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CTMQ > Closed/Gone/Former

The World’s Largest Wacky Wobbler (Gone)

August 2, 2009 by Steve Leave a Comment

It's a Giant Head. It Wobbles. Wild Bill's Nostalgia Center, Middletown Wild Bill's closed in 2018. I don't get it. But this is apparently a big deal to a certain segment of our society. I'll admit I find the World's Largest Jack-in-the-Box really, really cool - and that's also here, at Wild Bill's wacky … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Everything Else, Houses, Communities, Libraries, & Businesses, Superlatives Tagged With: Closed/Gone/Former, Largests Longests Mosts Smallests and Tallests, Middletown, Other Companies and Businesses

Wild Bill’s Nostalgia Center (Closed)

July 29, 2009 by Steve 1 Comment

As They Say: "Home of Strange Things" Middletown January 2, 2009 & February 20, 2016 Wild Bill's Closed in 2018 I figured a revisit to Wild Bill’s was in order, so that’s just what I did with both of my sons in early 2016. I'm writing this quick post because if I don't, someone will surely say, "Hey man, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Everything Else, Houses, Communities, Libraries, & Businesses Tagged With: Calvin, Closed/Gone/Former, Damian, Giant Goofy Things, Middletown, Other Companies and Businesses

James Gallery & Soda Fountain (RIP)

July 28, 2009 by Steve 1 Comment

Lafayette, Katherine Hepburn... And Me Old Saybrook, July 25, 2009 2018 Update: The building still exists, the history still exists, the new owners have converted this place to a B&B and honor the history, but... it's no longer the James Gallery & Soda Fountain, so... RIP. I first became aware of this little … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Everything Else, Houses, Communities, Libraries, & Businesses Tagged With: Closed/Gone/Former, Old Saybrook, Other Companies and Businesses

Hiking Boots (Jan. 1997- Dec. 2008)

July 14, 2009 by Steve 1 Comment

Sniff. I bought these boots for my Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 1997. They were the first generation Asolo boots with Gore-Tex and were the lightest on the market at the time. In fact, I broke them in for my hike by playing basketball in them for a few months. They were wonderful - until the tread wore out. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles Tagged With: Blog, Closed/Gone/Former

*Pancakes at Gail’s… Sort of

June 18, 2009 by Steve 2 Comments

Pattycake Pattycake, Baker Steve Gail's on the Common, Ridgefield My Kitchen 2016 Update: This seems like a wholly unnecessary "update," but here goes. As you'll read, Gail's on the Common was closed before the book that contained the list I completed was published. The owner kept a sister restaurant (which had … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Best, Unique, & Historic Restaurants & Foods, Food & Drink Tagged With: Closed/Gone/Former, Damian, Ridgefield, Roadfood's Eat Before You Die

Sanctuary of Love (Gone)

March 1, 2009 by Steve 1 Comment

Baptism by Bathtub Sanctuary of Love, Norwich November 14, 2008 Unfortunately I was a little late to this odd attraction. I'm still writing about it because it still exists (in 2008) to a large degree and because, well, because it's still a Connecticut curiosity. After the Hell Hollow area in Voluntown … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Everything Else, Religion, Cemeteries, Monuments, Statuary, Greens, & Outdoor Sculpture & Art Tagged With: Closed/Gone/Former, Norwich, Public/Outdoor Art, Religulous

Haight-Brown Vineyard (Closed)

February 7, 2009 by Steve 4 Comments

Haight-Asbury had LSD, Haight-Brown has Wine Haight-Brown Vineyards, Litchfield November 2, 2008 The winery, Connecticut's first, closed in August 2023. Our fourth wine tour stop in one day - not a particularly impressive feat, if not for the fact that we had our little Damian with us. This would be our last … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food & Drink, Wineries Tagged With: Closed/Gone/Former, Hoang, Litchfield

DiGrazia Vineyards (Closed)

December 6, 2008 by Steve Leave a Comment

Grazie mille! DiGrazia Vineyards, Brookfield November 2008 DiGrazia closed in March of 2022. Our day of visiting four western wineries was still going along swimmingly. We had to knock out four of them on this day, as we “had” to visit the required 14 to fulfill the Passport Program to be prize-eligible. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food & Drink, Wineries Tagged With: Brookfield, Closed/Gone/Former, Hoang

McLaughlin Vineyards (Closed)

November 30, 2008 by Steve Leave a Comment

"Next issue... Wine! Mort! Pat! Eleanor!" McLaughlin Vineyards, Newtown November 2, 2008 While editing my winery pages, it came to my attention that this place closed in 2016. Yelp reviews towards the end were not kind. Our 2008 visit wasn't too bad, but we were young and naive. I'm writing this on the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food & Drink, Wineries Tagged With: Closed/Gone/Former, Hoang, Newtown

Cottrell Brewing Company

November 20, 2008 by Steve 6 Comments

Happy Birthday to Me! Cottrell Brewing Company, Stonington November 14, 2008 Cottrell closed its doors at the end of January 2022 after a long, long run. This page is really, really old. After having visited the very-close-to-home Hooker Brewing Company in Bloomfield, I was happy to find another of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breweries, Food & Drink Tagged With: Closed/Gone/Former, Cottrell Brewing, Stonington

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