The Stockbridge Traveler goes to Fenway!

June 8, 2012

I was lucky enough to receive Red Sox tickets from our local bar, Michael's of Stockbridge. I had worked a half day, the cooler was packed, my bags were in stow and off to eastern Mass I was. I was traveling with a very good friend, Jenine, and our first stop was to one of her college friends home where we would be staying after the game. When we arrived at Nuria's house we had a quick cocktail and put on sweatshirts and out the door went to catch the T. As we were making it across town, the rain started. And I don't mean a little girl sprinkle. I mean a big whopping daddy down pour. With thunder. And lightning. We ran from the car to the covering of the Red Line and the rain pelted us like paintball guns at target practice. We were soaking wet and with no sight of it to end. I had a look of disappointment, as I hoped the game wouldn't be cancelled. It's a long way out to Boston to turn around and come home without seeing the game!

We loaded the train with about 50 other hopefuls to make it to town. We were able to get three seats together. As we pulled into the next stop, more people filed in. Now it seemed to be standing room only. The next stop, even more people crammed themselves into our car. I was facing some man's crotch for the next 20 minutes. I usually like a man to take me out to dinner first, but what can you do? At about 10 minutes of the man's crotch in my face I started to get hot and uncomfortable. I asked Jenine if she had an Ativan; she didn't. Not helpful.  It was so hot and steamy on that train, I wondered how long I would last. Finally, the crotch (errr, man) said hello and we were able to make small talk and have a few little jokes about his business in my face. Great times.

Finally, we got off the train and went outside to meet the bartender, Brianne, from Michael's of Stockbridge where we had won the tickets. She was around the corner at a bar called The Lower Depths. This was my second time there and second time with Brianne. She had already gotten there and was holding a table for us with another friend that lives in Boston. The bar was packed, never mind standing room only, there was a line out the door. We sat at our reserved seats, introduced one another and ordered up some food. Let me tell you, The Lower Depths is a bar with food that would be for kids, but is really for adults. Please see what we ordered: 2 plates of mac and cheese made with chorizo and hot wing cheese, chicken quesadillas with creme fresh and a mescalin side salad, and a huge plate of tater tots. Yep. They were smothered with melted cheese, bacon, scallions and had a side of Chipotle aioli.  At this point, I should probably mention that The Lower Depths is a beer bar. They have whatever you can imagine. I must also remind you, reader, that I am a wine drinker. I am always that girl surrounded by her peers who are enjoying huge pilsner glasses of foreign, foamy beer, while I, the red wine drinker, is always having a short glass of Sutter Home. Now that is not entirely true at TLD, I remember having a very good Malbec in a big girl glass. But such is not the case at other beers bars.

Anyway, we finished eating, waved good bye to crotch man who was dinning outside and walked over to the stadium with about 10,000 other fans. I presented my girlfriend with the tickets, and Brianne, the seasoned veteran of Fenway Park, lead us up many flights of stairs until we got to the Bud Deck. We got our tickets checked and lead to our our four top table that came with it's own waitress. We had our own waitress at Fenway. We had arrived.

Upon placing our first drink order, our waitress, Doreen, informed us that our seats came with a $100 food and drink voucher. For us. To eat and drink off of until it was gone. Let the Daiquiri's be plentiful!!

To tell you the truth, I don't even remember who the Sox were playing that day. I was so happy to be with my friends, (and have our own waitress!) have so much laughter and great times, I didn't notice that the Sox were loosing the game. I did, however notice a cute boy at the table directly behind my seat. I whispered to Brianne, "Hey! I see a cute boy!" She grinned at me and asked. "The one who looks just like Ben?" (Ben is my currant roommate and sometimes traveling companion. Please read the post about our trip to Vegas!) ha! She is right! that guy looks just like Ben! We all found this totally amusing, except the guy that looked like Ben. He must have thought we were some 8th grade girls checking out a high schooler, as he was obviously embarrassed that we kept sneeking peeks at him and we even made it look like we were taking photos of each other but were really taking pictures of him! Ha! what great times! By the time the 7th inning stretch came along, we had used most of our food voucher and at least a barrel full of laughs. We paid Doreen, and, left the game just after the start of the 9th inning and I was in search of a sweatshirt.

Jenine and Nuria went to  Jerry Remys and Brianne and I hunted for the perfect sweatshirt for me. We both ended up with some apparel, and we both certainly spent too much for it! I am still very happy with my over priced green zip up hoodie! Meeting the girls over at Remy's, we had one more drink before the journey back to Nuria's  house. Brianne bid her farewells and went to her brothers house for the night. The three of us had one more drink and hit the pavement to get back on the T to go home.

Thanks girls, for such a great time!!

