Let me start by saying that Marx Entertainment provided both DJ services and Photo Booth services…read morefor our wedding. We were very unhappy with the DJ but happy with the Photo Booth set up and staff. My husband and I had DJ Craig for our wedding in September 2023. We had two meetings with him beforehand were we discussed how we would like the night to run. In addition to a list of "must-play" songs (something we were encouraged to complete), we discussed how we would like our table-dash, anniversary dance, alumni photo, and private dance to operate. We also noted on multiple occasions during both calls that we DID NOT want a lot of remixes. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with how DJ Craig managed all of these aspects except for the table dash and private dance. Here is where our issues lie: - Out of our 30 or so must play songs maybe half were played. - As laid out on the Marx Entertainment website we chose a "last song" for the dance floor. DJ Craig played the song we designated as our last song as a way to open the dance floor. - The first 30 minutes were exclusively remixes and bad ones at that. It got to the point where we said something to DJ Craig, and while the music did get better, he still continued to play remixes. Honestly, a Spotify playlist would have been better. - The anniversary dance was something DJ Craig suggested and we loved the idea. However, instead of doing what he had described to us where he starts calling people off the dance floor after some dancing and starting with short time increments, DJ Craig called for anyone married for less than 5 years to leave the dance floor after approximately 20 seconds. People hadn't even REACHED the dance floor to start dancing at that point, including the parents of the groom. Not to mention we are a young couple and that kicked more than half of the people off the dance floor in one sweep. - College alumni photo was announced at a very weird time and very rushed. Just felt awkward - We were immediately asked once the lights turned on to provide a positive video review for DJ Craig. This was extremely uncomfortable and we gave dishonest feedback during it. We would NOT recommend him. Like I said previously, the Photo Booth staff was excellent and we loved the book they made us. We also had no issues with booking or prior communication with Marx. While the set up and logistical execution of the event went well we didn't feel our opinions were considered at all in song selection and that the fun mini-events we had throughout the night went poorly

We used MARX Entertainment for our wedding. They were easy going before the big day making sure…read morethey had all our speciality music. Day of they arrived ahead of time and set up both the ceremony area and reception area. they selected excellent music and our guests had a blast.

Extremely versatile community space - and a perfect addition to Billings Forge Community Works. The…read moreStudio hosts everything from yoga classes to art shows, music performances, and Sea Tea Improv. You can even rent it out for meetings or other events (which perks my ears since I plan events here and there). They also offer tons of enrichment programs for kids and adults in the Frog Hollow neighborhood. A great space connected to an awesome nonprofit? Sign me up!

I never knew that this place would host shows here. My friend had a progressive rock performance…read morehere with a few other groups. It's kind of a small and open place. I would say that it's definitely more preferable for art expos. It's still seems like a very nice, new and contemporary place. Right next door to some good eat places.

I love finding eclectic little beads in this shop! Linda has a wonderful selection of semi-precious…read morestones, glass beads, findings, and cute little dogs that run around the store, too. She also sells beautiful scarves and other goodies that she makes in the store herself (she's a wonderful artist) and gets from other artists in the U.S., too. She also does bead classes and other random promotional events (free pizza! bring your own wine!)--check this out! Make jewelry yourself for gifts and add your personal touch! It's always so appreciated. I've made many pairs of earrings (recent chandelier earrings) for friends and they always are in love with the beads, courtesy of Beadoir!

Such cute stuff. Love it. If your looking for a gift for a friend or relative this is the place to…read morefind it. Owner is amazing, super nice and helpful. will be coming back.

I started at Pilates Defined several years ago for weekly private sessions and have now added…read moreReformer class as well as virtual Mat classes. The instructors are all incredibly knowledgeable as they take into account each client's physical status. They honor the authentic Pilates methodology which is refreshing in today's world where it's fashionable to say you take Pilates. I highly recommend!

