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  • Senior Year

    Senior Year

    It feels like just yesterday we were all standing outside, putting you on the bus for that very first day of school. So many pictures, so many memories. The hustle and bustle of getting you ready, us ready, with grandparents, aunts, and uncles all coming by to wish you well.

    And now, today, you left at 7 a.m., driving yourself to school. No crowd, no fanfare. Our group was cut last year, and that loss still runs deep. The house was quieter. Just another Monday morning—except it wasn’t. This is senior year. Our little dancer’s last year of high school.

    The speed of it all is staggering. How quickly these years have flown. Memories flash through my mind like a reel, pulsing, unstoppable. I think back to my own senior year, how I got lazy when I should have gotten busy. I don’t remember my first day as clearly as I should, but I remember enough to know it was good, though not great.

    Now I see her stepping into this season, and everything comes at once. It’s like a midlife review—seeing her life, seeing mine, both layered together. I found old clips from my father’s phone, small pieces of the good times he thought were worth recording. They make me realize how little we actually carry with us or keep. These quiet times of reflection cut deep, like a single raindrop that swells into a flood of emotions. I brace myself against its raw power, but it breaks over me and carries me away in the current.

    I’ve made peace with that. We’re not meant to remember everything in crystal detail. If we did, we’d never be able to step into a new day. Life only gives us enough to build from, enough to grow. Every moment is preserved somewhere, even if not consciously. We are part of the endless dance of life—Lila. None of it is wasted.

    That’s why nostalgia is tricky. We try to hold on to things as if they’ll slip away, but nothing is really lost. I believe when our time here ends, we’ll move differently, through time and memory, able to revisit, replay, relive whenever we want. Which means the more important task is simply this: create memories worth reliving. Push when you can, because you always can.

    Watching my kids in these formative years makes me remember how unsteady I was back then. I wish I could hand them the confidence I have now, the freedom from fear. At the time, everything felt so heavy, as if one wrong move mattered forever. But now I see it didn’t. Fear was wasted energy. I wish they could feel that already. Maybe they can’t. Maybe it’s just part of the process, like any hero making their way into the world. It’s a gift that can’t be bestowed, only earned through the walk of life.

    What I do know is this: my little girl is a senior. My baby is grown. My wife feels it deeply; I do too. But I’m steadied by the truth that every moment counts, that nothing disappears, and that all of it is worth carrying forward. This year will go quickly, but it will not be wasted. It will be lived, and it will be remembered.

    Olivia, I hope you feel the weight of this year, but not as a burden. I hope you see it as a gift. Try new things. Take chances. Don’t let fear hold you back. The truth is, it doesn’t matter if everything works out perfectly. What matters is that you live it fully. You must fail in order to succeed, and I hope you fail gloriously, then rise again with the courage I know you have to keep moving forward.

    You are ready for this moment. You are stepping into the next part of your life, and I couldn’t be prouder. Every day ahead of you is another memory in the making, another chapter worth writing. So live it in a way that makes you smile when you look back. We’ll be smiling too, every step of the way. Forever and always your biggest fans.

  • Review: Maggie McFly’s – Brookfield, CT

    Review: Maggie McFly’s – Brookfield, CT

    The flying lady who came out of nowhere, scouring the local countryside for the best foods and airdropping them into your mouth. I’m guessing she’s a tribute to Amelia Earhart, maybe Dale? The concept is simple: create a menu with as many meal and drink choices as possible, overwhelm your patrons with options, which then slows down every aspect of the dining experience, but somehow it works.

    I’ve been a regular at Maggie’s for a long time, ever since the first one opened in Middlebury. My go-to was always Southbury since it was closest to my office and easy to reach.

    The Brookfield spot is one of their nicest, right on Federal Road. We are in the area more often now with family and our son playing baseball at Allstars up the road. They clearly invested in making it a beautiful space, even if the outside view is the shadow of the forever-busy Costco façade. We came on a perfect 80-degree Saturday, looking for something outside or at least close to the summer fresh air.

