Sunday Funday - Portsmouth NH

Posting # 600 here at Platinum Elite. Almost two years of mindless rambling!

Sunday Funday this week was a road trip to Portsmouth, NH. I've been there a few times, and most recently we stopped through on the way back from puppy acquisition in Maine a few months ago.

Kevin the Texan has not experiences a New England autumn yet (he hasn't experienced a New England winter yet either, and his eyes lit up when he saw my pics of the January '05 blizzard).

So we decided to make standard (stereotypical?) New England autumn activities part of our October weekends. Not that driving to Portsmouth is a must-do and typical, but the city is emblematic of a quaint Atlantic coast city with great photo ops, people watching, and cuisine.

It turned out to be the perfect day to wander around a place like Portsmouth. Brisk temperature, overcast (great for pictures), and not too busy.

We walked around the downtown area, stopping in a few local and a few not-so-local (Starbucks and Banana Republic) merchants before making our way to Prescott Park for photos on the water.

I transformed into a fashion photographer at the request of the group - everyone wanted a head shot on the water (?!) and my camera takes great ones. (note to self - Yes, the credit was given to the camera and not so much the photographer... will remember that around that holidays when it's time to exchange presents).

A Sunday Funday is not so fun without some booze. And the Portsmouth Brewing Company was there waiting with open arms for weary photo subjects such as ourselves. I had been to PBC before, and it's a cool place.

I ordered clam chowder and salad, and (of course) a beer sampler. Theirs contains ALL nine of the beers on tap. Excellent! My favorites were the Bottle Rocket IPA, Octoberfest, and Hop Harvest #2. I have to admit that all four Smuttynose offerings, including the Shoals Pale Ale (one of my favorites from the corner store) were not good. Very strange.

After dinner, dusk had fallen. It was time for a few evening shots, then the drive home - with one stop at the NH State Liquor Store, of course! And I'm proud to say that the streak of $150-$200 visits there had ended. 4 bottles of wine, 1 bottle of vodka - under $60.