Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Holiday Restaurant and Pizza
On our way home from doing business in Granby, we headed home. For variety we told the GPS to minimize freeways and take the shortest distance. That always results in interesting territory. We came through East Windsor and Broad Brook, then into Ellington, where we stopped at Holiday Restaurant and Pizza. All I wanted was a salad or soup, and I got both; the blue cheese dressing was phenomenal and the clam chowder was good too. Bob got chicken cordon bleu. He was very pleased with it. It was a friendly place. ($23) (Jan)
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Town #33 Granby
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Toni-Ann's * Old Mill Pond Village Shops * Bushy Hill Farm
We had trouble finding things to do in Granby, especially in the daytime. We had lunch at Toni-Ann’s on Rt. 10 where Bob and Tom, a friend, had stopped on a bike ride this past summer. The food was good—small local type eatery. ($19 with Entertainment coupon).
Then we went to Old Mill Pond Village Shops consisting of ei
ght very old buildings facing a mill pond. There were thousands of “home furnishing” items, from home decor to knick-knacks to furniture, but too many items were made and imported from China. The shops were very cluttered and crowded with items for sale, which had the effect of cheapening the atmosphere. There is a Christmas shop, as well, but we didn’t find anything interesting to buy. We remember the place when it was the home of the Deming Craftsmen, makers of very fine custom furniture when we lived in Granby in the late ’60s. We rented an apartment across the street when we were first married and remember the furniture made across the street as being classy. This picture is from the Old Mill Pond shops' website.
There are a number of farms around selling apples, cider, and pies this time of year, so we visited Bushy Hill Farm and bought some apples for a pie. They were a variety Jan had never heard of, Cameo, and they are supposed to be great baking apples, even though they need more baking time. We bought a cider donut and ate it on the spot. In the summer, they have a creamery in operation. ($5.65) (Bob)
Toni-Ann's * Old Mill Pond Village Shops * Bushy Hill Farm
We had trouble finding things to do in Granby, especially in the daytime. We had lunch at Toni-Ann’s on Rt. 10 where Bob and Tom, a friend, had stopped on a bike ride this past summer. The food was good—small local type eatery. ($19 with Entertainment coupon).
Then we went to Old Mill Pond Village Shops consisting of ei
ght very old buildings facing a mill pond. There were thousands of “home furnishing” items, from home decor to knick-knacks to furniture, but too many items were made and imported from China. The shops were very cluttered and crowded with items for sale, which had the effect of cheapening the atmosphere. There is a Christmas shop, as well, but we didn’t find anything interesting to buy. We remember the place when it was the home of the Deming Craftsmen, makers of very fine custom furniture when we lived in Granby in the late ’60s. We rented an apartment across the street when we were first married and remember the furniture made across the street as being classy. This picture is from the Old Mill Pond shops' website. There are a number of farms around selling apples, cider, and pies this time of year, so we visited Bushy Hill Farm and bought some apples for a pie. They were a variety Jan had never heard of, Cameo, and they are supposed to be great baking apples, even though they need more baking time. We bought a cider donut and ate it on the spot. In the summer, they have a creamery in operation. ($5.65) (Bob)
Town #7, Hartford (visit #5)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Pond House Café
I can’t remember who told me about Tasty Tuesdays at the Pond House Café, but today was the last day for their Oktoberfest fi
xed menu of potato pancake, weiner schnitzel, and black forest cake, for $15.55 each. That would have worked fine except the caramel-topped cider sounded delicious (it was), and the coffee polished off the meal nicely with the cake. They started Tasty Tuesdays in May and apparently they’ve been a hit. Our server said that just about every plate being served at the same time we were that night was the special. ($50.93) (Jan)
Pond House Café
I can’t remember who told me about Tasty Tuesdays at the Pond House Café, but today was the last day for their Oktoberfest fi
xed menu of potato pancake, weiner schnitzel, and black forest cake, for $15.55 each. That would have worked fine except the caramel-topped cider sounded delicious (it was), and the coffee polished off the meal nicely with the cake. They started Tasty Tuesdays in May and apparently they’ve been a hit. Our server said that just about every plate being served at the same time we were that night was the special. ($50.93) (Jan)Saturday, October 25, 2008
Town #32 Coventry
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Nathan Hale Homestead * Lake View Restaurant
We paid a long overdue visit to the Nathan Hale Homestead. The docent was very informative and had our full attention for an hour and a half, since the only other visitors were a group of school children. Nathan Hale never actually lived in the structure; rather he was raised in a long-removed house next to the homestead. His family had been quite well to do. Nathan Hale was hanged by the British as a spy at the age of 21. The organization has a number of other activities on the grounds during the year. ($7 with the Entertainment coupon)
Afterward, we went to the Lake View Restaurant and enjoyed a delicious whole-belly clam dinner. Apparently they recently discontinued the lunch-size option so we just had dinner for lunch. (Neither of us had any supper at home.) The place has been remodeled by a new owner and the meal was superb. The view from the deck will be nice in warm weather. ($7 museum w/Entertainment coupon, $56.23 lunch) (Bob)
Nathan Hale Homestead * Lake View Restaurant
We paid a long overdue visit to the Nathan Hale Homestead. The docent was very informative and had our full attention for an hour and a half, since the only other visitors were a group of school children. Nathan Hale never actually lived in the structure; rather he was raised in a long-removed house next to the homestead. His family had been quite well to do. Nathan Hale was hanged by the British as a spy at the age of 21. The organization has a number of other activities on the grounds during the year. ($7 with the Entertainment coupon)
Afterward, we went to the Lake View Restaurant and enjoyed a delicious whole-belly clam dinner. Apparently they recently discontinued the lunch-size option so we just had dinner for lunch. (Neither of us had any supper at home.) The place has been remodeled by a new owner and the meal was superb. The view from the deck will be nice in warm weather. ($7 museum w/Entertainment coupon, $56.23 lunch) (Bob)
Town #31 Madison
Monday, October 13, 2008
Ashley's Ice Cream * Sculpture Mile *
R. J. Julia's
The long Columbus Day weekend was sunny and the autumn leaves were lovely. Last week, my friend Amy and I had gone to Madison to visit a closing yarn shop and R. J. Julia’s, so I thought Bob and I would enjoy a closer look. We got there about noon and started with a coffee-and-Oreo ice cream come from Ashley’s. Mmmm. We stopped in a gift shop in the courtyard there and I bought some notepaper; I couldn't resist the strawberry theme.
Then we walked around the whole town center looking for the sculptures in the Sculpture Mile. The 2007 guide to the sculptures we had said there were 44 different pieces, but we only found 36, and we weren’t sure of some of them. Then we found a new guide for 2008 and I think we saw all there were. Some were in front of businesses, on the library wall, in people’s yards, front and back, and in parking lots. They were made of various materials: aluminum, steel, wood, plastic, etc. Some were fascinating, some were funny, and some didn’t touch us at all.
