According to their web site, the average price for an 1100 sq ft apartment at Trump Parc sets you back $682,000. That is $682,000 for a one bedroom apartment in downtown Stamford…a downtown which still has years to go before it ever really becomes desirable for retailers to move into.  Yet, this listing I found on Realtor.com shows a one bedroom going for $815,000 (plus monthly maintenance fees). Who the heck would pay that much for 1100 sq feet in an undesirable area?

This 2 bedroom, 3 bath condo listing is ON THE WATER and going for $800,000 for 1650 sq feet. Or if you are willing to consider a single family home, $800k would even get you over 4000 sq feet on this 1 acre with 4 bedrooms.

I feel sorry for all of those that locked in condos early at Trump, they must all be trying to get out of their over priced agreements.  I would not be surprised to find these condos appraising at 65% of the asking price.

One of my favorite Greenwich Real Estate Blogs, “For What It’s Worth“, had a recent posting about 1038 Lake Avenue in Greenwich. To make a long story short, he and another blogger posted some freely available pictures of the MLS listing on their blogs. The posting featured some hideous pictures of the interior of the home.  Well, the homeowners attorneys had a hissy fit and sent a letter to owner of the site, Christopher Fountain, demanding he remove the photos of the home.  Read all about it here.

I am not sure what is more entertaining, the photos or how Christopher is making the lawyers at O’Rourke and Assoc look like first year law students.

I have been a long time patron of the A&P supermarket at 1201 High Ridge Road in Stamford. I was glad to read today that the store is getting a makeover and will be re-branded as a “Fresh Market”.

The current store just never gives you the impression that their fruits and vegatables are that clean or that their meats are that fresh. While I am sure it is mostly psychological, you do get the feeling you are buying higher quality produce and meats at a place like Whole Foods.

While their prices are not great, I often find myself going there just to avoid the crowded mess around the larger markets in the center of town.

I noticed today that Google Street View is slowly starting to expand its coverage of Stamford. However, curiously they have started with the less trafficked North Stamford area first and have omitted much of downtown. Perhaps it takes longer to process urban areas since they have to mask people’s faces and license plates etc. It appears most of the photos were taken last summer since the trees have all their leaves.

Greenwich, New Canaan, and Darien still appear to be omitted as well.

Google Maps

It was not until recently that I discovered I could get free wifi around Stamford. Cablevision Optimum internet subscribers can get free wifi in many public locations around Stamford. It has come in handy a few times while waiting for a train or even near the recycling center in North Stamford.  You can view a Google map with all the locations here.

Stamford Wifi Map

There was a helicopter buzzing around our house for over an hour tonight, I figured it was an auto accident or worse case a fugitive on the loose. I never in a million years would have suspected a crazy Chimpanzee in the area.
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/ci_11717191

You have a pet Chimp?? Really?? I thought North Stamford was a little more sophisticated than that. I guess not.

So now on top of deers running into my car, ticks, snakes, coyotes, and bears…I know have to worry about crazy exotic animals escaping their nutcase owners.

I recently was contacted by a local casting agent with BBC America. They are looking to cast a local Farfield County family for an upcoming reality show.

A major US cable network is now casting a fun new show that helps to bring families closer together. If selected, your family will receive $2,000 and MOMS GET A FREE VACATION!

LOOKING FOR COUPLES in Fairfield County, Connecticut with 3 or more children between the ages of 2-15. Mothers must be STAY-AT-HOME moms who juggle the hectic life of being a wife and mother. A real Super Mom that is ready for some much deserved time off. The show is heartfelt and fun, meant to encourage relationships to flourish.

Dads, here’s your chance to prove that you could do what your wife does around the house!

Casting is underway so email a contact number and brief description about yourself and your family to tvparentingshow@gmail.com. Tell us why you would be perfect for the show. Include a recent photo and all family members’ names, ages and activities your children are involved in. Families must live in a house.

I am not sure about you, but I don’t think I would be able to do this. $2000 is nice, but who knows how they would portray your family. I am sure they would only want to air the scences of the Dad’s screwing up at home etc. Anyway, thought I would pass this along.

Happy New Year.

Here is a list of new legistlation which goes into effect January 1st in Connecticut:
Legislation Effective January 1, 2009

You have to be a lawyer to understand most of these changes…

I had dinner last night at Avenida in Greenwich at the bottom of the “Ave”. I have yet to find a great Mexican restaurant in CT and the menu at this place looked decent.

