The Hamden Town Hall is actually a beautiful facility. The acoustics in the main hall are perfect…read morefor a performance. It is well preserved and a focal point for many gatherings and interesting functions. Tonight I had the pleasure of enjoying a performance by the Hamden Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble of more than 60 volunteer musicians in the Greater New Haven area. This ensemble is in it's 56th year. The concert was impressive and right in my backyard. I'm looking forward to their next performance on April 29, 2018 at 3:00.

The architectural details of this wonderful institution are unconditionally impressive…read more Thank goodness Hartford preserved this building that has been used as a city hall for many, many decades.

Unfortunately, I am disappointed with City Hall for not making it known that a silent, recorded…read moremeeting would be going on the day of my wedding. As someone completely new to this whole process, I was under the impression that I would have access to all parts of the second level for photos but that key piece of information was not relayed to me or my partner during the long process of planning. There were multiple but minor errors as well that gave me the sense that communication was not a strong suit within the event planning department. Upon confirmation for my wedding date, the wrong time frame was made for the reservation. It was quickly resolved so I thank them for that but then the number of attendees on the City Hall Rental form was also wrong. I was constantly double checking their work and what I needed was for all my information for my wedding to be handled with care and looked over with more detail. However, because the wedding was small we were able to find spots to photograph everyone without disrupting the guests and still enjoying the special moment. Also big shout out to the sweet security guard Jeff for being so helpful and welcoming on our wedding day!

Canton Public Works is located on River Road, across the street from the Canton Fire and Police…read moreDepartments. The building is adjacent to the Farmington River and the trail. There is a parking lot and restrooms for public use, right behind the building. There is also a sand pile, free for Canton residents during the winter for snow/ice. The Public Works Department is responsible for the following services for the town: -Snow and Ice removal -Transfer station operations/maintenance -Park maintenance -Town buildings/grounds maintenance -Pavement/storm water maintenance -Town infrastructure maintenance -Board of Ed. And Town athletic field maintenance -Special projects for the Town I've only lived in the town for a short period of time. However, I've seen the employees at work at all hours of the night, plowing and salting the roads. They've done a great job with that and keeping the town aesthetically pleasing. The parks are nicely maintained. For the most part, the roads are smooth; now that it's springtime, I am hoping some of the pot holes get fixed soon. The service is comparable to where I came from (Sunrise, FL), which was great. I used to live in Rhode Island and I don't remember seeing any presence of Public Works; the pot holes were outrageous and never got fixed there.

11/1/21 As many times as I've stopped at Connecticut D.E.E.P (Department of Energy and…read moreEnvironmental Protection) Headquarters, here, where the Connecticut River terminates at Long Island Sound, I'd never thought to review it. Aside from being the Headquarters, it's an extremely pleasant way to spend an afternoon fishing, or watching the egrets nesting atop of a tall piling about 50 yards from the terminus of the 1/4 mile all teak boardwalk constructed by the state. The boardwalk is only about five-six feet wide, and meanders under the Amtrak railroad bridge that crosses the river to a raised platform. The raised portion has a park bench that affords a great vantage point to view the egret's nest and the summer boat traffic coming and going onto "The Sound" as we call it. You can almost always find fishermen standing along the walk, trying to catch whatever fish are running that day. There is also a gazebo and there are some picnic tables provided on the sizable green in front of the DEEP building. All in all, a very pleasant spot, and very easy to get to.

"Good golly, Miss Molly, sure like to ball. When you're…read morerockin' and a rollin' Can't hear your momma call" (Little Richard) We spent a few lovely hours at Ball & Socket on Saturday. Although much of the complex is under renovation, it promises that once everything is completed in their five buildings, this place will be amazing. Ball & Socket Arts is transforming an abandoned industrial campus into an art and cultural destination with curated art, community meeting space, and a venue for music, theater and the humanities. They have a full schedule of upcoming art displays and workshops and have hosted free outdoor concerts for years. There was one free art exhibit on display when we visited called, "State of Alarm". It's a collection of textile works, wall reliefs, and prints that represent what their website describes as "the persistent climate of gun violence, war, and political instability shaping contemporary America". Pieces were collages made from spent bullets and shotgun shells, and one was made from hundreds of bullets fired into a piece of sheet metal. I thought the colors and patterns from those shells and bullets were transformed into some beautiful pieces. After our gallery visit, we strolled over to the Artsplace building for some ice cream at Sweet Claudes, then we walked to the other side of the complex to check out two awesome sculptures and a colorful mural. We ended our visit with a walk along the Cheshire section of the Farmington trail which runs behind the Ball & Socket property. I'm looking forward to a return visit when the renovations are completed. HISTORY Ball & Socket was a working factory for almost 150 years, from 1850 until 1992. Their products included metal buttons, and a slew of stamped metal products including jingle bells, cardholders, drawer pulls, fasteners, and razor parts. It was awesome to see a piece of public art that showcased some artifacts from their product line transformed into a sculpture.

