Madison is such a fun shoreline town in Connecticut! Ralph Guardiano, owner of The Homestead Bed and Breakfast has an amazing story to share about the property and all that fills it with joy for those who visit.
Restaurants that fill the area and neighboring towns make the visit even more memorable. Michelle interviews the owner of Clinton's Lobster Landing and a family member of the owner of Lenny and Joes's Fishtale. He also has worked there for years and shares the history and impact of the fundraising they do. Sea Mist Thimble Island Cruises is also a must do!
Restaurants that fill the area and neighboring towns make the visit even more memorable. Michelle interviews the owner of Clinton's Lobster Landing and a family member of the owner of Lenny and Joes's Fishtale. He also has worked there for years and shares the history and impact of the fundraising they do. Sea Mist Thimble Island Cruises is also a must do!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Passport Mommy. I'm your host, Michelle Jerson. This
show is for anyone raising little humans. We feature experts
with tips and advice to enrich the lives of our children.
Mom and dad. Entrepreneurs tell us their inspiring stories, learn
about products that could make both you and your child's
life easier and more fun, and of course, fellow parents
(00:21):
discuss and laugh about what's happening in their child's world.
Motherhood is a journey. Thanks for joining me on mine.
Welcome to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson, and I am
thrilled to be sitting here with Rob Guardiano. He is
the owner of the Homestead Bed and Breakfast in Madison, Connecticut,
and this is such a treat. I'm here with my
two kids and my husband, and I have to say,
(00:43):
this is a bed and breakfast unlike any other I
have ever visited, and so I'm thrilled to have him
on the show today because in addition to owning a
bed and breakfast, he has quite a background both in
his career and the history here of the bed and breakfast,
which really makes the unique in so many ways. In
addition to how comfortable it is and how amazing. The
(01:05):
rooms are, Ralph, thank you so much for joining me.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Oh, thank you for all those compliments. That was very nice.
I'm pleasure to have you guys here with us.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
My pleasure. So tell me. First, let's talk about the
history of the bed and breakfast, because it wasn't always
a bed and breakfast.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
It was for twenty five years my mother ran it
as independent living for senior citizens. She was very successful
at it, and I bought it from her about ten
years ago, thinking I would just continue that business, and
come to find out she.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Was making it look really easy.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
She was right off the boat from Italy and seemed
to be able to handle everything herself. When I was
done hiring to replace her, it took seven people, and
then it was not such a good business, so I
had to figure out something else. So what do you
do with the property with like, you know, sixteen bedrooms
and bathrooms and.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
There's not much you can do with it. So kind
of thought maybe bed and breakfast would be a good idea.
So here we are.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
So I know a lot of times when people go
to visit a bed and breakfast, they go because they
would like to connect with maybe the owners, with the
other people who are there. It's a very friendly, welcoming atmosphere.
And what attracted me right away i walked in was
all the memorabilia you have here. Tell me about your collections.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
My daughter likes to say most men are happy with
a man cave. I have to have a man house.
I just have so much stuff from all my years
of traveling all over the world and from different productions
I've been involved with all over the world, and I
don't know, I just needed a place to put it.
So this seemed like a really good place. It just
(02:39):
I didn't if I was going to do a bed
and breakfast. I didn't want to do doilies and dark furniture,
right I didn't want it to be your grandmother's bed
and breakfast. So I wanted it to be more eclectic
and fun and funky, and I wanted stuff that had
a story behind it, you know, not just oh, that's
a nice lamp, or you know, that's an interesting piece
of memorabilia like a microphone or something. They all have stories,
(03:02):
and you know, it's kind of just fun when the
guest is interested in finding out about it that you know,
here's the story behind it.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Tell me a little bit about your career and the
types of memorabilia that's here.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I got into television about forty years ago. I traveled around.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
I got to work on the promotion of Red Sox
baseball and Bruins hockey up at Channel thirty eight in Boston,
and I got to start up a news out operation
in Connecticut in New London, Connecticut, and I just got
to travel around a lot and be involved in that
kind of thing. I then got involved with a company
called Saunalists in Waterford and we built some very large
(03:44):
studios that saw the likes of Steven Spielberg coming in
to use them for amistad and various other things. Aerosmith
used it for rehearsals for two tours, so is that
kind of stuff. Then I started my own production company
and we're in Essex, Connecticut, and now my daughter is
(04:05):
my business partner and co executive producer, and she's really
starting to take over the business and run the business.
And we have clients all over the world, mostly in hospitality,
but not exclusively. So we'll have like Royal Caribbean Cruise
lines and Celebrity cruise lines and Silver Sea Cruise lines,
and we'll also have Atlantis and the Bahamas, Mohegan Sun
(04:25):
and Connecticut and so on.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
We have plenty of other clients.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
As well, but it just kind of gives us the
opportunity to travel over the world, and in traveling, I
just find odd things, you know. As an example, behind
you is a Zulu spear. I got it in South
Africa and I didn't really think it through. Then I
showed up at the airport and I said, well, how
(04:51):
do we deal with this? And the woman looked at
me and I thought she was just going to start laughing,
and she said, I think we can get it in
the overhead and she did. She put a Zulu sphere
in the overhead and then, which I thought was pretty funny.
And this is after nine to eleven, so it was
really kind of odd. And then I landed in New
York and I thought, now I have to walk through
JFK with a Zulu spear and explain myself. And to
(05:15):
my surprise, the customs guy said, do you have anything
to declare? And I pointed at the spear and said, yeah,
you're good.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Just go through. And that was it. It was just weird
stuff like that all the time.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
I love that that is absolutely amazing. So now let's
talk about the rooms, because the rooms are really luxurious.
You come here and you feel like you are staying
in almost like a five star hotel, quite honestly, with
the comfort of the beds. The showers are infused I
read with certain vitamins which you could tell us about.
(05:46):
You have luxurious toilets, and I know that that sounds funny,
but it's really the touches like that that really impressed
when somebody comes to stay here.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
I got really lucky. I got to work with a
man by the name of Saal Kirsner. He was out
of South Africa. He's an extraordinary hotel here. He passed
away a few years ago. He developed Sun City and
Last City in South Africa. He developed Atlantis in the Bahamas,
Atlantis in Dubai, ohegan Sun and Connecticut and all the
(06:17):
one and only properties all over the world. And I
got to work with him for better part of my career,
more than twenty years. He was he had a very
high standard. He was not easy to work for, and
I learned a lot. I didn't really think about it
back then. I'm learning about the whotel industry and it's
like well, what am I going to do with this?
I'm a television producer. And I remember sitting in a
(06:40):
meeting with him and everybody else. I was developing Atlantis,
and it was a three day meeting, and for two
days we debated the thread counting sheets, and he wanted
thousand thread count sheets, and housekeeping wanted like three hundred,
three hundred and fifty because they last longer in the
wash and all of that, and so I said, but
I don't feel as good as thousand thread count sheets.
(07:02):
And I remember this debate went on and I'm looking
around the room thinking why am I in this room,
like what does this have to do with me? And
Saul then called in housekeeping, had all the sheets in
our rooms changed to a thousand threat count in the hotel.
We were saying that temporarily, and the next day we
came to the table and he said, now, what do
you think, And everybody's like, yeah, okay, okay, yeah, it's
(07:25):
much better. It really feels good, all that kind of stuff.
And I remember, really like, how many guests even think
about that kind of a thing, And I found it fascinating.
He went into other things, like the depths of the
bathtub versus the width of the bathtub, and just all
these little detail type things, and I just kind of
filed it away. And here I am, how many years later,
(07:48):
and I have thousand thread count Egyptian cotton memory foam
mattresses in each of the bedrooms. The bathrooms have vitamin
AC and E in few shower heads.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
He did be a toilet seats with.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
On demand hot water, not tank, so you sit there
all day if you want. There's towel warmers in every bathroom.
It's just it's all about the details.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
And I learned that from him.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
And you know, one other thing I did was I
put a record player in every room, which is really
kind of fun and it allows our innkeepers when they
call out on the day of arrival and they'll, you know,
ask the guests, what time are you know, are you
going to arrive? Do you need a charge for your
electric vehicle because we have three charging stations, And the
last question they ask is what kind of music do
(08:40):
you like? Which kind of the guests is like, well,
why were you even asking me that question. It's like, Wow,
we have a record player in your room and we
want to load you up with vinyl. You know game
on at that point, right, everybody gets a little excited,
and I think, really what happens is when the guest
drops the needle on that record and you hear that
little bit of hiss, It's this cue to disconnect from
(09:03):
the digital world. We're all tied up in this digital world.
It's all going way too fast, and here's this moment
in time where it just takes you back. And for
the kids who it doesn't take it back, they just
think it's cool.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
They just think it's fun.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
And we have everything you can name, you know, from
Taylor's with to Metallica to you know, Tony Beannett. So
it's just this I don't know, it's just amenity that
I think really makes people feel good about being here.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Yes, I will say the second we went into the room,
my six year old son, who has never seen a
record player before, was so excited and started putting the
records on and I showed him how to use it.
