Basset Hound
Peter and I flew to London last night. He is here working on his Union College senior thesis. It has to do with how terraces disappeared from Premier League football grounds and the effect that change has had on supporters and organizations. So we are here for a few days and then off around the midlands and Lincolnshire to go to some clubs and interview as many people as we can. / We were eating lunch in a pub near Putney Bridge when we heard what I thought was someone imitating a basset hound. I looked over and saw this guy. Amazing; just sitting there with his mistress.
I just love it how dogs hang out in pubs. He was sweet.
Peter
Today I was in the Schenectady area shooting Erie Canal damage from the recent storms, and got the chance to stop by Union to visit Peter. Here he is talking to Cris. It is lovely to see him smile. / I’ll post some of the canal photos tomorrow.
Woodman’s / Farnham’s
Peter goes back to Union soon, and today was a good day to drive out to Essex for some clams. We had visited Farnham’s in June and wanted to try Woodman’s. We left Pelham late morning and arrived in Essex just before 2.00. Woodman’s is the larger operation of the two and claim to be the originator of the fried clam. We ordered a large and waited about 5 minutes.
We went out back to the picnic tables and enjoyed the view and the clams. It soon became clear to us that we couldn’t just operate on memory to compare the two spots, so we hopped in the car and drove down the road to Farnhams. Ordered a small box there and sat at the outside tables.
Both places are a must visit for anyone who heads up that way, but for us the Farnham’s experience was better in all ways.
August Walk
Peter, Pearl, and I had a lovely late afternoon walk today. Goldenrod, cattails, and loosestrife.
It was breezy and cool, and the light was beautiful.
Lots of queen anne’s lace, too.
Saratoga
Last Friday my sister Karen and her husband Dick came up to go with us to the track at Saratoga. It was a beautiful day and after all the heat and humidity, it was a pleasure to sit in the grandstand and watch the horses run. Last year Cris, Peter, and I went and Pete was the big winner. I am not sure what his system is, but it seems to work as he came out about $60.00 ahead. This year, Dick’s friend Paul gave us some tips and they mostly worked. On mostly $1.00 or $2.00 bets, I ended the day up about $20.00. Peter chose not to follow Paul’s advice and again was the big winner, leaving the track with about $30.00 more than he came with.
I won a bit on the sixth race. Lots of fun.
Essex Salt Marsh
Peter and I both had doctors appointments in the Boston area today, so we decided to head up along the North Shore for some clams. We have been to the Clam Box in Ipswich and wanted to try something new. Dr. O suggested Essex and we checked out Farnham’s first and decided to give them a go. This is the view from the picnic tables just off the parking lot. Very cool and windy today; lovely light and the clams were perfect. So far, our favorite location.
Peter
I have really wanted to see Peter lately, so yesterday I drove out to Albany. He had class until 3.00, so on the way to Schenectady, I stopped in to visit my friend Peggy Ross. Had a great lunch with her and then Peter and I drove into Albany to have a meal at the Pump Station. For a thin guy, he can really put away the eats.
Eating in car
Peter and I were once in Northampton at a stoplight and we noticed that the person driving the car next to us was eating a bowl of cereal while waiting for the light to change. She saw us looking at her and smiled sheepishly. / I walked by a car recently and saw this bowl on the front seat. Looks like they might have had some coffee too.
Lemon Tart
When I started this site, I vowed I would never take photos of food that I had cooked. Since I lived alone in Ithaca in the “80s, I have taken pictures of my dinners from time to time, but lately with the whole food on tv thing, it seems kind of self indulgent. But, as Emerson said, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds”. So, I will write about love and friendship while posting a picture of something I cooked. John Wilson sent me a cookbook by Raymond Blanc a while back, and around holiday time, I use it alot. My son Peter loves it when we have big meals planned, and so it is lots of fun to put energy into producing something really good. Last night was French onion soup. Tonight was coq au vin, potatoes Dauphinoise, and for dessert, a lemon tart, all from the Blanc book. This picture of the lemon tart features the crust, of which I am particularly proud. / Yesterday as 2010 was winding down, I spoke to three amazing people on the phone. Alex Ross and I speak 4 or 5 days a week, Peter Carroll and I about the same, and John Wilson in the UK and I skype regularly. After our chats I just felt so blessed to have them as friends. Later in the day Cris and I ran some errands and went to a movie, then she, Pete and I had a quiet New Year’s Eve. / I was at my sister Karen’s just after Thanksgiving and got to see her entire family. At Christmas, we went to Maine to see my brother Bob and his family and had a great time. And this past Wednesday, Brad Edmondson and Tania Werbizky spent the night while on their way to the White Mountains. / As we were eating dinner tonight, after a long day of cooking, I fantasized about a huge long farmhouse table with all the people who give me so much love and support sitting around me. What a meal that would be. / We take Peter back to Union tomorrow, and I always get a bit melancholy when he leaves. In his words, I am “waxing a bit poetic” here, but if you can’t say how much your friends and family mean to you, something isn’t quite right. / So, to all of you dear people in my life, best wishes for the new year.
Fenway
Every year around this time, Peter and I drive into Boston. Our first stop is Fenway. We park on Yawkey Way (there is always a spot) and walk around the perimeter of the park. It is always a bit odd to be there in the off season, especially with lots of snow on the ground from the storm earlier this week. We start by heading East on Yawkey and then around to Lansdowne. This year we spotted the entrance to the Bleacher Bar, which is actually inside the building, just under the center field bleachers. It is a really nice smallish pub that was mostly empty. A nice time for an early Guinness for me and a lime and soda for Peter. It was a great day to be together.
Jon Crispin's Notebook 
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