I’m Baaaaack!

Finally back from our annual Brimfield adventure – miss me?

We had a great time, as usual, and true to form, came back with the truck literally packed to the roof. In the seven years we have been going, I have never bought a piece of furniture there. I usually buy smaller things, keeping an eye out for entertaining pieces (dishes, platters, serving things, etc.) or things for the garden. Well, this year was different. I bought not one piece of furniture, but two!!! It took some maneuvering to get everything to fit, but it worked out just fine.

Since we have been going for so long, we have established a favorite pattern. We have dinner when we get there, getting take-out from Rom’s. We both get the Fried Fisherman’s Platter and eat it in the hotel room, laying on the bed, watching TV and reading magazines. Quite relaxing, and exactly what we need for the grueling day ahead. Here’s what dinner looks like:

Fried Fisherman’s Platter

Although everything is fried, it is virtually grease-free. The platter contains clams, scallops, shrimp, flounder, fries and onion rings. The scallops are my favorite, but it’s all delicious. For dinner on our second night, we usually get something delivered from a local restaurant, since we’re both way beyond exhausted. With over 5,000 vendors, we spend much of Friday walking and calculated that we walked over 6.50 hours this time. That’s some serious exercise!

During our full day, we get lunch at our favorite food vendor:

Lobster Roll sandwiches and Lobster Bisque that are out of this world. The Lobster Roll sandwich is a bit pricey at $11, but it is jam-packed with big chunks of lobster, and worth every penny. The Bisque has just the right amount of sherry, which is a hard thing to come by. The thought of this lunch definitely keeps us motivated during the morning. All washed down with fresh, homemade lemonade, you couldn’t ask for a better lunch.

The Main Street is lined with a variety of food vendors, and then there’s a separate food court as well.

Everything from pulled pork and apple dumplings to fried chicken, gyros, pizza and Pilgrim sandwiches (sandwiches piled high with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and more). No guilt allowed on this trip, especially with all the exercise that we get! ;)

Once we decide that our legs just can’t take it anymore, we go back to the hotel for a small break and then head out again … this time for some retail therapy. There’s a shopping plaza nearby that has Marshalls, Old Navy, Linens ‘n Things, Wal-Mart and more. I did great at Marshalls this trip. I find the store to be hit or miss. Sometimes I come out with a lot of great finds, sometimes I come out with nothing. This time, I netted 5 new cookbooks, a great serving platter, and a set of small appetizer forks.

All in all, a great trip, and I can’t wait to do it again. Tune in tomorrow for pictures on my finds, and the low-down on the cookbook bargains I scored.

Until then…