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“In October, a maple tree before your window lights up your room like a great lamp. Even on cloudy days, its presence helps to dispel the gloom.” — John Burroughs
Fall in New England is probably my favorite season, and the consensus agrees that it is among the many things the natives here look forward to. Doors and windows are open, mornings and evenings are crisp, and that cozy vibe returns to the shoreline. Soon to catch the first scent of firewood being burned and rediscovering a favorite jacket, I look forward to this time of year.
We hope that your summer was a good one and that you have filed away some great memories. People are now beginning to shift gears toward the holidays and family gatherings. I don’t partake in the pumpkin spice thing personally, but for many, it has become the flavor marker of the season.
Speaking of holidays, we feature some great local businesses here in INK, and we hope that if you appreciate this magazine, you will try to patronize these fine local venues for your gift-giving this year. The Bowerbird and the Red House in Salem have almost all one needs to give a unique and memorable gift.
For the more eclectic among you, we highly recommend a trip to C.E.L. in Niantic. Craig Lessard has items in his shop that I can guarantee you will not find anywhere on the shoreline.
We hope that you enjoy this issue of INK!
Susan Cornell - editorial
Elizabeth S. Mitchell - editorial Rona Mann - editorial
Advertising Contributors
Jeffery Lilly -
860.581.0026
Bob Houde - Eastern Connecticut bob@inkct.com 860.303.6690
Carolina Marquez-Sterling - design
Gregory Post - editorial
Jan Tormay - editorial
Contact us to receive our media kit with detailed marketing information.
Rona Mann - Greater Connecticut six07co@att.net - 401-539-7762
Richard Malinsky - Shoreline richard@inkct.com - 215.704.9273
the Cover: Elephants on the march. Newport, Rough Point
Photo by Corey Favino, courtesy Cultural Foundation
Jeffery Lilly founder / publisher
On
Ken DeWaard, Laying Out the Sail, Oil, 18 x 24”
Del-Bourree Bach, Taking a Day Off, Acrylic, 18 x 18”
Tom Glover, Buoys of Blue, Oil, 40 x 30”
Jonathan McPhillips, Prevailing Memories, Oil, 24 x 36”
By Rona Mann
Photos Courtesy of Comfort Sleep Systems
t’s a story of 85 years, 4 generations, 1 family, and a solid commitment to their customers… it’s a bedtime story guaranteed to put you to sleep.
For this is the story of Comfort Sleep Systems and one very dedicated family. The company was started by Leon Bombalicki in 1939. It was then passed down to his son, David, and now the fourth generation headed by Sara Vallario, David’s daughter, is putting people to sleep with a smile on their face. They’re located in Branford, but that shouldn’t matter if you don’t live nearby because they deliver nationwide... and that’s to customers from Connecticut to Alaska and everywhere in between. Comfort Sleep Systems does one thing, and they do it better than anyone else. They make mattresses.
So you may be thinking, “A lot of companies make mattresses. I see them on TV all the time, I see them in the big box stores, I see and hear lots of ads.” Yes, but how many companies make those mattresses right within their location? How many use materials that are made in the USA? How many mattress companies even use thread made right here in America?
The answer, the only answer that should matter, is Comfort Sleep Systems because from the bottom up, every layer of a custom-made mattress, every ingredient, every stitch is American-made right in Branford, Connecticut.
Come take a quick look at the “competition;” however, once you visit Comfort Sleep Systems, see how the mattresses are made right there in-house, try them out, and ask every question you can think of and receive satisfactory answers to each one of them, there really is no competition whatsoever.
Many of the mattresses that you see advertised on TV are made in China, the biggest exporter in the world, and the United States is the biggest importer of these mattresses. Why many American mattress companies decided to outsource part or all of their production to places with lower overhead costs like China,
India, or Vietnam is because of one thing: profit margins. When they import from a country that employs cheap labor, they earn more money on the product.
Factories in Asia have been set up to quickly assemble their product with raw materials they have on hand. Because they have high volume and their clients are faceless and nameless, the work is done quickly to accommodate more incoming work. It’s all about volume, not about the people who will sleep 1/3 of their lives on these mattresses. The biggest thing that’s forgotten is quality and pride in that quality. That’s why customers who come to Comfort Sleep Systems almost always return. It’s why they then tell their families, friends, and neighbors; why Sara, David, and everyone involved in selling, designing, and stitching every single mattress has that pride. It’s because what they’re selling is not just a mattress, but pride in their workmanship. “Mattresses. They’re not just a bunch of rectangles,” Sara says with a laugh, but her meaning and her intention are serious. “We are very picky.” That’s probably why their website refers to them as “sleep artisans” because every mattress is individually crafted and not just another “rectangle.” While all mattresses may look the same to a consumer, the features that distinguish one
from another are sealed inside, and that’s where the Comfort Sleep Systems people excel... they educate.
If you’ve researched mattresses before coming to Comfort Sleep Systems, that’s exactly what David and Sara hope you will have done. “My job is to detangle people,” David says laughing. “Detangle them from the overload of misinformation that’s on the internet. You truly get what you pay for...but first, you’ve got to know exactly what you’re paying for.”
