Ink Magazine - June 2019

June 2019

Complimentary

publicationsÂŽ

www.inkct.com

Vol 15 Issue 163 2019

A guide to finer living in Connecticut & abroad.

LIFESAVING + LOCAL Better outcomes, closer to home.

Our Cancer Centers in Middletown and Westbrook offer a unique combination of innovative treatments, expert staff and personalized support that follows you from diagnosis to survivorship and beyond. And, as a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, the Middlesex Health team is backed by the knowledge and research of the world’s leading cancer specialists at Mayo Clinic. Together, it all adds up to the smarter choice for cancer care.

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www.inkct.com

Features

MAY 2019

Little Pub It’s Food, Fun, & Familiarity at the People’s Pub

pg. 10

Columns, Reviews, Events

ISSUE CONTENTS

Crusty Old Diver Tarpon Springs, Bowfishing Adventure

pg. 26

Cardinal Points Vultures in Love, White-Faced Vulture

pg. 52

Music, Mirth & Mojo pg. 62

Play Like a Girl!

The Cheesemonger pg. 74

Cheese Shop Top Ten

On the Vine pg. 76

Austria

Make YOUR Point!

Food Thoughts from Italy

Relax, Recharge, Revisit The Saybrook Point Inn

June Events

Lombo di Merluzzo con Fagioli

pg. 78 pg. 80

Upcoming Events in Connecticut

pg. 18 INK is much more than a magazine. It is an illustration of Connecticut life. A drive down winding roads past innocent looking gravel driveways.

There are big things happening at the other end of those driveways. Our

Sol LeWitt’s Chester How a World-Renowned Artist Enriched Local Life

pg. 32

state is filled with the most amazing people doing incredible things.

Ingenuity and purposeful living abounds. You really never know who you are talking to. Artisanship is second nature here; art, culture, and commerce intertwine. Whether you call Connecticut home, or you’ve come to“get away from it all” one thing is for certain. You know what you love about being here. Our devotion is and always has been to capture the “Connecticut experience” one story at a time.

“Your neighbor just designed a new postage stamp and the gentleman down

Jungle Bugs Infesting Old Lyme Art Colony

pg. 42

the street discovered Machu Pichu.” For over a decade, Ink Publications has documented Connecticut residents and life here in the Nutmeg state. Today more than ever, we take great pride in telling these stories.

from all of us at Ink On the Cover: Insect inspired artwork by Jennifer Angus whose work is on display at the Florence Griswold Museum. Photo by Dan Froese

INK staff Chikumbuso is Rememberance “God tapped me on the shoulder."

pg. 56

Pamela Tatge Jacob’s Pillow Welcomes New Director

pg. 66

We encourage the public to submit stories, poems, photography, essays, and all things creative. If you know of a person or place of interest, please submit your ideas to: submissions@ink-pub.com We will do our best to put your ideas in INK.

Contributors:

Advertising:

Jeffery Lilly- originator/founder/publisher

Contact us to receive our media kit complete with detailed advertising information including ad rates, demographics, and distribution in your area.

Stephanie Sittnick - founder/publisher/sales design/account receivables Lary Bloom- editorial Alison Kaufman - editorial/photos Mark Seth Lender - editorial/photos Art LiPuma - editorial Barbara Malinsky - editorial Rona Mann - editorial Paul Partica - editorial A. Vincent Scarano - editorial/photos Tom Sobelski - editorial John Tolmie - editorial/photos Bob Zemmel - editorial

Please direct your advertising inquiries and questions to: Stephanie Sittnick - Director of Advertising advertising@ink-pub.com - 860-227-8199 Cheryl Powell - Greater Connecticut cheryl@ink-pub.com - 860-608-5749 Rona Mann - Greater Connecticut six07co@att.net - 401-539-7762 Jacki Hornish - Litchfield jacki@inkct - 860-488-0393 Richard Malinsky - Art & Culture/Shoreline richard@inkct.com - 215-704-9273

Every issue is printed using 100% Soy based ink.

All content of INK Publications including but not limited to text, photos, graphics and layout are copyrighted by INK Publishing, LLC. Reproductions without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. Ink Publishing, LLC is not responsible for images or graphics submitted by advertisers which are not copyrighted or released for use in this publication.

INK PUBLISHING, LLC 71 Maple Avenue, Old Saybrook, CT 06475 email: submissions@ink-pub.com www.inkct.com

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WATERWORKS: A Marine Show Concurrent show:

86th Hudson Valley Art Association Juried Exhibition

June 14–August 2, 2019

Art: Jacqueline Jones, Rendevous, oil.

Opening Reception: Saturday, June 22, 5–7 pm

A Great Place to Buy Art! Contributing Sponsor

ISLAND COVE MARINA Old Saybrook, Connecticut

Lyme Art Association 90 Lyme St., Old Lyme CT 06371 • www.LymeArtAssociation.org

HAVANA LIGHTS Summer Solstice Celebration Saturday June 22, 2019 from 6PM Admission – $60 ($75 at the door) Honorary Chairpersons: Christine Baranski, Heather Watts, and Damian Woetzel Ochun: Live Cuban Music from Cuban musicians Brazilian Show and Dancers from Ginga Brasileira Caribbean Delicacies from the best restaurants in the area & The Famous Mojitos by Abdo Ballester Aka The Mojito King

4 Bryan Memorial Plaza, Washington Depot. For ticket reservations please call: 860.868.2878

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“It’s Not Rocket Science, It’s the Business” It’s Food, Fun, & Familiarity at the People’s Pub

by RONA MANN “It’s not rocket science, Doug Grabe begins, “it’s the business.”

The “business” to which Grabe is referring is the hospitality business, which for the last decade has thoroughly consumed his life and that of his wife and business partner, Daneen.

The Grabes own Little Pub, that delightful, comfortable, feels-like-home spot right on the Post Road in Old Saybrook. It’s only been there less than a year, but make no mistake...this ain’t their first rodeo!

The Grabes opened Little Pub in Ridgefield in 2009 and thoroughly enjoyed investing themselves into the close knit community.

They knew their clientele well, listened to what they wanted, met their needs, and enjoyed the camaraderie that comes with the

Photos by Stephanie Sittnick

consistency of being part of a neighborhood. Several months ago, however, the Grabes shuttered their Ridgefield location due to lease renewal issues; nevertheless, they currently have successful Little Pubs in Wilton, Fairfield, Greenwich, and Old Saybrook, and by this summer, will be adding a fifth location in Stratford.

When you speak to right: Michael Monaghan - bar manager, Kerri Chapps - manager, awhile with Doug Left Natasha Witik - general manager, Jamie Rist - area director Grabe, you might think he had been in the restau- this was about hospitality – about treating rant business all his life, yet it’s people well – which in turn contributed to only been ten years. But in truth, his considerable success. When he and Grabe has always been in the Daneen decided to take a career 180 and hospitality business regardless of make their foray into the restaurant where his career path took him. business, he admits, “We knew nothing He had initially been highly successful in about it other than we knew we wanted to both manufacturing and the software industry open the kind of place that we would like because he realized from the onset that to go to frequently,” says Doug.

12 Not just a bunch of words, not just lip service. This man is fully invested in each of his teams. When the Grabes closed the Ridgefield location, he was certain to make sure each employee was placed at one of their other restaurants.

When Little Pub opened in Ridgefield it was from the first a friendly sort of place with a rustic atmosphere, wood beamed ceilings, wood floors, fireplaces, a menu that was delicious and adventurous, but never pretentious, and appealing to a wide demographic from young families to couples, singles, seniors, and everyone in between. Each succeeding Little Pub location has been designed exactly the same way – same interior, same menu, same welcoming bar and dining room.

“No one who comes to Little Pub will ever go away feeling cheated,” Grabe says. “We

always give more than what people are used to receiving – generous portions of both food and cocktails. Matter of fact, we only get three glasses out of every bottle of wine, so people always get their money’s worth...and more.”

From the beginning, Grabe’s philosophy has been to hold firm to four tenets: serve good food consistently, be nice to everyone, offer great value at all times, and make sure the restaurant is spotless. When he is complimented on that way of doing business, he eschews the praise by saying, “It’s not rocket science, it’s the business.”

Doug feels that you can only accomplish those four things if you hire a great support team, and that he’s done in each of his locations statewide. Grabe firmly believes that “every position is an interaction with a customer from the dishwasher, to the chef, to the server, to the bartender and front of the house.”

And it is that sincere commitment he instills in each of his employees he calls his family. “I have five families,” he laughs. “I have my biological family, and I have the family at each of our restaurants.”

All location photos: Stephanie Sittnick

Doug looks around the Old Saybrook Little Pub, whistle clean, beamed ceilings with rustic chandeliers, fireplaces, smiling waitstaff, and even better, smiling customers of all stripes. “The focus here is on food that embraces many different cuisines,” Doug says, “and the focus is also on fun.

We serve traditional pub fare plus hamburgers, a little Tex Mex, some Asian influences, salads, handhelds, really something for everyone.” His menu has been carefully crafted by his Executive Chef, Tim Passuro, Jr. who oversees all Little Pub properties and operates a strictly scratch kitchen where food is created fresh every time it’s ordered.”

Timmy’s a genius,” says Grabe. “He’s not from the Culinary Institute or Johnson and Wales, but taught by his grandmother. How do you get better than that?”

A quick glance at Little Pub’s menu reveals not just the traditional, but a bit of the “unorthodox,” as Grabe likes to call it.

Little Plates features items like pickle wings - crispy wings brined in pickle juice accompanied by a jalapeno-dill buttermilk ranch dip; there’s a sweet potato tostada;

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eggplant frites, 3AM at the diner fries loaded with melted cheese, chopped bacon, and finished with chicken gravy; Maryland crab cakes, and crunchy vegetable spring rolls, just for starters. There are little crocks of chicken tortilla soup, chili, and seafood bisque. Like cheesesteak?

Then you love Little Pub’s take on a chicken cheesesteak, their exotic dragon roll burrito, peking duck or ahi tuna tacos, shepherds pie, pulled pork, BLTs, midtown falafel, Thanksgiving turkey wrap, Napa salmon flatbread...there just isn’t enough room to list all the unique takes on the fresh, distinctive food to be found at Little Pub. Ten different kinds of burgers, salads from the plain to sublime invention, and then there are those

creative cocktails, craft beers, and just plain fun in the pub.

Want entertainment while your raise a glass and enjoy a great meal? Little Pub’s got live music weekdays with local singers and great bands on the weekends to accompany your experience.

You think Little Pub’s got it all?

Doug shakes his head. “We are in no way a finished product,” he states firmly. “We are constantly refreshing ourselves. We are constantly working to get better at what we do here. That’s our focus.

Sure, we fail at times, but when we fail, we fail quick, and we learn.”

There is nothing that gets this man down, no challenge he considers too daunting. When

he and Daneen acquired the Stratford property which is currently being built, “it came attached to a 29 room hotel.” Asked if he were tearing it down, Grabe looked shocked. “Oh, no, he replied. We don’t know anything about operating a hotel, but we’ll learn. Working hard doesn’t ever get old for us.”

Fighting words indeed spoken by a man for whom the unorthodox is his fuel, the unknown his motivation to work, to grow, to constantly better his situation for himself, his employees, and especially for those fortunate enough to find and embrace Little Pub as their own.

Little Pub is at 1231 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook (860) 339-5591 www.littlepub.com

All food photos: Take Aim Photography

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BE ORIGINAL Original Art | Original Gifts | Original Lifestyle

Come see “The Sky’s the Limit” show in the Gallery!

