Carbone's & The South End: 20 Years Ago

Carbone's is one of the most famous restaurants in Hartford. Located in the South End on Franklin Ave, Carbone's is one of those places you hear about once being "the place to be in Hartford." As the stories go, in the halycon days, Carbone's was a place that top area power brokers and politicians could be found at. 

These days Carbone's remains, but the South End has undergone a profound change in the last quarter-century. The theories on the reasons for these changes are innummerable, and run a wide gamut, including the opening of the casinos in Connecticut. Whatever those reasons may be, we recently came across a 1992 Hartford Courant article in which many of the same questions that remain today existed 20 years ago. The text of the article from October 29, 1992.

Barber Brings Bling to Hartford

A lot of time our friends will tell us "you have to try this fancy new barber in (Downtown/West Hartford)." Our reply is always the same, thanks but we're all set in that department. For about four years MC's Barbershop on Franklin Ave has been the official barber of Sad City.

Over the last year, MC has been telling us about being entering haircutting competitions and by the look of things, MC has been bringing some impressive hardware back to Hartford. With first place finishes in regional competitions, MC recently entered a large international competition in New York and finished in second place. The competition was also filmed as part of an upcoming documentary on barber competitions which we look forward to seeing MC in. We will keep you posted on details about the film as it gets close to release.

The Samuel Colt Statute

Samuel Colt is probably the closest rival to Mark Twain for Hartford's most famous resident. While the Twain House is a well known local landmark, Hartford's most distinguishing feature is almost certainly the blue onion dome atop the Colt Factory.

If one wants to play a game of six degrees of separation (without Kevin Bacon getting naked) the Colt 45, by Hartford's Samuel Colt, was the gun that won the west. From 1962-1964 the MLB team now know as the Houston Astros was known as the Houston Colt 45's.

In 1963 and 1964 a young second baseman named Joe Morgan played a total of 18 games for the Colt 45's. In 1972 Joe Morgan would be traded to the Cincinnati Reds where he became a a legendary player on "The Big Red Machine" one of the greatest baseball dynasties ever.

Sweet Dreams at The Webster Theatre

For many teens in the surrounding areas, The Webster Theatre is likely one of the first places they will go to in Hartford on their own. Located in the South End on Webster St (imagine that) The Webster Theatre hosts up and coming and somewhat past their prime rock acts. If you're not booking the XL Center or Comcast, you play the Webster.

It's a pretty cool place, though we haven't been in a few years, we've seen some memorable acts their including, GWAR and the above Marilyn Manson show almost 16 years ago. In late 1996 Marilyn Manson was starting an improbable run as a quasi mainstream act off the success of their single "Sweet Dreams." The next year would see the release of the Trent Reznor produced Anti-Christ Superstar, a global stadium tour, and legit stardom.

Hartford Pay Phone #40: Baker's Cafe

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, all Hartfordites can exhale as Pay Phone #40 is unveiled in the greatest scavenger hunt to ever hit Hartford. While Sad City is determined to make pay phones Hartford landmarks, Pay Phone #40 itself is located in a Hartford landmark, the legendary Baker's Cafe on New Britain Ave.

The Carpet Giant Looms Large

The Carpet Giant shouldn't mean anything but he is impossible to not notice. Rising from the South Meadows like a half-resurrected phoenix from the 1980's, The Carpet Giant sign is at the same time unmistakable and yet largely forgettable, unlit and a sign of a bygone era.

When we see the massive unlit Carpet Giant sign, it reminds us of a place where our parents might have shopped at some point. Kind of like how our kids might ask us one day if we ever shopped at a Sam Goody.

Hartford Pic Of The Week

Summertime arrived in a big way this week with humidity that would make even a Tusken Raider uncomfortable. The South End is one of our favorite Hartford places in the summer and we think this pic really sums up a summer say in a South End back yard.

The empty chair and workbench is a little melancholy though.

The Best I Ever Had......

During the late 90's, Hakaan and Pete Sopersata relentlessly cruised Hartford's in search of the perfect sandwich. From dive to deli to bistro, we found many quality sandwiches, yet we never did find a sandwich that we would crown Best In Hartford. Always a flaw was to be found, too much lettuce, too much sauce, sloppily construction, marginal bread. Always some detail was overlooked.

We never anointed a best sandwich, and while the best bread in the area today can be found at Hartford Baking Company, the best bread we ever had was discovered on this sandwich quest at the long defucnt Salvatore's on Wethersfield Ave.

The Legend of the Urban Quadder

There is no better time of year in the urban environment than summer. There's nothing better than the sun beaming down on a city and heat reflecting off of the concrete and asphalt. The sites and smells of the city during summer are different than any other time of the year. In summer Hartfordites embrace the warm season as a time to use "alternative" methods of transportation. Bicycles, you ask?

You so white!

