End of an Era?

Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts was a larger than life figure. To some, he was the standard bearer of the liberal ideology who provided our last link with the Camelot era of the Kennedy Presidency. He reminded us in 1980 that "the dream never dies." To others, he represented an uncompromising liberal icon who wanted big government to involve itself in every aspect of our lives. Whether you instantly equate the youngest Kennedy brother with Camelot or Chappaquiddick, there is no ignoring the impact he had on this country for decades. Coming from an Irish Catholic - though slightly less affluent - New England family, I always tried to keep faith in the Kennedy dreams we often saw dashed in the sixties and seventies. I am also reminded about President Clinton's eulogy to Richard Nixon in 1994. Clinton said we need to remember his life "in its totality." The same should apply to Senator Kennedy.

Radio Flashback: The Big D

Back in the swingin' sixties, WDRC-FM - Hartford's Big D - was the only Connecticut FM station playing anything close to rock n' roll. Baby boomers like me grew up mostly on AM Top 40 radio, and FM was the often forgotten band. Still, there was something that stood out about WDRC AM & FM, with high profile personalties, contests that got people talking, the booming voices of the newscasters and the unique promos and jingles. It was a key station where many hits were first made. Few stations have a stronger heritage. It was all the baby of veteran program director Charlie Parker. From all accounts, WDRC staffers were as devoted to him as he was to them. I had the honor of interviewing with him in 1982, but I didn't get the job. After Charlie Parker's passing, I did find my way into WDRC-AM part-time in 1993. The FM program director, Frank Holler, soon asked me to cover some fill-in shifts. I was so excited about getting on the station I grew up with - still playing the music I grew up with - that I couldn't sleep at all the night before my first show. Six of my eight years there were on the evening shift, with three years as music director. From oldies concerts to my morning news experience, I felt my radio career could have been complete when it ended with my layoff in 2002. My expected exit from radio turned out to be premature, as new experiences followed with my involvement at WBMW. An excellent source of information on the legendary WDRC can be found here. WDRC has been around in some form since 1922, but Monday, August 17th marks WDRC's 49th anniversary playing rock n' roll as the Big D.

Lobstah!

Eastern Connecticut has no shortage of great seafood places, but when in Maine you've got to have the local lobster. My WBMW co-host Rebecca has been up that way this past week, and there's one place I recommended she take the family while there. It's just across the river from Portsmouth, New Hampshire in Kittery. Warren's Lobster House was one of the highlights of my 2,000-mile round trip to Nova Scotia. Of course I had lobster - not just lobster roll, but a lobster torpedo! That wasn't the only indulgence. The salad bar was as good as the sign says. Seafood restaurants reflect a fun atmosphere like few other types of eateries can, and Warren's definitely lived up to expectations. As good as the desserts looked, there was no room left for that! Check out their website.

The New Yankee Stadium

Being originally from the New Haven area, I go against the majority sentiment here in eastern Connecticut by siding with the Yankees over the Red Sox. The rivalry really heated up this weekend with a four-game series at the new Yankee Stadium. Taking the place of the old stadium was a tough act to follow, but I was very impressed with my first visit there. I took the Yankee express train with Red Wolf Broadcasting's number one Yankee fan, Charles Adams from our street team. I was hoping more for a slugfest than a pitching duel Friday, but that was not to be. It's a good thing I didn't have to get up at my usual 4:10 the next morning, since that 15 innings leading up to A-Rod's belting one right into the Red Sox bullpen meant a 4:30am arrival back home in Colchester. At $9 for a beer, bring plenty of money!

Impressions of Atlantic Canada

After a week driving through Canada's Maritime Provinces, I came away with a few observations:

New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia may be Canada's smallest provinces, but it's no short hop to reach the eastern end of them. Plan on a 2,000-mile round trip.

There may still be some separatist sentiment in neighboring Quebec, but strong Canadian patriotism is obvious in the Maritime Provinces. Maple leaf flags are everywhere.

Tim Hortons shops are everywhere, too. Dunkin Donuts? Not so much.

In Halifax, a big city of 400,000, there are no longer any stations on the AM dial. To someone who grew up with AM radio, that was strange.

If you think Maine has "lobstermania", it's even more prevalent in Atlantic Canada.

While Canada never developed a nationwide limited access superhighway system dating back to the fifties like our interstates, they seem to be making up for it with massive highway construction throughout the Maritimes.

Even with big box retail sprawl, city centers seem to be filled with stores. Can Connecticut claim that?

Gas is still about a buck a gallon more there than here. That's still a bargain compared to a year ago when I went to Montreal and Ottawa.

For scenic vistas, historic destinations, all kinds of food and friendly people, this part of Canada was well worth the drive. I only wish I had the time to go to take the ferry to Newfoundland.