A Glorious Summer’s Day Touring Coastal Connecticut with Friends and Dinner with Family

Sunday, August 13, 2023

Fairfield and Southport, Connecticut

A Glorious Summer’s Day Touring Coastal Connecticut with Friends and Dinner with Family

I had an absolutely fabulous Sunday! Truly, it could not have been any better.

My day began at 5.30 am when I awoke and spent some time blogging and reading. I am trying hard to finish The Covenant of Water in time for my Book Club Meeting on Tuesday evening. But I had to start thinking about Sunday service. Leslie told me that she would drop me off at church for the 8.00 am Mass.

Mass at St. Anthony of Padua Church:

Leslie and I left at 7.40 am for the 8.00 am Mass and just flew down the Post Road as there was no one on the road at that early hour on a Sunday morning. It was good to be back in our church again and to get a warm welcome from Bill at the door. He, of course, asked immediately about Llew.

Nothing felt more wonderful than to be back in my beloved church again. Fr. Paul Rourke, SJ, of Fairfield University, said the Mass. My friend Patti was the Lector and I could see the delight on her face when she recognized me sitting in our regular pew. Mass was lovely. It was a thrill to be able to belt out the hymns in the right key as Frank, our Music Director, always pitches the hymns in my exact key. In Bombay, its either too high for me (and I have to sing one octave lower—which is uncomfortable) or too low and I can’t take the notes. This was just splendid. Plus, I got to sing all the familiar hymns that I love so much. It was really great.

After Mass, Patti and Bill came up to meet me. I went forward to meet Eleanor, our Parish Co-ordinator, to say Hi to her and there I met Joe—he’s the guy who was head of the volunteer weekly Counting Service I used to do of the Sunday collection. He seems to have suffered a stroke and told me he no longer does it. He also now walks with a walking stick. I guess things change as time goes by, right? Then Frank, our Music Director, came along to say Hello and it was just grand—being enveloped in the warmth of old parish friends who remember us fondly. Everyone asked after Llew and told me to say Hello to him.

Meeting Friends For Breakfast at Harbor View Bakery:

At 9.15 am, after Mass, our friends Swapna and Rasik came along to pick me up with their teenaged sons, Atharva (whom I was meeting for the first time—he was visiting from Boston) and Parth. We drove directly to Harbor View Bakery and Café which is a favorite, after Mass, of Llew and me. They loved the ambience of the place and the location and said that they would be sure to return. It is amazing how long the line to the counter was—fortunately, we were just third in line and we ordered swiftly.

I had my favorite Belgian waffles with whipped cream, strawberries and maple syrup—lots of maple syrup. It was just scrumps! The others had omlettes, pancakes and avocado on toast and, believe me, everything was so good that all of us just focused on the eating and enjoyment of our large platters. Meanwhile, we chatted, caught up and generally had a good time.

A Driving Tour Around St. Mary’s By The Sea in Bridgeport:

When we finished our breakfast, I told our friends that I would take them on a slight detour to see the area called St. Mary’s By The Sea. This is one of the prettiest parts of Connecticut and has a lovely lighthouse and a fabulous walking path alongside the water (I have often walked along it with various friends through the years). We merely drove around and realized just how beautiful this place is and how blessed we were to live here for 29 years of our lives!

Off to the Farmer’s Market:

The next item on the agenda was the Farmer’s Market (before a short detour at Marshall’s from where I picked up my favorite Italian Fiorentina set of soaps).

The Farmer’s Market in Fairfield takes place on the Town Green and I could not believe how many people were browsing the wares. It carries fresh local produce—veggies and fruit—brought from the neighboring Connecticut farms. There were also bread stalls, pastries, brownies and even artisanal soap and bath bombs. It really is great to browse through these places, but the prices are always far higher than the supermarkets (because the produce is not mass-produced). After spending almost an hour here (with the sun climbing higher in the summer sky and warming the place far more than was comfortable), we piled back into the car and started our driving tour of our beautiful coastal Connecticut.

Off to Southport and Fairfield as our Driving Tour Continues:

Our driving tour continued as I began at Sasco Hill, then on to Sasco Beach and took our friends through the most ritzy parts of western coastal Connecticut. They had already begun to explore the beaches and had seen Jennings and Penfield Beaches. They had also been to Sasco—so we did not get off at these places.

We then moved on towards Harbor Road and got off at the Tide Mill Landing, where we took pictures and watched a man fishing. He had caught a turtle and also at least half a dozen crabs! We took a lot of pictures in this pretty area before heading off along Harbor Road towards the Pequot Yacht Club and the Old Yacht Yard. Then, we headed back to Southport Harbor where we got off and took a bunch of photographs. Of course, they were fully enchanted by the harbor and the marina and the bird sighting (we saw a magnificent black cormorant there). Once again, it occurred to me how lucky we were to live in such a beautiful place and for so many years and how completely I had embraced the area, gotten to know every tiny by lane of it and how entirely it had stolen my heart away. I have them a short history lesson on the success of the Southport Globe onion and the manner in which it made money in the 19th century for the farmers and agriculturists of the neighborhood. They were fascinated. I told them about Perry Green—about the three mansions facing the marina that belonged to the three brothers, etc.

We then left Southport Marina and went past Southport Village to drive along Pequot Avenue to Pequot Beach. We passed the Library and the two churches—Congregation and Trinity—and then got to the beach which was also quite packed. Everyone was swimming or sunbathing—there was hardly a parking spot available. Then, we drove ahead of it, into Westport where I took them to Burying Hill Beach where we stopped to take more pictures.

