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

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.

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.

See replicas of Columbus's ships Nina and Pinta in Bridgeport Connecticut

The Niña is a replica of the ship on which Columbus sailed across the Atlantic on his three voyages of discovery to the new world beginning in 1492.  Columbus sailed the tiny ship over 25,000 miles.  That ship was last heard of in 1501, but the new Niña has a different mission.  It is  a floating museum sponsored by the Columbus Foundation from the British Virgin Islands that visit ports all over the Western Hemisphere. 

On Friday May 23^rd,  the ‘Pinta’ and the ‘Nina’, replicas of Columbus’ Ships, will open in Bridgeport.     The ships will be docked at Captains Cove Seaport, 1 Bostwick Ave.,  until their departure early Tuesday morning May 27^th.

     The ‘Nina’ was built completely by hand and without the use of power tools.  Archaeology magazine called the ship “the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built.”  The “Pinta” was recently built in Brazil to accompany the Nina on all of her travels.  She is a larger version of the archetypal caravel.  Historians consider the caravel the Space Shuttle of the fifteenth century.

     Both ships tour together as a new and enhanced ‘sailing museum’ for the purpose of educating the public and school children on the ‘caravel’, a Portuguese ship used by Columbus   and many early explorers to discover the world.

     While in port, the general public is invited to visit the ships for a walk-aboard, self-guided tour.  Admission charges are $8.00 for adults, $ 7.00 for seniors, and $6.00 for students 5 - 16.   Children 4 and under are Free.  The ships are open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.    No reservations necessary. 

     Teachers or organizations wishing to schedule a 30 minute guided tour with a crew member should call 1 787 672 2152 or email columfnd1492@gmail.com .  Minimum of 15.  $5.00 per person.  No Maximum. For more information visit  www.thenina.com

For information about Fairfield County www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

Lake Compounce is bringing in the dogs May 17!

Saturday May 17th, Pink's Hot Dogs will celebrate the Grand Opening of the first East Coast location at Lake Compounce in Bristol, Conn.  The celebration will commence with a Wiener Dog 100 Race, Dachshund Fashion Show, and a Hot Dog Bobbing contest.

Pinks famous chili cheese dog!

In conjunction with the Connecticut Dachshund Rescue and Pet Services (CTDRPS) organization, the Wiener Dog 100 Race will feature 50 Dachshunds competing in heats of five, racing for the ultimate distinction of 'Fastest Hot Dog'. The top three winners will be donned with first, second and third place metals on a three-tiered podium and each will receive a basket of dog treats courtesy of the Lake Compounce.  The race will be followed by a Dachshund Fashion Show and a Hot Dog Bobbing contest where the Dachshunds will be the ones bobbing.

Donations will be accepted at all registers to benefit the CTDRPS and help them as they work to 'rehome' loving and adorable dachshunds who have been displaced.

Dachshund Rescue and Pet Services founder Anne Jordan says "We are tickled PINK to be invited to conduct our Dachshund races at Lake Compounce to commemorate Pink's Famous Hot Dogs.  We are thrilled with the number of racers attending and the wide variety of Dachshunds you'll get to see.  It's going to be fun for everyone!"

Pink's Hot Dogs, a Hollywood Legend since 1939 is a family owned business and was named by Fox News as number one in a list of Top Ten Hot Dog Stands in the U.S.  The famous hot dogs attract celebrities such as, Jay Leno, Martha Stewart; and Food Network superstars, Giada de Laurentiis and Guy Fieri.

"Their long standing history, family oriented culture, and guest service makes them a perfect fit for Lake Compounce", says Lake Compounce General Manager, Jerry Brick. "The story of how they started is really neat, and now it's probably one of the most famous hot dog stands in the country."

"Bringing Pink’s to Connecticut is like having a little bit of Hollywood on the East Coast" says family member and Co-owner, Richard Pink. "We love that our hot dogs have been made famous in TV and movies and are the favorites of countless movie stars who visit our Hollywood location, We're excited to bring that fun and delicious experience to Lake Compounce for their guests to enjoy." 

