The Big Apple

Since Claire & Nate had to work, they suggested we take the local train into New York City for the day.  The only downside was our decision was so last minute that we couldn't see one of Katie's all time favorite people, her amazing friend, Alana.  Somehow, we still managed to make the best of things, while walking tons of The Empire City.

Babbitt on the train to NYC for the first time! 

View of the Empire State Building from Grand Central Terminal in NYC

Katie sipping Chicken Noodle Soup at The Carnegie Deli, NYC
Our first stop was to this famous deli for an early lunch that included free pickles...we were even treated
to views of Times Square & snippets of the 2013 NYC Columbus Day Parade during our walk there

Babbitt making his culinary dreams come true while taking a bite of his enormous
& wildly expensive Corned Beef Sandwich at The Carnegie Deli, NYC
Photograph Unavailable: Katie "flexing" while taking quite a few illegal bites (sharing is not allowed)

The O'Babbitt's in Central Park, NYC
While in the park we saw The Met, miniature sailboats & the John Lennon Strawberry Fields Memorial

Katie hoping to catch of glimpse of Jimmy Fallon in Central Park, NYC

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30 Rockefellar Plaza, NYC
Since, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon was on hiatus & we missed Hoda & Kathie Lee
 in the morning, we opted for the NBC Studio Tour, where Katie made her Anchorlady debut

Babbitt at Red Stone Pizzeria, NYC
We couldn't leave the island without a piece of genuine New York City Pizza

Grand Central Terminal, NYC
Our train back to Kent, CT got us there just in time for delicious homemade enchiladas & Colts football

The Constitution State

Nothing like a morning jog through Yale University to make you feel like an underachiever!  Afterwards, our plan was to try Louis' Lunch (the supposed inventor of the hamburger), but when we looked up walking directions, we realized that they were closed for the day.  Luckily nearby friends made sure that our day was not a lost cause & after few helpings of FREE Burger King Satisfries we were able to make it to our dear friends Claire & Nate's house earlier than expected!

Yale University Bulldog in New Haven, CT
During our jog we were reminded of our sweet pooch, Murphy...he really did look like this as a puppy

Claire & Nate's backyard, Club Getaway in Kent, CT
We've been impressed with Club Getaway since Claire & Nate's
2011 wedding & couldn't wait to be invited back

Henry Nathan & Babbitt at Burgerittoville in Gaylordsville, CT
The last time we saw Henry he was teeny tiny...it was tons of fun to see how much he has grown

Claire, Nate, Henry Nathan, Hannah, Mike & Babbitt at Burgerrittoville in Gaylordsville, CT
Even though we drank too much, stayed up too late & ate too many delicious
English candies it was the perfect night to catch up with friends

Outside Providence

We had come to a crossroads while in Sandwich, MA.  Option 1:  Stay in Cape Cod for a Whale Watching Cruise the next morning (Katie found a Whale Watching Rain Check from 1994 in one of her scrapbooks & brought it along just in case.)  Option 2:  Head straight for Rhode Island.  Whale Watching was a concern, because even though it was essentially 2 for the price of 1, it was still pretty expensive, especially if zero whales were spotted.  Plus to add insult to injury, they tacked on a hefty parking fee once whale watchers arrived on site.  In the end, we realized that we'd never be this close to the cruise again & choose to whale watch.  Once we finalized our plans that evening, the more excited we got...that was until the next morning!  We got up early to purchase deli sandwiches & a bottle of wine for our voyage...we even took a jog in Barnstable, MA after we paid to park, but when we returned to see the humpbacks, we found out that cruise had been cancelled due to strong winds!

Katie pouting at the Hyannis Whale Watcher in Barnstable, MA
Please note her rain check & special whale visor she brought all the way from Victoria, B.C.

Babbitt walking across the Giving Tree Sculpture Garden Bridge in East Sandwich, MA
Once we realized there were no whale tails to see, we started to make our way through 3 states in 1 day

The O'Babbitt's in Roger Williams Park in Providence, RI
Sadly, the bar from Outside Providence didn't open until 3 p.m., so this was our only stop in Rhode Island

The largest casino in the US, Foxwoods Resort & Casino in Ledyard, CT
After all of the casinos we have visited, we couldn't go home without seeing this & even
though Free Play was not an option, we still enjoyed being a part of this casino spectacle

Little Italy in New Haven, CT

Babbitt sipping Genesee at The Original Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven, CT
We waited 1.5 hours in line to try what some call THE best pizza in the world...luckily our house was
right down the street, so we even mixed up a couple of cocktails to tide us over, before chowing down 

Yep, It's A Rock Alright!

After our late night Freedom Trailing, we decided to leave Boston, MA on a high note!  Plus, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library was closed because of the government shutdown & the Cubs weren't playing the Red Sox at Fenway Park anytime soon.  So, since we couldn't justify staying another day we made our way to Plymouth, MA & Sandwich, MA for a pretty underwhelming time.

The National Monument To The Forefathers in Plymouth, MA
We weren't sure if this area would be open during the government shutdown, but once we
arrived we quickly saw that maintenance & staff are not a part of this monument's budget

Plymouth Rock, Plymouth, MA
Not only is this just a rock, but we also found out that it wasn't the Pilgrim's first stepping stoneto the
New World...it wasn't claimed to be a significant landmark until 121 years after the arrival of the Mayflower

The Mayflower II in Plymouth, MA
This is a full-scale replica of the real Mayflower, which no longer exists

Plymouth Burial Hill in Plymouth, MA

Babbitt pretending to sail at the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center in Sandwich, MA

The nautical cruzingandboozing.blogspot.com
We can't say much for this Visitors Center, but it did give us a chance to work up
our appetites before dinner at Marshland Restaurant, where you have to try their Stuffed Quahog

Where Everybody Knows Your Name...

