Archive for the 'Hartford' Category
Our Kitchen Remodel- Revisited
Our kitchen remodel finished up a little over 3 months ago, so we thought it would be a good idea to revisit our decisions to see if we’re still happy with them after actually using the kitchen for a bit. Planning everything out on paper and watching it be built is one thing. Living with it is another…
The Good…
1. The layout is working out really well. We are easily able to both work in the same areas at the same time and not feel cramped. The seating area is out of the way, but still feels connected to the preparation areas.
2. The butler’s pantry is a thing of beauty and ties the kitchen through to the dining room. It’s great for storage and just really pretty to look at.
3. The placement and amount of lighting keeps things bright and cheerful. We seem to be able to turn on just the right number of lights in the right locations whenever we need them.
4. The sink and the stove were worth the money and we’re glad we splurged on them. They function really well and more than meet our needs.
The Not So Good…
1. White cabinets. I (Amy) would never do white cabinets again. They don’t do well with my slightly anal retentive personality. I feel like I pick up on every imperfection, whether it’s a smudge, scratch, ding, etc. and obsess over it. Having a kid and a dog that spend a lot of time in the kitchen doesn’t help matters, as they’re the ones usually doing the messing up. It makes me slightly crazy. Next time we would probably go with a light colored wood.
2. Our dishwasher. The racks in our dishwasher are disappointing. Everything is spaced very narrowly and just doesn’t accommodate our dishes very well. We ended up buying new water and juice glasses because we could only fit a few at a time with our previous set. I find a lot of the time we’re hand washing dishes because they won’t fit in the remaining slots of the dishwasher. Luckily our sink is great and we don’t mind using it.
3. Trash can in a cabinet. We’d never had a trash can tucked away in a cabinet before. I always thought it would make things dirty and smelly. There wasn’t really anywhere else to put the trash can in the layout, so it was designed into a cabinet. Our fears were confirmed, it makes things dirty and smelly. We need to empty the trash twice as often as we used to in order to keep things under control. Not ideal.
So, some good and some not so good, as is to be expected with any project. We’re happy with how things have turned out overall. Although in hindsight, this may have been the year to install central air instead… 
Buh-Bye Butt Ugly?
Yesterday, Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra announced the City’s intention to acquire and demolish the building on corner of Main and Trumbull. He noted that it is a “critically important project” and is “an economic development priority for a number of reasons.” David Panagore, Hartford COO and Director of Development Services, said that they expect to have a purchase agreement in place by Thursday and are prepared to begin eminent domain action if needed.
Exciting news, but we’ve heard this before. The Butt Ugly building is a landmark building in Hartford – it desperately needs to be taken down. Visible from the highway, the dilapidated structure says something about the capital city to everyone who drives by, and especially those never get off the highway.
We were surprised by the announcement and are hopeful that this time it will happen. Thanks for getting the ball rolling, Mayor Segarra!
Elizabeth Park Concert Season
Last Wednesday was the first of ten concerts in Elizabeth Park’s Summer Concert Series. Admission is free, and the music officially starts at 6:30. Call some friends, pack a picnic, and come on down to enjoy a different band each week. Our top correspondent, Grant, snapped a few pictures of the crowd and band this past week. Hope you can join the fun!
Grant, thanks for the pictures!