OT: Great times on the Berlin Turnpike

[cohenzone]

I still can hear the jingle, "45 Cents for a 3 course meal? Sounds to me like that's a deal"

Ain't early senility great?

Amazing the stuff that stick in our minds though. Not to digress from this thread, ok I’ll digress, but in the 60s when I was at UConn, there was a place up the hill past Huskies called the Varsity. Same deal as McDonalds cost wise. You went to the counter and filled out an order sheet. It was literally a mom and pop operation. I don’t think pop washed his sweatshirt all year. It was white starting the year and greasy black by year’s end. It was trouble for a Jewish guy like me. The owners were Jewish and tried to get every Jewish guy to date their daughter. I’m not sure she was ever there unless she was the one covered in grease.

 

[Fore!]

It was the only McD in the Hartford area for several years. 45 cents for a burger, fries and soda or a milk shake. It’s accurate that if you tried to drink a shake through a straw, you wound up with bulging mouth muscles. High school kids went from miles around. It was true fast food because originally they only had regular burgers and cheeseburgers, all pre-made and ready to go.

Some McD's history in CT: Where the Arches are Made of Gold

 

[White Dwarf]

We did a lot of street racing on the Berlin Turnpike when I was in high school. We called them local unsanctioned events.

 

[Waquoit]

Waquoit, you have to get out more.

42 years ago, that was out.

 

[phil sampieri]

I recall many Giants fans renting a room at one of the motels because we
couldnot get it here until I had a very tall antenna which you could turn to get channel 3

 

[Steelerone]

Yes it is.

Yes it is but I would rather spend the night at the local dump. I have to laugh at the nineteen cent hamburg. The first time I had a burger at McD's the hamburg was five cents and if you wanted cheese it was seven.

 

[Buzzyboy]

i don't associate any type of sandwich with "Great Times" in the context of the Berlin Turnpike. Not the first thing that comes to mind when Berlin Turnpike memories are mentioned

Prime Rib at the Hawthorne Inn .... pretty great stuff .....

 

[geneticrex]

Funny....I always associated Berlin Turnpike with illegal street racing (a/k/a - incorrectly - Drag Racing). I don't recall ever attending (or participating in) one but, in my neighborhood (Savin Rock) they were legendary.

I particpated.

 

[Steelerone]

I particpated.

What were you driving?

 

[JimGunther]

 

[veryolddog]

Just wanted to say, that listening to you about your old haunts in the Berlin Turnpike area is very entertaining. I think I was once on the turnpike on a driving trip to NYC. Then I think we hit some parkway.

Just saying: that sandwich at Franklin Giant Grinder was astonishing. This to an 18 year old boy from ABQ where the biggest deals at the time were 15 tacos for a $1.00 in a little Mamacito's restaurant with either red or green chile on top.

When I was in the Marine Corps, I was stationed in Groton, CT at the sub base. The Navy use to drive us home. I commuted to Hartford and attended the University of Hartford at night when I had the time and received an MBA in Information Technology. I had dinner many times, since I had money in my pocket at a restaurant in Hartford called Carbone's which I think was the best fancy Italian restaurant that I have ever been to. I do not remember if it was on Franklin Ave or Whethersfield Ave but it was amazing. Food made at your table. Those were days when suits or my Greens were required to sit down to enjoy a meal.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[JonathanXIV]

It was, and is, Franklin Avenue.

 

[Steelerone]

Just wanted to say, that listening to you about your old haunts in the Berlin Turnpike area is very entertaining. I think I was once on the turnpike on a driving trip to NYC. Then I think we hit some parkway.

Just saying: that sandwich at Franklin Giant Grinder was astonishing. This to an 18 year old boy from ABQ where the biggest deals at the time were 15 tacos for a $1.00 in a little Mamacito's restaurant with either red or green chile on top.

When I was in the Marine Corps, I was stationed in Groton, CT at the sub base. The Navy use to drive us home. I commuted to Hartford and attended the University of Hartford at night when I had the time and received an MBA in Information Technology. I had dinner many times, since I had money in my pocket at a restaurant in Hartford called Carbone's which I think was the best fancy Italian restaurant that I have ever been to. I do not remember if it was on Franklin Ave or Whethersfield Ave but it was amazing. Food made at your table. Those were days when suits or my Greens were required to sit down to enjoy a meal.

Thanks for sharing.

VOD, when I was in the bureau we used to have our Christmas get together at Carbones every year. Great Italian food. At one time he had Willie Pep working there. Willie would set at the bar and when you went in they would ask you if you wanted to meet him. I just felt so sorry for him. I attended UOH when they were in a building in the South end of Hft. Took a political science course with a student named Bob Ellsworth who was, I believe, a newscaster on Channel 3. The professor, George Anthanson, was great and later became Mayor of Hft.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

Sorry I have to take issue with that. As someone who grew up a mile from the Turnpike, late night dining to “soak up” what we had consumed earlier that evening was always at Olympia Dinner (affectionately known as OD’s).

Back when the Olympia Diner was good. Well, good for 2 or 3 A.M.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

Can't really talk Berlin Tpke if you don't mention the reputation of the Grantmoor back in the day.

 

[Zanzman]

Can't really talk Berlin Tpke if you don't mention the reputation of the Grantmoor back in the day.

What reputation

 

[DaddyChoc]

Sound Playground... Circuit City!

 

[geneticrex]

What were you driving?

69' Barracuda....

 

[Steelerone]

69' Barracuda....

I was on midnights at the top of Rattlesnake Mt. at about 3am when a call on a stolen Barracuda came over the radio. A couple of minutes later it drove past me. I took of after it and got up to 90 mph. When I got to the entrance to 84 East it was sitting there. He blew the engine. I doubt if I would have ever caught him.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

What reputation

Let's just say there weren't a lot of conventions for osteopaths going on at the noontime hour at the Grantmoor back then.

 

[Steelerone]

Let's just say there weren't a lot of conventions for osteopaths going on at the noontime hour at the Grantmoor back then.

ME, the noontime hour might well have been the busiest time of the day for "tenants".

 

[geneticrex]

I was on midnights at the top of Rattlesnake Mt. at about 3am when a call on a stolen Barracuda came over the radio. A couple of minutes later it drove past me. I took of after it and got up to 90 mph. When I got to the entrance to 84 East it was sitting there. He blew the engine. I doubt if I would have ever caught him.

That's a high priced theft. You remember what year Barracuda' it was??? The 70'-71' cars are worth good money, even for rough examples.

Back then, I had a 69'. I was fast for it's day. Low 9s on motor and high 8s with a little shot of oxide and street driven a bunch. Sold it in the late 90s and built 70' HEMICUDA' that I still putt around with.