Behind the Food: The Employees of the Restaurant Business in Downtown Hartford

by Erica Handel
DTHartford Staff

         Let’s admit, we all love food. It is one of the main reasons why people visit major cities in the U.S. Believe it or not, Downtown Hartford is known for its amazing restaurants. These restaurants would not exist if it were not for their incredible staff members who work hard to make sure their customers get the experience they deserve while dining at their restaurant. Trumbull Kitchen, Salute, and Dish Bar and Grill are among the most popular restaurants in Downtown Hartford.

            Since these restaurants are in such a high demand for both locals and visitors, there are many reasons why an individual would want to take on such a tedious job. Raffaelo Gonzalez, a waiter at Salute, works at this restaurant because “the income here is consistent, the benefits are plentiful (we get a free meal every shift and our bosses cover half of our health insurance cost), and everyone that works here is like family to me.” Gonzalez is no newbie to Salute; he has been working with most of the employees for about eight years, which includes working with them at other restaurants as well.

            Ashley Smith, the assistant general manager at Dish Bar and Grill has been working at this restaurant for two years. She enjoys working in the restaurant business because she felt she needed a change from her previous jobs. “The hospitality field is what I love, I have accomplished the hotel and country club aspect of hospitality and it was time to try out restaurants.”

            Christopher Torla, the chef and managing partner of Trumbull Kitchen, opened the restaurant in May 2001, and this will be the 12^th year that it has been open. He is very passionate about his job as a chef and manager. “I love the creative freedom of being an al carte chef in a restaurant, I always had goals of owning my own restaurant and when the opportunity arose I jumped at it,” he said. Torla enjoys working at Trumbull Kitchen and he is happiest when he is afforded the time to cook and be creative, as well as feeling fulfilled after he has satisfied many of his guests.

With varied employees come varied reasons for why these people choose to work in the restaurant business. “There are some people I work with because they love this business, there are some like myself who have grown up in this business since I was 3 years old, others who are supporting themselves while they finish school, and others who work at this restaurant because Salute is so successful and it allows them to be parents while working very flexible hours,” Gonzalez said.

            Employees at these restaurants have formed a close-knit bond due to the amount of time they spend with each other. Gonzalez considers his fellow co-workers to be his closest friends, and believes that they benefit from the time they share together. “I enjoy working with people who I am very close with,” he said, “most of the people that work here know the best qualities of their co-workers and we know the worst things about each other too, which makes it for a very honest experience when we are working together for 12 or 13 hour shifts.” Even though the employees at Salute get tired of each other, they consider themselves a family.

            Staffs come in all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds at these restaurants. At Salute, Trumbull Kitchen, and Dish Bar and Grill, the demographic of restaurant employees seems to be a mixed bag. From professionals to college students, there are a wide variety of employees. The employees at Salute consist of “a retired Vietnam War veteran and a past postal worker that serve as our hosts during the day, a college student who is close to becoming a lawyer, and a local who has been in the business either bartending or serving since he was out of college,” Gonzalez explained. Smith also added that the workers at Dish Bar and Grill consist of professionals, locals, and college students. Seeing different types of people working together at a restaurant shows how diverse the Downtown Hartford restaurant business really is.

            After being exposed to plate after plate each day, the workers at Trumbull Kitchen, Salute, and Dish Bar and Grill are bound to have a favorite dish on their menu. “There are too many, but if I had to choose one that I could probably eat every day it would be the brick pressed chicken,” Torla recalled. Gonzalez’s favorite dish at Salute is the Shrimp Fradiavolo. “My dad and uncle are both chefs, so when I’m eating at a restaurant it is important for the food to have layers of flavors,” he said. Smith, like Gonzalez, is also a fan of seafood. “All the food is outstanding but the Trio of Ahi Tuna is a favorite of mine,” she said.

            The restaurants in Downtown Hartford have a unique touch and they bring out qualities that restaurants in other cities may not have. Salute’s sophisticated, Tuscan feel, Trumbull Kitchen’s contemporary, cool and inventive atmosphere, and Dish Bar and Grill’s chic, industrial architecture make them different than places you would eat at anywhere else.