Then we went to R. J. Julia’s Bookstore. It is a very large, well known and well respected independent bookstore with many author events. We browsed and bought two books, one for us and another for a Christmas gift. Then we were really ready for lunch and we ate at the bookstore's R. J. Café. Bob had the fresh mozzarella-and-tomato panini sandwich and I had a chicken-salad-and-mango-chutney on ciabatta sandwich, both delicious. ($6 ice cream cones, $9 note paper, $36 books, $25.75 lunch). (Jan)
Ashley's Ice Cream * Sculpture Mile *
R. J. Julia's
The long Columbus Day weekend was sunny and the autumn leaves were lovely. Last week, my friend Amy and I had gone to Madison to visit a closing yarn shop and R. J. Julia’s, so I thought Bob and I would enjoy a closer look. We got there about noon and started with a coffee-and-Oreo ice cream come from Ashley’s. Mmmm. We stopped in a gift shop in the courtyard there and I bought some notepaper; I couldn't resist the strawberry theme.
Then we walked around the whole town center looking for the sculptures in the Sculpture Mile. The 2007 guide to the sculptures we had said there were 44 different pieces, but we only found 36, and we weren’t sure of some of them. Then we found a new guide for 2008 and I think we saw all there were. Some were in front of businesses, on the library wall, in people’s yards, front and back, and in parking lots. They were made of various materials: aluminum, steel, wood, plastic, etc. Some were fascinating, some were funny, and some didn’t touch us at all.
Then we went to R. J. Julia’s Bookstore. It is a very large, well known and well respected independent bookstore with many author events. We browsed and bought two books, one for us and another for a Christmas gift. Then we were really ready for lunch and we ate at the bookstore's R. J. Café. Bob had the fresh mozzarella-and-tomato panini sandwich and I had a chicken-salad-and-mango-chutney on ciabatta sandwich, both delicious. ($6 ice cream cones, $9 note paper, $36 books, $25.75 lunch). (Jan)
Town #30 Darien
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Melting Pot
After leaving the Stamford Cone we had trouble finding a place to eat supper. We hadn't had lunch, but we each ate a piece of fruit and half a cookie in the car. We didn’t want a deli, pizza, or fancy. The GPS’s suggestions took us off Route 1 twice to restaurants that no longer exist, so we decided to stay on the route and take what we got. We ended up at the Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant. They are popular enough to require reservations and they had no openings for two hours after we arrived. However, they said we could get cheese fondue at the bar, and that’s what we did, as did another couple. We chose a cheese fondue with blue cheese in it and it was delicious. It came with pieces of bread, apple, and fresh veggies (celery, baby carrots, and cauliflower). We each ordered Caesar salads which were also delicious. We finished off with dark chocolate fondue with fruit, brownies, and cheesecake. A bit expensive, but delicious! ($74.33) (Jan)
Melting Pot
After leaving the Stamford Cone we had trouble finding a place to eat supper. We hadn't had lunch, but we each ate a piece of fruit and half a cookie in the car. We didn’t want a deli, pizza, or fancy. The GPS’s suggestions took us off Route 1 twice to restaurants that no longer exist, so we decided to stay on the route and take what we got. We ended up at the Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant. They are popular enough to require reservations and they had no openings for two hours after we arrived. However, they said we could get cheese fondue at the bar, and that’s what we did, as did another couple. We chose a cheese fondue with blue cheese in it and it was delicious. It came with pieces of bread, apple, and fresh veggies (celery, baby carrots, and cauliflower). We each ordered Caesar salads which were also delicious. We finished off with dark chocolate fondue with fruit, brownies, and cheesecake. A bit expensive, but delicious! ($74.33) (Jan)
Town #29 Stamford
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Stamford Cone
The Stamford Cone has attracted me since we started visiting Connecticut towns. It is a 46-foot-high cone made of over 200 panels of glass and is said to resemble a kaleidoscope from inside. It was originally built to enhance the headquarters of the Swiss Banking Corporation. The afternoon sun was low enough in the sky that we missed the natural illumination that would have really brought it to life, and the doors were locked so we couldn’t get inside, probably because it was a weekend. It was lovely anyway. Many panels are plain opaque white, but the patterned ones are in several colors. (no fee) (Jan)
Town #28 Greenwich
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Bruce Museum Outdoor Arts Festival
We visited the 27th Outdoor Arts Festival on the grounds of the Bruce Museum. There were 93 exhibitors at this art show with a variety of art media including sculptures, oils, mixed media, etchings, and other interesting forms. We arrived in the afternoon and finished around 4:30 or so. We didn’t have time or energy to visit the museum, but looking at the website afterwards, it would have been nice. We bought some etchings from Marina Terauds, one for a gift and two for ourselves. We also bought a photograph of French impressions by Barbara Sandson, an Italian market fruit and vegetable stand. ($225 artwork) (Bob)
Bruce Museum Outdoor Arts Festival
We visited the 27th Outdoor Arts Festival on the grounds of the Bruce Museum. There were 93 exhibitors at this art show with a variety of art media including sculptures, oils, mixed media, etchings, and other interesting forms. We arrived in the afternoon and finished around 4:30 or so. We didn’t have time or energy to visit the museum, but looking at the website afterwards, it would have been nice. We bought some etchings from Marina Terauds, one for a gift and two for ourselves. We also bought a photograph of French impressions by Barbara Sandson, an Italian market fruit and vegetable stand. ($225 artwork) (Bob)
Town #27 Old Lyme
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Florence Griswold Museum * Clam's
We went on a mystery outing (thanks, Jan) to the Florence Griswold Museum. Florence Griswold owned the mansion and used it as a boarding house for artists. An elite group stayed there from time to time and concentrated on their painting and fellowship with one another. They were early Impressionist artists and many of the door panels and other wood panels in the home bear their artwork. The mansion itself is a fine piece of architecture. The grounds have been kept up in the period style as well.
On the way down we had passed a place to eat that looked good so we decided to return there, Clam’s. Strangely, there weren’t many cars in the parking lot. Figuring we might be a little early for supper (5:00) we went in, only to find the dining room empty. There were people in the bar, though. Then we found they were out of clams which we really wanted in the first place, as well as shrimp, oysters, and mussels! That didn’t leave much left—just scallops, I guess. The chowders were the worst we had ever had. The clam chowder tasted like library paste, the scallop chowder turned out to be onion soup with some scallops, and the fried scallop dinner was quite strange, soggy! We were sorry we stuck around. (Another group came in and left, as we should have.) ($16.00 museum, $59.42 food) (Bob)
Florence Griswold Museum * Clam's
We went on a mystery outing (thanks, Jan) to the Florence Griswold Museum. Florence Griswold owned the mansion and used it as a boarding house for artists. An elite group stayed there from time to time and concentrated on their painting and fellowship with one another. They were early Impressionist artists and many of the door panels and other wood panels in the home bear their artwork. The mansion itself is a fine piece of architecture. The grounds have been kept up in the period style as well.
