<p>With AESOP trips beginning in 2 weeks, we are beginning to think about details for dropping off our first-year on campus. We have a place to stay; any suggestions on best places to eat the evening of move-in on the 25th? I don’t even know if Commons is an option for parents at that time, but would like to have recommendations from others with experience. Thanks.</p>
<p>We’ve gone to two restaurants in the area that we liked - Chick-a-dee of Lewiston that’s a mom and pop family place. Great seafood, good prices. The other day we went to a place in the Mill complex called Davinci’s eatery - also very good (Italian fare). We also discovered this handy website re: restaurants in the area: [Menus</a> in LA - Restaurant Listings in Lewiston and Auburn Maine](<a href=“http://www.menusinla.com/]Menus”>http://www.menusinla.com/)</p>
<p>See you soon! :-)</p>
<p>Wow, thanks so much for this resource. I grew up in northern New England (not the coast, or Maine) but have lived in the rural Smoky Mountains most of my adult life. Some of these menus remind me so much of what I grew up with. Certainly will not have trouble finding a place to eat…it’s coming up fast, isn’t it? Shipping some school things ahead this week. S is ready to roll!</p>
<p>We share commonalities! We live in northern New England now (one state over) but I grew up in West Virginia. I love the Smokies but have really enjoyed where we are. We’ve lived here almost 20 years - hard to believe. I still have a bit of a southern accent.</p>
<p>I thought that website was golden! I love that they have menus.</p>
<p>Do you mind me asking what AESOP trip your son is doing?</p>
<p>Mom of a rising junior here: Fuel and Fishbones in Lewiston are both excellent. I recommend reservations. </p>
<p>Gritty McDuff’s is good for pub food. It’s right on the river across the bridge in Auburn. </p>
<p>There are also some lovely restaurants in Portland. Our favorite is Fore Street. </p>
<p>Hi, BTMell! I saw on another thread you were up in Lew this weekend. My son stopped by on his way back from a music fest in Bangor and said campus looked beautiful. </p>
<p>If anyone has any question feel free to ask.</p>
<p>He will be doing Rangely II–or is it Rangley II? Must brush up on my Maine spellings! My late mother was a Bates grad, Class of '49. I have visited the campus only twice that I can recall: once when I was applying to colleges (but I wanted to go outside of NE, so I did!), and once on a college tour with my son early in 2012. I grew up in the Upper Connecticut Valley of Vermont & New Hampshire. My accent gets stronger when I’m “home” in NE, but all my relatives who still live there say I have a southern accent. I’m very glad my son’s preference was to go to college in New England–it’s part of his heritage and it makes me happy that he will experience this cultural difference.</p>
<p>I do have a question, emilybee. It’s off topic, but perhaps you could point me in the right direction for finding an answer. As a student, my mother sometimes served at parties at the home of Mrs. Clara LaPierre, who lived very close to campus in an old Victorian house. She may have been the widow of a faculty member. When I visited as a high school student I met her; she was an elderly lady then. I am wondering if there is anyone at the college–the official historian or archivist, perhaps–who might know which house was hers or where it stood if it’s no longer there. Perhaps the College acquired it? I’m just curious… I can ask when we get to campus, I’m sure.</p>
<p>Thanks–and see you soon, I guess!</p>
<p>Hi EmilyBee! We’re getting SO excited. We were in Lewiston this weekend - S was playing on his new “home” golf course. It was nice too since he and his dad played together. It was a really beautiful weekend. </p>
<p>I’ve heard from others that Fuel is really good - another one on the list. I’m SO looking forward to exploring the LA area and also Maine. </p>
<p>Milestones - I’m thinking you grew up where I now live. We’re in Hanover. Of course neither of my boys had any interest in the home town college - I guess some things never change.</p>
<p>@BTMell Yup–I graduated from Hanover High.</p>
<p>No way! I’m g uessing I know your relatives? </p>
<p>I’ll PM you.</p>
<p>Wow, the world is small.</p>
<p>My relatives mostly live across the river and a bit south, but you might still know some folks I know in Hanover.</p>
<p>Hanover is so small that… One time I was making calls for the Cub Scouts and a gentleman answered. I started in on my spiel. Turns out he was the doctor who delivered my youngest - he knows us all of course - and oops! He has two daughter. So you know your wrong numbers.</p>
<p>Milestone, sorry I can’t answer your question but the college has bought up a lot of the Victorians that border the campus and a lot of them house students now. I would think someone on campus would know. </p>
<p>BT, glad you had a great weather weekend. My son and his friends got pored on camping at the fest Friday night but the rest of the weekend made up for it. </p>
<p>I’m sure all your kids will have a great Aesop. And have a fun drop off. I had to get my son up to Maine the day after Irene hit NY by myself and it was very stressful (H is with Emergency Management in NYS so obviously preoccupied.) Some of the trips had to be delayed or changed because of the disruption from the storm and kids not being able to get there in time but the school was great about making accommodations.</p>
<p>Oh yeah - it poured here last Friday but the weekend was gorgeous - here and in Lewiston. </p>
<p>We moved my older son to Hampshire just after Irene. We drive down I-91 nearly the whole way and there were places where the interstate was closed because of bridge concerns. And the damage done in many parts of new England was terrible. What a stressful time for you, Emily! It’s good to know the school was so accommodating.</p>
<p>We were driving blind too that day. H was able to tell us NYS thruway was clear but had no idea what was coming after that. Very stressful and I had barely any sleep the night before. Had a bro-ha-ha with my S over light bulbs while he was unpacking. Lucky for him roommate and his father showed up. I blame it all on being so exhausted. </p>
<p>Just so you all know - lots of help getting all your kid’s stuff when you get to the dorm. You shouldn’t have to carry anything. :)</p>
<p>Dont know if someone said this, but go to DaVinci’s (spelling?)! It’s a really cool Italian restaurant in a renovated area of an old mill.</p>
<p>PetVet: the menu for DaVinci’s is at the website referenced by BTMell. When we visited about 16 months ago, we didn’t see any of those restaurants! Must have been on the wrong road coming into town! </p>
<p>Emily, thanks for the heads up on the move-in.</p>
<p>According to my son DaVinci’s is one the places parents take a bunch of kids out to lunch or dinner when they come to visit (non parents weekend, obviously) as prices are reasonable. </p>
<p>Lew isn’t a hot bed of great restaurants and what they do have close pretty early according to him. But the kids don’t go out to eat very often anyway as the food in commons is very good and doesn’t cost them anything.</p>