Get in the holiday mood @ Merwinsville Hotel's Christmas Shoppe Nov. 25-27 and Dec. 2-4

Start your  holiday shopping early this year with a visit to the  historic 1843  Merwinsville Hotel and Museum that  will put you in the holiday spirit.   

The Christmas Shoppe will be open for 2 long weekends starting on Friday, November 25^th, 26^th & 27^th and continuing on Friday, Dec 2^nd, 3^rd & 4^th.  Hours 10:00am -5:00pm with extended hours on both Fridays until 7:00pm for late night shoppers.  Story time on both Saturdays at 11:00am.  Free admission.

 

Each year this historic museum is transformed into a winter wonderland, a world of snow villages and model trains around the Christmas tree lend to the charm of this iconic Railroad Hotel.  Guests will enjoy a complimentary hot chocolate while they shop for that special holiday gift created by a local artisan. Children will enjoy a special story time at 11 a.m. on both Saturdays.  There are many affordable items for sale that are unique. Art, crafts, jewelry, weavings, birdhouses, photography, baked goods, wreaths and much more is available for sale. 

The Merwinsville Hotel is located at 1 Brown’s Forge Road in Gaylordsville, CT – conveniently located 15 minutes from Kent, Sherman, New Milford and the Harlem Valley/Wingdale Railroad Station (the northwest corner of New Milford)

Holiday Cheer @ The Glebe House Dec. 2 & 3

The holiday season offers each of us a chance to reminisce, connect with family and friends and find joy in our traditions.  One of the most anticipated traditions in Woodbury has become the Glebe House Museum’s Holiday Gala.

  ‘Home for the Holidays in the Hollow’ Gala is slated for Friday, December 2 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at The Glebe House, 49 Hollow Road in Woodbury.  Guests will be treated to savory hors d’ oeuvres and an array of wines to toast the holidays; complimented by the elegantly decorated museum.  In this magical candlelit setting, the rooms of the museum will be brimming with good cheer and beautifully decorated.  All of the one of a kind wreaths, swags and table top decorations will light up your holiday and be available for purchase.  Guests will also have a wonderful opportunity to wrap up their Christmas gift list at the Silent Auction where original art work, one of a kind jewelry, fine handwovens, silver, and other treasures will be found.  The cost to attend this year’s event is $25 per person.

To continue the Holiday Festival, the Museum will hold its open house on Saturday, December 3 from 10AM to 3PM.  The public may enjoy the beautiful decorations to purchase, along with holiday gift items.  Visitors will enjoy experiencing life in this Revolutionary War era house during the holidays re-enacted by adult and youth volunteers.  The costumed docents will give first person accounts of the Marshall family who lived at the “Glebe” from 1771-1786, and share stories about how the family prepared for the holiday season.  Admission is free for the day.

All proceeds from this weekend event will help support The Glebe House Museum & Gertrude Jekyll Garden.  For more information and to purchase tickets for the Home for the Holidays in the Hollow Gala, please call the museum at 203-263-2855 or mail a check to: The Glebe House Museum, PO Box 245, Woodbury, CT 06798.

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Fine Jewelry, Fashion, 20th Century Art + Design Auction in Litchfield

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As the leaves have turned and fallen, and the temperatures continue to cool, Litchfield County Auctions located on Rte. 202 in Litchfield is hosting their last sale of the year.  Held over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, it is a favorite for locals and visitors alike.  

Opening the doors on Black Friday, the gallery combines an Auction Exhibition together with a Priced Estates Tag Sale and “Ready to Wear” Boutique Fashion Sale.  All weekend, auction items, which are also online, can be previewed in person.  There will be a tag sale for you to browse for antiques and home decorations, while our annual “Ready to Wear” Fashion Boutique Sale will be open for you to shop for quality clothing and accessories – men’s and women’s, vintage to designer, and one of a kind finds – this sale is surely not one to miss!

In the auction, there will be great property coming from quality estates and collections, Highlights include 20th Century Art & Design from the collections of Antony Hayden-Guest and actor Bruce Willis; and Fashion from the collection of Amy & Milton Greene.  Fashion & Jewelry designers include Hermes, Valentino, Dior, Judith Leiber, Givenchy, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Kiesilstein-Cord, YSL, Ferragamo, Manolo Blahnik, Bulgari, Miu Miu, Dauss, Mary Francis, C & D Jewelry, Mark Cross, Roberto Cavalli, Kenneth Jay Lane, Alexis Kirk, Rodrigo Otazu, Monies, Lawrence VRBA, and Others!    

