Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens

The Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens is open to the public every day of the year from 8:30 a.m. to sunset. The Bartlett Visitors Center, an 1880’s colonial house, is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and is closed on national holidays. The Visitors Center houses a plant clinic and horticulture resource library, Arboretum staff offices and a small gallery that features rotating art exhibits. It is also available for private functions.

The grounds encompass a total of 91 acres, approximately 15 of which comprise the lawns and formal gardens. The remaining acres include 10 hiking trails, a 7 acre Red Maple Wetland with a boardwalk, a pond and a 3-acre wildflower meadow.

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Meera

If you’re looking for a glamorous atmosphere, hip music, and a social scene, then Meera is not for you. If you are however, looking for arguably the best Indian food in Fairfield County, which should of course be the main objective, then Meera is a treasure just waiting to serve you its tasty gold. Despite the come-and-go trendy Indian restaurants that have opened and closed their doors in the area, Meera and its prime downtown location has withstood competition by staying true to the unpretentious, authentic experience it has offered loyal diners for well over a decade.

The very Indian-themed décor – think Hindi paintings, bronze ornaments and statue elephants galore – is an attempt to transport customers from Stamford, CT to India, but it is actually the perfectly spiced, aromatic dishes that succeed in doing just that. For inexperienced first-timers, the polite, eager waiters are more than willing to give confused customers a not-so-very-intimidating crash course in Indian cuisine. If however, you’re looking to satisfy your “spicetooth,” the tandoori cook, who can be seen smiling and cooking up a storm in the windows, will be more than obliged.

Meera is family-friendly and groups of diners, young and old, Indian and non-Indian, are frequenters since everyone usually shares multiple dishes. Meera’s palak paneer, spiced Indian spinach with cubes of mild paneer cheese, is absolutely outstanding and far from the bland concoction other restaurants pass off as authentic. Meera is particularly strong in its other vegetable dishes including channa masala, spicy chickpeas and potatoes in a tomato-based sauce, malai kofta, vegetable dumplings cooked in a sweet, yet kicked up coconut and almond sauce, and dal, the greatest use of lentil beans yet.

Another hit is the tangy, smoky, and succulent tandoori chicken, which arrives tableside on a flaming dish served with onions. A half order can be requested for date night or a full order for a larger or hungrier party. Chicken tikka masala is also a great starting point for newcomers and children, because it is flavorful but not too exotic. Lamb lovers will be ranting and raving about the mouth-watering saag lamb. Meera also offers fish and shrimp dishes, but nothing extraordinary, although the tandoori shrimp are pretty tasty if they’re not cooked too much.

Like peanut butter and jelly, nothing complements curry-based food better than rice. White rice can be ordered, but if you’re feeling adventurous enough, the richly flavored shrimp briyani is worth a try. It can be under-spiced, so request that it be made extra spicy. Meera also has an assortment of particularly scrumptious nan, traditional flatbread, which can be ordered plain or stuffed and spiced. The keema nan stuffed with lamb and the spinach nan are wonderful for sopping up curry sauces and are a must-have.

Indian desserts require a bit of an acquired taste, but a burning hot mouth can be soothed by rose ice cream (I wouldn’t recommend the mango sorbet) or kulfi, Indian ice cream made with evaporated milk. While desserts may not their specialty, I doubt very many people have any more room in their full stomachs or stretched-out jeans (yes, it’s casual, no reservations necessary). More than anything, I recommend trying a bit of everything and ordering too much because with all that leftover tandoori chicken, it’ll be like the day after Thanksgiving – Indian style.

227 Summer Street,
Stamford (between Broad and Park).

(203) 975-0479

Stamford Center for the Arts

Stamford Center for the Arts, and indeed, the City of Stamford have made a long standing commitment to the arts. Some may ask why? In Stamford, the arts is the economic engine that drives the downtown, its development and growth. Last season alone, SCA hosted more than 500 events, of which we presented 200 stage performances, and attracted more than 250,000 patrons to downtown Stamford!

