Category: Connecticut Travel

Oysters were the quintessential American food – especially in the estuaries and inlets of shoreline Connecticut where they grow in natural abundance.  The Westport Historical Society is celebrating the culture and lore of oystering on Long Island Sound with a month-long exhibit through July 29 entitled Westport Is Your Oyster.

The exhibit offers a glimmer into Westport and Norwalk’s oystering history using original artifacts and objects from the private collections of Ms. Robin Tauck and Mr. Norman Bloom as well as items from our permanent collection.  Ephemera relating to the consumption of oysters round out a display that includes tools of the trade and archival documents.  Oysters have been enjoyed by native people who seared them in hot coals, in a method later adopted by European colonists.  In those days, the oysters pulled from the waters around Westport were as large as dinner plates. 

The Westport Historical Society is located on 25 Avery Place in Westport and is open Tues.-Sat. 10 am – 4 p.m. and Sun. noon to 4 p.m. 

A flavorful shrub in the currant family produces a flavorful fruit popular with Native Americans called a gooseberry. The gooseberry is another name for several of the many varieties of currants that grow all over North America. The name gooseberry is a direct translation of the Kiowa, Omaha and Ponca terms for this fruit.

About Gooseberries
Currant bushes are small and grow no more than six feet tall and usually measure about three feet. They have fragrant yellow five petal flowers in May or June and round black, red, or blue color fruit that usually ripens in July and August. Gooseberries usually grow on hillsides or on the border of woods or near swamps and beside rivers and streams. Cultivated forms of gooseberries are divided into either European or American; the difference is in the size of the fruit and the flavor. North American gooseberries are said to be smaller and have less flavor than there European counterpart, however, they are more resistant to diseases.

Medicinal and Culinary Uses
Native Americans ate gooseberries raw, they also cooked with them. Gooseberries were also dried or preserved and made into jellies or jams. The Hidatsa tribe considered gooseberries a desireable wild fruit, while the Hopi, would caution against eating too much of this fruit because it could make you sick to your stomach. The Gitksan of British Columbia put them in thin dry cakes that they ate with oil of eulachon, salmon, groundhog, or bear during the winter months. Many tribes made dried currant cakes and also used them in soup and to flavor stews. The leaves of the plant were dried for tea and the young leaves were cooked with meat.

The Kiowa used the raw fruit of the gooseberry as a remedy for snakebite because they believed that snakes did not like this berry and kept away from this shrub. A decoction made from the steam of the skunk red current was used to prevent blood clotting after giving birth. Other parts of this plant were used to treat colds, coughs, diabetes, diarrhea and to prevent miscarriages.

Did You Know…
There are many types of gooseberries or currants including the wax, bear, squaw, buffalo, clove, black, Missouri, golden and flowering currants.

Gooseberries are tart, low in calories, fat and cholesterol free and high in Vitamin C and A.

Gooseberries and currents can be easily distinguished by thorns; gooseberries usually have thorns and currants do not.

In the early 1900s the Federal and State Governments outlawed the growing of currants and gooseberries to prevent the spread of white pine blister rust. Massachusetts still prohibits the cultivation of this plant.

The Institute for American Indian Studies

Located on 15 woodland acres the IAIS has an outdoor Three Sisters and Healing Plants Gardens as well as a replicated 16th c. Algonkian Village. Inside the museum, authentic artifacts are displayed in permanent, semi-permanent and temporary exhibits from prehistory to the present that allows visitors a walk through time. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut and can be reached online or by calling 860-868-0518.
The Institute for American Indian Studies preserves and educates through discovery and creativity the diverse traditions, vitality, and knowledge of Native American cultures. Through archaeology, the IAIS is able to build new understandings of the world and history of Native Americans, the focus is on stewardship and preservation. This is achieved through workshops, special events, and education for students of all ages.

There will be an opening reception from 5 to 7 pm on July 7 at the Brookfield Craft Center of the work of Alison Palmer, whose work will be on display through July 29. Gallery hours are Tuesday – Friday noon – 5pm, Saturday 11-5pm, Sunday Noon – 4pm.

Ms. Palmer resides in Kent. She received a BFA in ceramics from the California College of Arts. Her works are represented in numerous galleries, museum shops and catalogs throughout the U.S. a nd abroad.

Ms. Palmer’s work is about the celebration of life and the natural world. “Animal imagery in clay has always been my chosen expression. Sometimes I make pots into animals and sometimes animals out of my pots. My search is to find the balance between pottery form and animal form the winter fit as one. I strive to achieve a lighthearted meld”.

