Growing up in Ct. as a child I have to say I’m embarrassed to admit that further North we traveled was to Boston, Ma. We moved down to the South and rarely went back up north except and occasion visit with my sisters or for work. I’d always heard how gorgeous New England was … pretty much all year round but specifically during the Summer as the weather is far more milder than the heat and humidity of the South.
This year I rounded up the troops ( that would be my sons and spouse) for a whirl wind East Coast tour. The best part was finding very inexpensive airfare from Atlanta to Hartford. The plan was to visit my sister and nieces before road tripping up the Eastern Seaboard. We’d go as far North 1st stop and work our way back down.
FIRST STOP – RHODE ISLAND
First impressions were WOW this place is magnificent. My eyes were drawn to the picturesque surrounds, beautiful full bloom trees, homes built with a style unique to N.E. ( southern style homes have a different style/design). It wasn’t long before the gang started crying out “what’s for lunch”. With that .. the 1st stop was to an AMAZING Smoked Barbecue joint aptly named SMOKEHOUSE. While not the “fanciest” in decor it was easy to pick up on the fact that this place had it going on. The smell of smoked meats just drew you in. As I walked to our table I made sure to eyeball the plates of those indulging in delight and I wanted it all. I opted for Mac n Cheese, baked beans and mixed barbecue plate consisting of pulled meats and ribs. SIMPLY DEVINE. I’d highly recommend.
LETS DRINK WINE
Who knew there were wineries and vineyards up North? Yet another reason to explore local. We happened upon New Port Vineyard just in time to take in a tour and have a tasting. They mostly produce Cabs and Merlots with a few dessert/port wines and whites. After enjoying our “tasting” we opted to order 6 bottles. The good news is for a small additional fee they shipped the bottles to us which was perfect for us since we weren’t excited about the idea of carrying that much product on the plane. Perfectly timed the bottles arrived a day after we returned home.
Something For Everybody
The beauty of road trips is that you get to be leisurely. You can plan or not, opting to just go with the organic flow. We tend to go with the latter, which lead off to an Alpaca farm. Curious about a new home development ( The Realtor in me was on the lurk) we pulled down a road to check out the neighborhood but before we could make it there was a sign pointing to the farm. Naturally that caught my eye and the kids attention so yup, you guessed it we were going to see what this farm had in store. From what I can gather it’s a private farm. As we pulled up we were greeted by a guy that I’ll call a farm hand. We asked for the owner who happened to be away. Thankfully the worker was gracious enough to let us check out the property and feed the animals. It was a perfect unexpected off the beaten path chance happening that I think we all enjoyed equally.
All things GREEK
While stroll through the many stores downtown we stumbled upon a small business that makes and manufactures their own vinegars and infused olive oils. Who knew there were so many different flavors or olive oil? The store was setup to where you could sample any and everything your pallette could desire. An avid cook I was all about this store, so much and so I had them ship 4 bottles to my home. I’ll definitely re-up and order more when I run out. As a matter of fact although a bit pricey the bottles make for a great Birthday or Christmas gift.
Rolling Around
If you’re really feeling adventurous you can rent motor scooters and 3 wheelers to ride around the area as well as check out the famed MILLIONAIRE row. A bit pricey for our budget and the fact that it neared closing time, we opted out but couldn’t resist a good pic or two.