SCA Website

Soundwaters

The Schooner SoundWaters is an 80-foot schooner styled after a nineteenth-century sharpie schooner. She sails throughout Long Island Sound educating children and adults on the wonders and beauty of the Sound. Through educational programs, SoundWaters provides people with an understanding and awareness of the changes they can make in their lives and communities to restore, protect and preserve Long Island Sound.

SoundWaters sails daily from early April through mid-November with students from 2nd grade up through College. We also offer public sails on the weekends or you could privately charter for gatherings of up to 42 passengers. Check out our Schooner Summer Camp for middle school kids.

Soundwaters Website

Sunny Daes Ice Cream

The friendly, smiling longtime employees of Sunny Daes are as welcoming and bright as is their eye-catching, hot pink and teal-trimmed building, calling for hungry and hot ice cream lovers. The little joint is a true neighborhood hangout in every sense, and has offered locals tasty treats summer after summer. It offers simple ice cream, without the overwhelming confusion of picking mix-ins or trying to figure out just what a “love it” size means. Best of all, it’s conveniently located right near Cummings Park so you can grab a cool, refreshing pick-me-up after a day at the beach or during halftime at your kid’s soccer game.

The Shippan hotspot is loved for its generous sizes, reasonable prices, and the extra toppings employees kindly dish out, knowing that you really do want that extra whipped cream. Favorites include moosetracks, brownie fudge, mint chocolate chip, and cookie dough ice creams, watermelon ice, Oreo hurricanes, hot fudge and pecan parfaits, banana splits (what kind of ice cream place wouldn’t excel at this staple?), and mini (or you could go with a not-so-mini size) hot fudge sundae. The guys who run Sunny Daes have always taken the time to remember regulars’ usual orders, making them feel right at home. Leave a tip and they promise not to sing.

633 Shippan Ave.
Stamford, CT 06902
(203) 977-0661

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Napa & Company

At Napa and Company our wine selection is diverse and complex enough to complement any palate, our cuisine is American with a decidedly European influence; traditional dishes with chef’s contemporary spin. Fast food: from the farm to the plate without delay. Experience a taste of Napa.

2nd place winner of “Best Wine List in a Restaurant” by the 2007 Fairfield County Weekly Best Of Reader’s Poll

Winner of the 2007 Best of the Gold Coast Connecticut Reader’s Pick for “Best New Restaurant”

Hours
Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 2:30pm
Dinner: Monday - Thursday: 5:30pm - 10:00pm,
Friday - Saturday: 5:30pm - 10:30pm

Napa & Company
75 Broad Street
Stamford, CT 06901
(203) 353-3319

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Route 22 American Restaurant and Bar

1980 W. Main St.
Stamford, CT 06903

www.rt22restaurant.com

Sterling Farms Golf Course

1394 Newfield Ave.
Stamford, CT
(203) 461-9090

www.sterlingfarmsgc.com

Camera Wholesalers

Camera Wholesalers has been serving amateur and professional photographers for over twenty five years. Located in Stamford, Connecticut, we are a family owned and run business with over 100 years of combined photographic experience.

1034 High Ridge Rd.
Stamford, CT 06905
www.camerawholesalers.com

Mill River

The Mill River House 2005

A great location across from the Mill River Park in downtown Stamford located on West Broad Street at the corner of Hanrahan Street. Built on 1.5-acres, the 92-unit condominium, will be the first significant private development to be built under Stamford’s recently instituted Mill River Corridor Plan.

The development contains 61 two-bedroom and 31 three-bedroom condos in a 4 1/2 story residential building with one-story of underground parking.

The Adams Mill River

The Adams Mill promises to be a well planned community
complete with a lovely courtyard, barbeque areas and a gym. Pre-construction offerings of this new Real Estate development are underway from 380-550k. A demolition of several multi-family homes will occur first and the ground breaking is slated for early spring of 2006.

Images of Mill River Development

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