Hartford's Most Dangerous Door

In an urban setting, many doorways can lead to unpleasant and harsh results. Despite all the potentially dangerous doorways in the metro area, we think we have uncovered the most dangerous door of them all, and at the same location as Hartford Pay Phone #35 (Fan Request Edition!) to boot. This doorway, in the building behind the Brainard Road Shell station is a guaranteed painful experience for all who shall dare to pass.

Bad Parking Award

Parking in Hartford really isn't that difficult at all. Sure, our neighbors in Vermont might think it's a hassle, but compared to other cities it really is a delight. While we don't find parking here difficult at all, those from Texas seem to differ. To be fair, Texas is like 3,247,721 times the size of Connecticut with wide open spaces, but c'mon lady, we are trying to live in a society here!

Introducing Hartford's Johnny Taylor

Johnny Taylor was one these pictured 1938 Negro League All-Star Game players

February is Black History Month. At Sad City one thing we waste about as much of our time on as Hartford is baseball. While baseball is an amazing sport and America's pastime, it shouldn't be forgotten that until 1947 baseball despicably operated under the even more despicably named "Gentleman's Agreement" in which owners only employed white players and African-Americans were forced to organize their own leagues. Seeing as how many of us are Red Sox fans, it would be remiss to not point out that the Red Sox were the last team to integrate due to well known racist policies (hey, it is Boston) a factor that certainly contributed to the teams mediocrity in the 1950's and early 1960's.

 So yeah, whenever anyone wants to argue that todays players don't match up with Ruth, Cobb, or Gehrig because of expansion, juiced balls or steroids, kindly point out that those pre-integration players weren't even competing with all of the best players in the United States.

People Of Hartford: How Are You?

These days TV antennas have been rendered useless with the analog to digital tv conversion that took place in 2009. Those of us old enough can remember playing with the metal rabbit ears (or even classier, a metal coat hanger) as we struggled for reception. Nowadays one can purchase a one inch thick 3D television for under $1,000 and watch sports in high definition. Kids these days have it too easy.

The Grapevine

This grapevine canopy made us think of the warmer days left behind just a few weeks ago and sadly not to return for about six months. Most of the grapevine canopies we find in Hartford are in the South End primarily at Italian residences. Grapevine canopies are awesome in that they serve handful of purposes. First, they look cool and what could be more important than that? There are some mighty impressive ones throughout the South End, sadly our favorite one, on Adelaide Street looks like it might not be returning.

Adolf's Meat & Sausage

Adolf's is located on New Britain Ave in Hartford's South End. It's across the street from the empty Mega Foods market. The first thing almost everyone will notice about Adolf's is the name. Going with Adolf is quite a move given that the name has been out of fashion for oh.....let's say about 70 years or so. Nonetheless, Adolf's it is.

Once inside Adolf's the first thing you will notice is the meat case and the impressive collection of brauts, kielbasa, and other tubed meats. There has to be at least three dozen different types of tubed meats on display. Also for sale are many smoked meats, and other deli meats and cheeses to be sliced up for cold cuts. Adolf's also sells a full complement of beef and veal cuts.

A Not So Hot Spot

In the last couple months or so we noticed the L.A. Hot Spot Convenience store had popped up over on Franklin Ave in the South End. While we didn't visit immediately, the store caught our discerning Hartford eye for a handful or reasons. First, this thing isn't exactly the traditional convenience store or bodega. It's huge and the front is almost entirely large glass windows, unusual for that type of store. Second the peculiar name the "L.A. Hot Spot" brings the name of our least favorite big city to our favorite small city.

Bacon's Antiques

Bacon's Antiques is one of those places that looks super interesting, that we've driven by literally hundreds of times, and yet for whatever reason it took us forever to get around to visiting. Recently we finally got around to stopping in and it was, to say the least, an interesting experience.

Bacon's is located in the South End on Maple Street. If you are coming from the downtown area it is right after the ever amusing South Green and before the Maple and Franklin Ave split.

A Good Deed? The End of Literal Street Signs

A while back we found a leaning McLean street sign and thought that Hartford might be embracing using literal street signs. Recently we discovered that this experiment is over as the McLean sign is now perfectly upright. Another Sad City good deed or the end of a great experiment?

Sad City's Guide To Cruising Hartford

If there is one thing we probably know better than just about anyone, it's cruising around Hartford. Our love of driving around and checking out the city extends to years before Sad City started and has been the source of countless posts on this blog. While we can navigate even the remotest city streets with ease, some aren't as well versed in the streets of Hartford. For those who are looking to get out and explore Hartford we present this handy guide to cruising Hartford. For best results cruise Hartford during a warm sunny day.

Hartford Pay Phone #35 - Fan Request Edition

At Sad City Hartford our mantra is give the people what they want and the commenter is always right. Following up on our own advice we present Hartford Pay Phone #35 in the Hartford Pay Phone Search at the request of yesterdays commenter, who felt so strongly that they needed a pay phone post they took time to comment on it.