“A Connecticut Hog Dog Tour” documentary airs July 2, kicks off National Hot Dog Month

by Laurel Miller on

There’s a month for everything in America, it seems, even if it’s cancer. But as a nation, we can really get behind hot dogs. We love hot dogs; we’re obsessed with them. That’s why the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (for reals) has declared July National Hot Dog Month. Who knew?

Such obsession with pre-formed meat products can only lead to one thing: a search for the ultimate weiner. Filmmaker Mark Kotlinski took on the challenge and discovered that Connecticut is a veritable hot dog paradise. In his film, “A Connecticut Hot Dog Tour,” Kotlinski documents his road trip to some of Connecticut’s most interesting–and delicious–hot dog stands.

Whether steamed, grilled, or deep-fried, Connecticut’s got ‘dogs for days. Highlighting the history, house specialties, and local hot dog lore, “A Connecticut Hot Dog Tour” is Kotlinski’s tribute to an American favorite. In the film, he visits renown Connecticut hot dogs stands including:

Rawley’s Drive-In (Fairfield), for their famous bacon dog with “The Works”; Weiners on Water (East Haddam), a hot dog boat on the Connecticut River featuring chili cheese dogs with a view; Bobby’s Place (Old Lyme), located on the beach, for their monster dog; Capitol Lunch (New Britain) for a hot dog with the works and their famous meat sauce, and Top Dog Hot Dog (Portland), a hot dog-shaped trailer located on Route 66, to sample their spicy Cajun Dog.

Inspired by Kotlinski’s findings and in time for National Hot Dog Month, Connecticut will debut it’s very own, official Hot Dog Trail that maps out these hot dog hot spots (the state is already home to a Wine Trail, Ice Cream Trail, and Beer Trail…and hey–why is there no pizza trail leading to Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven?). For Trails and tourism info, click here.

“A Connecticut Hot Dog Tour” will air on July 2, 8 p.m. ET/PT on the Documentary Channel (DOC).

[Photo credit: Flickr user Scout]

The Old Leather Man: controversy over digging up a legend

by Sean McLachlan on

Investigators in Connecticut are planning to uncover a local legend, but they’re facing a backlash of public sentiment.

An archaeological team will open the grave of The Old Leather Man, a mysterious wanderer who from 1883 to 1889 walked a 365 mile loop from the lower Hudson River Valley into Connecticut and back. It took him 34 days to make the journey and he was so punctual that well-wishers used to to have meals ready for him when he showed up. He spoke French but little English, slept only in caves and rock shelters, and never revealed information about himself. He got his name from his homemade, 60 lb. suit of leather.

His grave in Ossining’s Sparta Cemetery brings a regular flow of the curious, but local officials are afraid it’s too close to the street and is a safety hazard. They plan to dig up The Old Leather Man and move him to a different part of the cemetery. They also want to take a DNA sample. Legend claims he was a heartbroken Frenchman named Jules Bourglay, but Leather Man biographer Dan W. DeLuca says this is an invention of a newspaper of the time.

The DNA might prove a clue to who he really was and that’s where the controversy starts. History teacher Don Johnson has set up a website called Leave the Leatherman Alone, saying that his privacy should be respected. Judging from all the comments on his site, he seems to have a fair amount of backing.

As a former archaeologist I love unraveling a good mystery but I have to agree with Mr. Johnson on this one. The Old Leather Man obviously wanted his identity to remain unknown, and just because he was a homeless man why should his wishes be ignored? He never committed any crime besides vagrancy, he died of natural causes, and there are no known inheritance issues, so what’s the need?

As a teenager growing up in the Hudson Valley, I loved the mysteries of New England and the Mid-Atlantic states–the strange rock constructions, the Revolutionary War ghosts, Mystery Hill, and, of course, The Old Leather Man. Most of this is the stuff of imagination, but The Old Leather Man was real, living person.

And because of that, we should let his mystery remain buried.

[Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons]

New Wooden Warrior roller coaster will provide family fun at Quassy Amusement Park

by Joel Bullock on

Along with Six Flags New England and Canobie Lake Park, another New England amusement park will be debuting a new roller coaster in 2011. Middleburry, Connecticut’s Quassy Amusement Park will be replacing their aging steel roller coaster, Mad Mouse, with a family wooden coaster dubbed Wooden Warrior. The new ride’s name was chosen via a name contest that the park held with local schools.

Wooden Warrior was designed by world-class designers The Gravity Group. They’re responsible for The Voyage at Holiday World; a coaster thought to be the best wooden coaster in the World. Unlike Gravity Group’s previous designs, Wooden Warrior will be one of the company’s first smaller, family-sized designs. The ride will feature a rather short 35′ tall lift hill that will produce a top speed of 35 mph. In comparison, The Voyage doubles those stats topping out at 67.5 mph with a 163′ tall lift hill.


As you can see from the video above, Wooden Warrior doesn’t aim to be a white knuckle thrill ride. Quassy’s owners needed a coaster that was fun for all ages and from the video, it looks to be just that. Roller coasters don’t require a lot of speed to produce those joyous little pops of airtime that make them so much fun. I’m a huge fan of The Gravity Group’s other work and it looks like they may have another winner here, albeit in a pint-sized form.

Like many of my favorite roller coasters, Wooden Warrior will traverse Quassy’s natural terrain. For example, the initial hill is 35′ tall, but will drop riders a total of 45′ as the track hugs the park’s topography. The new wooden coaster is a huge update for the small park as they’ll go from having a 44-year old run-of-the-mill ride to a sure crowd-pleaser that will provide a unique experience.

Delta sued over alleged false advertising on price guarantees

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Delta is headed to court over its claims of providing the best fare every day. Normally, this sort of advertising bravado wouldn’t lead to litigation, but the person buying the ticket happened to be Robert Izard … the “Izard” in law firm Izard Nobel LLP.

When Izard’s wife, Susan, sought a ticket to Israel on Delta, she was told the best rate for business class was more than $3,000 – if she paid for coach and used miles to upgrade. Her husband spent $300 to transfer enough miles to her SkyMiles account, adding to the tally.

What happened next is a lesson in “loose lips.”

After transferring the miles, Susan pushed a little harder on the phone to find out if she truly got the best deal. According to CTWatchdog.com (on which Izard’s firm advertises), the rep “finally conceded” that buying a business class ticket without any mileage games would have cost only $2,692.69, with all taxes included.
The report continues:

“Defendant’s representation that the economy class ticket at a cost of over $3,000 was “Today’s Best Guaranteed Fare” was false and misleading,” says the suit.

While the suit does not seek class action status, Wayne Boulton, an attorney with the West Hartford firm who actually filed the suit, said it could be changed if the firm discovers that others were also not provided with the best price of the day by Delta.

So, what’s next? A lawsuit signaling a decline in customer service when the price of oil climbs?

[photo by cliff1066 via Flickr]

A Dozen Ways to Save in New England

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Looking to make your travel bucks go a bit further this summer? Well, there are a dozen ways you can do it in New England. Twelve properties in the New England Inns & Resorts Association are kicking in extra nights, meal vouchers upgrades and comp’ed rounds of golf to get you under their roofs for a while. Here are three to whet your appetite

1. Free Golf at Crowne Plaza Cromwell
Head up to Cromwell, Connecticut and a two-night stay at the Crowne Plaza will get you a free 18-hole round of golf at Lyman Orchards Golf Course. Rates start at $131 a night, and you have to book at least seven days in advance.

2. Free night mid-week at The Wildflower Inn
From September 6, 2010 through October 29, 2010, you get a free fourth night when you book three at The Wildflower Inn in Lyndonville, Vermont. Take in the foliage, and breathe in air that’s just starting to become crisp – while sipping hot cider and nibbling on Vermont Cabot cheese. Rates start at $390 per couple for four nights (mid-week only).

3. Free for kids at Lake Morey Resort
Visit Lake Morey in Fairley, Vermont, and children under 12 can stay free (in a room with an adult), eat free and take full advantage of the supervised children’s program. It’s only available mid-week, now through August 22, 2010.