New Mount Vernon enterprise barrel of fun

William M. Dowd photos

MOUNT VERNON, VA -- As the white-gloved volunteers carefully doled out tiny pours of the surprisingly golden liquid into tiny plastic cups, the tall, white-haired man regally strolled the ground accepting congratulations and handing out compliments to his staff.

Not just another spring afternoon at Mount Vernon, especially not with the presence of the Father of Our Country, in the costumed person of William Sommerfield, and his distiller James Anderson, played by a very convincing Terry Burgler who had the surreal experience of chatting with "his" own great-great-great-great-great nephew who was paying a visit.

"I can't believe how tall the family has become over the generations," Burgler remarked to me with a grin. "It must be something in the water -- or in what we do with the water."

This particular day was the one on which George Washington's rebuilt whiskey distillery was to be opened, receive its special sales license from the Commonwealth of Virginia, and receive visitors of all sorts, from media to politicians to volunteers and neighbors.

Perhaps most important were the costumed master distillers from whiskeymaking operations throughout Kentucky and Tennessee who have been working together for several years to get the historic operation up and running after an absence of 193 years following a fire that burned it to the ground.

Washington is commonly known as "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen." Most people don't know he also was among the first successful commercial distillers in the colonies and then the new nation.

Washington's 22,250-square-foot facility located next to his four-story stone gristmill, which itself opened to the public in 2002, three miles from the main mansion house was huge by the standards of his day. He and Anderson, a Scottish immigrant, oversaw a distilling operation that turned out nearly 11,000 gallons of rye whiskey a year compared to the average output of 650 gallons from other Virginia distilleries.

The distillery, which housed five copper pot stills that were used year-round, began operation in February 1797 and Anderson and his son, aided by six slaves, continued its work after Washington's death in December 1799 and Martha Washington's death in 1802. Washington's nephew, Lawrence Lewis, inherited the distillery and the Andersons moved away. The last recorded distillations were in 1808.

The project was largely underwritten by the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS) and its member companies, with the support of the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America, to the tune of $2.1 million.

Some whiskey had been produced before the distillery reconstruction was completed, and that was what was being doled out that day. My tasting notes on the small samples showed some pleasant surprises.

"Remarkable color for something only in the wood for a year. ... Obviously, the maturation process had been sped up by using small, 10-gallon casks which surround the raw whisley with very accessible oak. ... Fine nose, promising spciness and herbal nuances. ... Much of the expected initial heat usually present in young whiskey was missing, leaving a warm yet palatable initial taste, along with the expected spice from the rye grain, and a satisfactory finish. ... All in all, a definitely promising young whiskey that I'd love to re-taste a year or two from now."

Virginia usually allows only stores operated by its Alcohol Beverage Control to sell distilled spirits. State Sen. Linda T. "Toddy" Puller, original sponsor of the bill that had to be passed to license Mount Vernon to sell its whiskey, was among the guests at the grand opening.

"I'm pleased to play a role in revitalizing a piece of Washington's legacy. We recognize the importance of keeping Washington's spirit alive -- in all respects," she said.

Washington's neighbors in nearby Alexandria, now a suburb of Washington, DC, were interested in his spirit and spirits as well. Much of what he and Anderson distilled was sold in Alexandria stores, particularly George Gilpin's general store. What was peddled in those days wasn't moonshine because it was a decent quality spirit -- 60% rye, 35% corn, 5% malted barley, but it was generally unaged and, therefore, colorless.

The Mount Vernon operation also turned out apple, peach and persimmon brandies, vinegar and some specialty whiskies such as a "rectified" style that was filtered to remove impurities, and a cinnamon-flavored style. The common whiskey cost 50 cents a gallon, the rectified and extra-distilled about $1 a gallon, and brandy $1 and up.

Whether the rebuilt distillery will turn out more than the basic rye whiskey will be known as the project matures. It is a completely functioning distillery, probably the only one in the world using an authentic 18th-century process, housed in a three-story brick, stone and wood structure with one floor devoted to an embryonic whiskey museum.

Everything has gotten off to a flying start on the manufacturing end, thanks to the efforts of master distillers and blenders Jerry Dalton (Jim Beam), Jimmy Russell (Wild Turkey), Chris Morris (Woodford Reserve), John Lunn (George Dickel), Gerald Webb (Diageo North America), David Pickerell (Maker's Mark), Ken Pierce (Barton Brands) and Joe Dangler (Virginia Gentleman).

While they've gone back to their real-life jobs, costumed distillers will be working at Mount Vernon each day April through October. Small bottles of Washington's whiskey will go on sale on premises, probably in mid-summer.

(ABOVE: Clear whiskey distillate runs from a collector barrel to a wooden chute leading to storage casks in the basement of the distillery.)

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ON THE WEB
• George Washington's Distillery & Gristmill
• Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S.
• American Whiskey Trail

Chavez vs. the spirits

If you're visiting Venezuela between now and Monday, April 9, don't expect to find it easy to get a cooling gin and tonic or cachaça in the afternoon.

President Hugo Chavez has banned the public sale of such beverages before 5 p.m. until after Easter Sunday, supposedly to reduce road deaths caused by drinking and operating vehicles in the traditionally heavy Easter week traffic.

There may be something to the safety idea. Venezuelans are known as two-fisted spirits drinkers, and in 2006 ranked seventh in the world in the importation of Scotch whisky, according to the Scotch Whisky Association.

Not that imbibing has halted in the capital city of Caracas. The Reuters news service notes "It is almost as easy as ever to get a drink in Caracas, although bartenders have to be careful. In restaurants, beer or whiskey bottles are removed from tables, and some even serve wine in coffee cups."

Chavez, whose "reform" moves usually have an anti-United States angle, says whiskey drinking is an affectation of the U.S. He already had cracked down on the illegal but popular practice of selling beer and rum from trucks in public and drinking on the streets.

ON THE WEB
• CIA Worlds Factbook: Argentina
• Think Venezuela: The Tourism Directory

TAP New York is ... on tap

New York's longest-running beer and food event will mark its 10th anniversary later this month.

The annual TAP New York extravaganza, sponsored by the Hudson Valley Beer and Food Festival, is scheduled for the weekend of April 28-29 in the base lodge at Hunter Mountain in the Catskill Mountains.

Although the organizers stress this is a food and beer event, the craft brewers bringing in their beers to compete for the Matthew Vassar Cup and the F.X. Matt Memorial Cup are the main drawing card.

The list of confirmed brewery participants (LI denotes Long Island):

• Black Forest Brew Haus & Restaurant, Farmingdale, LI
• Blue Point Brewing Co., Patchogue, LI
• Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown
• Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn
• Brown's Brewing Co., Troy
• Butternuts Beer & Ale Co., Garrattsville
• Chatham Brewing Co., Chatham
• Cooperstown Brewing Co., Cooperstown
• The Defiant Brewery, Pearl River
• Gilded Otter, New Paltz
• Great Adirondack Brewing, Lake Placid
• John Harvard's Brew House, Lake Grove, LI
• Heartland Brewery, Manhattan
• High Point Wheat Beer Co., Butler, NJ
• Ithaca Beer Co., Ithaca
• Keegan Ales, Kingston
• Kelso of Brooklyn
• Roosterfish Brewing Co., Watkins Glen
• Saranac/Matt Brewing Co., Utica
• Six Point Brewery, Brooklyn
• Southampton Publick House, Southampton
• Southern Tier Brewing, Lakewood
• Unibroue, Chambly, Quebec

The event began in 1997 as the Hudson Valley Beer and Food Festival, originally hosted at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. As it outgrew that venue, it was moved in 1999 to Hunter Mountain.

