Litchfield’s Night Out July 3

Litchfield, CT.  Litchfield Connecticut has long been known as one of Connecticut’s most unspoiled and bucolic colonial villages with its long stately green and historic homes that grace the historic district.  On the National Register of Historic Places since 1959 Litchfield has welcomed and charmed thousands of visitors looking for an authentic place to explore. Once again this year, the shopkeepers of Litchfield have thrown open their doors and are welcoming visitors to celebrate art, music, food, and fashion on three unforgettable summer nights.

On Thursday, July 3, the first of three summer nights launches with the popular Art Walk.  Visitors to this event will be delighted as shops along the Green are transformed into evocative “art spaces” that will feature the work of local, national and regionally recognized artists.  Art receptions with refreshments will reward visitors that stroll amid the sound of music from shop to shop discovering art, collectable and fashion treasures along the way.

The opening reception for Art Spaces will take place from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. for the following artists: Matthew Best at Ollie's Pizza, Olivia Bosson at Bosson Optical, Lisa Brody at @ The Corner, Jane Doyle & Geoffrey Young at Workshop, Ted Gahl at West Street Grill, Visko Hatfield at The Village, Camille Hoffman at R. Derwin Women's, Kim Keever at Jeffrey Tillou Antiques, Joan Morosani at Kitchenworks, Richard Pasquarelli at R. Derwin Men's, Susan Spencer at Serendipity, and Anda Styler at P.S. Gallery. The art works will be on display through August 28.

Music is the perfect accompaniment to art and Litchfield will be alive with performing artists as well.  The jazz duo of Devlin Tenney & Nate DiDomizio will be performing with the ABC Music School Guitar Ensemble from 5:30-7:30 outside the West Street Grill. In Cobble Court, the No Stress Blues, will perform a mix of blues standards from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Ryan Foss will be performing West Coast folk at Ollie’s Pizzeria from 6:00-9:00. Blues will go on until 11 p.m. with the Breakdown performing acoustic classic rock inside @ the Corner’s bar from 9:00-11:00.

There are many great dining choices in Litchfield and reservations are a good idea. Try the four star West Street Grill that specializes in modern American cuisine featuring local and organic in season produce with a very modern touch. For reservations: 860-567-3885. http://www.weststreetgrill.com.  Another option is The Village Pub and Restaurant that serves great pub fare and dinner specials in a casual atmosphere. For reservations 860-567-8307.  http://www.village-litchfield.com.  @the corner is fun, casual and diverse with an eclectic menu offering a selection of new American, Italian and Southwest cuisine. For reservations: 860-567-8882. http://www.athecorner.com.

Photos Courtesy of Litchfield County Biz http://www.bzmedia.bz

New summer exhibition in Kent Connecticut - Iron, Wood and Water

Kent was literally built on the foundation of the iron industry that began in these hills before the town was even founded.

The Kent Historical Society is taking a close look this summer at iron and what it took to make the metal with  “Iron, Wood and Water: Essential Elements of the Evolution of Kent,” which opens to the public Saturday, July 5 at the Seven Hearths Museum located on 4 Studio Hill Rd. just off Rte. 7, a mile or so north of Kent center. 

The lives of people employed in the industry are revealed through careful genealogical research and large scale graphics to bring these people to life. Visitors are asked to imagine what life was like for the iron master, a furnace worker, a collier, a teamster and an ore bed miner.

Seven Hearths will be open to the public weekends during July, August and September from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. More information about the exhibit can be found at www.kenthistoricalsociety.org 

After enjoying the exhibit, be sure to explore the shops in the center of Kent that offer a choice selection of apparel for men and women. arts and crafts. Asian and African art and antiquities and antique and vintage jewelry. Stop in for a bite at the popular Fife n' Drum Restaurant or for a sweet treat at Kent Coffee and Chocolate Shop.

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

Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea at the Bruce Museum

Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea  at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich  explores the vast and extraordinary deep sea.  This show focuses on the highly adapted survival strategies utilized by creatures of the deep and the technology that enables researchers to record ground-breaking observations of what is often called the last frontier on this planet.

Sea Butterfly 

Photo by Larry Madin © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution 

Museum visitors might feel like they are in a deep-sea submersible as they look through view ports to observe the mesopelagic - or twilight zone - of the sea with its bioluminescent inhabitants.  The exhibit will show visitors the extremophiles that form the foundation of a hydrothermal vent as well as  the bizarre appearances and adaptations of deep-sea species.  One of the take aways from experiencing this exhibit is an understanding of the technology that makes deep-sea explorations possible.

Hydrothermal Vent Display Photo by Sean Murtha

The Bruce Museum has created highly accurate casts of deep-sea organisms such as the Pacific Viperfish, Cock-Eyed Squid, Bloodbelly Comb Jelly, Gulper Eel, Giant Tube Worms, and more, created from molds on loan from the American Museum of Natural History. Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History is lending preserved deep- sea specimens collected from various deep-sea explorations and dives around the globe. The University of Connecticut is assisting with interpretation of the New England seamounts, or underwater mountain ranges.  Rare footage of creatures of the deep comes from Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is sharing cutting edge information on the deep-sea submersible Alvin as well as their expertise on deep-sea ecosystems around the world.

Bloodbelly comb jelly 

Photo by MBARI ©2002 MBARI 

The exhibition is the second in a series at the Bruce Museum looking at extreme biological, chemical and physical factors that affect different ecosystems around the world. Extreme Habitats: Into the Deep Sea opens runs through November 9.  

And when you go, don’t forget your cell phone:  This exhibition, like many others at the Bruce, will be accompanied by a compelling cell phone audio tour guide program, Guide by Cell, generously underwritten by Nat and Lucy Day.  Easy to follow Guide by Cell instructions will be available at the front admissions desk.

About the Bruce Museum

The Bruce Museum is a museum of art and science and is 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 less than five 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 www.brucemuseum.org.