It all begins when you open that door, are warmly greeted, and see for yourself what you’re paying for. The very first thing you’ll notice is how pleasant the air smells. In fact, there is no smell as you’d find with nearly all new mattresses and throughout the stores that sell them. These odors come from volatile organic chemicals used in the manufacturing process. They’re packaged in an airtight fashion and shipped halfway around the world, so when finally opened, offensive gases are released into the air, and that’s not healthy.
But you won’t have that issue at Comfort Sleep Systems because every mattress in the showroom has been made right there with materials that are fully certified, so there’s no smell, just the best mattress you’ll ever own.
You’ll also see these words on the walls: wool, organic, cotton, natural, feathers...that means you have a wide choice of how you want your mattress constructed. “We have everything that’s on the market,” David says. “We just have to find out what your comfort level is. What you like. How you sleep.”
Young David Bombalicki
David Bombalicki and Sara Vallario
Sara Vallario with pillows
Firmness, body type, temperature regulation and control, and sleep position are all very personal and play into it. There is no cookie-cutter manufacturing here. No assembly line operation with pre-defined sequence. “We are very intentional with the materials we use to construct your mattress and exactly
how we layer them,” says Sara who favors the Talalay Latex Advantage, foam mattresses that instantly conform to your anatomy, have no harmful chemicals or toxins, give full orthopedic support, and won’t sag after years of use. Not only does Comfort Sleep Systems build mattresses for individuals, but for couples who
Neil, building a mattress
David sewing/quilting mattress cover
may have different preferences…they can build all those preferences into one beautiful night’s sleep.
There’s also no pressure to buy. “The price is the same all day, every day,” Sara says. She doesn’t “sell” you the mattress and neither does David nor any other employee. At Comfort Sleep Systems it will be the mattress that sells you. Seeing the large warehouse space in the back where everything is perfectly organized, whistle-clean, and ready for delivery also sells you. Seeing the workroom with the American-made sewing machines, the industrial-size spools of American-made threads, and the mattresses in every size and thickness will be what sells you. Ultimately, when you go from one to another testing them all out, it will indeed be the mattress itself that sells you and your partner and/or family members. It’s what goes into each mattress at Comfort Sleep Systems that will sell you and by the way you’re treated.
Just like the mattresses they design and manufacture, this family spanning 85 years and 4 generations supports you because they know sleep is much more than an everyday activity, it’s an experience. Their family reputation depends on it, and their commitment to quality is the signature on every mattress.
Usually, when a prospective customer has spent time in a store with a salesperson, carefully looking over the many choices and asking questions, if they’re not ready to make a purchase that same day they will say, “I’ve gotta sleep on it.” At Comfort Sleep Systems that’s not an excuse, it’s exactly what they do want their customers to say and what they’ve been saying since 1939. Because when you’ve found exactly the right product, a product that is completely and totally made in the USA right down to the threads, when the owners of the company are extraordinarily picky
Owners, Matt and Lita Bondlow
about what they sell and how they sell, deliver with white glove service, and stand by it 100%, then they know it’s right. It’s the best combination of product and service, and before you leave their store, you’ll know it as well.
That’s why we’re absolutely sure after you visit Comfort Sleep Systems, meet the family, and try out a whole “bunch of those rectangles,” you’ll say, “I’ve gotta sleep on it!”
And you will.
Visit Comfort Sleep Systems at 23 Jefferson Road in Branford, just off Rt. 1. Meet Sara and David. Lie down, put your feet up, and realize this is all you’ll ever need for a great night’s sleep now and forever! (203) 483-1198 www.comfortss.com
David Bombalicki, Archie, and Sara Vallario, Owners of Comfort Sleep Systems
Delivery Coordinator Alvin
Profile by Carolina Márquez-Sterling
Photograph by Carolina Márquez-Sterling
ince I was a pipsqueak, the majestic, lumbering pachyderms have held a curious warmth in my heart. I have longed to peer eye-to-eye with an elephant. Their eyes are deep pools of wisdom, and their sense of mammalian quality has kept me craving a connection. My obsession was born when I saw the movie Dumbo at the tender age of six. I felt his yearning after being separated from his mother. And there's that scene where he searches for her with his trunk, and she sees it come up over the side, chained at the feet; she cannot go to him. So, she then feels for him with her trunk, finds him, caresses him, and rocks him in the crook of her trunk as he weeps enormous teardrops. All the while, the heartbreaking song "Baby of Mine" is playing in the background.
A little later, the affable Horton of Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Suess enters my perspective. "Act swiftly, awesome pachyderm!" "Don't give up! I believe in you all. A person's a person, no matter how small!" The story's moral is about another outsider, the Who's of Whoville, who can only be heard and not seen, living on a speck of dust and needing Horton's help to exist. As a child, reading and seeing those two stories was the linchpin that led to my lifelong obsession.
