Synopsis
Welcome to Connecticut is a weekly podcast, hosted by 95.9 The FOX morning personality Ken Tuccio, highlighting people making an impact on the state of Connecticut. From small business owners to local personalities, Welcome to Connecticut strives to bring you the stories about the people that make Connecticut tick. This is an outlet to learn about the people in your community, the faces behind the businesses, and the people behind the name.
Episodes
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Episode 96 – Pepe’s Pizza (Gary Bimonte)
21/01/2016 Duration: 38minPepe’s Pizza is a Connecticut institution. Over the years New Haven location has served meals to Presidents, musicians, actors, actresses and more. Through it all, the quality of their food has remained as high as ever. Ken sits down with Gary Bimonte, the grandson of Frank Pepe, to discuss the history of Pepe’s Pizza, the growth of the restaurant into a full-fledged brand, challenges over the years and more. This episode is brought to you by SONO BOWL, taking place February 7th at The Blind Rhino in Norwalk CT. Tickets are available now at WelcomeCT.com. You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 95 – Making A Murderer (Dean Strang : Attorney for Steven Avery)
14/01/2016 Duration: 46minMaking A Murderer is the most talked about show in the country right now. The Netflix documentary series following the 10 year legal journey of Steven Avery has captivated the nation, and Dean Strang played a major role in the entire experience. Dean Strang was one of the lead defense attorneys for Steven Avery while he was on trial for the murder of Teresa Halbach. Dean sits down with Ken to discuss the case, the documentary program and what the future may hold for Steven Avery in an extremely interesting conversation. This episode is brought to you by SONO BOWL, taking place February 7th at The Blind Rhino in Norwalk CT. Tickets are available now at WelcomeCT.com. You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 94 – Brass Works Brewing (Michael and David Ieronimo)
07/01/2016 Duration: 49minBrass Works Brewing is a brand new brewery based in Waterbury CT. Ken sits down and chats with Michael and David Ieronimo, two brothers who took their dream of opening a brewery and made it a reality. They chat about their background in homebrewing, the challenges they faced trying to get the brewery open, how the beer community has changed over the years and more. This episode is brought to you by SONO BOWL, taking place February 7th at The Blind Rhino in Norwalk CT. Tickets are available now at WelcomeCT.com. You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 93 – Antonia Lofaso (Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen / Bravo’s Top Chef / CNBC’s Restaurant Startup)
31/12/2015 Duration: 41minAntonia Lofaso is a mainstay on food television programs. She’s appeared on Bravo’s Top Chef, Cutthroat Kitchen on Food Network and currently can be seen on CNBC’s Restaurant Startup. Antonia sits down with Ken to discuss balancing a career in the culinary world with being a parent, her influences, being thick skinned in the food world and more. You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 92 – Mackenzie Sagun (Dancer/Model/Actress)
24/12/2015 Duration: 41minMackenzie Sagun is a professional dancer, model, actress and cheerleader for the Connecticut Sun and New England Black Wolves. She stops by the home office to chat with Ken about life as a professional dancer. She discusses the world of competitive dance, the levels of competition, finding work in the dance community, working as a professional cheerleader and more. This episode is brought to you by Mellow Web Design (www.MellowWebDesign.com). You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 91 – CTBites (Stephanie Webster)
17/12/2015 Duration: 43minCTBites is one of the state’s most successful, and well known, food blogs. Ken sits down with the founder of CTBites, Stephanie Webster, to discuss the development of the CTBites brand, the culinary world in general, the challenges in running a blog for a living and much more. It’s a very fun, food-centric conversation. This episode is brought to you by Mellow Web Design (MellowWebDesign.com). You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 90 – Joey Batts and Them (Joey Batts)
10/12/2015 Duration: 53minJoey Batts and Them are a Connecticut based alternative hip hop group who have become a mainstay in the Connecticut music scene. Ken sits down with Joey Batts to discuss his unique brand of marketing and the importance of growing an audience one fan at a time. They also discuss Joey’s teaching career and how he balances it with his musical aspirations, the growth of hip hop culture and more. This episode is brought to you by EAT., a new documentary food program which you can watch online at WelcomeCT.com. You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 89 – Gail Simmons (Bravo’s Top Chef)
03/12/2015 Duration: 45minGail Simmons has been a judge on every season of Bravo’s Top Chef and is widely seen as one of the most respected voices in the culinary world. Ken sits down with Gail for a conversation about her unique career path, how she got hooked up with Top Chef, her thoughts on what it takes to be a legitimate food writer and more. This episode is brought to you by OTC Disc Golf in Wallingford (www.OTCDiscGolf.com). You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 88 – The 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Special with Don Salzarulo
26/11/2015 Duration: 01h04minIt’s Thanksgiving Day, which means it’s time for The 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Special of the Welcome To Connecticut Podcast. Every year for Thanksgiving Ken sits down with his good friend and producer of Welcome To Connecticut, Don Salzarulo, for a candid conversation about …….. pretty much anything. It’s the perfect thing to listen to when you’re drinking some wine and waiting for the turkey to come out of the oven. This episode is brought to you by OTC Disc Golf in Wallingford CT (www.OTCDiscGolf.com). You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 87 – HGTV’s Love It or List It (David Visentin)