About Lake Compounce
Lake Compounce, part of the Palace Entertainment family of parks and New England's premier family theme park is now open weekends for the 2014 season. Daily operation begins on June 14. Home to Crocodile Cove, the largest water park in Connecticut, Lake Compounce is also preparing to open Bear Creek Campground in July 2014.  Lake Compounce is the oldest continuously operating amusement park in North America. Platinum Season Passes are currently on sale for the 2014 season for $74.99. More information and the park's operating schedule can be found at www.lakecompounce.com.

About Palace Entertainment
Palace Entertainment owns and operates 37 theme parks, water parks and family entertainment centers nationwide, including Kennywood, Idlewild and Story Land on the east coast.  The company entertains millions of guests annually and is one of the largest park operators in the US.  For more information, visit www.palaceentertainment.com. 

A Tree Festival In Norwalk CT

The Connecticut Tree Festival, Norwalk's annual spring tribute to leafy greenery is set for Cranbury Park, located on Grumman Ave. on Saturday, May 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine.

This family fun festival will be both entertaining and educational for the whole family with up to 40 exhibition booths on a U-shaped midway making it easy to explore.  Best of all, this event is free, everything in the park is free to the public--admission, parking, door prizes, even a picnic-style lunch.

There are demonstrations of how trees are planted, trimmed and moved as well as information on how to care for trees. Bring a twig and leaf from home and look for the “Ask the Arborist” signs, certified arborists are on-site to help identify trees, foliage or unusual conditions.  In a mid-day ceremony, an eastern redbud tree is to be planted to honor the late Dick Aime who died last year at age 93 after many years as secretary of the Norwalk Tree Alliance.      

For kids there is face painting, scavenger hunts, and arts and crafts activities.  A highlight of the event are the cherry-pickers located around the midway that offers kids rides to the tree tops and tells them about the importance of tree care.

Popular exhibitors include: the Wolf Conservation Center from South Salem New York, Wildlife in Crisis of Weston, CT, Earthplace of Westport and Connecticut’s Search and Rescue dog team.

Appearing for the first time is the Art Academy of Weir Farm in Wilton with a booth on the midway and a display of arboreal art called “A Celebration of Trees” in the neighboring Gallaher Mansion. 

For additional information about this event visit https://www.ioby.org/project/2014-connecticut-tree-festival.  For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

About Cranbury Park

This is an expansive parkland of 227 acres that has a series of wooded trails, and a challenging 18- hold disc golf course.  Also on the grounds is the Gallager Mansion built in 1913 by industrialist/inventor Edward Beach Gallaher.  This limestone Tudor Revival mansion is styled with carvings, stained-glass windows and Walnut paneled rooms.  It includes a large terrace and adjacent garden that make it perfect venue for outdoor entertaining.  It's available to rent for meetings, events, luncheons and weddings. The Carriage House Arts Center is located adjacent to the mansion.  Contact Recreation and Parks for details. (203) 854-7806 or www.norwalkct.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/1

Celebrate May at the Beardsley Zoo

The Beardsley Zoo has a series of exciting events planned for the lovely month of May that promises fun for the entire family.

The Beardsley Zoo is offering two special deals in May one for Moms to celebrate Mother’s Day on May 11 and the other for Veterans to commemorate Armed Services Day on May 17. To thank all moms on Mothers Day, bring your mom to the zoo and her ticket is on the Zoo!  On Armed Services Day, Veterans and active service people are free and their family (up to 6 individuals) receives a 15% discount on admission.

On May 13 and 14, the Zoo is hosting Zoo tots at 10:30 a.m. for children accompanied by an adult that are 22 months old to four years old. This popular monthly program may include: stories, games, crafts, and a live animal presentation. A special highlight is the "Garden Critters" session that will focus on animals that like gardens. The admission is $10 for Zoo members and one child; and $15 for non-members and one child. Participants may sign up for either day. To reserve a space in the program, pre-register by calling the Zoo's Education Department at 203-394-6563.

To commemorate the Endangered Species Week, the Beardsley Zoo is holding a series of endangered species awareness events from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. from May 16- May 18.  The events will encourage people of all ages to learn about the importance of protecting endangered animals and plants and what actions can be taken to help preserve their future.  A highlight of this event is for children and families to take part in a scavenger hunt featuring exotic and domestic endangered animals! 

