The Myth of Home

Beacon Falls Public Library

2012-01-29T06:36:00.000-08:00

We gave a presentation for A History of Connecticut Wine at the Beacon Falls Public Library this past Thursday, and met some really great people, including the owners of the new All American Valley General Store in Seymour. They sell Connecticut-made products, including Connecticut wine, and that's something we can all get behind. Check it out.

Woodstove Days

2012-01-27T13:47:00.000-08:00

A gray day here in Connecticut, perfect for sitting inside by the fire with a good book to read and another to write. All that wood chopping and chainsawing this summer is now paying off. Plus, we're saving money. Our wood stove won't exactly heat the entire house, but it serves for the downstairs quite well.

Ming Tsai's Blue Ginger

2012-01-24T14:51:00.000-08:00

Here are some lovely dishes we enjoyed at Ming Tsai's Blue Ginger Restaurant outside of Boston.

The restaurant itself is in Wellesley, and almost hidden in a strange shopping area. But it's well worth your time to ferret out its location and find the East/West delights of Ming Tsai's cuisine.

I mean, look at that lobster. Look at that duck. That is food art, and let me tell you, it tasted pretty good, too. In fact, I am going to go make dinner right now.

Edwin Way Teale Sanctuary

2012-01-20T07:04:00.000-08:00

A few years ago we walked the Fern Brook trail at the Edwin Way Teale Memorial Sanctuary at Trail Wood. Teale lived at Trail Wood in the off-season, and in his car traveling the roads of America in the on. He wrote beautifully about the natural world in America, and in Connecticut. Many think of him as our Thoreau, though many don't think of him at all. Go to Trail Wood in Hampton and remember.

Pork Shank at David Burke's

2012-01-17T18:06:00.000-08:00

The wonderful, beautiful pork shank at David Burke's Prime Steakhouse at Foxwoods.

Cheesefurter at Shady Glen Dairy Store

2012-01-15T11:42:00.000-08:00

Ever have a cheesefurter? Probably. But the one at the Shady Glen Dairy Store has wings! Or at least that's what the pieces of griddle fried cheese look like here. They put them on the burgers, too, of course, and it works even better there. Of course, Shady Glen is also known for its retro waiter/waitress outfits, and its ice cream. We tried "mince" and "grape nuts" ice creams, both good. The photo of the grape nuts will be in A History of Connecticut Food, out in May.

General William Noble

2012-01-10T10:10:00.000-08:00

I have another new article up at the Bridgeport History Center, this time on General William Noble. Find it here.

The Merritt Canteen

2012-01-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

I have a new article on the Bridgeport History Center website on the Merritt Canteen. Enjoy here

Filipek's Market, Meriden, CT

2012-01-06T15:19:00.000-08:00

This is the strange and wonderful Filipek's Market. Located in a residential district (262 Elm Street) in Meriden, this fascinating slice of Americana - a family run market - used to be the rule, not the exception. Now you have to know where to find these little miracles (the sign is barely recognizable). Filipek's has so much to recommend it, but what it is most famous for is kielbasa. The home made kielbasa will greet you as you walk in, tempting and tasty. They have several different preparations...the spicy one is the best. I have a photo of their wonderful kielbasa, but I'm saving it for A History of Connecticut Food, out this spring.

Three Poems by Amy Nawrocki in SNReview

2012-01-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

My lovely wife has three poems in the last issue of SNReview. Check them out here, and a taste...from "Embargo," a poem about 'smuggling' - Thinking avant-garde rather than criminal,we snickered to each other when we slidnine dollars Canadian across the counterfor the Cohiba, packed Havana leaves away,and sealed our fate as smugglers.

Beef Done Right

2012-01-03T14:06:00.001-08:00

Bone in meat tastes so much better than not. Seriously. Look into it.

The Fiddlehead's Return

2011-12-31T14:35:00.000-08:00

Amy Nawrocki reading "The Fiddlehead's Return" at Best Video's Poetry Round Robin.

Poetry Round Robin at Best Video

2011-12-30T10:10:00.000-08:00

Had a great time at the Poetry Round Robin at Best Video last night. It's really a great way of getting a taste of many styles, and staying engaged with the words. I'll be posting a video soon. In the meantime, here are some of the luminaries who participated.

