Tag: New England

“Jazz Great” Bucky Pizzarelli at The Silo Hunt Hill Farm

The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm, in Litchfield Hills is “Saluting Jazz” in style on May 24 at 7 p.m. when they will be hosting jazz great Bucky Pizzarelli at the Canterbury School in New Milford. Pizzarelli, a , world-renowned jazz guitarist, will be accompanied by Ed Laub. The duo has been performing for audiences all over the US and Canada in clubs, concert halls and jazz festivals for the past 12 years after a lifetime association as teacher/student.

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Pizzarelli and Laub combine instrumental and vocal arrangements with an emphasis on the Great American Songbook and well as some of the classic 1930’s guitar duos made popular by Carl Kress/ Dick McDonough, Eddie Lang and George Smith. Their great friendship of over 45 years is evident in their sound and the way they interact together.

All proceeds from the concert will benefit The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, offering programs and family events that enrich the community, including art gallery exhibitions, cooking classes, live music, literary readings and more.

Tickets begin at $30 for general admission, with reserved seating tickets at $50 and $75 levels. A pre-concert reception will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m., also at the Canterbury School, with tickets for the reception and concert at $100. Sponsor and Underwriter levels are available as well. For more information and to purchase tickets visit http://www.hunthillfarmtrust.org, or call (860) 355-0300. Tickets are also on sale 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.

Ticket prices are: $30 General Admission $50 Reserved Seating, $75 Front and Center, $100 Jazz Lover (includes pre-concert reception and “Front and Center” reserved seating), $250 All Star Patron (includes pre-concert reception, “Front and Center” reserved seating and program credit as a patron), $500 Premier VIP (includes pre-concert reception, “Front and Center” reserved seating, CD and program credit as an underwriter).

About Hunt Hill Farm Trust

Located in New Milford, Conn., the Hunt Hill Farm Trust operates The Silo at Hunt Hill Farm, a non-profit organization and Smithsonian Institution Affiliate dedicated to preserving the unique history of this farm. The Silo is as devoted to protecting this piece of New England agricultural history – its buildings, stone walls, and fields – as it is to the cultural legacy of Ruth and Skitch Henderson, the founders who brought ‘new life to old barns.’™ The Silo continues traditions of education, conservation, artisanry and excellence in the Cooking School, the Skitch Henderson Museum, the Hunt Hill Farm Land Preserve, the Gallery and the Silo Store and is a vibrant and unique regional resource, offering the public opportunities to explore music, art, cuisine, and permanently protected historic open space. For more information, please visit www.hunthillfarmtrust.org, and connect with the bank on Facebook and Twitter (@thesilohunthill).

For information on Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

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A Lecture on Victorian Era Jewelry to Launches the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum’s Lecture Series

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On Wednesday, May 21, at 11 a.m., the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum located at 295 West Avenue in Norwalk, CT will launch its 2014 Lecture Series. CT Historic New England’s Associate Curator Laura Johnson will present the illustrated talk, Mottos, Messages and Gem Lore in Victorian Jewelry and introduce the messages, both hidden and overt, in Victorian gems. From the many meanings of turquoise to “fide” rings and the language of flowers, men and women alike in the nineteenth century used gems and ornaments to whisper sweet nothings or softly spell out their devotion. Lecture attendees are invited to bring their own Victorian jewelry for expert identification (please note- not for appraisal).

Laura Johnson is a specialist in American material life, focusing on identity construction and consumption. She is particularly interested in the intersections of memory and identity in American adornment. Ms. Johnson is currently working on an exhibition for Historic New England entitled Mementos: Jewelry of Life and Love, scheduled to open in 2016 but also works on needlework, children’s clothing, revival textiles, basketry, and Native American material culture. She received her Ph.D. in the History of American Civilization from the University of Delaware and an M.A. in Early American Culture from the Winterthur Program.

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This is the first in a series of lectures entitled, Lockwood-Mathews Mansion: Seventy-four years of Culture – Art, Life, and Love, 1864-1938 by curators and experts in the field of Victorian era material life. The lectures are $25 for members, $30 for non-members per session. A discount package for all seven lectures can be purchased in advance for $150 for members/ $180 for non-members. The price includes lecture, lunch and a Mansion tour. Lunch is courtesy of Michael Gilmartin’s Outdoor Cookers. The chair of the Lecture Committee is Mimi Findlay of New Canaan. Photo credits: Collection of Historic New England and photography by Andrew Davis.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a National Historic Landmark. For more information on schedules and programs please visit: www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, e-mail info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, or call 203-838-9799.

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Treasure Hunt in the Book Basement and Dining in Washington Connecticut

The Gunn Memorial Library in Washington Connecticut is cleaning house through June 13. If you are a book lover, don’t miss this chance to fill up a grocery bag of great books at the library’s book basement sale that includes fiction, non-fiction, hard cover and soft cover books. There are over 10,000 books available on just about every topic imaginable and for every age.

