Did your hangout make the top 100?

Of all the gin joints in all the world, or at least in the country, which did the editors of Nightclub & Bar Magazine choose for this year's top 100?

Nightclubs and bars from all over the U.S. were chosen based on a number of criteria, say the editors, "including annual revenues, marketing and advertising effectiveness, promotional expertise, uniqueness to market, food and beverage programs and much more. This list is not a ranking of just the most high-end, of-the-moment nightclubs. Instead, it is a dynamic mixture of clubs, neighborhood bars, sports bars, family-oriented venues and more that for one reason or another deserve notice."

The following bars and clubs, listed in alphabetical order, made the Editors' Choice Top 100 for 2007. The city designated for each is the city in which it is located, or, if the concept has multiple locations, the city of its first location.

230 Fifth - New York, NY
40 Watt - Athens, GA
8150 - Vail, CO.
The Abbey - Hollywood, CA
AJ's Seafood & Oyster Bar - Destin, FL.
Aria - Boston, MA
Avalon/Spider Club - Hollywood, CA.
Beach Bar at the W - San Diego, CA
B.E.D. - Miami, FL
Billy Bob's Texas - Fort Worth, TX
Blue Martini - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
the bosco - Ferndale, MI
Body English - Las Vegas, NV
Bombay Club - New Orleans, LA
Broken Spoke Saloon - Sturgis, SD
Brother's Bar & Grill - Lacross, WI
Butter - San Francisco, CA
Cabo Wabo - Lake Tahoe, NV
Casbah - Atlantic City, NJ
Cherry - Las Vegas, NV
Chilkoot Charlie's - Anchorage, AK
Coyote Cantina - Santa Fe, NM
Coyote Ugly - New York, NY
Crobar - Chicago, IL
The Crocodile Café - Seattle, WA
Diablo's Downtown Lounge - Eugene, OR
e4 - Scottsdale, AZ
Eight 75 - Biloxi, MS
El Gaucho - Seattle, WA
Elements the Lounge - Seabright, NJ
ESPN Zone - Baltimore, MD
Excalibur - Chicago, IL
Fadó Irish Pub - Atlanta, GA
Flatiron Lounge - New York, NY
The Flying Saucer - Memphis, TN
Fox Sports Grill - Scottsdale, AZ
Galapagos Art Space - Brooklyn, NY
ghostbar - Las Vegas, NV
Good Hurt - Los Angeles, CA
The Green Parrot - Key West, FL
The Greene Turtle - Ocean City, MD
Ground Zero Blues Club - Clarksdale, MS
The Helix - Washington, DC
House of Blues - New Orleans, LA
Iguana's Cantina - New York, NY
Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce - Hollywood, CA
JET - Las Vegas, NV
Kahunaville - Las Vegas, NV
Key Club - Hollywood, CA
Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop - New Orleans, LA
The Library Bar & Grill - Tempe, AZ
Light - Las Vegas, NV
Lotus - New York, NY
Louie's Backyard - South Padre Island, TX
Mango's Tropical Café - Miami, FL
Mantra - Milwaukee, WI
Marquee - New York, NY
McGillin's Olde Ale House - Philadelphia, PA
Mercy Wine Bar - Addison, TX
Midnight Rodeo - San Antonio, TX
Mie N Yu - Washington, DC
MIXX - Atlantic City, NJ
mur.mur - Atlantic City, NJ
The New Crown & Anchor - Providencetown, MA
The New Sheridan - Telluride, CO
Ocean Club - Honolulu, HI
Pangaea - Hollywood, FL
Pat O' Brien's - New Orleans, LA
Pavilion Bar & Café - Charleston, SC
Pin-Up Bowl - St. Louis, MO
Pink Elephant - New York, NY
The Playboy Club - Las Vegas, NV
Pure - Las Vegas, NV
Purple Moon - Flint, MI
Rockit Bar & Grill - Chicago, IL
Ruby Skye - San Francisco, CA
rumjungle - Las Vegas, NV
Sharkeez - Huntington Beach, CA
Sherlock's Baker Street Pub - Houston, TX
Sloppy Joe's - Key West, FL
Snatch/Suite - Miami, FL
Stingaree - San Diego, CA
Stubb's Bar-B-Q - Austin, TX
Studio 54 - Las Vegas, NV
Tabú Ultra Lounge - Las Vegas, NV
Tangerine - Las Vegas, NV
TAO - Las Vegas, NV
Therapy - New York, NY
Tini Bigs - Seattle, WA
Tipitina's - New Orleans, LA
Tongue & Groove - Atlanta, GA
Tryst - Las Vegas, NV
VICCI - Austin, TX
Vine Street Lounge - Hollywood, CA
The Viper Room - Los Angeles, CA
Walnut Room - Philadelphia, PA
Whiskey Blue - Los Angeles, CA
Worship - Atlantic City, NJ
Yard House - Long Beach, CA
Zinc Lounge - Manhattan Beach, CA