Best Video founder and visionary Hank Paper introduces the poets.

Pulitzer Prize nominated Franz Douskey reads his clever, biting poems.

Award winning poet Amy Nawrocki reads her poetry, even though she had a bad cold.

Afoot in Connecticut 50 - Wallace Stevens

2011-12-28T07:48:00.000-08:00

Slapjacks

2011-12-26T16:18:00.000-08:00

Frying up corn slapjacks on a cold morning. Though I expected them to be gritty and less palatable than wheat flour pancakes, they are surprisingly good, especially with a nice smear of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Afoot in Connecticut 49 - Noah Webster House

2011-12-24T06:27:00.001-08:00

Smoked Duck Nachos

2011-12-23T12:31:00.000-08:00

A plate of smoked duck nachos at ZINC in New Haven. When they first opened back in the day, I thought their prices too high and their food just okay (they are right next to where I worked at Kaplan Test Prep). Now, they have cutting edge local/global cuisine, with great drinks and creative fusion dishes. Check them out!

Fondue for Dinner

2011-12-21T17:30:00.000-08:00

Either my Swiss heritage or a simple love of cheese draws me back time and time again to the joys of fondue. However, here we have some beef tips simmering, to be dipped into a Chinese five-spice sauce while they are oily hot. Delicious.Do you due the due, too?

Black Pudding on Toast

2011-12-18T17:59:00.000-08:00

Black pudding (blood pudding) on toast with butter. Yum. Get the blood sausage, cook/fry it on a pan until nice and crispy, then spread it on the buttered toast. A wonderful iron umami.

Haggis with Whisky Cream Sauce

2011-12-16T07:25:00.000-08:00

Here's a little dish we whipped up, after finding haggis at the UK Gourmet in Newtown. A little whisky cream sauce, courtesy of the internet, and a haggis warmed through in simmering water. I can't say it was as good as some of the haggis we had while in Scotland last summer. But it wasn't bad at all. Alba gu bragh!

Practical Talk Time Week 2 - Winemaking in Connecticut Today

2011-12-12T15:14:00.001-08:00

Interview on Practical Talk Time

2011-12-09T09:09:00.001-08:00

Here's a video of Amy and I being interviewed by Sandra Wrobel on Practical Talk Time, Channel 23 in the Danbury area. Enjoy!

A Plate of Oysters

2011-12-08T15:13:00.001-08:00

Above is a plate of Wellfleet Oysters at the Squealing Pig in Provincetown, Massachusetts. I had tried oysters before I met Amy, but together we really became fans of these ugly little slurpers. We enjoy them straight, or maybe with a little lemon or vinegar. A properly shucked oyster is a beautiful thing. If you've never tried one raw, work up to it by eating them fried, or in other dishes, and then slurp one down with a nice glass of beer or a white wine. Riesling is my preferred choice.

Time for Hiking Again

2011-12-06T11:49:00.001-08:00

As the semester winds down, it's time to get out the backpack and start hiking the winter forests, searching for tracks. Of course, my cats are not happy with me being gone so often during the semester, and here Django is trying to accompany me on a hike, while Maple looks worried.

I need to recharge my batteries, and a walk through the forests of Connecticut always does the trick.

Duk Bokki - Korean Rice Cakes

2011-12-02T16:33:00.001-08:00

Duk Bokki (Korean Rice Cakes) at home, with a spicy oyster sauce and fresh green onions. Yum.

The trick is to get them to the proper softness, a matter of practice. The first couple times we tried this comfort food were not successful - the cakes were too hard, or had hard areas in them. But when they work well, they are simply fantastic. If you want them without the hassle, Midori in Hamden makes some great ones. However, they are worth practicing with and getting right at home.

The Weight of London

2011-11-30T11:50:00.001-08:00

Every time I land at Heathrow, I can feel a difference in the air. With many countries, the swirl of foreign language makes it obvious that I am traveling, that I have left the United States and entered the land of the other. But this could still be New York, though perhaps a cleaner one. Sure, I receive a strange-looking currency out of an ATM instead of dollar bills, but I have no problem reading the signs for the Underground, no problem telling the taxicab driver where to go. It was just like America, except smaller and with better public transportation. Why then, did it feel so different?

