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on the cover The bow of the Coronet, a historic sailing yacht that is being restored at Mystic Seaport Museum. Photo courtesy of @coronetnyc / instagram

this month M A R C H

2 0 2 3

CORONET COMES TO MYSTIC Restoration of storied sailing yacht to be completed at seaport shipyard

Coronet arrives at Mystic Seaport. p hoto courtesy of Mystic Seaport Museum

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

9 Tiffany in New London Permanent exhibit dives deep into the famed artist’s life here

PEOPLE & PLACES 13 Simply Devine

For Women’s History Month, a New London trailblazer speaks on a lifetime of firsts

16 A real “game-changer” for New London

Future National Coast Guard Museum already a boost for downtown

TASTE

23 Handmade & homegrown

Local fare in abundance at Niantic Winter Market

28 Restaurant listings

TRENDING

39 With this ring

DIY, heirloom, ethically sourced: choices abound for couples’ symbol of love

44 Flawless & unique

Local stylists and seamstresses guide brides to the perfect dress

48 5 movies to watch

before the big day 50 Turning pages

Life, love and books: What I learned about sex and relationships from reading

52 Local finds

Shop unique. Shop local.

LIFE CYCLES

EXPLORATIONS

59 Get wedding-ready from head to toe

Brought to you by Cerulean Beauty & Spa at Mystic Marriott

60 St. Patrick’s Day fun

for the whole family 66 Disconnect … to reconnect

Woodsy Moodus getaway offers tiny cabins, solitude and a chance to unplug

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73 Peter Leibert

Founder of the Westerly Morris Men

55 SAT changes on the horizon

Brought to you by Mission to Admission College Consulting

56 Secrets of lasting love

Long-married couples share wisdom gained over many years

march 2023 7

in the spotlight E N T E R TA I N M E N T

C U LT U R E

Mystic. photo by Robert Kennedy

ARTS

Tiffany’s local origin story

magazine

Tiffany

This glass vase from ca. 1916 was a gift to the Lyman Allyn Art Museum from Alfreda Mitchell Bingham Gregor, niece of Louis Comfort Tiffany, 1958. Photo by RJ Phil

IN NEW LONDON

PERMANENT EXHIBIT DIVES DEEP INTO THE FAMED ARTIST’S LIFE, TIES TO SHORELINE REGION By Phil Hall

his year marks the fifth anniversary of the Lyman Allyn Art Museum’s exhibit, Louis Comfort Tiffany in New London, a permanent gallery that explores the life and career of the artist and his connections to the region. Tiffany’s parents were from Killingly, and although they lived in New York City, the family often visited relatives in Norwich and New London, according to the museum. Louis’ first wife, May Goddard, was from Norwich, as was his sister Annie’s husband, Alfred Mitchell. The Mitchells lived in New London in a home overlooking the Thames River (which later became the foundation for Mitchell College), and Louis and his family were frequent visitors to the New London area in the mid- to late 1870s and 1880s, the exhibit explains. The ever-changing presentation offers a trio of visually striking Tiffany-designed leaded-glass windows from New London and more than 100 fine and decorative arts objects, including lamps, glass vessels, silver, jewelry, paintings, archival photographs and other objects donated to the museum by Tiffany family descendants and others. Tiffany’s Laburnum Library Lamp, made around 1910 of leaded glass and patinated bronze, is on a two-year loan from the Queens, New York Neustadt Collection, a private collection that is considered the world’s largest assemblage of Tiffany lamps. Tanya Pohrt, the curator for the New London-based museum, described the lamp as an arboreal design that “is a sort of bright yellow blossom that cascades downward. It’s also known as the Golden Chain Tree, and it’s similar to the Wisteria Lamp that is a very popular

“It’s interesting that Tiffany and its origins are very firmly here.” TANYA POHRT

march 2023 9

in the spotlight

above A view of the permanent exhibit, Louis Comfort Tiffany in New London. Photo courtesy of the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. below A photo of Louis Comfort Tiffany, ca. 1920s, from the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, Winter Park, Florida © Charles Hosmer Morse Foundation, Inc. photo by Blank & Stoller

magazine

and much beloved design in purple. This is similar, except with the yellow blossom.” Since it opened in 2018, Louis Comfort Tiffany in New London has been one of the main features attracting visitors to the Lyman Allyn, Pohrt said. “Tiffany enthusiasts come through, and it’s fascinating,” she said. “I think people are interested by a lot of the local history that’s represented by some of the things in our collection. The windows, for example—there are Tiffany glass windows in a lot of different cities, but some of the ones that were created here in New London or for families that had close connections to Tiffany were often commissioned pieces. So, there are deeper stories that we’re able to tell, which is exciting. And some of the vases in our collection were gifts from Tiffany descendants or descendants of the Mitchell family.” Louis’ father, Charles Lewis Tiffany—the founder of the iconic jewelry retailer—was born in Killingly and attended Plainf ield Academy. Charles “left Connecticut in 1837 to establish Tiffany & Company,” said Pohrt.

“A nd interestingly, his pa r tner was also a man from around the same area in Killingly n a m e d J o h n B . Yo u n g . So, it’s interesting that Tiffany and its origins are very firmly here.” While Charles focused on jewelry and sterling silver, Pohrt sa id Louis “st a r ted out as a painter, then he shifted gears and became more interested in interior design, partnering (with) several other artists and designers. They decorated the interiors for very wealthy and inf luential Americans in the late 1870s and early 1880s, such as the Mark Twain House in Hartford and several Vanderbilt residences in New York City. It’s in that work that Louis became interested in glass, and from there he worked with glass chemists and designers to experiment with leaded glass, window glass and freeform blown glass, developing a

number of extremely innovative methods and techniques that they patented, taking glass in new directions.” While many people might conf late the Tiffany jewelry business with Tiffany glass work, the exhibit clearly defines the differences between the creative artists behind these respective endeavors. William Hosley, former curator of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford and former director of Connecticut Landmarks, praised the Lyman Allyn Art Museum for specifically highlighting Louis Comfort Tiffany’s work. “I think the Louis Comfort Tiffany in New London exhibit is really very good—I’ve seen it twice and there’s a lot there,” he said. “The Tiffany name is so famous that there have been exhibits in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and other places. But, the Lyman Allyn builds a connection to New London, and I think that the real value is that it hopefully gets people to see a famous artist’s connection to their place.”