Thanksgiving Holiday Auctions

Featuring Fine & Estate Jewelry, Watches, Handbags & Couture Fashion; 20th C. Design: Arts & Crafts to Mid-Century Modern0; and Fine Art: Impressionist & Modern to Post War & Contemporary Art.

Auction Exhibition & Tag Sale: November 25 to November 29, 10am-5pm.

2-Day Live Auction: November 30 & December 1, 10am each day

“Ready to Wear” Boutique Fashion Sale

Live Gallery Sale: Thanksgiving Weekend, November 25–29, 10am-5pm

Please join us for our second annual "Ready to Wear Boutique" - a fine apparel and accessory sale.  Vintage, designer and contemporary items for men and women that are priced for immediate purchase.  This sale will run concurrently during our Thanksgiving auction exhibition. 

Upcoming: The Winter Antiques Sale

This auction will feature a fine selection of American & European Antique Furniture & Decorative Arts, including Silver, Rugs, Porcelains & Glass, Mirrors, Lighting, and much more, together with Traditional Fine Art: Paintings, Prints, Drawings, Sketches and Sculpture.  Quality property is still being accepted for this sale! Consignment deadline is December 19, 2016.

For more information about upcoming sales or consignment at Litchfield County Auctions, please visit their website: www.LitchfieldCountyAuctions.com, find them on Facebook: Litchfield County Auctions, or contact them at (860) 567-4661 / sales@litchfieldcountyauctions.com.  To sign up for a monthly newsletter on Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County visit www.litchfieldhills.com​

Americans @ Play at the New Canaan Historical Society

The New Canaan Historical Society located on 13 Oenoke Ridge in New Canaan has just organized a new exhibit Americans At Play that will be on display through January 1.  This exhibition is a tribute to the way people spent their leisure time in the late 1800s and early 1900s.  A highlight of this exhibition is the sporty attire shown along with favorite pastimes.

People of all ages, especially young women, freed from the confines of the hoop skirt, embraced outdoor activities such as cycling, which reached its height in 1897. Riding was also popular as was the fox hunt that was held annually each fall in New Canaan in the late 1800s.  Other favorite sports of the time were croquet, golf, tennis, riding and swimming. The exhibit features wool bathing suits that were the height of fashion in the 1920s.

During this golden age, many New Canaanites traveled to resort hotels, the seashore and the mountains. The most affluent individuals traveled to Europe with large trucks packed with clothes for every imaginable occasion. The arrival of the automobile made excursions possible and many residents traveled to Roton Point, Rowayton and to the many lakes and ponds in the area. Driving googles, were a must whatever the season!

New photography exhibit @ Norwalk Historical Society

Celebrate the opening of the Norwalk Historical Society's new exhibit, Self and the World: Experiencing Photography in 19th Century Norwalk, on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 from 6:00pm – 7:30pm at the Norwalk Historical Society Museum. The museum is located at 141 East Avenue next to the Norwalk Health Department, in the red brick house with blue double front doors. Parking is available at Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Avenue. RSVP to: info@norwalkhistoricalsociety.org.

Self and the World: Experiencing Photography in 19th Century Norwalk is curated by Elizabeth Avery with graphic design by Scott Kuykendall. The exhibit takes you on a journey through the development of photography in the second half of the nineteenth century. This coincided with a period of growth in Norwalk's economy and population. Norwalkers embraced photography in all of its forms as it evolved. There are never before seen daguerreotypes, family portraits, cartes de visite photographs, plate glass negatives and an original early Kodak camera, that helps tell the story of the early age of photography and its influence on the people of Norwalk.

On display will be 19th century stereoscopes (stereo viewers) which were America's most popular form of entertainment in the late 1800's and 1900's. Visitors will have an opportunity to touch and view stereo cards through a modern 21st century stereoscope. The role of the photographer is also celebrated, which includes a female amateur photographer Ada Betts, African-American photographer Augustus Washington and American Civil War photographer Edward Tompkins Whitney.

In addition, visitors will be able to experience the museum's other exhibits which include: Norwalk Collects: Celebrating Four Historic Collections and Eating off the Landscape: The Farrington Lockwood Dessert Service, curated by Elizabeth Pratt Fox, and Norwalk: Portrait of Diversity, with photography by the late Tony Velez. The gift shop will be open and features one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted items by Connecticut artists. Spend an evening surrounded by history. Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Saturday, Noon – 4:00pm. Except holidays, special events and by appointment. 

