Halloween Becomes An Excuse For Lunch Out

We've never been into Halloween as much as many others. Sure, when the kids were little, Sue made nice costumes for them, but that was more or less the extent of it.

I'd go around with the kids when they were young. I never dressed up, but I remember, as an afterthought one year, donning an ape mask and a fake rifle as I headed out the door to accompany my youngest. I sure saw some concerned looks as folks answered their doors for Allyson, Not that I went to the doors, but just hanging back on the sidewalk was enough to cause some consternation on a few countenances.

Those were different times, and I wouldn't think of doing it now.

In fact, living in a townhouse on a longish townhouse block filled, we don't do it at all anymore. Like a pair of grumpy grommets, we shut the door and turn off the lights.

You see, other neighbourhoods dump their kids here to  maximize the haul. At least it seems like that's the case because hundreds of kids come by, many more than than seemingly live in this neighbourhood.

We tried for a few years, but it just didn't seem like fun to us to have hordes of strangers knocking on our door. No sense of neighbourhood there.

But this year, we used Halloween as an excuse to go out for lunch before shutting ourselves in. We went to the new pub, Smith & Barrel, that opened in the refurbished Grand Hotel, which I have mentioned here previously.

As can be the case with restaurants in a smaller town, the room was fairly small. Small restaurants can bother me a bit, as I feel like I am eating in someone else's private dining room rather than a public place. But the few tables were arranged so that I felt as though I had enough personal space at our little table for two.

It was pub fare, but it was pretty high class pub fare — in my opinion which counts for very little in this world. At least it was for Sue who had Buttermilk Chicken, which she absolutely loved. I think she said something like, "Best ever." I had the burger but it was a dang good burger.

Onto the pics, just a few. One does try to be discrete and not intrude photographically on others.

Waiting for our food. You can see a bit of the room behind me.

My burger was yummy.

More of the place, including the ceiling: faux tin, I expect. Or maybe not faux.