Well, been here 2 months and I like it.

[VTMechEngr]

As I had said a few months back, I moved to Groton from Virginia Beach, Va. It was a little culture shock at first, but I have gotten used to it here. The people are not as cold as I had thought, which was a nice surprise. A few co-workers mentioned that my slight southern accent helps smooth this along. The thought is that people realize i'm from out of the area and engage in conversation.

My first comment is how nice the traffic is in this area. Going from the Gridlock of Tidewater, I figured things could only improve. Then I drove across the G.W. Bridge into New York... But traffic here in SE Ct is nice.

The second is I now need to get a primer on how the politics has changed. I grew up in fundie hell hole land and I have to get a new feel for politics here. In Virginia, you had to worry about Republicans smiting you for not supporting the one true party, or religious extremists screaming that you are against God just because you are a Moral Community supportive person who takes care of his fellow human beings rather than seek to merely enrich himself; I.E. I was the dreaded and evil Southern Democrat.

On the good side, I can let people know i'm a Democrat without the awful sneers and looks of disgust.

[GrantDem]

1. I know the feeling

I live in oh-so-RED Indiana. The sneers and looks or disgust are commonplace but you have to be proud of what you believe in.

[intheflow]

2. You're in Lieberman Land now.

I'm living in Denver right now, but am from the Massachusetts/Connecticut line. To me, Connecticut is generally more DINO than not. The Bush family is originally from CT; Grandpappy Bush was a US Senator, I believe, that was the start of their political empire. CT politics embody the corporate arm of the Democratic party (sometimes called "centrists"). I graduated from UConn and saw all kinds of good classes and departments get submarined in favor of UT labs and Nike basketball deals.

But saying that... now that I live in Colorado, I'd take Connecticut politics in a heartbeat. One of our Senators, Salazar, is about as DINO as Leiberman, and the other is Bright Red Repuke all the way. Plus, CT has better fall foliage than Colorado--I really miss that this time of year! Much better pizza and seafood, too. :)

[drbtg1]

7. CT pizza is better than Colorado?!?

WOW! I know CT pizza, being an ex-New Yorker in CT for over a decade, was generally manufactured straight from the horse's ass, but you're saying Colorado pizza is worse? Geez, with that basis, I guess Colorado pizza is what evil must taste like.

[JerseygirlCT]

10. LOL I was just going to say that CT pizza is only

better compared to something NOT from the NY area.

I grew up in NJ, and pizza was pretty much good everywhere. Here... well there are good places, but lots are not.

And what's with the chintzy cheese and chunky sauce? Ugh.

[drbtg1]

14. Heck, some places can't even cut a pizza properly

Rule, no exceptions: A large round pizza needs to be cut into eight wedges or, if there's a large group, sixteen wedges. A grid is not acceptable. No pizza should look like it can be used to play Battleship ("I'll take slice D-6, please.")

I always have mixed feelings about condemning CT pizza. Back when I was in grad school, there were plenty of Californians that incessantly put down everything on the east coast, whether it be the weather (I know, I know) or mexican food or even the beaches. I thought it was bad form, so now, while I have opinions about things in CT like bagels or the lack of delis, I usually don't talk much about it.

But with pizza in CT, the problem is twofold, and maybe you've run into it here, JerseygirlCT. Not only is the pizza bad, but then there's this whole group of people, usually lifelong CT residents, that thinks CT pizza is the best in the world and worth bragging about. And when one talks about it, these people starts talking about New Haven, specifically those two places on Wooster Street. Been there, done that. It's like that line in Animal House: "Don't flatter yourself. It wasn't that great." And Pepe's, with their horrible, non-personable service, is clearly resting on past honors of questionable merit.

Even this month's copy of Hartford magazine is pushing pizza places. I think one of them was one I visited on Farmington Avenue in West Hartford Center. Here's a hint for them: if the so-called pizzeria has a grand piano in the dining area, something's very wrong.

But your right, not all are completely bad. Tom's Pizza in Newington and Brooklyn Brickhouse in Rocky Hill are pretty good (although I heard a rumor that Brooklyn Brickhouse recently closed, figures decent pizza can't be supported when there's a Domino's nearby). But of course, these so-called experts in the media never bring them up.

Decent pizza shouldn't be that hard to come by.

