Touristy Mystic is Also A Placid Destination

 In Mystic, Connecticut, I was as infatuated with clouds as I was with trees.

Though Mystic is thronged with tourists, a sense of calm is pervasive.

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Travels in Mystic, Connecticut

A lush green landscape and views of the calm Mystic River accompanied me as I jogged more than a mile along Greenmanville Avenue to Historic Downtown Mystic, Connecticut.

This vibrant sculpture sits outside the ever popular S&P Oyster Restaurant that’s set on the scenic Mystic riverfront.

The route I jogged into downtown Mystic is full of botanical delights.

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Connecticut Wanderings

 One minute I was in a quiet Connecticut suburb (Trumbull) and the next, I’m on a bucolic trail, wading through fallen leaves and pine needles in the wooded Pequonnock River Valley.

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Connecticut’s Woodcock Nature Center

Ridgefield, Connecticut has managed to preserve and maintain so many green spaces that they have an entire book devoted to these. (The Ridgefield Walk Book is sold in town.)

The Woodcock Nature Center is one of these green spaces.

One of the loop trails in the Woodcock Nature Center wanders beside wetlands and across snow-covered pedestrian bridges over the myriad waterways. When I recently hiked there, I was completely alone in the woods that are laden with old oak, maple and hickory trees as well as a network of low stone walls,

Walking the trails here is a year-round delight. But I found trekking along the purple-red loop especially stunning in the winter when ice crystals glow on the many frozen streams and wetlands.

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Necessary Connections With Nature In Connecticut

All through this pandemic, I found that the way to deal with stress is by connecting — and reconnecting — with nature. Since there’s little in the way of broad — or even petite — green spaces where I live, I regularly chose to drive one hour to Ridgefield, Connecticut. The town is surrounded by a wealth of parks, gardens and hiking trails. And the historic town center is delightful year-round, especially when draped with snow and ice crystals. These are some of my observations from one of my recent trips.

Ballard Park is a grand expanse that occupies a central part of Main Street in Historic Ridgefield.

This park is especially atmospheric in the winter when a snowy coat blankets everything, even the gazebo and the impressive columns guarding the entrances.

I find jogging during a snowstorm especially invigorating when I’m in Ridgefield. These are some of the sights I found along my journey.

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Exploring Ridgefield, Connecticut

 As I’ve continued my explorations in Ridgefield, Connecticut, I found that the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum has been hosting an outdoor sculpture exhibition. Frank Stella’s Stars are perfectly placed in the snowy landscape.

A few minutes from Main Street, I found a tranquil hiking trail in the Seth Low Pierrepont State Park that paralleled the lakefront and then angled into the woods.

What I love about Ridgefield, Connecticut is that just outside of downtown there are a variety of trailheads easily accessed off the road. The red-blazed Jones Trail, which starts beside a cul-de-sac, gradually climbs an undulating, wooded landscape peppered with boulders.

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An Abundance of Nature in Ridgefield, Connecticut

 I’ve continued my explorations in Ridgefield, Connecticut, revisiting some sights and learning more about the landscape.

In Connecticut, the short, mostly suburban Ridgefield Rail-Trail takes on a sylvan vibe along the section where it intersects two trailheads that veer into dense nature preserves.

I hiked in a still woodland dense with mountain laurel, red maple and hickory, occasionally passing a running brook and boulders left from the last Ice Age. Impressionist painter J Alden Weir once owned and farmed this Connecticut property (Weir Preserve-Weir Farm Art Center) that’s traced by stone walls and has long inspired artists.

One of many old barns and other original structures sitting among the boulders and fields at the Weir Farm National Historic Site. This stunning landscape, where Impressionist painter J. Alden Weir lived, has an active artist-in-residence program

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Green Spaces and Art in Connecicut

 Just one hour from my home in New York City, Ridgefield, Connecticut is blessed with abundant green spaces.

On my recent visit, every morning I jogged through the historic district populated by grand properties, with some houses dating to the 18th century.

In addition to lush expanses, Ridgefield also is known for its creative institutions. Near the trailhead for the two-some-mile rail-trail — a converted rail corridor— I spotted this photo mural outside the Ridgefield Guild of Artists. This is Miles Davis by Anton Corbijn. 