Spending time in Mexico has influenced her artistic direction and endeavors. “Spending the winter in Merida, Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula. There is limited access to good clay there, but I wanted to continue practicing my art. I began making papier-mache masks since I wanted to make art that was relevant to Mexican culture. Papier-mache is accessible to everyone. Every child has at least one piñata for their birthday. The parades are full of giant puppets, gigantes, with masks made of papier-mache. It is my way of meeting and connecting with people”.

Howard Lasser, Brookfield Craft Center Executive Director said: “we are always excited to provide local artists a venue to exhibit their work, and this exhibition of multi media work is an exceptional opportunity for the public to see and experience a mix of work and cultural exploration”.

Scallywags of all ages can step into a world of swashbuckling rogues, dastardly villains, infamous she-pirates and wicked wenches on July 14 and 15 when purchasing a ferry ride ticket to Sheffield Island for the annual Pirates Weekend hosted by the Seaport Association in Norwalk.

Find your sea legs and hop aboard the C.J. Toth Ferry for a cruise to Sheffield Island. Arriving on the Island, guests will be greeted and entertained by a roving gang of rowdy pirates. Kids can hunt for treasure on the beach, play games, sing sea chanteys, watch swordplay, listen to tall tales of thrill and danger, and hear colorful stories of pirates near and far. Who knows what secrets they will reveal!

This is the weekend to experience the freedom of a pirate’s life, and to learn about their lore and history! The pirates that invade Sheffield Island every summer are different. They enjoy taking a break from their adventures on the seven seas and come to Sheffield Island to have a boatload of fun with those lucky scallywags visiting during the Pirates Weekend.

All pirate fun and games are free with the purchase of a ferry ticket. The ferry departs the dock at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on both days, Saturday and Sunday. It is best to arrive 30 minutes before the boat departs the dock that is located on 4 North Water Street in Norwalk in the parking lot of the Maritime Aquarium. Parking is available at the Maritime Garage. For tickets https://seaport.org/page-18092

About the Seaport Association
The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 by a group of local citizens who had a vision to revitalize South Norwalk and preserve Norwalk’s maritime heritage.

The Norwalk Seaport Association offers a cultural, environmental, and historical journey to the Norwalk Islands. The Sheffield Island Lighthouse and the Light Keeper’s Cottage provide a unique historical and educational venue, which strives to increase awareness, appreciation and consideration for our environment and how the preservation of historic buildings and nature contribute to our quality of life.

It is our belief that preservation strengthens the perpetual partnership between the past, the present and the future. The combination of the Lighthouse and the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge offers an unparalleled opportunity to educate children of all ages and adults about the importance of preserving Long Island Sound, our environment and maritime heritage.

The Norwalk Historical Society is celebrating the 4th of July this year at the historic Mill Hill Historic Park on 2 East Wall Street from, noon to 4 p.m.  The day will begin with local historian Madeleine Eckert who will present a lecture on “Searching for Norwalk’s Black Patriots”. This exciting slide lecture utilizes a number of source documents to weave a visual narrative of Norwalk’s fascinating 18th-century Black history.  

Beginning at 1 p.m. visitors are invited to visit an authentic Revolutionary War Encampment and “Let Freedom Ring” Bell ringing ceremony. 

Learn about the life of soldiers during the American Revolution. Reenactors from the Sable Soldiers of the American Revolution will bring to life soldiers from theMarbleheaders and the 1st Rhode Island Regiment of Foot. 

They will create a historical encampment filled with Revolutionary War artifacts and props. Telling the stories of the impact these soldiers made on the Revolution, as well as tales of important historical figures will be woven into demonstrations of military drills, weapons of the period, and an interactive live firing of a cannon.

At 1:30 pm. join the Norwalk Historical Society and the nation, as we toll the Town House bell 13 times to commemorate the founding of the original 13 colonies. Selected sections of the Declaration of Independence will be read by Norwalk’s Town Clerk, Rick McQuaid. Mayor Harry Rilling, Senator Bob Duff , as well as other local dignitaries, will take part in this wonderful patriotic ceremony!

America’s longest running summer chamber music festival, Music Mountain, continues its summer of Beethoven on Sunday, July 8 (3pm) when the Shanghai Quartet performs Beethoven Quartet Cycle Program #5. The Connecticut favorite Jive By Five kicks off the weekend playing the best of the jazz age on Saturday, July 7 (6:30pm)! Concerts are scheduled through September 23.

