¡Mira! Hartford

Celebrate Pablo Picasso's birthday in style!

2009-10-25T13:18:00.000-04:00

Pablo Picasso by The Modern Lovers

“Drink to me, drink to my health, you know I can’t drink any more.” -Picasso's last words

Where you aware that legendary artist Pablo Picasso was born on this date, 25 October 1881? Or that in 1934, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art mounted the first major Picasso retrospective in America? Well, why not come out tonight to celebrate the artist, his art, and Hartford's historic museum with The Hartford Party Starters Union presentation of Neon Indian?! The show starts at 7:00 pm. For more info, check out this page.

For more on Neon Indian, check out our favorite music blog/podcast, The Needle Drop, and reviews there.

Cyclocross this Sunday in Riverside Park!

2009-10-24T11:46:00.002-04:00

Our friend Brendan Mahoney of The Beat Bike Blog sent this invite in:

Presented by the Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance and CT-NEMBA, CycloCross returns to Hartford this October at Riverside Park. If you're racing, enjoy the picturesque setting next to the Connecticut River while wallowing in the mud and take in views of the Hartford skyline as you trudge up the 40 foot high levee. The first race is at 10:00am and the last one starts at 2:00pm. It's free to watch, so stop by. Central Wheel, REI, Hooker Brewing Company and Ghostship Clothing have signed on as sponsors.

PHH: Up, Up and Awayyyy...

2009-10-20T12:34:00.001-04:00

Billy's Balloon by Don Hertzfeld

Remember that nice Astronaut lady with the wild eyes who put on a diaper and drove literally a thousand miles to kill her ex-boyfriend astronaut or whatever? Hahaha...diapers. Yeah, what happened with that? If you were the other Astronauts who weren't crazy, how would you have gone about your lives? Well, it is pretty rare that somebody absolutely CRAZY dominates our American headlines like....

OMIGOD OMIGOD!! THERE IS A BOY IN A BALLOON IN THE SKY, YOU GUYS! Somebody save him! Scramble the Air Force! Ready the missles! Holy crap...THE BALLOON IS EMPTY!! Oh noes! Wait...whazzat? The balloon boy is alive at home, and was in the attic all along? Yayyayyay!! Let's hear more about this fascinating family! So the parents were reality show teevee stars? And the boy is named "Falcon?" And it's a complete publicity hoax? And we just wasted an afternoon? awesome! Nice job, everybody. Today, we are all heroes, because of CNN.

So Balloon Boy is alive and well and named Falcon and he didn't fall to his doom, and they tried to make up some "boys will be boys" story, so now we all can make JOKES on our Twitters and LiveJournals about it! Like: haha, maybe this was an attempt to write a South Park episode where Cartman crams Butters in a balloon. Or how the "science" balloon had anything to do with friggin actual science, since it was a mylar balloon they bought at Wal-Mart shaped like a flying saucer so they could send it into the eyes of storms (in Denver!) without any weather equipment, and look for UFOs, because that's how Jodi Foster did it in "Contact." SCIENCE! Never mind that we could have used actual basic Physics or at least called the Mythbuster guys and found out that this story was impossible to begin with. No, the real tragedy here is that there exists a reality show titled "Wife Swap" and apparently everybody is OK with that.

Since it's clear that hoaxes involving celebrity, dubious science, and crazy people are the new path to fame and fortune and reality shows, all you insane people show up tonight in your diapers at Kenny's Spaceport and Red Rock Balloon and Derigible Emporium. NOTE: WE ARE SCRAPPING THE SAUCER BALLOON IDEA! We will be plotting publicity stunts to get us a Gilligan's Island themed reality show. We can "swap" pitchers and fries (get it?) until we come up with a stunt crazy AND believable.

Progressive Happy Hour. 369 Capitol Ave., Hartford, CT at 9:30 pm.

Or is it? Suckers.

--The Lindbergh Baby

Free Hartford (October 19 - 24)

2009-10-19T11:30:00.002-04:00

Artist Anne Cubberly has sent out her weekly email updating residents in and around Hartford of FREE happenings in our city. And she does this while getting ready for her upcoming big production at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art at the end of the month! List after the jump.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19

Red Rock Tavern : 365 Capitol Ave

"Tame the Brain" trivia! MONDAY & EVERY MONDAY! Prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place! Shot specials! Ryan Smart & Craig B. host every week!
8:00pm - 10:30pm

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20

La Paloma Sabanera Coffeehouse : 405 Capitol Ave
A reception and Art show featuring the photography of Marian L. Leyman
4:30- 7:30 pm

Hartford Stage: Studio 1, 942 Main St.
Join the winners of the Stage's youth play writing competition and see professional
actors bring their scripts to life.
7 pm

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21

Billings Forge: 539 Broad St. jlamotta@billingsforgeworks.org
Artists Residency : Tour the studios of artists Miguel Carter Fisher,
Kimberly Gill, Robert Charles Hudson & Greg Russell
some studios will be open from 6 - 9pm

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22

Trinity College: 300 Summit St. 860-297-2568
A.K. Smith Reading Series: Award winning poet Kevin Young will read with
a reception following. Located in Mather Hall.
4:30 pm

City Hall: 500 Main St. www.charteroakcenter.org
Murals by Carlos Hernandez Chavez
Opening reception: 5:30 pm

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art: 600 Main St.
Screening: The Rape of the Sabine Women with an Artist Talk
by Eve Sussman. In the Aetna Theatre
6:30 pm

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23

Theater of the Performing Arts: 359 Washington St.
Community Spelling Bee: Cheer on our local youth as they spell their
way to the top.
7 - 9 pm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24

Hartford Public Library: 500 Main St.
Join us for a conversation on president Franklin D. Roosevelt's establishment
of the WPA and it's impact on Hartford-area artists.
11 am- 1 pm Hartford History Center

Hooker Day Parade: Allyn St.
"This is hands down the weirdest Parade in Hartford". Join your neighbors
in the parade or cheer them from the sidewalk !
3:00pm - 4:30pm

For More Free Events go to www.letsgoarts.org and look under " Fill your Social Calendar". The Greater Hartford Arts council has put together this great resource to find events. You can even do a "free" search !

CALL TO ARTISTS..............................

