A Day In Middlebury

Welcome to the next installment in our series, A Day In, where one of our Nutmeg Collective members takes us on a tour of their hometown and gives us the scoop on some of the must-see local spots. Today, ShawnaLee of Portraits by ShawnaLee, shares Middlebury with us.

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Quassy Amusement Park 

This park boasts views of Lake Quassapaug and has a lot to offer for a small town feel. New rides are always being added and they are always hosting local events.

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Flanders Whittemore Sanctuary

A great hike for any aged hiker with trail loops for your convenience. Trails are marked well, but do have a map and compass on you for the fun of it. The local scouts hike this often and it is well groomed. Beautiful trails and great sites abound throughout, and it is right down the road from Quassy Amusement Park. When you're done hiking, pick up a Pizza in town. Middlebury has copious pizza restaurants!

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 Lake Elise

Got tots? Less inclined hikers? A Scout troop that needs a *first time* outing? This is the trail loop for you! This loop is short enough for the tots and long enough that it is worth the outing with gorgeous lake views, a few scattered benches and a healthy song bird population. When you are done, head over the field across the street to play at Middlebury's Meadowview Park with a small playground, and some trails around a small pond behind the police station.

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Riches Ice Cream 

OK - this isn't in Middlebury, but this is where we all go for the creamiest Ice Cream around. Be sure to bring cash. Riches Farm Ice cream is fresh made, has a GORGEOUS patio to enjoy your ice cream while you gaze upon real cow barns and cow fields, and the occasional barn swallow.

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Larkin State Bridle Trail

When you are done, go for a hike along the Larkin State Bridle Trail.  Be sure to park your car so that horse trailers can also park.  If you see a horse, please be sure to communicate with the rider in a way that doesn't startle the horse.  The trail runs from Hop Brook all the way to Southbury and is enjoyed by walkers, joggers, and horses!

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ShawnaLee Kwashnak loves animals, a warm cup of coffee, and bringing joy to others by creating portraits of pets and people. Her cats provide constant critique and companionship to ensure each portrait comes out great. She supports animal welfare and has been featured on Pound Posse Presents and Pet Talk TV programs. ShawnaLee is a mother of three, leader of two Girl Scout Troop.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | artist@shawnalee.com

A Day In Niantic

Welcome to the next installment in our series, A Day In, where one of our Nutmeg Collective members takes us on a tour of their hometown and gives us the scoop on some of the must-see local spots. Today, Gail Barton of Sea Glass Designs shares some of her favorite places in Niantic.

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Niantic Boardwalk

Enjoy the ocean view and meet friendly people while getting some exercise on the 1 mile boardwalk. Don't forget to spend some time on the beach sea glassing.

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Gumdrops and Lollipops Candy Shop

There are lots of great restaurants in town. My favorite is Gumdrops and Lollipops. My grandson loves this place. Children's meals are served in a pail - so they are ready for the beach. There's plenty of candy and sweets to choose from also.

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Smoochie Bird Gift Shop

There is also great shopping in town. Smoochie Bird just opened and it is one of my favorite shops. Great assortment of gifts and jewelry.

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The Niantic Farmers Market

I do all my fresh fruit and vegetable shopping all in one place. The market also has vendors that sell local meats and seafood.

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The Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut

A hands on museum that has something for all age children. The outdoor playspace is awesome. I have as much fun as my grandson.

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Bruce and Gail Barton are owners of Sea Glass Designs. They spend the winter months living aboard our boat in the northern Bahamas collecting rare sea glass shards. The area is rich in beautiful old sea glass as a result of numerous shipwrecks on the reefs during the early 1800’s. Their jewelry features old and very rare pieces of sea glass and pottery. All of their jewelry is handcrafted and made with high quality materials and authentic sea glass.

Website | Facebook | Blog

Best of NC : A Day In West Hartford

This week, we're running the best posts from this past year.  Enjoy!

Welcome to the next installment in our series, A Day In, where one of our Nutmeg Collective members takes us on a tour of their hometown and gives us the scoop on some of the must-see local spots. Today we're visiting West Hartford, home of Trish Nelson of Melley Nelson Designs.

