Monday, April 25, 2011

CT Shoreline Events - 2011

    Here are a few 2011 events that you might enjoy.  Plan ahead and book your rooms early to be sure to stay at your favorite places.

MARCH
Exchange Club Leprechaun Run, Madison, March 20

APRIL
Robin Hood Springtime Festival - Renaissance Faire, Guilford,Weekends, April 23 & 24, April 30 & May 1

MAY
Madison Cares Habitat Build, May 7
Robin Hood Springtime Festival - Renaissance Faire, Guilford,Weekends, May 7 & 8, May 14 & 15, May 21 & 22
Arts & Crafts Show, Madison Town Green, May 21
Antique Show, Madison Town Green, May 28

JUNE
Strawberry Festival, Madison Town Green, June 4
Children's Fair, Madison Town Green, June 11
Madison Festival, Madison Center, June 12
Flea Market, Madison Town Green, June 18

JULY
Concert, Madison Town Green, July 2
Independence Day Parade, Madison Center, July 4
Antique Show, Madison Town Green, July 9
Sidewalk Sales, Madison Center, July 28, 29, 30 and 31

AUGUST
Antique Show, Madison Town Green, August 13
Pitching for Charity Softball Event, Surf Club Beach, August 13
Beachcomber Event, Madison Center, August 18
Westbrook Muster, Fife and Drum Muster, August 26 and 27, 860-399-6436
Antique Show, Madison Town Green, August 27

SEPTEMBER
Dog Show, Madison Town Green, September 10
Antique Show, Madison Town Green, September 17

OCTOBER
Scarecrow Festival, Madison Center, October 15-31
Madison Historical Society Halloween Event, Madison Town Green, October 15
Vista Tour de Shore Cycle Event, Westbrook, October 16, 2011
Run for the Cove, Hammonasset State Park, Madison,  October 16

NOVEMBER
Turkey Trot, Hammonasset State Park, Madison, November 24

DECEMBER
Ladies' Night Out Shopping, Madison Center, December 1
Holiday Parade, Santa & Mrs. Claus, Tree Lighting, Madison Center, December 4
Bed and Breakfast Christmas Inn Madison Tours, December 4

Clam Chowder ... What's Your Favorite?

     Clam chowder ... mmmmm ... makes me think of seashore, blue skies, sunshine ... or warmth, comfort, dinner by the fireside ... So many pleasures associated with this simple and simply delicious fare.

     White, Clear, Red ... New England, Rhode Island, Manhattan ... three choices, all delicious, right? But wait a minute.  It's not so very simple.  I've discovered at least 4 choices here on the CT shoreline, and looking to our neighbors to the East or West, a couple more! OK, I admit I'm a bit particular when it comes to what I consider to be iconic foods, and living in CT and enjoying all of New England, I consider Clam Chowder to be such an item. So, of course, this discovery bears talking about.

     To begin with, I believe there are two kinds of New England Clam Chowder: the traditional, old-fashioned kind, call quohog chowder on Cape Cod menus, starts out clear brothed and a touch of either milk or cream is added just before serving, for sweetness: like the kind you get locally at Lenny & Joe's Fish Tale and many other CT seashore restaurants.  Then there's what I personally call contemporary or nouvelle New England Clam Chowder.  That's the thick and creamy kind I've heard referred to as "Chowda" by my Boston friends.  This is offered at many other fine restaurants along the CT shoreline. 

     Now, imagine my surprise a couple of summers ago when I read "North Carolina Clam Chowder" on the menu at Boom in Westbrook.  When I asked, my server explained that it was like New England Clam Chowder, in that it was thick and creamy, but it was made with Sweet Potatoes.  I just had to try it, so intrigued was I, and I can tell you it's absolutely delicious.  I discerned a bit of fresh red pepper bits too. Delightful.  I came home and looked it up online, and sure enough, it's a type of clam chowder, in an of itself, and though it has as many variations as there are chefs (just like all the other chowders), the common themes are: think and creamy, sweet potatoes, fresh red pepper bits. Now why would I be surprised at finding out about a North Carolina Clam Chowder?! With Hatteras and the Outer Banks, and more ...

     OK. That was then, and now is now, and I just can't find the exact online writeup about North Carolina Clam Chowder that I read back then anywhere, no matter what I search for.  The recipes for clam chowders with sweet potatoes are easy to find, though, so if you can't wait until you come to the CT shoreline to enjoy it at Boom, you can try your hand at making it at home.

     Getting back to our foray into the varieties of clam chowder, let's not forget Rhode Island Clam chowder.  Clear brothed and flavorful, and frequently offered on CT shoreline menus as a second clam chowder choice.  My personal favorite is at the Sandpiper restaurant in East Haven. Right across from the beach, it's the perfect setting for chowder, clear or milky.
  