[JerseygirlCT]

16. Yes, Yes, Yes!

Lots of what my husband calls "Greek pizza". Doughy crust with too much bad sauce and some cheese lumped on top. Almost invariably cut into squares.

I've so often heard the New Haven pizza silliness. Obviously people who do not know pizza.

Sigh. Like good bagels, hard to find.

Rossini's in Cheshire isn't half bad. Not quite there, but serviceable.

What's so hard about crust that's thin but substantial enough to crack when you pick it up? Seems like every little joint in NJ and NY manages it just fine...

[drbtg1]

19. New Haven's an oasis in the desert

(Yes, I know using the word "oasis" is way too complimentary.)

When so much is shit, barely "C-" pizza is put on a pedestal. Hence, the praise. Unfurtunately, the two places have managed to build quite a rep. When Food Network put together a "pizza around the world" special with Gordon Elliot, they actually featured Pepe's and Sally's. Some people just don't know any better.

Here's another reason to hate Pepe's in addition to shit service: They have a picture of Reagan outside their restaurant.

I know what you're saying about bad sauce, etc., but after having been here so long, there are times I'll settle for a pizza that is actually baked on the stone/heating surface and not from dough that's been spread out a number of hours before in a pan where it is also baked. Just can't make proper crust that way.

[connecticut yankee]

22. Not any more

Pepe's used to have the greatest clam pizza. But it's changed.

The last time my husband and I were there, they were out of clams, so we ordered another kind. The crust was soggy and it was tasteless.

I understand they're opening a place in Fairfield County. I'll give it a try. I hope our last experience was an anomaly.

[drbtg1]

29. Sorry to hear that

In addition to feeling bad for you guys, since waiting at Pepe's is always an endurance test and then only to have a poisoned finish line, it's sad to see something that could damage their reputation. I don't believe their rep is earned , but at least it's a positive rep for a CT establishment that apparently extends beyond the state line.

I've always had problems there with service, and the soggy crust sounds like the servers made the pizza sit way too long in the oversized serving tray. How was the service for you guys that night?

[connecticut yankee]

34. No problem with the service

and we didn't have to wait too long.

I don't know if the pizza sat too long in the serving tray. It was hot.

But I was really disappointed at not having the clam pizza. It really is exceptional.

I just hope we had an off night.

[boilerbabe]

38. Recovery Room in New London makes a decent pie..

It is near Lawrence & Memorial Hospital in New London. They also make a very pungent feta cheese pizza that even puts my fried smoker's tastebuds completely down for the count!

I don't care for what they call "Greek Pizza" --it's too greasy and tastes spoiled!

The best pizza I've ever had was from a bakery (closed down for many years, unfortunately)in my hometown in Maine. They used fresh dough, and about 4lbs of cheese.

I've got a question for all you pizza lovers:

Any recommendations on frozen pizza?

I got sick of DiGiorno's and am looking for an alternative...

[NewJeffCT]

21. there are dozens of places like Tom's all over central CT

I remember 5-6 years back, a woman I knew recommended Tom's to me. Since I lived in Newington, I went there several times, but it was nothing special, the same as I'd eaten 1,000+ times before. It is slightly better than the more famous Vito's up the street, and it is also cheaper, so I usually went there when I lived in Newington.

[drbtg1]

25. Doesn't Vito's bake their pizza in a pan?

IIRC, Vito's, both Newington and Wethersfield, were horrid.

[danalytical]

43. I will attest to that

absolutely disgusting.

[drbtg1]

28. Also, can you please name the "dozens of places"?

I'm not trying to condemn your claim, as all this pizza talk, from you, me and anyone else, is ultimately subjective. I'm just looking for any new places to try since I'm in CT for the long haul.

[drbtg1]

36. I apologize: 1 month ago, Tom's sucked as much as the rest

I know it's been a while since this was talked about, but I thought an apology was in order. About a month ago, after having pizza withdrawl, we went all the way to Tom's and got a pizza. We got it home and, to our dismay, the pie was horrible. I don't know what happened. It used to be decent, but that certainly changed.

I apologize for holding up Tom's as something acceptable. Now, with Tom's going south and the closing of Brooklyn Brickhouse, there is only desert.