The first thing I notice this visit is that tea becomes my blood as it never can be in America. The hotpot always seems ready at friends’ flats, whether they are of Indian, Chinese, or Irish extraction. "Tea?" is offered at every pause, at every corner café, and the tradition and ritual connect us with a billion British through the years. I try to think of a daily American custom that has lasted as long, fifty years even, and fail. Another day we had afternoon tea at Fortnum and Mason, pretending to be upper crusters. "Pass the scones, old sport," my friend tells me, quite seriously. But that day we drink tea at a simple tea house in Regent’s Park, and I have what is possibly the best cuppa of my life. I check the bag and find the Twinings label, a common tea brand in the U.S. "Twinings!" I exclaim to my friends. "This ain’t the Twinings we get!" I marvel at the attention to quality, to the importance of detail in daily life that seems missing at home.

From the Regent’s Park tea house, we walk out onto the wet green lawns and find the spot where the final scene of John Fowles’ The Magus takes place, where the main character and the reader are left wondering whether love will triumph. Suddenly, ten thousand novels, plays, and films open to my senses as I realize that London is English Literature, the birthing ground for story itself, for a million scenes of conflict and resolution. Down the road, in the Archive Room of the British Library, those stories line the walls – unbelievable documents that seem legendary: the only copy of Beowulf, the first folio of Shakespeare, the Magna Carta, Alice in Wonderland, Newton’s laws, Gandhi’s letters, and a thousand more, spinning my head in disbelief. Such a room does not exist in America, except in palest imitation, housing a few minor manuscripts, a paltry sum of historical record.

The city seemed like a thick tea bag full of the most venerable leaves as we waded into it again. Stopping at the British Museum, I find a hundred pieces from history class, things that make our heads swim in the deep well of time. Outside, in the streets, the march of history continues, from the primeval Tudor taverns to the iconic Big Ben. Here we stride through those stories in a way we could never do in a place like Hollywood, where the backdrops are fake and the on-site locations constantly changing. Here the ancient gates and smoky taverns live beside gleaming towers of modernity. Certainly a place like New York has at least begun to build its own mythology, with a hundred years of film and novel to lend it weight. But in ancient Londinium these moments can come to life all around you, in this dense, chewy center of English-speaking culture.

My friends and I take pictures with the electrified statue of Winston Churchill, on which no pigeon dares to perch, and duck into Westminster Abbey. As we make our way through the ancient halls, we find the tomb of Queen Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth! That such a fabled person walked the earth and has an actual resting place seems beyond all expectation. We pay homage in Poets’ Corner, to the writers who built our common language and passions. And then, in the wide gallery of the Abbey, I find the grave of Charles Darwin, an apparent contradiction that only the British could cheerfully stomach, like a Monty Python skit come to life. It is like the pub a wry Britisher opened in an old temperance hall, like the celebration of Guy Fawkes’ Day with fireworks. Only a people with a seasoned, rich culture can see beyond the seemingly outrageous paradox to the calm, tea-blend of true history.

I stand a long time at the grave of Charles Darwin, amongst the murmur of tourists and the sound of echoing feet, knowing that some of my fellow English-speakers probably take this for granted, the solid weight of memory – their lives made denser than scones by narrative and details, in a way that most Americans will never know.

First published in Hackwriters: The International Writers Journal.

Afoot in Connecticut 48 - New Britain Museum of American Art

2011-11-27T17:35:00.001-08:00

Dinner in Ottawa

2011-11-26T15:59:00.001-08:00

I really wish I remembered the name of this restaurant. If anyone of my Canadian friends has a clue, let me know! It was in the center city of Ottawa, east of Parliament and the concert hall.

Kale and Sausage with Roasted Parsnips

2011-11-23T11:22:00.001-08:00

Kale and sausage with roasted parsnips. At least I think that's kale, looking at it a year later. Maybe swiss chard?

Shrimp With Mango Salsa

2011-11-20T16:06:00.001-08:00

In honor of my wife's poem in Gastronomica, one of her recipes - a shrimp with homemade mango salsa that was just delightful.