This is a satellite location of the main town library. Open infrequently, and at weird hours…read more Vastly reduced selection compared to the main location. Mainly good for use as a "drop box" for returning items (which can be done 24x7), or for picking up items requested via the web interface. For those of us who live closer to this side of town, it's a lot more convenient than driving all the way to the main location. http://www.wallingford.lioninc.org

I brought my sons (20 months and 3 years old) to the Yalesville branch today. Although the…read moreselection of children's books was much more limited than the main library, there were still newer/popular books as well as classics. There was also a spacious play area, although dated, with puzzles, blocks, and a few toys. The library was extremely friendly and went out of her way to make sure my boys and I felt welcome and had a good experience. It is does not have the bells and whistles of the main branch, but for a satellite branch it meets my family's needs.

Imagine, that you just finished lunch at Kob Jai, Rudy's or the Whole Deli in Rocky Hill, and that…read moreyou need to pick up your CSA from Killam and Bassette ("K&B") in South Glastonbury. You could totally take the Silas Deane to 91 North, get off at the Route 3 North exit, take that to Route 2 East, quickly get all the way over to the left, take the left exit (Number 7) onto Route 17, and then connect up with southbound Main Street, which will get you to K&B. You could do that, but I've got an idea for you. You could type "Ferry Park" into your phone GPS and head down to the Rocky Hill side of the oldest continuously operating Ferry in the US. Sure, it will set you back about $5-$6, but you may see a bald eagle soaring over the Connecticut River. Or a sail boat. Did I mention you'll be taking a boat ride . . . while sitting in your car? How cool is that? And you know what happens when you get to the other side? You're in South Glastonbury, basically right near both the K&B Farm on Tryon Street and the K&B Farm stand on South Main Street. There are various activities near both sides of the Ferry Stops. There's great birding and photography opportunities on both sides. There's a short trail loop with historical lessons on signs on the So. G. side. You could bring a picnic meal or a coffee and just watch the River happenings. Make sure you check the Schedule before you go. But go, you should.

OK class, today's lesson is "Historic American Transportation". Would you believe that somewhere…read morein the US of A you can find a ferry crossing that has been providing unbroken public transportation service since 1655? That's not a typo -that is indeed 1655! That's over 350 years! Well, since a time that preceded the Declaration of Independence by 120 years, that ferry has crossed the CT River to connect the towns of Rocky Hill and Glastonbury, CT. A plaque from the CT Historical Commission reads: Nation's oldest continuously operating ferry. Since 1655, public transportation across the Connecticut River has been provided at this site, connecting the towns of Rocky Hill and Glastonbury, both formerly parts of Wethersfield. Motive power has been supplied at various times by poles, oars, a horse treadmill and a steam engine. Privately operated for 260 years, this ferry became a State facility in 1915. It is now operated by the State Department of Transportation. Crossing time, 4 minutes. State of Connecticut Department of Transportation in cooperation with The Connecticut Historical Commission 1973 It's a 2-sided marker with the same inscription on both sides. It's located at the entrance to Ferry Park with a ship's anchor displayed on the side facing the street. Ferry Park is a pretty area with waterfront access. I saw several crew boats sculling in the river on the afternoon I visited.

The Cheshire library has an area where they sell books, DVD's CD's, and audio books. On the main…read morefloor there is a very large children's room section with many programs and events. The lower level has an ample amount of public computers, quiet room,study rooms,newspapers, and magazines.There is also a, fax, scanner, and copy area available at very reasonable fees. The staff are friendly and extremely helpful. Parking is in the rare building.

Lots of interesting book displays and a decent selection of board games plus an ongoing book sale.read more