And you're right, the mood that you set at this
bed and breakfast really is one of nostalgia, of relaxation
(09:53):
and just feeling like you're at home.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
I agree.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
So coming up in the next segment, I would love
to talk with you about some of the local attraction
and things to do here in Madison, Connecticut, because it
really is a beautiful town, both for its downtown area,
the beaches, the restaurants. It's such a quaint place. And
I know a great place to grow up because I
know you grew up here, which makes it even better
because you are a great resource as well as the
(10:17):
women who work here as well the innkeepers who greeted
us when we came in and made us a fabulous
breakfast this morning, and so your whole staff really makes
everybody feel wonderful. And we didn't even talk about the popcorn,
which we have to talk about coming up next. Let
me tell you the popcorn was the center of our
(10:39):
stay at the Homestead Bed and Breakfast in Madison. My kids,
of course, love popcorn. I don't know who loves it more,
my husband or my kids. But for that weekend, I
loved it. You know why because of what we put
on the popcorn. And Ralph's going to tell us next
his secret from making the popcorn even more special. And
(11:01):
what I love about what he does at the Homestead
Bed and Breakfast is that he incorporates so much of
the community into every aspect of this amazing place to stay.
I'm Michelle Jerson. More coming up in a few you're
listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson, and I'm here
with Ralph Gordiano. He is the owner of the Homestead
Bed and Breakfast in Madison, Connecticut, and such a wonderful
(11:24):
place to visit if you are lucky enough to get
a couple's get away or even to bring your family
because they are kid and pet friendly. And we did
not talk about the mascot of this whole bed and breakfast, Hartman,
So Ralph tell me about Hartman because he is such
an adorable buddy around here.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Hartman is a snauzer Yorky. They call him a snorky.
He looks like a snarky. He looks like a muppet.
He's around he's four years old, just had his birthday,
and he's the one that kind of mooches around in
the morning to see who the soft touch.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
In the room is, to get a little keys from them.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
And he's just kind of always around and always kind
of in mischief and that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
So we have guests that come just to see.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Hartman, and he cleans up the popcorn on the floor
really well. And I don't blame him because the popcorn
machine you have right in the middle of the entertainment
room is phenomenal. And everything that you have around it,
the olive oils and the powders that you can add
to your popcorn, I think gives a popcorn experience that
most of us have never had. I love that you
locally source a lot of the things here at the
(12:31):
bed and Breakfast from let's say, your local olive oil
shop or your local tea shop.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
We use a butter flavored olive oil that you can
get downtown at Shoreline Buyne and if you tell them
you're staying at Homestead, they give you ten percent off
any of your purchases.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
It's really kind of fun. But butter flavored olive oil.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
I tell people it's life change and they look at
me like I'm crazy.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Then they eat it and they gow that's pretty good.
So there's that.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
We get keisha's for our breakfast from Bishop's Orchard in Guildford,
family run farm and they make the keishes. We get
lots of fruits and vegetables from them as well, So
we like to source locally. We like to have our
you know, guests go and enjoy the restaurants locally in
Madison and Guildford and surrounding areas. But those are the
(13:16):
ones we primarily know about, so.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
And there's others.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
There's lots of retail and some of the things I
have around the house are from the local shops, and
so we always recommend those.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
But you know, they speak for themselves.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
People go downtown Madison and park and just walk around,
and I find it really interested in the New Yorkers
that come up are always concerned about parking, is like,
and it's never even crossed my mind's like there's it's
free parking, like there's more than enough, Like you know,
they just come from that different mindset. So it's it's
very charming for them. And we have a Fourth of
(13:49):
July parade coming up and fireworks show and it's you
know that you know, classic New England small town you know,
parade with horse drawn fire you know, wagons and just
cookie stuff like that, and kids just absolutely love it.
So it's just this quintessential small New England town.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Yes, and you mentioned kids, and I know that there
is a restaurant in town Lenny and Joe's you had mentioned,
which you could touch on. And also the beaches here
are just beautiful and we're going to take a cruise
around the Thimble Island soon and so it's really just
such a nice getaway. Whether you can do a couple
of days or an extended stay even better and just
totally relax.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Madison is really well known for the beaches. We have
four beaches. There are three town beaches. There's East Wharf,
there's West Wharf, and then there's the Surf Club and
I really grew up at the Surf Club. Like they
have ice cream stand and you know, Hamburgers, and.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
It's a very very nice beach.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
And then we also have a state park called ham
and Asset and it's two miles of beach and it's
really pretty spectacular. You know, think about having two miles
of beach that you can walk on and even off season.
I mean I go there in the winter and walk it.
It's just really very nice. Then we have Lenny and Joe's,
which is a great restaurant to go to with the family.
They have a carousel outside where kids can grab the
(15:09):
brass rings. They have an ice cream shop outside the
food is really good. It's just really kind of fun.
And now I have grandkids, a little Rosy and Anthony.
They've just turned three, and it's just so much fun
to go there with them and see the look on
their face when they grab the brass ring and end
up with ice cream all over their face. And you know,
(15:29):
we have Thimble Island cruises. Thimble Islands are the little
tiny islands that pop up out of the water, almost
like thimbles, off the Bramford Coast.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
I think it's called Stony Creek area.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
And some of the of the islands are so small.
The house is actually bigger than the island kind of
hangs over it, and there's like eighty houses out there.
And there's some islands that are a little bigger and
have multiple houses on it. But there's just these amazing
outcroppings of rock and then people built houses on Some
of them have to generate their own electricity, their own water.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
They're really kind of fun.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
And the Thimble Island cruise it's about a forty five
minute cruise and it just takes you all around them and.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
You just it's fascinating to look at.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Yeah, I'm excited we're going on those leader today, So
where can we go if we would like to book
our stay at the Homestead Bed and Breakfast in Madison, Connecticut.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Well, the best thing you can do to book a
stay at the home set is to go to our website.
It's www dot Homestead Madison dot com and do your
booking directly with us, or you can just frankly call
us at two three two four five zero two one
two and one of our innkeepers would be happy to
help book your stay.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
And I love all of the things that you have here,
like we talked about, whether it's the mattresses or the
popcorn machine or the olive oil. You have a page
on your website called Shop the Homestead, So if you'd
like to get a preview of all the treats you'll
get when you come here, or if you would like
to go home with some of them, this is a
great way.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
People just always ask us, where did you get the mattress,
Where did you get the sheets? Where did you get
this fan? Where'd you get all kinds of stuff? And
I figured it would just be easy if we put
it all on our website, and so you can go there.
I think it says something like take a piece of
them the Homestead home with you something like that, and
you can just click through and when you see something
like it'll just link you right over on Amazon or wherever.
(17:25):
And it's just an easy way for us to share everything.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Well, thank you so much for sharing this beautiful home
with us. This has truly been a spectacular stay and
I've learned so much through your memorabilia and just meeting you.
It's been a real treat and especially Hartman, So thank
you so much to the entire team at the Homestead, Madison, Connecticut.
I'm Michelle dursin the Passport Mommy More coming up in
a few If you are going to be in New
(17:54):
York City or you live here, you have to see
Boop the Musical. For almost a cent, Betty Boop, created
by animation pioneer Max Fleischer, has won hearts and inspired
fans around the world with her trademark looks, voice, and style,
and now Betty is finally making her Broadway debut in
Boop the Musical. Betty's dream of an ordinary day off
(18:17):
from the super celebrity in her black and white world
leads to an extraordinary adventure of color music and finding
love in New York City, one that reminds her and
the world that you are capable of amazing things. This
show is directed by two time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell,
with songs by sixteen time Grammy winner David Foster and
(18:39):
Broadway legend Susan Birkenhead. Boop is just wowing audiences at
Broadway's Broadhurst Theater. Boop the Musical is the winner of
three Outer Critics Circle Awards and the winner of three
Drama Desk Awards. But you have to get there soon
because this show is closing on July thirteenth, so head
over to Broadway Broadhurst Theater at two thirty five West
(19:03):
forty fourth Street. Don't miss this amazing show. I took
my kids and one of my daughter's friends. We all
loved it. Even though they didn't grow up with Betty Boop,
they learned about Betty Boop and even my six year
old son is still singing songs from the show. So
you are absolutely going to love this fun, lighthearted show.
(19:23):
You must go see it. Boop the Musical Again. It
is at Broadways Broadhurst Theater, two thirty five West forty
fourth Street. You're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson.
So we're in the shoreline area of Connecticut and there
are such cute beach towns in this area. There's Madison,
there's Guilford, there's Clinton, there's Branford. And when seeking out
(19:48):
a restaurant and a good place to go for just
a casual dinner by the water, because really, when you
are in one of these towns, why wouldn't you want
to eat by the water? I came across Lobster Landing
and Lobster land it is sort of an institution in
this area. It's been around for quite some time, and
I'm thrilled to have on the show with me. Angela.