Sunday afternoon welcomes back the Shanghai Quartet performing Beethoven Quartet Cycle Program #5: String Quartet in B Flat Major, Op. 130 – the massive work including Beethoven’s plea for happiness and peace, the Cavatina; and String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59 #1 “Rasumovsky.” The Rasumovsky Quartets, and this one in particular, broke with previous conventions and expanded the scope of quartet writing, opening with a grand cello solo that leads to a nearly-orchestral sound within just a few bars. The F Major Rasumovsky Quartet was one of the favorite works of the Gordon String Quartet, Music Mountain’s founding quartet. In fact, during the 1931 season, Music Mountain’s second season, the Quartet played it twice.

The technical and emotional scope of the Beethoven Cycle makes it the ultimate challenge for a string quartet. Described as challenging, intimate and graceful, and tumultuous, the Cycle includes some of the greatest works in Beethoven’s entire output. “The Beethoven Cycle as a whole provides a cathartic experience for the listener, it takes you through the emotions of a lifetime,” noted Music Mountain artistic director, Oskar Espina-Ruiz.

Renowned for its passionate musicality, impressive technique and multicultural innovations, the Shanghai Quartet has become one of the world’s foremost chamber ensembles. Its elegant style melds the delicacy of Eastern music with the emotional breadth of Western repertoire, allowing it to traverse musical genres including traditional Chinese folk music, masterpieces of Western music and cutting-edge contemporary works. Formed at the Shanghai Conservatory in 1983, the Quartet has worked with the world’s most distinguished artists and regularly tours the major music centers of Europe, North America and Asia. The Quartet has a long history of championing new music and juxtaposing traditions of Eastern and Western music.

A Connecticut favorite returns! Jive By Five plays the music of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, and more on Saturday evening. At the helm is the charming, jazz-loving, hard-swinging drummer Bob Parker, surrounded on stage by Scott Heth, Piano; Joe Salamone Bass; Paul Boehmke, Alto Sax; Charlie Weyant, Tenor Sax and Clarinet; Chris Parker, Drums; and Jim Fryer, Trombone. From the Charleston, to the Two-Step, to the Fox Trot, this much-loved group will have the crowd dancing all evening!

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series features pre-concert dinners at the charming Falls Village Inn. Experience a piece of history built over 175 years ago that helped shape the history of Falls Village.

Music Mountain is located in Falls Village, Connecticut on Music Mountain Road, where a short scenic drive will bring you to Gordon Hall atop Music Mountain. Free parking and picnic facilities are available. Music Mountain is supported, in part, by the Connecticut Commission On Culture & Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Chamber music concerts continue with Escher String Quartet with 2017 Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Yekwon Sunwoo, piano (July 15); Penderecki String Quartet with Victoria Schwartzman, piano (July 22); Harlem String Quartet with Fei-Fei Dong, piano (July 29); and Avalon String Quartet with Soyeon Kate Lee, piano (August 5).

The Saturday Evening Twilight Series continues with Helen Sung Quartet (July 14); Peter & Will Anderson Quartet (July 21); Swingtime Big Band (July 28); and Jimmy Greene Quartet (August 4).

Specially Priced Concerts include: Labor Day Benefit Concert & Reception on Sunday, September 2. All tickets $75. Special Concert & Wine Reception to Celebrate the Completion of the Beethoven Quartet Cycle on Sunday, September 9. All tickets: $60.

Regularly scheduled Chamber Music Concerts are $35. Twilight Series Concerts are $30. Concert & Dinner Passes are available for all Twilight Series Concerts for $70; includes Pre-Concert Dinner (5pm) at The Falls Village Inn, a Litchfield County landmark – Classic American comfort fare, seasonal – and 6:30pm Twilight Concert at Music Mountain. Dinner reservations must be made no later than the Friday prior to concert date by calling the Music Mountain box office at 860-824-7126.

Children ages 5-18 are admitted FREE to ALL CONCERTS when accompanied by a ticket holder. Saturday evening Twilight Concerts are at 6:30 pm. Sunday afternoon Chamber Music concerts are at 3 pm. Discounts apply through participating organizations. For a complete summer schedule, special ticket prices, and to download a ticket order form visit musicmountain.org or call (860) 824-7126.

Music Mountain, 225 Music Mountain Road, Falls Village, CT 06031