The food theme this year will be the best of the past decade.

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ON THE WEB
• Town of Hunter
• Guide to the Catskill Mountains

Read all about it! (for a price)

William M. Dowd photo

LEDYARD, CT -- As she flipped through the "complimentary" copy of The Providence Journal left at the door of our guest room at the Foxwoods Resort & Casino, my wife shared with me what she considered the hottest story in the newspaper.

"Look at that sticker," she said, pointing to a square piece of paper attached to the front of the third section. "I thought this paper was supposed to be complimentary for guests."

The note informed us, "A copy of the Providence Journal is included with your stay. If you do not wish to receive the newspaper, please contact the front desk for a $.13 refund daily, or a $.50 refund on Sunday."

Regretably, this is a legitimate gimmick, although a cheesey one. It does nothing to benefit the consumer who is placed in the position of first ascertaining that he or she is being unexpectedly charged for something then having to take action to change the situation or end up footing the bill, small though it is.

Under the industry's Audit Bureau of Circulations rules, newspapers can sell bulk batches of their product at half-price and still count them as individually full-paid circulation.

What this boils down to, dear traveler, is that this 50-cent newspaper actually went for only a quarter to the Indian casino hotel, and it passed along more than 50% of its discounted price to its guests. Human nature being what it is, they no doubt figured, correctly, that few people would ever ask for their 13 cents back. So, it was a great deal for the newspaper and the resort.

Just a tip for one more thing to keep an eye on during your travels.

Soft drink freebies for summer

Forget the recent reports on soft drinks' contributions to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. It's summer!

The Magic Springs amusement park in Hot Springs, AR, has announced that visitors will be able to drink all the soft drinks they want at the park for free this summer.

As a nod to good health, they'll also be offered free sunscreen creams and free use of riding tubes in the Crystal Falls waterpark.

ON THE WEB
• Arkansas amusement parks, theme parks, waterparks and zoos
• U.S. amusement parks

NY dairy develops wine ice creams

U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton says her favorite ice cream is made by a central New York dairy named Mercer's.

With all the ice creams made in the state she represents, I've always wondered why Mercer's. Now I have an idea. The Boonville company has come up with wine-flavored ice creams.

It took two years of experimentation, but Mercer's Dairy has created Ala Port Wine, Peachy White Zinfandel and Red Raspberry Chardonnay ice cream flavors. Cool stuff, and already being purchased by trendy New York City restaurants.

This ice cream, by the way, is not kid stuff. It has an alcohol content of 5% and will not be sold to minors.

Mercer's, which makes about 40 other flavors, purchases a lot of its milk from various New York state prisons that maintain dairy herds.

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ON THE WEB
• Village of Boonville
• Oneida County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Newest NY Indian casino set to debut

The Seneca Allegany Casino, located in the western New York city of Salamanca, will hold its official grand opening at noon Friday, March 30.

That's just 18 months after the groundbreaking for the $160 million project that includes a 212-room resort hotel with three new restaurants, a spa and salon, indoor swimming pool and a 68,300-square-foot casino housing 40 table games and 2,235 slot machines. It success the Seneca Allegany Casino which opened as a temporary facility on May 1, 2004.

Officially, the facility is located on the Seneca Nation of Indians' Allegany Territory in the city of Salamanca. The 6,100-resident city is the only one in the United States built entirely on an Indian reservation. It once was an important railroad center, serving as the junction for four railroads -- the Erie, Atlantic & Great Wester, the Pennsylvania, the Rochester & Pittsburgh, and the Buffalo.

"This is one of the most significant developments in this region since railroad engines first rolled into Salamanca," said Brian Hansberry, president and CEO of the Seneca Gaming Corp.

The Seneca Nation of Indians, through its wholly-owned Seneca Gaming Corp., also operates the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel in Niagara Falls, NY.

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ON THE WEB
• The Seneca Nation of Indians
• City of Salamanca
• Allegany State Paerk
• Western New York Railroad Archive
• Western New York Travel Guide

Myanmar winery a drop in the tourist bucket

It once was Burma. Now it is Myanmar.

It once had no vineyards. Now it has one.

The southeast Asian nation's first such enterprise, started by a German entrepreneur in 2004, now is producing reds, whites and roses at the Aythaya estate. That in itself is news since foreign investment in the military-governed nation is rare. And, when such an enterprise takes hold and even has the potential to lure tourists, even a mere handful, it is even bigger news.

Bert Morsbach, interviewed by the Associated Press, said, "Had I not been convinced that we can make a quality wine up in our mountains, I would not have started the project. ... That was a gamble, I must admit, but so far the government has been very cooperative and it looks as if this is going to stay that way."

Morsbach imported vines from France, Germany and Italy and planted them in the hills, seen above, above Inle Lake of in eastern Myanmar. He and chief winemaker Hans Leiendecker say growing conditions on their 23.5-acre vineyard are excellent, with the limestone soil similar to that of Tuscany and southern France and a climate similar to California's wine country.

"A huge asset in our favor: 150 days of sunshine," Morsbach said.

Their wines have been getting positive reviews, the best of them for a rose made from the Italian Moscato grape, which is the winery's top seller.

Production was a mere 20,000 bottles as recently as 2004, most of which have been snapped up by tourists as a curiosity, but has been ramped up to 100,000 bottles this year. Additional grapes will be grown by contract farmers.

Morsbach, 69, who plans to retire in Myanmar, said he and some investors have put $1.5 million into the project, are expanding tourist facilities at the winery which already includes five guest rooms, a restaurant and swimming pool, and have rebuilt an abandoned Buddhist orphanage adjacent to the vineyard and are supporting more than 80 orphans there.

ON THE WEB
• CIA World Factbook: Myanmar
• An Introduction to Myanmar
• Official Government Web Site

Milwaukee moves a piece of history

Perhaps no other American city is as closely linked to beer as Milwaukee.

Thus, even though it no longer is used to produce the white beer for which it once was known, when the city's oldest surviving brewery building gets re-located, it's news.

The 1853 Gipfel Union Brewery building, which was part of the city's old Brewery Row but ceased turning out beer in the 1890s, was relocated this week to a site one block away. The brick structure will be renovated as a restaurant in a new condominium development.

In 1998, the city blocked the owner's plans to demolish the landmarked building. The move was financed by a grant from the Wisconsin Historical Society and two developers, the Bradley Center Sports & Entertainment Corp., which has owned the building since 1999, and Ruvin Development, which will incorporate the landmark into its new $160 million retail-office complex.