Gastronomica Winter 2011

2011-11-18T15:34:00.001-08:00

Everyone should run out and get a copy of Winter 2011's Gastronomica, which features a poem by my wife, Amy Nawrocki, called "Jamaican Farewell." It's also a really great journal, focusing on food and culture, and with some of the greatest food photography you'll find anywhere.

Chainsaw Action: Aftermath of the October Snowstorm of 2011

2011-11-16T14:42:00.001-08:00

Decadence: Bone Marrow, Caviar, and Lobster Soup

2011-11-14T15:49:00.001-08:00

Just a little something we like to whip up once in a while. Roasted beef marrow is always good, and especially spread on toast with a little salt. But this one in a rich lobster soup (you can see the beading), topped with a teaspoon of caviar (okay, it's not the really expensive black stuff), is almost too decadent. Almost.

Beautiful Destruction

2011-11-11T07:43:00.001-08:00

We were in the United Illuminating section of Connecticut, and so we only lost power for three days, but the rest of the state had a tough time of it this year. We have a decent sized property, though, almost all trees, and I've spent the last week clipping, cutting, and sawing the broken beeches and maples. I'm not even close to finished, and my body aches, and so does my heart. Unfortunately, they were the healthiest trees, rather than the old and infirm; the ones with the most leaves suffered most.

Aged Apple Brandy from Westford Hill Distillery

2011-11-07T17:20:00.000-08:00

One of the finest brandies in the world, produced right here in Connecticut. Try it out.

Return to Gouveia Vineyard

2011-11-04T07:28:00.000-07:00

Gouveia Vineyards in Wallingford is one of the prime destinations in the state, and they don't need me telling you so. Every weekend it is jammed with wine aficianados, picnicking at the dozens of tables inside the stone building (an architectural wonder) on top of Whirlwind Hill. If you haven't been there, you're missing out. Even if you don't like wine.

Afoot in Connecticut 47 - Beardsley Park

2011-11-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

At the Getty Museum

2011-10-29T17:04:00.000-07:00

Although we loved the Van Gogh, and the setting was stunning, what impressed us most about the Getty Museum in Los Angeles was the quality of sculptures, including this Calder below, and such antique and modern sculptures as pictured below. I threw the Van Gogh irises in there, too. Because, you know, awesome.

At the Dolphin Striker

2011-10-25T16:28:00.000-07:00

Duck and a flight of wine with my wife at the Dolphin Striker, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Yum. Certainly one of or the best place for a nice meal in the historic downtown of this fascinating little city.

Inveroran Hotel

2011-10-13T19:11:00.000-07:00

The hotel is very small, only seven rooms, but has hosted visitors like Charles Dickens and the Comte de Paris, both of who passed without comment. Poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge stopped on his way south from Glencoe, and waited an hour and a half here for a dish of tea. Dorothy and William Wordsworth complained of a terrible breakfast, with inedible butter, hard oat cakes, and eggs boiled hard as stones. Robert Southey couldn’t get milk. Charles Darwin had better luck, and used the nearby birch trees as an example in his writings on natural selection. The hotel proudly displayed these questionable comments in its publicity materials, with a humor that came from these sorts of places, which have seen hard times and lived to tell about them. We had a fantastic time there.

Poutine

2011-10-08T18:59:00.000-07:00

If you've never had poutine, you're missing out. A French Canadian treat with fries, gravy, and cheese curds, this is comfort food at its most primitive. Above is a wonderful 'fast food' poutine Amy and I had at a famous Montreal establishment. However, recently it has made its way onto gourmet menus in the states. I get my fix at Mikro in Hamden right now. Let's hope it becomes more popular.

Afoot in Connecticut 46 - Union Cemetery in Easton

2011-09-30T10:57:00.000-07:00

Vanity of Duluoz Review

2011-09-26T17:13:00.000-07:00

When Vanity of Duluoz was written in 1967, an overweight and severely alcoholic Jack Kerouac had only two years to live. Chronicling the years just before his adventures with Neal Cassady, his last complete volume takes Jack from the football fields of high school, to the dangerous seas of World War II, and finally to a New York City brimming with the Beat movement. Although the substance is youthful and energetic, and the witty tone addressed to his last wife is entertaining, a clear and strong resentment of the human condition pervades the book. "Nothing came of it. All is vanity" is the acidic conclusion.

