05-10 09:06 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-10 07:48 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-10 09:06 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-10 18:35 (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-05-11 03:32 (UTC)