"(Moving the Gipfel) actually did a better job of approximating its historical context than it was sitting in the parking lot surrounded by the Bradley Center," says Matt Jarosz, former chairman of preservation commission and director of the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee's historic preservation program. "Only a block and a half away — that seemed as sensitive a move as one can think of. This is an important icon in the brewing capital of the country, so it seemed like a reasonable request."

ON THE WEB
• Visit Milwaukee
• Beer Capital of the World
• Milwaukee Beer Festival
• Museum of Beer & Brewing

Taking the tour de burger

Alan Richman is a well-traveled food writer and essayist. He estimates he traveled 23,750 miles and consumed more than 150,000 calories while taking the measure of 162 burgers across the country so he could come up with a list for GQ magazine of the 20 best burgers in America.

Of course, such lists are great for conversation starters but they're fraught with fraught. In a nation of 230 million people, it's likely there will be at least 220 million different lists. I discount 10 million people right off the bat to account for vegetarians,, infants and ne'er-do-wells. Plus, Richman often stirs a lot of criticism, most recently for his comments about New Orleans cuisine.

Nevertheless, Richman is an amusing guy who doesn't stint on his research. So, here's his list. You may want to print it out to keep on hand during your travels:

(1.) Sirloin Burger, Le Tub, Hollywood, FL.
(2.) Luger Burger, Peter Luger Steak House, Brooklyn, NY.
(3.) Not Just a Burger, Spiced Pear Restaurant at the Chanler Hotel, Newport, RI.
(4.) Rouge Burger, Rouge, Philadelphia, PA.
(5.) Kobe Sliders, Barclay Prime, Philadelphia, PA.

The others:

(6.) California Burger, Houston's, Santa Monica, CA.
(7.) Buckhorn Burger, Buckhorn, San Antonio, NM.
(8.) Hamburger, Miller's Bar, Dearborn, MI.
(9.) Cheeseburger, Burger Joint at Le Parker Meridien Hotel, New York, NY.
(10.) Number Five, Keller's Drive-in, Dallas, TX.
(11.) Grilled Bistro Burger, Bistro Don Giovanni, Napa, CA.
(12.) Hamburger, Bobcat Bite, Sante Fe, NM.
(13.) Cheeseburger, White Manna, Hackensack, NJ.
(14.) Hamburger, J.G. Melon, New York, NY.
(15.) Build Your Own Burger, The Counter, Santa Monica, CA.
(16.) Hamburger & Fries, Burger Joint, San Francisco, CA.
(17.) Double Bacon Deluxe with Cheese, Red Mill Burgers, Seattle, WA.
(18.) Hamburger, Poag Mahone's Carvery and Ale House, Chicago, IL.
(19.) Our Famous Burger, Sidetrack Bar & Grill, Ypsilanti, MI.
(20.) Hamburger Sandwich, Louis' Lunch, New Haven, CT.

Flying Dog adds to its litter

One of the great things about a craft brewery is that you can fool around with lots of experiments and not worry about disrupting a gigantic manufacturing operation.

Take the Flying Dog Brewery in Denver. The city's largest craft brewer -- and Colorado's second largest -- is set to release a new beer aged in whiskey barrels and packaged in 750ml champagne bottles.

It's called Gonzo Imperial Porter, the latest addition to the brewery's "Wild Dog Series."

After brewing, this porter was put into charred white American oak barrels from the neighboring Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey distillery, and aged for three months. It then was hand bottled, corked, labeled and conditioned for another six weeks before being shipped.

The taste? Says Matt Brophy, the head brewer, it will "remind you of sweet chocolate, dry oak and smooth whiskey. The barrel's distinctive characteristics will compliment the Imperial Porter's already robust, full-bodied flavor."

The Brewery is located at 2401 Blake Street, two blocks north of the baseball stadium. Tours are given weekdays at 4 p.m. and Saturdays at 1 and 3 p.m. Hunter S. Thompson, the infamous gonzo journalist, had a hand in the brewery's development, and the beers are easily spotted thanks to gonzo artist Ralph Steadman, the packaging designer.

Only 5,000 bottles of the whiskey barrel-aged brew will be packaged. Of those, Flying Dog also is offering 500 Limited Edition Wild Dog gift box sets. Each will contain a 750ml bottle of the brew, a Wild Dog glass, collector's button and an authentic piece of the wood barrel used in the aging process.

"The wood will still hold the great aromas from the whiskey and beer that aged in it," said Neal Stewart, Flying Dog's marketing director.

Flying Dog's "litter of ales" includes nine everyday brands and four seasonals. The Wild Dog Series started in 2004 with the release of a Double Pale Ale then continued with a Weisenbock in 2005 and last year's Colorado Saison. The brewery is planning to release another Wild Dog this coming October. The line is available in 45 states.

ON THE WEB
• Wynkoop: Denver's First Brew Pub
• Denver Breweries and Brew Pubs
• Denver Tourism Guide

The Battle for Coney Island

Not everyone may agree that New York's historic Coney Island is in danger of being relegated to the scrap heap of history, but there are enough to battle an impending deal with a developer.

O.L. Robau, a Brooklyn, NY, resident who identifies himself as a "New York Real Estate Broker/Filmmaker," has a blog called "Kinetic Carnival" that is devoted to "musings, past and current events as well as the future that is the legendary Coney Island."

Robau and others are frightened by the ongoing plans of Thor Equities, a company that has spent nearly $100 million buying up a huge chunk of Coney Island from various owners en route to converting the iconical old amusement park and beach part of Brooklyn into a a glittering resort. Something New York magazine back in 2005 headlined "The Incredibly Bold, Audaciously Cheesy, Jaw-Droppingly Vegasified, Billion-Dollar Glam-Rock Makeover of Coney Island."

Kinetic Carnival is mounting a petition drive to oppose Thor's plans. There also is a My Space site, complete with raucous, annoying background music, working to "save" Coney Island, a legendary place that has been a drawing card for young and old, and mostly middle- and lower-income, visitors since the 1860s.

While the forces of Good and Evil -- you take your pick over which sides wear which labels -- are waging war, you still can see what remains of the old Coney Island and its neighborhood. With spring not far away, we're nearing the area's most magical time of the year and its historic boardwalk, beaches and bistros attract visitors and locals alike.

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ON THE WEB
• Welcome to Coney Island.com
• Astroland Amusement Park
• The American Experience: Coney Island
• Joyrides
• New York Aquarium
• Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk
• Coney Island History

French high-speed rail line expanding

While the idea of high-speed rail service remains an elusive thing in the U.S., other nations continue to pull away by creating or expanding such services.

In France, for example, the new Eastern-European TGV line is set for completion and implementation by June 10.

The new high-speed train, expected to hit an averaage speed of 200 mph, will whisk passengers between Strasbourg, in the French province of Alsace, and the tiny country of Luxembourg to the northwest in less than 2 1/2 hours.

If you're planning on traveling in that area this year -- and I highly recommend the historic and picturesque slice of Europe, TGV is offering deep ticket discounts via its Web site for the summer months, with tickets going on sale April 10.

