Blog – Page 16 – The View from Lajeune

New Haven, CT Fall(ish) eats!

I am writing this food blog post on a Fall day in New Haven, CT (that feels more like late Summer to me) so my restaurant lunch choices may reflect that (smile).

I also eat, dress and live for the weather as opposed to the season so if my good buddy and Chief Meteorologist Gil Simmons of News 8 (ABC) tells me that it’s going to be 80 degrees outside, but the calendar doesn’t agree, I go with the temps…

With all that said, here are just a few of my favorite places to eat lunch in New Haven, CT when the leaves start to turn and the temperatures finally cool down:

New Haven Salad Shop – don’t let the name fool you. This little gem on High Street in downtown New Haven also builds super hearty wraps that will easily fill you up until supper time. There’s little room to sit inside though so I suggest you find a space on the Upper or Lower New Haven Green to enjoy your lunch.

City Point Kitchen – a newer restaurant in the Oyster Point neighborhood of New Haven (beautiful water views!) with excellent, locally sourced food. I tried the crab cakes over a salad bed on the afternoon me and my gf Christine went. It’s cute and quaint inside and the small staff is friendly and very attentive.

Photo credit: Mike Franzman Photography

Louis Lunch – By the time I went there, I had been working at News 8 for about 5 years. Me and my co-worker Terri were talking about places in downtown New Haven to eat lunch that were within walking distance. I think she was the one who suggested Louis Lunch. The fact that it was and is still legendary made it an obvious choice. And quite frankly, I was a tad bit curious about the fact that I heard catsup was never allowed on their burgers. The burger itself was good (always served on toast, not buns; with tomato, not catsup; and cheese whiz, not cheese.) I missed my Ketchup though (smile).

Photo credit: Mike Franzman Photography

Pepe’s Pizza in New Haven – It’s no wonder that there are so many locations in Connecticut now – even at the Casino! This pizza is by far one of the best in the ‘pizza-saturated’ city of New Haven. And the Little Italy neighborhood where it resides is always a treat to walk around in.

Photo credit: Mike Franzman Photography

In the Upper State Street neighborhood of New Haven, you would do yourself a disservice if you did not stop and partake of a pie or two from Modern Pizza. Well known for their brick ovens and thin crusts, these pies are to die for…

Photo credit: Mike Franzman Photography

If you have the time, and/or have saved some room for dessert, go to Libby’s Italian Pastry Shop on Wooster Street in the Little Italy neighborhood of New Haven. Libby’s is known throughout the East Coast for their cannolis and other baked goods. I can certainly understand why – Yummy!

Photo credit: Mike Franzman Photography

Happy Fall and enjoy your lunch!

Sincerely,

TVFL

Sports Nut

From as far back as I can remember, I’ve been playing sports and/or keeping busy with physical activities. I have an inordinate amount of energy so this works out just fine (smile). And Growing up Hollis, both my mother and father always made sure that their 7 children were kept busy with physical activities and/or sports all year long.

Today it’s the gym (The Edge Fitness Club in Hamden, CT) that keeps me active and sane.

But back in the day it was either organized sports (during the school year) or any kind of sports, activities or games (indoors or outdoors) with my 6 siblings and/or our neighbors. I grew up in the ’70s, a time when there were no smart phones or tablets or laptops. Check out my blog post: R U Social? We played games with each other and if you needed to see someone, you simply hopped on your no-speed bike and peddled your way over to their house (smile).

Speaking of houses, this is the house where we grew up in the small town of Groton, CT – lots of really good memories were made here – Check out my blog post: Easter Sunday back in the day…This is an updated version of when we lived in it as this picture was taken just two years ago. For instance, back in the day we had a car port, not a garage…

Lots of memories were made in our house on Alder Lane

Organized Sports:

Softball – I started playing softball in a Women’s league when I was just 11 years old. I ended up playing every position on the field with this league by the time I turned 15. I even won the team ball (which was signed by all of my teammates before they carried me off the field). To this day I still own that ball…

Bowling – I starting bowling in a league at a local bowling alley when I was 11 as well. Check out my blog post: Bowling Date

Judo – I started when I was 12 years of age and ended at age 16. I almost made it to ‘purple belt’ and my rugged gi (purposely made to be loose-fitting) fit me all 5 years.

