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08/03/2016 06:00 AMBefore summer is over, Linda Bergonzi King of Guilford will go berry picking with her family. Elizabeth Friedman-Rubin of Madison will enjoy a wine tasting at a local Connecticut vineyard. A Thimble Island tour in Branford is on Barbara-Jean Varley Glisson’s list of things to do during the summer. And Liz Meehan Neighbors of Madison will be sure to eat slices of delicious heirloom tomato from her favorite local farm, on a wrap, slathered with mayonnaise and sprinkled with a bit of salt and pepper, then folded in half.
“Perfection. My favorite summer lunch,” she says.
There is still some time to enjoy the simple pleasures of summer. The season officially ends with the arrival of the fall equinox at 10:21 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22. But the truth is, college students often leave for school in mid- to late-August, and the local schools start late August and early September, so it feels like summer is now hurtling to an end.
With that in mind, we asked for recommendations from our readers, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. We asked them what is on their must-do-during-the-summer list that they would recommend to other shoreline residents and their out-of-town visitors. They told us about local day trips, outdoor concerts, Shakespeare on the town green, and several places to eat, among other things.
What’s on your list? Let us know at p.mcnerney@shorepublishing.com and we’ll include it in a follow-up article. In the meantime, we hope you have time to relax and enjoy what’s left of the summer!
Day Trips
Sip, Shop, Dine: Elizabeth Friedman-Rubin of Madison loves visiting Connecticut vineyards during the summer. She recently visited Saltwater Farm Vineyard on Elm Street in Stonington and tried four different varieties. “You can bring your own food to enjoy, too,” she says. “We ventured into town and ate at Noah’s and poked around in the lovely shops before making our way to the town beach. It was a perfect day!” There are more than 25 wineries on the Connecticut Wine Trail, in the Litchfield Hills, the Connecticut and Housatonic River Valleys, and along the shoreline, many of which provide great excuses to also explore new areas of the state. Shoreline vineyards include Bishop’s Orchards Winery and Farm Market in Guilford, which has several great shops and restaurants around their town green, a short drive away. Chamard Vineyards in Clinton could provide an excuse to visit some of the galleries that have popped up downtown and, of course, the outlets nearby. Bishop’s produces almost a dozen different varieties of wine and a hard apple cider. The orchard often uses its own fruit as a basis for each wine. Chamard has a singer/songwriter series on Fridays and Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and also has a bistro serving a farm kitchen menu. Picnics can be ordered in advance. For more information, visit www.ctwine.com. And, if you want to try out several Connecticut wineries in a one stop shopping trip, consider attending the Shoreline Wine Festival at Bishop’s Orchards, on Saturday, Aug. 13 and Sunday, Aug. 14. For more information, visit www.shorelinewinefestival.com.
Eat and Eat and Read: Nancy Faughnan of Madison loves to head out to Niantic, have dinner at the Black Sheep on Main Street, head over to the old fashioned candy store called Gumdrops and Lollipops just down the street, and then to the Book Barn, which sells more than 500,000 used books. There are also cats. Lots of cats. She recommends timing dinner and the candy store so that you still have lots of time to browse at the Book Barn, open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. most days of the year. “It felt like we were on vacation,” she says. “It was so fun!” Find out more about the Book Barn at www.bookbarnniantic.com, the Black Sheep at www.theblacksheepniantic.com, and the old fashioned candy store at www.gumdropsnlollipops.net.
Island Hopping: Barbara-Jean Varley Glisson recommends taking a Thimble Island tour in Branford before the summer is out. “We’ve taken the boat tour numerous times. It’s always fun,” she says. Those interested in island hopping, Connecticut style, have three options of tour boats and each provides a slightly different tour, so it can be fun to do more than just one. There is the Sea Mist from the Thimble Island Cruise company (www.thimbleislandcruise.com), which has been owned and operated by the Infantino family for 38 years. There is the Volsunga IV (www.thimbleislands.com) operated by the Milne family. And there is Captain Dave Kusterer’s 26-foot port launch (www.thimbleislander.net). Captain Bob Milne of the Volsunga IV has also authored a storybook about the islands, which features information about the history, legends, and illustrations, along with a map of the islands. There’s also a dateline that goes back 250,000,000 years, and stories about the tragic end of an Indian princess in the islands, and about the deadly 1938 hurricane. If you want a bite to eat after your tour, head up the nearby Stony Creek Market on Thimble Island Road and get a sandwich or some pizza. It’s open most days from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can eat it there, or on a nearby beach, where you can see kayakers, boaters, and the islands themselves.
