There is nothing more terrible than waking up knowing that you are leaving from the place where you are vacationing. As we all awoke, surprisingly all at the same time, breakfast was a top priority on everyone’s list; hangovers are a bitch. So we all walked…Read More

There is nothing more terrible than waking up knowing that you are leaving from the place where you are vacationing. As we all awoke, surprisingly all at the same time, breakfast was a top priority on everyone’s list; hangovers are a bitch. So we all walked over to veggie stand that was doing an amazing breakfast wrap. Unfortunately the line for this breakfast haven was longer than the DMV’s. So we prepped ourselves for a long wait and got ourselves a nice suntan in the mean time.

After a long wait and no real organization on behalf of the veggie tent, we finally got our amazing wraps and headed back for some relaxation. I was very keen on going to see the Dirty Dozen Brass Band play because there was going to be a Mardi Gras celebration, however, my traveling buddies were less enthusiastic about staying any longer. After four days of no showers, they all wanted to just get home and be clean.

I can’t say that I didn’t agree with them, but we were heading home that day regardless, the shows were over at 6pm and we were only an hour and half driving time from home. But my persuasion to see the most amount of the show prevailed and off we set for the festival grounds once again. Upon walking down there, the explosion of brass instruments started and the Mardi Gras party began. As we entered the venue grounds, there were men on stilts, dressed in Mardi Gras garb, people throwing beads every which way and a collective, semi hung-over, semi drunk dance off happening.

We did just a bit of tooling around and Danielle, one of the girls that I was with, was in dire need of something for her parents, a little trinket or something, so off we went. The stuff we had seen the previous days seemed to have lost its luster. That’s why you don’t get drunk and shop. How many times have you gone to a concert, sports games, or anything like that and gotten drunk, bought something and in the morning say, “why did I buy this?” So after a depressing tent shopping adventure (it would have been window shopping, but…) we decided that heading home was a really good idea.

As we got back to our campsite, with everything packed away and half of our neighbors gone or packing up, the feeling of the festival was gone. There was no more collective group working with each other to enjoy the music, but a bunch of smelly people worry about work on Monday morning. It’s a great example of how the Summer of Love died away; it's fun at first and everyone loves it, but sooner or later, reality catches you by the shorts ones and you're back. But the festival was a lot of fun and I can’t wait for next year’s one.    Close

I hadn’t been to a festival in two years and I was dying to go to this one because it was at a place I have never been to before and had bands that I really wanted to see. So, my buddy bought four tickets…Read More

I hadn’t been to a festival in two years and I was dying to go to this one because it was at a place I have never been to before and had bands that I really wanted to see. So, my buddy bought four tickets for me, my girlfriend, him and his ex-girlfriend and off we were. We left after work on the Thursday and were trying to get there for the Thursday night show of the Dark Star Orchestra who were doing a tribute show in honor of Jerry Garcia’s passing.

The Dark Star Orchestra are a unique cover band that not just cover Grateful Dead songs, but actually recreate the old Dead shows, song for song and note for note. It’s a real trip and we were dying to see that, but fate had a different agenda.

We arrived at the entrance gate at around 11pm and were so excited and energetic that we could have lit up a small city with our collective energy. The woman checking people in said to pull up and turn off the engine because it was going to be a while. Now, I have been to many festivals and this is common practice; there are too many people at once, so they slow the influx by making people wait and the process runs smoother. So, we cracked some beers and prepared for what was to come. Unfortunately, we had no idea how long we were going to be there for.

After around three and a half hours of sitting on our asses getting drunk, I decided to head over to the security guard and see what was up. When I finally found one, he was in a mood, I’m guessing from everyone asking the same question, and barked that the gates would open when they opened. They had over sold the festival and now were out of space for people to camp on.

So we slowly walked back to our car like Charlie Brown after he got in trouble, and decided to try to sleep. However, everyone around us was making good use of the time by partying their asses off. The group in front of us was so messed up and screaming their heads off, falling asleep became a real challenge; not to mention that there were four of us trying to sleep in a minivan that was packed with all of our crap. When sleep finally took hold and we were off, some idiot in the background decided to play his saxophone at the top decibels at 5:30am! I wanted to kill him, but to each their own, that’s what these festivals are about.

After only a couple hours of jazz backgrounded sleep, I awoke with a feeling of having to use the bathroom, so off I went. However, over night, the heavens had opened and drenched everything and now the air was filled with a constant mist. I walked over to the port-a-potty but the stench emanating from that disease trap was gut wrenching, so I trailed off into the woods.

