Connecticut Travel

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and if you are looking for the perfect gift for that special someone, the Norwalk Seaport Association is offering a truly thoughtful and unique gift, the new “Taste of the Seaport Restaurant Tour Card” that is sure to light up a smile! Best of all, this Valentine’s Day gift is not a generic product like flowers or candy but one that is good through June 2019 at 15 restaurants in Norwalk, Westport, and Stamford that both of you can enjoy.

For just a $50 donation to the Seaport Association, The Restaurant Tour Card is yours and entitles you and a guest to enjoy a FREE entree when you buy one of greater value at 15 fabulous restaurants…what a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with the added perk of benefitting the Sheffield Island Lighthouse, Connecticut’s maritime icon and the Norwalk Seaport Association that is made up of a team of hard-working volunteers dedicated to the preservation of the Lighthouse and Long Island Sound.

The Seaport Association has made it easy to purchase the “Taste of the Seaport Restaurant Tour Card” just call the Association at 203-838-9444 or log onto their website at www.seaport.org.

The 15 restaurants included in the card offer a variety of food and price ranges making this offer something that will appeal to everyone’s palette. This card has very few restrictions other than diners must order two entrees in order to receive the entree of lesser value as complementary. It should be noted that take out orders, drinks, appetizers, desserts, and gratuities are not included and, that the card cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. The restaurant will indicate on the card that it has been used at its establishment, as the card is good for one-time use at each dining destination.

1. Adams Rib -Seasonal American fare and classic cocktails served in a warm dining room within the Norwalk Inn, 99 East Ave., Norwalk.

2. BanC House – Offering New American grub including BBQ and crabs in casual surroundings with outdoor seating in season, 16 River St., Norwalk.

3. Beach House Cafe – Fresh seafood, American fare, and cocktails served in a nautical environs with a patio located near the Seaport Dock and Aquarium, 19 North Water Street, Norwalk.

4. BJ Ryan’s – Offering New American food including barbecue and crabs in a casual setting that offers outdoor seating in season, 57 Main St., Norwalk.

5. Bourbon Raw – Hospitality from the heart at this restaurant that features a Southern Style menu of tasty, bold flavored comfort foods with a seafood influence, 80 Washington Street #2, Norwalk.

6. Brasitas of Norwalk – Upscale eatery with tropical decor offering innovative Pan-Latin cuisine and high octane drinks, 430 Main Ave., Norwalk.

7. Italia Pizzeria Restaurant – Warm, long-running eatery preparing pizza, pasta, and many other Italian-American main courses, 285 Main Ave., Norwalk.

8. Knot Norm’s – An extension of the Catering Company, the Eatery is a small establishment on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Norwalk River that provides a menu of New England staples including a warm lobster roll nominated for the best lobster roll in New England, 10a First Street, Norwalk.

9. Long Ridge Tavern – A converted barn with a cozy fireplace, antiques, and outdoor seasonal seating offers up live music and American fare for lunch, dinner, and brunch, 2635 Long Ridge Road, Stamford.

10. Match Burger Lobster – Many New England seafood favorites from hot lobster rolls to fried clams, burgers and more. The Bloom Family of Copps Island Oysters supplies this eatery with all shellfish and all the meat is from Fleishers Craft Butchery, 580 Riverside Ave., Westport.

11. Osteria Romana – Feast on traditional recipes from Rome Italy. Specialties include homemade pasta daily and fresh, fish, veal, and chicken prepared to order, 250 Westport Ave., Norwalk.

12. Pearl at Longshore – This menu is a balance of modern inventive flavors including small plates, an extensive raw bar, salads, freshly caught fish, grass-fed meat, hand made pasta and pizza, 260 Compo Road, Westport.

13. Saltwater Restaurant and Bar – A vibrant outpost for New England coastal classic cuisine located in a sprawling nautically themed space, 128 Washington St., Norwalk.

14. The Spread – Enjoy dining in a rustic industrial chic space. This restaurant serves award-winning New American cuisine and cocktails, 70 North Main Street, Norwalk.

