Category: Fun things to do in Connecticut

Fun Things to do in Connecticut – Part II

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!

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

 

Sushi Girl

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!

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

 

Winter in CT

It’s officially Winter in Connecticut which for the most part makes me feel low-key SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) as it means the weather is extremely cold, the days short and the nights, super dark on my drive home from work…

To compensate, I try my darndest to look for fun, free, enlightening and/or educational things to do just to keep me from participating in my favorite pastime, i.e.,  sitting in my La-Z-Boy to watch TV and eat snacks (smile).

 

So here (in no particular order) are some of the ways (in the past) I have kept myself occupied (and far, far away from the snacks) during the dark, dreary days of Winter in CT:

 

Ice skating – Since I enjoyed this activity so much as a child growing up in Groton, CT  I figured I would try it out again as a full-grown adult – I must admit it was easier said than done (smile).

 

We spent the afternoon at Northford Ice Skating rink – what surprised me the most was the noise level, the coldness of the rink and the fact that I could not easily stop myself from falling (smile).

 

This is a fun and easy activity, especially in the Winter:  taking a hot bubble bath after a long day of work:  Check out my blog post:  Put your slippers on…

 

 

Visiting a local museum – this free activity is not only educational but truly enlightening.

 

Visiting a salt cave – this activity was so enlightening I had to write a blog about it – check out my blog post:  Cave Girl

 

Going to a live taping of The View in NYC – a truly magical day from beginning ’till end:  Check out  my blog post:  The View (from Lajeune)

 

Going to a free lecture at the local university.   I recall the event we attended at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT – Margot Lee Shetterly – the author of Hidden Figures – quickly becoming “standing room-only.”    To me this proved the staying power of the written word…

 

Spending a relaxing day at the spa – this never gets old…

 

Skiing  at a local ski resort – Super fun and exhilarating!  Check out my blog post:   Ski Date

 

Spending time (and money) at the casino…in Connecticut we are lucky enough to have two:  Mohegan Sun Casino and Foxwoods Resort Casino.

 

That’s it.  So whatever activity you choose to participate in this Winter in Connecticut, do try to make it memorable 🙂

 

Sincerely,

 

 

TVFL

 

 

Rub-A-Tub

I was chit chatting on the phone with my girlfriend Christine the other day and we (two middle-aged women with highly stressful careers) were discussing different ways we relax.   Here’s what we collectively came up with:

  • Full Moon Yoga once a month at the Community Yoga Center in Hamden, CT
  • Zumba classes at the local community center in Hamden, CT
  • Monthly back and neck massages at the local massage center in Hamden, CT
  • Drinking green, black or Chamomile hot tea
  • Listening to relaxing music
  • Reading books, magazines, etc.
  • Cooking and/or Baking
  • Playing with our canine pet(s)
  • Meditating
  • Coloring with crayons in Adult coloring books

True story:  I recall about 17 years ago watching a Paid Program on TV one sleepless night and the next thing I know a Softub arrives at my front door.   I ordered the Softub because I was still working in the same highly competitive stressful broadcast industry I work in today so I figured it would be nice to come home from a super long day of work and soak in a tub that’s not in my bathroom (smile).   I enjoyed my Softub which I had installed on my 3 season porch for about 5 years and only sold it because I was selling my home in Westville, CT and looking to downsize…

Here are some of the reasons why I initially purchased it:

  • stress relief
  • affordable price
  • simple portable unit with easy set-up
  • the simple Hydromatic unit uses a standard 120V outlet (no high electric bills!)
  • hot water is therapeutic
  • exterior of tub is weather resistant (withstands all 4 seasons)
  • Aesthetically pleasing to the eye – in 7 designer colors  (I chose dark blue)
  • Everything is included in the price (Softub hot tub, Hydromatic Power Pak, Sealed High-Density Insulated Cover, Underwater Illumination, your choice of  exterior decorator colors, and a 5-year limited warranty).

A basic 2-person spa Softub (the one I ordered) comes with four Hydrotherapy jets, Hydromatic motor unit, security straps, an accessory bag including a foam connector cover, matching exterior cover, filter, owner’s manual, warranty card, large assembly sheet and water treatment kit.   It costs about $3500.

 

Softtub hot tub

 

However, I checked online, and you can get a CQYG Hot Tub (portable and inflatable) that seats 2 for just $399 from Wal-Mart!   That’s with free shipping and no tax!    Here’s what it looks like:

 

 

Not too shabby (smile).

So if you, like me, are looking for ways to relax, the options range from a simple Adult coloring book and crayons to a Softub Hot tub…

 

 

Sincerely,

 

TVFL

 

F is for Festivals!

Today is Friday, September 22nd, or as my good friend and News 8 Chief Meteorologist Gil Simmons would say,  it is the “Autumnal Equinox.”   Fancy!  And really just another way of saying Fall (smile).   Fall in Connecticut means it’s that time when folks can truly enjoy festivals, fairs, carnivals and outdoor expos.

Speaking of festivals, on Saturday, September 16th I had the distinct pleasure of attending the 10th annual Garlic Festival at Olde Mistick Village in Mystic, CT.

Free admission and free parking so I expected it was going to be crazy busy and I was  so-ooooooo right…

 

 

I must admit I’ve always had a fondness  for Mystic…you see I grew up in Groton, CT (right next door to Mystic) so I spent a lot of time in that town (especially while in high school) visiting friends, eating Mystic Pizza, working after school at the ABC Film Lab, hanging out at “The Village,” as we called Olde Mistick Village back in the day,  walking downtown during the annual Mystic Arts and Crafts Fair, chilling out at the Marina, visiting the Seaport, watching my sister Casandra conduct tours during her kick a– Summer job at the Mystic Aquarium, etc…

So I was looking forward to spending time at The Village once again, albeit now through the eyes of my middle-aged old self (smile).

On that particular Saturday, as luck would have it, the weather was sunny and delightful – – perfect for walking around and enjoying the sights and sounds.

 

 

Folks (couples, singles, families, dogs, and babies) came from all over Connecticut and beyond.

 

 

 

One of the first things I did was head over to the duck pond.  I was not disappointed…

 

 

Sampled the wide varieties of olive oil and artisanal honey at Sticky Situations, which was jam-packed with folk!

 

 

Bought a souvenir gift from Sophia’s Magical Christmas Shop.

 

 

Hung out at Franklin’s General Store for free samples of delish fudge and the experience of a trip back in time…

 

Spent time at Garden Store Specialties to check out the whimsical gifts for the lawn and garden.

 

 

Even made time for lunch with my client Joyce at my new fave, Pink Basil…delish!

 

 

Enjoyed a ‘cold one’ at Jealous Monk, a social hall and beer garden.

 

 

Garlic galore!  You cannot get away from it – which is of course the whole point (smile).

 

 

You don’t even need to like the taste of garlic to attend this annual festival as there is truly something for everyone.   There’s live entertainment, farm fresh goodies, specialty food carts, vendors, crafters, artists and even authors.  And it all takes place at the coolest Village in Connecticut!

 

Enjoy the season!

 

Sincerely,

 

TVFL