Tag: CT event

Spring Programs for Gardeners at Greenwich Garden Education Center

The Garden Education Center of Greenwich located on 130 Bible Street in Cos Cob is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to promoting horticulture, conservation and the arts through educational programs, outreach activities and special events. In March and April, the Center is offering a series of programs perfect for the home gardener.

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On March 27, for example, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. the Center and the Greenwich Land Trust have partnered to bring Charles Day, a former commercial fruit-grower to explain this ancient craft and demonstrate the techniques involved. In this 3-hour session he will teach participants about the collection and storage of scion wood, rootstocks and their function, different types of grafts and the reasons for using them and the art of tying and waxing. Participants will have the opportunity to hone their grafting skills on real trees in one of the Greenwich Land Trust’s beautiful orchard preserves. Registration is required and the material fee is $5; registration for members is $35 and $45 for non-members. It is suggested that you dress for the outdoors and bring your lunch; the Center will provide drinks and dessert.

On April 2, from 10 a.m. – noon, there will be another grafting class this time on tomatoes with local horticulturist Alan Gorkin. Grafting plants is another form of propagating herbaceous, fast growing plants such as annual vegetables. Gorkin will discuss the relatively “new “ process of grafting tomatoes, and why we do it and participants will practice the technique in class and take materials home to grow in their own garden. The materials fee for this class is $7.50 and registration for members is $25 and $35 for non-members.

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If you want to learn how to simplify gardening to fit your lifestyle, don’t miss the program by Kerry Mendez on April 24 at 10 a.m. This inspiring lecture provides easy-to-follow downsizing strategies, recommended no-fuss plant material, and design tips for stunning year-round gardens that will be as close to autopilot as you can get. Registration for this lecture is required and registration for members is $35 and $45 for non-members.
Also on April 24 is a “Girls Night Out” with cash and carry flowers from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. This informative workshop has many tips on how to choose and arrange store-bought flowers with expert floral designer, Miriam Landsman. Reservations for this evening are required and the cost is $30 for members and $40 for non-members. A light dinner and dessert will be provided, bring your own beverage.

To register for these programs visit www.gecgreenwich.org. For information on Fairfield County visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

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CONNfection- Connecticut Food and Wine Showcase

The Waterbury Neighborhood Council will host the second annual CONNfection event, a showcase featuring Connecticut made food and wine, on Thursday, March 27, from 6p.m. – 9p.m. at the Palace Theater in Waterbury. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased by phone at 203-346-2000, online at www.palacetheaterct.org, or in person at the Box Office, 100 East Main Street in Waterbury.

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CONNfection attendees will have the delight of sampling some of the best home grown and homemade products that Connecticut has to offer, including pasta, sausages, artisanal breads, gourmet olive oils, specialty condiments and relishes, biscotti, cookies, chocolates, cupcakes and more.

Guests will also have the opportunity to sample a variety of beer and wine from local breweries and vineyards, as well as Onyx Moonshine, the first legal moonshine to be brewed in New England. The list of vendors scheduled to appear include 1249 Restaurant, The Bites Company, Fascia’s Chocolate, The Grotto Restaurant & Mrs. G, recent “Cupcake Wars” winner Hardcore Sweet Cupcakes, La Molisana Sausage, The Olive Oil Factory, Pasta Gallery, The Provender of New Morning Market, Saha Sauces LLC, Sweet Confections by Regina LLC, Sweet Maria’s, and more to be announced.

CONNfection is sponsored in part by The Good Life Wine and Spirits, as well as the City of Waterbury’s Arts and Tourism Commission. Proceeds from the event will be used by the Waterbury Neighborhood Council for their work on behalf of all Waterbury neighborhoods, including downtown where the Palace Theater is prominently located.

For information on Litchfield Hills visit www.litchfieldhills.com

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Journey to a Magical Cloud Forest- A Quiet Place at the Oliver Wolcott Library and White Flower Farm

The Oliver Wolcott Library on 160 South Street in Litchfield is hosting the photographs of Sue Kennedy through April 25 in the Gallery of this lovely library.

Twenty years ago Sue Kennedy was in Texas working on a Kinesiology and Adapted Physical Education PhD. If anyone had told her that photographing and raising orchids was what she would be doing today, she wouldn’t have believed them. She is here to share her journey, and hopes you will smile, find joy, and most of all, peace from these images of her quiet and powerful children of the Magical Cloud Forest.

