Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Mmmmmm, candles...

My apologies for being such a slacker and not posting since Friday. It's just that I've actually had stuff to do at work this week, believe it or not. Anyway, here's the latest:

On Sunday, we took a daytrip to my college town. Even though it was misty and overcast, we had a perfect day. We got there right around lunchtime, and after parking a few blocks away from prime restaurant and shopping area, we wandered up and down Main St. looking for a place to eat. There was no shortage of yummy options, although my favorite pasta restaurant was closed. We ended up eating at an interesting Mexican fusion place that had things like tandoori chicken burritos and catfish enchiladas. After that, we engaged in a bit of window shopping. Though the Queen of All Yarn Shops was closed, we did poke into this other LYS, which wasn't too shabby either. Miraculously, I kept myself from buying anything at all, although I must admit my fingers were twitching by the time we left.

Then we decided it was time for something different, and I thought it would be nice to show Taz one of my favorite little hideaways in the world. We drove a few miles further north, and after some twisty country roads, we arrived here. Rooms and rooms of used books, other rooms of used music, and a great little cafe overlooking the old mill stream. There is even a place there that sells handwoven shawls and things. We ambled around among the books, finding long-lost friends and meeting possible new ones, and eventually found a seat in the cafe, where I knit and we both read and enjoyed vanilla ice cream in port wine, and a grilled peanut butter and Nutella sandwich. There were also several games of Connect Four, most of which I won (sorry, Taz). After soaking in the atmosphere and watching dusk fall through the warped glass of the ancient windows, we left for one last adventure before heading home.

Just a couple miles away from that haven of bookish tranquility, lies the museum-tourist trap-restaurant-outlet store known as Yankee Candle Company. You might say we went a little nuts:


Mmmmmmm, candles...

Still, most of that was on sale, so we didn't have to feel tooooo guilty. We dipped the rainbow candles ourselves, which was fun. We also splurged and had a color caricature drawn of us. No, I'm not going to post it. You have to know one of us well enough to visit our house and stay in our guest room for that. We drove home in the pouring rain, exhausted, and happy to see our kitties again.

No knitting pictures today, sorry. The only things I've finished are gifts for people who do occasionally read this blog, and it would be really obvious what was for whom if I posted the pics. Soon, though, I promise. Meanwhile, I thought I'd bring to your attention an interesting knitting-related scandal, which Kat with a K asked about in Friday's comments. Everybody's Favorite Yarn Company has just come out with a new book. It seems great, but apparently it takes quite a bit of its content from a charity knitting website. The founders of the website are quite upset, saying they were not consulted or told about the book at all. Our knitting group received a note requesting that we join the "girlcott" (boycott? personcott?) by leaving a comment on the customer service form on the company's site. It's up to you what you'd like to do, but I think this incident serves as a good reminder that not even our cozy little knitting world, which many of us think of as a refuge from the stress of real life, is safe from scandal and hard feelings. Sigh.

7 comments:

Maneesh said...

yeah it was a fun time - i only dont remember you winning 'most' of those games... :)

Anonymous said...

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

Cathi said...

It's so cool to read about you going to places that I've been! Sounds like a really perfect day.

Lauren said...

The book mill sounds fabulous. And so do tandoori chicken burritos. Yummmmmm.

Anonymous said...

One of my good friend from high school goes to Smith, and I've always meant to make it up to North Hampton for a visit, but it doesn't look like that'll happen before she graduates. It's nice to read about what I'm missing, though.

Jenn said...

Ooh, I hope you like "Girls Guide" - I really liked it. The Man bought me her new book for my birthday, but I've been trying to wait to read it to save it....Dork.....
And I lurve me some Yankee Candles! We're big fans of the christmas cookie and pumpkin flavors in our house!

FemiKnitMafia said...

Well hello, fellow Smithie. I found you over at MamaCate's. Glad you liked the Noho trip. Perhaps we'll have to create a little QueerKnit meet-up in the Lesbian Mecca? You game?