La Paloma Sabanera Coffee House is looking for artists interested
in displaying their work and /or writers interested in starting a writer's group
or book club. Contact Virginia Iacobucci 956-5003, viacobucci@snet.net

VOLUNTEERING..................................

Foodshare: Volunteer for Foodshare at Hartford Regional Market on Tuesdays, Fridays
or Saturdays. Contact john or Krista @ 860-286-9999

Hands On Hartford: 40 Pratt St. www.handsonhartford.org
Volunteer ! Check out there website and see all the ways you can connect with your community.

Hartford Stage: 50 Church St. www.hartfordstage.org
Ushers see the shows for free, go to the website to find out more.

Fundraiser for Hartford Int'l Film Festival: Recession Edition!

2009-10-15T23:11:00.000-04:00

The Hartford International Film Festival [Recession Edition] is less than a month away and we need money (hey, not everything has turned around!). So, come party with us at La Paloma Sabanera Coffeehouse on Friday, October 16th 5—8pm. Previews of films to be featured and sampling of some of the best from previous festivals.

Can't make it? Feel free to donate at the website; every little bit helps.

A Hartford Place

2009-10-15T16:44:00.002-04:00

Today being a day to get caught up on work at home, I decided to sit at the computer and listen to The Colin McEnroe Show live (as opposed to my usual method of waiting for the podcast). And as usual, it started off great and fun, which is why I listen to it. It's quite infectious as the opening theme by Prince plays and gets you into the spirit of the show and the discussion that is sure to come. Just to give you a feel of my set up, on one screen I had a text document opened to write a project proposal, with Tweetdeck to connect me to my tweeps, and on another Firefox for email and research and iTunes streaming CMS; in other words, I was being your basic computer nerd multitasking while trying to focus on one thing. Of course, Mr. McEnroe was grabbing my attention with his banter and callers, as it was his birthday.

Unfortunately, due to my divided attention, I wasn't sure how the subject came up, but Mr. McEnroe and the callers turned the theme into “how New Haven is totally a cool city and place, and sadly Hartford isn't, and that's just the way it goes” (or that was my interpretation). For the record, this really wasn't a case of bashing one town, but just praising the other. Which, I think, is fine. We here in the Hartbeat are all used to that by this point. And thanks to Connecticut's lack of a true regional system, every neighboring town seems to bash its neighbor instead of working together to improve the region. But that's a topic for a different post. New Haven is a great city, with some wonderful offerings. Yes, it has a few more things at times than Hartford (I'm extremely envious of IKEA, but perhaps that's a good thing or I'd be spending too much money there). Do I think it's a better city with better offerings than Hartford, though, the way Mr. McEnroe was making it sound? There was a quote from a New Haven area resident that suggested that by having some of the cultural institutions that it has, there were consolations that New Haven gave to the community over the perceived urban blight that is as tangible there as it is in Hartford. The difference as suggested by Mr. McEnroe was that Hartford just doesn't have the consolatory offerings that New Haven has. Again, another matter of opinion. And perhaps the thing to do is what I try to do, let's see what we as individuals and a community can do to make our city and region better.

Real Art Ways is indeed one of those great places within Hartford that make the city a destination. Which is why that poorly termed description struck such a chord with both Heather Brandon and myself as we conveyed via our twitter feeds. Real Art Ways is truly unique, everyone knows that. But does that make it a 'very New Haven place'? If anything, Real Art Ways has always had a very Hartford feel. It was one of the places that made me proud to be back in Hartford when I moved back in the '90's. Just knowing RAW exists in Hartford, makes it all that much cooler. Saying it's a 'very New Haven place' just takes away some of the specialness of Real Art Ways (or any of Hartford's many cultural institutions). As if, such a place is only unique to a city like New Haven, and therefore what a shock that it exists in our little cowpoke city.

On her blog, Urban Compass, Heather Brandon posted a really fine examination of the thought process 10 years ago of attempting to place a stadium in Hartford to improve it's standing and make it “something to say Hartford is No. 1”. Ever since I could remember, attending community meetings with my parents when I was younger, to participating in them now, there has been some great plan to revive Hartford or to make it 'New England's Rising Star'. Can we all not take a lesson from the two most obvious urban renewal projects that helped bring Hartford to it's current state; the scarring highways slicing up Hartford and community displacing Constitution Plaza? It seems that there's always someone trying to find a way to make money pretending to fix Hartford and make it comparable to other cities and places. Just recently, I listened to a lecture that both taught me a new appreciation for Bushnell Park, while offering the disillusioning promise to make it better. While it was an amazing gem at one point, Bushnell Park did lose some of its splendor (thank you ignorant Army Corp of Engineers and to the city leaders who tore down buildings along the park). Yet, why don't we just do small things to embrace Bushnell Park? Like spend time with our friends there? Listen to the live jazz concerts? Have a picnic? Create events to just gather people there. Perhaps then, the powers that be will remember to take some time to celebrate it.

In closing, no, Hartford is not nor should it strive to be New Haven or any other city. As residents, we need to stop allowing people to dictate how to identify our city. Hey, I'm always saying, it'd be great to have this or that in Hartford (another blog post, another time). I have the places I go that make me remember why I do love this city: La Paloma Sabanera for coffee & conversation, Red Rock Tavern for beer and bar food and trivia, Asylum Café for damn good pizza, Tangiers for the best falafel and lentil soup, O'Camelo for Portuguese food (don't tell my mama), Ragin Cajun for a taste of New Orleans, Modern Pastry for Italian espresso; live theater offerings from 3 stages downtown. Let's not be blind to the fact that there is a whole lot of things that do not need to be fixed, just like any municipality, and that the only way to do that is to work at it. We can't just wait for some outsiders to come in with a plan to tell us what needs to be fixed and how to pay them to fix our city; we need to step up to the plate and work at fixing things like our education system, our tax base, our political parties. Hartford residents need to work as a community, support our community, and build our community. Mr. McEnroe, thank you for once again causing me to pause and think about what needs to be done. I'll pardon the comparison to New Haven... this time!

PHH: And the winner is...

2009-10-13T14:48:00.001-04:00

This is to notify you that you have been selected as the 2009 recipent of the most Progressive Happiest Hours victor of the Noblest Wrath Prix! Congratulations! Only in your greatest country of United States could such a blessing be bestowed upon, for only in this great grating country could honoring someone with a Nobel Peace Prize,to illustrate that the world has high hopes for their abilities, could that be twisted into something so positively negative! Yes You Can!

