A Gobblerito?

That’s right, folks: a Gobblerito!

( Fire not included )

Inside the Days Inn hotel in State College, PA there lives a Mexican/American fusion restaurant called Mad Mex. They serve burritos the size of your head. Yes, the SIZE OF YOUR FREAKIN’ HEAD!

( As unappealing as this may look, it was a fantastic burrito the size of my melon )

I opted for the seasonal specialty burrito, which was basically a Thanksgiving feast wrapped in a tortilla. Absolutely delicious, especially in mid-November! Decent prices, good food, and apparently an enjoyable selection of beer all make Mad Mex worthy of your time. Also, Amber has been to the one in Columbus a bunch and has equally good things to say.

[ website ]

Sacramen-thai

Okay, corny title, I know. Simply put, Bangkok @ 12 in Sacramento, CA is an awesome Thai food restuarant just two blocks away from The Sterling Hotel.

Avocado curry, Bangkok @ 12

I tried the Avocado Curry with chicken and was pleasantly surprised. Many of the reviewers on Yelp! [ Yelp! page ] agreed that their curry is great and I'd have to join their ranks. As you can see from the picture, their portion sizes are more suited for 2-3 people, but priced for one. The hotel has a fridge and microwave guests can use, so get the leftovers to-go. $6.95 lunch specials and $2 beers/wine for Happy Hour make this a great option for you or your participants during lunch.

Manchester's Only Brewery

While it doesn't seem like anything to brag about, Milly's Tavern [ link ], next to the UNh-Manchester campus, is Manch-Vegas' only brewery and does a damn good job at it.



Find some extra time in the evening and head on down to happy hour from 4-7pm each night for $1.50 draft beers and half price appetizers. Happen to be there on a Tuesday? Skip Happy Hour and catch their 'Beat the Clock' specials after 7pm where beers start at $0.50 each and go up in price $0.50 each half hour (or hour?). Apparently the place turns into a dance club at night, too.

The beer is excellent, the appetizers are also great (what fried food doesn't go well with beer?), so if you decide to skip Unwine'd head on down, but please don't order a salad; I quickly learned the errors of my ways with that one.

Pit Stop Munchies

Keene, NH is a small college town that seems to have a lot to offer a bored and hungry Program Manager on the road. Small shops and theaters, as well as independent restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops line the streets of downtown.

Keene's location, nearly half way between Albany and Manchester, make it a perfect pit stop option before continuing your multi-hour drive. Tell your Garmin to take Route 9 through the countryside instead of the interstate because it's worth the detour if the weather's nice!

Port Authority Cafe - Keene, NH

One of the many eateries near Main Street is the Port Authority Cafe. [ Yelp! page ] Pretty typical college town menu: burgers, sandwiches, and beer, but the food is all made from scratch and includes some vegan options as well. What caught my attention were the multiple reviews raving about their veggie burger. I had to try it.

Veggie burger w/ sweet potato fries@ Port Authority Cafe

I'd certainly say I wasn't disappointed. It was so hearty that I finished the fries and just half the burger, taking the second half to-go. The shop is super small; it takes up just the corner of the building and the seating uses less than half of that space (in warmer months, outside seating must be available). I'd certainly stop by again if I found myself in the area.

Obligatory tourist picture @ Bennington Battle Monument

Along the drive you'll pass through Bennington, VT. You should stop by the Bennington Battle Monument [ website ]. At over 300 feet tall, this monument was built to commemorate an American (or future-American) victory in 1777 that would prove to be a turning point in the Revolutionary War. Excuse the lame tourist picture.

Armory Square, Syracuse, NY

Just a fast second post about Syracuse, NY. If you're in the area with a rental car, it's probably worth your time to check out the dining/drinking options downtown in Armory Square [ link ]. It's a few blocks long and downtown, on a weekday evening, is totally dead, so parking is a breeze.

Armory Square was hopping, however, with people ranging from the college-aged crowd to those New Yorkers with gray hair and college kids of their own. This particular Spring night, everyone was out and about in the Square just enjoying the warm air with plenty of beer at the many streetside restaurants.

I ended up at the Blue Tusk Pub and Wine Bar [ official site ], tasting their mystery draught beer and their Tuesday night special, some sort of pesto chicken and mushroom sandwich on some pretty good bread. $8 well spent. Just check it out for yourself if the weather's nice.

Beer is food, right?

Awhile back I had some time to kill in the Syracuse, NY area and asked for some advice from family in the area. They recommended finding a good local brewery to pass the time, so I did.

Enter: Middle Ages Brewing Company [ more info ]. Like the sign says, it's the home to handcrafted fine ales not too far away from downtown Syracuse. M-F their shop and tasting room are open until 6pm, so hopefully you've got a car and not a long drive between seminar cities.

This shot is from the entryway to the shop and tasting room. How fitting, right? The owners are there every day to give out free samples of their rotating selection of beers, including some seasonal brews as well. You can fill up a growler, buy a case, or even piece together your own custom six-pack (warm or cold bottles available).

Fair prices and tasty beer, what more could you ask for? My faves are the Swallow Wit and the Apricot Ale, so far. The Wizard's Winter Ale isn't too shabby either.

One of the best reasons to stop by the brewing company is because the Syracuse location of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (the original!) is something like five minutes away. This location also has a few Middle Ages beers on tap and in the bottle, so drink up.

When I first discovered the proximity of these two businesses, how could I deny myself the chance to check off the Syracuse BBQ off my list?

Manhattan? Check.
Rochester? Check.
Syracuse? Check.

Gettin Fresh in Toronto

Yet another wicked find from the WestJet magazine. Fresh has three locations in Toronto, and I loved this place so much that I bought the cookbook. They have noodle bowls, salads, fresh juices, and excellent desserts. I got the prix fix menu, which includes a juice of your choice, an appetizer, a main dish and a dessert. I had the white bean and avocado dosas, the "dolphin" smoothie, a kick butt noodle concoction that I forget the name of, and a cashew cookie for dessert. All were incredibly delectible. An added bonus: you can bring your own container for a take-away juice fix.

If you find yourself with some time in the evening in Toronto, pull yourself away from Brampton and get your booty downtown. I visited the one of Spadina avenue, which has the added bonus of being in a super cool neighborhood. Look both ways because there are bikes everywhere, as well as mass transit and lots and lots of people out and a-boot. If I hadn't got there on the late side, I probably would have walked away with several fetching outfits and possibly a new pair of shoes so be forewarned.