Gonzalez believes that Salute is different from other restaurants because “we know that we don’t need to have all the trendy new bacon and barrel aged cocktails, or the molecular cooking techniques that are coming out of New York City or D.C., to be successful.” Torla mentioned that the things that make Trumbull Kitchen stand out from other downtown restaurants are “the eclectic food choices on the menu. Also, we have one of if not the broadest craft beef and cocktail selections in the city. And the atmosphere along with the energy that the restaurant holds is tremendous.” Smith said it’s “the atmosphere and staff. We have a very friendly staff and we keep the atmosphere very energetic for both the staff and customers.”

Trumbull Kitchen, Salute, and Dish Bar and Grill are three restaurants to refer visitors and locals to while visiting Downtown Hartford. “You need to give people a reason to get away from their local restaurant in Glastonbury, Newington, Wethersfield, and West Hartford, and make the trip down to Hartford,” Gonzalez suggested.

Jam Sessions at McKinnon's Irish Pub

By Shanise Bultron

DT Hartford Staff

Every Wednesday, you can find Jeanne Freeman and other local musicians playing traditional Irish music at McKinnon’s Irish Pub in downtown Hartford. In the small dimly lit pub with a small but loyal crowd, people are able to kick back and enjoy a couple drinks while listening to the fiddlers play. In a circle by the door, a group of friends are smiling and playing on instruments such as the Irish pipe, bodhron, mandolin, concertina, accordion, and guitar.

Freeman, head fiddler, has been playing music for over 12 years. Five years ago, Freeman was taken under the wing of the fiddler who first created the weekly jam session, P.V. O’Donnell. In downtown Hartford, he is remembered as one of the most influential fiddlers to ever play because of his lifetime of experience and his dedication to teaching others Irish music. Today, Freeman continues the legacy of her mentor by leading jam sessions every Wednesday night, which is open to any musicians that would like to join.

O’Donnell, who is from Donegal, Ireland, was introduced to the fiddle at a very early age. He had his first recital when he was four years old and music has been a big part of his life ever since. As a schoolboy he joined “The Little Gaelic Singers,” where he went on his first extended tour in America. As an adult, O’Donnell traded in a desk job to practice on his professional music career. He then began traveling throughout North America with his band “Barley Bree,” who produced eight successful albums.

After traveling for ten years, O’Donnell settled down in Manchester, Conn. where he continued practicing the fiddle and taught students. He played the fiddle in downtown Hartford with other local musicians until he died in 2011. The Milford, Conn. Branch of Comhaltas was renamed the P.V. O’Donnell Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann in honor of him. Jeanne Freeman, the fiddler continuing O’Donnel’s legacy said, “I continue the jam sessions by sending out weekly emails to a few followers.”

One of the group’s main followers, local man Robin Guthrie, has been following the fiddlers for about five years. “Back in the day they used to play at other places downtown like the Hartford Steam and Mad Murphy’s,” he said. “I’m mostly Scottish and English, but I still come to enjoy the music. P.V. O’Donnell was the best of them.”

Cindy and Jack Donovan, an older couple, are also longtime fans of the traditional music. “You can hear the main theme of the traditional music anywhere,” said Jack. “People can put their own twist on the way they play it. We traveled to New Orleans and heard people playing traditional music we hear up here, but they played it a little different.”

When McKinnon’s Pub owner, Matt Corey, was asked about the group Freeman was running, he said, “I had little control over it because it had already been happening before I even owned the pub.” The weekly jam sessions are simply tradition and Corey helps advertise for the group. Although there are a small number of loyal followers, the group does not have a name. Any musician who can play traditional Irish music is welcome to play, which is exactly how P.V. O’Donnell would like it.

ACLU Advocates Against Restrictions of Violent Video Games

by Sarah Lawes
DTHartford Staff

HARTFORD-- The American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut opposes a statewide bill in Connecticut that would regulate violent point-and-shoot video games for minors.  Statewide Bill 328 in Connecticut would ban anyone under the age of eighteen from playing violent video games in arcades or other public establishments.  Also included in Bill 328 would be the creation of a task force that would further study the effects of violent video games on minors, which would be used to make policy suggestions to the legislature. 

This is not the first time a law pertaining to banning video games among minors has occurred.  In 2011, a California law was passed that banned minors from buying or renting violent video games.  In the court case Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association, The Supreme Court ruled that the law violated the First Amendment, and the law was overturned.