Original Fine Art Silks & Textiles Soaps/Candles Tables/Benches

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Local Authors Forged Iron

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Stop by and check it out – we’re right behind Salem Valley Farms Ice Cream!

GALLERY • GIFTS • CLASSES Visit online at salemredhouse.com to view or register for upcoming classes

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••• Complete Menu • Salads & Appetizers • Wine & Beer • Pizza Housemade Bread Baked Daily • Full Bar and Bar Seating See our website for daily entree, wine & dessert specials ••• 1654 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook | 860-399-4166 | www.alforno.net

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Make YOUR Point!

Relax, Recharge, Revisit The Saybrook Point Inn

by RONA MANN

You can even swim in the outdoor pool in January.

D

id we get your attention? Good. Because it’s not a gimmick, and we’re not talking about the Bahamas; we’re talking about Old Saybrook, Connecticut and the beautiful, friendly, year ‘round...Saybrook Point Inn. So now you’re wondering exactly how you can swim outdoors in Old Saybrook in the dead of winter. You can, and thoroughly enjoy it if you have a saltwater pool, fully heated to 80 degrees. Heck, you can even throw snowballs while you swim!

That pool is but one feature found at one of the greatest getaways in all New England and maybe the greatest one on the Connecticut coast. The Saybrook Point Inn is rich in history as it is situated on the exact spot where the Connecticut River flows into Long Island Sound, home first to Indians who established themselves there and thrived. They were followed by the Dutch who fought the British for land rights and likewise established a permanent colony. What many do not know is that in the early 1700s the Point was the birthplace of Collegiate College, now known as Yale.

Fast forward to 1980 when the Tagliatela family bought at auction an unoccupied run down resort formerly known as the Terra Mar. The Tagliatelas had dreams of transforming this once sad, old property into a viable destination that would welcome guests from everywhere to this point where the river meets the sound.

That dream was realized in 1989 with the opening of the Saybrook Point Inn. In the last 30 years, The Saybrook Point Inn has grown to be a popular destination, drawing guests not only from all over the nation and the world, but equally beckoning those who

live on the Connecticut shoreline and other parts of the state. It continues to maintain the reputation it earned from the first because it is still owned by the Tagliatela family whose standards for customer service are high and whose employees are loyal and prized by the family. Today’s Saybrook Point Inn embraces

its history, caters to its guests, delivers the finest food, service, and accommodations every season of the year, and never, ever takes their success for granted.

In 2011 Fresh Salt opened, a breath of fresh air in coastal Connecticut dining. This award-

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winning waterfront restaurant offers both casual and upscale cuisine in addition to what is arguably the finest Sunday Brunch in the state. Guests come from far and wide to be deliciously overwhelmed and to indulge in the two rooms of bounty, ranging from shrimp cocktail and smoked seafood, to omelet, meat,

and waffle stations, salads, fresh fruit, an enormous array of Inn-created desserts, and everything that is locally sourced and lovingly prepared. Enjoy your brunch slowly, go back often, and savor the views of the river, the Sound, the boats, the lighthouse, and all that makes the Saybrook Point an experience.

You can enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner at Fresh Salt with everything from a snack at the outdoor Marina bar and fire pit, to Happy Hour at the bar, to a full course gourmet meal. Dining options are as varied as the guests themselves and cater to every one of them!

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If a wedding, party, or corporate event is in your future, you have to go no further than The Point. Perfectly situated just two hours from New York and two hours from Boston, it is accessible by car, by boat, or by train, since Amtrak stops right in downtown Old Saybrook. Make your reservation, let The Inn know, and you will be picked up right at the station. This service, for which there is never a charge, also extends to guests of the Inn who wish to go into town shopping and exploring. If you’re yearning for a bit more exercise, the Inn offers complimentary bikes to add to your enjoyment.

Director of Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, and Just Plain Fun is Candace Engdahl, who loves to show off the many possibilities for social and corporate entertaining. “Everything is customizable,” Engdahl begins. “We can arrange a formal wedding with the ceremony either indoors or out, accommodate most religious and cultural requests, design a formal dinner or brunch, or casual stations and cocktail hour. We work with you.”

Old Saybrook is a quintessential New England town with a Norman Rockwell-esque main street, but everything begins and ends at The Point. It’s where the history of the area began and where the meeting of the waters will never end. It offers a special overnight get-

Unveiled in 2012, Sanno Spa, tempts both same day clients and hotel guests with massages, body scrubs, facials, nail treatments, a glass of Prosecco, a fluffy robe, and perhaps even a dip in the indoor pool.

The Inn’s on-site health club is not a room with a couple of pieces of equipment as is the case in many hotels, but a state-of-the-art fitness facility with the most up to date equipment, fitness classes, yoga, year-round indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, steam room, whirlpool.

You’re going to feel great!

Memberships are available for those who live nearby, while guests of the Inn have full access to all facilities.

away for locals, a weekend or week’s vacation for visitors, an unequaled meeting place for corporate events, a wedding, party, birthday, or celebration that will never be forgotten, and a day at the spa where you are always individually pampered.

The Tagliatelas also own the marina offering accommodations for vessels from 13-200 feet, so come and stay at the adjacent Marina Point Villas; one of the 82 fully renovated guest rooms within the Inn itself, many with fireplaces and balconies; or treat yourself to the Lighthouse Suite right on the dock...it has a living room, dining area, kitchenette, and your own private water view.

If you’ve booked a wedding, party, corporate

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event, or just want a great getaway, consider one of the two guesthouses across the street from The Saybrook Point Inn for the accommodations. Three Stories is exactly that! It’s three stories high with eight guest rooms, an elevator, a rooftop fire pit, full kitchen, and ready to accommodate your group. Or ask about Tall Tales, a six bedroom guest house with a full kitchen, game room, rooftop fire pit, and everything to seduce your guests into never wanting to leave!

Candace Engdahl talks about the vibe of The Saybrook Point Inn by saying, “It’s not stuffy.

There’s no attitude here. From bellman to bartender, everyone cares about you and making your experience outstanding. That’s why we get the best reviews, and many of our guests talk about the folks who gave them such outstanding service by name.”

The Saybrook Point Inn is a twelve month

adventure with different appeal to different people, allowing you to make it your own.

It’s history, a getaway, a romantic interlude, an absolutely breathtaking place to host a wedding, celebrate a birthday, or just entertain out of towners. And if you find yourself down at the harbor on a summer night with moonlight bathing the Lighthouse Suite, the boats drifting gently in the harbor, and the sounds of people laughing as glasses clink at the outdoor bar, you may realize you’ve indeed made your Point.

Or...come in January and see just how far you can throw that snowball while you’re in the pool!

Get right to The Point: 2 Bridge Street, Old Saybrook (860) 395-2000 www.saybrookpoint.com

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Tarpon Springs Bowfishing Adventure By: John Tolmie My father and I cast off from the local boat ramp at the Anclote River Park which feeds into the quaint and historical town of Tarpon Springs on the Gulf side of Florida. We are off to try our hand at bowfishing. We motor across the bay on Captain Todd Davis’ custom built micro-draft boat. His rig is able to navigate in extremely shallow water. The captain makes the universal tiny gesture with his pointer finger and thumbs and says, “I can get into water this skinny.”

We arrive at the mouth of winding mangrove backwaters and the muddy bottom comes up to within inches of the hull. Todd raises the stern motor out of the water and engages his trolling motor to slowly navigate us into a wide expanse deep in the middle of the mangroves.

Captain Todd’s secret spot holds schools of mullet who cruise the crystal water feeding on nutrient rich seagrass. As we gather our gear

and set the hook the fish get spooked and scatter. Captain Todd advises us to move slowly and to not point at the fish. “And don’t aim,” he says in an easy Floridian draw.

“Just take the shot.

Thinking will get you in trouble. Just draw. Lower the bow and release.” As he speaks, the fish start to settle down from our intrusion. I draw my bow and do everything he said not too. I aim and lead the fish while trying to remember how to use all the gadgets on the unfamiliar bow. I miss on my first try. I miss again, and again, and again. Finally I hear the Captain chuckle, “I told you thinking would get you in trouble!” I take

a deep breath, steady myself and close my eyes. I finally open my eyes and concentrate at one spot where the fish are congregating.

I’m waiting for a fish to come in front of me rather than leading one. I see a nice sized mullet coming in from my right. I quickly draw, lift my bow and release! My arrow finds it’s mark and Todd lets out a hoot. “That’s how it’s done man! Don’t think… Just shoot!” I pull the fish over to the boat and get a closer look at it. It’s not a very pretty fish with its pouted carp-like lips and huge scales lining its elongated body.

But we are stoked as these fish are excellent for the smoker. My dad takes a shot while I put the first

27 one on ice. Another ‘yeah buddy!’ accompanied by Todd’s hardy laugh lets me know Pops landed one. I look over and my dad presents the fish with a clean headshot. At 73 years young I am constantly impressed by this man.

The pods of mullet are now agitated and stay out of shooting range so we head deeper into the mangroves. Beautiful tropical birds and water fowl fly over head while some perch in the dense mangrove forest.

Huge schools of redfish and snook, both of which are protected species, cruise by in the clear lush estuaries.

As we glide around a corner the captain slows the boat. “OK boys

fish in the boat and decides we need a change of pace.

right when we clear that tree, there should be a school of mullet holed up. Get ready!” Of course our first two fish were beginners luck as we start that pesky ‘thinking’ again and miss time and again. We were still having an awesome time while taking in the beauty of a part of the world we’ve never experienced. But Todd is all about helping us get some more

We motor out of the backwater and head out into the sand flats. We would be hunting for stingray whose wings taste like mild scallop. The flats were “skinny” and Todd used his trolling motor to slowly move across the sandy bottom. The rays were doing their best to camouflage themselves, but I could see their shapes in the refracted sunlight. I spot one, and without thinking, I take the shot and land a small ray.

Stingrays have a spiked tail filled with painful venom as well as barbs along their backs so the captain deals with it as I bring it over the side. I hit another small ray and as I’m hauling it in, Pops lines up on a monster! He’s got it dead to rights. He then slowly releases his draw, looks at me and says, “What am I going to do with that thing anyway? I’m glad I didn’t shoot it.” We watch the trophy ray swim away and we are grateful for the experience to be able to see such a magnificent creature. Even though I’m grown man, Pops is still teaching me.

After the stingray hunt we cruise back into the mangroves and harvest two more mullet, but after six hours on the water and in the sun, we are tired. We head back to the ramp and packed the fish on ice for the trip home. We are both

starving and in true Pop fashion my dad asks, “Where can we go to get a snack? And then go get something to eat?!” Todd belches his hardy laugh and directs us to Rusty Belly’s at the sponge diving docks where we ended the day with a feast of fresh Tarpon Springs seafood!

To book a bowfishing charter in the Tarpon Springs area please call Captain Todd Davis at 727-656-4001

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Sol LeWitt’s Chester

How a World-Renowned Artist Enriched Local Life

The first mention of LeWitt in the New York Times came in 1961, when he was earning less than $1,000 a year on his art. (Neal Boenzi/The New York Times/Redux)

By Lary Bloom

I

have often been asked how I came to write a biography of the man the Los Angeles Times said, "changed art internationally," and the New York Times called “a lodestar of American art.”

Living in Chester for thirty years, befriending Sol LeWitt and his wife Carol, and observing his support of the town, its merchants and

fellow residents would have been inspiration enough for any writer. For here was, during his too-short lifetime (1928-2007), an exemplar of generosity, deep conviction, and significant achievement who shunned the limelight and avoided self-aggrandizement. A man who along the way turned down lucrative commissions from conglomerates whose products offended his sense of propriety (Philip Morris, Nestles, 3M, United Technology, etc.). In short, he was a

model of how to live and work not only for other artists but for all of us.

