INK MAGAZINE - FEBRUARY 2023

More ways to lose more

Art Classes at INK STUDIO/GALLERY

Watercolor Secrets with Alan James

Six-week Class Description / Beginner / Intermediate

In this six-week beginner / intermediate course Alan will help you uncover a treasure trove of secrets that have been eluding you all these years! By the end of this course, you will be transformed from a once frustrated individual to a happy-go-lucky watercolor artist. Yay!

Secrets we will uncover: Understanding of composition: Design, Values, Shapes, edges, and color. The secrets of applying washes, wet in wet, glazing and dry brush techniques.The importance of water to pigment ratios! Perspective and Proportion. Building a vocabulary of brushstrokes to help create shapes that make up: Figures, Trees, Skies and much more. How to exploit the natural flow of water and discover the secrets that make it work its magic like no other medium can and learn to let the water guide you while overcoming the urge to control every brushstroke. Classes run once per week beginning 3/11/2023 through 4/8/2023 from 10am-1pm at a cost of $275.00 for full course.

Location: INK STUDIO/GALLERY - 314 Flat Rock Place F125, (Westbrook Outlets exit 65) Registration: Contact Alan James email alan@alanjamesart.com or by phone at 860-395-9493

We will create a new painting each week and concentrate on simple subject matter, primarily: landscapes, seascapes and cityscapes. Please come prepared with the artist grade materials provided in the materials list found here: https://files.faso.us/68203/8337.pdf

At the beginning of each month, as I go around dropping off the latest issue of the magazine, I usually receive one of only a handful of comments from the local shopkeeper, gallery owner, or restaurateur. The best line and one that I hear often is “We’ve already had three people that have come in looking for the new INK.” Next, there is always the simple but effective “Yay the new INK’s are here!” And lastly, the one I find to be the most humorous that I hear a lot is “Has it been a whole month already, it seems like you were just here?” To which my response usually is “You can call me Father Time.” Rinse and repeat.

Well, here we are again. The second installment of INK 2023. As always we aim to shed light on the people and places in and around the nutmeg state who are both inspired and inspiring. In this issue, we have food, wine, theater, health, art, and a vacation to warmer regions. I think that covers a good deal for a complimentary magazine no?

The Rose Hill Vineyard and Winery looks to be a “put it on the list” type of establishment. Rumour has it that the food is excellent! Then we take a trip to Westerly, RI, and the United Theater and see the amazing transformation of a central point downtown that thought of everything when it comes to their community. Then we catch up with Monica Little, whose daughter Trinity has been facing some of the toughest health challenges that one could face. Her courage and will are off the charts. Next up on this month's roster is artist Melissa Barbieri. (Her art is on the cover this month.) Read more to learn about her process and what the art she creates means to her. Lastly, Susan Cornell compares and contrasts two trips and two very different ships.

Thank you all, we hope you enjoy this issue! On the Cover: Aqua Lung / Painting by Melissa Barbieri

Jeffery Lilly founder / publisher

"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds." – Nicholas Sparks

North Branford Rose Vineyard & Winery

by Robert Rabine

when we got a call from friends in Stony Creek inviting us to supper at the winery, so we went with a group of friends on a breezy summer evening just before sunset

I ’m somewhat of a serious gardener. I take the trip down to Van Wilgen’s garden center in North Branford a couple times a year, for trees mostly. Imagine my surprise when I rounded the corner onto Valley Road one spring day and saw a sign for Rose Vineyards and Winery, thinking “wow, what’s that all about?” I got the answer a couple days later

Perched on a hill hard by Route 139, Rose Vineyards and Winery is a combination working farm, vineyard and quality food service operation. The modern, dark grey post and beam winery was built from the ground up by the Rose family construction business and fits nicely into the verdant landscape. A long driveway winds up the hill, leading to a terrific outdoor party space behind the building, and parking lot beyond. Rows of grape vines and a large apple orchard face the patios, lit up at

night and festooned for seasonal events. It’s idyllic to be sure, with three separate dining/drinking areas-some pea gravel, some bluestone, some covered and some not, with large wooden tables and comfortable chairs for seasonable enjoyment. There is an outdoor kitchen with a dome-shaped, wood-fired pizza oven that sits prominently in the middle of all the patio action outside.

The 50-acre farm has been in the Rose family since the middle of the 1600’s, making it one

of the oldest continually held family farms in the country. It’s gone through some transitions over the centuries: from family farm to orchard to dairy farm and back again. Their long family connection to local farming is partially sustained through the Rose Orchards Farm Stand and Market, with a creamery and café located on Rt 139. When they planted some vines on a plot of recently cleared land,“It started out as a joke,” recalled Ellen, “but the idea really took off.” The decision was made to expand their budding

eco/farm tourism model and build a winery. The first vines were planted in 2017, Marquette for the red and Vidal Blanc for the white.

The winery itself opened in 2019 and was the brainchild of Ellen and Jonathan Rose (13th generation). The building was built by their family-run construction company where Ellen was the construction manager. It’s open and airy with tall ceilings and exposed beams everywhere. The first floor houses the kitchen, wine bar, and a large dining room with well-spaced tables, comfy blue chairs and an inviting seating area by a stone fireplace (all the masonry at the winery was done by Ellen’s father). It’s separated from the wine bar by huge sliding barn doors should you want to host your own private event or wine dinner-French doors in the wine bar lead to an outdoor patio with a cool view of North Branford below.