Track & Field – I started running track in high school ( 10th through 12th grades back then). My events were the 220, 440, mile relay and the long jump (the metric system was not in place back then either). I have to admit: although I was a decent runner, I had nothing at all on then Fitch Senior High School track standout, Sherry Johnson, whom we were all in awe of because her legs never seemed to stop (smile).

Outside during the Winter – I (we – family) enjoyed sledding, playing ice hockey, building snowmen and/or snow caves, as well as ice skating – check out my blog post: Ski Date.

Outside during the Spring/Summer – I (we) alternately participated in or played: kickball, badminton, field hockey, dodgeball, roller skating, bike riding, and volley-ball – check out my blog post: Clams on the half shell…and roller-skates!

I (we) also walked on tall stilts, played on swings, climbed monkey bars and skipped rope.

A fave toy of mine back in the day was Big Wheels. We lived on a cul-de-sac so I could easily (and safely) ride up the street, around the circle at the end of the street and back down again for hours at a time. Once I picked up speed, I would take my feet up and off the pedals, stretch my long legs out in both directions and whiz away!

If it happened to be raining outside, I would ride my Big Wheels up and down our driveway underneath the car port (as long as my father was at work) which meant that our oversized two-toned family station wagon was not parked underneath it and not in my way (smile).

Speaking of rain, Inside on rainy days: I (we) played Klik Klaks, Clacker Ball, Chess, Checkers, Backgammon, Monopoly, and pored through novels Check out my blog post: Put your slippers on…plus I (we) enjoyed clap games like Patty Cake and Miss Mary Mack, musical chairs, blowing Bubbles and playing Freeze Dance or Monsters.

Outside in the Fall – We played Hide and Seek, Hop Scotch – tossed with a bean bag, Jump Rope, Jacks, Marbles, Red Light-Green Light, Mother May I?, Simon Sez, Tag, and Slinky.

Life sure was different back in the day. Electronics did not rule, our arms and legs did and, dare I say, we were better for it…

Sincerely,

TVFL

Block Isle

I was born in a blizzard in Newport, Rhode Island in the Winter of 1962. So my birthdays have not, nor ever will, involve memories of fun in the Sun, water, big waves and boats. Perhaps that is why I like the Summer and the opportunity it provides to spend time on Block Island, RI (smile).

Block Island is in my opinion the perfect getaway for a day, a week, and if you’re lucky enough, even a month. I first started taking day-trips to the island with my family when I was 16 years old. We grew up in Groton, CT, just across the bridge from New London, CT so we could easily catch the Block Island Ferry from New London during the Summer. Back then there was no high-speed ferry. The old ferry from New London lumbered along, and it literally took us 2 1/2 hours to get there. We didn’t know any better so we had no cause to complain (smile). We just used the time to talk to each other, eat breakfast from the onboard food and beverage stand, play cards or board games, watch tv, read newspapers, magazines or books, or simply stare out at the open water as we chugged along.

Once we got there, Old Harbor, our destination, never looked so good (smile).

Today the Block Island Express or ‘high speed ferry’ is relatively new, sleek and transports you to Old Harbor, Block Island from New London in a little over an hour. The price has increased considerably – about 4x as much as back in the day – today it costs $45 for adults and $22.50 for children same day, round trip.

The sleek modern hi-speed ferry

The high-speed ferry is exciting and once inside I often feel like I’m sitting in movie theater seats or in a restaurant booth, as flat screen TVs greet you from every angle. Because of the state-of-the-art art motion controlled system, you never really feel like you are on a vessel, smooth sailing indeed…

Once we arrived in Old Harbor we would stop at The Visitor Center to load up on island pamphlets and usually rent one or two lockers to store some of our miscellaneous items. The Visitor Center used to be nothing to look at but today it is fancy (smile).

One of my favorite places to eat breakfast back then, and still today, is the restaurant at The Harborside Inn. The restaurant has a wonderful open-air deck on the second floor that provides a great view of the waterfront and port. You can’t miss it as it’s not too far from where they drop you off from the ferry. We had brunch there as we arrived after 10am and were starving. The portions were hearty but not too pricey. It was delish!

The Harborside Inn

As far as island activities go, over the years I have rented mountain bikes and/or mopeds to explore the island, partied on various marinas, went horseback riding, kayaking, swimming, shopping, dining at any number of seafood restaurants, I once even took a historical taxi cab tour of the island…

The day me and my partner chose to go (Tuesday, August 23rd) was 80 degrees and sunny with a light breeze. Perfect island weather.

