Author: Janet

Litchfield’s White Memorial Foundation located off Rte. 202 has several late November events not to be missed. There is a “Star Party” on November 20 that promises to be great fun. Participants will hook up with members of the Litchfield Hills Amateur Astronomy Club and the Mattatuck Astronomical Society and discuss supernovas! Weather permitting, there will be Star gazing after the program. The program begins at 7:00 P.M., in the A.B. Ceder Room. Please note that children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. You are invited to bring your own telescope or binoculars.

On the afternoon of November 21 get ready to spend some quality time with your family meeting and greeting internationally acclaimed artist and author Wendell Minor as he reads and signs his latest book for children, Daylight Starlight Wildlife. Enjoy cider and cookies during the book signing. Chat with White Memorial’s court photographer, Leo Kulinski, Jr and hear about the role he played in Mr. Minor’s beautiful book!

Wendell Minor’s 45-year career as an illustrator and author in the world of books has brought him international acclaim. He has produced over 2000 book covers and 60 children’s books. He has been the exclusive designer of the covers for David McCullough and Pat Conroy for the past four decades. Minor’s children’s books celebrate the world of nature, historic figures and moments in America’s story. His books have been published around the globe in several languages. Minor’s work can be found in many museum collections, including the Norman Rockwell Museum, Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, The Library of Congress, The New Britain Museum of American Art, Kennedy Space Center, University of Connecticut, and the United States Postal Service.

A highlight of the month takes place at 10 a.m. on November 28 when participants are invited to go on a llama walk with with Debbie Labbe from Country Quilt Llama Farm. Stroll along the trails of White Memorial with a new friend! Meet in the Museum parking lot. 10:00 A.M., $20.00 per person. A portion of the fee will be donated to the Conservation Center. Please register by calling Debbie at 860-248-0355 or email: countryquiltllamafarm@gmail.com or to schedule a private walk!

Also on November 28 visitors are invited to take a walk on Cranberry Pond Trail with Gerri Griswold. This is the 6th Annual Edition of this popular walk! Nothing could cap off a wonderful “on the cusp of winter” stroll along this spectacular trail better than a cup of hot coffee and a thick wedge of Crimson Pie swimming in a pool of thick ginger crème anglaise! Meet in the Museum. 2:00

For more area information visit www.litchfieldhills.com

The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation announces a “Private Access Tour” as part of its 40th anniversary celebration. On Saturday, November 21 from 11:00 – 12:30 guests will have exclusive access to five historic buildings on the Wilton Historical Society’s campus at 224 Danbury Road, Wilton.

The one-of-a-kind talk and tour, given by Wilton architect Rob Sanders, will include commentary about the evolution of Wilton’s early architectural styles and a chance to explore the interconnected Betts House (c. 1740), Burt Barn and Fitch House (1772), as well as the 1860 Abbott Barn and blacksmith shop.

Sanders, whose architectural practice has a strong presence in historic preservation, restoration, and renovation, was instrumental in moving the historic buildings to their current location. Open to the public, the event will conclude with a light reception.

The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, in partnership with the 1772 foundation, awarded the Wilton Historical Society a grant of $15,000 for exterior painting of the Betts House, the Burt Barn and the Fitch House in 2014. Jordan Sorensen, Membership and Events Manager is, “thrilled to be able to showcase the Wilton Historical Society’s dedication to the upkeep of their historic buildings and their innovative programming and exhibitions.” The painting project was finished this summer. The special access tour is a way to mark both the Trust’s 40th anniversary and the completion of the project.

Tickets are free, but registration is required as space is limited. Please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/private-access-tour-wilton-historical-society-tickets-19272130461 to register for this event. Ample parking is available next to the main buildings located at the Wilton Historical Society Museum Complex at 224 Danbury Road in Wilton, Connecticut.

The Connecticut Trust was established in 1975 to provide technical assistance, financial assistance, workshops, publications and advocacy in preservation matters and issues.
The Wilton Historical Society, 224 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897 203-762-7257 www.wiltonhistorical.org

For more event information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Exciting news! The Beardsley Zoo on Noble Ave. in Bridgeport is the the temporary home for “Rochan,” a 16-month-old male Red panda.

Rochan is visiting from the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston while his exhibit space is being renovated. Look for him near the exit of the South American Rainforest Exhibit.