Attorney for the ACLU, David McGuire, advocates against the passing of Bill 328 because it violates the First Amendment.  To support his argument, McGuire referred back to the 2011 court case. In the previous court case, the Supreme Court ruled that there was not enough factual evidence to support these claims.  Therefore, McGuire argues because the Supreme Court has already stated in the court case, Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association, that the California law violated the First Amendment, the same holds true for Bill 328.

Advocates for passing Bill 328 assert that the bill will allow the government step in for parents and ban video games that can cause violence in minors.  Therefore if violent video games are not allowed for minors, then this will decrease violence among our youth. 
Hartford resident with young children, Lisa Simone, said, “I disagree with allowing your child to play ‘M’ level games when they are young.  Many parents are quite ignorant regarding this label or allow their children to play because they do not want to say, ‘no’ or just do not understand the maturity level of these games.”

The ACLU argues against Bill 328 because parents should take more control of what video games their children are playing.  Hartford legislator, Geoff Luxenburg, said, “Good parents will likely shield their young children from participating in violent games and they should do so.”

The ACLU proposes that some of the challenging issues with the bill are that regulation among minors should place more responsibility on the individual, and that parents should be monitoring their children instead of outside forces.  McGuire says that by restricting violent video games for parents, it is “taking decision making of their children away from the parents.”

While the McGuire believes that parents should not have their control taken away from them in raising their children, he also advocate for other alternatives to fix violence in minors rather than just banning minors from playing certain video games in arcades and other public establishments.

The First Amendment violation and insufficient research is why the ACLU promptly challenged the court over this bill appeared.  The ACLU reminds the court that the Supreme Court has rejected many social science research studies in the past as not having sufficient enough evidence.  Also in the study, Computers in Human Behavior, it showed that there has been a short decrease in violent youth since the 1990’s, but there has been in increase in video games. 

Hartford Political Consultant, David Leonardo said, “Instead of this bill, why not a bill where the focus is on the mental health issues in this country and how people interpret violence?”  The ACLU agrees and claims that the task force researching violence in minors would again be more efficiently used in creating resources for mental health issues rather than just banning certain video games.

McGuire also insists that the bill violates the First Amendment as the Supreme Court ruled that video games are a protected form of free expression just like films and books.  Due to the rise of video games, and the claims that video production make children more violent, the Supreme Court ruled that video games fall do into free expression.

During the 2011 court case, Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association, the Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia wrote about the matter: “Like the protected books, plays and movies that preceded them, video games communicate ideas — and even social messages — through many familiar literary devices (such as characters, dialogue, plot, and music) and through features distinctive to the medium (such as the player’s interaction with the virtual world).”

People remain divided still as to whether or not they are having a negative or positive effect on minors, which makes the topic controversial.  To respond to the controversy over video games, McGuire says, “Every decade there’s a new media that is scrutinized.  Video games are not understood by everyone, and it will take time for the public to accept it in the same category as books and film."

The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center: Making Changes

By Joana Amoyaw
DTHartford Staff

           Harriet Beecher Stowe has surely been able to make a stamp within history, with many titles under her belt including abolitionist, philanthropist and author of America’s classic, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. Stowe’s novel focused on freedom and equality, selling 1.5 million copies within the first year, effortlessly; it created much controversy and altered the perspective of slavery.  The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center now connects past and present day by relating issues of Stowe’s day to contemporary society.

Today, the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center is located in Hartford, Conn. The Stowe Center, which includes the home where Stowe herself lived, provides tours, exhibitions, a research library and school programs against social inequalities. Lisa Beede, a communications coordinator at the center, states, “Harriet Beecher Stowe's words changed the world and we hope students will be inspired to do the same.” School programs are provided for every grade level, starting as young as Kindergarten and reaching 12^th-grade.

Each program runs for a duration of ninety minutes, a tour of the house and hands-on activities. Every program is modified for the given grade level and meets the Connecticut Common State Standards. Students are able to take a voyage into the past with a series of collections stored at the house; including first editions of Stowe’s work, paintings, and personal literary manuscripts. A program provided for grades eight through twelve titled “Liberty and Justice for All” stimulates a debate amongst the students, where they compose a written argument for or against Stowe’s novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. They are able to derive their own ideas on where the U.S. stands today on emancipation. Other programs titled, “Calling on the Stowes”, “Inspiration to Action” and “Her Words Changed the World” are designed to provoke discussion and motivate students to be the change within their society.

