A little meat sandwiched between good stuff

Today's the day for the big parade.  It is going to be a beautiful day (at least according to the weather channel).  Might be a bit warm, so I am going to have to dig out the small cooler to pack for some water.  You work up quite a thirst sitting in a lawn chair, don't you know.

Missed out on yesterday's festivities.  Had planned on heading down to the Fort, and then out to a friend's house for a party.  But life being what it is, it was not to be (you know the best laid plans thing).

 I had promised to deliver something to someone in Cambridge.  The item was coming to me via USPS, was told it would be here Friday, it which case I could have left first thing Saturday morning and been back by Noon.  Well didn't come Friday, and I thought I was off the hook until Monday, as our mail usually doesn't come until late afternoon.  Yesterday it got here at 10:00 A.M.

So it was off to the P.R.C.

Got to tell you the late lunch made it worth the trip.  We ran across this burger place.  I don't get to excited about burgers.  I like them, enjoy them more than I should. All most didn't stop either.  The line outside the door was a good 30 people deep. Glad we did (not allowed to travel to far out of town unchaperoned, thus the we).

Mr. Bartley's is the name of the place, on Mass. Ave. A self-described Boston landmark in Cambridge. It's worth it just for the show, and the food and drink didn't disappoint either.

You get to the back of the line on the sidewalk, and there is a woman handing you menus.  You move up the line, there is a man there taking your order.  As tables clear (or in our case, seats at a very small counter which is prime for checking out the operation) a woman comes out looking for your party.  A party of two has a definite benefit of getting seated sooner it seems.

Too many places now either limit the way you can order how cooked you want your burger.  If you are lucky you can find one that let's you order medium.  Here however, none of that.  No squashed meat patties. This is the real thing. I got me a 7 oz. medium rare burger (actually a burger with cheese, bacon, grilled onion & jalapeno).  The place names its burgers, but not to sound like my dietary consumption is slanted toward political belief, I won't.

The fries were good, the onion rings even better; and. the frappe, well the frappe was excellent.  But the show was the most entertaining example of organized chaos I have seen in a long time,  and it works.  Really, the chaos is only an illusion.  If you pay attention to what goes on, you see there is a definite game plan in place.

Which is a reason not to be scared off by the lines.  With the system of ordering, within literally two minutes of taking our seats, our frappes were brought to the counter (the wait in line was about 10 minutes, under the 15 to 20 we were told).  The burgers followed with a bit of a wait, but really no longer than if you went to most crowded sit down places.

The cautionary point of this tale is bring cash, because that's all they take in payment.  With the add ons (standard is chips and a pickle - add on for toppings, fries, onion rings and cost of frappes), you might want to bring some extra cash too.  It isn't as cheap as we down south may be accustomed to, but it is worth it.

Okay, talk about digressing from from missing Saturday's hometown events.  Sorry, couldn't help it.  I love new finds for good eats!

Back to the parade ...

Don't tell anyone, but I also love a good parade.  One secret gem in the area is the Thanksgiving Parade in Plymouth every year. 

I got my fingers and toes crossed that today's will come off as the best seen in this area say in the last 50 years and for the next 50 years.

Been getting a bit of flack from people relative to town resources, town personnel, etc. being devoted to the Bi-Centennial Committee.  Big difference between that group and the other one most cited as why we do for one and don't "want to" for the other, the Bi-Centennial committee is a duly organized town entity.  A town is specifically allowed by law to expend funds and use its resources to celebrate the event.  No more need be said.

What does need to be said is the fact that everybody seems to be enjoying the festivities.  Hats off to the committee and all those who have involved themselves in this celebration.

Seems everyone is talking about the parade, as they should be in all honesty.  It is probably the center piece of the whole Bi-Centennial Celebration.  This shouldn't be taken as a slight to the other planned events, and shouldn't be viewed as a slight to other area events.  It simply is what it is.  The high point in celebrating the Town's incorporation.  A very good high point and a very good thing to celebrate.

Okay time to start the preparation for kicking back and relaxing while watching the parade.  Have a good and safe day.