July 30th 2013: Dinner at Solmar Restaurant and Pub, Springfield

Today after work, I decided to go use one of my Groupons in the city of Springfield, at Solmar Restaurant and Pub, but before that I decided to do some sightseeing in Worcester.

Venerini Academy

Elizabeth Street Schoolhouse Condominiums,

31 Elizabeth Street

John Street Baptist Church

Church of St. Andrew the Apostle,

5 Spaulding Street

On my hike at the Coes Reservoir, the path I took to go around part of the reservoir is shown below in pink.

 The beautiful pictures I took of the water follow.

My next hike was at Parson's Cider Mill, where I took a picture of the Goddard Memorial close by before embarking on it.

The path I took to see the water bodies here is shown below in pink.

The ponds here were pretty decent too, as can be seen from my pictures below.

I continued on my path toward Springfield, passing through the towns of Spencer

and Warren along the way.

Wrights Complex Lower Dam

Quaboag River

Old Wrights Mill,

South Street near Main Street

Old St. Thomas Aquinas Church,

43 North Street

St. Stanislaus Church

When I finally reached Springfield, it was already dark. Thankfully, the kitchen of the typical bar restaurant was still open, so I was able to order the Caldo Verde (Kale Soup)

and the Ameijoas A Portuguesa (Clams Portuguese Style, With Cheese) for appetizers,

the Arroz de Tamboril (Monkfish with Rice, with clams and shrimp) for my main dish,

and the Rice Pudding for dessert.

The soup was only a little lukewarm when served to me, and it was more like kale in a watery mixture of mashed potatoes, although the clams were pretty good with the bacon, cheese and hot sauce. The monkfish had a nice chewy texture to it and was not dry at all, but there was too much cinnamon on the rice pudding and for a moment I thought I would get poisoned by it, so I decided to leave much of it behind.

With that, I drove all the way home, satisfied with my exploits for the day. I'm glad I chanced upon that dam in Warren.