After a childhood in Hartford, growing up in New Britain, studying at Syracuse, working in New York City and then Italy and becoming the leading conceptualist widely celebrated for developing new ways to make and market art, he could have chosen any place to live, but he chose Chester. And, as my biography, Sol LeWitt: A Life of Ideas published in May

33 Whitney.” Sol said, “What does that matter?” Sosse recalled, “He did 26 gouaches. Plus he was willing to do more. On opening night, we were nearly sold out.”

by Wesleyan University Press points out, there have been many local beneficiaries.

Here are a few examples in the book: *Jack and Sosse Baker, owners of the Chester Gallery: “It became an education for us,” Jack recalled, referring to the highly regarded work that Sol brought to the gallery, including pieces

by Chuck Close and many other big names. “It was a different level of art, something we never would have encountered otherwise.” Not only that, but there was a buzz about the place, “and many different artists wanted to show here.” Sol volunteered to have his own show at the gallery. Jack warned him, “We’re not the

*William L. Schaeffer, owner of a shop on Main Street specializing in vintage photography: Willie, as he is referred to by friends, benefited from Sol's interest in collecting such work. In fact, Carol told him, "I've got to keep him away from your place – it's very dangerous for Sol." But Sol also used the shop to discover the character of anyone who wanted something from him.

Willie said, "Sol would come here with curators in tow on his way to lunch at the River Tavern. It's almost as if [the visit here] was a litmus test. These curators all wanted something. If they weren't willing to be patient while he stopped here for five or ten minutes,

he'd know their motives were not up to snuff.

It seemed like it was just a little test." *Priscilla Martel and Charles van Over, the first owners of Restaurant du Village: They started their business in 1979 when no one knew if a French bistro could make it in a community that was once derided as “Dogtown.” Sol loved to hold court there, over lamb cooked with garlic and rosemary, wine

Top left: The artist’s building blocks included basic shapes, as in this work in a Toronto exhibit arranged by Sarah Robayo Sheriden of the Mercer Union Art Gallery. (Tara Walton/ Toronto Star via Getty Images) Top right: Wall Drawing 370, conceived in 1982, was installed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 2014 but obliterated, as planned, a year later. (Stan Honda/Getty Images) Above: Of work by LeWitt and his circle, Rudi Fuchs, the retired director of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, said, “For [Europeans], it was liberation . . . this was something new, exciting.” (Urbanmyth/Alamy Stock Photo.)

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that displayed his label designs, and lemon tarts for dessert. One night over such a dinner he told me that he had just gotten a call from Ravi Shankar, who asked him to design his new book of poetry. Sol was very excited. He presumed this was the Indian sitar player and

composer. But it turned out to be a different Ravi Shankar, the poet who lived in Chester.

Even so, Sol followed through on the project. *Marilyn Buel, organizer of many community projects, who lived near Chester: She recalled the sense of intimidation she felt when she met the world-class artist. She boned up on her contemporary art and over dinner at the LeWitt house said, “Sol, I have to ask you – was Josef Albers an influence on your work?” Sol said, “Well the square has been around a long time.”

Six months later, she recalled, "He took me aside and said, 'I was a little glib with you,' referring to his Albers remark. It was a very sweet thing. Then I said to him, 'I like the sculpture you did in the living room.' He said, 'What sculpture. I don't have one there. That's a stereo speaker.' "

*Patricia Klindienst, who at the time taught modernism at Yale: She recalled that during her difficult pregnancy she was often bedridden, "Sol would come to the apartment and ask for a grocery list. Then the nanny [of Carol and

Sol’s two daughters, Sofia and Eva] would drive him to the store, and he’d return with the food. That he would do it himself—not just send the nanny, made a great impression on me.” When her marriage dissolved, she consulted Carol about what to do. She

Top: Completed in 2005 in City Hall Park in Manhattan, Splotch 15 is among the artist’s body of structures inspired by urban architecture. (Richard Levine/Alamy Stock Photo) Bottom left: LeWitt collaborated with David Tremlett to revitalize a chapel in the village of Barolo, Italy. (Universal Images Group North America, LLC/DeAgostini/Alamy Stock Photo) Bottom right: LeWitt’s Four-Sided Pyramid in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C. (Philip Scalia/Alamy Stock Photos) Facing page: Near the end of his life, LeWitt returned to black and white, as in Wall Drawing 1227, at the K20 museum in Düsseldorf, the city in which his international career blossomed. (Urbanmyth/Alamy Stock Photo)

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The lobby of the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, in Hartford, Connecticut, where as a boy LeWitt went to classes, features a wraparound wall drawing. (Randy Duchaine/Alamy Stock Photo.)

Architect Frank Gehry’s Museo Guggenheim Bilbao includes Wall Drawing 837, Geometric Forms. (Eric Vandeville/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)

At New York City’s Columbus Circle subway station, commuters see a work finished after the artist’s death. (Randy Duchaine/Alamy Stock Photo)

A twenty-five-year-long retrospective opened at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in 2008, featuring a hundred LeWitt works that collectively covered more than 27,000 square feet of wall space. (Randy Duchaine/Alamy Stock Photo

At the Margo Leavin Gallery in Los Angeles in 2001, LeWitt saw Wall Drawing 993 in finished form only after visitors had seen it. He said: “I try to imagine the outcome, but I’m always surprised when I see them.” (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

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Above: After Wall Drawing 370 went up at the Met, it prompted millennial selfies. (Richard Levine/Alamy Stock Photo) Bottom Left: Pages from LeWitt’s 1980 Autobiography, in which not a single word of text appears, went on display in London in 2015 in the exhibit Magnificent Obsessions. (ukartpics/Alamy Stock Photo)

advised her to talk to Sol. “We sat in his music library in those Bauhaus chairs. He listened as I went on, and then he looked at me, and slowly, 'You know, sometimes it's best to do nothing.' Even here, he was the minimalist.

Unfortunately, I didn't take his advice." *Deb Paulson, Sol’s massage therapist, but also a book reviewer and artist: “I showed him one of my watercolors – two pears and an apple, the best thing I’d ever done. He was looking at it carefully and said, 'I like it…what are you going to do with the background?' I said, 'I already did it.' He said, 'You have to

think about the background,’ but he said it like he was taking me really seriously, It wasn’t patronizing – very succinct. And about one drawing I had on a wall, he said, 'I like that.' I was too shy to ask why. One day he came to my studio and said, 'Here's a little gift for the holiday.' "It turned out to be one of Sol's cherished gouaches – a sign to his massage therapist of acknowledgment and acceptance.

This was Sol LeWitt, who over the decades benefitted untold numbers of colleagues and friends by buying or trading for their art, promoting their work even above his, and demonstrating in so many ways values we should all hold dear.

One last scene: Our annual Passover Seder, when we used a Haggadah written by Marilyn Buel, Jil Nelson, and myself, based on the classic holiday story of the Israelites’ escape from bondage, but with lots of twists, some humor and new characters (including “the Slave on the Street,”

who was never happy about anything.)

During these festivities, we always chose Sol to play the role of God. He grumbled about it, but who could really blame us?

Solol LeWitt So Wt Wit a life f off ideas

LARY BLOOM

Upcoming book events with Lary Bloom, author of Sol LeWitt: A Life of Ideas.

June 2, 4 p.m. - Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek, Chester. June 5, 5:30 p.m. - Lyman-Allyn Museum, New London.

Sept. 12, 5:30 p.m. - New Britain Museum of Art Sept. 15, 2 p.m. - Florenece Griswold Museum, Old Lyme

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Infesting JungleOldBugs Lyme Art Colony Artist profile by Tom Sobeleski

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nsects transform. Their very existence comes about by transformation. Some scientists say they're the engineers of our ecosystem, transforming it in countless ways to benefit our lives. Insects also entertain. In a popular children's toy line, beetles, grasshoppers, and wasps transform into warriors. But can insects bugs - be used as art to transform the debate on climate change? Artist and professor Jennifer Angus thinks so.

costumes adorned with beetle wings will grace Ms. Florence’s bedroom.

It’s all part of an awareness-raising novel exhibit, Fragile Earth: The Naturalist Impulse in Contemporary Art, on view from June 1 to September 8 at the Florence Jennifer Angus’s installed insects. Photography by Ron Blunt, Courtesy of the Griswold Museum in Smithsonian American Art Museum Old Lyme. Angus' This summer, Angus is installation is one of four contemporary some feel when viewing her displays. By transforming the hisartists who use art to call attention to design, her work creates a certain tension. toric boarding house of ecological changes in our midst, that While wallpaper is a charming interior decor, the Florence Griswold threaten not only animal and plant sur- insects are detested in most homes. Many peoMuseum into a dramatic vival, but humanity's as well. Griswold’s ple impulsively cringe with revulsion at the and thought-provoking Assistant Curator, Jennifer Parsons, mere sight of them. Some visitors may feel that showcase, using an array who curates Fragile Earth, said, “each the insects are being exploited or abused. It's a of exotic insects from artist was selected for the strength of conversation Angus doesn't shy away from. distant corners of the their work and practices, as well as the “Whether you agree with me or not,” she said, world. Preserved insects profound message their work conveys “we end up talking and thinking about pinned to the hallway Photo James Harnois about the impact of human intervention insects." Those who take offense are a tiny walls in ornamental minority, she said. "Typically their concerns on the environment.” designs will simulate wallpaper, jars of insect are related to the protection of insects, and that preserves and insects arranged under glass With her congenial manner and contagious puts us on the same page. My work is all about domes will fill the period rooms, cabinet smile, Angus is not disposed to making informing people of the importance of insects drawers will be insect playgrounds, and adversaries but understands the discomfort to our environment and world well-being."

Photo by James Harnois

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the patterns highlight the futility of “man wanting to create order to control Mother Nature." Her wish is "for people to enter and just say 'wow,' I've never seen anything like this before and to have that sense of wonder."

Photo by James Harnois

Her disarming sense of humor is an asset to Angus’ mission. She believes deeply in her cause and defends her methods with passion.

Angus presents insects in aesthetically pleasing designs as a way to create a buzz to recognize their crucial role in our ecosystem, and how severely their habitats are under threat. To her,

Photo by Dan Froese

Putting on an exhibit that transforms a historic art colony into an advocate for environmental activism may seem out of phase to some.

But the idea is just a continuation of the inclinations of the original artists who summered in Old Lyme a century ago.

Those artists were steeped in the naturalist tradition, scouring the local countryside to trumpet its flora and fauna in paintings and drawings. Among them, notable American Impressionist Willard Metcalf collected hundreds of bird eggs, butterflies, and moths and tidily organized them in a cabinet that resides in the museum’s permanent collection. Angus mimics that with her own curiosity cabinet full of rarely seen bugs in playful arrangements, including a peanut headed lanternfly (Fulgora laternaria), a Goliath beetle (Golianthus albosignatus), and purple-winged grasshoppers (Titanacris albipes).

Parsons had just the reaction Angus is aiming for when they first met three years ago.

Photo by Dan Froese

Walking into a gallery in Washington, D.C. and seeing Angus’ cabinet of insects and rarities from around the world “was a major wow moment,” Parsons said. Her immediate reaction was to create a show that honors the legacy of the naturalist instincts of the Old Lyme colony’s artists and Willard Metcalf’s cabinet with a contemporary cabinet. That culminated in Angus becoming the first artist-in-residence in the museum’s modern history – a natural extension of Ms. Florence’s enthusiastic boarding of artists in her family home.