The Weir Farm National Historic Site and the adjacent nature reserve is a bucolic expanse of emerald fields, rugged stone walls, serene wetlands and shaded trails. Named for Impressionist painter, J. Alden Weir who lived here, this stunning venue has long been and continues to be an inspiration to artists.

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A Creative and Comfy Inn in Connecticut

A stay at the Homestead Bed and Breakfast, a family-owned inn in Madison, Connecticut, couldn’t be more comfortable and comforting, especially in these stress-filled days of the pandemic. During my recent stay, I was swaddled in a large, white-on-white guest room with nothing but views of nature. It’s what my soul required.

The public spaces are able to meld the vintage (an array of vintage cameras, typewriters, stereoscopes and other objects) with the whimsical. I’m a big fan of this playful display.

There are so many artistic surprises at this inn. I found this table and wee gourd on my patio.

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A Quiet, Scenic Corner of Connecticut

Madison is one of my favorite Connecticut towns for its slo-mo vibe, scrumptious French bistro, sweeping waterfront views and nature-based activities. On my recent visit, I sought the enveloping peace at Hammonasset Beach State Park.

Even in moody weather, Hammonasset Beach State Park in Connecticut is inspiring. This expansive salt marsh is one of the park’s many eco treasures.

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Photos - Travels in Niantic, Connecticut

Scenic Niantic, Connecticut radiates a chill vibe no matter where you wander.

A mere two-hour drive from New York City, the village of Niantic on Connecticut’s shore front offers cool breezes, scenic waterfront views, placid green spaces, and a calming vibe.

hi It’s easy to practice mindfulness in the early morning when walking the beaches in scenic Niantic, Connecticut.

On the Niantic River that opens to the bay, Connecticut’s Port Niantic marina couldn’t be more picturesque.

The village of Niantic on the Connecticut shore offers myriad opportunities to be enwrapped with nature.

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Another Connecticut Day Trip From New York With Beach Access

A little over an hour from New York City, Southport, Connecticut is a bucolic waterfront town with a historic district peppered with grand 18th century houses. (The town dates to the 1600s and, given that had a successful port, was a favorite of wealthy sea captains and merchants who built their grand dwellings here.)  I strolled along the streets of the historic center of Southport, Connecticut and found that no matter the weather or time of day, this village is enwrapped in the charm of another era.

Here are some of the must-sees in Southport:

Southport Park is a 10-acre forested expanse smack in the middle of the town’s historic district. No matter the season, it’s worth walking its few trails, including one that loops beside a stream, past interesting rock formations.

The historic district is a mere scenic 20-minute walk to the beach, which is a simple curve of sand in a neighborhood dominated by immense mansions.

The Pequot Library, which dates from the late 1800s, retains so many other-era features, including two wood-paneled reading rooms with wood-burning fireplaces, original Tiffany stained-glass windows, and a grand stone, granite facade.

The Grey Goose is a local favorite for well-prepared food, and drinks. Despite the din, the environment is cozy with rugged wood beam columns, soft amber lighting, and a stone walled fireplace. They offer daily specials that are worth trying, including the blackened red snapper tacos  with avocado and pico de gallo.

Having dinner in an old railroad station waiting room hardly sounds like it would be an upscale experience. But, Paci defies the rules. By far, this is Southport’s best restaurant and one that shouldn’t be missed. The new glassed-in bar -- you can see the trains whizzing by -- is perfect for enjoying one of their many wines by the glass as well as anything on their dinner menu. Their signature meatball appetizer is the best around. (The recipe which includes pine nuts, raisins, sweet onions and garlic, comes from the owner’s family.)

The casual Horseshoe Cafe and Tavern has been in business since 1934. It’s a local favorite for hanging out with a glass of beer or wine to accompany a basket of freshly-made popcorn.

For a picnic lunch, my pick is the Spin and Span Market, a sandwich shop/grocery with tasty fixings. These include a popular turkey chili with melted Vermont cheddar, as well as the tarragon chicken salad wrap with apple bacon, mesclun greens, and plum tomatoes.

