Tag: New England

TAKE A GINGERBREAD BREAK IN LITCHFIELD HILLS AND FAIRFIELD COUNTY CONNECTICUT

Lots of places feature colorful gingerbread houses for the holidays, but Kent, Connecticut goes a step further.
The whole town will take part in the second annual Kent Gingerbread Festival from November 25 to December 30. Everyone is invited to follow the Gingerbread Walk through town to view imaginative and ingenious gingerbread delights in over 50 shop windows. Visitors can enjoy the displays as they stroll, then vote for their favorite creations at the Gingerbread Station, 1 Kent Green Boulevard. The station will have its own displays of entries from the local gingerbread baking contest and will also offer baking and craft classes Phone (860) 927-1463 for schedules. Besides gingerbread displays, Kent will have special events every weekend, from pancakes with Santa to caroler and a Messiah sing-along.

MORE SWEET TREATS

Kent has the biggest show, but Connecticut’s Litchfield and Fairfield Counties offer several other impressive gingerbread displays guaranteed to delight, as well as the chance to take home some of the prize creations or make your own gingerbread confection.


More than 60 buildings, with horse and sleigh teams, ponds, boats, and sledders, all dressed up in Christmas splendor will be featured at the 44th annual Gingerbread Village, a lavish display from December 3 to 10 at St. George’s Church on Tucker Hill Road in Middlebury. Everything is for sale, available to take home when the display ends. Admission is Free. Hours are Saturday, December 3rd 10 a.m. to 7 p.m, Sunday, December 4th, Noon to 8 p.m., Monday, December 5th to Friday, December 9th 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, December 10th, 10a.m.to 4 p.m. Call (203) 758-9557 for information.

The third annual Visions of Gingerbread: The Sweetest Architects at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center November 12 through December 18 shows off imaginative confections made by some of the area’s best pastry chefs, restaurants, and caterers. DiMare’s Pastry Shop of Stamford, SoNo Baking Company of South Norwalk and Sweet Lisa’s Exquisite Cakes of Greenwich are among those who are vying for first prize from a panel of special judges. These are far from ordinary houses; one of the past displays was a perfect miniature of the Duomo Cathedral in Florence, Italy. Visitors are invited to vote for the “Fan Favorite” of the year. Learn more at www.stamfordmuseum.org.


MAKE YOUR OWN

Those who are inspired to make their own gingerbread houses should contact the Silo Cooking School in New Milford. Each year The Silo offers classes for parents and children (ages 5 and up). There are classes also for adults, who enjoy appetizers and mulled wine as they assemble their architectural masterpieces.

Classes are held several times on November 25-27, December 2-4 and December 9-10. The cost is $85 for each adult team or each parent-child team, up to 3 people. The classes sell out every year but would-be bakers can check for openings or waiting lists at (860) 355-0300. The Silo is part of the Hunt Hill Farm Trust so they are found on-line at www.hunthillfarmtrust.org

For more information about gingerbread adventures, directions to events and listings of all the holiday doings in the region, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, www.visitwesternct.com. They offer a free copy of UNWIND, a 112-page color guide to the attractions in the Litchfield Hills and a free color Fairfield County Getaway Guide.

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“Divided Light and Color: American Impressionist Landscapes” AT The Bruce Museum Through Jan. 29

Still among the best loved of all artistic movements, Impressionism records the world with a memorable alacrity, capturing scenes with spontaneous shorthand of divided light and color. The Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut, presents a new exhibition, “Divided Light and Color: American Impressionist Landscapes” that runs through January 29, 2012.
One of the greatest strengths of the Bruce Museum’s permanent collection and local private collectors’ interests is the American Impressionist landscape. This exhibition brings together two dozen fine examples of impressionist art in a show with imagery that continues to enchant and endure.

Recent acquisitions by The Bruce Museum include examples of the some of the pioneers of American Impressionism, including the distinguished painters, Theodore Robinson (1852-1896), John Henry Twachtman (1853-1902), and Childe Hassam (1859-1935).
Childe Hassam is well represented locally, with outstanding masterpieces recording his time in France and summer art excursions in New England. He is also well known for his work of the local Greenwich scene, including the Holley House, site of the famous Cos Cob Art Colony, as well as Mill Pond and railway bridge in Cos Cob.

The exhibition attests to the importance of the local Cos Cob Art Colony and its founders and instructors, such as Leonard Ochtman (1854-1934), whose house overlooked the Mianus River and whose work is extensively represented at the Bruce Museum. Second generation American Impressionists, such as Elmer Livingston MacRae (1875-1953), Founder of the America Pastel Society and the Greenwich Society of Artists is also represented. A highlight is the work of Matilda Browne (1869-1947), a local resident of Greenwich, and one of the few women artists among the early American Impressionists.


The exponents of American Impressionist landscape painting also recorded American scenery as far afield as New Hope, Pennsylvania and Carmel, California. Uniting these diverse works is a response to changes in light, a strong palette, and the carefully observed atmospheric effects so characteristic of American Impressionism.

This is a beautiful show that should not be missed by lovers of Impressionist Art.