As we read, it becomes clear that the days of satori and mythic revelation in On the Road are long over. There is something uncompromising about this book, and though it looks back to an earlier time, it is full of death: Kerouac's doomed shipmates on the Dorchester, the murdered David Kammerer, and the author's broken father. His friend Sabby Savakis dies during the war, and when Kerouac sees "flowers of death" in his eyes at the Boston dock as they say farewell, we sense perhaps the author is seeing them in the mirror twenty five years later.

A version of similar events appeared in Kerouac's more clearly fictional first novel, The Town and the City. So, why bother rehashing these years? For the author, it became a question of truth. He states, "Everybody'd begun to lie and because they lie they assume that I lie, too....but I do believe lying is a sin." The project of Vanity of Duluoz is to set records straight, to complete the great "Duluoz legend" in its memorial entirety. We can hope that someday a future scholar will put all these books together in one great Proustian novel, as was Kerouac's dream.

Appraising this final piece of autobiography, the reader almost believes Kerouac sensed his own impending doom, and valiantly attempted to complete this ambitious narration. He mentions a woman's letter written to him recently that stated: "You are not Jack Kerouac. There is no Jack Kerouac. His books were not even written." It is against this great nihilistic denial that the author fights, swinging his great fists of prose. And against his own feeling of bitter defeat he places another, greater feeling: I am.

You can find the original article, and others, at Empty Mirror Books.

More Photos of Scotland

2011-09-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

Donald Hall Birthday Celebration

2011-09-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

I was honored to speak about the history of Hamden when former U.S. Poet Laureate Donald Hall returned to his hometown for his 83rd birthday. I wrote about his life here in my book, Hamden: Tales from the Sleeping Giant. Sharing the event with the mayor Scott Jackson and Connecticut Poet Laureate Dick Allen was the icing on the cake.

Poetry Reading at the Dickerman House

2011-09-16T07:52:00.001-07:00

This photo of my wife, poet Amy Nawrocki, reading at the historic Jonathan Dickerman House in Hamden, looks a little bit like a sorceress incanting a spell. That could not be more appropriate. Poetry is magic, only, those who do not fall under its spell are cursed.

At Best Video

2011-09-09T12:01:00.001-07:00

Best Video in Hamden

2011-09-06T08:57:00.000-07:00

I'll be at Best Video in Hamden this Thursday night at 7:30. I'll be discussing the importance of storytelling when it comes to writing history.

Hope to see many of you there!

Back from Scotland

2011-08-27T11:32:00.000-07:00

Afoot in Connecticut 45 - Jepp Brook Mill Site

2011-08-20T11:14:00.001-07:00

At the Newtown Library

2011-07-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

It was our pleasure to give a presentation at the Newtown Public Library last week. A large group showed up, and we tasted wines from the area and discussed the benefits of buying and drinking locally.

Cats Who Love Books

2011-07-27T18:33:00.000-07:00

My cat, Maple, absolutely loves used books, specifically the smell of used books. As you can see, she lies down on them, rubs herself on them, and tries to read them. Just like her dad. I wonder how many other book cats are out there? Or if my genetics just predispose her to it?

Saltwater Farm Vineyard

2011-07-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

If you can get the 2007 or 2008 Merlot from Saltwater Farm Vineyard, do it. Get a case. It was the best Merlot ever harvested in Connecticut, and it is gone. They are planting great new grapes there, and I'm excited to see how they taste. But the merlot was genius, and it's ready to drink right now. Get some.

Afoot in Connecticut 44 - Old Vineyards of Connecticut

2011-07-10T13:36:00.001-07:00

At R.J. Julia Bookstore

2011-07-02T14:01:00.001-07:00

This was a real honor, getting to read and speak at R.J. Julia's. Every author and celebrity who comes to Connecticut with a book comes here.

Incidentally, we met Jacques Pepin while we were there and he wished us good luck. His picture is above, along with just a few of the others who have been here. I think they're going to run out of wall space soon...

Afoot in Connecticut 43 - Putnam Memorial State Park

2011-06-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

Front Page of the New Haven Register

2011-06-27T13:59:00.001-07:00

Amy and I are in the New Haven Register today, with a small picture in the upper right corner of the front page, and a full spread on the front page of the lifestyle section. See it here.