TGV, in operation for 25 years, links numerous French cities at average speeds of 186 mph. It is regarded as the cornerstone of the European high-speed rail network connecting France to London, Brussels, Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich, Torino, Milan, and more.



ON THE WEB
• Luxembourg Profile & History
• Strasbourg Tourist Office
• How to Travel in Europe by Rail

Hong Kong home for first Heineken airport bar

Heineken International is creating a chain of branded bars in airports worldwide.

The Dutch brewer debuted its beer bar in the Hong Kong International Airport, complete with Heineken-branded equipment, T-shirts and consumables. Its own beer is the only one available on tap, but it will sell bottled versions of other brands.

According to several industry research reports, beer is the No. 2 most popular drink in airports, behind only coffee.

Erik van de Ven, manager Duty Free & Travel Retail Heineken International, commented: “In a highly cosmopolitan environment like a major airport, there are clear commercial benefits to using the only truly international premium beer brand, Heineken, as the unique attraction for travellers. Experience demonstrates that branded bars in local markets attract more consumers and are substantially more profitable than unbranded bars. In an airport environment we expect even better results.”

The first Heineken Bar has a seating capacity of 70. It sells a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and snacks. The bar also broadcasts Heineken-sponsored international sport, film and music events.

ON THE WEB
• Discover Hong Kong
• CIA World Factbook
• Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in the U.S.

Cancun erosion on the move

Erosion in the aftermath of last year's Hurricane Wilma is endangering parts of the resort of Cancún, Mexico.

"Erosion has shrunk its beaches to the point that waves at high tide lap against the verandas of some of the newly renovated hotels," reported The Guardian of London.

"After Wilma, the Mexican government spent $19 million to dredge the ocean floor and rebuild eight miles of beach with 2.7 million cubic meters of sand. After the dredging was completed last spring, the beaches were nearly double their pre-hurricane size and tourists returned in droves. Just a year later, the beaches have shrunk again, to less than 20 metres (65 feet) at mid-tide in the tourist zone, and swimmers are forced to clamber down meter-high ledges of sand to reach the water."

An artificial reef off the coast is being planned to help contain the sand. In the meantime, however, sections of the beaches are lined with sandbags.

ON THE WEB
• All About Cancun
• Travel Yucatan
• Advantage Mexico

Idaho gets its first formal wine region

Click on maps to enlarge

Wine historians will circle April 9 on their calendars. That's the day Idaho gets its first American Viticultural Area, or AVA.

The U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau has designated Idaho's Snake River Valley as an AVA. That distinction brands the southern portion of the state, extending along the Snake River east to west from the Twin Falls area into Oregon as the 236th AVA in the nation.

"There's a lot of different soil types, there's different micro climates and a lot of opportunities for growing a lot of different types of grapes," said Brad Pintler, president of the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission, and general manager of Sawtooth Winery.

"This AVA is over 5.3 million acres and right now we have a little under 2,000 planted, so there's a lot of valleys that have a huge amount of potential and I think we will see a lot of new investors and a lot of new wineries," he added.

ON THE WEB
• Guide to America's Wine Trails
• Idaho Wine Country
• Idaho Tourist Attractions
• Idaho Travel & Tourism Guide
• Experience North Idaho
• Visit South Central Idaho
• Southwestern Idaho Tourism
• Boise Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Idaho State University
• University of Idaho
• Boise State University
• Lewis-Clark State College

Giant-burger-record entry hits 123 lbs.

The latest excessive entry in the ongoing battle to hold the title of World's Largest Hamburger comes this time from central Pennyslvania.

Denny's Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield last weekend cooked up a 123-pound burger, which would be 18 pounds bigger than the current holder of the Guinness Book of World Records entry.

The sandwich, called the "Beer Barrel Main Event Charity Burger," sells for $379. It consists of 80 pounds of ground beef, 160 slices of cheese and a 30-pound bun. It's shown here with its creators, the Leigey family.

Denny's is known for generous servings -- 23-ounce beers, multi-pound Alaskan crab leg dinners and so on, so the burger seems like a natural result.

ON THE WEB
• Clearfield Profile
• Hotel/Motel Guide
• Lock Haven University (Clearfield campus)
• GANT Daily (online news service)
• Clearfield Progress (newspaper)

NY may get a second wine center

A scene at the Benmarl vineyards in Marlboro, part of the Shawangunk Wine Trail in the Hudson Valley, north of New York City.

When the New York Wine & Culinary Center opened on the shore of Canandaigua Lake last summer, it was to mixed emotions.

Most people in the Finger Lakes area were happy the tourism and educational facility was there, promoted as a "gateway" to New York's wine country.

Some people in other parts of the state pointed out that a rural, western New York "gateway" might have been a bit misleading, considering how many wineries are located north of New York City in the Hudson Valley and east of the city on Long Island.

Now, some of that irritation may be soothed with word that the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, headquarted in the Canandaigua facility, has received a $44,500 Empire State Development Grant to explore the feasibility of building a similar wine and culinary center in the Hudson Valley although “I don’t think it would be as elaborate as the one here,” said Jim Trezise, Wine & Grape Foundation president.

Phyllis Feder, co-owner of Clinton Vineyards in Dutchess County with husband Ben (both shown here), is head of the steering committee for the project. She says that once a firm is contracted, the study should be completed in about 90 days.

“It is a project that holds great potential, especially since we are so close to the New York City market,” she said.

The working title of the project is the Hudson River Valley Wine & Culinary Center.

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ON THE WEB
• Dutchess Wine Trail
• Shawangunk Wine Trail
• Hamptons Wineries
• North Fork Wine Trail

Casinos aplenty without the Catskills

Grand Pequot Tower lobby at Foxwoods in Ledyard, CT.

Every so often, the question of casino gambling in the Catskill Mountains pops up, as it has done once again.

The Catskills were the "Borscht Belt" of show business and resorts in the post-World War II era when whole families, predominantly Jewish but by no means exclusively so, headed out of New York City and environs to escape the summer heat by spending time in one of the numersous resorts that dotted the mountains just northwest of the metropolis.

Kutscher's, Grossinger's, Brown's .... the names went on an on. Many show biz stars such as Jerry Lewis, Buddy Hackett, Shelly Berman and others made their marks there as seasonal entertainers. But, as these things do, the era eventually faded and one by one the great resorts closed down, fell into disrepair and most were sold off to would-be developers.

The Catskills never have rebounded except for a few ski centers such as Windham, named for the village that is home to it. But the idea of permitting legal gambling so close to such a major population concentration is a tempting one and plans for an Indian casino have been unveiled and are currently being hotly debated. Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynne, a native of Upstate New York, has even stuck his toe in the water.

New York City residents aren't exactly hurting for casino gambling venues, however. Not with Atlantic City, NJ, so close and some huge Indian casinos in nearby Connecticut. The next largest population center that would be a natural customer for a Catskills casino would be the state capital area of Albany, Troy, Schenectady and Saratoga Springs an hour or so north.

But that area also is anything but bereft of gambling venues. There are 20 within an easy 200-mile driving radius, ranging from small "racino" establishments -- raceways that also offer video gaming machines -- to fullfledged resort casinos.