Although Louis Comfort Tiffany in New London is a permanent exhibit at the museum, Pohrt said it is not static—over the last five years, new items have been added to the collection while others, such as the aforementioned Laburnum Library Lamp, are on extended loans. “We’ve had some of the things that were loans become gifts to us, and we’ve received some new gifts,” Pohrt said. “We have a couple of beautiful desk set pieces that were recent gifts to us this past year; one of those pieces is on view. And we have several other things that have come in that we haven’t put out on view yet. There are several pieces of jewelry that are going to be coming … from the Tiffany & Company archives.”

above In this photo, taken at Mitchell Beach, New London, in 1885, Alfred Mitchell is on horseback with his daughters, Alfreda and Charly (in hats), and Louis Comfort Tiffany’s daughter, May. photo courtesy of the Mitchell College Archives below Tiffany & Company silver coffee and tea service from ca. 1890. photo by RJ Phil

Phil Hall is a Connecticut-based writer and the host of the WAPJ-FM talk show “Nutmeg Chatter.”

The Laburnum Library Lamp, ca. 1905, is made of leaded glass and gilded bronze. It is on loan from the Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass, Queens, New York. photo courtesy of the Lyman Allyn Art Museum

march 2023 11

people & places PEOPLE

PROFILES

FINANCE

N E W & N O TA B L E

Waterford Beach, Waterford. p hoto by Diane White

BUSINESS

Millie Devine vs. the glass ceiling

magazine

Coast Guard Museum progress report

Simply Devine FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH, A NEW LONDON TRAILBLAZER SPEAKS ON A LIFETIME OF FIRSTS By Janet Reynolds

Millie Devine at a recent book-signing event. Photo courtesy of Safe Futures

ildred “Millie” Devine’s illustrious and varied career might be the result of this one over a r ch i n g choic e: She refused to take no for

an answer. Now 81, Devine, a lifelong New London area resident, started working in an era when the business opportunities for women were limited, mostly, to being teachers, secretaries and nurses. E xe c ut ive s at ba n k s? Memb er s of important business networking clubs like the Thames Club? Not an option. Enter the whirlw ind Dev ine who never met a “no” she didn’t consider turning to a “yes.” “Whenever anybody said, ‘You can’t do this,’ I’m like, 'Oh, we’ll see about that,’” she says in a phone conversation about her life and her new self-published memoir, Sunrise, Sunset: Millie’s Divine Journey. “I knew I had to keep going and develop. I was shy as a young person, but I learned to be more assertive.” The result is a life of firsts. Devine was one of the first female bank vice presidents in the region and one of the first women allowed into the then all-male Thames Club. She was the first female president of the Estate and Tax Planning Council of Eastern Connecticut. She founded the Southeastern CT Women’s Network in 1976 specif ically to offer women in business networking and educational opportunities typically only offered to men in organizations like the

march 2023 13

people & places Thames Club and Rotary. And that’s just the beginning of the firsts. But Devine didn’t only help women in business development and opportunity. She has also been a leader in nonprofit life in the region. She was instrumental in the creation of Safe Futures, once known as the Women’s Center of Southeastern Connecticut. The organization helps women in the community rebuild their lives after experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking and stalking. She has also been involved in a variety of other charity work with organizations like Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and the Garde Arts Center. Devoting part of her life to helping others is an offshoot, she says, of the motto by which she and the rest of her family tried to live: “Let me live in a house by the side of the road and be a friend to mankind.” After being forced to retire in her mid50s after a bank merger, Devine started her own consulting business, Devine Planning, which focused on financial planning, especially for nonprofits. She also helped create a new trust department at Dime Bank.

Millie Devine and some of her colleagues over the years. P hotos courtesy of SECTWN, Safe Futures and Millie Devine

“Whenever anybody said, ‘You can’t do this,’ I’m like, ‘Oh, we’ll see about that.’” MILLIE DEVINE

READ DEVINE’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Millie Devine’s autobiography, Sunrise, Sunset: Millie’s Divine Journey, is available at Blu-Prints Unlimited and Studio 33 in New London, No Other Book Like This in Groton, as well as online at Amazon.com. All proceeds from the book go to Safe Futures in New London. Founded in 1976, Safe Futures offers support, emergency shelter and housing, criminal and civil advocacy and more to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and sex trafficking in southeastern Connecticut. Safe Futures also operates a 24/7 hotline at 860-701-6001. 14

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Devine chronicles all this and more in Sunrise, Sunset, the proceeds of which benef it Safe Futures. In addition to recounting her life and what makes her tick, the book is a mini-history of the region since Devine, despite opportunities for advancement outside the New London area, still lives in the house in which she grew up. Focusing on events outside herself like bank mergers and other regional developments was deliberate, she says. “I didn’t want the book to be about how great I am,” Devine says. “I’m not looking for pats on the back. I wanted to get a message out to help our younger people.” Devine credits her parents with helping her develop her gumption. “They were always very supportive of whatever I was taking on and very interested in what we were doing,” she says of her teacher mother and salesman father. Finally retired and done with her book, Devine has returned to her musical roots. She is studying classical guitar again and of course still doing charitable work. Regarding navigating today’s workplace as a woman, Devine has this to say: Be assertive but not aggressive. Be sensitive but not overly so. “You can’t take a lot of these things personally,” she says, launching into a story about the Waterford school principal who told her in high school that she would never get into college, despite her good grades. “When I got those acceptances, I let him know about it,” she says, noting she has always believed men and women are different but equal. “Who does he think he is?” Exactly.

