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Mother's Day 2022 Litchfield CT

Mother’s Day in Litchfield: Pampering for Every Type of Mom

Mother's Day 2022 Litchfield CT

Moms deserve the best on Mother’s Day (and every day), but making the day special can prove challenging.

If you scan the mainstream media on the subject, you’ll get a lot of standard-issue advice: flowers, chocolates, expressions of love and appreciation and a nice meal out; no cooking, no dishes is pretty much a Mother’s Day rule.

All of it is standard advice for (mostly) good reasons, but here’s the thing: Moms are all different and the same old gifts and rituals year after year, however nice, can get a little boring.

That’s where Litchfield enters the equation to bring new delight and romance to Mother’s Day. The town has families covered when it comes to celebrating Mom with fine dining, artisan chocolates, flowers, and gifts—but even better, our wealth of lifestyle amenities offers the ability to orchestrate the perfect day for Moms of all kinds.

We would make a day of it, too, and here’s how we’d choreograph an adventure that begins in the morning and has the family home to enjoy a quiet evening:

  • Instead of giving Mom breakfast in bed, we might start by taking Mom to the Litchfield coffee shop/scratch bakery that most aligns with her preferences for a treat like a warm chocolate croissaint and a latte. (See our Coffee, Tea, Sweets & Baked Goods)
  • Sunday’s weather is looking lovely, so we’d follow breakfast with a pretty walk in the woods, or a visit to the Laurel Ridge Daffodils. (See our Outdoor Activities page for options.)
  • Then we’d take Mom shopping in the hometown shops and boutiques she would like best, and covertly purchase the things she loves as her Mother’s Day gifts. (See our Shopping page, which includes fine jewelers.)
  • Brunch or lunch comes next (more dining & imbibing thoughts below), followed perhaps by a visit to the Litchfield Historical Society’s museum and/or the Tapping Reeve House and Litchfield Law School. (See our Eat & Drink section and the Arts & History page.)
  • Before heading home (and this is key), we’d pick up a nice bottle of wine and terrific grab-and-go meals to enjoy by a nice fire and a movie. (See our Gourmet Shops & Provisions)

You can easily reshuffle those elements into an afternoon/evening visit that begins with a walk, then coffee and shopping, followed by dinner and dessert.

Or perhaps you want to make a weekend of it and stay in one of our fine lodging options.

And consider adding these experiences to the mix:

As for flowers, Litchfield is home to a number of fine florists, as well as fine garden centers (both under Shopping), and there’s also another creative option available this weekend.

On Saturday, May 7, Susan Spanger of Bloomful Floral Design is presenting a hands-on floral design class at White Memorial centered on the beauty of the Peony! At the end, you take home your arrangement. Details, registration, and tickets are available online.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms!

antiques, Litchfield CT

Litchfield, CT, an Antiques Haven With ‘Hidden Treasures’

Litchfield may not be the Antiques Capital of Connecticut—that designation goes to neighboring Woodbury—but it is home to sophisticated and varied destinations for those who appreciate fine things from the past.

And like the Laurel Ridge Daffodils, the antiques scene is blossoming with new activity this Spring.

Litchfield County Auctions

antiques Litchfield CT
A Burmese Mandalay seated buddha in the April 26 auction.

Litchfield County Auctions just made news for its sale of a first English edition of Thucydides — The History of the Peloponnesian War for $8,125. In a news note on the April 13 Books & Ephemera auction, Antiques and the Arts Weekly reported that the bidding involved a “back and forth competition between two online bidders and a phone bidder” for the 1550 edition published in London that carried an estimate of $6/10,000.

Two auctions are currently accepting bids online as the live auction dates approach:

  • April 26 | Asian Arts & 20th C. Design
  • April 27 | Antiques & Fine Art

Auction Preview dates are April 24, 12-4 p.m., and April 25, 10 a.m. to 4p.m.

Upcoming auctions that are currently accepting consignments include:

  • 4/28 | American & European Art
  • 5/11 | Post War & Contemporary
  • 5/18 | Jewelry & Luxury

To learn more, see the Litchfield County Auctions website.

425 Bantam Rd (Route 202)
860-567-4661

Jeffrey Tillou Antiques

antiques Litchfield CT
A display room at Jeffrey Tillou Antiques. (Source: Facebook)

Jeffrey Tillou Antiques specializes in American furniture and fine art, primarily from the 18th century through the mid-19th century.

The landmark shop on West Street across from the Green in Litchfield center features a selection of painted furniture, weathervanes, sculpture, Oriental carpets and decorative accessories, displayed in eight rooms of an historic three-story building.