It was a difficult selections process as little Al'Queda recruits still to be chosen were also in the running, and boy o'biy do they have lots of venom and pissed off they are. But when we saw how peeples of your country reacted, along with the daily show of Minister of Information Glenn Becks and his faithful followers, well... It was really no contest.

To release the prize moneys which will help your recessions, please bring cash or money orders of 2,000 of your American dollars to the award ceremony of The Progressing Happier HourGlass, this evening at Red Rock Embassy Tavern, 365 Capitol Ave., Hartford. Ceremony will begin at 9ish to 9:30ish. Once the cash is deposited with our committee's bank in Nigeria, we can then release your awards money to you, oh great person receiving the Noblest Wrath Award.

Blessed be onto you,
El'tar Skel'tar,
Most Confused Noble committee Selection Person

WNPR <3ford

2009-10-12T23:02:00.000-04:00

Hooker and Company Journeying through the Wilderness from Plymouth to Hartford in 1636 by Thomas Cole

WNPR gave some serious love to Hartford last week on two of my favorite local radio shows...

First up: last Wednesday, Where We Live broadcast a live show from the theater at Real Art Ways in my old neighborhood, Parkville. The topic was "Hartford: New England's Rising Star?" (Download episode) The discussion examined the now all too old slogan that attempted to market the city at the turn of the century. It has become horribly played out; no one ever really knew what it meant nor what it was meant to inspire. At one point, truly cynical critics tweaked it to "Hartford: New England's Shooting Star" during a particularly horrible string of violence. John Dankowsky and guests held "a conversation about our capitol city – where it’s been, where it is, where it’s going."

Second: While the topic was more about evolving art in our state, Friday's Colin McEnroe Show did feature The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford. The show began with an audio tour of the newly opened Rembrandt's People exhibit. This was followed by a discussion with curator Betsy Kornhauser about the newly reinstalled Hudson River School paintings from the permanent collection. I've actually become a big fan of these paintings, particularly due to their place in American history as the first national school of art to come out of the United States, and the allegories that they convey about their time in that history. The second segment of Mr. McEnroe's show included both the Wadsworth Atheneum and the New Britain Museum of American Art.
(Download episode)

Siamo Tutti Farabutti!

2009-10-12T20:38:00.000-04:00

Photo by Bianca Cappellini

Last Tuesday, at the weekly meeting of Progressive Happy Hour at Red Rock Tavern, our friend Bianca asked us to get progressive and stand up for freedom of the press... in Italy. To do so, all gathered designed letters to hold up and spell the phrase "Siamo Tutti Farabutti", a new rallying cry for the censured journalists and bloggers in Italy. Bianca then submitted the photograph to the online site of the progressive Italian newspaper, La Repubblica, which has been posting photos from readers worldwide who identify with the Italian media's cause.

But what does it mean?

It seems that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has become the "most persecuted man in history" that is named 'Silvio Berlusconi'. This came after losing 'immunity from prosecution that has protected him from criminal proceedings."* (FYI: 106 investigations and trials against him and 2,500 court hearings) On top of that, Mr. Berlusconi has launched a series of lawsuits against the European media, asserting that freedom of the press does not include the liberty to insult (or criticize), specifically him. According to the BBC, "Italy's Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi owns or heavily influences swathes of the country's media." So when left-leaning news media sources recently reported on his use of escorts, his possible ties to the mafia, and other political abuses and missteps, Mr. Berlusconi retaliated by calling all [opposing] journalists "farabutti", which translates from the Italian as 'crooks'.

And so, readers and supporters of La Repubblica began a battle cry:

"Siamo tutti farabutti perché vogliamo una stampa (e una tv) libera!!!!"(We are all crooks because we want a free press, in print and on television!)

Frankly, that's an outcry we can stand behind.
Other Sources:

(*Perhaps Mr. Berlusconi should visit CT some time... on second thought...)

Hartford is still FREE!!! (October 12 - 17, 2009)

2009-10-12T10:48:00.000-04:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thetruthabout/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

Hartford artist Anne Cubberly has taken time from her busy production schedule creating pieces for the upcoming DIRT, to share with us a list of FREE events happening around the capital city this week. Get and support local arts.

FREE HARTFORD!

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13

La Paloma Sabanera Coffeehouse : 405 Capitol Ave
FILM: Kino Kafe presents Invisible Girlfriend.
7:30 pm

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14

Billings Forge: 539 Broad St. jlamotta@billingsforgeworks.org
Artists Residency : Tour the studios of artists Miguel Carter Fisher,
Kimberly Gill, Robert Charles Hudson & Greg Russell
some studios may be open from 6 - 9pm

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15

Hartford Stage: 50 Church St.
65 Free tickets for Horton Foote's Orphan Home Cycle will be given away
for the 2 pm matinee. Reserve at the website.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16

Trinity College: 300 Summit St.
Trinity College organ series begins with Isabelle Demers performing works
by Bach, Mendelsson and more. Tninity College Chapel
7:30 pm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17

Shag Frenzy: The Warehouse 45 Bartholomew Ave
Hartford's oldest indie dance night with resident deejays Johnny Strangler & Garage Flower
9-ish

For More Free Events go to www.letsgoarts.org and look under " Fill your Social Calendar". The Greater Hartford Arts council has put together this great resource to find events. You can even do a "free" search !

CALL TO ARTISTS..............................

Artists STILL wanted for DIRT: an original performance written and created by Dan Blow and Anne Cubberly. Performances are scheduled for October 30, 31 & November 1 in the Atheneum's Aetna Theater. We are looking for volunteer kuroko, Techies, back stage hands, bang-on-a-can drummers, stage manager and performers. Questions? email jknelson37@aol.com

La Paloma Sabanera Coffee House is looking for artists interested in displaying their work and /or writers interested in starting a writer's group or book club. Contact Virginia Iacobucci 956-5003, viacobucci@snet.net

VOLUNTEERING..................................

Foodshare: Volunteer for Foodshare at Hartford Regional Market on Tuesdays, Fridays or Saturdays. Contact john or Krista @ 860-286-9999

Hands On Hartford: 40 Pratt St.
Volunteer ! Check out there website and see all the ways you can connect with your community.

