Ink Magazine - May 2017

May 2017

Complimentary ­C omplimentary

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Vol 13 Issue 137 2017

A guide to finer living in Connecticut & abroad.

THE SMARTER CHOICE FOR

We’re Redefining What a Community Hospital Can Be While other hospitals are busy merging and creating giant health systems, Middlesex Hospital is busy doing one thing: making healthcare better for you. That means treating patients like people, not numbers. It means investing in the most advanced technologies and recruiting the most exceptional specialists and surgeons. It means bringing world-renowned knowledge and research home to Connecticut through our collaboration with Mayo Clinic. And, above all else, it means exceeding what you may think is possible at a community hospital. Because we’re not your average community hospital— we’re today’s Smarter Choice for Care. middlesexhospital.org/today

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www.inkct.com

Features

MAY 2017

Columns, Reviews, Events

ISSUE CONTENTS

A Brothers Guide New Park Brewery

Two Wrasslin’ Cats Coffee House & Cafe

The Cheesemonger

pg. 10

April Events

pg. 64

Introducing Award-Winning Collina Veneta Upcoming events in Connecticut

pg. 70 pg. 74

Cardinal Points Odyssey Anatidae

pg. 18

“My Mother Had No Eyebrows!

The Backstory behind A Nu Yu Studio

pg. 22

Life’s Fine Lines Robert Crawford pg. 30

Lights! Noise! Carvey!

Queen of the silver ball... pg. 40

Last Month: “Hole Foods: The Single Batch that Became Deke’s Bagels” was inadvertently miscredited. The story was written by Gina King and titled by RONA MANN

INK staff Contributors:

Advertising:

Jeffery Lilly- founder/publisher/webmaster

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

Stephanie Sittnick - publisher/sales/design Carolyn Battisa - editorial

The Ascendancy of Opera Star, Brian Cheney

Laurencia Ciprus - editorial Sarah Crisp - editorial Caryn B. Davis - editorial/photography

pg. 50

Charmagne Eckert - editorial Gina King - Design in Mind Nancy LaMar-Rodgers - editorial Barbara Malinsky - editorial

Diversity in the Woods: Bingham Camp TheatreRetreat pg. 64

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.

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 - Clinton, CT - Rhode Island six07co@att.net 401-539-7762

Rona Mann - editorial

Submit Events Listings to:

Paul Partica - The Cheesemonger

Angela Carontino - events@inkct.com

A. Vincent Scarano - photography

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.

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The River Towns’ “Community Center”

Two Wrasslin’ Cats Coffee House & Cafe

Photo by Stephanie Sittnick

13 eat and drink, but to convene, host meetings, poetry readings, art exhibits, open mic evenings ...with no rental fee nor food and drink minimums! Here is a man who is totally comfortable in his own skin and just wants to share this joy with others.

by RONA MANN

T

he sign on the house showing cats on their hind legs, poised for “battle,” says this is a coffee house and cafe, but in reality that’s secondary. What’s primary is the fact that this is a kind of community center for the East Haddam-Moodus-Salem area. This is a “sanctuary restaurant,” according to affable owner, Mark Thiede, where there’s “always a place at the table for everyone.”

Fact is, everything about Two Wrasslin’ Cats is unique. Begin with the fact that it’s owned and operated by a PhD in Molecular Biology, a man who spent most of his working life in large pharmaceutical corporations, a man who by his own admission, “knows nothing about business.” A man who isn’t terribly interested in material things; just in making a warm and welcoming place for his community; not just to

Two Wrasslin’ Cats is a perfect example of the two adages, “it’s not what it appears to be” and “take a second look.” You can’t miss the bright blue house, an antique Cape circa 1784, prominently sitting at the intersection of Rts. 82 and 151 in East Haddam, just a mile or so up the hill from the Goodspeed Opera House. And you sure can’t miss that logo of two cats engaged in playful feline wrasslin,’ a logo owner Mark Thiede proudly tells you he created and has now wisely trademarked.

Enter the historic home and what you see is not what you get. There’s a small counter, the aroma of delicious coffees and espressos mingling together to seduce your senses, and there are muffins and scones, bagels and coffee cake, cookies and cinnamon rolls along with a

blackboard announcing daily specials, soups, and sandwiches. Two Wrasslin’ Cats is open each day from early morning till 5PM, serving breakfast, lunch, snacks, and even homemade ice cream from nearby Salem Valley Farms. But that’s just the beginning and far from the whole story.

Next you’ll probably meet Mark Thiede, he the PhD who knows all about pharmaceutical research, but little about business…he’ll be the first to tell you that! Listen to Thiede talk about Two Wrasslin’ Cats, his philosophies, and his

14 fun. Yes, the man enjoys his cats, especially “Larry” and “Bruno,” his personal felines and the“wrasslin’” inspirations for the name of the place...but here too, it’s not what it first appears to be. This is not just a cafe with a cute theme and “crazy cat people” who frequent it.

“Actually most of the cat stuff now comes from our customers,” says Mark. “People are always coming in and bringing me cat-themed Left to right: Caroline, Mark, Ellen and Harrison decorations, so I put willingness to help anyone of any stripe, and them up.” But Thiede is more about the sense you might imagine him a child of the ‘60s, of community a coffee house creates and the complete with graying ponytail and special sense of community that Two Wrasslin’ Birkenstocks. Uh-uh. Not so.

Cats has come to represent in the river towns that surround.

Adorning that counter, and indeed throughout the entire space are cats, cats, cats. Figurines, Right now the cafe is engaged in collecting toys, cartoons, double entendres, and triple funds for the Meals on Wheels program at the

Senior Center and hopes to reach Thiede’s goal of $3000. this month, but there’s always a cause or two; and Two Wrasslin’ Cats is always right there to support them.

Thiede tied of corporate life and no longer

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gious freedom, women’s rights, and unification of all people. “When she asked if they could meet here weekly, I said ‘sure,’” Thiede offers. “The first week we had 500 people in our parking lot!”

Anyone who frequents Two Wrasslin’ Cats for even a visit or two will quickly come to realize that this place is not about the lattes, the smoothies, the “catpuccino,” or the sandwiches.

It’s about a man with a social conscience who chose to eschew the financial comfort of the corporate world and follow his own path.

“I’m 61 now, and I can do what I want. I don’t need much. I had a great career. Now I just want to have a place I like open to anyone for their activities, a vessel for the community. A place for the Daisies to convene and the politicians to Meet and Greet, where the Art League can display their work on my walls, and Narcotics Anonymous can feel comfortable having a quiet place in the evening to meet. I do a lot for my community because it’s just natural for me to do it. Everyone’s welcome here. That’s it, and I’m going to hold my ground.”

"The Breakfast Club"

wanted to compromise. When Pfizer (his then employer) offered $5000. for continuing education, he realized that with his PhD there was really nothing more he wanted to learn in his field, so he took the money and went off to “Coffee School” in Portland, Oregon. There Mark learned every phase of running a coffee

house from the business side to how to buy and operate espresso machines. He learned about hot and cold coffee drinks, frozen beverages, chai and smoothies. Then he packed up, left the button down corporate world, and became a barista.

Two Wrasslin’ Cars has a series of “private” rooms in the back of the house, just perfect for those community meetings, small parties, Open Mic nights, and performances in season by cast members from the nearby Goodspeed Opera House. Each Saturday the parking lot fills from 10-11AM for what he calls “the vigil.” Started by a local woman and called, “Together We Rise,” the vigil is a non-partisan, nonviolent gathering of individuals of all ages and backgrounds who believe in diversity, first amendment rights, reli-

And anyone who disagrees with this man, possibly the happiest, most content guy in East Haddam, should probably just engage Thiede in a wrasslin’ match. You’d lose.

Two Wrasslin’ Cats, 374 Town Street, East Haddam (intersection of Rts. 151 and 82) (860) 891-8446

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And here, in the shallows where the surface tears itself apart, no leaning to, no calm.

