Connecticut Travel

The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk located on 10 North Water St. is offering a series of lighthouse cruises in central and western Long Island Sound this May in their new boat Spirit of the Sound. Revolutionary in design, this new catamaran is the only research vessel in North America with hybrid-electric propulsion. She runs virtually silently on electric power for thier cruises on Long Island Sound. This vessel also has a climate controlled cabin. It is advised that you make advance reservations for these very special cruises.

On May 6 the Aquarium is offering a cruise to western Long Island Sound. This seven hour cruise departs at 9 a.m. from the dock outside the Aquarium. Participants will venture out for a rare close-up look at eight historic lighthouses on Long Island Sound! Participants aboard R/V Spirit of the Sound will make passes by these lighthouses: Greens Ledge, Sheffield Island, Stamford Harbor (or Harbor Ledge), Great Captain Island, Execution Rocks, Stepping Stones, Sands Point and Eatons Neck. Tickets are $75 ($65 for Aquarium members). Advance purchase is required.

On May 20, the Aquarium is offering a five hour cruise of central Long Island Sound that departs from the Aquarium’s dock at 10 a.m. Guests will get a rare close-up look at five historic lighthouses on Long Island Sound! Participants aboard R/V Spirit of the Sound will make passes by five century-old beacons: Peck Ledge, Greens Ledge and Sheffield Island lighthouses in Norwalk, Penfield Reef Lighthouse in Fairfield and Stratford Shoal (Middle Ground) Light. All the lighthouses are on the National Register of Historic Places. Tickets are $70 ($60 for Aquarium members). Advance purchase is required.

On both cruises Aquarium educators will share history and anecdotes about the lighthouses, and also point out the Sound’s waterfowl. Binoculars are provided. Lighthouse Cruises are a special photo opportunity for both lighthouse buffs and bird-watchers, so bring your camera! Water will be provided but food is not available for purchase on the boat. You may bring food and non-alcoholic beverages in a small bag or soft-sided cooler. Glass bottles are prohibited.

NEW FOR 2017! The Maritime Aquarium is now participating in the U.S. Lighthouse Society’s Lighthouse Passport program, a fun way to officially log your lighthouse adventures. Bring along your Passport, or buy one aboard the R/V Spirit of the Sound. We’ll stamp your Passport for every lighthouse we see during your Aquarium Lighthouse Cruise. Also, members of the U.S. Lighthouse Society now receive 10% discounts on the Aquarium’s Lighthouse Cruises.

How sweet it is this year at Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury Connecticut. The park has just announced that they will open a new candy shop for the 2017 season which, like much of the landmark property, will have a mix of old and new to offer guests.

The highlight inside the new store will be a taffy-making operation complete with historic machinery restored specifically for the park. They have researched the way to recreate the nostalgia of candy-making from yesteryear – that time when you could stroll the boardwalk and see the taffy being pulled the old-fashioned way on a machine and bring it to the park as a delicious attraction. Quassy has been in touch with Ron’s Candy Equipment from Wildwood New Jersey that owned two refurbished machines for taffy making that are making their debut at the park this year!

The taffy cutter and packaging machine, date back to the 1920s, and was built by Package Machinery Co., of Springfield, Mass. The puller, which had to fully rebuilt, was from the same era but its original manufacturer was unknown. This year, guests at Quassy can watch how taffy is made as well as purchase some of this delectable confection to try. Quassy will be making taffy daily in season in a variety of flavors. If you can’t get to the park this year, not to worry, Quassy is expecting to offer their taffy online.

The taffy operation will be housed in a new 1,200 square foot store that will not only feature taffy, but also favorites such as cotton candy, popcorn in a variety of flavors, candy apples, chocolate and hard candy. In addition, the shop will offer nachos and giant pretzels. Beverages will include soda, fresh-squeezed lemonade, slush and other bottled soft drinks. The new building will also house a pizzeria, where homemade pizza with a variety of toppings will be offered by the slice or whole pie. Beer and wine will be sold on the pizzeria side of the building as well.

For more information about what to see and do and travel tips in Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County visit www.litchfieldhills.com

Cinco de Mayo celebrations are typically replete with Mexican cuisine, music and colorful paper decorations and on Saturday, May 6 from 11:00 – 12:30 the Wilton Historical Society will present a workshop for children in which they will make festive tissue paper flowers to celebrate this holiday.

Museum Educator Lola Chen will be talking with the children about the history of Cinco de Mayo (it is neither the date of Mexico’s achieving independence from Spain, nor is it a major holiday in Mexico!), and how it is celebrated here in the United States. The Mexican tradition of using papel de China (paper of China) or tissue paper began more than 200 years ago. Now practiced by artisans, paper art has taken many forms, such as cascarones (hollowed out eggs decorated with tissue paper and filled with confetti), piñatas (animal figures made of paper and filled with treats), papel de picado (punched paper artwork) and paper flowers.

Suggested for ages 6 – 12. Wilton Historical Society members $10 per child, maximum $25 per family; Non-members $15 per child, maximum $35 per family. Please register: info@wiltonhistorical.org or call 203-762-7257. The Wilton Historical Society is located on 224 Danbury Road in Wilton. For more information visit www.wiltonhistorical.org

Did You Know?
“After the Spanish conquest, paper brought from Spain became widely used, and in the 16th century the first paper mill in America was built in Culhuacan, a small town near Mexico City. A few decades later, a thin and colored paper called papel de China (paper from China) arrived with the Manila galleons and was soon used to make paper decorations like paper flowers and cut paper flags. Paper flowers were used to decorate the church in times of the year when natural flowers were not available. The art evolved as talented artisans made different types of flowers in a great variety of shades creating realistic, bright and colorful paper flowers.” Mexican Folk Art Guide

Cinco de Mayo—or the fifth of May—is a holiday commemorating the date of the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867). A relatively minor holiday in Mexico, in the United States Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations.

