by | May 3, 2024 2:15 pm | Comments (0)
T. Charles Erickson Photo
Chris Keller (Ben Katz) and Joe Keller (Michael Gaston).
All My Sons
Hartford Stage
Hartford
May 3, 2024
Warning: This review contains significant plot spoilers.
There’s so much to say about this wonderful play, but I want to focus on Joe Keller (played by Michael Gaston), the patriarch of the Keller family and the closest thing the play has to a main character.
by | May 1, 2024 9:35 am | Comments (0)
Jamil Ragland Photo
Melissa White and Sophie Shao perform together
Strings of Inspiration!
Artists Collective
Hartford
April 30, 2024
Not to toot my own horn, but I’m not just a band geek — I was band president in high school. I transcribed videogame music for fun. I was about that life.
Going to the Artists Collective on Tuesday night to watch Strings of Inspiration, a performance featuring Grammy-winning violinist Melissa White, let me relive those memories of high school band practice and the joy I used to feel when I played the clarinet (and by “played,” I mean “honked aggressively”).
by | Apr 28, 2024 11:50 am | Comments (0)
Jamil Ragland Photo
Cirque du Soleil BAZZAR
Hartford
April 25, 2024
Seeing BAZZAR in Hartford on an unseasonably chilly evening was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. The commercials for Cirque du Soleil, the exotic spelling of the name, and the mystery surrounding exactly what kind of performance it would be made me feel like I was joining a special, exclusive club by finally experiencing the show live.
by | Apr 26, 2024 11:39 am | Comments (1)
Jamil Ragland Photo
Erika Slocumb recalls her time as a teacher
Salons at Stowe: Literary Criticism Locked Up
Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
Hartford
April 24, 2014
I went to the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center for a discussion titled “Literary Criticism Locked Up.” The discussion was supposed to focus on the restrictions on literacy for incarcerated people, and the limits placed on telling their stories. As both a writer and former educator, I was greatly anticipating the program.
by | Apr 25, 2024 4:13 pm | Comments (0)
Hungry Pot Korean BBQ and Hot Pot
The Shoppes at Buckland Hills
Manchester
April 23, 2024
After experiencing the earth-shattering crunch of Korean fried chicken a few weeks ago, I continued my exploration of food from the Hanguk peninsula continued with a visit to Hungry Pot Korean BBQ and Hot Pot at the Shoppes at Buckland Hills.
by | Apr 25, 2024 2:00 pm | Comments (0)
Bulbs and Bulbs: An Earth Day Event and Celebration
Hartford City Hall
Hartford
April 22, 2024
Despite the importance of Earth Day, it often feels like there isn’t much to do to celebrate it.
by | Apr 21, 2024 4:11 pm | Comments (0)
The banner for the Art Connections Studio exhibit at UCONN Health Center
This-Ability Gallery Opening
UCONN Health Center
Farmington
April 18, 2024
The therapeutic nature of art has been well documented for thousands of years, but often presented from the perspective of the artist. What about the effects that viewing art has on the healing process for people who are recovering?
by | Apr 18, 2024 5:05 pm | Comments (1)
Sanctuary City
Theaterworks
Hartford
April 18, 2024
An expectation of consistency is what I walked in with to Sanctuary City, which I went to see at Theaterworks last night. Unfortunately, the play felt unbalanced. Its themes never meshed with the human drama of the characters, and the staging often confused me more than it illuminated the play’s ideas. Something just felt off about the production, and that nagging feeling ultimately culminated in a climax that didn’t address what the play is ostensibly about.
by | Apr 17, 2024 2:11 pm | Comments (0)
Jamil Ragland Photo
A completed succulent terrarium
Date Night Downtown-Make Your Own Succulent Terrarium Globe
WORK_SPACE
Manchester
April 16, 2024
“Succulent” was always a word that I associated with food until yesterday.
Continue reading ‘Terrarium Flex: Date Night At The Shopping Mall Co-Working Space’
by | Apr 16, 2024 11:10 am | Comments (0)
Lulu’s Ice Cream Cafe
Hartford
April 15, 2024
When the weather finally gets nice in Connecticut, there’s one thing that comes to mind before breaking out the short shorts or planning the summer vacation, and that’s ice cream.
Continue reading ‘I Scream, You Scream For Community: A North End Scoop’
by | Apr 11, 2024 10:57 am | Comments (1)
Jamil Ragland Photo
I want one.
The American Revolution Experience Traveling Exhibit/Hartford History Exhibit
CT Old State House
Hartford
April 9, 2024
I’m not a big fan of the American Revolution.
Continue reading ‘Playing Against Type: Finding The Keys To History In The Basement’
by | Apr 10, 2024 2:44 pm | Comments (0)
Jamil Ragland Photo
Games on: Competitors at the Nutmeg State Games ESports Tournament.
Nutmeg State Games ESports Tournament 2024
Alumni Hall Complex
Central Connecticut State University
New Britain
April 7, 2024
Many children dream of becoming professional athletes. Some want to play on the gridiron. Others want to drain baskets. I had the most impossible dream: I wanted to be a professional videogame player.
by | Apr 5, 2024 5:46 pm | Comments (0)
The scorpion bowl.
Ichiro Hibachi and Sushi Bar
West Hartford
April 4, 2024
One of the more enjoyable aspects of going out to eat is getting to socialize between bites of food. Hibachi takes that experience to the next level by placing you at a table with complete strangers.
Continue reading ‘Happy Birthday Hibachi (The Flames Of Love)’
by | Apr 4, 2024 6:43 pm | Comments (0)
The students who eventually join Club Zero
Club Zero
Cinestudio
Trinity College
Hartford
April 3, 2024
(This review contains spoilers.)
Food is an incredibly difficult topic to talk about. People talk about weight loss, diabetes, famine, and topics around food, but very rarely discuss food itself, outside of how to prepare it.
by | Mar 29, 2024 10:51 am | Comments (1)
The Korean fried chicken.
Bonchon
West Hartford
March 27, 2024
Sitting down and eating at a restaurant can be a relaxing experience. No food to cook, no dishes to wash, and someone dedicated to serving you and catering to your every whim. But sometimes, you want the ease of not cooking combined with the luxury of eating in bed.
