Tag: Out and About

Mystic Retail Therapy

  After visiting the Dog Days event Saturday, we went to Downtown Mystic next to the Seaport and had lunch at a forgettable restaurant.  And then.. we did one of my favorite things…. browsed the charming retail shops along the main street through town.  The husband sat in the truck with the son, sulking because it’s their least favorite thing to do, while us girls took a little stroll. 

  We stopped in my favorite shop,  Company of Craftsmen….
I love this glass sea turtle.. just beautiful.

They have beautiful pottery too by several different artists…

 And these awesome “beach  balls”….

 Then we moseyed on down to Why Ever Not and saw these…
I think I was a mermaid in a former life.

 These bees below are magnetic.. so cute.
 

 I love this set of rings. 

 We finally did spend money at the Mystic Sweet Shoppe.
Giant DOTS, chocolate shakes for the sulking men and maple walnut ice cream for me.

The Blue Oar

 My favorite summer time place to have lunch or dinner is The Blue Oar in Haddam, CT. 

 Sitting right on the Connecticut River with dock space for boaters who want to come in for a meal, it’s the perfect place to bring a picnic basket with a bottle of wine, a table cloth and a candle or two.  The tables are colorful and don’t really need adornment, but they welcome your “Input” and many people bring their own ambiance.   They don’t serve alcohol, but you are welcome to bring your own.  That’s just what the folks next to us did….

  Two Weimaraners that have it made….
Dog days of summer indeed.
I say we organize a blog convention here one of these days…. you in?

The Whistle Stop Cafe

 My favorite breakfast place is in Deep River, CT.  The coffee is always good, the owner is always pleasant, and the menu is original and delicious!  It’s a tiny place, which only adds to the charm.  In warm weather seasons you can sit outside in either the front or back yard.  My husband jokes that he never sees me happier than when I’m sitting at the table enjoying my awesome cranberry walnut toast and Austin’s Wrangler Omelet.  I sure hope that’s not true 🙂

 Hedy Watrous,  chef/owner extraordinare…

 Austin’s Wrangler.. Hash, roasted peppers and horseradish Cheddar – YUM~

 I’m not paid for advertising on this site, so you know if I’m talking about it, it’s probably really good.  If you live locally, try a summer Sunday morning at the Whistle Stop Cafe.  Tell them I sent ya.

Brooklyn Restoration Supply (here’s a coop for the files)

 

  To all my fellow junk hunters…. if you live within a few hours drive of Brooklyn, CT and you love yesterday’s architectural treasures as much as we do… you must stop by and visit Rudy’s place one of these days at 12 Gorman Road, a quiet road off of Route 6, easy access from I-395. 


 At 81 years young – Rudy has owned and operated Brooklyn Restoration Supply for 45 years, now accompanied by his son. Made of several large chicken coops (as in HUGE)  and absolutely packed with old house parts, the place and the man are legendary among old house owners, antique collectors,  restoration experts and contractors.  

 As Rudy held his pipe in hand, I asked him what the secret is to living a long and productive life..

 He said … “It’s real simple.  Keep working. My mother helped me farm this land into her 90’s.”   I said… “Did you eat healthy foods fresh off the farm most of the time?”  and he said “Heck no. My mother couldn’t break me, and my wife couldn’t break me.”

OK then!…

This is why most people just call him “Rudy”…

  Rudy is successful for a few reasons, one of which is the fact that he knows how to get his money.  He’ll bargain with you just so much, and here you see Mike doing that slow dance.

  He bought a series of old glass paned doors that will serve as the panels of the greenhouse..
… Stay tuned…

  And these…. are what I came home with.
The milk can was $10.

The urns… well never mind. 
 Rudy saw me coming, that’s for sure. 
I’m guessing it was the salivating that gave me away
as I stood pondering their rusty awesomeness 


 

Woodbury, CT

  I’m not supposed to be sitting at my computer today.  No.. I was supposed to be at a Boston College basketball game taking photos of our Roba Dolce girl, Shayna shooting hoops at half time. For every basket she made in today, $50. is donated to Special Olympics. (she went 15 for 17 from the foul line – You Go Girl!)   I’m not there today because I’m allergic to my house! Actually, the dust mites in it.  My eyes look like Evander Holyfield and I went two rounds (as if I’d last two seconds!).  I spared the good people of Boston from the site of me today.

  Instead, Mike took pity on me and we went for a ride in the rain to the town of Woodbury, a main stop on the New England antiques trail.   We had lunch at the Curtis House, Connecticuts oldest Inn, dated before 1735. 

Him:   Want to wear my sunglasses in the restaurant?
Me:    Do I look THAT BAD??
Him:   Oh.. well, I’m just saying ..you know… if you WANT to… um, just..sayin.

I don’t know, what’s worse – looking all allergy-eyed or like Michael Jackson in a dark restaurant on a rainy day.  I went without the  MJ look.  Maybe I should have tried it.

The town of Woodbury has a church on every corner and the architecture is stunning everywhere you look…

 

This house is abandoned.  Can you imagine?  I see an artisans commune, don’t you?

Love this truck.   
Since I braved the restaurant with my Rocky Marciano eyes, I decided it was
OK to venture in to Main Street Antiques and scare the good folks of that establishment too.
They have a greenhouse with a Koi pond as well as antique garden decor.
The earthy moist smell was heavenly.