On the way down we had passed a place to eat that looked good so we decided to return there, Clam’s. Strangely, there weren’t many cars in the parking lot. Figuring we might be a little early for supper (5:00) we went in, only to find the dining room empty. There were people in the bar, though. Then we found they were out of clams which we really wanted in the first place, as well as shrimp, oysters, and mussels! That didn’t leave much left—just scallops, I guess. The chowders were the worst we had ever had. The clam chowder tasted like library paste, the scallop chowder turned out to be onion soup with some scallops, and the fried scallop dinner was quite strange, soggy! We were sorry we stuck around. (Another group came in and left, as we should have.) ($16.00 museum, $59.42 food) (Bob)
Town #26 Vernon (Talcottville)
Town #26 * Vernon (Talcottville)
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Elmo's Dockside
Amazingly, after breakfast in Orange and lunch at the country fair, we were getting hungry on the way home, so we stopped at Elmo’s Dockside in Talcottville/Vernon. What a nice place! It was clean, roomy, and nicely ecorated with a nautical theme. We both got clam chowder and shared a Caesar salad. Bob got grilled salmon with hollandaise, and I got seafood crepes (I brought one home). Our waitress was very personable, and sounded interested enough in our description of the Orange fair to consider going with her family tomorrow. ($ ?) (Jan)
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Elmo's Dockside
Amazingly, after breakfast in Orange and lunch at the country fair, we were getting hungry on the way home, so we stopped at Elmo’s Dockside in Talcottville/Vernon. What a nice place! It was clean, roomy, and nicely ecorated with a nautical theme. We both got clam chowder and shared a Caesar salad. Bob got grilled salmon with hollandaise, and I got seafood crepes (I brought one home). Our waitress was very personable, and sounded interested enough in our description of the Orange fair to consider going with her family tomorrow. ($ ?) (Jan)
Town #25 New Haven
Saturday, September 20, 2008
East Rock Park * Soldiers and Sailors Monument
We set the GPS on “Minimize Highways” and “Shortest Distance” and saw some beautiful country, tough sections of New Haven, and some lovely homes on the way home. We also drove near what I recognized as East Rock, and we discovered it is a park, so we drove to the summit (detailed park map). What a beautiful view, overlooking the Mill River! We had some trouble orienting ourselves and determining which direction we were facing. The Soldiers and Sailors monument at the top had obviously been vandalized and was fully fenced in. It honored soldiers and sailors killed in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, and the War of 1812. The same GPS settings sent us mostly up Route 5 through Wallingford and Meriden, then onto the Berlin Turnpike and into Hartford Center, where we did the rest of the way on our own. (Jan)
East Rock Park * Soldiers and Sailors Monument
We set the GPS on “Minimize Highways” and “Shortest Distance” and saw some beautiful country, tough sections of New Haven, and some lovely homes on the way home. We also drove near what I recognized as East Rock, and we discovered it is a park, so we drove to the summit (detailed park map). What a beautiful view, overlooking the Mill River! We had some trouble orienting ourselves and determining which direction we were facing. The Soldiers and Sailors monument at the top had obviously been vandalized and was fully fenced in. It honored soldiers and sailors killed in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, and the War of 1812. The same GPS settings sent us mostly up Route 5 through Wallingford and Meriden, then onto the Berlin Turnpike and into Hartford Center, where we did the rest of the way on our own. (Jan)
Town #24 Orange
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Chip's Restaurant * Orange Country Fair
We decided to take advantage of one of the many county/country fairs in Connecticut in September and October, and chose the one in Orange. We found Chip’s Restaurant in a list of diners in CT and decided to eat there instead of at the pancake breakfast at the country fair. Chip's' specialty is pancakes—40 kinds! We obliged and ignored the eggs benedict this time. Bob had bacon buttermilk pancakes and I had oat and banana pancakes. The boysenberry and apricot syrups were delicious. (Jan)
The country fair was five minutes from Chip’s and this was a good fair to attend. When we got there we found that the pancake breakfast offered at the fair was put on by Chip’s! Oh well. We watched tractor pulls and horse pulls most of the morning. The first tractor pulls were the Junior category, kids as young as third grade! They were great! The horse pulls got up to pulling 2400 pounds before we moved on. We looked at the antique tractors and visited the animal, homing and show pigeon, and reptile barns. We stayed to watch two homing pigeons released. We briefly watched the women’s skillet toss. For lunch we had pulled pork sandwiches and fries, and soon after, a dish of chocolate ice cream. We visited the judging barns for flowers, crafts, photography, and baked goods, then the arts and crafts for sale tent. We arrived at 8:50 and left at 3:30. (unknown cost for breakfast and fair food, $14 for fair admission) (Bob)
Chip's Restaurant * Orange Country Fair
We decided to take advantage of one of the many county/country fairs in Connecticut in September and October, and chose the one in Orange. We found Chip’s Restaurant in a list of diners in CT and decided to eat there instead of at the pancake breakfast at the country fair. Chip's' specialty is pancakes—40 kinds! We obliged and ignored the eggs benedict this time. Bob had bacon buttermilk pancakes and I had oat and banana pancakes. The boysenberry and apricot syrups were delicious. (Jan)
The country fair was five minutes from Chip’s and this was a good fair to attend. When we got there we found that the pancake breakfast offered at the fair was put on by Chip’s! Oh well. We watched tractor pulls and horse pulls most of the morning. The first tractor pulls were the Junior category, kids as young as third grade! They were great! The horse pulls got up to pulling 2400 pounds before we moved on. We looked at the antique tractors and visited the animal, homing and show pigeon, and reptile barns. We stayed to watch two homing pigeons released. We briefly watched the women’s skillet toss. For lunch we had pulled pork sandwiches and fries, and soon after, a dish of chocolate ice cream. We visited the judging barns for flowers, crafts, photography, and baked goods, then the arts and crafts for sale tent. We arrived at 8:50 and left at 3:30. (unknown cost for breakfast and fair food, $14 for fair admission) (Bob)
Town #23 Canterbury
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Prudence Crandall Museum * Canterbury Cones
After lunch in Scotland, we self-toured the Prudence Crandall Museum, a place Jan has wanted to visit for a long time. In 1832 Prudence Crandall opened an academy to educate daughters of wealthy local families. When she admitted a black girl, all the other parents withdrew their children. Prudence was boycotted by her suppliers and town officials, and suffered several acts of vandalism. The state made it illegal to educate blacks (it was later repealed) and she was jailed and went through three trials. After a serious fire, she finally admitted defeat and closed down after only 18 months after she opened. She had many staunch supporters, but could not continue putting her students and herself through such abuse.
We had planned to head out to Brooklyn for an ice cream cone, but on the way we passed a new place, Canterbury Cones, and enjoyed our ice cream there ($2.60 museum, $5.20 ice cream). (Bob)
Prudence Crandall Museum * Canterbury Cones
After lunch in Scotland, we self-toured the Prudence Crandall Museum, a place Jan has wanted to visit for a long time. In 1832 Prudence Crandall opened an academy to educate daughters of wealthy local families. When she admitted a black girl, all the other parents withdrew their children. Prudence was boycotted by her suppliers and town officials, and suffered several acts of vandalism. The state made it illegal to educate blacks (it was later repealed) and she was jailed and went through three trials. After a serious fire, she finally admitted defeat and closed down after only 18 months after she opened. She had many staunch supporters, but could not continue putting her students and herself through such abuse.