New York has a mix of Indian casinos and racinos. Among its neighboring states, Pennsylvania has the same, New Hampshire and Rhode Island have casino gambling at their greyhound tracks, Massachusetts is home to several casino cruise boats, and two casino resorts in Connecticut that are within the 200-mile driving radius – Foxwoods, already the largest casino in North America, and the sprawling Mohegan Sun -- both are undergoing huge expansion programs.

Only Vermont lacks casino gambling of any sort.

The closest casino venue for Capital Region residents is Saratoga Gaming & Raceway, the refreshed version of a harness racing track founded in 1941 that had long existed in the shadow of the international renowned thoroughbred meeting at the Saratoga Race Course.

Financially, the racino mix obviously is well accepted by the public. Prior to adding video gaming three years ago, the highest total racing purses were $3.1 million dollars, according to track officials. Last year that rose to $12 million, and the handle increased last year to a record $64 million.

The complex, which was the state’s first video gaming venue, is adding room for 431 more video machines, which will bring the total to 1,700 by spring. The new gaming floor area also will include a high limit area with games played in denominations up to $25, and a new 300-seat restaurant and two-tiered nightclub are being added.

Here's a rundown on each of the 20 venues in order of driving distance from downtown Albany. Gaming hours vary, particularly for bingo sessions, so it is advisable to call ahead to check specific hours.

(1.) SARATOGA GAMING & RACEWAY
Crescent Avenue
Saratoga Springs
584-2110
Distance: 34 miles
Gaming: 1,700 video slots when current expansion is complete. Games range from penny to $10 bets. Wagering on harness racing at the pari-mutuel windows.
Notes: Dining ranges from pizza joint to grill to upscale fare in the multi-tiered Fortunes restaurant with a view of the track. As noted, additional facilities are in the works.

(2.) HINSDALE GREYHOUND PARK
688 Brattleboro Road
Hinsdale, N.H.
(603) 336-5382
Distance: 84 miles
Gaming: 10 poker tables, greyhound racing.
Notes: Dining room serves basic dinners plus full lunch menu.

(3.) MONTICELLO GAMING & RACEWAY
204 Route 17B
Monticello
(866) 777-4263
Distance: 103 miles
Gaming: More than 1,500 video machines ranging from penny to $10 slots. Harness racing.
Notes: Commonly known as “The Mighty M.” … Food court and buffet dining. … Live lounge entertainment.

(4.) TURNING STONE CASINO
5218 Patrick Road
Verona
(800) 771-7711
Distance: 114 miles
Gaming: 80 tables, 2,400 machines, bingo, keno lounge.
Notes: This resort complex includes a trio of 18-hole golf courses, 10 restaurants, a spa and lodging ranging from an RV park to a four-diamond lodge, along with live entertainment shows in an 800-seat theater.

(5.) MIRACLE ISLE GAMING RESORT
at Vernon Downs
4229 Stuhlman Road
Vernon
(877) 888-3766
Distance: 115 miles
Gaming: 777 video machines plus pari-mutuel wagering.
Notes: 175-room hotel on premises. Pools, lounge entertainment, fitness center. … Dining ranges from deli to pub restaurant to several buffets.

(6.) EMPIRE CITY
at Yonkers Raceway
810 Yonkers Avenue
Yonkers
(914) 968-4200
Distance: 143 miles
Gaming: More than 4,000 video gaming machines taking bets from a penny to $10. Live harness racing.
Notes: The name comes from the original name of the race track. … Dining includes a buffet, the full-service Lillian Russell Café, with the new 1899 Tavern Steakhouse and a food court opening this spring.

(7.) MOHEGAN SUN
1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard
Uncasville, Conn.
(888) 226-7711
Distance: 157 miles
Gaming: Three gaming venues covering 300,000 square feet, with more under construction. The
Casino of the Earth features more than 3,600 slot machines and 206 gaming tables as well as a fully-enclosed non-smoking room, the Hall of the Lost Tribes, with 600 slots machines plus video poker. The Casino of the Sky has several thousand more slots as well as a dance floor, a lounge and non-smoking gaming areas. The Race Book, which has more than 300 television screens and 222 self-wagering carrels, offers viewing of live horseracing (including Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct) and greyhound racing events as well as professional jai alai
Notes: This already huge complex is being expanded, with phased-in projects scheduled for completion by 2008 (a third casino), 2009 (four more restaurants plus increased retail space) and 2010 (1,000 more guest rooms and an additional spa). Right now, the 11-year-old complex has a 10,000-seat performance arena, a 350-seat cabaret theater, a 300-seat live band performance space, professional sports events (boxing, basketball, bowling, etc.), 30 restaurants and beverage outlets, a 34-story, 1,200-room hotel tower, and 130,000-square-foot
retail shopping area.

(8.) LINCOLN PARK GREYHOUND TRACK
1600 Louisquisset Pike
Lincoln, R.I.
(800) 720-7275
Distance: 158 miles
Gaming: More than 2,000 video slot machines spread over a variety of smoking and non-smoking rooms. Greyhound racing and simulcasting.
Notes: The facility is undergoing a $125 million renovation and expansion project which will include refurbishing of current gaming areas and the addition of two new wings to accommodate an additional gaming area, a feature bar, a 350-seat buffet, several restaurants and a new 2,000 seat multipurpose room for live entertainment. … Current facilities include an Irish pub restaurant and a Catch A Rising Star comedy club.

(9.) FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO
39 Norwich-Westerly Road
Ledyard, Conn.
(800) 369-9663
Distance: 160 miles
Gaming: The largest casino in North America, with a staggering 7,400 slot machines and more than 380 gaming tables. Penny slots up to $100 bets, in six casinos. The newest addition is 300 new penny slots. There also are a race book and what is billed as the world's largest bingo hall.
Notes: The Tree House Arcade is non-gambling venue for kids that even has a flight simulator. … A huge expansion, the MGM Grand at Foxwoods, is scheduled for a spring 2008 completion. Earlier this month, a topping-off ceremony was held when the last steel beam was put in place. … Entertainment is a big component, with major headliners performing in the 1,400-seat Fox Theatre.

(10.) TIOGA DOWNS
2384 West River Road
Nichols
(888) 946-8464
Distance: 170 miles
Gaming: Harness racing and 750 video machines in a newly constructed 90,000 square foot casino.
Notes: Food served in buffet, sports bar and deli spots. … Live lounge entertainment.

(11.) CASINO CRUISES
361 Woodcleft Avenue (The Nautical Mile)
Freeport
(516) 377-7400
Distance: 171 miles
Gaming: Slots and video poker plus blackjack, craps, roulette, Caribbean stud poker, poker tournaments. Call ahead to check on activities.
Notes: You must be 21 to board the Southern Elegance, a 160-footer with a 500-passenger capacity. … Cruise includes a buffet and all non-alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic drinks are extra. … The port is about 35 miles east of Manhattan on the south shore of Long Island.

