Brown Skin Woman

Carmen was enjoying a coffee on Pratt Street when I hassled her

asked if I could photograph her.   Carmen is a civic-minded entrepreneur

focused on style.  She has an active online presence for her design, civic and clothing interests,

 as well as a website called Brown Skin Women.

Chin

Chin is an active 90-year old woman who walks two miles every morning.

She came from China in 1980.  She lived in Boston, near her son, for 20 years, until

moving to Connecticut to live with her daughter.

When I met her, Chin was in Elizabeth Park

with her family to watch 

a dance performance.

Connecticut Ballet

The Connecticut Ballet visited Elizabeth Park Saturday evening.

This piece -- Ancient Lives -- began with classical museum statues in a posed tableau,

then slowly coming to life.  I didn't catch the choreographer's name.  The music was by Mahler.

The evening sky became darker as the dance progressed,
and lights made the dancers dramatically red.

Old Lyme

 

Old Lyme had its Mid-Summer Festival this weekend.  I expected to be showing

photographs from the festival, but all of my people pix were awful.

So, instead, here are some of the houses on Lyme Street.

We all have days like that.

Om Street Yoga

For the fourth straight year. West Hartford closed LaSalle Road for a couple of hours

early yesterday so more than 1,000 yoga enthusiasts could convene for morning exercises.

Yesterday I made a boo boo and posted these photos for several hours on the same day my post

about Eleanor was already running.  If you saw this post yesterday,

please go back and visit Eleanor.

Eleanor

Eleanor is a social worker.  To earn some extra money, she works

in a clothing store on Saturdays.  Eleanor has loved riding horses since
she was a little girl.  This year she got her own horse, Irish Mist, which she calls Frosty.

56 Arbor Street: Medley

Bill and his son Ross operate the Jumping Frog Bookstore on the first floor

of 56 Arbor Street.  Most of their business is in internet sales.

Art Connection Studio is a nonprofit community art center and gallery.  They

serve their residential adult clients -- individuals with developmental, psychiatric, addiction or behavioral challenges -- with an interest in creating art.  Tara (left) manages operations and

the studio.  Chrissy and Katie are art therapists.

Dave is a labor lawyer with offices at 56 Arbor Street, the former home of
Underwood Typewriters.  He likes the creative atmosphere in the building.

And Aisha wraps hula hoops with brightly colored tape and sells
them under the name Hartford Hoops.

56 Arbor Street: Real Art Ways

Real Art Ways is a wonderful arts venue located in the rear of 56 Arbor Street.
It offers visual and performing arts, cinema, public art, education, and live social events.

After years of fundraising, they recently replaced their old movie projectors
with new digital equipment.  As a creative art space, R.A.W. put the

old projectors out in the entry,

as a kind of industrial

art form.

(iPhone photo.)

56 Arbor Street: Hartford Prints

Hartford Prints is a small letterpress studio and stationery store with its production activities at

56 Arbor Street and a retail shop on Pratt Street.  It is owned by three sisters,

none of whom were there when I visited.  I will have to go back.

But, three of the employees were there.  Kait operates the press. 

Christa is a designer.

Lauren, too. 

56 Arbor Street: Louise

Louise operates a center for training sharper thinking and creativity in the old

Underwood Typewriter Company building at 56 Arbor Street in Hartford.

It is too late for Louise's center to do any good for my mind and me.

56 Arbor Street: Lanny

Lanny is a professional photographer whose studio is at 56 Arbor Street.  

He does a lot of the promotional photography for Theaterworks and other corporate and nonprofit accounts.  He was getting ready to do two portrait sessions when I visited.
After that, he was flying to Germany to photograph a client's new factory.

56 Arbor Street: Al

56 Arbor Street is the former home of the Underwood Typewriter Company.
A case displaying old typewriters is behind Al.

Al is one of the developers and property managers.  The old four-story brick building

has been turned into an arts incubator.  In the coming days, I will show some of

the artists and other tenants.

