Vermonters at Heart

Hello, Boston! Oh, how I have missed you so. 

It’s funny. When I lived in the city, so many things annoyed the heck of me: lack of parking, unreliable public transportation, high cost of living, trash and dog poop everywhere (well, at least where we lived). But, now that I live outside of the city, I miss all of that stuff. So, having a “night out on the town” was really something special for me. (Oh, how things have changed!?!)

Tonight, Mal and I drove into Back Bay and scored a metered parking spot across the street from the Other Side Café. We had time to spare, so we popped in for a beer.

I’ve walked by the Other Side Café a million times, but never stopped in. It has quite the reputation as a “hipster” hangout, so I wasn’t sure whether it was my scene or not. Well, I discovered that it is totally my scene– and Mal’s too! 😀

It reminded us a lot of something you’d find in Burlington, Vermont, so, of course, we felt right at home. We’re Vermonters at heart! 😉

As soon as we sat down at the bar, the bartender welcomed us and asked what we’d like to drink. The Other Side Café has an amazing selection of (mostly local) microbrews, so Mal and I wanted to weigh our options before we picked one. The bartender sensed that we needed a little guidance with our selections, so he asked for our taste preferences and gave us a mini beer tasting of 6 or 7 varieties. So cool!

Eventually, I decided on the Pretty Things Our Finest Regards, a barelywine with a medium body and lots of malty goodness. It would be a great beer for sipping in front of the fireplace on a cold winter day. I’m a big fan.

Mal and I would have stayed at the Other Side Café all night long, but we had an event to attend! The nice folks at Ibex Outdoor Clothing invited me to the Winter Welcoming Party at their new store on Newbury Street.

The message that accompanied the invitation mentioned Vermont’s American Flatbread. Obviously, this got my attention””Mal’s too! 😉

By the time we arrived, the Ibex store was already bumping!

Ibex Outdoor Clothing specializes in Merino wool and organic cotton clothing, wool cycling and bike clothing, and is a designer of sustainable clothing and apparel. Basically, it’s high-quality active gear for cold climates””like that found in Boston or any part of Vermont.

Ibex is pricey stuff, but you can tell it’s top-of-the-line gear.

Yes,  I wanted all of it.

Mal and I stayed at the event for about 45 minutes. We did some Christmas shopping, enjoyed a cocktail, and devoured a few pieces of American Flatbread.

Holy yum! 😀

Jazz hands!

(This was my attempt to model a pair of sweet Ibex gloves, but my husband is not a photographer and I am not a model! 😉 )

After the Ibex event, Mal and I were still pretty hungry, so we headed back to the Other Side Café for dinner. I ordered the Spicy Lettuce Wraps.

Inside was ground peanuts, carrots, cilantro, and garlic. On the side was a soy sauce-based dipping sauce. I have no idea what was in it, but it was spicy.

I LOVED this meal! I have plans to recreate it at home next week.

What a fun night!!! (Although it makes me miss Boston and Burlington! 😕 )

Good night, guys!