(12.) THE LODGE AT BELMONT
Route 106
Belmont, N.H.
(877) 872-2501
Distance: 173 miles
Gaming: Poker, greyhound racing on premises, simulcast horse racing. Poker tournaments every Thursday-Sunday.
Notes: A steakhouse, a buffet and Southern-themed blues club-restaurant take care of dining options. … Located six miles north of the New Hampshire International Speedway.

(13.) LEISURE CASINO CRUISES
6 Rowe Square
Gloucester, Mass.
(800) 453-1179
Distance: 179 miles
Gaming: 125 video poker machines, 9 table games. Blackjack, craps, roulette.
Notes: Buffet meal. … Cruise is three miles offshore into international waters. … 450-passenger Vegas Express sails from Elliott's Wharf off Main Street. No one under 21 permitted to board.

(14.) HORIZON’S EDGE CASINO CRUISES
76 Marine Boulevard
Lynn, Mass.
(877) 412-7700
Distance: 180 miles
Gaming: More than 100 video poker machines, 9 table games. Blackjack, craps, roulette.
Notes: Buffet meal. … Cruise is three miles offshore into international waters. … 500-passenger Horizon's Edge sails from marina off Lynnway. No one under 21 permitted to board.

(15.) LAKESIDE ENTERTAINMENT
271 Cayuga Street
Union Springs
Distance: 184 miles
Gaming: 85 electronic bingo seats.
Notes: Located on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake. … Co-owned and operated by the same management as Lakeside Gaming in Seneca Falls.

(16.) LAKESIDE GAMING
2552 State Rt. 89
Seneca Falls
(315) 568-0994
Distance: 186 miles
Gaming: 30 slot machines.
Notes: Co-owned and operated by the same management as Lakeside Entertainment in Union Springs.

(17.) ROCKINGHAM PARK RACE TRACK
Rockingham Park Boulevard
Salem, N.H.
(603) 898-2311
Distance: 188 miles
Gaming: 50 poker tables, plus poker tournaments, bingo, harness racing.
Notes: New England’s oldest horse track, founded in 1906. … Texas Hold 'em tournaments began last September and Rockingham now has the second largest poker room in New England, behind Foxwoods.

(18.) MOHEGAN SUN
at Pocono Downs
1280 Highway 315
Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
(570) 831-2100
Distance: 193 miles
Gaming: 1,100 slot machines, with 300 of them in a no-smoking area of the two-floor facility. Horse racing on Pocono Downs track.
Notes: Five eateries, ranging from deli to full-service. … Affiliated with original Mohegan Sun resort casino in Connecticut.

(19.) NEWPORT GRAND
150 Admiral Kalbfus Road
Newport, R.I.
(401) 849-5000
Distance: 196 miles
Gaming: 1,090 video slots, including line and reel games, poker, keno, & blackjack. Horse and greyhound race simulcasting.
Notes: Live entertainment at Club Royale. … Casual menu in the grill.

(20.) SEABROOK GREYHOUND PARK
319 New Zealand Road, Route 107
Seabrook, N.H.
(603) 474-3065
Distance: 207 miles
Gaming: 40 poker tables, frequent tournaments. Greyhound and simulcast wagering.
Notes: Track-view dining room, bars and refreshment concessions.

The towers of the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.

The Wizard of Abkhazia

I've prided myself since childhood on my knowledge of world geography. Imagine my chagrin, then, when I was perusing the BBC news headlines and thought a Harry Potter location had somehow broken into the Muggles world.

"Breakaway Abkhazia votes in poll," blared the headline.

Azkaban broke away from the world of wizards, I thought for just the briefest of brief moments. Then, just as quickly, I thought "What the hell is wrong with me?"

In the back of my mind I'm just like kids my grandchildren's ages -- and, truth be told, a lot of people my age and the ages of my grown children -- who are anxiously awaiting the final volume of Harry Potter's adventures to be released this summer. But, I really must get a grip and not let the mystical world rule my reality.

As any sane person knows, Azkaban is an eerie place that is located somewhere off the main British Isles, or not, and serves as the location for a high-security wizard prison in all the Harry Potter tales.

Abkhazia, on the other hand, is a region on the Black Sea that has been trying since a brief war in 1990 to secede from the Republic of Georgia. It now has held parliamentarian elections, much to the annoyance of the government of Georgia and the delight of the government of Russia which has been egging the Abkhazianerianites on because it has its own disagreements with Georgia.

Breakaway President Sergei Bagapsh, who seems to possess wizard-like powers since no one has shot him yet, said from the capital city of Sukhumki that elections being held in a state that has both an opposition party and a free press shows it's a self-reliant republic and not under anyone else's thumb.

No country recognizes Abkhazia's claims to independence but Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba, another breakaway official with nine lives, said, "Our objective is to show everyone that we meet modern European standards."

Azkaban, of course, is not looking to break away from anyone. It just wants to avoid breakouts.

ON THE WEB
• CIA World Factbook on Georgia
• World Atlas map and information page
• About Georgia
• A guide to Azkaban

Big Apple's multi-faceted dining news

NEW YORK -- Brian Young, the Chinese-Canadian chef formerly of Le Bernardin and the now-closed Mainland, has been named executive chef of the sprawling icon known as Tavern on the Green (its Chestnut Room is seen here). Young, a native of Vancouver, is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Ecole de Cuisine in Paris.

The Tavern, which serves more than a half-million people a year, is located on the edge of Central Park at West 67th Street in midtown Manhattan.

On a more economical level, the burrito chain Qdoba Mexican Grill has opened a unit at 208 E. 34th St., between Second and Third avenues, its initial foray in the city. The menu includes a wide variety of burritos plus such items as tortilla soup and quesadillas.

On the other other hand, if you're just looking for a good cup of coffee, you're in luck.

McDonald's today began handing out free cups of coffee to anyone who requests one at any location. It's part of the celebratory doings over being judged by Consumer Reports as having the best coffee among fast food chains.

Then next Thursday, Starbucks will offer free 12-ounce cups between 10 a.m. and noon, part of its second annual such promotion. And on Wednesday, March 21, Dunkin' Donuts will celebrate the first day of spring with a free 16-ounce cup of iced coffee all day long.

ON THE WEB
• McDonald's
• Dunkin' Donuts
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Field Museum goes really old school

"The Ancient Americas," a new permanent exhibition at The Field Museum in Chicago, is scheduled to open Friday.

It's a far-reaching project, "an exploration of the challenges that human beings everywhere have faced for millennia."

The exhibition is based on original research by Field Museum scientists and support staff, research the museum officials say "will shatter long-held preconceptions."

The timespan runs from the arrival on the continent of small groups of hunter-gatherers, to the empires of the Aztecs and the Incas that ruled as many as 10 million people.

Among the displays and activities are a recreation of what the Chicago area was like in the Ice Age circa 11,000 B.C., a re-creation of an 800-year-old pueblo dwelling, the earthworks of mound-building peoples, and depictions of the cities of Tenochtitlan and Cuzco, capitals of the Aztec and Inca empires. Interactive maps, dioramas, computer activities and video animation complement the exhibits.

Also included are artifacts from the museum's huge collection, such things as ceramic Peruvian vessels, hundreds of luxury and spiritual items from the Hopewell collection and 200 scarce gold objects left after conquistadors raided Colombia of its treasures.