Any way you put it, be careful in Mexico

Double-click on map to enlarge

BULLETIN:

EU VETOES TOURISM TO ACAPULCO AND MONTERREY

It for the first time includes to the port and that city

The government of the United States emitted a new alert for the Americans who wish to travel to Mexico, due to the recent acts of violence derived from the drug trafficking.

In this occasion he entered to the port of Acapulco and Monterrey in the list of risk for the residents or American visitors to this country.

In the public warning emitted yesterday by the Department of State reference to the danger in these cities becomes, in addition to the organizations that already had been mentioned in previous announcements, like Tamaulipas (particularly New Laredo), Michoacán and Baja California.

“In the recent months murders have happened type execution of Mexican civil employees in Tamaulipas (specially New Laredo), Michoacán, Baja California, Guerrero (particularly Acapulco), Nuevo Leo'n (specially the zone of Monterrey) and other states”, are indicated.

The text includes a special recommendation for the city of Oaxaca, in which it asks the Americans to review the conditions before traveling to that site, since many of the problems that caused the protests the last year have not been solved.

---

Perhaps that's why you have to pay special attention to the nuances of language. The preceding news story appeared in Spanish in Mexico's El Universal newspaper and was translated into English on its Web site today.

It was based on the following "public announcement" from the U.S. Department of State:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

This information is current as of today, Fri Apr 20 2007 17:15:40 GMT-0400.

This Public Announcement advises U.S. citizens on security situations in Mexico that may affect their activities while in that country. This Public Announcement supersedes previous Public Announcements for Mexico dated January 18, 2007 and September 15, 2006. This Public Announcement expires on October 16, 2007.

Narcotics-Related Violence - U.S. citizens residing and traveling in Mexico should exercise caution when in unfamiliar areas and be aware of their surroundings at all times. Violence by criminal elements affects many parts of the country, urban and rural, including border areas. In recent months there have been execution-style murders of Mexican officials in Tamaulipas (particularly Nuevo Laredo), Michoacan, Baja California, Guerrero (particularly Acapulco), Nuevo Leon (especially in and around Monterrey) and other states. Though there is no evidence that U.S. citizens are specifically targeted, Mexican and foreign bystanders have been injured or killed in some violent attacks demonstrating the heightened risk in public places. In its effort to combat violence, the Government of Mexico has deployed military troops in various parts of the country. U.S. citizens are advised to cooperate with official checkpoints when traveling on Mexican highways.

In recent years dozens of U.S. citizens have been kidnapped in Nuevo Laredo with more than two dozen cases still unresolved and new cases of kidnap for ransom continue to be reported. No one can be considered immune from kidnapping on the basis of occupation, nationality, or other factors. Drug cartel members have been known to follow and harass U.S. citizens traveling in their vehicles, particularly in border areas including Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros. U.S. citizens who believe they are being followed should notify officials as soon as possible. U.S. citizens should make every attempt to travel on main roads during daylight hours, particularly the toll (“cuota”) roads, which are generally more secure. It is preferable for U.S. citizens to stay in well-known tourist destinations and tourist areas of the cities with more adequate security, and provide an itinerary to a friend or family member not traveling with them. U.S. citizens should refrain from displaying expensive-looking jewelry, large amounts of money, or other valuable items.

Oaxaca City - U.S. citizens traveling to Oaxaca City should be aware that from May to November 2006, protests in Oaxaca City became increasingly violent resulting in at least nine deaths. On October 27, 2006, a U.S. citizen was shot and killed in Oaxaca City as a result of the violence and disorder caused by ongoing civil unrest in the city. Many of the issues that were the basis for the protests remain unresolved. U.S. Citizens planning to travel to Oaxaca City should check on current conditions before beginning their travel.

