We did not have to chose between mountains/forest vs. sea shore on this vacation. Yesterday we did both. We hiked a challenging trail on a hill/mountain just southwest of the Foxwoods Casino and the Pequot Indian Museum (we visited the latter years ago & is worth a trip on its own) and then drove to the shore and walked along the Southington Borough waterfront after which we drove to Westerly, RI for a swordfish dinner. Today we spent several hundred dollars at the Tanger Outlet in Westbrook, CT. Shoshana bought six pairs of shoes, a dress, shorts, a top, and I bought a pair of boots ($55 reduced from $110), a pair of sandals, pants, and a short sleeve polo shirt (we both also bought underwear and socks). We dined at The Seaman's Inn in Mystic where we sat outside and listened to a jazz duet (guitar and acoustic bass). Tomorrow we'll have lunch with my in-laws and pick up our niece Naomi with whom we'll return to Brooklyn, and on Thursday and Friday Shoshana will show her around the big city including a performance of Avenue Q Thursday night while I print out and mail more copies of
bethr's and my
IAMB book proposal and sample chapters (the latter beautifully designed by
chanaleh). On shabbat Naomi will go to shul with us and afterward her dad will join us for an afternoon in Coney Island before taking Naomi home.