Month: December 2010

Ring in the New Year with an old-fashioned Victorian Tea Party at the Gunn Memorial Museum on Sunday January 2, 2011 from 1-3pm. The snow date will be: Sunday January 9th from 1-3pm. The event is free and open to the public. Visitors will have the opportunity to view the spectacular holiday exhibit: Washington Winter Wonderland, and socialize with friends in a festive setting. Guests are asked to bring their favorite tea cup, they will provide the rest.

This holiday season at the Gunn Museum features whimsical displays of over 130 vintage Steiff stuffed animals, Christmas trees decorated by local designers and a stunning winter wall mural by John Pitts, the former scenic artist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Steiff is best known as the company that invented the Teddy Bear. Children are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animal or doll to the tea party.

This exhibit will be on display until Sunday January 16, 2011. The Gunn Memorial Museum is located at 5 Wykeham Road, the intersection of Wykeham Road and Route 47, on Washington Green. Registration is requested; please call the Museum at 860-868-7756. Or visit

Just straight facts, no hard sell – take advantage of our one-time-only 15 percent discounts, available through December 23. For more information visit http://www.limerockpark.com

Idea Number 1: You can buy any ticket to any 2011 Race Weekend and get a 15% discount off the Advance Purchase price. (Remember, the Advance Purchase Prices are already lower than the Gate Prices!)

Idea Number 2: Not sure which Race Weekend tickets to get? Then buy a Gift Certificate for any dollar amount. Call us at 860.435.5000, M – F., 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Idea Number 3: How about a 2011 Season Pass “hard-card” for $70 less than its regular price – and you get an extra major event Race Weekend for free! We’ve added the July 30 Ferrari Challenge races to our regular line-up of Grand-Am Rolex (Memorial Day weekend, May 27-30), ALMS (July 8-9), Historic Festival 29 (Labor Day weekend, Sept. 2-5) and NASCAR Modified (Sept. 16-17) race weekends.

A Season Pass at $230 for five major racing events is a great deal – and a great gift.

Idea Number 4: The ultimate holiday gift! Drive your car – and/or our BMW M3s – on the track at Lime Rock! Includes private coaching and catered meals during your four-hour experience. Three options: $995 (your car only); $1,500 (any combo of your car and the M3); and $1,750 (two people, any combo of your car and the M3). Call Jeanette Veitenheimer at 860.671.1458 for consultation and to order a Track Day Gift Certificate.

If you buy race tickets (either online or by calling us) up through Thursday, December 23, you will automatically get the 15% Holiday Discount.

The Glass House is pleased to announce the release of the limited edition print Modernism USA, by world-renowned artist and graphic designer Paula Scher Modernism USA uses the footprints of the Glass House and Farnsworth House at various scales to construct a map of the United States. The limited edition prints are sold exclusively at the Glass House Store ($350) and are offered online through December 18, 2010.

Cruise out for the chance to see some of the seals and waterfowl that spend their winters in Long Island Sound during The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk’s new season of Winter Creature Cruises.

These invigorating outings aboard the research vessel Oceanic occur many weekends from mid-December through early April. That’s when the seals come down from northern waters, which serve as their summer breeding and pupping areas.

On the Aquarium’s cruises you will seek out the seals to observe them as they come up at low tide to rest on rocks, shoals and shorelines on and near the Norwalk Islands. Dates and departure times vary by the tide schedule. Initial cruises are: Sat., Dec. 12 at 9:30 a.m.; Sat., Jan. 15 at 1 p.m.; and Sun., Jan. 16 at 1 p.m.

Participants will learn from Educators that are onboard about the seals’ natural histories and use artifacts to discuss seal anatomy. You will learn what happens with the Sound’s general marine population during the winter: who stays, who migrates in (besides seals) and who migrates out. Educators will also point out wintering waterfowl on the Sound, including buffleheads, mergansers, Old Squaw and other feathered seasonal visitors. Last years participants saw two species of seals in the Sound: harbor seals and gray seals, both are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, which limits how closely anyone may approach them.