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Westmoor Park, www.westmoorpark.org, is a park that is used constantly. It has barns with the regular farm animals like horses, cows, pigs and barn kitties. It also has meadows, gardens, woods and a stream to see all sorts of wildlife animals. There is Plant a Row for the Hungry which is all about farming, volunteering, and donating food. Every school has field trips to the park and there are 'fests' for every season, including the Polar Bear Fest in the dead of winter, with games, demonstrations, music and hay rides.

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Elizabeth Park, www.elizabethparkct.org, which is home to the oldest public rose garden in the country. It is just lovely. There is the rose garden itself but there are also other gardens of different flowers: tulip, perennial, annual, shade and more. Gorgeous trees, greenhouses, a pond, bridges and paths. In addition, there are tennis courts, a baseball field and a lawn bowling club. On summer Wednesdays, there is a regular concert series where a ton of people come with dinner to listen to different music.

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Playhouse on Park, www.playhouseonpark.org, is in its sixth season of plays, musicals, comedy nights, improv, children's shows and dance. It's pretty amazing that this little theater can put on Tony Award winning plays like Proof and Angels in America and still have a ton of acting classes for adults and kids. And it's right next door to AC Petersens, a long time restaurant on Park Road with some pretty amazing ice cream.

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It's a toss up between the Noah Webster House, www.noahwebsterhouse.org, and the Children's Museum, www.thechildrensmuseumct.org. The NWHouse is great because it gives you a sense of the history of West Hartford. They have fun programs for kids and adults to experience the colonial times, including hearth cooking and tavern nights. 

The Children's Museum has a planetarium, which is a 40ft. dome that shows you the sky and also different science-based movies. There are rotating exhibits that keep children learning, playing, and discovering. Also there are wildlife animals and Conny the Whale, a 60 ft long sperm whale replica that you can climb all around.

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There are two Reservoirs, also know as The Res, where there are large bodies of water that are surrounded by lots and lots of trails, paved and not. Really, it is a long series of connected reservoirs and they are all loaded with walkers, runners and mountain bikers, pretty much anytime the sun is shining and even when it's not. It's wonderful all year round, but it is particularly beautiful in the fall. A nice surprising escape that, for the locals, is right down the street.

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Trish Nelson, of Melley Nelson Design, is an architect, artist and mother. Drawing house portraits gives her the opportunity to combine all three. The drawings are done of homes that are loved and have, or are about to have, many happy stories of the families that live in them.

Facebook | MelleyNelson@gmail.com

A Day In Winsted and Winchester

Melissa Post & Tom Porter select some must-see spots in the Winsted / Winchester area.

The American Mural Project
The American Mural Project is a 501(c)(3) organization with an unusual approach to arts education. It is involved in the creation of the largest indoor collaborative artwork in the world – a mural 120 feet long, five stories high, and up to ten feet deep. A tribute to working Americans, this mural is the center of the organization’s educational program.
http://americanmuralproject.org

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Whiting Mills
Opened in 2004, Whiting Mills building is now home to a variety of artists, craftspeople, retail shops, small manufacturing companies, and a center for artistic, community, and social events. Our semi-annual Open Studio events enjoy a reputation for being a destination for the public to enjoy meeting resident and guest artists at the Whiting Mills. It is to be the future home of the nationally acclaimed American Mural Project.
http://whitingmills.com

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Winchester Land Trust
The Land Trust is a private, nonprofit, service organization, directed and managed by its members, whose purpose is to promote, for the benefit of the general public, the preservation of open space and natural resources, principally in, but not limited to, the Town of Winchester.
http://www.winchester-landtrust.org

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Gilson Theater
Right on Main Street, the Gilson is a warm winter refuge where you can take in feature films while eating and drinking from an extensive menu and a full bar.
http://www.gilsoncafecinema.com/index2.htm

Post Porter Photoworks is a joint collaboration between husband and wife team Melissa Post and Tom Porter. The two met while working in a commercial photo lab, where their mutual passion for photography brought them together. They soon settled in the northwest corner of CT where the garden of their funky old home is a major source of inspiration. When not out puttering in the garden they can also be found paddling on their local ponds looking for photos of lily pads and snapping turtles!Website | Twitter | Facebook | melandtom@charter.net

A Day In West Hartford

Welcome to the next installment in our series, A Day In, where one of our Nutmeg Collective members takes us on a tour of their hometown and gives us the scoop on some of the must-see local spots. Today we're visiting West Hartford, home of Trish Nelson of Melley Nelson Designs.