All of this driving was accompanied by commentary which they fully enjoyed and found very interesting. We then drove back to pass right by our house on Pequot Avenue. It was time to take a quick picture of it before thinking about lunch as everyone felt hungry.

Lunch at the Mhatre’s Residence:

Yes, we did make our way back to Black Road Turnpike, to the Mhatre’s residence, for cold drinks (Rasik gave me a Jameson Irish Whiskey cocktail tinkling with ice) while I went upstairs to their bedroom and began to take inventory of all the clothing that Llew has left behind with them to be brought to Bombay slowly at Rasik’s convenience. I removed everything, then carefully folded everything again, took pictures of everything to show them to Llew and packed and put them back into the bag.

I then went down for lunch which was leftovers from our dinner at their’s on Friday with some additions: we had chicken biryani (from Sher Khan in Hartford), prawn chilli fry and fresh salad with ingredients bought from the Farmer’s Market. For dessert, there was an absolutely delicious Chocolate Mousse Cake (my favorite) as it was Parth’s birthday yesterday. It was truly a delicious meal and I was glad to have them to share it with me.

When lunch was done, I said fond goodbyes to them and Rasik dropped me back to my friend Leslie’s place in Westport.

A Rest Before An Evening Out with Family-Members:

To my astonishment, I found that Leslie and Sitara had returned from their bridal shower and were chilling out at home. We chatted for just a little bit before I excused myself to have a bit of a lie-down and a much-needed rest.

A good half hour later, after chatting a bit with Llew who is still in Goa, I got up to have a shower and get ready. My brother Roger (who had just returned with his family from Montreal) was coming to pick me up at 6.00 pm and I was ready for him when he got there. We had a nice reunion and then he drove me over to his place in Fairfield.

It was nice to meet his wife, Lalita and his son Arav. Their daughter Anaya was at a 3-day YMCA Counselling Camp and was not at home. We had a very full evening as we explored the lushness of their deck and garden—full of colorful perennials and annuals. Roger definitely has a green thumb that he has inherited from our mother and, after admiring the tomatoes on their deck, we sat down to have drinks and nibbles—a Gin and Tonic for me with crisps, cheese and crackers (goat cheese, smoked Gouda), salted nuts. They were nice nibbles (not too heavy) while dinner was organized: bowtie pasta with artichokes, lemon and basil, grilled shisito peppers and grilled chicken (which was grilled in an air fryer—something that everyone is suddenly talking about). For dessert, there was Haagen-Daz ice-cream (chocolate with a dark chocolate coating which was exceptional). The evening gave way to twilight and twilight gave way to darkness as the evening lengthened and we spent a lot of time chatting and enjoying the good food and the lovely summer’s evening.

By 9.00 pm, I said bye to everyone and got ready to leave. Roger dropped me off, back to Leslie’s place, where I stayed up with them chatting for a while and sending pictures of an awesome day to my friends.

Then, sleep beckoned and I brushed and flossed my teeth and made it to bed.

Until tomorrow…cheerio!

A Relaxing Day Devoted to Retail Therapy in Southport, Connecticut

Saturday, August 12, 2023

Southport and Westport, Connecticut:

A Relaxing Day Devoted to Retail Therapy in Southport, Connecticut

It is amazing to me how much things change even within the space of a few months—forget about a few years. The things I did today really brought this home to me.

But, to begin at the beginning, I awoke early (about 5.00 pm), began reading, blogging, etc. I had a muesli and yogurt breakfast with coffee and then told Leslie that I would leave with her to get to the Pequot Library by 9.30 am. The Library opens at 10.00 to patrons, so I had about half an hour to sit quietly by myself in the Reading Room at the back (which I love—it reminds one of a gentleman’s study on an English country estate) working on my blog and catching up with it. I had carried my laptop with me.

Our friend Debbie’s wedding was being live streamed from Goa. Llew was there in Goa and I began to follow it (while home in Westport initially) but then gradually even while at the library. I caught most of the nuptial ceremony and service.

Browsing and Buying:

I spent most of the next three hours just strolling through Southport Village. It was a damp and drizzly day and on Saturday morning, for some reason, there were not a lot of folks in the vicinity. I decided to start at the first new shop in the village—Foxtrot Home! Such a cute name. It specializes in interiors, vintage and antique accessories for the home.

I went in there and was just enchanted by the space—it has a Gorgeous collection of items to suit the tastes and styles of Southport homes. Lots of traditional and classical decorating items, all with a fairly nautical touch (as it is also summer). I saw the jewelry cabinet and made a bee-line for it and found it had a bunch of exquisite vintage and antique items that I truly coveted. I ended up buying six necklaces (all of which came from a French estate, except for one contemporary lariat piece). The last, the contemporary one was on a leather rope. I had seen the exact same one on an English lady at St. Paul’s, Knightsbridge in London last week and I had loved it and wondered from where she bought it. And two weeks later, I find it in a shop in Southport! What are the odds? Well, my buys were well packed and bagged and I left feeling very pleased with them.

After this shop, I browsed in the Fairfield Women’s Exchange and then across the street in Barbara Barbara. It is amazing to me how much time really thorough browsing takes!

But then soon it was about 1.30 and I walked (in a light drizzle) back to the Pequot Library, where, half an hour later, Leslie told me that Sunil, her husband, who had returned from his trip to India, would pick us up. We all left together and he drove us home.

She had picked up a sandwich for lunch from Village Bagel shop earlier in the morning, but I knew that my leftover lunch from Wood N Tap in Farmington was still in the fridge. When we got home, I had it for lunch. Leslie’s daughter Sitara had arrived from Boston and we spent a while gabbing. It was fun to be in the bosom of a full family again (although I thoroughly enjoyed my time alone with Leslie which was, as she put it, one long pyjama party!)

