dan cummings: Friday Night - On the Dark Side - 09/07/07 05:55 AM
If you are looking for some activity in the Greater New Haven area for a hot Friday night come over to the dark side.  Taking the stage at the North Haven Fair this evening at 8:00 pm is John Caffery & The Beaver Brown Band.
The North Haven Fair has over sixty years of experience bringing great entertainment to the area.  In addition to the musical events you can find plenty of fattening foods and amusement rides.
If country tunes are more your style you can see the Top New Male Vocalist - Chris Cagle taking the stage Saturday at 9:00.
Fairgrounds are conveniently … (10 comments)

dan cummings: New Haven Road Race - USA 20k Championship! - 09/03/07 10:24 AM
The results are in for the 30th Annual New Haven Road Race.  Weather this year was perfect... a crisp Labor Day morning with blue sky and sunshine that brought out a record number of runners exceeding 5,000 for a day at the races. 
Events began with the Half Mile Children's Run around the Green.   The new earlier start time of 8:15 allowed more adults to cheer the 280 kids on to finish their race.  Rounding the corner of Temple & Elm with a commanding lead was 13 year old Jeffrey Raucci who crossed the finish line in at 2:52 running at a pace of under … (11 comments)

dan cummings: Pit Stop in Portsmouth - 09/02/07 01:24 PM
Labor Day Weekend traditionally marks the end of summer and due to conflicting schedules all season we never had and opportunity to connect with Ann Cummings until this trip.  In all my years traveling between Connecticut and Maine I have never taken the time to actually visit Portsmouth.  For a city with a population of just over 20k it is surprisingly active.  The Market Square area is a great poke around place with plenty of shopping.
Ann's husband, Bear scurried us off to a back alley that most tourist will never find.  Sitting dockside we had a view of the port and off in the distance … (17 comments)

dan cummings: Common Sense verses Government Expense! - 08/26/07 01:35 AM
 
 
Headlines from the New Haven Register have caught my eye during the last few days and made me shake my head in amazement at the foolishness of our government leaders.
A local Doctor at Yale-New Haven Hospital that came to this area a few months ago and his sister, an attorney visiting from Germany decided to play a worldwide running game to make friends.
Well... Some frightened fool called the authorities and the equivalent of the Connecticut Ghost-Busters moved into action.  Hazmat crews from surrounding towns descended on the site and with all the wisdom of government agencies decided to evacuate IKEA.  Why would the BRAINS have … (12 comments)

dan cummings: Interested in Maine Lobster? - 08/24/07 05:09 AM
A few weeks ago a comment was left on one of my posts about traveling to Maine for a Lobster Dinner.  Dawned on me that spending a lifetime in New England we take the availability of Lobster somewhat for granted. 
While flipping through a newspaper I noticed an advertisement of Robinson's Wharf saying the ship lobster nationwide so I decided to stop by for lunch expecting to pick up some information on the shipping procedure and cost.  Unfortunately they didn't have any literature and their web site is not the most efficient for placing orders.  There are many companies that will deliver fresh Maine Lobster.
My … (15 comments)

dan cummings: Great Falls Balloon Festival - 2007 - 08/20/07 08:15 AM
 
Awakening after only two hours sleep to begin our drive from Connecticut to the LA area for the first Launch of Balloons at 6:00 am Friday Morning proved to be a wise move.  Weather conditions were classified as near perfect and balloons filled the sky.  Later that afternoon the winds picked up so only one pilot ventured into the sky at 6 pm and Saturday morning brought rain so I assume the launch was scrubbed.
So.. What do you do when the balloons are grounded?  Plenty!  The partially inflated balloon gave children a chance to run around inside one of the massive balloons.  … (9 comments)

