Angels of the Morning

We got an earlier start this time, at 9 instead of 10. Headed into a glorious blue and gold early fall day, this time making our way past Lenox and Lee to the Mass Pike. Everything went fine...until we hit traffic around the exit to West Springfield, thanks to annoying road repair. After that, we managed to get through most of West Springfield again before running across another long line of traffic near the Eastern State Exposition. 

Lauren got so fed up dealing with traffic, when a man announced a good price for parking behind a shopping center close to the fair, we took it. I'm glad we did. She drove into a spot under a row of shady trees not a five-minute walk from the fairgrounds. We decided we'd rather have a slightly longer walk than deal with the Big E's parking lots. 

The Eastern State Exposition is the state fair for the New England region. As you enter, you see colorful boardwalk stands featuring every kind of food that can be fried, including Kool Aid. We passed a petting zoo, a pony ride, and the world's smallest horse, and heard about a pig race taking place at one of the farm buildings. 

We were mainly interested in the two large buildings on either side of the fairgrounds, flanked by rows of food stands and shopping booths. Hit the Young building first. Lauren wanted to find the woman selling stuffed toys, blankets, and other accessories made from fluffy alpaca wool. Usually, her wares are too expensive for me. This year, I had the money to buy a small panda with thick fur. Lauren went with a white bear.

We walked around there and the Better Life Building for a while after that. They have pretty much the same mix of home and garden booths selling window treatments, upgraded gutters, and cheaper internet packages and booths of exotic clothes or toys or local crafts. We didn't buy anything here, though we did look at some of the food booths on the edges of the building for lunch.

In between, we had lunch at a row of food booths and carts in the back of the Young building. I found a rustic wooden booth selling baked sweet potatoes with toppings ranging from bacon to pecans to scallions. I opted for two tacos filled with rice and mashed sweet potatoes. Lauren went to the other side of the row for French fries with cheese and bacon. They gave her so much, she couldn't begin to finish it. I snitched a few to help out.

Hit the Avenue of the States next, a row of buildings made to look like each New England state's historic capitol building. We tried to explore Rhode Island, but the crowds were too heavy. I did get to see the jack o'lanterns carved by Rhode Islanders, but people were too thick around the expanded Del's Lemonade stand to get more than a glimpse of them. 

We decided we'd double back later to take in the remaining state houses and see if the crowds thinned. Besides, Lauren spied something way more fun across the way from the Massachusetts building. She bought us tickets for a little blue and yellow train tootling around the back of the Avenue of the States. It was mainly supposed to be for little kids, but they didn't mind two adult riders. The ride was short, but a lot of fun. The little kids on board were darling. They waved to passers-by and chattered about everything around them. It was more like being on a float at a parade.

Lauren spied a soup stand at the Storrowtown Village living history museum. She wanted to try their broccoli and cheese. I had those vegetarian tacos, so I went with cheeseburger (ground beef and potato) chowder. Salty, but filled with lots of big potato pieces and ground beef. The bowls, however, were much bigger than expected. Neither of us close to finished them.

We walked around in the Young building and Better Life Building again, but the crowds weren't thinning. If anything, they increased as the afternoon went on. Lauren suggested getting something cold and wet and finding shade. We bought very sweet frozen lemonades from a lemonade booth in the Better Life Building and ate them in the shade under the arch of the Food Court as cool fall breezes blew across our sweaty faces.

Trying the Avenue of the States again proved even more fruitless. We tried to elbow our way through crowds buying baked potatoes at the Maine building, raspberries and honey in Massachusetts, and Ben & Jerry's and flannel clothing in Vermont. After we could barely get through the crowds in Vermont, Lauren decided she was tired of dealing with all the people...and I figured she was right. We didn't even finish walking through Vermont before we made our way back out and hiked down to the gate, and then over to the parking lot (after a quick bathroom stop). 

Since we'd gotten out at 2:30, too early for dinner, we explored a few near-by stores. The shopping center in front of the parking lot sported the largest Big Lots I ever saw. They were so big, they even had the room for furniture. A larger center just a few blocks away had a TJ Maxx that was nearly as big. We didn't buy anything at either place, but they did kill time.