For the mallards, no respite anywhere.

Odyssey Anatidae Photos and editorial © Mark Seth Lender It’s been an unpredictable winter in New England, especially along the coastline. Bitter cold, salt ice, then an unseasonable thaw, and one violent storm after another. For those of us with shelter it’s been difficult. For the wintering mallards, whom Mark Seth Lender watched over these past hard months, it’s been that much harder: The weather has it in for them. Mostly the wind, and the waves that follow auguring no good thing to come. There will be storms.

The sea rolls, high and hard breaking. They stoop, low, and pull through the tumult and the roar, in a backlit spray of water. Tipped, like so many listing ships; before they can right themselves the swell picks them up once more, and the ocean pours over them. In the spitting, the white rasping anger of the sea they bob and dip and tuck themselves in. And the water, a horizontal waterfall, tosses and toys with them like sticks, like sodden leaves, not live and feeling things, chasing racing crowding them towards shore…

But shore is not what they want. They cleave instead to a middle ground, between rough water and the sand. They hover, as best they can above the rocks where the weed is green and crusted with tiny and delicious things, to nourish, against this hard time of the year.

Against their will they are carried away and cannot feed because they cannot hold there, and the cold bores into them.

And again they row through the tumult and the roar and the shirring foam. They shake

their heads and face into the wind...

Mallards leave the water for the air at as hard an angle as flight will sustain towards the fog-bound sun. Then wheel, and glide, their back-peddling wings like feathered oars…

And down onto the sand. They shrug the drakes, their heads bright green and violet glistening; that patch of purple-blue like semaphore on the hens’ drab flanks.

They turn, their flight feathers tucked around their shoulders, and trudge, inland.

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Field Note: ODYSSEY ANATIDAE The great the big the exotic the long-limbed or brightfeathered, these are the things we think of, are taught to think of, when we hear the word Nature. We forget (and are taught to forget) the True Nature, the one that intersects with our daily lives, the one close at hand. In Connecticut especially, we have both Natures to choose from. The rare sighting of a river otter matters, both because it is more rare than it should be, and because it stuns us into Awareness. But it is the quotidian that counts the most; the so-called mundane that counts the most.

All the wonder a human being could hope for is all around us. All you need to do is look. Yesterday, in one fell swoop, the great egrets, willets and our resident male osprey all arrived at once, just ahead of the mighty Nor’easter that shivered the house on its timbers. They landed here just in time. Now we will see them all

summer long. The Great Egrets in particular are here for quite a while, at least till the first week in November, white birds tempting the lethal white of freezing cold and snow. They will become a fixture.

After a while we forget to look. We will dismiss them with a word: Egret. We notice neither the plumage nor the whiteness. They have by midsummer been here too much, and too long, to see them for what they are.

When it comes to things that are here all year round that dismissal borders on invisibility. Mallards are just ducks. Even when we pay them notice, it is to feed the “ducks,” not the mallards. We hardly notice when most of them head south, first the drakes, then the hens in separate flocks, much less their return. And yet, if you watch them closely, they are as much a fascination as anything you will see, anywhere. The heads of the drakes turn from drab camouflage to both iridescent green or blue violet depending on the angle to the light.

Hidden in the wings of the hens is a luminous patch of

purple that flashes like lightning in flight.

Beyond this, there is their heroism, in all they brave in the hard New England winter and the bitter Spring for those that stay, the lack of habitat for migrant and resident alike. Because of all their former haunts that we have taken from them, because of the hard and harder weather we inflict upon them from the changes we have made to the climate itself. If we were to look at this, really look, something of our own fate would be displayed to us.

Be kind to Them. They are Us. 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. Mark is known as Living on Earth’s Explorer in Residence. His fieldwork has taken him to all 7 continents. When not out swimming with beluga whales, tracking lions, or discussing dietary restrictions with polar bears (“No the Human is not on the menu"), Mark is at home on the Connecticut shore. In 2015 Mark Seth Lender was elected to membership in the Explorers Club.

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Owner, Christine Zimmerman

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“My Mother Had No Eyebrows!

The Backstory behind A Nu Yu Studio

by LEE HARRIS / Photos Stephanie Sittnick

V

irginia Kelley, the late mother of President Bill Clinton once said, “The things I would have done in my life if I only had eyebrows.” Kelley, who possessed a wicked sense of humor, was no doubt referring to the fact that due to the cancer that had assaulted her body, she had lost much of her hair, eyebrows included, which is quite common.

In full agreement with this sentiment is Christine Zimmerman, who also possesses a wonderful sense of humor that perfectly complements her big, warm, outgoing personality. “My business is all about eyebrows,” she begins. The business to which Zimmerman refers is a well respected 14 year success on the Guilford shoreline, where by her own laughing admission, “I keep America beautiful. I keep Guilford gorgeous.” Known to many who come from as far away as Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York, this studio, known as A Nu Yu, deals strictly in permanent cosmetics and para-medical tattoos, as therapeutic as it is glamorous.

Unlike the current craze for body inking, a medical tattoo is a tattoo used for a relevant medical condition. Often utilized in breast reconstruction after mastectomy, Christine

reports that it is sometimes used to replace the areola which might have been removed during surgery or to fill in areas where there has been pigmentation loss. This is not the work of a tattoo parlor; it is the work of a fully educated professional. Zimmerman, who is the only board certified practitioner in the state of

Connecticut, comes to A Nu Yu with an enviable background and thirst for continuing education in her field. Above all of that, however, is her insatiable love for people and for making them feel beautiful, well, and whole once again.

Trained as a makeup artist with extensive experience working for Chanel, Lancome, and other high end lines, Christine’s defining moment came when her mother, always her number one inspiration, came to her asking for an eyebrow pencil that would “stay on.” Zimmerman’s mother had a condition known as alopecia, which is a loss of hair. While there are several manifestations of alopecia, Christine’s mother suffered from trichotillomania, a self-induced and recurrent loss of hair. Trichotillomania may take many forms, chief among them loss of eyebrows and eyelashes.

So here was the problem; and Christine Zimmerman, not being one to ever turn away from a problem, threw herself headlong into finding a solution, not just for her mother, but for the thousands of other men and women

26 and certainly clients are still fixated on beautiful eyebrows whether or not they suffer from a medical problem, but Christine Zimmerman delved even deeper, intensified her education, and thus expanded her practice, helping men and women look and feel wonderful.

who suffer from this condition. She turned her focus away from being a makeup artist and concentrated on “finding a product to give my mother and others like her ‘permanent’ makeup.” The problem was that product didn’t exist, because it did not hold up to heat, humidity, or swimming. But what did beckon Zimmerman was something called “permanent cosmetics,” a way to tattoo makeup directly into the skin. In 2003 Christine entered a program of intense training...training that ultimately changed her life. “I opened A Nu Yu Studio in Guilford that year and never looked back.” A quest to find an eyebrow pencil for her mother resulted in embracing a lifelong career that would not just beautify clients, but help them with previously unsolvable problems. That answer was Zimmerman’s education in microblading, a natural option to reconstruct, define, or fill in brows.

It may have begun with eyebrow restoration;

In addition to microblading, A Nu Yu offers permanent cosmetics for eyeliner and full lips, paramedical tattooing to camouflage scarring from medical procedures and surgery, and 3D areola restoration for women who have suffered the ravages of breast cancer. “With para-medical you’re on the other end of someone’s trauma,” so when asked about scars, Zimmerman quickly replies with her trademark enthusiasm, “I look upon scars as a room with many doors.

There are so many facets that go into it. One scar is not like another, and neither is my treatment for them.”

First and foremost is the skill and talent of Christine Zimmerman, but these are also complemented by her natural curiosity to find out each individual’s story. “Every person is different. What they want is different. I love being part of their journey.”

