Study Cruise Aboard the Oceanic

Travel in Connecticut's Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County: Study Cruise Aboard the Oceanic

Share a memorable...: Study Cruise Aboard the Oceanic Share a memorable boat ride with crabs, fish, lobsters and other creatures brought up right out of Lo...

Study Cruise Aboard the Oceanic

Study Cruise Aboard the Oceanic

Share a memorable boat ride with crabs, fish, lobsters and other creatures brought up right out of Long Island Sound right before your eyes during daily study cruises this summer with The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

The Aquarium’s exciting Marine Life Study Cruises will begin their daily schedule on July 1, departing at 1 p.m. each day through Labor Day. (In June, they push off at 1 p.m. on Saturdays.)

During each 2^1/2-hour Marine Life Study Cruise aboard the research vessel Oceanic, animals are collected from different water levels and bottom habitats of the Sound. A video microscope provides a magnified look at wriggly plankton gathered at the sunlit surface. Tiny crabs and worms emerge from a sampling of the anaerobic muddy bottom. A biodredge reveals a hidden world of sponges, snails and mollusks.  And everyone inspects the trawl net’s bounty – varieties of fish and crabs, lobsters, sea stars, squid and always a few surprises.

The outings are much more than a boat ride. Maritime Aquarium educators involve participants in the processes, from sorting through samples to helping to pull in the trawl net and returning animals to the water. These animal encounters have immediate and incredible value in showing participants that the Sound is very much alive and worthy of our protection.

Besides being fun and eye-opening, Marine Life Study Cruises also contribute to local scientific research. Water-chemistry and weather readings are taken. And details about the animals brought onboard are entered into the Aquarium’s Long Island Sound Biodiversity Project, a database on the physical and biological features of the Sound. The database, available online for teachers and researchers, will reveal any changes in the Sound over time.

Also during the study cruises, as part of a Horseshoe Crab Census conducted by Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, The Maritime Aquarium tags and records data about all horseshoe crabs collected.

Cost of a Marine Life Study Cruise is $20.50 per person ($18.50 for Maritime Aquarium members).  All passengers must be at least 42 inches tall. Reservations are strongly recommended; walk-up tickets will be sold space permitting. The Oceanic can accommodate 29 passengers. Marine Life Study Cruises also are available for private 9 a.m. charters for summer camps, Scouts and other groups. Cruises depart from the dock near the Aquarium’s IMAX Theater entrance.

To reserve your spot on a Maritime Aquarium Marine Life Study Cruise, or for more details, call (203) 852-0700, ext. 2206. For more information visit www.MaritimeAquarium.org.  For regional information visit www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com.

One of the world's most popular modern-dance troupes accoring to the New York Times that is "famous for its wit and sensuality." is hosting an Summer Ball where guests are invited to drink, dine, mingle, bid and dance the night away!

This is one of the "hottest" parties in Litchfield Hills of the summer season. On Saturday, June 30, on the great lawn at Quatre Vents in Washington, join the Litchfield Friends of Pilobolus under the stars to celebrate Connecticutʼs preeminent arts organization a cultural gem in the Litchifeld Hills.

This yearʼs benefit gala is destined to be the largest yet after their record breaking Ball last summer. The evening includes dinner by Kentʼs own Millstone Café and Bakery, an open bar generously provided by Pernod Ricard USA and of course, dancing. The Pilobolus Dancers will delight guests with three unique, palate-whetting performances created exclusively for the Ball.

This yearʼs live auction highlights contain a VIP Jets Package, an African Safari, a Trip to Tuscany, an Exclusive Dinner with the Dancers of Pilobolus as well as the coveted Walklyndon Walk-on at The Joyce Theater this summer.

Funds from the Pilobolus Ball go to support the creation of new dances and Pilobolusʼ educational programming, which serves people of all ages and backgrounds, including severely underserved communities. Pilobolusʼ mission is to promote access to creativity, collaboration, and productivity in groups of all kinds.