     So, imagine my surprise again, when I discovered that Rhode Island has two clam chowders too!  The second kind is tomato based, with the traditional potatoes, onion and clams, but no chunks of tomato or other veggies.  This version of RI clam chowder came from the Portugese community, is sometimes called clam stew, and can be a bit spicy from the addition of sausage and seasonings.  I have yet to find this version on a CT shoreline menu, but I'll keep looking.  Perhaps if I try someplace closer to the RI border? From here that's not very far at all.

     Speaking of red clam chowders, Manhattan Clam Chowder is what immediately comes to mind.  I've seen it described as tomato vegetable soup with clams.  Traditionally not spicy, and yes there are other veggies and chunks of tomato, it's also been called Coney Island Clam Chowder and Fulton Market Clam chowder.  This too I have yet to see on a menu in our CenterShore part of the CT shoreline (East of New Haven, up to the CT River), but I'll keep searching on your behalf. So many great restaurants, so little time ...

   Searching online you'll find Wikipedia talks about a few other types of clam chowders as well.  As far as I know from dining around the CT shoreline, the Delaware, Hatteras (white potatoes) and Minorcan are not available here, so we'll leave those out of this discussion for now.  Great recipes for all types are available online.  Happy hunting. Oh, and be sure to let me know of any CT Shoreline restaurants whose clam chowders you think I should try for you.

   Whatever your favorite clam chowder, may you always find enjoyment and pleasure with it.  One thing's for sure: if you love clams, you'll find countless ways to enjoy them here on the CT shoreline, and chowder is just one of the wonderful ways to sample their pleasures.

Bird Houses for Habitat for Humanity

    Come to Madison to Vote for your favorite "Best of the Nest" Bird House!  Voting is by Silent Auction, so you might even be able to take your favorite Bird House home.

    As part of the "Raise the Roof - Habitat for Humanity Day" in Madison CT on May 7th, the Best of the Nest Silent Art Auction will benefit the current Madion Cares Sponsored Habitat for Humanity Build in New Haven CT.

    Local artists have uniquely decorated and donated wood bird houses for the silent auction.  The bird houses are on display in various locations throughout Madison, including here at our Tidewater Inn, and silent auction bid boards are attached to each bird house.  Bids are welcome all the way up to May 7th, the day of the festivities on the Madison Town Green, when all the bird houses will be brought together at the green for final bids and awarding to the silent auction winners.

   I've seen a few so far, and choosing my favorite is not going to be easy.  They are all so unique, with a wide range of styles to satisfy every home design plan.  As different as each artist is from another, I find it fascinating to see how different all of the designs and interpretations are. From traditional, to quirky to contemporary, you'll find one to fall in love with for sure, and the birds in your neighborhood will be delighted to find new real estate to move into.

Raise the Roof for Habitat for Humanity

    Come to an old-fashioned Barn Raising on the Madison Green on May 7, 2011!

     Madison Cares is a local not-for-profit organization that brings together shoreline area residents to sponsor Habitat for Humanity projects in the city of New Haven CT.

     May 7th is "Raise the Roof - Habitat for Humanity Day" in Madison. Madison Cares and Habitat for Humanity of Greater New Haven will stage a live ‘build’ in downtown Madison.  The day-long event will include multiple sites throughout the center of Madison, beginning with the Town Green, where volunteers can assist in pre-building parts of a Habitat for Humanity home. These sections will then be transported to one of Habitat’s home sites in New Haven once completed. 

     Details about this day-long event are on the Madison Cares home page.

    The event will also feature on the Green entertainment by local musicians, live demonstrations about home maintenance, and a silent auction of bird houses, "Best of the Nest," creatively decorated and donated by local fine artists. Volunteers will also be able to donate to Madison Cares/Habitat for Humanity by purchasing a ‘virtual’ piece of the next home.

April 29th Wine Dinner ... A Royal Date Indeed

    Feel like you are honored guests at the Royal wedding reception at this Friday's Wine Dinner.  Treat your special someone like Royalty here at the inn at this special getaway.

   Expand your knowledge of grapes, regions and wines.  Read a wine list with a connoiseur's recognition of offerings beyond chardonnay and cabernet.  This ability comes with experience, and events such as our Wine Dinner Getaway are specially planned to surprise and inform and educate your palate and your knowledge of the wines of the world.

   It's not just a tasting.  You are honored guests at the table of the wine presenter, as if you are at their home.  The presentation is limited to six specially selected wines which are then paired with seven courses of fine dining planned purposefully to highlight each wine.  You'll end the evening retiring to your comfortably appointed room to dream and rest, with your palate suprised, your wine experience broadened, your gastronomic curiosity satisfied.

