A Suburban Boston Oasis at Hale Reservation in Westwood, MA

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comIt's amazing that the peace and tranquility of Hale Reservation in Westwood, MA, is just minutes from the maniacal, sometimes hostile, commuter-crazy Route 128 in the thick of the southwest suburban Boston suburbs.More than just a basic, suburban, token place to walk and hike, Hale Reservation features 1,100 acres of untouched woodlands, scenic, protected ponds, meandering streams, long stretches...

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Good Eeeevening!: A Perspective on New Hampshire Meteorologist Al Kaprielian

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comSomewhere in the 1980s, my esteemed Arlington High School journalism teacher Len Tammaro tipped me off about a New Hampshire television weatherman that he called "Crazy Al Kaprielian." That night, I couldn't believe what I saw: this nerdy-looking guy with a high-pitched voice flailing his arms all over the weather map, contorting his face in every direction, and squealing, "Good Eeeevening!" and "HIGH PRESSURE!" (his future trademark phrases)." All that boundless energy and the myriad antics left the...

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Northern New Hampshire Foliage is "Head and Antlers" Above the Rest

Photo by Marc H., courtesy of TravelGuideOfAmerica.comNorthern New Hampshire foliage is near or at full peak, which is sure to delight all walks of life from people to your standard New Hampshire moose!VisitNH.com sent us some updates yesterday telling us that the Great North Woods Region features spectacular color all over the region with bold reds and oranges everywhere. In the White Mountains, higher elevations show near-peak conditions with...

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The Quiet Boston Suburb: Norfolk, MA

Article by Eric H., Photo by Joan H., at VisitingNewEngland.comRare is the opportunity to live in a suburban Boston town like Norfolk, MA, with its population of less than 10,000 and no areas that touch a major highway. Anchored by a nice town common with gazebo, a brand new library, a big white church with a tall white steeple, and the surrounding area with ponds, lakes and country roads, Norfolk has little commercialism, and isn't on any EPA Superfund...

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Fritz Whetherbee, the Great New Hampshire Storyteller

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comFritz Whetherbee, best-known for his down-to-earth folksy New Hampshire tales on WMUR-Television Channel 9's Chronicle, is one of my favorite regional storytellers. A lifelong New Hampshire resident, Whetherbee tells his stories with that weathered, methodical, cracked and salty voice that could only come from New England. He fondly looks back on a gentler New Hampshire that he once knew, but never seems to trash his more modern state, the earmark of a man with loyalty and love to his region. Whetherbee's...

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Seafood Dining, Rhode Island Style

Article and photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comThe days of eating on the outdoor decks with water views of the harbor and Atlantic Ocean might be numbered at Champlin's Seafood in the Galilee section of Narragansett, RI, but that's no reason to stop enjoying the experience of dining coastal-style in Rhode Island.With dining hours currently set from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, the chance to feast on fresh-from-the-dock seafood at Champlin's remains...

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The Bright Personality of the Yankee Candle Factory

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comPhoto Courtesy of Yankee Candle Company, Source: MassVacation.comThe Yankee Candle Factory in South Deerfield, MA, has come a long way since founder Mike Kittridge started the Yankee Candle business in 1969 in his parent's basement.It just goes to show what a little perseverance does as this household-name Massachusetts travel attraction offers an overwhelmingly fun mix of shopping, entertainment and...

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A Good, Old-Fashioned New England Education

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comIt was difficult for my five-year-old mind to understand why my Dad and Mom wanted to move to Arlington, Mass., so we could receive a great education. At that time in my Burlington, Mass., life, I didn't need much more than a hug, a yard to run around with neighborhood friends and to walk with my folks around the corner to the local pharmacy for a Hoodsie. Life seemed good in our 1,000 sq. ft. home, which...

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The Timeless, Famous and Delicious Parker House Roll

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comAs a little boy growing up in the Boston suburb of Arlington, MA, in the 1970s, I remember Mom and Dad occasionally taking us into Boston in their phony, wood-paneled Mercury Marquis station wagon. What a treat it was parking at the Park St. underground parking gararge and waiting for a bus to noisily take us to all the famous-and-not -so famous attractions in the "Hub of the Universe."With WVBF-FM 105.7 (now WROR) disc jockey Major Tom Lewis playing all the top 40 hits on the bus driver's low-quality...

