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Before they began meeting at the Lyceum, Redeemer Hill, freshly launched on Easter Sunday in 2011, had been holding its services at City Steam Brewery.
Even they acknowledge the quirkiness of this. Continue reading 'Hartford Pew Review: Redeemer Hill'»
Not a corset, but part of a woman's dress that requires a corset. It looks smaller than a size zero.
Back in 2002, when Abercrombie & Fitch sold thong underwear for children, many understandably interpreted this as the beginning of the erosion of America’s moral fabric.
They were wrong.
There’s proof — in the form of a corset designed to be worn by a four-year-old girl — at the Connecticut Historical Society (CHS) that this trend of sexualizing young girls did not begin this century.
Starting on January 14th, CHS will be leading two behind-the-scenes tours every second Saturday of the month to give visitors the chance to see other quirky items, such as as a body preserver. This was a type of casket with space for ice, a spigot for draining out melted ice, and horse hair insulation. A lever allowed mourners to adjust the position of the corpse for better viewing. Emily Dunnack, the Head of Education Programs at CHS, said that other strange-to-us death customs from the past included making jewelery out of the deceased person’s hair, and evidence of this is also among items at CHS. Continue reading 'What’s Behind the Mantel?'»
The decision to remove a second-generation scion of the Charter Oak was bittersweet for many parishioners at Center Church, but in September, the tree at the corner of Main and Gold was taken down. Now, a milled slab of it is on display at the Connecticut Historical Society as part of the New Life for Connecticut Trees exhibit.
It’s in good company.
Also on display: furniture made from a tree that stood in front of the Ivoryton Playhouse. That former tree’s story? In its shade, Marlon Brando and Katharine Hepburn used to run through their lines. Continue reading 'Upcycling Urban Trees'»
Elizabeth Park
Now that writers have lost Borders as their place to work outside of the home, area freelancers and novelists may be looking for new venues in which to earn their bread.
Here are a few suggestions. Continue reading 'The Ten Best Places for Busting Writer’s Block'»
The following is not intended to be an all-inclusive list. Rather, these are my snobbish selections of what sounds most interesting in the upcoming month. Also, to mark the ten years since September 11, 2001, there will be numerous events, re-broadcasts, etc. For this calendar, I am only including those that appear to promise not to pander to reactionaries, nor foster chauvinism.
August 31- September 4th
Quidam: Cirque du Soleil at the Civic Center.
September 1st
Art After Hours: Escape to India. The Wadsworth Atheneum’s monthly party will feature Indian cuisine, dancing, henna body painting, and a fashion show by Sadhna’s, a downtown clothing boutique. The event begins at 5pm and concludes after the screening of Monsoon Wedding.
The Art of Carlos Hernandez-Chavez: “I am My Mother.” The opening reception will be from 5-8pm at the Pump House Gallery, located at 60 Elm Street at the edge of Bushnell Park. This collection of work by “Hartford visual artist, muralist, photographer, musician, arts educator and activist Carlos Hernandez-Chavez” will be on display through September 29th. Continue reading 'Happening(s) in September'»
Those who rode their bicycles last Thursday had a different experience than those who took the bus or trolley for the annual community garden tour. Those using motorized transportation went to the Watkinson Community Garden after departing from the Niles Community Garden*, while the cyclists opted to visit some alternative locations.
As the tenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 tragedy draws near, it will be interesting to hear what voices emerge that may have been initially stifled. The message many Americans were given at the time was loud and clear: attach to our gas-powered vehicles cheap flags (usually made in China), hop on the war bandwagon, and turn a sad moment in history into an excuse to spill blood.
Those of us who refused to buy into forced sentimentality or vengeance were quickly labeled “Hanoi Janes,” traitors, and terrorists.
But not everyone was silenced. This is one of the things that comes across in the Connecticut Responds and Reflects exhibit, which opened today at the Connecticut Historical Society.
A Brownie troop from Easton created “Hope Angels” and decorated a tree with them for Christmas in 2001. They delivered this to the Hansons, who lost three of their family members. Each angel dons children’s hopes for the following year. The Hanson family was moved enough by this gesture to include mention of these angels in remarks they made at a September 11th dedication event in Boston in 2003. A theme found across several of these angels is that of peace and love. Continue reading 'A Decade of Learning How to Respond to Tragedy'»
Not fatigued yet by all these development meetings? Here are four more to add to your schedule then:
June 22: Handel Performing Arts Center on the corner of Albany Avenue and Westbourne Parkway will host the discussion pertaining to Asylum Hill, Blue Hills, Parkville, and the West End.
June 23: Metzner Recreation Center at 680 Franklin Avenue. This meeting is for the Barry Square, Behind the Rocks, South End, and Southwest neighborhoods.
June 27: Hartford Public Library will host the meeting for Downtown, Frog Hollow, Sheldon/Charter Oak, and South Green.
June 29: Parker Community Center at 2621 Main Street will host meeting for Clay Arsenal, Northeast, and Upper Albany neighborhoods.
The meetings about Livable & Sustainable Neighborhoods are described as opportunities for the public to learn about how the One City One Plan projects are being implemented. Literature sent from the City of Hartford says this will pertain to “infrastructure, community development, and anti-blight projects” happening “over the next two years.” A press release from the City indicates that this is part of the One City, One Plan. The One City, One Plan — the Plan of Conservation and Development through 2020 — was developed after receiving input from NRZs and the public. The projects vary from neighborhood-to-neighborhood. All of these meetings run from 6-7:30pm.
If you were wondering when the right time is for checking out roses in Elizabeth Park, the answer is now.
Another house in the West End that looks like a castle. This one overlooks the part of Elizabeth Park that has a playground.
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