If you have been thinking about adopting a pet, head to the Zoo on May 17 for Pet Awareness and Adoption Day that takes place from noon to 3 p.m.  Together with regional animal adoption and rescue organizations, you'll learn about the wonderful animals we live with every day - our pets! The Zoo is hosting experts on pet care and safety, and a series of special craft programs for kids will be part of the fun along with other surprises.

The month of May ends with an evening lecture on May 21 at 7 p.m. in the Hanson Exploration Station. The lecture series engages audiences of all ages, especially lifelong learners, who have an appetite for delving deeper into the wonders of wildlife. Attending these programs allows visitors to live vicariously through the Zoo’s experts, who often have had incredible close encounters with creatures across the globe. There is a suggested $5 donation for the lecture. Refreshments will be served.

About Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo

Connecticut's only zoo features 300 animals representing primarily North and South American species. Visitors won't want to miss the Amur (Siberian) tigers and leopard, Brazilian ocelot, Mexican wolves, and Golden Lion tamarins. Other highlights include: the 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 beardsleyzoo.org.

For area information on Fairfield County www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

The Stairwell Gallery in Washington Presents Arthur Carter

The Stairwell Gallery at Gunn Memorial Library in Washington, CT is honored to present an exhibition of sculptures, orthogonals and paintings by Arthur Carter. The exhibit will be on view through June 21.

Mr. Carter’s early years might seem like another person’s full lifetime of events.  He was trained as a classical pianist, majored in French literature at Brown University, served three years in the United States Coast Guard as a lieutenant commanding officer of an air search and rescue craft, then received his MBA in finance from Dartmouth, followed by a 25 year career as an investment banker. 

 In 1981, he started a new venture.  Founding the Litchfield County Times and six years later the New York Observer, he began his career as a publisher.  He was also the publisher of theNation and the East Hampton Star.   And in 2008, the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute was founded at New York University where Mr. Carter is a trustee and chairman of the Board of Overseers of the Faculty of Arts and Science.  Mr. Carter has also held adjunct professorships in philosophy and journalism at NYU.

 Now we come to the “art part” of Mr. Carter – the grid design and layout of the front page of his newspapers inspired him to reproduce that same theme but in a three dimensional format and using stainless steel.  This was a material he had learned to master when he was in Officer Candidate School where he learned welding.  Thus, sculpting “became the latest statement of his polymath proclivities.”

 Artists naturally evolve and he was soon working with wood, clay and copper wire and then larger constructions in silicon bronze and stainless steel.  Many of his larger pieces are on permanent public display in New York City.  The fabrication process can take months to complete and involves all the complexities of a machine shop, but each piece begins with one common denominator, his sketch pad.

The Stairwell Gallery exhibit will include Mr. Carter’s Orthogonals.  A catalog of his exhibit at the New Britain Museum of American Art from the Fall of 2011, describes the pieces as follows: “Arthur Carter’s bold new series, which he calls collectively the Orthogonals, offers a fine example of a mixed mode that channels the powers of painting and sculpture through the distinguished medium of the relief.”  These pieces are complex in their simplicity.  They are strong, mathematical and like his other work, they vary in finish and are affected by the changing light and reflection.  Carter has said, “My work focuses on simplifying and eliminating the excessive.  The question is how does purity of design lend itself to making a beautiful and elegant piece?”

 Arthur Carter maintains a production facility and design studio in Roxbury, CT.  He has been a featured solo artist at many galleries, including the Tennessee State Museum, The Grey Art Gallery, 80WSE Galleries at New York University and the New Britain Museum of American Art.  Mr. Carter is the author of two hardcover books, Arthur Carter:  Sculptures, Paintings, Drawings (2009) and Arthur Carter:  Studies for Construction (2012).

 Gunn Memorial is most pleased to welcome this prolific artist who is still immersed in the world of manufacturing and finance around the world.  Perhaps his philosophy can help unify this “polymath” for us.  Mr. Carter has said, “The simpler the economics are, the better; if you don’t understand it, you don’t do it.  Purity in both design and business function means never dilute, never diffuse, and never bloat.”

 For further information please call (860) 868-7586 or email chartman@biblio.org . The Gunn Memorial Library is located at 5 Wykeham Road at the juncture of Route 47 opposite the Green in Washington, CT.  For library hours and to learn more about our programs and events visit our website www.gunnlibrary.org .

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For information on Litchfield Hills www.litchfieldhills.com