[NewJeffCT]

20. my ex-wife was from NJ

and, I don't remember ever finding a pizza I liked in NJ and she specifically took me to the most famous/best pizza places in the area.

[JerseygirlCT]

23. Funny, isn't it?

Truly, growing up, I never gave it much thought. Pizza was pizza. Mostly, it was pretty much the same, regardless of where you went and it was all good. We didn't have chain places then (yeah, I'm old - in fact, I remember paying 35 cents for a slice at Pizza Village...)

Perhaps it's as simple as liking what you're used to eating? I've been to too many "fancy" pizza places with great huge chunks of tomatoe on the pie (ick for me. I don't want chunks, thanks. If I wanted tomatoes all over my pie, I'd ask for them.) And crust is key. And really good cheese. (Someone joked that the cheese was good all over NJ b/c the pizza places all had "connections")

I still consider pizza one of the four main food groups. I could seriously live on that.

[drbtg1]

27. Any chance you saw CBS's Sunday Morning yesterday?

They had a segment on pizza reported by Bobby Flay. In it, they had some guy who wrote a book on pizza who was making the same point, that people think they have the best pizza no matter where they are from. I guess people live in a bubble when it comes to pizza.

The segment was concentrated on New York, but did make mention of Chicago Deep Dish and Wolfgang Puck. No mention of Wooster Street. And the pizza featured were all cut properly, no grids.

[boilerbabe]

39. Pizza is the ONLY food group besides beer!! n/t

[NewJeffCT]

3. Glad you like it so far

We actually just went down to Foxwoods yesterday... but, it was a bit too rich for my blood. I'm not much of a gambler, so didn't want to take a chance on a $25 minimum blackjack table (I couldn't find any lower stakes table despite almost an hour of searching!) At least at Mohegan Sun, I usually don't have trouble finding a $10 table.

The fall foliage should be very enjoyable over the next month.

A good plus to the area is that you're not too far from NYC and from Boston.

In Connecticut, our Democrats are usually not too liberal and our Republicans not too conservative.

[bigwillq]

4. Welcome to CT!

:hi:

[connecticut yankee]

5. I'll second that!

:toast:

[CTyankee]

6. Hey, you're gonna love it!

You will have some really nice progressive Dems here. Even Repubs are kinda sorrowfully progressive in a way.

Please come and visit New Haven, the cultural capital of CT. Hartford is unfortunately a little boring, even tho they have some very nice people who are civic minded. New Haven has the political atmosphere you want, restaurants, theatre, concerts, night life, galleries.

February will be your biggest shock. I lived in No. Virginia for 9 years before I moved here and i was a little set back by the frost in April. But don't worry. It'll be better.

CT is a great state. Prochoice and pro just about everything we believe in at DU. We have our problems but we certainly work on them.

Good luck!

[drbtg1]

31. Especially pro-justice

When Republican officials commit crimes, we actually send them to jail. What a unique idea in America!

[AX10]

8. We are a Blue State. Just stay out of two places and you'll be fine.

Those places, Upper Fairfield County, (a horrible mix of rednecks, white trash, and middle class snotbags) (lower county is quite nice and diverse, 'BLUE') and Litchfield "lynchfield" County (rednecks/Peyton Place).

The rest of the state is quite nice.

:hi:

[Throckmorton]

18. I grew up in Litchfield County

and I resent the red-neck remark.

It can't hold a candle to the red-neck areas of the deep south.

[drbtg1]

9. About the accent, I think your co-workers might be right.

I agree with many that CT is a really nice place, but far too often I've found people to be not very neighborly. I lived for many years at a huge apartment complex where many people (but certainly not all) weren't very friendly, but there I chalked it up to people not being there long term. After that, I moved into a nice neighborhood...no, wait, it's not a neighborhood. It's just a collection of well-landscaped bunkers for people to hide out. Not friendly.

A couple of stories about my CT "neighborhood". Right after moving there, we had Halloween. The previous owner of my house just turned off the lights and pretended he wasn't home, but I decided to do something radical. I turned on the lights and give out snacks for the kids. Not candy (I'm a dentist), but the bags of Cheetos, Ruffles, Smartfood popcorn. Older kids loved it, but I had one little kid who was disappointed. The father was there and knew I'm a dentist, so you'd think he could educate his kid, ethical conflicts and all that. Nope. A week later, at the polling place for Election Day, I see the father who tells me his kid was still disappointed. I told him he could have the previous owner back, but I really felt like asking him if he also expects the local fireman to be handing out fireworks when July 4th rolls around.

