We took a similar trip before Nico was born to Shinn Estate on the North Fork. We considered going back since it's still one of our favorite inns out of the many we've visited, but I'm a sucker for trying something new, especially when it comes to food and travel. As usual, I spent a lot of time searching for the right place and finally found The Inn at Kent Falls in this book, a gift from Daniel's cousin.
Similar to Shinn Estate, The Inn at Kent Falls feels like an intimate bed & breakfast without the nosy innkeepers and stuffy decor. It's run by Ira Goldspiel, a hip New York City transplant who kept a very low profile the entire time we were there. Though the inn was full, we only saw a few other guests briefly at breakfast, making it feel as if we had the place to ourselves. Ira told us the house is 250 years old, but only a few low ceilings and wide-plank wood floors gave it an old-fashioned feel.
The decor was country chic and the furniture was similar to what we saw in a lot of the antique shops nearby.
Our room had its own entrance on the side of the house, a very cozy four-poster king bed and a beautiful claw-foot bathtub.
It was the perfect place to rest and relax. Daniel and I had never been to Litchfield County and we were surprised by just how beautiful it was. We felt far away from New York, yet it took us just under 2 hours to get there. It was an ideal place to spend a romantic weekend, but there were so many things that made us think of Nico and how great it'd be with him, too.
Everywhere we went, we seemed to see rolling hills, babbling books, and waterfalls. Best of all was stunning Lake Waramaug.The area is full of activities, but for once, we decided to not plan anything in advance (aside from dinner, of course). All weekend we just floated from one thing to the next, making decisions spontaneously, something so foreign now that we're parents.
To be honest, most of the food we had didn't wow me, but living in Brooklyn sets the bar pretty high. We did enjoy a nice lunch here (right after spotting Kramer from Seinfeld at the antique shop Privet House, across the street) and a fancy dinner here, although the service needed a lot of improvement.
We popped into cute shops in a few different towns and and saw a lot of very nice, and very expensive, furniture, housewares and even fancy homemade candy.
We ended up buying only one thing the whole trip. A little fire engine for Nico from an adorable store called Three Monkeys and Me. A fitting name considering I already have two monkeys in my life and will soon have a third.As sad as we were to see it come to an end, this weekend away was just what we needed. I wish we'd had more time to spend at the inn and lie by the pool, or soak in that tub, but this is one place I'd happily visit again and again.
The Inn at Kent Falls
107 Kent Cornwall Road
Kent, CT
860-927-3197
