Have you ever heard the saying, It’s hotter than July? Well, that’s how most of us feel right now in Connecticut.
It’s Hot, Hot, Hot! And we no longer have the the luxury of complaining about the slow start to Summer because the 3 H’s – Hazy, Hot and Humid – have officially arrived!
Another thing: it’s About That Time Of The Year to think about where to vacate – so here’s the good news – you don’t have to hop on a train, a bus or a plane – you can simply gas up your ride and go! With these super high temps, your vacation destination can be found right here in Connecticut!
The following are some suggested “StayCations” for you and your family in some (but not all) of Connecticut’s counties:
New London County
Beat the heat at Ocean Beach Park in New London, CT. Ocean Beach Park has a spectacular beach, a boardwalk, activities, a pool, a Spray Park, a cafe and event space. Parking can get pricey especially on the weekends but if you pile up your car and stay all day, it will be worth your while.
New Haven County
Lighthouse Park in New Haven, CT is always an affordable option for good, clean, family fun. Nice beach area, picnic area, Spray Park, concessions, and that famous Carousel (smile). There are parking fees but they are pretty reasonable.
Middlesex County:
Go to Lyman Orchards in Middlefield , CT and Pick Your Own Fruit – great family fun. And visit the Corn Maze while you are there – it is always appropriately themed…And catch the hayrides, visit their bakery and try the kettle corn – you’ll be back for more!
Right after Golf Fore Women, me and my girlfriend Ginger made a day of it
Hartford County:
Why not catch a minor league baseball game at Dunkin Donuts Park in Hartford, CT. The Hartford Yard Goats season runs from June through September and tickets start at just $10.00. Perfect for singles, couples and families.
Fairfield County:
Have the time of your life on a day trip to Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport, CT. It’s priced right and a great way to enjoy the day with the kiddos.
Lions and Tigers and Bears…oh my!
So remember it’s Summertime so there’s no need to go away on vacation. Your Summer Staycation Vacation starts right here in Sunny Connecticut!
We were looking to for a quick getaway from Connecticut this upcoming Memorial day weekend (2018) and Williamsburg, Virginia fit the bill.
I lied (smile) here’s what really happened: just under 2 years ago we attended the Travelers GHO Tournament in Cromwell, CT where my partner James purchased an unlimited golf resort vacation package in Williamsburg, Virginia for us
and we looked up and discovered time was running out…
so we finally just got around to using it (double smile).
We flew out of Bradley International Airport on a Sunday morning with another couple we invited – James’s golfing buddy Bill and his gf Kathy.
Since we flew (and it was not a direct flight) we departed from Hartford, CT to Charlotte, NC then caught our connecting flight an hour later from Charlotte, NC to Newport News, VA. From there we rented an Kia Sedona SUV and drove the 40 or so odd miles to Williamsburg, VA.
As I mentioned, we departed on our 4 day mini-vacation on the last Sunday in May so that it would include the actual Memorial Day Monday holiday and we would use up less of our “vacation” days.
By the way, our golf resort vacation package included 4 days/3 nights of unlimited golf, a large town house with 2 full bedrooms, 2 full baths (the master bedroom had an ensuite bathroom with a shower and jacuzzi tub), wall to wall carpeting, a sunroom, open-design kitchen, dining area, living room, wet bar and a BBQ grill outside in the grilling area. The Kings Creek Plantation resort vacation package had all of the amenities you would expect: outdoor Adult swimming pools, outdoor Children’s swimming pool, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, sauna, indoor heated swimming pool for the family, tennis court, basketball court, take-out restaurant, fitness center, WiFi, golf package, Business Center, Aquatic Center and Trading Company.
The Townes
The Townes, where we were stayed, were described as such: “…luxury town home living, your home away from home.” They did not disappoint…
Unlimited Golf
As luck would have it, Memorial Day Monday turned out (weather wise) to be a perfect golf day for James and Bill.
You have to squint but here James and Bill are on the beautiful greens – The Colonial Heritage Golf Club in Williamsburg, Virginia
Dining Out (in and around) Williamsburg, VA
As it turned out, it was mostly rainy and/or unbearably humid all 4 days we were there (I’m thinking even Connecticut had better weather (smile). So our dining choices were utmost on our mind…
Yummy Grilled Chicken Caesar Wrap and Golden Fries at Ocean and Ale Restaurant
Delicious wine at Second Street, An American Bistro
Delicious salmon and green beans
Fat Tuna Grill and Oyster House lives right up to its name (smile)
Cocktails and apps in the bar area of Opus 9 Steakhouse
Historic Colonial Williamsburg
The hardest part about going to historic Colonial Williamsburg downtown is finding a place to park. However, once you are situated, everything is within walking distance, including the stunning and beautiful campus of William & Mary, the second oldest institution of higher education in the country.