Hartford Stage: 50 Church St.
Ushers see the shows for free, go to the website to find out more.

Where We Live LIVE! Hartford episode at Real Art Ways

2009-10-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

Are you fan of WNPR's Where We Live? Are you preparing your breakfast right now to listen to it at 9am? FORGET THAT! Run, don't walk, over to Real Art Ways, 56 Arbor Street, Hartford, where the show will be broadcast LIVE at 9am. Why just sit at home when you can be part of the studio audience, discussing the city of Hartford on this special show? Be part of the community!

Libertine Collective's Happenings in Hartford (October 6 - 10)

2009-10-06T16:26:00.000-04:00

Doing my best to let you all know what's going on in Hartford, and thanks to the informed people at The Libertine Collective, there are these links to share!

So much happening so little time… LOTS on our links for the month. Make sure you check them ALL out on our group page and keep posted on the next few days for the next Libertine event on November 7th… Day of the Dead Art Exhibit.
- The L.C.

If you have interesting events that you need to share with people in the area, please keep 'em coming!

THE L.C. LIST, OCTOBER 6 - 10, 2009
TUESDAY:

• Real Board (games) EVERY TUESDAY night! QUIXOTIC for 306 points! Location: Real Art Ways Time:6:00PM Tuesday, October 6th, Hartford

• CULTURE AND IDENTITY IN HONDURAS TODAY Panel Discussion with special guest Dr. Darío Euraque, Location: Charter Oak Cultural Center, time:7:00PM Tuesday, October 6th, Hartford

WEDNESDAY:

• Life after Landfill Community Forum, Location: Hartford Public Library - Main Branch, Time:5:30PM Wednesday, October 7th,, Hartford

• HURRICANE SEASON The Hidden Messages In The Water, Location: Trinity-on-Main / ArtAndStruggle Time:6:00PM Wednesday, October 7th, Hartford

• Timely Topics: The Future of Food Cause you should know what you're eating. Location: Windsor Historical Society, Time:7:00PM Wednesday, October 7th, Windsor

THURSDAY:

• Gallery Reception for JUAN FUENTES VIZCARRONDO @ Capital Community College, Location: Conrad L. Mallett Gallery - Capital Community College, Time:4:00PM Thursday, October 8th, Hartford

• The Silk City Flick Fest - 10/8-11. "HEART, The Congo Chronicles" is being screened as an official documentary selection @ Manchester Comm College, Friday (10/9) at 11:15am. Visit http://www.facebook.com/l/03863;silkcityflickfest.com for more on the weekend! So much fun stuff happening, right in Manchester!!
http://www.facebook.com/l/03863;silkcityflickfest.com/pdfs/Backpage.pdf

• Author Emmanuel Dongala @ Trinity College To open A.K. Smith Reading Series, Location: Reese Room, Smith House on the campus on Trinity College, Time:4:30PM Thursday, October 8th , Hartford

FRIDAY:

• WELCOME TO ANTARCTICA Works by Dave Estes, Location: David Apuzzo Art Gallery, Time:5:00PM Friday, New Haven October 9th

• Conversos - Nueva Trova at La Paloma Pepo Saavedra & Walter Morciglio, Location: La Paloma Sabanera, Time:8:00PM Friday, October 9th, Hartford

• PORK PIE HAT JAZZ SERIES: AVERY SHARPE TRIO One Night Only, Location: The Studio @ Billings Forge, Time:8:00PM Friday, October 9th , Hartford

SATURDAY: Don’s miss the Kelvins at Sully’s!

• MANIAC- Manic Episode 1 Location: Hartford ArtSpace, Time:6:00PM Saturday, October 10th, Hartford

• The Kelvins LIVE EP Release Party at Sully's! Yes, I said EP Release Party! Location: Sully's Pub, Time:10:00PM Saturday, October 10th, Hartford

PHH: Swifter, Higher, ehh...Pass the Beer Nuts

2009-10-06T14:45:00.003-04:00

see more Political Pictures

So our hero, communist nazi president Obama ran all the way to fancy Denmark last week in a race against the physically-fit presidents of the freedom-hating countries of Japan, Spain, and Rio. It was an Amazing Race, like that reality show, Big Brother, but here, the first prize was the obligation... no, the OPPORTUNITY to build gigantic and expensive Olympic facilities that would never be used again for sports like... hacky sack, surfing, uhhh... space luge, and synchronized drumming, I guess. This, and the winner would get invaded by many corporate sponsors, who are really the only people who care about the Olympics today anyway. But... JOBS! Yes, the prize of the 2016 Olympics would surely save Chicago and the US American Economy from certain Chinese destruction by getting the Chinese to come and do gymnastics instead. But Obama lost since the president of Rio got a head start after Mardi Gras, and was able to pay his bribe to IOC chairman Jacque "Going" Rogge early. This made the Republican Party very happy, because they felt that Rio was a deserving place and encouraging growth of the South American markets would benefit the global community. No, actually, they are slapping high-fives and popping Cristal at this because Obama is a Loser and anything that is bad for America is good for them, so har har har. (Whoopie! Unemployment went up again! More Real Americans out of work! Happy days for the GOP!)

So what now, Chicago? An old and fat 2016 version of Michael Phelps won't be swimming around in your crystal clear waters of Lake Michigan, it turns out. Guess you'll all just have to slump back in that couch and watch your famous talk shows, like Oprah and Jerry Springer. Ohhhhh, what? I'm sorry, I didn't know that Jerry Springer moved his classy literary symposium show to Stamford, CT! Add that to the fact that known staff-banger and extortion target David Letter Man makes his home in New Canaan, Connecticut and it's clear that Beyonce had the greatest video of all time and Hartford should host the 2016 Olympics.

Help celebrate our victory of Olympic defeat tonight at Progressive Happy Hour! Donny will light the torch in an elaborate ceremony at 9:30 pm at the Red Rock Arena and Kenny's swimming cube. 369 Capitol Ave. in Hartford de Janeiro. The competitions commence with a pitcher relay and fry javelin forthwith. Corporate sponsorship required for entry. We will discuss how the *Summer* Olympics can be held in the Southern hemisphere, if it's really winter there in the summer.

Ever think of that Rio?? Duh!

--Juan Antonio Samaranch

Free Hartford (October 6, 2009)

2009-10-05T02:08:00.001-04:00

Hartford's great artist Anne Cubberly has once again provided us with a list of free events happening this week in our fair capital city, Hartford! Try to support them as best you can!

