Tag: Litchfield Hills

Snowshoeing in Litchfield Hills

Bredeson Outdoor Adventures is offering a day of guided snowshoeing in Washington and Warren, Connecticut in the heart of the Litchfield Hills. Participants will meet at 9:45 a.m. at Hopkins Vineyard located on Hopkins Road in New Preston overlooking beautiful Lake Waramaug.

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A short shuttle ride will take participants to Macricostas Preserve, where you will explore the area’s boardwalks and admire the dramatic view of Lake Waramaug. This 368-acre parcel of land, known as Meeker Swamp is a mix of meadowland, farmland, wooded ridge and wetlands with a pinnacle that overlooks Lake Waramaug. Bee Brook and the Shepaug River wends its way through this lovely preserve.

The day will consist of intermediate snowshoeing or walking if no snow (approximately 4-6 miles total) in beautiful countryside under the leadership of a professional and enthusiastic guide. No prior snowshoeing experience is necessary; this but tour is rated intermediate because snowshoeing 4-6 miles requires a fair amount of energy, unless there is little snow. Due to the venue and optional winetasting, participants should be 21 years or older.

Participants will enjoy lunch and lake views upstairs in the warmth of the Hopkins Vineyard’s Hayloft Wine Bar and an optional wine tasting downstairs by the fire. The Breseson Outdoor Adventures Tour Company will provide lunch and hot tea and cocoa, information on where to rent snowshoes (they have a few pair available for rent), brief instruction and a day of winter fun. Tips and lists for what to wear, bring and do to enjoy a safe cold weather outing are also part of the package.

After lunch, participants will snowshoe through the vineyard and on Lake Waramaug. The cost of this outing is $63 per person. For more information visit http://bredeson.com/trip-sign-up. For information on Hopkins Vineyard www.hopkinsvineyard.com.

For area information www.litchfieldhills.com

JanetLeave a comment

Calling all Chocolate Lovers…..

Less than three weeks before Valentine’s Day, shop for amazing sweets for your sweetie from some of the region’s best chocolatiers as the Maritime Aquarium (10 North Water Street in Norwalk) is taken over on Sun., Jan. 26 by Chocolate World Expo. This event is perfect for people who are serious about chocolate, and not just for folks looking to load up on candy commonly available in most grocery aisles.

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The Expo, one of the largest consumer-oriented chocolate events in the United States, will feature some 40 vendors who will offer tastings and sales of their products. They’ll be set up throughout the Aquarium’s galleries.

Vendors at the Expo typically offer small tasting-sized portions of their products that can be tried right away. Think of the chocolate tastings in the way you might think of a wine tasting at a winery: you get a small sample to try and you often get to talk with the person who made the product. If you like what you’ve tasted, you can purchase that product directly at the show for yourself or as a gift.

Chocolate lovers will find much more at the expo than traditional chocolates as this event features unique offerings like chocolate-covered bacon and – appropriate for the Aquarium – one vendor’s “chocolate shark bites.” Vendors will also offer baked goods, specialty foods and even fine soaps and bath products.
All of The Maritime Aquarium exhibits will be open on Jan. 26 – and will stay open two hours longer than normal: from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Your Chocolate World Expo admission includes Aquarium admission. IMAX® movies are available as an additional ticket, as always.
The special admission price on Jan. 26 is $15 for adults and $10 for kids 3-12.

Aquarium Members Important Notice:
Aquarium Members receive a $2 per person discount (adult and child) on event/Aquarium admission this day. Senior member price is same as adult price. Sorry, but Aquarium members do not receive free admission for this special event. Member guest discounts do not apply.

For more information about the Maritime Aquarium www.maritimeaquarium.org. For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

JanetLeave a comment

Two New Exhibits at Five Points Gallery, Torrington

Five Points Gallery, a Downtown Torrington gallery, located on 33 Main Street is featuring contemporary work by professional artists, is presenting two new exhibitions that will run through February 2nd.

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In the West and North Galleries, the show, curated by Michael Shortell is “Cut and Paste: The Art of 21st Century Collage and Assemblage”. Featured artists include: Caryn Azoff, Nancy Doherty, Jon Eastman, Anne Gilman, Jane R. Lubin, M.D., Jane Rainwater, Rashmi Talpade, Paul Theriault and Deborah Wadswort. The art of collage has become more sophisticated since the early 20th century when artists like Braque and Picasso first used scraps of newspaper in their drawings. For this show, Michael Shortell has chosen a variety of works to illustrate the field of contemporary collage and assemblage and its evolution since the early 20th century. This exhibit shows how far contemporary artists have come in technique and content from the simple newspaper cutouts of early Cubism.

Danielle Mailer is the featured artist in the East Gallery with her show called Body Language 2013.. With influences ranging from Matisse to Klimt, to Miriam Shapiro, to Niki De Saint Phalle, Mailer creates dynamic works that offer her interpretation of the patterned silhouette. This installation features numerous 11-foot figures in acrylic paint on aluminum. An artist talk will take place at the Gallery on Friday, January 24th at 6 p.m.

Five Points Gallery is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday 1-5 and Sunday 1-3 and by appointment.

On February 1 at 2 p.m., three of the artists – Rashmi Talpade, Deborah Wadswort and Jane R. Lubin, M.D. will be at Five Points Gallery for a collage workshop. The workshop is free and open to the public. Space is limited and available on a first come, first served basis. To register www.fivepointsgallery.org.