Individual Tickets: $250. Table packages available starting at $2,500. Tickets are available by visiting www.Pilobolus.org or call 860‐868‐0538 x 16.  The Pilobolus Dance Theater is located on 6 Calhoun St., PO Box 388, Washington Depot, CT. For lodging information visit www.litchfieldhills.com

About Pilobolus Dance Theater

Pilobolus began in 1971, as an outsider dance company, and has evolved into a pioneering American arts organization of the 21st century. Most recently the company has been nominated for a 2012 GRAMMY Award for Best Short Form Music Video for ALL IS NOT LOST, a collaboration with the rock band OK Go. The company now revolves around three centers of activity: PILOBOLUS DANCE THEATER, the umbrella for a series of radically innovative and globally acclaimed concert dance companies; THE PILOBOLUS INSTITUTE, unique educational programming for schools, colleges, and public arts organizations as well as a series of classes and leadership workshops for corporate executives, employees, and business schools; and PILOBOLUS CREATIVE SERVICES, a division specializing in a wide range of movement services for film, advertising, publishing, commercial clients, and corporate events. The company is based in Washington Depot, Connecticut and performs for stage and television audiences all over the world. For more info, please visit www.Pilobolus.org.

Greenwich Historical Society Bike Tour of Greenwich Point

Pond at Greenwich Point with Tod Mansion in Background circa 1935, Collection of Greenwich Historical Society

The Greenwich Historical Society will sponsor a "Greenwich Point History on Wheels" family bike tour on Sunday, June 24, 2012. Join them  to explore the rich history of Greenwich Point and learn how an idyllic 19th century island estate (complete with private golf course), built by millionaire J. Kennedy Tod on the original 1640 Greenwich founder's Elizabeth Neck, evolved into the fabulous recreational Town park it is today.

Participants will engage with local historians stationed throughout the park to learn about the original beachfront golf course; about the groundbreaking architect who designed the award-winning (newly restored) Innis Arden Cottage; about the humble origins of the Old Greenwich Yacht Club; about the historic "Chimes Building" uses; why the Eagle statue stands guard over the estate's pond and much, much more. As you cycle through the tour, you'll stop along the way to hear stories, take a closer look at some of the ruins, and see vintage photos from the Historical Society's collection that capture snapshots from different eras. Kids will enjoy their very own scavenger hunt as part of the tour. Don't miss the chance to learn more about this beloved fixture of the Greenwich landscape and how it evolved over time.

"Greenwich Point History on Wheels" is being held in conjunction with the "Experience the Sound" celebration co-sponsored by the Greenwich Shellfish Commission and To The Point whose aim is to expand the community's awareness of coastal marine life, nature, outdoor recreational pursuits and the environment by showcasing local organizations .and education institutions that care for and promote them.

Participants will gather at the first parking lot on the right after entering the park.  The tour is open to bike-riding singles, families and children over seven years old who are able to ride a bicycle. Bring bikes and wear bike helmets (water bottles also recommended). Tours will begin at 1:00 and 3:00 pm. Admission is free but reservations are recommended. To reserve a space, or for additional info, please call 203-869-6899, Ext. 10. For more information visit http://www.hstg.org. For area information visit http://www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Stamford’s Bartlett Arboretum Presents “Garden Rooms by Design

The Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens of Stamford has announced its "Garden Rooms by Design" showcase now open June 8th – 15th. The week long event welcomes visitors to experience the top to bottom transformation of the Bartlett's historical homestead, once the home of the famed Dr. Francis A. Bartlett at 151 Brookdale Road, Stamford.   Tickets to see the "Garden Rooms by Design" showcase are $20/person.   Showcase hours are 10-4 daily and tickets can be purchased at the door. For more information and a sneak preview of each designer's ideas, visit www.bartlettarboretum.org events.

Top local designers and artisans have been given the challenge of bringing the outdoors inside to create the unparalleled "Garden Rooms by Design". This theme proves to be a fresh take on the Bartlett Arboretum's purpose: to inspire the community to explore, examine, understand and appreciate the natural history of the botanical world and its place in our lives. This inimitable design challenge has requested some of the area's top interior and landscape designers, artists and artisans to "think-out-of-the-box" and consider "green" elements in a not-so-usual sense.  This renovation of the
Bartlett homestead will include rooms, staircases, landings and gardens.