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Sunday Mornings at Don's Diner in Plainville, MA

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comEveryone loves a good diner, but how many of these landmarks remain open in the New England downtowns where the heart of our communities used to gather for an informal meal and great conversation?It seems like more diners today line the faceless highways, strip malls and remote roads leading from our town centers, but, fortunately, places like Don's Diner in Plainville, MA, grace its modest but...

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In Search of the Best Greek-American Cuisine in Massachusetts

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comI wasn't born Greek, but my taste buds definitely have some lineage to the Acropolis -- not the famous Greek landmark, mind you, but the former Greek-American restaurant near Porter Square in Cambridge, MA.At a very young age, I felt a strong affinity with baked lamb, rice pilaf, and Greek salads. At the Acropolis, the stoic bald smiling Greek host, the water boy who rushed to fill glasses after...

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Enjoying Small-Town New England at the Walpole Arts and Music Festival, Walpole, MA, Oct. 4

Article and photo (of Blackburn Hall) by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comIf you're looking for a friendly, small-town New England seasonal fall event next weekend, we highly recommend the Walpole Arts and Musical Festival to be held on Sat., Oct. 4, from 10-4 p.m., at Blackburn Hall on Stone St. in downtown Walpole, MA.One of those New England events that flies under the radar but is, nevertheless, a joyful way to spend a day, the Festival will...

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The Vanilla Bean Cafe in Pomfret, CT, is Good for the Heart -- and Your Hearty Appetite

Article and photo by Eric H, at VisitingNewEngland.comOne of our favorite day trips is traveling to the postcard-picture perfect town of Pomfret, CT, enjoying the rolling country hills, shaded country roads, expansive traditional New England village green and dining at the special Vanilla Bean Cafe.A charming, converted, renovated 1800s farmhouse, the Vanilla Bean Cafe will warm your heart and fill your hearty appetite with its great breakfasts,...

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The Prudential Observatory Reaches New Heights in Boston Travel

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comThe Prudential Building's 50th Floor Skywalk Observatory is one of Boston's more interesting tourist attractions, providing sweeping panoramic views of the Boston area.From this height, Boston looks like a miniature toy village, including views of Boston Harbor, the Charles River, Fenway Park, the even-taller Hancock Tower and the outlying suburbs. And you thought you had great views from your...

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Vermont Perspectives and Travel and Vacation Events in October

Photo of fall, in East Topsham, VT. (photo by Andre Jenny at Vermont Vacation.com)The good folks at VermontVacation.com tell us that its beautiful state is featuring many interesting fall events in October, ranging from fall foliage festivals to Halloween extravaganzas. More about those events, after a brief personal perspective of fall in Vermont and a favorite Vermont village...There's nothing quite like a Vermont autumn event with its colorful...

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Western Hotel Pizza and Tavern: A True Hidden Dining Gem in Harrisville, RI

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comThe Western Hotel seems to be located somewhere between Gomer Pyle's gas station and Little House on the Prairie, but don't let its out-of-the way location in tiny Harrisville, RI, deter you from sampling a bit of history, loads of character and some terrific comfort foods.Situated in a former 1700s stagecoach stop that once accommodated Abraham Lincoln (don't worry, not recently), this lonesome-looking,...

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Run, Run As Fast as You Can to the Yum Yum Shop in Wolfeboro, NH, Before its Seasonal Closing on Oct. 13

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comThe Yum Yum Shop in Wolfeboro, NH, aptly reflects it name, specializing in absolutely amazing gingerbread men cookies as well as a full-spectrum of delicious baked goods including cookies, puff pastries, cakes, donuts, muffins, danishes, turnovers, breads and whoopie pies. A seasonal business, the Yum Yum Shop will close for the season on Oct. 13 and reopen in the spring.Making up to approximately...

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When Our Favorite Restaurants Leave Us

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comThe other day while driving to the Eastern States Exposition (The Big E) fair in West Springfield, MA, I noticed one of our favorite restaurants was closed. I later learned that the Ivanhoe had shut its doors permanently at this location in July of 2007, mainly because of losing a significant amount of parking space to an expanding furniture store.When driving back to suburban Boston from our frequent Cooperstown, N.Y., vacations, the Ivanhoe served as a welcoming dining friend for supper. While we...

