Burr Pond State Park

Rock By Burr Pond

Decided to get out of my apartment this morning and go for a hike around Burr Pond State Park in Torrington, CT. Basically its this giant pond/lake/reservoir with hiking trails winding around it. I did to “blue” loop around the pond, which ended up being about 2.7 mi and over an hour of walking. I didn’t realize how long it was going to take when I set out on my journey. At first I was struck by the natural beauty of the woods surrounding the pond, but at some point I transitioned into just wanting to be finished with the hike. Still it was a nice way to start the day and its a great place to spend some time. Click on the image above or the “Read More” link to see my complete gallery
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Chris Dodd Recieved Contributions from Financial Industry

Crumbling Financial Giants Gave Generously To Dodd. Besides being an interesting look at the financial industries connections to a local Senator, this is also a great and timely piece from the Hartford Courant. The newspaper just launched a redesign this weekend that focused on bold design and more local coverage and this seems like a pretty good start.

Gillette Castle

After a false start yesterday, I got out to Gillette Castle State Park today for an afternoon of sightseeing and hiking. It’s a pretty striking building architecturally and the history behind it is interesting as well. It looks over the Connecticut River, providing beautiful views and easy access to the water. There are a bunch of trails that take you down the hill to the river. All in all a nice afternoon, taking in some of Connecticut’s natural treasures. Check out my Flickr slideshow after the fold.
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Visiting the Real Stars Hollow: Washington Depot, CT

Washington Depot Town HallFeeling bored in my apartment this weekend, I decided I needed to take a trip and find someplace new to spend a day. In trying to think of where to go, I came up with the idea of searching for the real Stars Hollow, CT. Stars Hollow is the fictional town that played host to the Gilmore Girls, a television show which I embarrassingly admit I used to watch. On the show its portrayed a quaint little town with lots of quirky characters and it kind of shaped my expectations of Connecticut when I moved up here. I did a quick search on the Wikipedia and discovered that show creator Amy Sherman-Palladino based Stars Hollow on the real-life town of Washington Depot, CT. And less than an hour away, it seemed perfect for a quick weekend pilgrimage. Continue reading