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Connecticut Day Trips

Traveling the globe from my home base in beatuful Connecticut

Saturday Farmers Market in Washington Depot CT

Washington, Connecticut: The Town That Inspired Gilmore Girls [Itinerary]

December 31, 2019 By Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Some days, you just gotta get in your car and drive to a new town and see the sights. Washington, Connecticut is a really good town to drive to. It’s got a rustic-chic vibe with its mix of locals and weekenders from New York City. There are rolling hills, sprawling farms, and very nice restaurants to eat and drink in.

Washington Connecticut Day Trip

Bryan Memorial Town Hall in Washington CT

You can park your car at the Hickory Stick bookshop and spend an hour or two wandering it’s little “downtown” area. There’s the bookshop, Marty’s Cafe for coffee, some clothing stores and on Saturdays in the spring, summer and fall, a small farmers market.

Washington is famously the setting for the TV show show “Gilmore Girls” and while it doesn’t exactly resemble Stars Hollow, it does have all the trappings of small town life: lots of community activities, a folksy vibe, and tons to do (see my list below). As I say in my Gilmore Girls Guide to Connecticut (coming soon!), Washington is way more rural and outdoorsy than Stars Hollow.

Saturday Farmers Market in Washington Depot CT

The point of traveling to a town like Washington is to just be there, to soak up the small-town atmosphere.

Park at the Byran Memorial Town Hall. There’s a farmers market on Saturday mornings in the spring, summer and fall where you can stock up on local produce. Then hit Marty’s Cafe for a coffee before browsing the Hickory Stick Bookshop. There are other small retailers to dip into as well.

The day I visited I spent about an hour checking out the scene in town before wandering down route 47 towards the intersections of Kirby Road, Whykeham Road, and Parsanoge Lane.

There’ll you’ll find another little town center but this one looks like time forgot it. The buildings are still well kept and blindingly white, but there’s one lonely store and what looks to be an old town square.

I parked my car on a side street ear the intersection, grabbed my camera and roamed the area. There you’ll find the The First Congregational Church, the Gunn Memorial Library and the Gunn Historical Museum.  I didn’t see many people, but there was a fairly regular flow of vintage cars out for a weekend drive.

From there I continued North on Route 47 (enter Hopkins Vineyard into your GPS or Google Maps app) and enjoyed some of the most beautiful scenery Connecticut has to offer: rolling hills, gentleman’s farms and finally, a view of Lake Waramaug on the approach to Warren and the winery.

This would be a beautiful day trip year-round.

PLACES TO VISIT IN WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT:

Averill Hill Farm
250 Calhoun St.
Washington, CT 06794

For apple picking, pumpkin picking, pizza, apple cider and apple cider doughnuts.

Hollister House Garden
300 Nettleton Hollow Rd
Washington, CT 06793

The Institute For American Indian Studies
Curtis Rd
Washington, CT 06793

Mayflower Spa
118 Woodbury Rd (Route 47)
Washington, CT 06793

I am DYING to try this place. I plan to organize a day trip there with my girlfriends this winter

Gunn Historical Museum
5 Wykeham Rd
Washington, CT 06793

Hidden Valley Preserve
198 Bee Brook Rd
Washington Depot, CT 06794

PLACES TO EAT IN WASHINGTON, CONNECTICUT

The White Horse Country Pub
258 New Milford Turnpike
New Preston, CT 06777

British Pub Food in the Litchfield Hills.

GW Tavern
20 Bee Brook Rd
Washington Depot, CT 06794

The Pantry
5 Titus Rd
Washington Depot, CT 06794

Norimaki
4 Green Hill Rd
Washington, CT 06793

A local Favorite.

Marty’s Cafe
4 Green Hill Rd #1
Washington Depot, CT 06793

The Washington Pizza House
13 River Rd
Washington Depot, CT 06794

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Life

What My Condo Looked Like Then vs. Now

July 23, 2018 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

I’m moving. I have decided to sell my condo at Woodland House and buy a house so that I can have a backyard. I also want a fireplace. Since we have 5 months of Winter in Connecticut, a fireplace just seems right.

[Read more…] about What My Condo Looked Like Then vs. Now

Filed Under: Life

Winter in Hartford, Connecticut

January 15, 2016 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

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Filed Under: Connecticut, Life Tagged With: a good walk, Greater Hartford, Hartford

Tips for Adopting the Cutest Puppy…Ever

October 6, 2015 by Elizabeth Larkin 1 Comment

I got a puppy. She’s an 8-pound, 3-months old Chihuahua/dachshund mix. Her name is Dottie. [Read more…] about Tips for Adopting the Cutest Puppy…Ever

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Dottie the Dog

Digital Detox: Unplugging on my upcoming vacation

August 12, 2015 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

I’m doing a digital detox* over my vacation this month and I’m feeling two emotions: anxiety and relief. [Read more…] about Digital Detox: Unplugging on my upcoming vacation

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: digital detox, unplugging

Walking to the Meadows in Hartford

August 6, 2015 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

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Instead of taking our car to last year’s Oddball comedy tour at The Meadows to see Mike’s doppelganger, Louis CK, we decided to walk from Asylum Hill. This allowed me to get these shots while crossing the train tracks, and for Mike to look like the ultimate gentleman carrying my purse for me (it was heavy).