The campus of William and Mary
Tour of Colonial Williamsburg
Interesting town
beautiful little cape
carriage house?
Felt like I was back in time
Cobblestoned streets and all
perfectly landscaped and easy to navigate
Hampton Roads Vineyard & Winery
I was curious to see what the Williamsburg, VA’s wine trail was all about so we chose this particular vineyard and winery partially based on the fact that we had to catch the James River Ferry to get here!
Hampton Roads Vineyard and Winery – a picturesque winery – to get here we had to catch the James River Ferry
Wine Tasting – 8 tastings (half glasses) for 5 dollars! To say we were tipsy when we left would be putting it mildly (smile).
Loved the layout of the shop on the vineyard. Lots of interesting souvenirs to buy
Shopping for Souvenirs
While the men golfed on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, Kathy and I went shopping for souvenirs.
R.P. Wallace & Sons General Store (our first stop) just so happens to be Williamsburg’s oldest gift shop.
Kathy and I could have spent hours in this gift shop! There was so much to see and buy!
So we blinked and it was Wednesday!
The 4 days flew by as much of our time was spent on travel. However, what I discovered was that Williamsburg, VA is still the perfect place to decompress and unwind. That’s because of its historical character, beautiful topography and back-in-time feel. In my mind, it is most definitely a must see!
There are plenty of fun things to do in Connecticut, no matter what the season, hence why I’m sharing Part II…
Low Cost Indoor Event:
Attend the annual Northeast RV & Camping Show at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT
The RVs are sweet and much larger on the inside than they appear on the outside! Also some of them have showers, mood lighting, ambience – definitely a must see event!
Free Family Fun:
Go to the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New Haven, CT
In March of 2018, I had the pleasure of driving around News Anchor Jocelyn Maminta on the New Haven parade route. I drove one of the News 8 vehicles – a Range Rover. Jocelyn had recently sustained an injury and could not get around so i was her driver for the day. What an incredible experience actually being in the largest parade in Connecticut!
What a great sight to see!
Happily driving in the parade
Jocelyn Maminta was born to be in a parade!
Loved hanging out in the Range Rover with Jocelyn Maminta, Mark Davis and Keith Kountz in the Greater New Haven 2018 St. Patrick’s Day Parade!
Good (One Price) Eating:
Check out a restaurant or two or three at the bi-annual (Spring and Fall) New Haven Restaurant Weeks – New Haven, CT. There are so many good choices (all with Prix Fixe Lunch and Dinner prices. We ate at one of my favs: Pacifico where I had the salmon, a side dish, beet salad, a glass of Malbec and coconut ice cream for dessert- yum!
In past New Haven Restaurant Weeks in the Spring or Fall I have eaten at Harvest Wine Bar and Restaurant where I also had the salmon but this time with julienne carrots and beets, a side salad, a dessert and water with lemon.
Brew Baby:
Hang out at one of Connecticut’s most talked about new breweries: Brewport – Bridgeport’s Connecticut’s Brewery and Restaurant where the only things on the menu to eat are specialty pizzas and gourmet salads…
Yummy Pizza
Me and my girls getting ready to grub!
Delish salad!
Connecticut’s Live Theater:
Here;s the Six Pack: The Bushnell, Waterbury Palace Theater, The Garde Arts Center, Shubert Theater, The Stamford Palace Theater and the Warner Theater
This season you can check out Cameron Mackintosh’s version of Phantom – Waterbury Palace Theater – Waterbury, CT this season – it’s spectacular!
Or Beautiful (Carole King’s story) at the legendary Shubert Theater, New Haven, CT – a must see!!
Or try on Crowns for size at the Long Wharf Theater, New Haven, CT. It’s a gospel musical celebration which appeals to theater goers young and old alike.
Me and my girlfriend Mia at Crowns at Long Wharf Theater
That’s it for now. So remember, there are plenty of fun things to do in Connecticut all year long and some are even low cost or free so enjoy!
