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The Blue Oar (Closed)

August 12, 2021 by Steve Leave a Comment

Eat Here... Oar Else The Blue Oar, Haddam July 2021 The Blue Oar permanently closed in April 2023. Lists and listicles are as much of an epidemic as the COVID pandemic. These lazy lists are endemic across online publications these days. I mostly ignore all of them - especially any about "Best Connecticut … [Read more...]

SRA: Hidden Valley Preserve

August 11, 2021 by Steve Leave a Comment

Yup, Another Pinnacle Steep Rock Association's Hidden Valley Preserve January 2013 The trails at Hidden Valley have changed since I first hiked them in 2013. Several were removed and others were improved. Also, the awesome new Thoreau Bridge was installed. I'll return to Hidden Valley someday. Yes, to check … [Read more...]

Museum of Greek Culture

August 9, 2021 by Steve Leave a Comment

What the Hellenic? This Place is a Bust Bristol (Google Maps location) June 11, 2016 I think this still exists, though I'm not entirely sure. Regarding the above italicized statement, I know that doesn't matter a whit. I can't imagine there's a soul on earth who is going to the New England Carousel Museum … [Read more...]

RWA: Lake Bethany

August 6, 2021 by Steve Leave a Comment

Well, Blow Me Down Lake Bethany, Bethany January 2021 All Regional Water Authority (RWA) properties require a purchased permit to access. And please obey all posted trail closure signs. This was an interesting hike with Calvin. Aug. 29, 2020: Officials said the tornado first touched down in a … [Read more...]

Bosnia: NY-NY Pizza

August 4, 2021 by Steve 1 Comment

Cevapi vapi good NY-NY Pizza, Hartford April 2021 Here we are again. Gathered around the glowing screen to read CTMQ's wholly uninformed take on... what is it this time? Bosnian food? Bosnian food. I don't know about you, but when I want to learn about Bosnian food, CTMQ is probably not where I'd go. But you … [Read more...]

Mary Conklin Preserve Trails

August 3, 2021 by Steve 1 Comment

Mary, Ray, & Tommy Canton Land Conservation Trust June 2021 If, perchance, you're reading through my reports of the Canton Land Conservation Trust's trails you already are - or soon will be - sick of reading how much I love the western part of Canton. The CLCT owns four distinct parcels out here and they and their … [Read more...]

Museum of Fire History

August 2, 2021 by Steve Leave a Comment

Bonus Museum? Ding-Ding-Ding! Bristol (Google Maps location) June 11, 2016 I know you all have felt that indescribable rush of learning that there's a museum within a museum. There's nothing quite like that "two for one" feeling. At the New England Carousel Museum in Bristol, it's even better - or at least it … [Read more...]

Book Review: Empire of Pain

July 31, 2021 by Steve Leave a Comment

Genocidal Sociopaths Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty By Patrick Radden Keefe I don't know how I decided I wanted to read this book. For one, I was able to without tears or breaking stuff. I've not been personally touched by any opioid addiction. Not in my family, and not by any close … [Read more...]

Fifth Year Brewery (Closed)

July 30, 2021 by Steve 2 Comments

5THYEA B EWE Y Fifth Year Brewery, West Haven And in their Fifth Year, they closed... ... Or, more accurately, in their eighth year of pretending to exist in any real or tangible way, they never opened. Say what? Am I really writing a page about a brewery that was never actually a brewery? Yeah. I am. But! … [Read more...]

West Mountain Trails

July 29, 2021 by Steve 1 Comment

Total Masters Simsbury Land Trust's West Mountain, 60 Westledge, & Cathles Trails, Simsbury December 2020 Although I'm writing this page in 2021, it has a distinction that is important to... a few people. (I was going to write "absolutely no one" but then I remembered that way back when it was originally … [Read more...]