The Smart Growth America website wants to know what is it that you love about your community:
Your community is more than just the setting and background for your life — it’s the place you’ve chosen to live in each day. From the people you know and the things you [...]
A bit of good news that should not be overlooked is that 78 firearms were voluntarily handed over. The Hartford Police Department reports:
Hartford – On December 5, 2009 the Hartford Police Department in conjunction with Hartford Hospital, Saint Francis Hospital, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center and the Community Renewal [...]
The most interesting ideas of last evening’s One City, One Plan POCD meeting arose during the small group discussions. The meeting was held in the Connecticut Science Center.
A theme throughout several of the group discussions was that of sustainable design, planning, zoning, and ordinances. If a person, organization, or [...]
If having to pick favorites between the first season Ebeneeza and the one I saw last night, I would have to choose the former.
The venue of Charter Oak Cultural Center seemed better suited than the Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts in a few ways. That sounds [...]
I was able to preview the 36th Annual Festival of Trees and Traditions at the Wadsworth’s First Thursday event last night. Here are a few images from the display and the event:
The festival continues [...]
I have consistently heard that people need cars in Hartford. The lack of grocery stores in downtown is one reason cited for this claim. The lack of public transportation is also evidenced. Recently, in discussions about the Plan of Conservation and Development, this car “need” as been [...]
Crude, a documentary, will finish its run at Real Art Ways tomorrow evening. It’s worth seeing, if for no other reason than that it does not fixate on Iraq, hybrid cars, or George W. Bush. The film documents the long, arduous, and frustrating class action lawsuit against Chevron-Texaco [...]
Toni Gold, resident and one of the panelists at this morning’s forum on transportation, commented that the POCD must be less timid and more aggressive if it is to be successful. The packed house of audience participants seemed to agree with her.
After some introductory comments from Chief Operating Officer David [...]
Just as I was lamenting my inability to go see the Hartford Symphony Orchestra this year, I received notice from a friend that part of the HSO would be performing for free at Trinity College last night.
The performance was in the Trinity College Chapel, which I had [...]
Two days ago Cityline published a letter that Rich Wareing sent to numerous individuals regarding the plan to house a “no freeze” shelter at the Center Church downtown. He wrote:
Indeed, that Mr. McGovern would seriously consider locating a facilty which the City estimates will be 50% utilized by registered [...]
Erratic drivers sure put a sparkle in my morning.
On some days, I have been taking a route to work that utilizes one of the few proper bike lanes in the city. While it’s marked well, that does not mean that it is kept free of debris or respected as a [...]
This book, copyright date of 1928, is the definition of quaint.
I happened across this at the library while looking for information on Hartford’s Dutch roots. Sure, I could use the card catalog, but I like to be surprised by what is on the shelves. The purpose of this book is [...]
As reported by Cityline, rJo Winch’s recent taxpayer-funded trip to Texas for a conference cost $2600. Like any sort of work meeting, some are absolutely beneficial while others are wastes of time. I am not even going to speculate about whether or not this professional conference was worth the [...]
A press release from the Institute for Community Research:
Hmong embroiderers, Burmese Karen weavers, a Liberian tailor, a Lithuanian book illustrator, and a Somali basket weaver are just some of the artists who will demonstrate their crafts and sell their work at a folk artists’ marketplace on Saturday, November 14, 2009 [...]
Already there is one serious contender in the race. You can even follow his tweets which outline his platform.
[...]This Friday evening (5:30-7:30) is the reception for the American Mural Project at the Hartford Public Library. They are calling this the “largest collaborative artwork in the world.”
[...]This morning I was greeted with one of the best surprises ever — the area of Capitol Avenue between Laurel and Forest (AKA The Stretch of Sketch AKA The Corridor of Hope) was cleaned up. There was still litter on the sidewalk, but I mean that the real annoying mess [...]
Since I’m in the middle of something pretty epic, blogging is likely to be erratic for the next few weeks.
[...]Public participation is encouraged at these meetings of Hartford’s Plan of Conservation and Development. The POCD site states that “Every ten years, the Hartford Planning and Zoning Commission is charged by Section 8-23 of the Connecticut General Statutes to prepare a Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) for the [...]
The hottest spot in Hartford right now is the Hartford Public Library.
Does this mean I am getting older or nerdier? I’m not sure. In any case, I am continually impressed by how much I benefit from a place that does not charge a fee at the door.
Buying a home (or, [...]
Some people I have spoken with in the past few days were totally unaware that there was an election on Tuesday.
Others, however, are sharply aware. Check out the latest posts on Live in Hartford and IonHartford.
[...]Heather Brandon has published the results of yesterday’s Board of Education election on her blog, Urban Compass.
[...]Very little of Hartford can be seen by driving through it on the interstate. There are buildings, cars, billboards, but no context. Driving means finding a parking space, paying to park, worrying about the car, and then sitting in a traffic jam. How much time have I squandered sitting in [...]
The online Hartford Courant published a wacky news item that at first I thought had to be part of an April Fool’s edition:
Keney Park Bust Nets 35 Summonses, 4 Pounds Of Pot
12:01 p.m. EST, November 3, 2009
HARTFORD — - Halloween night, officers with the Hartford police northeast conditions unit [...]