In 1986, while working as a 9-5 designer for Lotus Corporation in Cambridge, MA, I planned a sabbatical for a 6-week photo safari in Africa. Unfortunately, things did not work out, and I had to cancel. Since then, I've been planning a trip to see elephants in the wild for years. I've been fixated on African elephants but find Indian elephants are equally fascinating. My affection for Dumbo and Horton grew into admiration and appreciation for all elephants because of their extraordinary family structure and high intelligence. They are complex creatures who live rich social lives and have excellent capacities for memory. I've read that if they come up onto the bones of a dead relative, they show agitation and often seem to mourn by trumpeting the loss like humans do at funerals. They feel like family in the broad sense. When I pitched the story to Jeff, the publisher, he said, "Hell yeah, who doesn't love an elephant story." So, I discovered I am not that unique.
I was immediately drawn to it when a friend from Newport shared a unique installation on the Cliff Walk of a herd of life-size wood elephants. I was intrigued by this artistic endeavor, a poignant presentation to raise awareness of the elephants' plight and coexistence with humanity. Moved by this, I immediately planned a "safari" to the Cliff Walk to witness this
Newport RI, Rough Point Estate, Photograph by Corey Favino Courtesy of Cultural Counsel
powerful sight. I packed a picnic, checked Google Maps, and brought my trusty companions, my husband and Django the papillion. After a three-and-a-half-hour drive, a search for a parking spot at Easton First Beach, and a two-mile trek in the scorching 85-degree summer sun, I finally arrived at the back lawn of Salve Regina University McAuley Hall. Though not live, the sight of this remarkable 52-head herd was genuinely moving.
There were elephants of every size, from adult males to mothers, teens, and infants. Remarkably, even though the elephants were not alive, the artists captured the wisdom in their eyes, which was genuinely moving when seen in person. The most powerful experience was standing beside them and truly tangibly understanding their size. The remaining herd total in Newport spread to The Breaker's grounds, Rough Point, and a large Tusker installed at Great Friends Meeting House.
Each elephant, from the largest to the smallest, is fastidiously crafted using dried lantana camara. It is then wrapped in 1/2-inch strips around a steel re-bar frame and coated with Osmo Oil for protection. Osmo oils contain natural vegetable oils to nourish and protect wood, maintaining a natural look. Lantana camera is a highly adaptable flowering plant. Once introduced into a habitat, it quickly spreads. It's considered one of the world's top invasive weeds. It has taken over 300,000 square kilometers of India's forests, impacting the food sources for herbivores, affecting the tiger reserves, and pushing the gentle giants into human areas.
The installation and subsequent traveling elephant sculptures, according to The Great Elephant Migration website, are expected to have several impacts. 1.) It represents India's most significant sustainable indigenous industry. It brings economic stability, standing, and dignity to the members of the Soligas, Bettakurumbas, Kattunayakan, and Paniyas tribes. 2.) Carbon sequestration: This massive project entails removing invasive plants from India's Protected Areas and transforming them into biochar. Primarily used on soils to increase soil aeration, decrease nutrient leaching,
raise soil water content, and lessen acidity. The project expects to eliminate tons of carbon from the environment by the end of 2025. In addition, it will provide 500 jobs for the indigenous communities. 3.) Invasive Species removal: This will restore biodiversity in the forests so the animals may return to their natural habitat; and finally, 4.) Human-wildlife coexistence: promoting innovative conservation methods. Many people worldwide have successfully coexisted with lions, leopards, and elephants in their surroundings
Elephants on the march in Newport Rough Point Photo by Corey Favino NRF
Matriarch with teen, Photos by Carolina Marquez-Sterling
Red Elephant Mayflower Photo by Carolina Márquez-Sterling
by involving community and leveraging their innate knowledge.
When a Latana-made elephant sculpture finds a permanent home, it can generate between $8,000 and $22,000 for wildlife conservation NGOs (non-governmental organizations). The sale of these elephant sculptures at the Newport exhibit raises awareness to the efforts of Save The Bay, a local non-profit committed to removing invasive phragmites from salt marshes and reviving the salt marsh sparrow, whose existence depends on a healthy marsh ecosystem. This positive impact on wildlife conservation efforts is a beacon of hope in championing the safeguarding of natural habitats. As the tour progresses, selling the elephants will raise funds for 22 conservation organizations nationwide. The website offers information on purchasing a sculpture. I understand that you can buy off the rack, so of speak, or choose one from the traveling herd. Either way, it would be an excellent addition to business frontages, estate landscapes, schools and my backyard.
A herd matriarch balances the group's needs, remembers where the resources are, settles disputes, and avoids unnecessary travel. Behind this impressive installation is an innovative gathering of 'Matriarchs and Tuskers," as the website defines them. At the top of the list are Ruth Ganesh, Shubhra Nayar, Subhash Gautum, and Tarsh Thekaekara, who are all intimately involved in bringing this extraordinary initiative to life, from visualization and orchestration to capturing each elephant's uniqueness by combining nature to form, to assembling a team of artisans who are part of the Nilgiri forest tribes and encouraging them to operate as solo entrepreneurs making more money than the national average. All while focusing on two critical areas: improving the integration of human-elephant zones and managing invasive plants.
These 'Matriarchs and Tuskers' are not alone in their mission. They are supported by roughly 60 influential individuals, each with unique expertise and perspective. This group includes environmentalists, philanthropists,
creatives, and storytellers, names recognized in their respective fields. Together, they form a vital network that addresses the challenges and forces of a changing planet.
