Drizzly Day Field Trip and Then The Sun Came Back

Today was a Field Trip to Portsmouth with all sorts of activities on our list.  While it was fairly warm, it was also overcast and a bit drizzly.  We started our day at a little dive of a looking place called Betty's Kitchen on Route One (in North Hampton NH actually), just before the Portsmouth town line.  I have passed by that little place so many times in the past 17 years and told myself I needed to check it out.  It's a breakfast and lunch place, nothing fancy, but I have heard that the food is really tasty and the portions huge and it is always packed.  And it was delicious and the portions were huge; none of us could finish ours.  When I say none of us; today's adventure consisted of myself, hubby Dan and son Dane.  After breakfast, we parked in the super adorable and colonial downtown Portsmouth and set out for 5 art galleries.  If museums stress you out in that they are overwhelmingly large and take too long to see everything, then galleries are the next best thing.  Small, intimate, you can be out in 15 minutes and the variety!  We went to Banks, Kennedy, Nahcotta and Piscataqua Fine Arts.  Our fifth one, Three Graces seemed to be closed.  We also went in to Ceres Bakery (picture above) at 51 Penhallow St.  The place is so cozy and cute and it was packed full of customers.  We were so stuffed from breakfast but we bought one cookie called Snitza to split three ways later in the day.  Dan and I promised each other we would return very soon for breakfast or lunch.  This Bakery makes their own breads which you can buy as whole loaves and they had an enormous selection of baked goods, both sweet and savory, delectable sandwich offerings, really fun beverages, hot and cold, and the place smelled so wonderful.  The eating area is painted a watermelon pink color and their is art to buy hanging on the walls.  We'll be back very soon with empty stomachs.   It was still drizzly so we headed to the Fox Run Mall Regal Cinema and watched the movie Insurgent.  We had seen Divergent so we decided we should see the sequel.  I love to see movies on rainy days.  After the movie we headed to BJ's and loaded up on some paper and food goods - gotta keep the larder full!  After we put all the stuff away, the sun was out, most clouds gone from the bright blue sky, it was warm and I just had to take a walk.  Dane and Dan both had other responsibilities/activities they had to attend to so off I went.  An hour of power walk along the ocean and down a few side roads and home through the golf course already super green in just a matter of days.  Spring is late but now it's upon us with determination - hurray!  Here's today in pictures:

Not lovely to look at this Betty's Kitchen especially on a dreary day but she makes mighty good food!

Dane's vegetable and scrambled egg spinach wrap with homefries.  Stuffed with veggies!  He praised it but could not eat it all.

My Irish Eggs Benedict - please hold the home fries!  This is fabulous cornbread covered in a bit of hash- corned beef, onions and peppers covered with two poached eggs and hollandaise.  The slight sweetness of the moist cornbread made it over the top wonderful.  I could not finish it and was so stuffed after.  It's evening time now and I am still not hungry.

Yeah, that's a side of french toast in the middle with real NH maple syrup.  Every body wanted something sweet but no one would order something sweet so we got a side and we all partook a little.  Good french toast too!  Needless to say, we did not have lunch today and neither Dan nor I have had dinner.  Dane did go out to pizza with friends but he's 21 and can eat more than we.  

Dan got the homefries with his but could not nearly finish his food.   

Above two pictures are the interior of Betty's Kitchen.  Simple decor, delicious and generous homemade food.

Seven pictures above downtown Portsmouth as we walked from one gallery to another

Ceres Bakery is hiring a bread baker for just one day per week!  To bake bread!  I was so tempted to apply that I took two pictures of the notice.  I could do it if we didn't travel …….. ;0  Someone run and get that fun and very part time job! 

Cheery piece of art at Banks Gallery on Daniel Street - I love the bright colors.

We took the New Castle route home and stopped at the Common just as the sun was showing its longed for face.

Starting my walk near Little Boar's Head

The front porch furniture and flag came out of storage today - cheery and cheer!

Yesterday I spent an hour scrubbing these marks off the front porch clapboards - winter snow leaks from the snow dams. I tried two different cleaners to remove them and then the hose on jet and nothing.  And then I tried Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser sponges and the marks came off yes, magically!  I bought two more boxes today at BJs cuz I'm a believer now.

A good day methinks!