I have been going to Pilated Defined for about 2 years now. I can't say enough great things about…read morethe owner Jessica and the other instructors. The studio has a welcoming energy and all who work there are passionate about their clients health. I started going just once or twice a week. I now am there 3x per week at least!

This place was nice! We went for a group outing of seven people. When I called earlier in the week,…read morethe guy said we didn't need a reservation and could just walk in for Saturday. We all planned to meet there at 5 PM, but when we arrived, they told us we actually needed a reservation and had to come back at 6:45. Thankfully, West Hartford has plenty to do, so we walked around, grabbed some food, and returned for our reservation. One thing to know is that you pick the pottery you want to paint it's not a place where you make the pottery yourself. That has pros and cons, depending on your preferences. I'm honestly not that artistic when it comes to freehand painting, so I picked a simple snowflake design (probably the cheapest option at around $14). My friends picked reindeer, cookie trays, and other fun items. Painting was fun, but you have to leave your piece for 2-3 weeks to be glazed, so don't expect to take it home the same day. The space is small, but I liked the intimate setting. The staff was also very nice, and overall, I had a good experience. I would definitely go back.

I have not had a hand in pottery since high school so this was a nice activity to do and spend…read morequality time with friends and family. Claypen is located on Farmington Avenue in West Hartford Center between Walden and Dale streets. Lookout for the sessions posted outside if looking for something specific. I was attracted to the Studio Ghibli theme they were having and immediately made a reservation. I honestly didn't know what to expect until I arrived there. Upon check in, we were shown where we'd be seated and were told that we select any ceramic on the shelf and will be provided the paints and can even replenish it ourselves from the shelf. As well as take as much time as we needed to complete our design. My daughter did her own thing and drew Sanrio on different sides while I wanted to paint Haku and my friend, Totoro. I think it all came out really well!! I looked up an image tried to copy it onto the jar. Originally using a pencil and lightly tracing it onto the surface to not affect the image, although I was told that the pencil burns off during the baking process. We were also instructed to paint more than 1 coat so that the paint will show. The whole process was easy enough. When finished, everything can be brought to the counter for payment. Essentially the painting is free, it's the ceramic that needs to be paid for. I would think that the piece is averagely priced. If wanting to be sure, definitely ask before picking a piece. I'd certainly do this again.

Glow Hartford is definitely geared toward children (as is to be expected, but perhaps a tad more…read morethan expected), with lights, light swings, hoppity-hop areas, color-changing pads they can jump between, a small train, and some photo ops that kids will love. It's all indoors and warm, which is a plus for New England winters, but personally I'd rather find local outdoor light displays instead. For the lights themselves, the standout for most kids was probably the hanging "icicle" garden -- rows of lights you can walk through, which seemed to get the biggest reaction. Do it early enough next year, and you may even get a decent shot or two in time for your Shutterfly or equivalent Christmas card. The snack options were fine, and there's alcohol for adults, though some things are a bit on the expensive side. You'll probably also end up giving in to some of the add-ons -- glowing cups, light-up wands, or similar extras -- so your kid isn't the only one without one. (Maybe prepare yourself with a preemptive "OK, but just ONE.") The self-stamped passport activity was a nice touch, and the PEZ dispenser prize at the end was a cute detail. All in all, it's an OK experience and a nice family option if you take advantage of everything inside. I'd call it 3.5 stars -- fun to do once, but probably not something I'd make a yearly tradition.

"Morning glow, filled with light You can make the whole day…read morebright" (Michael Jackson) Glow is a family-friendly indoor winter festival of lights currently open in five Canadian cities, Eugene Oregon, and good old Hartford, CT. It was a beautiful display of color and design, highlighted by plenty of dazzling lights in the shape of iconic landmarks from around the world. If you ever hoped to see Christmas lights in the shape of the London Eye, Eiffel Tower, Asian temples, Taj Mahal, the Louvre, and London Bridge... well you'll be amazed at the images you see here. Complementing the visuals are bars, rides, food, photo ops with Santa and the Grinch, live music, and a vendor trade show. Plenty of kiddie activities too - a bounce house, train ride, glowing swing sets, and games. We saw quite a few families with kids of all ages, including a lot of strollers enjoying the show and taking advantage of the hundreds of photo ops. No doubt many of the pics will end up on next year's Christmas cards. All in all, this was a very enjoyable experience.

