we STILL don't have our tax bills yet in west hartford

of course taxes were due july 1st. when i called the town last week they confirmed they were NOT mailed yet and there would be an extension. i forgot if she said until august 1st or the END of august. that's neither here nor there, we're all going to be paying taxes OUT our ASSES

black and blue square was supposed to STOP that from happening. of course not only hasn't it stopped it, so far (and it's not even opened yet), it's MUCH MUCH MUCH WORSE.

it's a horror show driving ANYWHERE near the center. i'll only stop now to run into sit-n-knit. and then only in a yarn emergency.

farmington avenue is a mess, trout brook is a mess and please don't even get me started on main street AND park road (especially by the highway exit).

speaking of black and blue here is an article listing more of the stores and whatever else that's going in there

Retail space is filling up at Blue Back Square

Heavy construction continues at Blue Back Square in West Hartford Center, in anticipation of a November 2007 opening. An update was released this week from the developers, reflecting a significant step forward in the number of retail tenants signing rental leases. The retail spac, as expected, is filling up.

When completed, Blue Back Square will have a total of 600,000 square feet of space that will include condominiums, apartments, medical offices, a Healthtrax fitness center, professional offices (non-medical), a movie theater, restaurants, and the retail stores. Ed Pilkington, executive director of the West Hartford Chamber of Commerce, sees Blue Back Square solidifying West Hartford Center's regional attraction. "On behalf of the Chamber, I am very excited about the diversity of retail options," said Pilkington. "These tenants are great additions to Blue Back Square and they will contribute to West Hartford remaining the premier shopping destination in the region."Retail tenants include a 1,988-square-foot Lucy Activewear, a 4,163-square-foot National Jean Company, a 3,100-square-foot Homeward Bound, and a 1,201-square- foot JD's Cosmetic Essentials. Robert Wienner is a partner in Blue Back Square/JDA Development. "I am thrilled with the amount of response that we have had to leasing retail space at Blue Back Square as we move toward grand opening this fall," Wienner said in a prepared statement. "We are currently over 85 percent leased and have continued progress and interest from many different retailers, restaurants and service oriented merchants."....

NOTE: i had not heard of most of these stores before so i looked them up. lucy activewear looks like a medium priced clothing store for 'hip YOUNG teenaged typed babes'. national jean company sells different brands of jeans to 'hip YOUNG teenaged typed babes'. homeward bound is a connecticut based store focusing on the greening of the earth (i'm guessing they are higher end. how else could they afford the black & blue rent??? any way seems they sell furniture and the like). jd cosmetics sells a few (very few from what i could tell) higher end cosmetics for the 'hip YOUNG teenaged typed babes' to look AS BEAUTIFUL AS THEY CAN. janie and jack sell baby clothes (i'm sure nothing i'd ever put a kid into. oh shoot, i take that back, i WOULD put a kid into that beret!). there are other stores named in the article and a movie theater and a restaurant that serves big hunks o' dead cow.

beret picture: janie & jack