Listen to Episode 2 of the CT Perks & Recreation Podcast

Hit the road with us - no packing required. The CT Perks & Recreation™ Podcast is your monthly guide to discovering the best of Connecticut, told like a road trip with a friend who knows all the hidden gems (and has strong opinions about snacks along the way).

In Episode 2, The Ice Cream State, we turn the whole map into a sundae. We'll check out UConn's legendary Dairy Bar and farm stand scoops in Simsbury, sample the Newtown creamery named best ice cream shop in the country, and enjoy small-batch standouts from Milford to Granby. Along the way, you'll hear from the people behind the cows, behind the counters, and even from an ice cream super fan who turned exploring the Connecticut ice cream trails into a full time business.

Guests-

Bill Sciturro, Manager of UCONN Creamery

Christiana Barabe, owner of Honeycone Craft Ice Cream

Craig Behun, CT Ice Cream Tour

Welcome to CT Perks & RecreationTM. This first episode is a cozy, slightly chaotic love letter to Connecticut, hosted by voice actor and tea enthusiast Amanda Elgie.

In this debut, Amanda trades flat Illinois backroads for New England hills and invites listeners along as she chases the little things that make Connecticut feel like home - hidden reading nooks, riverside trails, Main Street cafes, and small-town oddities. Episode One hops from artisan chocolates in the Litchfield Hills to a sprawling used book barn in Niantic, and a historic whaling ship in Mystic. It continues with a storybook steam train ride, a riverside opera house, and a Dracula-themed Romanian restaurant, proving that staying local can be a full on adventure.

Guests include:

Bryan Hurlburt, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture
Rachel Lenda, Director of Tourism for the State of Connecticut
Maria Petrillo, Director of Interpretation for Mystic Seaport
Stephanie Stephan, Local Author
Cat Carter, Goodspeed Opera Season Ticket Holder