A picky eater with lots of allergies and her friend visit Stillwater Grill.
ctstillwatergrill.org
Thursday, 6:00pm
Car City
Stafford Springs is a rural Connecticut community situated within the town of Stafford. The town of Stafford is not quite as rural and offers a popular hot spot for car enthusiasts – The Stafford Speedway. Monster truck shows, swap meets, and of course, racing keep fans busy all season long. Luckily, Stillwater Grill is a distance away from the traffic and noise that the Speedway provides. However, a drive through the small, cramped, over-filled parking lot desperately trying to maneuver my car and find a place to park, made me feel like I was at the Speedway.
Tight Spaces
Once I managed to back my SUV into a spot that was too small, I carefully wiggled my way out like an overweight contortionist. I caught my breath and regained my composure just in time to see Harlie pull in. She had an easier time than I did as a couple cars had evacuated their spaces during my circus act. I skipped over to her car and not-so-patiently waited for her to shift into park and exit before giving her a giant hug.
Classics
Harlie and I go way back. When she was six and I was much much older, I was her Girl Scout Leader. In a troop of twenty-two girls she was my favorite, not counting my daughter. Harlie may not realize this, but we have a lot in common, so I was naturally drawn to her. From not-so-silly fears to super serious body aches, we both tend to display an air of confidence along with kindness and compassion. The kindness and compassion come easily to me, but I fake the confidence. If Harlie fakes anything about herself, one would never know.
Cruising
I was excited to catch up with my former scout as well as check out Stillwater Grill, recommended by Harlie. We walked around the parking lot to the front of the restaurant and stepped into a corridor of doors. Luckily, we picked the right one first and entered a huge rustic room with a bar and a handful of tables. The space could have easily held 100 or more people, but there was only seating for maybe thirty. A cold breeze from the industrial fan mounted on the wall gave my hair that wind blown look as if I’d been driving around in a convertible, but thankfully the waitress turned it off for me. It may be May, but it was only 60* outside and I’m pretty sure it was subarctic temperatures inside with that fan blasting. Harlie noticed a sign on the wall for a special night of wings, beer, and pool. I had to ask the waitress about this, since there was no pool table to be found. We learned that the restaurant has a lower level with pool tables and a bar, but no seating for dining. I found this very interesting because this restaurant is huge! They could clearly be serving many more diners if they added more tables, but that’s just my opinion.
No Stopping
Harlie and I placed our orders, then got busy chatting. The first thing I learned was that she’s extremely ambitious. This girl works at least four jobs (much like I did when I was her age) and has purchased, not one, but two vehicles on her own. She likes having an extra car just in case.
Click the meal to read all about it
Harlie – Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwich
Lis – Build Your Own Burger
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