If you are looking for beautiful, higher end, handmade goods, this store has so much to offer!…read moreEvery time I want to send a gift to someone from Collinsville, Carol and Co. is at the top of my list. Beautiful salad bowls, soft scarves, and now colorful face masks (complete with nose wires and non-woven filter inserts) have found homes with my friends and family. This season, for a cute gift, I'd recommend a fiber art clutch purse, a face mask, and a small bottle of hand sanitizer (green tea scent) - it was a huge hit for my mom! Carol has a lot of in-depth knowledge both about the products themselves and the artisans who create them. Many products are made locally, and ones from further afield are carefully curated. Carol has been especially accommodating during the pandemic. She has lots of info and photos on her website (including options for online shopping and shipping), can arrange video calls for questions, and she is happy to arrange curbside pick-ups from her store.

This shop is much more than a Jewelry store, though you will find some extremely beautiful & unique…read morejewelry here. There were so many unique gift & decorative items that would delight many of my friends, family members and me. I wish I had taken a picture of the item that drew me in, a silver little sculpture that says "You are my sunshine," which will be a meaningful gift I can't wait to give. I also love love the glass hummingbirds that were hanging from the ceiling. There were all kinds of art here, including gorgeous fingerless gloves made from recycled cashmere. I may have to come back for those too. If you're strolling Collinsville, don't miss this place.

Amazing staff, good food, great location and atmosphere. Love their mission to help the homeless…read morecommunity too. Wonderful place to go if you need help or services in Hartford. They will take care of you and help you in any way they can!

Today's lunch at Gather 55, the latest Hands on Hartford food experience, offered up a truly…read morewonderful meal. The place was packed but the front of the house rep found us a perfect table against the rear wall with a view of the dining room. The gentleman who fixed/adjusted our table did a super job; hate those wobbly tables I always manage to find. The menus were clear and the ordering was super easy. The end product went way above our expectations. My dining partner ordered the Chicken Salad plate with a pasta side included. The chicken was fresh, tender and delicious [I stole a piece] and the penne pasta was just right while the celery and walnuts added crunch. I had the Salmon Wrap with spinach, avocado and ginger vinaigrette. The wrap was huge and the salmon perfectly cooked while the added ingredients made the dish even better. The crowd was lively and the atmosphere was full of love. We will return! Want to try the breakfast.

Imagine Nation is a learning. Center and children's museum. There are three levels and exhibits for…read morekids from toddlers and up to elementary aged. There is a parking lot and street parking. There were so many interactive and hands on play areas. They even had an animal exhibit. There is a water play, music, engineering, area (and more). My kids enjoyed it and we were there for a couple of hours. If you have kids, I highly recommend.

If i could give 0 stars I would…read more My oldest daughter went to Imagine Nation for a couple years, throughout the time there we had numerous incidents with Lyndsey giving us miscommunication and attitude but I dealt with it due to my daughter teachers being AMAZING. Within my daughters last year I found out I was pregnant and informed everyone that I would be interested in placing my newest baby into the infant program. Fast forward to my new baby being born, i applied in September and Lyndsey verbally said that I would be all set to join in December. I emailed in late October to ensure that she was still all set to start on December 2nd, Lyndsey then tells me in email that shes very sorry but theres no December spot but my daughter will be able to start April 20th. Due to not having a great experience with the prior conversation I called Wednesday 3/5/25 to see if we were still able to start 4/20/25 I spoke with whomever is covering Lyndsey on maternity leave and she said she knows nothing of it and would call me back. I did not get a call back. I then called 3/6/25 and spoke with Michelle (the director) who has informed me AGAIN that my baby does NOT have a spot in the infant program because the spot that was open was taken by a child of a newly hired employee. When I had IN WRITING that my daughter would be able to start on 4/20/25. This is a HUGE inconvience to not only me but my family who have been juggling trying to work and watch my daughter so I can also work. I then asked Michelle about recieving my $75 back that I paid in advance with Lyndsey because she assured me that I was all set TWICE. Michelle then emails me and says I will only be refunded $50 of my $75 because of a non-refundable application fee. When my money wouldnt have been wasted if my spot wasnt taken OR if Lyndsey would do her job correctly. I am VERY sorry that Lyndsey is the face of this organization as far as whom the parents have to speak with regularly and being the first person they meet when applying. She has cause not only me but my entire family a great deal of trouble. She is grossly incompetitent. I reached out to the CEO, Jay of this organization and notified him by email of all of this to which he replied asking for my contact information to speak with me verbally. He has never called me. I'm relieved to know my daughter now wont be going here. If they cant maintain the employees performing basic daily tasks correctly how can i ensure my infants safety within this school.

