Category: Connecticut Travel

INCREDIBLE INVENTORS: WOMEN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD

In honor of Frances Osborne Kellogg’s 143rd birthday, the Osborne Homestead Museum in Derby Connecticut will have a photo exhibition celebrating the achievements of female inventors and innovators during the month of May.

Born on May 11, 1876, during the Victorian Era, Frances was a Renaissance woman who was involved in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) fields—managing her factories, breeding prized Holstein-Friesian cattle, and playing and teaching the violin. Additionally, her family had several patents in garment accessories and building design.

In the 1890s, when Frances was a young woman on the verge of taking over her family’s businesses, 58 percent of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students were girls. By 1955, a year before Frances’ death, girls represented less than half of all STEM students. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization 2016 report, women worldwide represent 35 percent of all students enrolled in STEM-related fields of study. Frances was an advocate of higher education for girls and women, and this special exhibition is meant to inspire and bring attention to the incredible women leaders in STEAM from Frances’ time to today.

Visit the Osborne Homestead Museum throughout the month of May and learn about the women who changed the world! The Osborne Homestead Museum, a facility of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, is open for free guided tours on Thursdays and Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is located at 500 Hawthorne Avenue off of Rte. 34 in Derby. For additional information call (203) 734-2513.

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May and June @ Beardsley Zoo

The Beardsley Zoo located on 1875 Noble Ave. in Bridgeport is gearing up for summer fun. Below please find the rooster of fun events taking place at the Zoo in May and June, 2019.

May, 2019

May 4, International Firefighters’ Day

The Zoo thanks all firefighters for their exceptional courage and commitment. We’re offering free admission to all firefighters today, as well as police officers and emergency personnel. Show your badge or ID card at the ticket window.
May 12, Mother’s Day

Connecticut’s only Zoo wants to thank all mothers and grandmothers. Bring your mom or grandmother to the Zoo on Mother’s Day and her ticket is on us. Enjoy this special day by visiting animals and then having lunch together in the Peacock Pavilion. This year, we’re offering Mommy and Me treats, a beverage of your choice and a treat for one, two, or three children plus one adult, available for purchase at the Peacock Café.

May 14 & 15, Zoo Tots, 10:30 a.m.

This monthly 45-minute program for children ages 22 months to four years, who are accompanied by an adult, may include stories, games, activities, crafts, and live animals. This session is entitled “Garden Critters,” and will focus on animals that like gardens. The cost is $10 for Zoo members and one child; $15 for non-members and one child. Participants may sign up for either day. To make a reservation, pre-register by calling the Zoo’s Education Department at 203-394-6563, or register by email: programming@beardsleyzoo.orgwith your name, child’s name and age, and membership status.

May 15, Evening Lecture Series, 7:00 pm; Gorongosa National Park—Back from the Brink!

The zoo’s evening lecture series engage audiences of all ages, especially lifelong learners. The resurrection of Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique is an amazing story of ecological restoration. Situated in Africa’s Great Rift Valley, Gorongosa’s dramatic landscape is also a biodiversity hotspot, an incredibly rich and important conservation area in southern Africa. Thanks to the generosity of the Carr Foundation, Gorongosa National Park is being developed and managed as a premier site for research and education, for the people who live in and around the park as well as the growing number of visitors that are discovering Gorongosa’s natural beautify and magic. In 2017, speaker Jim Serach had the opportunity to take a group of high school students there to study tropical ecology in the field, and to see firsthand a model of how to bring an African park back to life. $10 suggested donation. Refreshments provided. In the Zoo’s Hanson Building, 1875 Noble Avenue, Bridgeport.

May 17, Endangered Species Day

Endangered Species Day is an opportunity for people of all ages to learn about the importance of protecting endangered species and everyday actions they can take to help protect them.