My Travels to Hampden County, MA

May 22, 2012

My sister's wedding is here!! The day has been taken off work, the dog is at Grandma's house, and Ben and I jump in the car to head east on the Turnpike. The car is over flowing with dry cleaning, dress shoes, gifts, cell phone chargers and a cooler of course. We are headed to my sisters house for a cook out to kick off the wedding weekend. It's a windy, chilly, blustery day and we fear the rain will catch up with us.

Finally arriving in Greenfield, we take out a few cocktails and settle in with some family and friends for burgers and dogs. It rains for about 10 minutes, we move everything in the house, get comfortable and wait till it stops, then we move everyone back outside and try to enjoy the day. This happens about 7 times over the course of the cook out. There is a certain electric tension between a couple that is about to get married. Not just my sister and her soon to be husband, but of all couples. It is a happy, and excited, and nervous air that fills every gap and corner within a five mile radius. It seeps into the souls of all those knowing, and shines like a star in the eyes of our parents and friends. I am happy to be a part of this.

We chat and tell stories, eat and drink, then Ben and I head back south to the Red Roof Inn, located in South Deerfield, MA. It's been a whirlwind kind of day with the packing and driving and such and we are both beat. The RRI is very accommodating and clean. Soon we are checked in and a little while after that, fast asleep.

The next day, Friday, is a day of fun for the wedding party. Ben joins the boys and my father at the BBC Brewing Company for a private tour, while my sister and I head out for a few errands and grooming. My sister is nervous and excited. The weather is chilly and gloomy, a bad thought for what tomorrow's weather could bring. We get a few thank you cards at the store and then go into Greenfield for mani's and pedi's. We find a place that can accommodate both of us at the same time, but won't allow us to sit together. This is a little comical when we start talking to each other from 5 chairs away while the Asian ladies scrub our feet, but after a while we sit in silence.

After we are all prettied up, we go back to the Red Roof Inn and have a little while before rehearsal. I meet some family at the bar at Chandler's and have a cocktail and then gather Ben and head to rehearsal. I get very lost driving from Chandler's to Look Park. We stopped to ask for directions twice, and apparently the first guy sent us in the wrong direction. Jerk. I arrive, so late, to be greeted with snarky smirks and laughing eyes.  In case you aren't aware, I was the Maid of Honor and also the Reverend for my sister's wedding. It was kind of important I showed up on time. Damn you, directions guy!! We get moving on in the ceremony, and Look Park could not be more beautiful.The afternoon had cleared up, the sun was shinning and the birds were chirping. We went over the ceremony a few times and eventually went back to Chandler's for dinner. Because it was cloudy in the afternoon, they had set us up inside their beautiful wine room for our dinner. We had a BBQ themed dinner with pulled pork, burgers, watermelon, and a beautiful salad. We ate, we drank, we stayed up late in anticipation of the next day.

It was a windy cloudy wedding morning. All of the bridesmaids met my sister in her suite around  10AM. I cracked open the champagne and patiently waited for my turn to get my hair done. The room was all a flutter with the photographer, the hair dressers, my young sister acting as a make up artist, family and friends swinging by to wish us good luck. One of the best moments in that room was when our dad came in all dressed in his tux, and my sister had just gotten into her wedding dress. She pinned his boutinear on, and it was like a photo out of a story book. I will forever remember that moment. As everyone leaves, except the bride and her maids, we all have a sip of whatever pleases us and hope for no rain. At this point, it has been cloudy and threatening to rain all day. By the time we get the call that the limo has arrived to bring us to Look Park, (Thank god I don't have to drive there again!) the sun is out in full force and it is HOT out. When I say hot, I mean the kind of hot that makes your pretty make up drip off your face and your up do start sinking down. We gather in the limo, and the driver pops another bottle of bubbly for us and we are off!!

I can see my sister, nervous, excited, maybe a little timid. She is the first one of the three of us to do this. (It's not often the middle kid gets to do something first!) She is beautiful, stunning. Her make up is perfect, her hair is gorgeous, and that dress! Wow, that dress!!  With the sweetheart neckline, open back and flowing train, it is more than a girl could hope for. We enter Look Park and don't check out the parking lot to see how many people are there. In fact, the bide has demanded not to have any idea who is staring at her and who has arrived or hasn't. The limo drops us at the end of a parking lot, secured by a few bushes so the bride can make her way in secret to the outdoor isle we created. We line up. Groomsmen and bridesmaids make their way to the alter. Soon it's my turn, I have a groomsmen on either arm, I turn to look at  my sister as I step out. She is holding our dad's arm, happy, excited, radiant. She nods her head to me. I know that nod was for me to continue dawn the path, but I also think it was a nod that she will be alright. She will be well with this man she is marrying. I don't need to worry about her any more. I think of all of this in just a moment, and my eyes fill with tears. It's a good thing I had a gentleman on either side, I might not have had the courage to keep going. We all settle in and wait for our dad to bring his daughter to her soon to be husband.  Everyone stands, cries, cheers a little. The ceremony begins. I want to keep those details for the people that were there and our family. Some things are better left unsaid.

