Bluff Point


Took a walk at Bluff Point State Park recently - a great place to ride a bike, too.


You can walk all the way out to the wonderful beach, but be careful swimming, because there are no lifeguards.


You can see the awesome New London lighthouse from the point, one of the few 'high points' along the Connecticut coast.


Belissimo Grande


Amy and I stayed a night at the Bellisimo Grande near Foxwoods recently. A great alternative to staying at the casino itself, especially on nights when events make the prices too high. We were upgraded to the suite you see above, and I enjoyed the jacuzzi while Amy went down to the spa and got a "killer" massage. A shuttle takes you back and forth to Foxwoods - very convenient, especially for some of the (very drunk) people we shared it with. They even have quiet hours to make sure people don't come back and whoop it up while the rest of us are trying to sleep. I highly recommend a stay here (see the Insiders' Guide to Connecticut, of course).

Kobe Beef Meatballs


Tried grass-fed Kobe beef for these meatballs the other day. Egg, basil, onion (fried), breadcrumbs, and the aforementioned Kobe.


Made a nice brown sauce with tomato paste, cumin, red wine, red miso, basil, and more.


And I must say, despite my skepticism, they were some of the best if not the best meatballs I've ever had. Absolutely delicious. My wife says that is due to my superior technique, but I am not going to take credit for this one. Hats off to the Kobe beef...it lived up to its reputation, even in ground up form.

Travel and Adventure

In the 56th episode of the Real Life Survival Guide we discussed travel primarily as it pertains to “vacations” and not “adventure travel.” It’s difficult to have physically active adventures as parents of small children, as many of our panelists are. Or rather, we could say that even the simplest vacations become “adventures” when small children are along!

...Read the rest of my article about adventure travel at the Real Life Survival Guide.

Oyster Club


Stopped by the fairly new Oyster Club in Mystic for dinner recently. A wedding rehearsal dinner was going on, but we managed to squeeze in out on the porch.


The oyster shooter with vodka and tabasco was surprising and wonderful. And the appetizer of roasted tomatoes with lardo, basil, and a whipped ricotta (I think) was refreshing and delicious.


The lobster roll was excellent, though of course I prefer them "pure."


The pasta with rabbit was a rare treat.


And the snickerdoodles with basil ice cream was another delightful surprise.


I can't guarantee that you'll get any of these dishes, though - their menu is seasonal and direct from the farm or sea whenever possible.

I have to say that this was one of the best "cold" stops I've made recently - just trying a new restaurant with no idea about its quality from the magical internets. And you can be sure they will be in the next edition of the Insiders' Guide.

The Crystal Mall

 
 
Stopped at the Crystal Mall in Waterford, Connecticut the other day. Why? To see America's largest crystal chandelier made from Waterford Crystal in its sister city in Ireland. All those mall walkers had no idea that this outrageously expensive chandelier loomed above their heads...


Nutella Cookies



Don't have chocolate chips in the house? Just use the standard Nestle's Toll House recipe, but use a huge glob of Europe's most delectable treat - Nutella. They turned out like molasses cookies, as you might imagine. But better.

Circumnavigating West Rock


Epic bike ride around West Rock. We've wanted to do this for a while, and although some of the hills were brutal, the ride as a whole was easier than we thought it might be.


The front of the rock at Blake Street Center (the old Eli Whitney Blake factory in Westville).


We stopped for a quick bite at Katz's deli in Woodbridge. I had half a hot tongue sandwich and Amy had potato pancakes.


The ride along the lake on Downs Road was absolutely gorgeous - worth the entire ride.

Dosas with Mango Pickles


I've been wanting to make these for years - Indian dosas. Essentially sourdough rice pancakes. I first had them in high school at my friend Subhash's house, with mango pickles. And that's exactly what I did with these. Delicious.

At R.J. Julia's Bookstore



Amy and I gave a talk about A History of Connecticut Food for about fifty people at R.J. Julia's Bookstore this week. It's always an honor to speak there, and the crowd is engaged and appreciative. One of the audience members was a chef, and she will be using some of the recipes from the book for a big dinner in September. I'm hoping that the book does just that - reawakens interest in local cuisine! 

Middleborough Historical Museum



We ventured outside the borders of Connecticut to Massachusetts' Middleborough Historical Museum this summer. Just your typical historical society museum...except that it has the second largest Tom Thumb exhibit in the world. Tons of fun stuff from Lavinia Warren Bump (Mrs. Tom Thumb) and my favorites...Charles Stratton's (Tom Thumb's) hunting outfit. Also - his tiny cane from the 1840s, a few wedding presents, and more...



Oh, and they also have a cool collection of other historical stuff. An old general store, et cetera. If you do go, don't be like the rude couple we saw that didn't pay the donation. These historical societies are always hanging on by a thread, because of our own citizens' apathy, usually. Of course, as soon as something happens to a historical home in town, everyone is up in arms. The other day I was asked why my own historical society "hadn't done anything" about a historical house we acquired fifty years ago. Uhm...because we don't have enough money to do anything about it? If you want to preserve history, get involved. If you don't have money, volunteer your time, and save America's precious artifacts, buildings, and documents.