May 24, AARP Fourth Fridays FREE, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
AARP CT’s Fourth Fridays FREE at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is back! AARP CT will provide members with free admission to the Zoo on fourth Fridays May through September (May 24, June 28, July 26, Aug. 23, Sept. 27). Join us as many times as you like, but please be sure to register at http://www.beardsleyzoo.org/aarp/. AARP members may purchase admission for up to three guests at a 15 percent discount off regular admission prices.

May 25, 26, 27, Family Favorite Chris Rowlands Live 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm

Chris is famous for getting everyone involved through singing and dancing—even bringing kids up on stage with him! Rowlands brings animals to life through kid-friendly songs, dance, puppets, and colorful props. Children are invited to wear fun hats and sing along on stage as he shares his self-penned songs about animals and their environment. Free with paid admission to the Zoo. Shown at 11 am, 1 and 3 pm. daily. Each performance is 30-35 minutes long.

May 27, Memorial Day

All active service members and veterans get in free, and their families get 20% off the price of tickets.

June, 2019

June 1, Wild Wine Safari

Zoo closes at 3 p.m. Join us for a fabulous night of great fare from local vendors and tastings of 100 different wines and more than 60 different beers from around the world and close to home.

Zoo Tots, June 11-12, 10:30 a.m.

This monthly 45-minute program, for children 22 months to four years who are accompanied by an adult, may include stories, games, crafts, and a live animal presentation. This session is “Some Like It Hot,” where we learn about how animals handle a variety of temperatures. $10 for Zoo members and one child; $15 for non-members and one child.Participants may sign up for either day. To reserve a space in the program, pre-register by calling the Zoo’s Education Department at 203-394-6563, or register by email: programming@beardsleyzoo.orgwith name, child’s name and age, and membership status.

June 16, Father’s Day

Dads and Granddads get in free with one paying guest. Cannot be combined with other offers.

June 19, Evening Lecture Series, 7:00 pm; Action for Cheetahs in Kenya

The zoo’s evening lecture series engage audiences of all ages, especially lifelong learners, who have an appetite for delving deeper into the wonders of wildlife.Sarah Omusula will highlight the amazing work Action for Cheetahs in Kenya (ACK) is doing to save wild cheetahs. Learns about the use of scat detection dogs, how ACK is working to mitigate human/wildlife conflicts, and about their unique education and outreach programs, ACK is a non-profit organization under the Carnivores Livelihoods and Landscapes Program whose mission is to promote the conservation of cheetahs through research, awareness and community participation in Kenya. $10 suggested donation. Refreshments will be served. Location: The Zoo’s Hanson Building, 1875 Noble Ave., Bridgeport.

June 28, AARP Fourth Fridays FREE; 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
If you’re an AARP cardholder, show your card or invitation and you get free admission to the Zoo! Up to three additional guests will receive a 15% discount off regular admission prices.

About Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo

Let your curiosity run wild! Connecticut’s only zoo, celebrating its 97thyear, features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species. Guests won’t want to miss our Amur tigers and leopards, Brazilian ocelot, Mexican and red wolves, and Golden Lion tamarin. Other highlights include our Natt Family Red Panda Habitat, South American rainforest with free-flight aviary, the prairie dog exhibit with “pop-up” viewing areas, and the Pampas Plain, with Giant anteaters, maned wolf family, and Chacoan peccaries. Guests can grab a bite at the Peacock Café, eat in the Picnic Grove, and enjoy a ride on our colorful, indoor carousel. For more information, visit beardsleyzoo.org.

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Baby Leopards Named @ Live Cam Working @ Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo

The two new Amur Leopard Cubs, some of the rarest and most endangered cats in the world born at the Beardsley Zoo located on Noble Ave. in Bridgeport nine weeks ago are thriving. They are very important protection this species that are critically endangered with less than 100 in zoos around the world and 30 to 50 in the wild.  As a member of the Accredited Zoo Asscoationthe Beardsley Zoo plays an integral part in making sure endangered species survive and thrive and are here for generations.

