I lived in the West End. It was lovely

I'd just drive in and park in one of the lots by the theater. Much safer and low fuss than dealing with Uber, the train station, etc.

Tis the season for Norovirus

This is a terrible time of year to be house hunting. I would plan to wait until spring/summer. Lots of people wait to list their homes until their kids finish the school year. I'd hold off at least that long.

I think you'd be just fine, for all the reasons listed by my peers. Are there racist/homophobic people in CT? Absolutely. But I'd say probably fewer than where you're coming from, and they're also probably quieter. People tend to just mind their own business here. If I might make a recommendation though, check out Middletown. It's got a fun/funky Main Street and is very LGBTQI friendly. They host a big Pride parade every June!

You should be absolutely fine around Main and Temple. The North side of the stadium is where it gets rough. You'll see it pretty clearly when you come visit.

Just wanted to say hi from another Philly transplant in my early 40s! 👋🏻 Downtown is very different now than it was 8 years ago. There are a lot of nice places to live. I've worked downtown for the past 8 years and used to live on the West End (in the Clemens Place Apartments). Your main issue is that it's still a bit of a food desert when it comes to groceries, but as long as you have a car, you're fine. On that note, car break ins are still the main crime issue downtown. If you can find a place with a parking garage, you should be in pretty good shape - none of my coworkers or I have ever had a break in issue in our parking garage. Otherwise, just be careful to always lock your car and don't leave anything of value in it.

Briefly. I've definitely spent a lot of time in a lot of the schools throughout the city.

Interesting. I lived and worked in Hartford for several years and never once encountered a rat.

I would find a place that hits the sweet spot - high enough checks and clientele that tip well + good turnover, so you get enough tables each night. Are you looking for something in Hartford itself? Because I might look at any of the restaurants in the Blue Back Square area of West Hartford. They're always pretty busy.

Pieper Memorial in Middletown is great.