For a monthly newsletter on travel deals and tips on Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Bizarre Bazaar @ the New England Carousel Museum Nov. 19

To get you in a holiday mood, the New England Carousel Museum located on 95 Riverside Ave. in Bristol is hosting the "Bizarre Bazaar, a holiday art and craft fair on November 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is a juried show and sale of work by phenomenal artists and artisans handpicked by the Museum and one that you don't want to miss  especially if you are looking for unusual holiday gifts.

Expect to be dazzled as you wander among the work of  artists and artisans at the Carousel Museum that will be displaying a variety of homemade crafts, amazing treats, and holiday gifts. There will be two floors with over 50 exhibitors showcasing their unique gifts among the Museum's holiday environment and gorgeous carousel horses.

As adults shop, there is plenty to do for the little ones. The Arts and Crafts Room of the Museum will be open for children and, "Amazing Magical Paul" will be back to create whimsical balloon animals !   Best of all, admission is only $1.00 with free carousel rides for children all day.

To sign up for a monthly newsletter on Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County visit www.litchfieldhills.com

November and December Events @ Institute for American Indian Studies

The Institute for American Indian Studies located on 38 Curtis Road in Washington Connecticut has planned a wide variety of events for November and December that will be fun for the entire family from learning how to create a fire to shopping for Indian arts and crafts.

November begins with a friction fire workshop on Saturday, November 12 from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm.  Participants will learn  the way the way Native American people created fire by using only what nature provides. Andrew Dobos and Deneen Bernier of Three Red Trees School of Natural Living will guide participants through the process of making fire by friction using the bow and drill method. Each participant will leave with their own set of fire making tools. This is a physical skill; kneeling, bending and safe use of a knife are required. Pre registration for this event is required and the fee is $20 for members and $25 for non members.

Also on November 12 from 6 pm to 8 pm there will be a full moon walk. Participants will navigate by moonlight through the Institute's replicated Algonkian village and surrounding woods with traditional lanterns through hemlocks, witch hazel and oaks. The journey will conclude by relaxing around the campfire. The fee is $12 for members and $15 for non members.

On November 13 from 12 noon to 2 pm there will be a traditional ceremony in the outdoor village in honor of Veteran's Day. Participants and visitors are invited to a light lunch after the ceremony.

The Winter Indian Arts & Crafts Market begins on the weekend of November 26 and 27 and continues on December 3 and 4 and December 10 and 11.  Visitors are invited to shop for one-of-a-kind holiday gifts from local Native American crafters, jewelers, and artists.  This is the perfect time to to meet and buy directly from the artists while learning about contemporary Native American art and cultures. Gourds, pottery, jewelry, rattles, artwork, and flutes are just some of the items that will be offered. The market is open from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and from 12 noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

On December 11 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. the Institute is hosting Artifact Identification Day.  Visitors are invited to join the conversation as Director of Research & Collections, Lucianne Lavin, Ph.D., identifies and provides interesting commentary about your local stone objects and Native American cultural items. This event is included in the  regular museum admission of: $8 Adults; $6 Seniors; $5 Children; IAIS Members Free.

To sign up for a monthly newsletter on Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County visit www.litchfieldhills.com

Take a chance to win a Harley!

Have you ever wanted to win a Harley -- and to cruise the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut amid the beautiful firecolors of fall?  If this is a dream of yours then take a chance with the clever raffle offered by the New England Carousel Museum (http://www.thecarouselmuseum.org) in Bristol.

The New England Carousel Museum draws the winning ticket for the lucky winner of its annual raffle on November 19,2016 at 7 pm! The 2500 tickets that benefit  the Carousel Museum are running out, fast ---  to avoid disappointment  buy your tickets today...it might be your lucky day!

For only $20.00 per ticket, you have a chance at this year's first prize,a splendid 2016 Harley Davidson FLHX Street Glide motorcycle.  The second prize is a 5' x 8' trailer, and the third prize is a $100.00 gift certificate redeemable at Yankee Harley Davidson in Bristol. Everyone is welcome to join them for the drawing but the winner need not be present. The winner is called immediately upon completion of the drawing.

