My boyfriend and I have a thing for maritime/nautical destinations. If it's on the water, we want to go. Lou had never seen Mystic or Newport, RI...so the trip was a birthday gift.

I chose the Morgan Inn because it wasn't directly in the Mystic city proper. The inn is about a 10 minute car ride..and with the exception of our sojourn to see the mansions in Newport, everything is about 10 minutes away.

The home is an eclectic collection of antiques and collectibles. Linda has an eye for flair and style. When you initially drive up you won't know what to settle your eye on first. She greeted us before we even got a chance to knock on the door. A smile from ear to ear, you instantly feel welcome and at home. Linda reminded me of a wood sprite, at home in the english garden she's created in her yard, but with a mischievous grin, like she knows everything about you.

We stayed in the Sentimental Journey room. We had the pleasure of enjoying a private balcony that was spacious enough to enjoy cocktails each afternoon. With very little imagination, you will feel like you are sitting in a giant treehouse. The balcony is nestled into a giant mulberry tree. We spent many hours just watching the birds feasting, the squirrels (they like walnuts...) playing, and just listening to the breezes rustle through the leaves. The room was homey and clean. The radio is set to WJZS....and we loved the station. Don't change the dial! If you get to be there on a Sunday morning, you can hear Frank Sinatra from 10am till noon. The private bathroom was very big...bigger than my own at home.

Breakfast is at 9am, although one morning, Linda accomodated everyone by serving at 8:30, instead. Coffee is available at 8:00am. There was a chocolate chip cake on a covered pedestal cake stand when we arrived...and it finally hooked me on the second night. It was sweet and decadent and just what I needed. There is a 'sweet treat' available every night...just help yourself.
Breakfast is a big deal. While she confesses to being of Portuguese dissent, I think there must be some Italian in her..she likes to feed people. We enjoyed blueberry pancakes, an omlette souffle , and portuguese sweet bread french toast. There was fresh coffee on each table, a bowl of seasonal fruit, and home made muffins as well. The flowers and lit candle were compliments to the wonderful music you'll hear. I never mentioned it to Linda (because it tends to make cooks nervous...)but I'm an executive chef and can be very critical of meals. Her method with flavours was wonderful. She's cooking from her heart and you can taste it. The ingredients were fresh and the results were proof. Her presentation was nice and clean. She joined us all as we dined with her own cup of coffee and regaled us with stories of the area, her life and her family, and was equally inquisitive about her guests.

She'll direct you to anywhere you want to go. She's got great suggestions for destinations. She was as perfect a hostess as you could want.