Re-Enactment

2011-06-21T10:07:00.001-07:00

My story, "Re-enactment" is out in the Summer 2011 edition of ken*again. You can find it here.

Afoot in Connecticut 42 - Mountain Laurel

2011-06-17T14:10:00.003-07:00

Roasted BBQ Clams at The Place

2011-06-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

These roasted clams changed my life. Or at least my culinary perceptions of clams.

Book Signing at Jonathan Edwards Vineyard and Winery

2011-06-11T17:30:00.001-07:00

We had a lot of fun at the Jonathan Edwards Spring Festival last weekend! Thanks for inviting us and thanks to all who purchased A History of Connecticut Wine.

Afoot in Connecticut 41 - Garter Snake in a Tree

2011-06-08T07:22:00.001-07:00

A Little Inspiration

2011-06-07T06:12:00.000-07:00

East Coast Wineries

2011-06-06T17:06:00.000-07:00

"It's a great book. If you like wine and live or are visiting New England, you should buy a bottle of Connecticut wine and read this book, either in a Adaronack chair by Long Island Sound or the Atlantic Ocean, or on the porch of some lovely back country summer home or inn. A fun, wonderful read!" - says Carlo Devito, author of East Coast Wineries: A Complete Guide from Maine to Virginia in his post over on his excellent blog. Thanks Carlo! We appreciate it.

Hopkins Barrel Festival

2011-06-06T16:03:00.000-07:00

Here we are signing books at the annual Hopkins Vineyard Barrel Festival. Bill, Hilary, and James were gracious and generous as always, and we hope to be back soon!

Poets and Writers of UB

2011-06-04T17:31:00.001-07:00

Necessary Voices: The UB Writers and Critics Series "The Poets of University of Bridgeport" from University of Bridgeport on Vimeo.

Check out this video of the annual poetry reading at UB (hosted by yours truly). Some amazing, emotional readings of heartfelt verse.

A Tale of Evolution and Revolution

2011-05-26T08:21:00.000-07:00

An article by Francois Steichen, a noted wine expert and writer, has come out in the Greenwich Citizen, called Connecticut Wines: A Tale of Evolution and Revolution. We met Francois at the Hopkins Barrel Tasting event, and he included our book in this tour-de-force defense of the blossoming Connecticut Wine Industry.

My favorite bit (that doesn't talk about our book):

"I would never suggest that Connecticut wines are "world-class," if by that it means that they will rival Hermitage, Piedmont, Rioja, the Mosel or the Rutherford Bench for complexity. Then again, while I would never pass up an invitation to dine at Jean-Georges, neither would I tell a friend who is offering me a perfectly-grilled steak with spring corn and a baked potato, 'Sorry, chum, but tonight, it's fast-food for me. The price is right, the service is in-and-out, and I won't waste time savoring the experience afterwards.'

In other words, it is downright ignorant to overlook Connecticut wines while simultaneously reaching for over-processed grape syrup on toast of the $12 to $15 ilk. There are few, if any, downright unpalatable wines made anymore in Connecticut. Moreover, the wines have a freshness that is only found in locally made products."

Beardsley Zoo Poem

2011-05-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

I have a poem up at the Bridgeport History Center website (which I have helped provide content for). It's about Beardsley Zoo. Enjoy!

Along the Metacomet Trail

2011-05-22T14:19:00.000-07:00

Hiking along the Metacomet Trail off of New Britain Avenue, near the old radar site.

A friendly garter snake along the way.

Couple Explores State's Vineyards

2011-05-19T19:04:00.001-07:00

Our new book, A History of Connecticut Wine, is featured in an article in the Housatonic Times by Jaime Ferris. Enjoy!

Why Museums Fail

2011-05-17T11:57:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking on the subject of why museums fail during my travels around the country the last few years. We see a primary reason in the always cash-strapped used bookstores all the time, and the same goes for museums - lazy inertia - people not adapting to changing times. Maybe the fact that curators or directors are sometimes not monetarily invested, the way a small business owner is, could be causing this disconnect. Whatever it is, if we want to preserve the past, someone has to step up.