Lauren had her phone out and was trying to find a place for an early dinner when I emerged from TJ Maxx. I figured we could go with the obvious and pointed to the blocky red and gray building across the parking lot from us. I noticed the Chipolte coming in. Apparently, Lauren did too, but forgot about it in the mess with the traffic and the parking.

Chipolte, like Shake Shack, is basically a fast food restaurant with blocky contemporary decor and food that's a lot tastier and better for you than anything at Taco Bell. She had three steak tacos, since she didn't get the sweet potato tacos at the Exposition. I had a bowl of chicken, black beans, rice, and salsa. Proved to be a tasty mix of flavors...and way too big. I didn't close to finish it. For once, Lauren ate more than I did. (The kid who took our orders added sour cream when I told him not to...but in his defense, I heard the two other kids behind the counter explaining things to him. I think he was a new trainee.)

This time, we only hit a little traffic around another bit of road repair, nothing like we ran into before! Otherwise, no problems, not even passing through Springfield. We finally pulled into Lauren's parents house around 6:30.

Played video games for a couple of hours downstairs in Lauren's room after we showed Mr. and Mrs. Miller our new bears. I'm getting better at Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. My best showing was 3rd on the second version of Mario Circuit. Lauren hit second on Baby Park. We kicked villain rear with our Street Fighter combo of soldier Cammy and martial artist Chun Li...until we tried Tough mode, then couldn't get near them. Played a tropical fruit-themed Super Mario Party round. Lauren beat me by one star, but just barely. 

Finished the night at the Roku Channel with Charlie's Angels. They're Moonshinin' Angels in the fifth season when Charlie gets a call from the California backwoods. Seems two local moonshining families who are notorious for their feud are starting up again, thanks to a gangster turning them against each other. Kelly joins the Barletts as a driver. Kris offers her chemistry skills to the Catlins as a master distiller. Julie opts to take a job as a waitress and listen for gossip at the local diner. 

Our State Fair

We were off down the Mass Pike at 10:30 again, this time turning in the opposite direction towards Springfield and The Big Exposition, aka New England's state fair. Once again, there was no traffic, and we got into Springfield fairly quickly...until we actually got close to The Big E. Then we ran, not surprisingly, into traffic going towards the fairgrounds. Once we did make it in, we parked in the grass and headed towards the entrance.

The Big E is huge! They're the state fair for the entire New England area. They were already bustling when we arrived at almost noon. People milled around tables selling gutters and roof shingles, tents selling toys and airbrushed t-shirts, and booths with bright-colored signs that sold lemonade and anything that could possibly be fried. (Including Kool Aid and whoopie pies.)

After a quick look at a toy tent, we moved on through the Young Building and the Better Living Building. These are pretty much an extension of what's outside, only with slightly more upscale items sold, like handcrafted linens and knits. We mostly just browsed through them, but we couldn't resist stopping at a booth in the Better Living Building that sold all kind of stuffed animals, from Disney to Russ. I found the most adorable little brown and white beagle. Lauren picked up an owl and an Eeyore for her mom.

By the time we got out of there, we were both ready for lunch...but we wanted something different than the usual fair food. Eagle-eyed Lauren spotted a truck that sold kielbasa and all things made from it, including mac and cheese with kielbasa and pirogis. Lauren got the mac & cheese and a refillable pink souvenir cup with a handle; I opted for 3 spinach and feta pirogis and a bottle of water. I haven't had pirogis in years, and these were tasty, fairly large and filled with lots of spinach and cheese. Lauren's mac & cheese had lots of big kielbasa bits and so much cheese, it was practically decadent. The cup was too huge for either of us to finish.

We opted for ice cream for dessert at a barn-like booth across the street. Lauren wanted a black raspberry-vanilla swirl in a waffle cone. I got a chocolate-vanilla swirl in a regular cone. We both had chocolate sprinkles. I should have sprung for the waffle cone. The regular cone couldn't hold the towering mountain of ice cream the guy gave us. It melted all over my hand and made a tasty mess. I had to stop at a bathroom to wash my hands.

Next up was the Avenue of the States, a row of buildings representing the capitol of each New England states. Rhode Island was the busiest. They were having "Rhode Island Day," with a local band playing "City of New Orleans" on the patio outside. People admired a really cool display of jack-o-lanterns from a Rhode Island zoo and lined up for Del's Lemonade and Warwick Ice Cream. We could barely elbow our way through the crowds.