We had planned to head out to Brooklyn for an ice cream cone, but on the way we passed a new place, Canterbury Cones, and enjoyed our ice cream there ($2.60 museum, $5.20 ice cream). (Bob)
Town #22 Scotland
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Scotland General Store
We finally made the trip to the little town of Scotland and the Scotland General Store after reading about it a few years ago in the Courant. It is decorated with old memorabilia and looks like a typical general store inside. We ordered from the deli and ate on the town green across from the store. We wandered around and read the historical plaques there. Jan had a salad assortment and I had a BLT grinder. Both were excellent and it was a neat stop. ($16) (Bob)
Scotland General Store
We finally made the trip to the little town of Scotland and the Scotland General Store after reading about it a few years ago in the Courant. It is decorated with old memorabilia and looks like a typical general store inside. We ordered from the deli and ate on the town green across from the store. We wandered around and read the historical plaques there. Jan had a salad assortment and I had a BLT grinder. Both were excellent and it was a neat stop. ($16) (Bob)
Town #10 Windham (visit #3)
Windham (Willimantic) * visit #3
Saturday, June 12, 2008
Flower Bridge
We have visited the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne, MA, twice, and enjoyed it. Whem we heard there was a Flower Bridge in Willimantic, over the Willimantic River, we had to see it. It’s the bridge we used to use to pick up Rt. 32 South before the Frog Bridge was built and is 150 years old. It has been nicely paved with pavers and has large, beautifully planted planters. We hope it is a work in progress and will grow more each year. We walked along the riverfront before departing. (Bob)
Saturday, June 12, 2008
Flower Bridge
We have visited the Bridge of Flowers in Shelburne, MA, twice, and enjoyed it. Whem we heard there was a Flower Bridge in Willimantic, over the Willimantic River, we had to see it. It’s the bridge we used to use to pick up Rt. 32 South before the Frog Bridge was built and is 150 years old. It has been nicely paved with pavers and has large, beautifully planted planters. We hope it is a work in progress and will grow more each year. We walked along the riverfront before departing. (Bob)
Town #5 Mansfield (visit #2)
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Gurleyville Grist Mill
Bob had stopped at the historical Gurleyville Grist Mill on bike rides, but I hadn’t. It is in original condition and has not needed to be restored. It is the only mill of its kind in Connecticut and was in operation from 1723 to 1959. For many years it was operated by the family of former governor Wilbur Cross, as he lived nearby. It was the wrong day of the week for going inside but it was very picturesque, with the Fenton River babbling by it. (Jan)
Gurleyville Grist Mill
Bob had stopped at the historical Gurleyville Grist Mill on bike rides, but I hadn’t. It is in original condition and has not needed to be restored. It is the only mill of its kind in Connecticut and was in operation from 1723 to 1959. For many years it was operated by the family of former governor Wilbur Cross, as he lived nearby. It was the wrong day of the week for going inside but it was very picturesque, with the Fenton River babbling by it. (Jan)
Town #21 Willington
Friday, July 11, 2008
Willington Antiques
This place has been tucked into a corner of Glass Factory Road for over ten years and we’ve never visited Willington Antiques before. We've obviously driven past it many times over the years, but never knew it was there! The owner seems very knowledgeable and said he sells mostly to dealers. The only other customers there when we were sounded like dealers who'd been there before. I think he knows what he’s doing and we found even the smallest things very expensive—probably justifiably so. (Jan)
Willington Antiques
This place has been tucked into a corner of Glass Factory Road for over ten years and we’ve never visited Willington Antiques before. We've obviously driven past it many times over the years, but never knew it was there! The owner seems very knowledgeable and said he sells mostly to dealers. The only other customers there when we were sounded like dealers who'd been there before. I think he knows what he’s doing and we found even the smallest things very expensive—probably justifiably so. (Jan)
Town #20 Putnam
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Bella's Bistro * Abigail's Jewel Box
Still with Bob and Jane, we continued to Putnam to go antiquing. We had had eggs benedict at home for breakfast, and we were going out that night, so all we had for lunch was gelato atBella's Bistro, a gourmet place, on Union Street, off of Main Street. We each combined flavors; Bob and I especially liked the coffee flavor. I browsed in Abigail's Jewel Box just across the street (our friends treated for the gelato). We all browsed in several antique shops, especially our favorite, Antiques Marketplace; we spent quite a lot of time there. (Jan)
Bella's Bistro * Abigail's Jewel Box
Still with Bob and Jane, we continued to Putnam to go antiquing. We had had eggs benedict at home for breakfast, and we were going out that night, so all we had for lunch was gelato atBella's Bistro, a gourmet place, on Union Street, off of Main Street. We each combined flavors; Bob and I especially liked the coffee flavor. I browsed in Abigail's Jewel Box just across the street (our friends treated for the gelato). We all browsed in several antique shops, especially our favorite, Antiques Marketplace; we spent quite a lot of time there. (Jan)
Town #19 Eastford
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Rucki's General Store
We’ve passed by this market, Rucki’s General Store, at the junction of Routes 44 and 97, for years so we decided to stop in to see what they offered. Our friends from Iowa, Bob and Jane, are still here and we were on our way to Putnam to go antiquing. Rucki's is a real old-time country store with a little bit of everything. I bought a package of raisins that we needed, and Jane bought Cape Cod potato chips that she never heard of. They apparently came on the market after Bob and Jane had moved away from this area. (J)
Rucki's General Store
We’ve passed by this market, Rucki’s General Store, at the junction of Routes 44 and 97, for years so we decided to stop in to see what they offered. Our friends from Iowa, Bob and Jane, are still here and we were on our way to Putnam to go antiquing. Rucki's is a real old-time country store with a little bit of everything. I bought a package of raisins that we needed, and Jane bought Cape Cod potato chips that she never heard of. They apparently came on the market after Bob and Jane had moved away from this area. (J)
Town #4 West Hartford (visit #3)
Friday, June 20, 2008
St. John's Episcopal Church, organ concert with Charlotte Wakeman Beers
While our friends Bob and Jane from Iowa were visiting, the four of us went to an organ concert at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Farmington Avenue in West Hartford. The guest organist was Charlotte Wakeman Beers, a college sophomore majoring in music, from West Hartford who presented her third concert there. She has an amazing talent and presented a variety of composers and styles. We hope to see more of her! We hadn't had supper with Bob and Jane because we'd been too busy all day, so we were glad of the reception that followed the performance. ($20). (Jan)
St. John's Episcopal Church, organ concert with Charlotte Wakeman Beers
While our friends Bob and Jane from Iowa were visiting, the four of us went to an organ concert at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Farmington Avenue in West Hartford. The guest organist was Charlotte Wakeman Beers, a college sophomore majoring in music, from West Hartford who presented her third concert there. She has an amazing talent and presented a variety of composers and styles. We hope to see more of her! We hadn't had supper with Bob and Jane because we'd been too busy all day, so we were glad of the reception that followed the performance. ($20). (Jan)
Town #18 Union
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Bigelow Hollow * Mashapaug Pond
Jan and I went to Mashapaug Pond at Bigelow Hollow with the kayak paddling group organized by Diane Wright. I paddled while Jan sat by the lakeside and read. It was quite cool. The pond Is very pretty and some of us went as far as the Massachusetts line. (Bob)