When I returned to the car, there was a collective hum that we were going to be entering the festival and I couldn’t have been more excited to leave the parking lot and finally set up camp and sleep. I was done!    Close

Never in my life have I been as cold as I was on that second day. After spending all night in a parking lot, sleeping in the car, all we wanted to do was set up our tents and go to bed. However, the waiting…Read More

Never in my life have I been as cold as I was on that second day. After spending all night in a parking lot, sleeping in the car, all we wanted to do was set up our tents and go to bed. However, the waiting process seemed to drag on, with disorganization everywhere. When we finally arrived at our campsite, the first order of business, before setting up the tents, was layering ourselves in a much clothes as possible. You see, we all looked at the weather and it said rain, but nothing about sub-arctic temperatures, so we were up the proverbial creek.

The complete setup of the tents, the canopy, the extra tarps, the chairs, and the table took only about 45 minutes, but with the lack of sleep and the cold, damp air, it felt like forever. After we finally were set, breakfast was looming over everyone like the clouds above and we took off to the food court area for egg sandwiches. There is nothing more enjoyable than an egg sandwich when you are tired and slightly hung-over.

But when that satiated feeling crept over all of us, we had mere minutes to find those tents and sleep. There is nothing more enjoyable than laying down when exhaustion hits the red zone. Hoping and dreaming about nice, beautiful weather was the worst thing that I could have done for myself while sleeping because I awoke to the most dismal day the planet has ever created, or at least those were my feelings. The rain had tapered off into a constant cold mist that wasn’t showing signs of stopping. And with the combo of the off shore winds created by the Sound, the day was one that I would have preferred to have missed, but there were some amazing acts to be seen, so it was time to arise and start my day, again.

The first couple of bands that were scheduled to perform, we missed, but got our act together enough to head down for Zero and Dickey Betts & The Great Southern. We loaded the backpack full of beers and headed down, trying to avoid buying the over priced beers inside the stage area. But at this festival, the staff were doing something I have never seen before; they were inspecting bags and not letting outside drinks in. However, the entrance was right next to the merchandise tent, so I just went in through there and then proceeded into the festival grounds.

The Zero show was a lot of fun because it was the first show we were able to catch, so the ambiance was finally settling in. But the show we loved was the Dickey Betts show. He played almost all of the Allman Brothers greatest hits (even ones he didn’t write) and played for one hell of a time. But as the beer total dwindled inside the backpack and intoxication increased in all of us, we needed to head back and recharge. Luck for us, we were camped so close to the stages that we could hear Mickey Hart and his band play from our chairs while we made up some dinner and recharged.

We needed all the energy we could muster up because that evening there was a funk explosion happening and we weren’t go to miss it. First up was George Clinton followed by Deep Banana Blackout doing a James Brown tribute. Now George Clinton alone was reason enough to come to this festival, so we were all really excited for Dr. Funkenstein. The second that we got down there, the Atomic Dog himself had emerged onto the stage and the sights and sounds of funk took over and illuminated the night.

As the night roared on, we explored around, heading over to the water, walking through the scores of people parked in the center of the field and hang around near the vendors area. We were truly trying to soak up our atmosphere and have a good time, but soon the exhaustion of everything grabbed hold of us like grabbing a raging bull and we had nowhere to go but to bed. Even before the James Brown Tribute started, we had already headed back and were in the process of crashing. All I really remember was crawling into my tents, freezing, and passing right out. The cold, damp air did its best to keep me awake, but my fatigue won the battle of good verses evil and, with that, day two ended.    Close

Okay girls, get ready for the pampering of your life. Tres Jolie, I say Tres Magnifique. Tres Jolie means very pretty or attractive and I am here to say not only is the spa itself very attractive, you will feel that way yourself when you…Read More

Okay girls, get ready for the pampering of your life. Tres Jolie, I say Tres Magnifique. Tres Jolie means very pretty or attractive and I am here to say not only is the spa itself very attractive, you will feel that way yourself when you leave.

I had signed up to receive a body scrub followed by a facial. Between the two it would take approximately 2 hours. My esthesian Bev was waiting for me when I arrived at 12:55. I was led through the massage and spa section (there is a manicure, pedicure section) to her room. I was very impressed already, everything was sparkling white, exceptionally clean and there was the smell of lemon and eucalyptus in the air. All very refreshing. My adventure began with the introduction to their tres sexy black paper underwear which was I was instructed to don , then to lay face down on the table (and a very comfortable table it was).

My skin was then scrubbed with a mixture of aromatic oil and salt. I had been given a towel to use as a privacy shield so I never felt uncomfortably naked. Every effort is made to preserve your modesty and Bev will talk or listen as you prefer. There is soft music playing in the background and if this treatment doesn’t totally relax you, nothing will.

