Hartford Mayoral Candidates Forum: A Whole Lot of Meh

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Emily Gianquinto

Earlier this evening, I attended what I believe was the first forum/debate between the people who would like to be our new mayor. I expected it to be like most of the debates I’ve attended in the past few years — short on substance and long on canned campaign statements. Overall, my expectations were met. The situation was made worse by a terrible format for this event and a moderator with no moderating skills. There were a few interesting moments, however. Continue reading →

Posted in Bureaucrazy, Politicking | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Political Tool

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Julie Beman

It’s a risky business, politics. I mean, you could be an innocent kid who rides into the road on her bike and gets hit by a car, and suddenly you’re someone’s political tool.

From Twitter

@hartfordcourant
 Police: Child Riding A Bike In Hartford, Hit By Car http://cour.at/jgIPIs #connecticut #ctbreakingnews

QFT
@VargasforMayor
 @HartfordMayor – How many children have to be hit by cars before we can have a serious talk about #safety? http://cour.at/kM2H1Y #Hartford Continue reading →

Posted in Hartford, Street, Thought | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Real Hartford – Show Some Respect

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Julie Beman

“Hello beautiful

Hey mami

What’s your name? What’s your number?

Hey sexy!”

You must not miss this amazing post by Kerri over at Real Hartford: Show Some Respect.

Read it. Comment. Pass it on.

 

Posted in Community, Crime, Street, Thought, Useful Stuff, violence | 1 Comment

In Which Julie Sets Aside Guilt and Asks for What She Wants

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Julie Beman

After realizing that “furlough” means “loss of income” and not just “Mondays off” I decided that I shouldn’t try to buy a house when I moved back to Hartford. Roller coaster paystubs don’t inspire confidence in lenders.

So off I went in search of an apartment.

First of all, I have to tell you: craigslist isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. Slicing my way through the spam was extremely frustrating. And while many listings claim that dogs and cats are welcome, they really mean “no animals are welcome.” (Note to craigslist: if almost every landlord is leaving “dogs are OK: wooof” and “cats are OK: purrr” on their listings, you might consider redesigning your interface. That’s not user error.)

But anyway. Off I went in search of an apartment. Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, Self-Indulgence, Street, Thought, violence | 11 Comments

Summer’s On Its Way, Right?

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Julie Beman

This isn't me, but LOVE THAT CAP!

They tell me summer’s on its way. Apparently that’s proven by something called a calendar and not necessarily what’s going on outside the window. Strange thing, words and meaning and time and association.

Last “summer” I wasn’t living in Hartford, so this “summer” I’m not sure what kinds of things I can expect from this so-called warm and sunny season. So I was thinking…what do you recall from summers past that really bipped your buttons? What are you looking forward to doing this year? It doesn’t need to be in Hartford, but it would be good if it was something easy to get to, and affordable to people who don’t have a lot of money.

These are some things I’m looking forward to:

  • organizing Live in Hartford meet-ups at public events
  • playing tennis at the fabulous hidden courts that will not be identified
  • the Podunk Bluegrass Festival

What did you do last year that was awesome? Why was it awesome?

What are you planning to do this year?

I’ll pull your answers into a nice annotated list and use it as another post. That way we can let people know that there’s always something to enjoy in Hartford during the summer.

Perhaps your personal description of why it was great will give folks a little push in the direction of an event that they’re curious about but haven’t attended. That would be cool.

Thanks for playing!

Posted in Arts, Community, Fun, Hartford, Useful Stuff | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Put your junk where?

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Emily Gianquinto

There’s apparently been a spike in car break-ins throughout downtown Hartford. Generally, the thefts are smash and grabs and result in stolen GPS units or iPods.

According to an e-mail sent by my office building’s management to all tenants, HPD has actually witnessed thefts that have taken as little as 14 seconds from first sight of the product, to breaking the window, and then leaving the scene. (Side note: I hope every theft actually witnessed by HPD results in an arrest. Just saying.)

Lesson here — don’t leave your iPod, GPS, phone, etc in plain sight in your automobile. Kind of a “duh” moment, but we all forget to hide valuables at some point.

Continue reading →

Posted in Crime, General Whining, Street | 1 Comment

Formal Dining Room?

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Julie Beman

Not too long ago I was daydreaming about living in a tiny house. Perhaps a tiny house similar to this, called the Bodega:

The Bodega has a kitchen, a full bath and a fireplace. It’s also 261 square feet. Tiny.

I’m thinking about square footage these days as I’ve decided to come home. That is, I’m moving back to Hartford.

Continue reading →

Posted in Street, Thought | 1 Comment

A movie theater downtown?

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Emily Gianquinto

The Hartford Courant is reporting that a movie theater may become Front Street’s first tenant. Not just a movie theater — a movie theater that serves meals. Something a little unique.

If this is true, I just might take back all of the mean things I have said and thought about the whole “let’s just build storefronts and someone will come” idea that created the attractive but still very empty development down on Front Street.

Continue reading →

Posted in Community | 7 Comments

Adventures in Voting

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Emily Gianquinto

 


I just got back from voting at my local polling place, Kennelly School. It’s just a few blocks from my house.

I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m a political nerd. I’m such a political nerd that in a few elections, I was a poll worker in my hometown. I think voting is one of the most important things we do as citizens – and frankly, it’s one of the easiest things we do. Leading up to this election, the stories about voter apathy, low voter turnout, etc. had me depressed, like they always do.

Continue reading →

Posted in Bureaucrazy, Community, General Whining | 4 Comments

If you still think there’s nothing good going on in Hartford…

Posted on August 30, 2010 by Emily Gianquinto

… you’re just not paying attention.

There have been so many great events in Hartford this summer.

Jazz Fest (free), Taste of Hartford (for two weeks!), the Still Wavy concert put on by Hartford Party Starters Union and the Wadsworth starring Janelle Monae (free), vintage baseball in Colt Park (free), the VISA Gymnastics Championships (State House events free), Hartbeat Ensemble’s Plays in the Park (free), Kathleen Turner starring in High at TheaterWorks, the Wadsworth’s First Thursdays and other assorted free music performances, multiple performances and events at the riverfront including ballet and the Taste of Caribbean Festival (free), farmers’ markets (free to look), parades (free), fireworks (free), grown-up time at the Connecticut Science Center, Cirque de Soleil, free carousel rides, dragon boat races (free), Monday night jazz in Bushnell Park (free)…

Continue reading →

Posted in Arts, Community, Thought | 6 Comments