19/11/2015 Duration: 47minDavid Visentin is one of the stars of the extremely popular HGTV program Love It or List It. Ken and David have a fun conversation about how the program came to be, what the filming process is like and how much of what we see is actually authentic. They also talk in depth about buying real estate and what purchasers should look for not only in the properties they look at, but also the realtors they work with. This episode is brought to you by OTC Disc Golf (www.OTCDiscGolf.com) and the Taps and Trees Craft Beer Fest, happening November 20th at the Matrix Conference and Banquet Center in Danbury, to support Ann’s Place (www.AnnsPlace.org). You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 86 – W2CT LIVE! Homebrew Hustle
12/11/2015 Duration: 01h01minThis is the third live episode of the Welcome To Connecticut Podcast, an event called Homebrew Hustle, recorded October 28th 2015 at Black Hog Brewery in Oxford. This event features a panel discussion about the art of homebrewing. The panel consists of 5 of Connecticut’s most talented and passionate homebrewers; Bill Steinbacher, Patrick DiCaprio, Joe Belletti, Brian Aida and Chris Palazini, who discuss various topics about the homebrewing and the homebrewing community. You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 85 – Chef Pat Pascarella (Bar Sugo)
05/11/2015 Duration: 46minChef Pat Pascarella is the super-talented chef behind the food at Bar Sugo in Norwalk. Located on Wall Street, Bar Sugo has become a prime spot for anyone looking to eat some classic Italian food with a bit of a different spin. Ken sits down with Chef Pat to discuss the opening of Bar Sugo, his thoughts on food bloggers, his passion for cooking and they even talk a little bit about pro-wrestling. You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 84 – Dan Kalwhite (Stand Up Comedian)
29/10/2015 Duration: 01h03minDan Kalwhite is a Connecticut based stand-up comedian who has made people laugh in comedy clubs across the state. Dan makes his way to the home office to sit down with Ken for a fun, organic, conversation which covers everything from stand-up comedy to movies to television and a bunch of random stuff in between. You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 83 – Colt Cabana (The Art of Wrestling Podcast / Professional Wrestler)
22/10/2015 Duration: 46minColt Cabana, internationally known pro wrestler and the host of the immensely popular Art of Wrestling Podcast is the guest on the show this week. Ken and Colt have been buddies for quite a few years and they sat down recently when Colt was in the Nutmeg State for an independent wrestling show. Ken and Colt talk about the world of pro-wrestling, the secrets of marketing yourself, how Colt dealt with the stress and worry about becoming a full time pro-wrestler and more. You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 82 – Firefly Hollow Brewing (Dana Bourque)
15/10/2015 Duration: 50minLocated in Bristol, Firefly Hollow Brewing is one of the most popular breweries in Connecticut. Ken sits down with Dana Bourque, head Brewmaster from Firefly, sits down with Ken to discuss the growth of Firefly, the Connecticut beer scene, the challenges in getting Firefly started and more. You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 81 – CT Eats Out (Alycia Chrosniak)
08/10/2015 Duration: 41minCT Eats Out began out as a simple Instagram feed, run by Alycia Chrosniak, featuring pictures of delicious food from around the state. In no time the feed completely blew up, amassing over 30K followers and becoming a powerhouse in the Connecticut food community. Now, CT Eats Out is Alycia’s full time gig and it’s grown from being an Instagram feed to a full blown Connecticut based food blog. Ken and Alycia sit down in the home office to discuss the inception, growth and future of CT Eats Out, while also discussing the awesomeness that is Connecticut food. You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 80 – Ethan Carter III (TNA Impact Wrestling)
01/10/2015 Duration: 33minEthan Carter III, also known as EC3, is the current reigning and defending World Heavyweight Champion for TNA Impact Wrestling. Ken and EC3 have a chat about his work ethic and how it got him to this point, as well as how he maintained his determination to be a success in wrestling even when it wasn’t easy. He also describes the experience of winning the World Heavyweight Championship. This episode is brought to you by Mellow : Affordable Website Design Services (MellowWebDesign.com). This episode is also brought to you by UBER. Use the coupon code KENCT to get $25 off your first ride. You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 79 - RetroWorld Expo (Kris Krohn and John Delia)
24/09/2015 Duration: 43minThe first ever RetroWorld Expo is coming to Wallingford on October 3rd; an amazing convention that celebrates everything related to classic gaming. Ken sits down with Kris Krohn and John Delia, two of the minds behind the event, to discuss classic video games, the video game industry and the development of the RetroWorld Expo. This episode is brought to you by Mellow : Affordable Website Design Services (MellowWebDesign.com) You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 78 – Greenwich Wine and Food Festival (Bar Sugo’s Pat Pascarella, Vespa’s David White and Serendipty Magazine’s Suni Unger)
17/09/2015 Duration: 52minThis unique episode of the Welcome To Connecticut Podcast focuses on the 2015 Greenwich Wine and Food Festival, taking place Sept. 23-26 in Greenwich CT. This episode features three conversations with three interesting personalities involved in the event; Chef Pat Pascarella (Bar Sugo in Norwalk), Chef David White (Vespa in Westport) and Suni Unger (Serendipity Magazine). You can get all the information on the Greenwich Wine and Food Festival at GreenwichWineandFood.com. This episode is brought to you by Mellow: Affordable Website Design Services (MellowWebDesign.com) You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).
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Episode 77 – The Martian (Andy Weir : New York Times Best Selling Author)
10/09/2015 Duration: 39minAndy Weir is the best selling author behind the amazing book, The Martian. This book will soon be brought to life on the big screen, in a major motion picture starring Matt Damon. Ken sits down with Andy to discuss the writing process behind The Martian, his love for space, his experience watching his work become adapted into a major motion picture and more. This episode is brought to you by Mellow : Affordable Website Design Services (MellowWebDesign.com) You can get more information about Welcome To Connecticut at WelcomeCT.com. Welcome To Connecticut’s theme music is “Catch The Ball” by The McLovins (TheMcLovins.com).