Close Tango

Jaime and Alexandra Alvarez give tango lessons on Thursday evenings in the Metropolitan Church in Hartford.

Jaime has a quiet manner, assuring his nervous partners as they move together.

No, I didn't dance.  Though Jaime was hoping I would, because tall male dancers are hard to find.

Nancy

Nancy used to be a program manager in an insurance company, but she left that job
to pursue her passion as an advocate for individuals and families facing mental health challenges.

This post is linked to Weekend Reflections.

I usually take multiple photographs of a subject, because I never know
when I will discover someone in the background asking herself,
"Why is that weirdo taking that lady's picture?"

Fred

On his 17th birthday in 1945, Fred had his father sign his enlistment papers.

When he was in basic training, President Roosevelt died.  Shortly afterward,

the War in Europe ended.  While Fred was on a train to San Diego

to be shipped off to join the War in the Pacific,

World War II ended.

Fred never saw battle, but he was ready and willing to do his part.
I call him a hero.

Carmen

Carmen is from Spain.  She works two jobs, as a medical assistant in a cardiac unit and as a retail sales clerk.  She rides her bicycle to work.  Carmen has three children.  

(And an exceptional smile.)

Firefighter Training

An old building near West Hartford Center is being demolished to erect a new office building.  

Before the demolition, the owners gave the Fire Department permission to

use the building for training.  The firefighters were thrilled.

It gave them more realism than their usual training.

Children's Room at the Library

This mural is outside the entrance to the Children's Room at the

West Hartford Public Library.

The artist was not identified.

Please visit Monday Mural to see more murals.

Connecticut Faces

Eva is a college sophomore majoring in elementary education.  This summer she is a camp counselor.  When I met her, she was helping an elderly woman get to her car in a crowded

parking lot.  Eva is a sweet young woman.

John was Connecticut's economic development director.  These days he is a university administrator.

Ellie is a Yankee.  She was born here and has lived her entire life here.  (So far.)

Ellie and her little dog visit Elizabeth Park three or four times a week.

Her favorite bench is in front of the gazebo.

Sam is assistant dean of the Yale art school.  When I met him, he was taking apart an
old sculpture with a Sawzall.

Years ago, Helen and I served on the board of a nonprofit.  That was before the executive
director was sent to prison, but that is another story.  Helen's 18-year old
son is going off to college in the fall and she is struggling with what happens next.

The Hartford Courant

The Hartford Courant is America's oldest continuously published newspaper.
It is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year.

As part of its 250th anniversary celebrations, a Courant writer -- Dan Haar --
began walking and reporting on Route 44 this week.  They created a
cartoon image -- "Flat Danny" -- to promote the walk.

Route 44 runs 106 miles across the state's northern border with Massachusetts.  It begins at the New York border and ends at the Rhode Island line.  Dan is walking about eight miles a day.
I caught up with him in Norfolk, a beautiful rural town northwest of Hartford.

A Consultation

Visitors to the September 11 Memorial in lower Manhattan caucus next to a glass wall.

For more photographs with reflections, please visit James' blog, Weekend Reflections. 

Larry

Larry is a college professor.  He teaches philosophy.  His tee shirt caught my attention.

It is from Bishop's Orchards and Winery, a 140-year old farm business

on the Connecticut shoreline, still in one family's hands.

Larry lives just a short walk from West Hartford Center.  Lucky guy!

Liv

Liv just graduated from high school.  She is headed to Florida in the fall to study marine biology 

in college, but she is realistic and knows that plans might change when she gets there.

Liv played four years of lacrosse in high school.
She expected to hate it, but found that she loves lacrosse.

(There is a lesson in that about willingness to try new things, isn't there?)

Note to self:  Next time you ask someone to step off the main street to avoid

all of the pedestrians walking into the shot, be sure there are no dumpsters in the background.

Tom

I have known Tom forever.  OK, only 32 years.

Tom works in legislative affairs.
Some would call him a lobbyist.
But that seems like such an unfortunate term
for one who performs the valuable public service of
helping legislators understand complicated subjects.