Jeffrey Tillou also participates in some of the country’s finest antiques shows, and this Spring takes him to The Philadelphia Show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art from April 29 through May 1, with a preview on April 28.

To learn more, see the Jeffrey Tillou Antiques website.

39 West Street on The Green
860-567-9693


I Ching Antiques

I Ching Antiquesantiques LItchfield specializes in unique country and provincial items from China and Asia. The shop, open on Saturday, also has a unique subterranean location underneath @thecornerrestaurant in Litchfield center. To learn more, see the website.

#3CC South St. (below street level) 
860-361-6691


Housatonic Trading Company

antiques Litchfield
Housatonic Trading Company (Source: Facebook)

Housatonic Trading Company, located in a 19th-century former carriage factory in Bantam, offers fine art, antiques, home furnishings, objet d’art, and unique finds. The showroom is open Friday through Monday, and purchases can also be made through the website, with nationwide delivery available.

To learn more, see the Housatonic Trading Company website.

920 Bantam Rd.
860-361-6299

Vintage & Estate Jewelry

Litchfield is also home to shops that specialize in, or feature, vintage and estate jewelry, including Lawrence Jeffrey Estate Jewelers and Ideal Jewelers, both located on West Street across from the Green in Litchfield center. (Stay tuned for a separate blog post on vintage and estate jewelry in Litchfield.)

Gooseboro copy

Gooseboro, West Shore Seafood, Open for Season in Litchfield

Gooseboro Drive-IN

 

Gooseboro Drive-In, or “The Goose” as longtime fans call it, opened for the season April 12, continuing a tradition of great roadside burgers, hot dogs, shakes, and banana splits that families have enjoyed for six decades.

The Goose, located along Route 202 on the western side of Bantam near Mt. Tom State Park, added to the renown of its Hummel Hot Dogs last summer, winning the Litchfield Economic Development Commission’s “Dog Days of Summer” Hot Dog Contest. (Its winning entries are detailed at the bottom).

Those dogs may be a top draw, but so are the burgers, milkshakes, ice cream Sundaes and soft serve, homemade chili, fried seafood, cheese fries and more.

The burgers are shaped by hand with fresh beef from Omaha. “I make them every morning,” owner Bill Downes said as he prepped for a sunny Wednesday at the beginning of Gooseboro’s 61st year.

Every Wednesday banana splits are the special, followed by Shake It Up Thursdays, when milkshakes are offered at a discount.

Prices across the board are more than fair, but take note that Gooseboro doesn’t accept cards. It’s cash only.

Gooseboro is open seven days a week until it closes for the season, typically in mid-October. Check the Facebook page and Instagram feed for other specials, and updates on hours. The address is 1293 Bantam Rd.

West Shore Seafood: A “Shack” With Delicious Curb Appeal

The ice went out on Bantam Lake a bit early this year, but it was still cold and wintry feeling when West Shore Seafood, a stone’s throw away on Route 209, opened for the season at the end of March.

Spring is a great time to visit, or discover the popular roadside seafood for the first time. It’s jammin’ all summer and fall, but at the moment there’s plenty of elbow room in the dining (heated) tent.

Guests come up from the lake—and from near and far—for the fresh seafood, which can be ordered ahead at 860-567-8000, ordered online, or ordered at the counter when you get there.

The only hard part is deciding from so many great choices: clam chowder, lobster bisque, steamed clams, fried calamari, crab cakes, lobster rolls, fish-and-chips, friend clams, and so much more. There’s also burgers, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, and tacos.

Current hours are Thursday – Saturday: 11am – 3pm, and 4pm – 7pm, and Sunday 12pm – 6pm

There’s also a retail store with new shipments daily: Thurs – Sat 11am – 6pm and Sunday 12pm – 5pm.

Call 860-567-8000 to learn more, or check out the website, Facebook page, and Instagram feed

Don’t Forget Popey’s on the Other Side of Bantam Lake in Morris

Popey’s in the center of Morris is another popular roadside stop that’s been around for 50 years, serving burgers, hot dogs, ice cream, and lots more. It’s open Tuesday – Sunday 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Gooseboro’s Top Dogs for the
“Dog Days of Summer” Hot Dog Contest