After scaling a fence to get into the Meadows (I’m sorry, Xfinity Theater. Barf.) everyone wanted to know what time Mike’s set started. The man seriously looks like Louis C.K. and he takes that as a compliment.

[Read more…] about Walking to the Meadows in Hartford

Filed Under: Connecticut, Life, Travel Tagged With: Hartford, Hartford County

Out of Office Replies

July 30, 2015 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Hi! I’m currently away, but I’ll be back on Monday. I’ll be checking email, but my access will be limited. If you need immediate assistance, please contact my manager at xxxx@xxxx.com In the meantime, I’ve written you a cinquain to capture my feelings at this moment:

Monday.

I’ll return.

Today I’m away.

You will be missed.

I’ll see you next week.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: out of office

5 Tips for Less Annoying Group Travel

July 14, 2015 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

One night over a glasses (or three) of wine in a Brooklyn bar with my friend Amanda, I had a light bulb moment. This was one that would shape the way I interacted with people for the rest of my life, specifically the way I organize group travel with friends and family.  Although at the time it seemed super benign.

[Read more…] about 5 Tips for Less Annoying Group Travel

Filed Under: Life, Travel Tagged With: good for groups, how to, travel tips

Dear Beloved Friend and/or Trusted Colleague…

May 12, 2015 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Dear Beloved Friend and/or Trusted Colleague,

I am currently out of office, away on vacation. I will (probably) return on Monday, April 20th. In the meantime, I’ve instructed my workmates to form a support group for those who cannot bear to be without me for 10 days. There should be flyers posted around Building A.

If you need (work-related) assistance, please contact my manager at xxxx@xxxx.com

Sincerely,

Danielle*

*Danielle is my coworker and she is awesome.

Photo / Death to the Stock Photo

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: out of office

Walking to work, being productive, giving up chocolate, spring events

April 3, 2015 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

Walking to work through Asylum Hill

:: I’ve now resigned myself to the Yard Goats. mostly because of this Twitter feed.

:: Attention Pomfret, Connecticut residents: your bulky waste day has been rescheduled to April 24 and 25. I mention this for three reasons:

  1. This is Mike’s favorite day of the year. Here he is at the dump in Thompson a few months ago. Look at that smile.
  2. Your town probably has their bulky waste day scheduled and you don’t want to miss it. Google “your town” + “bulky waste”
  3. It’s a great opportunity to get rid of all of your crap, and you know I’m all about getting rid of crap.

:: I started walking to work this week from my new condo on Woodland Street to my job at a large insurance company that shall not be named* located on Asylum Avenue. According to my Fitbit, It’s a 1900-step walk if I cut through the Asylum Hill Congregational Church parking lot.

:: My friend and co-conspirator on About.com’s Personal Organizing site, Johnna, started writing a series on how to apply the concept of minimalism to your daily life and to your home. We’ve published 7 articles (with many more on the way) and I’m liking this series more and more. My personal philosophy is to have exactly the right amount of “stuff” around as necessary and nothing more. If you’re interested in paring down, decluttering, creating simpler spaces, check out our Minimalism Series.

:: Speaking of Personal Organizing, Johnna  has already written about Paper Planners, and now I’m testing out the Arc System from Staples this month. I’ve never had a productivity tool stick: I use Evernote, Workflowy and Wunderlist but I don’t use any of them to their full extent. I’m using Arc with a modified version of the Bullet Journal. So far the big obstacle with using a paper system is my atrocious, serial killer-esque handwriting.

:: Finally, my friend and coworker at the large financial institution that shall not be named reviewed a boot storage product just in time for boot storage season, which is exactly right now.

:: I am on Day 6 of a 30 Day Elimination Diet to hopefully, finally figure out what is causing my all-day headaches, extreme afternoon fatigue and crazily ramped-up allergies. This means no gluten, no dairy and no chocolate. Is it worth it? Well…. I haven’t posted on this blog consistently in a year, mostly due to being exhausted 24/7, and so far this week I’ve posted twice. So yeah, it sucks to have to think and plan ahead so much, but I have more energy than I’ve had in a long, long time.

:: Finally, some cool upcoming events: Binge-Worthy Journalism in Hartford, Smashing Pumpkins at Foxwoods** in Uncasville, and a list of delightful spring festivals across the state.

Elizabeth

* I love my job and I actually like this large financial services company that shall not be named, but if I name them here, I am pretty sure I have to put a bunch of disclaimers on this blog and I am not up for that.

**Those tickets are insanely expensive.

 

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: around town

The Hartford Yard Goats?

March 6, 2015 by Elizabeth Larkin Leave a Comment

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Please don’t do this to us, Rock Cat owners.  As a Hartford resident and tax payer and staunch defender, I am pleading. We don’t need another reason for the people living in the suburbs surrounding Hartford to speak negatively about Hartford. They love to talk shit about Hartford. It’s annoying in the short term, and in the long term it takes time away from addressing Hartford’s real problems.

So please, not the Yard Goats.

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: Hartford, home in hartford

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