Cinestudio is an independent film theater that opened on the campus of Trinity College in Hartford,…read moreConnecticut in February 1970. It was founded by a group of Trinity College students that included Peter Stott, Ted Kroll, Peter McMorris, Charles Rumsey, James Hanley, Anne Risdon, Larry Stires and Randy Man. The group of film-obsessed students made a home for themselves in a little-used lecture hall inside the Clement Chemistry Building. The room, unfortunately, possessed troubled acoustics. Within two years, and with the help of Ralph Mauro from National Theater Supply and Lonny Jennings at Dolby, the sound issues were rectified and the room was transformed into a recreation of a 1930s film house. The grand opening (a double feature of "Alice's Restaurant" and The Beatles' "Yellow Submarine") was sold out. Cinestudio screens a variety of second-run, independent, foreign, and classic films. The single-screen venue has a seating capacity of approximately 485, 4K Digital Cinema systems, as well as 35mm and 70mm film projectors for use in studio archive presentations. Cinestudio features a spectacular gold Austrian screen curtain that rises at every show, real balcony seating, and the gold lion courant insignia. I recently visited Cinestudio for the first time. I read about it and an online article and couldn't believe that I had never heard of it before. I parked in a small parking lot on Summit Street and followed the sign which led me through a stone archway. As I walked along the Main Quad, I saw the neon color-changing lights of Cinestudio. Entering Cinestudio is a blast from the past. I purchased my ticket at the Fred Pfeil Memorial Ticket Booth (only $10 a show) and then headed to the concessions area where I purchased a giant bucket of popcorn for only $5. A volunteer told me, "The balcony is nice, but if this is your first time here then I recommend the lower level. You can hear the sound system much better." The interior of the theater was absolutely gorgeous with red accents. The film that I was seeing during my visit was the 1978 remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers": part of the theater's ongoing series "Our National Nightmare: 2026 Anxieties in 1970s American Film". Many screenings at Cinestudio are introduced by a guest speaker; this one featured Roger Benham. Although I have seen this film a number of times before, this was my first time seeing it on the silver screen....and it was so much more frightening now. This was my first visit to Cinestudio, but it certainly won't be my last!

I love Cinestudio, I will support this place foreverrrr! I got to see the secret agent which really…read morewasn't playing anywhere else in my area, besides one showing at AMC that I couldn't make. Cinestudio is now my go to spot for films that don't have large releases or general indie films. The theater is also so beautiful and classic! I can't wait to come back and bring friends.

My wife and I are driving around Connecticut (we grew up here, but many many years ago) and are…read morehitting up some local book shops while in the area. We were making our way through West Hartford when we stumbled across the River Bend Bookshop and just had to check it out. This shop is super cool looking because it's basically just inside of a small apartment. The shop itself has a cozy New England vibe and has a small to large section of pretty much every genre. Sadly, the horror section seems to be one of the smaller sections but hey, I don't live here, so clearly they know what their customers are looking for. Near the cash registers they have a nice selection of merch for the shop (sadly, no River Bend Bookshop Magnet) and a cool section dedicated to local authors and stuff like that. Overall, River Bend Bookshop is a super nice little book shop for the area and definitely a place worth checking out. Sadly, I didn't make a purchase on this trip because I can only fly back to LA with so much stuff, but I very much enjoyed checking this place out.

This is one of those places I wish I had growing up in CT. I make it a point to try and stop in…read morewhenever I'm back. This place just has that cozy, local charm that you won't find at other bookstores. The selection is great, the prices are fair, and their selection of bookmarks is pretty amazing. Could'a left with ten, but I need to cut back.