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Sue’s father was a pediatrician in the Torrington/Litchfield area, but he always had a second great passion…orchids. Before medical school he earned a PhD in Botany from Cornell and dreamed of discovering and naming a new orchid. After retiring from medicine and armed with a U.S. Department of Agriculture permit, he and his wife took many collecting excursions including the Amazon, Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, Venezuela, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua. Plants were brought home, potted or mounted, and treasured in his “quiet place,” the greenhouse he had built.

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When her father passed away and her mother became ill, Sue was forced with a dilemma – let the orchids die, sell them off or give it a go. She dove in and never looked back. With each blossom she began to see and photograph the unique character of each plant. She shared her images with friends and would see their eyes light up with a kind of childish wonder, peace and joy. Sue continues to capture how light is reflected and penetrates; how it enlightens; how each bloom is a fascination.

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After visiting the Library, stop by White Flower Farm to look at the fabulous selection of plants to be found there. White Flower Farm is located on Rte. 63, 167 Litchfield Rd. a few miles south of the center of Litchfield. Visitors to White Flower Farm will find a wide array of plants for sale. The shop at White Flower Farm opens in April. Visitors may also explore several beautiful display gardens that are adjacent to the shop. For more information about White Flower Farm visit www.whiteflowerfarm.com.

For more information on programs at the Oliver Wolcott Library call 860-567-8030 or www.owlibrary.org For information on Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

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Chase away the Ides of March with a cozy stay in Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County

So the weather outside is frightful? Who cares, when you are snug and warm in a wonderful country inn. Whether your idea of romance is an intimate inn or a posh hotel, a wood-burning fireplace or a spa catering to couples, Western Connecticut offers a host of luxurious and romantic getaways in the rustic Litchfield Hills and in maritime Fairfield County, guaranteed to chase away winter blues.

Rock Hall, a 23-acre estate in Colebrook in the Litchfield Hills, is a classic 1912 manor house designed by master architect Addison Mizner. The handsome inn is on the National Register of Historic Places. Four of the five spacious corner guest rooms offer serene views of gardens, meadows, or forest and four have wood-burning fireplaces. In room fireside massage services are a popular winter feature. Weatherproof indoor options also include a Billiard Room with an authentic 1926 vintage Brunswick “Arcade” table, a Game Room with ping-pong, football and a vintage pinball machine, a well-equipped Fitness Room, and a Movie Screening Room, complete with complementary candy. When the weather cooperates, guests can borrow snowshoes for forays on trails in the snow-covered landscape, and sign up for a romantic horse-drawn sleigh ride. www.19rockhallroad.com

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The intimate Hidden Valley Bed & Breakfast was recently named “New England’s Best B&B on a Hill” by Yankee Magazine. The Dutch Colonial inn is located on a private estate overlooking the nature preserve for which it is named. Three guest quarters include the ground floor Red Guest Suite with private entry and a kitchenette, the Blue Master Bedroom with sweeping valley views and a private thermal spa bath, and the Green Bedroom with an additional daybed for family getaways. The third floor is a playroom for children. Hidden Valley is located in Washington, one of the most beautiful towns in the Litchfield Hills. The friendly hosts can suggest the best ways to explore the charming town and point the way to nearby spas, skiing, and carriage rides. www.hiddenvalleyct.com

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Guests will soon see why Candlelight Farms Inn in New Milford is a favorite site for outdoor weddings. The 1843 inn is on 600 majestic acres that include a picturesque stable where riding lessons can be arranged. Five guest rooms have newly renovated private baths and magnificent views of the farm-scape. A third-floor apartment includes a handy kitchen area. Guests gather in front of the fireplace in the parlor and in the Tap Room with an honor bar, a game table and a wide screen TV. Healthy fare is served each morning in the Breakfast Room. www.candlelightfarmsinn.com.

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In Connecticut’s Fairfield County, the Delamar offers plush hotel rooms and full service spas in two prime settings, on Greenwich harbor and in the quaint seaport town of Southport.

Southport’s elegant Delamar boasts fine furnishings, antique marble floors, and a French limestone hearth, as well as the highly rated Artisan restaurant. Both public spaces and guest rooms are hung with original art commissioned by the hotel or loaned by galleries. The hotel also offers a couples’ treatment room. When guests book a spa service, they have exclusive use of the Spa Suite, including a living room with a fireplace and a steam shower. www.delamarsouthport.com

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The Delamar Greenwich, overlooking a picturesque marina, also has a full service spa and treats guests to a continental breakfast each morning and wine and cheese receptions on weekends. Complimentary bicycles and local shuttle service are available for exploring the town. www.delamargreenwich.com,

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In the Dark at the Bruce Museum

The dark is a place of mystery. Sometimes scary, always intriguing, the darkness inspires the imagination and encourages exploration.