Bigelow Hollow * Mashapaug Pond
Jan and I went to Mashapaug Pond at Bigelow Hollow with the kayak paddling group organized by Diane Wright. I paddled while Jan sat by the lakeside and read. It was quite cool. The pond Is very pretty and some of us went as far as the Massachusetts line. (Bob)
Town #17 Stafford Springs
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Picture Perfect of New England *
Mimi's Books * La Petite France
After lunch at John Henry’s (not a new visit), we checked out Picture Perfect of New England, an art and frame shop. We meant to just go in and poke around, but we met the owner, Mike, who had lots to say about the arts in Stafford and the surrounding area. He was very chatty and interesting, but a bit long winded. Strolling further along Main Street, we visited Mimi’s Books on the corner of Main and Spring Streets. She has mostly hardcover books, some probably quite valuable, most in great condition. The prices were pretty good and I broke down and bought one. Then across the street was La Petite France, a bakery. Bob couldn't resist a chocolate croissant which was so-so. ($5 book, $1.75 croissant) (Jan)
Picture Perfect of New England *
Mimi's Books * La Petite France
After lunch at John Henry’s (not a new visit), we checked out Picture Perfect of New England, an art and frame shop. We meant to just go in and poke around, but we met the owner, Mike, who had lots to say about the arts in Stafford and the surrounding area. He was very chatty and interesting, but a bit long winded. Strolling further along Main Street, we visited Mimi’s Books on the corner of Main and Spring Streets. She has mostly hardcover books, some probably quite valuable, most in great condition. The prices were pretty good and I broke down and bought one. Then across the street was La Petite France, a bakery. Bob couldn't resist a chocolate croissant which was so-so. ($5 book, $1.75 croissant) (Jan)
Town #10 Windham (visit #2)
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Aero Diner
We ate at another diner—the Aero Diner on Route 6 in Windham, out toward the airport, for breakfast. It was quite crowded and the food and service were very good. (We don't remember what it cost.) (Jan)
Aero Diner
We ate at another diner—the Aero Diner on Route 6 in Windham, out toward the airport, for breakfast. It was quite crowded and the food and service were very good. (We don't remember what it cost.) (Jan)
Town #16 Thomaston
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Thomaston Opera House * Black Rock Tavern
Simon Gledhill, from England, performed on the theater organ at Thomaston Opera House. He is also an investment banker and is on a two-week U.S. tour. Mike Foley sent us the announcement of the performance and we met the group there that we see at his concerts. The concert was good, but overall we found theater music a little redundant after a while. Maybe it was just Gledhill's style. We got tickets online for $18 each. The theater is old and quaint and offers various performances during the year.
Afterward, our group went to the Black Rock Tavern, a short walk from the opera house. Service was very slow, as though they didn’t expect the crowd from the opera house. The food was good, but the French fries were very salty. Bob had a pork and cheddar sandwich and I had a warm beef sandwich. ($58 for performance and food) (Jan)
Thomaston Opera House * Black Rock Tavern
Simon Gledhill, from England, performed on the theater organ at Thomaston Opera House. He is also an investment banker and is on a two-week U.S. tour. Mike Foley sent us the announcement of the performance and we met the group there that we see at his concerts. The concert was good, but overall we found theater music a little redundant after a while. Maybe it was just Gledhill's style. We got tickets online for $18 each. The theater is old and quaint and offers various performances during the year.
Afterward, our group went to the Black Rock Tavern, a short walk from the opera house. Service was very slow, as though they didn’t expect the crowd from the opera house. The food was good, but the French fries were very salty. Bob had a pork and cheddar sandwich and I had a warm beef sandwich. ($58 for performance and food) (Jan)
Town #15 Burlington
Saturday, March 15, 2008
LaMothe's Sugar House
Our five-year-old grandson is visiting with us for the weekend and we thought he would enjoy visiting a maple sugaring house, so we went to Lamothe’s Sugar House in Burlington. We went on the tour, which consisted of seeing the evaporator and reverse osmosis device and hearing a detailed explanation of the maple syrup-making process. We also got samples of two different grades of their syrup, their strawberry-rhubarb jam, and maple oatmeal cookies. Our grandson also got a maple lollipop. Bob and I enjoyed the tour most; our grandson enjoyed the samples. We bought maple sugar candy for our son and his wife, a coloring book with the syrup-making process described, some maple cream to give away, and some jam and a couple maple caramels for us. Then we went outside to see the bunnies and two huge pigs. Our grandson had a good time, so we did too. (free admission, $43 for purchases). (Jan)
LaMothe's Sugar House
Our five-year-old grandson is visiting with us for the weekend and we thought he would enjoy visiting a maple sugaring house, so we went to Lamothe’s Sugar House in Burlington. We went on the tour, which consisted of seeing the evaporator and reverse osmosis device and hearing a detailed explanation of the maple syrup-making process. We also got samples of two different grades of their syrup, their strawberry-rhubarb jam, and maple oatmeal cookies. Our grandson also got a maple lollipop. Bob and I enjoyed the tour most; our grandson enjoyed the samples. We bought maple sugar candy for our son and his wife, a coloring book with the syrup-making process described, some maple cream to give away, and some jam and a couple maple caramels for us. Then we went outside to see the bunnies and two huge pigs. Our grandson had a good time, so we did too. (free admission, $43 for purchases). (Jan)
Town #14 Canton (Collinsville)
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Collinsville Canoe and Kayak * Crown and Hammer Pub * Collinsville Baking Co.
We went to Collinsville with several things in mind. We had lunch first at the Crown and Hammer Pub. We both had pulled pork sandwiches that were a bit spicy but delicious. Next we went across the street to Collinsville Canoe and Kayak for a PFD for Bob. We ended at Collinsville Baking Co. next door and brought a couple items home. ($31 for food). (Jan)
Collinsville Canoe and Kayak * Crown and Hammer Pub * Collinsville Baking Co.
We went to Collinsville with several things in mind. We had lunch first at the Crown and Hammer Pub. We both had pulled pork sandwiches that were a bit spicy but delicious. Next we went across the street to Collinsville Canoe and Kayak for a PFD for Bob. We ended at Collinsville Baking Co. next door and brought a couple items home. ($31 for food). (Jan)
Friday, October 24, 2008
Town #13 Enfield
Monday, February 11, 2008
Country Diner * Barnes and Noble
I had read about the Country Diner in the Courant a while back, so we went there on Hazard Avenue for lunch. It is just the kind of restaurant we like—casual, down home, friendly. ($19 w/coupon).
We went to Barnes and Noble just up the street afterward to look at atlases for our various trips. (Bob)
Country Diner * Barnes and Noble
I had read about the Country Diner in the Courant a while back, so we went there on Hazard Avenue for lunch. It is just the kind of restaurant we like—casual, down home, friendly. ($19 w/coupon).
We went to Barnes and Noble just up the street afterward to look at atlases for our various trips. (Bob)
Town #12 Portland
Sunday, February 10, 2008
First Congregational Church of Portland, organ concert with Angela Salcedo
We haven’t heard Angela play in six or seven years, since she was the organist at the Storrs church, at which time she gave her first concert since studying in France. She’s now at the Glastonbury church. Today’s concert, at the First Congregational Church of Portland, included Franck and Duruflé; she still likes the French organ composers. She did an excellent job and got great sound from what was, surprisingly, a very small organ.
We saw a familiar face there—Kasha, the harpist we saw last night with the Wild Notes. It turns out she is the organist at the Portland church! ($20) (Jan)
First Congregational Church of Portland, organ concert with Angela Salcedo
We haven’t heard Angela play in six or seven years, since she was the organist at the Storrs church, at which time she gave her first concert since studying in France. She’s now at the Glastonbury church. Today’s concert, at the First Congregational Church of Portland, included Franck and Duruflé; she still likes the French organ composers. She did an excellent job and got great sound from what was, surprisingly, a very small organ.
We saw a familiar face there—Kasha, the harpist we saw last night with the Wild Notes. It turns out she is the organist at the Portland church! ($20) (Jan)
Town #4 West Hartford (visit #2)
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Wild Notes at the Sounding Board at the Unitarian church
The Wild Notes is a band performing Celtic ballads and folksongs, with some good storytelling thrown in. They’re a very homespun and versatile group—every member played at least two instruments. They said their playing at the Sounding Board “felt like being in our living room.” They were very enjoyable. ($32 + cookies $2) (Jan)
Wild Notes at the Sounding Board at the Unitarian church
The Wild Notes is a band performing Celtic ballads and folksongs, with some good storytelling thrown in. They’re a very homespun and versatile group—every member played at least two instruments. They said their playing at the Sounding Board “felt like being in our living room.” They were very enjoyable. ($32 + cookies $2) (Jan)
Town #11 Newington
Friday, February 8, 2008
Olde Towne Coin Co. * Giovanni's Bakery
We went to Olde Towne Coin Co., Inc. on the Berlin Turnpike to sell Bob's mother’s Franklin Mint presidential medals. We were pleased with the sale, as I don't know enough about collectible coins to sell such an item on eBay. Afterward, we found Giovanni’s Bakery and shared a tiramisu and each had a cup of coffee. ($6) (Jan)
Olde Towne Coin Co. * Giovanni's Bakery
We went to Olde Towne Coin Co., Inc. on the Berlin Turnpike to sell Bob's mother’s Franklin Mint presidential medals. We were pleased with the sale, as I don't know enough about collectible coins to sell such an item on eBay. Afterward, we found Giovanni’s Bakery and shared a tiramisu and each had a cup of coffee. ($6) (Jan)
Town #7 Hartford (visit #4)
Friday, February 8, 2008
Jazz concert at Asylum Hill Congregational Church
We're not big fans of jazz, but this concert at Asylum Hill Congregational Church was supposed to feature a Hammond B3 organ, which is similar to the one we have, and Bob wanted to see what else a Hammond could do. However, Joey DeFrancesco and his group, featuring jazz organ, had recently changed to a Diversi organ, which sounded amazing, but it wasn’t why we went. His style of jazz was very mellow and easy to listen to, so it was educational and fun. ($20) (Jan)
Jazz concert at Asylum Hill Congregational Church
We're not big fans of jazz, but this concert at Asylum Hill Congregational Church was supposed to feature a Hammond B3 organ, which is similar to the one we have, and Bob wanted to see what else a Hammond could do. However, Joey DeFrancesco and his group, featuring jazz organ, had recently changed to a Diversi organ, which sounded amazing, but it wasn’t why we went. His style of jazz was very mellow and easy to listen to, so it was educational and fun. ($20) (Jan)
Town #7 Hartford (visit #3)
Monday, February 4, 2008
Austin Organ Company
In following organ concerts, we keep an eye on American Guild of Organists (AGO) events. We noticed a tour of the Austin Organ Company and called to see if non-AGO members were welcome. We were! We met another couple, friends of ours, there and enjoyed refreshments from wine and cheese to coffee and cookies. Then we had a very informative tour. Organs are entirely handmade there in the Hartford facility. They were forced to close several years ago but reopened a few months later when a company supporter became the new owner. In years past they had 36 employees creating these masterpiece instruments; sadly, they must do it now with only 6. We gained a deeper understanding and appreciation of the craftsmanship that goes into these beautiful pieces. (NC for the evening.) (Bob)
Austin Organ Company
In following organ concerts, we keep an eye on American Guild of Organists (AGO) events. We noticed a tour of the Austin Organ Company and called to see if non-AGO members were welcome. We were! We met another couple, friends of ours, there and enjoyed refreshments from wine and cheese to coffee and cookies. Then we had a very informative tour. Organs are entirely handmade there in the Hartford facility. They were forced to close several years ago but reopened a few months later when a company supporter became the new owner. In years past they had 36 employees creating these masterpiece instruments; sadly, they must do it now with only 6. We gained a deeper understanding and appreciation of the craftsmanship that goes into these beautiful pieces. (NC for the evening.) (Bob)
Town #10 Windham (Willimantic) (visit #1)
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Mickey’s Windham Diner, breakfast
We like diners and sometimes search them out. Mickey's is on Bridge Street in Willimantic, next to the Willimantic River. We each had Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, which were OK but we’ve had better. Neat, old-fashioned diner—worth a revisit. (Waffles, coffee & tip: $14) (Bob)
Mickey’s Windham Diner, breakfast
We like diners and sometimes search them out. Mickey's is on Bridge Street in Willimantic, next to the Willimantic River. We each had Belgian waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, which were OK but we’ve had better. Neat, old-fashioned diner—worth a revisit. (Waffles, coffee & tip: $14) (Bob)
Town #9 South Windsor
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Lena’s Italian Restaurant
Our group of 7 planned to eat at Mill on the River, but after waiting half an hour beyond our reservation time, seeing other parties that arrived after we did get seated, and noticing an appropriate sized table empty, and management still refused to seat us, we left and ate at Lena’s. I had a very good veal parm, Jan had veal française. It was a good meal—worth going back. The atmosphere was casual and very friendly, and right around the corner from my sister and brother-in-law’s house! ($74) (Bob)
Lena’s Italian Restaurant
Our group of 7 planned to eat at Mill on the River, but after waiting half an hour beyond our reservation time, seeing other parties that arrived after we did get seated, and noticing an appropriate sized table empty, and management still refused to seat us, we left and ate at Lena’s. I had a very good veal parm, Jan had veal française. It was a good meal—worth going back. The atmosphere was casual and very friendly, and right around the corner from my sister and brother-in-law’s house! ($74) (Bob)
Town #8 Groton
Friday, January 25, 2008
The Fisherman