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people & places

a real

“game-changer” for New London FUTURE NATIONAL COAST GUARD MUSEUM ALREADY A BOOST FOR DOWNTOWN By Jim Motavalli

he U.S. Coast Guard dates to 1790, when President George Washington signed its predecessor Revenue Cutter Service into existence, with the goal of fighting smuggling and tariff violators via a fleet of 10 ships. That order predates the creation of the U.S. Navy Department by a good eight years. But, although the sailors have an official museum at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., the Coast Guard does not, and that has left its rich history scattered around the country. The Coast Guard is the only traditional branch of the U.S. Armed Forces without a national museum. Even the newest military branch, the U.S. Space Force, founded in 2019, has a home for its artifacts in the former Air Force Space & Missile Museum,

magazine

which was renamed the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum in 2022. But that doesn’t mean the Coast Guard has no artifacts. For instance, the Coast Guard’s Heritage Asset Collection in Forestville, Maryland, has some 20,000 items, including some from the days of the Revenue Cutter Service: a silver gravy boat from the ward room of the Androscoggin, and a hand-held brass-and-glass oil lantern from Admiral H.S. Berdine’s stateroom on the Seminole. Now, some of the Coast Guard’s colorful memorabilia will be collected in downtown New London, along with interactive displays and you-are-there experiences.

left A rendering of the new National Coast Guard Museum, located at City Pier in New London. Photo courtesy of the National Coast Guard Museum above A rendering of the museum’s immersive Hurricane Katrina Gallery, which will give visitors an up-close look at what it was like for Coast Guard members and victims of the destructive August 2005 storm. Photo courtesy of the National Coast Guard Museum

Likely to welcome visitors as early as the end of 2024 is the long-delayed National Coast Guard Museu m, or ig i na l ly a n nou nced i n 201 4 a nd then slated to open in late 2017. The four-story, 54,300-square-foot steel-and-glass museum, on a 0.37-acre lot behind Union Station, will be connected by a state-funded pedestrian bridge that will also lead to the parking garage and Cross Sound Ferry terminal, giving easy access via rail, boat and private car. Visitors can also tour the Coast Guard cutter Eagle, already home-ported in New London. It’s a tall ship, currently undergoing repairs, that was taken as reparations from its German builders after World War II. Now it serves to train cadets from the nearby U.S. Coast Guard Academy. “This will be a major game-changer for us,” said Mayor Michael Passero of the museum. “It will put us on the map with other major tourist destinations, on the level of the Mystic Seaport and Aquarium, and the Essex steam train. New London is the most historic city in the region, but we’ve never been known as a tourist destination until now.” It wasn’t a given that the museum would be in New London. That’s despite the fact that the Coast Guard

Academy has been in the city since 1910, when it was established at Fort Trumbull, which dates to the Revolutionary War and early efforts to guard against coastal attack. Passero describes a “vicious” fight with contenders such as Annapolis, Maryland, and Newport News, Virginia, and even locations in New York state, where then-U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton was striving to bring home an important revenue generator—possibly to Manhattan’s Battery Park. Another barrier was the late Sen. John McCain of Arizona, who attended school in New London until he was 9, but deplored “earmarks” (pet projects) and engineered a ban on funding for military museums. Once that was rescinded, the project could go ahead. One reason for the museum’s delay was the slow pace of private grassroots funding, which is accelerating now. Retired Capt. Mark Walsh, chief operating officer of the National Coast Guard Museum Association, said that the museum has so far raised $36 million of its $50 million goal for private donations, and that the end is in sight. “We’re looking at $150 million all in,” he said, “including the state funding for public access.

march 2023 17

people & places “It will put us on the map with other major tourist destinations.” MAYOR MICHAEL PASSERO

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Guests at the ceremonial keel laying for the national U.S. Coast Guard Museum take their turn signing the ceremonial keel at the conclusion of the event Friday, August 19, 2022 in New London. photo by Sean D. Elliot / The Day

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We’re shooting to open in late 2024, but maybe in early 2025.” Connecticut’s U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy helped secure millions in federal funds for the project. According to columnist David Collins in The Day, “If not for the senator’s $50 million intervention [in the 2022 budget], the foundering project, adrift with lackluster private fundraising for more than a decade, was destined to sink like a stone, another of New London’s lost dreams.” Murphy said another $20 million had been allocated in 2023, specifically to pay for exhibits. “I am 100 percent committed to getting the museum built,” Murphy told The Day Magazine. “It’s the right thing for the country, for the Coast Guard and for Connecticut. It’s not right that every other branch of the military has a museum to tell its story, and some have a dozen.” Murphy said that getting the museum funded proved to be “a long road.” Among the issues: The Coast Guard is part of the Department of Homeland Security, and not the Defense Department, which “has a budget in the hundreds of billion dollars,” Murphy said. “The Navy has so many museums it has a Department of Museums.”

