Beach Walk Sunday Stages a Comeback

 

For the second weekend in a row, central CT was gifted with unseasonably mild weather.  Since we don't often see temperatures that begin with fives (or even fours) in January, once again it was time to get out and get the stink off!

A few years ago a friend and I got into the habit of taking off season Sunday afternoon trips to the beach for a sunset hike and dinner at a local restaurant.  I dubbed the excursions Beach Walk Sunday.  Eventually as it often tends to do, life got in the way and the visits fell by the wayside.

Last Sunday when the thermometer hit 50, I decided it was time to clear the schedule of mundane tasks and resurrect the beach trips.  So we jumped in the car and headed to Hammonasset State Park in Madison.

Nature's garden

Due to a late start we didn't get down to the shore until four in the afternoon, half an hour before the park closed.  Sunset was at 4:45 so I knew we'd have at least an hour before park rangers came around with bull horns to chase us out.  If we didn't dilly dally that would be plenty of time to grab a few pictures and take a quick hike.

Conditions were overcast and foggy.  Not the greatest day for picture taking but I gave it my best shot.  The ocean was incredibly calm and uncharacteristically silent.

Because I'm not a fan of mob scenes I've never been to Hammonasset in the summer.  From what I've heard and occasionally seen on the news I don't appear to be missing anything.  Most of the CT shoreline is privately owned so people seeking a beach experience have few options.  I'll gladly take the sunset walks in the off season and pass on the traffic jams, even if it means passing on the cheeseburgers, hot dogs and ice cream.

No food today

My definition of a crowded beach





No sunset to enjoy this trip.  Below is a picture I took at Hammonasset a couple of years ago.  I never get tired of watching sunsets over the ocean.  One of the rituals I have at the beach house I rent every summer is to plant my butt on a lounge chair in the sand every night with a glass of wine and watch the sun set.

From the beach we made a bee line to Bill's Seafood in Westbrook.  Bill's is a shoreline institution of part clam shack, part sports bar and part Irish Pub.  During NFL playoff season, especially when the New England Patriots are Super Bowl contenders, Bill's is definitely a sports bar.

At this time of the year I enjoy Bill's for the same reason I enjoy the beach.  Last Sunday it was relatively quiet-busy but not crazy.  In warmer weather, I prefer sitting on the outdoor deck overlooking a tidal river, but in January a table by the window in the bar works just fine.

As far as the food goes, it's nothing fancy but it's good and the fish is fresh.  When I'm in the mood to throw caution to the wind, I go with something fried.  On this visit I chose the blackened swordfish special with wild rice and string beans.  Comfort food extraordinaire.

After another weekend in the 40s we're supposedly heading into the first extended deep freeze of the winter next week with daytime highs in the teens and nightime lows in the single digits.  One more opportunity to get out and get the stink off before hunkering down.  Where should I go?

A few months ago, Jack at Hartford Daily Photo asked me to do some occasional guest photography for him while he winters in Florida.  On Wednesday, Jack used one of my photos from this trip on his blog HERE.  Thanks Jack!

Stay warm!

Sue~

Off To a Promising Start

Happy 2013!  Call me "Wild Time" but I'm not much of a late night reveler and New Year's Eve is no exception. This year I had a built in excuse in the form of a blossoming cold.  Since I rarely get sick I decided to roll with it and followed up a workout with a quiet dinner at home.  Long before the ball dropped in Times Square I had toasted the New Year with a shot of Nyquil and was out like a light.

New Year's Day marks the end of all the frivolity of the holiday season and the beginning of my busiest months at work.  Most likely it was the last work day I will have off in the foreseeable future so I took it slow and spent the bulk of it eating, drinking relaxing with good friends.  I don't bother making New Year's resolutions. Since I workout and eat fairly well all year round I've got what are probably the most popular resolutions already covered. As far as everything else goes, I make adjustments as I go. Why not treat every day like January first?  Or better yet, treat every day like June first, a much more hospitable choice.

For New Year's Day breakfast, I whipped up one of my favorite recipe finds this year, baked pumpkin pancakes from The Fountain Avenue Kitchen.  They are simple to make, use common ingredients and are healthy and delicious.  Usually I eat them warm with a drizzle of maple syrup.  Leftovers can be stored in the fridge and reheated or eaten cold as a quick snack.

Grain free Baked Pumpkin Pancakes from The Fountain Avenue Kitchen

Despite the cooking classes I take and the food blogs I read I am not a cook. Quite the contrary. In fact I'm not ashamed to admit that I far prefer eating over cooking. In order for me to try something new, the recipe needs to appeal to my simple lazy nature. If most of the ingredients are either items I don't have on hand or can't imagine having on hand or if it appears that the skill and patience required to complete the dish are akin to sewing a wedding dress by hand I take a pass.

