Remember, there are 11 of us in Saratoga Springs. This makes restaurants difficult and no one came here to cook for 11. But one individual took upon himself the responsibility of deciding which four restaurants would get our business (both quality and dietary restrictions to be taken into account) and to make reservations. Our first two nights, at Osteria Denny and The District, were highly successful. And we went to 15 Church Street (located just where you think) last night with high expectations.

But, no. It’s a restaurant that is located in two neighboring buildings. We were sent to their enclosed “patio”, where 11 could easily be seated because it is large and a very open space. It was crowded and loud. And could seat millions.

We were given our table, right next to a table for 12. The 12 were men in their 40s, I would guess, who must have selected themselves to be part of their group because they each had a voice loud enough to be heard from one end of the table to the other, each were able to laugh louder than they could speak, and none liked to do anything more than interrupt each other. This would not do.

And the menu. There were only two fish dishes, sea bass and John Dory, and each was $52. When I asked if the fish dishes were large enough to share, I was answered with a dismissive “no”.

To make a long story shorter, we left. We 11 standing on a street in Saratoga Springs, wondering what to do. The District to the rescue. A deja vu experience, as good as the night before.

We spent the day not in Saratoga Springs, but in Williamstown Mass, a little over an hour away. And a beautiful drive, New York to Vermont to Massachusetts.

Our goal was the Clark Museum and here our expectations were met. A beautiful building (really two) set amongst 100+ acres beautifully landscaped. There was a special and quite large exhibit of paintings and woodcuts by Edvard Munch. So good, it makes you want to Scream. And the museum collection is excellent, with a lot of 19th century work by Renoir, Monet, Pissaro and others. Affiliated with Williams College (not sure exactly how), it is also a teaching, research and conservation center.

It’s probably about a mile from the campus, which we explored by car before reversing course and coming back.

The museum, by the way, owes its existence to Singer sewing machines. The founder was Sterling Clark. His father was a lawyer who helped Isaac Singer get his sewing machines patented in return for half the company. The history of the Clark family is very interested and is posted on a lower level wall next to the bathrooms. As Rodney Dangerfield would say: I get no respect.

Two of the Saratoga Springs 11 leave today, heading for a birthday party on Cape Cod. The rest will hang around town, go to a park or two, and another museum or so, have another big dinner, and tomorrow split for Washington, Traverse City, Charleston SC, and Paris (not Texas).