Murphy said that siting discussions had included a site near Fort Griswold Battlefield State Park in nearby Groton, another Revolutionary War installation. But, he said, “Being downtown is important. People will visit the museum, then stick around for drinks and dinner” in New London. There are clear signs that the museum is already revitalizing New London’s downtown area. Tony Sheridan, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, said that the chamber is relocating from Waterford to a site “1,200 yards from the new museum building on Eugene O’Neill Drive.” The new chamber site will include a startup incubator and co-working space, Sheridan said. “It’s ver y exciting,” Sher ida n told The Day Magazine. “Having the museum in downtown New London was a big motivator for our deciding that moving there was the right thing to do.” Sheridan said that New London, “like a lot of our smaller cities, has been affected by people moving to the suburbs, and then COVID of course. But now we have 1,300 new apartments and condos being built around New London, and it wouldn’t be happening without the Coast Guard Museum. There’s

The National Coast Guard Museum will be a dramatic addition to downtown New London, and easily accessible to transit. Photo courtesy of the National Coast Guard Museum

march 2023 19

people & places

An artist’s rendering of the atrium inside the planned four-story, 54,300-squarefoot steel-and-glass National Coast Guard Museum. p hoto courtesy of the National Coast Guard Museum

magazine

an energy now that’s unstoppable. The old buildings are being bought up and renovated. There are still some naysayers, but this really benefits everyone.” Downtown restaurants and galleries have been especially affected by the long virus shutdown, but now they’re cautiously optimistic. “I’ve heard that the museum will bring in 250,000 to 500,000 people a year” to New London, said Ellen Cummings, owner of the fair-trade gift store Flavours of Life, which has been on Bank Street for 17 years. “Those people are bound to spill out into the downtown area. It’s wonderful, and I’ve been waiting a long time.” According to Sara Tyler-Connolly, director of the Hygienic Art galleries on Bank Street, “It should bring a lot of foot traffic to downtown. We shall see, but we can only be optimistic.” Elizabeth Varner, the museum’s incoming director, told The Day Magazine that artifacts like those at the Coast Guard facility in Maryland are scattered around the country, but that static exhibits of such memorabilia will not be a central feature of the new facility. Instead,

there will be “a lot of interactive displays to tell the Coast Guard’s story. Visits will be an immersive experience.” For instance, she said, visitors will feel they’re underneath a Coast Guard helicopter coming in to save them after a major flood. They’ll be able to aim a Lyle gun cannon (once used for sending out rescue lines) to see if they can get the right projection. “You will feel like you’re on the scene,” Varner said. The museum will have more than 200 galleries and exhibits, and will be divided into “decks” dedicated to security, safety and stewardship. Visitors will not just read plaques—they’ll be asked to solve problems and learn new skills. After patrons have fed their intellectual curiosity at the museum, New London merchants are hoping they’ll stay awhile and feed their bodies, too. Jim Motavalli is the author of nine books and is a contributor to the New York Times, Barron’s, Autoweek, U.S. News and World Report, and many others. He hosts a biweekly radio show on listener-supported radio station WPKN in Bridgeport.

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E N T E R TA I N I N G

R E S TAU R A N T S

FOOD & DRINK

photo by winter caplanson

RECIPES

taste

cozy greenhouse shelters Niantic Winter Market

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handmade and homegrown LOCAL FARE IN ABUNDANCE AT NIANTIC WINTER MARKET

Story and photos by Winter Caplanson

ucked into a sunny greenhouse, in the lull of the year between New Year’s and Easter, the Niantic Winter Farmers Market is an oasis of handmade and homegrown goodness. There, about a dozen full-time vendors are joined by a rotating list of up to six more local businesses each Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Smith’s Acres garden center at 4 West Main Street in Niantic. On my “don’t miss” list are Holy Cannoli, filling freshly made cannoli to order; Jon Fish, arranging over crushed ice the day’s catch of briny oysters and clams; and Foxglove Soap Co. whose aromatic bars

boast brilliant colors and billowy-swirled tops sprinkled with botanicals. Your nose will guide you to Short Rib Café, cooking just outside. Expect elevated market fare like sesame and ginger seared Ahi tuna with Asian noodle salad and stir-fried veggies; chipotle marinated chicken quesadilla with tomato, smoked maple bacon, pepper jack cheese, sour cream, salsa and ranch dressing; and short rib mac and cheese topped with crispy fried onion. Market Master and Smith’s Acres owner Teri Smith is partial to Castello of Niantic’s lobster ravioli; Issa Catering’s traditional Middle Eastern

march 2023 23

American Fusion Cuisine

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hummus; and Whisktopia cupcakes like the “Bourbon Bacon” which is chocolate cake, bourbon whipped cream, bourbon cream cheese frosting and candied cayenne bacon. “And everybody loves Jon Fish’s pates and his smoked salmon and smoked mussels,” Smith says. “The salmon comes in different f lavors like candied, hot, maple, orange and even organic coffee flavored smoked salmon. My nephew’s 2-year-old asks for smoked salmon when he comes to the market!” You can also browse: • Firefly Farms’ flavorful beef, veal, chicken and pork, all certified humanely raised. • April Kneads Dough’s delicious baked treats like sourdough and honey wheat breads, vanilla chai biscotti, apple turnovers and lemon-blueberry muffins. • Dovehill Farm’s wooden cutting boards crafted from lumber milled on their farm and yarn spun from the wool of their Finnsheep. Their sparkling jars of jam and pickles will catch your eye. They also bring eggs.

• Wakin’ Up Waggin’ serving Luluna Kombucha and Dave’s Coffee. • Homemade Delights’ pies and cakes, sized perfectly for one or two people. • A cast of guest vendors from Alvarium Beer Co., to Twenty Paws Bakery dog treats, to Chef Kim’s seasonings, and Earth-friendly apparel 24 Peace provide additional variety. There is a free, hands-on activity for children on most market days such as planting a seedling to take home, painting terra-cotta pots or making an edible bird feeder. Offerings in the market are complemented by produce in the adjacent farm shop—Smith’s Acres’ own apples, potatoes, cabbage, squash, greens, dry beans packaged in generously sized glass jars, and honey from hives on the farm. The selection of Connecticut specialty food on the shelves there is notable, too: Mystic Cheese Company; Iv y’s Gourmet granola; Savor Fine Foods cookies; Bureau’s Sugarhouse maple kettle korn; Pan De Oro tortilla chips; Tony D’s Pasta Shop pastas, sauces and ice cream; Sweet Grass Creamery milk and yogurt (the black

