Cove Island Park, Stamford, CT

We haven't been able to go to some of our favorite bike trails due to Fall sports, so took a couple of hours and headed over to Cove Island Park in Stamford with the kids' bikes.  There is no entrance fee at the moment as its after Labor Day.  You can walk into the park during the summer without paying a fee but as there isn't anywhere to park, outside of the beach sticker parking lot, it's not an option if you do not live in the area .  Non residents can buy a beach sticker but it is $225 for the summer and it is only good for weekdays.

We walked the loop with our Dutch Shepherd as the kids rode their bikes on the paved loop.  Its cold but beautiful at the moment.  This weekend is suppose to warm up again, so a great time to check out Cove.

Cove Island Park has two beaches, a salt marsh area, a butterfly garden (thanks to Master Gardener volunteers from Bartlett Arboretum), a mile loop walking trail and paved circular track good for biking and roller blading.  There are picnic areas with bbq grills and Sound Waters Environmental Education Center is located in the park.

For information about Cove Island Park, go to: http://www.stamfordct.gov/city-parks/pages/cove-island-park

Sound Waters is a great educational center and I've been on their education sails in the summer, which are a lot of fun.  Sound Waters does hold a camp in the summer and you do not need to be a Stamford resident to attend.  For information on Sound Waters, go to: http://www.soundwaters.org

Afterwards, as we were so close to Colony Pizza in Stamford, we went for our thin crust pizza fix.  I'm always shocked how few people in our town know of Colony, even though they have recently expanded into Fairfield and Milford.  The only thing to eat at Colony Grill is pizza, at least the original location, but if you have never been, you have to go at least once.  For information, go to: http://www.colonygrill.com

The smaller beach

Our Dutch Shepherd loves the beach.  We have seen dogs off leash but I'm not sure if it is allowed, we saw no signs.  If we let her off leash, she would have gone right into the water after the birds.

We saw some Monk Parrots in these trees, odd to see these vibrant birds living in Connecticut but we see them often at Cove Island Park.

Trying to Pretend it's Still Summer

Well, kids sports have kept us from exploring this Fall and that has been a bit depressing.  So many hikes and bike trails missed.  We didn't even get to go Apple Picking this Fall!  At least this Friday and Saturday look good for some quality time at the beach.  If you live in a town without beach access, its your last chance to go before it turns rainy and cold.  We went to PearTree Point Beach in Darien to hang out as after Labor Day a beach sticker is no longer needed (same does not apply to Weed Beach in Darien).  We have also hit Cove Beach in Stamford to walk around the track with the dog and play on the beach, once again, no beach sticker needed.  Sunday turns cold, so if like me, you live in a landlocked town, its worth it to go to the beach - and its free!  Just keep in mind that facilities will be closed at most places, so bathroom break before the beach.

Pear Tree Point Beach in Darien

For directions, go to: http://www.mapquest.com/maps?name=Pear%20Tree%20Point%20Beach%20Park&address=90%20Pear%20Tree%20Point%20Rd&city=Darien&state=CT&zipcode=06820

Going to Pear Tree?  Want to grab some food?  Its not far from Post Corner Pizza in Darien which has great Greek Pizza and not expensive.  http://postcornerpizza.com

Another way to pretend its still summer?  Grab some ice cream.  Mr. Frosty's in Norwalk is open until the end of October.  They had a great summer with various food trucks visiting them at night but as the weather has changed, you should call to see if there will be a food truck, as there is no longer a schedule.  Great outdoor seating area and of course the water is close. The kids love it. Also, specialty pumpkin flavors are now available.

Check out their website: http://www.mrfrostysicecream.com

The seating area with food truck - I didn't get the name but they were serving empanadas

Looking down at the water from Mr. Frosty's at sunset

Silvermine Market on the New Canaan/Norwalk Line

Went to the Silvermine Market in New Canaan (right on the Norwalk line in Silvermine) this Sunday for breakfast.  It is such a cute little building, you begin to forget that you are right in the middle of suburbia.  It is also a fairly cheap eat, as you order at the register, so no waiter service (but there is a tip jar at the register).

The food is good but I would not classify it as great (my opinion).  That being said, this is one of my favorite places for meeting up with friends for breakfast or just tea.  The seating area is wonderful, the staff is very nice and the ambionce is great .  It is also right across the street from the Silvermine Art Center; you may have to park in their parking lot as the small lot in front of the Market does fill quickly.  Of course, you can also check out the gallery at the Silvermine Art Center or pick up a brochure for a variety of classes for adults and children.  http://silvermineart.org

Silvermine Market hours are 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Saturday and Sundays, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Starting again mid-September, The Market is open for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays and it is BYOB.

For their menu and more information and directions, go to: http://www.silverminemarket.com

Part of the outdoor seating area

The view from our table with window bench.

French Toast!

Great Sunday Morning at Elephant's Trunk in New Milford

Had a great morning at Elephant's Trunk in New Milford.  Even though Saturday had rained quite a bit, plenty of vendors were there Sunday morning.  We saw everything from antique and mid century modern furniture to military uniforms to Halloween costumes.  A few vendors were selling beautiful mums, perrenials and house plants.