(20:08):
She took over Lobster Landing in twenty twenty two. Angela, Miranda,
thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Passport Mami.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Thank you for having me my pleasure.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
So tell me a little bit about the history of
Lobster Landing, because I do know. At the bed and
Breakfast where I'm staying, the first thing we saw was
a one thousand piece puzzle that said Lobster Landing, and
I was like, oh, this place is well known in
the area.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
It is so the restaurant started in two thousand and one.
It actually started as just a hot dog kart selling
hot dogs, and then a couple of years later the
owner decided to give lobster rules a try, and from
there it just took off. My partner Rachel and I
we have been We started at Lobster Landing when we
(20:52):
were sixteen for our first jobs and we've been here
ever since. We never left and finally in twenty twenty
two we bought out the previous owners who decided to
retire and move to Florida. So it's been great.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Oh my gosh, how nice. And I was thinking, I
was like, all the people who are working there, they
look so happy. I mean, what's that to be happy?
You're word on the water, you're serving people. Yeah, you're
making everybody happy who goes there. I mean to be
happy about exactly, like when you go with your family,
you know, like my husband and I we love lobster.
My kids not so much yet. So it's great. You know,
(21:27):
you have the hot dog option, you have the sausage option, salad,
so there's really something for everyone.
Speaker 4 (21:34):
There is, and we since we do have a limited menu,
we do allow people to bring anything we don't serve
so people can bring their own wine, beer, appetizers, desserts,
whatever is going to make their meal great.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
That's so nice. I know. I saw a couple of
women next to us and they took out two glasses.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
They bring the tablecloths.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Yes, such an experience. So for those who are not
as familiar with the area, tell me a little bit
about where you're located.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
So we're in Clinton. We're right on the marina down
here by the shore. We're about five ten minutes away
from the Clinton Outlets. So a lot of people will
go to the outlets, spend the day shopping and then
come down here for lunch or in early dinner.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Oh h nice. And what are your hours and of
the season is what are the months of the season
look like.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
So we usually open the first Thursday in April and
we stay open until New Year's eave. Oh wow, lot
of people don't realize that we're open that late. But
we do change our hours a couple times throughout the year.
So we start off Wednesday through Sunday, and then during
the summer we're open seven days a week, and then
for the fall we drop back down to Wednesday through Sunday.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Oh how nice. And I love just the atmosphere of
all the picnic tables and it's really.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Casual and very casual.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Yeah, since you could come for quick me all lunch,
dinner whenever it is, or stay for as long as
you want, like you plot and chill up for a while.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
So what made I know that? You said you've been
working there since you were sixteen? What made you decide
to take it over?
Speaker 4 (23:09):
I just didn't want to leave. I actually went to college.
I was in my last semester of becoming a teacher.
I was doing my student teaching while also still working
down at Lobster Landing on the weekends. And I don't know,
I just I didn't want that chapter of my life
to close yet. So me and Rachel just went up
to the owners and we just shot them the idea, like, hey,
(23:31):
what if we continued it for you? And they just
loved it, and I just took off from there.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Oh how amazing. I feel like a lot of people,
especially young entrepreneurs, it's like it's a little scary to
in or take over a restaurant, I mean, especially one
with such a history. What advice would you give to
others or what were the first steps that you know,
is there anything that you had to learn at the
beginning that maybe you didn't know of, you know, in
(23:59):
your other role.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
I mean, honestly, we were Rachel and I were pretty
much managers for the previous five years before that, so
BATCHI and Kathy, the previous owners, kind of taught us
everything during that time what we needed to know. But
we realized that we were taking on business that was
already established, and we made it a point to not
(24:22):
change anything. I don't think it's not broken so ever
since they left. We just kept everything the same and
it's been good so far.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Oh that's great, what great advice. And I imagine are
your parents or any siblings, are they involved too? U?
Speaker 4 (24:39):
No, so actually Rachel's parents work here, but none of
my family works here. They just visit for fun.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
Well that is so great. I mean, I'm so happy
for you and Rachel. I mean, clearly it's a very
successful place. And anybody who is on vacation in the
Clinton Shoreline area of Connecticut, or you're a local, or
anywhere in Connecticut, I mean, this is the place you
have to make a stop here this summer.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
Yes, of course, I also wanted to add. Every Wednesday
we offer Senior Senior Day, so senior discounts. If one
person in your party is over sixty, everyone in your
party gets a discount. So it's a good day to come. Yeah,
a couple of dollars.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
Absolutely, and especially if you're a grandparent and you've got
it's over the summer, bring them up exactly perfect. Well, Angela,
where could we go for more information just to double
check the hours before we come down, or if you
have a website.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
Yeah, so we have a website. It's www dot lobster
landingct dot com. You can also follow us on Instagram
and Facebook and we keep up today on like the
hours and stuff on Yelp and Google as well.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Angela, Miranda, thank you so much for joining me again today.
I'm Passport mommy and again we had such a great time.
We'll be back soon.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
Thank you so much so.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Another awesome restaurant that we found while here in Madison,
Connecticut is Lenny and Joe's Fishtail. And I love seeking
out seafood restaurants and I love the ones that are
casual where you could just grab some food, sit in
the back, sit on the picnic tables. So they have
that and they also have beautiful insights seating as well.
And Lenny and Joe's is kind of an institution in
(26:20):
this area. They've been around for a while. I know
they were founded by Lenny and Joe Goldberg. Then it
was taken over by Jim Shrek in the Madison location.
They have two locations, and here with me today is
Ben Shrek and he is going to talk to us
all about the restaurant because if you are anywhere in
the Shoreline area, you have to check out this place. Hi, Ben,
thank you so much for being here.
Speaker 6 (26:41):
Thanks for being here too, Michelle. So basically we've got
two locations. One is owned by now Lenny Goldberg's daughter
of Lenny and Joe's and her husband who she actually
met while working at the Westbrook location. And then Jim
actually started at sixteen years old working in the Madison
location that started out in nineteen seventy nine, and so
(27:04):
he got promoted to general manager and then Lenny and
Joe gave him the opportunity to take over the Madison
location overall, and it really grew from kind of that
go to shack with six picnic tables to the huge
facility that it is today with the carousel and the
ice cream shack.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
That's amazing, And tell me about the carousel and the
ice cream shack because you have this beautiful carousel here
and all proceeds go to charity.
Speaker 6 (27:29):
Yes, So we've raised over one point two million dollars
to date. Raised over one point two million dollars to
date through the carousel, and basically what we do is
we go through and create a schedule with a lot
of the local charities in the area and we donate
to all of these various charities. Shoreline Soup Kitchen is
(27:50):
one of our main recipients, so we helped them out.
We also last year we did fill the truck, so
come in, get a free ice cream if you come in,
and provide some free products for the Shoreline Soup Kitchen.
So just kind of giving back to the community and
it's a great way to establish that family friendly vibe
that we're always kind of is at the core of
our business model.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
I love that, I really do. I mean I think
any my dream was always Okay, if we're going to
open a business, I want to be involved in the community.
I want to benefit the community anywhere any way I
can and it's reflected in you know, the second you
walk in your restaurant, you see a whole stack of
T shirts and like it's just a really fun place.
So now let's talk about the menu. What are some
of your specialties?
Speaker 6 (28:33):
Absolutely, so it's pretty great because we get new help
in every summer, and a lot of these people their
parents have worked here before, their grandparents are customers, so
we get different iterations of all these different these different generations.
So Javier, who's one of our managers, he came up
with a really fresh po people. So it's kind of
(28:53):
a little bit more of a modern take. So we
have a with Savvi Aoli and it caters more to
kind of the the beach crowd that's not really looking
to get fried seafood. They're more looking for sauteet and
healthier options. So we've really expanded from that core fried
menu out to some healthier options, gluten free and whatnot.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
I love that because I feel like you have a
lot of people who are gluten free, whether they need
to be or they're watching what they put in their bodies.
And that's really nice because I love to be able
to come to a seafood place personally and it not
be all fried, so you really cater to everyone. And
then you have this ice cream shack here for the
kids and for adults.
Speaker 6 (29:31):
Yeah, so the ice cream shacks one of my favorite things.
After my shift, I go out there and I sneak
a couple ice cream cones every night before I leave.
It's soft served, but we also serve blizzards and things
of that nature. So if you go in you get
a peanut butter explosion, you absolutely will not be disappointed.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
So very cool. And so what is your favorite thing
about being here? And being that you've been here for
so many years, your family's been in this business for
so many years, what's your favorite thing to see? I
guess with the people come here and just on a
day to day basis.
Speaker 6 (30:03):
I think it kind of goes back to that center
message of the family. It's family run. We have families
who come through here. It's really all I mean. We
have brothers, sisters working here multiple generations. There have been
over five marriages of people who have met actually working here,
you know, when they are sixteen, seventy, eighteen years old.
