Chowderfest Strategy

Yesterday was the annual Chowderfest held at City Hall Plaza. I worked last year and tried to attend , but it was too crowded for my hour long lunch, so, I turned around and got an expensive Caesar salad from Finagle a Bagel. This year, I was also working, AND I received a ticket to attend the ChowderFest. I took the first lunch (because I was in first . That's how it works at the booth. Or , if you're in first , you can offer to trade your timeslot to a more favorable time.). This year, I was going to Chowderfest.
I love clams -fried, steamed and chowdered. The Chowderfest simply compliments my enjoyment of the humble clam. There were like 8 different stalls giving out samples of chowder. You could go back as much as you wanted but you should really try everybody before you go back for seconds at anyone in particular.
At the first booth, which was the shortest line, I got a little packet of oyster crackers, a spoon and my little container of chowder. It was Ned Devines and it was really good. After I had enjoyed it, I threw the cup, spoon and crackers in the trash. At the next booth, I got a spoon wrapped in sealed plastic and sealed packet of oyster crackers and a little tub of chowder. This was a strategic fumble. Since I have only two hands and the chowder is an open container, there is no way to gracefully open the spoon and crackers without spilling the precious little container of chowder. Lesson learned, I wielded my spoon and open bag of oyster crackers like parade flag. It was more efficient and I could get in another line before I had completley finished the previous booth's chowder. I got in all the chowders of the Chowderfest and had time to go back to re-taste the contenders I thought would win the Chowderfest crown. I voted for the Grille at The Wood Bridge in Waltham but it was pretty close. I also really liked Christophers and the Skippers from West Yarmouth.
It was really a glorious summer day. The sky was a deep blue with a couple of fluffy pure white clouds. The temperature was in the high 70's. So, it was warm but not sweltering. It was the perfect day for an event like Chowderfest.
Along the perimeter of the festival, there were other booths set up giving out samples, there was Fruit 2 "O" and Pepperidge Farms , they were giving out little snack packets of pretzels and coupons, and Willow Farms was there with a booth dispensing samples of chicken pot pie and little containers of chicken salad. There were also girls giving out samples of fruit chips and gum.
I fit it all in my hour long lunch. Granted, I got a lot of the chowder on my uniform shirt, but they are extremely washable uniform shirts made out of 100% American polyester. That was a good lunch in downtown Boston.