For Labor Day weekend, I visited a friend in Westport, Connecticut. Situated along Long Island Sound, Westport is 52 miles north of New York City.

My friend has a beautiful house about five minutes from the center of town. We had margaritas by the pool when I got there and soaked up the sun. We had a reservation at 5:30 p.m., so we spent the day relaxing.

Our reservation was at a restaurant called La Plage. When we got there, I was immediately taken aback by the gorgeous harbor views where boats were coming in and out. The restaurant had an indoor-outdoor layout, so even though we were seated inside, the doors to the outside were completely open, allowing us to enjoy the views and the breeze. We started with cocktails and oysters. My friend got the Oaxacan Bonfire, which was Los Vecinos Mezcal, lime, agave, cilantro and jalapeno. I got the Kitts Spritz, which was Aperol, mezcal, citrus and prosecco. Both drinks were excellent. I had the pan-seared fluke for dinner, and my friend had the Gouda-crusted halibut. We shared both dishes and could’ve had a third entrée — that’s how delicious they were.

The next day was overcast, so we spent the day walking around the village. We shopped at the mainstream shops, such as J.Crew and Gap, but also visited the smaller boutiques. I loved how there was a mixture of both. My friend mainly enjoys the larger retail chains, and I prefer the mom-and-pop shops, so it was perfect for both of us.

For lunch, we went to The Spotted Horse. We both had the cucumber margaritas, which I wasn’t sure I’d like but ended up loving. We shared fried calamari as an appetizer. For our entrées, my friend had the chopped Mediterranean salad, and I had the ahi tuna tacos.

After lunch, we returned to the house, napped and grilled for dinner. The weekend was a perfect end to summer, and I can’t wait to visit again!

— Alaina Cagliostro, director of sales