Sean Henri

 

Back home too soon

July 04, 2008 // 1 Comments  // Add yours »

My trip ended much too quickly.  Monday morning I was back in Connecticut, and back at work.  But as quick as the trip was, it was worth every penny.  Two days away was just enough to hold me off for a while.

My last day there was more casual than the day before.  We went to downtown Scottsdale for lunch then took a drive down RT 87 to Saguaro Lake.  By night I was back at the airport ready for my flight home.

A few more pics, all from Saturday:

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, Arizona 2008, Travel | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook |Comments (1)

Sedona

June 29, 2008 // 1 Comments  // Add yours »

The flight here was terrible.  My "window seat" lacked a window, the plane had no pillows or blankets, it felt like there was an hours worth of turbulence while over Oklahoma and Texas, and the woman next to me was praying the rosary like it was Armageddon.

It was worth it.  Friday night was kept low key, partly due to the fact that it was almost 2 AM by the time I arrived.  My friend Kristen and I grabbed some fast food from Jack In The Box (great stuff), had a quick chat, then called it quits for the night.

Saturday we started the day with some coffee and then took a 2 hour road trip up north towards Sedona.  The terrain changed fast - from flat desert and tall cacti to jagged red mountains in what felt like the matter of a half hour.  I drove most of the way because Kristen wasn't too crazy about driving in the mountains. The views were amazing so the drive seemed to go by very quickly. 

We pulled over at a rock formation to the south of Sedona called Bell Rock.  A lot of people go here looking for a Vortex - a place where people have reported feeling inspired by a beneficial source of energy.  Needless to say, I'm a bit skeptical about the existence of such a thing, but I wasn't there for that, I was there for the hiking.  We tried to make our way towards the top, but in 110 degree heat we couldn''t get very far so we had to turn back.

Once our attempt at hiking was over we made our way to downtown Sedona where we lunch and cooled off at a Mexican restaurant named Oaxaca. 

From there we did a bit more driving, and then found ourselves hanging out along a river and watching people jump off cliffs at Slide Rock State Park, just to the north of Sedona in the Coconino National Forest.

To sum it up: it's been an amazing weekend so far.  Videos here and pics below:

Hiking around Bell Rock

A jumper at Slide Rock State Park

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, Arizona 2008, Travel | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook |Comments (1)

One way to spend the weekend

June 27, 2008 // 1 Comments  // Add yours »

It's a Friday night, and I'm sitting at JFK looking for ways to kill the time as I wait for my flight to arrive.  I think thunderstorms are to blame for the delay.  It's no excuse, we should have braved the weather.  I had only planned on spending 48 hours at my destination!  Delays simply aren't acceptable.

Where am I going?   Arizona.  There I'll be meeting up with a friend who I haven't seen since 2005 and then roaming around in the desert for two days.  Why am I going?  I couldn't really tell you.  I have a friend there that I've been meaning to visit, and I've really wanted to take a vacation for a while now.  Those would be two good reasons, but I'll only be there for a day and a half.  Two miserable nights of travel for 36 hours of fast paced leisure. 

People question the wisdom behind these fast-paced trips, but for me, it's worth it.  I'll get to see a part of the country I've never seen before, and I'll spend some time with a great friend who I haven't seen in years.  I'm considering this a preview trip.  If I like what I see, I'll come back.  I gave this very little planning... I actually just booked my flight 4 days ago.   Few people know I'm even going to be away this weekend.

There's a forecasted high of 112 degrees Fahrenheit tomorrow.  I can hardly bare 80!   I'm told it's no so bad because of the lack of humidity, but we'll see.

I'll be posting quick little updates throughout my trip, via the blog, twitter, and YouTube.  You can find it all here on the right hand side of your screen under "Recent Thoughts" and "Recent Video".

