Noho Staycation

There are times when I indulge in a bit of Northampton bashing. I like the place but is is just so chock full of "cool" people, it can get annoying. And by "cool" I mean: hipster dad with sleeves and primitive bling in both ears wearing vegan shoes and carrying mohawked baby in $200 sling while he sips his soy latte and buys 7 hardcover books for his daughter in the independent bookstore. And by "cool" I mean baristas who spend way too much deciding what will make them look toughest and not enough time deciding how to be friendly. And by "cool" I mean, maybe I am a bit jealous that I am not as fancy as them, and also maybe I am a bit smug that I just throw clothes on in the morn, without a thought. Moving on...Amherst is way more lo-fi, and I like that about Amherst. And yet, Amherst does not have the Tunnel Bar or Paradiso Pizza or Herrels ice cream. And I gotta say, I sort of like walking down the street and seeing girls with closely cropped hair holding hands and kids with mohawks and spikes and other folks with dreads. Amherst just has a much smaller portion of that brand of diversity.

With the heat reaching 96+ today, and Matty and Hen. on their mini-break in the Finger Lakes, I decided to treat Ez. to a matinee. Amhersts' theatres were only offering G-Force, and in consideration of Ezra's personality, I thought it best if we left any movie about a renegade band of violent guinea pigs alone. Northampton, here we come. Our first stop? Local Burger. Only, it was way too hot for me to sample one of their locally grown beef burgers so I settled for some of their amazing fresh cut fries. Ez. ate half a hot dog. You know it is hot when I can't finish delicious food. Then we scooted over to the Pleasant street theater: Amherst Cinema's sister theater and Noho's independent cinema. Miyazaki's latest creation, Ponyo was playing at 2:30. It was excellent; beautiful, sweet and a little weird, of course. It may be one of his kid-friendliest flicks but parents will love i just as much. The mother is fabulous. Afterwards...How could we be in Noho on a hot day without eating some Herrels? I got the grapenut raison (if you have not had grapenut ice cream, shame on you, although that is hardly fair of me). Ezra got chocolate. And if you think for a moment that is a boring choice than you don't know Herrels (and yet, maybe I should have suggested the chocolate hostess cupcake). I couldn't even finish my cone, which is pathetic I know, especially since it costs as much as one of my textbooks. But Ez finished it. Then we walked back to the parking garage (which always gives you a FREE first hour) and came home. WOoohoo.