Besides my enduring love of the elephant, what caught my curiosity and attention was using an invasive weed for art. It is incredibly clever genius. Given the philosophy and spirituality of this region's people, everything in nature is sacred and has a soul and purpose. Each elephant, created by The Elephant Collective, lives in the Nilgiri region and has an intimate relationship with the forest where the elephants live. These artisans have masterfully crafted lifelike, realistic sculptures of each elephant they have lived alongside for five years. As with many native cultures globally, these societies possess profound knowledge of nature and wildlife acquired through generations of observation and experience. It is a unique sensitivity to show reverence for the elephants and, in an ironic turn of events, use the lantana to construct them. Elevating both in unison creates a unique
NYC Meatpacking District Photo by Mark Warner
Elephant at Sudeley Castle, England Courtesy of Cultural Counsel
Mother & Calf at the Waters edge, Photo bySaipreeth S. Thattari, Courtesy of Cultural Counsel
solution to the coexistent issue. In other words, the very thing that was pushing them out of their natural habitat into urban areas is what will save them by raising awareness through creative expression with a sculptural art installation.
The interconnectedness of all life is supremely expressed, with the gentle giant sculptures made from a toxic, invasive plant becoming part of the solution. The secret to ensuring that all living things survive, and flourish is to see life from this perspective. Ultimately, the lesson is that the planet will care for us if we care for it, its inhabitants, and the natural world.
For more information on the Installation, Volunteer opportunities, and becoming part of the Great Elephant Migration adventure or purchasing an elephant visit: https://thegreatelephantmigration.org
The sculptures travel by a convoy of electric trucks adorned with Indian lorry art. Los Angeles is the furthest destination planned, but there are exciting conversations in the works for other locations in the future.
Much like Dumbo and Horton "done good" stories, this herd is here to tell their story. It is a tale of coexistence for all beings on the planet. A reminder of wonder in the company of wild, free animals ignites hope and inspiration to share our planet. The extinction of any species is not simply a scientific or conservation issue—it's the loss of a distinct group of beings, a member of our extended family, and what they add to the web of life.
The herd traveled to the United Kingdom in 2021 and was at Lalbagh Botanical Garden in Bangalore, India, earlier this year.
Miami Beach, FL December 2024
Blackfeet Nation, Buffalo Pastures, Browning, MT, May & June 2025
Los Angeles, CA July 2025
I highly recommend seeing this if you can anywhere. Each location offers an interesting
The installation travels NEXT to the: Meatpacking District, New York City, NY. September & October 2024
view and thoughtful contemplation of our place in the grand scheme of things.
NYC Meatpacking District Photo by Mark Warner
Elephants arriving to NYC Meatpacking District, (video still) by Cherry Orchard, Courtesy of Cultural Counsel.
NYC Meatpacking District Photo by Mark Warner
Photo of Adolescent Elephant by Carolina Márquez- Sterling
Many thanks to the Cultural Counsel for assisting me with photos and information on the Great Elephant Migration.
| 3:00 PM
Mountainfilm: On Tour | New London Saturday, 10.19.24 | 7:00 PM
Hocus Pocus Live!!! | M Saturday, 11.02.24 11:00 AM Dionne Warwick Thursday, 11.14.24 | 7:30 PM
The Ultimate Elvis Concert Friday, 11.15.24 | 7:00 PM
Moth Friday, 03.21.
04.29.25 |
Menopause The Musical Wednesday, 04.30.25 |
ONE ROOF THREE
ONE ROOF THREE GENERATIONS GENERATIONS
The Art of Multi-Generational Living Involves Love, Respect, and Lots of Humor
Profile and Photograhs
by Jan Tormay
Like a well-oiled machine, the Harrises of New London, Connecticut have their routine down pat. Beginning at dawn, Sarah goes about making breakfast. Her 19-month-old son, Lucas, climbs up on granddad Nelson’s lap, while her husband, Peter, sleeps a while longer before going to his sales job at Hoffman Audi of New London.
“And we have morning prayer. We have songs,” said Sarah, 37, in early May.
“We recognize that most things are brought about by prayer,” Nelson said. “If everyone prayed, we would probably be a better country. Who knows?”
Between 8:30 and 9 a.m. four days weekly, Sarah and Lucas wave goodbye to granddad who hops on his mini-bus destined for the Ross Adult Day Center in Norwich (RADC, owned and operated by UCFS Healthcare), while passengers already on board take in this heartwarming scene.
Afterward, Sarah and Lucas continue their day with a walk, visiting friends or other activity.
Nelson, 88, said he enjoys visiting the RADC because it offers a “stabilizer,” a schedule and a program, which takes him to a place where he can interact with many people again and sketch them. “I think it’s good to get up early and have a purpose in life,” the artist and published children’s author, said.
Even though Nelson doesn’t babysit Lucas, Sarah said he is an “extra set of eyes” on this very active toddler and a big help to her in many ways, such as enabling her to run quick errands while leaving the baby with Nelson in the car, and getting groceries out of their vehicle.