FYI: bloggers from Mira Hartford will be at TAME THE BRAIN Trivia night at Red Rock Tavern.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6

Charter Oak Cultural Center: 21 Charter Oak Ave
Culture and Identity in Honduras Today: Trinity Professors Dr. Dario A. Euraque and Dr. Luis Figueroa join photographer Pablo Delano to discuss his new book project.
7 pm

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7

Hartford Public Library: 500 Main St.
Oral History Interviews: Tips and Techniques: Dr. Ruth Glasser will lead a workshop on interview techniques for capturing oral histories. Reservations required 860-695-6347 5:30 - 7 pm Hartford History Room

Billings Forge: 539 Broad St. jlamotta@billingsforgeworks.org
Artists Residency : Tour the studios of artists Miguel Carter Fisher, Kimberly Gill, Robert Charles Hudson & Greg Russell some studios may be open from 6 - 9pm

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8

Trinity College: 300 Summit St. 860-297-5348
A.K. Smith Reading Series: Emmanual Dongala & Richard B.Fisher Kick off the annual series in Reese Room at the Smith House.4:30 pm

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9

Real Art Ways: 56 Arbor St.
Reception, reading and book signing with author Gail Collins hosted by Colin McEnroe and friends.
5:30 pm

Hartford Art School: Silpe Gallery: 200 Bloomfield Ave 860-527-3205
Work It ! Measure It ! 120 : Hartford Art School Alumni Exhibition. October 9 - 21
Opening Reception 5:30- 8 pm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10

ArtSpace: 555 Asylum St. 203-444-9663
Maniac/Manic Episode One: 15 Artists showing with live music by Dear Traveler and Micro Brews. Reception: 6-10pm

For More Free Events go to www.letsgoarts.org and look under " Fill your Social Calendar". The Greater Hartford Arts council has put together this great resource to find events. You can even do a "free" search !

CALL TO ARTISTS..............................

Artists STILL wanted for DIRT: an original performance written and created by Dan Blow and Anne Cubberly. Performances are scheduled for October 30, 31 & November 1
in the Atheneum's Aetna Theater. We are looking for volunteer kuroko, Techies, back stage hands, bang-on-a-can drummers, stage manager and performers. Questions? email jknelson37@aol.com

La Paloma Sabanera Coffee House is looking for artists interested in displaying their work and /or writers interested in starting a writer's group or book club. Contact Virginia Iacobucci 956-5003, viacobucci@snet.net

VOLUNTEERING..................................

Foodshare: Volunteer for Foodshare at Hartford Regional Market on Tuesdays, Fridays
or Saturdays. Contact john or Krista @ 860-286-9999

Hands On Hartford: 40 Pratt St. www.handsonhartford.org
Volunteer ! Check out there website and see all the ways you can connect with your community.

Hartford Stage: 50 Church St. www.hartfordstage.org
Ushers see the shows for free, go to the website to find out more.

ONGOING....................................................

Real Art Ways: 56 Arbor St. www.realartways.org
Real Public: four public art projects in Parkville and Frog Hollow. Get a map at RAW
to see these artworks by Margarida Correia, Satch Hoyt, Sofia Madonado and
Matthew Rodriguez from May 30 on.....
Gelah Penn: Clash by Night, her site specific installation explores drawing
in 3-dimensional space. Exhibit runs through October 11

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art: 600 Main St. www.therussellct.com Jazz at The Russell Sundays, 12-3 pm

Red Rock Tavern: 369 Capitol Ave 860-246-4527
Tame the Brain Trivia Night: All Categories, Hosted by Craig B. & Ryan Smart
from 104.1. Prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place team !
Mondays 8 - 10:30 pm

The Russell: 103 Pratt St. www.therussellct.com
Love Jone's Experience: Live poetry and music, don't miss it.
Mondays at 9pm

Black Eyed Sally's: 350 Asylum St. www.hartfordjazzjam.com
Hartford Jazz Society Jam
Mondays, 8-11pm

Firebox: 539 Broad St. www.fireboxrestaurant.com
Wednesdays, Latin Jazz from 8-11
Sundays, Blue Grass from 5-8pm

McKinnon's Irish Pub: 114 Asylum St. www.mckinnonsirishpub.com
Irish session hosted by P.V. O' Donnell
Wednesdays, 7;30-10 pm

La Casona Restaurant : 681 Wethersfield Ave
Latin Music Open Mic: Hosted by Carlos Hernandez Chavez and Jay Borges.
Thursdays 6-9 pm

Spiritus: 220 Asylum St.
Wine Tasting
Thursdays from 4:30-7 pm & Saturdays from 1-4 pm

Free Ride.......Hartford Star Shuttle
M-F, 7am-11pm, Sat. 3 pm-11pm
See the website for the shuttle route

Happily, Anne
Thank you to David Borawski for his help.

Thrown Under The Bus

2009-10-01T20:39:00.004-04:00

Photo by El Pres

You may have heard talk of an increase in DMV fees to balance the budget. As a general rule, I don't think that's good, because fees are, essentially a regressive tax (that is, they fall more heavily on poor people, because they constitute a larger portion of their income). At least, though, it is a slight disincentive to driving - or that's what I told myself (probably not so, since in most parts of CT, lamentably, driving is not optional). But now, according to a legislator I was talking to today, the legislature has struck a deal to preserve the regressive part while eliminating the threatened-with-veto, slight-disincentive-to-driving part: we are spared a DMV fee increase and instead we get . . . a bus fare increase. Awesome. Now we don't have to worry about the rich not paying their fair share, BECAUSE THEY DON'T TAKE THE GODDAMN BUS AT ALL. Good work, legislature - a regressive tax that will be paid exclusively by the poor.

Lie your ass off at WINCE: Liar Liar, Saturday October 3, 2009

2009-10-01T01:12:00.001-04:00

Photo of WINCE provided by Abby Ohlheiser; image of attendees silhouetted to protect the liars...

