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Barnum Museum Closed For Now: Merman Safe

Monday, July 19th, 2010

It was an event worthy of hoopla and ballyhoo: a rare tornado, sweeping through Bridgeport, Connecticut, on June 24. No one died (and so there will probably be no evocative monument to it) but the storm did major damage to a number of downtown buildings — including the P.T. Barnum Museum. And the P.T. Barnum [...]

Connecticut Popsicle Castle Goes for Record

Wednesday, December 30th, 2009

For the past year-and-a-half, Stephen Guman of Naugatuck, Connecticut, has been building a castle out of 396,000 popsicle sticks. His goal, according to the Waterbury Republican-American, was to wrest the Guinness World Record away from the current wooden champion, made of 370,000 popsicle sticks. While Stephen awaits the Guinness decision, his castle will be on [...]

Artiste a Poor Conductor of Railroad Art

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

Plans for a massive train-themed sculpture by spectacle-loving fine artist Jeff Koons may soon be scrapped due to a lack of funding. The $25 million project was originally scheduled for the 2011-2012 season at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. A 70-foot-long replica of a real Baldwin locomotive was to be suspended from a [...]

Wild Bill: Collector’s Inner Sanctum

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

In a far corner of Wild Bill’s Nostalgia Center, if you can squeeze your way past his collection of 500 hand-painted Lithuanian trolls, and his case of giant trilobites from Morocco, you might be able to wedge open the door into his office.  “Be careful,” Bill cautioned as we entered.  “It’s kinda packed.” Bill’s office [...]

Lobster Snaps

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

There’s no doubt that visiting a classic lobster shack is one of the true delights of summer. Tie on a plastic bib and let the melted butter run down your wrists; sit on a quaint, weathered, splintery picnic bench as you struggle with your miniature King Neptune fork, determined to get the last bit of meat out of a once-flailing creature. Or get a lobster roll, it’s easier.

Nature Calls: Talking Trees

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

In these ecologically sensitive times, maybe we all should start listening to the trees. Unfortunately, real trees have a hard time communicating clearly with their limited vocabulary and poor diction.

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