Viewing the glass as half-full

An e-mail came in this week from a reader who described herself as “Disgusted with the Northwest Corner,� and down on Litchfield County’s two most populated towns. Her correspondence is as follows:

Dear Editor,

I’ve lived in the area for nine years and every year I become more and more appalled at the lack of culture and education here. Let’s face it. People who either live in Torrington or Winsted (or were born here) talk about what a joke these towns are. Between Torrington being Connecticut’s “Outpatient Capital,â€� and well, we all know about “Wincestâ€� … I mean, doesn’t anyone care?  I’m sorry if this seems harsh, but I find it embarrassing to have to tell people where I live and that I actually chose to move here. Trust that if I had the financial means I’d be gone in a heartbeat.

At the very least we need fewer Stop & Shops, home improvement centers … C’mon … At least pretend to try. God forbid we get a decent restaurant and a Barnes & Noble.

You get the idea. We’d like to share with your our editor’s response, which starts below:

Hi Disgusted,

Sounds like you’re viewing the glass as half-empty. I know some of the lack of culture can be a drag and an embarrassment, but there are opportunities for enlightenment in both Winsted and Torrington if you stop and take a look around.

In Winsted, we have informative talks at Northwestern Connecticut Community College, excellent movies at the Gilson, tasty Italian food at Mario’s Tuscany Grill, great Mexican dishes at Padre’s, fun recreational events at R&B Sports World, night life at the Swingin’ Parrot café, live music at Billy Ray’s, hiking trails, beaches and swimming at Highland Lake, fantastic breakfast spots like Kelly’s Kitchen, Cackleberries and the Winsted Diner, summer concerts in East End Park, opportunities for civic involvement with Friends of Main Street, the Winsted Recreation Department, Elks Lodge and Laurel City Commission and everyday shopping, all within a 10-minute walk.

Oh yes, and you have a fantastic independent community newspaper, The Winsted Journal.

In Torrington, you can see great shows and take acting classes at the Warner Theatre, shop safely at unique downtown stores, enjoy concerts at Coe Park, check out educational programs at UConn’s Torrington branch, sing karaoke at Gina’s or the Winchester Café, have a $7.95 prime rib dinner at the Northside Café, indulge in the impressive tequila menu at Dos Amigos and drink hand-crafted brews while catching some live music at the Cambridge House.

I’m just getting started.

Sure, the economy is rough and there are ongoing societal problems in our towns, but I think there are people out there who are trying to make it better. The challenge is to view the problems as opportunities.

Thanks for the note — hope this helps.

Michael Marciano

Editor, The Winsted Journal

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