Participants can help with their cruise’s plankton and water-chemistry samplings. Data collected during the cruises is added to the Long Island Sound Biodiversity Project, which is an ongoing census of the Sound’s animal species. This online database is sponsored by the Aquarium and includes students in collecting data on the physical and biological contents of Long Island Sound.

Bring binoculars, cameras and – because there is limited cabin space – plenty of warm clothes! The 21/2-hour cruises are good for ages 8 and older.

Tickets for a Maritime Aquarium Winter Creature Cruise are $20.50 (or $18.50 for Aquarium members). Weekday charters for school groups are available.

Advance ticket purchases are strongly recommended; walk-up tickets will be sold, space permitting. Get advance tickets by calling (203) 852-0700, ext. 2206, during weekday business hours or by going online anytime to http://www.maritimeaquarium.org.

For more information about Maritime Aquarium study cruises, exhibits, IMAX movies and other offerings, call (203) 852-0700 or visit Cruise out for the chance to see some of the seals and waterfowl that spend their winters in Long Island Sound during The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk’s new season of Winter Creature Cruises.

These invigorating outings aboard the research vessel Oceanic occur many weekends from mid-December through early April. That’s when the seals come down from northern waters, which serve as their summer breeding and pupping areas.

On the Aquarium’s cruises you will seek out the seals to observe them as they come up at low tide to rest on rocks, shoals and shorelines on and near the Norwalk Islands. Dates and departure times vary by the tide schedule. Initial cruises are: Sat., Dec. 12 at 9:30 a.m.; Sat., Jan. 15 at 1 p.m.; and Sun., Jan. 16 at 1 p.m.

Participants will learn from Educators that are onboard about the seals’ natural histories and use artifacts to discuss seal anatomy. You will learn what happens with the Sound’s general marine population during the winter: who stays, who migrates in (besides seals) and who migrates out. Educators will also point out wintering waterfowl on the Sound, including buffleheads, mergansers, Old Squaw and other feathered seasonal visitors. Last years participants saw two species of seals in the Sound: harbor seals and gray seals, both are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, which limits how closely anyone may approach them.

Participants can help with their cruise’s plankton and water-chemistry samplings. Data collected during the cruises is added to the Long Island Sound Biodiversity Project, which is an ongoing census of the Sound’s animal species. This online database is sponsored by the Aquarium and includes students in collecting data on the physical and biological contents of Long Island Sound.

Bring binoculars, cameras and – because there is limited cabin space – plenty of warm clothes! The 21/2-hour cruises are good for ages 8 and older.

Tickets for a Maritime Aquarium Winter Creature Cruise are $20.50 (or $18.50 for Aquarium members). Weekday charters for school groups are available.

Advance ticket purchases are strongly recommended; walk-up tickets will be sold, space permitting. Get advance tickets by calling (203) 852-0700, ext. 2206, during weekday business hours or by going online anytime.

For more information about Maritime Aquarium study cruises, exhibits, IMAX movies and other offerings, call (203) 852-0700 or visit www.maritimeaquarium.org.

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On Friday 12/10 and Saturday 12/11 Watertown/Oakville will celebrate the first annual “The Spirit of the Holidays” a town-wide event celebrating the spirit of peace, the spirit of community, the spirit of giving and the spirit of celebration and fun.

Friday night will open with a children’s walk and candlelight sign at the Gazebo. The Watertown Methodist Church will host A Night in Bethlehem and the stores will stay open late for holidays shopping with specials and hospitality.

On Saturday, more than 80 artists and craftartists will be at the Depot Square Mall; Watertown Methodist Church and the American Legion. Live music will be hosted at The Father’s House, 523 Main Street from 12noon until 7pm, along with free gift wrapping and open house. There will be open houses all over Town with great buys and refreshments. Crafts and Open Gym for children will be in several locations.

Bring the family – make this a new holiday tradition.
More information at Watertown Recreation 860-945-5246 or breen@watertownct.org