Within the first 24 hours, these rare cubs had to be taken away from their first-time mother because she was over grooming them with her rough tongue.  Due to mon’s zealous overgrooming the black female leopard cub had to undergo emergency surgery for her tail. Dedicated and professional zoo “moms and dads” keep an eye on the cubs 24/7 and are responsible for feeding them, monitoring their health and making sure they have plenty of fun things to play with. Zoo staff affectionately called leopard moms and leopard dads watch the Cubs 24/7, clean up after them. track their health, and feed them six times a day.   They also monitor their growth and weight and food intake as they weaned.  Without the professional and dedicated staff, the world might have lost these rare creatures.

In keeping with Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo tradition, hand-reared baby animal names are chosen by their professional care staff, recognizing the depth of the round-the-clock, seven-day-a-week commitment required for newborn care.

Here’s why the names were chosen:
Orion was a hunter in Greek mythology, a perfect fit for an Amur leopard, an apex predator who hunts for survival. One of the most conspicuous constellations in the night sky, the trio of stars’ widespread recognition fits an endangered leopard whose role as an ambassador for his species assures his own recognition. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythology, Orion is known as the “swordsman of the sky.

”Kallisto is another well-known constellation, more frequently referred to as Ursa Major. In Greek mythology, Kallisto was a nymph, a divine spirit who maintains nature for the environments where they make their homes. The origin of the name in Greek means “most beautiful,” a tribute to the female Amur cub’s striking appearance due to her melanistic coat color, an extremely rare black color variant.

The cubs won’t be out for public viewing for about six weeks in the meantime, the zoo has set up a Leopard Cam that operates from 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.  It is a true joy to watch them play.

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THE 2nd ANNUAL NORWALK CITY HUNT

Norwalk Now presents Norwalk City Hunt, an interactive “Amazing Race” throughout the Wall Street and SoNo neighborhoods of Norwalk, CT. This high-spirited afternoon of clues and challenges takes place Saturday, April 27 with a meet-up time of 10:30 AM at O’Neill’s Irish Pub.

Participants (21 and older) compete in teams of 4 and are guided through the hunt on the City Hunt phone app. From there, a series of location clues, questions, and challenges are tackled with the successful completion of these activities being answered, recorded, or photographed on the team leader’s phone and submitted. Participants will be walking, running, or catching a Norwalk Now Circulator Van or Wheels2U bus, which will shuffle them between neighborhoods to the over 40 destinations participating in the hunt.

“Here we go again, “says Norwalk Now Director Linda Kavanagh, excited for another entertaining afternoon of crazy antics and camaraderie, “The hunt challenges participants on all levels, from how well you know the city of Norwalk, to solving mind-bending clues and completing unusual tasks, most of which result in hilarious pandemonium.”

Destinations are comprised of Norwalk Now businesses, supporters, and public domains. The final destination is found by solving a series of clues along the journey. Upon completion of the hunt, the after party begins, where the winners will be announced. The team completing the most challenges in the shortest amount of time is the winner. Prizes include a $500 Norwalk Now gift card package and Free Parking gift bundles for the runners up.

Tickets are $40 per person ($140 for a team of 4) and include the City Hunt challenge and phone app, NCH swag, and the after party. Sign-up solo and form your team at the meet-up or sign-up your foursome at WWW.NORWALKNOW.ORG

Meet-up: O’Neill’s, 93 North Main Street, South Norwalk, CT
After Party: You’ve got to solve the clues to get there!

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Children’s Nature Camp in Wilton

The Woodtick Nature Center located on 56 Deer Run Road in Wilton has announced a series of summer nature camps for kids.  There are three levels of camps for kids that include one for ages 3 and 4, grades 1-6 and grades 7 and 8.  The camps begin June 17 and run through August 16. Kids will have fun and make friends while exploring our 150-acre preserve as experienced environmental educators teach conservation and awareness of our natural environment through animal encounters, nature crafts, hiking, kayaking on our pond, wilderness skills and so much more.