march 2023 25

taste raspberry and peach melba yogurt f lavors are house favorites); and pies and cookies made at Seabird Enterprises by individuals with physical and developmental disabilities. In March, the Smith’s Acres greenhouse itself is bursting with spring as well, with pots of forced bulbs, pansies, primroses, herb plants, cold weather vegetable starts and New England seed packets for sale. Play ful mermaid Niantic Farmers Market logo bags designed by artist Rita Rivera are available for purchase. This winter market is a project of the nonprofit Niantic Main Street. It is the off-season counterpart to the popular summer farmers market, held on Methodist Street on Thursdays from 3 to 6 p.m., from early June through mid-October. Visit nianticmainstreet.org to sign up for an e-newsletter providing updates about the farmers markets and other events and activities. Artisans interested in participating in the Niantic Farmers Market can email Market Master Teri Smith via terismith179@gmail.com to inquire about guest vendor opportunities at both the winter and summer markets. The Niantic Winter Farmers Market is held Saturdays through April 1, 2 to 5 p.m., at Smith’s Acres, 4 West Main Street, Niantic. If it’s stormy, call ahead at 860-691-0528 to confirm market hours and the attendance of specific vendors. A lso in New London County, t he Stonington Village Farmers Market is held from 9 to noon on Saturdays, inside at the Velvet Mill at 22 Bayview Avenue in Stonington. Winter Caplanson is a writer and commercial photographer specializing in food, agriculture and handcraft. Follow her on social platforms as Connecticut Food and Farm.

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march 2023 27

taste | RESTAURANT LISTINGS ASIAN

PINK BASIL

Our menu reflects the time-honored traditions of authentic Asian cuisine. With influences from Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, our dishes can transport you around the world in one bite. Open Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 12–9 p.m. 27 Coogan Boulevard, Building 3B, Mystic 860-245-4470; pinkbasilct.com

BARBECUE

FINE DINING

NOBLE SMOKEHOUSE

85 MAIN

WE LIVE, BREATHE AND SMOKE BARBECUE! With a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University, our chef Christopher Lusk is excited to present our unique sauces and flavors to you. Open Wednesday–Thursday 12–7 p.m.; Friday–Saturday 12–8 p.m.; Sunday 12–7 p.m.; Monday 4–7 p.m.; Closed Tuesday

Fresh, contemporary fare, seasonally influenced. Fresh seafood, steaks and locally grown produce. High-quality sushi and full raw bar. Enjoy creative cocktails while dining on our patio, weather permitting. Open Sunday–Wednesday 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; Thursday 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; Friday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m.

4 Roosevelt Avenue, Mystic 860-415-9564; noblesmokehouse.com

85 Main Street, Putnam 860-928-1660; 85main.com

BAKERY

GIULIANO’S BAKERY

FAMILY STYLE

GROTON TOWNHOUSE RESTAURANT

Hometown bakery known for crispy bread, rolls and pastries. Also serving breakfast sandwiches. Come see us for our large diverse variety of baked goods. Open daily 5 a.m.–8 p.m. 284 Main Street, Niantic 860-739-5495; nianticbakery.com

We are a family-style restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. We also have a large assortment of freshbaked pies and cakes daily. Open daily 6 a.m.–9 p.m. 355 CT-12, Groton; 860-449-0355 grotontownhouserestaurant.com

ITALIAN

BUON APPETITO RISTORANTE & PIZZERIA

Family-owned and operated Italian restaurant serving an eclectic mix of northern Italian dishes with the best service, food and presentation. Enjoy a true dining experience with a Tuscan flair. Open Tuesday & Wednesday 3–9 p.m.; Thursday 12–9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday 12–10 p.m.; Sunday 12–9 p.m.; Closed Monday 386 Norwich-Westerly Road, North Stonington; 860-535-2333; buonappetitoristorante.com

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PIZZA

ILLIANO’S GRILL IN NORWICH

Serving authentic southern Italian cuisine since 1997 using the best ingredients, from mozzarella to seafood. Our dishes are made to order: pizza, pasta, fresh salads, soups and gourmet Italian classics. Open Monday–Friday 10:30 a.m.–10 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 11 a.m.–10 p.m.

SPORTS BAR

WOODFELLAS PIZZA

C.C. O’BRIEN’S

Woodfellas opens second location in New London in the former space of 2 Wives! Serving quality food! Contact us regarding our Rolling Pizza Truck and New Mobile Salute Bar Cart! Open Wednesday–Friday 4–9 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 12–8 p.m.; Closed Monday–Tuesday

Friendly Irish sports cafe serving a variety of pub food. Award-winning burgers and wings with sports on 23 TVs! Pool and darts. 22 draft beers. Serving food Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday–Saturday 11 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sunday 12–9 p.m.; Bar open later

45 Huntington St, New London; 860-447-9337 facebook.com/woodfellaspizzanl

THAI

SEAFOOD

257 West Town Street Yantic; 860-889-6163; illianosgrill.com

8 Mechanic Street, Pawcatuck 860-599-2034; ccobriens.com

THE SPICE CLUB

Retired Armed Forces Association

FRIDAY FISH FRY

JAPANESE

SAMURAI NOODLE

Authentic Japanese ramen noodle soup, Asian barbecue and sushi in downtown Mystic. Noodles are made fresh daily on site. Happy hour 4–6 every day. Open Monday–Friday 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 12–10 p.m.

Open to the public every Friday. Enjoy chowder, lobster rolls, fish & chips and more! PLUS join us on the second Saturday each month from 8 a.m.–12 p.m. for breakfast. Open Friday 3–8 p.m.