Friends of the blog, Abby Ohlheiser and Meghan Dahn are at it again, encouraging attendees to their open-mic event to share stories and relics of embarrassment and humiliation. In April for their premiere event, participants shared stories of "Adolescence" (oy, that must have been rough). This time around, the theme is 'Lies' and the consequence of lies. People are encouraged to step up for 5 minutes and tell their true stories; or, in the spirit of the evening, make something up! Let's face it, we've all told a lie or two or countless; sometimes, they are harmless and nothing happens. But, eventually, one lie gets out of control, gets a life of its own and ends up having some sort of consequence. ("Hiking the Appalachian Trail," anyone?)

The humiliating confessions begin at 8pm, Saturday October 3, at Real Art Ways, 56 Arbor Street, Hartford.

More about WINCE after the jump. Cost is $5 for non-members, free for RAW members.

There's something about the title that says it all: WINCE. Think of that first time you saw a truly good horror movie, like The Exorcist, or any David Cronenberg movie (Videodrome and Dead Ringers come to mind). Sometimes it's out of horror, but humiliation of others also brings out that wincing reaction: to shut our eyes and avert our heads, but yet, leave our eyes open just enough to see what happens.

It's with that in mind that Ms. Ohlheiser and Ms. Dahn began this 'experiment in collective humiliation' last April. Dahn and Ohlheiser MC the event and lead the way to embarrassment and humiliation by being the first two to share in the storytelling experience. The evening then unfolds as each reader gets a 5-minute spot to share their story as they want to. "Some play songs, some share diary entries, or photographs, or just stand up and tell a story," Ms. Ohlheiser explained in an email.

What WINCE does, really, is access those moments and stories that stick with you, the ones you’ve told 100 times, or, if you’ve never shared them before, the story that, once you start talking, you know exactly how to tell That’s what makes the event stick together. The theme is just a “nudge” to get your mental gears turning. You get all sorts of people together in one room, telling stories (or just listening, which is also just fine), and laughing with (and at) themselves and each other. It brings people together, and it’s really an amazing experience.
-Abby Ohlheiser

The most important aspect of WINCE is to encourage everyone's penchant for storytelling and then sharing it with the community. A theme is provided in order to help generate ideas around universal topics. Ms. Ohlheiser says, "We want people to see “Liar Liar,” and think, “Ooh! I’ve got a good one for that!”

Of course, she could have just made that all up just to have a laugh at all of our embarrassing stories. The next WINCE event will be Saturday December 5th at Real Art Ways and the topic will be "Everything's Relative", just in time for the holidays!

Dig It! @ the Wadsworth Atheneum

2009-10-01T00:29:00.000-04:00

Come join me at The Wadsworth Atheneum's Phoenix Art After Hours First Thursday, October 1st, 2009. $5 to enter, free for members. Great list of events to enjoy and educate:

DIG DEEPER 5-8 PM
In the new exhibition Digging Deeper, artists Hank Willis Thomas and Willie
Cole reinterpret works from The Amistad Center for Art & Culture

DIG IT 5-8:30 PM
Music hosted by the Hartford Party Starters Union

DIG UP 7-8 PM
Talk by UHart alum and established contemporary artist Mark Dion,
who creates works incorporating found objects from excavation
sites – The Emily Hall Tremaine Lecture in Contemporary Art

DIG DRAG 8:30 PM
Get dressed up, sing along, or ad lib while watching The Rocky
Horror Picture Show (1975)

What, like I'm NOT going to plug an event where I work?!

Awesome Art Everywhere Around Hartford

2009-10-01T00:00:00.000-04:00

Awesome Art Thing Ever! by John Lepak forHartford.com

There is certainly a lot of art events happening this weekend, kicking off on First Thursday, October 1st, with "The Awesomest Art Thing Ever on the sidewalks of Pratt Street, Trumbull Street and Main Street in Downtown Hartford with the Awesomest Art Party you've ever seen." The party starts at 5:30 pm with free cotton candy on Pratt Street (until they run out), as well as music from Shag Frenzy DJs and performance art by Tony Olivares and Kurt Uccello. I've seen a couple of the shop windows and they look. I also know a few of the artists, so it's great to see them get some play.

For more on local art happenings, check out the info provided by friend of the blog, Heather Stabile Groenstein of The Libertine Collective.

From Heather's email:

• THURSDAY! So much to choose from on this first Thursday…

CURTIS BROTHERS CD RELEASE PARTY
"One Night Only." This event is planned to start at 7:00 pm on Sep 30, 2009 at Polish National Home, Hartford

DIG IT
"Phoenix Art After Hours extends music until 8:30!" This event is planned to start at 5:00 pm on Oct 1, 2009 at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford

Revelry
A Solo Show, Location: Cheshire Public Library,
Time: 5:00PM Thursday, October 1st, Cheshire

Inside Honduras: Photographs by Pablo Delano
Opening Reception, Location: Charter Oak Cultural Center,
Time: 5:30PM Thursday, October 1st, Hartford

The Awesomest Art Thing Ever
Location: Pratt Street, Hartford, CT,
Time: 5:30PM Thursday, October 1st, Hartford

THURSDAY NIGHT KARAOKE @ CLOUD 9 LOUNGE
HAD A LONG DAY AT WORK? COME UNWIND AT CLOUD 9'S KARAOKE NIGHT! Location: CLOUD 9 LOUNGE,
Time: 6:00PM Thursday, October 1st, Hartford

• FRIDAY

THE ADDAMS FAMILY GATHERING ~ Opening Reception
A collection of macabre artistry and eclectic oddities, Location:MAC650 Gallery,
Time: 7:00PM Friday, October 2nd, Middletown

PORK PIE HAT JAZZ SERIES 2009
ONE NIGHT ONLY, Location: POLISH NATIONAL HOME,
Time: 8:00PM Friday, October 2nd, Hartford

• SATURDAY

Second Annual New Britain Mural Slam
(the correct date, this time…they SWEAR!)
Location: Central Connecticut State U, Welte Garage Rooftop,
Time: 9:00AM Saturday, October 3rd, New Britian

FAM- Fashion Art & Music!
Out of the Closet: The First Fashion Fair
Location: The Monster Lab Studio
Time: 6:30PM Saturday, October 3rd

Inspected by M.L., 6/8/05

2009-09-29T21:27:00.002-04:00

Dear M.L.,

Can you believe how time flies?! Crazy, I know. I mean, I can hardly believe it's been over four years since you last inspected the toilet paper dispenser in the stall closest to the door in the third floor men's room of my Hartford office building. Four years! So much has changed since then. I mean, when you were last here, my employer was based in a building over on Farmington Ave., and I didn't even work there yet - I was clerking in Boston then, angling for a job in the public defender's office, getting used to fatherhood. If you had told me then that I'd end up in Connecticut, of all places, and working right in the building where you inspect toilet paper dispensers, I would have said you were out of your mind.

