state by state speak your mind about......connecticut

[SwampG8r]

another i have not visited yet
i have met many people from there and they were very nice folks
worked with one guy from the shore there
he had great things to say about connecticut

[Aristus]

1. Whenever I hear the name of the state spoken,

I always envision a lot of rich, white liberals. (not that there's anything wrong with that...) I've never been there, so I'm sure that vision is all wrong...

[krispos42]

12. There's a reason that lower Fairfield County is called "The Gold Coast"

I'm here because I have no real choice. I certainly wouldn't live here of my own volition.



It has its moments.

[Chan790]

17. For the western half of the state, it applies.

The half of the state east of the Connecticut River, once you get outside the Hartford suburbs and off the shoreline, is by no measure wealthy. It's rural and decreasingly middle-class like most of the rest of the country. It is narrowly Democratic (mostly due to blue-collar union labor), that entire half of the state is the 2nd Congressional District and it (along with the 5th district in the NW corner of the state) is one of only two CDs that the Republicans seriously-contest. The primary employers are military manufacturers and to be blunt, you can't win there unless you're willing to put "bread on the table" (by which I mean a staunch supporter of defense spending and things that increase defense spending...like war. Combined with out-of-state money and pandering to the wealthy Gold Coast elites and white-collar moralists(people whose biggest concern is the filthiness of modern-culture) it becomes obvious how Lieberman keeps getting reelected and no Congressman in the 2nd in 50 years has been as popular as retired CIA man Rob Simmons(R.))

Overall, and this is interesting, CT has a growing film industry because its proximity to NYC makes it a convenient shooting locale and its' "diversity" in terms of terrain and development. Depending on where you are in the state, we can reasonably stand-in as locale backdrop for almost anywhere in the US. New Haven is a frequent stand-in for street-level shooting of larger cities because it's cheaper and easier to shoot in downtown NH than midtown Manhattan or downtown Chicago. Hartford looks like a generic east-coast city. The NW hills with the Berkshire mountains on the horizon frequently stand in for western locales like Wyoming and Colorado. (The mountains are not big mountains but film-scale makes it impossible to judge that.) I also know of scenes that were supposed to be South Beach being shot on Hammonasset Beach in southern CT in the dead of winter (think girls in bikinis) and I think that had to be cold as hell. The more rural sections of the CT River Valley frequently stand in for the rural South. The areas around New Haven likewise make a passable Pacific NW during the dreary perpetually-overcast (but rarely rainy) early spring and the western edge is nothing but vast unbroken forest. Heck, CT has even been used to pass for New Jersey before. (I used to work in film in NYC and grew-up in CT so this all always amused me...except the NJ thing.)

[limpyhobbler]

25. That is just a sterotype. There are plenty of working class neighborhoods in CT.

There are plenty of slums and ghettos too.

Connecticut is on average wealthier than other states.

There are many people struggling to put food on the table in Connecticut.

[Ecumenist]

2. Never been there eaither but I think of Currier and Ives lithographs whenever I hear Connecticut.

[RZM]

3. Been to Hartford once

Nice town. Lots of big, old homes.

[limpyhobbler]

4. Connecticut, the construction state. I just remember orange cones all the way through.

Also fun to spell: Connect -I -Cut.

Also the state is schizophrenic. They can't decide whether to root for the Red Sox or the Yankees.

Also:
where to eat when visiting CT
http://www.reinsdeli.com/

[NutmegYankee]

28. It's not schizophrenic, it's just geography.

The Connecticut River is the defacto dividing line between Boston teams and NY teams. Since I live in the SE, I'm in Red Sox and Patriots territory. Sure, there are people that root for the other teams sprinkled about, but a lot of that has to do with relocating. Most of the Yankees fans I know grew up in NY and moved here for work. The Giants/Pats divide is messier as the Pats are a newer team ('59 vs '25) so you have a lot of older Giants fans, and their children, remaining in the region, though they are losing ground with each generation.

[Exultant Democracy]

43. The construction is a racket. The one section of highway has been under construction for 14 years

I've lived a few other places and everywhere else they seem to finish a lot more ambitious projects finished quicker for less money.

[ohheckyeah]

5. The only time I was there

a hurricane remnant blew through and we were in a tent. Not fun. But, the state is pretty.