Our plan was simple: look for good food, good drinks and good beach time so after our leisurely brunch and a short walk around the block to the Beachcomber (an old fave) we headed to Ballards.

Ballards, back in the day, was the Hollis family’s go-to for dining and for beach time. The restaurant was not remodeled at all back then and we always chose to eat outside on the patio deck because we knew our friendly silver-haired waiter (Walter) would be working. The food was fantastic (loved those clam strips, clam bellies and hush puppies!) and the beach view was awesome.

Trying not to get too wet from the big waves at Ballards beach (smile)

Ballards is Fancy now (comparatively speaking) and very well put together. There’s a ton of staff, and there are nice beach chairs, umbrellas and gazebos to rent for the day.

Plus there are adorable little tiki bars right on the beach, full waitress service (our waitress was young, cute and from South Africa) and plenty of beach volleyball games to enjoy.

We had an awesome time – we caught the 5pm ferry back to New London, CT (instead of the last ferry at 830pm which would have got us back home around 11pm – late for a weeknight(!) and vowed to return again next Summer. Good times!

Sincerely,

TVFL

Connecticut “Summatime” Eats!

I love Connecticut in the Summertime because the weather is hazy, hot and humid and there’s soooooo much to do! These ‘tropical vacation-like’ weather conditions draw folks outside so the possibilities on who to do what with are endless?.

And because it’s soooooo hot, one of my favorite pastimes in the Summer is eating out, especially at new restaurants. But an old fave will get me every time (smile).

I have to be careful though with what and where I choose to eat because of my history of Colon Cancer. So I take my time by going online beforehand to look over menus to see if they have “healthy,” “light,” or “low-fat” entrees. This way I can pick and choose from foods that are not processed or fried and that contain as few ingredients as possible. I won’t lie, sometimes this is easy to do and other times it presents a challenge…

Here are just a few of my go-to’s. The actual list is real long so rest assured there will be a Part II and III of this blog post…

For breakfast on the weekends I love Julia’s Bakery in Orange. The last time I was there I had a sausage, egg and cheese sandwich on a homemade whole wheat english muffin. All of their breads are made fresh daily and as a result, absolutely delicious! I washed my breakfast sandwich and hash browns down with an Iced Coffee. Yummy!

For my need-to-be-clean, super healthy days, I like B Natural in New Haven, a Shops at Yale restaurant. Especially the healthy juice from their Juice Bar. Here I had the All Natural Turkey Wrap with a Detox Juice. Delish!

When I’m out looking for lip-smacking, finger-licking good ribs on my not-so-clean days (smile) I make my way over to the Science Park neighborhood in New Haven to Ricky’s Rib Shack! The ribs and sides are to die for! The background music is not too shabby either (smile).

For New Haven pizza, I’m stuck on Ah-Beetz on Temple Street. I call it ‘Chipotle meets Modern’ because you truly walk the line to create your own thin-crusted 11 inch customized personal pie and healthy salad and then, when it’s finished, the servers bring it out to your table. I named my customized personal ‘meatless’ pie LJ’s Vegetarian Delight, as I topped it with all the healthy stuff.

I love downtown eateries in the Summer, especially when they have a cute little shaded courtyard patio for dining in the rear. Zoi’s on Orange Street in New Haven is a new fave that I recently discovered by way of my client, Mary Wade. We ‘ladies who lunch,’ including Laura Hutchinson of News 8, all enjoyed our hearty delicious salads on this super hot sunny day!

When I’m in the mood for Northern Italian, I love me some Gusto Trattoria on the Post Road in Milford. They have this gluten-free pasta dish which fills you up without filling you out. And their warm homemade oblong garlic bread, which you spread with garlic butter and dip in olive oil, is heavenly! Mangia!

Speaking of Italian cuisine, I love love love live theater and one of my favorite venues is the Waterbury Palace Theater. Waterbury has lots of good Italian restaurants and one of my new faves is Damelio’s Italian Eatery. It’s neighborhood location and outdoor dining on the patio make it a fun place for me and my client, Sheree Marcucci to eat. They are known for their pasta, anti-pasta and more. I bucked the trend though and had this baked fish dish and it hit the spot!

For Italian cuisine in New Haven I like head to the Upper State Street neighborhood to Portofino’s for lunch or dinner – their salmon and spinach is always a good, healthy choice!