The first sign that I was going to be disappointed occurred right when I walked in the door. It was 8pm on a Friday night and the place was barely half full. That is generally a bad sign for nicer restaurants in Fairfield County.

While the service and decor were great, the food really disapointed. Everything we tried lacked flavor. Our spciy gacaumole was not spicy. Our entrees lacked any type of creativty and I basically left bored with no desire to ever return. I have a feeling this place will not last long…

Website: http://avenidagreenwich.com

Avenida
339 Greenwich Avenue
Greenwich, CT 06830

A couple of days ago I was excited to see that Anthonys/Giordano’ restaurant on Long Ridge in North Stamford had closed down. Apparently it has been sold to a new Mediterranean restaurant called Madonia. Their web site can be found here:

www.madoniarestaurant.com

1297 Long Ridge Road
Stamford, CT 06903
(203) 322-8870

I had been to Anthonys twice and never really cared for it. It was always a somewhat depressing atmosphere with little character. The food was just ok and expensive. Hope Madonia’s is an improvement!

Yesterday a Stamford Advocate employee stabbed a co-worker in the neck after a disagreement. Sounds like a nice place to work…

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/ci_11050470

I have not posted since August??? Wow this web site is really starting to blow. Is it a factor of my laziness or just the total lack of anything interesting going on in Stamford? I think I have been more interested in posting over at the Stamford Topix page: http://www.topix.net/forum/city/stamford-ct

Continuing with the uplifting theme of things I hate, I just paid my Connecticut car (property) tax.

Each year it comes it only serves to expedite my search for a way out of this area. It’s like getting a letter directly from the governor saying, “Hey, time to fork over hundreds of dollars that my office can quickly spend on pork projects. Thanks for living here.”  Why can’t the state just slightly increase our income taxes and absorb this annoying fee. It would be a little easier to swallow and less paper work if it were included in our yearly state returns. Another idea is to just roll it into our real estate taxes (since I think a lot of the car tax goes to the city you live in?). This is just one of those taxes that were introduced years ago that will now be impossible to ever appeal.

Can some of these funds at least go to pay for improved service at the DMV? Every visit to the CT DMV has always been a complete and utter nightmare. Where do they find these people who work there? I don’t even want to know how much they are paid and what crazy pensions and benefits they must receive from the state. I receive better service at Burger King.

At least the state has stayed away from adding toll roads. Driving to NJ easily costs $20 now between all of the tolls and bridges.

I have little sympathy for the retired police officers who are seeking an increase to their pension.

Living on $900 a month from his police pension, John Braccia had to take a part-time job as a city custodian this summer to stay afloat.

“It got difficult,” said the Stamford man, 66, who retired as a city police officer in 1982 after 15 years on the force.

You only worked for 15 years and you get $900 a month and full health benefits?? You should be counting your blessings instead of complaining. What about the rest of Stamford’s retirees who worked for decades and receive no pension? What about the people who had the insight to actually save in retirement plans for their years after work?

The retired police officers signed a union contract and are getting the pension they were promised…end of story. If the pension is not providing them enough money, it should come as no surprise. They have known about the terms of the contract since they signed up.

So why do the tax payers of Stamford now have to help them out further when the city clearly does not have enough money.

Many of the police officers in this city make six figures and are very well paid. There is no reason they cannot contribute to their pension AND contribute to a retirement/savings account to live off of.

I am sick of people looking for free government hand outs. Yes, thank you for serving our city, but why should the government and the tax payers be responsible for your retirement? You contributed to a pension, the pension has not performed well enough to increase distributions, sorry but that is how it works. You want the tax payers to bail you out for your poor performing pension?

“It’s really a crime,” said Ralph Knapp, president of the Stamford Retired Police Association. “It’s not only a crime to the retirees but to the taxpayers of Stamford.”

Umm…Mr. Knapp, how is it a crime to the taxpayers of Stamford?? A crime that you could not plan for your own retirement?

In 15 years unions and pensions will be a thing of the past. So count your blessings that you even get anything.

I do like how the Mayor came out with a total bull shit answer which basically says f-you:

But Malloy said he supports an increase for retirees.

“I hope that the contract language and the performance of the pension will deliver an increase to them,” he said.

In other words, I will do whatever the city is obligated to do through it’s contract with the union. Fortunately for the city, that means you only get an increase when the pension fund actually performs.

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/ci_10162240

This and other Stamford area blogs recently covered at the prestigious Stamford Times:

http://www.thestamfordtimes.com/story/76105