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, Arizona 2008, Travel | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook |Comments (1)

Starbucks opens in Derby

June 14, 2008 // 4 Comments  // Add yours »

I took some time this morning to stop in the new Starbucks on RT. 34 in Derby, CT, and I'm really impressed with how they've set it up.  It's spacious, comfortable, clean, and exactly what I needed to find in my hometown.  Being the kind of person that never really stops working or thinking, having a Starbucks nearby is a great thing.  It gives me a place to be productive without shutting myself out from the world.  I can sit here with my laptop and get a ton of work done, but still bump into a friend or start up a conversation with a stranger.  Having it along the way on my commute in and out of work is a nice thing as well.  Out of all the local Starbucks, including Shelton, Oxford, Milford, Orange, and Trumbull, this one is definitely my favorite.  Check it out if you're local.

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, Derby, CT | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook |Comments (4)

Campitos

June 01, 2008 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

I just got back from my first camping trip in nearly two years.  We had a really nice lake front campsite, the weather wasn't as bad as we had expected, and we all had a great time.  The place was called Odetah Campground - check it out!

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, The Outdoors | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook |Comments (0)

Paul McCartney Receives Honorary Degree From Yale

May 26, 2008 // 2 Comments  // Add yours »

This morning I caught Sir Paul McCartney in New Haven as he received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Yale University.  I had no idea he was going to be there until around 10am when my phone started ringing off the hook.   Once I had all the details I gave Jenn,  Mindy, Justin, and Brooke a call and we all raced downtown.  It was a short ceremony, and he didn't say anything.  They serenaded him with a quick rendition of Hey Jude,  gave him a bit of praise, and after a quick bow and a wave it was all over. 

I thought it was a great way to start of Memorial Day.  It's not every day one gets to see one of The Beatles receive a degree.  Here's some video:

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, New Haven, The Beatles, Videos | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook |Comments (2)

Never Trust Gas Station Food

May 24, 2008 // 5 Comments  // Add yours »

Lately I've been sick.  And as a result I seem to have lost my sense of smell, and all the benefits that come with it.  I've become a bit worried that without my sense of smell my health could be in danger.

Yesterday I woke up a bit late so I didn't get the chance to make any coffee or prepare a lunch for work.  Usually when this happens I'll stop by the Mobile gas station on RT. 34 in Derby and pick up some sort of caffeinated drink and a sandwich.  Now, I've been warned many times not to trust the shady looking pre-packed food that sits on the shelf at a gas station.  But for some reason I keep doing it.  And overall, I've been quite pleased with what I've tried.  In fact, last time I bought this incredible steak and cheese... and that's what I was going for, but then I saw the hot pocket.

Now who wouldn't want a hot pocket?  It was too hard to move my hand away.  So I grabbed it.  Huge mistake.

Lunch-time comes at work so I go and nuke the thing.  This is where my sense of smell really failed me.  Thinking everything was normal I went ahead and took a big bite.. right away something seemed off.  So I took another.  Seconds later I was throwing up and the hot pocket was in the trash.  It tasted as if it had been soaking in bleach for 4 months.  Soon my boss was in the office complaining about the horrible smell the hot pocket was producing. He demanded that I go buy a Gatorade to cure my upset stomach.  The Gatorade worked quite nicely.

I called Nestle to complain and they said they'd send me a check for $1.50.  They said the gas station should have known better than to sell a rotting hot pocket.

Moral of the story: Don't trust gas station food.  And don't eat something if you can't smell it first, unless you can afford to hire somebody to sample all your food before you dig in. 

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April Takes Over

April 18, 2008 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

I thought I'd stop in and update everyone with what I've been up to.  I realize it's been a while since I posted, and I definitely don't want this blog to be dormant.

Here's some highlights from the past several weeks:

• I won the trip to Martinique.  I have no idea when I'm going yet, but it will be sometime between now and the end of November.  Thank you to everyone who voted!
• The Guggenheim Museum - It's been the last big museum in New York that I had yet to visit, and I changed that a few weekends ago when I went there with Jenn and Mindy.  I think I  more impressed with the architecture than I was with the artwork.
• Flea Market - Another Jenndy Henri adventure.  We took a day long road trip around the northwest corner of Connecticut stopping at the Elephants Trunk country flea market in New Milford, a small diner in the middle of nowhere, and then Kent Falls.  It's worthwhile to just get in the car and drive with only a lose agenda.  Try it.
• Little Italy - This past Saturday I ate at this great restaurant on Mulberry Street called Da Genarro.  Check it out if you're in the city looking for a nice place for some outdoor dining.
• Kayaking - I finally busted out the kayak for the first time this year.  Felt great.  Hopefully I'll be picking up a second one in the near future so my friends can join me.  It'll be known as the "frieyack".
• Photo Blog - It's out there, but I don't want to announce it yet.  It's not quite done.  You'll have to forgive the ridiculous name I've given it.  I already owned the domain and didn't want to see it go to waste.  The albums I have in the photo section of this website are about to go.  Sorry friends, but you'll have to turn to Facebook if you want to see all the daily snapshots now on.