We take beautiful photos along wooden bridges, ponds, old stone buildings. We are happy, in a full limo, with booze pouring, and a new married couple that can't get enough of each other. We are the last to arrive at Chandler's where the guests has been enjoying a cocktail hour. A waitress comes out, takes or drink order and we get to enjoy each other for a few more minutes before being let loose into the crowd. We drink our drinks, chat a for a moments, and then get into the line up of how we will be announced to the crowd.

We all gather for the first dance, and then the father daughter dance. We sit at the head table, dinner arrives. Everyone eats, drinks and starts dancing. The food was great, the drinks were good, I sit down next to Ben in his Searsucker suite for a few photos. I sit next to my dad and some other family for a few more rounds of pictures. The groomsmen are probably the most fun, most outrageous dancers I have ever partied with at a wedding. Wait until you see the pictures!  The night comes to an end, and we bring the after party back to the suite in the hotel. There, some people behave better than other, but that's certainly a story for another time.

I hit the sack around 2:30 AM. Exhausted and slightly wound up at the same time. It took me 30 minutes to bring my hair from a perfect up do, to a sloppy down do because of all the booby pins the hair dresser managed to stick in my head. My face needed a good scrubbing, and soon after that, I was looking more and more like my boring self.

Then next morning, Ben and I cleaned up the room and went to check out. At this time, I had thought that the Red Roof Inn was a nice, affordable place to sleep over for a few nights. I asked to pay half in cash and put half on my card for the room charge. It ended up that they took my cash and charged the room 3 extra nights on my card. I still have not been refunded. I recommend paying cash for everything, if you can. Funny how they have no problem taking money from you, but when you are due a credit it can take upwards of three weeks to have that money back. Great times.

I look forward to the adventures my sister and her new husband will have. I look forward to meting their kids. (In like 10 years!) Cheers, sister, on choosing a good man and knowing to keep him.

Stockbridge Traveler Plays at Foxwoods

On May 12,th I packed my bags and headed south for about two hours to Foxwoods in Mashantucket CT. I was going there with my youngest sister for our middle sisters bacholorette party. The girls and I had rented a suite in the Two Trees Inn which is on the property, but not connected to any of the casinos. We found this option to be most affordable and able to sleep 6 of us.

By the time my sister and I got to Foxwoods, (it was a pretty easy drive) the other girls were already setting up and decorating the room as a surprise. The room was smaller than I thought it would have been for a suite, but it was clean and had a fridge and everything we needed. By the time our middle sister was brought up to the room, we had drinks waiting and pictures of naked men hanging everywhere. (It WAS a bacholorette party, remember?!) We had our drinks and moved downstairs to the Two Trees Grill for dinner.

The menu at the Grill is full with many options. I had the Hanger steak for $18.95. Apps and salads can run from $5.95-$13.95 and they offer many sandwiches and entrees for dinner. We were all very happy with our dinners. The staff is also very nice and accommodating. I choose to carry around a Bachlorette Party Mad Libs game that the server was happy to play with us! Having those Mad Libs made the night even funnier as we continued drinking and gambling!

After dinner, we took the shuttle (it runs about every 20 minutes all over the property so you can get dropped off wherever you want) to the Fox Theater for Whitney Cumming's comedy show. We had pre-ordered all of our tickets so we could sit together. We waited in line at Will call and then in a long line for a cocktail to take into the theater with us. After getting settled into our seats, it seemed the theater was pretty packed. The opening act was this guy (his name escapes me, I wish I had written it down!) and he was SO funny!! About 20 or 30 minutes later, Whitney came on. She was very good, if not overly raunchy, perfect for our party. What was ironic was she saw two kids in the front row and asked them how old they were. 12 and 14. HILARIOUS!! They said their parents had let them go to the show while they were in the casino. She called security, but they didn't show up for about 20 minutes! Who let's their kids go to an R rated comedy show?!!

After the show and a few slot machines later, we headed to the Hard Rock Cafe for a night cap and some snacks. We had a blast there! The music was loud, I made friends with the hostess and every time she walked by our table we had a dance party together! And the food was yummy too. The drinks were pricey, but we all got at least one round with the souvenir glass, so at least we could take that home as a memory of a fabulous time. We played a few more slots, then got back on the shuttle to our room. We changed into our jammies, and stayed up telling stories and having lots of laughs. I read a few of the Mad Libs with words I had collected in secret for everyone all night. it was great!!  In the morning, we go up got dressed and packed up and went down to the Grill again for breakfast. They offer a buffet and also a regular menu for brunch. We ate, we laughed, we said our goodbyes, and each left into the direction of home.