More recently, when I still haven't met my next-door neighbor, I see him near the property line, so I decide to go over there and do the intros. After all, it's been a few years. So I go over there and he starts walking away. Slowly, picking at weeds, but not one eyeball toward me. And I'm waiting at the line. No acknowledgement whatsoever. Now, I know some might say maybe he didn't hear me approach. But here's the thing, I'm not walking. I'm on a riding mower, loud motherf(&^%# ! Later, I find out there's no hearing problem.

I really do shower on a regular basis, but maybe it's still me. I've tried. Either my wife or I go to our elementary school aged kids' bus stop every morning, partly to be parents but also to talk to other adults, but we're the only adults out there (which also means a couple of unsupervised elementary school aged kids act like complete snots). After a suggestion from a patient for what they do on Halloween, I've asked the parents if they're Trick-or-Treating too, at this point offering a Mike's Hard Lemonade. All pointless.

Then, some time ago, I'm listening to Colin McEnroe on WTIC. He's talking about this, not from his own experience, but all sorts of callers relaying the same type of problem. So then I thought we in CT have a wide collection of isolated people. Odd, ironic, but it is what it is. C'est la vie.

Otherwise, things are pretty good in CT. Glad things are working out for you. And in Southeastern CT as well. To be near the shore, Mystic, Stonington, Niantic. Skipper's Dock, Bravo Bravo, Steak Loft, even brunch at Water's Edge. Oh, really jealous.

Good luck with everything!

[JerseygirlCT]

11. Funny, but that's definitely not been our experience here

We're in central CT, and our town seems like the biggest small town around. Most folks seem to have lived here forever, gone to school where their kids do, etc. We're not long-timers, having lived here for only 17 years, lol.

But my neighbors are the best. Truly would do anything for you (and have). Kids play on the street, adults watch each other's kids. People stop on the street to wave and say hello. Heck, I realized I was holding up traffic yesterday when I stopped to chat with a policeman. He's a neighbor and was loaning me a spreader... and there we are, while he's supposed to be directing traffic, lol! No one blinked an eye. (Luckily there wasn't anyone behind me).

I've noticed that New Englanders are just a bit reticent. Privacy is valued, as is a sort of "mind your business" thing. It's not unfriendly, its just... I don't know, careful of personal space?

[connecticut yankee]

12. I'd rather have that

than be in one of those communities where everyone knows everyone else's business and talks about it.

[JerseygirlCT]

13. Yup

It did get a little Peyton Placey around here at one point -- too many divorces and relationships in the neighborhood, lol.

But on the whole, we've got a nice mix of neighborliness and privacy. I don't really want to have to explain my every coming and going to a nosey neighbor. But it's nice to know that someone is looking out for your kids or house if needed.

Maybe I'm just a northeasterner, but that effusive friendliness can be overwhelming to me! Give me a little time, thanks!

[drbtg1]

15. Oh, don't get me wrong, we got overly nosey people too.

I been told of a neighbor who went to town hall to check on neighbors' building permits when they're doing little things like fixing a walkway in their non-street-visable backyard.

I guess this is a "grass is always greener" syndrome, but it would be nice to strike a balance, to have a place where the neighborhood kids can play together. Oh, well. The pluses still far outweigh the minuses.

[JerseygirlCT]

24. I know we're really, really lucky

to have that. I love the way the kids can just run around from one house to the other, and there are parents out in front of each watching them all -- or taking turns watching them all.

But I know it's a special sort of thing we've got.

[drbtg1]

30. LOL. Your story reminded me of a neighborhood kid...

...who believed he could run from house to house. In fact, I spotted him in my backyard one day, uninvited, unsupervised, unfriendly. His family lives down the road. I decided not to rat the kid out since he was just a first grader at the time and he didn't scale the fence around my pool.

[JerseygirlCT]

32. Well, down at our end of the block

the kids are all pretty nice. I couldn't care less if they're running through our yard -- although they all know whose yard is ok to play in and whose grass they better not step foot on! (You get that ball. No, you get it, I'm not getting yelled at...)

