Yappy Hour. Vista Vittles. And A Good First Day At School.

By Pem McNerney

It was Yappy Hour at Madison Beach Hotel earlier this week. It was a small but happy crowd of guests, many of them of the four-legged variety.
The occasion? Another beautiful sunset on Long Island Sound. Madison Beach Hotel took advantage of that to offer their special guests' owners a happy hour that featured pepper seared tuna, salted cod fritters, olive tapenade, truffle fries and an assortment of fine wines and drinks.


For the dogs, there were Vista Vittles. These doggie treats were provided by an organization that provides support and services to people with disabilities so they can lead an independent life, called Vista Vocational.

Vista Vittles are 100 percent real peanut butter dog cookies that are packed and assembled by Vista students and members. A purchase of the treats supports the programs and services of Vista Vocation & Life Skills Center. Based in Madison and Westbrook, CT, Vista serves clients who come from all over the United States. 

Vista Vittles, provided for free to the guests at the MBH Yappy Hour, can be purchased in Madison, Clinton, Guilford, Durham, Branford and East Haven, and many other nearby towns. See the full list below and check out the Vista website for information on how to get some by mail order. 

The event was a very good time. Joanne Platanos, originally from England, recently from Pittsburgh, and in the process of moving into a house on East Wharf, was thrilled to attend such an event while staying at Madison Beach Hotel while waiting for her new home to be ready. She brought her dog, Bella, and her son, Nicholas, also guests at the hotel while waiting for move-in day.

Bella had a great time and Nicholas did too. He showed us all of Bella's tricks and told us about his first day of school at Island Avenue Elementary school. He made two new friends, and was captain of the soccer team at recess. 

Watching her son play with Bella on the grassy lawn overlooking Long Island Sound, Joanne Platanos said Yappy Hour was a great way to end a good day with those she loved. 

"In Europe, in England, you can take your dogs pretty much anywhere. It's much more dog friendly. This is such a nice idea," she said. 

Madison Beach Hotel Manager John Mathers agreed. 

"We'll definitely do a couple more," he said. "It was a lot of fun." 

Happy hour at Madison Beach Hotel at 94 West Wharf, Madison, CT is 4-7 p.m. Sunday-Thursday. Yappy Hour is Wednesday from 4-7 p.m. For more information, or to make sure it's on, call the hotel at 203-245-1404 or check the Madison Beach Hotel Facebook page for updates.

Vista Vittles Retail Outlets: