The Sanctum is a pinball arcade, club and cooperative that opened in Meriden, Connecticut in 2014…read more It was founded by friends Jim Swain Jr. and Matt Boschert. The two decided to open their own pinball arcade when they realized that there was barely anywhere to play pinball in Connecticut. Swain and Boschert's goal wasn't just to open a place for recreational pinball gameplay, but also competitive pinball gameplay. Located on the second floor of an old factory building, The Sanctum is run in collaboration with the International Flipper Pinball Association. The name of the arcade is a reference to "entering the Sanctum", a feature on "The Shadow": a pinball machine adaptation of the 1994 film of the same name. The Sanctum is open every Monday night from 7PM to Midnight. It frequently hosts local leagues like the Connecticut, Rhode Island Pinball League (or "CRAP") who train to compete in regional and divisional pinball tournaments. However, customers don't need to be competitive players to gain entry. The Sanctum is open to all players (whether competitive or recreational) regardless of their age or gender. A $20 donation grants guests unlimited freeplay for the entire evening. Although food and beverages aren't served, guests may bring their own. I recently visited The Sanctum during one of their Monday night open houses. From the exterior of the old factory building, it's not obvious at all that there's a pinball arcade inside. After walking up the stairwell, and down a long winding hallway, I finally made my way to the entrance. I arrived shortly after they opened for the evening, and I felt like I was entering some sort of secret pinball speakeasy. I paid the $20 donation fee and began to explore The Sanctum's 50 machines. I was told that the machines get rotated out regularly. There was a good balance of new machines as well as classic ones. A lot of people were there to train for tournaments, but I was only interested in some old fashioned pinball fun. I had a blast! I ended up staying for almost the entire night and I probably tried just about every machine there. Some of my favorites included "Rush", "Alien", "Pulp Fiction", "The Shadow", "King Kong: Myth of Terror Island", "Godzilla" and "Evil Dead". This place is a pinball paradise and I can't wait to return! If you're a serious fan of pinball, then you need to go to the Sanctum! The Sanctum is a pinball arcade, club and cooperative that opened in Meriden, Connecticut in 2014. It was founded by friends Jim Swain Jr. and Matt Boschert. The two decided to open their own pinball arcade when they realized that there was barely anywhere to play pinball in Connecticut. Swain and Boschert's goal wasn't just to open a place for recreational pinball gameplay, but also competitive pinball gameplay. Located on the second floor of an old factory building, The Sanctum is run in collaboration with the International Flipper Pinball Association. The name of the arcade is a reference to "entering the Sanctum", a feature on "The Shadow": a pinball machine adaptation of the 1994 film of the same name. The Sanctum is open every Monday night from 7PM to Midnight. It frequently hosts local leagues like the Connecticut, Rhode Island Pinball League (or "CRAP") who train to compete in regional and divisional pinball tournaments. However, customers don't need to be competitive players to gain entry. The Sanctum is open to all players (whether competitive or recreational) regardless of their age or gender. A $20 donation grants guests unlimited freeplay for the entire evening. Although food and beverages aren't served, guests may bring their own. I recently visited The Sanctum during one of their Monday night open houses. From the exterior of the old factory building, it's not obvious at all that there's a pinball arcade inside. After walking up the stairwell, and down a long winding hallway, I finally made my way to the entrance. I arrived shortly after they opened for the evening, and I felt like I was entering some sort of secret pinball speakeasy. I paid the $20 donation fee and began to explore The Sanctum's 50 machines. I was told that the machines get rotated out regularly. There was a good balance of new machines as well as classic ones. A lot of people were there to train for tournaments, but I was only interested in some old fashioned pinball fun. I had a blast! I ended up staying for almost the entire night and I probably tried just about every machine there. Some of my favorites included "Rush", "Alien", "Pulp Fiction", "The Shadow", "King Kong: Myth of Terror Island", "Godzilla" and "Evil Dead". This place is a pinball paradise and I can't wait to return! If you're a serious fan of pinball, then you need to go to the Sanctum!