Bob and I had business at a quilt restoration place in Groton and asked for the owner’s recommendation for a non-chain lunch place. She kept coming up with chains that were close, but we prefer one-of-a-kind restaurants, especially ones the locals visit. She finally suggested The Fisherman and we found it easily. It had a great view of Fisher’s Island Sound, and good food. We each had clam chowder and shared a big chicken-caesar salad. (lunch: $26.75) (Jan)
The Fisherman
Bob and I had business at a quilt restoration place in Groton and asked for the owner’s recommendation for a non-chain lunch place. She kept coming up with chains that were close, but we prefer one-of-a-kind restaurants, especially ones the locals visit. She finally suggested The Fisherman and we found it easily. It had a great view of Fisher’s Island Sound, and good food. We each had clam chowder and shared a big chicken-caesar salad. (lunch: $26.75) (Jan)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Town #7 Hartford (visit #2)
January 22, 2008
“Bodies Revealed" show at the XL (Civic) Center
Bodies Revealed was a very unusual presentation that somehow preserved intricate details of the internal parts of human bodies while eliminating things that got in the way. There were nine full figures with different parts showing, and a couple hundred organs, joints, and other anatomical parts preserved separately in glass cases. It was a full anatomy lesson in two hours, very educational and quite well done. We followed up with lunch at a Pratt Street deli, Rose Gourmet, sharing a roast beef panini and each getting a cup of clam chowder. (parking: $7, show: $42.50, with discount coupon; lunch: $15.) (Jan)
“Bodies Revealed" show at the XL (Civic) Center
Bodies Revealed was a very unusual presentation that somehow preserved intricate details of the internal parts of human bodies while eliminating things that got in the way. There were nine full figures with different parts showing, and a couple hundred organs, joints, and other anatomical parts preserved separately in glass cases. It was a full anatomy lesson in two hours, very educational and quite well done. We followed up with lunch at a Pratt Street deli, Rose Gourmet, sharing a roast beef panini and each getting a cup of clam chowder. (parking: $7, show: $42.50, with discount coupon; lunch: $15.) (Jan)
Town #7 Hartford (visit #1)
Sunday, January 20, 2008
West End String Quartet * Giancarlo Bazzano, clarinet, at St. Augustine Church
Bob read about Bazzano in the Cal section of the Courant, and realized we had a copy of his CD, given to us by a friend. After listening to it, we were awed. He plays so phenomenally that we had to go to his concert. It was at St. Augustine Church, and the front doors were locked, as was a side door. We began despairing that we'd read the date wrong until we saw someone enter a different side door. Good thing we did, as he plays so beautifully that it would have been a shame to miss it. He’s from Italy and played several solo pieces before joining with the West End String Quartet, four talented young women, and playing Mozart’s quintet for clarinet and strings. He plays very expressively, which made it easy to overlook the fact that he was a bit of a diamond in the rough as far as his appearance went. His accompanist was also wonderful. (no fee or offering accepted) (Jan)
West End String Quartet * Giancarlo Bazzano, clarinet, at St. Augustine Church
Bob read about Bazzano in the Cal section of the Courant, and realized we had a copy of his CD, given to us by a friend. After listening to it, we were awed. He plays so phenomenally that we had to go to his concert. It was at St. Augustine Church, and the front doors were locked, as was a side door. We began despairing that we'd read the date wrong until we saw someone enter a different side door. Good thing we did, as he plays so beautifully that it would have been a shame to miss it. He’s from Italy and played several solo pieces before joining with the West End String Quartet, four talented young women, and playing Mozart’s quintet for clarinet and strings. He plays very expressively, which made it easy to overlook the fact that he was a bit of a diamond in the rough as far as his appearance went. His accompanist was also wonderful. (no fee or offering accepted) (Jan)
Town #6 Pomfret
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Mark Erelli at the Vanilla Bean
We went to the Vanilla Bean, a truly unique restaurant/coffeehouse for supper and a coffeehouse event. We had a delicious meal—mozzarella ravioli with basil in a tomato cream sauce topped with asparagus. We worked on a piece of fudge chocolate cake that we shouldn't have gotten and waited for the entertainment of the evening. Folk singer/songwriter Mark Erelli performed with Zack Hickman on bass. Erelli’s music was pretty good for the most part, though with a little too much of the blues for our likes. Hickman on bass was quite good and we enjoyed watching and listening to him. They did an encore, however, that brought a standing ovation. We would like to have heard more of that style. ($43 for supper and dessert, $30 for the performance) (Jan)
Mark Erelli at the Vanilla Bean
We went to the Vanilla Bean, a truly unique restaurant/coffeehouse for supper and a coffeehouse event. We had a delicious meal—mozzarella ravioli with basil in a tomato cream sauce topped with asparagus. We worked on a piece of fudge chocolate cake that we shouldn't have gotten and waited for the entertainment of the evening. Folk singer/songwriter Mark Erelli performed with Zack Hickman on bass. Erelli’s music was pretty good for the most part, though with a little too much of the blues for our likes. Hickman on bass was quite good and we enjoyed watching and listening to him. They did an encore, however, that brought a standing ovation. We would like to have heard more of that style. ($43 for supper and dessert, $30 for the performance) (Jan)
Town #5 Mansfield (visit #1)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Gianelli's
While we were out doing errands, we had lunch at Giannelli’s restaurant in the Holiday Mall on Route 195. We each had a delicious bowl of their homemade clam chowder and a beverage. The atmosphere was homey and very casual. The cost was very reasonable. (Bob)
Gianelli's
While we were out doing errands, we had lunch at Giannelli’s restaurant in the Holiday Mall on Route 195. We each had a delicious bowl of their homemade clam chowder and a beverage. The atmosphere was homey and very casual. The cost was very reasonable. (Bob)
Town #4 West Hartford (visit #1)
Sunday, January 13, 2008
St. James Episcopal Church, organ concert with Jason Roberts
(Note: When we visit a town for a second event, we will go back to the first entry and edit that title to show it was the first of multiple visits.)
We are pipe organ concert chasers, and attend as many as we can. We went to a concert featuring Jason Roberts, organist at St. James Episcopal Church, in a performance for his doctoral degree. It was an excellent concert. We heard another B.A.C.H. piece, this time composed by Miloš Sokola. The church was not as ornate as many typical Episcopal churches we've seen, but had beautiful stained glass windows and was finished in oak in simple lines and paneling. It was too bad there were so few attendees. (Bob)
St. James Episcopal Church, organ concert with Jason Roberts
(Note: When we visit a town for a second event, we will go back to the first entry and edit that title to show it was the first of multiple visits.)