Sometimes that journey takes them no further than Zimmerman’s cosmetic talents; other

times it may be microneedling that works in concert with the body for corrective skincare of the face, body, or scalp. Perhaps it’s the elimination of brown spots, microdermabrasion, or clinical peels and facials, performed by Renee Baldo, an RN and esthetician who works in an adjoining suite.

Everything contributes to the end result. The products Zimmerman uses at A Nu Yu are as important as the work they do. Christine especially touts the Jane Iredale pure mineral makeup products which feel light and look luminous and Liquid BioCell, nutraceuticals for both joints and skin. “I don’t have a lot of them; I just have what’s really good for people’s body and skin.” And then there’s that name. “I wanted the name to be the way people will feel when they leave my place,” Christine fairly bubbles.

This is a woman who didn’t open a day spa for fun, but opened A Nu Yu Studio to solve problems and make people feel beautiful once again. It started with her mother’s request for that “permanent eyebrow pencil,” but it is Christine Zimmerman’s commitment and personal journey that led her to where she is 14 years later. “When you’re meant to do something, the doors open.”

Those doors open both ways for sure. Not just for Christine Zimmerman, but for every client lucky enough to have come through them the past 14 years, and for those now poised to take the journey.

A NuYu, 1100 Boston Post Road, Guilford (203) 453-1112 Text: 203-415-5047 www.ANuYuStudio.com

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Lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fine Lines Robert Crawford

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hand. Having just returned from Italy myself, it was amazing how quickly all the sounds, sights and smells came back in an instant, just gazing at Robert’s work. His illustrations capture the quiet moments in life and induce a calmness brought about by these often ordinary, yet precious times.

Inside his studio and on his drawing table are photographs of various forms of water. There is the spray of the summer sprinkler in the community park and the puddles that the children splash in.

Crawford is capturing the many elements of water and this is how he paints. There are no details or layers left out.

By Nancy LaMar - Rodgers Photos by A. Vincent Scarano

R

obert Crawford meets us at the door of his studio which is tucked away off a country road in Bethlehem Ct. He is both gracious and excited as we make our way up the stairway that leads to a long hallway adorned with Crawford’s paintings. I stop to gaze at a few as Crawford continues walking. When he turns around I am in front of a piece that evokes the Italian countryside with a beautiful Countess standing against her balcony, wine glass in

Currently Crawford has just finished a book of illustrations based on the poetry of Carl Sandburg, He is particularly excited about this project because it is different than the many children’s books he has done before.

“This book that is coming out now, I am extremely proud of it because the poems just fit my style perfectly, “ Crawford explains.

He goes on to explain how the poems lend themselves to this Americana ideal, this iconic notion of America’s heartland and all that is

the world of the workingman and families. He points out that the emotional rollercoaster of moody and pure innocent joy allowed him as an artist to really delve into the illustrations with such a freedom of expression. He didn’t feel bound by a literal translation but rather was able to explore some of the more abstract emotions and depict them in a fashion that would not only appeal to children but perhaps have them able to process the poems on a deeper level.

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Robert discusses the difficulty in the project. “I got the job about a year ago and it took me a good part of a year to really look at how I was going to approach this and it was extremely difficult because I would spend so much time on each poem figuring out exactly how I wanted to go about it.”

For Crawford, making decisions about how to illustrate words has always been a part of his life’s work as he has done several children’s books. However, when asked to illustrate the words of one of America’s most revered poets, Crawford was undeniably reverent to Sandburg’s work and wanted to do justice to

not only an American icon but more importantly a poet who understood the simple life as well as the plight of the working man. “I worked very closely with the publisher to look at what poems would lend themselves to illustration,” he explained.

As we peer through the illustrations on Crawford’s computer, I am overwhelmed with nostalgia for a bygone era of Americana youth, innocence, potential and the hope that is found in Sandburg’s poetry.

Robert ‘s own American story started in New Jersey where he was captivated by art at an early age. Luckily his schooling offered ways that he could pursue his gift and be supported. While

there are no other visual artists in his family, Robert explains that he was part of a community that supported the artworld “I was lucky in that I had a few friends who were also into the arts and I was fortunate in that I was encouraged by not only my parents, and friends, but by my art teachers to continue to hone my work. As a matter of fact one of my art teachers was Warren Kimble, who is now one of the most celebrated and famous folk artists in the world.”

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For Crawford these early pursuits were part of a much bigger and headier time. He was taking lessons at The Arts Students League and as he reminisces I can hear the excitement of his memories, “I was

about 15 years old and when everybody else was going to football games and I was spending my Saturdays taking classes. It was amazing because you could smell the history there and all the artists who had come before. It was a pretty amazing time.”

Robert knew he wanted to draw but had no understanding of the fact that it could indeed become a viable living.

“I had this neighbor who was a medical illustrator and I started working for him over a summer and I realized that drawing and illustration could actually be a way to make a living.”

Robert eventually graduated from the Rhode

Island School of Design and was armed with enough work, experience and motivation to land himself a position with a studio in NYC that was doing some really impressive, highend work.

“I was pretty psyched because this studio was doing album covers and ads for magazines like Fortune as well as the New York Times, so it was pretty crazy for a kid just out of college.”

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Misty Morn

Maddie - Acrylic 24x24

Woodbury Early morning

the Gardner

Celestial Seasonings Great Sale

Eightbells

Orenaug Park

Maddies World

Nighttime

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Detailâ&#x20AC;?

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The high life times would continue as Robert worked at ad agencies that were part of the larger New York art world lifestyle of the early eighties. He jokes about the parties at Studio 54 and the introduction to well-known artists who he respected and admired. For a 24-yearold young man, he was living the life.

During his time at the agency, Robert was putting together a portfolio that was garnering him freelance jobs. He started getting very busy with his side work and soon had to make the decision. He would eventually become his

own boss and his work and name were finally out there for the public. He racked up covers of some of the most prestigious magazines, including Rolling Stone, Newsweek, New York News and World Report, Fortune, Playboy, New York Magazine and several others. Robert was now in a place where he was making a living with his art and on his own terms.

and the painting of a children’s book. On his drawing board are several sketches of a snowplow as well as photographs of some of New England’s more unrelenting of accumulations.

I ask Robert for the theme behind the story.

These days, in addition to the several children’s books he has illustrated, Robert has decided to try his hand at both the writing

Although Robert has never written his own book before, he is delving into the characteristics of the snowplow in that it is something he has wanted to do and it is a theme that is close to his life right now.

“Well, it’s the story of this snowplow that just plows through the most difficult storms. It’s a story of strength, endurance and perseverance.”

“It’s a daunting task and I think I am going to let the pictures lead the way.

It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and so right now in my life is the time to do it.”

For more information about Robert Crawford and his work, check out his website. http://www.rcrawford.com

Litchfield Wine

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Lights! Noise!

Carvey!

Queen of the silver ball...

43 the back corners of amusement emporiums.

by RONA MANN Photos by A. Vincent Scarano

"It's really very straightforward. The trick is just to hit the shots." ...Dana Carvey

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here is nothing - absolutely nothing - that can take the place of passion. Pure, unadulterated passion. You know when it's real...and when it's genuine, there is nothing that can top it.

Although its origins go back more than three centuries, this particular passion gained much of its notoriety in the seedy little arcades that dot seaside towns, on the boardwalks framing beach resorts, and stuffed in

Pinball. That addictive stuff of the sparkly, seductive, often loud machines that you bang on, scream at, shake in anger, get admonished for tilting, high five in victory, and return to again and again if indeed you fall in love.

Dana Carvey is one of those people who fell delightfully, hopelessly in love and is doing absolutely nothing to get clean of her habit.

but still gets a kick out of the notoriety.

Her real kick, however, is pinball.