               The Stowe Center has made the public aware of current violence, racism, stereotypes and social stigmas.  Programs are also held for adults and college students with ranging topics that may touch on bullying or human trafficking. In most recent news, the center has promoted “End the Culture of Violence”, an event held at Lincoln Theatre on the University of Hartford campus. With speaker, Marian Wright Edelmen, the event elaborated on eliminating violence that is presently polluting our communities. Present headliners, including the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, are broadcasted on the Stowe Center website, where they offer ways to donate and cope with the shocking event that occurred last December.              

               On Monday, March 11, the center was officially announced as a National Historic Landmark of Hartford, holding high prestige of one of the many city attractions to visit in Conn. Frequent visitors are ecstatic about the news, “It’s about time!” a comment left by one of the Stowe’s supporters on Facebook. When asked about the highlight of working for such an institute, Lisa Beede added, “For me, it's the opportunity to learn about social justice issues and what action I can take to make a difference.” All in all, if you are in the Hartford area, make sure to visit the historically rich Harriet Beecher Stowe Center for a chance and engage a little more in our history, American history.

The Effects of the Blizzard in Downtown Hartford

by Ian Webb
DTHartford Staff
HARTFORD, Conn. – When the winter storm everyone was calling “Nemo” had hit Hartford on February eighth, where it left damages and hours of shoveling. Hartford residents had the streets plowed for them but it took a few days to thoroughly clear the way for cars and even then there was traffic after the streets were plowed.

  “You couldn’t really get anywhere around downtown after the storm because everyone was trying to avoid the highway since it was gridlock there and because of that it became gridlocked downtown, you were better off walking everywhere probably,” said Larry, who did not give his last name, a resident of downtown Hartford who works as a cab driver.

     “My snow blower costs 500 dollars and it ran out of gas at one point so I had to pay for the gas as well. So I had spent my fair share of money on this storm,” Larry was able to explain some more. “I lost power for almost 24 hours I would say until it all came back on, it just wasn’t safe.”

  Larry was able to provide insight on what it was like to be resident in downtown Hartford 
 during this chaotic winter wonderland. The kind of money the plows in the city made during this 
 time must have been a gold rush, as their services were being asked of for more than 48 hours.

       “We had to do a lot of organizing and planning with the plow trucks with the blizzard as we had to maintain the roads by the hospital,” said a member of the Hartford Public Works Department. Some of the members of the Public Works Department expressed how stressful this time was for them. Because the city is so large with hazardous conditions the staff at the Public Works Department had to assign different companies different areas to clear the streets as well as deal with other things such as power outages or transporting someone to the hospital.  

         “We had to pay multiple plow companies to help out during the blizzard since there were so many different areas that needed plowing. We had a system of the areas that needed to be plowed,” the staff member continued. They split the city into two sections to organize it and then explained the dilemmas some of the residents created. “There was a lot of towing of cars that were blocking the plows that residents didn’t move and the police had to issue a hefty amount of tickets.” This had delayed much of the plowing of some of the roads all over Hartford.
        When asked about the power going out, the Public Works Department couldn’t release an exact number but a range of what that was like. “We had a lot of reports of power going out in a lot of areas all over the place -- some places lost power, some didn’t. It really mattered where you live."

            A member of the Department of Transportation commented that the amount of plow trucks as well as contractors to help clear the snow didn’t seem like enough at times. “It seemed like the snow didn’t end anywhere. We had the plows start the moment the snow got to a certain height and have them continue from their which took more that 24 hours. It was a big budget you could imagine.” This staff member didn’t have a lot of time to talk, but the snow not only cost a lot of damages, but it cost a lot of money as well.

           

          Although the immediate damages from Nemo are now over, the Northeast was still hit 

hard by this blizzard and some say it might have been worse than the Blizzard of ’78. Many 

greater Hartford residents are now safe and sound, but some others were not as fortunate. If 

the northeast endures a similar storm in the future, there will likely be more preparation 

because of experiences from this one.