Tickets can be purchased on line by visiting their homepage (http://www.thecarouselmuseum.org), just scroll down the page and download the raffle form.  Fill out the form and send it along with your check for $20 to: The New England Carousel Museum, 95 Riverside Avenue, Bristol, CT 06010 to receive your ticket and a chance to win a Harley Davidson FLHX Street Glide motorcycle! Make sure to make your check payable to the Carousel Museum!

The Museum is located at 95 Riverside Avenue, Route 72 in Bristol. For more information, call the Carousel Museum at (860) 585-5411. Fax: 860-314-0483, E-mail: info@thecarouselmuseum.org, Web site: www.thecarouselmuseum.org.

For more area information www.litchfieldhills.com

About the New England Carousel Museum

The New England Carousel Museum was founded as a nonprofit educational organization in 1990, in Bristol, Connecticut. Visitors to the Museum will tour two floors of fascinating displays, exhibits and galleries including: The New England Carousel Museum, The Museum of Fire History, The Fine Art Gallery and The Greek Museum of Art and History. In season the New England Carousel Museum also manages the historic Bushnell Park Carousel in Hartford CT.

Story Barn: Lost in Translation @ Greenwich Historical Society

In connection with its current exhibition An Eye to the East: The Inspiration of Japan, the Greenwich Historical Society's fall Story Barn will revolve around the theme "Lost in Translation," featuring stories based on the concept that even our simplest attempts at communications can sometimes go awry. This event is taking place on November 17; doors open at 7 p.m. and the presentation begins at 7:30 p.m. 

One of the Historical Society's most popular programs, Story Barn offers an evening of true personal stories served up in a cabaret-like setting without benefit of notes or screens. Emceed by Moth story coach, Nantucket Comedy Festival cofounder and comedienne Bonnie Levison, the progam offers fun, thought-provoking entertainment that puts a decidedly contemporary spin on oral history.

Like life, storytellers offer up a variety of experiences based on a given theme, many with a decidedly Greenwich twist. In the past, topics have run the gamut from youthful misadventure, to a dastardly bridegroom, a grand dame's after-hours Christmas shopping expedition and a preteen's 1960s quest for tight chinos (think 'West Side Story') at some of Greenwich's toniest emporiums. Protagonists need not be human: Stories have also featured a very ungrateful chipmunk, a supernatural parrot and a law-breaking woodchuck.

The cost of this event is $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers and reservation by contacting 203-869-6899 Ext. is strongly encouraged. Beer, wine and light refreshments are included in the price of admission.

Annual Sundown Ski Patrol SKI SWAP, November 4-6, 2016

As the weather turns colder, December and Ski season will be here before you know it. To be prepared to hit the slopes this year, check out the annual Sundown Ski Patrol Ski Swap that is taking place on November 4 (Friday) through November 6 (Sunday), at Ski Sundown in New Hartford, CT located at 126 Ratlum Road, off Routes 44 and 219. This swap is the longest running and one of the largest in New England.

Sell your outgrown ski/snowboard jackets and pants, skis, snowboards, and boots! Buy new and gently used clothing and equipment! There are great deals to be had on Kids, Youth and Adult items.

Swap Hours are Friday, November 4 from 4pm-9pm, Saturday, November 5 from 10am – 8pm, and Sunday, November 6 from 10am-4pm.

Area ski shops will also be bringing inventory for sale.

Cash and Checks will be accepted (no credit cards). An ATM is available in the lodge.

The Ski Sundown Ski Patrol is a non-profit organization dedicated to the medical care for the skiing public at Ski Sundown in New Hartford, Ct. The annual Ski Swap is the primary fund raising event for the year to provide funds for medical supplies and training.

For more information visit the Ski Sundown Ski Patrol website: www.skisundownnsp.org. To sign up for an monthly newsletter on what to see and do in Litchfield Hills visit www.litchfieldhills.com

Danger Came Smiling @ Franklin Street Artworks

For the exhibition Danger Came Smiling: Feminist art and popular music historian Maria Elena Buszek brings together work by contemporary artists who use popular music as a medium, subject, and reference point for activist messages. The show, which will be on view through– January 1, 2017, takes the title of an album by the pioneering, unabashedly feminist punk band Ludus, led by artist Linder Sterling, whose career—emerging in the first wave of punk in the 1970s—reflects the approaches in this exhibition.

