#newhaveninsta – The View from Lajeune

Fun things to do in Connecticut (besides fidget!)

There are plenty of fun things to do in Connecticut this Summer (or next Summer if you missed one or two here) and lucky for you they are all within driving distance. For now here are just a few (in alphabetical order):

Bluff Point State Park, Groton, CT

This state park in Connecticut is not so easy to find by car but once you do locate it, you are in for a pleasant surprise…You will discover that it is a fantastic place to take the family for a picnic, to go for a swim at the beach, to go on a long hike, to clam, to fish, to go jogging…

Captain’s Cove Seaport, Bridgeport, CT

This Seaport is, in my opinion, one of Bridgeport’s best kept secrets!

It’s cute, it’s quaint and it’s a great way to while away an afternoon. The outdoor shops, the fresh seafood, the live bands, the livelier crowds, most definitely a must-see in the Park City!

Catamaran Lighthouse Cruises, New London, CT

My sister Casandra and her husband Alfredo went on one of these lighthouse cruises last Summer and had such a good time, they convinced me to try one (smile). I love catamarans and travelling on water and educational tours so I’m looking forward to the good time I know I’ll have (smile).

International Festival of Arts and Ideas, New Haven, CT

The arts become alive in New Haven the first 3 1/2 weeks in June and, as they say, there is truly something for everyone. And most events are free and open to the public. This year (2017) there were over 200 events(!) from walking tours to workshops to master classes to concerts on the Green to film festivals…This is by far one of the best ways to learn about the arts and culture in the city of New Haven without breaking the bank.

Jonathan Edwards Winery, North Stonington, CT

I’ve heard nothing but good things about this CT Wine Trail winery and vineyard which is nestled in the hills of Stonington, CT. I’m looking forward to going for a taste or two this Summer…

Olde Mistick Village, Mystic, CT

I grew up in Southeastern, CT so Olde Mistick Village or “The Village,” as it was affectionately known, was the destination for shopping, for movies, for hanging out with friends, for enjoying ice cream or candy or fudge…

As an adult I find it’s an even better place to make memories – the movie theater now sells alcoholic beverages and snacks, there’s even a Brewport on premises! The Village itself is dog friendly(!); the one-of-a-kind shops feature a variety of authentic, unique wares; there are a good number of restaurants serving breakfast or lunch and/or dinner. There’s even a Sushi restaurant – Pink Basil – Yay! And Franklin’s General Store is the place to go for unique gift items and free samples of “America’s Best Fudge.” Yummy!

Travelers Championship, Cromwell, CT

The 3rd week of June is special in Connecticut because Travelers Championship (part of the PGA tour) takes place right at nearby TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, CT. I love seeing live sports up close and personal because I find it is such a great way to connect to the sport as well as to its individual players. And you don’t necessarily need to be a golf fan to enjoy Travelers as there is a Fan Zone with lots of unique booths, a Kids Zone for the children, plenty of food booths, ice cream trucks, beer tents and even live entertainment. It’s truly a happening time~

That’s it for now – enjoy your Summer!

Hot Comfort Foods

I used to love me some weekends growing up ‘back in the day’ in Groton, CT. Especially in the dead of Winter because my mother, Jean Anna Tinsely Hollis, would cook all 7 of her Hollis kids pancakes and bacon or waffles and bacon on Saturday mornings and eggs, bacon, grits and buttered toast on Sunday mornings. Weekends were truly a time to sleep in, eat a ton of “Brunchy” foods and then go to church.

Perhaps that is why to this day I Love New Haven, as it is truly a foodie destination, and restaurants that serve “brunch” are not at all hard to find.

I celebrated my 55th birthday this past weekend with my girls – it was almost 2 weeks after the fact as I was actually born on Valentine’s Day. However, one of my three girlfriends was not available until this past Saturday since I had bucked tradition by choosing to celebrate my birthday this year over brunch instead of dinner. And believe it or not, the hardest part for me was choosing where to go as I had 3 former neighborhood faves in mind: The Pantry, Bella’s Cafe and Lena’s Cafe and Confections.

