Hartford Parks Free Movies After Dark

The drive-in movie. For years, American summers were defined by them. If you grew up in the Central Connecticut area, I'm sure you have some summer memories sitting in the backseat of a car at the Hartford Drive-In on the Berlin Turnpike. We would absolutely trash my parents' mini-van with crushed popcorn and gummy worms while watching Home Alone on the screen. But now they're nearly extinct. Going to one is seen as a niche and novelty event. A "cute idea" for a 5th date or a treat for the birthday of a 10 year old who doesn't own a television. Believe it or not, there are those of us who miss the old Drive-In. This summer, Hartford is going old school and giving us a series of outdoor movies in the parks. The good news is that you don't need your car! The bad news is that you'll probably need some mosquito repellent and getting to second base in public frowned upon!

The City of Hartford's Marketing, Events & Cultural Affairs Division and Mayor Pedro Segarra are trying out something new this summer and putting on Free Movies After Dark in various Hartford Parks. Every Friday this summer, a different Hartford Park will feature a full length film for free at sunset. The weekly event starts on July 27 in Bushnell Park with one of my favorite movies Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and will go until September 7th ending with a movie set and filmed in Hartford called Rising Star. 


My insiders have told me so far that there will be popcorn to munch on, because what's a movie without it? Break out your blanket, your bug spray and dig the stick out of your under carriage. The first installment of 2012 Monday Night Jazz in Bushnell Park had a great turnout on July 9th. Everyone had fun and mingled as the sun lowered in the sky, staying well after the sun set until the last note played. In my head, that's how I see this event going down. A bunch of us huddled on blankets with friends and family under the stars, laughing as Baxter speaks Spanish to Ron and Brick kills a guy with a Trident. It'll happen. We all know how it goes bringing new events in Hartford: 60% of the time it works every time. Don't act like you're not impressed with figures like that. Break out your jazz flute and bring your ass to the park on the 27th or you will spend Saturday the 28th in a glass case of emotion. Because as you know, "When in Rome."

If you don't know what any of that meant, you should really do yourself a favor and come to the park. 

Charmagne & Porter Soul at Airport Road Cafe

Today is the start of the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz, which if you've lived in Hartford for even a day I'm sure you know. Your black friends, your white friends and your taupe friends are probably washing their blankets right now. And if they're not, I dunno what's wrong with them. You're not doing Hartford right if you don't at least stop by. It's a Hartford law: A man isn't allowed to kiss his wife on Sunday and you must stop by the Jazzfest. But I'm not going to get much deeper into that because if there's one thing Hartford doesn't lack, it's reviews of New England's Biggest Free Jazz Shindigapalooza. So assemble your crew, pack your picnic basket and listen to some local legends. But don't plan your evening around only that, because I have even bigger plans for you...

Airport Road Cafe: You know the "biker bar" on the corner of Airport Road? It's actually a very cool bar that has local bands stop through all the time. And every third Friday of the month (hey, that's tonight!), my girlfriend Charmagne stops in with her band Porter Soul and graces them with her soulful presence. That's right: I'm plugging. And why the hell not? I'm dating a Grammy Award winning artist who has black people in Hartford coming to her shows on a regular basis. So sit here and listen to how awesome she is for a second.

Her style fits in with the tone of the weekend, as she's a neo-soul/R&B artist with some jazz undertones. But that's if you're asking her. As someone who's been to almost every show she's done in the last 2 years, I can tell you that her performance is much more interesting than someone standing on stage belting out ballads. In addition to her beautiful voice, her banter is hilarious and usually risqué. The band is extremely talented and can follow her on any musical tangent she'll go on (and sometimes lead her back to the task at hand if the Patron is flowing too freely). A show can start with you nodding along to her cover of "A Long Walk" (Jill Scott) and by the second set she's added a rap to "Cruising" (Smokey Robinson) as she pretends to swim on the floor or has a breakdance battle with a member of the audience. When she needs a quick breather, sometimes she'll provide some eye candy for the ladies by putting the saxophonist, David Davis, out front for some "good sax"; that's kind of like a fully clothed lap dance with a woodwind. It's probably more like watching a musical circus than a smooth R&B show.

The venue itself is a treat. The bartenders are of the no nonsense variety, so if you're an "ummer" who doesn't know what you want, or you want some special drink with a lot of ingredients, they're not afraid to bust your chops about it. Some of my favorite food in the world is bar fare, and this stuff doesn't disappoint. Of course you should eat the chicken wings because they serve them. Who goes out somewhere that serves chicken wings and doesn't order them? Unless you're a vegetarian, then that's understandable. They probably make a ripping grilled cheese. They might even have a good salad but I wouldn't know because I don't want to be the woman eating a salad at a biker bar. I have a rep to maintain. And I know I keep saying "biker bar", but that's only because that's the reputation Airport Road Cafe has had for as long as I can remember. This isn't the type of place that's acrid with cigarette smoke, everyone clad in leather and the record scratches when you walk through the door in stilettos. The tables are set up lounge style around the dance floor, the bar is fully stocked, large and gorgeous, and while the regulars are sometimes clad in leather themselves, they're fine with seeing you. And no one's scratching any records because this is 2010; the jukebox is digital.