The older kids we've had a few problems with -- cars flying down the street and bikes flying into intersections... but mostly it's all just nice.

[drbtg1]

33. I wouldn't care either if...

...this kid was friendly with my kid(s) and we were friendly with the parents, or if the kid hit a ball accidently into my yard and was just retrieving it. But this is not the case. We don't know the parents well and the parents don't know us that well. We only talk if they need something.

Behind my property is all wetlands, so it's not a case of someone living behind me walking across a property line. This was a case of an approximately six year old cutting through my front yard to check out my back yard, was spotted by my family and I, didn't apologize, and the parents had no clue about their kid's whereabouts. Since the kid didn't do something reckless forcing me to rat out the kid, the parents probably still have no idea.

I'm glad you have a much better environment.

[Throckmorton]

17. Welcome to SE Connecticut,

I live in Niantic, just west of New London.

Come on over and try out our great new boardwalk, there is nothing else like it in the rest of the state.

[drbtg1]

26. Tell me about the boardwalk

It's been a year or so since I've been down there. Really nice area, but the one thing I hated was with the planning that managed to place railroad tracks separating the downtown area from the water. Any chance that was fixed?

[groton]

35. Welcome fellow Grotonnite

You working at the Subbase or EB?

[wordpix2]

37. welcome to CT! Geez, I was thinking of going back to mid-Atlantic but on

2nd thought, it doesn't sound appealing at all to return to fundie land.

[danalytical]

40. Pizza here isn't bad

I grew up on what I later learned was Greek pizza. In fact I have a few Greek friends that were in Greek Pizza restaurant families. The key to Greek pizza is where you get it. For instance Vito's pizza which is supposed to be soo good, is actually pretty disgusting. At least the one in Newington is. But if you go down the street to Elm Hill pizza then you are in Greek Pizza heaven. Keep going a little further and you're in New Britain where East Side Pizza, Town Line Pizza, and Paradise Pizza are located. East Side pizza is a little nasty hole in the wall, but their pizza is the greasiest, tangiest, and best Greek Pizza out of anywhere I've ever been. It's excellent. Townline is decent and so is Paradise.

The thing you have to understand is that Greek Pizza really is a different food group. Kind of like Chicago Deep dish. It's just different. You get bad greek pizza, and it's just like getting bad italian pizza.

Here's the other thing. Tom's pizza in Newington is pretty good, but there is definitely better pizza around. Specifically, The First and Last on Maple St in Hartford. It's right in the South End (italian side) of Hartford on the Maple side. They make a good pizza over there.

Also Michel Angelo's in Newington is pretty good. And the last I'll mention is Bella Gourmet Pizzeria on Fenn Rd. in Newington. They make decent pizza.

You have to know where to go is all. I lived in Bristol for a while, and I couldn't for the life of me find a good pizza place. They just don't know how to make pizza over there. Any style, it all sucked.

One more thing you'll find in CT.

Pakistani Pizza. That's right I said Pakistani Pizza. There is this new phenomena of Pakistani's opening up pizza restauants. Every single one I ate at was disgusting. There was Family Pizza in Newington, Pizza Palace in New Britain, Quick Stop burgers and pizza in Newington, and a few other sin New Britain. They all sucked.

I like New Haven pizza too, so :p. Right next to Toads Place over by Yale. Mmmmm!

[connecticut yankee]

41. How does Greek pizza

differ from Italian?

I won't even go into Pakistani pizza.

[danalytical]

42. Italian

is usually the New York style thin crust lighter on sauce and cheese and cut into wedges. Greek pizza is a thicker crust with a lot of cheese and sauce cut into a grid. Greek pizza isn't usually fired in a brick oven. At least I never saw one cooked that way. But a lot of italian style is brick oven roasted. If you pick up a slice of heavy greek pizza when it's really hot, many times the cheese will slide cause off it's so thick. The taste is different too, I think the cheese is cooked a little longer or something. You get a lot of the brown burn spots in greek pizza. Not burned as in black crispy charcoal, but browned sections on the cheese. Go to Elm Hill pizza and get a small, then go over to First and Last tavern and get a small and compare. That would be fun. You buying?? :D

[connecticut yankee]

44. Actually

I guess I've had Greek pizza, but never realized it.

I prefer Pepi's clam pizza.