No More BINGO, Bitches!

Oh, my knickers!


http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/hc-bingobust.artjan09,0,4106251.story

Thanks my astute and mysterious "anonymous" for this. Damn, I am a lawyer and am deeply ashamed that I had NO CLUE as to this. Ashamed.

The law says, "No bingo game or series of bingo games shall be promoted, operated or played unless the same is sponsored and conducted exclusively by a charitable, civic, educational, fraternal, veterans' or religious organization, volunteer fire department or grange."

The Cool Moose had hosted bingo for years with no problems, Skehan said, so the Half Door staff decided to reintroduce the game.

Damn.


What kind of craziness is this? I mean, Jesus, it's BINGO and we're not playing for money.

But the Courant, which I make fun of far more than they deserve, had this editorial:

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-bingo.artjan10,0,3102484.story

Isn't it absurd, though, to bar an activity that has caused no trouble and serves to unite strangers in laughter? Surely this isn't the sort of prohibition legislators had in mind when they enacted this silly law.

I completely agree. This is an absurd over-reaction and a use of an antiquated law. OMG! THEY'RE PLAYING BINGO! WON'T SOMEBODY THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!!!


Jesus.

So I'm adding a new label as of tonight, "Injustice."

List of contacts for those who want this law to change:


Department of Special Revenue:
http://www.ct.gov/dosr/site/default.asp


Governor Jodi Rell:

http://www.ct.gov/governorrell/site/default.asp

It's Bingo, Bitches!

My winning card!

LOL, I'm famous, sort of.

http://www.courant.com/entertainment/nightlife/hc-bingo.artjan07,0,622478.story

Instead, it's the carefree atmosphere that keeps the clientele coming back for more. Regulars know the bartenders by first name and laugh at the bingo-caller's bad jokes. Groups of friends huddle over the numbered slips of paper in booths with worn, wooden tabletops. And when somebody yells "Bingo!" the ones who haven't won toss their cards in the air in a flurry of good-hearted catcalls and "boos."

"It's just our twist on it," said bingo caller and DJ Tony Carreras. "It's not as high-stakes, and it's a lot more fun."

I am actually in this article, but I am unnamed! Dammit!

And yes, this is how I spend my Thursday nights......

(sorry about the weirdness of not being able to link directly to the Courant. Blog is doing some weirdness...)

Game Dinner Part II!

Here are the rest of the pictures from the awesome Game Dinner at the Half Door! For some weird reason, I lost the photo of our beer host, and I am really sorry about that. He did an AMAZING job pairing the beer, and I want to give credit where it is due.

He's promoting a new restaurant, Fraiche, in Fairfield, that promises to be excellent. We will see, right?!?

So the top photo is the famed fried pumpkin, which was astonishing. And they gave us THREE of them!!! The beer for the dessert round was champaign without bubbles, but in a good way. A superb beer. The ice cream you see in the middle was sage-flavored, which may sound weird but I just love the combination of sweet+savory.

Then the other photo is all the beer we had, courtesy of our next door table neighbors, who kindly collected all the bottles for us to take pictures, and also kindly weren't phased in the least that I was taking photos of all the dishes.

And there's your author and Dr. Pete, full of happy food and beer.

So...next up....Halloween! Standby!

Game Dinner!!!

So last night was the Half Door Beer & Game Dinner, which I've been talking about for ages and was, as hoped and expected, amazing. The above photos, in order, are:

1. Hard Cooked Quail Eggs w/ Montana White Fish Caviar on Crostini, paired with Weihenstephan 1809 Berliner Style Weisse

OK, these little suckers were delectable. I only had, oh I dunno, 6 or 7 of them. I mean, how often do you get a chance to have quail eggs? I mean, really! The beer was nicely paired with the egg. Apparently, as per our host & emcee, Brendan, this was the style of Berliner Weisse before Napoleon's troops ruined it. That's Napoleon for you, always ruining stuff.

This dish was the second-best in my opinion. I could totally go for a quail egg right now. I could make the world's tiniest omelette.

2. Fried Frogs Legs with Tarragon Sauce, paired with La Brasserie des Franches Montagnes La Meule

I wish I could say I totally remember what I wanted to say about this beer. It, as all the others, went very well, some better. The frog's legs were awesome, like an unholy union of a fish stick and a chicken finger, like think if the Gorton's Fisherman ran off with Colonel Sanders, only better.