So after your children tire themselves out from dancing around and playing with other peoples' dogs at Jazzaroo, you can head out for some grown up fun and get a great show at the same time. Bad ass. Here are the deets:

Showtime: 9p-12a
Music: Neo-Soul/R&B
Food & Drinks: I believe the kitchen closes around 10 or 10:30, but just like any other bar, last call is at 1:45a. They don't usually have drink specials, but ask the bartender, maybe she knows something I don't.
Dress code: Whatever you like!
Ages: 21+
Cover Charge: $5
Address: 330 Ledyard Street, Hartford, CT (there's parking in the back, but you can also park on Ledyard Street if it fills up.)


p.s. I wasn't lying about the not kissing your wife on Sunday thing.

Old School Fridays at Vibz Uptown

If you haven't been to Vibz Uptown on a Friday night, you're doing yourself a huge disservice. Do you like quality drinks at reasonable prices? Do you like delicious food? Do you like live music or dancing to old school hip-hop and r&b? Then seriously...get down here!

Vibz takes the task of planning a night out to the next level. Let's say you get off work at 5 this Friday and you're looking for somewhere to kick back and relax. According to their Facebook page, happy hour starts at 6pm. STARTS at 6pm! I don't know about you, but I usually want to go home and nap on Fridays if I plan to be out all night. By the time I'm rested up all the drink specials are over because happy hour is usually ending by 6. Who the hell is making these early ass happy hours? If I get off work at 5, trek to your bar in after work traffic, I'm maybe making it there at 5:30. What's that? One drink? The great thing about Vibz is that they're running on some lovely CPT, just like me. Reduced priced drinks go until 8pm.

So you've gotten a nice little buzz going for a couple hours, but you're starting to get a little hungry. You COULD leave the club and eat at one of the many delicious establishments nearby, but like I said, Vibz has your night taken care of! Around 8pm, a cook will pop out from the abyss and put 3 hot trays of delicious food on a table by the bar. Tip: eat the macaroni & cheese. It's so good it'll make you wanna slap your mama (which you may be able to do, since old school Fridays are a classy affair for a classy woman like your mom.) And it's all for the low low price of $free.99!

Now your belly's full, the Patron's got you in the zone as they say, and you're wondering what more this night could possibly have in store. What's that happening on the stage? Is that a band setting up? Word, Vibz? You've got live music tonight too? Every Friday night starting around 9pm. And the bands are really good. I have yet to be let down.

For two hours you chill out and listen to the band. Depending the kind of music they play, you're dancing and sucking down drinks. But eventually the band starts packing up their shit and saying their goodbyes. More and more people have come through the door by this time. You've probably already run into your uncle in his lilac and white pinstriped suit with his matching hat and shoes, along with Sister Evelyn from church snapping her fingers on the dancefloor, so how can you leave? The DJ gets on the mic and the music starts. Everyone is on the floor, from ages 24-84. A gentleman taps you on the shoulder and asks if he can buy you another one of what you're drinking. You politely accept, but wonder if you'll have to keep him from humping your leg on the dancefloor all night. In the end, he hands you your drink and walks away simply saying, "have a good evening, pretty lady!" with a polite smile. It's a classy joint, after all. By the end of the night, you'll be dancing and singing along to "Candy" by Cameo with the rest of the room. And trust me, they WILL play that song!

Three tips for the night:
1. If you want to try this mac & cheese, get there early. It goes QUICKLY.
2. Get a mixed drink of anything. They're made beautifully.
3. Get some facebook fame and let the bartenders take your picture while you're there. They'll even let you do a retake if you made a dumb face in the first one.

Here's the stuff you should remember:
Happy Hour: 6pm-8pm **specials** reduced price drinks
Food & Band: 8ish-11ish
Old School party: 11ish-2am
Music: R&B and Hip-Hop. There may be a few newer tracks snuck in there, but come ready to hear music that's at least 15 years old and love it!
Dress code: No sneakers, baseball caps or athletic wear. (honestly, just dress nice. you'll feel a little embarrassed if you come in dirty jeans and everyone else is in their night-on-the-town digs.)
Ages: 21+
Cover Charge: $5 before 10pm
Address: 3155 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06120