Be Warned... Vacation Pictures!

The week before last I took a little break and flew to Connecticut to visit my daughter. She lives in New Haven and from there we took the train into New York City for a mother/daughter weekend.

We had a blast! We stayed at the Paramount Hotel in the theater district. It was a tiny room with twin beds, but it was clean and affordable, by NYC standards. We were walking distance to everything we had planned for the weekend.

We decided on the trip to NYC because we wanted to see the off-broadway production of "Sideways". We are both big fans of the movie and were curious to see how it translated on stage.

The theater was small and intimate. Every seat was great and we enjoyed the show.

We ended the night with a bottle of wine at a sweet little French restaurant, Le Rivage. The bartender and waiters all spoke French and French music played quietly in the background. The dinner crowd was gone, and it was the perfect place to unwind after our long day.

Family

Back in October I found a very inexpensive flight to Connecticut so that I could visit with family, in January. Danielle and I had a plan... drive from Connecticut to New Hampshire on MLK weekend, stay in B&B with my sister, and visit with my Dad at the nursing home. We knew travel in New England, during winter, can be iffy. The weather was cold but clear when I arrived on Wednesday. On Saturday they were predicting that New Hampshire would get 18 to 24" of the white stuff.

Sadly we had to cancel our plans.

New Haven, CT was expecting more ice than snow. Never the less, we went out Saturday morning and bought all the provisions we would need for a weekend inside.

Danielle and I thoroughly enjoyed our time together, despite the change in plans. We curled up on the sofa and watched movies, played board games, drank wine, baked brownies, and made lasagna together.

It was low-key and relaxing.

In other words... it was perfect.

Back to Work...

 We are back in North Carolina, have been for nearly a week. There has been no time for blogging as we had to jump right back into work. Our studio and gallery move is in full swing. In between the packing, there are orders to fulfill, and a few lessons to teach. Jeff and I are so grateful to have had a few days of down time with Danielle and Jason in Connecticut.

They are such gracious hosts, cooking for us, and taking us, to some very fun dining establishments around the city of New Haven.

We bought lobster and clams, fresh from the boat, a walking distance from their home. Walk in the opposite direction, and in six blocks you will reach Rocco's Italian bakery where you will find giant walnut rings, cheese danish, and stuffed breads that are to die for. A evening in town began at Cask Republic for drinks, and ended at Barcelona Wine Bar for an amazing Spanish tapas meal.

A wine and cheese, picnic lunch, was enjoyed at beautiful Gouveia Vineyard in Wallingford, CT.

Our time in New Haven was spent at a leisurely pace. We slept as late as we wanted and some of us napped in the late afternoon, while others enjoyed a cocktail on the deck.

Our three and a half days in New Haven took the sting off of a less than stellar show in New Hampshire. We are glad to be back home in Seagrove, and sleeping in our own bed. We may not have tapas restaurants, bars, or pizza delivery... but Seagrove is home. We enjoy our life here.

Connecticut

Jeff and I have been visiting with Danielle and Jay in Connecticut since Saturday night. On Sunday we took a leisurely walk along the Branford Trolley Trail. The trail meanders through the marsh where you can see lots of birds, deer, and thousands of fiddler crabs.

 ducks and reflections

 crabs

 Danielle and Jay have an upper level that over looks the water. The perfect place to enjoy late day cocktails and watch the boating activity. Their home is like a retreat in the city.

The last few days have really felt like a vacation. We experienced some great restaurants, walks through the city, and the beginning of New Haven Jazz week...all in the great company of Danielle and Jay. Today we head back to North Carolina, sad to leave my girl, but anxious give Sophie kitty a squeeze and to sleep in my own bed tonight.

back to reality...

...vacation is over :-(
last saturday i got back from spending a week in ogunqit beach, maine. the company and the weather was perfect! i finally got back into the studio tuesday and wednesday evening. finished handling and texturing some porcelain mugs that i threw before vaca then moved on to some large plates/platters for a special order
my real estate schedule is changing next week and i am HOPING it will give me more time in the studio...
below are some vacation pics...

the beach we spent the most time on was the "art beach" (my words) there were hundreds of rock cairns everywhere...jeff brown contributed this one to the beach!

danielle, robyn and i made a mermaid in the sand!!!