1. Adaptive reuse of industrial buildings, including and especially the Swift Factory on Love Lane which is community-centered and kind of a big deal.
  2. Viewing the Riverfest fireworks from Charter Oak Place — close enough to see them well, but far enough to miss the crowds and ruckus
  3. That Hartford has a storage reservoir, on the edge of town and in the woods, that nobody really seems to know about
  4. Classic signs, like those for Modern Pastry and Billy’s Package Store
  5. Hartford’s many domes
  6. Being able to observe most yard decor because of sidewalks and small yards. This is how to develop an appreciation for the Yard Gnomes of Hartford.
  7. Being able to get fruit trees and a rain barrel at no cost.
  8. Knowing where the hidden, secret, vanished, and paper streets are/were
  9. Keney Park’s ravine
  10. The pedestrian bridge at Wellington Street. It may be deteriorating, but it is one of the few spaces that are off-limits to vehicles.
  11. Our first responders, who have added administering naloxone to their daily routines
  12. And our residents who stop to help those suffering, even when they have no professional obligation to do so. In December I witnessed a woman helping a stranger who was overdosing near Hartford Hospital. Despite having someplace she needed to be, she got off the bus to help the individual who had collapsed on the sidewalk. While on the phone with 911, she made sure he stayed awake until paramedics arrived, and she wrapped him in her scarf. Again, she had absolutely no professional obligation to help, but she did anyway. That man she assisted? I saw him out walking a few days later.
  13. The Greater Hartford Harm Reduction Coalition opening a center on Grand Street, in the Frog Hollow neighborhood, just blocks from where I live. The reality is that people are battling addiction, and if we want them to recover, we can’t just ignore the problem. The humane thing to do is to minimize risks.
  14. Additional shout out to Mia Lozada, who is running for State Representative of the 3rd district General Assembly. She is the refreshing change that the people deserve.
  15. The bike repair stand outside of the Hartford Public Library.
  16. S’mores brownies at Blue State Coffee and S’mores calzones at Blind Pig Pizza.
  17. Piggy’s Cafe: It almost closed forever, but the business stayed in the family and has re-opened with a few updates. Change isn’t always a bad thing.
  18. The underappreciated Spring Grove Cemetery, including its entrance that seems more rural than something in a densely populated area.
  19. Having, within a ten minute from home: pastelitos de guayaba or Vietnamese milk tea, cannoli or a cortado, curry pot or black-eyed peas and yucca, tortellini a la vodka or veggie lo mein. And then there’s El Mercado, where coconuts and churros are abundant.
  20. The bike rack at Charter Oak Landing
  21. Hartford Artisans Weaving Center
  22. Knowing where, outside the cemeteries, the bodies are buried
  23. Picnics in Pope Park West
  24. Bright façades on Park Street and Albany Avenue
  25. Elizabeth Park’s Heritage Rose Garden
  26. Shopkeepers and doormen who sweep the sidewalks
  27. The American School for the Deaf started here
  28. The trees behind the monument at Asylum and Farmington
  29. LGBTQ film festival
  30. Talking “People’s History”
  31. Casa Tony (Park Street) window displays
  32. The Cemetery Brook ravine/gorge by Hillside and Sherbrooke; the access point is privately owned, but due to neglect of the lot, I would vote for this small parcel to become City property and be treated as an actual park.
  33. The nearby Nature Trail at Mary Hooker
  34. Our churchagogues, even though I’d prefer at least a few be restored to functional synagogues
  35. Capital Ice Cream, now with two full seasons of experience
  36. Watching the sunset in Pope Park
  37. Having not one, not two, but multiple buildings that were moved from their original sites (Glenwood Village church is one)
  38. The numerous walking tours (Shoeleather, Asylum Hill, Trails Day)
  39. Dorset Street and Fire Island Lane
  40. Batterson Park: it’s outside the city, but belonging to Hartford, and accessible by CTfastrak
  41. The stand of pine trees at the edge of Connecticut Historical Society’s property near the Park River. Viewed from the right angle, they seem like the beginning of a deep forest.
  42. Not being barred from cultural experiences because your bank account is small.
  43. Fresh Start Pallet benches
  44. The tactical urbanism demonstration project at Main Street and Charter Oak Avenue, even though it was short-lived. May it evolve into permanent, year-round pedestrian infrastructure.
  45. What looks like a change of heart from the City regarding sidewalk snow clearance. There is more pressure being placed on property owners to maintain their sidewalks, and it shows. We’re not at gold star level yet, but even within one season, the improvements have been immense.
  46. The small grocery stores that have opened in Downtown without pomp and circumstance, but fill gaps nonetheless.
  47. Spice Venue: Hooray for having a second non-fancy Indian restaurant in downtown. Spice Venue took over a nightclub spot and seems to be making it work.