On May 2, The MATT will host its annual Julia Q. Keggi lecture from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. This year’s event will feature a conversation and lunch in the Mattatuck galleries with Susan Larkin, Guest Curator of Matilda Browne: Idylls of Farm and Garden on view at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, CT.

Ms. Larkin will speak on the artistic career of Matilda Browne, which spanned five decades. During her career, Browne challenged stereotypes about women artists and invaded a traditionally male domain. The cost for the event is $40 for Museum and BRASS Members and $55 for Non-members.

This year’s Julia Q. Keggi lecture is presented in conjunction with a Meet-up at the Florence Griswold Museum on Wednesday, May 10 from noon-2:00 p.m. Join Director of Education Heather Whitehouse for lunch on your own or at Café Flo, followed by a guided tour of Matilda Browne: Idylls of Farm and Garden. Cost is $15 for Museum and BRASS Members and $22 for Non-members.

Located in the heart of downtown Waterbury’s architectural district, the Mattatuck Museum is a vibrant destination, known locally and regionally as a community-centered institution of American art and history. For more information on all of the Museum’s programs, events, and exhibits visit the website at www.mattmuseum.org or call (203) 753-0381.

The Darien Historical Society located on 45 Old King’s Highway on the grounds of the historic 1736 Bates Scofield Home has a new exhibition, “Mannequins on the Runway, Haute Couture and Contemporary Designs of the 20th Century” that will be on display through the end of August.

In keeping with its mission to tell the ongoing story of “costume”, one of history’s most tangible artifacts, the Darien Historical Society is presenting designer and ready-to- wear styles that existed during and after World War II. Mannequins on the Runway, Haute Couture and Contemporary Designs of the 20th Century highlights five decades of fashion with designer outfits from the 1940s through the 1990s. It follows the history of prêt-à-porter, or ready-to- wear, as it largely replaced haute couture in the fashion industry.

This exhibition is set up with exhibit to mimic a 20th century fashion show, with mannequins lined up as if on the runway. Fashions are arranged chronologically, beginning with a 1947 design by Christian Dior. At the end of World War II, women longed to replace fashion’s stiff, square shoulders and straight lines. Dior’s more romantic look took the fashion world by storm.” Dior’s success allowed Paris to reassert its world leadership of haute couture following its decline during the war.

Dior eventually commissioned his designs to be produced abroad as ready-to- wear lines in the 1950s and Yves Saint Laurent followed suit with his “Rive Gauche” designs. In the 60s, the charm and elegant style of Jackie Kennedy was greatly admired and copied, and Sophie of Saks and Elizabeth Arden, both represented in the exhibit, produced designs in New York. By the mid- 60s, fashion began to focus on youth, their music, and their “free-wheeling” attitude, producing the most potent symbol of the 60s scene, the miniskirt, also on display.

Bill Blass and Oscar de la Renta creations reflect the bold fabrics of the 1980s, which also heralded the look of big shoulders and giant sleeves. The Reagan administration signaled the return of formality, and Adolfo and Ungaro fashions mirror the 90s, an era in which ready-to- wear had become dominant. In keeping with a typical fashion show of the 20th century, the exhibit concludes with a bridal gown: a 1983 design by Carolina Herrera, socialite and longtime fixture on the best-dressed list.

The Museum is open Tuesday – Thursday from noon to 5 pm and Sundays, noon to 3 p.m. To sign up for a free monthly newsletter on Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County on things to do and see and special deals visit www.litchfieldhills.com or www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com
 

The Palace Theater’s popular monthly tour is Friday, April 28 from 11a.m. to 12:30p.m. The tour program gives the public an opportunity to journey through 95 years of the theater’s rich history and get a peek behind the scenes. Admission is $5.00 per person and can be purchased online at www.palacetheaterct.org, by phone at 203-346-2000, or in person at the Box Office, 100 East Main St. in Waterbury. Groups larger than ten people are advised to book their reservations in advance by calling the Box Office 203.346.2000. Private tours can also be scheduled for groups of 10 or more. Call group coordinator Deidre Patterson at 203.346.2011 for more information.

During the tour, attendees are led on an educational exploration through nine decades of stunning architecture and backstage magic related to the Palace’s rich history. In addition to exploring the theater, Poli Club and grand lobby spaces, patrons also have the opportunity to visit the hidden areas – the green room, wig room and star dressing rooms, plus have a chance to walk across the stage and view the venue’s hidden backstage murals featuring artwork painted and signed by past performers and Broadway touring companies. Guests are also invited to browse a rarely seen collection of the theater’s pre-restoration photos, in addition to viewing elements from the Palace’s Tenth Anniversary History Exhibit, which include a visual timeline of historic milestones dating back to 1922, as well as original theater seats from the 1920s.

Each tour is approximately 90 minutes and is led by a team of engaging volunteers well-versed in the theater’s rich history, architectural design and entertaining anecdotal information. It is important to note that the walking tour covers five floors of history and architecture, including grand staircases from the 1920’s. While elevator access is available, guests with walking disabilities or health concerns are asked to inform the Box Office ahead of time, so that the tour guides can make the proper accommodations.