By the late 1970s, visual artists like Robert Longo, Barbara Kruger, and Jean-Michel Basquiat started bands, and musicians like DEVO, Talking Heads, and Ann Magnuson treated their music as performance art, blurring the lines between popular music and visual art in ways that have profoundly affected contemporary art ever since.  The “No Wave” culture that emerged in this era is rife with examples: performers were as likely to present their work at the Danceteria as the Whitney Museum, and venues like Club 57, The Pyramid, and the Mudd Club and galleries like Fun, Gracie Mansion, and Artists Space all hosted both exhibitions and concerts, where popular music was emerging as its own “new medium.”

Years later, writer and Mudd Club habitué Kathy Acker would advise the young feminist art student Kathleen Hanna: “If you want people to hear what you’re doing…you should be in a band.”  Hanna proceeded to become a prime mover in what soon became known as the Riot Grrrl movement by way of her band Bikini Kill, and continues performing agit-pop in bands like Le Tigre and The Julie Ruin.

Hanna’s career is just the most visible of subsequent generations of feminist artists inspired by popular music, which this exhibition will address through the work of artists like Wynne Greenwood, Eleanor King, Shizu Saldamando, and Xaviera Simmons, who use punk, hip-hop, electronica, and jazz as part of their studio practice, and a reflection of their politics. 

The Franklin Street Works café will also include an audio portion that serves as a “curated mixtape” of music that relates to the artists and history on display in the exhibition.

The gallery is open Tues. - Sun. 12 noon to 5 p.m. and is located on 45 Franklin Street in Stamford.  There are 3-hour parking meters just outside the entrance to the gallery on Franklin Street that are free after 6 p.m., and 25 cents per 15 minutes before 6 p.m. There is also a lot with an attendant on Franklin Street just a couple of doors down on the right side of the street (closer to Broad Street) from Franklin Street Works. Rates are variable. There are also a number of parking garages nearby. The nearest are:Target  Entrance on Broad; $1 for the first 2 hours, then $2/hour, $11/day. Summer Street Garage Entrances on Lower Summer, Broad or Washington Blvd. Northbound;  $1/hour, $9/day, there is also an evening rate of $3/evening  Sat. & Sun. are free until 5pm.

For more area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Flags of Valor in New Milford

In honor of Veterans,  and in the memory of our Military Veterans and those men and women actively serving our country today, the Kiwanis Club Foundation of Greater Danbury, Inc. will erect the Kiwanis Flags of Valor on the New Milford Historical Society and the Town of New Milford's lawn at the north end of the Green. 

The Field of Valor will include at least 300 full size (3 foot by 5 foot) made in the USA American flags and will be on display from November 5 through December 3, 2016. All are invited to sponsor anyone they would like to HONOR with one of these keepsake flags. Your Honoree and sponsor name will be proudly displayed on a yellow ribbon with each flag. Major sponsors will be identified with on-site signage and up to ten flags for their honorees.

All proceeds from the $30 sponsorship support the efforts and the programs of the Kiwanis Club Foundation of Greater Danbury, Inc, 501c. Our programs include; Bringing Up Grades, High School Key Clubs in 6 towns and the Eliminate Program, College Scholarships. We are a volunteer organization whose mission is "To serve the children of the world, one community at a time." Find more information about Kiwanis or the Flags of Valor on our website www.kiwanisct.com or email ltorganizing.Linda@gmail.com.

American Artisan Show in Wilton

Once again the Wilton Historical Society is hosting the renowned American Artisan Show on Saturday, November 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, November 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year marks the 31st year of this popular annual event that is being held at the Wilton Historical Society located on 224 Danbury Rd. in Wilton. The admission is is $10 per person; young adults under 18 are free.

There will be more than forty artisans whose creations  will be fittingly set in the Society's charming 18th and 19th century buildings. The artisans are from across the country and will present arts, crafts and designs that have been part of American fine handwork since the 18th century.

Items for sale will include: Shaker-style furniture, pottery, baskets, candles, quilts, Windsor chairs, rugs, floor cloths, art, tavern signs, fine jewelry – and even beautifully turned pepper mills and custom made dollhouses; best of all, they are available for purchase just in time for gift giving session or for a special treat for yourself.  Unusual items such as art furniture by Troy Brook Visions, Sailor's Valentines, Redware, tramp art and wearable works of art composed of unusual combinations of textiles are just a few of the things available. 

For a complete list of artisans visit their website.