dan cummings: Flying over L/A - It is Balloon! - 08/19/07 08:00 AM
Those of you from the old days may remember the the series F-Troop that aired in the mid 60's.  The character Chief Wild Eagle used the line "It is Balloon" quite often when he saw a hot air balloon.  For the younger crowd I'm sure L/A brings to mind the Lewiston / Auburn area of Maine.  The twin cities are always referred to as LA and this weekend was the 15th annual Great Falls Balloon Festival.
We travel to Maine quite often during the summer months and have been in town on several occasions during festival weekend.   This year we decided to do the … (8 comments)

dan cummings: Boothbay Harbor in Vacationland - 08/14/07 02:11 PM
 
Normally Maine is a weekend destination for our mini-vacations but most of the time we avoid the tourist attractions and relax on our lake.  For a change of pace we decided to spend the day at Boothbay. 
In addition to poking around in little shops or having lunch there are a number of water activities.
Kayak rentals are available, various fishing charters are based out of the harbor and there are plenty of scenic cruises.  Since the day was a little on the cool side for mid August we choose to spend a few hours on Cap's Combo.
Here are the Lighthouses we saw … (13 comments)

dan cummings: Ouch! - The Cost of Comfort - 08/08/07 06:05 AM
Here in Connecticut the utility companies are never shy about requesting rate increases.  This year the United Illuminating Company that provides us with electricity decided they needed a 50% increase. Somehow the regulatory committee that oversees this electric monopoly agreed that whatever hogwash they were fed sounded good enough to justify the huge price jump.  To ease the pain new rates were implemented in three steps with the full amount effective as of July first.
The summertime months of July, August & September bring the largest electric bills since air conditioning is in use.    We have been conserving this year and instead of running the air constantly … (21 comments)

dan cummings: The Sound - Guilford, Connecticut 06437 - 08/04/07 01:20 PM
Everyone needs water to survive but if you want to enjoy the water of Long Island Sound the newly refurbished boat launch in Guilford Connecticut offers easy access for a modest fee.  The Boat Ramp is cconveniently located at the end of Whitfield Street about a mile south of the Town Green.                                                      
For a nice lunch or dinner The Stone House Restaurant is within a few hundred yards of the boat ramp. During the summer months if you'd like a bite to eat in a less formal setting the Little Stone House Cafe offers soups, salads & sandwiches with live entertainment from local singers.  Sit outside … (11 comments)

dan cummings: Branford, Connecticut - Rogers Island - 08/03/07 05:36 AM
Ever wonder how much people are willing to spend for a really special summer cottage? In Branford Connecticut where the Thimble Islands are counted among the pricey shoreline properties the largest amount ever paid occurred over 5 years ago for the astonishing figure of $23.500.000.00 or simply $23.5 Million Dollars.
Rogers Island, which is a 7.75 acre parcel holds the trophy house of the islands, a 27 room tutor style mansion and the amenities on the land includes a tennis court & swimming pool with a bath house. Gardens and golf greens also adorn the landscape. This is just one of many … (14 comments)

dan cummings: How many calories do you need? - 07/28/07 02:11 PM
Those of you that follow my blog or that of our Fitness Club Queen know we have been discussing eating habits for quite some time.  Suzanne follows strict rules that if I understand correctly says something like if it tastes good don't eat it.  I on the other hand have always had a hefty appetite and although I try to eat healthier I do not banish any foods and on occasion still enjoy some thousand calorie snacks.
The other day while out with some guys I had a larger than usual lunch, Pepe's Pizza, four of five slices if I counted right.  Later … (16 comments)

dan cummings: My Rainy Run - 07/19/07 04:28 PM
 
My streak of running in the rain continued tonight with a few spectators on the sidelines to witness my slower than expected finish time.   About 4:00pm the thunder started rumbling and the rains began to fall. I was hoping it would pass but when I arrived on Main Street in Middletown it was pouring. 
Normally my wife does not attend any of the races but she planned on hanging out with George Souto at the festival.  Due to the heavy rain and slightly behind schedule arrival we didn't have a chance for photo's before the run but managed a few at the end.
George thanks … (21 comments)