A native of Ontario, Angus has degrees in fiber arts and textiles and is currently professor of design studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Her fascination with insects began early in childhood when collecting caterpillars with her brother. Her art career began in the more traditional mediums of fabrics,

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Photo by Dan Froese

Photo by James Harnois

Photo by James Harnois

Photo by James Harnois

Photo by James Harnois

Photo by Ron Blunt

Photo by Dan Froese

47 obtain fresh specimens just for this exhibition but recycles the 10,000 she has accumulated over 20 years. This gives them "an extended afterlife," she said, "and they become ambassadors for their species," perpetuating their legacy. More than 500 beetles, moths, cicadas, and other bugs, mostly native to places Madagascar and like Malaysia, will be on display.

fibers, and textiles. But during a research trip to Thailand some years ago she had her own transformation. While studying tribal dress, "I came upon a garment that was embellished with the wings of a jewel beetle." Mesmerized by the shimmering and jingling of the metallic-like iridescent wings when the fabric moved, she thought “these are nature’s sequins.”

Angus designs her kaleidoscope-like patterns to play off the space and character of the exhibit location, trying to make it look like they belong there. She didn't go out and

The majority of insects Angus uses are obtained from insect farms that raise them for museums, science institutions, and universities. Some are sourced from indigenous people who collect them in their natural habitats. She does not use any species that is endangered and points out that “virtually every insect on the endangered species list is not there because of over-collection; it’s there because of loss of habitat.”

While Western societies generally equate insects with germs and disease and relegate them to comic book terrors, many cultures utilize them not just for decoration, but in medicines and cuisine. High in fiber and low in fat, many Asian countries consider

them delicacies. “In Japan,” Angus said, “it's very common for children to keep insects as pets." She had stag beetles as pets herself during a residency in Japan.

In the U.S. we often encourage school children "to be curious and study insects," she said. "But then around adolescence, they become disgusting or gross."

48 its t h r e a t . T h e o r i g i n a l a r t colony participants memorialized Lyme/Old Lyme’s ecology, transforming the very nature of the communities through their presence. The four artists in Fragile Earth were chosen in part for how their art relates to the museum’s history and landscape.

Their displays will “reflect the vulnerability of our natural world,” Parsons said. “What does our treatment of the environment reveal about what our cult ure values? ” will be an overarching question of the ex hibit , she said.

Parsons displays her own passionate feelings about climate change and sees the Florence Griswold Museum playing an important role in raising awareness to

Art is being presented in non-traditional forms in this show. Some of the most inspiring art in history is provocative.

Artists have always been outspoken commentators of their societies’ social and political behavior. Fragile Earth thrusts the Florence Griswold Museum to the vanguard of that impulse, putting a bug in our ear to

become informed and engage in preservation causes. The bugs are likely to spur nontraditional museum-goers. "We all have a relationship with insects," Angus said, "whether it's positive or negative. It doesn't matter what your age, where you come from, how much you know about art. And certainly, some people who have never gone through the door of an art museum will come because they want to see the big bugs."

Angus’ insects will be on display until early November.

For more details, visit www.florencegriswoldmuseum.org.

Photo by James Harnois

Artists Sounding an Environmental Alarm - Florence Griswold Museum Can art spur action to thwart the effects of climate change? Can an historic art colony be a lobbyist to instigate environmental activism?

Inspired by its heritage, the Florence Griswold Museum is making an emphatic statement this summer with its show, Fragile Earth: The Naturist Impulse in Contemporary Art. Spotlighting four artists whose presentations stoke questions regarding our treatment of earth’s natural resources, the Old Lyme Home of American Impressionism impresses the consequences of our behavior.

Fragile Earth, on view from June 1 to Sept. 8, will feature James Prosek, Courtney Mattison, Mark Dion, and Jennifer Angus; four artists who “make visible the human role in climate change,” said the show’s curator, Jennifer Parsons. Their “dynamic and inspiring displays reveal how our habits and daily choices may endanger our planet’s future.”

Prosek is a Connecticut artist and author of 13 books - about trout fishing, eels, and other animal life. Parsons said he’s “often been described as a contemporary Audubon.” Prosek’s art stimulates questions about how humans shape nature for our own needs and wants - “or try to control it or put it in a box,” Parsons said. One of Prosek’s displays will be a wall-size print made by inking the bodies of eels, whose populations are rapidly declining.

Mattison will transform one of the galleries with grand-size clay-sculpted reliefs that replicate coral reefs. Corals are struggling to survive increasing ocean pollution and her display will remind viewers “of the interconnectedness of waterways and how local actions affect sea coral thousands of miles away,” Parsons said.

Mark Dion raises consciousness by presenting viewers with things we toss aside every day, challenging us to consider what our descendants will think of us. One of his displays will be a curiosity cabinet comprised of man-made debris found along the New England coastline that highlights our throwaway culture. “It is trash,” Parsons said, “although it’s arranged in an aesthetically pleasing manner.” Dion will also present artifacts discovered on the Griswold Museum’s grounds during a 1990s archaeological excavation in his exhibit.

Jennifer Angus, whose exhibit is profiled in this issue, “harnesses the psychological power of decorative art,” Parsons said, hoping to prompt museum-goers to get engaged in conservation projects. Angus has also written a short story that imagines the Old Lyme colony artists hosting an insect-themed party in Florence Griswold’s house. It will be included in a catalogue of the exhibition.

“What’s so special about these four artists,” Parsons said, “is their ability to combine elements of the real and imagined to appeal to our emotions. Their contributions make clear that the environmental crisis is not just a science problem, it is everyone’s problem. The message they send is that we are all connected.”

Throughout the summer the museum is hosting a series of activities, workshops and lectures related to Fragile Earth. Check the museum’s website for details and updates - www.florencegriswoldmuseum.org

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For the two griffon vultures, just the opposite.

They are not distressed and they have no obvious intention of leaving. They should.

Atop an acacia tree they would be out of harm’s way. Whatever keeps them on the ground and makes them stay, hunger isn’t it.

Something else.

Something compelling.

One of the vultures stands on a small bare hummock that mounds up out of the closecropped grass. The other is just beside. He bends down, and takes something from the base of the mound with the tip of his beak. The vulture on her slight perch does the same: Bend.

Pick.

Up again.

Vultures in Love White-backed Vulture Photos and editorial © Mark Seth Lender Out on the open plane a hyena tugs at the remains of a wildebeest. A short distance away there are two griffon vultures, also on the ground. They take no interest in the hyena or in the carrion she is now dragging off with her.

A gauge of the hyena’s desperation. She is in effortful possession of something even a vulture will not eat. In ten minutes it will be nearly dark. That’s how night comes on at the equator. Like a slammed door. The hyena keeps looking around, short sharp movements.

Exposed like this her nervousness is justified.

In the dark she may have some relief, from her fear, but not the hunger.

Now him…

masticated stuff deep inside the many-layered coats of each other’s feathers.

And stop.

And look into each other’s jet black eyes.

Now her…

Now both of them.

Then: Stropping brushing stroking each other with their beaks rapid, intent. Along the check.

Down, between the shoulders. Burying their faces in the collar that forms a ruff about each other’s throat, rubbing something in – - there it is. The thing that each has retrieved from the mound.

Their mouths open, barely, as if speaking, as if his voice only for her, hers meant only for him.

And start again: Combing roaming clutching.

Necks entwined.

Beaks touching.

And touching.

And touching….

The light fails. They never will.

There.

Inside her open mouth.

The creamy white body of termite, bounced against the hard palate, the black tongue lifting pressing crushing - he has one too and now does the same – and using their beaks like burnishing tools they spread the

Vultures, in Love.

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Field Note: Vultures are a bird of least sympathy. Our animus an extension of our aversion to death as a fact of life. The vulture itself we find frankly ugly. The hairless head especially disturbing. Our aesthetic prefers fur (or feathers) with which we identify with their analogues in ourselves. The toupee even when it is obviously a toupee and of no color that occurs in nature, even though an artifact of vanity and an object of ridicule, is still preferable to no hair at all. Which is why hair, however false, is the choice of many, even those already in power whom you would think have no further need of the superficial vanities.

Understandable, that when it comes to vultures, their bald aspect also works against them.

So does the metaphor they have become.

Someone is a Vulture if they are -

Opportunistic Unethical Waiting on a relative to die Not Nice.

Above all it is how vultures make their living that we find disturbing. Though there is nothing to fear from

them as long as you are still breathing, the fact of the matter tends to recede when you see them in action.

Two days’ paddle past Namatusi Island, there was a narrow strip of sand tucked inconspicuously into the base of a cliff. A dead hippopotamus had washed ashore there and the white-backed vultures were already in full possession, all but covering the carcass. I do not recall any odor but I certainly remember the way it looked. More than anything I remember how it sounded, the vultures with their rasping laugh, their screams, their wings slapping. It was not the kind of thing you ever forget.

White-backed vultures are social to the point that they roost together, and despite their rancor when on carrion they do signal each other when they spot a dead animal. Their habit of circling is that signal and a very obvious one, which leads to the tautological conclusion that communal feeding is in effect consensual. It is also essential. Without vultures the environment rapidly deteriorates into a land of remnants and corpses. No one else does the job vultures do in quite the same way.

Termites inject formic acid when they bite, which is toxic to invading members of their own species and presumably to insect predators come to do them harm.

The vultures were likely taking advantage of that toxicity, rubbing formic acid from the crushed termites between and at the base of their feathers to discourage parasites.

This is called “Anting” and is well known in many species of birds, but two well-versed Africa hands I spoke to while in Kenya (one of whom was an ornithologist) had never heard of nor seen anting in vultures and I could not find any references to it in the literature. Compounding the import of the observation, it was mutual anting – a form of what is called allopreening. The literature on anting makes no mention of allopreening as part of anting behavior. However, allopreening is a major part of courtship ritual in many species of bird. From which the presumption of the title used here.

This might be the first report to identify what theses white-backed vultures were doing for what it was, but I doubt I was the first to see it. Our preconceptions often blind us when it comes to wildlife.

Vultures in love? What else? And why not.

That said they are not exactly cuddly. So it was a surprise of major proportions to see two of them all alone and in such an affectionate display.

Here’s what they were doing:

Mark Seth Lender is a producer for wildlife content at Living on Earth ( LOE.org ), the only program on US Public Radio exclusively dedicated to wildlife and environmental reporting.

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“God tapped me on the shoulder."

Chikumbuso is Remembrance

by RONA MANN

It would have been so easy to walk away...

Initially, she did. She recoiled upon seeing the hunger, hearing the cries of the children, inhaling the odor of death that hung in the air. This was a third world country steeped in poverty, with little future for the women who had lost their husbands to the scourge of HIV/ AIDS. These women were left to scratch about to feed their children. People were illiterate, hopeless, but this was commonplace in Ng’ombe, Zambia.

And she was just a woman from North Stonington, Connecticut whose world was utterly removed from all this. “I remember looking around and saying, 'That’s too bad.’

"So she decided to put it out of her mind...until she could no longer sleep at night.

I kept hearing God’s voice over and over,” said Linda Wilkinson, that one woman from North Stonington. 'That’s too bad?

Really, Linda, that’s all you can say? You who lost a child here in West Africa? That’s too bad?’ The voice continued to haunt the woman for weeks. “'That’s too bad’ when in Zambia there are 1.2 million orphaned children?”