Demonstrations - Demonstrations occur frequently throughout Mexico and are usually peaceful. However, even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence unexpectedly. During violent demonstrations or law enforcement operations, U.S. citizens are reminded to remain in their homes or hotels, avoid large crowds, and avoid the downtown and surrounding areas. Since the timing and routes of scheduled marches and demonstrations are always subject to change, U.S. citizens should monitor local media sources for new developments and exercise extreme caution while within the vicinity of any protests. The State Department reminds U.S. citizens to avoid participating in demonstrations and other activities that might be deemed political by Mexican authorities. The Mexican Constitution prohibits political activities by foreigners, and such actions may result in detention and/or deportation.

For more detailed information on staying safe in Mexico, please see the Mexico Consular Information Sheet at: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_970.html. For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States, or, for callers from Mexico, a regular toll line at 001-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). American citizens traveling or residing overseas are encouraged to register with the appropriate U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the State Department's travel registration website at https://travelregistration.state.gov.

For any emergencies involving U.S. citizens in Mexico, please contact the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The U.S. Embassy is located in Mexico City at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, telephone from the United States: 011-52-55-5080-2000; telephone within Mexico City: 5080-2000; telephone long distance within Mexico 01-55-5080-2000. You may also contact the Embassy by e-mail at: ccs@usembassy.net.mx. The Embassy's Internet address is http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/.

Tale tales and tastings on the Whiskey Trail

William M. Dowd photos

This statue of Booker Noe, legendary master distiller and grandson of Jim Beam, holds a place of honor 

on the main lawn at the Jim Beam Distillery in Lynchburg, TN.

The Labrot & Graham Distillery has something probably no other bourbon maker can boast about.

No, not the copper pot stills. True, they are reputedly the only such devices among the nation's bourbon distillers, handcrafted in Scotland by A. Forsyth & Son Ltd. And, no, not the fact that the distillery's Woodford Reserve bourbon is the only triple distilled bourbon made in Kentucky.

Master distiller Chris Morris

What it also has is a grave containing a human torso buried with two legs, three thumbs and no head.

The missing head was the result of an industrial accident; the extra thumb came from a distillery worker who lost it in an accident, didn't think there was much sense keeping it in his pocket, and tossed it into the grave before it was covered up. That, at least, is the gist of the way master distiller Chris Morris  tells the tale. No doubt an archaeologist in the far distant future is going to have some strange thoughts after happening on this site. And, don't even get me started on the ghost of the girl who died in a fire in the big house on the hill.

Woodford Reserve, named for the county in which its tiny hometown of Versailles (pronounced ver-sails, rather than the French vehr-sigh from which the name is taken) is located, is only the latest name for the facility that lays claim to the title of Kentucky's oldest bourbon distillery. It has been that since 2003, although the Labrot & Graham name that preceded it still is alive in some aspects of the operation.

It is located in the heart of Kentucky's famed Bluegrass country and maintains a relationship with the thoroughbred horse racing community through various business sponsorships, including being the "official bourbon" of the Kentucky Derby.

The present distillery is largely maintained on 72 acres in a series of sprawling stone buildings, such as the distillery itself, dating from the 19th century and one reason the complex has been designated a National Historic Landmark. The original distilling works was built in 1812 by Elijah Pepper, then became the Oscar Pepper Distillery, then the Labrot & Graham Distillery in 1878 through 1941. Brown-Forman, now one of the world's largest alcoholic beverage companies, bought it in 1968, sold it in 1971, but, in a burst of renewed interest in bourbon making, re-purchased it in 1994, spending more than $7 million to restore and refurbish it.

The history of Woodford Reserve is not unlike that of the nation and the industry. Growing in fits and starts, leaps and bounds, straddling epochal events in the history of a still-young country, bouncing back from such seeming industry death-blows as Prohibition, yet always persevering.

That is what makes a trek along the American Whiskey Trail so fascinating.

Throughout the country, tens of thousands of visitors annually visit various wineries that cooperate in tourist-oriented wine trail groupings. Each trail has its individual attractions, but all emphasize winery visits, festivals, B&Bs, dining, sight-seeing and the like. The American Whiskey Trail is a much longer trek to fewer places, but a fascinating concept nonetheless.