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Another Connecticut Shore Town

My explorations on Connecticut's southern coast continue with another gem of a town: Guilford. (It’s slightly closer to New Haven compared with Madison.) Not only does this town have one of the loveliest town greens around, as well as Connecticut's oldest house (dating from 1639), but there is also a beautiful beach within walking distance of downtown. On my way to the beach, I discovered this short but scenic boardwalk winding through Chittenden Park. At the end of the boardwalk are a couple of benches to enjoy the scenery. Then I continued my wanderings to Jacob's Beach that was completely deserted. All of this was within walking distance of downtown.

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A Connecticut Coastal Town Not Far From Manhattan

On Connecticut's scenic coast, not far from New Haven, the town of Madison is a true gem. The downtown is walkable and chock full of contemporary works of art, like this sculpture. (Pick up a self-guided brochure at the visitor's center and try to find all the public works of art.) In addition, it’s a short stroll from main street to three public beaches and an easy bike ride to a fourth. Among the must-dos: sipping a glass of wine at Bar Bouchee, a French bistro with a large selection of wines by the glass; browsing the numerous staff recommended titles at R.J. Julia Booksellers, a large independent bookstore; and enjoying a lunch of crab cakes or mac and cheese at the low-key Elizabeth's Cafe.

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Woodlands Close to Mystic, Connecticut

I'm obsessed with green spaces. So even when I traveled recently to Mystic, Connecticut for business, I was determined to find walking or hiking trails. Bluff Point State Park is one of those bucolic locales just minutes from the Marriott Hotel and Spa where my meetings were held.  Sited on a peninsula beside the Pequonot River, the park is networked with paths for walking, hiking or mountain biking. On a cold winter day, I had the place to myself as I wandered beside the placid waters where, in the summer, it's likely you'll see kayakers and sail boats. Because glaciers once covered this area, the boulders dotting the area are no surprise, left behind by the glacial retreat. This vast landscape with coastal woodland populated mostly by oaks and hickory, sand dunes, salt marsh and grassland is considered the only remaining large undeveloped public land on Connecticut's coast.

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Creative Greek Cuisine in Connecticut

Why in the world would I take the Metro North train more than an hour from Manhattan for lunch? Because I heard that a new, ultra creative Greek restaurant recently opened in Darien, Connecticut. And my two-hour-some round-trip commute was worth it.

Chef Themis Papadopoulos helms the kitchen at Lithos that eventually will have a lovely outdoor terrace on a quiet residential street. He trained in France and it shows. Now, first I have to confess that Greek cuisine isn't my favorite, only because I'm often not surprised by the options. That's not the case at Lithos, where the creamy tarama and xtipito appetizers were so light, they were like puffy cumulous clouds. Tarama, made with codfish eggs, didn't come with the typical heavy fish taste. And the feta cheese-based xtipito is unexpectedly flavored with smoked paprika, as well as green pepper and pine nuts. Octopus at many restaurants is hit or miss; mostly miss. But here it was amazingly tender and flavorful, first slow cooked for three hours in red vinegar, then cooked in canola oil and served with a fava bean spread. One of the biggest surprises were the aoilis: a dollop of beet aoili created by mixing the chopped beats with the tarama; and a mango aoili that contains lemongrass and olive oil -- I definitely did not expect to see lemongrass in a Greek restaurant. Something new on the menu is the sesame feta pie, which has phyllo sprinkled with sesame and honey imported from Greece. (This might be my favorite item on the menu: part sweet, but not cloyingly so, and part savory.) The main fish course, grilled dorade, was cooked with  capers, lemon and parsley with a side of blanched Swiss chard plus kale. (The veggies were cooked in a vegetable broth with garlic and olive oil.) And unlike the rest of the U.S. I'm no fan of kale but combining it with the Swiss chard and cooking it all with garlic provided enough flavor to offset the typical kale bitterness I detest.

I usually avoid Greek desserts which often drip with honey. Here the desserts had perfect balance. The galaktobourek wasn't soggy and overly sweet, as I've often found it in other restaurants. Here, the custard cream was wrapped in phyllo and drizzled with a mildly sweet syrup flavored with lemon. The kataifi was a crispy phyllo tart filled with Brie and topped with pistachios -- typically you wouldn't find pistachios and cheese in this dessert. Even the baklava is different: here the shape is round instead of triangular. Since I'm a chocoholic, the chocolate mille feuille -- something I never found in a Greek restaurant -- was a hit: milk chocolate mousse was sandwiched between chocolate phyllo, with a side of kumquats that had been cooked in rose water.

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