tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post2721197078747922981..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Where are the damn nutmegs?By Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57750016643568749572009-07-26T19:37:20.328-07:002009-07-26T19:37:20.328-07:00And yet we are nothing if not ecumenical....
The ...And yet we are nothing if not ecumenical....<br /><br />The gentiles went to another resort in Moodus – Ted Hilton’s, that boasted a tummler named Roy J. Duka, who was billed as having done a stint as Clarabelle the Clown on the old Howdy Doody Show – but at Hilton’s worked blue. A friend from Yale and I went once for a Shicksa Singles Weekend, and I’m pretty sure we played them for Lent.<br /><br />My mother-in-law grew up on one of those area chicken farms in nearby Willimantic. Had the family not stuck with the chickens and emulated their lantzmen, who knows, I coulda’ been in show business today. Or at least a lifeguard.<br /><br />In college we used to drive all the way to “Willie” as it was called for two reasons. One, so help me God, was they had a <b>Hotel Hooker</b> – named after the same Civil War general who also gave the profession its nickname. Who could resist stealing those eponymous hotel towels? They should have just sold them. Then on to beer and a filling meal at a modest restaurant whose name escapes me. The establishment’s unassuming greeter had an excuse for fitting your your take as “affectionately goofy” to a T. He was <i>Willie Pep</i> the ten-year world featherweight champion, who fought more bouts than just about anybody and remains one of the greatest fighters of the 20th century. We never thought to ask how Willie wound up in Willie. <br /><br />Think I already may have mentioned I lived about a mile from the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry, which for some reason had semi-wild asparagus you could steal. I received my first radio listener complaint when, on Hale’s birthday, I announced that he was hung by the British at the young age of 21 – only because, at the time, like drinking, you weren’t allowed to hang anybody <i>until</i> they turned 21. Or it may have been insistence that his dying quote actually just got as far as, “I only regret that I have but one life to aggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.” But I guess history went with the pre-released official transcript.<br /><br />There’s a reason for the omnipresent Dunkin’ Donuts. Not to drop names or anything, but in the 1930’s Bill Rosenberg, the company’s founder and my dad started in the food industry together as New Haven Good Humor ice cream truck drivers. By the time he died, Rosenberg had 6,000 franchises in something like 25 countries. Dad had a really nice 8”x10” b/w glossy of himself looking really snappy in the somewhat militaristic white uniform and brimmed cap with the safety patrol style belt -- seemingly at attention beside the gleaming truck. I believe the army of San Marino has the same dress uniform. Rosenberg started his first donut shop in the same town where I created the above commotion over Nathan Hale. Who remembers “toasted almond?”<br /><br />Finally, since you brought up the Indians -- long before the <b>Foxwoods Casino</b>, Mom read somewhere in the AAA Connecticut Travel Guide that there was a town in that Eastern Connecticut area called <b>Uncasville</b> that had “real live Indians” still living there. The four of us got into the Studebaker and drove, and drove, and drove (this was before I-95). The neighbors had all been promised a return with all kinds of Pequot paraphernalia for distribution.<br /><br />Arriving after dark, the town was to say the lease <i>uncaswhelming</i>. I remember my parents wandering about stopping Uncasville denizens still up that late and asking, “Where are the Indians?” “Can you tell us where we go to see the Indians?” One guy scratched his head and asked, “You mean the high school?” (I’m only assuming that may have been the team name?) In one of its many oversights the AAA guidebook neglected to mention that whatever Uncasville Indians remained had been fully assimilated two centuries earlier and were now involved in things like the heating and plumbing business. The assimilation had been so complete, not a single resident could direct us to so much as a tobacconist. This is when I believe I began to understand the concept of a sense of humor.A. Buck Shorthttp://roger-burke.dailykos.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-80604981439838584022009-07-26T19:30:52.897-07:002009-07-26T19:30:52.897-07:00You are like the Hallmark of travelers, an express...You are like the Hallmark of travelers, an expression for every destination. You even make the unremarkable remarkable. However….<br /><br /><b>Mosquitoes – Moshmitoes</b>, here in Texas I’d give my right arm to be back in a place where you can say things like, “Hey it’s summer. Let’s eat outside for the next three months.” As a native off the reservation for 35 years, I’ve long had a favorite adjective for Connecticut – “civilized.” No, not the same as sophisticated or affluent, or well-heeled, or, God forbid , "classy.” Yes, I know most of the state isn’t Fairfield County or Essex inns – although the harbor on the river still leaves you with a feeling you can never get at Marina del Rey. Hell, a lot of it isn’t even Hamden. <br /><br />We grew up in the bricks of a New Haven federal housing project. Relatives from Queens used to come stay with us for a weekend “in the country!” But there’s something about it, where regardless of station, a higher quota than average seem to be living their lives <i>in proportion</i>. Or maybe it was just the 50’s and 60’s? No, get back now and then, it wasn’t just that. But it could be J Crew <i>contact</i> sensibility?<br /><br />I especially enjoy your travelogues of places I’ve been to, because of the memories they trigger. I don’t know if anyone else would be interested, but, in the words of Bernie Madoff, so what?