  48. Props also to El Rinconcito Peruano, which has filled the seemingly doomed Captiol and Main spot. Maybe the switch in cuisine and toned down decor (it doesn’t feel stiffly fancy anymore) will invite more people to go inside.
  49. The mysterious yarn decorations along Colt Park’s fence. They appeared, brightened up the area for a few weeks, and then went away. Nicely done!
  50. Places in the community that are receptive to customer feedback, such as Hog River Brewery, which installed a bicycle rack so that visitors arriving on two wheels don’t feel like an afterthought. I have sadly seen some venues respond to customer feedback with a “So what?! Stop complaining” attitude, and I’ve watched others take the gracious approach of “How can we make this better? Let’s see how we can do this, and we will update you on our progress.” When visiting restaurants and drinking establishments, museums, theaters, or any other cultural venue, we should feel comfortable giving suggestions when our needs are not being met. Thankfully, more and more places in Hartford are willing to make changes.
  51. Slipaway: Affordable river cruises of varying lengths is exactly what was needed.
  52. Coffices: Herb N’ Kitchen, and Marriott Starbucks, among others, are fairly low-cost options for the occasional “work-from-anywhere-but-the-office” day. The lighting at the Marriott Starbucks is super low, which is great if you want to feel like you are doing work surreptitiously.
  53. There is no shortage of delightfully weird sights (see pics) in all corners of the city. From triangular outbuildings to the pink house by the Parkville CTfastrak Station to the many ways people communicate that they do not want dogs pooping on their property, it’s all good. (Shout out to backyard roosters! We hear you!)
  54. Having residents who routinely remove Patriot Front and other racist/fascist/neo-nazi stickers that have been placed around town. We could be the kind of place where the news shows up whenever hate graffiti appears and then there is a giant town meeting and there is lots of noise, or we could simply make this a place where that kind of nonsense does not get to stay.
  55. Those who opt for natural ice skating experiences by seeking out frozen ponds.
  56. Geer’s city directories for seeing who used to live in your house or just looking at old ads. There are a few ways to access these, including visiting the Hartford History Center and Connecticut Historical Society.
  57. CTTransit finally introducing Go CT Cards, removing — at least for those who opt in — the endless waste of single-use paper tickets and transfers, and offering a reusable and sturdy card that is easier to store without accidentally ripping it in half, bending it, or wrecking in the wash machine.
  58. Unexpected boundary markers: on the edge of a golf course, one announcing State property. Out in the middle of the woods, a stone marker showing the Windsor/Hartford line.
  59. Naturally Dogs and Cats: sure, you could get your cat and dog supplies at a Big Box store, but what you won’t get from that is the personal connection you develop by shopping at a small, family-run store. Plus, they host a “Yappy Hour” and nail clipping (for the animals, not humans) nights.
  60. A whole lot of new trees were planted in Colt Park and the Bankside Grove section of Pope Park.
  61. There is a fruit-producing pear tree in Charter Oak Landing, and it apparently planted itself from seed. The glass half empty part of this is that the fruit really should not be eaten, as the tree is very close to the trash incinerator.
  62. If you need to rent a hall, the Polish National Home and Society Room are among those with character. Back in the day, labor union meetings were held at the Polish National Home.
  63. You can do Chinese food and a movie on Christmas without having to leave Hartford, or, get creative and take that food to-go for a picnic in the park. Except for Elizabeth Park, all Hartford’s major parks are within a five-minute walk of a Chinese restaurant.
  64. Being able to view a quarry from Cedar Mountain. It’s beautiful and upsetting at once. Unwilling to do the hike? Go watch Manufactured Landscapes.
  65. We got lots of speed humps installed. They work. We need more. Low budget suggestion: stop rushing out to fill potholes. Those are also a way to reduce speeds, which reduce the damage done when people drive their vehicles into other people or things.
  66. NOMAD/9
  67. The Super Cat, even if that has been somewhat replaced by “No Pissing” demands on the same building
  68. Juan Alderete, the bass player for Marilyn Manson, The Mars Volta, and various other bands, made low-key stops at Story & Soil and BiCi Co. when he was in town. Imagine someone being down-to-earth and just wanting to talk about good places in the area to go ride his bicycle.
  69. Hartford has more than a dozen Freedom Trail sites. Go to them.
  70. Miguel Jose Matos brings art into Upward Hartford.
  71. The painted rocks at Charter Oak Landing
  72. Old North Cemetery: look — most of our cemeteries are in rough shape and all could benefit by regular folks walking through and picking up litter. That said, there is plenty about Old North that is not in disarray.