    We arrived at 3:30 PM. It was not crowded. Eating earlier avoids the dinner rush and gives my food time to settle. We walked past the front desk and found a booth in the bar that let the warm breeze from outside reach us as we watched the end of the Yankee game on the big screen TVs. The rest of our party joined shortly after.

    Anyone who has been here knows the menu is massive. My mother-in-law joked to the waiter, “Has anyone ever said this menu is too big?” He replied that someone must have, because it used to be 46 pages and is now down to 25.

    Having been here so many times, I was almost sure I would get the Farmer’s Grain Bowl. Grilled chicken, quinoa and brown rice, carrots, sunflower seeds, pistachio, cucumbers, apples, feta, scallions, maple-roasted sweet potatoes, dried cranberries, and lime cilantro dressing. I love healthier options like this, and it is hard to find a place that offers them and does it well.

    I started flipping through the menu and saw other contenders. Fresh Roasted Turkey Dinner. Chicken Burrito. Tuna Poke Bowl. I kept going back and forth, then hearing what other people were ordering, until I completely glitched out and went with the Cajun Jambalaya. It’s a wonder, with such a vast range of choices, if the kitchen could really get it right.

    For appetizers we ordered the Giant Pretzel, Fried Pickles, and my wife’s seasonal lobster bisque in a bread bowl. I didn’t set my expectations high and my only hope was that the pretzel came out hot. To my surprise, it was perfect. Warm and textured on the outside, buttery soft and chewy inside. One of the best I have ever had. The beer-flavored cheese sauce was outstanding. The fried pickles were also excellent, and the lobster bisque was rich and flavorful. Even the bread from the bowl was worth eating, not just a throwaway vessel like most places.

    Entrée expectations were high. My Cajun Jambalaya delivered. The seafood was tasty, well-seasoned, and cooked properly. A big win after coming up short on seafood at the Jersey Shore. My wife’s lemon chicken was grilled perfectly and full of flavor. My son went with the turkey dinner, a classic comfort food choice.

    Normally we would have left after that, but the first two rounds were so good we decided on dessert. We went with an Oreo milkshake and a round of sundaes. We asked for a small sundae, but our waitress Casey, who was fantastic, told us it was a big one with multiple scoops and offered to split it into two cups. I told her I would just share my wife’s, but when the desserts came, she gave me my own cup anyway. That small gesture made me feel like a little big man filled with glee.

    We paired dessert with decaf cappuccinos, which arrived wrong. A food runner tried to convince us they were small-quantity cappuccinos served in large cups. After too many cappuccinos and too many bad Al Pacino movies, we were not buying it. Casey came back and returned with visually stunning, properly sized coffees.

    Maggie’s is improving in both food quality and overall dining experience. The bathrooms were very clean and orderly, which always says a lot about the whole establishment. This visit felt like a smooth flight from start to finish. We will be back to see where Maggie lands next.

    Final Verdict: 8.75/10

  • Review: The Jersey Shore – Diamond Beach, NJ (Part 2: Restaurants & Eats)

    Review: The Jersey Shore – Diamond Beach, NJ (Part 2: Restaurants & Eats)

    A make-or-break vacation can all come down to just one thing: the food. Unfortunately, the restaurants we went to were all just fine—mediocre, sufficient, or blah. I had to work hard to remember what I ate and where, since the experience faded quickly from my mind after each meal.

    To be fair, there were some nice features, locations, or standout points, but we always have to return to the food. I was excited to get into some amazing seafood, especially considering how close we were to the ocean.

    Everywhere you look, you see fishing boats, but I honestly don’t know if they’re catching anything or just permanently docked to set the aesthetic. Maybe this is just Jersey fishing. It’s not the same as getting your seafood from the best spots. Maybe “buying local” just means buying from a coastline that’s been beat up and picked over.

    Here are the spots we hit and my quick takes:

    The Lobster House
    One of the well-known hot spots for regular vacationers with homes in the area. I had shrimp scampi over rice. The shrimp were good, but there was nothing memorable about the yellow rice it came with.

    They did have good bread served with butter, and I managed to swap out the salad for a baked potato. I doctored it up with the same drawn brown butter, and that turned into a table-wide butter fest. Everyone started adding it to their food, and it made everything better.