The Designer Showcase is a new element added to the Bartlett's ever-popular Spring Garden Tour Event going on concurrently. An added feature to the Designer Showcase is an informative lecture series featuring experts in hydrangeas, landscape design, design inspirations, photography, and creative design solutions.

All lectures are free of charge with admission to the Showcase with the exception of the featured presentation, "Success with Hydrangeas" by Famed Nantucketer Mal Condon which is $25 per person.  The Series kicks off from 10 a.m. to noon with Mal Condon's presentation on "Success with Hydrangeas" that will be held in the lecture room of the new Silver Educational Center on the arboretum's property.

Hydrangeas continue to be a very popular woody ornamental genus. Widely grown along our New England coastline, they create something special in so many gardens. This discussion will include the following topics; climate and plant siting, a major species review, cultural issues including fertilizing and bloom color control, best pruning practices, new varieties of merit, and propagation/making more plants. A lifelong gardener, Mal has always loved the genus hydrangea and began collecting plants from his extensive travels during his engineering career. His retirement in 1999 allowed him to pursue hydrangea nurturing with total commitment. Ever the engineer, he brings a strong technical and investigative nature to the continuing development of the genus – searching for new and better plants, evaluating their landscape performance, and finding superior ways to produce them.

Hydrangea Farm on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts has become a much visited location for serious hydrangeaphiles. This lecture is being partially underwritten by gifts made in memory of Barbara Saverine, lover of hydrangeas and wife of the Bartlett's executive director.   This will be a digital presentation featuring detailed graphics relevant to all topics. A Q&A session will follow the lecture. Class Fee $25. Call 203.322.6971 for more information or to reserve your spot.

Following Mal's presentation on Wednesday will be free lectures by Jan Johnson on Landscape Design at 1 p.m. and Victoria Lyon at 3 p.m. The Art of Design in Bringing the Outside In.  On Thursday, June 14th the series will feature at 11 a.m. Jamie Gotto of Bungalow 5 and Napa Home and Garden followed by Michael Yedowitz from Wainscot Solutions and concluding with Jeremy Keets Saladyga Photography. All free lectures will be held in the Showcase house.

Finally, the event will conclude on Friday, June 15th with a Designer Sample Sale of materials and props used in the showcase, including a variety of lovely potted plants and extra samples that the designers will bring in just for the sale. Designers will be donating 20% of their sales to benefit the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens.  The showcase admission ticket must be purchased to enter the designer sample sale.

About the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens
The Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens is a non profit 501 (c) (3) organization that inspires the surrounding community to explore, examine, understand and appreciate the natural history of the botanical world through its research, living plant collections, education and arts and cultural programs. The 91-acre property located at 151 Brookdale Road in Stamford is a living museum of champion majestic trees, rare plant collections, themed gardens, and natural landscapes traversed by hiking and walking trails. The historic site is the former residence, training school, and botanical research grounds of the renowned arborist, Dr. Francis Bartlett, dating back to 1913. With a summer concert series featuring both classical and contemporary selections, and a regular schedule of exhibits by local artists and photographers, the Bartlett Arboretum plays an ever expanding role in the regional cultural community. For more information about the Bartlett Arboretum and the events at the new Silver Educational Center including children's and adults' nature programs please visit the website www.bartlettarboretum.org or call 203-322-6971.

Coming Full Circle: Greenwich Art Society Celebrates 100 Years at the Bruce Museum

