Happy National Cheeseburger Day!

Thanks to Facebook, I have learned that today is none other than National Cheeseburger Day. Oh joy! Of course, I don't know who officially sanctioned the holiday, and I still had to go into work, but, nevertheless, any excuse to eat a cheeseburger is a good excuse.

Not into cheeseburgers? First, shame on you. Second, there's apparently a "National (insert food here) Day" just about every day of the year, according to this website. Here's their lineup for the rest of the month:

National Butterscotch Pudding Day September 19

National Rum Punch Day September 20

International Banana Festival September 21

International, people! What's a better way to unite the world than with bananas! Here are some great pictures from the 1981 festival in Fulton, Kentucky.

National Pecan Cookie Day September 21

National Ice Cream Cone Day September 22

National White Chocolate Day September 23

National Cherries Jubilee Day September 24

Crab Meat Newburg Day September 25

National Food Service Employees Day September 25

Okay, so this isn't an actual food day, though I suppose if you were in a crashed airplane somewhere in the mountains with a Food Service Employee, you may consider eating them.

National Pancake Day September 26

National Chocolate Milk Day September 27

National Corned Beef Hash Day September 27

Strawberry Cream Pie Day September 28

Drink Beer Day September 28

I like this one, but I think it should be modified to "Drink Some Beer Day." We don't need to be giving excuses to people.

National Coffee Day September 29

Convenient that this come directly after Drink Beer Day.

National Hot Mulled Cider Day September 30

There you have it. Pick your poison, people!

CNN: Asking the tough questions

This is today's CNN "Quick Vote." You know, that little sidebar poll that everyone seems to be doing nowadays on their websites (Heck, I did it once to determine which local restaurant I should eat at - in case you're wondering, the Corner Pug won). Apparently we're concerned enough about tainted food that it has become a poll question, as 45% of those responding (meaning, computer users who frequent CNN and who also have a "click" fetish and who also eat at questionable restaurants and/or get their food from dumpsters) are afraid of their food being, well, not quite food.

On the other hand, perhaps CNN is just pushing buttons here, fishing for what could become the "big fall scary news." They need to find the next Swine Flu before Fox News beats them to the punch. Of course, if you ask me, the major story of Autumn is certainly going to be "watching out for that creepy house on Halloween, you know, the one that Jimmy swears is haunted and that he bets you can't stand to go up and ring the doorbell because, you know, there's a witch that lives in there and she's hungry and the only thing she eats, besides pets, is HUMAN FLESH!!!!!"

Yeah, that's going to be a big story. Maybe I should start a poll ...

Sonic in Connecticut?

Back in my days of supervising an internship program (oh, those were the days!), I once had a student who, on more than one occasion, railed on and on about how much she missed the food from Sonic Drive-In. She was from Arizona (I think), a land ripe with the frozen treats and fast food meals offered by the chain. And, living in Boston, the closest she was able to get to the goods was via the commercials that ran on cable.

Well, times are changing.

Though Sonic has not officially announced it, they are opening up a shop in Wallingford. According to a report in today's Courant, the company has started looking for managers on sites like CareerBuilder. Of course, I'm pretty sure my old intern is nowhere near New England anymore. But I am. And I sure like hamburgers.

Can't wait.

Battle of the crunchy burgers

Imagine, if you will, a boxing ring. Two fighters stand in opposite corners: one a tried-and-true favorite, a crowd pleaser with a long history, and the other a young whipper snapper straight from the hands of fame and fortune. Each cover similar terrain. Each come served on a white plate with a pickle.

Of course, the fighters I'm referring to here are cheeseburgers. Cheeseburgers with the ability to lace up boxing gloves and duke it out.

But these are not ordinary cheeseburgers I'm rattling on about (and giving arms and hands and egos and anger to). These two burgers have what very few cheeseburgers out in the land of all things patty-related offer: CRUNCH.