Mini Golf/Go Karts:
If mini-golf and go carts sound like your idea of summer fun, you have two options on and close to the shoreline. The first is in Old Saybrook, at 154 College Street on Old Saybrook Point, overlooking the water where the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound meet. Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day through Labor Day, it’s open on the weekends through Columbus Day, on Fridays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. It costs only $5 per round, with discounts offered during the day for children on Mondays and senior citizens on Wednesdays. Soda, water, ice cream, hot dogs, and chips also are available. Rules include a five-stroke limit per hole, no profanity, and “have fun.” See www.oldsaybrookrec.com/documents/website_page_2014.pdf for more information. The second is in North Haven at The Only Game in Town, where you also can enjoy go-karts, an arcade, and a golf range. Here, you have your choice of indoor Thriller Mini Golf, set to a soundtrack of the “hottest music,” or traditional outdoor mini golf, nine holes or 18. For more information: www.onlygamect.com.
Shakespeare Outside
Shoreline residents have several options for Shakespeare outside this season.
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The Taming of the Shrew will be offered on the banks of the Connecticut River on Friday, Aug. 5 at 6 p.m., at the Connecticut River Museum, 67 Main Street in Essex (
http://essexct.com/event/theatre-along-river).[/naviga:li][naviga:li]
The Two Gentlemen of Verona will be playing through Sunday, Aug. 7, at 7:30 p.m. nightly on the Guilford town green. The productions are free, although donations are requested. Attendees are encouraged to bring picnics, chairs, and blankets. There will be pre- and post-show Talk Backs every night. Pre-show Talk Backs begin at 6:30 p.m .under the tent and post-shows at the stage immediately following final curtain (www.shorelinearts.org/shakespeare.cfm.)[/naviga:li][naviga:li]The Shoreline Actors Collective, of Kidz Konnection Theater Company will host Shakespeare in the Garden featuring
The Merchant of Venice, Saturday, Aug. 13 at 5 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 14 at 2 p.m. at the Old Brick, 103 East Main Street, Clinton. Admission is free. Guests are welcome to bring picnics, blankets, and folding chairs. For more information, call 860-227-2363. [/naviga:li][naviga:li]Elm Shakespeare will offer
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 18-21, 23-28, 30-31, and Sept. 1-4, with all shows at 8 p.m. at Edgerton Park, 75 Cliff Street in New Haven.[/naviga:li][/naviga:ul]
Outdoor Art
The Hollycroft Foundation, based in Essex, has been busy sprucing up its outdoor Madison Mile art exhibit for its 25th anniversary. One of the first outdoor sculpture shows in the country, the exhibit features artists from Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Most of the works are on display near the center of town on the Boston Post Road and at Samson Rock, on Samson Rock Road. Of the 41 works on display, there will be 24 new ones this season. New additions include a fifteen-foot tall sculpture called Niagara, by Rob Lorenson, a Massachusetts artist. A cast iron work entitled Magpie by Harry Gordon has been lowered in place in the First Niagara courtyard in the center of town. Also this year, two large abstract pieces will venture beyond the usual boundaries of the exhibit, one at 36 Wall Street and the other near Meig’s Lane, right after Wells Fargo Bank. William Bendig, the Madison Mile curator, says the high-visibility duo by the acclaimed New York School abstract sculptor, Richard Heinrich, deserves “attention and comment.” He cited one art critic who says the works present “the silent self-possession of an ancient forest, but their chord-like intersections, their sudden turns and melodic bends, and the choral effect of multiple vertical figures bundled together result in a sparkling, inexorable musicality.” Bendig added he wasn’t sure the average person will recognize the “musicality” in the pieces. But he’s confident another new entry, entitled Clapotis, which includes a nude lady and a dolphin momentarily suspended “high up in the salt air” by a “somewhat prurient” wave, might be more popular, particularly with the shoreline’s “vast community of sailors.” A birthday celebration is being planned for October but, in the meantime, art lovers can not only check out the new works, and old, and also enjoy an exhibit at Scranton Memorial Library 801 Boston Post Road, Madison about the works of art, and the history of the Madison Mile (www.hollycroft.org).