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New Hampshire Perspectives, Fall Foliage Updates, and Events

Photo of Wolfeboro, NH, by Eric H.What better time to visit beautiful New Hampshire than during the fall foliage season?The fall foliage in New England is as good as it gets, an added benefit to the inherently rugged, dramatic mountain ranges, the family-friendly traditional attractions and events, and the many lake towns that gently force you to relax. Mt. Washington affords the most amazing mountains views with its 6,288 ft. of rural splendor,...

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The Latest Maine Fall Foliage Updates

Our good friends at MaineFoliage.com report to us that recent evening frosts have sped up the foliage process -- good news for those wishing to leaf peep sooner than later in the "Pine Tree State" (the state's nickname really doesn't give justice to the fall foliage season here).As of Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008, The Maine Department of Conservation stated that rangers in far northern Maine have reported observing between 50 and 75 percent peak leaf...

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Kerrigan's Market and Deli Fills a Business Need and Hearty Appetites in Northeast Kingdom, Vermont

Article and photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comWhen Kerrigan's Market and Deli opened in late December 2007, its presence created an immediate benefit for locals wanting made-from-scratch, take-out food within a close distance of home.Located in sparsely-populated, scenic West Burke, VT, and surrounded by other beautifully, isolated "Northeast Kingdom" mountain communities, Kerrigan's Market and Deli is not your basic, modern-day, hermetically-sealed,...

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Belfast, Maine, Offers True Coastal Maine Ambiance

Article by Eric H., Photo by Joan H., at VisitingNewEngland.com Belfast, Maine, has all the Maine coast visual bells and whistles you could ever want: rocky shoreline and ocean views, docks with lobster men working their craft, scenic countryside and a charming, old-fashioned downtown. Filled with art galleries, antique shops, dining and lodging options and locally-owned "service" shopping, this historic mid-coast community has remarkably preserved...

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The Local Chicken Pie That Would Make Aunt Bea Jealous

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comIf Aunt Bea from the Andy Griffith Show lived in the Boston area, she sure would be ticked off that someone made a better chicken pot pie than her.The fact that Aunt Bea is no longer with us and, come to think of it, a fictional television character makes the argument kind of pointless, but you get the down-home-cooking concept. Harrows, in Reading, MA, trumps the supermarket brands with its slow-cooked...

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Budabing's 50s Cafe: A Case Against Calorie Restriction

Article by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.com I love a happy restaurant -- a place where food is served in ample portions, kids are everywhere except the assigned dining table, waitresses crack jokes, music plays off the jukebox, and you can get away with making funny sounds with the plastic ketchup bottle.What a pleasant alternative to the crowd that uses the search engines in the afternoon to find "great 18th century artist" information and then...

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Fenway Park, Your Destination for Red Sox Playoff Baseball!

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comFenway Park in Boston, MA, will once again become an autumn sports "destination" as the Boston Red Sox clinched an American League playoff berth last night by defeating the Cleveland Indians 5-4. The win not only put them in the playoffs, but eliminated the rival New York Yankees from playoff contention this year.It's nice, once again, to revel in the baseball fall foliage version of the Red...

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The Story of a Restaurant Hiding in a Working Class Residential Norwood, MA, Neighborhood

Article and photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comDriving into a working-class residential neighborhood on Savin St. in Norwood, MA, will lead you to a building that could pass as a lousy-looking home, an even lousier-looking auto body shop or perhaps a warehouse that sells boiler plant parts. Most locals fondly know this building as the Colonial House Restaurant, but people outside the area generally have no clue about this truly hidden restaurant....

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Taking the Road Less Taken in the New England Autumn

Article and Photo by Eric H., at VisitingNewEngland.comSometimes, traveling to less obvious New England autumn destinations works wonders for the soul. Take for instance, the beach, that antiquated travel destination from what already seems like generations ago -- the past summer.While we strongly encourage touring New England for the once-a-year colorful treat called fall foliage, you might want to consider a beach vacation or day trip, also. ...

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