Hartford, CT & NYC On a Warm Summer Day

I went up to Hartford for business last week and then to New York City to attend a conference.

This was my first trip to Hartford and Connecticut. I didn't get a chance to see much. But I will be heading back and will have more opportunities to explore in the future.

I caught a ride down to Westport, a quiet town in Southwestern Connecticut, on the Long Island Sound. Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward and Michael Bolton reside there. I only had a few minutes to see the town before getting dropped off at the Metro North Railroad train station. The train pulled into the station just as I was getting out of the car. Talk about perfect timing.

The ride into NYC took over an hour. A lot longer than I expected. An interesting range of passengers hopped on and off the train.

The train finally arrived at Grand Central Terminal (Station). It almost sounds cliche to say that. I found my way to the Grand Hyatt and checked in. Then I caught up with a buddy and we went out for dinner. My friend picked the restaurant, which unbenounced to her, is a DC-based restaurant that I am very familiar with - The Capital Grille.

The Capital Grille got its start in DC, and is one of the restaurants where power lobbyists like to bring Members of Congress and staffers to wine and dine. The restaurant is best known for its dry aged steaks, which my friend had. I had the filet mignon, which was excellent.

After dinner, I went back to the hotel, caught up on some work, and tried to unwind. New York City has so much energy and vibrance that most people who go get hit with huge jolts of adrenaline. It definitely takes a little time to adjust to.

And that brought an end to the first day of my trip.