I am thankful to have met such wonderful women at this party! I hope to keep in touch with them as things with my sister and her soon to be husband progress!!

Cheers, and stay tuned for the wedding in Northampton with reception and Chandler's restaurant to follow! Also in the month of June, I will be traveling to the Olde Forge, a Red Sox Game, Strawbery Fest in South Windsor CT, and the Itam in Pittsfield. I hope all is well!

Stockbridge Traveler heads to Las Vegas!!

My traveling companion and myself headed out to Las Vegas last month. Here is a play by play of what happened, whose happening, what's not happening, what was awesome, and what was not awesome. I hope you enjoy it, and I sincerely appreciate any comments you have!! Cheers!

Our much anticipated trip got started on April 17th. We headed to the nearest Amtrak Station to hop a train to Boston for the night. When we arrived at the station, a janitor informed us that the train we wanted would not be picking us up at this station because of some track maintenance. We were thankful for his advice, and we did not get notified from Amtrak about the station change. We grabbed a cab and headed across town to the temporary station. It happens to be right across the street from Teo's, a local hot dog place that is well known. We thought to go and have a few dogs while we waited for the train to come. We sat down at the bar and I got us a few scratch tickets. I won $20! I thought if this was a prelude to what Vegas will be like, then sign me up!! We paid our tab and headed back across the street, luggage and all. Once the train arrived, we got seated with a cocktail and off we were.

Arriving in South Station, we took the T to the airport where our hotel shuttle picked us up. We got to hotel, and went downstairs to the Mexican themed restaurant  and enjoyed a nice dinner and few drinks. We were getting excited about the big trip ahead of us! 

The next day we go to the airport early and sat down for a snack. By the time our plane was ready, we were in line ready to head to Philly as our connecting city. Because we were seated in the back the plane, we were called last to board the plane. Although we both had just "carry on" luggage, the airline insisted on stowing our luggage and sending it to Vegas a head of us. We weren't happy about this, but really, what can you do? The flight from Boston to Philly was quick and easy. Our lay over was long, so we had a cocktail and walked around a bit. We saw that we could take an earlier flight out to Vegas and approached a ticketing agent as ask if we could do so. He said although the earlier flight has plenty of room, he couldn't allow it because we had "checked" bags that were not traveling with us. I knew we should have been able to keep our carry on bags!! We waited and waited for our next flight, to be told that the flight attendants that were needed for our flight had not arrived from their previous flight. So the gate was full of people waiting to get on the plane and it didn't take off for about 45 minutes after the scheduled time. Finally, off we were, to sunny Las Vegas!! 

We landed in Vegas around 8:45 PM on their time. Our hotel said they have a free shuttle that will pick us up and drop us off at the airport. They do have a shuttle, it runs from 10 AM to 6 PM. Into an airport  shuttle bus we went for $7 per person. The shuttle did not leave for about 20 minutes after we were in it and we were just itching to get to the hotel and check things out. 

At last, we were at the Luxor. As we climbed the stairs to the main floor, we were tired but excited. It was a long day to to get here! Right at the top the the stairs, we were face to face with a small Asian woman who was very friendly and nice. She wanted to sell us a time share. There we were, on the outskirts of the casino, with all of our bags (both carry on and checked)  and this woman wants us to go to an 8AM breakfast tomorrow to show us a new hotel being build. "We will refund your money!" she kept saying.  I was not going to go to a breakfast for $50 outside of my hotel at 8 AM the next day. These timeshare sellers are all over the hotels, day and night. Once you see one, typically you turn and go the other way. What a hard and boring job that must be!

Anyway, we waited in line to check in for about 20 minutes. We got to a clerk named Alex who was happy to "upgrade" us to a room with a "view of the pool" . Great! Upgrades already!! He also gave us a coupon booklet and a handful of free drink coupons to use both at the Luxor and The Excalibur hotel that is connected Luxor. Cheerfully, we headed to the elevator that was about half a mile from the check in place. 

We get to our room, and it's ok. I am not sure what kind of upgrade they gave us, but it's clean. It's night time out, so we obviously can't see the pool. We unpacked our stuff, and head back down stairs to check things out. The thing about Vegas, is that is is so smoky. The bar, the casino, everywhere. It feels like you can't find a place for a breath of fresh air. We walked around for a bit, getting a feel for the place. Using a drink coupon here or there. I was tired and headed back up to the room, but my traveling partner stayed up to check out the other hotels.