Winemaking takes place in the cellar, and it’s everything you expect a wine cellar to be. Stone everywhere, oak barrels lining the cave, tasting glasses ready for some lucky folks to arrive for a private event. The actual crushing, fermenting and bottling equipment is hidden from view for esthetics, with the entire family participating in the operation when needed. They import whole berry clusters from California, Chile and South Africa and then take it from there. Small batch boutique wines are their specialty, making a mere 2000 cases a year of interesting reds, whites and pinks. “When we sell out, we sell out since we can only make so

much of each varietal per year,” said Ellen. Luckily, they carry local craft beers should you decide to drink them dry on other things. Their current wine offerings are 3 different Pinotages (Cali, bourbon barrel and South African); an inky Petite Verdot and Petite Sirah blend aptly named Petite Petite; 2 different rose types (dry and sweet); and 3 whites (Niagara, Sauvignon Blanc and Symphony), all available for sale online and at the winery.

I met Ellen and head chef Vinnie Costantino last week to talk about their collective goals and for the winery. The chef is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute and has been at it for 25 years. Ellen’s and Jonathan’s vision as vintners and winery operators is to keep the focus on the wine and not the food, a fine line to walk for a talented working chef. The menu must compliment the wine, not the other way around. It’s really a family run operation, and I get the feeling that Chef Vinnie fits right into the family. He is as gracious and welcoming as

everyone else. Ellen’s sister Anna was tending bar and their mother was upstairs babysitting Ellen and Jonathan’s 1-year-old. Offerings from the kitchen vary seasonally and feel very continental: cheese plates and charcuterie boards loaded with goodies like raw almonds, honeycomb, jams and mustard. Fabulous, assorted breads and butters, creamy fall burrata salad, a delicious rustic baguette sandwich with prosciutto, roasted tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and a syrupy balsamic dressing. He also does a few specials daily, all flavor forward and great for sharing and pairing. “We want it to be food that you get when you’re tasting wine,” added the chef, “not the place if you want steak and potatoes, but the perfect place for a snack, or a drink and app before going out to dinner. Like a pregame.” Let’s get back to that outdoor pizza oven. The sous chef makes the dough, Chef Vinnie assembles the pizzas, Ellen’s father-in-law stretches the dough, and Ellen’s father bakes the pizza in

the oven he himself built. All this happens on Thursday nights in season and it’s busy so plan ahead.

Private parties are welcome, and the chef will customize a menu for up to 60 people inside with that fabulous wine cellar available for private events as well as wine dinners with the vintners. Events in summer can accommodate up to 200 if you want to rent the entire winery inside and out. They have limited hours so check before you go, but it’s a terrific place to have lunch or dinner and hang out, regardless of the season.

Rose Vineyard and Winery 2 Valley Road North Branford, CT 06471 (475) 221-8636 rosevineyards.com

by f y Rona Mann o s Photos Courte sy y of United Theater

for just one mo and then anoth

It wasn't such an unusual sight.

Y Yooucouldfindoldboarded-up movie houses in many a small town throughout the United States. What they all have in common is a sense of history and a lot of stories within old walls...walls that are still partially ed by heavy cover y, , textured wallpaper that long ago started to peel with layers of dust serving as a thick blanket over broken down rows of what used to be fine velvet-covered row seating. The years of neglect have more than taken thitllththldihit their toll, so there these old movie houses memories; and although many folks used happy times spent in those theatres, now t building people drive by and walk by with second glance.

sit, eyesores once to remember they are just a hout giving it a

eindowntownW The United Theatr Weesterly was one of those. Oh, sure, there had been years of this group or that buying it and re eally panned out until the W it never r Weester purchased it in February of 2006, but still, sit unoccupied on Canal Street in downtow an old silent movie star stripped of her glo ore chance. Chuck Royce gave it that one more chance by takin her and another because Chuck Royce rarely lets a good opport

Royce is a very sance of The Oc W Weesterly's tony He is a visionar thingstheresto things the rest o part of the Gild farther east to N in 1916 and the until it was virt developer who Chuck Royce st

y wealthy man. He is almost entirely responsible for the rebuildi cean House, the luxury historic hotel, spa, dining, and entertain y W Waatch Hill neighborhood, but Royce is more than a man with ryy, , and what sets visionaries apart from the rest of us is that qui ofusdonotTheOceanHousewasoriginallbuiltin1868and

of us do not. The Ocean House was originally built in 1868 and ded Age in Rhode Island where the wealthy summered if they d Newport. Then came the fire, and the Ocean House was destroy eatV . Slowly en sold in 1936 to a local familyy. y, , the Gr Viictorian Lady tually uninhabitable and ultimately shuttered in 2003 when it w o planned to subdivide the property and build single-family hom tepped forward and everything changed.

Royce felt subhis vision was a ground up, thu at this magnific many of the ori was Royce abo

dividing would be an enormous mistake, so he put millions of operty and bought the pr y, , completely demolishing it, and rebui eplicating it to its original glory us r y. . Look at photos from the lat , and the dif esortnow cent r w, ffference is nearly indistinguishable. iginal stones numbered and then put back in the exact same pl ut it being the same.

y y, , Rhode Island n talk over the estoring it, but rly Land T Trrust it continued to wnWWeesterly like ory days, waiting g a second look, tunity slip byy. ing and renaisnment venue in deep pockets. ite often they see d was a significant didn't venture yed, later rebuilt y began to fade was sold to a mes. That's when f dollars where ilding it from the te 1800s and look He even had laces, so resolute

The Ocean House opened to much acclaim in 2010 after a $147 million dollar effort and continues to garner accolades, win awards, and draw both guests and praise from all over the world.

