A while ago, Libby and I figured out that we could get the 157×50 project done by age 40, but we’re horribly deficient in our state count. We’re now on a quest to do this and have three (maybe four) remaining trips to make it happen.
This weekend we’re visiting New England. All of it.
Today we flew on JetBlue from Tampa to Boston, leaving around 11am — a late departure but the best we could do for a direct flight. We rented a car at Logan and drove down to Rhode Island to visit the RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) Museum. The collection on display isn’t huge, but it’s reasonably encyclopedic and rather interesting (such as an early, small-scale Pollock drip painting).
RISD Museum
After our visit to the museum and RISD campus, we walked around the neighborhood and also checked out Brown University, which is located just up the hill. It was actually a really fun weekend to visit both schools as classes are just getting ready to start: lots of energy on campus with proud parents depositing their precocious offspring.
It was difficult not to be smitten with Providence:
Providence, RI
We left Providence around 5:30 and headed to Hartford, CT. It was a pleasant drive through small towns. Driving along, we found some evidence (confederate flags, aggressively pro firearm signs) of an underbelly of white nationalism / militia-types, which surprised us a bit outside of the South. Indeed, one of the towns seemed to have a small controversy brewing involving a proposed “para-military” / firearms training facility with many residents and businesses voicing their opposition in copious yard signs.
We arrived at the Marriott in downtown Hartford around 7pm. I’ve stayed here numerous time during my days at IVANS, given Hartford’s prominence in the insurance industry.
We had dinner at Bear’s Smokehouse, a local southern BBQ joint, that was nearby. They served very respectable, high quality ‘cue and sides in sizable portions: only problem was limited availability of meat selections having sold out earlier in the day. Dessert was awesome: a chocolate, genache-filled, maple syrup, bacon cupcake.
Bacon on my cupcake!
All in all, a good day!
Today’s box score: +3 states (MA, RI, CT)