Briar Barn Inn: Neat and Sedate Boston-Area Retreat

 

Although it is not safe to go back in the water, the Briar Barn Inn in Rowley, Mass. provides a good chance to get your feet wet. This Inn Credible New England perspective is from someone with an "underlying condition" that requires strong preventions against Covid.

The even better news is that the genuinely good folks at this boutique establishment offer an exceptional retreat in a setting that makes it tough to choose between relaxing in your room or on the well-landscaped grounds. 

The property having a tranquil spa and the gourmet Grove restaurant provides two more reasons to choose it for a break from our increasingly cold, cruel world. 

One of many "good citizen" aspects of the Briar Barn is offering graduates of the nearby Governor's Academy (my people call it Governor Dummer) an awesome discount. 

COVID SAFETY

The good news for right-thinking folks who take Covid into consideration when travelling is that the Briar Barn provides peace-of-mind that helps enjoy stays there. This begins with a cleaning protocol that leaves things sparkling and sanitary. 

Each room having windows that open allowed opening  mine on arrival and letting in fresh air for several hours; I left them open most of the day the rest of my stay.

The even better news this time is that every room has an individual HVAC unit that reduces concern as to breathing the same air as other guests. 

COUNTRY STYLE LUXURY 

The "little bit country" "little bit rock-and-roll" appeal of the Briar Barn comes from combining the quality of an upscale cookie-cutter hotel and staying true to the small-town rural location of Rowley, Mass. This burg being 34 miles from the Hub of the Universe (aka Boston) offers its own form of the best of both worlds. 

Getting the comfort of crisp clean bedding, Pottery Barn style furniture, and Lockwood of New York amenities that include awesome bath salts for use in the soaking tub enhances the experience. Artistically combining these elements in a manner that reflects the bucolic setting is the icing on this tasty cake. 

Having a separate sitting area with comfy chairs (or a sofa) provides further bliss by not making the just-right bed a multi-purpose space beyond its traditional uses. 

The value of this extends to almost certainly guaranteeing marital (or significant other) bliss. Personal and anecdotal experience shows that one person in such relationships wants room service and flat-screen televisions, and the other wants the charm of a B-and-B. The Briar Barn, which has EXCELLENT wifi service and hides behemoth screens in cabinets, does not require either person to compromise.

An apt aspect of this is that the Briar Barn earning its reputation as a coveted wedding venue almost ensures that the honeymoon period will last at least until the day after you effectively go to the chapel and get married.

An entirely friendly suggestion for the Briar Barn for the period when Covid and related staffing challenges are a thing of the past is that turn-down service is awesome. NOTHING beats coming back from dinner to find fresh fluffy towels, wiped down surfaces, and a soothing fragrance. Most of us also would not object to finding a small box of gourmet chocolates from nearby Harbor Sweets waiting for us. 

PLACES TO GO, THINGS TO DO 

As indicated above, the tranquility of the room is highly conducive for winding down from enjoying the numerous nearby activities. 

Folks seeking an urban experience (or are in the area for an interview at or visit to a college in the Athens of America) have the benefit of commuter-rail station five minutes from the hotel providing transportation into the proverbial historic north end of Boston. This line also stops in equally historic Salem, Mass. 

The numerous Boston-area colleges and prep schools are equally accessible by car. 

Guest who enjoy their boutique shopping and gourmet dining in a more serene setting can drive 15 minutes to Newburyport, Mass. Personal favorite eateries of this guy who is not fond of seafood are the Black Cow and the Mission Oak Grill. NOTHING beats the hamburgers at Lexi's or the pizza at Abraham's Bagels for cheap eats. 

Equally historic Portsmouth, NH is 30 minutes away; this small city has many of the same shops and dining establishments as Newburyport and quite a few more. 

The undisputed top choice for beaches is the large and pristine Crane's Beach in Ipswich. Mass. This also facilitates eating at the Clam Box along the way. Lists of the best places for fried clams in America almost always place this one in the head of the class. 

The Plum Island Beach outside Newburyport also has its appeal; it is not as nice as Crane's and can have parking challenges. 

The Joe's Playland arcade and other family-friendly attractions at Salisbury Beach a little further outside Newburyport may be the best option for families. 

These excursions, and a handful of related ones, makes it impossible to get bored while staying at the Briar Barn. 