3. Turtle Soup au Sherry, paired with Birreria Baladin Sour Nora 2005.

This pairing was inspired, absolutely. Brendan outdid himself picking out the beer. I tried this incredibly complex, ancient-style beer and thought, "No way is this going with a rich, hearty and complex soup," but I was completely wrong. While the soup was not my favorite dish (probably my least favorite, but I hate saying that because I liked everything), with the beer it just sang. The beer, with its unusual mead-y like character and hints of savory, was a gorgeous mid-dinner addition.

4. Grilled Ostrich Rounds w/Leek Risotto, paired with Brouweij de Glazen Toren-Cuvee Angelique

The ostrich was my hands-down favorite, and the beer was a great pairing. The strength and nuttiness of the beer complimented the red-meatiness of the ostrich. So good, so pink!

(side note: I'm starting to feel like Homer Simpson when he became a food critic and liked everything. The he became a jerk and that dude tried to kill him with a deadly eclair. No deadly eclair for me.)

5. Almond Crusted Antelope w. Porcini Cream & Blue Cheese, paired with Biurrifico Montegioco Demon Hunter

Well, I'm not much of a mammal eater, so I only had the tiniest bite of the Antelope. Dr. Pete was a fan, as he consumed BOTH portions! I have to say, I loved this beer, and not only because of the kick ass name and kick ass label.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.birrificiomontegioco.com/Immagini/Demonhnter%2520big.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.birrificiomontegioco.com/demonhunter.htm&h=440&w=400&sz=34&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=Vb_SrUeEP4r8HM:&tbnh=127&tbnw=115&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbirrificio%2Bmontegioco%2Bdemon%2Bhunter%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26channel%3Ds%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN


The spiciness of the beer, however, held up nicely against the antelope without overpowering it.


Dessert and other pictures are going to be coming up in a later post, as Blogger only lets me upload so many images.

You'll have to just wait for that friend pumpkin pie....as well as photos of the beer, our beer host, and yours truly + Dr. Pete!

The Humps, the Humps, the Lovely Tavern Lumps

So this weekend was the Nook Farm Harvest Festival. As many of you all know, Nook Farm used to be the name of this immediate neighborhood. Anyway, we started out the day by, of course, going down to the Half Door to watch a game (Peter) and struggle with the massively difficult Saturday New York Times crossword puzzle (me).

So like I think I've said, tomorrow is the Beer and Game paired dinner. (Squee!!!!) Dr. Pete and I noticed that not only was the bar closed tomorrow for the event, but for several days thereafter. For the ever frightening description of "renovations."

Come to find out, they are getting rid of their lovely barroom lump (pictured above, with glasses on it). Sigh. Legend has it that the lump started as the tiniest crack, and proceeded to grow, imperceptibly, into the small hill pictured. You actually can rest a glass on it, but it is not recommended that anyone over a certain amount of alcohol consumption do so.

[Legend Type Singing]
Many a good drink has gone down that way
O'er the lump in the bar when the drunken men sway
[/LTS]

Hey, and there's one of our bartenders! Isn't he attractive?

So then it was off to the Nook Farm thing, which was mostly over by that time (we missed the roving Mark Twain impersonator, damn), but caught these lovely ponies on tape. So, as a reward, PONIES! And yes, apparently all I can say is "ponies."

A Connecticut Transplant in King Arthur's Court

Oh, it's here! It's here!

*Claps hands like a little girl*


http://ctfaire.com/connecticut_renaissance_festival/index.php

Belly dancing! Free games! Knights! Falconry!!! Such a mind-blowing and time-bending event that they can actually manage to advertise over 40 hours of entertainment a day. I didn't even know that was quantumally (new word!) possible.

The only thing that makes me sad is that I have no Ren Faire duds. No bodices, no skirts. Dr. Pete has a monk costume, so he's cool - not that it won't take some amazing kind of pleading and begging to get him to wear it. Though the sweet temptation of giant turkey legs might work.

I'm looking on the site, and the wedding packages aren't bad at all. Considering how much weddings cost these days, even the Royalty Package, at $3,500 is pretty affordable for the entire kit & kaboodle. That's for 40 people, they even throw a feast for your arse.