(30:23):
And what's really funny is we have huge busy days
Mother's Day, Father's Day, absolutely huge where we will serve
over four thousand meals, and so we have celebrity days
where our old staff that maybe hasn't worked there in five, ten,
fifteen years, they come back to help us out. So
they use their own clock ins and it's really a
(30:46):
lot of fun and they kind of there are guest
stars for the day, and then we'll also have our
family members who don't work here coming to make sure
that everyone's getting good service. So just going back to
that family aspect, we really just have a great staff.
We have an absolutely phenomenal group of customers. I mean
people are coming in left and right, they're baking us
cookies for Christmas. It just it really makes it nice.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
So yeah, I know the way that we found out
about it was we're staying at the Homestead in Madison,
the Homestead Bed and Breakfast, and Ralph, the owner said,
I used to go there and now I bring my
grandkids and they love catching the brass ring on the carousel,
and so he has these cherished memories and I think
that's what people feel when they come here, and you
(31:28):
exactly reflected that. So where can people go for more
information on Lenny and Joe's how they can get here
ways they can order if they're out here already. Do
you do takeout?
Speaker 6 (31:39):
Absolutely? So we changed our business model a little bit
because we had to take inventory after COVID of what
our customers needed. So really, at the core of what
we're doing now, it's meeting our customers where they are,
so we offer our classic takeout. We also offer waitress
service inside and then outside is that classic nostalgia counter
service where you go outside, pick any picnic table you
(31:59):
want in your order out of kiosk, and we call
your number over the loud speaker. And not really just
caters to our crowds. People aren't wait inning in long lines,
and some of our other customers who are more of
the beach goers, they're able to come outside and really
enjoy themselves.
Speaker 7 (32:13):
So terrific.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Well, thank you so much. Thank you for joining me
today on passport mommy, Thank you for having my family
and me here today. I am looking forward to eating dinner.
I'm so excited. That menu looks amazing. You have to
come on by to learn more.
Speaker 6 (32:27):
You could go to ljfishtail dot com and you could
also follow us on Instagram at Madison Fishtail.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Thanks Ben, Thank you so much for joining me today
on Passport Mommy.
Speaker 6 (32:35):
Thanks Michelle.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
So we did end up eating dinner at Lenny and
Joe's Fishtail, So we did end So we did end
up eating dinner there. And not only did we eat
dinner there, but we ended up spending probably like three
hours there. It was so much fun. The kids had
such a blast. They rode the carausel and it was
the first time they wrote a carousel where they had
(32:56):
it where they got to catch the brass rings. Was
so amazing. Those carousels are from the eighteen hundreds and
this carousel that was donated to Lenny and Joe's Fishtail
is from the eighteen hundreds, so it's really neat. It
just goes with the whole nostalgia part of Madison, Connecticut.
What we found at the Homestead bed and Breakfast. It
(33:17):
just the theme carried on. And I have to say,
you know, you never know what the quality of the
food will be like at these fun, outdoorsy type beachy restaurants.
And we ordered a bunch of different things. We ordered salmon,
we ordered trim, we ordered lobster, the salads. It was
all delicious. The food was so good, so I highly
(33:38):
recommend checking out Lenny and Joe's Fishtail when you are
in Madison, Connecticut. It definitely will not disappoint. The ice
cream was, of course also a crowd pleaser. From their
ice cream cones to the Sundays, everything was delicious and
what a great family outing. I'm Michelle Juris in the
Passport Mommy. Coming up next, we are going to interview
(33:59):
Kept and Mike with Sea Missed Thimble Island Cruises, because
that's a cruise you don't want to miss when you're
in the Connecticut shoreline area. There is so much to
do along the shoreline. I wish we had more time.
We're definitely going to have to come back and explore
some more. But stay tuned because coming up next, we're
going to talk with Captain Mike. I'm Michelle Jurson the
Passport Mommy. You're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jurson
(34:24):
and we were just talking with Ralph at the Homestead
Bed and Breakfast and we had talked about the cruises
that you can take around Thimble Island and once such
ship is the Sea mist Thimble Island Cruises. And I
am here right now with Captain Mike, and I'm excited.
I'm about to get on the boat with my family
and we're going to learn a lot about the Thimble
Islands because, honestly, even though I used to live in Connecticut,
I don't know much about them. So Captain Mike, thank
(34:46):
you so much for having us today and I look
forward to hearing about them.
Speaker 7 (34:49):
Oh, thank you. It's a great area to explore.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
If it's your first time here, absolutely, So first tell
me about your company, Sea Missed Thimble Island Cruises. How
long has it been in business? What do you offer?
Speaker 7 (35:00):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (35:00):
Okay, yeah, I mean that's an easy thing to tell you.
We've been around since nineteen sixty It's been family owned
since that time. I took it over in nineteen seventy
six from my uncle who ran the tours only on
the weekends, and we expanded it to six days a
week and seven nights a week with private charters.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
How neat, So what kind of tours do you offer
during the day and at night?
Speaker 8 (35:25):
So during the day we have twenty five islands to explore,
and we give a narrative about each island, folklore, pirate lore,
and hometown stuff.
Speaker 7 (35:37):
A beautiful area.
Speaker 8 (35:38):
To look at twenty five Islands that there's nothing like
it on the entire coast.
Speaker 4 (35:45):
That's neat.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
And you're located. If somebody wanted to find you, you're
in Branford.
Speaker 8 (35:48):
Crack Branford off of exit fifty six ninety five, Exit
fifty six terrific.
Speaker 1 (35:53):
And so you just basically drive down Thimble Island Road
right all the way to the end, all the way
to the end. Perfect. So tell me about the Thimble Islands,
like somewhat about the history and what we could expect
to learn on.
Speaker 8 (36:04):
The cruise twenty five islands, some of them getting their
name from the glacial period, like pot Island was the
glacial potholes that were left in the island.
Speaker 7 (36:16):
So you'll see.
Speaker 8 (36:17):
A lot of glacial marks on the islands as you
go along.
Speaker 7 (36:23):
We're receded from Terrific.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
So how long you've been here? It sounds like your
family has been here for many years. Yes, what have
you seen? How have you seen the area evolve over
the years.
Speaker 8 (36:37):
I've seen the summer homes become permanent homes, the little
cottages become great skates, very large homes and permanent homes.
But we have also seen an influx of people who
move in and almost that same influx move out. Not
(36:57):
a large change every year, but as things go on,
people will come in and go.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
What is your favorite island here? Do you have one?
Is there one in particular that's remarkable?
Speaker 8 (37:08):
Yes, my favorite has always been Horse Island. It's seventeen acres,
it's woodland.
Speaker 7 (37:13):
I always like to go into the woods and take
a walk.
Speaker 8 (37:16):
And it's just a long, elongated island that you can
take a nice walk in, or a perimeter walk around
the outside Great Island.
Speaker 1 (37:26):
And are there any other islands that you can pull
up to and get off and explore.
Speaker 8 (37:31):
We only have one public island, and that is Outer Island,
and that's operated out of the US Fish and Wildlife
Service and it's under the Stuart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge.
So that's the only public island. You can go there
by kayak, canoe. You can go there in your own
boat as long as you don't block the front of
the dock for the Ferry Service who stops there and
(37:52):
offers rides out for the public.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
I need so the kayaking, that must be really fun
to just kayak around to the different islands and stop
where you want on the perfect day.
Speaker 7 (38:01):
Kayaks are great. We do have a little bit.
Speaker 8 (38:04):
Of a current between some of the islands where you
have to be careful and our prevailing wind. The worst
win for us is out of the southwest, so I mean,
if you're an avid boater then you'll know all that,
but you do have to be aware of that when
you go out.
Speaker 7 (38:24):
It's about a mile out.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
And what would you say is the best season to
explore the islands?
Speaker 7 (38:31):
Anytime? From June through October.
Speaker 8 (38:34):
I mean we've only got a short six months to
play around in New England and then those are the
best months.
Speaker 1 (38:42):
Right absolutely. So where can we go for more information
on SEAMAS Thimble Island cruises and how to book our
next cruise.
Speaker 8 (38:48):
Well, you can go right online at Seamas Thimble Island
dot com and you can book your trip online. If
you're doing a private charter, you can book that right
through the office. Two three, four, eight, eight, eight nine five.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Perfect. Well, thank you so much. It is a gorgeous
day here in Branford, Connecticut. I'm looking forward to the
cruise and thank you so much again for having us.
And I should mention that it's a forty five minute cruise.
So if you have kids or old you know, it's
perfect for all ages. It's just the right amount of time.
Speaker 7 (39:20):
Michelle, thank you for the interview.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
Well, thank you so much, Captain Mike. I appreciate you
joining me today on Passport Mommy. We're actually going to
be back in Connecticut next week, going to the Powder
Ridge Mountain Park and Resort and also the Browns, also
the Brownstone Adventure Park and also the Brownstone Adventure Sports Park,
so I'll be sure to report on all of the fun.
