Summer Fun in New England

[Shapley]

Nicole,

When I was in Boston two years ago, the Tea Party was out of business. Has it re-opened? There was an old notice (about two-three months, from the looks of it) apologizing for the inconvenience, and a look of dereliction about the place, indicating no hope of reopening soon.

The U.S.S. Constitution is still there, I believe, and worth a visit. We couldn't make it during our short trip, but it was worthwhile.

The Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower II are not too far away to the south, and worth the trip, IMHO.

I think Annette has photos from her visit of around the same time as I was there posted on the forum.

V/R
Shapley

[shostakovich]

Hi Selma. If you get to the Hartford area, we can show you the Wadsworth Atheneum (oldest continuously open art museum in the country), the Mark Twain House, and BEETHOVEN RADIO.

My Beethoven e-mail has been in the dumper for a month. Mail me at othershos@aol.com. Would love to meet you.
Shos

[Marye]

What will the weather be like for Selma, Shos? It promises to be lovely and less humid in Toronto which sometimes translates to the same weather in Connecticut and Washington. Sometimes.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

I'm expecting hot and sticky, though I'd prefer warm and dry.

I tentatively have b.com on my "gotta visit" list, and googlemaps has kindly provided a map. One of my guidebook driving tours goes right down Asylum Ave. Of course, a native guide would be a good thing!

[treebeau]

Suggestion, just for fun:

For each BBB person that can visit the studio, record a soundbite such as:
"Hi, this is bulletin board user [Selma in Sandy Eggo]/[Shostakovich] and you're listening to Beethoven radio...the station without the attitude."

and play those randomly throughout the day.

Regards,
Tim B.

[Serenity]

That's a good idea. Can I use my son's Darth Vader voice changer helmet?

[shostakovich]

What will the weather be like for Selma, Shos? It promises to be lovely and less humid in Toronto which sometimes translates to the same weather in Connecticut and Washington. Sometimes.

------------------------------------------------------
Hi Marye. I watch the local weather people, and they are not always reliable even 12 hours ahead. The 5-day forecast is highs in the 80s, lows in the 60s. I'll take it, but I wouldn't bet on it. Three weeks hence I predict it will still be summer (really went out on a limb that time).

Selma, "warm and dry" coming up. You also have a native guide to Beethoven Radio. We're only 15 minutes from the studio, mem sahib.

Tim, I like your idea. Maybe we could even be on the studio camera momentarily. Call it a deposit on our "15 minutes of fame".
Shos

[Serenity]

What's a "must see" around Hartford on a one day trip?

[Shapley]

Beethoven.com

[navneeth]

I tentatively have b.com on my "gotta visit" list, and googlemaps has kindly provided a map.

I'm surprised that my city has better resolution images in Google Earth/Maps than Hartford. Infact, we got ours (along with a LOT of other regions of the world) only this June.

[Nicole Marie]

Hello Serenity-

Must sees for Hartford... hmmm...

**** (Pick this one!!!) **** The Wadsworth: http://www.wadsworthatheneum.org/

Mark Twain House: http://www.marktwainhouse.org/

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center: http://www.harrietbeecherstowecenter.org/

Our State Capital... They have a very impressive tour of the building that houses many historical items from the area: http://www.cga.ct.gov/capitoltours/

In Hartford, the CT River has been developed into a beautiful river park. Concerts and river tours are always going on in the summer: http://www.riverfront.org/

The City of Hartford always hosts events. Here is the city website, they do stuff all the time. The West Indie celebrations are coming up. http://www.hartford.com/

Rel Art Ways - They host a variety of arts in many mediums: http://www.realartways.org/

Cine Studio - Indie films: http://www.cinestudio.org/

Artist Collective: http://artistscollective.org/

Hartt School: http://www.hartford.edu/hartt/

Let me know if you need more... I could go on. There really is a lot to do around here for arts and culture.

[Serenity]

Thanks Nicole. I'll check these links over the next day or two. I was thinking on taking a one day trip just to look around. Someone mentioned checking out Bridgeport but I've got to check to see if that's too long of a drive for one day.

[Nicole Marie]

Hello Serenity-

AVOID BRIDGEPORT!!! It's not the nicest city in CT and has one of the highest crime rates in the country. I'm sure it has some nice areas but I would not risk your safety and tell you to spend the time trying to find those nice areas. It's very close to NYC and much of the drug trafficking and crime from NYC spills into Bridgeport. If you wanted to head to CT's coastal towns. I'd say Mystic CT is perfect! New London has some nice areas and New Haven too. New Haven especially around Yale is very nice. Yale has many nice museums you could visit too.

[Shapley]

Mystic Seaport is a day well spent, IMHO. I took my family a couple of years ago, intending to visit Mystic and then journey up to Groton to the submarine museum. We decided to spend the whole day in Mystic, instead, as there was so much to see.

V/R
Shapley

[Serenity]

Thanks Nicole and Shapley! The current plan is to go to Mystic; there is an aquarium that I think the kids will enjoy and then us grown-ups can enjoy seafood.

If I were on my own, I'd go to Tanglewood to see Seiji conduct Mahler's 2nd!!

I also considered going to: Newport, RI; Hampton Beach, NH; York Beach or Ogunquit, ME and New London, CT (which I may still go to since it's only 15 minutes from Mystic. There is some Ocean Beach Park that may be fun for the family).

I also wanted to see downtown Hartford; there's a Bluegrass festival in East Hartford this weekend. And in Sturbridge, MA there are re-enactments of the Civil War, American Revolution and King Phillip wars; the kids may have gotten a kick out of it. Oh well! Can't do everything at once!

[Shapley]

Have a safe and pleasant trip!

[Nicole Marie]

Podunk!! That's the very cool Bluegrass fest in East Hartford! East Hartford is a dump but people from all over the globe travel there for Podunk. It really is tons of fun. Have fun in Mystic! Eat at Mystic Pizza (they had that very famous movie of the same name made after them). The aquarium is a bit outside of the historic downtown Mysitc. DO take the time to see the historic section. Your kids will love the bridge and all the boats!

[Serenity]

I never made it there.....by the time we were ready to leave it was not worth going, so we ended up in Sturbridge watching re-enactments of the Civil War. Boy, those cannon blasts made everyone jump!

Incidentally, I got a coupon in the mail from the Mystic Aquarium this week; $2 off admission.

[Nicole Marie]

Cool! I'll be in Mystic tomorrow. The Upton Double Bass Shop is in Mystic and they do all of my bass repairs etc. I have to bring in a new bass I just bought for insurance apprasial tomorrow and have a bow rehaired. Hubby and I will take the day off and head down there for some good eats and shopping while we wait. Maybe we'll see you there!

[piqaboo]

How'd it go?