The other capitol buildings were only slightly less busy. The line for Maine baked potatoes and Poland Spring water went out the building. People bought raspberries and chatted with Amazon representatives in Massachusetts. Children clamored for Pez dispensers in Connecticut, while their parents wanted maple syrup products in New Hampshire. We passed Ben & Jerry's and thick blocks of Cabot cheese in Vermont, along with lots of flannels. Lauren bought workout pants with flannel inserts. I bought more of those comfy plaid flannel scrunchies I found there last year.

Doubled back to the Better Living and Young buildings next. There were a few booths we wanted to check out again. Lauren bought the full set of Pink Panther shorts from an imported DVD seller and a fluffy teddy bear from a woman selling items made from alpaca wool. She found a knit hat and woven scarf from a knitwear and accessories boutique. We returned briefly to the Avenue of the States for Lauren to buy orange cream fudge from Rhode Island for her father and raspberry fudge for herself.

By this point, we'd literally been outside all day and were dead tired. It was time to head home. It took us a few minutes to find Lauren's car, and another couple to get out of the fair. Once we got out onto the main road, there were no problems, not even as we passed downtown Springfield. It was clear riding all the way back to Lee.

Had dinner at Athena's, the same restaurant just off the highway in Lee that we ate at after the fair last year. It's a lovely little place with wooden booths and green plants everywhere. Lauren went with a crispy chicken wrap and a pink lemonade. I hadn't had a chicken gyro in ages. I had it here last year, and it was just as good this year, crispy and salty. The fries were even better. I'd never had crispier fries. I wonder if they were double-dipped in batter and then fried, like Lauren suggested?

We finally made it home around quarter after 7. The Millers were watching Wheel of Fortune when we got in. We continued on to Jeopardy! with them as we showed them our purchases and I went downstairs while they talked family things.

I'm so glad we went today! The weather couldn't have been nicer. It was windy, and the wind was chilly, but the sun felt nice and warm. Perfect September weather.

Hopefully, the weather will continue to be lovely tomorrow. We're going to head into Vermont for our annual trip to the Vermont Country Store.

I'm A Believer

We once again made a trip through the Massachusetts wilderness this morning, this time on our way to the Eastern State Exposition in West Springfield to see former Monkee singer/drummer Micky Dolenz. I got quite a surprise when we ended up parking in the back yard of an enterprising local family. That would NEVER happen in Wildwood or Ocean City. (For one thing, most of the remaining residents of those towns don't HAVE back yards.)

We got our second surprise of the day when we got our tickets and went into the fair. The very first thing we saw beyond the gates was the stage where Micky was to perform, and there were not one, but two times listed for his appearances. Lauren said the fair's site only listed an 8PM, but it would seem there was also one at 3PM. We decided that since we had all day, we would stay for both shows.

We had some time to kill before the 3PM show, so we walked around a bit and got to know the lay of the land. While most of the fair was your basic fairgrounds with rides, games, souvenir stands, and food booths of every description, the fair did have many unusual attractions. Because it was an Exhibition like the World's Fair, there were lots of animal rides. There were pony rides and a ride on an elephant. Lauren and I took pictures of the goats, camel, and sleeping kangaroo in a petting zoo. We later took pictures of sheep and dairy goats in the Farm-A-Rama building. One of the sheep actually bleated when I pet him! "You win," Lauren said after that.

One of the big animal attractions was the Budwiser Clydesdales. Lauren and I snapped pictures of the famous team of Clydesdale horses who pull the Budwiser beer carts. Lauren even bought a WebKinz Clydesdale from a toy dealer just outside the Better Life Building.

The Better Life Building was huge and busy, filled with people and stands selling leather goods, hot tubs, furniture, food, and small appliances. I didn't buy anything there, but Lauren bought three leather belts for $10. (She says they were the woven-like kind that she can't find anymore.) It was really too busy to hang around in, so after Lauren got her belts, we hit the bathroom and head out. (That bathroom attendant was awfully friendly - a little too much, in my opinion.)

We walked around and explored until it was time to sit down for the concert. Lauren insisted on getting there early in order to beat the crowds. We sat down an hour and a half before the show. In addition to the (uncovered) benches in the main arena area, there were picnic tables on the grass on either side of the stage. These afforded us equally good views with lots more legroom.