First, there's the matter of that name. Dana DiMarco met Mark Carvey though an online dating site. At their very first meeting Mark joked, "You know if this works out, you'd be Dana Carvey." Although she initially laughed at his cheeky remark, the name change eventually did come to fruition two years ago when the couple eloped to Maui. As "Dana Carvey," sporting the same name as the Saturday Night Live comic and actor, she's heard it all by now,

Pinball is in reality, a very old game indeed. Its origins harken back to the late 1700s in France when players would ricochet balls off wooden pins affixed to a table. The game became known as bagatelle. In 1869 a British inventor who manufactured bagatelle tables, settled in Cincinnati,Ohio and was granted a patent for a spring launcher, giving way to the birth of pinball in its modern form.

44 sound effects, and complex rules. But the 1970s and '80s were also huge years for video games, thus dealing a blow to pinball, which did not see a resurgence until the 1990s.

This whole business of "gaming" brings up an interesting wrinkle in pinball's long and storied history. At one point, Carvey says, "pinball was looked upon as gambling." For over 35 years pinball was banned in New York.

Then-mayor of New York City, Fiorello La Guardia conducted raids throughout the city scooping up and disposing of thousands of machines that were later destroyed with sledgehammers by the police and unceremoniously dumped in the Hudson River.

It wasn't until the 1930s that coin operation was introduced; a game would cost just a penny, so post-Depression, people rallied to drugstores and taverns for this inexpensive habit-forming entertainment.

The 1930s also saw the introduction of the electrification of the game with flashing lights attracting more and more players, and pinball's popularity increased substantially.

Following WWII, coin-operated games were once again the rage, this time with the addition of player-controlled flippers, designed to keep the ball in play longer.

Fast forward to the 1970s and the introduction of microprocessors which brought pinball squarely into the arena of electronic gaming.

Now manufacturers could fashion their machines with more elements of skill, digital

The ban ended when Roger Sharpe, a witness for the Amusement and Music Operators Association, testified in a Manhattan courtroom that pinball games were games of skill and not games of chance. He demonstrated his skill by playing a game or two of pinball right in the middle of the courtroom; and so impressed was the judge, that the ban was lifted. Dana looks to Sharpe with the same awe and adulation she would afford a rock star.

And as for the game Sharpe saved, "It's really very straightforward," Dana says matter-offactly in its defense. "With pinball, the trick is just to hit the shots."

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Ah, more easily said then done; but with practice, you not only get better at pinball, you also get hooked. "And it hooks just about everybody," Carvey laughs. "It's really catching on again because those players under 20 years of age have never seen this before and really get pumped up. Those 21 to their mid 40â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s think it's a cool thing to do because it's interactive. And those 50 and older...to them it's nostalgia. Brings back their childhood when they played pinball in arcades with spare nickels."

With Dana it began innocently enough when on their second date, Mark took her to the Willimantic Brewing Company to drink beer and play a little pinball. "I was hooked from the very beginning. That one night grew into driving all the way to Willibrew two or three times a week." Before they knew it, the couple celebrated Christmas 2011 by buying each other a pinball machine as a present and putting it in their basement, renaming the

space, "The Pit." Before long, Mark learned how to take apart the machines and fix them himself; and in no time their collection quickly grew.

"Pinball restoration is like classic car restoration. We kept switching out machines and getting new ones."

The more Dana played, the better she got, graduating to competition. By entering competitions, she began amassing points, much like a Masters bridge player.

"Every quarter we go to New Hampshire and compete. And I competed in Maine, Pittsburgh, Massachusetts, and more; yet the New England Pinball League was lacking a place to play in Connecticut. So Mark and I and a group of avid pinball friends decided to create the Connecticut Pinball League and find a place of our own."

That "place of our own" is known as The Sanctum, a pinball co-op run by a team of four, housed in an old warehouse in Meriden. Here, each Monday evening Dana, Mark, and their merry band

of flipper addicts bring their own pinball machines ("they really are quite portable. They fold up and you can just throw your machine in the car"), so that other like-minded pinball enthusiasts may enjoy playing. "All machines

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also opened Flip Side, a unique, fun pinball bar in Westerly, Rhode Island. As their website indicates, “Five years, one marriage, and 42 machines later, Flip Side Pinball Bar is open!”

are on free play" Dana says, "but we ask for a $10. donation, and you can bring your own snacks and drinks along."

Initially the small group acquired a Kickstarter page and raised $10,000 from within their own community; rent and lights are now paid by ongoing donations. "We started with 1000 square feet," says Carvey. "But we outgrew it quickly and now have twice the space, three times the amount of machines, and players come from all over New England. "Sanctum" is truly a perfect word for the venue as Webster defines it "a place where you can be alone and not bothered." And absolutely no one bothers these folks as they convene weekly to master the dead flipper pass, the nudge, the tilt, and all the other nuances that can make the difference between a ball dropping into the drain or zooming with a well calculated thrust out of the danger areas, translating into yet more points.

They are masters at the flippers.

They know moves like drop shake. They know how and when to tilt, and they never, ever, ever get enough. They challenge themselves. They pit their talents against others. When a pinball machine lights up, they light up.

It's a release, a calculated scientific approach, and a challenge all in one.

Perhaps the highlight for those who inhabit The Sanctum on a regular basis is the 24 hour tournament called "The Final Battle."

Those who qualify, play from 10AM one day to 10AM the next day, drawing pinball enthusiasts not just from Connecticut, but from all over the USA. This year's marathon will take place on November 4th.

Within the last year the Carveys

The numbers vary by the day, but as of right now, Dana is ranked #2395 out of 42,000 players in the world; #142 in the women’s division. Her husband Mark is #640 in the world; but that changes frequently, often with just the release of a plunger!

Dana and Mark and their faithful dog,"Gary," the well-loved mascot of The Sanctum, may be found every Monday evening, making that trip to Meriden, and they’re in Westerly several times a week.

But they're not alone. Just as sure as there are buttons and lights...as sure as a happy bunch of people are pulling back plungers propelling those balls into a playfield that varies with each machine...as sure as the "pros" fight to increase their point standings and the newbies stand in awe of the flashing lights and the zooming balls....pinball continues. And thrives.

There is nothing that can take the place of passion.

Intrigued? Want to play, or just want to watch?

The Sanctum is located at 290 Pratt Street in Meriden, East entrance under the green awning.

Donation: $10. per person Play is every Monday evening from 6:30PM to Midnight and open to everyone; kids are encouraged as there is no bar on the premises; BYOB. www.tothesanctum.org Or come to 1 Railroad Avenue in Westerly to Flipside Pinball Bar www.flipsidepinball.bar

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Cheney Brian - photo by Leslie Hassler

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Mentors, Lyrical Fireworks, & the Alamo The Ascendancy of Opera Star, Brian Cheney

by Sarah Crisp

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he first time I met Brian Cheney was at the Lyme Fire Company Annual Steak Dinner.

As we sat down with friends, we were introduced to the “new family in town”... Brian, his wife, Jeannean, and daughters, Kate and Rose.

As is normal, the conversation turned first to what brought them to Lyme, Connecticut. Jeannean explained that she works as a systems consultant for Ultimate Software. “They are a great company, so I can work from anywhere; and Lyme provides a fantastic quality of life, wonderful schools, and easy access to Boston and New York airports.”

Next I turned to Brian. “And I’m an opera singer,” he said. Okay, I thought, where do I go from here?

It turns out that Brian is one of the most talented and yet approachable people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. An artist one gig away from international stardom, he is as comfortable in the complex and dark role of Canio in Pagliacci, as he is using his spare time to teach voice lessons to amateur and professional singers and encouraging middle school stu-

dents to find their voice. who is Someone described by his co-stars as the “Hugh Jackman” of Opera, who brings happiness and positivity to every company with whom he works, and someone whose students describe their lessons as “half singing – half therapy session.”