The first is the classic cheeseburger available at Shady Glen in Manchester. Constructed on a grill-top, it has 4 slices of orangy-yellow cheese spread both on the burger and the grill-top itself, resulting in a strangely crispy and crunchy Cheez-it flavored cheese shell. Here's a shoddy picture taken with a cell phone:

Yes, there is a burger in there. I promise.

The second pugilist, the young one, comes from the mind of ubiquitous television personality Bobby Flay, he of the battles with housewives and the various well-received restaurants and the calling of himself "Bobby" at the age of 44. Yes, Mr. Flay is now in the hamburger business (to be fair, he has been in the hamburger business for the past year) in the form of Bobby's Burger Palace, which recently opened shop at Mohegan Sun (just walk past the slot machines and old people chain smoking ... you can't miss it).

Anyway, one of the draws of the BBP is the Crunchburger, a double American cheese and potato chip feast, as seen here in a photo taken by a highly paid commercial photographer:

Let's ring this bell! Everyone keep it clean. I don't want a bloodbath!

Round one: The restaurant

First off, Shady Glen is a rather fun place to visit, from the old-school service counters to the labyrinthian nature of the table placement to the uniforms worn by the employees. Add in the little touches, like the doilies for under one's glass to the tiny cups of water given to each customer, and you can't go wrong popping in for a bite.

Bobby's Burger Palace, on the other hand, already has one strike against it because it's sitting in the middle of a casino. That being said, it has a cool, metropolitan vibe to it, with v-shaped community tables and funky light fixtures. Essentially the complete opposite of Shady Glen, BBP can almost make you forget you're in a void of desperation ... until the person next to you starts counting their chips or complaining about a pit boss.

Winner of round one: Shady Glen

Round two: Burger

The hamburger patty from Shady Glen is essentially a patty you've eaten about a million times: gray, circular, nondescript. There's nothing much to it, and the bun it sits on is pretty plain and simple. What makes the burger uniquely tasty is the crunchy cheese.

The BBP Crunchburger, though slightly smaller than I expected, came perfectly cooked to order: medium with lots of pink. The cheese on top was oozy, the bun flecked with sesame seeds. And the potato chips were surprisingly crunchy. However, they didn't add all that much for flavor outside of a saltiness. The condiment options, ranging from the typical to chipotle ketchup, added extra kick.

Winner of round two: Though close, the victory goes to the BBP Crunchburger

Round three: Extras

Shady Glen offers some pretty amazing ice cream flavors. The prices are also incredibly reasonable. The Professor and I had dinner for under $15. And, as mentioned earlier, the location (at least at the original Shady Glen - I haven't been to the other shop), is really a treat to visit.

There's also a really bizarre mural along one wall that I think I could look at all night:

Who are these elfin people and how are they able to carry ice cream cones in a picnic basket without any of them melting?

Over at Bobby's Burger Palace they serve some mean milkshakes (with real whipped cream). The fries are excellent, as well. Being as they're inside a casino, the prices for everything could have been much higher than they were, with burgers hovering around $7.50 and sides like fries ranging in between $2.50 and $3.00. Of course, while you're eating you're reminded that you're padding the wallet of this face:

Frankly, I think I'd rather stare at the picnicking elves.

Winner round three: Shady Glen

So, victory goes to Shady Glen. They make a decent burger, but the cheese is really where it's at. Bobby's Burger Place probably does offer the better food, but there's something about the feeling of sitting in the sixty-year-old Shady Glen that makes up for some of its shortcomings.

The strangest chalk outline ...

From this week's Ocean State Job Lot flyer (I admit, the OSJL, Job Lot, or Ocean State - the nickname changes depending on my mood - is a guilty pleasure. They've got some good deals. Seriously.). Is the average consumer so dumb that we really need the dashed outline?

"It was the weirdest thing, Sarge. When we found the body, which, as you can see, is now represented by these dashes, it had this wire contraption inside of it."