But then there was this old, neglected theatre in downtown Westerly. In its heyday it had housed traveling vaudeville acts like the Will Mastin Trio, featuring a then very young and quite unknown Sammy Davis Jr. It also gave a platform to world-renowned opera stars, most notable among them Mario Lanza. It was one of few theatres in the state that had an organ, making it an ideal accompaniment for showing silent movies, and in 1929 was the first theatre in the region to showcase the "talkies." From the mid-1920s through 1986 Westerly people made the downtown theatre their regular "date night" to view a movie and then walk just steps down the block to the wildly popular China Village for an exotic drink with pink umbrellas and the most reliable Chinese cuisine in the area. By the end of 1986, the theatre seemed to lose its cache´, fell into disrepair, and abruptly closed, becoming one of those boarded-up eyesores for more than 20 years until the Land Trust bought it, then three years later purchased the adjoining space that had been previously occupied by Montgomery Ward. The Land Trust hoped to focus and redirect resources on the development and re-enhancement of downtown commercial properties, especially those with historic significance. Then along came that visionary once again.

Will Mastin Trio - Sammy Davis Jr. In The Middle

Charles Royce saw this as an ideal venue for a full-blown arts complex, one which would include not just movies, but also live theatre, concerts, dance, opera, lectures, an art gallery, and an educational facility for the students and promotion of the arts across every demographic of the population. Located in an historic area of downtown Westerly and surrounded by restaurants and bistros with the railroad station at the end of the block, the area radio station across the street, and another music venue around the corner, it seemed a perfect location to build a multi-use arts complex that would not only serve the two-state area (Westerly is situated on the Pawcatuck River which divides Rhode Island and Connecticut, sharing a downtown), but also other parts of the region.

So, with a financial partnership created by a Rhode Island Creative and Cultural Economy bond, many private and corporate community partners, and a hefty investment by the Royce Family Fund the renovations began in earnest during the winter of 2006. The $12 million dollar renaissance was completed in 2021, and the theatre once again opened its storied doors to the public on July 9th of that year.

"Much of the original architecture and design has been preserved such as the use of the terrazzo floors originally part of the theatre," says Tony Nunes, the Center's Artistic Director. The large flattened auditorium has been built as a black box theatre for live performance with a 450-550 seated capacity or 650 for SRO concerts. Quite simply, a black box theatre is a simple concept performance space with flat floors and black walls and the ability to be configured in size to fit the production and audience. "When not in use, this becomes a movie theatre," Nunes continued, "with world-class sound and visuals. In addition to the main theatre with 75 seats, there is a 24-seat cinema for enjoying the intimacy of a smaller space while viewing art house films; additionally, the balcony converts to yet another configuration of the black box. This space is also available to the general public to rent for their own private events.

"The Gallery" is a bright and a that features the work of local photographers that will rotate basis with ongoing installatio also used for lectures and sma

airy art space l artists and e on a regular ons of art and is all meetings.

The music school, which partne islocateddownstairsinthearts

s center encompassing seven isola e 200 students inhabit the space f e, and all rooms are completely so throughout the center. Partnersh ss of the UNITED. In addition, th partners include the Knickerbocke port Folk Fest, Artists Cooperativ

ers with the Rhode Island Philhar scenterencompassingsevenisola rmonic, ated is located downstairs in the arts rooms. In any given week, some lessons and practical experience proof as are all the other spaces tremely important to the succes Island Philharmonic, regional p Centerr, , Salt Marsh Opera, Newp Ocean Exploration T Trrust.

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more than a year and a half old, droves. Moviegoers, artists, dan ything that visionary had hope at historic building have stretch ettled in. For good.

Money invested can buy the b art for the communityy. . Only p instruments, conduct orchestr sing operatic arias, and stride peoplecanpresentaconcert

bricks and mortarr, , but it canno people can do that- people who ras, paint paintings, perform a ds as actors in a play e the boar y. giveflighttotheartofdancec

give flight to the art of dance, c hrough their lens, and make m lt the UNITED and will contin

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caase-in-point. This s ocess. lot to pr e of it.” It was a a r s anced warning warning. It’s e on the ontheathathletic athl Trrin ati and with T om our trip to s Cincinnati me f home fr the camera. “That was m ee ham hams it up for the scr mother and wriggle moth her rinity wr Tr while T laughs, whi whil r a her daughter a r pain sho ga a railing a of Endearment; r ; r -o cLaine going full-o-on M Ma R “RRem Monica continues, “

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being made. She was my little 3-year-old girl, and I had nothing to lose, so I made a call and raised the roof – pulling Pediatric ey T Cardiologist Dr. Jeffr Toowbin – who had already stabilized her once before – out . T of clinic. Dr Toowbin had me put him on speaker phone with the head cardiologist at Levine. Then things happened fast. ‘Miss Little – I only have one question: do you want me to take over your daughter’s T Y care’ YeesIdoDr Toowbin”

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team and a ack to Cinr 19th. It took ansplant list. anuary 31st ew mechantients had some time nts began. week laterr, , n-d was able to s of returning he transnor heart on as an extendeven longer ning her lost nks to Ronald r son Zack, tay close to ryy.

ump V ojects – T NY pr Tr illage with blue col lar roots. It made me persistent, and I never give up on anyone. My medical training was extensive, and when I was at Baylorr, , molecular genetics and biology research was just beginning. The National Institute of Health was just starting to fund pediatric cardiac research. This is my area – focusing on research and the clinical side to transplantation...spediomyopathy cifically on pediatric car y..Nowit is an actual field of research.”

