1. Copper Beech Inn
City: Ivoryton, CT
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (860) 767-0330
Address: 06426
Insider Pick:
Description: Step into New England elegance at the Copper Beech Inn, located in the picturesque village of Ivoryton, which is technically part of Essex. The historic property dates from 1889, built by Archibald Welsh Comstock, son of ivory importer Samuel Comstock. The inn began in 1972 and is named for the majestic European beech whose limbs spread out over the front of the Victorian-style mansion. The inside lobby is attractively designed, with wood paneling and embossed wallpaper. There are 22 rooms, with options in the Main House and the adjacent Carriage House and Comstock House. Each room is exceptional, individually decorated and styled. You’ll find four-poster beds, antique highboys, stylish armoires, and richly upholstered armchairs and sofas. Craft a letter or poem on a leather-top writing desk, soak in a claw-foot or hydro-massage tub, and sip a glass of wine on the deck overlooking the gardens. And don’t forget to make reservations here for the Brasserie Pip.
2. Brasserie Pip
City: Ivoryton, CT
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (860) 767-0330
Address: 46 Main St.
Insider Pick:
Description: Executive chef Tyler Anderson brings classic French together with modern American cuisine at this chic brasserie at the Copper Beech Inn. The menu focuses on the best of locally acquired, sustainable foods. The frequently changing menu is full of exceptional selections. Seasonal starters include asparagus with béarnaise vinaigrette; entree standouts include duck breast and scallops, expertly seared and joined by such accompaniments as scallion-tofu puree. Also intriguing are a number of plats principaux like fluke amandine with garbanzo beans, almonds, fried sage, and parsnips. Share a plate of duck fat fries; you’ll never go back to ordinary. The ambience is intimate and inviting, with tiled floors, dark wood paneling, French cafe posters, mirrors, and frosted glass. The wine list is extensive, and you should sample it along with this rich, delicious food, consistently rated among the best in the state.
3. Deep River Fife And Drum Muster
City: Ivoryton, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 62 N. Main St.
Description: On the third Sat in July, this event is the largest of its kind in the world, with close to 70 corps from all over the nation (and Europe) parading up Main Street in Deep River. Afterwards, you should head to Devitt Field at the end of the parade route to watch the evening performances and check out vendors selling fifes, drums, music, hats, and more. The event is free, though it will probably cost you to park, since the town funnels you into designated lots (though clever people have been known to get around that). The Museum of Fife and Drum features all parade music, but mostly “ancient” fife and drum corps. It is full of uniforms, performance gear, musical instruments, and photographs. Open June 30 to Labor Day on weekends, the museum offers evening performances on Tues nights. Check the schedule to make sure, and don’t miss the ancient muster.
4. Ivoryton Playhouse
City: Ivoryton, CT
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (860) 767-3718
Address: 103 Main St.
Insider Pick:
Description: Built in 1911 as a recreation hall for the Comstock-Cheney factory workers, the first play was put on here in 1930 and the Ivoryton Playhouse became the first self-supporting summer theater in the nation. The actors who have graced its small stage are legion: Marlon Brando, Helen Hayes, Groucho Marx, Gloria Vanderbilt, Alan Alda, Jayne Mansfield, Myrna Loy, William Shatner, Eartha Kitt, Gene Hackman, and many more. Of course, local girl Katharine Hepburn got her start here. In recent decades a complete renovation has made the Playhouse more comfortable, and includes new heating and air-conditioning as well as new seats and state-of-the-art sound and lighting. The Playhouse puts on a variety of different plays throughout the year, from drama and musicals to children’s theater and Christmas programs. There are only 280 seats, so there aren’t really any bad ones, although the front row of the balcony is particularly close and excellent here. The intimate setting highlights how sometimes a play is much better than a film, and the connection between the actors and audience is electric.