"Son, that's a genuine 'Beer Can' Chicken Roaster! Our suspect must buy his goods at the Job Lot! He may be a murderer, but he knows where to find sweet deals!"

Unappealing food products

I never realized how much a simple color balance error could ruin the look of photographed food. Something must have gone wrong at the printing press, because the greens and blues seemed all out of whack in this recent grocery flyer:

Anyone up for some cold cuts? Mmmm, nothing says flavor like some blue salami. And the pale turkey is simply delicious!

How about some pasta salad? What, not green enough for you? So what if it got left outside all day!

A trailing spouse walks into a bar ...

I walked inside and was greeted by the smell of freshly cut lumber and the sweet lullaby sounds of Kenny G. I asked an employee a question and got a confused face in return. They referred to a spiral notepad before finally telling me what I wanted to know.

Sounds like an average trip to Home Depot, no?

Well, in this case, it wasn't. This was actually the first five minutes of my recent visit to Taqueria Tavern, one of West Hartford's newest Mexican restaurants. 

I've written about TT before. Back when they were still building out the space, I poked fun at their makeshift sign, which reminded me of the cover to an old Berenstain Bears book. Surprisingly, the sign is still up.

And now that the place is up and running, I felt the need to try them on for size. 

The Kenny G music seemed like a bad omen. I mean, who wants to eat a taco while listening to Kenny G? I thought dentists had some kind of stranglehold on the rights to that kind of music? 

But I didn't let it bother me.

Not being much of a drinker, I ended up ordering a beer instead of something more decadent. The group I was with got a few margaritas, which, according to their critiques, were quite good.

As for the food, the menu is fairly simple. I do not know if this is temporary, but entrees pretty much fall into two categories: tacos and burritos (and, what with this place being a taqueria, I wouldn't be surprised if this is how the menu will stay). I found my tacos (I got the carnitas) to be rather good but unfortunately sparse in portions. They weren't entrees as much as lunch portions or bar snacks.

Now, I usually complain about how MUCH food restaurants serve (and we wonder why our country is morbidly obese), but looking down at my plate, I kind of felt a bit ripped off. There was no more than a tablespoon of beans and rice that accompanied the tacos. And the tacos themselves were kind of empty. This isn't to say that the food wasn't enjoyable. It certainly was. But with Los Adobes right across the street offering the same food up for, I assume, slightly less price, I would have thought the folks at Taqueria Tavern would have done something to one-up the competition.

Overall, though, I suppose I can't complain. Our server seemed to get a handle on things after a few minutes and the food was decent. The only problem was that I was still hungry by the time the check came.  

Taqueria Tavern is on Park Road in West Hartford, right next to Plan B Burgers.

Louis Lunch

One hundred and nine years ago, a man entered Louis Lunch in New Haven and asked for a quick meal. He was served a broiled beef patty on two slices of sandwich bread. And thus the hamburger, according to lore, was born.

Okay, history lesson over. Fast forward to today.

The Professor and I were down in New Haven to shop at Ikea (it was very exciting, but not as exciting as this Pavement fan's recent trip). As we finished the long strange excursion, filling our shopping cart with far more than we ever intended, we realized we had worked up quite an appetite. Though the 50 cent hot dogs and Swedish meatballs were tempting, I just couldn't find a reason to eat a meal in a gigantic box store. So we decided to find Louis Lunch and see not only where the classic American sandwich was born, but what one of these Louis burgers tasted like.

The place is small. Very small. Small in a "I hope you are comfortable eating with strangers" kind of way. And it feels like a dungeon or set piece from an old Roger Corman/Vincent Price production. This isn't meant to be an insult. I actually really liked the dark corners, the strange wooden cubby-hole seats, and the endless graffiti carvings. It is, for lack of better terms, unique and uncompromised.

The folks running the show know the regulars. They're also are Red Sox fans, which is nice. That being said, it was pretty obvious that we were first timers as we bumbled our way inside, bouncing from seat to seat and waiting in the complete wrong area to order.

