North Star Orchards in Madison Maine is probably the most beautiful and well stocked pick-your-own apple orchard I’ve ever been to. And I’ve been to quite a few orchards in my day. Laura and I have visited this orchard many times during our stay in Maine and each and every time, our visit has been delightful. I’m not sure if that’s because of the wonderful autumn weather we have in Maine or if it’s got something to do with the dozens of varieties of apples North Star offers. Their apples are the best. They’re huge and crisp and delicious. I’ve got a lot to say about this place and tons of photos to share, so be sure to click through to see it all. Continue reading…
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor is a fantastic and very popular small town located on the eastern coast of Mount Desert Island. Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island, and Acadia National Park receive between three and four million visitors every summer. Needless to say, it’s one of the most heavily trafficked tourist destinations in the entire state of Maine. Laura and I, along with her parents, visited Bar Harbor in August, when the season was in full swing. Even though ours was a quick day trip, we were able to take some photos that’ll give you an idea what town looks like. It’s definitely worth making your way there, if you haven’t yet. Please click through to take a look at my photos. Continue reading…
Maine Maple Sunday
Maine Maple Sunday is very much a holiday in the state of Maine. It falls on the fourth Sunday of March every year and everyone who’s anyone descends upon their local sugarhouse to enjoy some educational tours as well as the sampling of sweets. Many sugarhouses open their doors to the public and offer activities for families, tastes of their freshly produced syrup, and a healthy dose of vanilla ice cream. From what we’ve experienced, this day can be hit or miss. During the time we’ve been in Maine, Laura and I have experienced some stellar maple syrup seasons as well as those that weren’t good at all. It really depends on the spring weather. If the air is too warm too fast, the sap won’t flow in the trees long enough for a good harvest. If the air stays too cold for too long, no sap will flow at all. When it finally does, it’ll flow too fast and then almost immediately dry up. For a perfect season, daytime temperatures need to rise above freezing and the nighttime temperatures need to fall below freezing – for a few weeks at least. In this post, I discuss some experiences we had visiting two sap houses, show off some interesting photos, and offer a video or two. Enjoy. Continue reading…
Just a Few More Days
Just before Laura and I moved from Connecticut to Florida, I wrote this post. I was feeling especially nostalgic and wanted to somewhat formally say goodbye to all the places I’ve visited and people I’ve met – in writing. As I mention in this post, I’m not great at leaving people. I usually just disappear. Fortunately, those who I’ve trained Jiu-Jitsu with pulled me from my normal course of action and brought me out for a few drinks – as a send off. It was a wonderful evening and it’s one I’ll never forget. Click through to read more about it. Continue reading…
St. Augustine & Palm Coast, Florida
The cities of Palm Coast and St. Augustine, Florida are absolutely wonderful. There’s lots to do in both and both are situated right on the Atlantic Ocean. Laura and I lived in Palm Coast in 2013 and while there, we did our fair share of exploring. While I didn’t take pictures of everything we did, I managed to capture what I thought looked best. In this post, I combined three different posts I wrote about both areas years ago. They cover the beach between the two cities, downtown St. Augustine, Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, and more. Click through to see all the wonderful photography. Continue reading…
Hammonasset Beach State Park, Connecticut
Hammonasset Beach State Park in Connecticut is one of the most lovely beaches I’ve been to in my life. While we were living in Connecticut, Laura and I frequented this park quite often and every time we visited, it seemed like we were more delighted than the time before. The area offers wonderful views of the Long Island Sound and plenty of beach on which to walk, jog, or bike. Personally, I went for the beauty of it all. It’s nearly unmatched. And there’s just something about looking over those small waves all the way to New York. I sometimes felt Like Gatsby. In this post, I don’t do a lot of writing. It’s more about the photos. Please click through to enjoy some of my best. Continue reading…
Madison Center, Connecticut
If you drive along Route 1 on Connecticut’s shoreline, you’ll eventually find yourself in Madison Center. The town of Madison is larger, with the “center” part comprising the village area with some housing directly surrounding it. It’s a lovely place. The residents of Madison Center (and Madison) are quite wealthy and they take very good care of their village. Laura and I drove through a few years ago and found a library, some small shops, nature parks, and an old church. It’s the perfect place to stop the car to walk around for a bit. Contained within the town of Madison is a place called Hammonasset Beach State Park, which may be the most perfect park in all Connecticut. The park borders the Long Island Sound and offers a long soft-sand beach, as well as some rocky coastline. If you’re interested in jogging or walking for fairly long distances for exercise, you may want to check it out. It’s also good for biking and sightseeing. Take a look through the photos in this post and read some of my commentary. Then, leave a comment if you so desire. Thanks! Continue reading…
Old Saybrook, Connecticut
Old Saybrook has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. They’re not hundreds of miles long and they don’t consist of white sand. They’re beautiful nonetheless. Old Saybrook’s beaches face the Long Island Sound. The water is mostly calm and you can visit the entire shoreline any time of year you want. That’s what makes it so special. If you visit on Thanksgiving or Christmas day, you’ll likely stand alone. There will be wind. And clouds. And lots of silence. Again, this is what makes the place so special. During the summer, Old Saybrook is thriving with activity, but during the winter it’s an entirely different place. It’s all yours to do with as you please. Laura and I have visited Old Saybrook during the colder months and were drawn back year after year. As you’ll see from my photos in this post, what we found each time was rather remarkable. I love the area and I hope, after looking through this post, you will too. Continue reading…
The Berkshires, Massachusetts
The Berkshires is one of my very favorite places. It’s nice in the Berkshires. It’s comfortable. It’s meaningful and it’s beautiful. For those who aren’t familiar, “The Berkshires” is a mountainous region located in western Massachusetts. This region includes a few small towns that can be quite popular during certain times of the year. Leaf peeping season happens to be one of those times. Personally, my favorite towns (villages really) include Stockbridge, Lenox, and Williamstown. Those are the best kept of all of them. Stockbridge is most well known for hosting the Norman Rockwell Museum as well as the Red Lion Inn. Two must visit locales that should sit high on just about everyone’s list. Lenox is best known for Tanglewood Music Center, host of the Boston Symphony Orchestra every summer. Overall, it’s a magical place that never fails to delight. In this post, I share a few quick stories about our visits to the area called “The Berkshires.” I also include some photos. Please click through to read more. Continue reading…
Infinity Hall
Infinity Hall has two locations; one in Norfolk and one in Hartford, Connecticut. We’ve only been to the Norfolk location and I’m thrilled to tell you that it was an experience. Infinity Hall is a special place. I’m not sure there’s anything else like it. As they say themselves, it’s more than a concert venue, it’s what I just said it was – an experience. During our visit, we first ate dinner downstairs and then made our way upstairs for a show. And yes, it was unforgettable. The venue itself is a refurbished opera house. The building was erected way back in 1883 and then restored in 2007. Originally, besides the opera house being situated in the structure, there was also a barber shop as well as a saloon. What an incredible place it must have been. Mind you, Norfolk, Connecticut is way out there, just south of the Berkshires. There’s not much else around. For a world class concert venue to grace those hills – well, like I said, it’s a special place. Please click through to read more and to look at some photos I took during our visit. Continue reading…