    They don’t put prices on the online menu, which is a faux pas for me. And portion size for what you pay was poor. We did enjoy the crew-style uniforms the servers were wearing.

    Verdict: 6.5/10
    Butter is better.

    Ugly Mug, Cape May
    One of the many classic Irish pub-style joints along the Cape May restaurant and shopping district walking path. Location is the key here—it’s one of the first spots you come across, which is the main reason we stopped in.

    Food and service were fine. I had the Bavarian pretzel and grilled cheese with tomato and bacon. Everything came out chilled, mostly because they keep massive fans running, which is great for staying cool but terrible for keeping food warm.

    I was really craving that grilled cheese, but it came out cold and missing the tomato. Big miss.

    Verdict: 5/10

    Duffinetti’s Restaurant & Lounge
    This was the most interesting and fun dinner spot. The main draw? Lounge singers.

    Edy, the male singer, was my favorite. He had a Ray Romano type of delivery with dry humor and wit. My son and his friend got pulled into the show for a patriotic rendition of “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood, waving flags on stage. Gina, who only performs occasionally since she’s a full-time hairdresser, also held her own.

    I was excited to give seafood one last try and ordered the broiled seafood platter. Huge disappointment. Quantity, quality, and presentation were sparse, undercooked, and sad.

    Luckily, my family came to the rescue and offered bites of their meals, which looked way better and had way more food.

    Verdict: 6/10
    Higher score for the lounge singers.

    The Crab House, 2 Mile Landing
    This place was hopping. The first night we tried, it was way too busy to even bother, so we came back on Thursday. There are technically two restaurants—Two Mile and The Crab House—but only The Crab House was open.

    The big draw is the location. Tons of nooks and crannies throughout the restaurant and even a docked boat you can eat on while watching the sunset.
    I enjoyed watching the operation run like a well-oiled machine. Servers, runners, and bussers moving in harmony to serve a big, hungry crowd.

    After a week of seafood, I opted for a veggie burger. It was very good and homemade, but came with a gluten-free bun that was just miserable—falling apart and full of resentment. I should’ve asked for a regular bun.

    Verdict: 7/10

    Every night on the island, we found ourselves at an ice cream parlor. The restaurants all offered desserts, but since they were all pretty fair, we didn’t feel the need to extend our time or risk a mediocre dessert.

    It just felt right—the ocean breeze, warm summer air—you’re supposed to be eating some kind of frozen milk with sugar and candied treats.

    We hit up several different locations including Duffer’s Restaurant and Homemade Ice Cream Parlor, Harbor Life Golf and Ice Cream, and Kohr Brothers Frozen Custard.

    The winner for me was the simple, easygoing Harbor Life Golf. Ice cream is just a side hustle for this thriving mini golf spot, right on the left as you arrive in the Diamond Beach area. But the quality of the ice cream, fair pricing, and short wait times made it the best choice.

    Enjoying our last cone on Thursday night at Harbor Life, I tried to soak in everything around me. The warm summer night. The salty dew of ocean air. I looked around at my family, each of us doing our own thing but fully together.

    This four-night vacation didn’t blow us away with five-star dining or bucket-list experiences, but it gave us something better: our time together.

    I’m so thankful for it and even more thankful for the people I got to share it with.

  • Review: The Jersey Shore – Diamond Beach, NJ (Part 1: Hotel & Vibe)

    Review: The Jersey Shore – Diamond Beach, NJ (Part 1: Hotel & Vibe)

    What can be said about the Jersey Shore? For better or worse, my impression was shaped early on by a little MTV show called Jersey Shore. I thought it was a carnival side-show hookup spot for young Italians trying to catch every survivable STD before summer ended.

    My first trip down didn’t really change that view. I had to come back a few times to get my mind right. We went to Wildwood Crest—Exit 0—the very end of the Garden State Parkway, the end of the line. We stayed in the Diamond Beach area, a tiny sliver of shoreline just before Cape May.

    After going over the iconic E-ZPass bridge, then an inlet stretch or two, you make your way into a different mindset. It’s the kind of place where the road is policed by the Jersey Gods who nobody dares defy. The speed limit is 25, and everyone drives 25 or less. I spent a week there and only saw one police SUV. What kind of law-abiding madness is this? I felt like the Outlaw Josey Wales doing 30, just waiting for the Wildwood PD to swarm in.

