Note that this thread is meant to be lighthearted, so PLEASE don’t drag it down to a too serious level with comments like “I can’t believe anyone would pick a boarding school based on how appealing the area is for parents when they visit.”
Here’s my inspiration for this post/thread:
Last night, we drove up to Masters to watch a home fencing meet. Afterwards, my wife and headed into the town of Dobbs Ferry to grab a bite to eat before pointing our wagon homeward. We went to a restaurant that we had never been to before, a place called The Cookery.
It’s a sister restaurant to The Parlor, a wood-fired pizza place in town that we’ve been to a lot over the past year and a half. And it might just fit my formula for the perfect restaurant: a come as you are dress code (so I don’ have to feel bad if I’m in jeans and no jacket/tie, as I would at a fancier place), a nice-enough atmosphere, an inventive menu served with wonderful execution and presentation, an interesting cocktail list, and friendly wait staff. I wish we had a similar place in our hometown.
I hope that other parents will chime in and add their favorite haunts near their kid’s BS, plus links in case any of us find ourselves in that particular town/area for any reason.
SevenDad: I imagine it is probably a bit different for the child and the parent. I know I loved the rural isolation of some schools while my spouse not so much. Kid was totally focused on the facilities of the school. As an aside, we have spoken to other friends/ kids currently applying and we have heard that the kids were dismayed by the living quarters at some schools. We didnt even think much of the cold water flat aspect of some the the rooms…so back to topic…with the rural locale of many schools I imagine that schools in more affluent areas have better restaurants and amenities. Dobbs Ferry verses say Springfield Mass…
The General Store in Putney Vermont, serves up great food, has provisions and decent wine and beer. I think about their raspberry cheese danishes way too much. In the warmer seasons there is Curtis’ Barbeque. Curtis and his crew make amazing BBQ on site out of an old school bus. It’s authentic and delish. The next town over, Brattleboro has a larger offering of varied eats and shops but I mostly like it for the Latchis Hotel, which is connected to an art deco movie theater. https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2013/06/01/fork-the-road-curtis-all-american-barbq-putney/kOCgY1e4oZlsU9AKvfzMOI/story.html
Oooh, I love this thread. There are several restaurants/coffee shops that I love in Ojai, totally relaxed. For example, nothing beats sitting at one of the picnic tables outside at Boccali’s, eating amazing homemade pasta and meatballs, tomatoes grown on their own farm, garlic bread, a glass of wed wine, all while watching these extraordinary pink sunsets…
But one of the best food moments of my life was the first time I went to the Farmers Market on Sunday. Nothing on the East Coast (where I live) compares. You simply can’t believe the produce; it’s so beautiful and bountiful. We LOVED our parent visits and even though my kid was graduated in 2008, we still go once a year for some R&R. Where else can I go for a run in the morning, breathe in the the smell of orange blossoms and sage, and say to myself, “Lord, if you need to take me, please do it right here!”
“Nestled in a valley at the foot of the Topatopa mountains, some 80 miles north of Los Angeles, the sleepy town of Ojai has a well-deserved reputation as California’s very own Shangri-La: It provided the backdrop for Frank Capra’s 1937 movie “Lost Horizon.” Since then, with its fabled electromagnetic forces, hidden hot springs, and jaw-dropping sunsets (known locally as “pink moments”), it has become the under-the-radar getaway of choice for L.A.’s Hollywood A-listers like Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway.”
We got to visit Boston Tea Party, Navy Yard - USS Constitution (okay boys) …
Connect with friends teaching around there.
Get to have sushi, lobster, oysters (not the rocky mountain ones) …
@Center: For me, this thread is all about why I (and my wife, as we mostly agree on these sorts of things…and we definitely agree on the matter of The Cookery!) like the town my kid attends BS near/in…not what the kid thinks. Not trying to being contentious here…just clarifying. Think of it as “What I really enjoy about visiting my kid at school, besides the kid/school.”
@ThacherParent: You had told us about Broccoli’s years ago (damn, a few of us have been virtual acquaintances for long time) and you were right that it is amazing.
@payn4ward: Care to share links or details of your favorite places to get sushi, lobster, etc.?