It was a very quiet Saturday evening at home as Leslie and I continued watching Ted Lasso (we are close to completing the third and final series) and then it was time for me to have dinner (we made omlettes and ate them with salad) and get ready for bed.

Until tomorrow…cheerio!

A Visit to the Incredible Hillstead House and Gardens and Lunch by a Riverside Café

Friday, August 11, 2023

Farmington, Connecticut

A Visit to the Incredible Hillstead House and Gardens and Lunch by a Riverside Café.

It was a glorious day and Leslie, my hostess, happened to have the day off. She was keen to spend the day outdoors with me and recommended we go to Yale to stroll around its beautiful Gothic campus. I was game…but then I had a think! Two days ago, she had happened to mention this estate in Farmington, Connecticut, which had a most impressive art collection. She had taken another guest there, a while ago, and thought it might be a place I would like to see. Now I know that not being as mobile now as I was when I lived in Connecticut, I’d have to wait a long while before I could see the place. So, I requested her very gently to drive me there (instead of Yale campus which I have been to dozens of times). She very readily agreed but recommended that we leave as soon as possible to avoid hitting traffic on the way back. The venue was a good 75 minutes’ drive each way and Friday afternoons are notorious for heavy traffic.

About half an hour later, we were both out the door. Leslie had obtained driving directions, I switched the GPS on my phone and we were off with her behind the wheel. Needless to say, we always chat nineteen to the dozen when we are together and the miles simply slipped by. The drive itself was quite lovely especially after Waterbury when we headed into the Prospect hills, very close to my friend Delyse’s place. We were trying hard to make the 11.00 am guided tour (they give tours on the hour), and Leslie had her eye on the clock as we ate up the miles. Fortunately, we had no traffic (generally speaking) though there was much movement when we connected with the 84 heading east.

Touring Hillstead House:

Once we arrived at the parking lot, we raced off to the entrance to buy our tickets. My Metropolitan Museum ID card got me in for free but the regular adult rate is $18. I bought Leslie’s ticket as she had done the driving and refused to let me fill the gas tank. I was really happy to treat her to this tour as she was the one who had told me about it.

After we purchased tickets, used restrooms, stashed away large bags in the lockers, etc. the tour began. We had a very nice man who introduced himself and told us repeatedly that photography was strictly prohibited inside the house. One could take all the pictures in the world outside. I wondered why and felt a bit frustrated…but then I realized that museums/historic houses like these are probably terrified of theft. Just imagine…if there was a heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston (from which stolen pieces have never been recovered) how easily the treasures of this place could be ransacked!

The guide gave us an introduction in the porch. He explained that the estate (all 700 acres of it) belonged to Alfred and Ada Pope who lived in the late-19th century. Alfred was an industrialist who made his money during the Industrial Revolution in the iron industry—at a time when Iron was a commodity that was much in demand. It was their only child, however, a daughter named Theodate (a most unusual name—she was named for her grandmother) who showed talent early and was encouraged by her father to pursue her interests. She designed this gorgeous home for them (although she was never schooled in Architecture). She had graduated from Miss Potter’s Finishing School (as was the norm for aristocratic young ladies in those days) but had no formal education after that. She sketched the house, decided upon its dimensions (it has 30,000 square feet) and hired the firm of McVee, Mead and White (the White being the famous Stanford White) to look over her drawings, create the blueprint and build the house. They set to work and in 1901, the house was completed.

It was used by the family of three and by Theodate after she married John Riddle but as they did not have any children, it was never used by a second generation. As there were no heirs, the house was bequeathed to the state of Connecticut, lock, stock and barrel and was turned into a museum in the 1940s. Theodate was a force to reckon with and, as if all her accomplishments were inadequate, she was a survivor of the Lusitania, the ship that sank within half of hour of its being torpedoed. Indeed, On May 7, 1915, the German submarine (U-boat) U-20 torpedoed and sank the Lusitania, a swift-moving British cruise liner traveling from New York to Liverpool, England. Of the 1,959 men, women, and children on board, 1,195 perished, including 123 Americans. Her husband John nicknamed her “Dearest of Geniuses”!

On a side note, we discovered that Theodate had a family connection with my friend, Leslie. In 1915, Leslie’s paternal grand-father, Wesley Frost, was the American Consul-General in Ireland which was the country nearest to the spot where the ship went down. Hence, he was pressed into service as he catered to the needs of the survivors and those who perished. His name is mentioned frequently in books on the Lusitania and Leslie thinks her grand-father might have met Theodate (because, as a survivor, she would have had direct personal contact with him). Such a fascinating element of interest in this story!

Back to the house: There is much to recommend this gigantic receptacle of art, antiques, Victoriana. There is history, aesthetics, interior design and decoration. The tour moved from room to room where we had a glimpse of the lifestyle, culture and monetary wealth of the Popes who were a prominent Connecticut family and entertained frequently. The home is filled with original furniture in living rooms, dining room, a number of bedrooms (many of which served as guest bedrooms), bathrooms (with original fitments), not one but two libraries, (with)drawing room, a kitchen (which was demolished to make way for a boardroom) and a true gem of a pantry. As befitted the Victorian interior, lighting was soft (this was the age of gas lamps and until electricity made an appearance, all rooms were very dimly lit indeed). There are really beautiful lamps all over the house—from stunning chandeliers with glorious glass-edged shades to wall-sconces. The furniture is uniformly dark in color and draped abundantly with luxury fabrics (not sure how much of the drapery is original to the house). The wallpaper in all rooms is original as are all the accessories and objects d’art. These included crystal, china, silver, paintings, sculpture, porcelain, art glass and glassware, etchings, prints, engravings, clocks, ceramics such as lustreware, Japanese wood cuts (very trendy in that era and beloved of artists such as Monet whose home in Giverny, France, is simply covered with them) and sandwich-glass curtain accessories.