Neapolitan Fisherboy by Jean Baptiste Carpeaux. On the occasion of its Centennial this year, the Bruce Museum is mounting an exhibition of recent and promised gifts to the permanent collection. Featuring paintings, sculpture, drawings, prints and photographs, the show spans the ages – offering a variety of examples including the Old Masters, American paintings and Contemporary art – and reflects the diversity of taste among local collectors and supporters of the Museum. According to Executive Director Peter Sutton, the exhibition highlights the remarkable donations received in recent years. "The Museum has benefitted from collectors who are as generous as they are discerning." The splendidly tranquil luminist landscape, Sunlight on Newbury Marshes, by the American 19th-century painter Martin Johnson Heade underscores the truth of this observation; as do the 19th-century European works Faun and Bacchante by William-Adolphe Bouguereau and a fine bronze sculpture of a Neapolitan Fisherboy by Jean Baptiste Carpeaux. Gifts of Modern and Contemporary sculpture have been especially welcome and include the intimately scaled maquette by Henry Moore as well as large-scale works like Robert Rauschenberg's  Greyhound Nightmare sculpture and the promised gift of the exuberantly monumental Keith Haring sculpture Untitled (Three Dancing Figures) Version A. The fastest growing collections at the Bruce are of works on paper, which include recent donations of pieces by Signac and Cuevas, and one of O. Winston Link's most famous photos, Hotshot Eastbound. Sutton notes that the permanent art collection of the Bruce Museum includes more than 15,000 objects representing a wide variety of world cultures, with special strengths in American and European art. "These are essential to the many object-based educational programs offered at the Museum and serve to inspire the shows that we organize." Installed in the Arcade Gallery, the exhibition will be presented in two successive shows of approximately 50 objects each. The first show will be on view through July 8. The second show opens July 21.

Explore Art and Science at the Bruce Museum. 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 under 5 years. Individual admission is free on Tuesday. Free on-site parking is available and the Museum is accessible to individuals with disabilities. The Bruce Museum is located at One Museum Drive in Greenwich, Connecticut. For additional information, call (203 869-0376) or visit the website (www.brucemuseum.org).

New Canaan CT Nature Center Announces Annual Secret Gardens Tour

The Annual Secret Gardens Tour benefiting the New Canaan Nature Center will take place on Friday, June 8.  The popular tour is a fund-raiser for the New Canaan Nature Center and an opportunity for homeowners, gardeners and anyone who appreciates the beauty of the outdoors to be inspired by several outstanding garden settings.  The self-guided tour takes place between 10:00a.m. – 4:00p.m., allowing attendees to visit the gardens at their own pace and on their own schedule.

Kelp Denis Folz

The First Annual Sculpture Exhibit and Culture Fest is being hosted by Peter Lawrence Gallery located on the banks of the Housatonic River on Rte. 7 in Gaylordsville through June 17th on Saturdays and Sundays plus Memorial Day.  This exhibit will feature works by locally, nationally and internationally recognized sculptors. This fun-filled cultural event will include an artist walk and talk, musical entertainment performed by Broadway stars and jazz musicians, box lunches, wine tasting, and other artisanal delicacies. Visitors to the event can explore sculptures inside and outside.

The Inside Gallery will host an eclectic grouping of smaller works including those by: Suzanne Benton, listed in Who's Who of America and Who's Who of American Artists, an international artist whose works are in private collections worldwide; Jocelyn Braxton Armstrong, a critically acclaimed ceramic artist; Dalton Ghetti, a Brazilian-born pencil sculptor whose work is currently on display at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England; Michael Johnston, an artist who uses recycled electronics to build futuristic, steampunk-style sculpture; Justin Perlman, an internationally trained sculptor and winner of the Marquis Who's Who in American Art Reference Award; Derek Uhlman, recently accepted into the Copley Society of Art, is an award-winning sculptor who likes to push the envelope; and Patricia Warfield, recognized nationally as a consummate artist, is constantly experimenting with a wide variety of media.