Something as simple as a lack of taste, or sense of interor decoration, can sink a place. I have seen this time and time again. For Keats' sake, spend the money to get a designer and make the place look professional. Plant flowers outside. Use one kind of descriptive placard throughout the whole museum. Avoid posterboards on painters' easels; they look ridiculous. Make sure you have enough justification for a room or a display, but don't try to shove everything into one. And how about being clear where people can park? These are basic principles of a business, like a restaurant, and of course that is why they fail, too.

My advice, as a travel writer, a historian, and a customer, is to be professional in all things. We will enjoy the museum more, and maybe even recommend it to our friends. In the meantime, a lack of imagination and an inability to understand capitalism is destroying our nation's history faster than the bulldozers of condominium developers.

Three Poems

2011-05-10T13:58:00.001-07:00

Amy has three poems up at the SNReview: Loving the Maybes, Embargo, and Caesura. I can't decide whether my favorite is the one about smuggling Cuban cigars or camping in the autumn. They are all from her new book, Nomad's End, published by Finishing Line Press. Buy it here.

Invictus

2011-05-07T19:47:00.000-07:00

Invictus

by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

This woman, my wife, taught me the meaning of that poem, not by explaining it, but by showing me, every day, by example. She knows the fell clutch of circumstance, and has defeated it, and continues to defeat it, every day.

Robin's Egg in our Hedge

2011-05-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

The Phoebe of Spring

2011-05-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

Necessary Voices - Nomad's End

2011-04-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

Necessary Voices: The UB Writers and Critics Series "Nomad's End" from University of Bridgeport on Vimeo.

Here's the video of my lovely wife's reading and presentation at UB for the Necessary Voices lecture series. You might also recognize the bearded fellow who introduces her.

Sharpe Hill Vineyard

2011-04-25T16:24:00.000-07:00

This photo did not quite make the final cut of the History of Connecticut Wine, but I'll let you be the judge.

The Elias Child House

2011-04-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

We spent a lovely night at the Elias Child House some time ago. I highly recommend it for your lodging needs in northeast Connecticut.

150th Anniversary of the Civil War

2011-04-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

The Connecticut Post has an article out about an incident in Bridgeport during the Civil War, in which veterans of the Union Army clashed with local "copperheads." I was quoted several times in the article.

Enjoy!

Photo of the aftermath of the destruction of the Bridgeport Farmer courtesy of the Bridgeport History Center.

Afoot in Connecticut 40 - Alexander Calder

2011-04-15T14:54:00.001-07:00

Autumn at the Hill-stead Museum

2011-04-14T09:32:00.000-07:00

Savino Winery

2011-04-09T16:55:00.000-07:00

This tiny tasting room, perhaps the smallest in Connecticut, is hidden away in Woodbridge, just a mile from the New Haven border. Check it out if you get the chance!

Afoot in Connecticut 39 - Old Roads of Connecticut

2011-04-05T07:57:00.001-07:00

New Walking Sticks

2011-04-03T06:02:00.001-07:00

We tried out our new walking sticks yesterday, hiking five or six miles from our doorstep to the top of Mad Mare's Hill and then back around through Bethany to our home. A wonderful success.

Afoot in Connecticut 38 - Windsor Locks Canal

2011-03-28T17:06:00.001-07:00

Spring Wine

2011-03-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

Spring begins tomorrow.

Spring means heading out to the local wineries and trying the new vintages. See you there!

A History of Connecticut Wine Released

2011-03-16T10:39:00.001-07:00

The book is out! Get over to Amazon.com or to your local bookstore and pick up a copy.

Afoot in Connecticut 37 - The Wadsworth Atheneum

2011-03-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

Afoot in Connecticut 35 - Animal Activity

2011-03-01T16:30:00.001-08:00

A Great Deal of Company

2011-02-22T18:10:00.000-08:00

My wife, poet Amy Nawrocki, has a new poem published by Phi Kappa Phi's FORUM this Spring 2011. It's called "A Great Deal of Company" and highlights our encounter in Cape Cod's dunes with an artist named Laura Gajeweski (out there, Laura?). Amy's poem won runner up in this quarter's PKP poetry contest, her second to do so. I'm hoping next time will bring her a win!