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Darkness is also a natural evolutionary selective pressure that has caused plants and animals to adapt to dark ecosystems like caves, the forest and desert at night, and underneath the ground.

In the Dark: Animal Survival Strategies, on view through April 13 at the Bruce Museum, located on One Museum Drive in Greenwich invites visitors to explore different environments of darkness and the unique life forms that inhabit them through a combination of hands-on and whole-body interactives, specimens and walk-through dioramas.

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Since prehistoric times, humans have sought to understand the function of darkness and have invented ways to change it. With this immersive, entertaining and family-friendly exhibition that explores four environments – fragile caves, deep soil, and the forest and desert at night – people of all ages will discover how animals adapt to living in the dark and learn how we can help preserve fragile worlds without light.

March Programs

Look & See: In the Dark!
Wednesday, March 12; 12:30 – 1:15 pm
A program especially designed for children ages 3-5 years and their adult caregivers, who will explore the Museum’s exhibition through hands-on experiences, stories and more. Children will explore the exhibition and then make their own animal of the dark! $5 for members and $7 for non-members per child, per class. Parents/guardians are free. Please make reservations by calling the Museum at 203 869-0376.

Animals of the Dark Family Day
Sunday, March 30; 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Explore the exhibition to find out which animals survive best at nighttime! Make your own night-creature crafts in the workshop! At 2:00 pm and again at 4:00 pm, Live Night Creatures with animal specialist Rob Mies from the Organization for Bat Conservation, who will teach us all about some animals that live in the dark such as owls, bats and sloths. All activities are suitable for students of all abilities ages 5 years and up. Free with Museum admission.

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About the Bruce Museum: Explore Art and Science at the Bruce Museum, located at One Museum Drive in Greenwich, Connecticut. The Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm; closed Mondays and major holidays. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for students up to 22 years, $6 for seniors and free for members and children under 5 years. Individual admission is free on Tuesday. Free on-site parking is available and the Museum is accessible to individuals with disabilities. For additional information, call the Bruce Museum at (203) 869-0376 or visit the website at http://www.brucemuseum.org.

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TheatreWorks New Milford -Celebrating 50 Years of Neil Simon

On Friday, February 28, TheatreWorks New Milford will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Neil Simon’s first and longest-running theatrical hit, BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, by kicking off its 2014 season with that very show. The curtain goes up at 8:00 p.m. on a three-week run.

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In this classic, comedic romp, newlyweds Paul and Corie Bratter are proof positive that opposites attract. He’s a straight-as-an-arrow lawyer; she’s a free spirit. But they quickly discover married life is no paradise, having to endure a new apartment that’s falling to pieces, surprise visits from Corie’s overly protective mother, and the antics of their eccentric neighbor-in-the-attic, Velasco. Paul doesn’t understand Corie’s impulsiveness, while she wants him to be more spontaneous. Maybe running “barefoot in the park” would be a start?

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Neil Simon is arguably the greatest living comedic American playwright, and this is his first ‘hit’ production, that kept audiences laughing on Broadway for nearly four years straight in the 1960s. There are references to things from the past, and it is set it in 1963 to reflect that, but the comedy never gets old.

The production features six of the finest actors from across the region: Daniel Willey (Harwinton), Jessica Alex (New York, NY), Jeff Savage (Northfield), M.J. Hartell (Brookfield), Jonathan Ross (Thomaston), and Kevin Sosbe (New Milford). Besides Director and Co-Producer, Tom Libonate and Co-Producer, Glenn R. Couture, the show’s crew consists of Co-Producer and Co-Set Designer Richard Pettibone, Costume Designer Susan Pettibone, Technical Director Scott Wyshynski, Stage Manager Kathy Bolster and Assistant Stage Manager Abby Hambidge.

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BAREFOOT IN THE PARK runs March 1, 7,8,9 14,15,16. Curtain time is 8:00 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays, with two 2:00 p.m. Sunday matinees on March 9 and March 16. Tickets for all shows are $23 for reserved seating.

Students and Military personnel with ID will be admitted for just $18.

On Thursday, February 27, senior citizens are invited to a FREE dress rehearsal at 8:00 p.m. Thursday, March 6 at 8:00 p.m. is TheatreWorks’ Pay-What-You-Want night. At this performance, you name the price for your ticket.

Reservations can be made online at WWW.THEATREWORKS.US or by calling the box office at (860) 350-6863.

TheatreWorks is an award-winning, regional theatre company located in the Litchfield Hills on 5 Brookside Avenue, just off Route 202 (next to the CVS), in New Milford, Conn.

For information about the Litchfield Hills, where to stay, dine and what to see visit www.litchfieldhills.com

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