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Westmoor Park, www.westmoorpark.org, is a park that is used constantly. It has barns with the regular farm animals like horses, cows, pigs and barn kitties. It also has meadows, gardens, woods and a stream to see all sorts of wildlife animals. There is Plant a Row for the Hungry which is all about farming, volunteering, and donating food. Every school has field trips to the park and there are 'fests' for every season, including the Polar Bear Fest in the dead of winter, with games, demonstrations, music and hay rides.

Photo Source

Elizabeth Park, www.elizabethparkct.org, which is home to the oldest public rose garden in the country. It is just lovely. There is the rose garden itself but there are also other gardens of different flowers: tulip, perennial, annual, shade and more. Gorgeous trees, greenhouses, a pond, bridges and paths. In addition, there are tennis courts, a baseball field and a lawn bowling club. On summer Wednesdays, there is a regular concert series where a ton of people come with dinner to listen to different music.

Photo Source

Playhouse on Park, www.playhouseonpark.org, is in its sixth season of plays, musicals, comedy nights, improv, children's shows and dance. It's pretty amazing that this little theater can put on Tony Award winning plays like Proof and Angels in America and still have a ton of acting classes for adults and kids. And it's right next door to AC Petersens, a long time restaurant on Park Road with some pretty amazing ice cream.

Photo Source

It's a toss up between the Noah Webster House, www.noahwebsterhouse.org, and the Children's Museum, www.thechildrensmuseumct.org. The NWHouse is great because it gives you a sense of the history of West Hartford. They have fun programs for kids and adults to experience the colonial times, including hearth cooking and tavern nights. 

The Children's Museum has a planetarium, which is a 40ft. dome that shows you the sky and also different science-based movies. There are rotating exhibits that keep children learning, playing, and discovering. Also there are wildlife animals and Conny the Whale, a 60 ft long sperm whale replica that you can climb all around.

Photo Source

There are two Reservoirs, also know as The Res, where there are large bodies of water that are surrounded by lots and lots of trails, paved and not. Really, it is a long series of connected reservoirs and they are all loaded with walkers, runners and mountain bikers, pretty much anytime the sun is shining and even when it's not. It's wonderful all year round, but it is particularly beautiful in the fall. A nice surprising escape that, for the locals, is right down the street.

Photo Source

Trish Nelson, of Melley Nelson Design, is an architect, artist and mother. Drawing house portraits gives her the opportunity to combine all three. The drawings are done of homes that are loved and have, or are about to have, many happy stories of the families that live in them.

Facebook | MelleyNelson@gmail.com

A Day In Granby

Welcome to the next installment in our series, A Day In, where one of our Nutmeg Collective members takes us on a tour of their hometown and gives us the scoop on the must-see local spots.  Today we're visiting Granby, home of Vanessa Felie of Queenvanna Creations.

In 2009, Connecticut Magazine ranked Granby the #3 overall Connecticut small town (population 10,000-15,000) to live in, and #1 small town in Hartford County. Granby today still maintains much of its rural New England flavor. Many old houses, old families, old roadways, and foundation holes still provide much evidence of a way of life not-so-very-lost. Some of the old houses and families stretch back to the earliest days of settlement when Granby was a little pocket of hardy pioneers on the outskirts of the "Bible Commonwealth." You can spend a day in Granby exploring this small town's history, with its small businesses and huge accessibility to nature.