    When we set the date, April 29th, for this Spring's Wine Dinner Getaway we had no idea that it was the Royal wedding date for Prince William and Kate. Alas, it is, and as we treat our guests like Royalty, if you're one of the few who've booked your room and reservation for our April Wine Dinner getaway, watch the ceremony on the news and then come check in for the Wine Dinner and you'll feel like you're guests at their wedding reception.

   The dining room is "dressed to the nines" with our finest crystal, silver and china.  The service is impecable and discrete. The wines and food pairings exquisite.

   A few rooms and seats are still available. RSVP Yes today for this special overnight getaway date.

What's New Around Town?

New space for Madison Cheese, etc.
   Madison Cheese, etc., incidently our favorite cheese shop, has steadily grown in popularity since it began in 2008. Responding to this wonderful increase in demand for the cheeses and other gourmet goodies that she offers, owner Fawn Heblinger has expanded the size of the shop bit by bit, to the point where the cheese shop had finally outgrown the available real estate in its courtyard location behind the Madison Wine Shop.
   But have no fear, the shop did not move far away ... just around the corner, in a stand-alone building by itself, at 119 Samson Rock Drive (the "road" that we all think is really just a pass through the Stop & Shop parking lot), is the new and improved Madison Cheese, etc. ... Clearly marked with posters in the windows. (A new sign is on order to replace the "Shoreline Aesthetics" sign that's there from the previous occupants of the building.)
   To find the new location, walk through the courtyard from Rte 1, the Boston Post Rd, and then to the right a few doors down, or drive through the Stop & Shop parking lot and find a spot for your car.  Drop in and see Fawn and her son and all the wonderful cheeses that you've come to expect, and more.
   Oh, and if you love grilled cheese sandwiches, this is the place for made-to-order gourmet choices ... elevating this childhood favorite to new heights of flavor pleasures.

Flavor for Madison
   Remember the Madison Beanery? It is now a whole new place: Flavor for Madison. It's charming and comfy and the Fresh Fusion menu caters to vegetarians and vegans, with a few selections to satisfy us carnivors too.  Oh, and yes, there's coffee & tea too. A great spot to meet with friends for a quick bite for lunch, or a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack.
   [I'd say go for breakfast too, but if you are staying with us, why, when ours are so yummy here at the inn :-).]

   Madison Cheese, etc. and Flavor for Madison ... two of many great choices for lunch while you're exploring Madison center.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Spring Snow!

Spring Snow! It's April and it's snowing ... blossoms that is.  The new green grass is now being gently carpeted with delicate flower petals drifting down from the tree branches in the Spring breeze.  What a beautiful sight!

Now this is my idea of snow ... in the Spring that is.
See it everywhere. Beginning in the middle of April, it will continue at least through June.  The colors and petals will change, as do the snowflakes of Winter.  Each a unique creation of beauty.

Drive slowly through the neighborhoods to enjoy the splendor of Spring flowering trees and shrubs. Better still, drive through rural fruit orchards the first weeks of May.  You'll see acres and acres of blossoms before you: the beauty that will yield the sweet fruit that we will seek and enjoy in the months to come.

Capture the images in your mind and in your heart, to savor and enjoy over and over again.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Celebrate Connecticut! - Save the Date! - Saturday, June 11th


Celebrate Connecticut! ...
... by sampling over 200 of Connecticut's great destinations.  Visit museums, galleries, historic sites, parks and attractions in every corner of the state. Yes, even us!

Saturday, June 11, 2011 ... Open House Day!
Free admissions, lots of specials, even a gift or two.
Details, details ... click or go to CTvisit.com.

This exciting statewide event, sponsored by the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, is designed to broaden awareness among residents of Connecticut's exceptional cultural and tourism assets and to encourage residents to become ambassadors who share their newfound discoveries with visiting family and friends.

To qualify for any Open House Day special, at least one person in each visiting group mush show a valid Connecticut driver's license.

A statewide day of discovery ... and an opportunity for state residents to become Connecticut Ambassadors. Wow!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Tidewater Inn's "Kick Gas" Promotion

KICK GAS! ... a special Spring Promotion from the Tidewater Inn


Looking to get out of town? Cut your fuel cost in half by traveling together with friends: 2 couples stay 2-3 nights Sunday through Thursday, and we’ll “KICK GAS” for you with a $35.00 gift card for each couple for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. Come on your own and receive a $25.00 gift card for dinner. Bring your bicycles or walk everywhere for your daily fun while you’re here and we’ll reward you with a gift card for your first ice cream of the season!

