I haven't thought about this in a long time but just came across the old review. I've been…read moredeleting old reviews. Thinking back... We were never offered our deposit back (thousands of dollars), despite the date getting booked by another party shortly after our decision to postpone the wedding. We cancelled with several months notice. We didn't receive any follow up communications. I suppose I am still really disappointed by the lack of compassion and the poor business practices. Aside from the money, which I made my peace with soon after, the gossiping about us was just plain hurtful. Despite the beautiful ambiance, I would never ever recommend this place.

Came for the Haunted Tavern with a group of friends. Spooky stories surrounding the Durham area…read moretold by some pretty quirky individuals. We were greeted with the poison Apple martini and enjoyed the show while sipping on the bloodsucker. The killer coconut was my favorite! The haunted Taverntini was thankfully last, but the creamy peanut buttery and chocolate mix was the perfect dessert drink. The drinks were by far the best thing. I'm not sure if the crowd found the stories amusing because of the alcohol, but this was not the paranormal mostly stories I had in mind. This was more of a series of unfortunate events that were told throughout the show.

"I feel like a number I'm not a number…read moreDammit I'm a man" (Bob Seger) We didn't visit the Oakwood Sports Center to run on their 40,000 square feet of turf fields, bounce a ball on their 30,000 square feet of basketball/volleyball courts, smash a forehand on one of their 6 pickleball courts, or workout somewhere on their 5,000 square feet of turf for strength and conditioning training. Oh no, we were there to check out the sixty-five home repair and maintenance exhibitors at the Hartford Home Show. The exhibitors represented a very wide cross section of things a homeowner has to deal with. Want some examples? Of course you do. Here's a few samples of the vendor categories (and you might want to take a deep breath before you read this). Kitchens, Bathrooms, Windows, Roofing, Siding, Landscaping, Gutters, Solar, Decks, Dormers, Sunrooms, Awnings, Basements, Doors, Fences, Flooring, Pavers, Waterproofing, Heating & Air Conditioning, Plumbing, Garage Doors, Painting, Custom Woodworking, Skylights, Security Systems, Tree Service, Chimney Services, Energy Conservation, Insulation, Lawn Care, Liquid Vinyl Coating, Mattresses, Furniture Refinishing, Millwork, Storage Facilities, Real Estate Sales, Mold Remediation, Power Washing, and Wireless Internet Services. I guess that covers everything except nosy neighbors. The Home Show was inside a large open area where we walked up and down the aisles and answered the same questions countless times about the condition of our roof and gutters. We checked out the rest of the facility, and saw they had a full bar, food service, and a nice seating area overlooking the indoor athletic fields where youth leagues were going at it. Oakwood Sports Center really is quite an impressive facility.

A beautiful park! It was the perfect place for the Head of the Riverfront Regatta wasn't pleased…read morewith the parking situation but that had nothing to do with the park. When the crew races are there it is extremely packed so it's not really a good time to take a leisurely stroll as there are literally thousands of people there. Beautiful place to take pictures by the water or the boathouse especially at this time of the year with the leaves.

What a hidden gem within Hartford! I was here for a low-key corporate picnic. The Boathouse sits…read moreright on the Connecticut River and functions as both practical boathouse (lower level) and event space (upper level). The parking was incredibly convenient and directions to the Boathouse itself were very clear. We did have a small spot of difficulty finding the door to go to the upper level however. Once upstairs, the view of the CT River, East Hartford, and Hartford was spectacular. The late summer afternoon sun plus faint breeze made for a perfectly comfortable time. People mingled at standing tables and around the benches on the upper deck (and there were a respectable number of benches, which isn't often the case). Inside the event space were polished wooden floors and high ceilings. A coworker noted the restrooms were somewhat oddly placed behind a long hallway closed off by a door and there were some cobwebs in the window frames, but otherwise the space was quite nice. The staff at the bar on the deck poured wine just shy of the adjective "liberal" which was great. However, some other coworkers had to request adjustments of the food arrangement to prevent cross-contamination for those with allergies (adjustments were made promptly). The food - seasonal tapenade for appetizers and build-your-own pasta bar for the main - were well done otherwise with a good array of options. On the whole, a respectable event space on a scenic river. There were other groups actively using the rowing space/lower level, but you could barely tell because the upper level was high enough away.