Afoot in Connecticut 34 - Blackberries

2011-02-19T13:41:00.001-08:00

Dreaming of the Gaspe Peninsula

2011-02-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

Winter at Home

2011-02-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

The snow this winter has been amazing. Though it has caused some problems, I choose to focus on the beauty of it as much as possible.

Guess we won't be going into the hot tub anytime soon...

Amy Nawrocki Interviewed in The Port

2011-02-06T18:35:00.001-08:00

Following is the interview my wife Amy Nawrocki did in the local web magazine, The Port, a couple years ago. They have since folded, from what I can tell, so I thought I would repost it here in advance of her poetry reading next week.

TP: Why do you prefer writing as your artistic medium? What makes the art of
writing stand out to you amongst other forms of artistic expression?

AN: I like the way words combine with other words to create sound and meaning. I can’t do that with music (others can but I can’t or haven’t), with something like photography I could create meaning but I particularly like words, so writing suits me. For me, writing stands out as an art form because of a personal connection.

TP: You’re a professor. As a writer and educator, how do you incorporate your
passion into your career? What would be some advice you would give aspiring
writers?

AN: Aspiring writers should read, read, and then read some more. We can find passion in works that we love, so we need to return to them again and again. We also find passion when we discover something new, a new writer or different voice. I try to inspire passion in my students by introducing them to other passionate writers and works.

TP: What do you find inspiring about a city like Bridgeport? What changes have you seen and what would you like to see more of?

AN: I like Bridgeport for its diversity. I like being able to encounter people from many different cultures. I enjoy being in a place where everyone is different from me. Growing up, I didn’t really experience that, so it’s fantastic that Bridgeport has it. I’ve been excited by the development of downtown, especially lately.

TP: You and a fellow professor have submitted pieces, both on the subject of the ocean and Long Island Sound. The ocean is a familiar muse in all forms of
artwork. What is it about the ocean that you find so stirring?

AN: The ocean is first of all a source of beauty. It’s also draws us through each of the senses. It’s full of contradictions--overwhelming, full of terror, yet among the most calming and tranquil places or things. It makes me feel small and insignificant yet mighty and invisible all at the same time.

TP: Daylights savings time recently occurred and the days are getting shorter. Are you a morning or evening person? Do you prefer winter or spring? When
and where do you find your inspiration?

AN: I want to be a morning person; I like getting up and getting things done, but in actuality, I rarely do that. The same thing happens in the evening. I want to accomplish a lot, but I end up getting side-tracked or tired. So I guess I’d say I’m a mid morning, early evening kind of person.

I like the seasons for how they look—lots of snow in the winter, changing leaves in the fall, and new green buds and colorful flowers in the spring. Summer bores me usually, and I don’t really like the heat, so that’s last on the list. I find a lot of inspiration in nature, so often inspiration for me is found outdoors.

Necessary Voices Redux

2011-02-04T14:09:00.001-08:00

Afoot in Connecticut 33- Eastern Cottontail

2011-02-01T08:33:00.000-08:00

This is definitely the cutest subject of my ongoing series so far!

Afoot in Conneticut 32 - Gouveia Vineyard

2011-01-27T08:09:00.000-08:00

Afoot in Connecticut 31- Snow Tracks

2011-01-17T15:35:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the second season of Afoot in Connecticut! We begin just a few yards from my new house in the winter forest. I hope the hiatus has left you breathless for more of these videos, and I hope you like the next 30 that will be coming out in 2011.

Civil War Roundtable

2011-01-11T09:26:00.000-08:00

I had a great time presenting "The Dickermans of Hamden" to the Civil War Roundtable and Friends of the Hamden Library last night. I also spoke about the importance of telling local stories to connect people to not only the past, but each other.

Warm at Home

2011-01-03T13:27:00.000-08:00

Like these beavers in the Adirondacks, I am cozzled up at home today. There's a wood fire roaring, a hot toddy on my lap, and writing to be done. Later, an aged apple brandy from Westford Hill Distillery awaits. I just wrote about the Chateys and their wonderful eau-de-vie this morning, in the course of writing the History of Connecticut Wine. Of course they are not making wine, but...well, you'll see.

Roast chicken for dinner, and a relaxing night in front of the fire. Don't let such days pass you by. Savor each moment, like an amazing apple brandy, and life will seem long and meaningful.