I can’t believe that I am already into my 7th year of clean eating! MacMillan Dictionary defines clean eating as “a diet that is based on eating whole foods and avoiding processed and refined foods.” If you were to tell me even 10 years ago that eating clean would be a way of life for me today I would’ve called you crazy (smile)…
Backstory: In June of 2011, I was diagnosed with Colon Cancer so (post-surgery and during chemotherapy) I started my journey of clean eating. I have to admit that it has not always been “easy breezy” and, as a matter of fact, it has sometimes been a real struggle because it takes both time and effort to think and eat clean…
Also, I work on 100% commission in Broadcast Media Ad Sales so I am on the road alot – that being said, I sometimes don’t have time to eat a healthy, clean lunch. The quick and easy option (junk food) is not only plentiful, but very appealing to the eyes. From time to time I give into those temptations…
And I have to admit that oftentimes when I am stressed I tend to go crazy in the “snacky” foods department…
Plus every now and then (mostly weekends) I’ll have bacon and eggs (not exactly clean eating) but certainly comfort food…
Late night eating is never a good thing but occasionally I can’t help myself and I give into those delicious satisfying cravings in the middle of the night…
Thank God for my daily workout regime at the Edge Fitness Club in Hamden, CT…
And that (God willing) there’s a tomorrow to start over with to try and eat clean, once again (smile).
Whether I am travelling to a new city or town, or just socializing in or around Greater New Haven, anyone who knows me knows I love me some sushi! And It doesn’t take long to get me in a “sushi mood” where I like to check out a new sushi restaurant. However, an old fave will get me every time (smile).
What I enjoy with my sushi is one or more of the following:
edamame with sea salt
miso soup
iceberg lettuce salad with ginger dressing
super hot green tea
And usually when I crave sushi it involves a date of some sort. Whether it’s me and my partner, me and a client, me and one of my relatives, me and one of my good friends or me and a co-worker, a sushi day usually turns into a good sleeping night (smile).
So here are the sushi restaurants I have eaten in once, twice and some even more than three times. These are my faves,not necessarily everyone else’s faves…
For all-you-can-eat, I like Sushi Palace in Orange, CT. The sushi and sashimi is always fresh so it never tastes like it’s been sitting out all day…
For specialty rolls, I prefer Dozo Asian Bistro and Sushi in the Westville section of New Haven, CT. The sushi looks as appetizing as it tastes plus it’s big, juicy and delish!
For those exotic looking specialty rolls, I like to go to Pink Basil in Olde Mystic, CT. They never disappoint and the outdoor seating in the warmer months is a huge draw.
Although pricey, the specialty sushi rolls at Sushi Koya in the Mohegan Sun Casino are to die for.
Yummy!!!!
Me and my partner James spend a lot of time in Lewes, DE, (because his mother lives there) and especially as the weather gets warmer. Last Summer we went to The Cultured Pearl in nearby Rehoboth Beach for the most delicious and colorful sushi in town. It’s expensive though, especially during “the Season.”
Sushi in Rehoboth Beach, DE
When my niece Dimitrica was traveling from North Carolina to Massachusetts for business last year, she stopped in Connecticut to visit me. She too is a fan of sushi so I couldn’t help but treat her to one of my local faves: Tokyo Sushi II in North Haven, CT. The interior may look like a pizza parlor but the sushi is out-of-this-world good!!!
Social media is a great avenue for a new restaurant to post food pics and I must admit that Soga Sushi’s awesome food pics on FB got me there! It’s located right in North Haven, CT so me and my partner stopped in last weekend after a long day of running errands. The sushi did not disappoint and the complimentary tasty orange slices afterwards were a nice touch (smile).
Me and my partner recently went to see Office Hour at the Long Wharf Theater and afterwards headed to one of my super faves: Kumo New Haven where the sushi is always fresh, always good!
Me and my partner love to go to the movies any time of the year so we headed over to Iron Chef after a Saturday matinee at Holiday Stadium 10 Cinemas in Wallingford, CT. This restaurant was well recommended by a “sushi friend” and it truly was delish!
It’s no secret that Olde Mistick Village is one of my favorite shopping destinations in Southeastern Connecticut so when I’m down that way, Go Fish is one of my two fave sushi restaurant Go-To’s…
So whether you are stuck on Sushi like me, or just craving something uniqely different for lunch or dinner, Japanese is the way to go!
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