  1. The Famous Hot Dog: A 6-inch Hummel natural casing hot dog topped with our homemade Famous Relish, sauerkraut, and pickle slices.
  2. The Double Cheese Chili Dog: A 10-inch Hummel hot dog topped with our award-winning homemade chili, American cheese, and cheese sauce.
  3. The Red Hot: A Hummel Red Hot hot dog split and grilled to perfection, then topped with sweet red pepper relish and chopped onion.
  4. The New Yorker: A 10-inch, all-beef hot dog topped with New York style “cart sauce.”
Gooseboro food
Some of the offerings at Gooseboro; photo courtesy of Gooseboro
Gooseboro's Top Dog entries
Gooseboro's hot dog contest entries
Gooseboroexterior copy
Outside Gooseboro on a Spring morning
WestShoreSeafood
West Shore Seafood
Daffodils

Laurel Ridge Daffodils Ready to Put on a Show in Litchfield

The Laurel Ridge daffodils heading toward the peak in 2021.
The Laurel Ridge daffodils heading toward the peak in 2021.

 

Early spring snow and cold slowed the explosion of color provided by Litchfield’s famous Laurel Ridge daffodils off Route 254 in the Northfield section of town—but it’s coming soon.

On April 8, a few daffodils had opened and others were ready to pop, indicating the tens of thousands of spring blooms may begin to reach their peak around Easter weekend and then shine into May.

Watch for updates on the progress of the annual display on the Facebook page, and check this Instagram feed to see photos posted by visitors.

The daffodil display that draws visitors from across Connecticut and beyond each spring is spread over 15 acres alongside Wigwam Road, accessed by Route 254 and roughly 10 minutes from the center of Litchfield or Thomaston.

Remy and Virginia Morosani first planted 10,000 daffodil bulbs in the early 1940s, and plantings have continued over the years.

The Laurel Ridge Foundation was established by the Morosani family to oversee and manage the display that welcomes the public, though visitors are advised to be respectful and follow the rules.

The Laurel Ridge daffodils are open through the month of April, which gets extended if the blooms linger into May. Once the blossoms are gone, so is access to the property until the next season.

Parking is a key concern. There are “no parking” signs on the east side of the road in order to make sure there’s a clear lane on the narrow back road for emergency vehicles to get through.

Visitors are encouraged to wander through the fields of daffodils, but dogs aren’t allowed and neither are picnics.

“You’re more than welcome to come and take pictures but don’t set up a photo studio,” John Morosani said, only half-kidding as he recalled getting a call one year from his wife, who reported that a photographer who had apparently booked photo sessions had installed a long red sofa in the main daffodil field north of the landmark pond.

Morosani, the son of Remy and Virginia and owner of Laurel Ridge Farm, specializing in grass-fed beef, said new bulbs haven’t been planted in the last couple of years but a lot of maintenance was performed this past year.

Twenty to 25 trees that were either dying or affected by ash dieback have been removed, as well as invasive multiflora clogging the landscape and the view on the hillside above the pond on the western side.

“The daffodils are on Wigwam Road about 1.3 miles south of Rte. 254,” Laurel Ridge told someone planning a visit in a Facebook comment. “It will be hard to miss them.”

The Laurel Ridge daffodils on April 8, 2022.
The Laurel Ridge daffodils on April 8, 2022.
The location of the Laurel Ridge daffodils (Google maps screenshot)
Topsmead State Forest

Hike at Topsmead State Forest and Possibly Win a Prize

Topsmead State Forest

Hike at Topsmead State Forest in Litchfield this year (and lots of other Connecticut parks and forests) and you might win a hand-carved hiking staff from the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP).

DEEP recently announced the Sky’s the Limit Hiking Challenge 2022, and Topsmead is one of the 20 parks and forests on the list.

The theme of this year’s challenge is “Best Kept Secrets,” and the goal is to highlight some of the best kept secrets around the state and build awareness of CT’s history, nature, and landscapes.

“These 20 Best Kept Secrets can be the park or forest itself, or a component within such,” DEEP says. “Discover sunken boats, native plant gardens, scenic viewsheds, battlegrounds, caves, and more. Hike or walk as many of the locations as desired, photo documenting along the way.”

Participants who hike or walk 15 of the 20 trails will receive a “Sky’s the Limit” hiking staff medallion and a certificate. On Jan. 1, 2023, names will be drawn from entrants who visited all 20 locations and 50 winners will receive a hand-carved hiking staff made by the DEEP Sawyer at the CT DEEP Sawmill. All entries are due by 3 p.m. Dec. 2.

As popular as Topsmead is, its many charms qualify the property as a best kept secret. In addition to glorious open meadows, meadow trails, and woodland trails, Topsmead is home to the English Tudor-style summer cottage Edith Morton Chase had built in the early 1900s.

