Edition #37, 9 March 2009

Hello, my name is Cynthia, a mermaid from the cool waters of New England. Thank you for visiting my collection of articles on coastal New England. This is a great time to start planning your summer vacation.

Look for other articles in this series on the home page.

Wilcox Park is located at 71½ High Street in downtown Westerly. The park covers 14 acres, and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973. In the 1960s, an effort began to develop the park as an arboretum. The results are well worth a visit. Each year, Wilcox Park hosts the Summer Pops by the Westerly Chorus, and the Shakespeare in the Park productions by the Colonial Theatre.

During the summer months, make your way to Misquamicut State Beach. Be sure to watch small children, as this is an ocean beach and there is some surf. The beach features bath houses, restrooms, consessions, arcade, merry-go-round, and plenty of ocean to swim in.

Downtown Westerly offers a number of great places to shop and explore. A short walk across the bridge and you can continue exploring in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. The Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Chamber of Commerce offers the go Westerly magazine to guide you on your journey as you search for that special treasure.

One such treasure is the Other Tiger book store, located at 90 High Street in Westerly. With nine rooms of books, you are sure to find something to picque your interest. Come to browse, or come to relax. As they say, Other Tiger is "A quiet place in a busy world".

Visit the Hauser Chocolates retail store at 59 Tom Harvey Road, and you may forget all about that diet of yours. If you're really brave, take the Chocolate Tour! Hours are 10am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. Saturday hours are 10am to 2pm. If you cannot be there in person, you can also order your favorites from their web site.

Walking all over town has probably made you hungry. Treat yourself to lunch or dinner at Modestos Restaurant at 49 Beach Street in Westerly. Modestos gets rave reviews for its Seafood, Italian and Mexican cuisine, and sandwiches. Be sure to save room for dessert, too!

For great fried seafood and lots of it, make your way to Two Little Fish at 138 Granite Street. Find out why they received "Best Seafood - 2007" in the Advocate Reader's Poll. If an American Bistro is more your style, pay a visit to The Up River Cafe at 37 Main Street. Try the Pan-Seared Crispy Skin Salmon or the Rosemary-Honey Brushed "Brick" Chicken.

Downtown Westerly is located just a few minutes south of Interstate 95 at the RI/CT border. Passenger and freight transportation is available via Amtrak Rail and the Westerly State Airport. Today, Westerly is known for its textiles and tourism. Historically, Westerly was famous for the granite that was mined from quarries in Bradford and Potter Hill.

Read more about Westerly at www.westerlychamber.org and westerly.govoffice.com. If you should see me in the water, be sure to wave!

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