I’m not done with Tanzania yet! I have a few more blog posts to write, and I plan on savoring each photo and memory as I write about this experience of a lifetime.

For other posts on our travel in Tanzania, check out these links:

Luxury Accommodations at Maramboi Tented Camp, Tanzania

Tarangire National Park  Safari with Overseas Adventure Travel, Tanzania

Serengeti Camping

Serengeti Game Drives

Shanga and Riverhouse Arusha Tanzania

cooking demonstration ArushaOn the same day we had an incredible experience at Shanga, we relaxed over lunch at Arusha Coffee Lodge. It was a luxurious property that was a real treat for our travel-weary bodies. We arrived at the Arusha Coffee Lodge and were welcomed with creamy cold coffee drinks that were just what we needed after our morning at Shanga. We found seats under a shaded pavilion and then gathered around to watch a Tanzanian cooking demo.

arusha coffee lodge

Our chefs showed us how to make delicious Tanzanian dishes such as Makande (mixed bean pot), Pilau (spiced rice), and Kuku Paka (chicken in coconut).

polenta

Meanwhile, polenta bubbled away in a cauldron. Once ready, it would provide the perfect base for the saucy dishes we enjoyed.

arusha coffee lodge

Sticking with the South African wine theme that was woven through our Tanzania trip, we shared a bottle of Graham Beck brut, always a favorite of mine. A wine trip to South Africa is on my bucket list!

Graham Beck

Lunch was simply amazing, a mix of spices and fresh ingredients that made us all go back for more.

food in Tanzania

After lunch we all moved on to a comfy seating area for orange cake and to sample coffee grown on the plantation down the street. The coffee was smooth and rich, perfect without milk or sugar. Simple, perfect, just the way so many things in Tanzania were.

Orange Cake

arusha coffee lodge

Arusha Coffee Lodge is most definitely a place I would love to visit again, perhaps to stay on the way to Tarangire. It’s well located, elegant, and has an excellent food and beverage offering.

Tags: Arusha, Food, Graham Beck, hotels, restaurants. Africa, sparkling wine, Tanzania, Travel, travel blog, wine

I’ve been going on and on for years about how great some Massachusetts wines can be. Longtime readers and friends know I recommend Travessia every chance I get, and I have also enjoyed many trips to Westport Rivers; their Farmer’s Fizz was our bubbly of the summer last year!

I knew little about Connecticut wine though, and this weekend while visiting Mystic and dining at the Harbour House, I learned CT is making some excellent wines.

 

Saltwater Farm Vineyard

We spent part of Sunday visiting two Connecticut wineries, which included a relaxing stop at Saltwater Farm Vineyard. Surrounded by salt marshes and countryside, the vineyard was beautiful and serene, a lovely place on a cloudy spring day, so I can imagine it would be gorgeous in the summer.

 

Saltwater Farm Vineyard

The winery building is an old airplane hangar with high ceilings, beautiful wood, and lots of nice little touches. A wedding the night before had left their lights strung up, and it added a twinkly magic to the afternoon. Or maybe that was the wine? 🙂

Saltwater Farm Vineyard

We did a tasting of all of the available wines. After our night at the Inn at Mystic, I was very familiar with the Saltwater Farm rosé of Cabernet. This wine is right up my alley, super dry and crisp with fresh strawberry notes.

 

Saltwater Farm rose

Other favorites included the Gold Arc Estate Chardonnay, barrel aged for toasty coconut notes with a lemony background. Connecticut, like Long Island, can be great for growing Chardonnay grapes.

Saltwater Farm Chardonnay

Ever being a lover of Cabernet Franc, I was a huge fan of Saltwater Farm’s Cab Franc – Merlot, mixing spice and earth with juicy berries for a beautiful wine and new favorite. You better believe a few bottles were tucked away for us to add to our collection.

wine tasting at Saltwater Farm Vineyard

Saltwater Farm is a great stop along a Mystic getaway, and the wines, scenery, and friendly staff make it well worth the visit. Cheers to #WineWednesday!

Tags: chardonnay, Connecticut, rose, rose wine, vineyard, wine, wine travel, Wine Wednesday

It was a beautiful New England weekend, perfect for a getaway to Mystic, Connecticut. The kind people at the Inn at Mystic  invited us to be their guests for a night, and since I hadn’t been to Mystic since I was very young, we were excited to make a weekend of it.

There’s a ton to do in Mystic, including shopping, great eating, visiting the Mystic Seaport and all of the historic boats, and I will share more on that later. Our home base for the trip, Inn at Mystic, could not have been better. Located just at the edge of town, the inn is perched atop a hill, giving it stunning views of Mystic Harbor and Fischer’s Island Sound.

inn at mystic

Everyone at the inn, and everyone in Mystic, in fact, was really friendly and welcoming. It’s a happy little town, and being that it’s so beautiful, it’s easy to see why.

Our room was absolutely lovely. My favorite features included a gigantic Jacuzzi tub and a wood burning fireplace, along with our balcony with beautiful views.

Inn at Mystic Jaccuzzi

Decor was simple and classic, blues, whites, and browns creating a relaxing and comfortable vibe. The room featured a variety of high end toiletries and a coffee maker, both nice touches. Every little comfort was thought of, and we felt so well taken care of.

 

Inn at MysticInn at Mystic

 

The Inn at Mystic’s restaurant Harbour House shares the stunning views that our room had, and offers guests an expansive patio for enjoying food and drink and a bit of sunshine.

 

Harbour House Mystic

Inside the restaurant was equally as sunny and bright. What an inviting space!

Harbour House Mystic

The bar had a great cocktail menu, and I had a delicious Manhattan during Happy Hour while we chatted about our day and started to get hungry for dinner.

Inn at Mystic cocktails

 

Our stay generously included dinner at Harbour House, and we stuck with the seafood theme we had kicked off at lunch. Ahi Tuna Tacos were some of the best fish tacos I have ever had. I don’t need to eat fried fish tacos ever again! Everything in the tacos was bursting with flavor, citrus, spice, and an addictive wasabi dipping sauce.

 

 

Harbour House dinner

 

The seafood tower we ordered was the stuff of my dreams. Giant shrimp, lobster, clams, and oysters, all with spicy cocktail sauce and mignonette made for a filling and healthy dinner. It also provided fuel for dancing into the night.

 

seafood tower

 

Harbour House was just getting started when we finished dinner, so some Connecticut wine and dancing rounded out our night, all in all a beautiful and really fun experience. The Inn at Mystic went above and beyond and clearly knew the true meaning of hospitality from start to finish. I would return again in a heartbeat; in fact I am trying to convince family and friends to meet us there for a weekend getaway.

Mystic CT sunset

 

The Inn at Mystic welcomed us as their guests, and our room, dinner, and breakfast were hosted. All opinions are my own. 

Tags: Connecticut, CT, hotels, inns, Travel, travel blog

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