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The quality of the books is outstanding and are being offered at $5 a bag — a regular sized grocery bag that is. The library is asking you to be “green” and to BYOB — bring your own bag! In addition to the bag of books sale, the library is also offering a sale of DVDs, music CDs, books on CDs as well as books that are deemed “special” that will are priced at $5 and up. All the “special” books are priced at 1/3 lower than prices found on the Internet.

The book basement hours are Thursday – Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm. The Library is located on 5 Wykham Rd. in Washington at the junction of Rte. 47 opposite the Green.

After browsing for books, stop in at the Gunn Memorial Museum located next to the Library to view their new exhibition titled The Great War. This exhibition commemorates the 100th anniversary of WWI.

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For a delightful lunch or dinner Washington offers three fabulous restaurants to choose from.
GW Tavern www.gwtavern.com on 20 Bee Brook Road offers a rich blend of contemporary and traditional food sure to please any palette. GW has gorgeous decks perfect for seasonal outdoor dining that overlook Bee Brook.

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The Pantry located on 5 Titus Rd. offers an enticing selection of daily specials, salads, sandwiches, and more including excellent baked goods that are perfect for a quick light lunch, tea or takeout. It is fun to sit amid gifts and housewares while dining.

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The Mayflower Inn, www.gracehotels.com/mayflower/ on 118 Woodbury Road in Washington has an award -winning restaurant that offers a range of classic and grand New England dining experiences from their prix fixe and a la carte menus. Dishes here are locally sourced and inspired by the international experiences of Chef Jonathan Cartwright. In the summer months there is spectacular al fresco dining on the terrace overlooking the gardens.

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For more information on the Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

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Beautiful Dogwood Festival Blossoms Help Celebrate 375th Anniversary of Fairfield, in Western Connecticut

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A steepled church, a village green, and colonial homes enveloped in clouds of pink blossoms are a traditional sign of spring in Fairfield, one of Western Connecticut’s oldest and loveliest towns. Fairfield’s Dogwood Festival has been a tradition for 79 years, celebrating the hundreds of trees that light up the lanes of the town’s historic Greenfield Hill neighborhood. This year’s event takes place Friday May 2 through Sunday, May 4.

But Greenfield Hill is just one of three historic districts in this Fairfield County town celebrating an impressive 375th anniversary this year. So after enjoying one of spring’s most colorful celebrations, visitors can enjoy the celebration taking place in the rest of the town.

The Dogwood Festival

Fairfield’s first dogwood trees were planted back in 1705, when Isaac Bronson, a retired Revolutionary War surgeon-turned-farmer, decided his Greenfield Hills property would be enhanced if he transplanted some of the native wild dogwood trees blooming in the nearby woods. Bronson propagated and so did his trees. By 1895, the blooms were so outstanding that the Greenfield Hill Village Improvement Society took on care of the dogwoods as an official project, adding many new plantings that continue to grow.

In 1935 the Greenfield Hills Congregational Church held the first Dogwood Festival, and like the trees, it has grown prodigiously with time. Besides taking in the beauty of the blossoms, guests can visit tents where some 40 juried New England artisans and crafters will be showing their creations, see an art show, hunt for treasures at a tag sale, enjoy free musical entertainment and pick up prize plants that make perfect Mothers’ Day gifts. Walking tours of the historic lanes will be available and kids will have their own craft tent, bounce house, and face painter, plus cotton candy, and carnival games with prizes. Proceeds from the festival benefit more than 30 local, national and international charities. For details, see www.greenfieldhillschurch.com

The 375th Anniversary

In the second historic district in the center of town, the first sign of something special going on this year will be the fire hydrants, painted in historic garb like the Colonial soldiers who once marched here.
At the Fairfield Museum and History Center, a new hands-on exhibit explores the doings in town over its colorful past. Creating Community: Exploring 375 years of Our Past lets visitors look inside a Native American wigwam, climb into an American Revolution fort, watch a video depicting the Burning of Fairfield by the British in 1779, decipher a spy code, and sit on a 19th century trolley. In six chronologically organized sections, it shows how people worked, lived, and built communities over time by exploring original objects, individual stories, and engaging activities like trying on wardrobes from different periods.

The corner of the Museum block, Beach and Old Post Road, was the center point of the original “four squares” of the town laid out in 1639. Only four original homes survived the British fires, but a pleasant hour can be spent exploring the area’s many beautiful post-Revolutionary homes, historic churches and the town hall, whose central section remains as it was rebuilt in 1790

Southport, the picturesque harbor area, is the third historic area. Boats laden with onions from Greenfield Hill farms used to sail out of this harbor before the British did their damage. Now it is home to yachts and country clubs and exclusive residential areas in the hills surrounding the tiny village.