So onto other events around the area....I must MUST go to this:

http://www.hauntedgraveyard.com/

(Warning: sound effects on the site...they are cool but don't want to get you in trouble at work)

Hah, the gallery kicks ass:

http://www.hauntedgraveyard.com/gallery.aspx


If you were wanting something a little less scary (and that is certainly subjective), you could go to West Hartford and check out this year's Cow Parade:

http://www.thisisct.net/cows.html

I don't know if you have ever had the cows come to your home town, but they are kind of cool and distracting, in a "this isn't what the town normally looks like" sort of way.

So Peter's father was in town this weekend for a convention, and Saturday night we *finally* made it out to Carbone's, which is supposedly the best restaurant in Hartford.

http://www.carbonesct.com/home.htm

I have to say, there is probably not much about Carbone's that I could say that has not been said, and hundreds of award-bestowers agree with me that the food at Carbone's in probably the best. I'm not an enormous fan of Italian (oh, but I'll eat it), and the menu was somewhat limiting for vegetarians, but my cheese ravioli was light and fresh-tasting, with a sauce of chunky plum-tomato. I didn't try Dr. Pete's or FIL's veal (veal!), but considering they both disappeared, I'll have to imagine they were great.

I'd probably go back on a day other than Saturday, or a little later on Saturday, as the place was packed when we got there and the staff seemed a little rushed. However, the crowd thinned about half-way through the meal, so we got a better chance to talk to several staff members about the wine, etc. This is in way meant to imply we were ignored at all for the first half of the meal.

I would be somewhat snarky at my FIL's need to ask how much the specials cost, but he reads this blog, so I can't. Sorry dad! But it DID spark an interesting discussion - the nicer a restaurant is, the less likely it is that the prices of the specials will be noted. I just generally look at the price of something similar on the menu, take 20% of the price and add it on. I.E. if something similar to the special is on the menu for 40 dollars, you can guess the special is going to be about $48. Dr. Pete and I both think it's a little rude to ask the prices of specials, but FIL disagrees. I'd be interested in hearing anyone else's opinion on asking the prices of specials, as I agree that people could go either way on this.

Gin O' Meter: I didn't have a G&T, so I cannot rate in that way, but I had a kick ass Pomegranate Martini. It was VERY good.

OK, kids, until next time, wherein I list a number of Hartford's Hidden Gems. Take care!

Not Quite the Trail of Tears

Dr. Pete and I went on the Eastern part of the Connecticut Wine Trail today. The happy news is that I was not abducted and planted with various chips in my head. The better news is that you have a great video with Dr. Pete discussing the better points of a wine from the Jonathan Edwards Winery. Not the politician.

http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y286/KimberleeJean/?action=view&current=petermovie.flv


The winery site:

http://www.jedwardswinery.com/

Sports Stuff and Vegetarian Substitution

So one place I haven't told you about yet is The Corner Pug.

Located unfortunately not close enough to walk to, The Pug was the first place I ever nursed a hangover in here in H'ford, way back during my first visit to this lovely city. The Pug, once known as the Corner Pub, was reincarnated in its present form by an new owner who loved his pet pug dog. The concept really caught on and the interior is festooned with framed photos, brought in by proud owners, of pugs.

The Pug has some really excellent things going for it, besides the large screen TVs. OK, lemme digress for a moment. Bars here in H'ford always have half the tubes tuned to the Yankees, and the other half tuned to the Red Sox. Much like H'ford itself, the city is halfway between loyalty. Mets, Mets who?

Anyway, the only thing the Pug is marred by is the frightful lack of delicious turkey burger, but is made up for the always cheerful staff happily substituting whatever you want for your meat, if they have it. Yesterday, I was sitting next to a hipster who substituted portabello mushrooms for beef on his french dip sandwich. I am not kidding. Needless to say, I'm always happy with a plae that doesn't look at me like an escaped mental patient just because I want my bacon held, dammit. (Stop looking at me like that.)

What they also have, every Wednesday, is this thing called the giant fried seafood basket, and I tell you I am drooling right now just thinking about it. It's big enough to split, and contains (all fried) fries, clams, oysters, cod, shrimp and these fishy hushpuppy things. Oh GOD its good.