After the show, we stood in line and got Micky's autograph. Lauren bought a photo of him from around the first season of the Monkees show. I just had him autograph the notebook I usually keep in my purse for random lists of things I need. (That autograph will stay in my purse as a good luck charm.)

It started to rain lightly towards the end of the show. To escape the rain, we headed over to one of the few indoor restaurants at the Exhibition, the Firehouse Restaurant. It was, indeed, a sit-down, counter-service eatery. We had Grilled Chicken Sandwiches (which were tasty but a bit slippery - Lauren took hers off the bun) while looking at the footage Lauren shot of Micky's concert with her digital camera and trying to decide what to do next.

After we ate, we decided to just walk around for a while until the next concert. By that time, the showers were in full force. We did walk around and take in more attractions...but we also got quite wet doing so. We walked over to the Midway area. We weren't going to buy the extra tickets for the rides, but we did play a few games. I won a cute little orange bear on the balloon dart game.

We eventually made our way back to the Avenue of the States. Each of the New England states had an exhibition house here based after their state capital building, toting the well-known wares of the state. New Hampshire boasted Stonybrook Farms Yogurt and Milk. Lauren bought flannel nightshirts for her dad from a Vermont booth, and I bought maple sugar candy and saw a booth for Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. Rhode Island had a Del's Lemonade stand and a poster about legendary local radio and TV personality Salty Brine (both often mentioned by my friend Linda Young, a Rhode Island native). People were lined up half-way out the door for Maine baked potatoes, even in the pouring rain. Kids built with Legos and crowded around the Pez Dispenser booth in Connecticut.

I was surprised how crowded it still was, even with the weather. This probably had partially to do with many of the major attractions being indoors. However, as Lauren pointed out, New England weather is notoriously fickle and most natives are used to it. In Wildwood, people flee the boardwalk (and in many cases, the island) the moment a raindrop is seen. Unless you plan on spending the rest of the afternoon in the arcade or grocery shopping, there just isn't much to do on a rainy day in Wildwood.

By 6:30, we were cold and wet and ready to pack it in. We debated it on and off as we made our way back to the Center Stage and the gate we came in. We saw musicians tuning up on the stage and electricians fiddling with lights...and we finally decided that if Micky Dolenz could say "what the heck" and perform, so could we.

It was more than worth getting soaked to stay for the second show. The rain let up long enough for Micky and his sister Coco to perform "without being electrocuted" (as Micky said at one point), Lauren got more footage for YouTube, and we got to talk to a fellow Monkees fan who had come up for the late show from Boston. He was a middle-aged man who had actually worked on the Monkees show when they got their star on the Walk of Fame in LA and had recorded some footage of it. (He also mentioned that this wasn't the first time the Monkees had appeared at the Eastern State Exhibition. He said Mike, Micky, and Davy appeared at the Exhibition in 1969 when it was just the three of them, which makes sense. From what I've read, the three played a lot of similar fairs and carnivals during that time period.)

And yes, I even got my autographed photo. I opted for one of all four Monkees. (I did tell Micky he could sign over Davy, if he wanted.) Lauren topped me - she didn't want to spend more money on another autograph, so she had him sign a dollar bill!

Micky himself was in fine form tonight. In addition to well-known Monkees hit, he sang "Johnny B. Goode" (which he says was his audition piece for The Monkees show) and kicked rear on a great "Gimmie Some Lovin'" in the second show. Coco Dolenz did nicely with her solo pieces, one of my favorite Linda Rondstat songs "Different Drum." (Which, coincidentally, was written by one of the Monkees, Mike Nesmith.)

Not surprisingly, we went straight home after that, this time heading down the MassPike and other well-lit, straight highways. It was a fun ride despite the lack of a view. Lauren cranked up the heat and the Monkees music, and we sang our way across the Berkshires.

(Lauren also discovered the Massachusetts E-ZPass tolls have switched to a card system instead of tolls - you take a card in one toll booth and give the card to the person in the booth in the next toll. Simple...and cheaper.)

It turns out Lauren's parents weren't idle today despite the weather, either. They put up some lovely curtains over the French doors that look out to their deck and large back yard.

Here's Micky's website:

Micky Dolenz

And the site for the Eastern State Exhibition ("The Big E"):

Eastern States Exhibition