Our drive through New Hampshire was quite uneventful.  Although we entered the state twice (once on the way to Maine & once on the way to Massachusetts) we couldn't find a reason to stop.  We did try to spend the night in Seabrook, NH, but there was a sign in the town's Wal*Mart warning us that overnight parking was prohibited & that violators would be prosecuted!  So, we had no other choice but to cross the border into Massachusetts.  We started in Salem, MA & ended in Boston, MA & even though we both still hate the Boston Celtics, we have to rate Boston as one of our all time favorite cities.

Katie accused of witchcraft outside of the Witch Dungeon Museum in Salem, MA
Although not historically accurate, we loved this attraction...live actors, creepy mannequins & history!

Guess the townspeople were right!  "Katie The Witch" in downtown Salem, MA
After the Witch Dungeon Museum we took a stroll through Salem...
being there in October couldn't have been more frightful!

Katie pouring brews at the Samuel Adams Brewery in Boston, MA
Parking was quite a challenge, but it was totally worth it!
The tour was terrific & they provided a free trolley to the first bar to ever carry Sam Adams...Doyle's Cafe!

Babbitt hoping for more Samuel Adam's Red Brick (only served locally) at DOYLE'S in Boston, MA
Our trolley driver, Jason was a classic Bostonian & sold us on DOYLE'S from get go...
the strobe lights, dancing poles in the middle of the trolley & jamming music didn't hurt either

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The must eat Rondo's in Boston, MA
If Anthony Bourdain has been there & $$$$ aren't shown after the restaurant description...we are in!

Babbitt with a Democratic Donkey on the Freedom Trail in Boston, MA
We didn't plan this excursion out very well...the trail highlighting many historical sites was advertised as a
2.5 mile walk, so we thought it would be fun to travel the brick-lined route at night (starting at 7 p.m.)
Well, in the end, we walked about 10 miles & didn't finish until close to 1 a.m.

Katie with the iconic Indian at Cheers Faneuil Hall Marketplace (the replica) in Boston, MA
We came upon this Cheers while following the Freedom Trail & couldn't resist a good tourist trap

The Old State House in Boston, MA
This was our favorite stop on the Trail, not only was the Declaration Of Independence read to the public here for the first time, but there is also a marker memorializing the Boston Massacre victims

Babbitt doing his best Norm impression at Cheers Beacon Hill (the pub that inspired the hit TV show)
The outside accuracy is uncanny...we really felt like Frasier & Lilith while walking in!

Babbitt at the historic Bunker Hill Monument in Boston, MA
We crossed quite a large bridge to reach this stop on the Freedom Trail &
although it was a hike even our blisters don't have any regrets

The Maine Event

As we drove along the coast of Maine we realized there was still a lot left to explore & even more to eat!

Babbitt enjoying a crab cake, onion middles & the morning harbor views at Harraseeket
Lunch & Lobster in South Freeport, ME (we were the second customers of the day)

Babbitt The Moose at the L.L. Bean Flagship Store in Freeport, ME
We met a woman at lunch who informed us that we couldn't leave Maine without seeing L.L. Bean
The store was very impressive, but The North Face Sample Sale is what really caught Babbitt's attention

Li's Chinese Express Food Cart in Freeport, ME
We heard another couple at Harrseeket ask for directions here, so when we stumbled
upon it later in the afternoon & saw how legit it was we had to split the pork fried rice

The O'Babbitt's on the Casco Bay Island Ferry in Portland, ME
We took a 3 hour tour, a 3 hour tour of the Calendar Islands

View of one of the many islands in Casco Bay from the ship
They are referred to as the Calendar Islands because the myth states that there are 365 islands

Flat Hank with a train in Portland, ME
The real Henry loves his trains, so we couldn't resist snapping this photo after our sunset run

Dinner at the Maine Diner (Hot Lobster Roll & Eggs Florentine) in Wells, ME
Despite its generic name, the food & ambiance was "tawp nowtch" &
we even dined with a former Boston Red Sox player

The Government Can't Shut Us Down!

After a full day of driving through Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine, with rain that wouldn't quit, we finally made it to the closed Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, ME.  Katie was on the fence about making such a long trip to a soggy, out of the way town, who's main attraction was closed, but Babbitt read online that the area around the barricaded section was still worth checking out.  Good thing Katie gave in, because the weather subsided & there was a ton to see!

The Cabot Cheese Factory in Cabot, VT
We were a bit Factory Tour shy after Ben & Jerry's, so we didn't pay for Cabot's Tour,
luckily that didn't stop us from tasting their award winning cheese samples on our way out of town

Babbitt after a jog through Bar Harbor, ME
This adorable town was packed with cruise ship tourists & visitors who couldn't get into Acadia

Katie pouting in front of the closed sign at the entrance for Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park
We decided to risk the $500 fine & crossed the barricade into the park
We didn't get far though...we thought we heard a pack of wild moose, plus we had a tour to attend at 3

Katie attempting to stay dry just outside of Acadia National Park

Atlantic Brewing Company in Bar Harbor, ME
The tour was great & somehow we even learned new beer making facts
The tastings were perfect pre-dinner cocktails, they came often & they came fast,
plus we even made it to their winery, Bar Harbor Cellars right before closing time

Babbitt's chosen lobster at Beal's Lobster Pier in Southwest Harbor, ME
Katie couldn't think about this little guy's fate...instead she concentrated on ordering a veggie burger

Babbitt in lobster euphoria at Beal's Lobster Pier for a sunset dinner
$12.95 for a 2 lb lobster?  Babbitt is strongly considering a permanent move to Maine