West Hartford’s entertainment options just keep getting better. The newly opened Blue Back Square adds an array of dining and shopping options to the Center’s already impressive collection of restaurants and boutiques.
Developers crammed this posh conglomerate of shops, restaurants, offices, condominiums, replete with gym and movie theater, into a few blocks between South Main Street and Trout Brook Boulevard in West Hartford.
A handful of businesses have already opened their doors, with several more to follow in the weeks and months to come.
If you can look past the scaffolding--and hefty price tag for parking-- you can see the entertainment hot spot that Blue Back Square will ultimately be.
Here’s a quick rundown on what’s open now…
The Cheesecake Factory 71 Isham Road, West Hartford, 860-233-5588
Mon.-Thu., 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Fri.-Sat., 11:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m., Sun., 10 a.m.-11 p.m. With a menu of more than 200 items that are served in mammoth portions at affordable prices, it’s hard to find fault with this extremely popular, family-friendly chain restaurant. That is, except for one minor inconvenience: the wait. Some nights customers can expect to wait more than an hour for a table.
The Cheesecake Factory’s expansive, multi-page menu features a unique spin on Italian, Mexican and Asian favorites, so that even the pickiest eater will find something to enjoy.
Be sure to save room for a slice of those famous, scrumptious cheesecakes. With more than 30 equally delicious varieties to choose from, the real trouble will be deciding which one to try.
New York Sports Club 65 Memorial Road, West Hartford, 860-236-5400
Mon.-Fri., 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sat., 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun., 8 a.m.-6 p.m. After a gluttonous meal at the Cheesecake Factory, you might be feeling a little guilty. Fortunately, you can exorcise that guilt--and a few of those calories--by exercising at the New York Sports Club.
This expansive, clean and modern health club features an indoor aquatics center with a lap pool, hot tub and sauna, spacious spinning and aerobics studios, state-of-the-art training equipment and private exercise rooms for personal training sessions.
All these amenities don’t come cheap, however. Expect to pay a hefty monthly membership fee (not to mention a pretty steep joiner’s fee).
Staying in shape at Blue Back Square may prove to be expensive, but you can’t ask for a more appealing facility in which to work off all those extra calories.
REI 71 Raymond Road, West Hartford, 860-233-2211
Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat., 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun., 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Just because you’re roughing it, doesn’t mean you actually have to look rough. Enter REI, Recreational Equipment Inc. There’s no better place to stylishly equip for the great outdoors.
This cavernous, warehouse-like urban outfitter sells everything from snowboards to mountain bikes to warm, wooly fleeces – and they all look so darn cool!
Even if you’re not planning a trek into the wilderness any time soon, it can be fun just browsing the aisles at REI and ogling all the nifty looking gadgets and knickknacks on display.
And for anyone who’s ever wondered where the heck Elmer Fudd gets those funny-looking hats, you now have your answer.
Bow Tie Criterion Cinemas at Blue Back Square 42 South Main Street, West Hartford, 860-236-4111You couldn’t ask for a more conveniently located movie theater than Bow Tie Criterion Cinemas at Blue Back Square.
Smack dab in the middle of everything, this cozy theatre has only six screens. But, you’ll usually find a nice mixture of big-budgeted blockbusters and family-friendly star vehicles, like the recently released “Bee Movie” and “American Gangster,” and more thought-provoking, adult-oriented films such as “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead” and the upcoming “The Kite Runner.”
Stop off for a snack before or after your show at the Criterion Café in the lobby, where you’ll find popcorn, soda and fresh-baked goodies from Front Street Sweets in West Hartford Center.
Crate & Barrel 48 South Main St., West Hartford, 860-236-8900
Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat., 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun., 11 a.m.-7 p.m. True, you don’t actually need that maroon-colored suede Ottoman with the black, walnut-finished wooden legs, but you want it.
Selling everything from flatware and fancy linens to home furniture and decor, Crate & Barrel is the ideal destination for those looking to make their humble abode decidedly less humble.
The store even has special holiday departments, so whether you’re in the market for a few ornaments to hang on the tree or a turkey brining mix, you’re in luck.
Barnes & Noble 60 Isham Road, West Hartford, 860-236-9900
Sun., 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Mon.-Thu., 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat., 9 a.m.-11 p.m.Pick up a copy of the latest bestseller or that hot new CD or DVD box set at this popular mega-chain bookstore that stocks just about everything you could ever want for your entertainment consumption.
The best part about a Barnes & Noble is that you can easily lounge around all day, discovering new authors or reconnecting with old favorites, leafing through magazines, listening to tunes in the music department or grabbing a snack and coffee in the café.
And, if for some strange reason, Barnes & Noble doesn’t have what you’re looking for, the friendly, helpful staff will be more than happy to order it for you.
