[Armyvet1]

You may find this humorous but I currently reside in Orange Va. however through my continued research of rural towns, home prices, and what I'm looking for in New England, I have discovered a place called Orange Connecticut and what makes this place cool? It's home to the Pez Factory.

Now you youngsters may not think Pez are cool but in my generation they were the bomb, if that's even cool to say anymore.

Now Pez started out as a mint for smokers but that concept didn't take very well so they changed strategy and came up with this thing called a dispenser.

Just like the Hess Trucks, which by the way at age 42, I still buy one every Christmas, these Pez Dispensers came in all kinds of character figures from Santa Claus to Star Wars. During my visit to Connecticut I have to stop here and explore.

[Lalalally]

Originally Posted by Armyvet1

You may find this humorous but I currently reside in Orange Va. however through my continued research of rural towns, home prices, and what I'm looking for in New England, I have discovered a place called Orange Connecticut and what makes this place cool? It's home to the Pez Factory.

Now you youngsters may not think Pez are cool but in my generation they were the bomb, if that's even cool to say anymore.

Now Pez started out as a mint for smokers but that concept didn't take very well so they changed strategy and came up with this thing called a dispenser.

Just like the Hess Trucks, which by the way at age 42, I still buy one every Christmas, these Pez Dispensers came in all kinds of character figures from Santa Claus to Star Wars. During my visit to Connecticut I have to stop here and explore.

If I close my eyes, I can still taste a pez miss them!

[CTartist&musician]

Armyvet1,

I thought you already lived in CT. When I get off exit 41 on I-95 I see the sign that says Orange is the home of Pez. I always think of that Jerry Seinfeld episode when they are at the piano concert and it always makes me smile.


Seinfeld: The Pez - YouTube

[Armyvet1]

Originally Posted by CTartist&musician

Armyvet1,

I thought you already lived in CT. When I get off exit 41 on I-95 I see the sign that says Orange is the home of Pez. I always think of that Jerry Seinfeld episode when they are at the piano concert and it always makes me smile.


Seinfeld: The Pez - YouTube

Considering a move back up north I feel like I live in Connecticut. I've done so much research and watched so many Our Town YouTube videos hosted by Coldwell Banker, I almost feel like a resident myself.

I keep going back to Torrington trying to find what I may be missing. Why does this town seem to have alot of heart? Why does this town have nice affordable homes compared to other parts of Connecticut which still have nice homes but are 3 times as much? What is with this arts scene on the downtown that are using to try and revitalize the place? What do the people of Torrington know that I don't? It seems the folks who reside there see something worth saving?

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by Armyvet1

What is with this arts scene on the downtown that are using to try and revitalize the place? What do the people of Torrington know that I don't? It seems the folks who reside there see something worth saving?

I believe Torrington certainly has something worth looking at. People who can't afford West Hartford, Farmington, Avon or Canton should look there. BTW, my nephew's girl-friend is on the Torrington arts council.

[Armyvet1]

Originally Posted by Lalalally

If I close my eyes, I can still taste a pez miss them!

Pez dispensers, the holiday Hess trucks, and M&M candy dispensers, all fun to collect

[Armyvet1]

Originally Posted by goldenage1

I believe Torrington certainly has something worth looking at. People who can't afford West Hartford, Farmington, Avon or Canton should look there. BTW, my nephew's girl-friend is on the Torrington arts council.

I look at affordability as this. I can go higher based on our annual take home pay, savings, and being a veteran I have other options. But just because I may be able to afford more doesn't mean I should, my quality of life has never been measured in material things and i think that's how people got themselves in trouble with the housing crisis, they were able to buy homes that were so beyond their income level and they eventually drowned in debt, I don't know why people do that, give me a quaint country cottage or old farmhouse out in the country, ya'll can keep your McMansions, I'm not interested.

I'm very hard working and family oriented, I have nice things but I'm not obsessed with them. For example a Friday night at my house would be like a family movie night, hit the redbox order a pizza and spend time with the family. I like dressing up the yard, puttering around Lowes, and cooking. In the summer I would take the family out to the beach or take a weekend road trip, in the fall I seek out pumpkin patches, apple orchards, raking up leaves, let the kids jump in the pile and rake em up again. In the winter I love the holiday season but on my days off I like to stay hibernated, make grilled cheese, and watch football. In the Spring I'm all over the place I love the smells and blooms of that season.

So now that you know a little bit more about Armyvet1 I'm not looking to impress anyone, I could afford a BMW as well, but I like my Dodge truck and Harley Davidson more. I lived in Europe and did mechanics while serving in the US Army. Those European cars are sexy and I've worked on them, and they can be a pain in the rear.

[JayCT]

The reason that Torrington home prices are so low is limited access to employment centers and well paying jobs. You really have to drive far for work if you live in Torrington. The eastern side of the city, called Torringford, has become a distant suburb to jobs in Hartford's Farmington River Valley but the road connecting these two areas is really nothing more than a pair of two lane (one in each direction) country roads. Jay

[jumpmanmb87]

Moved from Torrington down to Raleigh,NC. Do not miss it one bit, just a run down old mill town that's getting infested with low rents and raggys from all the other major city's in CT. Not to mention the cost of taxes on property and your vehicles. Check it out, you may like it, but prepare to be somewhat stuck there because there's no major highway in or out and you have to drive far to do anything the least bit exciting.

[Armyvet1]

Originally Posted by jumpmanmb87

Moved from Torrington down to Raleigh,NC. Do not miss it one bit, just a run down old mill town that's getting infested with low rents and raggys from all the other major city's in CT. Not to mention the cost of taxes on property and your vehicles. Check it out, you may like it, but prepare to be somewhat stuck there because there's no major highway in or out and you have to drive far to do anything the least bit exciting.

After more research I found a different place that if this meant to be I would surely go. I don't like this gentrification thing because the cities push all the riff raff out into the country side and we don't want them either. We basically adopt the monsters that city life has created.

I just don't understand how people always seem to follow the masses instead of standing on their own. The attitude that the man is always trying to keep me down is BS. The only person that will ever keep you down is yourself. However its easier to play the victim then it is to commit and sacrifice and work hard to achieve your goals.

I'm old fashion in some ways, very family oriented and believe in the value of work. Where I grew up I knew people who eventually became addicted, been to jail, divorced 2 or 3 times. I miss home cause well its my hometown but in some ways I'm glad I left because as Eric Church sings I thank god I aint what I almost was.

Look I'm not perfect, I make a good living but don't think I'm above anyone. We don't want your crime, gangs, and unemployed in our rural communities cities of Connecticut, don't destroy what we deem our quality of life. I'm not afraid to say it.