Rhody to Rumble
I can’t tell you how dismayed I was to learn that someone had decided that there were only two towns in New England—Portland and Boston—even worthy of “New England’s dining crown” [“Food Town Showdown,” March/April].
I have dined hundreds of times in Burlington, hundreds of times in Providence, 50-plus times in Boston, and dozens of times in Portland. And in my humble opinion, your comparing Burlington to Providence is absurd: Burlington has 42,000 people, Providence 180,000. In keeping with the same ratio of population, Providence has four good restaurants to Burlington’s one. (And three to Portland’s one.)
For this current Rhode Islander and former Vermonter, when it comes to cuisine, Providence is a very close second to Boston, not a candidate in a runoff with a city (albeit a great one) in the middle of nowhere with 23 percent of Providence’s population.
Mark Arnold Riverside, Rhode Island
Worth Checking Out
Glenn Stout’s story about the Boston Public Library [“The Mother Library,” March/April] was outstanding! As an undergraduate I was a college library worker, so much of what he wrote resonated personally. Being set free among stacks gave us a wonderful wanderlust—and that’s something true for libraries everywhere, not just Boston.
Tom Martella Washington, D.C.
Deep-Seated Tradition
We at the North Adams Museum of History and Science were delighted to read Leath Tonino’s recollection from Vermont, “The Joys of Jack Jumping” [January/February]. Jumpers were popular in the Berkshires as well. In fact, we have several on display, some with the local Ski ’n Sit trademark label showing they were manufactured in North Adams. Thanks again to Leath, photographer Oliver Parini, and Yankee for bringing back fond winter memories.
Justyna Carlson, secretary North Adams Museum of History and Science North Adams, Massachusetts
Author, Author
Just a shout-out to two of your most gifted writers: Ben Hewitt and Julia Shipley. I always look forward to their contributions, which keep me subscribing to Yankee after many years. Their stories capture life in this part of the world so beautifully, with honesty, humor, and wonderful visuals.
Margaret Ramsdell Craftsbury Common, Vermont