It is the art collection, however, that is considered the home’s greatest treasure. In an age in which the Impressionists were the contemporary artists, Alfred adored their work and personally selected the pieces he purchased and displayed throughout the house. There are Monet’s famous Haystacks and a couple of landscapes, Renoir’s portraits of women (including a striking one of a girl with a cat), ballet and fox-hunting scenes in pastels by Degas, a number of portraits by Whistler, and several domestic paintings featuring mother and child portraits by the best-known of the American Impressionists, Mary Cassat. While most of the original paintings are in situ, some of them are merely pictures mounted on cardboard to represent the original holdings that were subsequently sold. Theodate was a huge patron of a school not far away and she diverted funds from the house’s art collection to her philanthropic ventures.

Our group of about eight people (four couples) was highly studied and sked many relevant and interesting questions. The guide was fully competent to answer all of them and did a really good job in keeping us riveted. We could well have spent double the time on the tour as there was simply so much to see. Everywhere the eye descended, there was something of urgent visual interest. The guide was patient but told us the tour was supposed to be just one hour long. If we wished to stay with him, however, he could extend it, he said. In the end, he was with us for an hour and a half and that too was not enough for us to observe, notice and admire it all.

One interesting aspect of the tour was a little table lamp on one of the secretaries (writing desks) on which I noticed an image super-imposed on the shade by the use of a technique that is hard to describe or explain. On a four-sided shade, there were four images imprinted and I was charmed and astonished to discover that one of them was by the British Victorian artist, John Everet Millais, and was entitled ‘Her First Sermon’. It featured a little girl, about nine years old, clad very smartly in a red coat with a fur muff and a black pill-box hat with a feather sticking out of it. She is seated on a church pew and most attentively listens to the sermon being delivered from the pulpit. The funny part is that just last week, I came across this exact same (original) painting in the Guildhall Art Gallery in London. It is by John Everet Millais and has a follow-up painting that features the same girl, dressed in the exact same outfit, sitting on the same church pew but, this time…get this, she is fast asleep. This painting is entitled ‘Her Second Sermon’! I thought the humor in the two paintings was simply the cutest and I had taken pictures on my phone of both—only to find a reproduction of one of them, two weeks later. How much of a coincidence is this?

Leslie specially requested that we be taken to the butler’s pantry and indeed it is the kind of space that a Carson (from Downton Abbey) would have inhabited. The walls were covered with the most beautiful teak cabinetry with glass fronted doors. They were crammed with contemporary glass, china, crystal, ceramic serving pieces, etc. as befitted a grand home that saw many worthies visit it. There was a stone sink, of course, too.

Overall, it was a truly grand visit and I loved every second inside the house as this is exactly the sort of place I liked to spend my free hours exploring. However, we were not done and there were the gardens to stroll through and peruse and we lost no time enjoying them too.

Exploring the Gardens:

Theodate had a very definitive idea of how she wanted the surrounding property to look. She hired the services of one of the best-known landscape gardeners of the era, Barbara Farrant, who designed two gardens: a formal Sunken Garden (you go down four-five steps to access it) and a Pollinator Garden.

The Sunken Garden is designed in the Italianate style with geometric flower beds that were, sadly, past their prime. There were still pink and white phlox that looked lovely but much of the white nicotiana had died and needed to be deadheaded. Roses were also long gone but there were a lot of pink, white and blue perennials that were still very pretty. In the middle of this garden was a lovely trellised gazebo in the Sound of Music tradition that gave it style and formality.

We next moved to the Pollinator Garden which was much less formal. Here, the profusion of late-summer flowers could be enjoyed in their wildness: I recognized purple, pink and white coneflowers, bee balm, buddleia (or butterfly bush), loads of red, yellow and white daisies, Chinese crackers, purple lollies, Joe Pye Weed, Lamb’s ear, Autumn Joy Sedum, Golden Rod. It was quite delightful for me to see these flowers (the kind I never see in tropical India where the flowers are completely different). I could not stop taking pictures especially as the flower beds were positioned so picturesquely against the backdrop of typically white-sided New England cottages and flag-stoned walking paths. It was all just beautiful, and I have to say I missed those days when I was an active gardener and had created a beautiful space out of the wildness of our naturalized backyard in Southport.

We walked all around the property admiring the trees as well as the acreage of pristine and very serene Connecticut countryside that completely enveloped the property. Both Leslie and I could not help thinking what a beautiful painting the vista surrounding the house would make.

By this time, Leslie was hungry and ready for lunch. We browsed around the gift store, bought some postcards and then asked the shop assistant to suggest a place where we could eat. She said that there are many spots, but she always recommends the Wood ‘N Tap which, she said, was by the river. We thanked her and left.

Lunch at the Wood N Tap:

The drive to the Wood N Tap restaurant was much longer than I had expected—it took us about 15 minutes to get there. But it took us past the High Street and Main Street and gave us an idea of how ritzy Farmington is—it is a suburb of West Hartford. We passed by many grand estates including a couple of others that are open to the public. It would be good to explore those on future trips.