Thankfully, when we finally were able to get our bearings and bellied up to the counter, ordering was easy. We could get a hamburger or a cheeseburger. That's about all. Then there was the big decision of potato salad or chips. We went with the potato salad, as you can see below:


Now, don't let that paper plate or plastic fork fool you, Louis Lunch serves serious food. The potato salad was tangy and rich and delicious.

After a few minutes, our burgers came up. We got the straight up Louis standard: medium rare with onions, tomato and cheese.



Louis Lunch has a strict condiment rule: no ketchup, no mustard. Being as I'm a heavy mustard-on-burger advocate, I had a slight hesitation taking my first bite. Needless to say, my fears were quickly squashed. The burger was juicy and tasty, so juicy that the bread seemed to be included more for its functional sponging qualities than its flavor.

What was nice about the burger was the fact that it was as close to a "pure" burger you can get. The meat wasn't seasoned; there wasn't any special sauce. It was just a nice hamburger. A hamburger I would expect the hardcore burger fan would love.

We filled up and headed home. And maybe, one hundred and nine years from now, some future blogger will be writing about their experience at Louis Lunch. Something tells me it won't be very different than the one I had today.

"Perfect Burger" update

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about a survey which was being conducted by a local radio station. They were looking for the best burger in the Hartford area and, at the time of my writing, Red Robin was in the lead for the title.

Well, the polls closed last week over at DRC-FM, and I'm happy to say Red Robin did not take the title of "Perfect Burger." That honor went to GoldBurgers in Newington. Can't say I've ever been there, but I'm glad an actual local restaurant won, rather than a chain.

I'd point you to the results page on DRC's website, but they've already moved onto bigger and better things. Those "good time rock n' rollers" are always on the move.

Burger lovers unite! We can't let this happen!

I was cruising this morning and listening to the "good time rock n' roll" tunes on 102.9, DRC-FM (have I mentioned how poor the choices are for radio stations here?), when I happened to hear that the station is having a "search of ... the perfect burger" poll. 

Needless to say, my interests were piqued, as I'm always up for a tasty burger.

Turns out, though, as of 8:30 this morning, Red Robin is the leading vote getter. Seriously! Red "according to our website we have over 250 locations in the United States" Robin!

Burger fans, we must unite and take over this poll. We all know that there are plenty of better places to grab a burger in the greater Hartford area than Red "endless basket of fries, hey, look at all this wacky stuff on the wall!" Robin!

Hop on over to the DRC website here and click on the "The Perfect" tab to vote. We cannot let the good listeners of the Big D think we're all zombies to the burger chains, no matter how cool it is to get your picture taken with their mascot at the Park Road parade!

Note: Truth be told, I actually don't hate Red Robin. For a corporate entity of a restaurant chain, the burgers aren't that bad. 

The Max Burger Fatty Melt experience

For those not in the know (or from out of town), Max Burger, in addition to being the latest offering from the slightly ubiquitous Max Restaurant Group, is West Hartford's newest burger joint. With its opening, we West Hartford-ites can now choose from three "burger dedicated" restaurants located within a mile and a half of each other (with Plan B and The Counter completing the trifecta). Oh, and then there's Red Robin, but I wouldn't really count that place.

Last night, the Professor and I stopped into Max Burger for dinner. I was instantly struck by the decor, which, to me, rang in as "calculated casual." That's not to say the place wasn't nice. It just felt like someone in the planning room said, "How can we, you know, slum it down a bit while staying classy?" Then someone else said, "How about old-timey milk glasses for water? And we'll have the waiters wear jeans!"

But we weren't there for the decor. We were in for the food. And, let me tell you, the burger I ordered may have been one of the most decadent sandwiches I have ever eaten.

It was called the Fatty Melt. An 8 oz. burger with cheese served between two grilled cheese sandwiches, it was a messy mouthful. Oh, and did I mention that one grilled cheese had tomato and the other was filled with bacon?