If you go, you have to get the fresh made doughnuts, get the cinnamon and sugar, and go to the "Sausage Guy" table.  His stuff is delicious!

Entrance fee is $2 for anyone older than 10 years old.  If you arrive before 7:00 a.m., it is $20 - for the serious "flea marketer".

For directions and information, go to: http://www.etflea.com/_/Home.html
There is also a Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elephants-Trunk-Flea-Market/221862391163607

Check their website and/or Facebook page if you are unsure if they will be open due to weather, usually posted by Saturday evening.

Go to a Brewery Tour in Stratford At Two Roads Brewery

I have not been to Two Roads Brewery in Stratford but my husband went and he thought it was great!  For $5 he had a tour of the brewery, some samples and then was able to go into the Beer Garden where you can order beer from their "beer truck" and Food Trucks are in the Beer Garden to serve food.  It was a great night out.

As mentioned, tours are $5 and if you have a group of people going, you need to call ahead of time to let them know.  They will not allow in party buses that just show up.  Anyone under age 21 or pets are not allowed in the brewery.

Brewery tours are Friday night at 6:30 p.m., Saturdays at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5:00 pm. and Sundays at 1 and 3:00 p.m.  The brewery also has a private room available for parties and events.  Go to their website to see their food truck calendar, to help plan your visit.

For information, please go to: http://tworoadsbrewing.com

The website lists all upcoming events, like their upcoming Ok2berfest, September 27-28th which will have live music and food trucks.  Tickets must be purchased in advanced at $15 each and 21 and older only.  To purchase tickets, go to: http://tickets.beerfests.com/events/17625

You can check on their website as to where to buy Two Roads Beer.  We discovered it at our local Trader Joe's.

Norwalk Oyster Festival - Joan Jett!

So, I'm not the biggest fan of the Norwalk Oyster Festival.  To me it felt like it kind of went down hill in the last five years.  The $12 admission fee adds up with a family, the crafts were no longer very good (just an opinion) and the food court lost a few regulars (Where did you go Norwalk Ski Club?!?!).  So, I haven't been in a couple of years but...Joan Jett will be playing on Saturday night!  I mean, that's kind of cool.  Very retro 80s act and yes, I love Rock 'n Roll!  There will be other entertain on Friday Night (Scott Stapp of Creed) and Sunday during the day, but I'm really only interested in Saturday night.  Admission is $12 and includes the entertainment.

For information, go to: http://www.seaport.org

It will hopefully be worth the trip.  I haven't had a Pizza Fritta in a long time.

Food Trucks at Veterans' Park in Stamford

In Stamford and looking for a nice place to eat, without spending too much?  Head over to Veterans' Park where every week day from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., food trucks will be serving some great food.  There is also live music for your entertainment.

The schedule for Veterans' Park is listed on the website: http://stamford-downtown.com/events/truck-in-the-park/#.VAYnJktW139

I wouldn't rely on the schedule though, better to rely on the food truck twitters feeds, which are below:







Bounty Food Truck: https://twitter.com/Bountyft
The Poutine King: https://twitter.com/ThePoutineKing1
Valencia Luncheria: https://twitter.com/ValenciaTruck
Melt Mobile: https://twitter.com/Melt_Mobile
Lobster Craft: https://twitter.com/LobsterCraft
The Firehouse Grill: https://www.facebook.com/FDChefs  (This is a FB page, not on Twitter)
Bodega: https://twitter.com/BodegaTacoBar
Maddy's Food Truck: https://www.facebook.com/Maddysfoodtruck
Have A Ball: http://haveaballnyc.com  - website, truck will be coming soon

I have not added Taco Loco as it appears they are no longer on the schedule.  Another schedule change we saw today at the park is Bounty Food Truck was on the schedule for Mondays.

 

This is the regular Poutine from The Poutine King.  The picture may not look pretty but this Canadian dish was excellent.  Fries, brown gravy and cheese curds (the truck says cheese but they are cheese curds).  Best Poutine ever?  No, that was had in New Brunswick of all places.  However, better than any I had in Montreal this year, and I tried a lot of Poutine in Montreal.

The Valencia Luncheria Beef Picadilla Empanada.  Its bigger than it looks, was delicious and only $3 - and really more than enough for lunch.

Veterans' Park in Stamford is on Atlantic Avenue, behind the Stamford Mall.

Greenwich Audubon

Went to the Greenwich Audubon for a walk in the woods and do some bird watching.  What a beautiful facility, right in Fairfield County.  The landscape is amazing with native plants everywhere to attract birds and butterflies.  I have to admit that we didn't see too many birds but I presume this was due to the Red Tail Hawks circling over the fields.   We did see a bird in the parking lot I've never seen before.  A very pale yellow bird with a black mask covering the eyes.  Still trying to look it up online.

The grounds at the Greenwich Audubon are free to the public and there are a few trails through the woods.  Walking through the woods feels like you are in a much more remote area.  It is a walk, not a hike, and dogs are not allowed.  There is a lake and many wetland areas with Bird Blinds for bird watching.  It is very peaceful with a few exceptions of small planes over head going to Westchester County Airport.