    Driving 24 mph, we arrived at Icona Diamond Beach, a boutique hotel that had once been problematic during my first visit. They’ve since transformed it into something completely new. The core of what it was is still there, but this lipstick made the pig completely lovable and livable for our 5-day excursion.

    The rooms, I believe, are all suites. Ours was nicely appointed, though the bedroom area was tight. My wife and I had to do the boardwalk shuffle to get past each other, and sharing one bathroom with four people gets tricky as the kids grow. Thankfully, our daughter stayed with her Mima and Aunt, which helped.

    Still, the tight quarters sparked some memories—back to earlier trips when the kids were little and the space didn’t feel quite so cramped. That wave of nostalgia hit hard. How quickly it all moves. How every age holds something magnificent. I tried to store it all away on that mental shelf where the best moments live, while quietly dreading how much slips away with time.

    The hallway was a long run down the length of the hotel, and the pattern made me feel like I was at the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. There are historical photos lining the hallway, and I was looking for a party with Jack Nicholson at the beach with that wild Joker smile.

    The hotel employs young people from all over the world, it seems. The staff feels more like they would on a Caribbean island than in New Jersey.

    After breakfast, we’d make a quick visit back to the room to get ready for the day. The walk to the beach is great. It’s a fair distance from the hotel to umbrella city. Once you get to the end of the composite deck walkway that runs adjacent to the beach bar, I flip my flops into the air and plant my feet in the hot, warm sand. It seems like they brush it out each night, creating a fluffy step for me each day.

    I enjoy the little walk and feel the hot sun on my face, causing me to squint like Clint Eastwood staring down an adversary in any Wild West exploit.

    The staff helps you set up any number of chairs, lounges, umbrellas, and towels you need for the day. I’m always a fan of the efficiency in getting this done, complete with their cordless power drill to dig out a place for the umbrellas each day.

    Then we set up our chairs and sit. We sit and enjoy the all-excellence that is going to the beach. The warm air, constantly stirring and flowing over your body. The sounds of summer—fun, seagulls, kids, cocktails, mocktails and waves crashing forever. The shells and sand being turned into fine elegance, millennium after millennium, as the circular waves crash down and out.

    It’s always so amazing how quickly time can move and how tired you can get doing nothing all day. It doesn’t feel the same as sitting at home and watching shows that leave you deflated. A day at the beach leaves you feeling invigorated, closer to God, and with a sense of accomplishment. I don’t know what was accomplished, but I felt like I had put in a day of work.

    Vacation work.

    Sitting around with my family and two stowaways that joined us on our trip, I felt renewed under the energy of the plasmatic sun. Taking time to enjoy this flow of time, surrounded by the people that I love. Thinking of the people that I’ve lost and inviting them to join us.

    I didn’t expect to fall for the Jersey Shore, but somewhere between the wind, the waves, and watching my family lounge in the sun, it got me. It’s funny how doing nothing can leave you feeling so full. We didn’t conquer anything. We didn’t need to. We just showed up, stuck our toes in the sand, stayed present and let the days take us.

    Final Verdict:  8.15/10  (Aruba Light)

  • Restaurant Review: Hash House A Go Go – Mohegan Sun Casino, CT

    Restaurant Review: Hash House A Go Go – Mohegan Sun Casino, CT

    What is this place, what exactly is a go go? My brother told me to go here, or that we should eat here. I hesitated. I thought this was a slightly better Denny’s with that shiny lipstick-on-a-pig veneer. I was wrong, happily.

    Our favorite restaurant at Mohegan used to be Tom’s Urban, now Tom’s Watch Bar, but that place has fallen off and far. My last meal there, I was upsold an alcoholic drink which went from $15 to $30 without being told, and that was my final straw. I took my broken camel and went down the escalator to the Casino of the Earth to look for new vistas.

