I experienced the strangest thing over a decade ago that still lives with me years later. I was sitting in my basement early in the morning doing some work. The television was on next to me. I wasn’t listening to whatever it was playing on the television, but when I heard some music, I began paying attention. The music was from the movie called “Uncorked.” It’s a movie most people don’t know about, but it’s one of the best I’ve ever seen. In this post, I discuss this movie, but I also discuss some thoughts I had that surround how I felt while watching it. This is another good post that I’m glad I wrote. 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…
Block Island, Rhode Island
Block Island, Rhode Island is one of the best destinations most people never visit. That’s relatively speaking, of course. Through the years, many folks from around the world have made the trip to Block Island, yet it seems that every New Englander I’ve ever spoken to hasn’t had the pleasure. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s the cost of the ferry that goes to and fro. Perhaps it’s the lack of information on what the island can offer. Perhaps it’s people being too busy. Whatever the reason, I hope the photos in this post can enlighten you and show how much fun and how worth a short trip can be. To offer a bit of information, Block Island is located just nine miles south of Rhode Island and 14 miles north of Montauk Point, Long Island. On the island are wonderful sandy beaches, an old red brick lighthouse, dramatic cliffs, and many restaurants, hotels, and things to do. There’s even a wildlife refuge and a small airport. It really is an excellent weekend getaway if you live close by. Click through to take a look at some photos I captured on my last trip to Block Island. Continue reading…
Canoeing Down the Farmington River, Connecticut
If you live anywhere near New Hartford, Connecticut and if you have a sense of adventure, you really need to visit a place called Main Stream Canoes & Kayaks to rent yourself a canoe. After you do this, you’ll get dropped off upstream to ride down the Farmington River, which is a lot of fun. Laura and I visited this establishment many years ago and were delighted with the day we shared together. We brought lunch, our cameras, and an open mind and for six miles, we relaxed, paddled, and battled some small rapids. The entire trip down the river tool only an hour, but on slower days, it can take upwards of four. It really depends on how much you paddle and how fast you want to go. In this post, you’ll find a quick story about how we ended up going canoeing as well as a few pictures of our experience. Continue reading…
Essex, Connecticut
Essex is more of an “area” than a town and that area consists of three villages; Essex Village, Centerbrook, and Ivoryton. We’ve only visited one of these places and it’s what I discuss on this page. Essex Village is a magical thing and I can say with absolute certainty that I’ve enjoyed some of my life’s finest and most memorable evenings there. While living in Connecticut between the years of 2008 and 2013, Laura and I made our way to Essex on a number of occasions. If memory serves, we ate dinner at the Griswold Inn each and every time. We’ve walked the streets, visited the shops, strolled through the green, and kissed at night on the dock overlooking the Connecticut River. Again, it’s magical. Please click through to see all the (way too many) pictures I’ve taken of Essex and to read some of the stories I’ve written about it. And if you have any of your own experiences to share, please do so in the comment section at the bottom of the page. Continue reading…
Salmon River, Connecticut
The Salmon River is one of the most beautiful in the state of Connecticut. It’s not a tremendously long river, at only just over 10 miles. There are two other rivers that form this one; the Blackledge and the Jeremy. Both of these merge in the area of North Westchester. The end of the Salmon River flows into the Salmon Cove and then into the Connecticut River. This all happens in the vicinity of Moodus. Laura and I have visited different sections of the Salmon River during our stay in Connecticut and were thrilled with its beauty each and every time. Our visits really never got old. Please click through into this post to read my stories of our experiences as well as browse some of the many photos I’ve taken of the area. Continue reading…
Coventry Farmers Market, Connecticut
There’s a lot more to the Nathan Hale Homestead than a farmers market. It’s actually a historical place. Simply put, this landmark is a historic home that’s located in Coventry, Connecticut. It was once called the Richard Hale House and it’s on the National Register of Historical Places. Interestingly, there’s a museum on the property that you may visit and some have even claimed that the property is haunted, with the main house being occupied by its previous owners. If you’re interested, you can look into all of this. For now though, let me tell you that there’s an excellent farmers market that’s been held every Sunday from June through October since 2003. We visited this farmers market some years ago and I took quite a few photos. Please click through to this post to view those photos and to read some of my thoughts on the day. Continue reading…