Caring for his father is something Peter said they feel honored to do. “Everything he's done for me in my life, I always wanted to make sure that at the end, I could be there to take care of him.”
Describing Nelson as “the most generous person” he knows, Peter said he thinks nothing of giving people “the last of his money.”
“So there's all these admirable qualities that I grew up sort of trying to emulate and definitely soaking in.”
“If you stand back and you really get at the point of life, it's all just a learning experience from here till you go out,” Nelson said. “And if you can learn to be a nice person, you're on top of it all. A nice person means you're not (thinking about) ‘Me, me, me.’ That's the biggest thing most people have to fight.”
Peter, 44, said Nelson is really respectful of the couple’s space, “almost too much. He's like, ‘Oh, you guys are having dinner. I'll let you be husband and wife.’ But no, he's, honest to God, the sweetest guy in the world.”
“They are a married couple,” Nelson said. “You have to show a certain amount of respect. It's not like just family. It goes beyond that. If you're living with them, they are a united man and woman with a child. It's a family. And you, like it or not, you're on the outside. I will close the door. I don't want to interfere in their privacy, in who they are. That's all part of marriage.”
Nelson spends a great deal of time in his room drawing, painting and writing stories – sometimes from morning until he goes to sleep at night. “It's actually freakish,” Peter said. “He's just locked in the whole entire day,” and not interested in joining their activities or outings.
“That's what it's really about in life. Learning how to entertain yourself,” said Nelson, author of Andrew of the Antimites.
The couple agreed it helps that Nelson has his own private bathroom with a walk-in shower.
Asked if he ever offers advice, Nelson “zips” his mouth with his fingers, saying he has learned not to. “Because sometimes you'll say something, and later on you say, ‘What the heck did I say that for?’”
The Harrises’ magical, three-generational journey together began on September 29, 2022 when Lucas was born at Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London, which is also where his father and grandfather were born. Peter also became a father for the first time at age 42 – the same age Nelson was when Peter was born.
Initially, there was an adjustment period for Sarah, as they went from a couple living by themselves, to Nelson moving in after his hospitalization in January 2022, learning she was pregnant and giving birth the same year and becoming a family of four.
“That was a different mindset for sure,” said Sarah, 37, a part-time librarian at the New London Public Library. The Hebron, Connecticut native is also a Culinary Institute of America graduate, former pastry chef, baker and life-skills instructor.
These days, the Harrises enjoy "hanging out" at home inside or in the backyard and enjoying each other's company, as well as playing games, visiting Eastern Point Beach in Groton, eating alfresco at Fred's Shanty in New London and attending church weekly.
They learn from each other
Peter said his father often sits in the dark and draws and is “really on top of the lights. “If you leave a light on, he zooms out of his room and finds the light switch and turns it off.”
In addition to reminding them about frugality, Nelson has a knack for taking profound things and breaking them down into a very simple form, which is “really a skill,” said Peter, who has also worked as a bartender and in furniture sales.
Born during the Great Depression and a child during World War II, Nelson joined the U.S. Air Force at 18 – and was sent to a base in Hiroshima, Japan for two years, where he served as a typist. Two years,
later, while he was on his way to Korea, he survived an airplane crash. Unfazed, he still flies today.
Later, as a civilian, Nelson made money any way he could. He worked in factories, drove a cab and newspaper truck, swept parking lots, dug graves, and for 20 years, worked as an upholsterer for Mohegan Sun Casino (until he retired at 75).
“Nelson is probably one of the most encouraging people I've ever met, so he's a joy to live with and care for,” said Sarah, adding he tells her what a good mother she is at least 10 times a day.
“I really admire my son, Peter. I think his wife is great. And of course, I love little Lukey…Everything is fine,” Nelson said.
Reflecting on Lucas, Peter said he thinks it’s good to introduce “kids” into a family. “They make you young again. You have to act like a kid with them again. It's nice.”
Sarah added Lucas is so happy all the time. “He's happy even when he's sick. Like I want to be more like that.”
Peter said he couldn’t have asked for a better partner than Sarah. “She does most of the hard work, to be honest, because ever since Lucas has been born, I've been working.”
The adults all agreed that living together requires patience, tolerance and understanding.
Having seven grown children and twice married and divorced, Nelson said, “I always liked children. I grew up in a family of eight. I'm also a twin, so I didn't even come into the world alone, so it's (living with Peter, Sarah and Lucas) been very natural. They've been very nice.”
Nelson lived by himself for years – which he said helped him appreciate living with this little family even more. “I know what it's like to be alone. I know what it's like to get up every morning by yourself and to head out into the world. I did that day after day.”
Peter said his father is a “little cavalier about his health,” so they have to watch him, as he wants Coke and fries, or some form of potato, daily.
Being able to have memories with granddad and grandson together “is really awesome,” Peter said. “I always wanted that.”
Reflecting on how the couple first met in 2016, Peter said they weren’t expecting too much, because they met online and “that can be a grind after a while.”
After initially thinking Peter was "weird," Sarah said she quickly found him charming. “We fell in love…It was very romantic.”
The couple married in 2020.