dan cummings: Friday the 13th - 07/12/07 09:34 PM
Just dawned on my that today is Friday the 13th again.
Cannot recall which clients I have dealt with on this superstitious day in history but I know there are times that I've made reference to the date while writing contracts.
Last year one of my clients had the unfortunate incident of their house catching fire a few months after they moved in.  I just reviewed the dates and don't see any related to Friday the 13th.
Curious if anyone has interesting stories about reactions they receive from people putting together contracts or closings on this date.
(37 comments)

dan cummings: Androscoggin Lake - 07/09/07 09:50 AM
One advantage to the real estate business is the ability to shift gears during the slow periods and enjoy a little free time.  Last week we took the journey north to Maine.  After arriving at midnight on Tuesday I was off to the Races for an 8:00am start.  The 5k road race drew over 400 runners this year.
After the long drive and 5k run I was back at the cabin and ready to launch the boat by ten. We anchored a few hundred yards off shore to relax and catch a few rays before lunch.
Later in the day we cruised out to Lothrop Island to see … (12 comments)

dan cummings: Off to my Temporary Office... - 07/03/07 10:03 AM

I am heading north to my summer office for a few days where cell coverage is spotty and the Internet is non-existent.
After a short getaway I'll return rejuvenated and ready to tackle the everyday real estate needs.  In the meantime if something unexpected arises that requires my attention you can leave a message on my voice mail  203-672-2455.  
Messages are typically checked a few times each day so be patient and a return call will come your way.
(7 comments)

dan cummings: Heart Rate Training - 06/26/07 10:43 AM
It has been 6 months since Christmas when I received a heart rate monitor and began a more scientific approach to running.  Now I'm looking at my historical data without seeing improvement, actually it seems I slowed down.
During 2006 my training consisted of running against the clock.  For the first half of the year I'd do the same course around my neighborhood and by summer I developed a new route adding a few miles.  Once the cooler weather of fall arrived I combined both routes into a long run.  Training was up to 5 days a week with about 30 miles of running.
My first … (14 comments)

dan cummings: Real Estate Riches - Quick & Easy? - 06/25/07 08:08 AM
Quite often I wake up at night and aimlessly flip through TV channels in search of interesting content. Last night was one of those occasions where I stumbled into a Financial Guru's Infomercial.  This one is coming to the area and he was touting the millions he made in just 18 months. If one program isn't right just flip the channel because someone else may have years of experience teaching millions of people the secrets of success.
You do not need money, there are government grants to help you.You do not need credit, sellers will be happy to help with financing.You do not … (17 comments)

dan cummings: Fairfield Half Marathon 2007 - 06/24/07 11:21 AM
Welp.... My first one is DONE.  I was up early this morning and hopped the 6:55 train out of New Haven instead of battling traffic and parking around Jennings Beach.  Surprisingly there were not as many runners as I expected to see at Union Station.
I arrived about an hour before the start and got my paperwork done since I did not pre-register.  The crowd filled the beach and parking lot and if I recall corrrectly they announced a record number of about 3000 runners.
 
The Fairfield Half Marathon ( 13.1 Miles ) was a tougher course than anticipated.  Starting down on … (8 comments)

dan cummings: North Haven Town Budget : 2007-2008 - 06/20/07 12:36 PM
The second attempt to pass the North Haven Budget succeeded by 136 votes!  Since this is the second year of the property assessment phase-in you can calculate your new tax bill using the projected mill rate of 26.26
Here is an example of how the new budget will affect the first house on the list, it happens to be a Raised Ranch in the Montowese Section of North Haven.
7/1/06 Assessment : 203.280 x 28.70 = $5834.16
7/1/07 Assessment : 244.369 x 26.26 = $6417.13
Here is another example that I pulled from the MLS.  The house is currently the median priced active listing in North … (3 comments)