About the Bruce Museum
Consistently voted the “Best Museum” by area media, the Bruce Museum is a regionally based, world-class institution highlighting art, science and natural history in more than a dozen changing exhibitions annually. The Bruce Museum is located at 1 Museum Drive in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA. General admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and students, and free for children under five and Bruce Museum members. Free admission to all on Tuesdays. The Museum is located near Interstate-95, Exit 3, and a short walk from the Greenwich, CT, train station. Museum hours are: Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Mondays and major holidays. Museum exhibition tours are held Fridays at 12:30 p.m. Free, on-site parking is available. For information, call the Bruce Museum at (203) 869-0376, or visit the Bruce Museum website at www.brucemuseum.org.

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Civil War Artifact Appraisal Day at Gunn Museum in Washington, October 15


This year marks the 150 Anniversary of the Civil War and Connecticut is one of many states that have commemorated this important anniversary in our nations history with a vast range of evocative events. The Civil War was perhaps the most trying time in our nation’s history, as this war rocked our nation to its very core. It is estimated that 620,000 soldiers perished and every aspect of society was impacted in the north as well as in the south.

Connecticut sent 55,000 men to war; a figure that reflected 12% of Connecticut’s total population and for men that were between the ages of 15 and 50, this number reflects 47% of the population, a figure that is unparalleled in Connecticut’s history. Connecticut organized 29 regiments and supplied a full third of Union weaponry.

Support for the Union and its War against the South is only one aspect of Connecticut’s history, as 40% of the state’s population opposed the war and gave tremendous political strength to the Peace Democrats, a group that tried to stop Governor Buckingham from supporting President Lincoln and the war. Understanding the history of the Civil War helps to define Connecticut’s past as well as our future. The many events that commemorate the Civil War helps us to understand where we have been, where we are and where we are going.


A special Civil War artifact appraisal day will take place on Saturday October 15 from 12-3pm in the Gunn Museum in the charming town of Washington. The public is invited to bring their Civil War artifacts to be evaluated by Thomas Zanavich, a long-time dealer and the guest curator of the current exhibit. He will answer your questions and verbally appraise items for estimated age and value. Do you have artifact that you suspect might be from the Civil War? It is always interesting and fun to bring in a suspected “treasure” for evaluation by an expert that knows the period and can identify authentic artifacts.

There is no charge for admission or appraisal, but donations are greatly appreciated. Registration is required, call 860-868-7756 to reserve your spot.

The Gunn Museum’s exhibit, Letters from the Battlefield: Stories of Washington’s Civil War Soldiers, will be open for viewing from 10am-4pm this day. The exhibit ends on October 30th. The Gunn Museum is located at 5 Wykeham Road, at the intersection of Wykeham Road and Route 47, on Washington Green. Call 860-868-7756 or view www.gunnlibrary.org for information.

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Free Lift Ticket Day at Mohawk Mountain Ski Area March 27, 2011

Every year, Mohawk Mountain Ski Area in Cornwall CT experiences the same strange phenomenon… they run out of skiers and snowboarders way before they run out of snow. It’s a sign of the end of the season, as sure as boiling sap and blooming crocuses.

As the 2010-2011 season winds down they are offering their final event of the season… FREE LIFT TICKET DAY! Mark your calendars – Sunday, March 27, from 8:30 a.m. -4:00 p.m., Mohawk Mountain will provide FREE lift tickets to all their guests. The tickets are valid March 27, 2011 only, and are available simply by visiting a ticket window in the Main Lodge. Everyone must be wearing a lift ticket, so be sure to visit the ticket window and request your complimentary ticket before attempting to load a lift. If you are not wearing a ticket, their friendly lift operators will send you back to the lodge to get one.

Rentals and lessons will be available, at their regular rates and on the regular schedule. The cafeteria will be open, and the Ski Shop will have some great end-of-season deals! The weather report for this week calls for a dusting of fresh snow, so they anticipate great conditions next weekend (Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27, 2011).

It may be the last opportunity to enjoy the slopes so plan to head for the hills this coming weekend for FREE LIFT TICKET DAY at Mohawk Mountain !

Mohawk Mountain will be closed Monday (March 21) through Friday (March 25). We will reopen on Saturday, March 26, with lifts running from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (no

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DIRECTIONS-TO-GO MAKE EXPLORING EASY IN CONNECTICUT’S FAIRFIELD COUNTY

Connecticut’s Fairfield County is filled with autumn color and unexpected discoveries—if you know where to look.  New virtual tours on the region’s web site make sure that visitors know exactly where to go and how to find the best routes.  To make it even easier, three scenic routes with exact directions to each tour stop now can be e-mailed or down-loaded directly from the web site to computers or to an I-phone, I-pod or Blackberry, ready to take along on the road.