[gopiscrap]

6. I think of 7 electoral votes

going for Pres. Obama

[ScreamingMeemie]

7. I still say, to myself, Connect I Cut...

...when I want to spell it.

[OriginalGeek]

8. Every time I see the state mentioned

it reminds me of an episode of Family Affair where either Buffy or Jodi pronounced it "Kenny cut".


And then I wonder what it would be like to have a butler like Mr. French.

[Morning Dew]

14. Yeah - I hear Kenny-cut in my head too.

And don't get me started on Sitges... the three part lost in Spain episodes.

I can crack up my mom just by saying "Sitges".

[Mz Pip]

9. I've been to CT a few times

I remember it being particularly beautiful in the autumn and loved stopping in the villiages. I think I would probably like living there if the opportunity ever came up. I think it's pretty expensive to live there, though.

[CTyankee]

10. If you come to New Haven, I will give you my "New Haven Liberals Tour"!

First, there is a replica of the Amistad in the New Haven Harbor. It is a floating history lesson on slavery in the early 19th century. I will also show you the building where Florence Griswold defied the state law against contraception back in the 60s, and forced the case of Griswold v. CT through the courts. Griswold, of course, had the constitutional underpinning that led to Roe v. Wade. There will be a little tour of the New Haven Green and visiit the spot where Noah Webster delivered his interesting speech voicing his concerns about corruption in government of the new republic. We could tour the historic Old Campus of Yale. Stroll on the historic New Haven Green, over ground under which the original Puritan founders are buried and was used as a setting for Steven Spielberg in his 2007 Indiana Jones movie.

I will take you to the "insider's" favorite pizza place, Modern, which has been overshadowed by Pepe's and Sally's. We'll go backstage at the historic Shubert Theater, where The Sound of Music and South Pacific and Streetcar Named Desire premiered. You'll see the wall backstage that numerous Broadway stars autographed. And the Whitney Museum, an unfortunate reminder of Eli Whitney's invention that sadly advanced slavery in the South. The spot, now the Union League Cafe (best food in New Haven) where George Washington dined with other historic figures of the Revolutionary War.

Then we'll depart to visit pretty little towns like Guilford, with it's colonial times Old Stone House and keep going up the shoreline to Abbot's, a seafood in the rough place in the tiny town of Noank, where you compete with the gulls swooping down for your lobster.

We will also visit the town of Mystic, where the film "Amistad" was actually shot, standing in for early 19th century New Haven.

It can be a fun place to visit and very rich in early American history...

[mia]

11. I've been there twice.

The first time I went to Connecticut was when I attended a Montessori convention in the late 70's in NYC. I visited the Whitby Montessori School as one of their side trips - a beautiful, true, Montessori program and campus.

A few years later I went to New Haven and Yale with a friend who had graduated from there. I remember a pavillion with the names of the soldiers who had died in various wars etched on stone columns. There was one soldier who died in Vietnam.

We also visited Mystic during that trip. I'd love to return there some day.

[MADem]

13. I remember spending a bit of time at Yale eons ago.

I drive through the state on occasion but rarely stop.

I've heard their state cops are merciless so I watch my speedometer.

[Mopar151]

15. Western CT is beautiful country.

A friend has a machine shop in the little industrial park across from the Winstead airport, surrounded by tobacco fields. It's cool to listen to Precision (race engine shop) run up something bad-ass on their dyno, a couple streets over.
My friend Doug Moore and his family run a neat little custom sawmill a couple towns over - they can take a cherry tree your neighbor had to cut down and make a room's worth of flooring (kiln drying and millwork shop on the premises). And you can see their grandma's house up the hill, next to the classic New England church.
It's an expensive place to live, for sure. Per Capita income is high, and it has a scale effect on things like food prices and housing.

[trof]

16. CN drivers are insane.

I go 40 miles out of my way on trips to Boston to avoid I-84 through CN.
Drivers tailgate at 15-20 MPH over posted limits.
If you try and maintain a safe distance behind car in front of you drivers will swerve into that space with no signal.
It's just nerve-wracking to drive there.
Rear-ended twice, and that was ENOUGH.
What's wrong with y'all?

[Chan790]

23. All that is true and yet..as a state we have one of the better driving records.

Go figure. Honestly, with all those 5-line interstates and 3-lane state roads the speed-limits should be 70MPH in some places and are too low by about 15MPH. Connecticut DOT's slogan should be: "We know you can't wait to leave...and we've facilitated that effort."