J B Armstrong Soul Sister

The outdoor sculpture is situated in a  idyllic four-acre garden along the Housatonic River.  On display in this beautiful rustic setting will be monumental works by Jan Abt, German-born, New York-based sculptor who creates abstract figurative pieces inspired by Picasso, Henri Moore and the ancient Greeks; Jennifer George Andrea, a kindergarten teacher by day and a large-scale sculpture artist in the off hours; Cindy Booth, a Hudson Valley artist creates large-scale copper and steel sculptures "beyond the thinking mind"; David Boyajian, an acclaimed master sculptor, founder of the Sculpture Barn in New Fairfield, CT who creates monumental works that are both conceptual and rationally accessible; Steven Brooks an award-winning architect turned sculptor loves the physicality of creating forms and shapes with his hands; Margie Cohen who is transfixed by creating whirling, spinning and rolling sculptures out of steel; Jim Felice, a master restorer and award-winning creator of sculptures that, in his use of scrap matter, redefine the use and purpose of industrial materials; Denis Folz an intentionally styleless artist whose works are informed by Van Gogh, Max Ernst and Andrew Wyeth, leaves it to the viewer to define his work; Lannie Hart whose sculptures evoke nature, religious images and cultural references with a strong feminine point of view; Peter Holmberg, a local sculptor whose works are among a collection situated on a private estate; David McNeil a former police sketch artist, now seeks to construct abstract shapes from nature created by a living thing and to capture its energy in its form; M. Meken-Silvestri an award-winning fused-glass artist who works with delicate fragments to create solid works that sparkle and dazzle; Justin Perlman, mentioned earlier; Richard Pitts, a professor at FIT in New York City and a multi-media sculptor who constructs abstract sculptures as metaphors for the  environment; Judy Rowley who currently uses debris from Hurricane Katrina as the substance of her sculpture to pay tribute to the resilient spirit of the people of the Gulf Coast ; and Marcia Spivak¸ one of the pre-eminent metal horse sculptors in the country.


In addition to sculpture, the Festival boasts live entertainment, and local artisan delicacies. The delicacies include a box lunch prepared by local Gaylordsville Country Store; chocolate truffles, hand-made in the French tradition by Carol Monnerat Artisan Truffles of Branford, CT; simply heavenly cakes baked with all natural, allergen-free ingredients by Izzi B's of Norwalk, CT; tasting rare raspberry, rhubarb and cassis wines from White Silo Farm and Winery of Sherman, CT, or traditional grape wines and sun-ripened berry wines from Jones Family Farm of Shelton, CT, both Connecticut Wine Trail Vineyards; and more. A Jazz ensemble from the Easton, CT Jazz Guild will be among the performers, as will Broadway stars Niki Scalera (Footloose, Hairspray, Tarzan, Jake's Women), Tevin Campbell (Hairspray and R&B recording star under the direction of Quincy Jones) and others.

Ghetti Elvis

The Sculpture Fest is a ticketed event. Admission includes entry to the sculpture garden and gallery, a box lunch and a glass of wine, a catalog and map of the garden, tours and talks conducted by sculptors, musical entertainment performed by Broadway stars and jazz musicians, and wine tasting.

The local artisanal delicacies will also be available for purchase. The events will take place on each Saturday and Sunday for the run of the show, and on Memorial Day Monday. There will be 2 sessions each day at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. Only ticket holders will have access to the Garden and the activities taking place therein on Saturdays and Sundays.
The sculpture in the Gallery will, of course, be open to ticket holders and those without tickets, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In addition there will be Free Fridays: On Fridays, during the run of the Sculpture Fest, the Sculpture Garden can be viewed free of charge. There will be no other activities taking place on Fridays.

About Peter Lawrence Gallery

Peter Lawrence Gallery was originally established as a "showroom" for the live-edge furniture of award-winning woodcrafter Peter Lawrence Scalera and his wife, abstract artist Jill Caprio-Scalera (Jage). It was always their dream to have a gallery to show their work and the works of other artists. The gallery is tucked away a few miles south of the scenic village of Kent, CT, between the rolling hills of the Litchfield Hills and the Housatonic River. The Sculpture Festival, to run every weekend from through June 17, 2012, will be the crowning achievement for the inaugural year of the Peter Lawrence Gallery.

Peter Lawrence Gallery is located at 703 Kent Road (Rt. 7), Gaylordsville, Connecticut. It is a part of The Basket Shop and Carriage Barn complex, two delightful country gift shops selling New England Americana. The Gallery will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday and Memorial Day Monday from 11:00pm to 5:00pm, or by appointment. To purchase tickets for the Sculpture Fest or for more information please contact Peter Lawrence Scalera 203-746-5533, visit www.sculpturefest2012.com., or www.peterlawrencegallery.com, or email peterlawrencegallery@ymail.com.