Week in Review: April 5-12

by Lauren Milka
DT Hartford Staff

     As known from last week's "Week in Review" post, and from news coverage around the country, the University of Hartford was busy last week and weekend preparing for President Obama, who spoke on Monday, April 8 urging for a vote on gun control related issues by Congress. Just four days before this speech, Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy signed the state's new bill that addresses such gun control issues like universal background checks.
      As reported by CT News Junkie writers Hugh McQuaid and Christine Stuart, President Obama made a point of emphasizing in his speech, "Connecticut, this is not about me. This is not about politics. This is about doing the right thing for all the families that are here that have been torn apart by gun violence."
     As this was an exciting day for the University of Hartford and state of Connecticut, it is the hope of many that this is just the beginning of a debate that will result in a vote on a country-wide level. For full coverage of the speech by CT News Junkie, go here. A link to President Obama's speech can be found here from the White House's official website.
      The very next day on Tuesday night in Atlanta, the UCONN Women's Basketball Team won the National Championship, beating Louisville 93-60. This is the eighth win for the school's women's basketball team, and John Altavilla of the Courant's Women's Basketball blog posted "10 Things about UConn's Skate to Eight" the day after the team's big win. One point to note is that this eighth national title win was also the eighth for coach Geno Auriemma, who is now tied for most national title wins with retired Syracuse Women's Basketball Coach Pat Summit.
     Such an historic win for the team will be celebrated in Hartford on Sunday, April 14, ending with a rally at the State Capitol building. The parade is set to begin at 4:00 PM, also beginning at the State Capitol. The route of the parade can be found here at the official website for the UCONN Women's Basketball team.
     Wednesday, April 10 was the National Day of Action for immigration reform, which was recognized here in Hartford with rallies and a march organized by the Connecticut Immigrant Rights Alliance. State Representatives Juan Candelaria and Gary Holder-Winfield were handed a petition for immigration reform with over 900 signatures from students in the Hartford area, according to Real Hartford's Kerri Provost.
     Says Provost, "Yanil Teron, the Executive Director for the Center for Latino Progress, [a speaker for the event], said 'this is not about Latinos,' and proceeded to list all the countries and nationalities she knew were represented in the crowd." Provost's story about the event contains many photos and a video, which can be found here.
     Wrapping up a week of exciting events for the city of Hartford was Taste of the Nation Hartford on Thursday night, an annual event designed to raise money to end childhood hunger. The event drew about 500 patrons, who were able to choose dishes from area restaurants that participated, such as Bridgewater Chocolates, Wood 'n Tap, Dish, Carbone's, Infinity Hall, and more. Co-Chair and celebrity chef, Billy Grant, was quoted by MaryEllen Fillo in a story in her Courant blog JAVA: "We're making inroads to fight hunger in children in Hartford and all the money we raise tonight will be put toward that end." Photos from the successful event can be found here.

Fastrak Provides Options for Travelers

by Mike Oney
DTHartford Staff
         
       According to the Spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Transportation, Kevin Nursick, the question has always been, “What is Connecticut going to do to catch up with mass transit in other states?”

            The answer is a $569 million bus line that connects Hartford and New Britain called CT Fastrak. The project officially broke ground on May 22, 2012, and is slated for completion in February 2015. The goal of this 9.4 mile dedicated bus route is to “effectively and efficiently reduce traffic along I-84 as well as jumpstart the downtown Hartford area by providing another option for travel,” says Nursick.

            Michael Sanders, Public Transit Administrator for the CT DOT, says that the Fastrak project is based on more than a decade of research into “sound and accepted transportation principles.” There is no doubt that this project will “reduce the use of vehicles along 1-84,” but also, “increase mobility” to those who do not have automobiles, added Sanders.

            One such person is New Britain resident Sarah Tellier. Tellier works in downtown Hartford and uses the current bus system to get back and forth to work. “I get on the bus at 6:30 in the morning just to be to work by nine,” says Tellier. “After work it takes almost twice as long because of the traffic on 1-84.” Fastrak will allow passengers to enjoy a brief 20 minute ride to and from Hartford and New Britain.

            Fastrak will offer a total of 11 landscaped stations for travelers to get on and off of the bus. This will certainly benefit people like Tellier. “My doctor’s office is located a few miles from where the bus now drops me off, so I always have to walk,” she says. 
           The fact that this bus route has 11 stations will “give passengers the opportunity to enjoy parts of Hartford that they have never seen before,” says Nursick. Fastrak offers a lot more “flexibility” than the current bus route, adds Nursick.

