West Hartford amused me a bit because of its stark contrast to Hartford proper. It blends quaint and cosmopolitan together at once, where New England feel meets boutique shops. That oyster bar on the corner, right in the thick of it all in downtown (Max's?) seems quite out of place -- it would fit better on Miami Beach.
Needless to say, West Hartford met my needs, because I did not have to fret about my car disappearing, as I did in Hartford.
SVT_CT -- the last time I spent any real time in Simsbury was in '03, back when you could still smoke in the bars. I happened upon a small local watering hole, very casual, dimly lit, but comfortable, with a veneered bar and circular high top tables. It was right on a main drag, but I sure can't remember the name of it. The whole thing proably wasn't 500 square feet. That northwestern area of CT is a good one -- I've enjoyed my travels there.