His journey has been a long one. From trombone As Canio in I Pagliacci photo credit Imperial Symphony Orchestra player in high school to lyric tenor singing Edgardo in Donizetti’s Lucia physical gesture a body makes, to produce di Lammermoor and Rodolfo in Puccini’s La the clarity of tone capable of cutting through Bohème. from lyrico spinto tenor as Don José the wall of sound produced by a full orchestra, in Bizet’s Carmen to dramatic spinto tenor in in a wide variety of roles, and with absolute Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. But like a good wine, consistency. his artistry is all the better for the chance to mature and develop. The tenor voice is the The New York Sun hailed his Carnegie Hall most scrutinized role in any opera and can be a debut: “Cheney exhibited such control, challenging and often-unsustainable experi- expressiveness, and pure vocal beauty that he ence for a younger artist. But Cheney exudes certainly had the full house at Weill Recital the stage confidence of someone who has truly Hall in the palm of his hand all evening.” mastered his craft – to control the natural,

As Captain James T. Belmonte in Mozarts Abduction from the Seraglio.

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Brian is one of a very few tenors who have chosen to challenge the operatic status quo which has, in recent years, moved to a safer, narrower range of stylistic interpretation, focusing more on production value than on the “vocal fireworks” that defined the great tenors of the past; emotive and powerful, clarion and heroic.

commissioned to write this piece in 1782 by the Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II.

One such artist was American tenor, Jerry Hadley who was mentored by composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein and a master in his own unique way of an oral, histrionic tradition that focused on technique, mastery, style, and exploration. Bernstein’s only request of Hadley was that he, in turn, find someone to mentor and to whom he would pass on that tradition. He found that “someone” in Cheney.

Past proponents of this style include Italian tenor Franco Corelli, and Swedish tenor Jussi Björling. Like Cheney, they sought to truly understand the interpretation of the original composers. Jerry Hadley became a friend as well as a mentor and taught Cheney that it is only through that deep exploration that an artist can achieve a darker, fuller quality to their voice giving them the choice of remaining true to the original vision, or further developing the role to meet the demands of a new production.

Stage and Cinema "Cheney has that terrific tenor sound: the power, richness, and vocal color of a high baritone combined with ringing, aweinspiring high notes."

While Brian’s passion for his art lies deep in classical techniques, his exploration of new ways of bringing his art to a younger and wider

audience is certainly contemporary. In 2013 he launched his first self-named solo album with a six-part YouTube video chronicling his journey as a singer from the early stages of his career to the album’s release. In 2015 he worked with Salt Marsh Opera’s Simon Holt to create a concert program recreating Luciano Pavarotti's 1987 recital at Carnegie Hall. His goal was to encourage a new generation of opera lovers by making the concert freely available online.

Josh Shaw and Stephen Karr, co-founders of the Pacific Opera Project, were not afraid to “mess with Mozart.” To mark the 50th Anniversary of the original Star Trek television series, they took the 18th century storyline about two women kidnapped by pirates, sold into a Turkish harem, and rescued by a Spanish Captain and set it against one of the original Star Trek episodes. Mozart’s Belmonte becomes a Kirk-inspired, over the top Captain Belmonte and the abducted Konstanze becomes an Uhuru-inspired Lt. Constanza.

Cheney sang the lead in POP’s productions in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and here in Connecticut: “The music is amazing, but the original story line is kind of dull.” Having watched Cheney’s portrayal of Captain Belmonte, the new production of Seraglio is anything but dull. Camp, over the top, glorious, an incredible sense of comedic timing, are all words I have heard and would use to describe that performance.

To be a protégé of Jerry Hadley meant embracing Hadley’s love of “all things Alamo.” For Brian, his Alamo is Star Wars. “I love Star Wars.” But since a Star Wars opera has not yet been written, 2016 was instead the year of an avant-garde production of Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio. Mozart was Brian-Recording video fo “Finding My Voice”

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As Cavaradossi in Puchhinis Toasca with Pacific Opera Project

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Pagliacci

As Tom Rakewell “The Rakes Progress.”

As Don Jose in Carmen. Photo credit Knoxville Opera

Tosca

As Tom Rakewell in Igor Stravinskys”The Rakes Progress” with Pacific Opera Project in Los Angeles

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Listen for Life | Oakland, CA “He sang gloriously and tossed off very difficult vocal passages in a nonchalant way, while doing comedic acting that almost distracted the audience from noticing the sheer beauty and skill of what he was doing musically.”

He also deserves a special mention for his disguise as a mechanic; complete with a red shirt and the worst Scottish accent I have ever heard.”

For many years, and with the support of Jeannean, Brian has managed his own career, preferring to stay in control of his schedule while following his journey of discovery.

But in 2016 he was introduced to Bernard and Venessa Uzan of Uzan International Artists, and he knew that he had met the agency that would represent him through the next stage of his career. In an unusual move, UIA signed Cheney to a multi-year contract- a mutual leap of faith – for Cheney to relinquish control and for UIA to invest in taking their new tenor to a global level. But it’s certainly a calculated leap. UIA is one of the best management companies in the world, and they have captured an artist whose time has undoubtedly arrived.

KUSC| Los Angeles, CA Listen to Brian Cheney in song and interview, and see if you agree: the next great tenor on the near horizon is a singer

As Captain James T. Belmonte in Mozarts Abduction from the Seraglio.

who has paid his dues and is due for a great unveiling.

So, what’s next? “Well, there’s the immediate, and there’s the ‘under-wraps,’” he says with a twinkle in his eye. “My next solo performance is Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Boise Philharmonic and then with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra at the Garde Arts Center in New London, Connecticut. But I am also in discussions for a number of opera and musical theatre roles in New York and Europe. My core work is opera, but I have great admiration for David Pittsinger (also a Connecticut Shoreline resident), who seamlessly moves between the two genres.”

“And if you did … what would be your dream Broadway role,” I ask. “Phantom!” says Brian, “I have always loved the role, and I’m told I am on their radar.”

And his favorite place to perform? “Carnegie Hall, but I’m looking forward to the opportunity to perform in Vienna again and perhaps The Royal Opera House in London.”

As his career is very clearly in its ascendancy, perhaps it is time that Cheney starts to look for his own ‘someone’ to mentor...to take along with him and to pass on the tradition of operatic fireworks, as he continues to light up venues around the world.

You can hear Brian perform Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra at the Garde Arts Center in New London on April 29th, 2017 or follow him at https://www.facebook.com/briancheneytenor/

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Photos and profile by Tyler Plourd

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ew breweries are the most exciting aspect when it comes to covering local beer. Seeing a new name pop up in social circles, stopping in to see how progress is going, and then one day, holding a pint of beer in your hand is a very cool feeling. Even though you didn’t exert a bead of sweat putting the whole thing together, you can’t help but feel somewhat attached. That’s how we felt when we visited New Park Brewing in West Hartford on their opening day.

Located on (you guessed it) New Park Ave in West Hartford, New Park Brewing works on a seven-barrel Foliation was every bit approachable as it was ambitious. People who shy away from palate searing hop bitterness will be pleased with the restrained use of bittering hops. Brewed with Vienna malt and a blend of American and New Zealand hops for a burst of tangerine citrus, Foliation was a sessionable beer with some unique complexities.

(7bbl for short) system that seems to be working on overdrive these days.

Trying to keep up with the thirsty masses of Connecticut can be more of a daunting challenge that first perceived, but New Park is certainly up to the challenge.

We had sampled an American Pale Ale called Canopy at Àvert Brasserie a few months back which only made our thirst for New Park more intense.

Once they opened in late March, we were one of the first in line to sample the newest beer in Connecticut. The rain poured down as the line to get into the building crept along.

Somehow, lines move slower when the end result is craft beer. Once we got to the bar, we couldn’t wait to get our taste buds on the first craft beer of West Hartford.

Hopiary, an American Double IPA instantly became a favorite right away.

It seemed like everyone was drinking it, and for good reason, it’s simply great beer. Hopiary jumps out of the glass with notes of fruit and pine, while the palate comes off a bit sweet at first thanks to the addition of wildflower honey. Brewed with oats for a soft mouthfeel and a balanced malt character, this beer was checking off all the boxes. A tad hazy in appearance thanks to the oats and weighing in at 8% ABV, Hopiary was a winner and deserves a growler fill when you visit in person.