I'm sure the kiddos are going to love it. It
(39:44):
just goes to show you Connecticut has so many fun
things for kids and adults alike. I'm Michelle Jerson. Have
a wonderful Fourth of July weekend.
Welcome to Passport Mommy. I'm your host, Michelle Jerson. This
show is for anyone raising little humans. We feature experts
with tips and advice to enrich the lives of our children.
Mom and dad. Entrepreneurs tell us their inspiring stories, learn
about products that could make both you and your child's
life easier and more fun, and of course, fellow parents
(00:21):
discuss and laugh about what's happening in their child's world.
Motherhood is a journey. Thanks for joining me on mine.
Welcome to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson, and I am
thrilled to be sitting here with Rob Guardiano. He is
the owner of the Homestead Bed and Breakfast in Madison, Connecticut,
and this is such a treat. I'm here with my
two kids and my husband, and I have to say,
(00:43):
this is a bed and breakfast unlike any other I
have ever visited, and so I'm thrilled to have him
on the show today because in addition to owning a
bed and breakfast, he has quite a background both in
his career and the history here of the bed and breakfast,
which really makes the unique in so many ways. In
addition to how comfortable it is and how amazing. The
(01:05):
rooms are, Ralph, thank you so much for joining me.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Oh, thank you for all those compliments. That was very nice.
I'm pleasure to have you guys here with us.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
My pleasure. So tell me. First, let's talk about the
history of the bed and breakfast, because it wasn't always
a bed and breakfast.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
It was for twenty five years my mother ran it
as independent living for senior citizens. She was very successful
at it, and I bought it from her about ten
years ago, thinking I would just continue that business, and
come to find out she.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Was making it look really easy.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
She was right off the boat from Italy and seemed
to be able to handle everything herself. When I was
done hiring to replace her, it took seven people, and
then it was not such a good business, so I
had to figure out something else. So what do you
do with the property with like, you know, sixteen bedrooms
and bathrooms and.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
There's not much you can do with it. So kind
of thought maybe bed and breakfast would be a good idea.
So here we are.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
So I know a lot of times when people go
to visit a bed and breakfast, they go because they
would like to connect with maybe the owners, with the
other people who are there. It's a very friendly, welcoming atmosphere.
And what attracted me right away i walked in was
all the memorabilia you have here. Tell me about your collections.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
My daughter likes to say most men are happy with
a man cave. I have to have a man house.
I just have so much stuff from all my years
of traveling all over the world and from different productions
I've been involved with all over the world, and I
don't know, I just needed a place to put it.
So this seemed like a really good place. It just
(02:39):
I didn't if I was going to do a bed
and breakfast. I didn't want to do doilies and dark furniture,
right I didn't want it to be your grandmother's bed
and breakfast. So I wanted it to be more eclectic
and fun and funky, and I wanted stuff that had
a story behind it, you know, not just oh, that's
a nice lamp, or you know, that's an interesting piece
of memorabilia like a microphone or something. They all have stories,
(03:02):
and you know, it's kind of just fun when the
guest is interested in finding out about it that you know,
here's the story behind it.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Tell me a little bit about your career and the
types of memorabilia that's here.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
I got into television about forty years ago. I traveled around.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
I got to work on the promotion of Red Sox
baseball and Bruins hockey up at Channel thirty eight in Boston,
and I got to start up a news out operation
in Connecticut in New London, Connecticut, and I just got
to travel around a lot and be involved in that
kind of thing. I then got involved with a company
called Saunalists in Waterford and we built some very large
(03:44):
studios that saw the likes of Steven Spielberg coming in
to use them for amistad and various other things. Aerosmith
used it for rehearsals for two tours, so is that
kind of stuff. Then I started my own production company
and we're in Essex, Connecticut, and now my daughter is
(04:05):
my business partner and co executive producer, and she's really
starting to take over the business and run the business.
And we have clients all over the world, mostly in hospitality,
but not exclusively. So we'll have like Royal Caribbean Cruise
lines and Celebrity cruise lines and Silver Sea Cruise lines,
and we'll also have Atlantis and the Bahamas, Mohegan Sun
(04:25):
and Connecticut and so on.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
We have plenty of other clients.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
As well, but it just kind of gives us the
opportunity to travel over the world, and in traveling, I
just find odd things, you know. As an example, behind
you is a Zulu spear. I got it in South
Africa and I didn't really think it through. Then I
showed up at the airport and I said, well, how
(04:51):
do we deal with this? And the woman looked at
me and I thought she was just going to start laughing,
and she said, I think we can get it in
the overhead and she did. She put a Zulu sphere
in the overhead and then, which I thought was pretty funny.
And this is after nine to eleven, so it was
really kind of odd. And then I landed in New
York and I thought, now I have to walk through
JFK with a Zulu spear and explain myself. And to
(05:15):
my surprise, the customs guy said, do you have anything
to declare? And I pointed at the spear and said, yeah,
you're good.
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Just go through. And that was it. It was just weird
stuff like that all the time.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
I love that that is absolutely amazing. So now let's
talk about the rooms, because the rooms are really luxurious.
You come here and you feel like you are staying
in almost like a five star hotel, quite honestly, with
the comfort of the beds. The showers are infused I
read with certain vitamins which you could tell us about.
(05:46):
You have luxurious toilets, and I know that that sounds funny,
but it's really the touches like that that really impressed
when somebody comes to stay here.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
I got really lucky. I got to work with a
man by the name of Saal Kirsner. He was out
of South Africa. He's an extraordinary hotel here. He passed
away a few years ago. He developed Sun City and
Last City in South Africa. He developed Atlantis in the Bahamas,
Atlantis in Dubai, ohegan Sun and Connecticut and all the
(06:17):
one and only properties all over the world. And I
got to work with him for better part of my career,
more than twenty years. He was he had a very
high standard. He was not easy to work for, and
I learned a lot. I didn't really think about it
back then. I'm learning about the whotel industry and it's
like well, what am I going to do with this?
I'm a television producer. And I remember sitting in a
(06:40):
meeting with him and everybody else. I was developing Atlantis,
and it was a three day meeting, and for two
days we debated the thread counting sheets, and he wanted
thousand thread count sheets, and housekeeping wanted like three hundred,
three hundred and fifty because they last longer in the
wash and all of that, and so I said, but
I don't feel as good as thousand thread count sheets.
(07:02):
And I remember this debate went on and I'm looking
around the room thinking why am I in this room,
like what does this have to do with me? And
Saul then called in housekeeping, had all the sheets in
our rooms changed to a thousand threat count in the hotel.
We were saying that temporarily, and the next day we
came to the table and he said, now, what do
you think, And everybody's like, yeah, okay, okay, yeah, it's
(07:25):
much better. It really feels good, all that kind of stuff.
And I remember, really like, how many guests even think
about that kind of a thing, And I found it fascinating.
He went into other things, like the depths of the
bathtub versus the width of the bathtub, and just all
these little detail type things, and I just kind of
filed it away. And here I am, how many years later,
(07:48):
and I have thousand thread count Egyptian cotton memory foam
mattresses in each of the bedrooms. The bathrooms have vitamin
AC and E in few shower heads.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
He did be a toilet seats with.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
On demand hot water, not tank, so you sit there
all day if you want. There's towel warmers in every bathroom.
It's just it's all about the details.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
And I learned that from him.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
And you know, one other thing I did was I
put a record player in every room, which is really
kind of fun and it allows our innkeepers when they
call out on the day of arrival and they'll, you know,
ask the guests, what time are you know, are you
going to arrive? Do you need a charge for your
electric vehicle because we have three charging stations, And the
last question they ask is what kind of music do
(08:40):
you like? Which kind of the guests is like, well,
why were you even asking me that question. It's like, Wow,
we have a record player in your room and we
want to load you up with vinyl. You know game
on at that point, right, everybody gets a little excited,
and I think, really what happens is when the guest
drops the needle on that record and you hear that
little bit of hiss, It's this cue to disconnect from
(09:03):
the digital world. We're all tied up in this digital world.
It's all going way too fast, and here's this moment
in time where it just takes you back. And for
the kids who it doesn't take it back, they just
think it's cool.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
They just think it's fun.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
And we have everything you can name, you know, from
Taylor's with to Metallica to you know, Tony Beannett. So
it's just this I don't know, it's just amenity that
I think really makes people feel good about being here.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Yes, I will say the second we went into the room,
my six year old son, who has never seen a
record player before, was so excited and started putting the
records on and I showed him how to use it.