    Part of my appreciation for Hash House is their breakfast, which is sold all day. I was, for a long time, lulled into the cult of intermittent fasting and would forgo my breakfast, but have since seen the error of my ways. I now eat breakfast and dinner, but do skip that lunch.  I’m not an animal.

    The menu is full and filled with southern hospitality.  I’ve tried in earnest to explore other options, but I keep coming back to their Farmhouse Egg Scramble and the first selection on the menu, which includes hickory-smoked bacon, avocado, onion, and Swiss. It’s accompanied by crispy home fries and a locally made rye toast, complete with their own homemade jam or jelly. I don’t know the difference between those, and I’m not sure of the flavor. It just tastes great.

    My wife opted for the biscuit and sausage gravy with two eggs cooked over easy. The waitress informed her that she should request them cooked a bit more, or they’d come runny, which was great advice. Another in our party didn’t specify, and she didn’t mention it that time; they came out super runny, and it put a cloud over his plate.

    This weekend was a strong biscuit weekend for my wife, having one in each location we went. There was a funny juxtaposition as another one of our baseball parents conveyed her strong dislike maybe even hatred for biscuits, having been tormented with soggy ones as a kid.

    A special shoutout to our waitress Terry, who was like having your mom serve you breakfast. She was fun, kind, helpful, and became part of the group in short time, offering good-luck wishes for our baseball boy’s tournament.

    The time to service is about, or slightly more than, a regular diner, which was fine and also appreciated, as we had limited time this morning. The dishes and presentation of food are always outstanding—the home-cooked, Southern vibe of big portions for big appetites.

    The eggs almost appear as an omelet; they’re perfectly cooked and have a generous amount of all the included ingredients. The avocado adds a nice mouthfeel and texture to the eggs. I love the toast with just the butter, and then the homemade jelly adds a level. The home fries are cooked perfectly and coated with some requested red chili Cholula hot sauce.

    Just a big, happy plate of love and I do my celebratory happy shimmy and shake.

    I’m glad that I was wrong about this place. I wish I lived closer, as I’d definitely come up more for breakfast and maybe venture into some hashes or, one day, the Big O’ Breakfast Burrito. I don’t know if I’ll live long enough to ever try a main dish, but that’s OK.

    Final Verdict: 9.0/10

  • Phase 3: The Never-Ending Summer of Baseball

    Phase 3: The Never-Ending Summer of Baseball

    We’re now entering Phase 3 of our young teenage son’s baseball career. The never-ending rhythm of summer tournament play. Long weekends, hotel rooms, musty cleats that stink up the car, dugout dust, and emotional highs and lows packed into 72 hours.

    The truth is, we haven’t been all that competitive in our past two tournaments. We’ve run out of steam, lost our foam, just didn’t have enough Rizz to carry us through the lean moments. But this weekend, something shifted.

    This tournament, War at the Shore, held near the tribal lands of Mohegan Sun and Mystic, CT, felt different from the start. We opened with a strong Friday night showing, and our team rolled through with three wins before falling short in Sunday’s matchup, a rematch with our toughest opponent.

    It was a winnable game. We battled back from a 5-0 deficit, but baseball, as always, has its element of luck. A few balls dropped into the Bermuda Triangle, just out of reach beyond the infield or along the foul lines. Add in some costly errors, and we lost our edge, both in pacing and psychology.

    Still, we made it back. And though the ride home felt especially long, there was something satisfying in the silence and the over-analysis of what-ifs. Every small moment matters in baseball. And somehow, every moment mattered this weekend.

    What really stayed with me wasn’t just the score or the stats. It was the time spent with my family. It felt like we were gone for a week, not just a weekend. Watching your child play is like being pulled into a Broadway show. You lose yourself in the performance and production. Every play, every at-bat takes something out of you. The butterflies, the anxious pangs in your gut, the quiet hopes;  it’s all part of it.

    I sat slightly away from the crowd on a grassy knoll on this warm summer day, a little removed but with the best view. It gave me perspective, a moment to breathe it all in. The game below, the sky above. The majesty of it all. These are the days that move fast and live forever.

    Every kid contributed this weekend. They showed up, brought their energy, and let their favorite juiced bats bring out the best in them. They thought they could, and so they did.