Art in Parking Places Opens Exhibit at Maritime Garage Gallery Senses of SoNo Begins May 16

Fishermans Restaurant, SoNo

The Norwalk Parking Authority will be launching another Art in Parking Places when The Maritime Garage Gallery opens The Senses of SoNo, Anatomy of a Bustling Hub with an opening reception on Wednesday, May 16 from 5:00pm – 7:00pm. The event is free and open to the public and parking will be free for the event.  The Gallery is located at 11 North Water Street in the Maritime Parking Garage in South Norwalk.

Senses of SoNo exhibit, which runs through July 27, kicks off a yearlong series of exhibits themed on a variation of the traditional five senses: sight= urban elements, smell= food, touch=music, taste= fashion, hearing (sound)= LI Sound. Senses of SoNo includes works of all media from selected artists, including Dana Laird, Joan Jardine, Phyllis Sinrich, Lisa Black, Donna Cassarro Hughes, John Hetzel, Jana Ireijo, David Hollier, Jane Bennett, Loren DePalma, Lynn Stevens Massey, Lorraine Ryan, Mari Gyorgyey, Debra Schaffer, Ellen Hackl Fagan, and Mary Jo Lombardo.

Jardine

Norwalk Parking Authority Director Kathryn Hebert said, “This exhibit is another exciting project of the Authority’s ‘Art In Parking Places’ series that is being implemented in various parking venues around Norwalk.  The Parking Authority and the City of Norwalk are delighted to be bringing artistic creative place making activities for residents and visitors to Norwalk to enjoy.”   Currently, another Art in Parking Places exhibit is being installed at the South Norwalk Railroad Station.

The Maritime Garage Art Gallery is collaboration between the Norwalk Parking Authority and the Norwalk Arts Commission in an effort to support art in public spaces. The gallery is free and open to the public from 9:00am -5:00pm daily.  For more information call 203- 831-9063 or e-mail: maritimegallery@norwalkpark.org.

The Norwalk Parking Authority is a financially self-sustaining organization responsible for the operation and maintenance of the municipal parking system in Norwalk.  It is not financed by taxpayer dollars.  The Authority is committed to collaborating with community organizations while providing exceptional customer service to parking customers.  The Norwalk Parking Authority can be reached at (203) 831-9063 or at the website: www.norwalkpark.org

Sound!

Beardsley Zoo Invites Public to Share 90 Years of Photo Memories!

To help kick off its 90th birthday, Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo launched “Picture Yourself at the Zoo,” a new program that invites the public to share favorite photos, both new and old. Both amateur and professional photographers are invited to participate and photos of people, animals, and scenery are welcome.

Throughout the year, the Zoo will select photos to feature on its Web site, www.beardsleyzoo.com and on their Facebook page, and winners will receive a Family Four Pack of tickets to the Zoo.

“It never ceases to amaze me what fond memories folks have of the Zoo, from generation to generation, and these memories are often captured in cherished family photo albums that only a handful of people ever see,” stated Gregg Dancho, Zoo director. “What better way for us to showcase these special moments than by creating a community photo album for all to participate in and enjoy?”

Anyone may enter by e-mailing photos with the photographer’s name, e-mail address, and any details about the photo he/she would like to share publicly to PictureYourself@BeardsleyZoo.org. By submitting photo(s), the photographer retains ownership but gives Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo permission to use and publish the pictures without restriction in the future.

About Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo celebrates its 90th birthday in 2012 and is closer than you think! Connecticut's only zoo features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species. Visitors won't want to miss the Amur (Siberian) tigers, Brazilian ocelots, Red wolves, and Golden Lion tamarins. Other highlights include  South American rainforest with free-flight aviary, the prairie dog exhibit with "pop-up" viewing areas, the New England Farmyard with goats, cows, pigs, sheep, and other barnyard critters, plus the hoofstock trail featuring bison, pronghorn, deer, and more. Visitors can grab a bite at the Peacock Café, eat in the Picnic Grove, and enjoy a ride on a colorful carousel. For more information, visit www.beardsleyzoo.org www.beardsleyzoo.org

GARDENERS CAN GARNER PRIZE PLANTS AT THE 12th ANNUAL TRADE SECRETS SHOW IN THE LITCHFIELD HILLS

Gardeners in the know mark their calendars a year in advance. The Trade Secrets sale in Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills is a rare chance to shop for treasures from nearly 60 important growers and vendors of unique plants and garden antiques. The sale, scheduled for Saturday, May 19th at LionRock Farm in Sharon, is followed on Sunday with a tour of four exquisite private gardens.

