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By Kerri Provost, September 2, 2010 8:53 am

There are two upcoming scavenger hunts in Hartford. Continue reading 'A Walk for Jane and a Dash for a Difference'»

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By Kerri Provost, August 31, 2010 6:13 am

And now for something quite different.

This home appears almost identical in style to most of the houses that were in my hometown before the whole McMansion craze hit in the early 1990s. The area of Hartford near Wethersfield has a number of single family homes that could easily pass as something found in Newington or West Hartford.

It’s comforting that this style of home exists here, even if it is not one I could visualize myself living in. People who want homes that are not multifamily (which, honestly, are often ugly) can find them if they look around. I’d suggest wandering in the area by First and Last Tavern/Goodwin Park.

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By Kerri Provost, August 20, 2010 9:17 am

There are over 300 community garden plots in Hartford, which means that an even greater number of people have the opportunity to grow (or attempt to grow) their own fruits, vegetables, and flowers. On Thursday evening, two bus loads of people (plus some cyclists) toured several of these gardens, checking out the creative choices made by this year’s gardeners.

Though some may be surprised about the presence of community gardens here, the first one in Hartford was established in the early 1970’s. Issues of “food security” are not new by a long shot, even if such phrases have become buzzwords in recent years. After creating a community garden in Keney Park, twelve more have been developed. How does one find space for such ventures in an urban setting? When a building is demolished, the land on which it sat often is left as a vacant, unkempt patch. Sometimes, these lots are converted into a more useful and attractive alternative — community garden space. Continue reading 'Hartford Community Garden Tour'»

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By Kerri Provost, August 17, 2010 12:45 pm

The featured home this week is found in the West End near the UConn Law School. This home almost appears shy, with its subdued colors and location behind several trees.

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By Kerri Provost, August 10, 2010 7:29 am

Many of the homes in this series have been rowhouses of some kind or another. I like how different parts of one structure get personalized with different paint colors or flowers. I also like how in a homebuying situation, one is making a commitment to share at least one wall of her home with someone who is most likely a stranger.

This week’s edition features a rowhouse that comes with a large front yard and is adjacent to a park. These, like a previous week’s edition, were designed by George Keller. (In writing this, I learned that what is now the Burns School used to be the Hartford Orphan Asylum!) Check out this website for a photo taken by someone lucky enough to find no cars parked out in front of the building. It’s a challenge to get photos that avoid power lines, air conditioners, cars, and political signs, all of which conspire to uglify pictures.

Continue reading 'Casa Linda: Week of August 10-August 16'»

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By Kerri Provost, August 3, 2010 12:13 am

The sixth home featured in this series is actually several homes.

Continue reading 'Casa Linda: Sixth Beautiful Home'»

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By Kerri Provost, August 2, 2010 9:45 pm

A recent visit to City Hall ended with me relaxing in Burr Mall. I’ve lingered here before, but this is the first time since the Wadsworth Atheneum’s recent construction that I have been in the area, which means it is the first that I noticed the fencing banner facing the small park. It shows a black and white timeline of Burr Mall, including photos of when it appeared considerably different than it does today.

Burr Mall, actually the Alfred E. Burr Memorial, was named after who the New York Times referred to in 1894 as the “oldest newspaper man, by actual years of service, in New-England.” Burr worked for the Hartford Times, located across from one end of the mall.

Did you know that Burr Mall has its own website? There’s not much there, but it exists, which is something. If you take a look at this photo, you can see a fake owl on top of the Stegosaurus. My guess is that it is there to keep pigeons away.

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By Kerri Provost, July 31, 2010 7:09 pm

The Pump House on the edge of Bushnell Park has been closed for a few years. In past incarnations, it has been a cafe and a grill, in addition to a gallery.

On August 26th, there will be an art opening at the Pump House Gallery. Before this happens, the building and grounds will need some sprucing up.

This morning, community volunteers began to remove weeds and overgrown vegetation from the patio that faces Pulaski Circle.

Inside the building, volunteers began to clean and refresh the movable canvas walls which art will be mounted on later. A more thorough clean up of the park will be happening on Thursday, August 26th during the Week of the Parks. Attending to the overgrown hedges around the Pump House is one of the items on the City’s to do list for late August. Continue reading 'New Life for the Pump House Gallery'»

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By Kerri Provost, July 27, 2010 10:30 am

How could anyone pass this home and not think about Rapunzel?