And you're right, the mood that you set at this
bed and breakfast really is one of nostalgia, of relaxation
(09:53):
and just feeling like you're at home.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
I agree.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
So coming up in the next segment, I would love
to talk with you about some of the local attraction
and things to do here in Madison, Connecticut, because it
really is a beautiful town, both for its downtown area,
the beaches, the restaurants. It's such a quaint place. And
I know a great place to grow up because I
know you grew up here, which makes it even better
because you are a great resource as well as the
(10:17):
women who work here as well the innkeepers who greeted
us when we came in and made us a fabulous
breakfast this morning, and so your whole staff really makes
everybody feel wonderful. And we didn't even talk about the popcorn,
which we have to talk about coming up next. Let
me tell you the popcorn was the center of our
(10:39):
stay at the Homestead Bed and Breakfast in Madison. My kids,
of course, love popcorn. I don't know who loves it more,
my husband or my kids. But for that weekend, I
loved it. You know why because of what we put
on the popcorn. And Ralph's going to tell us next
his secret from making the popcorn even more special. And
(11:01):
what I love about what he does at the Homestead
Bed and Breakfast is that he incorporates so much of
the community into every aspect of this amazing place to stay.
I'm Michelle Jerson. More coming up in a few you're
listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson, and I'm here
with Ralph Gordiano. He is the owner of the Homestead
Bed and Breakfast in Madison, Connecticut, and such a wonderful
(11:24):
place to visit if you are lucky enough to get
a couple's get away or even to bring your family
because they are kid and pet friendly. And we did
not talk about the mascot of this whole bed and breakfast, Hartman,
So Ralph tell me about Hartman because he is such
an adorable buddy around here.
Speaker 3 (11:40):
Hartman is a snauzer Yorky. They call him a snorky.
He looks like a snarky. He looks like a muppet.
He's around he's four years old, just had his birthday,
and he's the one that kind of mooches around in
the morning to see who the soft touch.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
In the room is, to get a little keys from them.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
And he's just kind of always around and always kind
of in mischief and that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
So we have guests that come just to see.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Hartman, and he cleans up the popcorn on the floor
really well. And I don't blame him because the popcorn
machine you have right in the middle of the entertainment
room is phenomenal. And everything that you have around it,
the olive oils and the powders that you can add
to your popcorn, I think gives a popcorn experience that
most of us have never had. I love that you
locally source a lot of the things here at the
(12:31):
bed and Breakfast from let's say, your local olive oil
shop or your local tea shop.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
We use a butter flavored olive oil that you can
get downtown at Shoreline Buyne and if you tell them
you're staying at Homestead, they give you ten percent off
any of your purchases.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
It's really kind of fun. But butter flavored olive oil.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
I tell people it's life change and they look at
me like I'm crazy.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Then they eat it and they gow that's pretty good.
So there's that.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
We get keisha's for our breakfast from Bishop's Orchard in Guildford,
family run farm and they make the keishes. We get
lots of fruits and vegetables from them as well, So
we like to source locally. We like to have our
you know, guests go and enjoy the restaurants locally in
Madison and Guildford and surrounding areas. But those are the
(13:16):
ones we primarily know about, so.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
And there's others.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
There's lots of retail and some of the things I
have around the house are from the local shops, and
so we always recommend those.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
But you know, they speak for themselves.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
People go downtown Madison and park and just walk around,
and I find it really interested in the New Yorkers
that come up are always concerned about parking, is like,
and it's never even crossed my mind's like there's it's
free parking, like there's more than enough, Like you know,
they just come from that different mindset. So it's it's
very charming for them. And we have a Fourth of
(13:49):
July parade coming up and fireworks show and it's you
know that you know, classic New England small town you know,
parade with horse drawn fire you know, wagons and just
cookie stuff like that, and kids just absolutely love it.
So it's just this quintessential small New England town.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Yes, and you mentioned kids, and I know that there
is a restaurant in town Lenny and Joe's you had mentioned,
which you could touch on. And also the beaches here
are just beautiful and we're going to take a cruise
around the Thimble Island soon and so it's really just
such a nice getaway. Whether you can do a couple
of days or an extended stay even better and just
totally relax.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Madison is really well known for the beaches. We have
four beaches. There are three town beaches. There's East Wharf,
there's West Wharf, and then there's the Surf Club and
I really grew up at the Surf Club. Like they
have ice cream stand and you know, Hamburgers, and.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
It's a very very nice beach.
Speaker 3 (14:47):
And then we also have a state park called ham
and Asset and it's two miles of beach and it's
really pretty spectacular. You know, think about having two miles
of beach that you can walk on and even off season.
I mean I go there in the winter and walk it.
It's just really very nice. Then we have Lenny and Joe's,
which is a great restaurant to go to with the family.
They have a carousel outside where kids can grab the
(15:09):
brass rings. They have an ice cream shop outside the
food is really good. It's just really kind of fun.
And now I have grandkids, a little Rosy and Anthony.
They've just turned three, and it's just so much fun
to go there with them and see the look on
their face when they grab the brass ring and end
up with ice cream all over their face. And you know,
(15:29):
we have Thimble Island cruises. Thimble Islands are the little
tiny islands that pop up out of the water, almost
like thimbles, off the Bramford Coast.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
I think it's called Stony Creek area.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
And some of the of the islands are so small.
The house is actually bigger than the island kind of
hangs over it, and there's like eighty houses out there.
And there's some islands that are a little bigger and
have multiple houses on it. But there's just these amazing
outcroppings of rock and then people built houses on Some
of them have to generate their own electricity, their own water.
Speaker 2 (16:04):
They're really kind of fun.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
And the Thimble Island cruise it's about a forty five
minute cruise and it just takes you all around them and.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
You just it's fascinating to look at.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Yeah, I'm excited we're going on those leader today, So
where can we go if we would like to book
our stay at the Homestead Bed and Breakfast in Madison, Connecticut.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
Well, the best thing you can do to book a
stay at the home set is to go to our website.
It's www dot Homestead Madison dot com and do your
booking directly with us, or you can just frankly call
us at two three two four five zero two one
two and one of our innkeepers would be happy to
help book your stay.
Speaker 1 (16:42):
And I love all of the things that you have here,
like we talked about, whether it's the mattresses or the
popcorn machine or the olive oil. You have a page
on your website called Shop the Homestead, So if you'd
like to get a preview of all the treats you'll
get when you come here, or if you would like
to go home with some of them, this is a
great way.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
People just always ask us, where did you get the mattress,
Where did you get the sheets? Where did you get
this fan? Where'd you get all kinds of stuff? And
I figured it would just be easy if we put
it all on our website, and so you can go there.
I think it says something like take a piece of
them the Homestead home with you something like that, and
you can just click through and when you see something
like it'll just link you right over on Amazon or wherever.
(17:25):
And it's just an easy way for us to share everything.
Speaker 1 (17:29):
Well, thank you so much for sharing this beautiful home
with us. This has truly been a spectacular stay and
I've learned so much through your memorabilia and just meeting you.
It's been a real treat and especially Hartman, So thank
you so much to the entire team at the Homestead, Madison, Connecticut.
I'm Michelle dursin the Passport Mommy More coming up in
a few If you are going to be in New
(17:54):
York City or you live here, you have to see
Boop the Musical. For almost a cent, Betty Boop, created
by animation pioneer Max Fleischer, has won hearts and inspired
fans around the world with her trademark looks, voice, and style,
and now Betty is finally making her Broadway debut in
Boop the Musical. Betty's dream of an ordinary day off
(18:17):
from the super celebrity in her black and white world
leads to an extraordinary adventure of color music and finding
love in New York City, one that reminds her and
the world that you are capable of amazing things. This
show is directed by two time Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell,
with songs by sixteen time Grammy winner David Foster and
(18:39):
Broadway legend Susan Birkenhead. Boop is just wowing audiences at
Broadway's Broadhurst Theater. Boop the Musical is the winner of
three Outer Critics Circle Awards and the winner of three
Drama Desk Awards. But you have to get there soon
because this show is closing on July thirteenth, so head
over to Broadway Broadhurst Theater at two thirty five West
(19:03):
forty fourth Street. Don't miss this amazing show. I took
my kids and one of my daughter's friends. We all
loved it. Even though they didn't grow up with Betty Boop,
they learned about Betty Boop and even my six year
old son is still singing songs from the show. So
you are absolutely going to love this fun, lighthearted show.
(19:23):
You must go see it. Boop the Musical Again. It
is at Broadways Broadhurst Theater, two thirty five West forty
fourth Street. You're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jerson.
So we're in the shoreline area of Connecticut and there
are such cute beach towns in this area. There's Madison,
there's Guilford, there's Clinton, there's Branford. And when seeking out
(19:48):
a restaurant and a good place to go for just
a casual dinner by the water, because really, when you
are in one of these towns, why wouldn't you want
to eat by the water? I came across Lobster Landing
and Lobster land it is sort of an institution in
this area. It's been around for quite some time, and
I'm thrilled to have on the show with me. Angela.
(20:08):
She took over Lobster Landing in twenty twenty two. Angela, Miranda,
thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Passport Mami.
Speaker 4 (20:15):
Thank you for having me my pleasure.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
So tell me a little bit about the history of
Lobster Landing, because I do know. At the bed and
Breakfast where I'm staying, the first thing we saw was
a one thousand piece puzzle that said Lobster Landing, and
I was like, oh, this place is well known in
the area.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
It is so the restaurant started in two thousand and one.