“I don't know anybody like her,” Peter said.
“Thanks honey. Yeah, you either. You're one of a kind, that's for sure,” Sarah said smiling.
Humor is clearly a part of this happy family’s secret.
Photo by Elizabeth S. Mitchell
Love Letters to the Shoreline
by Elizabeth S. Mitchell
How I got Here: An Introduction
“Why don’t you come down and visit us for a beach day?”my friend’s voice said over the phone.“You’ve been through so much lately. Putting your feet in the sand might help.”
Help.
Help was a word I’d come to loathe over the past several months. Between April 2019 when this phone call occurred and the previous April, I’d survived a serious health crisis, a divorce, and the letting go of a decade-long teaching career. “Help” had been suggested to me in every possible form and from every possible direction – a new therapist, yoga, acupuncture, pharmaceuticals, a martini, a date.
But for the first time in a long time, a “helpful” suggestion seemed to resonate with me. “The beach,” I said.“You know what? I think it might.”
And so I made my very first trip to Old Saybrook, CT.
Upon stepping out of the car at Harvey’s Beach that blustery Spring day, I took my shoes off, tossed them back into the car, and walked slowly onto the sand. The low-tide beach seemed to stretch out forever in a way that spoke of possibility and the vastness of a world I was about to discover. After a long stroll down to the water’s edge, I let the ebbing tide encircle my ankles and engulf my feet; the thought that my feet were in the same body of water as countless other living beings reminded me, for the first time in a long time, of the interconnectedness of everything.
As a cool, salty breeze blew across the beach, I stretched my arms out to the wind and thought of a quote by author Melissa Jane Osborne: “Flying is like riding a bike. We think we forget, but we don’t. We just need a happy thought.”
Over the coming months, I spent as much time in Old Saybrook as I possibly could. I’d pass whole days lying on the beach, evenings dancing to live music at The Back Porch or The Griswold Inn, slowly remembering what it felt like to touch and be touched by the world I had closed myself away from for the better part of a year.
Late that summer, I wrote the following in my journal: As I enter September, my usually-alabaster hands, so translucently white the blue veins show through like cobalt rivers, are a deep, shimmering red-gold - the color of just-fired clay - newly set in a shape and art form it could never have imagined as it sat wet, cool, and stagnant in a studio cellar. Near daily this summer, these hands steered my car coastward, toward the sun.
And then one day, as I sat poolside at Saybrook Point Resort, applying to jobs on my laptop in the hopes of being able to move to the shoreline permanently, the first of countless angels I would meet on the shoreline approached my chair.
“Excuse me, but by any chance, are you an actress?” asked the warmly-smiling woman standing next to me. Confused, I laughed. Was she making a joke about my oversized movie star sunglasses? She laughed then as well, realizing what an odd question it must have seemed to be.
“No, I’m serious,” she said.“Do you have acting experience?”
“Well, not since college,” I said.
“Can you sing?” came her next question.
“Again,” I said giggling and somewhat perplexed,“Not since college. But yes, I did do both competitively once upon a time, a long time ago.”
“Well, you would make a great North Pole librarian!” she exclaimed, and at this point, I was completely bewildered and absolutely intrigued.
As it turned out, this woman was a veteran performer on The Essex Steam Train’s storied North Pole Express show, and she was looking for new people to audition for that year’s cast. It took a bit of convincing, since the jobs I had been looking for were writing or teaching related, but I decided the opportunity was too wonderful and too serendipitously-timed to pass up, and I scheduled an audition. On the very same day that the place I was temporarily staying would no longer be available, I learned I got the job. I’d be able to stay on the shoreline.
Now, five years later, I write this as the fall is just beginning, from the same poolside where I met my first shoreline angel. But now, I sit here as a member of the community, as an Old Saybrook resident, as a co-manager of a local business, and having met countless more angels in many forms. It is with immense gratitude that I embark on a writing journey aimed at highlighting the many people, places, and organizations that in one way or another, lent me a feather to help me rebuild my wings, and in so doing, helped me remember how to fly.
A GRAND VOYAGE
From
Cannes To Rome
By Barquentine
There’s nothing like dropping anchor in an untouched inlet or tying up at a dock in a bustling, harbor city.
As passengers aboard a Star Clippers ship for two weeks, we were fortunate to experience a variety of ports of call in the Western Mediterranean ~ sailing from Cannes, France to Monaco, and then to Corsica, Elba, Civitavecchia (the port for Rome), and finally off to Italy ~ the Aeolian Islands, Sicily, Amalfi, Sorrento, and Ponza.
A wonderful way to travel is by sail. Sailing ships move at “human speed,” and tens of thousands of square feet of sail makes for the right soft, swaying sense of movement, says the Managing Owner of Star Clippers, Mikael Krafft.
Or as writer and traveler Robert Louis Stevenson expressed it: “For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.”