The institutional red tape clearly is an emotional hot button for this dedicated professional. “No kid should die or be

dismissed, without examining possibility for treatment– regar how it might impact the institu published rankings. The post-o howeverr, , is extremely hard to p had two sisters in 1989 who we 29 years old. One passed, and t

every rdless of ution’s op storyy, , predict. I ere 28 and the other is inal heart. t of the e multiple do make it tients over op, but we awareness donation.” are other liibili

still going strong with her original heart. On the other hand, it is not out of the question for patients to require transplants over the years. W We e a practice to follow up with patients over a period of several years post-op, really need to increase overall awar about the importance of organ donation.”

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travel, and post-op compliance varies. There is also a geographical component in receiving a donor heart – which remain scarce. If you live in the middle of the US, there is a better chance to access a donation, as the clock is ticking once the organ becomes available – with it only viable for 4-5 hours. So many factors to considerr, , yet as I said, everyone deserves a chance.”

Monica experienced her own transformaecovery tion during her daughter’s r y..“Iwas a professional studio stylist moving up the management ladder with L’Oreal and then AfterT with the Paul Mitchell line. Trrinity’s

illness, I knew I couldn’t go back to work as a high-profile stylist with steady travel demands. Since I was already at home with other T Trrinity and her younger br r, , I gradually became what is dubbed as a Medical Mom – caring for medically challenged en along with my own. W childr Weemoved from North Carolina to Kentucky to be closer to the hospital. They contacted me with requests to care for ailing kids. Through an agency I connected with, I became a foster mom to a little boy named Ethan who was with us for three years and then we adopted. In total, I’ve had 70 fosters

come through my home – all medical cases. I help stabilize them until they can find a home for placement.”

HowisTTrrinity today? Monica reflects, “this is a loving child with a heart of gold. She teaches people by example that there is always hope, even in the direst of situations. ...truly an expression and prime example of the miracles God can perform in one’s life – with an unusual sense of warmth and innocence that hasn’t faded into her teens.”

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to darknes to darkness, but even then, she d well-executed images. She does n ted uted ea terrupted stream of consciousnes interests and obsessions empty o bs es ic writing. Phrases, prose, and qu canvas. With India ink in hand, s transfertheinformationthatfloo nformatio is very ea undaunted. It is very early, and s elissa Barbieri is standing before way o

ieri is standi assalongsidephantasmagoricyet onto a 20-foot canvas in an unin nin e ofuotes, representing a lifetime she begins what is akin to autom nk oded her dream state onto the bla she has just awakened, anxious to a large drop cloth in her studio rge c tomat irteen. There, she studied painting ank Covino Academy of Art when own right, she enrolled Melissa - andmother who got her into paint

o e oseewwhatw g ho go it Barbieri was just thi in the renowned Fra ing. An artist in her It was Barbieri’s gra

toseewhatwillberevealed. te. Each day, she races out of bed d exertion, miraculously she finds n though the larger pieces required during the first seven years of her productive, often painting around y, with Parkinson’s, Barbieri has e over 10 years ago, this is what has but since being diagnosed with ife xacting formal portraits and still l e has not completely abandoned r her and a far cry from her roots

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f e its solitude and vastness. as taken many sojourns throughout lace of endless curiosity and solace desert, another reoccurring theme, ts often in her work. In contrast, the h real and mythical, are reoccurring - orld of the ocean, with all its fan

As a young woman, Barbieri made her ing stint, where she married, and had t divorced. To make ends meet, she pain But these figurative fine art creations, t tllllfhtt

r way to Texas after the boattwo sons, but eventually got nted billboards for surf shops. towering over twenty feet tall, were all precursors for what was to come.

“Through all these ups and downs of my young life, I was painting, no matter where I lived or how much money I had or didn’t have. I loved the cowboys of the West, and the surfers in the South, and that inspiration has always found its way into my paintings,” Barbieri says.

After leaving Texas with her children, she returned to her home state of Connecticut and opened a business in Greenwich. She spent the next twenty-five years painting and installing custom frescos for public and private clients across the U.S. This foray also led to several solo exhibits at the Southport Galleries and Greenwich’s Samuel Owen Gallery.

“I was fortunate that my ability to paint in many different styles allowed me to have the flexibility to do art installations in Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Maine, Palm Beach, 5th Avenue, and other places,” she says.

Barbieri eventually closed her company and moved to Essex with her husband Michael, whom she had met a few years earlier. She now works out of a former barn that Michael converted into a studio next to their antique farmhouse.