Here's a few pics from the other week:

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Try something new

March 25, 2008 // 2 Comments  // Add yours »

It's always nice to get out and try something new instead of following the same old routine.   I did a bit of that on Saturday and Sunday.  My friend Mindy and I went into New Haven to check out the Yale Art Gallery.  I was a bit surprised by the amount of famous artworks featured their permanent collection.  I spent years working directly across the street and I never had any clue they were there.  The gallery is free to the public and absolutely  worth your time if you've never been there. 

Aside from the gallery, we met up with our friend Kam for some lunch at the Educated Burgher, drove up to East Rock, and ventured down to the coastline to check out Fort Nathan Hale.

The day's adventures got me thinking.  There are so many things to do around Connecticut that many people my age never seem to think of doing.  I wonder if maybe they simply don't know about them.  I frequently hear complaints that "Connecticut sucks" or have people tell me they can't go out because they're low on money.  Well aside from my lunch and gas, everything I did on Saturday was free.  It doesn't cost a penny to go to a park or the beach.  Museums and galleries rarely charge for admission and if they do it's a few dollars at the most.  There's so many things to do on a weekend aside from just going to a bar every Friday night at 10.

We live in a great state.  It's filled with cultural, historical, and recreational attractions.  Its proximity to New York, Massachussets and Rhode Island make it even better.  There's tons of great places to see and things to do that are all within a day's drive.  So an idea I have is to start up a new blog that focuses on these sort of things.  I have a few co-authors lined up, so it may be something we get going soon.  The blog will feature strictly localized content.  It's just an idea now, but I see this coming together in the near future.  It needs a name.  Any thoughts?

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, Art & Design, Culture, New Haven, Thoughts & Ideas | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook |Comments (2)

Turning Twenty-Four

February 24, 2008 // 1 Comments  // Add yours »

Thanks to Patti, Mindy, Jenn, Brett, Mickey, Marci, Holly, Mike, Matt, Megan, Heather, Melinda, Paul, Adam, Domo, Christina and everyone else who joined me in New York and at the Seven Seas yesterday!  And thanks to everyone else for all the messages you sent me.  It was a great time. One of the best...

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, NYC | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook |Comments (1)

The best fries I've ever eaten

February 16, 2008 // 1 Comments  // Add yours »

Last night I enjoyed the best fries that I've ever eaten.  At least within Manhattan, but after scanning through my memory of delicious potato eating experiences I think this may be at the top of the list.  If you're ever in the city along 2nd Ave between 9th and 10th St and you're looking for a bite to eat, be sure to stop in Ryan's Irish Pub and get the Cajun steak fries with melted cheese.  The burgers are great as well and only cost about $5 bucks.

We had originally planned on going to Pommes Frites, which until last night had my vote for the best place to get fries in the city.  If you've never been there I'd recommend checking it out as well.  From my count, they offer 35 different toppings to put on top of your fries.  It comes in this little cone.  You walk in, you walk out with fries, and life is good.

The enthusiasm is real.

I've posted a few more pics here.

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, Food and Drink, NYC | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook |Comments (1)

Saturdays with the DSLR

January 05, 2008 // 6 Comments  // Add yours »

It seems like it's becoming routine to head out with my camera on Saturdays. This time around I went with my brother Kevin, and we ended up going down to the factories on Canal St. in Shelton.  Here's a few that I felt might be worth sharing:

I liked this last one because it caught a cop pulling over a car that had just run a red light. I took this from the top of the Derby parking garage looking out towards Shelton.  Lucky for me but not for the driver I guess.