My next stop was the shower to remove the excess salt and oil and when I returned I was directed to the facial table. Facial here includes your hands and feet as well. They are oiled and placed in warm mitts, what a delightful experience. My glycolic face mask made my face glow and even if I didn’t look it, I felt ten years younger.

After dressing I was escorted to the lounge to have a snack and the drink of my choice. They had fresh fruit and cookies and the choice of water, juices or coffee and tea. I sipped a cup of coffee while nibbling on fresh raspberries and pineapple. It was a lovely finish to my experience.

I then went in search of Irene who had completed her massage and was getting a manicure. Because I am prone to migraines I only visited for a minute since the nail polish smell bothered me but we were both very drawn to the pedicure section where ladies were sitting with their feet soaking.

I can’t say enough good things about this spa. It was an absolutely wonderful experience and one that we plan to repeat in the near future. To find out what services they offer you can visit their website. There was no pressure what so ever to purchase any of the products that were used on you but if you are interested they do have a small shop near the receptionist desk. There is even a bowl of chocolates in the waiting area, you have to love a place that offers free chocolate.

Tres Jolie


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Suffield, Connecticut, is a beautiful rural town on the west bank of the Connecticut River, approximately 20 minutes north of Hartford, CT, and ten minutes south of Springfield, Massachusetts. Originally founded in 1670 as "Southfield", MA, the town was annexed to Connecticut in 1749 and…Read More

Suffield, Connecticut, is a beautiful rural town on the west bank of the Connecticut River, approximately 20 minutes north of Hartford, CT, and ten minutes south of Springfield, Massachusetts. Originally founded in 1670 as "Southfield", MA, the town was annexed to Connecticut in 1749 and has a current population of just over 14,000.

If you are arriving in Connecticut through Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, follow signs to route 75 and follow it north; once you pass the northern runway, you are in Suffield. The town remains predominantly agricultural, with the landscape spotted with tobacco and dairy farms. Of particular note is the 4.3-mile stretch of Main Street that is designated as a scenic highway; most of the houses seen from the Windsor Locks/Suffield line to nearly the Agawam (MA) border date from the 1700 and 1800s, set back from the road behind lush lawns and huge ancient trees. Suffield is particularly gorgeous in the fall as the trees erupt in red, orange, and yellow.

However, as vibrant as the local live community is, we're going to look at its undead community for this article. Unfortunately, there is not much to report in terms of hauntings in Suffield; the only "known" haunted house in town is the old Kent mansion at the junction of Mountain Road and Sheldon Avenue. Although nobody lives there, the house has been seen with lights on and shadows in the windows. There are reports of poltergeist activity and for the back hallway to the second story having a "cold, chilling sensation" at times. Local lore has it that its benefactor, Sidney Albert Kent, is the local ghost.

Kent left other indelible marks on the town, including funding the library, which now bears his name. And the Kent name is only one of the many names that have carried down through the local population since colonial times; a walk through the local cemeteries will find tombstones liberally chiseled with names like Hastings, Orr, Fuller, Remington, Phelps, Moody, Spencer, Hale, Adams, Sikes (Sykes), Pomeroy, Miller, Patterson, Russell, Wells, Loomis, Fowler, Hathaway, Sheldon - names that not only defined the town, but the state and even the country.

The man who is likely Suffield's most famous son is not buried in his hometown: Sylvester Graham (1794-1851), who was an early advocate of vegetarianism and temperance in America, is best known as the man who created graham crackers. He lies buried in the town of Northampton, MA, approximately 45 minutes north of Suffield.

Woodlawn Cemetery is located on Bridge Street, about halfway between the town center at Bridge & Main Street, and East Street (Route 159). This picturesque cemetery is still in active use and has a small collection of mausoleums in addition to graves, which date back to the early 1800s. Howard W. Alcorn (1901-1992), who was a justice of the Connecticut state supreme court, is buried here. This old cemetery also has an interesting variety of carvings, including angels, obelisks, and one very lifelike tree stump. The oldest graves are in the areas closest to the main road, with the newest graves taking up the southeastern end of the cemetery.

The oldest cemetery in town, the Old Burying Ground (also sometimes known as the "first cemetery" or "the old cemetery") is located behind the First Church of Christ Congregational, just west of the junction of Main Street (Rte. 75) and Mountain Road in the center of town. Park along the town green and walk around the church; note that the ground can be quite soft here after a good rain, so wear sensible shoes when visiting. The oldest graves here date to the town's settlement (circa 1670), and visitors treated to beautiful views towards West Suffield Mountain, as well as north into Massachusetts. The Burying Ground is considered to have one of the best collections of gravestone art in New England, with many tombstones decorated with motifs such as angels and skull-and-crossbones.