43

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nt when in humans confront when in a primal state. phosis, all the universal forces we as - hope, yearning, divinity, and metamor d fear, sa that expressed loneliness, fear, salvation, taking a thick black marker to write words explains Barbieri. and diagrams are mixed into the text,” around the paper. Various symbols, marks, another century which circles and swirls in an off-kilter calligraphy hand evoking some handwritten, some printed, some Around her are minute and tiny sentences, a horse, and a falcon on her raised arm. a circle of flames, surrounded by a wolf, shows a woman standing in a campfire in although no one would know it but me. It about my triumphing over my disease, the West Was Won,” which was really “The prototype piece I did was called ‘How m ris

ly nd n and others, including her own l maid, Lord Byron, Jim Morrison series, featuring precise renderi out and academic like her Gods traditional oil painting that’s m works on simultaneously. Some Barbieri usually has a few paint Museum in New London, last y a major exhibition at the Lyman ories, Dreams & Archetypes, cu cathartic. This body of work ent of human emotion.” For Barbie exi existential forces in the universa d literature, and various itera in a stream of consciousness.” me to pour out my thoughts and feelings of freedom, and lessening mobility caused pandemic, along with the isolation, lack real time,” Barbieri says. “The emerging the past that I seemed to be reading in likeap within me. It was like a prophecy from “I was terrified, and his poem resonated po min j so

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“I like to crea spark my ima and people I’v and mytholog

te a world from subjects which agination from books I’ve read ve encountered, both historical gical,” she says.

Another serie combines wor stunning imag sea turtles, gia creatures, insp literature, the “Because I stu like so many d temporary art in one campg things to expl

es she named Literary Depths rds and calligraphy with ges of octopi, eels, sharks, ant squid, and other aquatic pired again by her passion for e ocean, and her own musings.

udied classical painting, and I n-tists, I can’t light my campfire ground. There are too many lore,” Barbieri says.

different artists, including con

Other works, more exacting rely on objects just the imagin ram’s skull, a bleached cow Ellii

like her series Natura Morta are g. These still-life compositions s found in nature rather than nation and have included a bird’s feather, a snakeskin, sunbones, and a fish skeleton.

Blake, Barbieri’s work conti fueled by these lifelong fasc an ongoing quest to deciph ancient, classical, and mode

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wordsmiths like Lord Byron, and William

Equally inspired by history and psychology, Greek and Roman mythology, symbolism, and archetypes, and the writings of great o

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inues to be cinations and her how these ern aspects of our e today.

For more information log onto www

w.melissabarbieri.com.

By Susan Cornell Photographs By Bob Cornell

irports. Hotels. Cruise ships. Campsites. Car rentals. Pent-up demand to travel again has been unleashed. That feeling of making up for lost travel time hit me.

Way back in March 2020, I boarded the luxurious, historic square-rigger Sea Cloud in Barbados, intending to sail the Caribbean islands and return home to write a travel feature. According to the Berlitz Cruise Guide, Sea Cloud is “the most beautiful cruise-sail ship in the world…and one of the world’s best travel experiences.”

I unpacked, downed champagne in the cabin, and headed for the lounge for the Captain’s Briefing. The briefing was brief all right. The captain announced the ship would not sail; the islands were shutting down one after another because of something called “coronavirus”. The sky was falling. So, with thousands of others in this same situation in Barbados, I scrambled to find a flight home asap.

Travel became a trip to the mailbox or supermarket. Woohoo! And then, two-and-a-half years later and dying to travel again, I heard from Hamburg, Germany, home of Sea Cloud Cruises. Would I like a do-over, a mulligan, on their new ship, Sea Cloud Spirit, sailing from Valencia, Spain to Casablanca, Morocco? Hell yeah!

Then, Jimmy Buffett announced the launch of Margaritaville at Sea Paradise, the first cruise ship from a brand-new line, Margaritaville at Sea. As a long-time Parrothead, I could not resist.

In the old days (pre-plague), two cruises within one month would be out of the question. But now we have nearly three years to make up for so I can justify excessive.

The two ships and adventures could not possibly be any more different from each other so I thought it would be fun to compare for those who might be deciding what type of cruise is next on their bucket list.

In a nutshell, Spirit is a 453-foot three-mast full-rigged ship powered exclusively by sail whenever the wind allows. Launched in 2021 but retaining the classic maritime design and character of an historic yacht, she holds up to 136 guests and a crew of 85. On our cruise, nearly all passengers were wealthy, reserved Germans with a handful from Austria and Switzerland, and two couples from Wisconsin. Most were sexagenarians or older.

Margaritaville Paradise is a 722-foot cruise ship which holds 1680 passengers and a crew of 620. It’s a refurbished Carnival Corporation ship built in 1991 and is the only 3-day and 2-night cruise from the Port of Palm Beach, FL to Freeport, Grand Bahamas. This is the only itinerary offered. The guests were not all Parrotheads, but they certainly partied every second (then again, when your entire cruise is two nights, every second counts).

In Spain aboard Spirit, we travelled from Valencia to Ibiza, Malaga, and Cadiz. In Morocco, the stops were Tangier and Casablanca. Shore excursions included e-bikes on Ibiza and full day tours of Seville and Chefchaouen (aka the Blue City).

Sea Cloud Cruises sails to other ports in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, as well as in the North- and Baltic Sea.

The windjammer atmosphere is elegant and relaxed (termed “decelerated”). Sustainability plays a major role. In addition to 44,100 square feet of sail area, Spirit has two environmentally friendly diesel electric motors. Sea Cloud consciously purchases local food and invites local artists on

board. The groups in port are small and, according to Sea Cloud, “culturally interested”. It’s all part of the so-called “soft and sustainable tourism”.

Day after day, night after night, the food was consistently the best I have ever had…anywhere (and the bar and bartenders were damn superb, too). Caviar, fresh local fish and meat, international cheeses, panna cotta, and truffles so one has dessert after dessert … the list is endless, and everything was presented like outstanding works of art. Quality wines from renowned winemakers and beer was served for lunch and dinner.