Attended family baby jack and Jill here. Very nice place with excellent staff and food.read more

"Back in the banquet line Some get the gravy"…read more( Joni Mitchell) We attended a "Year In Review" celebratory dinner for a charitable organization we've supported for years, and the good folks at Farminton Gardens served well over 100 guests flawlessly in their banquet room. We started off in their gorgeous atrium bar for a glass of wine and chit chat before we were seated in their main banquet room. The room was quite large and easily accomodated our group. There was a podium up front and two video screens to display slide shows and the like. The sound and video systems were excellent. The dinner buffet line was set up in the rear of the room and we were called up table by table. We were very impressed by the variety and quality- rolls, salad, asparagus spears, mushroom polenta, salmon, short ribs, and cipollini onions. Dessert was individual trays of pastries and a single creme brulee for each table. This was my first visit to Farmington Gardens and I walked away very impressed with the way they handled our event.

I went to Farmington Polo Club for a dog fashion club fundraiser. This is important - coming from…read moreFarmington, there are three entrances to the banquet hall - C, A, and B. C is for horses and food trucks, A is for goats and the main stables, and B is what I would consider a separate property. Also, an event behind door B is not necessarily known behind gate A. I wasted 20 minutes trying to find anyone who knew what was going on. I would have ripped off a goat! I did eventually find the right place, and the venue is lovely. There's a lot of parking, More lots on the right side. The inside is beautiful with marble and a disco ball horse. I imagine other great events are held there. Bathroom are okay, although a little cramped by the sinks. The restroom stall doors opened right in front of them.

We recently went to a polo match here and it was wonderful! The grounds are kept so nice and it was…read morea fantastic event.

"Oh, I want to sit on my porch and pick on my old guitar And…read morejust hope you're hangin' loose where ever you are" (Johnny Cash) Our group of 40 had a blast at the Tine Dale Party Porch tonight. It's a group venue at Dunkin Park. Our group deal got us a two and a half hour buffet chock full of these goodies - 1/3lb Grilled Burgers, Grilled Hot Dogs, Pulled Pork, Mac N' Cheese, Pasta Salad, lettuce/tomato/cheese, Potato Chips, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Non-Alcoholic Beverages. The Party Porch is in the upper deck rightfield corner, just by the foul pole. There were at least a dozen tables and chairs for us to hang out, chit chat with our friends, eat and drink and occasionally watch the ball game. The game ticket and food ran us about $45 per person, so it was a pretty good value considering what we received. Tickets were e-mailed to us and we had the choice to paper print them or download them on our phone to be scanned at the gate. I want to give a big shout out to the two staff members we interacted with. Cassandra was our bartender and buffet stocker. Anthony was our greeter, wrist band provider and a very genial host. Both were outstanding.

We are very surprised there has been no mention of the new event center before this. This…read moreconference/convention space is a lovely addition to central Connecticut that opened just about a year ago. It is an attractive, well-spaced and well-staffed facility that we found absolutely first-class when we attended a conference there last week. They have lots of room though it's not a giant facility: they can accommodate up to 600 people for celebrations and weddings and up to 850 for theater-style presentations. We found the seating comfy, plenty of clean restrooms, a very capable and friendly staff, and surprisingly tasty banquet food (served buffet style)., Honestly, don't know what more we could ask. There is plenty of parking in a below-ground garage as well as above ground lots. There are two hotels within walking distance. Really, we came away very impressed, and we have no hesitation in recommending the event center if you find yourself in attendance.

What a nice property in the middle of no where. Perfect for loud people and blasting music. There's…read moreeven fully working plumbing and electrical in the outdoor pavilion. There's a few fans on the cieling to keep things cool inside. The grounds are clean and well landscaped. I attended a private event here and there was plenty of parking. Several hundred people were on the property and there were no issues. The indoor area is also nice and has a small bar. For such a small bar they definitely had a decent selection although they did run out of a few types of beer and cider towards the end. I don't quite think they were expecting a crowd so big. Downside is cell service is spotty and forget about trying to use your GPS until you are back on the main road.