What to Eat
Summer, for the King family of Guilford, means blueberry picking at Bishop’s Orchards in Guilford.
“The blueberry adventure was so much fun! We headed to Bishop’s and I’m not sure the boys knew what they were getting into! It was pretty hot on Sunday and we went full force with our buckets in hand. Jaden picked some nice ones, Evan picked a few less and I was so busy taking pictures I made up for lost time when they pooped out,” she says.
But not her husband, Bobby King. “Farmer Bobby grew up in NC and knows how to pick berries! Before we knew it, his bucket was full to the brim! The boys and I combined picked about half of what Bobby picked.” She’s been taking the blueberries to work, Jaden has them every night before bed and the rest are slated for a blueberry cobbler (See this week’s Food Court for the recipe). “Vanilla ice cream from Bishop’s is standing by,” she says.
In addition to pick your own farms, and farm stands, Farmer’s Markets are a great source for local produce and the Chester Sunday Market is a favorite for many shoreline residents, and merchants alike. For more about the Chester Sunday Market, and Farmer’s Market in general, see our recent feature at www.zip06.com/farmersmarkets2016.
If it’s lobster you love, the shoreline offers many options. For lobster rolls, there’s Lobster Landing, 152 Commerce Street, in Clinton; the Lobster Pound, 505 Old Whitfield Street, in Guilford; the Lobster Shack, 7 Indian Neck, Branford; and the Place, 901 Boston Post Road, Guilford, for grilled lobster. If you want to get a little further out of town, visit Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough, 117 Pearl Street, Groton. In addition to lobster rolls, Abbott’s also offers lobster deviled eggs. And don’t ask us which one is our favorite. Our favorite is whichever one we’re eating at, at the time.
Summer Fests
Fairs and festivals are often associated with the fall, but a few shoreline towns like to get a jump on the season. If you’re looking for crafts, cotton candy, rides, or fireworks, check out some of these options:
• The North Branford Potato and Corn (PoCo) Fest, Friday, Aug. 5 to Sunday, Aug. 7, the Augur Property, Route 22, North Branford. www.nbpotatofest.com. With fireworks on Saturday, Aug. 6 at 9:15 p.m.
• The 18th Annual Guilford Lions Club Craft Fair and Festival, Saturday, Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Guilford Green.
• Friday, Aug. 12 and Saturday, Aug. 13 the 63rd Annual Clinton Summer Fair at the First Church of Christ Congregational, 59 East Main Street, Clinton.
• Woofstock, Saturday, Aug. 13 from noon to 6 p.m. Free music festival, all dogs and their people welcome. WoofWalk is at 11 a.m.
• Shoreline Wine Fest, Saturday, Aug. 13 and Sunday, Aug. 14, Bishop’s Orchards Winery, 1355 Boston Post Road, Guilford.
• East Haven Lobsterpalooza, Thursday, Aug. 18, 5:30 p.m. Amarante’s Sea Cliff, 62 Cove Street, New Haven. www.easthavenchamber.com.
