Well, it’s Reunion and Commencement Weekend so people are starting to filter in. I had a lovely brunch at Fuji Yama 425 Main Street, yesterday. It’s cavernous and somehow never seems crowded. I highly recommend the omonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes):
Will definitely try it! Any other restaurants in Middletown that you would recommend? As parent of an incoming freshman we are looking forward to getting to know Middletown.
For white linen table cloth and stemware service, I highly recommend Luce’s on the corner of Washington and Main. It’s pricey but has a stress-free menu of Italian dishes. (Amici’s at 280 Main, closer to campus, also has its advocates.)
For fun, Seinfeld-style, coffee houses, there’s Brewbakers, 169 Main and Mondo’s Pizza, 10 Main Street.
Favorite pub and slightly off the beaten path - but worth it - Eli Cannon’s in Middletown’s “colorful” North End, 695 Main Street.
Be aware, that I have left out dozens of mom and pop, sit down and take-out places between Eli’s and Mondo’s that cater to every ethnicity, budget and to this native New Yorker, somehow never seem to be crowded.
I would add to @circuitrider ’s good list Thai Gardens for very good and authentic Thai food. It rates up there with the best Thai I’ve had in Seattle, and we have a strong line-up of Thai restaurants.
Krust Pizza is fantastic, and their G-free offerings are among the best my family has had.
Lastly, my kid’s favorite, Sweet Harmony, for any meal but especially breakfast and homemade pastries, etc. Also a safe and good option for G-free.
Covered that in prior posts. Middletown is a huge advantage for Wes on this score. Plenty of great restaurants.
Car. Drove from Boston the first time and from Hartford the next.
Not one thing in particular. Walk the whole campus. It’s compact and nice and there is plenty to see.
Dorms were all in very good shape. We found them to be clean, well appointed and pleasant. One or two are dated from an exterior architectural standpoint, but they’re all very well maintained. In fact, a few of the older ones have some of the nicest rooms in terms of features, location, space, etc. The houses, for which Wes is well known, are very, very well maintained, which is no small feat once you realize how many there are.
“Vibe”??? At first visits? I think that term gets used too much here and is, as a concept, less than thought-provoking. “Vibe” is what you get when you actually attend and get to know people. Hackneyed generalizations from outsiders should be taken with a grain of salt and perspective. We certainly didn’t pick up on anything negative while walking around.
The facilities were very nice and well kept. There are always things on various points of the maintenance cycle, but the comments that Wes is “run-down”, which sometimes appear, are inaccurate IMO.
More. I don’t know why.
As a former athlete whose life revolved around D1 sports, I was surprised by how much I liked and appreciated the D3 sports scene. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: a fall Saturday at Andrus Field watching Wes and Williams go at it is a seriously great experience. Give it a try if your kid is considering Wes.
Speaking of Campus Vibe, Fall is the best time of year to visit any campus in New England; everything has a warm, relaxed, lived-in look to it. Wesleyan’s new addition to the Public Affairs Center already looks like it’s been there forever. And, whether on the steps of Olin Library, or the bleachers facing College Row, watching a football game is a great way to see and be seen:
middletown neil’s is not the original. it’s the second location, opened 19 years after the first. at this rate there’ll be 3 neil’s donunts locations by 2040.