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, Derby, CT, Photos | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook |Comments (6)

New Years Eve in New York

January 01, 2008 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

Considering that we didn't join the crowd of one million people until sometime around 11:30, I'd say that 59th St. was a pretty good location to see the ball drop.  Sure, we were watching it from nearly a mile away, but we still got to enjoy the whole "Times Square experience" and didn't have to wait in the cold for six hours to get it.

And I can saw with confidence that last night will be one of the more memorable New Years Eve's I'll ever have. The cross-Manhattan bar hopping, the people we ran into, the count-down at midnight, and the highly unpredictable events of the night made it all just insane.  I'll never forget it.

More pics can be found here.

How about everyone else?  Any good stories from last night?

Continue reading "New Years Eve in New York"

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Roaming around Connecticut

December 30, 2007 // 2 Comments  // Add yours »

It was cold, and there wasn't much going on. So I went to the beach. I think it's a perfectly normal thing to do in the hours before a snowstorm. Here's a couple pics:

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Photographing Antiques

November 27, 2007 // 2 Comments  // Add yours »

The tricky part of photographing light fixtures is keeping yourself from showing up in the reflection when it has a polished finish.  I'm going through somewhere around 50 antiques at work today for a new category that we're hoping to have launched on our website by the end of the week.  Some of them date back as far as year 1800 and we've got some really cool ones lying around.  You really begin to appreciate them a lot more once you start paying attention to the detail.  It seems like I'm always doing something new here... it keeps things interesting.

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My Thanksgiving Day Project

November 25, 2007 // 1 Comments  // Add yours »

So while most of America was busy eating, sleeping, drinking and watching football, I was busy moving my furniture and possessions from one apartment to another.  My parents own a two family and the first floor apartment is vacant at the moment, so I'll be using up the space until I move back out sometime next year.

It's not so bad for now.  It's quite nice actually.  I have my own space and everything I really need, so I'm content.   I had been stuck up in the attic since April and that wasn't working for me anymore.  So I made a deal with my brother who had been living downstairs, and we made the switch.

So that was my Thanksgiving.  Just a bunch of work and a nice meal with the immediate family.  And yes I do wear top hats, and I'm a cyclops. This picture is an accurate piece of artwork. I hope nobody has a problem with this.

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It's getting better all the time

November 24, 2007 // 3 Comments  // Add yours »

Life's been good.  First off, I was able to get last Friday, Monday, and Tuesday off from work, then of course there was Thanksgiving, so I'm just feeling more relaxed than I've felt in a good long time.  Having my friend over from Ireland was "awesome".  I'm told we say that a lot here in America...

Went out to dinner Friday and learned about a "typical secret sauce", went into New York on Saturday, did excessive amounts of eating with friends and family on Sunday, ventured up to Boston on Monday, returned Hazel back to the airport on Tuesday a little too "Beatled out".... a few of the best days I've had in a while.

I'm getting a lot more accomplished lately.  It's a good feeling.  I'm productive at work and really enjoy what I do.  I'm getting a lot of personal goals taken care of as well.. finally.  Things feel like they're falling into place.

Only complaint - not enough time to post some of the things I've been wanting to.  I'm about 4 days behind with things I want to write about.

Currently listening to Ben Folds... good stuff.

Go here: Jenn Kish, Mindy Munizaga, Holly Patrick, Kevin, Christina Greene.

Potential 2007 Henri Brothers Christmas Card:

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Travel Friends

November 16, 2007 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

A friend of mine from Ireland is currently somewhere around 34,000 feet above sea level and headed my way at about 504 MPH.  So I'll be headed to JFK in a few... at this ungodly hour.  I hate mornings.  BUT I've got a few days off from work and plan on making this a little mini-vacation of my own so it should be a great weekend.  We'll be headed out towards Boston and New York over the next couple of days and we'll be around CT plenty as well, so if any of you kids (people I know) care to join up, do give me a call.

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The buildup

November 04, 2007 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

Not a heck of a lot's been going on lately.  Just nightly outings with friends, lot's of work around the house, some Halloween stuff (I was Mystery), and a ton of brainstorming. 

Just found a great new social network called Behance.  Their slogan is "Make Ideas Happen".  Perfect.  It's initiation only, but you can get one here.