Just a reminder that the Board of Education election will be held this Tuesday from 6am to 8pm. For a list of polling places, go to the Registrar of Voters site. To read a detailed review of last week’s candidate forum, go to “BOE Candidates Forum: A Glance [...]
November 6-8th will feature the All Saints Orthodox Church’s (on Scarborough Street) 36th Annual Russian Tea Room and Bazaar. The Yale Russian Chorus will kick off the weekend’s events with their performance on Friday evening. There will also be crafts, jewelery, and traditional Russian food.
There were only a handful of us, but we were affiliated with a much larger, older group. We would wear all black, or at least black shirts. We wore black eyeliner, crimson lipstick, and black boots. Our symbol was written on all of our textbooks and sometimes on bathroom walls. [...]
That last post, the one about the Board of Education candidates, was post #666.
[...]This site has moved to Real Hartford. There will be no new updates here.
[...]This blog has moved to www.realhartford.org . Please update your bookmarks, feed readers, links, blogrolls, etc.
[...]Real Hartford is moving to a new address:
www.realhartford.org
Effective . . . now!
There will be no more updated posts at this old address, so please be sure to update your bookmarks, blogrolls, readers, or whatever method you are using to regularly access this blog.
[...]
This week marks the one-year anniversary of the re-opened La Paloma Sabanera. There are specials all week to celebrate. Congratulations to Virginia and staff for bringing the coffee shop back to life!
Thanks to punkpink is a bandits tip and Queers Without Borders for sharing this video clip. “How to Tell People They Sound Racist” is the basic formula one can follow for telling someone s/he sounds sexist or heterosexist or whatever. For more about how and why the [...]
The Connecticut State Library site states:
All fireworks except for sparklers and fountains are illegal in Connecticut. Violators are subject to a fine of up to $100 or up to 90 days in jail or both. Only persons sixteen years of age or older [...]
This year’s Riverfest won’t be held until July 11th. Kind of anticlimactic, dontcha think? They’ve made it up to us, though, by having Asia headline the event.
Yes, that Asia.
Maybe.
The Asia website does not list the Riverfest performance; it is not unusual for bands to omit [...]
I have been wanting to post pictures of the strange things that I find while walking around Hartford. The idea came to me last summer when on my way to the University of Hartford I saw a Bible left on the sidewalk on Scarborough [...]
Through a West End Civic Association email, I learned about an armed home invasion that seems to never have been reported in any of the local news outlets. According to the email, this is what went down:
As many of you have already heard, on Saturday, [...]
iQuilt intends to improve pedestrian routes from Bushnell Park to the Connecticut River, along with connecting cultural sites in Hartford. The Bushnell’s website explains:
Hartford – unlike many American cities – enjoys a remarkably compact and clearly bounded downtown. With the small square area of [...]
This Friday, from 7-9 a.m., cyclists will be able to receive free five minute massages at the Old State House. This is a special to the monthly Bike-to-Work, which usually provides free breakfast to participants.
On Monday, June 29th, there will be a public [...]
Last Thursday, as I sat in Real Art Ways watching Fuel, I kept thinking that if this film were an essay, I would have given it a very low score, even though I share the core belief that sustainable energy is good and necessary.
The narration [...]
Canceled due to rain!
This Friday is the annual Strawberry Shortcake Festival. It kicks off the West End Farmer’s Market (though technically, the first day will be tomorrow–Tuesday June 16th–from 4-7pm) located at the United Methodist Church (corner of South [...]
There are a number of ways to become more intimate with Hartford. In September, there is a bicycle and walking tour that takes participants for a ten or twenty-five mile loop around the city. There is a historical walking tour focused on downtown. [...]
City Steam Brewery will now be showing “classic” movies on Monday nights in the Richardson Room, which is back behind where the pool tables are.
Here is the schedule for the next few weeks:
June 15: The Breakfast Club
June 22: Rear Window
June 29: ET
[...]
There will be a carnival in Pope Park from June 3-7th.
Details are posted on random telephone poles and lamp posts around Hartford.
[...]
On Saturday, May 30th, the Connecticut Science Center hosted “Out of this World,” a pre-opening celebration. You’ll probably read plenty of fact-filled reviews and articles about the new center; let me guide you through the gala and science center with no attempt at objectivity.
[...]
I’ve always envied Linda Hamilton’s “I-will-throw-your-ass-off-a-building-as-soon-as-look-at-you” muscles in Terminator II. Just this morning I was lamenting the sad state of my biceps. Hours later, I learned via Hartford Cityline that a new gym was added to the third floor of City Hall. The equipment seems to be funded by [...]
Over the last few days, a series of white poles have popped up on a hill in Pope Park. From a distance, they do not look like anything other than stakes hammered into the ground. The clotheslines actually form a labyrinth which allegedly “addresses the migratory [...]
May 22-30, 2009 at Cinestudio, the CT Gay & Lesbian Film Festival returns to Hartford. And really, how can anyone resist seeing a nine minute film called Shafted with this as the description:
When femme lesbian Lyndsay finds that her butch ex took all of their sex toys she will [...]