When we did get to the restaurant, we were charmed by its location—right on the river. It was packed to the gills (it was a Friday afternoon, after all) but it was lovey to sit under blue skies, on a perfect day, to enjoy the serenity of our surroundings as the river flowed softly by. Leslie ordered a Thai Salad with Grilled Shrimp, I ordered a Pesto Alfredo with Asparagus and Shrimp. We both chose to sip iced water on what was a thirst-inducing day. Our food arrived and was just delicious—both of us enjoyed our meal and, as we had decided to share both entrees, the restaurant itself was happy to do the splitting of the dishes for us. All around us, we could tell that people were on vacation, enjoying the glory of a beautiful day in summer. Indeed, we had a really memorable meal and I even took back a doggie bag so that I could enjoy my lunch again tomorrow.

Drive Back Home:

We had a very pleasant drive back home to Westport. Leslie had been nervous about encountering traffic, but we did not hit any and within 75 minutes, we were back home. However, both of us were a bit tried when we got back and had just enough time to take a nice nap before I had to leave for my evening’s appointment.

Dinner with the Mhatre’s:

Swapna and Rasik Mhatre have grown into close friends of ours in a very short time. They are new immigrants into Fairfield from Bombay and had bought quite a bit of our furniture at our estate sale when we were leaving Southport, nine months ago. Since then, we have stayed good friends and have seen Rasik (who comes to Bombay on business) quite often.

They were very keen on having me over to their place for dinner and we fixed up for this Friday evening. Rasik very kindly drove to Leslie’s place to pick my up. En route, I requested him to make a quick stop at Goodwill where I had seen a brand-new Baggalini bag that I thought about buying. Luckily, it was still there when I returned to buy it, two days later. In Bombay, it is impossible to have a leather bag in the monsoon as it gets mildewed very easily with the warmth and the humidity. I was keen to have a good non-leather bag that I could use at this time of year with little fear of it deteriorating. Hence, I was happy to spot this one and I grabbed it.

Rasik then took the highway to this place and I had a lovely reunion with Swapna and their teenaged son, Parth. It was a little after 7 pm when I arrived and in about half an hour, we were talking drinks and nibbles. There was delicious shards of Parmesan cheese and raw nuts and a gin and tonic found its way into my hands—lovely! Swapna had a Jameson whiskey cocktail and Rasik had his favorite—a single malt. All the time we chatted about the success they have encountered in their one-year in the US.

For dinner, Swapna actually cooked a dish right as we chatted. She made a Prawn Buzne (the Maharashtrian name for what we would call a Chilli Fry). Earlier, she had made a Prawn Curry, a Chicken Pullao and she heated rice rotis on the griddle and served them fresh off the heat. Everything was ultra-delicious. It was good home-cooked fare and I enjoyed it very much. Yes, I had an overdose of shrimp today—but I am not complaining. For dessert, there was mango ice-cream and Falooda ice-cream from Vadilal’s which I thought was really great.

All too soon, the evening came to an end and Rasik and Swapna both came along to drop me off to Leslie’s place. It was 10.45pm when I used my key to enter at almost exactly the same time that Leslie was planning to turn in. We chatted for just a little while (as I told her all about my evening) before we both decided to call it a night.

Until tomorrow…cheerio!

Teaching Two Classes Online, Lunch with A Friend in Southport Village, Meeting at Chase Bank

Thursday, August 10, 2023

Westport, Connecticut

Teaching Two Classes Online, Lunch with A Friend in Southport Village, Meeting at Chase Bank. >

The good thing about modern technology is that you can continue to work even though you may be miles away from base. After waking up really early, I realized I had two classes back to back and those took me on to nearly 12 noon. I ate my breakfast in-between classes (muesli with yogurt, milk and coffee) and was ready to leave with Leslie at noon when she drove off to her work at the Pequot Library. I had a meeting at the Chase Bank with Gina at 2.00 pm—hence, I texted my friend Bonnie and asked if she was free to join me for lunch in Southport Village until my meeting began. She was free and ready to meet me at the parking lot of the Pequot Library—but when I did meet her, she was inside checking out a book. I introduced her to Leslie while I went downstairs to take a look at the bins in our basement Sorting Room. By the time I returned upstairs, they were chatting away like old friends.

Lunch with Bonnie at the Driftwood Café:

Going to the Driftwood Café is like returning into the arms of an old friend. Almost thirty years ago, when Llew, Chriselle and I had first moved into our home, we ate lunch daily for a week at the Driftwood as we had ordered a refrigerator and needed to wait for a week for delivery. When we were leaving Southport, to relocate to India, eight months ago, we ate our few last meals there too as we were staying in our neighbor’s apartment which did not have a kitchen.

Bonnie told me that she had last eaten in the Driftwood ages ago. It made sense to settle down in this 1950’s establishment, a real Southport Village institution, and have a chinwag.

Since neither of us was hugely hungry, we decided to split a tuna sandwich on toasted whole wheat bread and to get a Diet Coke each. The sandwich was delicious and as I was eating one after ages, I simply loved it. Bonnie treated me to lunch and I made her promise that’s she would make the time to meet me again for lunch so that I could treat her back.

A Meeting at the Chase Bank:

Just before 2.00 pm, Bonnie and I said goodbye as she headed off home and I crossed the main intersection in Southport Village to arrive at the Chase Bank where I had a meeting scheduled with our Relationship Manager, Gina. She had to help me change the profile details on my bank account and she went through the process with her wonderful efficiency which makes Banking in the USA such a pleasure (and SO culturally different from the situation in Bombay). As my questions got more complicated, she pulled Keith, the Investments expert, in and he, in turn, introduced me to the Manager of the Branch, Omar Khalid (as there has been a change of guard there too—when we lived in Southport, it was Mark with whom we had a long relationship over several decades). By the end of an hour-long meeting, it was agreed that Llew should be a part of our next meeting and that we would do it by zoom to allow him to participate as well. This meeting has been scheduled for next week when I will return to the bank.