Don’t let higher gas prices keep you from coming to the Heart of the CT Shoreline for a great Spring stay. Call (203-245-8457) or email to us to book your midweek getaway and say “KICK GAS” or enter “KICK GAS” in the notes and comments section if you book your midweek extended stay through our website, and we’ll help ease the pain. The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the inviting Spring air lures you out to explore all that the Shoreline has to offer. Serendipities abound. You’ll unwind and refuel and we’ll help to refuel your gas tank!

The fine print: KICK GAS is valid until June 30, 2011. A two-night minimum Sunday through Thursday stay is required. KICK GAS may not be combined with any other special or promotion. KICK GAS is not available on weekends or holidays.

B&B's Kick Gas!

B&Bs Kick Gas! Gas prices are rising and innkeepers are coming to the rescue with a “kick gas” promotion. To help relieve pain at the pump for travelers, inns and B&Bs throughout the U.S. and Canada are going the extra mile offering gas saving of all kinds.

Read More About the B&B's Kick Gas! program ...

... and find participating inns from the USA and Canada ... just in time for Spring Getaways!

 Our Tidewater Inn's Kick Gas promotion is available through June 30th.  Details, Details ... Click here.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

We've Set the Date! - Spring 2011 Wine Dinner Getaway Escape

You're invited to escape to Madison CT for a very special Wine Dinner Getaway.

On Friday April 29, 2011, in keeping with our tradition of creating a most memorable evening, we again offer our "Wine Dinner Getaway Escape" for your enjoyment. The evening will begin with a reception of fine hors d’oeuvres and wine, followed by a six-course tasting menu for a perfectly paired wine dinner experience!


All of the wines will be unique and interesting, complimenting each and every course. With each course you will learn about the wines and the regions they come from. We have selected the some of the areas finest offerings! Collaborating with us, the specially selected fine dining restaurant, the gourmet cheese shop and the wine shop will create a symphony for your palate!

All of the wines are exquisite and have been selected and are available at the Madison Wine Shop. The evening will be highlighted by Meghan Dwyer from Votto Vines Importing, a family owned company with"Old World Values and New World Vision™. The Madison Wine Shop has introduced us to Meghan Dwyer, who will be on hand to share her passion and extensive knowledge and to present and pour each wine. Hors d’oeuvres and dessert will be prepared by the Tidewater Inn, dinner courses will be prepared by Tiberio’s restaurant, the cheese course provided by Madison Cheese, etc..

This exciting journey of food and wine will begin at 6:30pm. After your sumptuous repast you’ll retire to the comfort of your beautifully appointed room here at the Tidewater Inn. You will wake the next morning to a bountiful breakfast, the perfect way to start your day. Spend the afternoon at the Madison Wine Shop to continue your wine tasting adventure. You may even extend your stay with us to take in all the Connecticut Shoreline has to offer, from our beautiful beaches to museums, there is something for everyone!

This "all-inclusive" one-night escape includes: your choice of one of our “comfiest bed and breakfast on the shoreline” guestrooms for one (1) night, "wine dinner" and Saturday morning breakfast. Rates depend on your choice of guestroom and range from $340.00 to $425.00 per couple or $240.00 to $325.00 for one – Plus taxes and gratuity. Add a second night’s stay, including breakfast and more, from $140.00 to $225.00 – Plus taxes.

This package is always a hit and sells out fast!
Hope to see you soon!
            We're ready to welcome you ...

Monday, April 4, 2011

Seek Unconditional Love

"Love Notes: Unconditional Love 101" by Rita Watson

"The world of love is often one of conditions. If you loved me you would. . . . .

In reality, ideal love — love that is unconditional — is one in which you love someone from the depths of your heart despite behavior, actions, or even qualities."

Read More ...

Getaways for Relaxing and Romance

Reunite and Rejuvenate at a B & B.
Madison Morning - by Rick M
    Just yesterday a friend and I were talking about how serene this wonderful part of the CT shoreline is.  Not sleepy. It's restful and serene. A sense of peace abounds.  You can feel the change in atmosphere as soon as you come across the Q bridge. Amazing.

   That's what our guests tell us too.  Restful and relaxing are adjectives they often use to describe how they feel while they're here.  It's a sense of well-being. ... Everything's right with the world...

   Today I came across an article titled "Serene Love ..." written by Rita Watson.   Here's an excerpt:
  "The news is out.  Men’s Health Magazine just revealed their list of the nation’s angriest cities. Making headlines on April 1, 2011, this was no April Fool’s joke.  But there was one big surprise -- Boston, Mass only received a 'D' rating.  If you happen to live in those cities on the list of the not-so-happy, this may not bode well for love and marriage.  Too much negativity surrounding you can stifle love.  But take heart. ..."

   The article continues, recommending a stay at a Bed and Breakfast as a "relaxing escape route" ... the way to bring love back and to reunite your hearts.


See you soon ...