27 West Main Street, Mystic 860-415-9317; samurainoodlemystic.com

135 Garfield Avenue, New London 860-447-0055; armedforcesretirees.org/home

Price range Take out

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Brunch

Outdoor dining Cash only

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We serve healthy, home-cooked Thai, sushi and Pan-Asian cuisine in a casual, familyfriendly environment. Open since 2012. Open Monday–Friday 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. and 4–9 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday 12–9 p.m. 239 Main Street, Niantic 860-451-8121; thespiceclubct.com

Kids’ menu

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march 2023 29

cover story

Coronet comes to Mystic RESTORATION OF STORIED SAILING YACHT TO BE COMPLETED AT SEAPORT SHIPYARD

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march 2023 31

cover story

above The Coronet, widely considered one of the greatest sailing schooners of its time, under sail in 1894. p hoto courtesy of Detroit Publishing Company photograph collection, Library of Congress right From left, Lead Shipwright Scott Gifford, talks to John Fahlbusch, a marine surveyor with Castlerock Risk Services, and Thomas Krempecki, marine department senior vice president of Epic Insurance Brokers and Consultants, representing the owner of the yacht, Friday, Dec. 9, 2022 about the work that was done on the Coronet before arriving at the Mystic Seaport shipyard. P hoto by Dana Jensen / The Day

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Jackie Lefebvre Independent College Counseling By Erik Hesselberg

he whistle signaling the start of the great ocean race sounded at 1:10 p.m. For the 133-foot schooner yacht Coronet, the sound struck like the lash of a whip. “In one second,” The New York Times wrote on March 13, 1887, “she was transformed from a stately pleasure craft to a f lying greyhound of the sea. Up went the helm, over went the foresail to port, away went the main sheets, and the great boom swung far out over the port quarter. The wind was nearly dead aft.” It was the era of transoceanic yacht races, with sporting gentlemen dueling in sleek schooner yachts and large wagers at stake. At the time, the 121-foot schooner Dauntless reigned supreme, but oil tycoon Rufus T. Bush, owner of the newly built Coronet, believed he had a better boat. He challenged the owner of Dauntless, Cadwell Colt, to a trans-Atlantic match from New York to Ireland, putting up $10,000 in prize money. “Colly” Colt, as he was known, was the son of Hartford arms magnate, Samuel Colt, but the younger Colt preferred yachting to running the family business and spent about 10 months of the year aboard the Dauntless. However, as insurance for the trans-Atlantic race, he brought along a ringer, Captain “Bully” Samuels, the most famous skipper of his day who had helmed Dauntless in several America’s Cup challenges. The bluff old captain was staggered by the heaps of roses covering the deck of the Dauntless on the day of the race, but he grew worried when he observed Colt f ingering a strange object presented by a friend—“a gilded tortoise whose shells opened to reveal a cuspidor.” That’s an “ominous gift for a race,” he grumbled. Coronet was the first to cross the starting line at 1:10 p.m. By 3:20 p.m., 35 miles out, she had opened a two-mile lead. She

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cover story never lost it, arriving in Ireland a full 30 hours ahead of her challenger Dauntless after a 14-day passage. Dauntless is just a memory, but Coronet is still here, having been saved in 1995 by the International Yacht Restoration School in Newport, Rhode Island, which undertook a decades-long restoration. A major milestone was reached in December, when the 1885 schooner yacht was lowered by crane into the waters of Newport Harbor and towed—through R ho de Isl a nd Sou nd , Block Isl a nd Sound, Fishers Island Sound and up the Mystic River through the Mystic Bascule Bridge—arriving upriver to the Mystic Seaport’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard for final fitting out. Here, her carved mahogany interior paneling, all carefully numbered, will be painstakingly reassembled, a fine teak laid down, and eventually her twin 135-foot masts stepped. Throughout the process, the yacht will be on display to the public. “We are truly honored to have her here,” says Walter Ansel, a shipwright and Mystic’s shipyard director. “Coronet is America’s sole surviving Gilded Age sailing yacht. There’s no other vessel like her.” The project is expected to take from two to three years, Ansel said. In the Gilded Age, sailing yachts were extravagant symbols of the wealth, social power and taste of their owners. But Coronet was in a class by herself. Built entirely of thick-planked oak and pine in 1885 by the Poillon brothers boatyard, C. & R. Poillon in Brooklyn, New York , t he schooner yacht wa s intended for crossing the ocean in style. Her main dining saloon boasted a piano, and her six staterooms were adorned in richly carved mahogany. There were marble steps and porcelain sinks that folded up like scallop shells. Under a series of eight owners Coronet circled the globe to great fanfare. In 1888, she was the first registered yacht

magazine

above A floating crane lifted Coronet from land in December and placed it into Newport Harbor. photo courtesy of @coronetnyc / Instagram below Crewmen on deck of the Coronet, underway around the turn of the last century. P hoto courtesy of Mystic Seaport opposite left Detail of the frosted glass door to the owner’s cabin aboard the Coronet. Photo courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, HAER RI,3-NEWP,82opposite right Coronet docked in Mystic after a journey from the International Yacht Restoration School. The 1885 yacht was towed from Newport Harbor in December, arriving at the Mystic Seaport’s Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard for final fitting out. P hoto courtesy of Mystic Seaport

to round Cape Horn, at the tip of South America, from east to west. In 1896, under the command of skipper-owner, the railroad baron Arthur Curtis James, Coronet carried a scientific team from Amherst to Japan to witness the eclipse of the sun. A skilled mariner who taught himself celestial navigation, James put 50,000 miles under Coronet’s keel. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. A bleak chapter for Coronet began in 1905, when the schooner yacht was bought by the Rev. Frank W. Sanford, a charismatic but sadistic leader of a religious cult in Maine known as “the Kingdom,” or the “Holy Ghost and Us Society.” A col lege ba s eba l l st a r who wa s good enough for the pros, Sanford’s life changed dramatically when he was out walking in the woods and supposedly heard the voice of God warn him of “Armageddon.” He established a community called Shiloh, with a great tabernacle on a sand hill in southern Maine, and soon had 1,000 followers flocking to the area. Shiloh was just back of the water, so for Sanford, who had grown up around boats, a floating missionary seemed logical. Coronet made several pilgrimages to the Holy Land, and then in 1910 about 70 of his followers, men, women and children, were loaded aboard the schooner yacht and a barkentine Kingdom, setting sail on a voyage to Africa. However, when the Kingdom was wrecked in a storm, ever yone was packed aboard Coronet. For the passengers, it would become a floating hell. Not only was the ship dangerously overcrowded, but Sanford also failed to adequately provision the vessels with food and staples, and passengers and crew began to starve. Despite his suffering cargo, the pitiless skipper refused to allow Coronet to make landfall, instructing one of the “Holy Ghosters,” as they were known, to stand on the bow and

