A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.  ~Lao Tzu

Best in Fairfield County to …

… Have a Life

• Fairfield Theatre Company – To keep your soul from dying in suburbia from deculturalization, I recommend regular visits to any concert at Stage One, Fairfield Theatre Company. Why? Well, you could go for the more obvious shows like the Doobie Brothers or the Beach Boys at the Klein, but your soul, I can attest, loves beautiful surprises– such as the lovely and unsettling sounds of Vienna Tang. Best feature, however? The black box space only seats about 100, so you experience the sound as if you were hanging in the musician’s living room.
• Downtown Cabaret Theatre – Bridgeport – OK, I might be biased because I worked there, but for kids’ shows in particular, the Cabaret has got it going on. Bert Bernardi and his team always put together edgy, rollicking fun performances for the kids.

… Have a Meal

Every region has their food quirks and Connecticut is no exception. Introduce the lobster roll– sounds tempting, but it’s not. Just a pile of lobster on a piece of bread. Lame.

People around here REALLY like the idea of “old school” restaurants, especially weird places like Augustyn’s Blue Goose (here in Stratford) which has literally not changed in 45 years. For example, I realize, at Morton’s, the “wedge” salad (huge hunk of iceberg with blue cheese dressing) is sorta making a comeback-as-kitsch, but at these old school restaurants, the wedge hasn’t moved from the menu since the place  first served it off of it’s fancy “ala carte” menu years ago.

Saying that, I am not biased against traditional steakhouses–they just have to have charm or character and really good food to win me over, such as…

• Ralph & Rich’s – Boy am I glad this place is in Bridgeport. Otherwise all those bothersome snobby Greenwich/New Canaan sort would have wafted in here with their perfumey presence and jacked up the prices on my favorite Italian/Seafood restaurant around. And talk about a swinging bar– if you are single and haven’t hit it here yet, you must be in hibernation.

• Valencia Luncheria – Norwalk – Thanks to Eileen and Shufro for introducing us to this delicious and cozy treat in Norwalk. Cheap, homemade, the food makes you feel glad you’ve eaten it. I think my husband actually squeezed the green (cilantro-mint?) sauce directly into his mouth.
• Cafe Roma – Another fab spot in Bridgeport, where Italian food isn’t just a glop of pasta on a plate with meatballs!

… Enjoy the View

• Long Beach, Stratford - It’s hard to remember that Fairfield County is coastal, since most of our beaches are prviate and developed. For a look at the natural landscape, and for a great beach walk, visit Long Beach, a haven for shore birds and a long-contested piece of property in Stratford and Bridgeport. Keep walking to the end of the beach and you’ll see why– what was once a remote spot for summer cottages is now a ghost town, left in ruin. It’s a symbol of the broken relations between sister cities, Stratford and Bridgeport, which are joined along the beach. A recent vote in Stratford passed an initiative to sell the beach to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There is hope that Bridgeport will do the same.

Other Places to See

• The Haddam Neck Agricultural Fair – Late Summers – Expect low-key fair atmosphere, with horse-pulling, fireman-grilled chicken to eat, sweet and awe-inspiring ag competitions and just the right amount of commercial vendors. A small midway for the kids, but the focus is on the ag festival and as a result, this is the best fair in Connecticut. Also, on your drive there, don’t miss the dozens of tag sales that take advantage of the once-a-year traffic on these lovely but remote roads.

Haddam Neck Fair 2007

• Mystic Seaport – A crossover between water attraction, living history exhibit, and amusement park, the Seaport isn’t a part of the old town– it is its own establishment. Colin and I visit it a few times a year with guests and we always love it, especially Lobster Days in May.

Have a suggestion? Post a comment and let me know!