Hailing from the Himalayas and the mountain ranges of southwest China, Red pandas resemble raccoons and prefer colder climates. They are solitary animals and are nocturnal by nature. As an adult, Rochan, which means “bright” in India, is expected to weigh 10-12 lbs. Like their larger and better-known black and white cousins, Red pandas primarily eat bamboo but will occasionally eat fruits, berries, young leaves, and certain tree bark.

Red pandas are vulnerable in the wild, with fewer than 10,000 adult Red pandas in existence. For more information visit http://www.beardsleyzoo.com. For more area event information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Explore the world of dreams as interpreted by regional and national artists at the Westport Arts Center’s annual group member exhibition that will remain open through January 9, 2016. Viewing this evocative show is free and open to the public.

The exhibition showcases the imagination and masterful techniques used by this select group of artists at the height of their contemporary practice. The theme DREAMscapes is a simple prompt for the artists to delve into the philosophical, emotional, historical and metaphysical imagery of dreams and cosmic phenomena.

The exhibition was juried by Alexandra Munroe, Ph.D, Samsung Senior Curator of Asian Art at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. Munroe is a pioneering authority on modern and contemporary Asian art and transnational art studies.

Munroe selected the works of art from more than 260 entries, including regional, national and international artists. The exhibition features 45 diverse interpretations of the DREAMscapes theme, including photography, printmaking, sculpture, video, collage/mixed media, digital and drawings. All of the works are available for sale.

The theme DREAMscapes inspired hundreds of the region’s artists to respond with works ranging from pure abstract to landscape paintings, and from surrealist assemblages of dream-like imagery to realist renderings of contemporary dysfunction.

For more information, please call 203/222-7070 or visit www.westportartscenter.org. For more area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Food Network Star Chef Robert Irvine is taking his brand of no nonsense cooking on the road in an all-new multi-media and multi-sensory theatrical experience coming to the Palace Theater in Waterbury, on Friday, Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. Tickets to the event are $48, $38, and $28 and can be purchased online at http://www.palacetheaterct.org, by phone at 203-346-2000, or in person at the Box Office, 100 East Main St.

This all-new, stage show features dynamic off-the-cuff cooking challenges, never-before-seen videos, interactive social media components, a Q & A segment, and a whole heaping of audience participation. Chef Irvine will have no prior knowledge of the culinary challenges he faces throughout the night, each of which will be chosen at random by audience members selected to spin the show’s digital challenge wheel. Once the challenge is issued, Irvine will bring more audience members onto the stage to help him complete the task at hand. In between each challenge, patrons will get a glimpse of rare videos that include interview footage of Robert retelling experiences from his military service, working for the royal family, his shows on Food Network, and his charity work. From start to finish, the production boasts that there are no recipes, no scripts and no holds barred.

Hardcore foodies and fans can upgrade their theater experience by purchasing a $158 VIP ticket package to the show, which includes access to a private cooking seminar, food tasting, and meet and greet opportunity with Chef Irvine before the show, as well as gold circle seating to the main event. Limited quantities are available for purchased online, in person and by phone at the Box Office.

For more information on Robert Irvine and his tour, visit www.chefirvine.com or www.palacetheaterct.org.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum will host, Setting the Table for the Holidays: Edward’s Table on November 15th at 2 p.m. where tabletop guru Edward Lent will share a wealth of table setting and entertaining ideas, just in time for the holiday season.

Whether you are planning a joyous family gathering or a year-end “need to impress” business party, holiday entertaining will be at your fingertips with Edward’s Table. Throughout his 20-plus year career, Lent has worked with Tabletop industry giants such as Noritake, Mikasa and Simon Pearce. His philosophy, “Stop keeping your dinnerware hostage. Let me show you how to set the mood and set a table with today’s trends and tips using what you probably already own.”

While setting thousands of tables, Lent developed a unique sense of entertaining styles. He is a renowned expert in the visual merchandising industry, whose table setting and merchandising work has taken him around the country and around the globe, including Europe, Japan and South America. Lent holds a degree in Art Education and was associate editor of the industry trade journal Tableware Today

Tickets for the event are $25 for members and $35 for non-members. Proceeds will go to support the Museum and its artistic, cultural and educational programs.

For reservations please contact: info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com or 203-838-9799 ext. 4. The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a National Historic Landmark. Tours are offered Wednesdays through Sundays, at Noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children. Children under 8 are admitted free. For more information, visit www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com or call 203-838-9799.

For more area event information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com