You won’t find a swimming pool or hot tub, but you will find a large sun deck with sun loungers and circular sunbeds. Unlike other cruises, there’s no music playing on the sundeck. Instead, guests snooze and read. Needless to say, there’s no shuffleboard, mini golf, FlowRider, ice skating rink, bingo or casino.

There is a “watersports platform”, which means that, if the conditions are right, the ocean is the swimming pool. A long connection of floating chaise lounges and an inflatable slide are extended out from the ship. There are also four Zodiacs which we used for a photo safari.

Guests have access to a fitness studio, and there is a sauna, a steam bath, and rooms for wellness treatments.

sea c ud

On this itinerary, we sailed together with the sister ship Sea Cloud II and could visit by foot or Zodiac, which made for great photo opportunities. Shore excursions were done together with Sea Cloud II and then usually split so that there was both a German speaking and an English-speaking guide.

One of the highlights was an excursion to the Automobile Museum in Malaga, an evening exclusively for guests aboard the two ships. The Museo del Automovil de Malaga is privately owned by a Portuguese businessman and car collector who renovated a former tobacco factory which now “garages” more than 120 vehicles from different eras from 1898 until today. Thematic areas include Belle Epoque, The Roaring 1920s, Art Deco, La Dolce Vita, Dream Cars, Design Cars, Alternative Energies, and Hot Rods. Among the major brands are Bugatti, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Jaguar, Ferrari, and Mercedes. Fashion from the 1920s to 1950s is also on view.

If you’ve been on a cruise before, you know how packed a daily planner can be. Not so on Spirit. There are few scheduled activities and very little entertainment – that’s intentional (remember, guests are in decelerated mode).

Entertainment consisted of activities such as watching the crew climb into the shrouds and setting the sails. Lectures consisted of topics such as Spanish painters or the history of the original Sea Cloud, built as the private yacht of financier E.F. Hutton and Marjorie Merriweather Post (Post Cereal heiress and, in her day, the wealthiest woman in the US).

Music consisted of a pianist, Wolfgang. What name would you expect from a musician on a German cruise line?

One of the biggest plusses of small ship sailing is that one can get to places larger ships cannot reach. Even better, guests can disembark and embark quickly. We never waited in line. The large ship problem of “Hurry up and wait” just doesn’t exist. And, for germaphobes, there’s a lot more control over cleanliness on a small ship.

Margaritaville Paradise is, of course, much larger than Spirit but is still small compared to other cruise ships, not just in terms of length and passenger count, but it’s really a “micro-cruise” since you’re on board for less than 48 hours.

Here’s what to expect if you book a Margaritaville experience: there’s lots of Jimmy Buffett music and decor, ‘natch, but there’s also plenty of other genres from hip hop to funk, there are six bars with Margaritaville-themed atmosphere, and there’s a lot to do on this floating tropical resort. There are five restaurants, a theater and bar where you can catch a performance of the ship show “Tales from

Margaritaville,” written by JB himself. If you’re not familiar with Buffett’s songs, this show may not resonate that well. There’s a casino, fitness center, spa, and a fine dining establishment, the JWB Prime Steakhouse. Definitely a wild, casual, tropical time but very Margaritaville branded.

Shore excursions range anywhere from swimming with pigs to an all-inclusive resort day with watersports, beach, pool, lunch and unlimited drinks. Come to think of it, that’s a dangerous combination. We chose the resort excursion primarily for the SUPs, kayaks, and Hobie cats.

Paradise passengers are about as different from Sea Cloud sailors as possible. On Paradise, most are there for nonstop fun, “Booze in the Blender,” dancing, and escape. There didn’t seem to be an average age at all – some in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s – and all experiencing their own personal Spring Break. Based strictly on attire (leis, Hawaiian shirts, Buffett concert Ts, cheeseburger jewelry, parrots on shoulders), less than 10 percent are Jimmy fanatics.

Despite the recent refurbishing, the ship still shows its age and more renovations are needed, but passengers didn’t seem to care. The whole point is the longest booze cruise most of us will ever take. It’s all about the party and tropical parrots, margaritas and Bahama Mamas.

Paradise cruisers tended to be less affluent than Spirit sailors. Some use Paradise as a ferry to the Bahamas. Or, they extend the experience by booking a few days at a resort on the island and returning on a later cruise.

Comparing food on both cruises, it comes down to caviar versus cheeseburgers in paradise. Sea Cloud dining was outstanding, Paradise dining was overall average. The buffet venue aboard Paradise, Port of Indecision, had a tremendous variety of so-so choices. The two sit-down restaurants, JWB Steakhouse and Fins, were very good.

Paradise service overall (e.g., restaurants, housekeeping) is average, but when it comes to making sure passengers are hydrated, the crew is on top of the situation. “May I get you a drink?” must have been asked thousands of times each day. Nearly every passenger carries a large plastic mini-blender or a shark or alligator drink holder.

I always factor in flight convenience when comparing vacations. The commute from Connecticut to Valencia entails a flight from NY/NJ to Lisbon, and then another flight to Valencia. From Casablanca to Connecticut, you also must change planes in Lisbon. Four out of four flights were delayed, causing one missed connection and one surprise overnight in Lisbon. From Connecticut to Palm Beach, it’s an easy and inexpensive nonstop from New Haven on the new (2021) Avelo Airlines. Barebones yes, but also less than three hours. I’ve never flown out of Tweed, it was a cinch – efficient and with parking right there.