  Many celebrities are among the shoppers seeking the unique from specialized growers and some of the nation's best known small nurseries, as well as furniture, antiques, and garden statuary from the finest dealers in garden antiques, wrought-iron fencing and other exceptional decorations for the garden.

Visitors to the show will enjoy a presentation by owner, Marina Marchese of Red Bee Honey, a boutique farm known for a spectacular edible garden as well as its honeybees. 

The Sunday tour will feature two perennial favorites, the spectacular gardens of Bunny Williams and John Rosselli and the 41-acre futuristic estate of Jack Hyland and Larry Wente.  Two new gardens this year are the Linden Hill Farm owned by Richard deBart and Debra Blair, owner of Debra Blair Associates in New York City, and Hawk Hill Farm owned by Robert & Jane Keiter.         

For the 12^th year, all proceeds from the annual event go directly to Women's Support Services, an organization aiding victims of domestic violence.

Tickets for the rare plant and garden antique sale on Saturday are $35 for regular admission from 10am to 3pm and $100 for "early buying" tickets.  Tickets for Sunday's garden tours are $70 ($60 in advance).  Advance tickets will be available for order beginning April 1^st from the event web site, www.tradesecretsct.com.

Study Cruises at Maritime Aquarium Opens May 5- June 20

Share a memorable boat ride with crabs, fish, lobsters and other creatures brought up right out of Long Island Sound right before your eyes in a new season of hands-on study cruises with The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.

The Aquarium’s exciting Marine Life Study Cruises will depart on Saturdays at 1 p.m. May 5-June 30. They’ll push off at 1 p.m. daily in July and August.

The recent ‘FINtastic RefurbFISHment,’at The Maritime Aquarium’s exhibits are devoted to teaching visitors about Long Island Sound. The best exhibits can’t top the immediacy and impact when study-cruise participants see these animals come up onto the boat right in front of them.

During each 21/2-hour Marine Life Study Cruise aboard the research vessel Oceanic, animals are collected from different water levels and bottom habitats of the Sound. A video microscope provides a magnified look at wriggly plankton gathered at the sunlit surface. Tiny crabs and worms emerge from a sampling of the anaerobic muddy bottom. A biodredge reveals a hidden world of sponges, snails and mollusks. And everyone inspects the trawl net’s bounty – varieties of fish and crabs, lobsters, sea stars, squid and always a few surprises.

Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum Hosts Victorian Tea May 6

Lockwood Mathews Mansion Norwalk CT

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum at 295 West Avenue will host its fourth Annual Victorian Tea, May 6, 2012 at 2 p.m. in the Rotunda of the Mansion. The event will feature English tea ceremony expert and celebrity caterer Carol Timpanelli, owner of the Royal Tea Company of Trumbull, CT. She has catered for Martha Stewart and Tommy Hilfiger among others. Ms. Timpanelli’s English tea will include a wide selection of desserts, sandwiches, traditional scones and cream and her signature chocolate toffee trifle.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is one of the most significant Gilded Age mansions in the U.S. and a very elegant venue for a formal tea,” said Publisher of Cottages & Gardens Publications, Marianne Howatson, event chair. “LMMM's annual Victorian tea is also a delightful event where families and friends get together to enjoy a cherished tradition while supporting a National Historic Landmark.”

The event will also feature harpist Katie Critelli. Katie has received two prestigious Gold Cup awards for excellence from the American Harp Society at Fairfield University’s Young Musicians Festival. Before leaving Darien to attend University of Pennsylvania, she was a harpist with the Norwalk Youth Symphony Concert Orchestra for three and a half years, played in the Western Regional Orchestra in 2009 and was a member of the Darien High School Orchestra.

For reservations contact: info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com or call 203-838-9799 ext. 4. Admission: $45 non-members $35 members.