Yowza! What a burger!

The Professor got the Inside Out burger, which had a cheese center. I have to say, hers was cooked more to order than mine, but they were both delicious and were served with pickles, house fries and a garlic aioli for dipping.

We finished with the house whoopie pies. While quite tasty, the cake was a bit dry.

As we drove home, our stomachs full, we debated if Max Burger was "better" than its competition. Our conclusions were mixed. In my opinion, Max Burger will never have the neighborhood feel of Plan B. Perhaps this is because of its high class upbringing, as a fair amount of the customers looked as if they would normally be at Max's Oyster Bar or Max Downtown, but "wanted to see how the peasants ate." (A good example of this was the guy sitting at the table next to me, who The Professor noticed made an exaggerated eye lift when I announced, not terribly loudly, that I had eaten everything on my plate. Of course, he then proceeded to cut his burger in half - cardinal sin - and eat portions of it with a fork).

But as I said earlier, who cares about the decor, right? The Fatty Melt is a foodie's dream come true and the type of burger that can make a place famous.

So, is Max the best burger place? I'm going to have to say that I can't say. The sandwiches are wonderful, but are in almost every way similar to Plan B (sans the extra flair). And the menu certainly doesn't give you the fun options that The Counter offers, but that's to be expected. However, there's something oddly unique at Max Burger that makes its existence make sense. I guess you'll have to try it for yourself.

Max Burger can be found on LaSalle Road in West Hartford. 

A trip to Ted's Restaurant

I was jonesin' for a burger yesterday, but the Professor was working at her office, so a trip to Max Burger, which we've been discussing, had to be tabled. Instead, I opted for some old fashioned Connecticut cooking.

I decided to find Ted's Restaurant in Meriden. Their steamed hamburgers are things of legend among foodies and the restaurant is often featured on those ubiquitous diner programs that seem to be on television at any hour. So I got a map from the old interwebs and headed off.

The Drive

The drive to Ted's was a bit disappointing. Google Maps sent me along the Berlin Turnpike, which meant I got to drive past lots of seedy hotels that were next to even seedier strip clubs and "adult" stores. I hoped that this wasn't some sort of sign of things to come (My suggestion if you're planning a jaunt to Ted's: Find a route with better scenery.).

Thankfully, as I turned onto Broad Street, the world turned back to normal. Ted's was easy to find. It was the place with a million cars in front.

The Restaurant

Needless to say, the place was busy.

And incredibly small, with only a few booths and a counter for eaters to consume mass quantities of beef and cheese.

I waited in line. When it was my turn, I ordered probably the most obvious meal: steamed cheeseburger, home fries, and a Pepsi (Ted's doesn't do french fries. It's home fries or no fries.).

I lucked out and was able to find a seat at the counter. This is easily the best place to sit at Ted's. Because the lure of the place is the steamed cooking style of the burgers, watching the cook constantly fill tiny trays with beef and cheese is certainly a must if possible. The counter also lets diners get a good look at the heaping piles of home fries that are constantly on the restautant's grill, browning to a lovely crisp that borders on burnt (but burnt in a good way).

The Burger

My burger came out after about ten minutes. It was made to order with lettuce, tomato, and onion. The cheese was so bubbly that it oozed out of the pinwheel center of the bun. I can honestly say that it looked heavenly.

It was incredibly juicy. And kind of funky. For whatever reason, it felt like the type of burger Wimpy from Popeye would crave (and con someone into buying for him). But the fact that it was steamed left me wanting a bit. I missed the taste of the grill. Maybe it was a bit psychological of me. Now, that's not to say I didn't like the burger. I practically inhaled the thing. It was tasty, just a different kind of tasty. I really can't describe it. It's an experience I think you have to try to understand.

My belly full, my wallet lighter only $7 (before tip), I stumbled back out to my car. I was satisfied in my trip. I headed back up past the creepy hotels and strip clubs, and made my way home.