Actually, it's because of our former Republican governors who were adamant about spending every DOT $ the CT General Assembly budgeted on not building the approved light-rail public-transit system covering about 2/3 the state. The GA would budget $50M for the rail project and Rowland and Rell would create "emergency" road-projects out of thin-air to eat up the budgeted funds.* The two rail projects (extension of the Metro-North line across CT into Springfield MA and a five-line light-rail system centered on Hartford and running about 35mi out from the city to New Haven, New Britain/Bristol, Windsor-Locks/Bradley-Airport) were both estimated for completion in 2010 and neither is even half-done.

And yes, we're considered to be a good driving state and get insurance rates reflecting a lower rate of accidents than other areas of similar population-density and traffic-patterns.

*-Seriously, there are NASCAR tracks that have not been resurfaced as often as I-84 and I-95.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

18. just got back from there

and they have missed winter as well, I suppose. it was lovely from a temperature perspective and the folks were very hospitable as well. would love to go back again in Autumn (I got to go last year during that time) ... it is amazing!

sP

OnEdit : 84 through there is no fun ride though...trof is right.

[MineralMan]

19. I've been there once, on a trip.

Just passed through and didn't really see anything. Haven't been back.

[lunatica]

20. I spent a Summer on the Beach at Cape Cod with relatives

when I was nine years old. I loved it.

[hootinholler]

30. Um, isn't Cape Cod in Massachusetts ?

[lunatica]

34. Yes it is

I remembered that long after the editing time expired.

[hootinholler]

39. Ok. FYI

There is no edit time limit in DU3

[NYC_SKP]

42. connecticut, massachusetts, potato, potahto.

[Bonhomme Richard]

21. Born and raised i Philly and have lived in the CT Litchfield hills for 25 years.

I love everything about it but the cost. The area is beautiful, somewhat rural, has a populace that leans left, and a lot of eye candy for those that enjoy seeing horses, stone walls, etc. It's also kind of fun to see or know actors and artist just living their lives, shopping, etc.. One famous actor just bought a property down my street. It has quite a mix of people.
Not perfect, but all in all a decent place to live.

[Bluenorthwest]

22. The actual finest pizza in the country, Hartford....

Horses, Hepburn, out of town nausea, a place where they know how to alter a blazer correctly.

[CTyankee]

26. Horrors! Hartford can never, never, never, never, NEVER have the finest pizza in the country!

That is the sole domain of New Haven!

I've lived in CT for the past 26 years and never heard that calumny uttered!

[w8liftinglady]

36. My Grandma would take me to Grand Apizza ..It was totally awesome

[CTyankee]

37. Modern Pizza is the insiders' favorite and has been for several years now,

beating out Sally's and Pepe's, which get more publicity. Grand Apizza is still here...

On my side of town, we have Dayton Street pizza, which has established itself as the Westville pizza contender. We had some just last night for Super Bowl watching...

Why do we call it "apizza" here in New Haven? It is probably a variation of la pizza, which just got shortened a bit when it came over with Italian immigrants to New Haven back in the day...

[bigwillq]

44. Modern is the best, imo

of the places in New Haven

[CTyankee]

45. Try Dayton St. pizza if you are near exit 59 of the Wilbur Cross Pkwy. It's closer

than going all the way downtown to State Street for Modern. They also have freshly made soups and nice salads.

[bigwillq]

46. Never had Dayton

will have to check it out.

There's a lot of good spots besides the Big Three (Modern, Pepe, Sally's).

I think BAR is overrated, but the place next to it, Aladdin, makes a good pie and they also make a good chicken and lentil dish.

A place in Westville, I don't know the name, is also very good. It's across the street from Delaney's Bar.

[CTyankee]

47. I know the one you mean, altho I don't eat there. Hubby loves happy hour at

Delaney's on Friday nights. I'm not a fan of big, noisy bars so I rarely join him. But he has made some very good friends and there's a nice Yale sports dept. contingent there.

[annabanana]

24. Was living & working in New Haven.. Summer 1967

I believe it was the first time tear gas was unleashed on a civilian population.