Love supporting this local farm: good produce, good vibes all around…read more Holcomb Farm is a nonprofit that grows without chemicals or pesticides. They sell homegrown produce, as well as dairy, meats, and goods from other farms. Their new space is nicer and bigger than the old one. And you can shop in the farm store without being a CSA member. You sign up for CSA membership before the season (the earlier you commit the lower cost it will be), and proceeds are used for them to buy seeds, maintain equipment, and for their staff. It's not cheap but if you're a member you're supporting a good organization and getting nutritious foods. As a member you have your choice of a specific number of items in the Farm store and then you can pick your own depending on what they have. When we picked, there were berries, flowers, herbs, and a few shishitos. There's a window to pick so if you go later in the cycle, things might be a bit picked over.

This historic farm is located in West Granby and is over 300 acres. The land has been farmed on…read moresince 1756. There are trails on the property open to the public, they also offer CSAs (community supported agriculture). They sometimes hosts classes and events. There is a seasonal farm store onsite. The store was lovely; I enjoyed shopping there. There were fresh produce as well as some dairy products, cookies, pickles, and more. They were offering free samples of watermelon in the summer. It's definitely worth a visit once they open again for the season!

I have brought many donations to Gifts of Love over the past decade. They provide a valuable…read moreservice to those in need.

I understand that this organization has guidelines for donations it can and cannot accept. However,…read morethe general approach of personnel is not one of gratitude, but rather, 'attitude.' I always donate usable and high-quality items that are in very good condition. However, they are frequently not met with genuine appreciation, but rather, with interrogation and rejections. Since this has happened on several occasions, I will donate to other organizations in the future.

Christmas in Collinsville is an annual event with a champagne stroll, craft fair in town hall, tree…read moreraffle in the historical society, and all the shops are open. It is NOT a page for the town, it's like the many other festival pages for Collinsville.

A tremendously creative, inspiring & enriching cultural organization that Hartford is lucky to…read morehave. Greater Hartford Arts Council is a treasure when it comes to promoting and supporting the arts and cultural development initiatives within the region. The council supports dance, visual arts, theater, music, public art projects and organizes the city's annual Taste of Hartford (which I'm all about!). They also have a pretty rockin' events calendar and offer a Let's Go Arts card (I think it's $50) for member discounts. Put it this way- their 7 Day Arts & Entertainment Forecast has saved me from a boring existence. Scope out their website & go get cultured!

I stopped in here with my husband a few weeks ago, while we didn't see anything that either of us…read morewould like, they had a nice collection of things being auctioned off, and I'm sure we'll be stopping in again in the future to see if there's anything new/up our alley.

This is such a great way to spend a Saturday night. Even if you don't buy anything in the auction…read more(which you'd be nuts not to), they have delicious burgers, dogs, and pies. Oh my word the pies! I was fortunate enough to visit the auction with my family, and had heard about all of the unique, vintage finds that you can get there. I was intimidated to bid at first as I've never really been to an auction. But once I saw others do it, and how the ladies on the stage yell out the bid, I was entertained from the beginning and got into it. The owner/auctioneer Richard is quite funny. He livens the place up with his quirky comments and provides a non-threatening, overall fun environment. I came home with a side table, a white trunk, a box of silk scarves and several glass items. All for about $50. Love it! Although the auction is awesome, I do need to give a shout out to the pie maker. Holy cow. I've tried a cream pie and a fruit pie and both are to die for. Even if you don't want to buy anything, it's still worth coming just for the pie.