The Nestlings for ages 3 and up includes  “forest friends” to “turtle power”, each day is filled with live animals, arts and crafts, hikes, games, and age-specific activities focusing on our nature theme of the day. The camp runs Mon. – Fri. 9 am – 1 pm with weekly registration.  Summer Nature Camp Scouts, Rangers and Explorers are for grades 1-6 and are Mon.-Fri. from 9:30 am – 3 pm.  Kids will investigate nature through woodland expeditions, stream exploration, scavenger hunts, obstacle courses, wilderness games, live animals, and nature art! Summer uncharted is for kids in grades 7 and 8. This program runs 9:30 am – 3 pm.  With 150-acres as the only limit, kids will wade, hike and explore our way through each week. Be prepared to ditch your trail map and venture into the wilderness at Woodcock! 

​Small groups allow for a high-quality experience in their supportive atmosphere. Ratios are 6:1 or better and the maximum number of campers per group is 16.  For more information click here.

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An evening with Jacques Pepin

A program benefitting the Stamford Museum and Nature Center is taking place on Saturday, May 18 in the Knobloch Family Farmhouse on the grounds of the center. The guest of honor will be with renowned Master Chef, Jacques Pépin. Chef Pépin is a 16-time James Beard Award winner, celebrated author of 29 cookbooks, host and star of 12 acclaimed PBS cooking series, philanthropist, educator, and recipient of France’s highest distinction, the Legion of Honor. Please contact Karen Meizels at 203-977-6546 or kmeizels@stamfordmuseum.org to secure your sponsorship.

This intimate evening for 150 guests is sure to delight the senses with a four-course seated dinner, curated and prepared by Tim LaBant, Chef and Owner of Schoolhouse at Cannondale. Chef LaBant graduated from Johnson & Wales University with high honors and numerous awards. He went on to work with the Emmy Award-winning Chef, Ming Tsai, best known for his popular television show “Simply Ming.” Tim also developed strong skills in French cuisine during his years as a chef at the Four Star and Five Diamond L’Espalier Restaurant in Boston. There, he worked under Chef/Owner Frank McClelland, which helped him develop big flavors using unique ingredients and a combination of new and classic techniques. Tim continues his education by trailing in the kitchens of great restaurants like Le Bernardin, and Aureole, and building his library of cookbooks.

The evening’s menu will feature simple ingredients with direct influences from Chef Pépin. Each course will be expertly paired with spectacular wines and a sommelier will be on hand to discuss each pairing with guests.

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Top sponsors will enjoy a private cocktail reception with Jacques Pépin. Hors d’ouevres will be prepared by Chef Raquel Pablo-Rivera and her students. Chef Raquel Rivera-Pablo, owner of A Pinch of Salt, graduated with highest honors from the culinary program at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) after completing her externship at Le Bernardin in NYC. She was also invited to be one of the founding chefs of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” Initiative. Chef Raquel provides cooking programming for children and adults at Easton Community Center, Hall Neighborhood House, YMCA Ralphola Center, Wakeman Boys & Girls Club, LifeBridge/FreshConnections, senior centers and the Bridgeport Farmers Market Collaborative. She also provides at-home cooking classes and private cooking events in commercial kitchens in NYC and Fairfield County.

About

The Stamford Museum & Nature Center is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art and popular culture, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The Museum is a vital cultural and educational resources for the community, and a focal point for family activity, lifelong learning, and inspiration. As the SM&NC’s largest fundraiser, proceeds from the evening will directly support the rapid growth and development of our educational and cultural programming. A portion of the proceeds will also be given to the Jacques Pépin Foundation. The Jacques Pépin Foundation is committed to transforming lives through culinary education. The Foundation promotes Jacques’ generosity and passion for cooking by supporting individuals that seek, and organizations that create pathways to success through culinary professionalism, skills and technique.

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