[NutmegYankee]

27. Home

Some of the highest taxes in the US, but a otherwise nice place to live. I live on the Eastern side which is largely rural and populated by small towns and villages. This side is far more working class and less wealthy and leans a bit to the left thankfully. Most people think of the southwest corner when thinking of Connecticut, with it high population and close proximity to NY, but most of the state is rural and New England in feel and look.

[hootinholler]

29. Submarine school in Groton

As a young squid I found it a great place. Probably would have been better if I had a car, lol.

[pipi_k]

31. Niantic, Lyme, Old Lyme...

Some years ago I used to spend a week there twice a year on vacation, camping at the Rocky Neck state park.

I loved it.

My favorite towns were Essex, Deep River, Chester, and Haddam, along Route 9. Lovely little towns, and so New England-ish...

[CTyankee]

38. They are very nice but run second place IMO to Litchfield County in western CT in terms of New

England-y charm...Washington Depot, New Preston...a nice swath of very lovely, rural places with mostly very liberal residents (and a few idyllic prep school campuses)...some of these little towns, for all of their affluence, don't have local delivery of mail, since residents prefer going to their little historic town centers to pick up their mail at the PO.

[Honeycombe8]

32. "Christmas in Connectiut" with Barbara Stanwyck.

That is all I know about Connecticut. Looks like a beautiful, but very expensive, state to live in.

That was a great movie, BTW.

[Elric]

33. Been to the Riverton-Barkhamsted area several times

One of the most beautiful areas I've ever seen.

[lovelyrita]

35. I'm from Windsor which is north of Hartford.

Windsor is part of Tobacco Valley which refers to an area where they grow lots of shade tobacco that is used as an outer wrapping of cigars. I think of the red barns that are all over town where the tobacco is dried.

Another thing I think of is colonial history. There are tons of beautiful houses from the mid-1600's.

The last thing would be the river. Windsor has both the Farmington and the Connecticut river running through it. That can make for some beautiful vista's.

Connecticut is a small state that varies greatly depending on the area. I do hope that people do explore more of it than just Fairfield County.

[Little Star]

40. “W” and I were both born in New Haven, CT….

How’s that for depressing? He was born 3 months before me in 1946.

I lived the first three years of my life in New Haven and I even have some vague memories about it. Then my parents, grandparents and 2 aunts and 2 uncles bought a large piece of land/farm in Cheshire, CT. Each family had their own house but the houses were clustered close to each other. It was actually a shared farm, one for all and all for one type thing. Lots of cousins to play with and many grownups who loved all us kids. Best childhood ever!!!

Eventually my mom & dad got divorced and my mother re-married a “city” fella (lol) when I was in the 4th grade. We moved from a farm to the 4th floor of a tenement house in Southbridge, MA. Took a bit to adjust to that but adjust I did and I have great memories of my teen years.

Even though I live in MA I’ve spent a lot of time in CT. Ironically, my only sister married a guy from New Haven and they settled down in Niantic, CT. We spent so much time at each other’s house over the many years that I feel a very strong connection to the state.

If you are near New Haven try the soft shell crab sandwiches at “Jimmies” of “Savin Rock” West Haven, CT. Savin Rock use to be an Amusement Park and I think Jimmies is the last surviving reminder of a time gone by. I would make my brother in-law drive us up to Jimmies often. He has since passed on and my sister moved to FL, just my 2 nephews left in CT now.

Here are just a few things that CT has to offer up:

Foxwoods Casino: http://www.foxwoods.com/default.aspx
Mohegan Sun Casino: http://www.mohegansun.com/gateway/index.html
Mystic Seaport: http://www.mysticseaport.org/
Mystic Aquarium: http://www.mysticaquarium.org/
The Goodspeed Opera House: http://www.goodspeed.org/
Lake Compounce Theme Park in Bristol, CT:





Then theres...
Listing of public beach’s in CT: http://www.lisrc.uconn.edu/coastalaccess/searchr.asp
CT Public Gardens: http://www.ctgardentrail.com/public-gardens.htm
This website lists some of CT’s scenic drives: http://www.visitconnecticut.com/scenic-drives

Official Connecticut Tourism Website:
http://www.ctvisit.com/

[Renew Deal]

41. I've seen a lot of Connecticut

I went up there to help the guy that primaried Lieberman a bunch of years ago. I usually don't have anything to do in CT. I'm usually driving through to points north.