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Cossitt Library
The Frederick H. Cossitt Library is a Queen Anne style building, built in 1890. Construction was funded by a bequest from Granby native Frederick H. Cossitt, a wealthy New York businessman. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988. Today the Cossitt Library is part of the Granby Library System and is fully modernized with internet access, an online catalog and a full children's department in the lower level. Yet the Cossitt has maintained the grace and beauty of a gentler time, and the Children's Department is warm and inviting with an extensive collection of books, movies and play areas.

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Grass Roots Creamery
On the town green, this family run ice cream shop is ice cream made from real food (like strawberries, peaches, berries, nuts, chocolate and coconut). No artificial dyes or colorings, natural and organic toppings. Open seasonally, fresh flavors rotate through in small batches, including Mandarin Orange, Irish Cream, Molasses Oatmeal Cookie and Rosemary Apricot. Grass Roots also works with Granby schools and community organizations during fundraisers and town celebrations. https://www.facebook.com/GrassRootsCreamery

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Lost Acres Vineyard
Discover hand crafted fine wines at Lost Acres Vineyard.  Enjoy a wine tasting, a cheese plate or antipasto plate available from the farm kitchen or bring a picnic. Gorgeous scenery in and around a beautiful building.  They will reopen with a Spring Farmers Market on April 1 and Granby Memorial High School Art Show April 2. Regular Hours start April 3, and events are held throughout the season including comedy shows, concert and other live music, art shows and markets.

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Lost Acres Orchard
The kitchen is open year-round, stocked with soups, chili, chicken pot pies, breads and bake-at-home cinnamon buns. They have recently also had fresh Chicken Noodle Soup, fresh quiche, gluten-free coconut macaroons… and more at the whim of the amazing Wutka/Accetura family. They host a lovely outdoor Mother’s Day brunch on their porch and under a tent, complete with tractor rides and flowers for mom. Call early to reserve a table, their events sell out quickly! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lost-Acres-Orchard/176534500186

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McLean Game Refuge

Senator George P. McLean gave to the Simsbury and Granby area an extraordinary legacy through his preservation of 3,200 acres of abandoned farms and wild land. The Refuge is open to the public for free for passive recreation and photography year round. There are many trails and picnic areas, and along with the simple rules standard to most hiking areas, the phrase “Leave only footprints and take only photographs and memories” is present. A sledding hill, waterfalls, and scenic views await! http://www.mcleangamerefuge.org/

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Hope you enjoyed the Granby highlights. For more information about Granby, please visit the town's website.


See our other A Day In posts here.

Vanessa Felie, aka "Queenvanna" juggles a husband and two blond pixies while running her burgeoning paper arts and crafts business, QueenvannaCreations. Her job and family inspire her to create crafty projects for holidays, vacations, as well as times when there's just not much going on. Perpetual calendars and other home items, scrapbooking album kits and personalized gifts of all kinds - She looks to add a little flair to everything she makes, to put some extra fun in to daily life, as well as special occassions.
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | queenvanna@cox.net

A Spring Day in Hartford

Join Hartford Prints! as they show you a way to spend a spring day in Hartford, Connecticut.

The Downtown Yoga Studio

Rise + Shine at Downtown Yoga

Start your day with a Rise & Shine class at Downtown Yoga on Pratt Street. This gorgeous studio, located on the second floor of historic 57 Pratt Street, offers a variety of all-levels classes six days a week. A Rise + Shine class at 6:00 a.m. will have you saluting the sun and feeling energized for the rest of the day. If you prefer to sleep in a little later, DTY also offers classes later in the day, like lunchtime Go With The Flow at noon, Un-Rush Hour at 5:30, and Weekend Warrior on Saturday mornings.  www.downtownyogastudios.com

One of the entrances to Keney Park

Golf and a walk in Keney Park
At 694 acres, Keney Park is Hartford’s largest. It features a public golf course, tennis courts, hiking trails, and more. Play a round of golf and then watch a cricket match, and if the weather’s warm enough, hop into one of the park’s two outdoor pools for a swim. You can even catch a glimpse of some graceful horses and on the neighboring Ebony Horsewoman farm. http://www.hartford.gov/parks/202-keney-park

Crispy, tender, mouth-watering beef patty from Scott’s Jamaican Bakery

Lunch at Scott’s Jamaican Bakery
After a morning full of exercise, lunch can’t come soon enough! Head over to Scott’s Jamaican Bakery in the North End for some of their famous Jamaican beef patties, curry goat, and coco bread. The prices are great, the people are the sweetest, and the flavors will have you dreaming of palm trees and Caribbean breezes.  http://scottsjamaicanbakery.com/

Corner view of Real Art Ways at 56 Arbor Street-also home to Hartford Prints!