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, Blogging, Thoughts & Ideas | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook |Comments (0)

John Lennon's Birthday

October 10, 2007 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

I'm a bit tired so I don't really wanna sit here and type much so I'm gonna be quick and vague here:

Last night I went into Manhattan with Jenndy (aka Jenn and Mindy), and we all partook in a little sing along with a few dozen other people in Central Park to celebrate what would have been John Lennon's 67th birthday.  We sung some songs, hung out with some hippies, saw a drunk man cry and proclaim a death wish on Mark David Chapman as he dramatically clenched his first and reached towards the sky, got soaked from the pouring rain, ate some pizza, had a few drinks in a bar where we bumped into Soprano's actor Steve Schirripa, then went on a little stroll back through Central Park, got a bit lost, and then finally made it home.

So that's how I spent my Tuesday night.  And I bet you five bucks my night beat yours. 

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, NYC, The Beatles | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook |Comments (0)

Friends + Weddings = Fun

October 07, 2007 // 3 Comments  // Add yours »

My friends Luis and Mary got married today, so now I think I'm gonna call them Larry.  Damn good times.  The whole weekend was great actually.  We've all been waiting on these kids for years now.  I remember back in high school there were rumors floating around that Luis was going to propose to Mary at the prom.  It didn't happen... they had both just started the rumor as a joke.  Not it's almost six years later and they're married.  I took a few pics (96 actually...) and you can find a bunch of them in the Pictures section.

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Our mother birthed us this way

September 30, 2007 // 1 Comments  // Add yours »

Earlier today I went out for lunch with the fam, and on the way to the restaurant my brothers and I all crammed into the backseat of the car just like we always did when we were younger.  The setup was always Justin on the left, Kevin in the middle, and me on the right.  It's a permanent guarantee for painfully annoying/childish/fun behavior.

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Kayaking/Canoeing with Crew 33

September 30, 2007 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

There's a program within the BSA called Venturing.  It's co-ed, and is focused more on the high-adventure type activities and is supposed to be a way to keep the older kids interested and active in the scouting program.  I've signed on to be one of the "Crew Advisors", and while it's taken me a while to ease back into the flow of things, so far I've enjoyed it.

This weekend we took the crew on an overnight kayaking/canoing trip up the Housatonic River.  There were 3 adults including myself, and 7 crew members.  We started off at Indian Well State Park and went about 4 miles up the river to this little cottage right along the water that's only accessible by boat or by foot.

The adults were in kayaks, the boys were in canoes, and the two girls were riding a motorboat with some food and equipment in it.  Some of them in the canoes were doing really well, but then some of the others wimped out and ended up getting towed by the girls.

We had some good food at night.  We all cooked calzones and ate some s'mores by our campfire.  I was insanely tired by the end of the day so I had absolutely no problem falling asleep at night.  The weather was perfect for a good night's rest as well.

In the morning we enjoyed some french toast and about 4 pounds of bacon, shot off a few rounds with the potato gun, and then packed up and headed home.  It was a good time.  Our next trip might be an overnighter on one of the Norwalk islands sometime in the late spring, but we'll see what happens.

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Last night

September 24, 2007 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

Because I'm feeling too lazy to write an actual post....

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Toasting freedom in Queens

September 16, 2007 // 1 Comments  // Add yours »

Here's my recap of the past 24 hours:  We go into the city for a movie, and stop for some vegetarian pizza on 2nd Ave.  We learn that Mindy would instantly throw up if Paul McCartney were to ever randomly walk in the same room as her. We're told that Michael Jackson is too old and that the girls should find somebody younger.  Across the Universe was fantastic.  The music is a bit watered down, and the story is a bit corny at times, but it was still very enjoyable.  It turns out that "Come Together" sounds great when it's sung by a crazy homeless person.

After the movie we stopped in at McSorley's, Manhattan's oldest pub, for a round of beers and a few toasts to freedom, Lincoln, and The Beatles. The place was packed and a little too rowdy to hold a convo, so we left and found a much more quiet atmosphere at the Thirsty Scholar. 

