Living in Connecticut

[scottdude8]

Ok, so I FINALLY am venturing over to the OT board for the first time after being here for 10+ years, haha.

Based on my post about my starting a job at UConn, it seems like there's a disproportionately high number of people here who have lived/worked in Connecticut at some point in their lives (I guess maybe not that surprising given how Blue Devils cluster in NYC?). I'll be setting down roots there in about six months.

So, from those who have been there, what is the general consensus about places to live in the state, ideally in the general vicinity of Storrs? I know Storrs itself is quite rural (which my wife and I actually don't mind), but we're open to pretty much anything in like a 30 minute drive radius, which I know includes towns like Manchester and starts to approach Hartford.

Also, restaurant/brewery recommendations are much appreciated, as are general thoughts on life there and things to do in the larger area!

[budwom]

I like the rural nature of stuff out that way (towards Storrs). My favorite part of the state is actually the northwest corner but that's too far for you to live in. Great to visit though...

I lived for five years not far from New Haven, nothing I would especially recommend, things are fairly crowded up the I-91 corridor thru Hartford. (Farther up I-91 we really love the Amherst/Northampton Pioneer Valley region of MA)

If you win the lottery you may be compelled to move to the golden panhandle, Fairfield County (Greenwich, Darien, et al) where you can rub shoulders with the hedge fund moguls.

The southeast coast down by Groton and Mystic is especially nice, get a clam roll or three.

All of New England is pretty nice, great area to explore, come visit us way up North...

[BigWayne]

Ok, so I FINALLY am venturing over to the OT board for the first time after being here for 10+ years, haha.

Based on my post about my starting a job at UConn, it seems like there's a disproportionately high number of people here who have lived/worked in Connecticut at some point in their lives (I guess maybe not that surprising given how Blue Devils cluster in NYC?). I'll be setting down roots there in about six months.

So, from those who have been there, what is the general consensus about places to live in the state, ideally in the general vicinity of Storrs? I know Storrs itself is quite rural (which my wife and I actually don't mind), but we're open to pretty much anything in like a 30 minute drive radius, which I know includes towns like Manchester and starts to approach Hartford.

Also, restaurant/brewery recommendations are much appreciated, as are general thoughts on life there and things to do in the larger area!

When I lived in Connecticut, I mostly knew about beers from which ones advertised on the baseball broadcasts. Red Sox fans apparently drank Schaefer or Narrangansett.
The Yankees drank Knickerbocker and the Mets had Ballantine and/or Rheingold.

[budwom]

When I lived in Connecticut, I mostly knew about beers from which ones advertised on the baseball broadcasts. Red Sox fans apparently drank Schaefer or Narrangansett.
The Yankees drank Knickerbocker and the Mets had Ballantine and/or Rheingold.

I dunno man, I think you may be confused...Ballantine was the Mel Allen/Yankees beer, the Dodgers had Schaefer, the Mets did have Rheingold...now there are too many beers to keep track...

[Phredd3]

I know nothing about the answer to your question, but I did want to congratulate you on the new job! Tenure-track appointments are tough to land. Well done!

[BigWayne]

I dunno man, I think you may be confused...Ballantine was the Mel Allen/Yankees beer, the Dodgers had Schaefer, the Mets did have Rheingold...now there are too many beers to keep track...

It was a long time ago and my beer consumption was very minimal at that time, but it was after the Giants (my Dad's favorite team) and Dodgers had left. I'm guessing there was a reshuffling of the advertising contracts when that happened.

Apparently Knickerbocker was the Giants beer before they left.

You were right about the Yankees having Ballantine in the 50s at least.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

I dunno man, I think you may be confused...Ballantine was the Mel Allen/Yankees beer, the Dodgers had Schaefer, the Mets did have Rheingold...now there are too many beers to keep track...

Schaefer stopped being sold widely when I was not far out of diapers but I still remember their jingle, which I think could have been the theme song for the beer thread here - "Schaefer is the one beer to have when you're having more than one."

Depending on traffic, I will likely be passing through the Greater Storrs Metropolitan area next week on 84 on my way from NYC to Maine so will let you know if we see anything interesting.

[BigWayne]

Schaefer stopped being sold widely when I was not far out of diapers but I still remember their jingle, which I think could have been the theme song for the beer thread here - "Schaefer is the one beer to have when you're having more than one."

When Strohs bought Schaefer and Schlitz while I was at Duke, they started making it in Winston Salem. It became one of the cheapest beers available in Durham at the time, and we always drink more than one.

[Gooch]

Welcome to the Nutmeg State! I live in Southbury, which is in Western CT between Waterbury and Danbury. Fun fact—there is no other city or town named “Southbury” in the world!

My friend I mentioned in the other thread lives in Storrs and has a nice sized property which he likes. He says Storrs has gotten nicely built up over time so it has shopping, restaurants, etc. but not too crowded. I’ve never really spent much time in Manchester, trying to avoid the huge mall/strip malls which have gotten rundown over time. The annual Thanksgiving Day road race is pretty awesome there though. I think Danny Hurley lives in Wethersfield, although that seems quite a far commute for the UConn campus.

More thoughts on the state more generally to come…welcome!

[bundabergdevil]

Congrats!!! But, oh gawd, UCONN, blech! At least your non-ACC school wasn’t Kentucky, I guess.

[scottdude8]

Congrats!!! But, oh gawd, UCONN, blech! At least your non-ACC school wasn’t Kentucky, I guess.

Thanks! And yeah, I knew that’s how many on the board would react haha. My not being as big of a college hoops fan in the late 90s/early 00s (I was a kid!) makes it much easier for me to rationalize my new rooting hierarchy… but I know it’ll drive many here crazy (which is why I plan on being quiet about it unless people actually want UConn/Big East insight, lol).

[budwom]

Thanks! And yeah, I knew that’s how many on the board would react haha. My not being as big of a college hoops fan in the late 90s/early 00s (I was a kid!) makes it much easier for me to rationalize my new rooting hierarchy… but I know it’ll drive many here crazy (which is why I plan on being quiet about it unless people actually want UConn/Big East insight, lol).

I have a very good friend who has become a rabid Blue Devil fan, along with his entire family, including his daughter, who now finds herself a tenured professor just eight miles down the road from Durham. These things happen.

[AGDukesky]

I unfortunately lived in the Hartford area from 1998-2003 and 1999 was miserable. The closest I lived to Storrs is South Glastonbury which is around a 40 minute drive. The nicest areas of Hartford are generally on the wrong (west) side from you (like Simsbury, West Hartford, Farmington etc.). East Glastonbury is a bit closer and less rural than South Glastonbury. I found the area to be pretty nice but I avoided Storrs unless I was driving to Boston. Good luck!

[bundabergdevil]

Connecticut is pronounced different than it is spelled. The middle C is always ignored.