Our means of transport was the barquentine Star Flyer, a 139-foot, four-masted sailing ship, older (built in Belgium in
1991) but still considered a luxury vessel. The ship has the capacity to carry 166 passengers. There were 148 guests aboard the first leg of our trip (France and Monaco), and 134 aboard on the second leg (Italy). The guests themselves were typically adventure-lovers. Many shared a love of sailing, though the ability to sail is in no way necessary. Passengers came from all over the world ~ US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany. The environment is very social; I have never cruised with nicer, friendlier passengers anywhere,
and after 21 cruises that says an awful lot. The ship itself offers spacious accommodations and expansive teak decks. The decor is reminiscent of the grand age of sailing. There are antique prints and paintings of famous sailing ships, teak decks, and polished brass and varnished mahogany rails. Star Clippers is one of the few sailing
Feature by Susan Cornell Photographs by Susan and Bob Cornell
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
— Louis Armstrong
cruises that truly sails as a means of getting from one port to the next; it is not just for show. They try to maximize the amount of time under wind power not only so the guests can experience a true tall ship sailing experience, but also because this reduces the amount of fuel consumed. A cruise under sail is much easier on the environment. Of course there is an engine, but the engine uses, high quality low sulphur gas oil for which the company was awarded the International Air Pollution Prevention Certificate. Star Flyer was the first ship in the world to receive this accolade.
Using reverse osmosis, a water purification technology, the ships are able to recycle ocean water to fresh drinking water on board. Over 500,000 pounds of ocean water is converted to drinking water on the three ships daily.
The weather every single day was spectacular. Late June in the Mediterranean is perfect. It’s not quite as crowded as July and August, and you can explore by foot or whatever means you choose. We opted for walking/hiking and averaged eight miles per day.
While the ports of call were the most important factor in selecting the sailing, there’s plenty to do on board as well:
Italian class, Thai cooking, mast climbing, wine tasting, fitness, Latin dance class, lounging in the bowsprit, cocktail demos and tasting, engine room tours, story time with our captain, hauling the lines, knot tying, and steering the ship.
We flew from New York to Nice, an easy 7-hour nonstop flight and were picked up and toured Nice, Eze, Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Cannes. All were good though Eze was a bit too touristy for us. Loved Saint-Paulde-Vence, one of the oldest medieval towns of the French Riviera. Conversely, we were quite surprised to find that it’s difficult to
see the beach in Cannes, let alone touch it due to a combination of private ownership, general construction, and mega-conventions.
We spent the night in Cannes, embarked the following day, and the Star Flyer set sail towards Monaco.
Monaco turned out to be one of, if not the, biggest surprises of the trip. With 38,400 people living in an area of just 514 acres, making it the most densely populated city on earth, and with a reputation of being all about ostentatious supercars, yachts, and
the casino, I wasn’t sure I wanted to disembark but decided to sneak a peek. What we found was the most beautiful walkable gardens, a tremendous aquarium (the Musée Océanographique de Monaco), no crowds, and very cool cars and yachts. Little did we know that in the midst of the resort area of the Cote d’Azur we would find a replica of David Bushnell’s Turtle, the world’s first submersible vessel, with quite a Connecticut connection. In fact, there is another replica at the Connecticut River Museum in Essex, in walking distance from our home.
The cars and yachts, while over the top, were admittedly amazing. Who wouldn’t be intrigued by a $5.5 million sports car with a 24K gold paint job, and the number of car owners who pay $1000 a day to park in front of the casino?
We returned to the ship and set sail for L’Ile Rousse in Corsica. L’Ile Rousse is in the heart of Balagne, in one of the most beautiful gulfs in Corsica. While some of the passengers took the excursion to tour Corsican Villages, we opted to hike a trail along the coast and swim. If you like trail hiking, Corsica should be on your bucket list. And if you like watersports, move Corsica up to the one of the top spots on your list.
The ship set sail late in the afternoon and headed to the intriguing city of Ajaccio, Corsica. The inhabitants of the commune are known as Ajacciens (men) or Ajacciennes (women). The most famous of these is Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born in Ajaccio in 1769, and whose ancestral home, the Maison Bonaparte, is now a museum. Other dedications to Napoleon in the city are pretty much everywhere. Curiously
though, Ajaccio was named after another military legend, the Greek warrior Ajax. While many passengers participated in a Napoleon Walking Tour, we found Ajaccio easy to explore on our own, and though this is the capital and largest city in Corsica, there was a beautiful beach with clear water a few steps from where we docked. With a small ship, there is little time wasted in queues waiting to get on and off the ship, which means you can get the most out of your destination for the day. We were all on board late in the afternoon and Star Flyer set sail towards Bonifacio, Corsica.
Bonifacio’s almost land-locked harbor is one of the most dramatic, totally protected harbors. It is a bustling port with excellent seafood restaurants and a modern marina. The ancient citadel town is perched high atop a cliff.
We took a coastal boat trip along Bonafacio’s cliffs. After climbing aboard, we left the harbor through a narrow channel, passed by the Madonetta lighthouse, built in 1854, and saw the Little Dragon marine cave. The tour followed a cliff and passed by a rock known as the Rudder of Corsica, as well as the King of Aragon’s staircase.
We returned to the ship and attended a Thai cooking demonstration by a guest chef who was aboard with another very well-liked
guest, her partner “Dr. Wine,” who presented wine tastings. Star Flyer set sail for Bastia.