    Old quilts have always been a favorite of mine. I’ve been looking for one that doesn’t cost a fortune for years, and today I finally found it!… $60. and it looks to be authentically hand-stiched, still sturdy enough to
take the wear and tear of the family room.

   

Oldest Stone House in New England

I had errands to run in Guilford today – the town we were married in and had our first house and child. I love the historic green, the wonderful old homes and the great shops in this shoreline town and sometimes I wish we had stayed.  Plus, it’s right along the water, who could ask for more?

 I took pictures of the oldest stone house in New England – built in 1639 under the direction of Henry Whitfield, a practicing reverend from England who also served as one of the founders of the town.  Background history for the house possibly suggests it was built with the help of local Native American inhabitants who assisted in the transport of fieldstone from a local quarry. Archaeological excavations on the grounds revealed  many artifacts as well as the remains of a temporary or seasonal structure occupied by Native Americans, or possibly the Whitfield family until the stone structure was built.

This is the Henry Whitfield house and museum, just down the road from the town green.

These two interior shots I found on the web – the house is closed for winter but can be toured in spring….

 Below is a stark contrast in housing just two blocks over from the Henry Whitfield House..
A condo complex! We’ve always called it the spaceship…how cool is that!
Or weird.
Well.. both.
 The Red Shack on the Guilford Harbor – I don’t know the history, but always wondered what it was supposed to be used for, other than catching high tide at a bad angle.  Probably why it’s abandoned.

 The first Good News story has been published on Roba Dolce’s new blog…
check it out if you have a minute, and tell them your story if you have someone you’de like to nominate!

The Thomas Lee House

 While we were out reveling in the glorious 60 degree weather today, we passed an old home heralding the year 1660 – that’s 351 years and the house is in remarkable shape.  Right next to it is a little red school house dated in the 1700’s.   I took some pictures and then came home and did a little online research –

The Thomas Lee House, located in East Lyme, CT  is one of the oldest wood frame houses in Connecticut, still in its primitive state. The original circa 1660 dwelling consisted of a timber frame erected on six 2-story wall posts, enclosing a ground floor with the Judgement Hall below and the Chamber above. Shortly after 1700 the house was doubled by adding the West Parlor and West Chamber.  After two hundred years of Lee ownership, the house was sold to a neighboring farmer, who used the building for a chicken coop and to store hay, intending to tear the building down eventually.   The East Lyme Historical Society, with help from the Connecticut Society of Colonial Wars, the Society of Colonial Dames, the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities,  and several Lee family descendants, was able to purchase the property in 1914.  Today, it continues to be owned and maintained by the East Lyme Historical Society. 

The  old and interior photos is provided from a TL site on the web…the house was closed today and I’m not sure that it’s open to the public. 

 The weather was downright balmy today, I am giddy with spring fever.  And damn it, there’s nothing like spring weather and shedding of the winter layers to smack you with winter weight gain reality. Ah well…

 These are photos of some of my kayaking stomping grounds at the mouth of the Connecticut River…

Osprey nest to the right… there are many along the river and its highways and byways…

Saybrook Light off in the distance…

Ice melts in winter lace form along the waters edge..

Finding Joy on a rainy day

  You read it right, folks… RAIN.  And it’s actually melting away some of the 30 inches of snow and ice  accumulation.  The problem lies in the weight of the stuff on  rooftops, causing collapses and wreaking havoc all over the state.

 But this post is about JOY on such a day… and we found it on a trip to our favorite CT antiques haven, the town of Putnam in the “Quiet Corner” of the state, as they like to say.  I blabbed about it last year HERE…

 

First, we had lunch at our favorite Italian Restaurant… Bella’s!…

I’d bet the moon you’ve never had a better tasting meatball. 

 Then we stopped at Victoria Station Cafe to pick up some of these …

 And finally we crossed the street to cruise the isles of the antiques mall to browse through this…

 Do you remember when phones used to look like this?  
 NO,  OFCOURSE I DON’T!
I would have loved these two bottles to put above the linen cabinet in the bathroom,
but they wanted $100. for them, so I walked away.

 Two floors of craziness like this…

 Isn’t she adorable?

 Whenever I see this cobalt blue, I think of my friend Joey –
And if it happens to sparkle,  it SCREAMS Joey.
SO, Jo.. this pic is for you.
I took your advice, and I do revel in  JOY as it flies by…
  I almost bought this, I’m still thinking about it….
 good thing there is an hour’s drive time between us.
My purchase for the day?
These  $5. vintage matchbox cars for my son –
They’re old enough to be MADE IN ENGLAND!
 Because sometimes… I’m cool like that.  
Apparently.

Seven Sisters

 Atop the most southerly hill in a chain known as the Seven Sisters, William Hooker Gillette, noted actor, director, and playwright, built this one hundred and eighty-four acre estate, the Seventh Sister. The focal point of his effort was a twenty four room mansion reminiscent of a medieval castle.
 Purchased by the State of Connecticut in 1943 from the executors of Mr. Gillette’s will, Gillette Castle and the adjoining property with its fine woodlands, trails, and vistas are now administered for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

  This apparently would have pleased Gillette, since his will gave specific directions to see that the Connecticut River property did not fall into the hands  “of some blithering saphead who has no conception of where he is or with what surrounded.”

Excerpt from  http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2716&Q=325204