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cover story blow a trumpet, a signal that the end was near. And for some it was. During a nightmarish four months, six men and one child died of scurvy and were buried at sea. When Coronet limped back to port in Maine in October of 1911, the grand sailing yacht appeared a “ghost ship,” her hull covered in barnacles and her sails hanging in tatters on her great masts. Sanford was promptly arrested and charged with manslaughter, eventually serving a 10-year sentence, suspended after six years. However, despite this disgrace, Sanford continued to be revered by many of his followers, who reverently preserved Coronet as if it had been the Ark. As late as the 1960s, the grand sailing yacht, berthed in Portland, Maine, carried church members on excursions Downeast and up the coast as far as Nova Scotia. When the Kingdom disbanded in 1995, their prize ship Coronet was acquired by Newport’s International Yacht Restoration School. Ansel says Coronet’s new owners, Alex and Miles Pincus, co-founders of the restaurant group, Crew, based in New York City and New Orleans, envision a new

mission for the storied schooner yacht, setting sail on adventure cruises around the globe. They may even recreate the great trans-Atlantic race of 1887. The Pincus brothers are lifelong sailors who have worked with Mystic Seaport over the years to maintain vessels in their existing fleet, most recently, Pilot, a wooden schooner with a nearly 100-year history that serves as a seasonal oyster bar located at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6. “Working with Crew has always been a pleasure, and they understand the historic preservation of their fleet,” said Chris Gasiorek, senior vice president of operations and watercraft at Mystic Seaport Museum. “We look forward to this exciting project to bring Coronet to life.” Erik Hesselberg has been writing about the Connecticut River for 30 years. He was an environmental reporter for the Middletown Press, and executive editor of Shore Line Newspapers in Guilford. His book, Night Boat to New York: Steamboats on the Connecticut, 1815-1931, published in 2021, is available through Globe/Pequot Press and wherever books are sold.

Interior view of pilot house, with controls for added diesel engine on Coronet. P hoto courtesy of Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, HAER RI,3-NEWP,82-

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“We are truly honored to have her here.” WALTER ANSEL

The yacht after arriving in Mystic in December. Photo by Erik Hesselberg

march 2023 37

SHOPPING

APPS

FA S H I O N

B E AU T Y

MEDIA

Mystic. photo by Carol Melin

BOOKS

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bespoke rings and dresses for your big day

movies to guide you down the aisle turning pages literary column

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This handcrafted set by Dora Szekely includes an engagement ring with an heirloom diamond center and Canadian diamonds in recycled 14-karat white gold, and a wedding band with Canadian diamonds. Photo by Ryan Harackiewicz / Harack Photo

With this ring DIY, HEIRLOOM, ETHICALLY SOURCED: CHOICES ABOUND FOR COUPLES’ SYMBOL OF LOVE By Cris Cadiz

edding rings can last a lifetime, and sometimes generations. How can couples make an extraordinary choice? An heirloom piece—whether inherited, repurposed or an estate treasure— is one unique way. Hiring a talented local artisan to handcraft rings can also reflect your personal flair, passion and story. For the hands-on couple, you can even DIY wedding jewelry—the result is not just precious metal but a precious memory.

march 2023 39

trending

marquis jewelry academy E mily Marquis and Cal McNamara are a husband-and-wife team offering custom jewelry design and instruction at Marquis Jewelry Academy in Stonington. A highlight of their business is wedding band workshops. “For people looking for something sentimental and special but not over the top in expense, we offer a three-hour workshop where we work alongside the couple and help them make rings for each other,” says Marquis. After an initial design consultation, each couple—regardless of experience—will create rings ready to exchange during their vows. “They receive private instruction from two goldsmiths; we make sure they are supported,” says Marquis. “We are there to make sure it’s done professionally and looks really good.” Workshops have attracted people from all over. Clients often make it a special weekend on the Connecticut shoreline with Marquis’ informal advice. “Sometimes they have a fancy dinner, stay at a B&B, explore the Stonington or Mystic area. The experience gives them a rest from all the wedding decisions. It’s a date, an activity, a chance to spend time together.” Bands can be crafted from silver or gold in traditional, sculptural or textured styles. “There’s a wild range of creations in workshops,” says Marquis. “I don’t think we’ve done the same rings twice in the last two years.” Cost is $695 for silver or gold and $795 for platinum, including consultation, workshop, but not materials unless they choose silver. Clients can provide their own gold or Marquis and McNamara offer materials at cost. Couples may also repurpose heirloom jewelry and the shop offers gemstones, engraving and other custom work on the handmade wedding bands. “When couples choose to make each other’s wedding bands with Emily and me, it deepens the sincerity of their commitment and provides a lasting memory rather than just another box to check on the long list of wedding tasks,” says McNamara. “They can spend time by the shore, customize their wedding bands with their own hands, and be invigorated by our own strong collaborative marriage. Couples leave our classes thrilled, accomplished and energized in their love for one another. Being a part of that moment is truly a joy for us.” Marquis Jewelry Academy 32 Taugwonk Spur Road, Stonington 860-214-1118; emilymarquisdesigns.com