It was getting late and we had started to head back to Grand Central, but then Jenn presented us with the brilliant idea of crashing at her sisters apartment in Queens.  So we hopped on the subway, piled into the apartment, busted out the cards, sung some songs, had some intense conversations about music, learned how Jenn would properly utilize her favorite band, and I created some brilliant artwork. 

For me it felt like the last night of the summer.  And I'd say it was one of the best nights I've had so far this year. 

Now this guy really needs to make it onto a t-shirt:

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The Jimmy Buffet concert

September 10, 2007 // 1 Comments  // Add yours »

This weekend I joined my parents for a Jimmy Buffet concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA.  My dad had gone before and told me about some of the tailgating that goes on, but I was still kinda surprised by it.  People had decorated their cars to make them look like sharks, there were blenders everywhere, fake beaches that were made by people spreading sand all over the parking lot, insane amounts of food, and tons of drunk Parrotheads just enjoying life in the parking lot.

A big difference at this show from what I've seen at other ones is that everything was under control.  There were no fights, nobody throwing up, no trouble at all.  Everybody was just relaxing and enjoying themselves.  It would be great to go again next year and maybe get a big group of people going.

I loved the show.  Buffet played a great set and it was cool to see a sold-out stadium of 40,000 people on their feet and dancing to the same songs.  I felt a little out of place at times because I wasn't as hardcore of a fan as the people around me, but it was still a lot of fun.

Aside from that, I've only been up to a few things here and there over the past week.  This weekend I went to a relatives anniversary party on the beach in Milford on Saturday night then met up with a friend for some coffee later on.  I did some hiking, started up classes again, saw some famous actors, took a spontaneous road trip to Poughkeepsie New York with Justin and Brooke, and started helping out with Venture Crew 33 in Derby.  Tonight - it's over to a friend's house for some Beatles movies and pizza.  Good stuff. September is flying by.

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Ten miles along the Appalachian Trail

September 01, 2007 // 3 Comments  // Add yours »

If you're living in CT and you're not sure what to do during a free day, I suggest taking a hike along the Appalachian Trail.  The trail is over 2,000 miles long, running all the way from Maine to northern Georgia.  In Connecticut, it runs through the northwest corner of Litchfield County over some of the state's highest peaks.

I went for a hike yesterday with my friends Amber and Bret, with the goal of reaching the top of Bear Mountain.  With an elevation of 2,316 feet, it's Connecticut's highest peak.  We started off on a trail about five miles south of the mountain.  There's a parking area that's only a short drive from the town center in Salisbury which brings you right to the beginning of the trail.  After passing through a few fields we started a quick climb up the hill where we met up with the Appalachian Trail.  From there we continued to the top of "Lion's Head" (1,738 feet) which gave us a seemingly endless view of Connecticut.  If you're ever looking for a quick hike that offers great views, I strongly suggest giving this one a try.

We didn't stop there.  Our destination was still another 4 miles away.  From the top of Lion's Head we made a quick descent down a very steep and rocky path and then the trail gradually flattened out.  The trail gave us a pretty smooth hike for several more miles.  We passed by 3 different campsites along the way to Bear Mountain, two of which had natural sources of water.

We kept seeing postings that warned us of recent black bear sightings, so Amber was getting a little bit scared.  It was every man (and woman) for themselves if we were ever to get attacked.  Amber had the shortest legs, so she'd probably be the first to go.

By the time we reached the bottom of Bear Mountain we had successfully completed 4.5 miles without any bear sightings.  We were in good shape.  The hike hadn't been as bad as we thought it would be.  The climb up the top finally gave us some strenuous hiking, although it wasn't half as bad as I had expected.  As you climb upwards the trees gradually disappear and there's only small bushes and other plants covering the landscape.  We had some incredible views as we climbed up towards the top.  We were able to look back behind us and see where we had began, and off to our left we could see the Taconic Mountains in New York and the hills of Connecticut to our right. 

At the top there is an eight foot tall pyramid made of large stones that was built in 1885.  I tried reading the stone plaque at the base of it to find out who had put it there, but it was very difficult to read.  We hung out on the top for about a half hour to catch our breath and to take in the views, and made a few phone calls to brag to our friends that we were the highest three people in the state at the moment.