The Trail, sponsored by the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. (DISCUS), includes seven historic sites and six operating whiskey distilleries spread over a five-state area from New York to Tennessee by way of Pennsylvania, Virginia and Kentucky.

If that seems a slightly awkward construct, perhaps it is. But it shows the erratic progression of whiskey making throughout America history.

From the north, the American Whiskey Trail begins at historic Fraunces Tavern Museum in Manhattan where Gen. George Washington bade farewell to his troops in 1783 and ends at the site of the new George Washington Distillery Museum on the grounds of private citizen Washington's home at Mount Vernon, Va. There they refer to that site as the gateway to the trail. Geographic chauvinism obviously is dictated by where you live, one supposes.

Numerous historic stops on the Trail have a George Washington whiskey connection. The Trail includes Gadsby's Tavern Museum in Old Town Alexandria, Va., across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., where early American leaders often met to discuss issues of the day and where at least twice Washington attended the annual Birthnight Ball held in his honor.

I found it intriguing to stroll around the two-building complex, within sight of the nation's capital yet with the echoes of long-ago formal dances and ribald debates over tankards of ale, beer and whiskey still emanating from the wooden floors and plaster walls.

The Trail also hits the Woodville Plantation in Allegheny County, PA, built by Gen. John Neville, a Revolutionary War figure and close friend of Washington, and the Oliver Miller Homestead in South Park, PA, which was a focal point of an 18th century dispute in which President Washington dispatched troops to enforce federal law taxing distilleries and whiskey.

An array of whiskey artifacts at the Oscar Getz Museum.

Other historic sites are the Oscar Getz Museum in Bardstown, KY, which has a collection of rare whiskey artifacts dating from pre-colonial to post-Prohibition days, and the West Overton Museums in Scottdale, PA, a former distillery center and part of what is billed as the only pre-Civil War village in Pennsylvania still intact.

Among the first Europeans to practice their whiskey making skills in this country were Scotch-Irish farmers in western Pennsylvania.

They were not alone in distilling whiskey, but they were among the feistiest and most productive. When the Continental Congress put a tax on whiskey production, they refused to pay, thus touching off the Whiskey Rebellion of 1791 to 1794.

So acrimonious was the dispute that President Washington sent troops to quell the uprising. When the whiskey makers continued to resist, he and Virginia Governor Thomas Jefferson cooked up a deal to break up the concentration of resistance. Jefferson offered 60 acres of land as an incentive for moving to the Kentucky region (then part of Virginia), building a permanent structure and growing corn.

Many took advantage of the offer but found that no family could eat 60 acres' worth of corn a year, and it was too perishable to ship out for sale. The Scotch-Irish instead used it to make whiskey in place of much of the wheat and rye they were used to employing. Coincidentally, the presence of massive limestone formations, part of an underground shelf that extends from southern Indiana down through Kentucky and Tennessee, filtered and "sweetened" the water, which helped make a smoother distilled spirit, the one that came to be called bourbon for the Kentucky county in which it was produced.

The definition of whiskey, by the way, is a liquor produced from the fermented mash of grains such as barley, corn, and rye. That would include the likes of Canadian or Scotch whisky (no "e''), Irish whiskey, rye and bourbon.

Bourbon, however, is a special case. All bourbons are whiskies, but not all whiskies are bourbons. The legal definition of bourbon was codified in 1964 by a congressional resolution requiring that it be a minimum of two years old, at least 80 proof (40 percent alcohol), made from a mash of at least 51 percent corn (most distillers use at least 70%), and aged in charred new American oak barrels, from which the once-colorless distillate draws its amber color and vanilla and caramel flavors. The Tennessee whiskies -- Jack Daniel's and George Dickel, for example -- begin as bourbon but then are put through a charcoal filtration process that leaves them in a niche of their own.

The operating distilleries open to the public as part of the Trail are Jim Beam in Clermont, KY, Maker's Mark in Loretto, KY, Wild Turkey in Lawrenceburg, KY, Woodford Reserve in Versailles, KY, George Dickel in Tullahoma, TN, and Jack Daniel's in Lynchburg, TN. It also includes two rum distilleries in Puerto Rico and the American Virgin Islands.

A touch of irony: Today, no bourbon is produced in Bourbon County.

