Tag: power boating

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Swimming and Szechuan Food in Milford

Recently, we cruised out of Carefree Boat Club’s Milford dock and headed northeast on a picture-perfect afternoon.  After anchoring off the coast near one of the Milford beaches and enjoying a swim, we meandered back toward the harbor and watched sailboats catching the sea breeze and late afternoon sun.

We ate dinner at one of my favorite restaurants.  Believe it or not, you can get authentic Chinese food just a few miles away from Port Milford Marina.  Lao Sze Chuan (1585 Boston Post Road, Milford) has the real-deal New York City Chinatown fare I ate as a kid with my grandmother.   It doesn’t look like much.  It’s in a strip mall next to a billiards hall, and the décor is bare bones, but the food is authentic and delicious, and the price is right.

If you’re looking for seafood after spending time on the water, I recommend the steamed whole sea bass, which is prepared in a ginger and scallion sauce, as well as the squid with pepper spiced salt.  If you enjoy spicy food, try the twice cooked sliced pork with Szechuan Jalapeno and chives or the prawns with garlic sauce.

Be forewarned that spicy means spicy, and the whole fish and shrimp arrive whole with heads, tails, and all.  You’ll also find some truly out-there dishes on the menu, including jellyfish, tripe, and sea cucumber (sea cucumber is an acquired taste- I tried it once as a kid, and that was enough).

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Girls’ Night Boat

Working moms are natural multitaskers- it’s an eat or be eaten survival skill.  I wanted to arrange a “girls’ night out” for my friends, and I’m also constantly looking for ways to spend more time boating . . . hmm.

Eureka! We’d have a girls’ night out on a boat—Girls’ night boat.  Other contenders were “Girls (Boat) Trip” (for all you Tiffany Haddish fans) and “Bad Boater Moms.”

We left the harbor and spent the first 40 minutes just relaxing and decompressing in silence.  We listened to Death Cab for Cutie and other faves on the Bluetooth: “I want to live where soul meets body, and let the sun wrap its arms around me, and bathe my skin in water cool and cleansing . . . and feel what it’s like to be new . . .”

Traveling down to Westport, we admired the seabirds, the endless sky, and even caught sight of a rainbow over the water.  We chatted and gawked at the beachfront homes—some were architectural masterpieces, others were ostentatious McMansions.  On the ride back, I pushed the throttle forward . . . woo hoo; enough said.

We disembarked and enjoyed fried seafood platters, live music, and plenty of white wine at Captain’s Cove Seaport in Bridgeport—if you offer to take friends boating, someone else will gratefully serve as designated driver for the ensuing festivities!

Sunset over the harbor, a second glass of Chardonnay, and it’s a wrap (at least until next time).  Us moms deserve to have fun.

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EmPowered

So, what’s the deal with the boats?  I’d been a passenger on a boat before, and I had always enjoyed it. I also love spending time near the ocean.  Ocean air relaxes me like nothing else does.  I’d been wanting to try boating for years, and this summer I finally took the plunge.  We joined a boat club (essentially “Zipcars” for boats) called Carefree Boat Club. We’re members of the Southern Connecticut branch.

Being a passenger on a boat was fun, but it didn’t prepare me for the sheer thrill of operating one.  I still recall the first time I left the harbor and pushed the throttle forward.   The engine roared to life, the sea breeze washed over me and relaxed me instantly, and I looked back to watch my wake split the water behind us.  How did I feel?  Freedom, joy, energy, and a sense of empowerment.  I was the captain of our ship, and I could take us anywhere.

That sense of empowerment carried over to other aspects of my life.  Sometimes I’ll try to get out on the water a day or two before an important hearing or deposition.  It focuses me and gives me more of an edge.

Working moms, in particular, are notorious for failing to take time for themselves- we feel guilty about it because there are so many obligations and chores.   That is a big mistake, which I had made for years.  Do one thing each week that lifts your spirits and empowers you.  It could be a fitness class, a girl’s night out, or, in my case, pushing that throttle forward.   You are worth it.  But if that doesn’t convince you, I’ll give you a guilt-free reason to do it-  it will make you a better mother, coworker, spouse, daughter, etc.  Really, it will.