Browsing Through the Stores in Southport:

I had an hour to kill before I had to meet Leslie at the Library so that I could get a ride back home with her. I decided to use the time to browse through the shops in Southport Village as so many of them seem to have undergone a metamorphosis. I found a new shop called Foxtrot Home at the Runk Douglas Carriage House and as it was filled with vintage and antique finds, I decided to give browsing inside a lot of time.

So, when I realized that Lattice House had moved into the shop that was once occupied by the Southport Galleries, I stepped right into it. Lattice House is owned and run by my friends Chris and Parker and they were simply delighted to see me again. I love their collection of carefully curated accessories for the home. Parker does serious Interior Design and has cornered some real estate in the large space. Chris came forward to greet me and later Parker joined in our chat. We had a really long natter about the tumultuous political goings-in in the US today. Both of them wondered how America is being perceived in other parts of the world and I had a lot to tell them. We also chatted about common friends and their whereabouts and since both of them know our current tenants (of our home in Southport Village so well), they assured me that our home is in terrific hands and that our tenants (who happens to be a very high-end interior designer and decorator) is sure to take immaculate care of our house and garden. I came away from our chat thinking how blessed we are, on so many fronts.

After our chat, I was left with just enough time to stroll to Pequot Library. Along the way, I took many pictures of Southport Village. At 4.00 pm, Leslie was almost ready to leave. She gathered up her stuff and, in a short while, we were on our way to her place. She sat down with a bowl of popcorn (her snack of choice) and I made myself a cuppa with lemon and snacked on a few cookies.

Dinner with Leslie at Home:

Leslie and I had leftovers of hoisin chicken with greens and roasted vegetables for dinner as we continued to watch Ted Lasso. We have settled into a happy routine, but this will change at the weekend when her husband returns from India and her daughter arrives from Boston for a few days.

I had enough time and energy to go in for a shower and get ready for bed.

Until tomorrow…cheerio!

Lovely Long Morning and Lunch with a Special Friend in Fairfield, Connecticut

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

Westport, Connecticut

Lovely Long Morning and Lunch with a Special Friend in Fairfield, Connecticut

Waking up in Westport, Connecticut, I am amazed to see that it before 5.00 am. But this gives me the time to do some serious reading and to continue blogging—not to mention editing and sending off my pictures to family members and friends.

But by 8.00 am, I get out of bed, wash and have my breakfast which is pretty much the same thing I have been eating for years—muesli with milk and yogurt followed by decaff coffee. I need to get to my medical appointment at 9.00 am.—hence, the need to get organized before my departure.

Blood Test at Quest Diagnostics:

I take the car out myself and arrive at the Brick Walk in Fairfield to get to Quest Diagnostics for my 9.00am blood test. All goes well. I am, of course, a nervous wreck as needle phobia always does a number on me. Still, the para-medical person is gentle and understanding and it is over before I know it.

Off to the Fairfield Public Library to Carry Out my Class:

It was Leslie who had told me that the libraries in Fairfield, following the Pandemic, have private Study Rooms and that I could request the use of one. As it turns out, the Library is right at the side of the Brick Walk and nothing could be more convenient. It opens at 9.00 am, so by the time I finish with my blood test, I can swing right into the library. At the Reference Desk, I give them my library membership card and I am presented with the keys to one of the Study Rooms in the back of the library where I make myself very comfortable.

I am just in time for my class session with my student in India, Ashvat, and I carry it out very easily. The reception is superb (I use the library’s WIFI) and I have complete privacy as I am not disturbing anyone. The session goes off extremely well and I finish it off right in time to keep my next appointment—which is to spend the rest of the day with one of my best friends, Delyse.

Delyse had texted me to say that she was running late, but she arrived at 11.30 am. This gave me a chance to browse through the DVDs in the stacks and discover that all of the Oscar nominees of the past year are there! Now if only I can figure out how to watch them!

Reunion with Delyse:

Delyse had just spent a week in Canada and returned to Connecticut only the previous morning. She was as knackered as I was. Hence, any plans we might have had to go for a long walk at the beach were nixed. Instead, like two gossipy old women, we decided to find a quiet corner in the library itself which was air-conditioned and cool. I suggested we go a few steps down to the lower stacks which I remembered well from my early years, almost 35 years ago, as a user of the library when I used to go downstairs to borrow American decorating magazines. I learned everything I know about interior design from this library. Luckily, we were able to find a corner where we then sat together and spent the next one and a half hours just catching up with each other. There was so much to talk about before we decided to get up and get some lunch.

Lunch with Delyse:

I really intended to get a very simple lunch based on the fast food rubbish I enjoy in American (such as chilli and a Ceasar salad from Wendy’s). We got into Delyse’s car to get to the Wendy’s in Bridgeport along Fairfield Avenue. But before we came to the Fairfield Circle, we passed by Duchess and Delyse asked if Duchess would work. I told her I love Duchess and would gladly eat there.

And so our lunch was one Chicken Parmigiana Sandwich and one Swiss Cheese Mushroom Burger—both of which we shared and washed down with cold water. It is rather warm today and we were both grateful for the air-conditioning.

After another hour spent having a leisurely and very delicious lunch, I asked Delyse if we could just hop across the road to Marshall’s. I wanted to take a look and see if there was anything I needed to buy. She was more than game and so off we went to look at its offerings. I was absolutely delighted to find two tubes of the Boots No. 7 ‘Protect and Preserve’ Serum that I use and which I had actually wanted to buy in the UK but put off and then forgot. Here, I found them at a fraction of the price I’d pay in the stores. I bought two tubes really quickly (for $5.99 each—in London, they were 25 pounds each!). We then paid for my buys and left. It had been a successful detour and I was very happy.