The Educational Center at Greenwich Audubon was not open when we went but I have been there in the past.  Its only a few dollars to get in and has a great little museum as well as educational information about birds and the environment.  If you are a teacher or leader of a cub scout/brownie group - call the center about hosting events for your group.

A great place to go with a picnic out on the lawns and then go for a walk through the woods.

For more information, go to: http://greenwich.audubon.org

The Fields








 
The Woods

The Lake

7th Annual Blues, Views and BBQ Festival This Weeekend!

Its the 7th Annual Blue, Views and BBQ Festival and like the last festivals, it should be amazing.  Now, tickets are $60 for full access on Saturday, but the musical line-up is fantastic.  Spin Doctors will be the Saturday evening headliners, making me feel very nostalgic for my college days.  The Sunday all day access pass is $35.  Children under 12 are free with paying adult.

 If you just want to go to the Kids Fun Fest area, the tickets are only $10 and children under 12 are free. Of course, you will be able to hear the music from this area, just not so close.

For information, go to the website: https://www.bluesviewsbbq.com

For the Facebook page, go to: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blues-Views-BBQ-Festival-Westport/217585628253206

Sept. 1st - Lemonade Stand to raise funds for the Catherine Hubbard Animal Sanctuary in Newtown, CT

Will you be in the New Canaan area this Monday, Sept. 1st?  If so, please stop by the Catherine Hubbard Memorial Lemonade and Bake Sale.  10 a.m. to 4pm, 508 Ponus Ridge Road, New Canaan, CT

Catherine, a little girl who loved animals, was taken from this world too soon in the Sandy Hook School Tragedy.  Her family is helping to start up an animal sanctuary in her name.  All proceeds from the Lemonade/Bake Sale will go to realize this dream.

For information on the Catherine Hubbards Animal Sanctuary, please go to the Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/CatherineVioletHubbardAnimalSanctuary

If you are in the area, please stop by and help support Catherine's dream of taking care of animals.

Bake Sale
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
508 Ponus Ridge Road
New Canaan, CT

Bounty Food Truck - Best Burger in Fairfield County!

In Rowayton for a morning kayak trip (and it was beautiful!) and stopped by the Rowayton Farmer's Market for lunch.  Decided to try the burgers and fries from Bounty Food truck.  Wow!  In the top five of burgers I have ever had.  The burger practically just melted in my mouth.  The fries were amazing.  Most people try to do "dirty fries" as they are fresh and should be better but most places typically fail when trying to cook them; these fries were fantastic.

All the meat is organic, grass fed and locally sourced.  As soon as you bite into the burger, you know it is quality beef.  I also tried their ice tea made from coconut water.  Now, it didn't taste much like an ice tea to me at all but regardless it was so good.  This food truck is obviously run by a professional chef(s).

Bounty Food Truck will be at the Rowayton Farmers Market every Friday until the end of the Season, which is end of October.  To find out where they will be, follow them on Twitter or check out their Facebook page.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bountyft

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bountyft

Website: http://bountytruck.com

The Bounty Food Truck

The Menu, Simple but Delicious

Perfect Fries

The Simple Burger - It Is HUGE!

Had to take a side picture.  Look at that chunk of fresh tomato!  Love this burger.

Our Lunch view while eating the burgers at the Rowayton Farmers' Market

Shake Shack in Westport...but is it still worth the hype? It's better in the city with the Math Museum

My kids love Shake Shack and we usually only get there in the city, so we usually only go about twice a year (we go into the city more, just not Shake Shack every time).  So, for a treat for the kids, we decided to go to Shake Shack in Westport.

The Shake Shack is known for its long lines and the Westport location use to have the same problem, but no longer.   As more of their franchises are opening up, its beginning to feel more like a fast food "joint", though the hamburgers are still good and you can enjoy it with a beer or glass of wine.  However, we were not fans of their new fries, though as we only go twice a year, we found out the fries aren't really new anymore.  The old fries were perfect for those of us who like vinegar with their "chips".

Is it worth a trip?  Sure, at least once if you like hamburgers.  The kids still loved it, especially the shakes.  For information on the westport location, go to: http://www.shakeshack.com/location/westport/

If you really want to make a day of it, why not go to the original Shake Shack location in Madison Square Park?  As there are a couple days off from school in September, we usually go at this time and then head over to The Musuem of Mathematics, also known as MoMath, for the day. The museum is right across the street from Madison Square Park.  Adults are $15 and Children are $9, so for a New York City activity, it isn't very expensive.

The original Shake Shack will be closing for five months for renovations in the winter.  So if you want to have the famous Shake Shack burger in their original location, go soon.

For information on the original Shake Shack location, to go: http://www.shakeshack.com/location/madison-square-park/

For information about MoMath, go to: http://momath.org

Some Wesport Shake Shack pictures:

No line!  At Saturday at 2:00 p.m.!

We could have actually found a table inside.

Outdoor seating is nice but you are right next to Route 1