claire's corner copia, inexpensive, (203) 562-3888. this chapel street outpost has served heart-healthy vegetarian dishes like curried couscous and eggplant rollatini since 1975. the bakery offerings at breakfast are delightful and worth waking up for; lithuanian coffee cake is one of their specialties.

hot tomato's, moderate to expensive, (203) 624-6331. the decor here may be old-school (the site is the former 1912 taft hotel), but the menu is decidedly new world, combining contemporary american and italian cuisines. and it's a great spot to gather before or after the show at the neighboring shubert theatre.

attractions
eli whitney museum, (203) 777-1833. a 1792 graduate of yale, eli whitney, as we all learned in school, was the inventor of the cotton gin, which revolutionized the agriculture industry. converted to a museum from a building bought by whitney in 1798, the depository traces the innovator's life and the origins of the modern factory.

outdoors
long wharf nature preserve, (203) 562-6655. nicknamed the elm city, new haven is an arborist's dream. the landscape is equally scenic at this nearby seaside trail along new haven harbor. don't forget to pack your walking shoes.

chris danes's connecticut

"when i was a high school kid, i just enjoyed riding my bike north and west of new haven. there are lots of small towns, and the roads are very well suited to riding. it's rural, and it's new england, and i would travel 30 or 40 miles.