And then there’s cost. Nine nights on Spirit in a basic cabin (Deluxe, ocean view) ran $8185 per person including gratuities and the Open Bar Package. Three excursions cost a total of $343. Airfare was $776. Drivers/taxis cost $780, including a tour of Casablanca.

Two nights on Margaritaville Paradise ran $139 (Deluxe, ocean view) including gratuities. The “Boat Drinks” package (5 drinks) was $50. One excursion cost $129. Dinner at the premium JWB Steakhouse Restaurant cost $59. Airfare was $119 plus $40 for carry-on luggage. Parking/Uber cost $115. Pretty much everything is a la carte so the cost could go way up if you gamble (and lose), add on a bunch of spa services, need numerous specialty coffee beverages, or want a robot waiter to deliver your pizza.

PARADISE PARADISE

Totaling everything up, the per day cost on Spirit came to $1120 while the per day cost on Paradise came to $325.

Are you the caviar or cheeseburger type? The “fly & flop” (aka relax) or seize the day (and night) type? Blazer and penny loafers or thong and flip-flops? Do you prefer to spend three,

four or five digits on vacation? Small numbers of passengers or thousands? These are just some of the questions to ask whether you’re a first-time or many-time cruiser. It can be confusing but isn’t it just the best to be travelling again.

Please visit seacloud.com and margaritavilleatsea.com for more information.

AskAshley Ask

How to Spend Valentine’s Day this Year

Happy Valentine’s month, readers. How are you doing with your New Year’s goals? I hope well. The winter season seems to be trucking right along, and I must say I appreciate the mild weather thus far.

There has been a lot of talk about cultivating healthy love in the selfimprovement and wellness spaces as of late, including how to make dating fun instead of stressful, and normalizing therapy for both individuals and couples seeking more fulfilling relationships.

With love in the air, I turned to the world wide web to round up the best ways to spend Valentine’s Day this year. Whether you spend it with your significant other, group of friends or even solo, know that the point of this lovely holiday is to celebrate love.

By Ashley Alt

From decadent chocolates and candle-lit dinners to couples massages and romantic getaways, I give you endless ideas on how to make this Valentine’s Day memorable, right in your backyard.

Classic dinner and a movie

But not just any dinner. Allow yourself to enjoy a luxury dining experience at one of Connecticut’s “Best Restaurants” with recommendations from the Connecticut Restaurant Association. On the list includes The Shipwright's Daughter in Mystic, which celebrates New England’s “fresh and flavorful food heritage,”The Charles in Old Wethersfield, which is set in a restored space with a chic interior, and Materia in Litchfield, voted Best New Restaurant and promises “European hospitality” in a fancy setting with incredible Italian cuisine. If there’s a theater nearby, head to a movie afterward.

If you’re more in the mood for surround sound at home, settle on a romantic flick and pop some popcorn to emanate the movie-going experience.

Spa Day

There’s something about a spa day that feels particularly lush (and guilt-free) when booked on Valentine’s Day. Pamper yourself or round up your best galentines for a ladies day of massage and total relaxation. There’s the acclaimed and truly unique Salt Cave of Darien, the posh farmhouse style spa in the Winvian hotel in Morris, Vitality Spa in Old Lyme, which offers everything from massages and skincare to pedicures, and Mandara Spa at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, which transports guests to Bali, Indonesia with its “unforgettable” Fire and Ice treatments.

Live music

Whether it’s a first date or the hundredth date, let the music do the talking for you at one of Connecticut’s live music venues. There’s Firehouse 12 in New Haven, which boasts its own music studio and live performances, award-winning concert and restaurant Infinity Music Hall & Bistro in Norfolk, there’s Black-Eyed Sally’s, Hartford’s go-to spot for live jazz and blues music, and Live Music at the Choo Choo Lounge in Old Saybrook’s Oceanside Hotel, among many others.

Want the wine to come to you? Hire a sommelier near you to educate you on fine wine, including what makes a truly delicious glass of wine, and how to pair your wines with gourmet dishes and cheese boards.

For romantic escapes

If you really want to commit to Valentine’s Day, consider making a weekend of it at one of Connecticut’s charming and quaint Bed and Breakfasts. For an old-world immersive experience, I recommend the historic Griswold Inn in Essex. It is one of the oldest and continuously operating inns in the United States, and will transport you to another place and time. There is the Manor House Inn in Norfolk, an elegant, Tudo-style inn that is sure to melt the hustle and bustle of everyday stress away, as well as The Fountain Inn in Ridgefield, the renowned Mayflower Inn & Spa in Washington, and the infamous Inn at GrayBarns on the Silvermine River in Norwalk.

Valentine’s Day in New York City

Never short of to-dos and fabulous experiences, why not spend Valentine’s Day in NYC? Here are some of the city’s top picks to make Valentine’s Day extra special — You can get dressed to the nines and head to a classic-romantic Broadway show, ending the night with a romantic dinner around the block. You can set off on a sunset cruise down the Hudson River while you sip on some bubbly and nuzzle in your significant other’s side to keep warm. And if you’re feeling a particular form of Valentine’s cheesy, you can go to the tippy top of the Empire State Building and take in the breathtaking views of the city alongside your main squeeze.