Fairfield is planning many special events in the months ahead to mark its special birthday. See http://www.fairfield375.com for a complete calendar.

For more information about lodging and other activities in the area and a free copy of UNWIND, a full-color, 152-page booklet detailing what to do and see, and where to stay, shop and dine in Fairfield County and the Litchfield Hills of Western Connecticut, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their web site at www.visitwesternct.com

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Keeler Tavern Museum To Host First Annual Spring Artisans’ Show

Distinguished artists and craftspeople from across the region will be present when the Keeler Tavern Museum hosts its inaugural Spring Artisans’ Show on Saturday, April 26, to be preceded by a special Preview Party on Friday evening, April 25.
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The Museum campus at 132 Main Street in Ridgefield—with its distinctive Cass Gilbert Carriage Barn, picturesque gardens, and charming Garden House — will be the setting for this premier event curated by VS Shows. The collection will feature fine art, high-quality handmade furniture, fiber, and home décor items, distinctive jewelry, and a wide range of one-of-a-kind offerings. A multi-media exhibit titled “Expressions: Spring – painting, sculpture & photography,” will be staged in the Carriage Barn. While Saturday visitors browse, children will be able to enjoy games and crafts of their own. Food will be available for purchase.

Some 20 notable artisans and artists from all over the region are expected to participate, including Ridgefield artists Peggy Thomas who will be displaying her pottery; Kokoon Jewelry designer Debbie Thornton; and painter Spencer Eldridge whose works will be shown in the Carriage Barn as part of “Expressions: Spring.” Among the regional artists featured are Pamela Dalton who will be showing her intricate paper cuts – Scherenschnitte; Heidi Howard, who paints 18th and 19th century trade and tavern signs; doll-maker Eva-Maria Araujo; Kathleen McDonald who makes chalkware figurines handcrafted from a collection of antique chocolate molds; and Robert Ferrucci, an artist of abstract action art, drip art and contemporary American Folk Art.

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Saturday show hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM; admission that day is $8 ($7 with presentation of pre-show announcement postcard or advertisement). The special wine-and-cheese Preview Party on Friday evening will offer early purchasing from 6 – 9 PM, as well as opportunities to engage with artisans and artists; admission is $40 ($30 for Museum members). Proceeds from ticket sales on both days benefit the Keeler Tavern Museum, a non-profit historical site that is entirely self-funded.

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Free off-premises parking is available nearby. To make reception reservations, and for directions or other information, visit www.keelertavernmuseum.org or call (203) 438-5485. For information about the Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

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Art and Dining in Falls Village – In Litchfield Hills

Falls Village is a bucolic town located in the far northwest corner of the Litchfield Hills. In addition to several excellent hiking trails, the village has several shops, a library boasting an art gallery, a museum and a fabulous country inn making this a wonderful spring destination.

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Mullins, Deep End

The David M. Hunt Library, located on 63 Main Street in Falls Village, CT in the center of town has planned an art exhibit that will run through May 17. The featured painter is Patty Mullins whose exhibit, “Collected Stories,” presents a selection of the artist’s narrative and landscape canvases.

Patty Mullins, a resident of Sharon, is well-known for her evocative paintings, the narrative elements of which are a natural fit for the Queen Anne architecture of the David M. Hunt Library which has, like the paintings, numerous spaces to be alone, quiet, and thoughtful. The intimate landscapes of our region are also found in Ms. Mullins’ canvases, particularly the ones inspired by wetlands in Lakeville, Cornwall, and Sharon.

In a recent statement, the artist described her work: “For me, painting is a process of discovery. Like an archeologist, I start with an idea of what I’m after, but don’t know exactly what I’ll find; images trigger memory and emotion, and as I paint I follow the emotion and find layers of meaning…elements in my paintings include personal history, the history of painting, loss, desire, skewed vision, vertigo, self-absorption and self-containment. My current body of work includes landscapes, figures, portraits of objects, and a recurrent theme: for the real subject of my work is time; the spaces and the things that people leave behind.”

Mullins Orpheus
Mullins Orpheus

Patty Mullins exhibits her paintings locally in New England, as well as in New York and Philadelphia. Her work has been shown at the National Academy Museum, and is in the collections of Melva Bucksbaum and Raymond Learsy, Bianca Jagger, Campbell Scott, and Jamie Wyeth. Ms. Mullins’ work can be previewed on her website, www.PattyMullins.com.

Falls Village Inn
Falls Village Inn

After viewing this art show, stop into the Falls Village Inn located on 33 Railroad Street in the heart of this bucolic village. The Falls Village Inn features a lunch, taproom and dinner menu that acknowledges a desire for classic American comfort fare. Gorgeous accommodations are also available in comfortable rooms designed by Bunny Williams.

For more information call 860-824-0033 visit http://www.thefallsvillageinn.com.
For information on Hunt Library http://www.huntlibrary.org. For information on the Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com

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