Africa was not a new experience for Wilkinson, as she had lived here for 25 years and loved the country. Her husband, Bruce, worked for World Vision International and was in Zambia under a grant working with PEPHAR. PEPHAR was an initiative begun under President George W. Bush’s administration that

endeavors to combat the spread of AIDS, building up a network of caregivers to support the sick. Wilkinson had seen much of the continent in her years there but had never seen anything like Ng’ombe, a slum near Zambia’s capital city of Lusaka. It was a compound of shanties with nearly 100,000 residents all

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rooms. There is never enough to eat with five mouths to feed, so I am forced to beg.”

packed in together in cinder block homes with no electricity, no running water, and extreme food deprivation. The 20,000 orphans in Ng’ombe would often eat just one meal a day.

Most do not go to school because it costs $50 for uniforms, shoes, and notebooks, and many never see the inside of a health clinic.

It was the faces of these women and children that haunted Linda, day and night until she could deny it no longer. A local woman named Katherine took Wilkinson to meet Rhoida who lived in the slums of Ng’ombe, bringing with them a suitcase of clothes and food. Rhoida’s house consisted of just one room fashioned of pitted cement bricks that had never been plastered and was surrounded by rocks and dirt. Nevertheless, although there was no reason for her to do so, Rhoida met them with a smile and a greeting of, “Muli bwanji (“How are you, mama?

Welcome.)”

As Katherine translated, Linda looked at the faces of Rhoida’s five children. They shared a bowl of nshima, a very thick porridge that is a staple in Zambia and is also known as “mealie meal.” Rhoida was a widow, as are most women in Ng’ombe, yet another secondary victim of AIDS which has devastated the population in this part of the world. “I don’t have work,” Rhoida told Wilkinson.

“No one is hiring for daily wages, and everyone is struggling, so I spend my days walking the fields looking for wild greens and mush-

Having lived on the continent for a quarter century with her husband and children, Linda knew that begging had never had a place in traditional Africa.

Whatever one had was always shared by all, but this was different. Here, poverty and illness were at a peak. Seeing funeral processions, even with the tiniest of caskets, had become a daily occurrence.

future. That future became The Chikumbuso Project, begun by that one woman from little North Stonington, Connecticut and now known as “Mama Linda,” embraced and loved by many in Ng’ombe.

Success by the Numbers: The 2018 Milestones: Meals provided – 70,000 Kids in school – 500 Kids passed 7th grade – 100% College Scholarships - 45

As Linda Wilkinson sat silently staring at Rhoida and her children she related, “At that same moment, God tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'This is it. This is where I brought you. This is where you will meet your neighbor.’ " To say, “the rest is history” may seem trite, but it is true. Perhaps the best thing about history is not its past, but its ongoing story, it's

It is called Chikumbuso, this project that has made a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable. It is Chikumbuso that provides free schooling for children as well as training for the adults, teaching them a skill, allowing them an opportunity for independence and the chance to earn an income. This is Chikumbuso which means

59 instead of hoping one day for a menial job, the students of Chikumbuso go on to become engineers, computer scientists, doctors, bankers, and even teachers. Here, there is a community in its truest sense.

“Remembrance,” said Linda. “We remember those who have died, remember where we have come from, and remember to do for others.”

Once the youth of Ng’ombe had little opportunity, but now they can look forward to quality education. One that will allow them to grow, join after-school clubs, take field trips, make cultural exchanges, and fill their stomachs. All at no cost whatsoever! Now,

The Chikumbuso Project has four targets: widows, orphans, grandmothers, and single mothers.

Widows have a support group at all times, meetings, training, and have started their own grassroots project. A microenterprise in which they crochet plastic grocery bags into purses and fashion accessories. The bags are sold both locally and internationally and allow them to provide for their families with pride.

Orphans have the promise of free elementary education. If they successfully complete this, Wilkinson pays for them to go on to both middle school and high school, and there is a promise of a college education.

The school that began in 2005 with just 30 students now has several hundred matriculating.

Grandmothers are revered in this culture, and the widows of Chikumbuso provide home-based care and support for as many grandmothers in their community as they are able. These nearly destitute seniors now have food and a roof over their heads.

A reasonably new venture for the Chikumbuso Project targets single mothers. While the women are being trained in a skill, their children are taken care of in a nearby daycare.

Wilkinson visits Ng’ombe several times a year and has recruited friends, family, and members of her local Rotary club to get involved. She has several fundraisers ongoing in Connecticut and works tirelessly for these people who welcome her back each time with cries of, “Mama Linda!”

Is it the power of one woman, or the power of God’s voice speaking directly to and through that woman? No one knows, and it really doesn’t matter. What really matters is The Chikumbuso Project exists, and it thrives. It has a continuance. It has promise. And now, the women and orphans of Ng’ombe have a brighter future, a sense of hope, and a reason to smile.

For more information on how you can get involved, or to make a donation to this 501 C-3, visit them online at www.chikumbuso.com.

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Play Like a Girl

by Ali Kaufman / photos by Linda Wolf Some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most powerful queens have been literally erased from history or their stories rewritten. Luckily we live in a time where technology can bridge the divide and share greatness from the past with a brand new audience. As is the case with one of the first all-girl rock bands signed to a major label, Reprise Records in 1969.

Philippine-born sisters, June and Jean Millington, joined with Alice de Buhr and Nickey Barclay to form Fanny. This quartet out of Los Angeles would shatter every notion of what was expected of them. They released their first self titled album

only are they racking up views, but these pioneer musicians are gaining new fans. Not that they didn't have fans back in the day, they did! David Bowie was an ardent admirer who described them as extraordinary. "They were one of the most important bands of the decade," but added that he felt they came along at the wrong time. I agree with the former but beg to differ on the latter, perhaps it was precisely the right time to blaze a brand new trail for those who were to follow.

in 1970 to a public that had never seen anything like them before. Their performances were recorded on a German program called Beat Club in 1971 and have since come roaring back. Not

They have incredible musical experiences to their credit; The Sonny & Cher Show and the Tonight Show and they played the Fillmore and sang with the Staples Family. They backed up Barbara Streisand on two cuts off her album, "Barbara" and in 1971 recorded their own Rock Bottom Blues at the Beatles studio in London. They met Ringo and George on the first day! While their management team attempted to

keep them insulated from the craziness of the business, they still had an inside view of a world that we can only dream about. They went on to release four albums in all with the original members, the last being Mother's Pride, produced by Todd Rundgren.

After June left the band, Jean

Millington continued with new members and put out a final record in 1975. Titled "Rock and Roll Survivors," it contained their most successful song, Butter Boy. Though June bowed out of Fanny, her life's calling to create music continued to guide her through the years that followed. For the inside scoop on the ride June is on, I suggest checking out the comprehensive book she authored, Land of a Thousand Bridges: Island Girl in a Rock & Roll World. You will learn about the Svelts, the band that pre-dates Fanny, and so much more.

Today June lives with her life partner, Ann Hackler, whom she met in 1984, and together they run The Institute for Musical Arts, or I.M.A., as it is known. Nestled away in the beautiful county side of Massachusetts, they have created a magical place that has the power to teach, soothe, challenge, and create bonds that last a lifetime.

I.M.A. started in California where they worked with peers to help them get a leg up in songwrit-

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ing, performance, and recording. After moving to the East Coast in 2001, the foundation began to evolve when a Mom asked about bringing her troubled daughter. The answer was yes, and an incredible transformation took place for the 15-year-old. She connected with drums and "found her energy," June shared.

2002 was the first year of the Rock and Roll Camp and the talent poured in.

Sonya Kitchell is just one example of a camperturned-artist with a record deal and a career in music that has now come full circle, returning to camp as a counselor. While the opportunity to spark a passion for making music clearly exists during the sessions, it is not the end goal. The truest takeaways are the "collaborative leadership

disposal. Looking ahead, June shared that she envisions, "taking this concept on the road. It would be a dream to play with the bands that we have formed and also incorporate workshops into a multifaceted event." If my time spent with June and Ann taught me anything, it is that these women know how to turn dreams into realityâ&#x20AC;Ś.and have a damn fine time doing it! skills," the ability to stand your ground, learning to like yourself and finding strength of character.

With just 14 girls per session, three teachers and special drop-in guests like Connecticut's own Beehive Queen, Christine Ohlman, they have created a space where the campers feel safe to explore their talents but also share their hopes, dreams, and fears. Ann relayed that as directors of the camp they often have to shift gears depending on what the girls need, and always put a premium on transparency for the parents, as they help guide these young women to a "clarity of purpose." The campers bunk in the dorm like barn, or the traditional Yurts, just steps away from the state of the art recording studios, surrounded by a wealth of donated guitars, ukuleles. All the equipment is there at their

For all the details on the sessions now forming, how you may support the foundation, sponsor a camper, or inquire about the recording studios please visit IMA.org. Sessions run from June through August.

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Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami; photo Christopher Duggan

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Jacob’s Pillow Welcomes New Director Pamela Tatge

By Barbara Malinsky

“Take me out of this dull world for I would ride with you upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame.”

as Jacob’s Ladder. A pillowshaped rock at its peak “topped off” the name to become Jacob’s – William Butler Yeats Pillow. Its influence in the evolution of modern dance in America cannot Connecticut’s Pamela Tatge be underestimated. The is the new Director of Jacob’s site was a farm purchased Pillow, the internationally in 1931 by modern dance pioneer Ted acclaimed dance center and Shawn as a dance retreat. Shawn and performance space known for his wife, Ruth St. Denis, founded the its stature as the oldest highly regarded Denishawn Company, internationally acclaimed which introduced dance forms rooted in summer dance festival in the theater and cultural traditions outside United Sates. Located in Director Pamela Tatge European ballet. They were influential Becket, Massachusetts, it photo Hayim Heron in training the experimental, avantalso includes a professional school and extensive archives as well as year- garde dancers of that time, including Martha round community programs. This world Graham, Charles Weidman, Doris Humphrey, renowned polestar is listed as a National and others.

Historic Landmark District. When she received the job offer, Tatge was full of Shawn wanted to establish a dance organienthusiasm. “This is my dream job. It allows zation for American men. His early corps of me to use my entrepreneurial abilities as well all-male dancers built many of the structures as my creative abilities. Because of its brand, on the Jacob’s Pillow campus. The effort came to an end in 1940 with the advent of the World I feel it’s a place of possibity.”

War II when the men joined the military and the Jacob’s Pillow was named for the zig zag road company disbanded. During its history, it was which leads to the top of the property known almost on the brink of closure but influential

parties were aware of its importance and came to the rescue. In 2003, it was declared a National Historic Landmark District by the federal government as “an exceptional cultural venue that holds value for all Americans.” It is the only dance entity in the United States to receive this honor.

Pillow Magic takes place throughout the campus. Performances are held on three stages. The Ted Shawn Theatre has a capacity of 620 reserved seats. The Doris Duke Studio Theatre, built in 1990 as a flexible experimental space, has 220 seats. The third stage is Inside/Out, which presents free performances of established and emerging artists from all over the world in an informal, outdoor venue set against a panoramic vista of the Berkshire hills. According to Tatge, “This stage is the most democratic stage in America. It allows

Top right: "Gotta Dance, Too" exhibit featured over 75 vintage movie posters in Blake's Barn at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival 2018; photo Christopher Duggan Above: Festival Finale photo by David Dashiell

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photo Hayim Heron

families to witness dancers from a variety of countries and all fifty states of the United States, to see the impact of bodies in nature.

It is limitless! It allows them to connect to their own identity. The grounds are open every day and visits to the archives can be made by appointment. This is the only national landmark dedicated to dance.

Anyone who cares about dance should make a pilgrimage here.”