            For those concerned about the environmental impact, Fastrak will take approximately 16,000 cars a day off the roadways. Sanders promises that not only will Fastrak cut down on the amount of cars on the road; it will also utilize the latest in “environmentally friendly busses.” A five mile multi-use walking path for pedestrians and cyclists is also slated to accompany the bus route.

            Not all CT residents speak highly of the new bus route. Diane Crossman of 61 Wilson in New Britain has seen the entire landscape of her neighborhood transform. Crossman’s home is located on the same stretch of road where the New Britain station is being constructed. “My neighborhood used to be so peaceful,” says Crossman. “Now all you see is bulldozers and dirt piles.”      

            Despite criticism over the potential noise increase for homes and businesses along the route, Sanders promises, “This is what will help carry our state into the future. [Fastrak] clearly provides a solution to our transportation needs. [...] It was the facts that led us to this project. Not the projects that led us to the facts.”         

           

Week in Review: March 30-April 5

by Lauren Milka
DTHartford Staff

       The city of Hartford has been flooded with the hope of change and new beginnings over the past week. Last Wednesday, a charrette was held at the University of Hartford Handel Performing Arts Center to discuss the redevelopment of the area of Albany Avenue and Homestead Avenue. This area of Hartford, just beyond downtown, is full of abandoned buildings and vacant lots, but it is also an area that gets much commuter traffic. The redevelopment ideas were spread across tables used by many different groups sharing their own ideas for projects. RealHartford's Kerri Provost shared the experience, explaining that several of the ideas that were being shared were, in her opinion, not thought out too well. She says about one idea for relocating Hartford Lumber: "Having to interrupt and press for an answer, I learned that no, the businesses being considered for relocation had not been approached." 

     The people in attendance were allowed to vote about what ideas they liked or not, but as Provost explains: "At the charrette, participants were encouraged to vote for designs they liked and provide comments. An Albany/Homestead Goals Timeline Sheet was given so opinions on priorities and timeframes could be given, but they were just distributed with no explanation." 
Provost's story about her experience at the charrette can be found on her blog here. 

     The very next day on Thursday, April 4, Gov. Dannel Malloy signed the state's new gun control bill, which was the same day that would have been one of the Newtown victim's 7th birthday. Mayor Pedro Segarra of Hartford said of the signing "Today is an historic day for the state of Connecticut. [...] We have proven today that you can achieve consensus and move beyond the partisan bickering to affect real change." The entire quote from Mayor Segarra can be found here from Hartford Cityline's author, Vanessa de la Torre. Photos from the signing can be found here from the Hartford Courant's website. 

     On Friday, April 5, the excitement over the new bill for the state of Connecticut carried over into the messages of those urging Congress to move forward with a national gun control bill. US Sens. Blumenthal and Murphy were at Hartford City Hall preparing to speak with Congress and urge them to make further progress on the bill, showing that it can in fact be done. CT NewsJunkie contributor Christine Stuart wrote about the aftermath of the state's bill, and what this means now for the country. She writes: "They need 60 votes in the Senate to proceed with a debate on legislation that would expand criminal background checks to all gun purchases and put an end to gun trafficking. An assault weapons ban and a ban on high-capacity magazines seems out of reach, but [Blumenthal and Murphy] remain hopeful those measures will also get a vote." Stuart's story can be found in its entirety on CT NewsJunkie. 

     Stuart also mentions in her article about President Obama's visit to Hartford, happening this coming Monday, April 8 at the University of Hartford. Tickets to the event were available for a limited number of current faculty, staff, and students on Friday, who are anticipating the President's speech about national gun control. The Connecticut Post expanded on the details of the new state bill, as well as details about the President's coming visit. 

     In a state where new beginnings are afoot, the University of Hartford had students and staff volunteers venture downtown to help with the new beginnings of the coming springtime. The school's third annual event "Hawks Helping Hartford" happened on Friday, April 5 -- which was one of the first days of the year that has actually felt like Spring weather -- with four different areas needing service. Volunteers started their work with a meeting on campus at the campus center before heading out to their four different sites: Mortensen River Front Plaza, where volunteers swept, planted, and mulched for spring beautification; Hyland Park, where volunteers made repairs to the Little League field; Clay Arsenal and Albany Avenue, where volunteers picked up litter in the area; and Tabor House, a home for homeless men living with HIV/AIDS, where volunteers cleaned and inside and outside of the home. The Hartford Guardian has more details about the day of service. 

