Continuing my goal of visiting every small town in CT, today I made it to Roxbury.
Number 15 on my list, Roxbury has a population of 2260, and an area of 26.23 square miles. Located in Litchfield County, the Native American name of the town is Shepaug. Originally a part of Woodbury, the Town was incorporated in 1796.
I have actually been to Roxbury before, when I hiked around the Mine Hills Preserve, the former home of an extensive mining operation that closed in 1905.
My first stop today was the Kelsey Museum & Sculpture Garden. What I did not realize before arriving is that it is an “artist in residence” kind of situation, with the entire place being Ms. Kelsey’s home and grounds. I don’t think she was expecting visitors this day, and I can only imagine what she thought when I came into her driveway on my motorcycle. She was, however, incredibly gracious. I was invited in for chat, and Ms. Kelsey told me a little about her past, and how she got into sculpture. She also gave me a Cliff Notes version of the art scene, from the insider’s perspective. It was a real treat to get to meet the artist herself!
From what I could see, and from what she told me, she works almost entirely with the human form, and her primary subject is dance, although there were exceptions. I thought her work was beautiful and amazing. She is a real master of her medium. I honestly can’t believe we don’t see her work all around the state.
My thanks again to Ms. Kelsey for her warm hospitality and interesting conversation!
Moving on from the gallery, I stopped at Roxbury Kitchen Fusion Cuisine for a bite to eat. Whatever image you have in your mind when you think of “fusion cuisine,” this place was not that. The food was, however, decent. I had a savory crepe with chicken. I think the “fusion” part of their identity comes from the fact that alongside pizza and burgers, they have some Mexican items on the menu. And crepes. Honestly though, the place had some charm, and was not entirely unlike something you would expect to find off the beaten path in New England.
On my way out of town, I stopped at the Roxbury Market and Deli, because I am an absolute sucker for a small-town country store, and the smaller and countrier the better. It did not disappoint! It didn’t quite have the feel of some of the little markets you run into where you can tell they’ve been around since their great-great-grandfather was selling beef jerky to Abraham Lincoln’s cousin, but it’s a nice little store. Judging by the number of t-shirts and hats on sale, you could be forgiven for thinking it was a tourist destination.
I thought we had a jumper on our hands, but I’m pretty sure he was just trying to fix a window. I bought Teresa some curry ketchup. I will buy anything if you market it to me as FAMOUSLY THICK.
And that, my friends, was another great day in Connecticut! Also the first real ride of the year on my motorcycle, unless you count the Easter Sunday shakedown cruise I took. That was mainly to see if I had managed to resolve an oil leak I worked on with a friend a month or so ago. I guess that counts, but this felt more like the real deal, with warm weather and a bit of sun.