An appealing aspect of this is that this environment facilities a busy day out, returning to your well-cleaned room for an afternoon rest and washing the filth off your body, then going to the on-site Grove restaurant or another dining establishment for a mellow meal, and then coming back for an early night before doing it all over again. 

HOSPITALITY 

The perfect blend of "country" and "rock-and-roll" at the Brian Barn already makes it ideal for visits to the Massachusetts north shore and New Hampshire seacoast. The literal going above-and-beyond provides a terrific reminder of the "good ole days."

Desk clerk extraordinaire Naomi personifies this hospitality. Her friendly greetings as you come and go help brighten the day. She really shined as to a special request.

The delight on checking in includes finding two bottles of tasty Voss water. The twist when making a "please, Sir; may I have some more?" request for additional water was Naomi bringing a six-pack of bottles to the desk.

Bottom Line

All of the above amounts to anticipation of an April 2022 visit to the Briar Barn surely helping ease the pain of a winter of almost complete lockdown discontent. 

'The Stand: Two-Series Collection' BD: King Meets Abrams

 

The unexpected joy regarding the CBS Home Entertainment October 5, 2021 BD release of both the 1994 miniseries and the 2020 Paramount+ limited series of the Stephen King novel "the Stand" relates to the latter greatly exceeding all expectations. 

It seems that the Trump administration and the Covid pandemic provided the cast and crew the necessary perspective to bring the material to life. This is not to mention the clear influence of the JJ Abrams 2004-10 series "Lost."

This release further aptly coincides with the debut of the CBSHE (reviewed) DVD set of S1 of the CBS network  procedural "Clarice." That series tells the tales of the titular fed a year after her adventures around which "The Silence of the Lambs" revolve. 

The following trailer for the 2020 version perfectly illustrates how all the elements combine to successfully bring this story that reflects our times to life. This is particularly apparent as to the performances of Whoppi Goldberg and her equally well-cast peers. 

Our story begins in the wake of the rapid spread of the "Captain Trip" virus that has eradicated 99.4 percent of the human population. The first "chapters" in this production with a strong novel vibe introduces us to the "leftovers" that will drive the primary action. This portion of the film evokes heavy vibes of the film version of  "The Mist" in which King revolves the action around a military experiment gone horribly awry.

These everymen are adjusting to their new normal when they either are assigned to a mission from God or are subject to temptation that leads to declaring that the devil made them do it. 

Goldberg shines (pun intended) as 108 year-old Mother Abagail, who takes a "Field of Dreams" approach to wishing her recruits into a childless cornfield in the most needy plea ever to visit Grandma at the nursing home. Goldberg stating in an interview for the truly special feature "An Apocalyptic Epic: Adapting 'The Stand'" that she has wanted to play Abagail since reading the novel 40 years ago helps explain how her performance is spot-on; this sister can act. 

Alexander Skarsgard does equally well in this portrayal of the Satanic Randall Flagg. The manner in which this quietly sinister stud visits his soldiers is much more of nightmare than a dreamscape. One spoiler is that one recruiting scene will make even the most devout vegetarian crave a roast-beef sandwich.

The good guy "Scooby Doobies" include good ole boy Stu Redman (James Marsden). His being the first identified member of the "chosen people" earns him the distinction of being a guest of the state. This unfortunate incarceration ends when the brass realizes that the virus cannot be contained.

Nick Andros goes from being crucified at the "New Vegas" capital of Flagg to being a mysterious messiah in Boulder, which is where Scooby gang has established their "village." 

The "Really Rottens" include Maineiac Harold Lauder (Owen Teague), who is a stereotypical Columbine-style excitable boy. His obsession with popular girl next-door Frannie Goldsmith (Odessa Young) provides a catalyst for a significant portion of the ensuing trauma-and-drama. 

Fine young cannibal Lloyd Henreid (Nat Wolff) is being driven crazy (and he just can't help himself) when Flagg makes him an offer that he cannot refuse. The manner in which Henreid revels as to his deluded sense of importance among the Vegas decadence is a series highlight.

The must-see gag reel proves that Wolff fully understands his character. This scene shows Wolff going from fully channeling Jack Nicholson in "The Shining" to HILARIOUSLY breaking character on making an equally amusing gaffe. This transformation shows that Wolff clearly should have a better fate than Lauder in the "marry, 'breed', kill" game. 