Explore the Happiest of Hours in Downtown Hartford

by Brooke Tallinger 

DTHartford Staff

Explore the Happiest of Hours in Downtown Hartford

HARTFORD, Conn. –As Connecticut’s capital city, Hartford has been recognized as The Insurance Capital of the United States and known for their prestigious universities and notable attractions that hold great historic value.  But, have the locals ever stopped to consider their city as the home of a happenin’ Happy Hour?

Kelly Tamburri, a full time employee in South Windsor, claims, “I would much rather spend my happiest of hours downtown as opposed to West Hartford. The deals are unbeatable and it’s a lot of fun to catch up with friends and bounce from bar to bar.”

Happy Hour can be the perfect environment to unwind from a hectic day at work, celebrate a mid-week feat or to simply socialize and meet new faces.

With over fifteen different choices in the downtown area alone, the city of Hartford provides a variety of atmospheres to match anyone’s mid-week mood. At any and all of these locations, catch great deals on food, indulge in an array of inexpensive drinks and most importantly don’t forget to enjoy yourself.

Monday through Friday from the hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., the choice is yours!

If you prefer a Pub setting, check out the specials available at one of the city’s favorite watering holes.  These favorites are included but not limited to Vaughan’s Public House, Arch Street Tavern or City Steam Brewery Café.

Anthony Sousa, Bar Manager at City Steam Brewery Café, says their Happy Hour offers a delicious variety of entrée favorites in smaller portion size. In addition to their deals on food, City Steam Brewery Café also offers 250 customers the opportunity to reap the benefits as a Mug Member. This membership attracts City Steam’s loyalist customers, offering them an additional discount off of existing Happy Hour deals.

“I believe we [City Steam Brewery Café] have no competition with West Hartford’s Happy Hour deals. Our customers are too loyal,” claims Sousa. “Our assortment of deals during Happy Hour primarily attracts the surrounding landscaping companies before their guys go home for the night, as well as the students and residents living on lower Temple Street.”

Taking an out-of-town colleague or customer out for a night on the town? Check out Agave Grill & Tequila Bar, Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ or Trumbull Kitchen for an excellent menu choice for both dinner and Happy Hour.

In comparison to Sousa, Russell Probulis, bar manager at Agave Grill & Tequila Bar, feels there is a level of inevitable competition with West Hartford Center’s Happy Hour deals. “There’s always indirect competition with the bars in West Hartford Center because of their centralized location and their unique environment they offer to their customers,” Probulis says. However, a little competition doesn’t shake Probulis’ confidence in his bar and grill. Rather he adds, “We [Agave Grill & Tequila Bar] offer significant food and drink discounts and since everything is made from scratch. There’s nothing around like it!”

Looking to socialize and stay after Happy Hours? The deals continue after hours at bars such as Coach’s, Black Bear Saloon, or Pigs Eye Pub. And the list goes on!

With their convenient downtown proximity and corresponding hours offered, if you played your cards right you could potentially hit all of them up in the same evening!

Still having questions regarding directions, menu specials or hour availability? For more information about happy hour deals, check out www.GoTime.com/Hartford where you will find all the hot spots in downtown Hartford.

Living in Downtown Hartford

by Alyssa Caputo
DTHartford Staff

College students find living in Downtown Hartford on Temple Street better than living on the residential side of campus. Temple Street mostly consists of upperclassmen and graduate students that feel they have done their fair share of time living on campus during their first years of college.

There are many options for students interested in living off campus. For example, students could rent a house or apartment with friends and split the cost of living.

Deborah Lebowski, the manager of Temple Street Townhouses, said, “The amount of students we get to live here has continuously grown over the years. People are seeing that living here is much cheaper than any campus and it is way nicer."

Tim Morris, a Junior at Trinity College, stated, “ It is way cheaper living off campus than it is to live on campus, even with having to buy my own food and not have a student meal plan.”

Students living on campus pay approximately $3500 to live in a dorm room and/or apartment area. Off campus students are paying about $400 a month for a ten-month lease, saving the average college student $5000-$7000 per semester.

