So that's why I'm so unhappy!

In a study by the University of Warwick (Davis) in England to determine the happiest states, out of the fifty states and the District of Columbia, the Nutmeg State comes in 50th! Yay for us! CT came in just ahead of...drumroll, please...my home state of New York!

So here's my scientific experiment:
Why is JR so cranky?

Hypothesis:
He's cranky because he's lived in the two least-happy states his whole life.

Data:
He's cranky.
He's lived in the two least-happy states his whole life.

Conclusion:
He's so cranky because he's lived in the two least-happy states his whole life. And he wasted all that money on therapy when it was New York and Connecticut's fault the whole time!

Speaking of our beloved Bedford Street

This article in The Advocate is about the recent struggles of the retailers along Bedford Street. Here are some quotes, followed by my comments in bold.

"Most retailers on Bedford Street are predicting a dismal shopping season to round out a bleak year in sales. While retail sales nationwide experienced a 1.3 percent increase last month, signs of recovery have been few and far between on Bedford, where merchants have for years waited with bated breath for a retail revival."

That revival won't start until those empty storefronts actually have something in them. It's bad visually and it's bad ch'i.

"Part of the disappointment with Bedford stems from its storied reputation. Once known as the Fifth Avenue of Stamford, it was home to a bevy of retailers that stressed quality and service."

You can thank the mall, for the most part, for destroying good old Bedford Street (don't even get me started on what it did to Atlantic Street). Why did this country go mall-crazy in the 80s??

"Quattro Pazzi, an Italian restaurant that used to be on Hope Street and which currently has locations in Norwalk and Fairfield, is set to open on the corner of Bedford Street and Walton Place. Sandella's Flatbread Cafe, a franchise eatery with more than 100 sites across the country, plans to open at 154 Bedford St."

Is Quatro Pazzi still related to Quatro Regali, which recently moved in with Spazzio? And what's at the corner of Bedford and Walton? Isn't that the Congregational Church? Do they mean the old Sabatiello's at the corner of Bedford and Forest?

"'We need a variety, like a good shoe store or a jewelry store, things that bring people down here. There's no interest.'"

How about a cheese shop? A bakery? A coffee shop?

"'The storefronts are older and don't meet the configuration of large retail chains,' said Michael Freimuth, the city's economic development director."

I hate when cities and towns pin their hopes for economic revival on chain stores or SuperMegaJumboMart. Between the mall and Route 1 in Norwalk, we have enough big box stores and chains in the area. In my opinion, Bedford Street should focus on attracting unique, independent retailers. Yeah, the landlords might have to settle for less than they'd get from, say, J. Crew or another freakin' bank, but isn't that preferable to earning ZERO dollars from an empty storefront??

"Toss in traffic and parking issues -- a decades-old complaint among Bedford merchants -- and the result is a format that is 'harder to work with.'"

WALK FIFTY FEET. You'll live. Trust me.

PS: Try to patronize our downtown friends when you can. The more business they generate, the better chance the area will have of attracting new businesses. Like a cheese shop!

Mr. Stamford moves across the Pond?

Over at Mr. Stamford's old site, which has been untended for quite some time, a new owner has taken over and is reconstructing the site. Based on the small Flickr sampling on the right, the new owner appears to be from Jolly Old England, where one of their cities plaigiarized our city's name. The audacity!


Then again, I've always wanted to visit Belmesthorpe, Little Casterton and Uffington. Does Metro-North stop there?

Break the chains! Chain stores, that is...

Independent retailers are an important part of any community. They keep money local and usually provide more personal service than your multinational conglomerate superstore. Just in time for your holiday shopping pleasure, here's a list of some suggested alternatives to big boxes and chain stores.

Toys
Instead of: Toys R Us (or Target)
Shop at: Stamford Toys on High Ridge Road

Books
Instead of: Borders, Barnes & Noble
Shop at: Barrett Bookstore in Noroton Heights (I know it's not in Stamford, but it's close enough.)

Jewelry
Instead of: Kay's, Zales
Shop at: Nagi Jewelers on High Ridge Road, José Grant on Summer Street, Marco Jewelers in Ridgeway, or a bunch of other independent jewelers around town.

Baby clothes, etc.
Instead of: Carter's, Baby Gap
Shop at: Kaleidoscope in the Bull's Head Plaza

Chocolates
Instead of: Godiva, Lindt
Shop at: Chocopologie in South Norwalk (Turns out that Schakolad is a chain.)

Heck, even groceries
Instead of: Stop & Shop, A&P
Shop at: Palmer's Market in Noroton Heights

Any other suggestions?

12/5: Here are a few more!

Ice cream
Instead of: Baskin-Robbins, Carvel
Shop at: Gofer Ice Cream on High Ridge Road, Sunny Daes on Shippan Avenue

Home improvement
Instead of: Home Depot
Shop at: Karps Hardware, Keough's Turn of River Hardware