It is hard to beat Newport RI as a stopping point when visiting your kids… Food, fun, history all in one walkable town. Every time we go we find something fun to do. Last trip was the White Horse Tavern which has been in business for hundreds of years. Fluke Wine bar is worth the climb to the 3rd floor for a drink and the view. And don’t forget Castle Hill Inn for cocktails on a spring or summer evening…
Some may scoff at us but we enjoyed Maki Maki which are all-you-can-eat sushi places we, particularly DS, enjoyed.
We liked the one at Woburn, North towards Lowell/Andover. You order from menu and they keep brining food until you stop ordering http://makimakiwoburn.com/
The Maki Maki at Brighton is more a traditional buffet place where they have tons of mini sushi/rolls and other warm asian dishes. http://makimakiboston.com/location/
While at Cambridge, we also enjoyed Korean BBQ at Koreana http://koreanaboston.com/
and desserts at Finale (but looks like Finale is closed now.)
During visits, my favorite find was Wildflour, the bakery across the street from Lawrenceville’s campus. All gluten free and amazing! Worth a visit, no matter your dietary need.
@SevenDad Not ashamed to admit that we did just that! Just kidding, but we do love visiting Carpinteria and surrounding area. We have only visited casual restaurants and so far everything has been terrific. I absolutely adore the Lucky Llama in Carpinteria - a great coffee shop with amazing acai bowls. I am addicted to the bowls and get one every day I’m in town. DD and friends go there at least twice a week as well. Siam Elephant is a good Thai restaurant and we’ve tried Esau’s and Cajun Kitchen (now closed I think) for breakfast. Padaro Beach Grill is a great spot for kids - overlooking the ocean with a huge lawn, picnic tables and a sandbox. On our last visit we went to La Super-Rica Taqueria in Santa Barbara. The tacos were tasty, but I think Julia’s endorsement may have been partly responsible for the long lines! http://www.forbes.com/sites/drosengarten/2013/06/27/santa-barbara-tacos-and-julia-child-how-americas-most-famous-french-chef-caused-a-mexican-food-sensation/
Pottstown has…uh…um…a really good place to get your nails done? Well, better than the one here, anyway. They didn’t come at me with a dremmel once! I’m an Economic Developer by day, so I see the POTENTIAL in an area. And Pottstown has TONS of potential! Seriously, just a short ride to Philly. So much history there, plus cheesesteaks, The Reading Terminal Market, professional sports of all sorts, and anything else you can think of. And, the country’s second largest shopping mall in King of Prussia. My personal favorite? A Wawa on every corner. Yes, I love the convenience store…
The Gibbet Hill Grill, Groton, MA, home to the Groton School and Lawrence Academy is one of my favorites.
It’s in a beautiful, relaxed environment in what looks like a restored barn with a big fireplace and beams. The views across the rolling hills are amazing. Even my food snob husband loves the food. The town is small but cute, and has some good casual lunch options.
Concord Academy is right in downtown Concord, MA, a charming small town which is also home to Middlesex. 80 Thoreau, pricey but with amazing food, is a 3 block walk away. There are also other more casual options like the Main Street Market, which is a casual lunch place in the day (great squash chili) and converts to a regular restaurant with live music in the evening. West Concord boasts Woods Hill Table and Salt Box kitchen, also both really good. Concord’s a bit of a tourist mecca due to the whole Lexington and Concord Revolutionary War thing, so there’s a lot of good locally-owned shopping and the town is very walking friendly.
Dana Hall is in Wellesley, home to Blue Ginger and its James Beard award winning chef, Ming Tsai.
I forget if I ate at Super-Rica when we were in Santa Barbara a few years ago for a family wedding, but I definitely remember parking in front of it (the color of the place is unmistakeable)…I think we ended up eating somewhere else on the street because it was either closing or too busy to accommodate the larger party we were traveling with.
HAHAHA. I just skimmed this thread and am trying not to laugh. Groton MA consists of a CVS, an ice cream place, and a lot of roads that should have sidewalks but don’t.
^Okay, Stargirl. You got me there. Groton is pretty village’. I was mostly responding to the restaurant question. I am a fan of Gibbet Hill. There is a good sandwich place/bakery next to Lawrence. But you’re certainly not going to do a lot of shopping or concert going in Groton.!
Food, fun, history all in one walkable town. Every time we go we find something fun to do. Last trip was the White Horse Tavern which has been in business for hundreds of years. Fluke Wine bar is worth the climb to the 3rd floor for a drink and the view. And don’t forget Castle Hill Inn for cocktails on a spring or summer evening…