CT's pinball mecca. Monday night play is a great time - $10 gets you free play from 6:30 to…read moremidnight and they've got an impressive lineup of 40+ games. They've also got pinball leagues which are.... needless today, out of my league. "Hidden gem" is a completely overused term but so appropriate for a wonderful spot like this.

Having free or near-free concerts and performances in this and other Yale buildings is one of the…read morebest perks of living in the New Haven area. It's one of those hidden gem experiences that you owe yourself to check out whether you're local or just passing through. Woolsey Hall in particular is impressive. It's a grand, ornate hall with fantastic acoustics. The chairs are wooden, so the sensitive may want to bring a cushion. But otherwise, it's a world class hall that's impressively accessible.

Woolsey Hall is one of those places you don't hear about that often but you have to go there…read moreespecially if you enjoy classical music. Concerts usually range from free admission to $10. You can't go wrong and the music is spectacular! If you Google the Yale school of music concert list you will get all of the upcoming concerts. Some also happen during the week and there are also a few jazz concerts during the semester at Sprague hall next-door. I have seen award-winning musicians at both venues. If you go there make sure you look up at the ceiling and back over the second balcony. Also, make sure you sit on the first balcony in the center if it's not reserved, you will get a better view and hear better sound.

Since reading The Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly I became obsessed with visiting the…read moreBellamy-Ferriday House. My mom and I went to Connecticut in the middle of October during COVID. Because of COVID, we had to purchase the tickets a week before we were to tour the house. Pros though, the tour groups are a lot smaller than pre-COVID times, which is fantastic. We were with two other women who were a lot of fun and from Connecticut. It made the tour all the more better. Peg, the executive director, started the tour in the kitchen of the Bellamy-Ferriday House. We heard about a whole lot of history, including some Hamilton history thrown in the mix. Muffy then took us through the rest of the house telling us that Caroline had passed away on the chaise in the library. The library was my favorite room. I wish there was a little more talk on the Ravensbruck women who were brought to the house. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take photos inside of the house. Also, because of COVID a con was we couldn't see the second floor of the house, which didn't really make sense. The tour group was extremely small and they cited that we couldn't go upstairs as a group to see Caroline Ferriday's room, etc. I wish they would have allowed each "family" that came together to take a quick look around upstairs and then come back downstairs. Gary took us around the grounds of the house and his part of the tour was my favorite. He was funny and personable and just a genuinely good guy. And he looked like Richard Gere. The tour was about 2 hours long. I'm sure if the group was bigger it wouldn't have lasted that long. I love an in-depth tour. This was one of my most favorite tours I have taken. The tour guides were fantastic and knowledgeable and the subject matter was of great interest to me. Fun fact: Gary told us that the Bellamy-Ferriday House has the largest rose book collection with over 1,000 books. Also, the grounds have an elm tree that happened to escape the devastating beetle attacks that most elm succumb to. There is on-site parking and a cute gift shop that sells The Lilac Girls and other trinkets. If you are into history and WWII history, definitely check this place out. The grounds are wonderful and the tour is fabulous and it is given by great people. I hope to one day get to this site when the lilacs are in full bloom.

I knew nothing about this home or the owners before coming. We only came because my mom wanted to…read morevisit after reading Lilac Girls. I'm glad we tagged along. Learning a piece of American history that is not covered anywhere. I also very much appreciate our guide and how the information was presented. Not only does he cover information about the home and who the owners were but there is dedicated attention on uncomfortable conversations like the Holocaust and the terrible things that happened. Caroline Ferriday was a remarkable woman and more people should learn about her and then other remarkable women in her family. This will make more sense once you take the tour or read the book Lilac Girls. We were only able to see the first level because the second story was undergoing wall paper restoration.

This is one classy group of ladies!…read more Last night the Boston Derby Dames B team (The Boston B Party) packed up our skates and headed down for a scrimmage. They were awesome on and off the track and it was definitely worth the 2.5 hour drive each way. I hope we get to play them again soon!!! If you haven't seen them in action yet you're totally missing out! Their 2nd season starts January 27th. Check out their website for more info. xo Jennasaurus Wrecks # r04r Boston Derby Dames- Cosmonaughtie & Boston B Party

I signed-up last minute for their roller derby bootcamp and had an absolute blast. With no prior…read moreroller derby experience, I was a bit nervous but the girls were friendly and welcoming. After all the skills and drills ended - I rolled off the track feeling more confident and excited for more. If you're looking to get into roller derby, check out the CT RollerGirls!

