Yankee Candle High

On our recent trip to Boston, I spent a day in the Amherst area revisiting all the places I loved to go. I walked the UMASS campus, visiting the dorm I lived in, which is also where I met Max. I has a slice of chicken-blue cheese pizza at Antonios, and I did some CD browsing at Newbury Comics. I drove to Northampton and walked through Thornes Market and bought some gorgeous white wool from the local knitting store. It was a real trip down memory lane. These are the places I fell in love with Max. These are the places I came into my own as an artist. This is the place I accumulated most of my favorite friends.

The pinnacle of the journey ended at the Yankee Candle Factory. If you've never been, it would impossible to grasp the full effect of how magical it is. This place makes jews want to celebrate christmas. Yes, it is a candle factory, and that aspect of it is amazing. More scented candles than you could possible imagine, with beautiful names like MidSummer's Night®, Home for the Holidays® and Ocean Water. Needless to say I bought the largest sampler you can, and I spent hours picking which flavors I wanted. And as I was saying, the candles are just one factor to consider when visiting this Winter Wonderland. This factory also includes an enormous store full of christmas goodies. There is a ceiling with fake stars that glitter; a snow machine that periodically blows fake snow through the room; dozens of decorated christmas trees; an intricate fully functional train set that runs around the perimeter of the room, near the ceiling; and a working and a bavarian christmas village. It was bliss.

More pics here.