I spent my first 10 years in New Haven living in the East Rock section where The Pantry was the place to go for brunch.

You can’t miss the awning or the colorful building.

I spent the next 11 years living in the Westville section of New Haven and everyone who lives in Westville knows there are two go-to restaurants for brunch: Bella’s Cafe and Lena’s Cafe and Confections.

“Bella’s,” as it is affectionately known, is long and narrow inside and the food is fantabulous – especially the brunches which are served from 8am-4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. The brunch menu changes each and every week and they don’t disappoint. The weekend we went I had the fabulous french toast. Yummy! And well worth the long lines and the wait!

Lena’s Cafe and Confections is less than a block away in a much larger space. As it turned out, this was the chosen restaurant. And surprisingly we did not have to wait in line at all and the food was out of this world. I had 3 blueberry pancakes with 4 turkey sausage links.

One of my 3 girlfriends had an omelette stuffed with crab meat, avocado, hash browns and toast on the side. She washed it all down with a mimosa.

Afterwards there was not a speck left on her plate!

The other two girlfriends had a chicken quesadilla and a chicken Panini. Hot Comfort Foods are now my new birthday treat and the good news is there are so many more restaurants to try in so many other New Haven neighborhoods (smile).

Harlem for Days!

I have always been particularly fascinated with The Harlem Renaissance, that period of time in United States history spanning the 1920’s to the mid-1930s. Originally called the New Negro Movement, it was essentially a time when blacks fostered a new identity in the artistic world and were able to collectively express themselves through music, dance, song, the arts and literature in the most creative way.

However, I am ashamed to admit that for all of the years that I actually lived in New Haven, CT I had never been to Yale’s Beinecke Library. I had heard wonderful things about it but, for whatever reason, never quite made it there…

So when I read that Yale’s Beinecke Library was holding an exhibit on The Harlem Renaissance featuring James Weldon Johnson’s collection, I was immediately hooked.

This collection, titled Gather Out Of Star-Dust, The Harlem Renaissance & The Beinecke Library, is on view from January 13th though April 17th and best of all its free!

Walking up Wall Street the very first thing I noticed was the big blue sign and the beautiful architecture of the building’s exterior. The second thing was the chalk-written political statements (most likely penned by Yale undergrads) on the pavement leading to the entrance (smile).

Once inside, I spoke briefly with the security guard who proceeded to tell me some of the back story to the grand re-opening of this historic library before he handed me a playbill to the exhibit.

As the playbill demonstrated, the exhibit was divided into the following sections:

First Floor South Display: The Harlem Renaissance: A Chronology

Letters, Manuscripts, Photographs and Artwork from African-American culture between 1910 and 1940.

First Floor Tower: Visualizing Harlem

Photograph images from The Harlem Renaissance era.

First Floor North Display: The Making of a Renaissance

Items shown here cover published manifestos and manuscripts on African-American art, first editions of notable texts and publications and correspondence between Langston Hughes and Claude McKay.

Second Floor East Display – From Blues to The Emperor Jones: African-American Performing Arts

Musical, Dance and Theater influences are covered here so this is a memorable display. This is also the era that popularized Blues and Jazz, introduced The Charleston and reinvented the musical chorus line.

Second Floor Curved Case North – Visual Arts

Here you will find sculptures and works on paper from various African-American artists.

Second Floor Curved Case South – Caricature Assassination

Caricature assassinations by Mexican artist Miguel Covarrubias are seen in this display (not one of my faves – I found his work offensive and not in good taste).

Second Floor West Display – Gather Out of Star-Dust – Collecting a Renaissance for the Present and Future

And finally, this last section features a library collection of works from various African-American artists including James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston.

Again, this thought-provoking free exhibit is happening now at Yale’s Beinecke Library but only until April 17th and believe me, it is truly one of the most productive ways to spend the day with your family and friends.

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.