It actually started as just a hot dog kart selling
hot dogs, and then a couple of years later the
owner decided to give lobster rules a try, and from
there it just took off. My partner Rachel and I
we have been We started at Lobster Landing when we
(20:52):
were sixteen for our first jobs and we've been here
ever since. We never left and finally in twenty twenty
two we bought out the previous owners who decided to
retire and move to Florida. So it's been great.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
Oh my gosh, how nice. And I was thinking, I
was like, all the people who are working there, they
look so happy. I mean, what's that to be happy?
You're word on the water, you're serving people. Yeah, you're
making everybody happy who goes there. I mean to be
happy about exactly, like when you go with your family,
you know, like my husband and I we love lobster.
My kids not so much yet. So it's great. You know,
(21:27):
you have the hot dog option, you have the sausage option, salad,
so there's really something for everyone.
Speaker 4 (21:34):
There is, and we since we do have a limited menu,
we do allow people to bring anything we don't serve
so people can bring their own wine, beer, appetizers, desserts,
whatever is going to make their meal great.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
That's so nice. I know. I saw a couple of
women next to us and they took out two glasses.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
They bring the tablecloths.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
Yes, such an experience. So for those who are not
as familiar with the area, tell me a little bit
about where you're located.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
So we're in Clinton. We're right on the marina down
here by the shore. We're about five ten minutes away
from the Clinton Outlets. So a lot of people will
go to the outlets, spend the day shopping and then
come down here for lunch or in early dinner.
Speaker 1 (22:14):
Oh h nice. And what are your hours and of
the season is what are the months of the season
look like.
Speaker 4 (22:19):
So we usually open the first Thursday in April and
we stay open until New Year's eave. Oh wow, lot
of people don't realize that we're open that late. But
we do change our hours a couple times throughout the year.
So we start off Wednesday through Sunday, and then during
the summer we're open seven days a week, and then
for the fall we drop back down to Wednesday through Sunday.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
Oh how nice. And I love just the atmosphere of
all the picnic tables and it's really.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Casual and very casual.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Yeah, since you could come for quick me all lunch,
dinner whenever it is, or stay for as long as
you want, like you plot and chill up for a while.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (23:00):
So what made I know that? You said you've been
working there since you were sixteen? What made you decide
to take it over?
Speaker 4 (23:09):
I just didn't want to leave. I actually went to college.
I was in my last semester of becoming a teacher.
I was doing my student teaching while also still working
down at Lobster Landing on the weekends. And I don't know,
I just I didn't want that chapter of my life
to close yet. So me and Rachel just went up
to the owners and we just shot them the idea, like, hey,
(23:31):
what if we continued it for you? And they just
loved it, and I just took off from there.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Oh how amazing. I feel like a lot of people,
especially young entrepreneurs, it's like it's a little scary to
in or take over a restaurant, I mean, especially one
with such a history. What advice would you give to
others or what were the first steps that you know,
is there anything that you had to learn at the
beginning that maybe you didn't know of, you know, in
(23:59):
your other role.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
I mean, honestly, we were Rachel and I were pretty
much managers for the previous five years before that, so
BATCHI and Kathy, the previous owners, kind of taught us
everything during that time what we needed to know. But
we realized that we were taking on business that was
already established, and we made it a point to not
(24:22):
change anything. I don't think it's not broken so ever
since they left. We just kept everything the same and
it's been good so far.
Speaker 1 (24:30):
Oh that's great, what great advice. And I imagine are
your parents or any siblings, are they involved too? U?
Speaker 4 (24:39):
No, so actually Rachel's parents work here, but none of
my family works here. They just visit for fun.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
Well that is so great. I mean, I'm so happy
for you and Rachel. I mean, clearly it's a very
successful place. And anybody who is on vacation in the
Clinton Shoreline area of Connecticut, or you're a local, or
anywhere in Connecticut, I mean, this is the place you
have to make a stop here this summer.
Speaker 4 (25:04):
Yes, of course, I also wanted to add. Every Wednesday
we offer Senior Senior Day, so senior discounts. If one
person in your party is over sixty, everyone in your
party gets a discount. So it's a good day to come. Yeah,
a couple of dollars.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
Absolutely, and especially if you're a grandparent and you've got
it's over the summer, bring them up exactly perfect. Well, Angela,
where could we go for more information just to double
check the hours before we come down, or if you
have a website.
Speaker 4 (25:35):
Yeah, so we have a website. It's www dot lobster
landingct dot com. You can also follow us on Instagram
and Facebook and we keep up today on like the
hours and stuff on Yelp and Google as well.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
Angela, Miranda, thank you so much for joining me again today.
I'm Passport mommy and again we had such a great time.
We'll be back soon.
Speaker 4 (25:57):
Thank you so much so.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Another awesome restaurant that we found while here in Madison,
Connecticut is Lenny and Joe's Fishtail. And I love seeking
out seafood restaurants and I love the ones that are
casual where you could just grab some food, sit in
the back, sit on the picnic tables. So they have
that and they also have beautiful insights seating as well.
And Lenny and Joe's is kind of an institution in
(26:20):
this area. They've been around for a while. I know
they were founded by Lenny and Joe Goldberg. Then it
was taken over by Jim Shrek in the Madison location.
They have two locations, and here with me today is
Ben Shrek and he is going to talk to us
all about the restaurant because if you are anywhere in
the Shoreline area, you have to check out this place. Hi, Ben,
thank you so much for being here.
Speaker 6 (26:41):
Thanks for being here too, Michelle. So basically we've got
two locations. One is owned by now Lenny Goldberg's daughter
of Lenny and Joe's and her husband who she actually
met while working at the Westbrook location. And then Jim
actually started at sixteen years old working in the Madison
location that started out in nineteen seventy nine, and so
(27:04):
he got promoted to general manager and then Lenny and
Joe gave him the opportunity to take over the Madison
location overall, and it really grew from kind of that
go to shack with six picnic tables to the huge
facility that it is today with the carousel and the
ice cream shack.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
That's amazing, And tell me about the carousel and the
ice cream shack because you have this beautiful carousel here
and all proceeds go to charity.
Speaker 6 (27:29):
Yes, So we've raised over one point two million dollars
to date. Raised over one point two million dollars to
date through the carousel, and basically what we do is
we go through and create a schedule with a lot
of the local charities in the area and we donate
to all of these various charities. Shoreline Soup Kitchen is
(27:50):
one of our main recipients, so we helped them out.
We also last year we did fill the truck, so
come in, get a free ice cream if you come in,
and provide some free products for the Shoreline Soup Kitchen.
So just kind of giving back to the community and
it's a great way to establish that family friendly vibe
that we're always kind of is at the core of
our business model.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
I love that, I really do. I mean I think
any my dream was always Okay, if we're going to
open a business, I want to be involved in the community.
I want to benefit the community anywhere any way I
can and it's reflected in you know, the second you
walk in your restaurant, you see a whole stack of
T shirts and like it's just a really fun place.
So now let's talk about the menu. What are some
of your specialties?
Speaker 6 (28:33):
Absolutely, so it's pretty great because we get new help
in every summer, and a lot of these people their
parents have worked here before, their grandparents are customers, so
we get different iterations of all these different these different generations.
So Javier, who's one of our managers, he came up
with a really fresh po people. So it's kind of
(28:53):
a little bit more of a modern take. So we
have a with Savvi Aoli and it caters more to
kind of the the beach crowd that's not really looking
to get fried seafood. They're more looking for sauteet and
healthier options. So we've really expanded from that core fried
menu out to some healthier options, gluten free and whatnot.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
I love that because I feel like you have a
lot of people who are gluten free, whether they need
to be or they're watching what they put in their bodies.
And that's really nice because I love to be able
to come to a seafood place personally and it not
be all fried, so you really cater to everyone. And
then you have this ice cream shack here for the
kids and for adults.
Speaker 6 (29:31):
Yeah, so the ice cream shacks one of my favorite things.
After my shift, I go out there and I sneak
a couple ice cream cones every night before I leave.
It's soft served, but we also serve blizzards and things
of that nature. So if you go in you get
a peanut butter explosion, you absolutely will not be disappointed.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
So very cool. And so what is your favorite thing
about being here? And being that you've been here for
so many years, your family's been in this business for
so many years, what's your favorite thing to see? I
guess with the people come here and just on a
day to day basis.
Speaker 6 (30:03):
I think it kind of goes back to that center
message of the family. It's family run. We have families
who come through here. It's really all I mean. We
have brothers, sisters working here multiple generations. There have been
over five marriages of people who have met actually working here,
you know, when they are sixteen, seventy, eighteen years old.
(30:23):
And what's really funny is we have huge busy days
Mother's Day, Father's Day, absolutely huge where we will serve
over four thousand meals, and so we have celebrity days
where our old staff that maybe hasn't worked there in five, ten,
fifteen years, they come back to help us out. So
they use their own clock ins and it's really a
(30:46):
lot of fun and they kind of there are guest
stars for the day, and then we'll also have our
family members who don't work here coming to make sure
that everyone's getting good service. So just going back to
that family aspect, we really just have a great staff.
