Archive for June, 2008
Three Tuesday To-Dos
It’s summer. Looking for something to do tonight? Here are three options…
Hartford’s Young Professionals Taskforce will hold a public hearing to give other young professionals the opportunity to express what they believe Hartford needs to do to attract and retain its young workforce. The hearing will be held at 6:00pm, June 24, 2008, in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 500 Main Street, Hartford. Thanks to Kerri for linking to a new blog, Live in Hartford, which told me more about this event. If you are a young professional that lives or works in Hartford, you might want to attend to share and listen to ideas. And also meet more young professionals.
West Hartford’s Town Council will meet tonight at 7:30pm and begin proposing ways to cut the town budget, as it was recently defeated in a referendum vote. What will stay and what will go? Here are two other blogs with articles and reader suggestions, WH Forums and Talk of West Hartford. You can watch in person at Town Hall or watch West Hartford Cable TV.
REI in West Hartford will be hosting a discussion at 7:00pm on Summer Dog Adventures in Connecticut. Learn about trail etiquette, dog safety and first aid, and equipment that will make your hikes and swims safer and more fun. You need to register for this free event by calling 860-233-2211. No dogs allowed in REI, but a good opportunity to get fun ideas for Fido this summer.
Is This a Safe Neighborhood?
I help a lot of people relocate to the area. When I’m driving them around various towns, inevitably, the question “is this a safe neighborhood” comes up.
Legally, I cannot tell you if a neighborhood is safe. Everyone has different levels of comfort and what I might consider safe, you might not consider safe, or vice versa. Much of this depends on your upbringing and the various places you’ve lived in the past. It is important for you to determine on your own if you feel safe in an area.
For example, it is common for out-of-towners to tell me that they’ve heard all sorts of terrible things about Hartford from co-workers, even if they aren’t even looking for housing in Hartford. They’ll usually give an example or two. Then they ask me my opinion about the city. What they don’t usually realize is that I live in Hartford. So when I tell them that they are usually somewhat embarrassed and then curious why I chose to live here. We get into a discussion about what I was looking for when I relocated and it goes from there.
Because we all have different perceptions of “safe,” here is what I typically recommend buyers do when checking out an area…
1. Call the local police department to ask about crime statistics in the area.
2. Walk around at various times of day and talk to the neighbors. Feel free to knock on doors. People will be happy to tell you about their neighborhood, both good and bad.
3. Visit the area at night. What’s it like? The noise level, traffic level, pedestrian level, street lighting.
From there, you should have a better feeling for the neighborhood and be able to evaluate, on your own, if it fits with your lifestyle and needs. Because you’re the best judge of that.
West End Weekend
Won’t you visit my neighborhood in the West End of Hartford this weekend? We’re having a host of activities and surely there will be something to make everyone smile.
Kick off your weekend yummy-style Friday on your way home from work. Stop by the United Methodist Church at the corner of South Whitney and Farmington Avenue from 4-7 for the season’s first West End Farmer’s Market. Partake in the (free) Strawberry Shortcake Festival and support some local farmers by purchasing produce, breads, and meats for your weekend meals.
On Saturday, from 9-2, be on the lookout for bargains and come to our first annual West End Neighborhood Tag Sale. Tons of families will be participating. You’ll be sure to find some treasures, and it’s a great opportunity to admire some of the fine architecture in the West End. Kyle and I will be selling some of our stuff, so cruise down Oxford Street and try to find us.
Free items for you if you say “I read your blog!”
On Saturday and/or Sunday, stop by Elizabeth Park for the Annual Rose Weekend Festival. It’s running both days from 11-4. Check out the rose gardens, perennial gardens, annual gardens, arts and crafts, and other activities. Just don’t feed the ducks!