    There’s a synergy now. A chosen family dynamic forming between the boys. The time spent together on and off the field. I love watching them come together, the way they cheer for one another. The way they shout to their teammate who made an error, telling him to shake it off and get the next one. No blame, just TLC for one another. We’ve played on many teams, but this is a special group of young men.

    Then there’s the parental chaos. Multiple hotels, packing and repacking supplies, forgetting essentials, trying to make a reservation for 30 people to eat together, then figuring out how to split the bill. Ending the night with fireside table chats in the bagel buffet lounge. We become friends, make it work, and enjoy our time together.

    These joyful, chaotic weekends are forging memories that will carry them through the long walk of life. Because we’re not meant to just try. Life isn’t something we have to do, it’s something we get to do. We’re meant to reach. And the bigger the challenge, the greater the memory, whether or not we come out on top.

    And maybe that’s what makes it all so special. The dirt on their cleats. The voices in the dugout. The pain of a loss, the joy of a win, and everything in between. Chasing childhood greatness with your friends, giving it everything you’ve got, leaving it all out there.

    That’s the part they’ll remember.
    That’s the part that lasts.

  • Restaurant Review: The Shed – Mohegan Sun Casino, CT

    Restaurant Review: The Shed – Mohegan Sun Casino, CT

    My favorite spot in the Mohegan Sun Casino was already closed by 7 PM on Friday. I won’t say the name of it, but it might very well be my next review. We were hungry from competing and coming off a strong win in our first round of baseball tournament play. Our usual baseball trio had grown by two more kids and their parents, so we were on the hunt for an agreeable spot that could satisfy everyone.

    We initially eyed Bobby’s Burger Palace, but I didn’t want a cheeseburger. I’m always, normally, and usually the difficult one, and instead of debating it or denying it, I’ll accept my moniker. I like what I like, and I am what I am.

    After scanning a few menus around the casino, we landed on The Shed. The selection, variety, and pricing all looked solid. Apparently, I had been asked to eat there before and declined for some reason, but I must not have read the menu or maybe the place just got better. It also could have been the name, which doesn’t give you anything. My parents had a shed, and I never had a desire to eat anything in there with the lawn mower or chlorine tablets for the pool.

    This time, there were several dishes I was genuinely interested in trying, and I figured if it was good, it’d earn a return visit. We arrived around 8:30 with a group of seven, and the place was nearly empty. Tony Hinchcliffe was performing at the casino that night. I’m a big fan, and judging by the ghost town vibe, his show had pulled in most of the foot traffic. The restaurant closes at 10 PM, so we were hoping they’d have a table available for us on no notice. Sure enough, they had a perfect table for eight already set up in the back.

    The atmosphere was fun and casual, with large open spaces and a laid-back surfboard-meets-upscale-diner aesthetic. They serve an all-day brunch menu, which automatically earns points. Our table had a great view of two oversized, hand-drawn cow paintings that looked like kids sketched them on leftover placemats with crayons, which was oddly charming. Comfy-looking booths lined the walls in the bar area with those high casino ceilings that lull you into a dreamy state.

    There were about four or five dishes I seriously considered, but I ended up with the Veggie Protein Bowl. It came loaded with brown rice, garbanzo beans, red cabbage, spinach, sweet potato, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, pickled veggies, and avocado. I added a veggie patty too, which I confirmed is made fresh in-house. I could’ve gone with the Shed Bowl, but the pickled veggies pulled me in.

    The Veggie Protein Bowl was a real winner. Plentiful portions, great balance, and all the ingredients worked well together. The rice was hot and delicious, offering a perfect contrast to the cold, crunchy toppings. The veggie patty stood out. It tasted fresh, had a nice char on the edge, and added some much-needed bite. There was a lot of synergy between the savory and sweet flavors, and the textures and temperatures balanced beautifully. The pickled veggies made it a superior bowl with a clean vinegar taste that cleansed my palate between bites.

    My wife ordered the Reuben, which I sampled as a good husband, and it was another standout. My son’s Steakhouse Burger was also excellent with a pungent kick of blue cheese and crispy onions that complemented the perfectly cooked burger.