When appointed, Tatge unveiled Vision ‘22, a strategic approach for the Pillow’s development over the next five years, through 2022. The plan began with structural improvements and additions to the existing campus which included housing for seasonal staff and interns during the Festival and residency artists in the fall, spring, and winter months and improvements to the restaurant. However, the jewel in the crown is the 5.5 million Perles Family Studio which serves as a new home for the School at Jacob’s Pillow; the name recognizes a leading gift from the Perles Family Foundation and Jacob’s Pillow Trustee Claudia Perles. The building has also received a $225,000 grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund, one of the largest gifts given. This new 7,373square-foot studio will feature a 3,500 square foot dance floor which is nearly twice the size of the main rehearsal space, the Sommers Studio. Completely climate controlled, it will eliminate the current temperature and humidity challenges faced by dancers and artist faculty during the summer season. This space will accommodate room for spectators to view classes and rehearsals without disrupting dancers and faculty and add 200 seats for Inside/Out performances in instances of inclement weather. Throughout the fall, winter, and spring seasons, the new studio will expand the space available for year-round residencies as well as convenings, events, and workshops.

“Vision ‘22 also launches the Pillow’s expanded commitment to its Berkshire-area neighbors and new collaborations with the City of Pittsfield and the Town of Becket.

Left: Felipe Galganni & Company performing as part of Jacob's Pillow Inside/Out performance Series; photo Christopher Duggan

photo Erin Baiano

photo Chris Nash

photo Rose EichenBaum

photo Hayim Heron

photo Hayim Heron

photo Hayim Heron

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Contemporary Ballet Program in the Perles Family Studio at Jacob's Pillow; photo Noor Eemaan, courtesy of Jacob's Pillow

In Pittsfield, the Pillow will sponsor a summerlong series of Pillow Pop-up performances and events in conjunction with the City’s monthly third Thursday celebration. The PittsfieldPillow Express will offer a free Saturday bus service connecting Jacob's Pillow and three

color, through a series of social dance workshops and events for youth, teens, and adults. Other initiatives include programs designed to engage local veterans. Vision ‘22 will also enable the Pillow to provide discounted tickets to Festival performances to students enrolled in Berkshire County dance schools, studios, and programs, through the Dancing Berkshires Fund.

Hundreds of young people study dance in Berkshire county but rarely have the opportunity to experience a live performance at the Pillow campus. The Dancing Berkshires Fund enables local dance students to photo Christopher Duggan visit the Pillow, observe classes, and attend a proPittsfield neighborhoods. This free bus service fessional dance performance. is open to all and is specifically aimed at helping families and people without independent The Pillow also has plans for enhanced transportation gain access to the Pillow’s many partnerships with MASS MoCA, the free and low-cost events and programs.”

Berkshire International Film Festival, the Clark Art Institute, Cultural Pittsfield, the In addition, this plan will expand community Mahaiwe Performing Art Center, engagement residencies, including those by Greenagers, Berkshire Community College, prominent dancers. Some will engage the Lift Ev'ry Voice Festival, and Tanglewood members of the Pittsfield African-American Music Center, among other cultural partners. community, especially young women of

“Vision ‘22 will allow the Pillow to evolve into a year-round facility in ways it has not been before. Because of our cold climate in the mountains we cannot be a performance facility all year round but it will be a hotbed of creativity in the off season. We can give artists space and time to rehearse. Dance in this country is underserved. Here work can be created and later presented at the Pillow.”

The Jacob’s Pillow season runs from June 15 through August 25, 2019. Contact www.jacobspillow.org

Dancer Irene Rodriguez - photo by Christopher Duggan

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INSTINCTIVELY DIFFERENT>>

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The

Cheesemonger Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop, Centerbrook CT

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Cheese Shop Top Ten The Cheese Shop Top Ten Cheeses are determined by volume sold which means they have great customer satisfaction, heavy repeat business and they have stood the test of time. Although there is a vast selection sold of excellent popular small cheeses such as Camembert, Epoisses, La Tur, Pico, Kunik, to name a few, the top ten is just share poundage.

They are not in any order so don’t assume that cheese number “one” is better than cheese number “ten”.

1. Cambozola (Cow’s milk) from Germany

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This is a great Triple crème cheese from Germany. Not to be confused with the regular Cambozola which has the typical white snowy outer rind, this cheese has a black mold surrounding it. This gives the appearance that its good days are behind it. Not so, this is by far the better of the two versions.

It’s one of the milder of the blues and very soft and creamy. The cheese is a real crowd pleaser. Try acacia honey for a wonderful dessert.

2. Kanaal (Cow’s milk) From Holland Kanaal is made from pasteurized milk that comes from free-range, grass-fed cows. They do not use GMO ingredients in production. Kanaal has a crunchy, butterscotch, salty-sweet, candy-like flavor.

This is due to the presence of Tyrosine, an amino acid that results from aging in certain cheeses.

Even though it tastes both salty and sweet, Kanaal contains neither added salt nor sugar to cause this sensation. There are many cheeses that have salt crystals on the outside which is due to the cheese being brined when made. This cheese achieves a great crystalized flavor, despite its ripened age of only ten months.

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Kanaal is technically not a Gouda, but a similar cheese style called Proosdij, which employs mixedstrain starter cultures to give the cheese characteristics of both a Gouda and a Parmigiano. Its butterfat content falls around 45%, versus Gouda’s butterfat content at 48%. The wheel weighs around eighteen to twenty pounds and comes with a heavy outer wax rind which enables it to have a long shelf life.

If properly cared for, Kanaal will last many weeks at home.

3. Fromage D’Affinois (Cow’s milk) from France Fromage D’Affinois has made The Cheese Shop Top Ten list every year so far, and it will likely continue to. This is not only one of my all-time favorite soft-ripening cheeses, but a consistent top choice for most of my customers as well. Unlike most imported, shelf-stabilized Bries and Camemberts found in the U.S. today, D’Affinois remains exceptionally rich and creamy.

I especially love that this cheese continues to ripen in the store after arrival which allows me to offer it for purchase at its peak. D’Affinois also maintains a fairly steady consistency, delivers a great flavor and is almost always readily available.

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4. Ewephoria (Sheep’s milk), from Holland Ewephoria makes my list again, and not just because I love the clever pun in the name. (I always enjoy customer reactions when asked if they’ve had Ewephoria lately).

This cheese is still a relative newcomer to the world of cheese; it has been on the market for ten years.

Ewephoria ages for almost a year, which is considered quite a long time for a cheese this small.

With similar butterscotch whiskey notes, the taste reminds me of extra-aged cow’s milk Goudas such as Beemster XO. There is no gamey sheep’s milk taste in this cheese.

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Ewephoria is well recommended when you are looking for something sharp, but different. It pairs well with hoppy beers, but I prefer it with Bourbon or a single malt Scotch. Try it on a burger or in Mac n’ Cheese.

5. Tres Leches (Cow, Goat and Sheep milk), from Spain Tres Leches is full of flavor and has become one of our top ten sellers, not to mention one of my alltime top ten favorites. This mild, semi-soft Spanish cheese is made from all three milks. In fact, the popularity of Tres Leches has risen so much that sales of Manchego, another more widely-known Spanish cheese, have decreased dramatically in our shop.

Tres Leches comes in a small eight-pound wheel. An olive oil rub along the exterior of the rind not only lends itself to the color of the rind, but also contributes to its great flavor.

6. Piave Vecchio (Cow’s Milk) from Italy

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This Parmigiano Reggiano-style cheese will most likely always make The Cheese Shop top ten. With a fairly sharp and full flavor, Piave Vecchio goes well with most foods and salads, making it not only an ideal eating cheese but also a great choice for cooking. Use in place of Reggiano or Grana Padano in any dish.

Piave comes in a small wheel, about sixteen pounds, with a hard natural rind similar to Reggiano.

This cheese keeps very well; just be sure to wrap it properly. For a twist, try it with Acacia honey from Italy or aged balsamic vinegar for a delicious dessert.

7. Fresh Mozzarella (Buffalo’s milk or Cow’s milk), Originally from Italy Fresh Mozzarella is universally loved. Add a vine-ripened tomato, fresh basil and some good olive oil – and my night is complete. And where would pizza be without it?

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Mozzarella was originally made from buffalo milk. In Italy, it still is. This version has a little more tang to it than the cow’s milk version.

8. Leerdammer (Cow’s milk) from Holland Similar to Jarlsberg, this nutty, mild Swiss-style cheese is so all-purpose, it has become a staple in my home. Not only is it great for appetizers, sandwiches and all kinds of cooking, it makes a nice, mild fondue as well.

Leerdammer is made in a 20-pound wax-rind wheel. It has a moderate price compared to most imported Swiss cheeses, which also adds to its appeal.

9. Bellavitano (Cow’s milk) from The United States

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This cheese tastes like a combination of Cheddar and Parmesan aged in Merlot wine. It is made in Wisconsin and was introduced in 1999. It has won many awards both National and Domestic.

The cheese has replaced a similar soaked in wine cheese called Drunken Goat to the point that we seldom carry the goat offering.

Although the cheese is sharp the wine gives it a slightly sweet finish. It does not have a rind, only a red outer edible covering which adds beautiful color to a cheese tray. The volume sold of this cheese warrants it being in the top ten.

10. Ford Farm Coastal Cheddar (Cow’s milk) from England This white cheddar’s greatness comes from its creamy smooth finish, with no bitterness or bite. Sadly, many domestic cheddars today are mass-produced in large 1000-pound stainless steel forms and aged for only a year. The old method of aging took three years. The difference is discernable, and customers really appreciate the quality of this cheddar. Additionally, Ford Farm Cheddar costs about half the price of domestic varieties. I always say, “try before you buy” and this especially holds true for cheddars.

There you have it – The Cheese Shops Top Ten list of cheeses for 2019.

Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop, (860) 767-8500 33 Main Street, Centerbrook, CT 06409 www.cheeseshopcenterbrook.com

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76 light dishes including seafood. Other white grapes that are grown are: Chardonnay which is usually not fermented in oak barrels and Sauvignon Blanc that have their own unique taste. Also to be noted are a few indigenous grapes. Welschriesling is one and has a crisp slightly acidic wine used for their sparkling wines. Rotgipfler and Zierfandler were grapes that where vinified together to produce a wine called Gumpoldskirchner which is a spicy white wine. Now both of these grapes are produced in their own right to produce their own wine.

By Art LiPuma, General Manager SeaSide Wine & Spirits, Old Saybrook, CT

Austria Austria has been producing wines since the 1800s, however it wasn’t until the 1950’s that they concentrated on producing better quality wine to attract more people visiting the country. In the 1980’s there were rumors of wine producers adding chemicals to the musts to change the complexity and flavor of the wine. As a result of this many new wine producers and wine makers, took over to produce much better quality wines.

Around 75% of the wines Austria produces are white.

Even though Riesling is considered to be some of the best in the world, the white grape they are now best noted for is Grüner Veltliner. This grape has light grapefruit notes, with a crisp finish which pairs well with

Neuburger is another grape which is a cross between Pinot Blanc and Silvaner. There are just a couple of major red grapes grown for wine making in Austria.

The most well known grape is Zweigelt. This was developed by Dr. Zweigelt who crossed Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent. This wine has rich flavors of bright cherries and has soft tannins., The other red grape from Austria is Blaufränkisch, this widely grown grape which resembles Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is dense in flavor with raspberry notes slightly acid and a dry finish.

In Austria the soil for growing grapes are generally rocky with a good amount of limestone. The climate is also generally mild during the growing season.

There are many areas for growing wine in Austria. The four main regions are Niederősterreich, Vienna (Wein), Burgenland, Steiermark (Styria). Steiermark (Styria) is one of the smaller wine growing regions in Austria. It just has three districts that wine comes from and most

are white and dry with the exce ones. Grown mostly for the locals complex basic wines mostly whit region is newer than the other th fresh wines to the local area and producing Riesling.