Movie + gallery viewing at Real Art Ways

Relax after the active morning by heading over to Real Art Ways. This community space is both an independent movie theater and a gallery space. In addition to the rotating art exhibits, RAW also hosts a number of community events, notably their Creative Cocktail Hours. You can even have a cocktail from their bar while you watch a classic or contemporary art house feature. http://www.realartways.org/

Infinity Hall, Front Street, Hartford, CT

Dinner + Music at Infinity Hall
Round out your evening with dinner and a concert downtown at Infinity Hall. Front Street bistro offers a delicious selection of entrees and appetizers, along with Happy Hour Specials during the week. Then enjoy live music at the hall, where you can catch local, national, and internationally renowned acts alongside weekly trivia and open mic nights. http://www.infinityhall.com/

Hartford Prints! is a letterpress studio and stationery store that is all about family. We are three sisters and a press, making pretty paper in our home city of Hartford. Addy, Callie, and Rory joined forces in 2012 to create unique letterpress stationery that is modern and fun. From stunning wedding invitations to offbeat greeting cards, our printing prowess, killer style, and graphic genius work together to make effortlessly beautiful designs.
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | contact@hartfordprints.com

A Day In Stratford.

Welcome to the next installment in our series, A Day In... , where one of our Nutmeg Collective members takes us on a tour of their hometown and gives us the scoop on the must-see local spots.

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Today we are spending the day in Stratford, Connecticut with Alonda Baird-Juhasz of Designer Dwellings. Alonda and her husband moved to Stratford three years ago after falling in love with Paradise Green - a small center filled with mom-and-pop shops, bakeries, and restaurants alongside a town green. Join her as she takes us through town, which is full of scenic parks and history.

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After a walk through the park head onto Salerno's Apizza, Stratford's oldest pizzeria, baking pies since 1947. And if you are visiting in August, make sure to order the fresh plum tomato pie - only available for a few weeks. Made with fresh Connecticut-grown tomatoes,  the restaurant bakes up thousands of these pies for their short summer appearance.

Source: Alonda Baird Juhasz

A visit to Boothe Memorial Park & Museum is a scenic must. The 32-acre attraction has a clock tower museum, trolley station, chapel, rose gardens, miniature lighthouse and windmill, two playgrounds, carriage house and the original Sikorsky Bridge toll booth from the Merritt Parkway among several other fun sights.

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Fun fact: The world has six Stratfords. There are two Stratfords in Canada, one in New Zealand, one in Australia, and most famous of all,  Stratford upon Avon, known as the birthplace of Shakespeare. So it only makes sense that Stratford, Connecticut, would have its own American Shakespeare Theater. Built in 1955, the theater has run run festivals that hosted several famous actors, such as James Earl Jones, Christopher Plummer, Christopher Walken, Meredith Baxter and Katharine Hepburn. While the theater closed it's doors in 1982, the grounds still hold an annual Shakespeare Festival.

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Looking for something a bit beyond this world? Visit John Zaffi's Paranormal Museum. Zaffi is the nephew of famous ghost hunting duo Ed & Lorraine Warren. Zaffi also hosted his own show on the SyFy network called "Haunted Collector". His museum contains the items, such as masks and dolls, he has collected from his paranormal investigations over the years. 

We hope you enjoyed our stroll through Stratford.  For even more to do, please visit the town's website.

See our other A Day In posts here.

Written by Alonda Baird-Juhasz, owner of Designer Dwellings, who believes in adding color to life. An avid DIYer, sparkle-loving, all things fabulous addict, her shop features bright and fun home decor accessories and gifts. When not in the shop you can find her interior decorating or visual styling events and photo shoots.