If you head west along Mountain Road, and turn right/north up Hill Street, you will come to the junction of Russell Avenue. The rise to the west of this intersection is known as Hastings Hill, and here you will find the highly picturesque First Baptist Church (dating to circa 1769) and the adjacent Zion's Hill Cemetery, which dates to the mid 1700's. This cemetery, like the Old Burying Ground in the center of town, is full of colonial graveyard art and charming gravestone writing. The First Baptist Church is usually locked, as it is only open for special events. When visiting this site, navigate the steep driveway carefully, and be sure to not block the access for the private driveway next door; parking spaces are limited, but you will rarely have company here.

If you drive back down Hill Street and turn west (right) back on to Mountain Road, you can continue west past the West Suffield Cemetery, located on the north side of Mountain Road as you continue into West Suffield. Like Woodlawn, this cemetery also sees modern-day interments, and is a mix of older and newer tombstones. However, it is not nearly as interesting as some of the other cemeteries in town, although there are some nice sculptures here.

Continuing west, Mountain Road will turn to the right and start to climb over West Suffield Mountain. After you pass the entrance to Sunrise park on your left, but before the road opens up into more farmland, you will see Phelps Road on your left. Turn down Phelps, and just down the road you will find the Over the Mountain Cemetery. This graveyard is relatively small, and many of the stones show wear, as they were carved with softer stone, which has not aged as well. I actually find this particular cemetery at its most attractive on a drippy day, when the damp and the mossy stones give you the feeling of an archeologist.

There are several small family burial plots located around town, but these are generally not open to the public, so I have not listed them here.

If you enjoy history and have a fondness for graveyards, you will find a visit to Suffield very worthwhile. Should your time be limited, I would recommend a smaller circuit of Woodlawn, the Old Burying Ground, and the Zion’s Hill Cemetery.

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Local Lodging::
Should you be interested in visiting the area, I would highly recommend staying in the magnificent Spencer-on-Main bed-and-breakfast, which is located a renovated 1871 showpiece home along Main Street and considered one of the finest examples of the "Second Empire Style" architecture. (Room rates start at $115/night.)

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How could I resist? Especially when Al offered to pay. I booked my services 2 days before we arrived, and I suggest that you do this as well. It may just have been because this is the weekend before Valentine’s Day, but by Thursday there…Read More

How could I resist? Especially when Al offered to pay. I booked my services 2 days before we arrived, and I suggest that you do this as well. It may just have been because this is the weekend before Valentine’s Day, but by Thursday there was already nothing available at all for Saturday. I booked a scrub and a facial for 2pm, and Kasey ordered a manicure and a pedicure for the same time period

We arrived about 20 minutes early and Kasey was escorted to the relaxation room to await her service. I was shown to the locker room and given my robe and jelly slippers. After changing, I joined Kasey in the relation room. It is dimly lit with wicker furniture and an artificial fireplace in each of the two rooms. There is a pot of hot water and lots of tea choices as well as some granola bars. There are magazines to read while you wait.

I hardly had time to get comfortable when Stacey arrived and asked if I minded going early. Not me. She showed me to the room and explained the shower to me. I opted for the body only not the over head and she explained everything that she was going to be doing. She gave me the optional sexy paper bikinis, and then left the room while I removed the robe and positioned myself face down on the table.

This is the first time I have ever been brushed. This helps to exfoliate the skin. Then the warm scrub was rubbed all over my body, one section at a time. My unruly hair refused to be covered by a hairnet so at one point I had to hold it while she did my back. I was then left alone to take my shower, and then placed myself back under the sheet on the table.

Now it was time for the moisture cream. By now my whole body felt as soft as a babies bottom. It took a lot of effort on my part to get up and put my robe back on and head for the relaxation room. After a cup of green tea I was restored enough to happily follow Carmen into another room for my facial and eyebrow waxing (ouch).

The eyebrows were done first and then my eyes were covered, and steam was applied to my face. In the meantime, my hands and feet were massaged with lotion, placed in plastic and inserted into warmers. It’s a very decadent feeling. Carmen asked if I would allow extraction (sure) and then began to clear out any clogged pores. This was followed by the application of a gel exfoliate, and then my face was buffed with a mechanical brush. This was followed by warm rinse, and a moisturizing mask, then a facial massage. The last thing out were my soft feet.

I dressed again and headed back to the relaxation room. If I was any mroe relaxed I would have been out cold. Kasey arrived with her toes done in a French manicure and her nails a glowing gold tone.

Both of us dreaded heading back out into the cold snow, and ending our special afternoon, but all good things must end. With tip, my afternoon cost $201.20, Kasey’s was $140. Both of us felt it was an afternoon well spent.

To see a list of the services supplied by the spa you can visit the web site at http://www.watersedge-resort.com/spa.htm


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