The cottage was designed by noted architect Richard Henry Dana, Jr., and furnished with 17th and 18th century English Country antiques. Under the stewardship of the nonprofit group Friends of Topsmead, the cottage is even open for tours.

Tours will be offered this year on the second and fourth weekends of June, July, August, September, and through Columbus Day weekend in October. Tours of the downstairs rooms begin at noon and run on the hour and half-hour until the last tour at 4:30 p.m.

Chase left her estate to the people of Connecticut upon her death in 1972 to be “kept in a state of natural beauty.”

Petraroia Deli Litchfield CT

New Deli Opening in Prime West St. Spot in Litchfield Center

Petraroia Deli coming to Litchfield Center, CT
Work in progress on the Petraroia Deli space on West St. in Litchfield Center

Frankie Jennett, whose parents and brother-in-law Jay Tranberg own Milestone Wood Fired Pizza in Thomaston, is opening Petraroia Deli in the former location of Superior Foods (and R. Derwin men’s shop) across from the Green on West Street.

The target opening date for Jennett’s “dream spot” is May 1.

Jennett plans to offer Italian-American inspired cuisine, while integrating other culinary influences, and a menu extending from salads and sandwiches to hot foods, grab-and-go items, and prepared dinners to take home.

He won’t be making wood-fired pizza like Milestone (we picked up some pies recently and they were great), but Jennett will offer pan and Sicilian pizzas at Petraroia Deli.

The deli’s bread will come from The Bakehouse across the Green in the Old Litchfield Jail, and Krafted Brew Lab in Bantam will be the source for coffee and espresso, including a specially-created house blend coffee for the deli.

Jennett also plans to offer artisan groceries, and in homage to the former Superior Foods, he wants the deli to be a resource where people walking by can stop to get essentials like milk, eggs, bread, and dinner for the night.

There are also plans to eventually serve breakfast on weekends.

Jennett, who grew up in Litchfield and had been living in Los Angeles, is experienced as a cheesemonger and is a Certified Sommelier—so there are even bigger and more exciting plans down the road.

For updates and opening date information, follow @petraroiadeli on Instagram. To contact Jennett for vending and employment opportunities, email petraroiadeli@gmail.com.

Irish soda bread, Litchfield CT

Irish Soda Bread: Lots of Great Loaves in Litchfield

Irish soda bread from The Bakehouse
Irish soda bread from The Bakehouse

 

Irish soda bread is said to have originated with Native Americans and it became a staple in Ireland during the famine because it was easy to make with common, inexpensive ingredients. While the Irish don’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by drinking green beer, they do treasure soda bread as a staple. Unlike most breads that rise because of yeast, soda bread is leavened through the interaction of baking soda and buttermilk, which, along with flourishes like raisins, dried fruit, and caraway seeds, gives the bread the distinct, rich, and slightly sweet taste we love. Litchfield is blessed with bakeries that make wonderful Irish soda bread.

Love Hearts Bakery and Cafe

This is your spot for bespoke Irish soda bread. Love Hearts is taking orders and will make your loaves any way you prefer—small or large, with or without currants, or caraway seeds, even gluten free … and more.

583 Bantam Rd. · 860-361-6526  

Instagram | Facebook | Website

The Bakehouse

The Bakehouse on the lower level of the Old Litchfield Jail got in the game early and has been making terrific Irish soda bread every day, which continues through St. Patrick’s Day, of course.

7 North St · 860-361-6423

Instagram | Website

Troy Brook Bakery

Check the Facebook and Instagram accounts for a pop up St. Patrick’s day menu that includes soda bread and other Irish treats. Whatever you order can be picked up Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.

860-309-5986

Instagram | Facebook

Meraki

Meraki is offering Irish soda bread through St Patrick’s Day, including regular, caraway, currant, and gluten free options.

860-361-9777

Instagram | Facebook

Arethusa a mano

Studded with raisins and caraway, Arethusa a mano’s Irish soda bread is available Wednesday and Thursday.

860-567-5722

Instagram | Facebook

Bantam Bread

Bantam Bread and its fans love Irish soda bread so much it’s a year-round staple offered every Thursday. There’s a special batch coming this weekend (3/12, 3/13) and more next week (daily according to an Instagram post).

853 Bantam Rd. · 860-567-2737

Instagram | Facebook | Website
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Irish soda bread at Bantam Bread Company
Irish soda bread at Bantam Bread Company

Editor’s Note: The Dutch Epicure Bakery doesn’t make Irish soda bread but offers lots of other types of homemade bread, including a sublime raisin bread. If you know of spots offering soda bread that we missed, email visitlitchfieldct@gmail.com to let us know and we’ll add them.

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