Foliation, an American Pale Ale provided the perfect go-to beer for the craft beer novice.

Carbon, an Oatmeal Porter was a nice change of pace in a lineup full of hoppy ales. With a dreary day outside, my instincts told me to go straight for a pint of the darkest beer on the taplist. Given its unrivaled company, Carbon was a staple in the hands of many guests that afternoon. Brewed with flaked oats, Munich, caramel, and roasted malts, Carbon comes in strong with notes of coffee and

dark chocolate. While this isn’t the most complex Porter out there, and we’d be in favor of just a bit more body, Carbon certainly stood its ground amongst its comrades.

Finally, we enjoyed Cloudbreak, an American IPA that still has people talking well after opening day.

An IPA is a must have for every new brewery. If your plan is to showcase craft ales, then nailing an American IPA (or Double IPA) is necessary to keep people coming back.

With Cloudbreak, New Park leaves no doubt that we will be returning.

Clocking in at 6.5% ABV, Cloudbreak is covered from head to toe in ruby red grapefruit and melon notes. While the hop presence isn’t abrasive, it certainly sets the tone right away with a strong nose of tropical citrus, which lays the groundwork for the subtle undertones to find their way through on the palate.

In the glass, Cloudbreak pours a hazy orange color, which is enough for half the craft beer population to order another pint before finishing their first.

Looks can go a long way, but we’re glad this IPA offers more than just appearance. With enough hop juice to go around, and somewhat crushable at 6.5%, Cloudbreak is an absolute knockout. It’s amazing to think all of these complexities come from an IPA that only contains one hop. This hop variety you ask? Well, that’s a secret kept by brewmaster Alex Dee. The response to New Park has been out of control, they experienced such a pop on their opening weekend that they had to shut down for two weeks to brew more beer. Problems like these can be viewed as both humbling and nerve-racking, when asked how he felt about handling opening day, Dee said, “It’s a little bit of both, it’s a little bit nerve-racking, opening day, just seeing that many people, but obviously, it’s a good thing. We were so happy to see that many people.”

Since the re-opening, New Park plans to stay open from here on out, and we know we’re not the only ones happy about that...

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INSTINCTIVELY DIFFERENT>>

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Diversity in the Woods:

~Bingham Camp Theatre Retreat ~

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Profile and photos by Caryn B. Davis

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n the heart of Salem, Connecticut is a camp hidden amongst acres of trust-protected forest. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s located down a dirt road that meanders past a small nondescript cemetery where generations of Binghams and Mitchells are interred. It ends at a clearing where an authentic Japanese teahouse stands, surrounded by commanding views of the valley below.

This camp has been in the Bingham family since 1905. It was originally a summer home when it was first built by Annie Olivia Tiffany Mitchell and her husband Alfred Mitchell, but it was also used as a gathering place for extended family, reunions, and lengthy stays...and still is.

(Annie was the daughter of Charles Lewis Tiffany from Killingly, Connecticut, who founded Tiffany and Company in New York and sister to Louis Comfort Tiffany, the preeminent stained glass artist. Her daughter, Alfreda Nonna Mitchell Bingham, married Hiram Bingham III, the 69th Governor of Connecticut, a U.S. Senator, and the explorer credited with the rediscovery of the Inca citadel, Machu Picchu. A plaque commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth was added to the ancestral burial grounds by his seven sons in 1975).

The family compound is a typical rustic New England camp; and although it now has electricity, indoor plumbing, and running water, it still lacks heat, making it accessible only during the warmer months. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not fancy, but that is the very charm of it. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s as understated as the vast achievements of the Binghams themselves that include generations of esteemed politicians, innovators, philanthropists, scholars, historians, magazine editors, lawyers, humanitarians, and thespians such as Devanand Janki. Janki is also an award winning director and choreographer, the greatgrandson of Hiram Bingham III, and the founder of the Bingham Camp Theater Retreat (BCTR), now entering its third season.

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The BCTR is a non-profit organization dedicated to “developing new work for the stage, while promoting and celebrating diversity.

Emphasizing non-traditional casting, multiethnic participants, and bold theatricality, BCTR offers unique development opportunities for new plays and musicals that encourage dialogue among artists from a variety of cultures.”

“As a person of color, I got tired of waiting for other people to hand me opportunities and fighting with them about why diversity is important, and why stories about people of color are so important; so I decided to do it myself. It goes hand in hand with what’s going on in the world and the need for inclusion,” says Janki. “At BCTR we are doing our part to represent the vast differences in this country. One of the most inspiring ways to do that is through art. It’s a non-threatening form of communication.”

Each September, Broadway artists flock to the

same Connecticut woods where Janki spent his childhood summers, to produce a new play that will be performed for the public.

One script is selected from literally hundreds that are submitted by writers across the country, although the hope is to develop more as funding permits.

“Salem is my second home. The camp was a place where my aunts and uncles who were writers, artists, and musicians had concerts and wrote operas. It was very inspiring. As an adult, I brought my own friends there and later my professional colleagues for vacation.

Inevitably, when you get creative people together, things happen. So starting BCTR was a very organic progression. Hopefully, it will become a growing creative center for Connecticut,” says Janki, who also resides in New York.

For two weeks the performers live together, eat together, and create together. They

immerse themselves in the project at hand developing, rewriting, and rehearsing a scene.

Members of the local community come out to the camp and volunteer their time cooking, shopping, and driving; doing whatever is needed to help.

“The community has been so enthusiastic, loving, and supportive. We have developed a lot of relationships with local businesses. Our good friends at Sunset Hill Vineyard provide the wine, Ashlawn Farms brings coffee, and our vegetables come from Provider Farm.

Every night someone from the community visits and cooks us full-on Thanksgiving dinners,” says Janki.

After a fortnight, the work is presented to the community and other professionals. The main section of the teahouse that serves as a living room and dining area is transformed into an open-air stage. Because it is a traditional teahouse, when the doors slide open, there is no

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separation between the inside and the outside, just as there is no separation between the actors and the audience.

“It’s a very intimate experience. That’s part of the magic. You are really right next to the actors and having a very visceral experience,” says Janki. “The audience gets to see a brand new musical in its first form. Costumes are minimal, and so are the technical aspects. Our hope is to nurture this work so theaters in Connecticut, if not Broadway, will go on to produce it.”

Janki entered into the performing arts because, as he likes to say, he had no other choice. He immediately fell in love with dance and theater after his parents took him to see the Bolshoi ballet in Russia at age four. As a child, he was a boy soprano with the Edmonton Opera Company in Canada where his family lived at the time. As a teenager he trained as a professional ballet dancer, performing at the Citadel Theater, with the Alberta Ballet Company, the National Ballet of

Canada, and at the Banff Festival of the Arts.

At age 18 he enrolled in the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Manhattan, and after graduation spent ten years working on Broadway as a performer in Miss Saigon, Cats, The King and I, A Chorus Line, West Side Story, and more. As a director and choreographer he has worked with talent such as Bebe Neuwirth, Alan Cumming, Lauren Bacall, John Stamos, Peter Gallagher, Jennifer Hudson, Whoopie Goldberg, Lynn Redgrave, and others. But even with all this success, Janki’s real passion is creating new work.

“There is nothing more exciting than introducing an audience to something they have never seen before. There needs to be constant support for new writers and up and coming artists,” says Janki.

In addition to the September performance, BCTR hosts two concerts annually featuring top-notch Broadway artists; these are festive galas and the organization’s fundraisers. Other public events are a Fireside Reading of a new

play and a Cabaret Evening that includes local talent. BCTR also provides internships for students, giving them an opportunity to work alongside professionals in a theater company and has an educational program for teens. They are always looking for ways to be of service to the arts and artists in Connecticut and welcome people to join their team.