15. Via Sforza Trattoria – Dine at this Italian Restaurant in a beautiful stone cottage Tuscan farmhouse setting. Offerings include classic and modern Italian fare and brick oven pizza, 243 Post Road West. Westport.

A Maritime Aquarium seal officially chose the team she thinks will win out at Super Bowl LIII on Sunday. Rasal chose the New England Patriots to win over the Los Angeles Rams during the Maritime Aquarium’s seal-training demonstration Tuesday afternoon. During the event, images of the Super Bowl teams’ helmets were taped to the window of the seal exhibit. When commanded, Rasal swam over to the window and held her nose on the Patriots team helmet. If you’re rooting for the Rams, you may still be in luck. To date, the aquarium’s seals are 2-5 in their picks, however, their last two picks were correct. It will be interesting to see if Rasc continues this winning streak this year.

This year’s pick may hold a bit of nostalgia for Rasal, as she previously picked the Patriots to win out over the New York Giants in 2012 during the aquarium’s first seal pick. The Giants ended up winning that game, which began a five-year streak of incorrect guesses for the seals.

In 2015, the seals chose the Seattle Seahawks to win out over the Patriots. They were, of course, incorrect, as the Pats ended up winning that game 28-24 in a last-second victory. In 2017, Orange correctly picked the Pats to beat the Atlanta Falcons, which resulted in the seals’ first correct pick. They followed that up last year by picking the Philadelphia Eagles to win, who ended up beating New England 41-33.
“They don’t seem to show a preference I guess,” Maritime Aquarium Publicist Dave Sigworth said. “Rasal, she was found as an abandoned pup in Maine, spent some time in New England, but also spent some time at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, so she has Midwestern and New England connections. Of course the Rams used to be in St. Louis, so it’s all very complex. Maybe her New England roots is why she went with the Patriots.”

Though Rasal made the first initial pick years ago, she took over the role this year from Orange the seal, who passed away in May.

At 33 years old, Rasal is the aquarium’s oldest seal. She was found in Maine in 1985 and rehabilitated at the New England Aquarium in Boston. She later moved to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and was there until 2005, when she came to the Maritime Aquarium.

Sigworth is hoping Rasal’s instincts extend the seals’ correct streak to three years in a row.

“They have a history of being wrong a lot,” Sigworth said, “but they’ve been on a roll the last two years, so we’ll see.”

Fairfield County Children’s Choir Annual Broadway Concert and Auction on February 2 at The Klein Memorial Auditorium never disappoints!! Always an audience favorite, this year’s concert will feature music from Phantom of the Opera, Porgy and Bess, and in a nod to our Bridgeport connection – Barnum and The Greatest Showman. Pair those fantastic shows with some of the most outstanding youth soloists of Fairfield County and our amazing choirs, you are certain to enjoy an evening of unforgettable music. We are pleased to announce our special guest for this concert will be Michele McConnell, the voice of Carlotta in Phantom of the Opera. Ms. McConnell performed this role on Broadway for eight years and will sing Think of Me.

Support our choir AND walk away with something fabulous – the Silent Auction promises to be bigger and better than ever! Held in the spaces surrounding the auditorium, past auction items have included gourmet gift baskets, sporting event tickets, music lessons, jewelry, restaurant gift cards, autographed children’s books……the list goes on. Cocktails, hors-d’oeuvres and auction bidding begins at 5:30 pm and continues through intermission.

The Fairfield County Children’s Choir (FCCC) is a community-based choral program made up of 300 children in grades four through twelve from communities in and around Fairfield County. The choir has performed across the country and around the world. For information on the FCCC and to hear the choir, visit SingFCCC.org

The Colors of Broadway, Saturday, February 2, 2019, 7:00 pm, Auction opens at 5:30 pm, Fairfield County Children’s Choir, The Klein Memorial Auditorium, 910 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, $15 and $20, Tickets at theklein.org,The Fairfield County Children’s Choir (FCCC) is a community-based choral program made up of 300 children in grades four through twelve from communities in and around Fairfield County. The choir has performed across the country and around the world. For information on the FCCC and to hear the choir, visit SingFCCC.org

The Colors of Broadway, Saturday, February 2, 2019, 7:00 pm, Auction opens at 5:30 pm, Fairfield County Children’s Choir, The Klein Memorial Auditorium, 910 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, $15 and $20, Tickets at theklein.org.

