Sad City Travels: Awkward Bathroom Edition

While the title for Hartford's Most Awkward Bathroom remains vacated since our good friends at the Half Door made significant improvements to their lavatory, we think we may have found a contender for most awkward bathroom in the United States. While any foray into a public restroom is never exactly a fun trip, (well ok, females seem to enjoy it so much it's a group activity, but we in no way, shape or form are going to attempt to analyze that) an awkwardly situated bathroom can turn a minor annoyance into a dreadful experience.

Hot In Hartford: Schwartz vs. The XL Center

After a lengthy wait, Hot In Hartford returns for the second round of voting. Hey, if the damn Daytona 500 can get rained out for the first time in 54 years, a ridiculous poll can wait a few days. For the second round the candidates are seeded by the number of votes received in the first round. The top seed goes to lawyer/blogger Dan Schwartz who narrowly defeated John Dankosky in the most epic of all Hot In Hartford battles.

A Hockey Train Rolls Towards Hartford

It's Friday. Sit back and enjoy this train roll slowly through the North End of Hartford. About halfway through the video you can glimpse downtown.

Meanwhile on your lunch break (and only on your lunch break!) check out some of these links to hear Howard Baldwin visit John Dankosky on Where We Live and read articles discussing NHL relocation.


A must read Baldwin interview from Hockey Prospectus

Sports Illustrated on where the Phoenix Coyotes will end up.

Will a new Seattle arena lure the NHL to the Northwest?

Contenders for NHL relocation from Slam Sports


Puck Daddy looks at challenges facing Seattle and Quebec City


The Barrie Examiner looks at NHL relocation prospects

A Succinct Synopsis

We all have the tendency to sometimes overlook the simpest and most prevalent things. Such is the case with this sign that gives a brief and succinct early history of Hartford. Located at the edge of The Ancient Burial Ground between the Center Church and the Gold Building, we walk by this sign all the time. Many readers probably also do and surely some have these facts memorized. We've read it before, but it has been a while and we would fail a pop quiz on this sign. It sure packs a lot of early Hertford history into six sentences. Very cool and if you haven't in a while, worth taking five minutes out of your day and giving it a read or two.

Getting Gorged At Woody's

From left to right: The Reuben & The Southern Slaw Dog

Woody's is pretty awesome. Located at 915 Main, we first reviewed Woody's in our Guide To Lunch In Hartford and have been slowly (and we mean slowly) eating our way through the menu ever since. It's been a slow trip through the menu because let's face it, it's 2012 and we all are all aware that hot dogs slathered in toppings aren't the healthiest things in the world and furthermore, we aren't exactly 18 anymore and our waistline (and heart) can't take that type of abuse. That said, when you want to take a break from the turkey sandwiches, blueberries, and celery, Woody's should be right at the top of your list.

A Very Odd Vending Machine

If we know one thing, it's that the older we get the more diminished our already minimal grasp on pop culture becomes. Who's a popular music artist these days? Beyond Lady Gaga, we really couldn't tell you. Twilight or Hunger Games? We've still never even seen American Idol. Beavis & Butthead? We remember when the original incarnation debuted. It just seems like one of those things, the older we get, the less we know about pop culture.

 Recently we stumbled upon another bizarre part of pop culture in this vending machine for Bok Choy Boy (series 2!) toys in El Mercado. All we know is that Bok Choy is some sort of Chinese vegetable. Kind of looks like a cross between Mega Man and Kenny from South Park to us. Is this the latest toy craze sweeping the country? A random one-off machine? It's all a mystery here at Sad City.

Weekly Whale

The Whale continue to put the nightmare January behind them having gone 7-2-1 over their last 10 games to keep a three point lead over the very hot Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The week started with a 6-3 win over Springfield Friday night in Hartford and then was followed up with a 3-1 win over Worchester before another great Saturday night crowd. Sunday the Whale traveled to Providence to face the Bruins and fell after a great effort in which they erased a two goal deficit in the third period.

This week the  Whale face the Portland Pirates in Hartford Friday night and then travel to Springfield Saturday night. Check out detailed game coverage from Paul Doyle at the Courant here. Video highlights after the jump.