Shoot, back in '05, I could barely wrap my mind around the idea of car ownership - and here I am owning a house! Since then I've had another son, been through a million ups and downs, seen so many friends come and go. Instead of a rookie lawyer fresh out of school, now I'm, well, not a veteran, exactly, but I have a few years under my professional belt. And Anna - she was just a grad student when you stuck your "inspected by" sticker to the inside of the dispenser, and now she's a real-life professor, and always worrying about tenure. And Max is in kindergarten, starting to read, and even his brother Reuben, who's two and a half now, can recognize all his letters.

Anyway, I'd love to know what's going on with you. Are you still in the toilet paper dispenser inspection game? Still working this same territory? I guess it would be great for you if you got to see some other places - or maybe it doesn't make a difference? I never wondered if bathroom stalls are different in Waterbury or Litchfield, or if it's all the same and you're just as happy to be close to home at the end of the day. Either way, I hope you're doing well. Park Street definitely isn't the same without you.

Speaking of that, there's something I wanted to tell you: About that dispenser in the third floor men's room: It's still working OK, I guess, but the plastic cover kept coming off, and so it was just sitting on the floor next to the toilet, and then about a month ago, it just disappeared. It's not a big deal, really, but the toilet paper roll does sometimes fall off the dispenser, and it's only a matter of time before it falls into the toilet. Also, I don't know if this is even your department, but the bathroom has been out of paper hand towels for like three months.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Yours,

J.

What Beer Would Twain Tap Into?

2009-09-29T15:08:00.000-04:00

"Sometimes too much to drink is barely enough." — Mark Twain

Two great American icons that go great together: Mark Twain and Beer. And so it is that The Mark Twain House & Museum will be once again hosting Oktoberfest, their second annual. "Tapping into Twain" will happen Friday, October 2, 2009 at 5:30 pm, at the Mark Twain House & Museum Center, 351 Farmington Ave., Hartford. I'm most excited about seeing Hartford area breweries such as Hartford Better Beer Co. with their Arch Amber Ale, Praying Mantis Porter, and new Arch IPA; City Steam's tasty Naughty Nurse Amber Ale; and Olde Burnside Brewing's Ten Penny Ale. There were also be other distributors and of course, area restaurants on hand to fill your stomach so as not to be drinking on empty.

So, designate a driver and meet up with us at Tapping into Twain!

A full list of who will be there and what will be served can be found on Twain House's blog.

Fusion Centers and Civil Liberties, apropos Hartford

2009-09-29T14:51:00.002-04:00

Intrepid independent journolist/blogger, Ken Krayeske, sent out this notice regarding an update to his 2007 arrest during Governor Rell's Inauguration Parade,

Tune in to CNN Wednesday, September 30 at 7:25 a.m, EST, 8:25 a.m. EST and again during the 9 and 10 a.m. hours to see a 2-minute segment investigating the role of FBI and Homeland Security fusion centers.
A CNN producer and photojournalist traveled to Hartford and interviewed me at the spot where I was arrested on January 3, 2007 for taking photos, and we discussed exactly what transpired that day. For more information about the unlawful arrest, go here.
Fusion centers, where federal, state and local law enforcement agencies combine information to "protect" America, remain a vital part of the homeland security scheme. Just recently, the Department of Homeland Security announced "an initiative to grant select state and major urban area fusion center personnel access to classified terrorism-related information residing in DoD's classified network."

For full disclosure, Ken is a friend of the blog and the contributors to the blog, so we are quite biased in his case against what happened. Still, many details of the authorities involvement are highly suspect. Press release after the jump.

From the same Sept. 14, 2009 press release:

"This initiative reflects the federal government's strong commitment to improve information sharing with our state, local, and tribal partners," said DHS Acting Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis Bart R. Johnson. "Fusion centers are a critical part of our national security enterprise, and this new tool enables federal agencies to share information with these partners while utilizing our advanced technical capabilities for secure information sharing."

PHH: Smackdown to the Senate!

2009-09-29T13:32:00.003-04:00

It is ON!
In this corner, we have 6 contenders working out to take down the champ, the silver maned senator, the eyebrows of justice, Chris the Dude Dodd! But the biggest toughest meanest rootin' tooniest smackdown is comin' as he must fight Glorious Linda McMahon, the first lady of the WWE. In light of the banking & mortgage scandals last year, Dude Dodd, what do you have to say to your opponent? (microphone snatched by the left eyebrow as the right eyebrow begins to flex...)
Find out what happens next after the jump...

"OH YEAH?! SHE'S GOING DOOOOOWN," screams the silver hair, as the eyebrow flexes, strands of hair bulging like veins ready to burst, "NO ONE COMES OUT OF NOWHERE TO CHALLENGE HIS DODDSTER! THIS IS MY TOWN! I'VE BEEN FIGHTING IN THE RING SINCE VINCE MCMAHON WAS A TOOTHPICK WHO COULD SEE HIS TESTICLES! THEY THINK THEY CAN BODY SLAM ME, THEY GOT ANOTHER THINK COMING! OOOOOH YAAAAAAAAH WHOOOOOOOO!!!!!" howls the mane of silver and white as the eyebrows throw the microphone to the floor and flex and curl and grab a lawbook and tear it and half, feeding it to the celebrated coiffure.

"Well, so there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, the challenge has been accepted..." (microphone once again snatched by the eyebrows)
"AND ANOTHER THIIIIINNG, BROTHER!! ALL THOSE LITTLE MEN RUNNING AROUND THINKING THEY CAN TAKE ME DOWN, BRING IT OOOOONN! I JUST BEAT DEATH TO A PULP, [right eyebrow now slices the air as if cutting someone's throat] I'VE BEEN TO IRAQ & AFGHANISTAN ON SECRET MISSIONS & KILLED OSAMA IN HIS SLEEP, BETCHA DIDN' KNOW THAT? OOOOOOOOOHHHHHYEEEEEEEEEH *grunt*! I DID IT AND ATE HIS BEATING HEART IN FRONT OF THE DICK CHENEY SO HE'D KNOW WHO WAS HIS BOSS! THE SENATE IS MY RING! IT IS MY HOME! I WILL CRUSH THESE LITTLE MAGGOTS WHO STEP IN THE CAMPAIGN RING WITH ME!!!" [eyebrow breaks the microphone and shoves into the gaping maw of the silver screamer's hair, which spits out the pieces]. A new microphone has been delivered.