Ted's Restaurant can be found at 1046 Broad Street in Meriden.

Is this really the best we have to offer?

Hartford Magazine has released the results of their "Best of Hartford 2009" readers' poll, and judging from some of the trophy holders, it seems a few ballot boxes have been stuffed. 

Is On The Border Mexican Grill really the best Mexican food in Hartford County? Does Dunkin' Donuts really serve the best coffee, or the most convenient? And how can the Cheesecake Factory come in second in the category of "Best Dessert"?

I will cop to occasionally partaking in the food at these above-mentioned questionable winners. The truth is, though, I would never pick any of them as the best in their field. As I've learned in my short time here, the Hartford area has some very fine and authentic Mexican restaurants, and some great coffee houses. And, as rich and sweet as the cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory is, it's a boxed cheesecake that probably gets made at the actual Cheesecake Factory somewhere in the middle of nowhere (of course, I could be wrong. It could be made in-house from specific ingredients that are shipped from the Factory in the middle of nowhere).

Now, I'll admit that quite a few of the award winners are legit. Max Downtown for best overall restaurant, Bricco for best Italian, and Plan B for best burger all come to mind. But magazine awards like these are a great opportunity to shine a light on good, honest, local establishments. It's a real shame when they get hijacked by corporate entities. 

Burgers and the use of the word "Max"

We must really like red meat here in West Hartford. What else can explain Max Burger, the town's newest specialty burger joint? Plan B and the Counter, I suppose, just weren't enough to satiate our need to place cow between bread. The Max Group, seeing our desire for beef, had to throw their talents into the ring, as well.

Anyone try Max Burger yet? Any good?

Speaking of burger places, one thing that I came across that made me laugh and scratch my head was this article in the Hartford Advocate, which deals with a minor war that has erupted between Rich Rosenthal, a.k.a. Mr. Max, and Al Gamble, proprietor of Plan B. It seems the two have more in common than serving us mass quantities of ground beef. See, Gamble was planning on opening a restaurant called Max Amigo's. And Rosenthal wasn't very pleased:

"Let me ask you, do you think it's trademark infringement?" Rosenthal asked.

Rosenthal certainly thought it was, so he called Gamble. The conversation did not go particularly well, since Gamble is of the opinion that no one can own a word like "Max," especially in the restaurant business.

"Google it," Gamble told the Advocate. "People use it freely around the country. Even here there's Max Bibo's," said Gamble, referring to another restaurant with "Max" in its name that is unrelated to Rosenthal's group of eateries.

The gentlemen are working on a resolution.

However, owners of Max Mart in New Britain, Max-Tek in Newington, Car Max in Hartford, Max Pizza in Bristol, and all of the other "Max"-named businesses may want to keep their lawyers on speed dial. Rosenthal seems pretty sure he owns the right to your names. Who knows, the Max Group could be looking to open an office supply store.

A.C. Petersen Farms Ice Cream

I've written about the dining experience at A.C. Petersen's before. Nothing great. Mostly greasy spoon fare with very little to offer the palate.

But I've just discovered their ice cream.

I love the ice cream.

Maple walnut.

Yum.

It isn't cheap, being made right in town and hand packed into its plain white carton, but it is worth every penny. Rich, creamy, with gigantic chunks of walnut, I've found a new food obsession.

You've found a way to get me to come back through your doors, A.C. You are a tricky one.

Farmer trailing spouse

The Professor went out this morning and got us a 20' x 20' (I just had a Spinal Tap Stonehenge moment there for a second) community garden space over at Westmoor Park. She has big plans. Lots of vegetables. She's already mapped it all out. 

Me? I'm just looking forward to breaking out my overalls and saying things like  "thick as ticks on a dog's back."

$25 for the plot. Pretty good deal. If anyone out there is interested, they should move fast. Spaces are getting snapped up quickly.

