-==-==-==--==-==-==--==-==-==--==-==-==--==-==-==--==-==-==--==-==- 09/02/23 Weather: A fine late summer day...warm sunshine, no humidity. Been on a bit of a tear in the local cuisine lately, mostly making up for lost time for not doing much over the summer to explore. We apparently had been sleeping on some things. The Little Thief [1] set up in the old Sweet Spot spot (another big change in the valley, they had a 10+ year presence in Waitsfield Village) and served up small plates with a wide range of ideas that have been a bit lacking around here lately. I'd comment in more detail but they elude me at this point. K and I did have the "let's start a podcast" conversation, and if I did record, I could have described the numerous plates we tried. Tonight we tried Mad Bush Falls, the new Johnny Adler production. New construction done in the AirBnB way: slightly whitewashed pine walls, light grey floor, black light fixtures. The meal was a pleasant surprise, they certainly have a fantastic bartender and chef there. Cocktails named after mountain bike trails, (try The Wu for rittenhouse rye, cynar and sweet vermouth), and a menu that looked fairly...well...like the vibe the decor came from. However, it was executed really well, like a whole head 'o cauliflower roasted with nuts, cheese and (lots of) honey. Solid salad (as it should be at the height of the season), and peeks at others dishes looked similarly good. Prices are in line with trying to make money back on financing new construction in 2023, so it won't be a regular haunt, but worth a trip down for a cocktail. [1] https://www.instagram.com/the.littlethief/