"Thank you senator for that eloquent campaign speech," your steadfast announcer resumes. "So you're not concerned with the $30 million ad campaign that Mrs. McMahon has launched? Or that she has an army of wrestlers at her disposal to coerce voters and to jump in the ring and hit you, blind your eyebrows, break you on a table while the referree is either momentarily knocked down or distracted by the unnecessary cleavage of the women arguing for some reason, or masturbating to the images of said women before they were on steroids?" Announcer drops microphone and quickly steps away as the bulging silvermane and eyebrows are now breathing heavily and flexing, veins flowing like the mighty Connecticut River. Both eyebrows now clutch the microphone and the silver hair forms into the mutant Qato from Total Recall.

"BRRRRIIIIING IT OOOOOOOOOOOON!!! I WILL CRUSH THEM ALL! SEVEN WILL ENTER BUT ONLY I SHALL LEAVE!!! I DON'T NEED THEIR JUICE, I'VE BEEN FEASTING ON THE BONES AND BLOOD OF MY OPPONENTS FOR CENTURIES!! I KNOW ALL THE TRICKS! I MASTERED THEM WHEN HULK HOGAN WAS POOPING IN HIS TIGHTS, WHEN SGT. SLAUGHTER WAS ONLY A PRIVATE, WHEN THE ROCK WAS JUST A PEBBLE, WHEN THE JUNKYARD DOG WAS MERELY A POUND PUPPY, JERRY LAWLOR WAS JUST A POUNCY PRINCE WHEN THERE WAS REAL WRASSLING TO BE HAD!!! I CHALLENGE THEM TO STEP INTO THE RING WITH ME! I WILL FEAST ON THEM AS I DID ON THOSE DELICIOUS DINNERS THE BANKING INDUSTRY PAID FOR; I WILL DRINK THEIR TEARS OF DEFEAT AS I GUZZLED JOE LIEBERMAN'S TEARS WHEN I ENDORSED NED LAMONT! I WILL HAVE THEM CRYING FOR THEIR MOMMIES OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!! BRING IT ON, THE DODDSTER WILL TAKE YOU DOWN AND SCHOOL YOU ON HOW IT IS DONE!!" The eyebrows crush the microphone and toss it at the camera. Still worked up, they break through the wall behind them and leave. Senator Dodd's human body follows them as the hair & eyebrows throw aside everything & everyone in their path. The mustachioed squat announcer with new microphone in hand weasels back onto camera, glancing hesitantly at the path of destruction left by the Eyebrows of The Dude Dodd.

"And there you have it, ladies & gentlemen! Strong words from our incumbent champeen senator, preparing for the match of his life against the new blood vying for his championship belt. Will he be able to face them all in the final round? We'll have to wait for the Pay-Per-View matches in November of 2010. Until then, you can catch tonight's special match of the light weight class of wrestlers of the PHH! down in the center ring of the Red Rock Tavern Arena on Capitol Avenue. It'll be the fancy steps of Jostling Josh vs. the angry Administration! Horrible Hovorka defending against the West Coast Wred Tapers! Helder the Helldog biting at the hands that feed him fighting to break loose from his managers, the Hartford Dog Handlers. And the main match, the Naughty Nurse vs. the Hooker Irish Red! Gemma and Donnie will be your official referees. The matches begin at 9:30pm. The arena is located at 365 Capitol Ave., in the Capitol City. Don't miss out on this action filled event! You don't know who will walk away from these non-scripted fights!

And of course, I'll be your announcer, along with Bobby Heenan.
-Mean Gene Okerlund

West Ha. Recycling Center Takes Its Mission Seriously

2009-09-29T13:28:00.001-04:00

Photo by El Pres

Today being (for Jews) the day of atonement, Anna and I did some weeding in garden. (You wouldn't think yard work would be on top of the list of activities for the last four hours of a 24-hour period of fasting, but sometimes it actually feels better to be active than to wallow in the discomfort of hunger.) Once finished, we went to the town recycling center to dump our garden detritus (just as we dump the guilty freight of the year's misdeeds by asking forgiveness from those we have wronged - it's all about Yom Kippur, see?). While there, I noticed that the buildings of the facility seem to be in the process of being recycled back to nature as well.

Cleaning some of the CT River

2009-09-28T16:32:00.000-04:00

Our friend Brandon of The Beat Bike Blog sent us this email calling for volunteers to help clean up a section of the Connecticut River banks:

Some of you may recall that last year around this time, the Beat Bike Blog organized a cleanup at the confluence of the Park & Connecticut Rivers. We are doing it again this year on Saturday, October 3 from 11am to 2pm. To sweeten the deal, I've been allotted two extra river cleanup tshirts than may be given to those who collect the most trash or the most interesting trash. There's also the chance that you'll get your picture in the paper like two lucky cleaners did last year.
Here's a map of where we're going.

As I just told some one, 'Think Globally, Act Locally'. Here's a great opportunity to volunteer and help out our local environment.

Community Day at The Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

2009-09-28T16:09:00.004-04:00

Video shot by Helder Mira on an iPod Nano Gen5 with Video

Saturday, September 26, was Community Day at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. I happened to be there working and decided to do some documenting when I had a free moment or two. Popped out the new iPod Nano with Video Recorder to put it to the test some more. The above video was recorded entirely on the iPod Nano, with the audio being from a jazz group that was performing there.
More images after the jump (for those that don't follow my twitter feed).

Sol LeWitt's "Whirls and Twirls" (2004), behind the bust of arts patron JP Morgan, was the theme for Community Day on September 26.

Recent immigrants gather to learn about Max Ernst's "Europe After The Rain" (1933) from one of the museum's many informed docents.

Dancers who performed @WAMAHartford, inspired by Sol LeWitt's "Whirls & Twirls"

Youth learning about the historic paintings by John Trumbull in Morgan Great Hall, as they stand in front of the "Signing of the Declaration of Independence".