Inspired me to visit New Canaan

All I can say is "Me too!" I have never really wanted to see any places where movies were filmed until this movie became part of my subconscious. I have been to New Canaan twice now since last fall.

The only other place you should have considered visiting while walking was not connected to the movie and that is Philip Johnson's glass house. The house itself is located on Ponus Ridge, but the tour launches from 199 Elm Street (everyone is driven to the house as there is no parking at the house--199 Elm is very close to the train station) and was worth the price IMHO. I have seen countless photos of the house but standing inside it is just different and much more impressive than any photo.

If you walked out of Varnum's pharmacy front door and walked across Main street, you would be at the intersection of East Ave and Forest Street. In the movie this intersection is where Sandy and Wendy talked on their bikes just after Wendy lifted a devil dog. Forest Ave is home to a couple of good restaurants as well (Farmer's Table was my favorite.)

You really can't say you've 'done' New Canaan till you shoplifted something from the pharmacy.

I get why you would want to visit New Canaan. It has its sleepy charms and it doesn't seem too built up. I'm from Fairfield, which is not that far from New Canaan, as long as you aren't driving there in the morning. I dated a girl while going to NYU who was obsessed with the book. One December weekend she even had me drive her around New Canaan so she could get that wealthy New England feel (a lot of towns in Fairfield County have that feel--Wilton, Westport, even Redding to a degree, etc.) I have a deep fondness for Southport and certain parts of Greenfield Hill in Fairfield.

She even said I reminded her of one of the characters in the book. I never asked her which one. A good friend of mine stayed at Silver Hill Hospital for roughly two years, a place where wealthy people go to deal with their addictions and depression. I even visited him there once. I recall vividly they confiscated my car keys. In the book, I believe that hospital is referenced.

The movie and book are interesting and they both compliment each other very well. You get a real sense of that time period.

Ann Coulter grew up in New Canaan. She's the right age to be one of the kids in Ice Storm. Just sayin'...

The real life Varnum's Pharmacy has moved. I took a day trip to New Canaan today and did a double take as I walked by. The inside was empty, a for rent sign was in the front window, and a couple of paintings were on the floor leaning against the wall.

I searched on google and saw that it moved to East Avenue and is now called New Canaan Pharmacy. I took a walk and the outside looks like any other pharmacy. I am glad I got to see it a couple of years ago when it still looked like it did in the film.

Edit: I uploaded a couple of photos of the inside and outside of the old pharmacy building.
interior: http://imgur.com/R8KnFl0
exterior: http://imgur.com/m3fZ8Gq