Date: Fri 01-Mar-1996

By Previous Employees

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: TOMW

Illustration: I

Quick Words:

Cigar-Dinner-Feature

Full Text:

Cigar Aficionados Dinner

B Y T.W YATT

The weather outside is frigid, the windows are being kept closed and

insulated, and cigar enthusiasts, unwelcome in most bars and restaurants, are

forced to indulge themselves mostly in their automobiles.

But on Friday night, February 23, The Fireside Inn - one of the only

cigar-friendly establishments in the area - presented its fifth-such Cigar

Dinner to " celebrate the pleasure and time-honored tradition of combining

great food, fine cigars, premium spirits, and the good life. "

Fireside owner, Donald Pulieri, and his staff, entertained a hall of

some-sixty cigar aficionados with a four-hour banquet which included a

cocktail hour, gourmet dinner, five quality cigars, and a Whiskeys of the

World sampling and presentation.

The night was an overwhelming success.

Randy Berger, owner of The Smoke Shoppe at Heritage Village, provided the

night's cigar splendor which included samples of Flor De Florez (Honduras),

Arturo Fuente-Rothchild Natural (Dominican Republic), Santiago Cabana (Miami),

Partagas-Sabrosos, and Macanudo-Prince Phillip, Natural and Maduro; all of

which he sells at his store.

Frank Ceccarelli, Fireside's bartending manager, handled the crowds during the

night's open-bar cocktail hour that ran from 7:30 pm and included such hot and

cold hors d'oeuvres as shrimp, scallops wrapped in bacon, and other seafood

delights. The night's dinner, prepared by executive chef John Gramesty and his

staff, began with a rich tortellini carbonara, was followed by a tossed

mesclin salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and topped off with a combo entree

featuring jumbo stuffed shrimp and chicken florentine, rice with orzo, and a

fresh zucchini and squash medley. Desert was apple crisp with vanilla ice

cream. " A lot of people get a misconception about our fare here, " Gramesty

said. " People come in for banquets and ask for the bottom-line plan and get

things like fried chicken and ziti. But we can do a lot more if you want it.

We can do prime rib, filet mignon, all types of fish and seafood, fresh

chicken dishes, veal, steaks, we do everything. "

During dinner, and throughout the evening, a Whiskeys of the World

presentation was made by Don Jean, a liquor importer from Brown-Foreman. Mr

Jean described the various whiskey samplings and lectured on their origin and

the process in which each is made. The night's whiskey samples included Old

Forester Kentucky Bourbon, Gentleman Jack Tennessee Whiskey, Bushmills Irish

Whiskey, Bushmills Malt, and Glenmorangie Portwood Finish-Single Malt Scotch.

" Everything went great tonight, " Pulieri said as the festivities wound down

near midnight. " In the past we've had more people than this, but it's a tough

time of year with vacations and things and so a lot of people couldn't make

it. We've had over a hundred in the past. This sort of thing is really

starting to catch on. "

Pulieri will be holding his next Cigar Night at the Fireside Inn on Friday

night, April 19. This listing, along with others in the state, is listed in

Cigar Connecticut Monthly, available at The Smoke Shoppe in Heritage Village.

The Way We Were

Malcolm Andrew 'Andy' Bryant

Top Of The Mountain

Garden Club Spring Plant Sale Saturday

Full Slate Of May Programs Planned By Flagpole Photographers

The editorial took no position on the budget going up or down so you're reading things into the editorial that simply aren't there. The turnout is tied to the lack of passage, in that people who came out to vote last time did not this time, indicating a lack of support on their part. Perhaps it wasn't spelled out clearly enough, but that's what the editorial was driving at, people showing lack of support by not casting a vote. The editorial did address likely concerns among voters that may have led to lack of support and lack of turnout. This lower turnout also follows increasing turnout over the past four referendums in three years (meaning it is an aberration from that), and increased turnout is something that I do push for regularly in editorials. Any disappointment you might be seeing is at the break in that trend, not at whether the budget passed or not. I'd rather see more people come out and vote "no" then not vote at all.

Lower Turnout Results In Two Budget Defeats

Clearly, property owners no longer want to bear the burden of expenses while the state does not meet it’s responsibilities. Rising costs must be addressed by actions that do not include yearly increases of property owners’ taxes. The state of CT must meet its share of the educational costs, and other costs.

Town And School Budgets Fail At Referendum

This feels like an oddly misleading headline and narrative, particularly coming from the Editorial Board. The headline "Lower Turnout Results in Two Budget Defeats" pushes a misleading narrative regarding voter turnout, and then seeks to tie the outcome of the referendum to that misleading narrative. Sure, voter turn out for this year's referendum, 18%, was lower than last year's. However, last year's turnout, 25.4%, represented the highest turnout in the most recent 10 budget referendums. If you take the time to examine turnout percentages between 2017 and 2026 (2017: 19.9, 2018: 15.7, 2019: 17, 2020: 0, 2021: 8.98, 2022: 7.7, 2023: 8.8, 2024: 15.1/17.49, 2025: 25.4, 2026: 18), this year's turnout was actually the third highest in the past 10 cycles. Perhaps the headline of this article should say "Lower Voter Turnout Than Last Year", which is more accurate, rather than creating an impression that this year's turnout is some type of aberration - a narrative that the turnout numbers, in all their binary glory, simply do not support. Further, the headline of this article appears to tie the "lower turnout" to the defeated budgets. Sure, that could be true. But, perhaps, its more likely that Newtown residents are feeling the squeeze of multiple economic influences. In Newtown, we've experienced property revaluations and increased municipal spending. Eversource continues to raise rates. The state legislature gives PURA the authority to impose Public Benefit charges that benefit a tiny percentage of the public (and subsequently burdening the rest of us). At the national level, inflation has run rampant for years and many of those costs remain high to this day. In short, the data tells a far less dramatic—and far more honest—story than the headline suggests. This wasn’t an electorate vanishing in apathy; it was a fairly typical turnout delivering an verdict that, perhaps, some at the Editorial Board didn't like. At some point, it’s worth considering that residents aren’t confused, disengaged, or misled by turnout; they’re simply doing math at their kitchen tables and concluding that “no” is the only responsible answer left.

Enjoyed the forum which only confirmed my support for Brandon Moore as the Democratic candidate to run for the state representative position. Brandon Moore did not waiver about his duty to all the people, if elected, when an issue presents itself that requires that he voice a difference of opinion for the wellbeing of Newtown residents. If Michelle Ku’s 16 years have led to her loyalty being to other elected officials, as she implied, then Newtown is going to continue to witness actions that do not protect its residents. She could not unseat republican, Mitch Bolinsky, during a Blue Wave, and once again, will not do it now. Winning that seat is critical for all. That explains why her previous campaign committee now campaigns for Brandon Moore. It explains all the endorsements he has received from local elected democratic officials. It’s why we need Brandon Moore to be the democratic candidate to run for state representative.

Second Newtown DTC, League Of Women Voters Candidates Event Planned

Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.

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Date: Fri 01-Mar-1996

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