Head to a local vineyard

This one is for the wine-o’s. You don’t have to wait for warm weather to go frolicking about in your backdoor vineyard. There’s Gouveia Vineyards in Wallingford, a “sophisticated hilltop tasting room offering a range of wines, guided tours, and scenic vineyard views,” the widely popular Aquila’s Nest Vineyards in Sandy Hook, always equipped with the most vibrant and lively of decor, and Hawk Ridge Winery in Watertown, excellent for when you’re in the mood for a cozy-casual winter night.

Thank you for tuning into this issue of Ask Ashley.

To keep up with Ashley, subscribe to her newsletter, Take A Sip, at ashleyalt.substack.com.

The Cheesemonger

By Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop of Centerbrook Spanish Specialty Foods

As we were deciding on what to write about this month, we thought it would be a great idea to roam the store for ideas. In the process of doing so we realized how many items we carry from Spain. With a little more investigating we realized that we carry more non cheese items from Spain then just about any other county. France and Italy still rule in the cheese department, but Spain is close behind.

Garroxta

(goat milk)

This is a small two-pound semi-soft cheese. The one we carry is made from pasteurized goat milk. I have seen it in the past made from raw milk so this is something to be aware of. It has a great flavor and will really compliment your cheese board. It goes well with Acacia honey or a fig spread. One ounce is approximately 100 calories.

Manchego (sheep milk)

Not all Manchego’s are created equal. You will find a selection of both raw milk and pasteurized offerings. You will also find a wide variation in age ranging from three months, six months to twelve and then some. So, you can’t compare a three-month pasteurized cheese to a one-year-old raw milk cheese. There will be a totally different taste. Now consider there are many different producers of this cheese which only adds to the vast difference in taste between Manchego’s. One ounce is 120 calories. There is also a Manchego made with truffles that has become one of our popular truffle choices. It is a milder truffle cheese with great flavor. It’s about 127 calories per ounce.

Tres Leches (cow, goat and sheep)

This cheese is in our top ten category every year. It’s made from a combination of cow, sheep, and goat milk and it has taken a lot of sales away from Manchego. It’s actually more popular. Even though it is a somewhat mild cheese it has a rich full flavor that all can enjoy. The cheese is cured with olive oil for six months. It’s a wonderful cheese to cook or bake with because it melts so beautifully. One ounce is 120 calories.

Valdeon (cow and goat)

This is one of the stronger blues to be had and it looks overripe when it arrives. It’s considered to be one of the best Blues made in Spain. It dates back to Roman times so it has stood the test of time. If you’re bold enough to try it you may have a new cheese to add to your “Blue” list.

• Charcuterie

Serrano Ham

Serrano Ham (Spain) and Prosciutto (Italy) are made from the same pig and both go through a curing process with pork and salt being the only ingredients. They do vary in taste; prosciutto tends to be a little sweeter where serrano has a more intense flavor. As near as I can tell, the minimum aging process is at least 9 months. The one we carry is about two years. This extra age brings about more flavor, the time is well spent. The common way of serving is to slice as thin as possible where you can actually read a paper through it, no joke. On the other hand, I like to slice it real thick and then fry it up for bacon.

Jamón Ibérico

This is a prosciutto style cured ham made from mostly a black Iberian pig. The best and most expensive Jamón Ibérico comes from pigs that are fed exclusively acorns during the last months before butchering. The ham is then aged for three years. This brings out a rich golden fat with a tender nutty flavor. You will find the price in excess of a hundred and seventy-five dollars a pound. The price makes it expensive to sample but see if you can before buying. This ham is not for everyone. When we carry it, it is only during the holidays.

Chorizo

The Spanish produced Chorizo is an all-natural product that’s lactose and gluten free and contains no preservatives. It’s available in both a mild (Original) and hot (Picante) choice. It is often used in making Paella. Chorizo is also delicious to eat on its own.

• Misc. Foods

Matiz Sardines

Considered one of the finest sardines available Matiz sardines are 100% natural with no added colors or preservatives. These sardines are very meaty and great to eat right out of the tin. They come from the very north eastern part of Spain. Other ingredients include Spanish olive oil and sea salt. Repeat purchasing of this product is outstanding.

Piparra Peppers

A personal favorite, these little peppers have a slightly sweet flavor and crisp texture. Good on a cheese board or with smoked fish, or Bloody Mary’s or just eat out of the jar. They also add a zesty flavor to salads.

Capers

Capers are just great with smoked salmon. They bring a new texture to salads and chicken dishes as well. Ingredients are capers, water, wine vinegar, and salt.

Crunchy Quicos Corn Nuggets

If you like corn nuts you’ll love Quicos. You open the container and there’re gone. Not quite as hard as regular corn nuts, Quicos have all the flavor and a great crunch. The ingredients are toasted corn kernels, sunflower oil and salt.

Marcona Almonds

Almost exclusively grown in Spain, (some sources say only), this is one of our most popular items. Ingredients include Marcona almonds, olive oil, sunflower oil and salt. They are softer, sweeter and more moist than other almonds. They pair well with cheese and charcuterie boards and are also great by the handful.

Ines Rosales Sweet Olive Crisps

By name you would not know what to expect. By taste, you’re glad you did. These are more of a dessert to go with coffee or tea or maybe ice cream and sherbet, but are also a great cracker with Tres Leches and Manchego. Enjoy the taste of Spain!

The following collection represents some of the great food products from Spain. They are high quality items that bring people back for more.

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