This was such a fun night! It's so cool being in a space where everyone's just vibing. I'm pretty…read morecompetitive so we played a lot of multiplayer games and of course I came in first for our Mario Kart race. There are more games downstairs but skee-ball and a chill vibe upstairs takes the cake for me. The service is quick at the bar and we all liked our drinks. I can't remember the name of the shot but it almost tasted like a green tea shot and was pink... get that!

I've been here once before, but when only the first floor was open. Their second floor was a nice…read moreaddition. Service is quick and attentive. Upstairs has cans and bottles only, nothing on tap. There are not as many games upstairs but lots of lounge and seating areas. Bathrooms on both floors too! I love the variety of games, old school pinball machines and arcade games. It's a great time for a date night or a night out with friends.

It's hard to find something original to say about the beloved Goodspeed Opera House. Nestled…read morebetween Main Street and the Connecticut river, this beautiful building has been operating as a musical theater since 1963. We have been very lucky to have had many talented singers and actors light up the stage. I love to visit the area in the spring and summer, just so that we can see the river, visit Goodspeed's Station Country Store (over the bridge) and Gillette Castle (10 min away). On this visit on November 23rd, we celebrated my mother-in-law's birthday with dinner next door at the Gelston House and one of my favorite Christmas musical movies, White Christmas. The production was beautiful and everyone in our group enjoyed it. If you've never been here, you will want to get here early for the best parking. We arrived around 4:30 and were behind Goodspeed and Gelston and were only able to find parking toward the very back. It is quite the walk for people with leg or feet issues. It's best to drop these people off at the doors before finding a parking spot. Our tickets were at will call, which can be found on either side of the grand staircase. Before they allow you to your seats you can go to the back of the building where you will find a bar, restrooms and a concession stand that also sells a few keepsakes (hats, ornaments, etc). Being sensitive to people with mobility issues, I would again suggest getting floor seats as the orchestra is many flights up and the low ceiling and narrow aisles makes it hard for many to maneuver. The acoustics are wonderful, so even if you get a seat with a slightly obstructed view, you won't miss any part of the show. If you are buying tickets as a gift or just for yourself, you will be happy to know that you are supporting the arts and keeping this beautiful location around for others to enjoy.

From the festive and historic building facade, along with its charming waterfront locale, I was…read moresmitten. Upon entering, the ushers were friendly and helpful. The real magic, though, was the spectacular cast of Crazy for You. There wasn't a weak performer on that stage! Bravo & Brava, in no particular order!

WOW! What a beautiful place! We went to a wedding shower here and everyone that worked there was…read moreamazing! The food was outstanding! Every single dish was delicious, the bartender was terrific, the room was gorgeous! It was a great day and I can't think of one thing that could have been better. Great job Hawk's Landing!!

We recently hosted our Jack & Jill in the Bella Vista room at Hawks Landing Country Club, and we…read moretruly could not have asked for a better experience. The staff we worked with were absolutely wonderful, especially Paul, Peyton, and Parker. Peyton worked tirelessly throughout the event to help orchestrate everything and make sure every detail came together perfectly. No matter what we needed, they never told us "no" - they were incredibly accommodating and genuinely cared about making our vision happen. The food was fantastic, everything ran smoothly, and the room looked beautiful. Overall, the event came out even better than we could have imagined, and we are so grateful to the entire team for helping make it such a special and successful day. We would absolutely recommend Hawks Landing for an event!

DeLuca field is home of the Startford Brakettes - a semi-pro women's softball team that has been…read moreactive since the 1940s and has been a champion for decades. It is a small stadium housing about 1800. There are two levels of seating - blue (molded plastic back) and red (benches with back support) - with reasonable prices, and pretty much every seat has a good view of the game. The snack bar is tiny and basic - hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, popcorn, soda - but everything is tasty. If you're looking for a fun time out for the family, this is a great choice at a great price.