Bethel, Connecticut
Books and Bethel
Liz first discovered the town of Bethel, Connecticut, rather accidentally. "A family dinner was organized in a restaurant in the town as it served as a kind of halfway point for the participants. The restaurant was lovely, but the town was even more impressive. Bethel had many independent booksellers, which signified a populace eager to read, learn, and grow," Liz recalled. "The bookstores also promised hours of meandering down the aisles and looking for just the right read. In addition, there were many restaurants, coffee houses, bakeries, movies, and adorable streets to wander down. In short, it was a perfect town for a lovely day outing."
Yet more than its quaintness and beauty, Bethel appeared to be a town of free thinkers. "Sometimes those free thinkers were just my cup of tea, and sometimes they held beliefs contrary to mine, but always, it was welcoming place," said Liz. "Perhaps what made this town most interesting was not that everyone was on the proverbial same page, but that everyone was interested in reading pages and discovering ideas."
Rosie's first visit to Bethel also involved a restaurant. She gathered with her siblings for a family member's birthday dinner one January night. "It was dark and cold, and I mostly remembered enjoying the food — Italian, I believe," said Rosie. But it wasn't until she began dating Liz that she rediscovered today's Bethel.
Molten Java coffeehouse is a welcoming and affirming place for all people
Got sweets? Varano’s Bakery can help!
"We met in June 2020 during the early days of the pandemic, and most of our dates had to be outside for social distancing reasons. Many restaurants had not re-opened, and those that had were serving outdoors," Rosie noted. "Liz and I had a delicious brunch at Jacqueline's Restaurant and strolled through the town's shops, including several bookstores. I especially remember the Rainy Day Paperback Exchange, Varano's Bakery, Byrd's Books, and Dr. Mike's Ice Cream, all of which I am happy to report are still thriving."
Jacqueline’s Restaurant is one of many eateries in Bethel
Today Pride flags and other signs of LGBT support adorn Bethel's shops and streets, making it worthy of this Dyke Drives post. "We feel entirely comfortable being ourselves there," Rosie added.
All these years later, Bethel, Connecticut is still delightful. As the birthplace of P.T. Barnum, it is a historic town. It is still a town of many independent booksellers, restaurants, cafes, movies, and delightful shopping finds. It is still quaint and pretty. Most importantly, it is still a town where everyone may not be on the same proverbial page, but everyone is interested in reading, growing, and discovering ideas.
We highly recommend Bethel. It is a welcoming place. It is worthy of a drive.