We are pipe organ concert chasers, and attend as many as we can. We went to a concert featuring Jason Roberts, organist at St. James Episcopal Church, in a performance for his doctoral degree. It was an excellent concert. We heard another B.A.C.H. piece, this time composed by Miloš Sokola. The church was not as ornate as many typical Episcopal churches we've seen, but had beautiful stained glass windows and was finished in oak in simple lines and paneling. It was too bad there were so few attendees. (Bob)
Town #3 Ashford (visit #1)
Town #3 * Ashford (visit #1)
Friday, January 11, 2008
"Views of Nature from a Kayak"
Bob saw notice of this free event in the Courant, and it was wonderful. It was held at the Babcock Library in Warrenville (center of the bustling little town of Ashford). Jeff Feldmann (http://www.jeffphotos.com/) is a photographer who loves kayaking and nature. From his kayak, he’s seen insects and birds that are very rare around here and only viewed in places with few if any people. The show was arranged by type of creature he viewed, and included gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, bridges, clouds, and rock formations. He related conversations he was able to have with some of the animals, and they were very cooperative, yielding some amazing pictures. There were only 15-20 people there, unfortunately. It was an excellent program, highly informative and entertaining, and couldn’t help but bring a deeper appreciation of the bounty of animal life in Connecticut. (Jan)
Friday, January 11, 2008
"Views of Nature from a Kayak"
Bob saw notice of this free event in the Courant, and it was wonderful. It was held at the Babcock Library in Warrenville (center of the bustling little town of Ashford). Jeff Feldmann (http://www.jeffphotos.com/) is a photographer who loves kayaking and nature. From his kayak, he’s seen insects and birds that are very rare around here and only viewed in places with few if any people. The show was arranged by type of creature he viewed, and included gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, bridges, clouds, and rock formations. He related conversations he was able to have with some of the animals, and they were very cooperative, yielding some amazing pictures. There were only 15-20 people there, unfortunately. It was an excellent program, highly informative and entertaining, and couldn’t help but bring a deeper appreciation of the bounty of animal life in Connecticut. (Jan)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Town #2 Ellington
Town #2 * Ellington
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Zara's Café
We had an unexpected lunch out today and looked for a place whose name and location had been mentioned to us recently, but neither of us could remember what it was! We gambled on Zara’s Café and it is worth going back to. Going in we saw a sign that mentioned Pakistani food, but at first the only signs of that were on the dinner menu. The atmosphere was clean and nice, and the owner’s daughter/waitress took good care of us. My eggs benedict was good; Jan’s Mandarin chicken salad was good but spicy, and we're not spicy food folk. Maybe Mandarin sauce is spicy—is it Pakistani? Service was exceptionally friendly. Total was $22 including tip. (Bob)
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Zara's Café
We had an unexpected lunch out today and looked for a place whose name and location had been mentioned to us recently, but neither of us could remember what it was! We gambled on Zara’s Café and it is worth going back to. Going in we saw a sign that mentioned Pakistani food, but at first the only signs of that were on the dinner menu. The atmosphere was clean and nice, and the owner’s daughter/waitress took good care of us. My eggs benedict was good; Jan’s Mandarin chicken salad was good but spicy, and we're not spicy food folk. Maybe Mandarin sauce is spicy—is it Pakistani? Service was exceptionally friendly. Total was $22 including tip. (Bob)
Town #1 East Hartford (visit #1)
Town #1 * East Hartford (visit #1)
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Anna's
We had lunch at Anna’s (restaurant) on Silver Lane. A friend recommended it, but we wouldn’t be in a hurry to go back. It’s a central meeting place for locals, and has a homey atmosphere. Coffee was only $1.00 and the food was good—but service was inattentive. The staff seemed to take care of the regulars, and we had to stop a server to ask for something. Bob had a chicken Caesar wrap and I had chicken-Caesar salad, both good. They have an extensive breakfast menu, including eggs benedict and Belgian waffles, but few omelets, and we discussed going back, but there are other places we’d like to try first. Lunch was $20 including tip. (Jan)
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Anna's
We had lunch at Anna’s (restaurant) on Silver Lane. A friend recommended it, but we wouldn’t be in a hurry to go back. It’s a central meeting place for locals, and has a homey atmosphere. Coffee was only $1.00 and the food was good—but service was inattentive. The staff seemed to take care of the regulars, and we had to stop a server to ask for something. Bob had a chicken Caesar wrap and I had chicken-Caesar salad, both good. They have an extensive breakfast menu, including eggs benedict and Belgian waffles, but few omelets, and we discussed going back, but there are other places we’d like to try first. Lunch was $20 including tip. (Jan)
Format
- We will identify the chronological number of each town visited (1 through 169), date visited, place(s) visited, and description with editorial comments.
- The author of each entry will be identified in parentheses.
- Multiple visits to one town are listed chronologically but the same town is not numbered again.
Postscript to Prologue
It didn't take us long to realize that visiting all 169 towns in CT would not be completed in one year. We are very busy people! How did we ever have time to be employed?! The original name for this project was CONNECTICUT IN A YEAR. We have realistically changed it to JOURNEYS THROUGH CONNECTICUT, and will continue until all towns have been visited at least once. We may even keep going indefinitely. We'll see.
Prologue
Written December 2007
Bob made a comment in early December 2007 that it must be time for us to go on another bed-and-breakfast overnight. I began thinking about locations in Connecticut that we hadn’t visited and, a day or so later, without my conscious cooperation, my brain presented an idea: We could pose a challenge to visit every town in Connecticut in one year, 2008.
We’re both Connecticut natives, but there are still parts of our state we have not seen. Now that we are really retired, let’s get to know our state better—like we vowed to do on our return from a year’s residence in North Carolina. When there, many people asked us what Connecticut autumns, geography, and sights were like, so on our return, we treated ourselves as tourists, at least before our lives became full of homeownership and parenting. Now we want to actually visit every town in our state.
Logistically, we will have to visit about half a town every day, or 3.25 towns per week. Since we live in northeast CT, and regularly travel there, local towns will be easy to check off. More distant towns ("distant" is relative, since most towns in CT can be reached from any other town in two hours or so) will require planning, to cover multiple towns in a day trip.
We set these ground rules for our challenge: • Multiple towns may be visited in one day. • “Visit” does not just mean “drive through.” We will need to do or see something that neither of us has done or done or seen in each town: * Stay in a bed and breakfast. * Eat at a restaurant. * Visit a museum or historic site.* Take a nature walk.* Shop in a store, etc. * Go to a concert or program. * Record our experiences.
Some towns may prove a challenge since we have already visited many over the years. And we will probably indulge our special interests. So now we’ll start to research what towns have to offer, acknowledging that making one stop only will yield minimal knowledge of a town’s character. But we have to be realistic! Bob found a list of towns and cities with links to their municipal sites. We will maintain an abbreviated list by town with dates visited and nature of activity in each, and a chronological, narrative journal with more details, observations, and expenditures. We will also maintain an idea list for each town. Are we ready?
Bob made a comment in early December 2007 that it must be time for us to go on another bed-and-breakfast overnight. I began thinking about locations in Connecticut that we hadn’t visited and, a day or so later, without my conscious cooperation, my brain presented an idea: We could pose a challenge to visit every town in Connecticut in one year, 2008.
We’re both Connecticut natives, but there are still parts of our state we have not seen. Now that we are really retired, let’s get to know our state better—like we vowed to do on our return from a year’s residence in North Carolina. When there, many people asked us what Connecticut autumns, geography, and sights were like, so on our return, we treated ourselves as tourists, at least before our lives became full of homeownership and parenting. Now we want to actually visit every town in our state.
Logistically, we will have to visit about half a town every day, or 3.25 towns per week. Since we live in northeast CT, and regularly travel there, local towns will be easy to check off. More distant towns ("distant" is relative, since most towns in CT can be reached from any other town in two hours or so) will require planning, to cover multiple towns in a day trip.
We set these ground rules for our challenge: • Multiple towns may be visited in one day. • “Visit” does not just mean “drive through.” We will need to do or see something that neither of us has done or done or seen in each town: * Stay in a bed and breakfast. * Eat at a restaurant. * Visit a museum or historic site.* Take a nature walk.* Shop in a store, etc. * Go to a concert or program. * Record our experiences.
Some towns may prove a challenge since we have already visited many over the years. And we will probably indulge our special interests. So now we’ll start to research what towns have to offer, acknowledging that making one stop only will yield minimal knowledge of a town’s character. But we have to be realistic! Bob found a list of towns and cities with links to their municipal sites. We will maintain an abbreviated list by town with dates visited and nature of activity in each, and a chronological, narrative journal with more details, observations, and expenditures. We will also maintain an idea list for each town. Are we ready?
Note
Our Journeys Through Connecticut evolved in January 2008 (details in Prologue, next post). From January through October 2008 we kept a private journal, but have since been encouraged to make it into a blog. Therefore, the posting dates don't reflect actual dates until Town #33.
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