Saturday proved to be yet another beautiful spring day; you simply couldn't ask for a better day to celebrate a wedding!  Ben and Melanie's formal reception at the Highland Country Club started at noon, so on Saturday morning we had time for coffee, a quick walk and a bagel before we needed to get dressed and drive to Attleboro in the fabulously fuel-efficient Yaris.  Again, we were some of the first to arrive so after signing the guest book and locating our table cards we headed back outside into the gorgeous spring sunshine to wait for additional Brookses to arrive.  We weren't sure quite what to expect, what with the small, family-only ceremony taking place on Friday and the reception beginning at noon the following day, but it proved to be quite an elegant, well-thought out and well-orchestrated affair.  The reception began with drinks and passed hors d'oeuvres served in the sunlit bar area adjacent to the dining room, after which we were seated  (more  text & photos)

The following morning, as we set out for a walk, we discovered that we couldn't have asked for a better location for our hotel either!  It was a perfect spring day as we made the short trek to historic Benefit Street, where we admired the beautifully preserved and restored homes on that picture-perfect street.  The trees and flowers, namely beautiful tulips and bright yellow daffodils, were all in full bloom and we could smell the lilacs that bloomed in manicured yards as we passed.  The delicious croissants we enjoyed from a corner European bakery only added to our buoyant mood.  We continued our stroll on some of the more noteworthy architectural streets in the College Hill area of town (as pointed out to us before leaving home by our friend Margaret, a former Providence resident), and across the small but pleasant campus of the prestigious Brown University.  We could have walked for hours down all of the beckoning side streets, but alas, it was time for lunch and we had big plans.  We were here for the seafood and we'd gotten a couple recommendations from friends and family for Quito's Seafood Market and Restaurant located just a short drive south of Providence in Bristol, RI.  After an enjoyable drive on this gorgeous sunshiny Friday through charming small-town Rhode Island, we arrived at Quito's.  Upon being seated in the small dining room, we proceeded to order a smorgasbord of fresh seafood off the tempting menu: raw oysters, lobster bisque, a stuffed Quahog (aka a stuffie), clamcakes and over a pound of steamers.  Everything was delightful (the bisque was positively divine!) and we left feeling only   (more  text & photos)

When we learned that Scott's younger cousin Ben, from Boston, was finally tying the knot with his long-time girlfriend Melanie, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity not only to see some family from both Massachusetts and Michigan but also to add a new state to our lengthy list of those we've visited: Massachusetts' petite and often-overlooked neighbor, Rhode Island.  Being the travelers that we are, there are very few states remaining that we have yet to visit and Rhode Island was one of them so we were very excited to be able to add a new notch to our belts and eat lots of seafood along the way.  As the wedding festivities were to take place in Ben's hometown of Attleboro, MA it made sense for us to base ourselves in Providence, RI less than 30 minutes away. It was to be a brief trip; we would be away for just four days with two of them spent largely just getting to and from the east coast.  As it turned out, all of our advance research and planning more than paid off and we spent four wonderful days celebrating Ben & Melanie's marital union with Scott's mom, dad and numerous Brooks aunts and uncles, as well as   (more  text & photos)