TV isn’t really something that we should use to gauge reality.  It is really bad at doing that.  Really bad.

Case in point — the Gilmore Girls.  A charming story about a mother and a daughter living in this idllic place called Stars Hollow.  It’s a town full of quirky characters and the town just looks so beautiful.  Who wouldn’t want to live there?

I remember watching the show continually and thinking — that looks like any other town in New England.  New England, I mean that’s a normal place.  What’s so special about it?  But then you realize that what’s normal and workaday is exotic to someone else.  When I went to Chile, I couldn’t get over how beautiful the mountains were off in the distance in Santiago and the locals just said — eh, las montañas.  That’s how I always felt when people were amazed by places like Stars Hollow or wherever I lived.  Eh, it’s just New England.

But no, it’s actually really special.  Here are some places that are close to home for me that I realized recently are pretty special and beautiful — Jamaica Plain and Walden Pond.  Oh and these were shot on film, my first film shots in 15 years.  Hence why they look like freshly done paintings.  Enjoy.