Brattleboro, Vermont: Rain, Rumors, and Really Weird Beetroots
okay, so i’m pretty sure i’m running on caffeine and the faint hope of a decent night’s sleep. brattleboro, vermont. it’s… a thing. i landed here yesterday, and honestly, it feels like stepping into a slightly faded photograph. the air’s thick, like wet wool and something vaguely earthy - probably those beets they’re obsessed with. i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the pressure’s at 1017, humidity’s hovering around 78, and the ground level is a surprisingly low 784. weird, right?
my gear list is already a disaster. my camera bag is overflowing, my backpack’s threatening to explode, and i’m pretty sure i lost a sock somewhere between boston and here. let’s see… essentials: battered leather journal (obviously), a ridiculously oversized hoodie, a half-empty bottle of whiskey (don’t judge), and a surprisingly resilient pair of boots. i also snagged a vintage map from a tiny shop downtown - it looked like it belonged to a pirate. it’s probably just a map of the local brewery, but i’m going with pirate.
i stumbled into this place called ‘the crooked spoon’ - it’s a diner that looks like it was built by a committee of squirrels. the waitress, a woman named Agnes who smelled perpetually of bacon and regret, told me someone told her that the best way to experience brattleboro is to ‘just wander and get lost.’ which, let’s be honest, is my default setting. i followed a guy wearing a fedora and a pigeon on his shoulder (seriously) down a street lined with antique shops and pottery studios. it was… intense.
found a little board outside a record store - something a local warned me about: ‘don’t trust the guy selling vinyl near the river. he’s a collector of lost souls.’ dramatic, i know. but also… kind of believable. the vibe here is definitely… introspective. like everyone’s carrying a secret and a slightly bruised knee. i overheard a conversation at a bar about a missing goat and a feud over a prize-winning zucchini. brattleboro, man.
i’m trying to find some decent coffee. the only place open that looked remotely promising was ‘bean there, done that’ - it’s aggressively minimalist and serves coffee that tastes vaguely of sadness. i’m considering investing in a portable espresso machine. or maybe just a really, really strong cup of tea.
if you get bored, boston is just a short drive away, and portland is a bit further, but honestly, i’m perfectly content getting lost in this weird little corner of vermont. i’m thinking of checking out the brattleboro museum and historical society - apparently, they have a collection of antique potato peelers. who knew?
i’m also planning a trip to the brattleboro farmers market tomorrow. i heard that they have some seriously weird produce - like, actual purple carrots and beets the size of your head. i’m not sure i’m ready for that level of vegetable commitment.
check out TripAdvisor for some decent eats: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g33848-Brattleboro_Vermont.html and Yelp for some local reviews: https://www.yelp.com/directory/brattleboro-restaurants.
and if you're into local art, this is a good place to start: https://www.brattleboromuseum.org/
seriously, this place is a trip. i’m gonna go find another coffee (or whiskey) and try to make sense of it all.
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