For July’s “Around the Office” we thought we’d share some of the things we like to do during the summer with you. We hope our ideas will inspire you to try something new- a new sport, a new restaurant or a trip to a new place.
CRAIG
Carolyn and I are outdoor people. We like to ski during the Winter months- kayak and mountain bike in the Summer.
For mountain biking we love the Kingdom trails in Northern Vermont. It’s one of the most picturesque places we’ve ever visited. We also like the trails at Mount Snow in Southern Vermont. Closer to home we have the Rockland Preserve which is one of the most popular trails in Connecticut and the entire Northeast. What’s awesome is that the trails at Rockland have been built and maintain exclusively by volunteers.
Kayaking is new to us. We purchased a two-person Kayak. We’ve been married for 30 years, but the two-person Kayak has been a challenge! It’s sorta like dancing- we both want to lead!
I think we may purchase single Kayaks, so we stay married for another 30!!
We’ve just starting to explore some lakes in Southern Vermont and some spots closer to home here in Connecticut.
I’d love to hear some of your favorite spots for both mountain biking and kayaking.
See you on the trails and waterways!
KIM
The summer starts with me putting together my “summer bucket list” and if I get to half of the items I’m happy. Usually a good portion of the list involves sharing a good meal, in a great atmosphere, with friends and family. Here are some of my favorite outdoor, summer spots:
- Chester Farmers Market on Sunday mornings
- Café Flo at the Florence Griswold Museum for lunch
- Mystic: Red 36 and the Oyster Club/Treehouse
- Blue Oar on the CT River
- Pa’s Place in Guilford for casual lunch or dinner
- New Haven: Shell & Bones Oyster Bar and Grill
The list would not be complete without an evening on the porch at the Madison Beach Hotel for cocktails, music, and a sunset. Happy summer!
TERRI
Summer is definitely my favorite time of year. Anything involving sun, sand, and surf is right up my alley! Beach days force me to relax and slow down – in the winter I will almost never sit down and relax or read a book in the middle of the day, but I catch up on lost time over the summer.
Mike and I recently spent a day at Salt Island, which is a tiny, uninhabited island off of Westbrook. It’s a neat place to explore, with a little beach, unique rock formations, and lots of tide pools brimming with sea life. We went there by boat, but one of the neatest things about the island is that at low tide, the water gets shallow enough that people can walk in waist-deep water all the way out from the mainland. One of the great things about our area is that there are always interesting new places to discover, and the summer is the perfect time to do that.