Another benefit to living off campus is having the option of indulging in healthier food. “It is easier to run to the supermarket and grab some of the healthier food choices to cook for myself. Commons and Hawks Nest are not even close to being healthy,” said Samantha Olsteen, senior at the University of Hartford. Many students living on campus not only complain about the lack of nutritious options, but also complain about the quality of the food available.

Angela Lombardo, Graduate student at the UCONN Business School, says that she has been living on Temple Street for two years. “My favorite part of living downtown is that it feels like I am in an actual city like New York or Boston. There are so many places to eat, go out at night, and most importantly, I am a thirty foot walk to school, so I don’t have to worry about transportation.”

Students should consider their off-campus residential alternatives. The cost of attending prestigious universities like University of Hartford, Trinity College, and UCONN is high, and with the state of economy, most people cannot afford to go to college. With such a cost efficient alternative, students can save money for the costly necessities such as books needed for class.

Living in a Downtown Hartford apartment provides more space to relax in a living environment. On campus in all three schools, it is difficult for students to purchase a single room and most students are stuck living with a roommate. Some college students feel that living with a roommate can be unsanitary, challenging, and difficult when trying to do work, whereas living off campus, students are able to make their place their own.

The greatest benefit to living off-campus is that it can prepare a person for future endeavors. Managing the household along with money plays a big role in life after college. Maintaining these responsibilities will inevitably assist student’s transitions from their life in college to their life in the real world. 

The House of a Well Known Man

by Chelsey Mooney
DTHartford Staff

HARTFORD, CONN. -- In Hartford, Connecticut a major known land mark  is the Mark Twain House and its Museum, which gives a background on this amazing legend of a man.  Everybody knows who Mark Twain is, the well-known famous novelist of Innocents Abroad and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  These two places have a representation of this single figured man who has passed away, but there are people who are still passionate about his story and his work. So for all of the supporters of the house and for the museum to stay up and running successfully, what is in it for them to keep supporting?

Residents and visitors who live in Hartford or who want to visit the Hartford area, will almost always have the opportunity to visit the Mark Twain House and Museum. But why would they visit? To see the historical landmark, yes, but how many times can you see the same house and museum and still be amused and entertained when you know exactly what to expect? 

Melani Maxwell, 22, a senior at the University of Hartford says “I’m not an expert but, I find new things to set my eye every time I visit.  It is enjoyable for me when I go because I want to be there and seek different attractions added to the museum or house. College students who visit just need to absorb in the information displayed.” 

Maxwell makes it seem so simple to visit and take in the knowledge and had a greater understanding for the purposes of the museum and why people donate and support the Mark Twain landmarks.  

During the night of the Oscars, AIDS Connecticut hosted the “Oscar Experience” at the Mark Twain House.  This gave the community and public a chance to visit the Twain location for a reason out of the ordinary.  This Oscar Experience was a hit. Tickets were $50 for general admission and $100 for VIP treatment.  

David Caesar, 26, originally from Long Island, moved to Hartford about four years ago.  He commented on what he thinks of the museum and about the Oscars event.  “I believe that the museum is great for cultural and historical uses.  I’ve been there about six times and they hold events or reading every month.  The Oscar party was a smart event.  They probably raised a decent amount of money on general admission and celebrities probably gave extra generous donations." The event was a blast and was hosted for about 300 guests. For pictures, donations, and news on how the Oscar Experience went please feel free to visit www.aids-ct.org

The coordinators of the Mark Twain functions are always planning and scheduling guest speakers and events where the community can come out and gain knowledge about that certain topic or event.  How do they find these special guests or activities to do? 

Being such a successful Museum and cultural landmark, they have generous supporters such as The Annenberg Foundation, The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, ING and several more that support them and help them spread the message they want the community to receive about the Mark Twain Museum and House.  

At the Twain Museum in the month of May, there will be three different dates that a Saturday Afternoon Writers Workshop will be held. It is a three hour workshop to learn more about craft and business writing. Admission is $40 and if there are any further questions please contact 860-280-3130.

On the website (www.marktwainhouse.org) they have previews and dates of upcoming events of what is going to be hosted.

The Mark Twain House and Museum is versatile and is always open to the community!