Shortly after we began our hike back, we ran into some thru-hikers.  These guys had started hiking the Appalachian Trail back in Georgia sometime around mid-April and had just made it to Connecticut.  I asked them if they thought it was worth it and one of them enthusiastically told me "absolutely".  He said he had quit his job and spent all his savings to pull it off.  They expected to make it to the end of the trail in Maine in about six more weeks.  Their body oder was overwhelming so we kept a good distance.

The hike back was much easier.  We went much faster and took a few less breaks because we wanted to make it back before sunset.  By the time we reached the top of Lion's Head the sun had already gone down, so our last mile was unfortunately in the dark.  By the time we finished we had been hiking for over 4 1/2 hours, but other than some minor pain from a few small blisters we were feeling pretty good.

We're gonna try to do a full days hike along the trail soon, and then stay overnight at one of the campsites.  I'm hoping to go the first weekend in October when the foliage is at its peak. 

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Another good day for hiking

August 29, 2007 // 1 Comments  // Add yours »

My friend Amber and I and a few others went hiking at Sleeping Giant State Park again today.  We had much better weather this time around but not as much time, so we didn't make it all the way to the observation tower but still got some great views.  We hiked the blue trail again, which is the hardest trail in the park.  We actually ran a part of it.  Tomorrow we're gonna try a new place, and I'm sure I'll bring my camera along again.

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New Haven has its nice parts

August 26, 2007 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

If you drive down Townsend Ave. and stop at East Shore Park, Nathan Hale Park, or Lighthouse Point Park, you'll get some pretty nice views of New Haven Harbor.  The best time to go is probably around sunset.   There's paved walkways so you can go out for a walk along the water.  Seems fairly safe as well.

I was down that way last night for my friend Jennifer's wedding.  It was a lot of fun, as weddings usually are.  And I was lucky because I got to see a few friends that I haven't seen in a long time.  Some of them moved out of state and others I just don't get to see that often for various different reasons.  I even spotted a kid wearing a kilt and found out it was a Troop 3 scout who had bought it while on the troop's recent trip to Scotland.

More pictures in the "Newest Pics" album.

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Hiking in Hamden

August 26, 2007 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

My friend Amber and I went out for some intense hiking today at Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden.  It was insanely hot and I was an idiot who wore jeans so I felt like I was near death the whole time.  Before I had left I took a look out the window and it looked like it was cloudy and cool so I thought I would be fine, but I was quite wrong.  But hey, I survived.

If you aren't familiar with the park, the reason it's called Sleeping Giant is because from a distance the hill actually looks like a tree covered sleeping giant.  We took the blue trail which goes up along the "head" to the "chin" and then over to the observation tower.  It was a good 2 hour hike I think.  Good times.  More pictures in the "Newest Pics" album.

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A day for Central Park

August 18, 2007 // 2 Comments  // Add yours »

I took a long overdue trip into Manhattan today with my brother Kevin.  We had perfect weather for it too.  I also found out today that my friend Hazel from Ireland is coming over for a visit!  Can't wait!

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One last night in Limerick

August 10, 2007 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

This week has been unbelievable.  Yesterday, after my stroll around Limerick, I checked out this restaurant across from my hotel on O'Connel St. called Luigi Malones a quick dinner.  The food was great.  They even gave me a glass of complimentary red wine which wasn't all that bad.

Following dinner I met up with my friend Rachel and from there we joined with a bunch of people for another night out at Molly's.  Had a blast, although I came back home with a few scratches and a bruise on my back.

Today started off much like yesterday did.  I walked around by myself for a bit.... ended up in People's Park and then made my way all the way down to the Hunt Museum to check out the 50's Chic/60's Cheek exhibit, which was somewhat of a disappointment due to the lack of photography they had on display.

That evening I met up with my friend Rachel and her friend Claire, who rode the bus with me up to the Ryan's where I saw Hazel and Mike once again.  We all had some pizza (which wasn't all the bad) and then we made some plans for the night.

My last night there was incredible.  Hazel, Rachel, Claire, and myself all went out to a a few pubs and a few clubs, including Nancy Blakes, Molly's, and Icon.  I can't tell you enough how good it felt to be there... especially with Hazel and Rachel who I hadn't seen prior to this week in about 8 years.