ON THE WEB
• Museum of Science & Industry
• Chicago Children's Museum
• DuSable Museum of African American History
• Chicago Athaneum
• Chicago Museums List

Spa pampering goes underground in Napa

Imagine being pampered by body oils, massage, aromatherapy, waterfalls and gentle music.

At a resort in the heart of California wine country.

Actually, below the resort.

OK, it's in a cave.

That's Spa Terra, a new spa in an estate wine cave at The Meritage Resort in Napa, scheduled to open April 15. Developers are calling it the world's first such facility.

"We were originally skeptical of the idea of a spa in a cave," said Dan Fitzgerald, a sales and marketing official with parent company Pacific Hospitality Group. "After all, wine country visitors are well aware that caves are generally cool and often damp. Great for aging wine, but not an obvious choice for a massage."

Some of the same properties that make many caves good for aging wine worked in favor of the project.

"I never thought about it until this project came to our attention, but the cave environment is actually incredibly well-suited to spa design and construction for a number of reasons," said David Bury, whose firm specializes in spa design.

"It maintains a constant temperature, which makes it very energy efficient in terms of heating and cooling, it's quiet, and structurally it's incredibly stable. And, perhaps most exciting for us as architects, the client needed us to focus all of our energy on interior design elements -- since the exterior of this project was handled by Mother Nature."

The 9,000 square foot, $7.5 million project features such elements as hand-forged wrought-iron fixtures, water features and extensive custom tile work, including Mediterranean-inspired mosaics, plus an eart-tone color palette.

It includes 10 private treatment rooms, including two designed for couples; separate mens/womens steam saunas and soaking pools with water walls, and a spa menu and wine service.

The Meritage Resort, a Tuscan-inspired facility that opened last July, is located on an eight-acre private vineyard in the Carneros wine region, adjacent Vino Bello Resort.

ON THE WEB
• Napa Valley Wineries
• Napa Valley.com
• Napa Valley Wine Train
• Map of the region's wineries
• Napa Valley Museum
• COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts

Highland fest to open up four distilleries

Left to right, distillers Eric Walker of Glen Ord, Graham Eunson of Glenmorangie, Andrew Scott of Dalmore and John MacDonald of Balblair.

Four distilleries are teaming up for the first Highland Whisky Festival, scheduled for June 2-3 in the Ross-shire area of Scotland.

The participants are Balblair at Edderton, Dalmore at Alness, Glenmorangie at Tain and Glen Ord at Muir of Ord. Each will host a series of “master classes” and work with local business to provide food sampling and coopers’ displays.

Each also will conduct guided tours. In the case of Balblair that's a change of procedure since the distillery usually is not open to the public.

Eric Walker, senior manager with the Glen Ord Group, said at a press conference announcing the project, “As a company, Diageo has a long association with the tourism industry across Scotland. I am delighted that we have been able to build on these links along with our whisky industry colleagues, to support the inaugural Highland Whisky Festival in this way.”

ScotlandWhisky, an industry umbrella group formed in 2003 to encourage tourism in the country, is working with each of the distilleries to prepare the festival. Chris Conway, of ScotlandWhisky, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity to work with four leading Highland distilleries to bring together a prestigious event. It is especially encouraging that these great whisky brands have come together with the common objective to grow whisky tourism in the Highlands outwith the peak tourism season. This co-ordinated approach from distilleries has been highly successful in other areas of Scotland and there is clearly a demand for such events from the consumer.”

ON THE WEB
• Ross-shire Online
• A to Z of Scotch Whisky Information
• Scottish Tourist Board

Chefs challenge looms in Finger Lakes

Top photo by William M. Dowd (who is seen below)

If you plan to be in the Finger Lakes next week, you may want to pop in at the New York Wine & Culinary Center in Canandaigua, just south of Rochester.

There, on Wednesday, March 7, the New York Beef Industry Council is sponsoring a free, public "Iron Chef"-style event whose outcome will be decided by a vote of visitors who get a chance to sample the chefs' work.

The event, called the "Veal Platinum Plate Competition," will result in a $1,000 people's choice award to one of seven competing chefs as well as a $2,000 award for the winner of the professional judges' thumbs-up.

The Wine & Culinary Center, which opened last summer on the shore of Canandaigua Lake at 800 South Main St., is a non-profit center for education concerning New York wines and foods. Details of the event are available by calling (585) 394-7070.

Having cooked in the huge kitchen last August (as seen here) as part of a team preparing the dinner for fellow judges and myself on the eve of the annual New York Wine & Food Classic, I can attest to the excellent facilities afforded the visiting chefs.

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ON THE WEB
• Welcome to the Finger Lakes
• Friends of the Finger Lakes
• Finger Lakes Wine Country

A Massachusetts mill town keeps coming back

The once downtrodden mill town of North Adams, MA, keeps attracting interest as former factory space is repurposed.

The biggest rejuvenation project has been MassMOCA, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (seen above). But small steps are in the works as well. For example, the Berkshire Mountains region is getting another microbrewery in the form of the Cold River Brewing Co.

The facility will only make beer, unlike the nearby Barrington Brewery and Pittsfield Brew Works which also operate restaurants on site. Cold River will produce craft beers, made with 100% barley or wheat malt. Plans call for initial production two days a week during its first year, with a 7,500-barrel output.

Christopher Post, of Becket, MA, and partners Allan Duvall, Chris Cuzme and Alex Hall, all of New York City, submitted the application for a 15-barrel microbrewery to be located in a 4,000-square-foot space once occupied by the Delftree Mushroom Factory's sanitation and packaging facility. Their proposal is scheduled to go before the city planning board on March 12.

Post, a native of the United Kingdom who was an investment banker, became a brewmaster in 2005 and worked at the Chelsea Brewing Co. in Manhattan and the Greenpoint Beer Works in Brooklyn, where Duvall was the brewmaster.

MassMOCA bills itself as "one of the largest cultural institutions in the country" with more than 300,000 square feet of developed space and another 300,000 of "mothballed" space, in 26 buildings on 13 acres. It mounts five exhibitions a year and presents morew than 80 major performing arts events.


North Adams, which was the birthplace of famous suffragette Susan B. Anthony (when the neighborhood in which she was born was called simply Adams), is a hilly city that still boasts stately Greek Revival, Second Empire and Italianate mansions that once were home to wealthy owners of textile mills and shoe factories that boomed during the Civil War. A good example of Second Empire architecture, The Blackinton Mansion, now is the city library.

ON THE WEB
• The Transcript (daily newspaper)
• Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
• The Berkshires
• Sights & Attractions
• Where To Stay

A guide for the solo female traveler

Travel is tricky enough for groups or couples, but for women traveling abroad the problems are multiplied.

There's a new downloadable 16-page guide called "What You Should Know Before Traveling Abroad: Cultural, Health and Safety Advice for Women."

The guide, developed MEDEX Assistance Corp., a provider of emergency and security assistance to travelers, covers such topics as cultural and traditional customs and taboos, the current political and social climate of their destinations, appropriate modes of dress and body language.