Amber Heard deserves special props for her portrayal of veteran foster child Nadine Cross, whom Flagg (rather than the Greek gods) destines for his version of greatness. The awesome source material this time is "Rosemary's Baby." 

In true novel fashion, roughly the first third of "Stand" tells the aforementioned backstories and puts the "chess pieces" in their respective positions. This leads to the main story that revolves around the buildup to the final showdown. Although epic, that battle royale turns out to not be so epic lightning in a bottle.

All of this concludes with a special treat for fans of King and "Stand" that further distinguishes it from the 1994 mini-series. The series-finale is an epilogue based on a script that King writes specifically for this production. This highly important Adam and Eve story can be considered the day after the day after tomorrow. We also get a taste of the evil yet to come that shows that you cannot keep a bad man down.

All of this amounts to the chance to compare-and-contrast both versions of "Stand" during the season-of-the-witch and any other time of the year. 

'Clarice' S1 DVD: Awesome End to Silence

 

The CBS Home Entertainment October 5, 2021 DVD release of S1 of the CBS 2021 procedural "Clarice" provides a good chance to discover this series that bridges the generation gap. This is on the ongoing heels of the Paramount+ original series, all of which CBSHE makes available on DVD and BD, that keep the "Star Trek" legacy alive. 

Speaking from the perspective of the "ranger" who directly aided the effort to keep the 2006-08 CBS drama "Jericho" alive, one can only hope that the further adventures of our titular heroine continue on Paramount+ if the series does not get a second season on the once (and future?) Tiffany Network. MANY CBS executives can thank your not-so-humble reviewer for having an ample supply of apple pies back in the day. 

Another aside is that CBSHE even more spectacularly contributes to brokering peace between Gen Xers and Millennials with its recent DVD and BD releases of both the old-school and modern versions of the Stephen King" classic "The Stand." Initial viewing for a pending review shows that the 2020 limited series is a terrific reimaging. 

The strong cast and the awesomely atmospheric cinematography of "Clarice" greatly facilitate "The Silence of the Lamb" fanatics who say "it rubs the lotion on its skin, or it gets the hose again" when we treat dry hands bond with the "kids" who come to this franchise via this series. The treat for us adults is to see how the titular FBI trainee is faring as a full-fledged agent a year after discovering that all's not necessarily well that ends well.

The following "Clarice" promo expertly communicates the theme of the series without providing any spoiler. The Cianti with the farva beans that will make you want to say "Hello, Clarice" is the inclusion of flashbacks to the "Silence" events. 

Our story begins one year after Clarice has gotten her sharp-dressed man. That case has made her the most famous fed since Eliot Ness. Not being untouchable prevents Clarice from avoiding a highly personal assignment to the newly minted FBI Violent Crimes Apprehension Program. The apprehension of our lead includes working for a man who has highly personal extreme prejudice against her.

The mission of ViCAP is to investigate the same type of psycho who is at the center of the "Silence" investigation. The predictable impact on Clarice is triggering horrific memories of both her childhood and of the hostile workplace that play a large role in "Silence," Stating in both cases that she is a lamb to the slaughter is highly apt.

In true 21st-century procedural fashion, the case around which the pilot is centered sets the stage for a season-long story arc. This pattern continues to the S1 final episode that wraps up everything serving equally well as a season or a series finale. 

The trauma this time revolves around discovering two dead women; of course, Clarice is the one to set the investigation on the right track. 

These nefarious doings lead to a literal send lawyers, guns, and money; Dad get me out of this situation. The well-played INTENSELY creepy psychological elements behind the facial corporate greed show that the insult behind the fatal injuries. The direct ties to mythology proves that everything is Greek to us mere mortals. 

The note-worthy side cases include one in which following the evidence leads to connecting the deaths of two boys several years apart. This investigation, like much of "Clarice," comes down to blaming the mother. This EPICLY is the case as to an episode that adds bodacious context to "Silence." 

The copious special features extend well beyond the deleted scenes that provide valuable exposition and the gag reel that lightens the equally psychological and thriller vibe. "The Silence is Over" centers around properly honoring the source material. "ViCAP Views" goes below the surface as to the A, B, and C stories of the S1 episodes.

These sublime elements make adding "Clarice" to your home-video library a no-brainer.