https://ctvisit.com/ Archives - Jim Murty’s TravelTravelTravel

The ghost with the most is back nearly 40 years on so let’s turn on the juice and New England shakes loose.

Everyone’s favourite sassy spectre Beetlejuice is revisiting his old haunts of Massachusetts which are also mine.

And our friends in New England have scared up some spooktacular spots from the movie to draw us to their states and Commonwealth.

Beetlejuice chooses Connecticut to come back from the dead.

Only despite the charms of the Constitution State the moviemakers modelled Winter River on East Corinth in Vermont.

With Melrose in Massachusetts also commissioned for some of the Halloween shots.

The Mass media

Benchmark: Robin Williams and Matt Damon

Now the Commonwealth has long been at the forefront of Mass media.

And we have all of us, who are not from Massachusetts, first made acquaintance with these New Englanders from the small and big screens.

And the classic bar sitcom Cheers which launched a merch marketplace which my travelling buddy got on board.

While in the Millennium Boston’s legal landscape was under the microscope with Ally McBeal and her pals.

Boston too is home to Hollywood acting elite in Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg and Uma Thurman.

And, of course, like all Bostonians they love to give back.

With Matt championing a campaign to put a statue up of the late Robin Williams near the bench where the duo shot a famous scene from Good Will Hunting.

Busting for Boston at the movies

Of course, those of who have spent a summer working in Boston and living on the wrong side of the tracks will recognise South Dublin from The Departed.

And enjoying any free time we got at Fenway Park, featured heavily in Brad Pitt’s Moneyball.

All of which you can take in on a Boston Movie Mile Walking tour or the Boston TV and Movie Bus Tour.

Where, of course, you can see why Boston is a picnic for every teddy bear as long as that bear is Ted.

All roads lead to Rhode Island

A dog’s life: With Handsome George in Yale, New Haven

Now the five states and commonwealth that is Massachussets bring the region all together under the New England umbrella.

And it is a joy to travel through them all as we have been doing, and taking in the landscape along the way, on Amtrak.

And so we have been able to marvel at the coasts of sailing Nirvana Rhode Island which have so appealed to artists and film-makers.

Rosecliff Mansion in Newport features in several famous movies like 27 Dresses, The Great Gatsby and True Lies.

The Mansions of Newport are also a major setting for The Gilded Age.

And fans can go behind the scenes and get all the insight on The Gilded Age Tour which takes in the four mansions featured in the series.

Dreaming of New England

Scorsese also returned to New England to use Otter Cliff in Acadia National Park for the cliff scenes in Shutter Island starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

With the movie set on an island off the coast of Massachusetts.

Popham Beach, at the tip of Maine’s Phippsburg Peninsula was featured in the 1999 film Message in a Bottle.

Many of the scenes of Cider House Rules starring a young Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron and Michael Caine, were filmed at Sand Beach in Acadia National Park.

While the famous Mystic Pizza also inspired the movie of the same name starring Julia Roberts.

So we’d all agree then, it’s frightening how much movie talent and legacy there is in New England.

So let’s turn on the juice and New England shakes loose

Now sometimes you’ve got to get in there for a slice of the action… and that’s where they’re at in New Haven as Connecticut ah-beetz the competition for the American pizza crown.

All of which came to my attention as I wolfed down a Burrata cow’s milk cheese and cream primo, or starter.

At Contini in George Street, Edinburgh… while looking enviously at my host’s ravioli.

Too rushed after ah-beatzing about the bush around Edinburgh.

But worth it to meet old friends and new from Boston and New England.

And hear that New Haven’s relentless push to be recognised as the US’s prime pizza spot has taken on a new life.

Now, of course, there is the small matter of a Presidential race this year in the States which the good folk of the Constitution State will cast an eye over.

And for balance it is worth mentioning that both Bushes went to New Haven’s Yale University as well as Bill Clinton.

Slice of the Capitol action

But most important to New Haven’s politicians thus far this year is their Ah-beetz or apizza.

And that is why Connecticut governor Ned Lamont took the momentous decision on National Pizza Day in February.

To unilaterally declare the university town as ‘the Pizza Capital of America’.

While that was just the appetiser for the Connecticuters who took over Congress recently, all in the name of apizza.

House Representative Rosa DeLauro only took to the floor.

To enter an official statement into the Congressional Record declaring ‘New Haven the pizza capital of the United States.’

The Democrat had led a delegation of more than 100 pizza makers from around Connecticut to Washington DC to showcase the state’s pizza industry.

Now Connecticut has more than 1,300 pizza-making establishments which is the highest portion per capita in the country.

And they produce more than 150 million pizzas, equalling $3.5 billion in sales per year. All of which the proclamation related.

While New Haven’s 75 pizza-making establishments support thousands of jobs and over $100 million in sales, feeding 2 million customers annually.

Taste of New Haven

‘Many things are debated in the Halls of Congress and Washington DC.

But one thing that’s not up for debate is that New Haven has the best pizza in the country.’ reported New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker.

Justin being on the trip along with the Connecticut pizza delegation, including Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, Sally’s Apizza and a raft of others.

Hat’s-a-boy Colin will take you on a tour

All of which will be music to my old friend Colin M Caplan, of Taste of New Haven

For it was he who turned me on to their distinctive Naples-inspired and infused pizza.

The Ah-beetz is from the Neapolitan accent of those early immigrants to the New England state.

And it is a no-nonsense tastefest, a thin-crust, coal-fired Neapolitan.

Franks for the pizzas

Originating in 1925 at New Haven’s Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana.

And now served at many other noted pizzerias in the area, like Sally’s Apizza.

A ‘plain’ New Haven apizza is typically comprised of crust, oregano, tomato sauce and a little bit of grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

But don’t just take our word for it as to its zing… well, do.

Conan’s smokin: And a big New Haven apizza fan

But Frank Sinatra, no less, and Sir Paul McCartney, Hillary Clinton and Conan O’Brien have all been fans.

And Conan once signed a pizza box for the staff at Sally’s.

And wrote that the shop is ‘not the best pizza in New Haven — the best pizza EVER.’

Flying tonight

A word in the ear: Mascot Handsome Dan IV at Yale

Now we’re well served for Connecticut with the Bradley International Airport connecting to Europe.

So let’s all ah-beetz a path there to sample (in my case, again) the best in the States.

Because Connecticut Ah-beetz the competition for the American pizza crown.

And it’s up to you now, Chicago, where I hope to head next year.

And my old friends and family in New York to prove me wrong.

Tag: https://ctvisit.com/

Let’s turn on the juice and New England shakes loose