    Our waitress handled our group like a pro and somehow managed to match up all the kids and parents with the right orders.

    We’ll definitely be back to enjoy this hidden gem. We were already stepping away before the waitress could offer us dessert, but there’s a Ben & Jerry’s and a Krispy Kreme doughnut shop nearby, so we knew we wouldn’t be wanting. The kids were in a rush to get to the casino’s arcade, and we were hoping to get some time on the floor and, hopefully, not lose too much money. The Shed absolutely earned a spot in our rotation. Hopefully the word gets around so the restaurant thrives, but not so much that we can’t still grab a table.

    Final Verdict: 8.25/10

  • Restaurant Review: Down the Hatch – Brookfield, CT

    Restaurant Review: Down the Hatch – Brookfield, CT

    On a beautiful sunny day when the breeze is gentle, continuous, and blissfully free of humidity, where can you go to enjoy it all? I’ve never been one for regrets, but I’m slightly disappointed I only discovered Down the Hatch later in life. At least I found it. What an amazing little spot to have tucked away in the heart of northern Fairfield County.

    I’ve been several times over the years, and this place is always about the location. It’s beautifully nestled on a hill overlooking scenic Candlewood Lake. There is only the outside here, not unlike in Ghostbusters when there is only Zuul. Zuul, you big nut.

    You wouldn’t want to sit inside even if you could. And if you had to, you probably wouldn’t want to be at this restaurant on that day.

    You walk down the handicap-accessible ramp to the first level of the restaurant and bar. You always get a good mix of people, though I do prefer coming earlier now to avoid some of the rougher types who seem disappointed with life after several Budweisers and are actively looking for someone who doesn’t agree with them or someone with whom they can have a misunderstanding. My misunderstanding days are long gone. I’m just happy to enjoy any nice day by the water.

    We came in with our core three — daughter Judy was at work — and were meeting my brother-in-law with his kids. They’re young and playful, so we were looking for a spot that still gave us a view without being too close to anyone else’s table. We were seated on the lowest level, and that was perfect. There really isn’t a bad view, though I didn’t want to be up top, stuck behind a few tables that might block the breeze or obstruct the view of the lake.

    The whole point of this place is the outside, and I was just so happy to be sitting outdoors. Any summer day in Connecticut when the sun is shining and the humidity is low is a big win.

    Our summer table for six was shaded under an alcoholic beverage sponsor tent overlooking the lake. The waitstaff are all young, home from college or whatever it is kids are doing now. I honestly have no idea. But they’re friendly and happy, and that’s what matters. Our waitress was a kind redhead and had a bit of Southern sensibility, though I don’t know if it was earned down South or acquired from watching too many shows set there. There’s this big amalgamation of phrases now like “I got you” and “y’all” all mashed together.

    The food is what you’d expect and good enough for what it is. I got the mahi-mahi in a wrap instead of a sandwich, along with a small crock of coleslaw. It was vinegar-based and delicious. I only wish the portion had been a bit bigger, but I suppose not everyone is a cabbage fiend like me. I also took a bite of my wife’s lobster roll, and that was very good, with large chunks of tail and claw in a buttery roll.

    It was really great that my brother-in-law came with my niece and nephew. It’s always good to see them. As close as we all are, life pushes you in different directions, and you have to push back to make time. The kids are extremely cute, fun, playful, and smart. I just enjoy taking a minute in their world, watching them do their thing. It reminds me of my own kids and how quickly they grow up.

    As I sat outside in the sun, I was hit by a deep wave of calm. The kids wandered toward the fence to look out over the water and watch the ducks go about their day. I’ve been lucky lately, but more than that, I’ve been grateful. Grateful for these kinds of days, and really, for any day to be alive. For hope and for my family.

    It’s easy to forget how miraculous the ordinary is. The weight of gravity holding us here. The sun warming the tops of exposed skin until it becomes just uncomfortable enough. A thin layer of sweat rising. The gentle whisper of wind across the skin. The smell of fried French fries drifting by. Ducks gliding silently without concern.

    There is beauty in all of it. In simply being here. You just have to want to see it.

    Final Verdict with view multiplier: 7.5/10