And the old standby, Tre Scalini in the Wooster Street neighborhood of New Haven will have you coming back for more! Their salmon over ceaser salad dish with homemade croutons was the bomb!

Just across the street from one of my favorite live entertainment venues in New Haven, the legendary Shubert Theater on College Street, sits Elm City Social, a new fave because of the unique decor and the delicious New American cuisine. After eating this Kale Caeser with Chicken dish, I (almost) licked my plate clean (smile).

A Shops at Yale restaurant, Heirloom, sits inside The Study at Yale and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We went there for lunch and I enjoyed an Heirloom Veggie Burger with a side salad. They are known for their Farm, Coastal Cooking. Healthy!!

And just last week I dined at Atelier Florian on Upper Chapel Street in the Chapel West Neighborhood in New Haven with my dear friend and Wine Connoisseur, Janna Waite. The General Manager of the restaurant, Alexandria Pena, convinced me that I would be in for a real treat. She was right. I loved the classy ambience along with the attentive service and the delightful Belgian cuisine. We both ordered a half dozen Blue Point oysters before our meal. And then we settled on the same entree: Faroe Island Salmon with Tender Leeks, Haricot Verts and Mashed Potatoes, which just about melted in my mouth. The French wine Janna picked out that night was well suited for our meal. And the dessert, which Alexandria insisted we try, was too good to pass up, warm blueberry cobbler with french vanilla ice cream and whipped cream – Super Yum!!!

I had the pleasure of dining out at Prime One Eleven in Trumbull over a month ago because my gf Lola invited me and my partner James, along with 5 other couples, to a milestone birthday dinner party for her hubby Darryl. I enjoyed it there so much that when me and my “squad” were looking for a restaurant in Fairfield County to celebrate a belated birthday, I recommended it. It’s a relatively new, upscale eatery that’s fun to be in, has really good food, good drinks and very attentive servers. My “Composition” (Entree) that night was the Organic 1/2 Chicken with Roasted Garlic Whipped Potatoes and Wood Fired Asparagus. Delish!

And finally, if you’re looking for a fun date night alone or with other couples which involves packing your own picnic basket and purchasing one of their 5 wines, Gouviea Winery and Vineyard in Wallingford is always a good choice. It’s local for me and my partner and the picturesque vineyard presents many photo ops. Bon Appetit!

Sincerely,

TVFL

Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to me! On August 5, 2016 I will celebrate 5 years (Colon) Cancer free. Yay!

You see on Friday, August 5, 2011 I had surgery to remove the colon cancer so I count that day in August as my anniversary date as opposed to counting when I actually completed my 12 chemo treatments which, by the way, was in February of 2012. I’m not going to get into it here as I have already blogged about the actual experience which can be found under Blogs on my site, lajeunehollis.com – Check out my blog post: A Place of Desert…(almost) 4 years cancer free

Although I tried unsuccessfully to put on a Colon Cancer Cruise in 2015 Check out my blog post: Colon Cancer Survivors Cruise Info it was still a learning experience that left me much richer for it…

The month of March will forever hold a special place in my heart as it is Colon Cancer Awareness Month and without the colonoscopy I received back in June of 2011, I would not be sharing any of these stories with you today – Check out my blog post: True Blue

Eating healthy and nutritious foods is a way of life for me now, not just a passing fad Check out any one of my blog post series: My Clean Living Life – Part V

Working out at The Edge in Hamden is a great stress reliever for sure but it also serves the dual purpose of keeping me physically fit – Check out my blog post: Pit Bull or Poodle?

And participating in seasonal sports and/or activities on a regular basis brings me right back to my childhood as my parents were always good about keeping all 7 of us Hollis kids busy in a good way – Check out my blog post: Ski Date

Having good friends to lean on during a major illness (remember that old saying about the fact that you don’t know who your real friends are until you encounter a major illness) rang so true for me. Also, making new friends as a direct result of my Cancer experience was humbling to say the least Check out my blog post: Friends are like jewels…

Family is crucial and I honestly don’t know what I would have done without the love and support of my father and my siblings during this trial – Check out my blog post: Anniversary

And finally, growing up in a religious household made all of the difference in the world in terms of how I viewed my illness and how I responded to it – Again, check out my blog post: A Place of Desert…(almost) 4 years cancer free Having faith and a church home (for me, Christian Tabernacle Baptist Church in Hamden, CT) was completely necessary for my sanity and my survival. I was then and continue now to be truly blessed.

Sincerely,

TVFL