Delyse Drops me Back to Westport:

As it was time for Delyse to find her way back home, she dropped me back to Leslie’s place in Westport. It was just past 3.00 pm and Leslie had returned home. She asked if I wanted a cup of tea, but what I really wanted was a nap. And so I retired into my room, did a bit of reading until my eyes closed and then took a lovely, long nap. I am thoroughly enjoying my time back here in this neck of the woods (or should I say this strip of the shoreline), especially when it involves meeting old friends.

TV and Dinner with Leslie:

By the time I awoke, it was almost dinner time. Leslie and I decided to look at what we could have and came up with the idea of finishing up all leftovers in the fridge. We had hoisin chicken on a bed of greens with roasted Brussels sprouts and I had a wonderful cup of chocolate ice-cream sprinkled with nuts to finish it off.

We took our plates into the living room, sat in front of the telly, and watched two episodes of Ted Lasso (which we are both enjoying very much).

But again, with my sleep patterns so erratic, it was not long before, I excused myself to take a shower and get ready for bed.

Until tomorrow…cheerio!

Visit to my Dentist, Browsing in Connecticut Thrift Stores

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Westport, Connecticut

Visit to my Dentist, Browsing in Connecticut Thrift Stores

Still jetlagged and unable to bring my body clock back to North American timing, I am waking very early in the mornings—the better to get down to some blogging and finishing my book, The Covenant of Water. Then a quick breakfast of muesli with yogurt, milk and hot coffee, quick brushing and flossing of my teeth and I was off for my 9.00 am routine dental six-monthly cleaning visit with my hygienist. I felt hugely privileged to have this appointment as I was squeezed into a cancellation. I drove the car there (Fairfield Circle) by myself (a matter of such pride and a sense of accomplishment for me, but also a reiteration of the fact that I am now comfortable taking Leslie’s car wherever I need to drive).

My hygienist was someone new (I usually get Tanya); this time I had Jody. She was as meticulous as are all the other practitioners at this practice (Fairfield Dental Arts) which is why I have been seeing them for at least twenty years. She told me it is miraculous how marvelously I look after my teeth and how quickly it shows (if one is a professional and knows instantly how to assess gum health and routine oral hygiene). I told her I brush twice daily with an electric toothbrush and floss three times a day (after every meal). She was amazed! Well, I naturally got a clean bill of oral health. No concerns, no worries. I received my next dental appointment in September of next year (as that is when I told them I next anticipate coming). Dr. Forella then came and assessed the state of my teeth and told me all was well too. I was simply elated as living in Bombay does not allow me to go to a good hygienist every six months (as I had done in the US). Oral hygiene standards are very low in India and although I did try to schedule a 6-monthly dental cleaning in Bombay, my dentist took one look at my teeth and said everything was perfect and sent me packing! No attempts were made to scrape off plaque or tartar that inevitably accumulate every six month. That’s when I realized that if you need to do major orthodontal work such as fillings, crowns, root canals, etc. you should get them done in India (where it is SO much cheaper), but for routine cleaning (which is the very base root of thorough dental hygiene and teeth maintenance) you need to get it done in the USA.

Browsing in Favorite Stores:

Dental visit done (the first of the many medical visits I will do while I am in the US), I drove along the Post Road and decided to stop at Dairy Queen for my beloved Chocolate-Cherry Blizzard. There, I discovered that they open only at 11.00am (it was about 10.45am) and that my beloved Beth-Ann (who has custom-made my Blizzards for 20 years!) has been transferred to Monroe, Connecticut! I simply could not believe it! That was a huge disappointment for me. Later, in the day, when I tried to call her, I was told that she had come in early and left already for the day. I will now have to keep calling, make sure I get her when she is actually on duty and have my favorite sundae fixed by her magical fingers.

Next, I drove to Goodwill to browse around the thrift shop (as I usually do) looking for vintage jewelry. There was none to be found but I did enjoy taking a look at the wares on display.

Back at Leslie’s, it was almost time for her to leave for work—she needed the car to get there--and time for me to have lunch. I created a make-shift meal with leftovers in the fridge (salad, pizza) and then went into my room for a nap. Needless to say, I slept for a solid three hours (most unlike me, but my body clock is still adjusting) and when I awoke, it was almost time for Leslie to get back from work. I made myself a cup of tea with lemon and munched on a few almond cookies before she got home and made a big batch of popcorn. We sat chatting for a while and then started to think about dinner.

Dinner at Home with Leslie:

Dinner at home with Leslie was Hoisin Chicken that she made following a very easy recipe. It was basically sauteed onion and red pepper (which I found in the fridge and added), ground chicken and a sauce made hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, honey. It was surprisingly delicious served over a bed of greens with roasted Brussels sprouts which she threw into the oven with salt, pepper and olive oil. I dressed them with some vinegar. It was a delicious dinner and as we ate, we watched the third (and final) season of Ted Lasso on Apple which we both love.

Dinner done, we cleared and washed up and I went into the bathroom for a shower, followed by bed.

It was a more relaxing day and my knee is getting the rest is craves. No wonder then that it is starting to feel much better.

Until tomorrow…cheerio!

Morning Driving Practice, then A Long Day of Rest in Westport, Connecticut

Monday, August 7, 2023

Westport, Connecticut

Morning Driving Practice, then A Long Day of Rest

It is badly needed—this day of rest and relaxation that I have decided to permit myself after ten hectic days of non-stop activity that did my knee in. My knee deserves rest, icing, a compression sleeve, regular applications of Moov (ointment from India that is always in my traveling medicine kit) and two strong painkillers (Tylenol Extra Strength) taken every six hours. This arsenal of medical remedies keeps me functional.