  73. Curioporium and Vagabond Trading Post: two newish stores in Parkville.
  74. Ichiban: it’s predictable, healthy, and it feels down-to-earth.
  75. Hiking along North and South branches of the Park River, which is probably best to do from October through April, when there aren’t (yet) mosquitoes and the vegetation isn’t too dense.
  76. That somebody built an elaborate shack with a waterfront view of the Park River. I have not met the person/people responsible, and don’t want to make assumptions, but whoever did this knows something about building. There are squatter camps all over Hartford, and perhaps there is something more complex than this one, but I have not seen it yet.
  77. For the first time in at least ten years, basketball hoops were dragged out to my street. They got use from people of all ages, but mostly groups of kids. They would play in the street, moving to the side when somebody drove up in a car. Sometimes, a toddler would try to participate with kids much older, and the tweens would show exceptional patience and indulge the little one. A few neighbors weren’t impressed by the litter or language, but it is undeniable that the hoops had positive impacts: they were traffic calming, they cut drug sales down significantly, the kids had something to do, and youth who have usually played alone for years were suddenly playing with others. I personally do not like basketball as a sport, but these hoops made a tremendous difference to this one block.
  78. Banh Meee on Capitol Avenue. I really can’t emphasize how wonderful it is to get a steaming bowl of pho, close to home, on a dreary day. . . and on sunnier ones, a tiramisu milk/bubble tea.
  79. Park Hardware: if you don’t see it, they might have it downstairs. And if it’s not downstairs, they will order it for you. And if you don’t know what you’re doing, they will give you advice. Plus, they sell washboards.
  80. Hartford: We’re not afraid to holler at cops and elected officials when they start to act too big for their britches.
  81. There is a magic tree in Colt Park, and no, I’m not referring to that shrine on Wawarme.
  82. Somebody built protective boxes around new trees along Park Street
  83. La Sala Femme: this starts way beyond my bedtime, but was worth staying up late for at least once.
  84. Sad Bear: those oversized stuffed bears that you would find at carnivals make their way onto the streets and in the strangest of places.
  85. Montecarlo: home of the best pastelitos de guayaba y queso in Hartford. This bakery on Park Street has its shit together! There is a small dine-in area. They’ve only been open a few months so far, and they are wonderful.
  86. Secret nature: bald eagles, bobcats, deer, and coyote. Hartford absolutely has wildlife.
  87. Using your library card to get free tickets to Hartford Stage
  88. The Bushnell Park beer garden: it’s not a hard concept. Take a couple breweries, add pizza, and book a few musicians every week. Put out tables. There were lots and lots of people attending who I have never seen before, which is great because it means that the event is not overly relying the same handful of people to keep it alive. (If anyone wants suggestions for next time: add more seating in general, and add a few beanbag chairs and a free library for an introvert corner)
  89. Baraka at Cinestudio. This is a solid tradition that has been going for decades now. It plays in late December. If you’ve never seen it, what even have you been doing?
  90. Yes, you can get the same kind of offerings on Park Street, but that’s not the point. El Poeta on Pratt Street brings more flavor into Downtown. Plus, Nutella milkshakes.
  91. The Connecticut Science Center’s new exhibit about climate change. For adults who have been paying attention, it may not add anything new to our knowledge, but it is something to see man-made climate change acknowledged by an institution that is visited by so many young people every year.
  92. Connecticut Forum had the wisdom to invite Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson to speak on a panel about climate change in late 2019.
  93. Friends with high rise balconies
  94. Basement bars with all day Sunday happy hours
  95. Richie Moll, who doesn’t live in Hartford, but stops for snacks daily while biking to work. He often takes video of his rides, and makes time to chat with everyone, which I guess you can do when you ride as fast as he does. He models what many of us already know: biking is not only for sunny days with no wind. Catch him riding though a monsoon or snow storm. We’re not made of paper.
  96. I know there are readers who are vegan, and I have my own complicated feelings about dairy, but…if you feel like you need to get a milkshake, don’t bother with one from a place that has a drive-thru. Go to The Place 2 Be in Hartford’s South End. They are works of art and whenever you can choose between locally-owned or a chain, opt for keeping your bucks in the community.
  97.  Way too much fucking yoga!
  98. Frisbie’s ice cream at the Noble gas station/apartment building on Hudson Street and the UConn Dairy Bar ice cream available at Bear’s
  99. Pawpaw trees, which produce the only native North American citrus fruit, are thriving and self-propagating in a few locations, including in Asylum Hill and the West End.
  100. The doughnuts at Piña.
  101. Being able to hop on the Hartford Line to visit the Student Prince in Springfield or BAR in New Haven.