Peeps show

I love marshmallow Peeps. I know most people find them disgusting, but there's something about a stiff Peep, left out of the package for a day or two, that brings me back to childhood.

And if there's one thing I like more than a tasty Peep, it's a contest using the little sugar wonders.

Just in time for Easter, the West Hartford Library is holding their first annual Peeps diorama contest. Sadly, it's only for kids. Nevertheless, I'm sure there will be some great and inventive entries. I have to assume the winners will be on display at some point.

If you've got a young Peep lover who is also into arts and crafts, follow this link to learn more.

If you just want to see cool Peep dioramas, check out this link to the Washington Post.

News and Mexican food follow-up

• With sentences like "The town received good news as regards current litigation this past Tuesday night . . ." the West Hartford News continues to be in the throes of a terrible bout with unprofessionalism.
  
  
  
  Here's another example:
  
  
  "It was perhaps the most discussed resolution by the Town Council, but once it passed by a 7-2 vote, the standing rules of the town council for the 2007-2009 term were revised."
  
  
  And another:
  
  
  "A person who owned a median-size home could expect a rise of approximately $400 for the taxpayer in annual taxes with that proposed increase."

• It seems the mysterious "Mexican Restaurant" moving into the old BK space on Park Road (I wrote about it back in February) is actually a tavern:
  

   And, judging by the sign, it also appears that this tavern is owned by the Berenstain Bears:

A little something from A Little Something Bakery

Take a moment and admire the beauty of the cookie in the above picture. The puffed, craggy surface. The gentle dusting of powdered sugar. The light, golden brown color.

This is an Almond Cloud from A Little Something Bakery. And it is delicious (or, better yet, scrumptulescent).

Beneath the crackled top lies a soft flavor rush of almond, sweet but not too sweet. The cookie only lasts two, maybe three bites. But they are very tasty bites.

A Little Something Bakery is onto something here.

For more proof, read Amy's comments over at the Greater Hartford Real Estate Blog.

I won't even get into the cupcakes . . . oh, the cupcakes! I'm drooling too much as it is (though I will say I was happy to see cupcakes that were actual cupcake-sized. Not gigantic, dry pucks you see at many bakeries).

A Little Something Bakery can be found in West Hartford between Hall's Market and Park Lane Pizza on Park Road.

Another dead store in Bishops Corner?

When we first moved to West Hartford, Bishops Corner was this magical sounding place where everything could be had. "You haven't been over to Bishops Corner yet?" we'd be asked. Folks were shocked when we said no. Truth was, we had no need to go there.

But the dumbfounded questions kept coming, so about a month into our stay, I decided to find this bountiful harvest while out on a run.

It was so disappointing.

For those from out of the area, Bishops Corner is really nothing more than a congested intersection with four shopping plazas. Several storefronts are empty, and the rest are mostly reserved for grocery stores (there are, what 4 different grocery stores in BC?), McDonald's, a Staples, Marshalls, and other smaller establishments. Absolutely nothing life changing.

But, truth be told, the Professor and I have taken to visiting Bishops Corner here and there. We get out pet supplies at the aptly named Pet Supplies Plus, most of our groceries at Waldbaum's.

Which leads me to the story in yesterday's Hartford Courant concerning the Whole Foods in old BC. According to a federal antitrust settlement, it must be closed or sold: 

The store, one of two Whole Foods locations in West Hartford, had been a Wild Oats store until Whole Foods Market Inc. bought Wild Oats Markets Inc. in 2007. It is one of 13 stores — 12 former Wild Oats locations and one that was a Whole Foods before the merger — that Whole Foods must sell within six months under the company's settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.

After reading the full article, this ruling makes sense. I already thought it was pretty ridiculous for the town to have TWO Whole Foods, but if the Bishops Corner store ends up empty or sold to a company that leaves a vacant lot, the area is going to end up looking like a ghost town. 

Or . . . this finally gives me the opportunity to open my long dreamt of (insert silly idea here)!