So when I awake to wash and then get a bowl of interesting and unfamiliar cereal (Keto friendly with slivered almonds) and milk, I am determined to keep the day light. Leslie is at hand to attend to my every need. I am moved by her hospitality. We chat non-stop—there is so much to say when two talkative women get together. She describes it as a “never-ending pyjama party”. And that is what we will have for the next week as her husband Sunil will remain in India and on his international business travels and we will have this home on Pine Street in Westport to ourselves.

When breakfast is done, Leslie (who has offered me the use of her car when she does not need it and indeed says I can drop her off ta work and then use it while she is on duty), asks if I would like to take her car someplace today. I tell her that it has been nine months since I have driven a car, that the US drives on a different side of the road to the one I am now accustomed (in India), that I have always been nervous behind the wheel of an unfamiliar car and that I will need practice before I can feel road-worthy again. She has a Subaru Forester (which, I realize later) is not too different from the car I drove (a Subaru Outback). However, her model is much more recent than the one we had. She has keyless entry, for instance, and a large TV-like screen in the front which assists in reversing, parallel parking, etc. I use the old-fashioned techniques that I learned at driving school with Rick (my beloved Driving Instructor, Rick), whom I often thought of and prayed for—because he taught me a skill for life).

The empty parking lot to which Leslie takes me is just at the foot of the hill where her gated community stands—it belongs to one of the many churches that dot this part of Connecticut. In the beginning, I am shaky behind the wheel. I have to find my nerve more than anything else. But Leslie is a brave and patient instructor as she shows me all the controls, indicators, signals, wipers, etc. I take several rounds in the parking lot and get a feel of the car and its controls. When I feel comfortable enough, we move out on to the street, heading towards Compos Beach and then the lovely backroads of Westport. It is not long before I feel confident enough to take on the task independently…but I have to say that the initial sensation of being behind the wheel after such a long time, is a strange one. I am glad I have managed to accomplish one more hurdle in the many tasks I am left to complete during my stay in Connecticut.

Buying Groceries:

I have offered to buy groceries for the week for the household, but Leslie will not permit me to do so as she says she has recently stocked up. Instead, my driving takes us to Stop and Shop from where I buy a few things I will need (and some indulgences I will like): for example, I am attracted by the giant, ruby-red cherries that entice me and I cannot help but put a bag in our cart. It is good to be at Stop and Shop again—the place from where I did our weekly supermarket shop for 30 years. It brings back happy memories of wonderful years spent in this part of the world. I also buy Alpen Muesli, Lipton’s Decaff tea, a fresh lemon (for my tea as I take it black with lemon), Blue Cheese Salad Dressing (as Leslie does not use salad dressing at all), a carton of Tri-Napolitan Chocolate Ice-cream from Breyer’s ice cream (I miss good chocolate ice-cream in India), heavy cream for my coffee (but then I see the hazelnut-flavored creamer and I buy it instead). That’s it! Armed with these essentials, my breakfasts will be covered. But I do need yogurt and since Stop and Shop does not have the honey yogurt flavor I like, we decide to stop at Trader’s Joe’s on the way home and buy a tub of that instead.

At Trader’s Joe’s, I do buy the yogurt. I resolve to return and buy a few other ingredients that I will carry back home to Bombay. I have my list and I will furnish it another time.

Lunch at Leslie’s:

When we get back home, we put our groceries away and Leslie gets ready to leave for work. She grabs a tortilla with peanut butter, but I wait to eat until after she leaves. Then I toast a slice of plain pizza that’s in the fridge, a baguette with Boursin cheese (I love it) and a small salad. It is a lovely lunch which I eat while keeping the TV on to a cooking program on PBS.

A Long Nap Provides Much-Needed Rest:

All at once, I feel very sleepy and I realize that jetlag is kicking in (as I am still on London time—as I grow older, my body takes much longer to adjust). I go into my room and decide to take a nap and think it will be no longer than my customary twenty minutes. But I end up sleeping for three whole hours! I cannot believe that it is almost 5.30 pm when I awake.

Leslie is due back home by 6.30—I make myself a cup of lemony tea and down it with a few almond cookies that she had bought for a guest and told me to finish off as she does not want to keep these in the house. I comply! I watch some more TV and apprise myself of the horrid events unfolding in the USA with the many Trump indictments. It is a terrible time to be in the USA—the country is sliding downwards towards some hell of which I cannot (and do not) wish to be a part. I feel fortunate and truly blessed that I now live in India far from the corruption that has a stranglehold upon the American electorate. Something, to quote Shakespeare, is truly rotten in the state of the USA! It does not feel politically pleasant to be here, to be honest.

Dinner and TV with Leslie:

When Leslie returned from work at 6.30 pm, she makes a large bowl of popcorn (her daily pleasure) and I nibble at a few popped seeds. It is good. We discover that she has Apple TV (I used to, but not any more) and as I have always wanted to see the last episode of Bad Sisters, I ask her to set me up with me. It is as I predicted. The outcome (the murderer) was someone I had predicted from the beginning. I guess I have seen too much crime drama and detective fiction…I know how to spot the likely perp rather early in the game.

Dinner is a repeat, pretty much, of yesterday, as we had leftover tortellini and sauce, roasted broccoli and salad to enjoy. It is a simple meal but really delicious.

We do not stay up late as I am still sleepy and tired and need my rest. I have a shower, brush and floss my teeth and get ready for bed. In bed, I read The Covenant of Water for a long while and edit my pictures and send them off to friends. I chat with Llew before it is lights out for me.

Until tomorrow…cheerio!