Another New Year's Day tradition involves eradicating the house of Christmas.  As much as I love Christmas decorations, unlike many people I don't leave them up until the Epiphany.  By the first of the year I'm ready for them to be gone.  I do miss the lights though.  January is such a dark month.  If I could figure out a way to hide all the extension cords and set everything up to go on and off automatically I would consider leaving the window candles out all year.  Apparently in some areas it's done as a sign of hospitality.  On the days when I'm not feeling particularly hospitable, I would just leave them off.

In Nick's world every day is a holiday.  Perhaps he's dreaming of ways to get rid of the cat.

Nick celebrating the new year.

The afternoon of New Year's Day was spent at a belated birthday celebration.  In honor of Monique's birthday we drank her last bottle of Viognier that we had shipped from Kendall Jackson during our Napa IU7 trip in 2010.  I guess that means we need to go back.

Before and after a scrumptious dinner, we relaxed by the fire.

A few months ago I featured Monique's garden HERE.  On this day though the only garden touring going on was from inside the house.

For her own birthday, Monique was considerate enough to make a scrumptious cranberry cake for dessert.  Granted, she is the pastry chef of the group but I think we need to coordinate better next year.  Under pressure I can order one mean cake.

Happy New Year!  I'm optimistic that 2013 will be the best year yet.

Sue~

Finding Christmas Spirit in Rhode Island

A couple of weeks ago, my great gardening friends, Monique and Les and I drove to Rhode Island to visit a few of our favorite places.  Usually we make this trip during the warmer months.  However, it was so much fun I suspect a Rhode Island Christmas play day will become an annual event.

Our first stop was The Farmer's Daughter in South Kingstown, my absolute favorite nursery for unusual annuals.  Back in May I wrote about our spring trip to Farmer's Daughter HERE.  Naturally the plant offerings are now non existent but the enchanting and tasteful Christmas displays and items for sale did not disappoint.  As an added bonus for late shoppers, I just saw a Facebook post from Farmer's Daughter last night advertising 30% off all Christmas decor and gifts.

A greenhouse decked out for Christmas at The Farmer's Daughter

Next year I'm coming here for my Christmas wreaths and swags.  The creative use of various evergreen texture and color is unlike anything I've seen at my local haunts.

Somehow Les managed to perfectly match the pointsettias

Holiday wreaths sporting a coastal flair

Unusual evergreens and strategically placed art help keep the display gardens interesting throughout the seasons.  During the growing months, these gardens are accented with unusual annuals and tropical plants and are spectacular.

Display gardens at The Farmer's Daughter

Of course no trip to Farmer's Daughter would be complete without lunch at Matunuck Oyster Bar.  While we were swooning over the food we came to the conclusion that this probably one of our favorite restaurants.  Location, ambience and fantastic food-you just don't find too many places that offer all three.  Back in May I also posted about MOB HERE.  It appears they've disabled their website but they do have a Facebook page.

When we arrived (five minutes after it opened for lunch), the parking lot was already at least two thirds filled.  Fortunately for us it was a private party large enough to need the bigger dining room.  We were offered our choice of tables in the small dining room overlooking the pond.  Naturally we opted for the table with the best view.

View from our table at Matunuck Oyster Bar

Looking through the small dining room towards the raw bar at Matunuck Oyster Bar

Salad with candied walnuts, beets and goat cheese, fried calamari, and oysters Rockefeller

Seared scallops with toasted pecan brown butter, butternut squash risotto and roasted locally grown root vegetables

I wish I could remember what this was.  Obviously a medley of shellfish perhaps with risotto.

Rounding out the meal with flourless chocolate torte and pumpkin creme brulee.

Another stop we always make when in the area is Matunuck Beach.  Last year Monique and Les rented a cottage on the beach and we wanted to see if it had sustained any damage from Hurricane Sandy at the end of October.  Although that cottage appeared to have weathered the storm, a few places looked like they took a hit but nowhere did I see any of the catastrophic damage suffered by some of the CT shoreline towns.

Most surprising were the legions of surfers riding the waves at Matunuck Beach.  Are these people nuts?  Granted it was fairly warm for December, but it's DECEMBER!

Matunuck Beach

I couldn't resist showing off the Christmas red toes in the swirling ocean water.  Once my foot became numb the rest was easy.

From the beach we headed to our real excuse for trekking to Rhode Island, Simple Pleasures, a gift shop located in Charlestown.  Trust me when I tell you that with the exception of nurseries I am not much of a shopper but I could easily browse through Simple Pleasures a few times a year.  Yes, it's alot of chachki, but if you need a unique gift for someone who likes beach inspired decor, or if you enjoy buying yourself gifts this is the place to go.

Outdoors they have a selection of garden pottery, statuary and ornaments.  Inside they were completely decked out for Christmas.  What a way to get into the holiday spirit.

Sorry for the visual overload but it was such a fabulous day I couldn't resist capturing every minute.  Beginning with Thanksgiving it seems like the holidays spin by so fast.  Here in CT, it's been difficult to find joy after the horrible school shooting tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown last week but I feel the best thing you can do is to keep trying.

Sue~