East Rock Park is beautiful and accessible.
This weekend I took the Amtrak train down to New Haven to spend some time with some friends. The train was super crowded on the way there simce it was Memorial Day weekend, but luckily the way back was much less busy.
Food, as always, was a priority on this trip. We started off by making Paul Hollywood's Tarte Aux Abricot, but we subbed nectarines for apricots. The tarte turned out tasting delicious, though the texture of the creme patissiere was a little grainy due to the addition of corn flour. Overall, a great way to start the weekend.
Knife skills on display
Tarte Aux Abricots Recipe from How to Bake by Paul Hollywood
The store was out of apricots, so we went with nectarines instead.
After the tarte was done we set out to explore Yale's campus. Having two personal tour guides helped us find the most photogenic places on campus. I was particularly impressed by the libraries. The Rare Books Library is the one that I was most familiar with before arriving in New Haven. It's known for being a windowless, climate controlled place where researchers come to read very, very old books. Over time its reputation as an attraction has increased, and there are exhibits from Yale's collection around the perimeter of the library. Access to the shelves is, of course, stricly limited to researchers only.
A windowless space that offers windows into the world.
Something about the midcentury modern furniture composed behind the ornate arches made this view feel like it was out of the show Severance.
Only 21 copies of the Gutenberg Bible exist today, and Yale has one of them on display for the public to see.
More beautiful furniture.
Just before the sudden downpour the sky was blue and the air was breezy.
A sudden thunderstorm had us looking for cover, and the free Yale Art Gallery provided a stimulating reprieve from the terrible weather outside. It was surprising to see such a high quality museum on a college campus: there were Picassos, Basquiats, and Mondrians to name a few.
I love old silverware.
As someone who started therapy during the pandemic, this piece fully resonated with me.
A chilling perspective on the criminal justice system in America.
Finally, we spent a half-day hiking in East Rock Park which was a lovely way to end the weekend. It's easy to forget that nature is usually just around the corner. Hiking through the park was a great way to start the day (after some coffee from a place called Koffee?)
East Rock Park is beautiful and accessible.
Trans Love 💜
Sometimes greenery can be in black and white.
Late May is the perfect time to see lush greenery.