Niederősterreich is the biggest g 50 percent of the grapes come fro wine that is made is from Grü comes from over half of the vin there is Zweigelt, Műller-Thurga and Welschriesling. The next bigg Burgenland. This area grows a v that the others don’t but does als grapes of Austria. The most wide Blaufränkisch. Other grapes grow Nebbiolo, Syrah, Tempranillo, C Chardonnay, Weissburgunder an their four districts. Austria is an u try noted mostly for their whites coming more popular.

The next time your shopping fo choose a Grűner Veltliner and for dishes try a Zweigelt, two class from Austria.

Art LiPuma, General Manager at Se 118 Main St, Old Saybrook, Conn www.seasidewineandspirits.com

eption of a few sweet s, these wines are not te. Vienna (Wien) this hree producing young d Inns. They are now

growing region. Over om there. Most of the Ăźner Veltliner which neyards. Also grown u, Blauer Portugieser gest growing region is ast amount of grapes so include the typical ly grown red grape is wn there are Zweigelt, Cabernet Sauvignon, nd Welschriesling, in upcoming wine counbut their reds are be-

or a refreshing wine a red with tasty meat ic, indigenous wines

eaSide Wine & Spirits ecticut

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As

we head into the summer fishing season, there are huge amounts of fresh cod and other white-fleshed fish in the market.

In this case, we are using fresh Icelandic codfish loin, which cooks particularly well because it is consistently about one-inch thick throughout.

Unfortunately, New England’s cod stocks have been so overfished that what is available are referred to as “market cod.” These very small cod yield 16- to 24-ounce fillets that are too thin, making them unsuitable for this style of cooking.

Written and Photos by Bob Zemmel, Owner of Alforno Trattoria

The Icelandic cod are still line-caught as very large fish, which yield substantial loins that work for this technique.

This recipe also can be done with any white fish such as haddock, swordfish, local blackfish and halibut as long as the fillets are cut roughly an inch thick.

79 Cod served over white beans make for a terrific combination.

The pairing works especially well when the beans are cooked in white chicken stock. What seems like an odd coupling of poultry and fish actually produces a great dish.

FOR THE FISH TOPPING: Mix together bread crumbs, horseradish and Asiago cheese and add enough olive oil to bind. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.

Beans get a bad rap for creating digestive problems and being a general pain in the neck to deal with. However, the negatives are offset by the beans being high in protein, typically 8 grams in a cup of cooked beans, are high in fiber and inexpensive.

FOR THE FISH: Salt and pepper the fish fillet and lightly dredge in flour.

Shake off excess flour. In a nonstick ovenproof skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat and brown the fillets for 3 minutes on the one side and 1 minute on the other side.

White beans can be bought either canned, often referred to as cannellini beans, or dried, commonly called Great Northern white beans. The dried beans take 5 minutes of extra work the night before cooking but yield a much more delicious result.

Put the bread crumb mixture on top of the fillets, and slide the pan into a 400-degree oven for 3 to 4 minutes or until the internal temperature of the fish is 160 degrees.

FINAL ASSEMBLY: Reheat the beans during the last 5 minutes of the fish cooking time. When the beans are hot, spoon them onto a serving plate. Carefully place the fillets on top of the beans. Toss the arugula with the vinaigrette and place on top of the fish.

Ingredients (To serve four as an entrée): • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

1.5 to 2 pounds of cod loin or any 1-inch thick white fish fillet Flour for dredging fish 2 cups panko bread crumbs 1 tablespoon freshly grated horseradish (or to taste) 4 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to moisten Salt and pepper to taste ¼ of a large carrot, minced ¼ of a Vidalia onion, minced 2 thick slices good-quality bacon, cut into ¼-inch dice 2 cups dry white beans 6 cups chicken stock, either homemade or unsalted prepared stock such as Kitchen Basics brand 1 good handful fresh arugula 2 tablespoons of your favorite vinaigrette

PROCEDURE: The night before, put 2 cups of beans in a 4-quart or larger saucepan and add enough cool water to cover the beans by 2 inches. The next day, drain the beans in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cool water. This will de-gas the beans.

Put the carrot, onion and bacon in the same saucepan and simmer over low heat until the bacon has rendered, and the onion and carrot have softened. Add the rinsed beans and 6 cups chicken stock. Cover and cook over low heat for 60 to 90 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Test for doneness every 5 minutes starting at 60 minutes. When approaching doneness, remove pan from heat and set aside. Beans will finish cooking in the hot liquid.

Outdoor Grill Preparation (Indirect Cooking Method): Light one side of a gas grill or prepare charcoal on one side of a charcoal grill. When grill is hot, put a non-stick pan on the opposite side of the heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the fish fillets. Brown both sides of the fish, 4 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other side. Top with bread crumb mixture and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until fish is done and the topping is golden brown. Plate the fish over the hot beans and garnish with the arugula salad.

Leftover Cooked Beans: As usual, we can turn extra cooked beans into characteristic Tuscan crostini by toasting a few slices of crusty bread and topping them with the beans and a drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil.

Enjoy!

Alforno Trattoria • Bar • Pizza 1654 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook, CT 860-399-4166 | www.Alforno.net

JUNE EVENTS

80 Month of June - Westbrook June events at Waters Edge Resort & Spa. June 16th – Father’s Day Brunch 9:00am to 3:00pm $49.95 per person Children under 10 $22.00 Children under 5 Free TRIBUTE SHOW DINNERS

June 22 - A Tribute to Frank sinatra @ 6:00 pm. Performed by Echoes of Sinatra. Reception: 6:00pm Dinner Show: 7:00pm June 29 - A tribute to The Beatles @ 6:00 pm. Performed by Ticket to Ride.

Reception: 6:00pm Dinner Show: 7:00pm LIVE MUSIC AT SUNSET BAR & GRILL Sunday, 6/2 - Sebastian Friday, 6/7 – Langley Project Saturday, 6/8 – Fishheads Sunday, 6/9 – We 3 Trio Friday 6/14 – Potentials Saturday, 6/15 – Jeckyl & Hyde Sunday, 6/16 – Langley Project Wedneday, 6/19 – Fusco Trio Thursday, 6/20 – Kings of Karma Friday, 6/21 - We 3 Trio Saturday, 6/22 – Rock Bottom Friday, 6/28 - Locomotion

Saturday, 6/29 – Out of the Basement Sunday, 6/30 – Whisker Fish Trio LIVE MUSIC AT SEAVIEW BISTRO Friday, 6/7 – Nick Fradiani Sr. Saturday, 6/8 - Nick Fradiani Sr. Friday 6/14 – Core 3 Saturday, 6/15 – Langley Project Friday, 6/21 - Nick Fradiani Sr. Saturday, 6/22 – Cherry Pie Friday, 6/28 - Nick Fradiani Sr. Saturday, 6/29 - Core 3

REPEAT EVENTS: Monday – Free Bar Trivia & Lobster Boil $25 Tuesday – Taps & Tapas $5 Wednesday - Girls Night Out $6 Martinis Thursday – Sliders 3 for $12 Friday – Live Music & Prime Rib $19.95 Saturday - Live Music Sunday – Brunch $39.95 from 9am to 3pm

Tickets available online or by calling the front desk 860-399-5901.

Water’s Edge Resort and Spa, 1525 Boston Post Road, Westbrook, CT For info, call 860-399-5901 or visit www.WatersEdgeResortAndSpa.com Month of June - Old Saybrook June Events at The Back Porch Restaurant 06/13 - Appetite for Life : We will be donating 10% of the day’s sales to benefit the Middlesex Hospital Cancer Center Survivorship & Integrative Medicine Program.

6/16 - Father's Day : Chef Specials and Avenue Groove starting at 4pm.

6/1 – Locomotion from 7pm 6/2 – Jam Chowder from 4pm 6/5 – Sweet Tea Daddy from 5:30pm 6/6 – Blue on the Rocks from 6:30pm 6/7 – Solid Gold Band from 7pm 6/8 – Primetime from 7pm 6/9 – Nightshift from 4pm 6/12 – 2 Cat Zoo from 5:30pm 6/13 – John Spignesi Band from 6:30pm 6/14 – Le'Mixx from 7pm 6/15 – Fusion from 7pm 6/16 – Avenue Groove from 4pm

6/19 – Tyler Coleman from 5:30pm 6/20 – The Syndicate from 6:30pm 6/21 – Savage Brothers from 7pm 6/22 – Michael Cleary Band from 7pm 6/23 – Sunday Gravy from 4pm 6/26 – Keith Cooper & Trish Radil from 5:30pm 6/27 – Out of the Boxx from 6:30pm 6/28 – Mass-Conn-Fusion from 7pm 6/30 – Four Barrel Billy from 4pm

REPEAT EVENTS Happy Hour Specials: Monday – Friday from 4pm – 6pm The Back Porch Restaurant & Bar, 142 Ferry Road, Old Saybrook CT Call 860.510.0282 or visit backporcholdsaybrook.com

Month of June - Old Saybrook Just some of the happening at Little Pub! Please check out our website for the full events calendar!

6/1 Brandon Terzakis - Saturday 9:00 pm - 11:45 pm 6/6 Griff Anthony - Thursday 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm 6/12 Unplugged With Elle Sera - 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm 6/13 Izzy Malek - 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm 6/22 Green Eyed Lady - 9:00 pm - 11:45 pm 6/28 Acoustic Mafia - 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Little Pub 1231 Boston Post Rd Old Saybrook Ct (860) 339-5591 www.littlepub.com/oldsaybrook June - August New London Exhibition of Watercolor Landscapes opens at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. The Lyman Allyn Art Museum is pleased to announce the opening of Discovering New Beauty: Watercolor Landscapes of the Northeast. This exhibition features more than 50 works of art examining the varied landscapes of the Northeast over the last century and a half. The show will be on view through August 3, 2019. Lyman Allyn Art Museum 625 Williams St New London, CT The Month of June - Salem Things are looking up at “The Sky’s the Limit” Art Show and Sale at The Red House in Salem. Works by over a dozen local artists all feature the spectacular sky in one form or another. Plus, you’ll be amazed at the 5-foot wood carved eagles and hawks by 19-year old Salem resident, Luke Wojcik. Show runs through June 30 at The Red House Cultural Arts Center, 22 Darling Road, Salem. Open Thursday – Sunday 10am-7pm. (860) 608-6526.

Month of June - New London June 1 - 29. Zhang / Patnode: Art Exhibition. Featuring recent artwork by Mark Patnode & Christopher Zhang.

Opening reception: Saturday, June 1st, 5:30pm - 8:00pm.

Jun 4 - Jun 22 Picture My World: - Featuring the work of emerging photographers and writers from Interdistrict School for Arts and Communication and New London Public Schools. The opening reception will be held at Hygienic Art Galleries Tuesday, June 4th from 4pm – 6pm.

June 8 - Max Creek at the Hygienic Art Park- at the Hygienic Art Park in downtown New London. 7 PM – 11 PM. This concert WILL sell out!