Westport Country Playhouse Opens Season With “Into the Woods"

Into the Woods Laren Kennedy, Erik Liberman and Danielle Ferland

A 25^th anniversary production of the imaginative, fractured-fairy tale musical “Into the Woods” by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim will be staged at the theater where Sondheim was an apprentice in 1950, Westport Country Playhouse, in Westport, CT, May 1 through May 26.  Directed by Mark Lamos, the Playhouse’s artistic director, the musical will open the historic theater’s 82^nd season. It is co-produced with Baltimore’s CENTERSTAGE.

A multiple Tony Award winner, “Into the Woods” takes the audience to a beguiling and dark place inspired by the Grimm fairy tales. Among the classic characters that wander the woods searching for fulfillment of their wishes are Cinderella and her wicked stepsisters, Little Red Ridinghood and the Wolf, Rapunzel and her Prince, and Jack of beanstalk fame.  As their fanciful tales intertwine, they are forced to confront the harsh reality of what actually happens after “happily ever after.”

Director Mark Lamos, who also serves as Westport Country Playhouse artistic director, has helmed Playhouse productions of “Twelfth Night, or What You Will”; “Lips Together, Teeth Apart”; “Happy Days”; “She Loves Me”; “The Breath of Life”; “That Championship Season”; and “Of Mice and Men.” His extensive New York credits include “Our Country’s Good,” for which he received a Tony Award nomination. A former artistic director at Hartford Stage, he received the 1989 Tony Award for the theater’s body of work.

The performance schedule is Tuesday at 8 p.m., Wednesday at 2 and 8 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.  Special series feature A Taste of Tuesday, Previews, LGBT Night Out, Opening Night, Thursday TalkBack, Sunday Symposium and Backstage Pass. In addition, the Playhouse will offer an open captioned performance on Sunday, May 13, 3 p.m., for the hearing impaired.
For more information or tickets, call the box office at (203) 227-4177, or toll-free at 1-888-927-7529, or visit Westport Country Playhouse, 25 Powers Court, off Route 1, Westport. Tickets are available online 24/7 at www.westportplayhouse.org.

About the Playhouse


Westport Country Playhouse is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, professional theater under the artistic direction of Mark Lamos and management leadership of Michael Ross.  The Playhouse creates five live theater experiences, produced at the highest level, from April through November. Its vital mix of works—dramatic, comedic, occasionally exploratory and unusual—expands the audience’s sense of what theater can be.  The depth and scope of its productions display the foremost theatrical literature from the past—recent as well as distant—in addition to musicals and premieres of new plays.  During the summer, the Playhouse is home to the Woodward Internship Program, renowned for the training of aspiring theater professionals.  Winter at the Playhouse, from November through March, offers events outside of the main season—Family Festivities presentations, Script in Hand play readings and a Holiday Festival.  In addition, businesses and organizations are encouraged to rent the handsome facility for their meetings, receptions and fundraisers.

Quassy Amusement Park Opens April 28, 2012!

Tea Cup Ride - New This Year! Quassy Amusement Park is putting a new spin on family fun when the lakeside facility opens on April 28. A tea cup ride from Italian manufacturer Zamperla will be introduced at Quassy for the park's 104th year. The ride features six family-sized cups with individually controlled spinning action all revolving on a rotating platform. The end result will be an interactive, fun experience for all age groups. The new ride will be located adjacent to Quassy's Carousel Court and ice cream parlor. Quassy will feature its traditional $35 carload weekend special April 28 and 29. The price includes all-day ride wristbands from noon to 6 p.m. for up to 10 persons in a vehicle. The parking fee is included. The carload special continues the weekend of May 5 and 6. The annual Egg Hunt for Prizes returns to Quassy at 3 p.m., Sunday, April 29. Youngsters are split up into age groups to hunt for candy and eggs in the great lawn area of the park. Toddlers participate in a goody bag version held at the Carousel Theatre stage. Quassy will also kick off its annual "Ready To Read" program the first two weekends with meet and greet sessions by young reader favorites "Biscuit" and "Clifford" The Big Red Dog. "Biscuit," courtesy of Harper Collins Publishers, will be on hand at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. April 28 and 29. "Clifford," courtesy of Scholastic Books, has the same schedule on May 5 and 6. Coastermania Wooden Warrior