For information on Litchifeld Hills where to stay, shop and dine visit www.litchifeldhills.com

JanetLeave a comment

Silo Kid’s and Teens Vacation Day and Valentine’s Day Classes

If you’re looking for an activity for your child on school vacation days – or for Valentine’s Day, The Silo, located in Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills has cooking classes for you. Located at historic Hunt Hill Farm, 44 Upland Road, New Milford, The Silo Cooking School will hold vacation day classes on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 20 and Presidents’ Day, Monday February 17.

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On January 20, two classes will be held. The first, “Young Chefs Winter Warm Up” for children ages 6 to 10, will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by “Teens and Tweens Winter Warm Up” from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

On February 17, President’s Day, “Young Chefs Cook Presidential” will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for ages 6 to 10, and “Tweens and Teens: Hail to the Chief” will run from 2:3 to 5:30 p.m.

In addition, “Valentine’s Sweets for the Sweet,” a three-hour class for children ages 5 to 11 will cover the basics from homemade cookies to candies, coming up hearts! Classes are taught by Nancy Stuart, Silo Cooking School assistant director and are full-participation. Students will learn basic skills such as kitchen safety, proper food handling, food preparation, cooking and baking techniques.

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Class cost is $45 or $50 per student, depending on class chosen.

The Cooking School is part of the Smithsonian Institution affiliated Hunt Hill Farm Trust, a non-profit organization. Hunt Hill Farm Trust is a vibrant and unique regional resource, offering the public the opportunity to explore music, art, cuisine, crafts and literature in a setting of historic farm buildings and permanently protected open space. Hunt Hill Farm also includes The Silo Gallery, The Skitch Henderson Museum, and The Silo Store, which sells cookbooks, giftware, tabletop, foods and kitchen items. For more information and to register for classes and events, call (860) 355-0300 or visit www.hunthillfarmtrust.org. Registration is also available at The Silo during regular business hours. The Silo Gallery and store are open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

For more information on Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

JanetLeave a comment

Learn the Most Embarrassing Things about George Washington Through Improv

On a one dollar bill, George Washington may appear to be an imposing figure, but did you know that he, too, was embarrassing sometimes? Join the Litchfield Historical Society in welcoming Christina Frei on Wednesday, January 8 at 3:00 pm as we explore the Top 10 Most Embarrassing Things about George Washington!

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No need to sit in front of a screen on this half-day—using games, magic, and comedy improvisation, participants will learn all about our first president. Through this funny and interactive program, your kids will learn all sorts of new and embarrassing historical facts to share at the dinner table. No stage experience is necessary!

Christina Frei is a motivational youth speaker and performer from Connecticut. She uses stories about the Founding Fathers and their “Revolutionary thinking” to turn children into confident leaders. A master at storytelling, Frei has also written a book, 5 Rockstars of the American Revolution: Surprising Stories and Big Life Lessons of the Founding Fathers. She has been featured on the History Channel, the Today Show, and NBC News.

This event is open to kids ages 9 and up, and is $10 for members and $15 for non-members. Registration is required—please register by Monday, January 6 for this event by calling (860) 567-4501 or emailing registration@litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org.

The Litchfield History Museum is located at 7 South Street, Litchfield, CT. For more information about this or other programs, please call (860) 567-4501 or see www.litchfieldhistoricalsociety.org. For area information www.litchfieldhills.com

JanetLeave a comment

Historic Marble Dale Church Celebrates 250th Anniversary

Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church of Marble Dale, a village in the township of Washington located in the Litchfield Hills will launch the celebration of its 250th year on January 12, 2014, at 9:30 a.m.,with a period service based on the 1764 liturgy and congregants attired in vintage dress.

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The Episcopal Church in Connecticut began with the conversion of The Reverend Solomon Palmer, pastor of the Congregational Church in Cornwall. He founded a church in 1760, and the first St. Andrew’s was built in 1765. A second church building, located adjacent to the Northville Cemetery, was used from 1793 until the present church in Marble Dale was built in 1822. This landmark brick church, at the blinking light on Route 202 in Marble Dale, is one of the earliest Gothic Revival structures in New England.

The church was built with local materials, chestnut timbers from Aspetuck sawmills, marble quarried from a nearby stone mill, and brick fired in an area kiln.

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Nathaniel Wheaton, grandson of Joseph Wheaton and the founder of St. Andrews, was ordained and became the first President of Trinity College. He retired to Marble Dale where he purchased and occupied the present Rectory on Wheaton Road. He directed the addition of the Church’s transept and chancel in the 1850’s. The original Nave windows, parts of which were saved, were replaced with stained glass windows made by Tiffany in 1880.

Smaller changes were made to the building in the 1960’s, and a complete restoration was done in 1994 and 1995. StAndrew’s is now the second oldest church building in the Town of Washington and is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings.

In addition to its rich architectural history, St. Andrew’s has played a pivotal role in the communities of both Marble Dale and Washington since Colonial times.

The January 12 service will give the community a rich view of life in Colonial Marble Dale, including the plain homespun clothing of the tradespeople and farmers and the richer dress of more prosperous residents. Everyone is welcome to attend the January 12 service, along with other period services and special events that will be held throughout 2014.

St. Andrew’s is located at 247 Litchfield Road, Route 202, Marble Dale, across from The White Horse Pub. There is plenty of parking on Wheaton Road. Call 860-868-2275 or visit www.saintandrewsmarbledale.org for more information.

For area information on Litchfield Hills www.visitlitchfieldhills.com

JanetLeave a comment