The Thimble Islands, Connecticut

I've had a wonderful six week run of staying in the tri-state area until last week's trip to Canada. It's given me the chance to explore Long Island, upstate New York, and Connecticut on the weekends and visit old favorites while discovering new places. The Thimble Islands are totally under-the-radar but make for a great afternoon, with three different boats doing 45 min-1 hr narrated tours of the 23 islands within a three-mile radius. You don't get off on the islands, because they're privately owned. I kept imagining a really wonderful, luxurious B&B on one of them!

Many of the islands have just one Victorian-style home on them, and it feels like you're taken back 150 years. Our guide was full of fun tidbits, like Tom Thumb came to one of the islands to court another little person and circus performer, Miss Emily. And President William Howard Taft made the Thimble Islands his summer White House for a short time.

All three of the boats leave from Branford, CT and if you just show up, one is likely to leave within 15-20 minutes of your getting there. We went on Captain Bob's Thimble Island Cruise.

Where the boats leave in BranfordMy aunt lives in Fairfield, CT so on the way to Branford, we stopped in nearby Guilford for a Connecticut-style lobster roll (butter and no mayo) at Guilford Lobster Pound. Perfect summer day!

Craving: Luke's Lobster roll

This is what I crave all summer long: a lobster roll from Luke's Lobster.  I have cheated on Luke's a few times, but always come back. The East Village is my go-to location, though they now have 4 locations, a food truck AND a new Luke's Lobster in Washington, D.C. that opened in May.  There is simply nothing like it! And if you don't like mayo, all the better. There's barely any on it and you can ask for it sans mayo.

Lobster Place

I can't believe I only just found Lobster Place in Chelsea Market and on Bleecker Street.  Sorry Citarella, but this is where I'll be getting seafood now.  They have every type of seafood I could ever want to buy and don't mind me asking about sustainability and where the fish was caught.

Beautiful!

Cheating on Luke's Lobster

I did a questionable thing today...I cheated on Luke's Lobster with Ed's Lobster Bar.  But it was all about knowing everything possible about New York City.  I had just seen Food Network's "Food Wars," where Michael Symon had declared one of them the best lobster roll in NYC. 

The real reason for trying Ed's was a catch-up session with my friend Ashley.  We decided that lobster rolls sounded like the perfect summer treat, because it's getting to be VERRRY hot and humid in New York. 

The roll was definitely good but to me, there's nothing like Luke's Lobster with its perfect buttery grilled bun, chunks of lobster and JUST A LITTLE BIT of mayo.

On Food Wars, Ed's won.  I respectfully disagree, Michael Symon!