AN AMERICAN WHISKEY TRAIL ALBUM

It's all in the wrist in creating the signature hot wax drip on a bottle of Maker's Mark. Dip, pull back, twist, 

and put it down as the assembly line rolls on. Shades of Lucy and Ethel working at the candy factory.

A distillery worker at Woodford Reserve rolls out American white oak barrels just filled with new bourbon 

whiskey prior to loading them up for placement in aging houses elsewhere on the grounds.

Lynn Tolley, great-grandniece of Jack Daniel and one of the distillery's official tasters, also conducts tastings for 

special guests and runs the historic Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House restaurant in Lynchburg, TN.

A public room on the first floor of historic Gadsby's Tavern in Old Town Alexandria, VA.

A tour guide explains the grain mixture that goes into creating sour mash at the 

                                                                                George Dickel Distillery in Tullahoma, TN.

Music is as much a part of rural life along the American Whiskey Trail as is whiskey. Here, Hickory 'n' Friends 
play some bluegrass for visitors at the Jim Beam guest complex in Clermont, KY.

Master distiller Jimmy Russell (right) shows visitors a fermentation vat being filled 

with mash at the Wild Turkey distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY.

All the bourbon produced at Maker's Mark in Loretto, KY, runs through these collectors 
before being put into barrels for aging.

A sight to gladden the heart of any bourbon fan: Bottle filling time at Maker's Mark.

The chemical reaction going on in this 20,000-gallon cypress plank fermentation vat 
results in a substance resembling cooked oatmeal.

                                         Actor William Sommerfield, in the person of George Washington, greets an invited crowd to the 

grand re-opening of the rebuilt whiskey distillery at Mount Vernon, VA.

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ON THE WEB
• American Whiskey Trail
• Fraunces Tavern Museum
• Gadsby's Tavern Museum
• Woodville Plantation
• Oliver Miller Homestead
• Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History
• West Overton Museums
• • Dowd's Guides hone page

A new water taxi for an Old Town

Washington, DC, and Old Town Alexandria, VA, both are major tourist draws. The problem with trying to see both is that most people don't like braving auto traffic to get back and forth across what separates them -- the Potomac River.

Next spring, they'll have an alternative: a water taxi service.

Two new 99-passenger boats will link Old Town with National Harbor, the 1.25-mile-long waterfront development under construction just south of the Wilson Bridge in Prince George's County. The service, operated by the Potomac Riverboat Co., will begin daily service next April, running 20-minute trips on the half-hour between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.

National Harbor is a 300-acre, mixed- used development that will include five hotels -- including the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, the largest such facility on the East Coast, thousands of residential units, tree-lined promenades with scores of shops and offices, and a marina.

The Potomac Riverboat Co. has been operating on the Potomac for more than 30 years. It already has a five-vessel fleet providing water taxi service, cruises and charter trips between Washington, D.C., Alexandria, Georgetown and Mount Vernon.

ON THE WEB
• The Fun Side of the Potomac
• Historic Alexandria
• Walking Tour of Old Town

Run Four (the) Roses in New York City

Long, long ago, in a market not so far away from where I now live, Four Roses was a commonplace whiskey brand. I can still recall seeing it on the bar shelves at the homes of family friends, and pictures of it in magazines and on bulletin boards.

Even today, Four Roses ads, such as the 1954 version shown here, are popular with ephemera collectors and auction house regulars.

This particular Kentucky bourbon wasn't of interest in my household, where Dad was a strict Jim Beam and I.W. Harper man, but it was available in enough places for me to sample a sip or two in my maturing years.

But Four Roses, although made in Lawrenceburg, KY, had not been sold domestically in decades and wasn't re-introduced to Kentucky's limited retail market until five years ago. Its primary market was Japan -- fittingly enough since it is owned by Japan's Kirin Brewery Co., which bought it in October 2001-- and Europe.

This week, Four Roses came back in New York City, where I first encountered it lo those many years ago.

It will be available in small-batch and single-barrel versions at a limited number of restaurants, bars and liquor stores as part of an expansion campaign.

Jim Rutledge, master distiller, said today in a statement, "The relevance of New York is important as we re-establish Four Roses in the U.S. Our barrel inventories have increased to the level that can now support the introduction of Four Roses bourbon into other select markets.”

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.

---

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.