"Western norms for women that tend towards gender neutrality are not commonly accepted in some other cultures and, in fact, can be the root of misunderstanding, harassment and even physical threats," said Somaia Abdelrahim, MEDEX's senior client relations manager.

Virginia gets new natural history museum

Sometimes what goes on behind the scenes at museums is as interesting as what the public sees.

Workmen have been laboring to complete the exhibits and finishing touches on the Virginia Museum of Natural History (VMNH) in Martinsville scheduled to make its debut in March.

The first specimen was installed on Jan. 23. It's a 14-million-year-old Eobalaenoptera, a whale fossil slightly over 30 feet long. It was discovered by VMNH curators in Caroline County, VA.

The facility is scheduled to host a "100 Hour Celebration" for the opening, with a dedication ceremony on March 30. The museum opens to the public the following day when visitors will get their initial look at the new structure as well as state-of-the-art permanent exhibit galleries, "Uncovering Virginia," "How Nature Works: Rocks," and "How Nature Works: Life."

The special exhibits "Feathered Dinosaurs of China," featuring one of the most important fossils ever discovered, and "Chinasaurs: The Great Dinosaurs of China" will be at the new museum from April 6 through June 17.

From June 30 through Jan. 18, 2008, the exhibit "Beyond Jamestown: Virginia Indians Yesterday and Today" will highlight the history, culture and contributions of Virginia's eight Indian tribes. The "Beyond Jamestown" exhibit at the new VMNH facility is part of the America's 400th Anniversary celebration.
Click map to enlarge

On Sept. 14-15, VMNH will hold its 23rd Annual Indian Festival, celebrating the heritage of Native Americans living in Virginia today, with drumming, dancing, demonstrations, games, crafts and refreshments.

The VMNH is an agency of the Secretary of Natural Resources for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the museum has over 22 million objects in its collections, and reaches nearly 1 million people annually through on-site and traveling exhibitions, classroom outreach programs, Web site, public events and award- winning publications.

ON THE WEB
• Martinsville Speedway
• Patrick Henry Community College
• Community Profile
• Print and electronic media

Live and let dine

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ -- If you're planning to be in the Atlantic City area on March 7, you may want to forego the casino scene for a while to take part in an investment that has a guaranteed return.

It's the date of the 24th annual "The Press of Atlantic City Restaurant Gala," the annual black-tie fundraiser for the Atlantic Cape Community College Foundation. The event has raised in excess of $1.7 million for student scholarships at the college’s Academy of Culinary Arts since 1984.

So, visitors not only get to help college students pay for theior education, they get to sample creations from Academy students as well as 40 area restaurants, including a "desert extravaganza" by Master Chef Eugen Ess of the Trump Taj Mahal.

Tickets for the event, to be held at the Atlantic City Convention Center, are $190 per person.Tables of 12 are available at $2,280. Details: (609) 343-5674.

ON THE WEB
• Gambling & Casino Guide
• The Press of Atlantic City
• Atlantic Cape Community College
• Atlantic City Tourism
• Events Calendar
• Atlantic City Aquarium
• Atlantic City Historical Museum
• Restaurants & Dining Guide

Shrinking the world via cognac

William M. Dowd photos

LAS VEGAS, NV -- As we were assembling for a private dinner over the weekend, I was chatting with Frank Du, a Chinese-American journalist who works for a Chinese-language newspaper in Los Angeles.

Seine Kim, a Korean-American representative of The Thomas Collective, a New York public relations firm, walked into the room. Du smoothly switched to Korean to greet her, explaining to me that although Mandarin is his native tongue, he had lived in Korea and picked up the language there.

The marketing lady -- whose name was taken from the French river her parents had seen before her birth -- exchanged a few pleasantries in Korean with Du, then switched into perfect English with me. Although raised in Seoul, she explained, she had been born in Ithaca, N.Y., and wanted to move back to the U.S., so she studied English. In Beijing, China. Her time as a Manhattan resident has buffed away any residual accent.

The sound of French and French-accented English also wafted through the room as our hosts from the Martell House of Cognac arrived.

The mix emphasized the human interplay in a global economy that is continually erasing borders and making producers think beyond historic boundaries.

Martell is known for a long line of cognacs, but producers cannot rest on their laurels in the highly competitive field. Thus, the company was timing the U.S. debut of its Creation Grand Extra Cognac for the Lunar New Year (the Year of the Pig on the Chinese calendar, although celebrated all across Asia) to try enhancing its already strong image in Asian communities throughout the U.S.

A little background. Cognac is a brandy, a grape-based product -- an "eaux-de-vie'' fermented like wine then twice distilled. By French law, supported by the World Trade Organization, the spirit can originate only in the town of Cognac and six surrounding viticultural areas.

There is more than one kind of cognac due to the variety of soils in the region. The grapes used are from several white wine varieties, principally the Ugni Blanc, known elsewhere as the Trebbiano grape. Cognacs must be aged in wood at least two years. Most producers use Limousin oak; Martell prefers the more aromatic Troncais oak.

Any number of cognac labels may be familiar to Americans, such as Hennessey, Remy Martin, Courvoisier, Camus and Delamaine, but Martell is the oldest existing one, founded in 1715 by Jean Martell.

Jacques Menier (seen here), Asia Pacific sales director, was the main presenter of the new Creation Grand Extra, representing cellar master Bruno Lemoine. He guided participants through a special menu prepared at the Wing Lei restaurant in the Wynn Las Vegas hotel to describe how various cognacs can be paired with foods just as is done with wines. Not a bad direction to take since the U.S. is the world's largest consumer of cognac.

For our light starters -- lobster wonton soup, pork pot stickers and spring rolls -- the Martell Noblige worked well, with its light consistency and notes of pear, citrus and definite vanilla from a younger wood. The very popular Cordon Bleu -- perfumey from a flowery soil that speaks of violets and bits of citrus and walnut -- worked nicely with a wider variety, a diver scallop with jalapeno, cilantro and ponzu vinaigrette, Pacific cod with a fricassee of mussels, clams and Chinese sausage, and even a Sichuan beef filet with corn, bell pepper, water chestnut and rice noodle. X-O worked well with a dessert sampler tray ranging from light fruit sorbets to ganache-stuffed chocolate cake, once I was able to coax out its reluctant dried-fruit hints of apricot and plum.

The finale was the Creation Grand Extra. It's a soft, almost buttery, open distillation with an instant "montant,'' the first fragrance released from cognac. Definite notes of cedar and spice make this an immediately pleasing product.

However, my preference in the Martel line remains the Cordon Bleu, a "gouleyant'' cognac, meaning its body is fresh and light despite aging and, thus, easily enjoyed.

For what it's worth, cellar master Lemoine says his favorite drink is Cordon Bleu on the rocks.

Creation Grand Extra, with a suggested retail price of $299 for a 750-milliliter bottle, will be on the American market in May.

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ON THE WEB
• Official Vegas Tourism Site
• Official City Web Site
• Online Entertainment Guide
• Las Vegas Motor Speedway
• McCarran nInternational Airport
• UNLV: University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Las Vegas Cams
• Vegas for Kids