<br /><br />In response to your original post I might have opined that while Basil Rathbone may have ended up with the ultimate Sherlock Holmes franchise, William Gillette was still the first. Not only had a great run, but also the friggin’ <i>CASTLE</i>. And with <i>hemp wallpaper</i> -- 40 years before Woody Harrelson. OK, maybe civilized in that Weedsily wonderful way, but a little more Kevin Nealon than ML Parker. And the little boxes really <i>are</i> kind of little, but broken in enough to make you forget they once may have also been part of a subdivision. Incidentally for names, if it’s a choice between <b>Gillette Castle State Park</b>, and <b>Cockaponset State Forest</b> just across the river over there in Chester --- I’m going with Cockaponset. It’s so…so…Danny Thomas. <br /><br />For road signs I’ll have to go with the exit off of I-91 on the way to Bradley Airport – “East Granby / Granby.” Picture backup singers doing that rhythmically over and over on one ‘o them PBS pop music revivals.)<br /><br />Now <b>Moodus</b>, and <b>Colchester</b> (not to be confused with Westchester that is so far <i>east</i> of Chester that it’s clear on the other side of the river – and a drive even for Connecticut) resonate with Judaica in ways the Griswold Inn never will. Those were the two places all us Connecticut Jews trekked every summer for our <i>Walk on the Moon – Marjorie Morningstar</i> – summer retreats from the pre-AC heat of the city. It was <i>Grand Lake Lodge</i> in Colchester and the aforementioned <i>Banner Lodge</i> (now Banner Country Club – hoo-ha) in Moodus. Both former chicken farms where the staff allegedly still had to sleep in barely converted coops. I think this was before dirty dancing, but at least dinner portions were humongous -- and you could get seconds. In fact, it was considered an insult not to. Since everybody had to eat lunch and dinner at the same time (no, I mean the <i>people</i> at the same time – not the meals. Haven’t you been paying attention, the portions were too large for that) – the wait staff of late teen Jewish overachievers would engage in competitive rushing between tables with flaming flankin, stunt-serving for tips. And Larry Storch actually asked me to play table tennis with him waiting to go on for his standup. Years before F-Troop. Which was a crying shame because, for some reason Killingworth’s big attraction – a little later – was one of those fake Western towns, whose novelty wears off in about a year-and-a-half – but don’t they all.A. Buck Shorthttp://roger-burke.dailykos.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4514912442390647892009-07-26T17:29:11.590-07:002009-07-26T17:29:11.590-07:00Wow. This takes me back to the days when I became...Wow. This takes me back to the days when I became a Ken Levine fan. I started reading the blog shortly before your play was staged.<br /><br />wv=dabble: The penname Diablo Cody rejectedMary Stellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02186261066656584772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24384276794435605552009-07-26T14:38:58.804-07:002009-07-26T14:38:58.804-07:00Ken, I spent many summers in Moodus/East Haddam. I...Ken, I spent many summers in Moodus/East Haddam. I was an instructor at New England Computer Camps which was held at Banner Lodge in Moodus.<br /><br />Amazing.Dawshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01567782966448937460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60391743240407671082009-07-26T13:45:02.800-07:002009-07-26T13:45:02.800-07:00Holy Crap! I live in Centerbrook, and I've ac...Holy Crap! I live in Centerbrook, and I've actually recycled at Calamari Recycling. Drive by the Goodspeed Opera House all the time, but never been inside.<br /><br />You got about 90% of CT right. Although take the Merritt Parkway back to NY, not I-84. Much more beautiful.<br /><br />Also, everything north of Middletown is extremely different from everything south. Well, not extremely, but at least stuff stays open past 5.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-66811206930315732622009-07-26T09:47:44.666-07:002009-07-26T09:47:44.666-07:00As a resident of the Nutmeg State, I found this po...As a resident of the Nutmeg State, I found this post particularly great. And not to get into a public safety lecture, but I really don't get why CT doesn't require motorcyclists to wear helmets. Massachusetts does, as does New York. But CT says no. It just seems like common sense.Mikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76910474246794922942009-07-26T08:58:47.002-07:002009-07-26T08:58:47.002-07:00I really doubt that Nathan Hale made Blizzards at ...I really doubt that Nathan Hale made Blizzards at Dairy Queen. Dairy Queen didn't invent the Blizzard until 1985.<br /><br />"The state symbol should be a flashlight."<br /><br />Priceless.Alan Coilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09049940361953267636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-65786566418301815912009-07-26T06:28:39.010-07:002009-07-26T06:28:39.010-07:00All I remember about working at Goodspeed for two ...All I remember about working at Goodspeed for two weeks a long time ago: The deli next door to the house, where I bought lottery tickets, and the restaurant over the bridge and about a mile down the road where I took most of my dinners. Also, getting stopped by the local cops on one of the walks back from that restaurant. Being a pedestrian is apparently very fearsome in East Haddam.Jon88https://www.blogger.com/profile/16908049871851563389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-78788359653403527832009-07-25T23:27:00.127-07:002009-07-25T23:27:00.127-07:00I get to be first. Yay! There's a parkway alon...I get to be first. Yay! There's a parkway along the NY-Conn border that snakes back and forth and you go from one state to the other every 30 seconds or so. Presumably you could get two tickets for the same offense at the same time.Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.com