June 13 Ruby Red // Avant-Garde Series. Hygienic Art Park presents RUBY DEAR live in concert 7 PM – 9 PM. All Ages 21+ to drink Suggested donation: $10 June 20 - Daby Touré // Avant-Garde Series. Hygienic Art Park presents Daby Touré live in concert 7 PM – 10 PM. All Ages 21+ to drink Suggested donation: $10 June 22 - It's a Vibe Fashion Show & Festival. There will be fashion vendors, cash bar, and a swimsuit fashion show. VIP tickets will include front row seating, a swag bag, and complimentary champagne . 7 PM – 11 PM. VIP Tix - $25, Seats - $15, Standing - $10 June 29-30 Hygienic Blues on Bank. A jam packed weekend of blues music! All ages / 21+ to drink Advance tickets: $25 Saturday, $20 Sunday, $30 Both nights HYGIENIC ART GALLERIES, 79 Bank Street, New London, CT 06320 860.443.8001 info@hygienic.org

81 June - December Deep River BYOB SUNDAY BRUNCH in The Riverview Room at the Lace Factory. Enjoy Sunday brunch in the Riverview Room at the historic Lace Factory, overlooking the river and steam train! Brunch is BYOB and features a full brunch buffet, omelet bar, carving station, chef’s surprises, and bloody Mary and mimosa set-ups to accompany your favorite spirits & sparklings *Corkage fee and soft drink charges apply. from 10am – 2pm (last seating at 1pm) $24.95++ Adults / $12.95++ Kids 10 & under For Reservations: PH: (860)526.4445 www.thelacefactory.com 161 River St. Deep River, CT

Month of June- Branford

June 1 -16 Ivoryton Godspell is the first major musical theater hit from threetime Grammy and Academy Award winner Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin, and Children of Eden). Loosely based around the Gospel of St. Matthew, the show follows a company of characters who unite to become a community through teachings of love, kindness, and acceptance. Led by the international hit, “Day by Day,” Godspell features a parade of beloved songs, including, “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord,” “Learn Your Lessons Well,” “All for the Best,” “All Good Gifts,” “Turn Back, O Man” and “By My Side.” Saturday matinees added: Saturday, June 1st and June 15th. Email: info@ivorytonplayhouse.org Theatre Address: 103 Main Street Ivoryton, CT 06442 Box Office Phone: 860.767.7318

Father’s Day Sunday, June 16th. Treat Dad to dinner at Lenny’s!Specials will include: Jumbo Lobsters, Slow Roasted Prime Rib, Fresh Shucked Local Oysters, Whole Belly Clams, Craft Beer. Call-Ahead Seating Available June 7 Rubber Band @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm June 8 Four Barrel Billy @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm June 13 Timmy Maia @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm June 14 Left on Scarlet Street @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm June 15 Steamroller @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm June 20 Airborne @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm REPEAT EVENTS: Thursday Nights – Ladies’ Night $6 Martinis and Apps at the bar Friday Nights - Happy Hour 4-6 $2 Bud Light bottles and Free Wings Sunday Fundays – Build your own Bloody Mary Bar and Live Music 1-4 pm Please go to our website www.lennysnow.com for complete list of events. Lennys 205 South Montowese St (Rt. 146) Branford, CT 06405 www.lennysnow.com 203-488-1500

Month of June - Essex June Events at Scotch Plains Tavern Father's Day 6/16: Join us for Brunch and Chef Specials along with live music in the afternoon.

Appetite for Life 6/26: We will be donating 10% of the day’s sales to benefit the Middlesex Hospital Cancer Center Survivorship & Integrative Medicine Program.

Live Music: 6/2 – Leo Boogie from 12pm 6/5 – Brian May from 5:30pm 6/6 – JC/DC from 6:00pm 6/7 – Chris Houchin from 8pm 6/9 – Dan RingRose from 12pm 6/12 – Keith Cooper & Trish Radil from 5:30pm

6/13 –Eric Nass from 6pm 6/14 – High in the 80's from 8pm 6/19 – Borderline Genius from 5:30pm 6/21 – Jeykll & Hyde from 8pm 6/23 – Acoustic Soup from 12pm 6/30 – Nosmo Kings from 12pm

Repeat Events: Happy Hour Specials: Tuesday – Friday from 3pm – 6pm Tuesdays: Taco Tuesday from 5pm – close Wednesdays: Live Music from 5:30pm – 8:30pm Thursdays: Ladies Nite with Drink & Happy Hour Specials from 3pm – close Fridays: Prime Rib from 5pm – close & Live Music from 8pm – 12am Sundays: Brunch from 11:30am – 3:00pm & Live Music 3pm – 6pm Scotch Plains Tavern, 124 Westbrook Road, Essex CT Call 860.662.4032 or visit scotchplainstavern.com

June 4 Old Saybrook Alforno Trattoria in Old Saybrook will host a Spring Wine Dinner June 4 at 6:30 p.m.

Wines from Tuscany, Sardinia and Sicily will be paired with a fourcourse dinner. Guest speaker Dave Mensch, state manager for Taub Family Selections, will provide commentary on the wines. The evening will begin with an aperitivo of Vermentino, Sella & Mosca “La Cala”, 2017. The entrée will be Braised Short Ribs over wild mushrooms, spring vegetables and fingerling potatoes. Tickets are $80 per person excluding tax and gratuity. Seating is limited. For reservations, email Ben Zemmel at ben@alforno.net. Alforno Trattoria is at 1654 Boston Post Road, Old Saybrook. Telephone: 860-399-4166. Web site: www.alforno.net.

June 7, 8, & 9 Mystic Welcome to the Taste Of Mystic, the annual Mystic foodie favorite! Come sample items from the area’s best restaurants, socialize with friends and family, dance & enjoy a wide range of the area’s best live bands under our massive main event tent. Taste Of Mystic allows area eateries to showcase their food to thousands of festival goers each year, and the anticipation is very high for another fun-filled event for 2019. Entrance to The Taste Of Mystic is FREE to all. Tickets for food & beverage are $1 each. Friday June 7th: 5pm-10pm. Saturday June 8th: 11am-10pm. Sunday June 9th: 11am – 5pm.

JUNE EVENTS

June 1 – August 29 Westbrook An art exhibition featuring works by members of artists of College Collections at the Valentine H. Zahn Community Gallery at Middlesex Health Shoreline Medical Center.

College Collections is an online marketplace for student and emerging artists. The Gallery is open during regular business hours and is located at 250 Flat Rock Place, Westbrook, CT. For more information, contact Middlesex Health at 860358-6200 or zahngallery@gmail.com.

JUNE EVENTS

82 June 7 Washington Depot COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY Join the Washington Business Association for a community JUNE 7TH | 4:30-9:30 block party! Gather with neighbors and friends to enjoy all that our town has to offer. (Friday) 4:30 pm - 9:30 pm. The festivities An opportunity for business owners & residents to celebrate Washington together! will include: Block Party Area stretches from Byrd + B/Titus Road all the way to WAA Entertainment: Live music from The Wool Hats at 6:00 pm Outdoor movie (Casablanca) at 8:30 pm. Kids fun: facepainting, art, yoga and a treasure hunt. Washington Depot, 6 Green Hill Road Washington Depot CT FIRST FRIDAYS IN THE DEPOT + WASHINGTON BUSINESS ASSOCIATION A R E

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June 9 Guilford 2019’s Annual Makers Market & Cut-a-Thon. The Bird Nest Gallery and Salon Suites in conjunction with several stylists/salons invite you to join us for our 4rd Annual Makers Market and Cut-A-Thon.

Over 20 artist participants, with food vendors, live local musicians, facepainters and more. And, for a suggested $20 donation, you get a fresh haircut! All Cut –A –Thon proceeds to benefit the American Brain Tumor Association. Sunday, June 9, 2019 10am – 4pm. The Birds Nest Gallery and Salon, 25 Water Street • Guilford, CT 06437 • 203.689.5745 • art@thebirdnestsalon.com

June 14 – August 2 – Old Lyme “Waterworks: A Marine Show” & “Hudson Valley Art Association Annual 86th Annual National Juried Exhibition.”

Waterworks is a juried exhibition of works by Lyme Art Association artists featuring the shore and sea. Opening Reception Saturday, June 22, 5:00 – 7:00 pm.

Enjoy music, art, and refreshment, meet artists and art lovers. The Hudson Valley Art Association show draws award-winning pieces from their national membership of artists. The nearly 200 works in both the shows are for sale. The Lyme Art Association is located at 90 Lyme Street in Old Lyme, CT, and is free and open to the public, Wednesday through Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm, and by appointment. For more information, call (860) 434-7802.

June 15 Salem Create a luxurious one-of-a-kind Nuno wet-felted Neck Warmer! Your scarf will incorporate Merino wool with 100% silk and embellishments of sheep locks, texture and luster fibers such as bamboo, Angelina fibers, silk hankies, etc. The finished size is approximately 26-28”. No previous felting experience needed, but it does require hands-on use of a palm washboard and hand rolling. Resulting artistic, unique scarf will bring excitement and compliments whenever you wear it! Class fee: $85. The Red House, 22 Darling Road, Salem. Visit salemredhouse.com for more info. (860) 608-6526.

June 17 Guilford Meet and greet the artists ‘Ocean Blue’ Featuring Connecticut seascape artists John R. Tubb and Laura Carroll- Koch. Both inspired by the movement of the sea, each with different backgrounds; these two fine artists compliment one another just beautifully. We invite you to join us for this celebration of summer. Friday June 17, 2019 5-7PM. Also currently exhibiting recent works in oil, watercolor, photography, pottery, glass and jewelry by our eclectic and distinguished family of talented gallery artists and artisans. Light refreshments served. This event occurs monthly every third Friday, and is free and open to the public.

The Birds Nest Gallery and Salon, 25 Water Street • Guilford, CT 06437 • 203.689.5745 • art@thebirdnestsalon.com June 21 to July 21 Chester The Connecticut Society of Sculptors is having an exhibition at the Cooper and Smith Gallery. The sculpture on display represents a variety of styles and media; demonstrating the diversity of the creative talents of The Society’s members. This show exemplifies the extraordinary artist talents of sculptors residing in Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island.

Cooper and Smith Gallery, 10 Main Street, Essex CT (860) 581-8526 Opening reception June 21 5 to 7 Hours: 10:30 - 5:00 And by appointment Closed: Monday & Tuesday art@coopersmithgallery.com June 22- Washington Depot Its that time of year when the music, dane and art of the WAA light up the skies for the most exciting party in Washington Depot! Inspired by the magic of the famous Mojito King Abdo Ballester, Saturday, June 22, the Washington Art Association and galleries transform into “Havana Lights”‘ our most important fundraiser of the year and the undisputed “Party of the season”. For the past 11 years we have paid homage to the longest day and the start of summer with a flour=flourish of pure fun, island music, exotic dancers, food from over 20 esteemed restaurants and, of course, our own Mojito King, presiding over the festivities in his eminently exuberant and singular way. Come and BE PART OF IT! For ticket information call the Washington Art Association and Gallery at: 860/868-2878.

June 28 - Sept 2 Madison Summer in New England.

Opening Reception to meet the Artists: Friday, June 28, 5 to 8 pm, wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served. Susan Powell Fine Art has hosted this popular summer exhibition showcasing nationally acclaimed artists celebrated for painting the shoreline and landscapes of New England for the past 16 years. All reflect in rich detail spontaneous summer moments, and the beauty and unique character of New England. The gallery is located at 679 Boston Post Road, Madison near the fire station. Gallery hours are TuesdaySaturday, 11 am to 5 pm, and any day by appointment. For further information, please call (203) 318-0616, email us at susanpowellfineart@gmail.com and visit www.susanpowellfineart.com to see works in the show.

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Sunday, June 16

Saturday, June 22

Fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Brunch

A Tribute to

Frank Sinatra Performed by Echoes of Sinatra

1941

Saturday, June 29 A Tribute To

Performed by Ticket to Ride

For Details & Reservations: WatersEdgeResortandSpa.com 1525 Boston Post Rd Westbrook, CT 06498 (860) 399-5901