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above Two gold bands milled from heirloom gold at the Marquis Jewelry Academy studio in Stonington. P hoto by Emily Marquis below Cal McNamara and Emily Marquis in their Stonington studio. The two help soon-to-be married couples design and create their own wedding rings at their Marquis Jewelry Academy. Photo by Hayley Fitch / hfitchphotography@gmail.com bottom A couple shows their finished silver rings while making a heart with their hands at the Marquis Jewelry Academy studio in Stonington. Photo by Emily Marquis

top A display case inside N.L. Shaw & Company in Mystic. P hoto courtesy of N.L. Shaw & Company above Platinum diamond band circa 1935, and a platinum diamond floral band circa 1925 at N.L. Shaw & Company. Photo by Alyssa Koval below Victorian diamond flower ring, circa 1880 and a Victorian hand-engraved signet ring, circa 1890 at N.L. Shaw & Company. P hoto by Alyssa Koval

N.L. SHAW & COMPANY

.L. Shaw and Company specializes in fine antique and estate jewelry. With a passion for antiques and an eye for beauty and quality, owner Nancy Shaw wanted to offer the most extensive collection in the area when she opened her shop in historic downtown Mystic in 1996. Most jewelry in her shop dates from the mid-1800s to the 1960s, including Victorian, Edwardian, arts & crafts, art nouveau, art deco and retro styles. Design, craftsmanship and history of estate jewelry make for a distinctive wedding ring. Old mine-cut diamonds and European-cut diamonds offer the cachet of rarity and deep brilliance, she says. “If only these rings could tell their stories,” says Shaw. “Wedding couples love the pieces that speak to them. They like that their choice reflects their personal style and it’s unlikely anyone else will have that exact piece of jewelry.” Contemporary pieces are inspired by yesterday’s designs, she adds. “One current popular engagement ring style is toi et moi—French for ‘you and me,’” says Shaw. “This style dates to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1796 when he proposed to his first wife, Josephine. Two stones are set together to represent two souls joining as one. This design is an old friend revitalized.” If you don’t see what you are looking for in the selection of antique rings at N.L. Shaw and Company, they can custom make the exact piece you want. In addition, if you have a family heirloom that you would like to repurpose—making use of the stones and metal in a new design—visit the Mystic shop to discuss ideas and options, says Shaw. N.L. Shaw & Company 50 West Main Street, Mystic; 860-572-5838; nlshaw.com

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ora Szekely of Liv & Lov offers ethical custom jewelry design in Westerly, Rhode Island. Her passion is creating beautiful pieces while considering the environment and economic impact on the people who provide materials. Szekely has traveled to Ratanakiri, Cambodia, multiple times to source gemstones and directly supports family mining operations while hand-picking exquisite gemstones for her creations. “I fell in love with the people, the country and found my favorite stone ever in Cambodia,” Szekely says. “Ratanakiri Zircon is very rare and hand cut, perfect for one-of-a-kind pieces. Zircon is the oldest gemstone on Earth and the second most brilliant stone after diamonds that occurs naturally. It comes in different colors but my favorite is a deep blue, like a sapphire but more teal and more sparkly.” The miners she met in Cambodia are farmers f irst and are mining on ma ss-production levels. “I’ve been sourcing from the same family businesses every time I go,” she says. “I have seen the whole process at the mines and hand-cutting the stones. … It’s like watching magicians.” Majoring in global-studies in college with a focus on economy and trade helped shape Szekely’s philosophy on ethical sourcing, she says. “When available, I use fair-mined metals, which use co-ops that consider the environment,” she says. “I also use recycled gold. Fair-trade metals are still kind of new. In custom pieces, I use what my clients prefer, but nothing from an unknown origin.” She can also repurpose stones from family pieces. The “sky is the limit” in Szekely’s custom creations, she says, and many

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left Dora Szekely wearing jewelry she designed, including Athena, a customizable alternative engagement ring option. Photo by Maria Scaglione below left This handcrafted set by Dora Szekely includes an engagement ring with an old European cut diamond in the center, and a wedding band, made to fit into each other like puzzle pieces. Both are made from recycled 18-karat yellow gold and heirloom diamonds. Photo by Ryan Harackiewicz / Harack Photo below Raw Ratanakiri zircon ranges in hue from light to a darker, and more rare, shade of blue. It is mined in Ratanakiri, Cambodia. Photo by Michael Tansey bottom Handcrafted men’s wedding band using a metalworking technique known as mokume gane, and recycled 14-karat yellow gold, crafted to look like tree bark between gold bands. P hoto by Ryan Harackiewicz / Harack Photo

THE ROAD CHURCH First Congregational Church of Stonington

designs are created based on the couples’ personalities. “I spend time to learn their story, their passions, what brought them together as a couple, all of which instructs my design,” she says. “One couple loved to dance. The design was very organic— the lines of the rings were like a couple dancing, one to showcase her spirit and one for him. Each piece is totally unique to your love story.” Szekely’s showroom features sample pieces, a portfolio of past work, and a collection of stones to choose from, including her beloved blue Zircon, aquamarine, sapphire, star ruby and amethyst. She also offers older cut diamonds, Canadian mined stones and now-popular lab diamonds. “If it’s something I don’t have on hand, I have connections around the world,” she says. The consultation is important, especially if people have no concept or design in mind, Szekely says. She helps a couple narrow down a style and leads them though the process to a final piece. “I find it an honor to work with people on wedding rings,” Szekely says. “It’s a compliment to create a piece that symbolizes their love and might get handed down through generations as a family heirloom.” Liv & Lov 181 Main Street (2nd floor), Westerly, RI 860-857-9835; livandlov.com Freelance writer Cris Cadiz is curious about nearly everything, learning appreciatively with every story. She enjoys sharing journeys and dreams of peo-

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