The historic Glebe House in Woodbury, Connecticut’s antiques capital is hosting a Winter Afternoon tea at this historic house museum. Guests will enjoy traditional afternoon teas and a delectable selection of sweet and savory treats served by costumed docents. This elegant tea will be set in the main floor rooms of the historic Glebe House. Guests may be seated in the grand Green Parlor, the formal Study or the Colonial Kitchen.

A highlight of this event besides the tea and goodies is the chance for guests to win one of four door prizes. Each guest will receive a ticket and four of them will be lucky winners! If one ticket isn’t enough, additional tickets will be available to purchase.

The winter afternoon tea will take place on Sunday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m., in case of inclement weather a snow date has been set for Feb. 17. The Glebe House is located on 49 Hollow Road in Woodbury. There is limited seating for this event so it is best to get tickets in advance. First-floor admission to the museum is included in the price of the ticket which is $30 for members and $35 for non-members. Please call 203-263-2855 to reserve your ticket with a credit card or send a check in advance to the Glebe House.

All proceeds from this event directly benefit the Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden.

We often don’t think about the resources we use. We are displaced from them through processing, manufacturing, and shipping. For Native people living in the Northeast, using resources and preparing for winter was vital to survival. So how do you find shelter, make food, and stay warm when the weather is cold and your resources are diminished? On Sunday, January 26 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. the public is invited to join the Institute for American Indian Studies educator, Griffin Kalin for a fun and informative program on how to survive in the Eastern Woodlands without twenty-first-century technology.

Participants will learn how to start a fire in the snow, how to find food in the forest, and how to make a shelter from the natural environment. Visitors will even see examples of how Native Peoples of the Eastern Woodlands lived by visiting the replicated Algonkian village on the grounds of the Institute that is composed of wigwams and longhouses and the remnants of the three sisters garden.

It is exciting as well as an engaging experience that is suitable for all ages. The experience will make you feel as though you have stepped back in time as you explore the forest and learn the ways of the Eastern Woodland Indians.

To participate in this event be sure to dress warm and wear appropriate footwear because some of this program will be outside. This program is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children; members of the museum are free. In addition to this program, entrance to the museum with its fascinating exhibits and wonderful gift shop featuring locally made handcrafted Native American art, crafts, and jewelry among other items is also included.

About 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. New @ the Institute is an Escape Room- Wigwam Escape 1518.

Help create an enormous ocean scene using everyone’s favorite building blocks during “LEGO® Weekend” Jan. 26 and 27 in The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

LEGO experts from Play-Well TEKnologies will be on hand both days to oversee a big fun coral-reef scene made entirely out of LEGO blocks in Newman’s Own Hall (near the seals).

The experts will create an underwater environment, but it needs animals! Aquarium guests can build a small LEGO marine creature that will be part of the finished piece. Choose from such creatures as a jellyfish, seal, shark, sting ray, turtle and fish, or build an animal unknown to science from your imagination.

“If you’ve been to The Maritime Aquarium lately, you’ve had the chance to create a two-dimensional marine animal in the clever ‘Sketch & Release’ activity on our giant video wall,” said Aquarium spokesman Dave Sigworth. “ ‘LEGO Weekend’ adds a dimension – literally – by letting you use your creativity to assemble three-dimensional creatures.”

Also during “LEGO Weekend,” Aquarium guests can build motorized LEGO machines that will duel for superiority on LEGO Battletracks.

The fun runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, but Maritime Aquarium members can get to the LEGO tables first each morning beginning at 9 a.m. (with proof of membership).

“LEGO Weekend” is free with Aquarium admission: $24.95 for adults; $22.95 for seniors (65+); and $17.95 for children (3-12). Kids under 3 get in for free.

Learn more about “LEGO Weekend” and other events and programs at the popular South Norwalk family attraction this winter at www.maritimeaquarium.org.