Pattycake Pattycake, Baker Steve Gail's on the Common, Ridgefield My Kitchen 2016 Update: This seems like a wholly unnecessary "update," but here goes. As you'll read, Gail's on the Common was closed before the book that contained the list I completed was published. The owner kept a sister restaurant (which had … [Read more...]
Sanctuary of Love (Gone)
Baptism by Bathtub Sanctuary of Love, Norwich November 14, 2008 Unfortunately I was a little late to this odd attraction. I'm still writing about it because it still exists (in 2008) to a large degree and because, well, because it's still a Connecticut curiosity. After the Hell Hollow area in Voluntown … [Read more...]
Haight-Brown Vineyard (Closed)
Haight-Asbury had LSD, Haight-Brown has Wine Haight-Brown Vineyards, Litchfield November 2, 2008 The winery, Connecticut's first, closed in August 2023. Our fourth wine tour stop in one day - not a particularly impressive feat, if not for the fact that we had our little Damian with us. This would be our last … [Read more...]
Freedom Trail: Bloomfield (Removed)
Francis Gillette House, Bloomfield Address redacted I have no idea why or when it happened, but this house is no longer part of the Connecticut Freedom Trail. I've decided to keep this page here, however, because I think it's a cool story. I began my tour of this far-ranging trail close to home... in … [Read more...]
DiGrazia Vineyards (Closed)
Grazie mille! DiGrazia Vineyards, Brookfield November 2008 DiGrazia closed in March of 2022. Our day of visiting four western wineries was still going along swimmingly. We had to knock out four of them on this day, as we “had” to visit the required 14 to fulfill the Passport Program to be prize-eligible. … [Read more...]
McLaughlin Vineyards (Closed)
"Next issue... Wine! Mort! Pat! Eleanor!" McLaughlin Vineyards, Newtown November 2, 2008 While editing my winery pages, it came to my attention that this place closed in 2016. Yelp reviews towards the end were not kind. Our 2008 visit wasn't too bad, but we were young and naive. I'm writing this on the … [Read more...]
Cottrell Brewing Company
Happy Birthday to Me! Cottrell Brewing Company, Stonington November 14, 2008 Cottrell closed its doors at the end of January 2022 after a long, long run. This page is really, really old. After having visited the very-close-to-home Hooker Brewing Company in Bloomfield, I was happy to find another of … [Read more...]
The Best Free Cheesecake (Closed)
Two Words: Free. Cheesecake David Glass Factory, Bloomfield/South Windsor November 8, 2008 (Plus many more). [Sad Update 2010: Desserts by David Glass is closed. I guess the writing was sort of on the wall as you read below.] [Happy Update 2011: They're back! And they've moved over to South Windsor and … [Read more...]
Heritage Trail Vineyards (RIP)
Not Quite the Lisbon, But Close Enough Heritage Trail Vineyards, Lisbon November 1, 2008 March 2013 Update: Closed! Which isn't surprising to me... If you read this page all the way through, you'll see how it really fell apart. Interestingly, I think our first visit with Diane Powell owning it was great. Then … [Read more...]
432. Submarine Library and Museum (Closed)
A Sinking Ship Submarine Library and Museum, Middletown RIP 2003 It is downright silly of me to attempt to write about this defunct museum. It shuttered its windows with the passing of its lone curator, Ben Bastura. And from all I can gather from the internet, Mr. Bastura was quite a figure. I will simply copy … [Read more...]