The recommended routes cover something for every interest–history, scenery, drives, and hikes, gardens and shopping. They can fill a full day or be divided into shorter segments. A sampling of the pleasures in store include:

Route One: Audubon, Architecture and Art

The towns and leafy residential back roads of Greenwich and Stamford are the destinations.  In Greenwich, stops vary from browsing the shops on Greenwich Avenue, known as Connecticut’s Rodeo Drive, to strolling the 285 wooded acres of the Audubon Greenwich.  The art and natural history exhibits at the Bruce Museum vie with the history of 17th century Putnam Cottage and the Bush Holley House, circa 1728.  Stamford offers the chance for cruises on Long Island Sound, prize antiquing, the modernistic architecture and stained glass of the famous “Fish Church,” the Stamford Museum and Nature Center with its picture-perfect Hecksher Farm and 80 acres of wooded nature trails, and the adjoining Bartlett Arboretum with another 91 acres to explore.  More scenery waits in a final back roads drive from Stamford to New Canaan and its nature center.

Route Two: Beaches, Birds And Beauty

Westport, Fairfield and Easton have many attractive stops.  Westport travels include a drive beside the Saugatuck River and stops at beaches on Long Island Sound, along with the Westport Arts Center, Historical Society and the formal and herb gardens at Gilbertie’s Herb Gardens.  Among the sights in historic Fairfield are the town green and its beautiful Colonials, the town museum and history center, the 18th century Ogden House, Walsh Art Gallery at Fairfield University, and the Connecticut Audubon and Birdcraft Museum, with a six- acre bird sanctuary.  Rural Easton leads to more historic homes, a school dating back to 1795 and drives along Route 59, a designated scenic road passing the sparkling Aspetuck Reservoir.  A portion of the Aspetuck Trail in Easton is open for hiking.

Route Three: Lighthouses, Oysters And Landscapes

Nautical Norwalk and Rowayton and wooded Weston and Wilton make up this tour. Norwalk, once known for its oysters, has newer lures such as the Stepping Stones Museum for Children, the Maritime Aquarium, cruises to Sheffield Island with its historic lighthouse for picnics and walks, the shops of SoNo (South Norwalk) and the buildings of the Mill Hill Historic District.  The riverside village of Rowayton with the look of a typical New England coastal town offers atmosphere, historic houses and an art center. Devil’s Den in Weston is Fairfield County’s largest nature preserve providing 21 miles of hiking trails through diverse habitats and the Great Ledge with spectacular views.  Weir Farm in Wilton, the summer home of the late impressionist painter J.Alden Weir is the only US National Park devoted to American painting, with a setting worthy of a painting.

For detailed routes and further information about the many attractions of Fairfield County, see www.visitwesternct.com.  For a free brochure contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506.

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Amazing Mazes Beckon Autumn Visitors to Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County

The mazes are amazing. Imagine acres of tall corn cut into twisting paths in whimsical shapes from crossword puzzles to bumblebees. Finding your way amidst these mazes of maize is a fun-filled adventure for all ages at four beautiful family farms in western Connecticut. Located in Litchfield and Fairfield Counties, the farms also offer hayrides, animals for petting, and apples and pumpkins ripe for picking to make for a perfect fall weekend outing.

Ellsworth Hill Farm in Sharon may take the prize for originality this season with a crossword puzzle maze covering four acres. Pick-your-own apples is another favorite activity at this berry farm and orchard. On hayrides at Ellsworth Hill “Farmer Mike” shows off the glowing foliage-covered hills of northwestern Connecticut and tells about the fruit varieties he grows on the farm.

One of the most elaborate maze designs is the bumblebee at Plaskos Farm in Trumbull. Plaskos is known for the imaginative designs cut each year through four acres of ten-foot-high corn. Crazy Cows, Spider Webs, and Lady Liberty are among the past creations. The twisty mazes provide some 15 miles of trails, but frequent escape hatches mean everyone can choose their own distance. Once again, hayrides are a scenic way to the fields.

Littlest guests will find a new treat this year at March Farm in Bethlehem, where a new Sunflower Maze designed for children is ready for action along with the traditional five-acre corn maze. This year’s main maze theme is designed to teach the value of composting. Along with the chance to pick your own apples, treats at this family-friendly farm include hayrides, and an animal farm where pygmy goats, lambs and llamas can be visited. An expanded Hayloft Playscape invites youngsters to enjoy a mini-hay loft, school and farmhouse, slides, a climbing wall and a tractor-themed sand play area.

Families also enjoy the six-acre corn maze in a unique triangle shape and the four-acre pumpkin patch awaiting visitors to Castle Hill Farm in Newtown. As an added treat, hayrides at Castle Hill bring visitors through a stream to the corn and pumpkin fields. Farm animals for petting and pony rides provide more treats for youngsters.

All of the mazes are open weekends through October, some into November. For exact hours and admission fees, check with each farm listed below or contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, http://www.visitwesternct.com.

Information:
Castle Hill Farm 40 Sugar Lane, Newtown, 203-426-5487, http://www.castlehillfarm.biz
Ellsworth Hill Farm, 461 Cornwall Bridge Road (Route 4), Sharon, http://www.ellsworthfarm.com
March Farm, 160 Munger Lane, Bethlehem, 203-266-7721, http://www.marchfarms.com
Plaskos Farm, 670 Daniels Farm Road, Trumbull, 203-268-2716, http://www.plaskosfarm.com

Hills, Fall Foliage, and Family Fun in Litchfield Hills Connecticut

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