Wednesday in H'ford is generally pretty cool, I've noticed. Most bars and restaurants have massive deals on Wednesday. At the half door, all Irish beer is 2 bucks all day Wednesday.

Gin O Meter: 4

The Lost Phone & The Coolest Bartender

Let me preface my post by saying OH GOD YES I FOUND TWO PLACES THAT SERVE TURKEY BURGERS!!!!

I was starting to think that they just didn't exist in Hartford. Veggie burgers, yet, but not until this weekend had I found any place, including Plan B, a gourmet burger joint. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/14283/?view=beerfly&ba=goodbyeohio
Gin and Tonic Mixology level ( on a scale of 1: "Why are you serving me water I asked for Gin" to 5:" Where am I do I live here this drink is great I love you guys"): 2

So imagine my joy when I discovered a turkey burger on the menu at Tisane, http://www.ctnow.com/dining/hce-tisanebrunch.artnov25,0,6806774.story?coll=hce-headlines-dining-top
a coffee house/bar that seems to be striving to look like it belongs in Manhattan. Not that I disliked that, but man talk about as Cool as Hartford! I was a bit overwhelmed by their extensive martini menu, and have to admit getting one too many kicks out of Peter ordering an unfortunately somewhat Pastel-hued green tea martini (men's drinks should only be clear or brown, seriously), but LOVED LOVED my Pom Pom (pomegranite) 'tini. I haven't tried said burger yet, but I will.
Gin and Tonic Mixology Level: 3

So I'll take a break to tell y'all about the cell phone. It was lying on the front stoop, and finding a cell phone is a little like finding a baby bird, you are all like, "Should I touch it?" But I can't just leave stuff like that, so I picked it up then called the last number places which, of course, I got no answer. I figured the owner would call the phone, just like I would do (and have done, eyeroll at me).

So next we review Wood N' Tap, http://www.woodntap.com/ which astonishingly has its own website (yay!) and they had turkey burgers too! And not only turkey burgers but tiny little ones like sliders!!!! I liked the place well enough, though it feels a little chain-like and the bartender ignored us a bit b/c his friends were seated at the bar, but I'll go back if only to get those delicious little burgers and their surprisingly above-average fries.
Gin and Tonic Mixology Level: 2

Which brings us to my second favorite place in the 'hood (after my beloved Half-Door), Vegas BLVD Pizza. Which I couldn't find a decent or informative link to, but I love this place. The staff is awesome and personable, they play The Chairman of The Board music unless someone turns the jukebox on (not as annoying as it sounds), and the owner cooks in the back then comes up to mingle in the front. And they already know what drink I like to order. And they serve beer by the liter. Peter and I already have the number one score on the Quiz Master (take that Tony1000!)
Gin and Tonic Mixology Level: 5

So I am happy to report that the phone made it back to its rightful owner. Later last night, a very relieved tenant on the first floor called and was reunited with her errant phone. She hugged us. It was cool.

So that's it until next time, where I attempt to solve the mystery of who the fuck in my building is stealing my goddammed paper. I will find you asshole, and it WILL NOT be pretty.

Later!

From Huck Finn to the Half Door

Hartford is one of those places people drive through on the way to somewhere else. Specifically, between New York and Boston. I have experience living in a place like this, I grew up in a town on the confluence of Interstates 57 & 64, as well as literally dozens of smaller highways and biways. My hometown had more hotel rooms than residents. It also shares another trait I personally find endearing, and that is a general unassumedness (word?) of the populace.

So, my goal and mission is to point out how cool I think this little city is, so you will think it is cool as well. Since I'm brand new to town, you will be learning along with me.

First, a little about my immediate neighborhood, which we will likely be spending a lot of time in. I'm in an ancient elevator building (the scariest elevator you will likely ever meet) in the Historic West End, or more specifically on the end of the Historic West End. I'm right next door to the Harriet Beecher Stowe house and two doors down from Hartford's Number one Tourist Attraction, The Mark Twain House. Just up the road a bit is Hartford's best pub (the readers have voted), The Half Door. I spend a disproportionate amount of time there and have already met all manner of the wonderful and weird local denizens.

So let's do this thing!