We anchored off Bastia the next day and took the tender to the beach in the morning. Star Flyer has a watersports platform included, and the sports team brought out the kayaks and paddleboards. They also have sailboats and other toys, weather permitting.
We tendered back, sailed to Bastia, and spent the afternoon walking the hilltop fortress and Bastia Cathedral. We returned to the ship and set sail for Portoferraio/ Elba, Italy.
Portoferraio is the largest town on Elba Island and an enchanting introduction to the Tuscan Archipelago. Portoferraio was
known as Fabricia because of its rich iron ore. It is believed that the Argonauts came ashore in Porto Argo, near the modern town’s Ghiaie Beach. While many guests took a wine tasting tour, we visited fortresses (a fort within a fort within a fort actually), enjoyed amazing panoramic views, and then did some beach hopping looking for the best (or at least a comfortable) beach.
Note: Beaches in the Mediterranean tend to be much different from Connecticut and Rhode Island beaches. The three we sampled on Elba were different degrees of rocky (i.e. zero sand) and packed … and this was on a weekday in June!
The ship set sail for Civitavecchia, Italy late in the afternoon and most of the guests prepared for disembarkation the following morning. Some, however, were staying for a second week of adventures in Italy.
To be continued next issue, with the Italian Riviera portion of the voyage.
What is Greg Drinking?
Wooded Streams Fall Lager, Kent Falls Brewing Co.
Fall is here. Flannel shirts, leaves changing, pumpkin spice everything, and of course, Oktoberfest-style beers. Despite a vast personal preference for summer, the fall has many unique trappings that make it the best possible transitional period for people like myself who would rather have to pack sunscreen instead of a thermos on the weekends. So as the Halloween decorations are being hung in spots where once flowering plants were waiting to be watered, I invite you to partake in a little liquid respite for yourself: Wooded Streams fall lager by Kent Falls Brewing Co.
This beer serves the season spectacularly, a true tribute to autumn in all the right ways. Is it enticingly the same color as the amber sap from Jurassic Park? Yes. Is it as crisp and clean as the air at the top of Lantern Hill in Ledyard? For sure. Malty without being sweet, seasonal without gimmick in your glass, it is the right beverage for the pumpkin-carving pre-game. Hopped with Czech Saaz to give it the bite of those first few frosty mornings, it gives way to an inviting warmth afforded by an abundance of Vienna-style malts, all of which are Connecticut grown and harvested. When poured, it releases a perfectly aromatic head that settles on top of the caramel-colored pint like whipped cream on a festive flavored latte. Unlike the latte, however, the taste is reminiscent of a beautiful fresh loaf of sourdough bread crust, with hints of dates and apricot. It clocks in at a demure 4.7% abv, so it is as easy to crush as a few apple cider donuts and a cup of cider from, B.F. Clyde’s cider mill in Old Mystic. This is a beer that will be the highlight of your hayride or a wonderful culmination of a corn maze. To invoke the namesake, a better post-hike beverage would be hard to come by.
until the weather breaks for good in the spring. So when it comes to the darker and more malt-driven ales that mark this time of year, it is understandable why you might not have been hunting for this type of beer until the time that this month’s issue is being printed.
If you are looking for a sensational opportunity to check out the northwest corner of the Constitution State, which aesthetically has more of a Vermont vibe than you might expect, look no further than Kent Falls Brewing’s working farm production site and tasting room. The 50-acre farm may be mostly for livestock resourcing but dedicates a chunk of the land to growing hops and apples used for the beer and sister distillery (Neversink Spirits) recipes. The nearby namesake waterfalls, neighboring covered bridges, and exquisite local hiking trails are an ideal pairing with an afternoon session at their tasting room. They are the first farm brewery in the state and known for taking great strides in the fields of sustainable production and local sourcing of ingredients. As far as small businesses in the state go, they are as easy to root for as a warm fall and a short winter.
Even though the Germanic celebration of Oktoberfest starts in September, and some larger breweries like the beers from Boston Beer Co. (Sam Adams) release their iterations in August, most people are very seasonally driven when shifting beverage preferences. Working at Saltwater Farm Vineyard for a few years now, I cannot tell you how many people wait until they have dug out their L.L. Bean boots before they will take a sip of red wine. The same is often true of our Sauvignon Blanc fans who shy away from the crisp white wine
Fall does not exist only as an end to summer, nor does it have to be a Hallmark movie set. It has a more important role in reminding us to be thankful for each season and what it represents to the year as a whole. Obviously, there are places like San Diego that are available to more sensitive weather-watchers, but what they gain in consistency of sunshine, they obviously lose in character. I love New England for all the same reasons it can drive you
crazy because that is what makes each month memorable. Trickor-Treating with my kids would never feel right next to a row of palm trees. This year, my oldest has picked out our Halloween designations -yours truly will be the black cat carrying around our little witch. I hope you and yours are enjoying a graceful slide into leafblowing season, remembering that the only thing less welcomed than unwanted political conversation is the lawn maintenance tools needed...being your alarm clock!
Gregory Post is a manager at Saltwater Farm Vineyard, affiliated with Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard.
