Essex, Connecticut is by far one of my favorite places on this earth. My love affair with Essex blossomed right after we moved to Connecticut a few years ago. It is as idyllic New England as it gets and abounds with charm, history, and beautiful water views. Essex has become the destination we visit for Christmas dinners, birthday celebrations, and special events and it’s all centered around one special place—The Griswold Inn. Essex is even the talk in our home and a contender for a relocation move once our boys are through school. When you love a place this much you want everyone to love it as much as you do! Recently, I had the chance to share it with friends and I just know they left feeling the same way.
Late July, I joined a couple of my gal pals, Helen from Style Inherited and Claire from Home with the Wileys, for an Experience Essex Girls Getaway hosted by the charming Griswold Inn and J. Alden— which is one of my go-to shops for apparel and gifts. Both of these ladies have become sweet friends and they are so down to earth and they endlessly inspire me. Helen is an old soul and has amazing style! She shares it in such an approachable way. She has exciting things coming up and you definitely need to check out her home remodels and healthy lifestyle posts too. Claire is the sweetest and on her blog she shares amazing food and cocktail recipes along with slices of life and her New England travels. Every recipe she shares I want to try!
It was an amazing trip with so many inspiring women that I will mention in the days to come. I will have lots of posts coming up with every detail, but today I wanted to share the highlights of Part One.
Arriving at The Griswold Inn
The historic Griswold Inn is the place to stay when in Essex. It’s the longest consecutively running inn in America and it is a treasure trove of history and art. The art collection alone is quite impressive! Operating since 1776, it has the charm of yesteryear with all the modern amenities and attention to detail of a boutique hotel.
Upon arrival, you are instantly struck with the fact that you are in for a real treat. From the buntings lining the front of the inn to the red, white, and blue line down the street you see right away that this place has significant spirit too. Personally, I had been to the Griswold Inn for numerous holiday dinners and meals when in town, but never to stay the night. I was so excited to experience an overnight stay at one of my favorite haunts.
We all arrived that morning excited and eager to experience Essex…
Bag J. Alden || Dress J. Crew || Sunnies J. Crew || Sandals Jack Rogers || Earrings J. Crew
Bracelets Kim Prints & Allison Cole || Hat Tuckernuck
My trusty Scout bag from J. Alden carried all my overnight essentials for this trip. It’s the perfect bag for traveling around New England and I love this blue striped one.
Checking Into My Room
We each had our own private rooms for this stay to keep us safe during these COVID times. Everything in my room was pristine. Hand sanitizer was provided on my table and every detail had been thought of for my comfort.
I changed into the beautiful Spartina pieces from J. Alden to get ready to join the girls for an outdoor lunch on the terrace. Everything I wore is from J. Alden from the sunnies to the handbag. That wicker handbag is gorgeous!
Every room at The Gris is unique in its own right. There are rooms with fireplaces, rooms that can fit a family, and more romantic rooms with four poster beds and claw foot tubs. Period antiques and beautiful rugs are in every room and the beds are the same ones they use in The White House. You can view their COVID-19 cleaning protocol HERE.
Outdoor Dining at the Griswold Terrace
After getting settled in and freshening up, I left my cozy room to join the girls for a lunch on the terrace.
Chef Toppin is the executive chef at The Griswold Inn. Every meal I have ever enjoyed here has been so delicious! Always fresh and in season using the best ingredients. The kitchen and waitstaff have been so gracious when I dine here with my family. We have a lot of food allergies in our crew. They make sure to prepare their dishes safely and I never have to worry about cross-contamination. They are so good about accommodating us and I am so grateful!
Dining at The Griswold Inn is a lovely experience whether you are outdoors on the terrace or indoors in one of the many dining rooms. Also, they have an amazing wine bar which I will share soon too. They have great COVID-19 restaurant protocols in place to ensure your safety while you enjoy your meal.
That wraps Part One of our Experience Essex Gal Pal Getaway. This will be a three part series here on the blog, because there is so much I want to share about this stay. If I tried to put it all into one post that would be one LONG read!
Experience Essex Gal Pal Getaway Part Two
Experience Essex Gal Pal Getaway Part Three
A very special thank you to The Griswold Inn and J. Alden for hosting us and making our stay such a memorable one.
Until next time,
Kristy