• Second Annual Clinton Summer Fest and Fireworks, Saturday, Aug. 20 at 5 p.m. www.clintonct.com/fireworks
• 26th Annual Taste the Shoreline, Sunday, Aug. 21, noon to 6 p.m. Guilford Green. www.shorelinechamberct.com
Outdoor Movies
Guilford is hosting a beach movie night Thursday, Aug. 11 at Jacobs Beach, 123 Seaside Avenue, Guilford. For more information, visit www.visitguilfordct.com/event/beach-movie-night-jacobs-beach
Madison Beach Hotel is hosting its Grassy Strip free weekly film festival through August. Bring blankets for seating, or reserve a seat on the outdoor patio at the hotel’s Wharf Restaurant. The August movie schedule is as follows:
• August 9 — Zootopia
• August 16 – Hotel Transylvania 2
• August 23 — The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water
• August 30 — Rudy
Outdoor Concerts
North Haven
Concerts are offered in North Haven on Tuesdays at 7:00 P.M. on the Town Green, unless otherwise noted. Parking is available at the Town Hall Annex and Town Pool lots. The August schedule includes:
• Tuesday, August 9: Avenue Groove Rhythm & Blues/Funk
• Tuesday, August 16: Timmy Maia Experience Motown — Today’s Music
• Tuesday, August 23: Soul Sound Revue Motown/Rhythm & Blues
• Tuesday, August 30:Primetime Party Band
East Haven:
East Haven offers Sunday concerts starting each week at 6 p.m. on the East Haven Green. The August schedule is:
• August 7-Groove Time
• August 14-Vinnie Carr Party Band
• August 21-Neapolitan Night with Nina Pane Sansaverino
• August 28-Avenue Groove
Branford:
Branford has concerts on their town green (1019 Main Street, Branford for GPS directions) on Thursdays through August. All shows will begin at 6:30 p.m. No dogs, no alcohol. For more information, see branfordjazz.com. The August schedule includes:
• August 4: Dr. Joe & Friends Featuring Elise Cardinale
• August 11: The Saxtet Under the Direction of Darren Litzie
• August 15: TIZER Quartet
• August 25: Opius Bliss Featuring Michelle Walker
Madison:
All concerts on the Madison town green are free and family friendly, and run from 6 to 8 p.m. Bring a chair, picnic, and you are welcome to bring non-alcoholic beverages, but alcohol is not allowed on the town green.
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[naviga:li]Sunday, August 7, 60's Satisfaction Music from the 60's of course![/naviga:li]
[naviga:li]Sunday, August 14, The Larry Stevens Band Rock/Pop/Folk/Country[/naviga:li]
[naviga:li]Sunday, August 21, The Mystery Tour Beatles Tribute Band[/naviga:li]
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Madison Beach and Recreation also sponsors concerts at the Surf Club. All of these concerts are free, and family friendly, and run from 7 to 9 p.m. Bring a chair.
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Essex:
The Essex Parks & Recreation Summer Concert Series alternates between Tuesdays in Ivoryton and Wednesdays in Essex from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on the town greens.
• Wednesday, Aug. 10, Blues on the Rocks, Essex Main Street
• Tuesday, Aug. 16, UHF, Ivoryton Green
Deep River:
The Deep River Music & a Meal series features a different band and accompanying restaurant each Thursday at 6:30 p.m. during the summer.
• Thursday, Aug. 4, Jim Shepley Band, Town Landing, Food by Lace Factory
• Thursday, Aug. 11, Smoke Bubbles, Town Green, Food by Whistle Stop
•Thursday, Aug. 18, Charter Oak, Town Landing, Food by Ivory Restaurant
In case of rain, concerts relocate to the Town Hall Auditorium
Chester:
Mike LaChance at the Cedar Lake Snack Shack serves up a free concert series—alongside lobster rolls and other summer fare—every Sunday night on the beach. And gallery owner and artist Leif Nilsson presents his Concerts in the Garden series on Thursdays and select Friday evenings at the Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio and Gallery, 1 Spring Street, Chester. The gallery concerts are as follows:
• Thursday, Aug. 11, The Grays
• Friday, Aug. 19, Michelle Walker and Opius Bliss
• Thursday, Aug. 25, Jen Low and the Firefly Band
• Concerts move inside in the event of rain
More Outdoor Fun
Yoga on the Beach: Through Labor Day Weekend, the staff of Body Karma will offer yoga every Sunday and Tuesday at 9 a.m. at Hammonasset Beach State Park, 1288 Boston Post Road in Madison. Park at the Meigs Point Parking area and meet at the jetty near the boat launch, or park at the Nature Center and follow the signs. All classes are free and suitable for beginners. All are welcome. Bring a towel, sunscreen and water. Visit www.hammonasset.org for more information.