We have an absolutely phenomenal group of customers. I mean
people are coming in left and right, they're baking us
cookies for Christmas. It just it really makes it nice.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
So yeah, I know the way that we found out
about it was we're staying at the Homestead in Madison,
the Homestead Bed and Breakfast, and Ralph, the owner said,
I used to go there and now I bring my
grandkids and they love catching the brass ring on the carousel,
and so he has these cherished memories and I think
that's what people feel when they come here, and you
(31:28):
exactly reflected that. So where can people go for more
information on Lenny and Joe's how they can get here
ways they can order if they're out here already. Do
you do takeout?
Speaker 6 (31:39):
Absolutely? So we changed our business model a little bit
because we had to take inventory after COVID of what
our customers needed. So really, at the core of what
we're doing now, it's meeting our customers where they are,
so we offer our classic takeout. We also offer waitress
service inside and then outside is that classic nostalgia counter
service where you go outside, pick any picnic table you
(31:59):
want in your order out of kiosk, and we call
your number over the loud speaker. And not really just
caters to our crowds. People aren't wait inning in long lines,
and some of our other customers who are more of
the beach goers, they're able to come outside and really
enjoy themselves.
Speaker 7 (32:13):
So terrific.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
Well, thank you so much. Thank you for joining me
today on passport mommy, Thank you for having my family
and me here today. I am looking forward to eating dinner.
I'm so excited. That menu looks amazing. You have to
come on by to learn more.
Speaker 6 (32:27):
You could go to ljfishtail dot com and you could
also follow us on Instagram at Madison Fishtail.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Thanks Ben, Thank you so much for joining me today
on Passport Mommy.
Speaker 6 (32:35):
Thanks Michelle.
Speaker 1 (32:36):
So we did end up eating dinner at Lenny and
Joe's Fishtail, So we did end So we did end
up eating dinner there. And not only did we eat
dinner there, but we ended up spending probably like three
hours there. It was so much fun. The kids had
such a blast. They rode the carausel and it was
the first time they wrote a carousel where they had
(32:56):
it where they got to catch the brass rings. Was
so amazing. Those carousels are from the eighteen hundreds and
this carousel that was donated to Lenny and Joe's Fishtail
is from the eighteen hundreds, so it's really neat. It
just goes with the whole nostalgia part of Madison, Connecticut.
What we found at the Homestead bed and Breakfast. It
(33:17):
just the theme carried on. And I have to say,
you know, you never know what the quality of the
food will be like at these fun, outdoorsy type beachy restaurants.
And we ordered a bunch of different things. We ordered salmon,
we ordered trim, we ordered lobster, the salads. It was
all delicious. The food was so good, so I highly
(33:38):
recommend checking out Lenny and Joe's Fishtail when you are
in Madison, Connecticut. It definitely will not disappoint. The ice
cream was, of course also a crowd pleaser. From their
ice cream cones to the Sundays, everything was delicious and
what a great family outing. I'm Michelle Juris in the
Passport Mommy. Coming up next, we are going to interview
(33:59):
Kept and Mike with Sea Missed Thimble Island Cruises, because
that's a cruise you don't want to miss when you're
in the Connecticut shoreline area. There is so much to
do along the shoreline. I wish we had more time.
We're definitely going to have to come back and explore
some more. But stay tuned because coming up next, we're
going to talk with Captain Mike. I'm Michelle Jurson the
Passport Mommy. You're listening to Passport Mommy. I'm Michelle Jurson
(34:24):
and we were just talking with Ralph at the Homestead
Bed and Breakfast and we had talked about the cruises
that you can take around Thimble Island and once such
ship is the Sea mist Thimble Island Cruises. And I
am here right now with Captain Mike, and I'm excited.
I'm about to get on the boat with my family
and we're going to learn a lot about the Thimble
Islands because, honestly, even though I used to live in Connecticut,
I don't know much about them. So Captain Mike, thank
(34:46):
you so much for having us today and I look
forward to hearing about them.
Speaker 7 (34:49):
Oh, thank you. It's a great area to explore.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
If it's your first time here, absolutely, So first tell
me about your company, Sea Missed Thimble Island Cruises. How
long has it been in business? What do you offer?
Speaker 7 (35:00):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (35:00):
Okay, yeah, I mean that's an easy thing to tell you.
We've been around since nineteen sixty It's been family owned
since that time. I took it over in nineteen seventy
six from my uncle who ran the tours only on
the weekends, and we expanded it to six days a
week and seven nights a week with private charters.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
How neat, So what kind of tours do you offer
during the day and at night?
Speaker 8 (35:25):
So during the day we have twenty five islands to explore,
and we give a narrative about each island, folklore, pirate lore,
and hometown stuff.
Speaker 7 (35:37):
A beautiful area.
Speaker 8 (35:38):
To look at twenty five Islands that there's nothing like
it on the entire coast.
Speaker 4 (35:45):
That's neat.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
And you're located. If somebody wanted to find you, you're
in Branford.
Speaker 8 (35:48):
Crack Branford off of exit fifty six ninety five, Exit
fifty six terrific.
Speaker 1 (35:53):
And so you just basically drive down Thimble Island Road
right all the way to the end, all the way
to the end. Perfect. So tell me about the Thimble Islands,
like somewhat about the history and what we could expect
to learn on.
Speaker 8 (36:04):
The cruise twenty five islands, some of them getting their
name from the glacial period, like pot Island was the
glacial potholes that were left in the island.
Speaker 7 (36:16):
So you'll see.
Speaker 8 (36:17):
A lot of glacial marks on the islands as you
go along.
Speaker 7 (36:23):
We're receded from Terrific.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
So how long you've been here? It sounds like your
family has been here for many years. Yes, what have
you seen? How have you seen the area evolve over
the years.
Speaker 8 (36:37):
I've seen the summer homes become permanent homes, the little
cottages become great skates, very large homes and permanent homes.
But we have also seen an influx of people who
move in and almost that same influx move out. Not
(36:57):
a large change every year, but as things go on,
people will come in and go.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
What is your favorite island here? Do you have one?
Is there one in particular that's remarkable?
Speaker 8 (37:08):
Yes, my favorite has always been Horse Island. It's seventeen acres,
it's woodland.
Speaker 7 (37:13):
I always like to go into the woods and take
a walk.
Speaker 8 (37:16):
And it's just a long, elongated island that you can
take a nice walk in, or a perimeter walk around
the outside Great Island.
Speaker 1 (37:26):
And are there any other islands that you can pull
up to and get off and explore.
Speaker 8 (37:31):
We only have one public island, and that is Outer Island,
and that's operated out of the US Fish and Wildlife
Service and it's under the Stuart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge.
So that's the only public island. You can go there
by kayak, canoe. You can go there in your own
boat as long as you don't block the front of
the dock for the Ferry Service who stops there and
(37:52):
offers rides out for the public.
Speaker 1 (37:54):
I need so the kayaking, that must be really fun
to just kayak around to the different islands and stop
where you want on the perfect day.
Speaker 7 (38:01):
Kayaks are great. We do have a little bit.
Speaker 8 (38:04):
Of a current between some of the islands where you
have to be careful and our prevailing wind. The worst
win for us is out of the southwest, so I mean,
if you're an avid boater then you'll know all that,
but you do have to be aware of that when
you go out.
Speaker 7 (38:24):
It's about a mile out.
Speaker 1 (38:26):
And what would you say is the best season to
explore the islands?
Speaker 7 (38:31):
Anytime? From June through October.
Speaker 8 (38:34):
I mean we've only got a short six months to
play around in New England and then those are the
best months.
Speaker 1 (38:42):
Right absolutely. So where can we go for more information
on SEAMAS Thimble Island cruises and how to book our
next cruise.
Speaker 8 (38:48):
Well, you can go right online at Seamas Thimble Island
dot com and you can book your trip online. If
you're doing a private charter, you can book that right
through the office. Two three, four, eight, eight, eight nine five.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Perfect. Well, thank you so much. It is a gorgeous
day here in Branford, Connecticut. I'm looking forward to the
cruise and thank you so much again for having us.
And I should mention that it's a forty five minute cruise.
So if you have kids or old you know, it's
perfect for all ages. It's just the right amount of time.
Speaker 7 (39:20):
Michelle, thank you for the interview.
Speaker 1 (39:23):
Well, thank you so much, Captain Mike. I appreciate you
joining me today on Passport Mommy. We're actually going to
be back in Connecticut next week, going to the Powder
Ridge Mountain Park and Resort and also the Browns, also
the Brownstone Adventure Park and also the Brownstone Adventure Sports Park,
so I'll be sure to report on all of the fun.
I'm sure the kiddos are going to love it. It
(39:44):
just goes to show you Connecticut has so many fun
things for kids and adults alike. I'm Michelle Jerson. Have
a wonderful Fourth of July weekend.
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