So, New England then

[EIM]

Right you Mutts. I'm off to New England in a couple of weeks, taking the opportunity to go full Vito Spatafore (without the hunky fireman) while Autumn Watch is over there doing their bit on leaves going red and that. So apart from mooch about in the background of Chris Packham and the rest of the Fjallraven clad lads talking to camera about the Maine Vole or something, what shall I get up to? I expect I'll be in Boston for a bit, hoying my PG Tips in the harbour, leading the Winter Hill Gang, and solving complex mathematical problems while grafting as a janitor for some creep in a scarf (pronounced scahf). But beyond that I'm looking for recommendations. Places to see, people to meet, food to consume. You know the score.

And as a further project, I'm doing the Canadian Rockies, Seattle, and Twin Peaks gear an all. So if you, YES *YOU*, have anything to add on these exciting subjects, I'd be very grateful.

[San Bernardhinault]

It's even worse than Real England.

[EIM]

Real ray of sunshine, you.

[ursus arctos]

He's talking about Connecticut and he isn't wrong.

How long are you there for?

[EIM]

Probably a week or so.

[adams house cat]

Stay out of South Boston. Otherwise, have fun.

[San Bernardhinault]

More specifically:

Give my in-laws a wide berth. That should be easy, because there's no reason to go to Connecticut. Pootle around Vermont looking at towns that all look like they're straight out of Beetlejuice. Drink lots of New England IPAs, which are actually really good these days. Don't get sucked into any of the Heritage-Industrial-Complex bollocks. Go to a baseball game at Fenway if there's one on. Join the hordes of leaf-peepers for a few hours, but there's only so much looking at trees that a red-blooded human can do.

Canadia, Seattle and the rest is more my scene.

[EIM]

If it's true that the Boston Red Sox play Sweet Caroline, I'm going nowhere near it.

I like trees, man. They're alright.

[WOM]

How does one manage New England and the Canadian Rockies in the same week?

[EIM]

Two weeks. One in each.

[ursus arctos]

Go to White River Junction, Vermont

They have trains, beer, trees and a river. Don’t go any further into New Hampshire than Hanover.

You don’t really have time to go to Maine

[WOM]

Middlebury....I knew a girl there once.....

[ursus arctos]

Middlebury, Brattleboro and Burlington are all too middle class for our man.

You might consider Providence. It’s been run by the mob for decades.

[EIM]

"Middlebury, Brattleboro and Burlington are all too middle class for our man"

Mate. I've got a spice cupboard AND different types of cooking oil.

"You might consider Providence. It’s been run by the mob for decades."

What could possibly go wrong?

[San Bernardhinault]

If he's after shitty places run by the mob, then maybe some post-industrial-decline Connecticut could appeal.

[Third rate Leszno]

This time of year? Pumpkin ale is where it's at. Eat your own body weight in seafood while you're in and around Boston. The Maine coast is spectacular but full of rich white fuckers.

I got married in Vermont. Wouldn't recommend you do that though. New Hampshire seemed to full of people who pride themselves on their independence and anti-authority attitude, but that basically meant they were all gun totin' NASCAR loving rednecks.

Wildlife in the Rockies is outstanding - you don't even have to go hiking to find it, there's elk and stuff walking down the main streets. Memorable roadkill too.

Seattle's ok, even more homeless folk than Manchester but still worth a couple of days - you'd be as well catching a ball game there instead of Boston (if you don't want to contribute to the wealth of Liverpool's owners).

[ursus arctos]

But why bother with poor imitations when the real thing is closer to Boston?

You might like Portland, Maine. It’s got a rocky coastline and a lot of Somalis. You can do it in a day from Boston and see some faded New Hampshire coastal resorts on the way.

[ursus arctos]

The baseball regular season has only a week left and I assume that EIM wants to keep both kidneys, so Sox playoff tickets are out.

[ursus arctos]

Yes, that’s true about Salem.

It’s very interesting, and the boat is the best way to go there, but it does go Halloween crazy.

If you want an off the beaten track experience in Boston, consider the Glass Flowers at my old pile of bricks.

[EIM]

NHL is starting though, right?

[WOM]

Preseason. October 3 is the start.

[EIM]

I fly out on the 5th.

[WOM]

Out of....?

[ursus arctos]

The Bruins open on the road, their first home game is on 8 October, though they have two pre-season friendlies this week.

Ottawa (horrible) on the 8th in the afternoon, Edmonton (best kid in the sport) on the 11th, Detroit (great uniforms, bad team) on the 13th

[Nefertiti2]

I can recommend Newport Rhode Island. Excellent lobster and mansions, Also Northampton Western Massachusetts for lesbians, politics and bookshops- and very beautiful trees.