“What is thrilling for me is how much Connecticut has embraced us. I talked with a lot of people in the community when I was deciding to start this, wondering if there would be support. People said unanimously they were starved for culture. It was encouraging to hear. We are bringing all these talented people of color from the city to Connecticut, which is something they don’t often see. I think that is the magic of it,” Janki says.

For tickets, show times, events, and more information, log onto www.binghamcamptheatreretreat.org or email info@binghamcamptheatreretreat.org.

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Appenzeller Extra from Switzerland

Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop, Centerbrook CT

Alp Blossom & Appenzeller Alp Blossom from Austria

My first impression of this cheese is what a perfect match for spring!

This beautifully garnished cheese is covered in rose petals, cornflower, marigold, lavender, parsley, marjoram, celery herb, oregano, lovage, savory, chive, fennel, chervil, onion and, let’s not forget, chili. At first, I was a little hesitant to inventory this cheese. Though the cheese was colorful and eye catching I feared that many might be more purist in nature and not be willing to try it.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. People were immediately attracted to Alp Blossom and asked to try it. There was no hard sale here. The majority of people who tried it bought it. We only bought a single wheel to try and, to my dismay, we sold out in a few hours.

The idea behind the cheese, according to Columbia Cheese, the importer, is to celebrate the diversity of the Alpine Flora throughout the so-called Hay Belt. This area spans Eastern Switzerland, Southern Germany and Western Austria.

The cheese is made at a co-op called Sennerei Huban founded in 1901 in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. The producer is Hans Kempf, the head cheese maker who has worked there for fourteen years.

This co-op is made up of thirty-four dairies with an average herd size of fifteen cows. The cows are all the Brown Swiss breed which are known for smaller milk yield but higher butterfat content. This makes them ideal for cheese making. They are fed on fresh pasture and hay year-round.

After the first six months at Sennerei Huban the cheese is transported to a cave in Kaeskuche in Bavaria. The local Alpine meadows found here supply the covering of all the beautiful, colorful dried edible flowers and herbs.

Alp Blossom is made from raw milk, and is a member of the washed rind family. Unlike soft-ripening cheeses that have a white bloomy mold sprayed on them, this type of cheese gets washed with a different mold made up of B-linen bacteria. Then it ripens in a moist room where the washed rind develops. This creates a more pungent and flavorful exterior. There are two types of washed rind cheeses. Soft, young examples are Limburger, Chaumes, Epoisses, Livarot, Munster, Stinking Bishop, Grayson, Pont l'Eveque, Von Trapp Oma and Arethusa Diva. Harder types are Swiss Gruyere, Challerhocker, and Appenzeller. This sticky exterior allows for the adhering flora to attach.

In addition to the raw milk and the flowers and herbs, the cheese contains salt, cultures, and rennet. The texture is semi firm and has a strong aroma present. The cheese is available year round.

I was very pleased with the initial acceptance of Alp Blossom. My fear of a possible short shelf life due to the flora coating was quickly put to rest.

I mention this cheese because if you like Alp Blossom you will most likely enjoy Appenzeller. The main difference is that instead of an exterior coating of herbs at the end of aging, a ten day bath made up of herbs and white wine is used in the beginning of production.

Appenzeller cheese dates back over 700 years. It is also a cow’s milk cheese made from raw milk and truly natural with no preservatives or additives. The spicy flavor comes from the closely guarded secret herbal bath it’s given during that beginning production. According to the official Appenzeller web page, the exact ingredients of the original herbal brine involves a mixture of over 25 different herbs, roots, leaves, petals, seeds, and bark. The recipe is enhanced by the fact that the cows graze on lush herbal grasses and fresh hay, never silage. Great care is given to the animals. The cows are given regular and frequent visits to the grazing fields so everything can be as natural as possible for them, even in winter.

There are several Appenzellers to choose from. All are made from untreated raw milk. Most contain 48% fat in dry matter, which is specifically measured to ensure consistent taste. There are two other versions, a mild low fat cheese and a spicy low fat version.

I have not seen them available in the United States. A slight eye formation is possible but it is common for the cheese to be void of holes. They weigh approximately 15 to 16 pounds and they all have a dated certificate found as a wrap or label to show proof of quality and production.

My favorite is the Appenzeller Extra. This version is aged longer for enhanced flavor. I feel it is so much better that I do not stock the younger cheese unless the extra is not available. Only 2.5% of Appenzeller production becomes extra. This cheese is not usually stocked by my suppliers so I have to order it well in advance so they can bring it in from Switzerland.

It’s a great eating cheese as well as a great cooking cheese. It can improve the taste of a great fondue and can be used in all of the usual gruyere dishes such as quiche, French onion soup, etc. The cheese has a nice full, rich, spicy flavor and it really enhances any cheese tray. It also has a great shelf life.

Both cheeses are great. They are worth the hunt.

Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop www.cheeseshopcenterbrook.com

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By Kevin Staehly Operations Manager and Assistant Winemaker, Staehly Farm Winery, East Haddam, CT Photo Credits: Steve Jensen/Connectoicut Dept. of Agriculture

Connecticut Winery Passport Combines Wine with Adventure There’s more to look forward to in spring than just warmer weather and pretty flowers. Wineries all across Connecticut are getting ready for the start of the 2017 Passport to Connecticut Farm Wineries season and opening their tasting rooms for another exciting year of great wine.

Throughout the summer months and into the fall, the Connecticut Farm Wineries open their doors to thousands of visitors, many of whom participate in the Passport to Connecticut Farm Wineries Program. Sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, the passport is available for free at any participating winery and offers the holder a chance to win many different prizes by collecting stamps from each of the wineries. The most coveted prize? An all-expense-paid trip for two to Malaga, Spain for two weeks on Valentine’s Day. You can’t get more romantic than that!

But aside from the chance to win great prizes, this program offers something even more rewarding: Getting to visit many unique and sometimes forgotten parts of Connecticut that we wouldn’t otherwise travel to. With the silent nudge of seeking ‘just one more’ stamp, the passport pushes its holder to explore the state, and in the process discovering distinctive and uncommon wines such as Land Of Nod Winery’s ‘Fly Fisher’ (A crisp table white), Stonington Vineyard’s ‘Triad Rosé’ (A Cab Franc, Chard, & Vidal Blanc blend), and Staehly Farm Winery’s ‘Harvest Blend’ (A blend of currant and apple).

And for such a small state there are certainly a large number of wineries. In 2015 the Passport crested 33. In two years, that number has increased to 37, with a few additional making the cut to be included in 2018. As you visit each winery, you’ll find personalities as unique as the wines you are tasting: Each winery’s tasting room has its own style and character. The formal and more traditional atmosphere of the Mystic Coast sits at a delightful juxtaposition to the cool and relative casual of the River Valley and the bustle and excitement of the New Haven Metro region.

Pick up a passport from any participating winery starting May 5. A full list of participating wineries and more program information is available on the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s website at: www.passporttoctfarmwineries.com Staehly Farm & Winery 278 Town Street, East Haddam, CT 06423 Tasting Room Hours: Friday & Saturday 12 pm to 6 pm, Sunday 12 pm to 4 pm www.staehlys.com

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THE NEXT CONCERT IN THE GARDEN - THURSDAY, MAY 25th - 7 - 9 PM ERIC LICHTER & KERRI POWERS BYOB and Picnic in the Outdoor Amphitheatre - Inside the Gallery if Inclement Weather The Next FIRST FRIDAY May 5th, 5 - 8 pm Arrowhead strings along on most Sunday afternoons. Find out about the Concerts in the Garden, First Fridays, Leifs paintings and more at

www.nilssonstudio.com

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May 1-13 Madison Annual Still Life Invitational. Twenty-two award-winning artists will participate in the 11th Annual Still Life Invitational at Susan Powell Fine Art in Madison, Connecticut.

