A visit to Essex, Connecticut, a small town on the Connecticut River.
Essex, Connecticut on a beautiful Spring day!
The day we visited Essex was a typical day of hustle and bustle in this small historic Connecticut town. We strolled the Main Street visiting antique shops, interior design firms and seeking out tasty delights. We were greeted by a lovely lady at Chequer Interiors. The shop is tastefully decorated and appointed with bright colors perfect for a home located by the water. There is quite a selection of food on Main Street. We had lunch at Olive Oyls. As usual, it was delicious! We shared the Rusty Scupper turkey sandwich along with two sides of pasta salad and an heirloom tomato, mozzarella and basil salad. There is a small park a block away from Olive Oyls’ and the view was picturesque with the boats and calm Connecticut River as we sat and ate our lunch. As we strolled the Main Street we visited a kitchen shop called Weekend Kitchen, Fine Cooking Accourements. The shop offered many antique items along with an array of kitchen wares and soaps.
The Griswold Inn
Essex, Connecticut
The Griswold Inn is one of the oldest continuously run taverns in the Country. It was founded by three brothers in the late eighteenth century and named after the Griswold Family. The inn was captured by British troops and used as a base of operations during the War of 1812. Over the years several surrounding buildings were added to the inn complex. It was also used as a filming location for the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows. How interesting! The tavern serves New England fare for lunch and dinner.
We also visited the Inn’s gift shop across the street. It has a great selection of gifts, books, apparel and candles.