Among the participants are Kathy Anderson, Carol Arnold, Julie Beck, Stephanie Birdsall, Kelly Birkenruth, Dan Brown, Grace DeVito, Vincent Giarrano, Timothy W. Jahn, Sarah Lamb, Anne McGrory, Michael Naples, Larry Preston, Cindy Procious, Carlo Russo, and Claudia Seymour. The Still Life Invitational, which will feature 65 paintings, from 5-8:00 pm. All are invited. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 11-5, and anytime by appointment. For more infomation, call (203) 318-0616, visit www.susanpowellfineart.com Susan Powell Fine art is located at 679 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT 06443 May 1 - June 2 Norwalk Chromatic. Art that represents music, tones paired with visions of grandeur. The exhibit Chromatic, features art that shows the visual crossing of the sense of hearing and sight. Exhibiting artists include Binnie Birstein of Norwalk; Tania Canteli of Beacon, NY; Ashley Nelson and Mary Grace Leone of West Haven; Lori Slotkin of Darien; Eric Chiang of Westport; Heidi Lewis Coleman and Mari Gyorgyey of Stamford.

Jeanine Esposito and Frederic Chiu of Beachwood Arts in Westport, CT were guest jurors. The Maritime Garage Gallery is part of the Parking Authority’s “Art in Parking Places” initiative, an effort to support art in public spaces making Norwalk a more vibrant destination.

Maritime Garage Gallery 11 North Water St. Norwalk, CT 06854 (203) 831-9063 http://www.norwalkpark.org/public-art maritimegallery@norwalkpark.org

May 3 - 28 New Haven "Table" Long Wharf Theatre.

New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik and award-winning composer David Shire (Academy Award winner and multiple Tony and Emmy nominations) comes a joyful new musical about a tiny family restaurant. David Kaplan is a chef’s chef, making beautiful, simple food of uncompromising quality in his lovely Union Square restaurant. But in the crowded, cutthroat and expensive Manhattan food scene, is that enough to survive and compete with the next big thing? Enter Sergio, an old friend, rival, and possible savior. This hotshot celebrity chef has offered David a chance to give his restaurant a make-over. Will David sacrifice his pride (and perhaps his happy marriage) to save his beloved little restaurant? Long Wharf Theatre, 222 Sargent Dr.New Haven, CT 06511 May 5 - June 16 Old Lyme "96th Annual Elected Artist Exhibition" and "In the Red" Annual showcase of the best new works by Elected Artist members of the Lyme Art Association. In addition, an all-member show focusing on the color red will be on display in the Goodman Gallery. Opening Reception on May 12, from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Lyme Art Association 90 Lyme St. Old Lyme, CT 06371 May 6 Southport 8th Annual Derby Day Party. Pequot Library. Enjoy an afternoon of big hats, fast horses, mint juleps, and jockeys. Drive or walk onto the Great Lawn alongside other party-goers. Don stylish spring apparel and large, colorful hats, mingle with other guests, and enjoy tasty treats and drinks. Then convene in the Auditorium to watch "The Greatest 2 Minutes in Sports" on the big screen. Tickets at www.pequotlibrary.org or call (203) 259-0346 ext. 13.

All tickets include open bar and Kentucky fare. Tailgate tickets include four individual tickets and special 3 p.m. entrance. Both Tailgate and Individual tickets increase after April 28, 2017.

MAY EVENTS

May 1- 20 Westbook.

Open call exhibit “Local Vision II” at the Valentine H. Zahn Community Gallery at Middlesex Hospital Shoreline Medical Center.

The exhibition features selected works in various mediums by artists from throughout Connecticut.

The selected works were chosen through an open call, curatorial process and is curated by Jan Ayer with Jurors William Childress, Dennis Pough and Clare Rogan. The Gallery is open during regular business hours and is located at 250 Flat Rock Place, Westbrook, CT. For more information, contact Middlesex Hospital at 860-358-6200, visit middlesexhospital.org/zahngallery or info@midhosp.org.

MAY EVENTS

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May 6 New Britain Gala After Dark.

New Britain Museum of American Art. Returning for the second year, Gala After Dark features an open bar, snacks and dessert, and a DJ. Join in the fun by following and posting using #artpartyoftheyear on social media. Cocktail attire (no jeans, please), 21+ only (IDs will be checked). Please note: tickets for Gala After Dark are included in admission prices for The Art Party of the Year.New Britain Museum of American Art 56 Lexington St. New Britain, CT 06052 May 6 - 7 Old Saybrook Ballerina Swan & Carnival of the Animals.

Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. Laugh and cry as Sophie the swan follows her dream, leaving the safety of her home on the water to find humorous escapades in the ballet classroom. The ballet concludes with breathtaking variations from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Also, presenting Carnival of the Animals where lions, birds and fish will frolic on stage in Camille Saint-Saen's musical masterpiece, completing this double-bill family event. Ballerina Swan spins the tale of a swan named Sophie who longs to leave the pond in the city park and become a ballerina. With her huge wings and bright orange webbed feet, Sophie faces unique challenges alongside human dancers in the classroom. Her determination and passion help achieve her dream, however: a role in the Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. “The Carnival of Animals,”round out the program’s“furred and feathered” theme and showcase the talents of ECB’s professionally trained dancers. Sat. 11 a.m. & 2 p.m., Sun. 1 p.m. & 4 p.m. Admission: Adults $18, children (12 and under) $12. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center 300 Main St. Old Saybrook, CT 06475

May 10 Ridgefield Robben Ford. Ridgefield Playhouse Robben Ford is one of the premier guitarists today. Ford first made his name as a sideman for the likes of Charlie Musselwhite, Bob Dylan, George Harrison and Joni Mitchell; and he even contributed lead guitar to Kiss’ Creatures of the Night.

Ridgefield Playhouse 80 East Ridge Rd. Ridgefield, CT 06877

May 11 Middletown May Demo: Pastel PortraiturePortrait by Frank Bruckmann We are delighted that award-winning artist Frank Bruckmann will demonstrate painting a portrait in pastel at our meeting at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 11 at the Woodside Intermediate School, 30 Woodside Road, Cromwell, CT. Meetings of the Guild are free and open to the public. Frank studied at the DuCret School of Art in New Jersey, the Art Students League in New York, sketched at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris and spent several years copying the masters in the great museums of Europe.

He is represented by several galleries and his work is held in private and public collections. Frank’s website is http://fbruckmann.com; the Art Guild’s website is www.middletownartguild.org.

May 19 - June 17 Madison David Dunlop Travels in Light Solo Show.

Spend an evening talking with artist David Dunlop at our opening reception on Friday, May 19, from 5 - 8 pm. All our invited, and appetizers and wine will be offered. This exciting solo exhibit of 35 new paintings is a colorful sampler of an artist's journeys extending from the quiet of intimate nature to the visceral energy of city life. Here are vivid and personal explorations with color, texture, surface, motion that reflect an innovative artistic experience of travels in light. Gallery hours are Tuesday- Saturday from 11- 5, and anytime by appointment.

For more information, call (203) 318-0616, visit www.susanpowellfineart.com to see works in the show. Susan Powell Fine Art is located at 679 Boston Post Road, Madison, CT 06443. On Saturday, May 20 from 3 - 4 pm David Dunlop will give a talk and artist demonstration in the gallery's garden. Reservations recommended. The event is free.

May 25 Chester Please join us at the Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio & Gallery at 1 Spring Street in Chester Center for a Concert in the Garden on Thursday, May 25, 2016 7pm - 9pm.

Please note the new day and time. Concerts are now outside in the amphitheater weather permitting, and in the gallery otherwise.

This concerts features Eric Lichter and Kerri Powers! Two awesome shows for the price of one. Log onto to their websites to take a listen to these original two singer / songwriters who won’t disappoint: www.kerripowers.com and ericlichtermusic.bandcamp.com $20 donation - BYOB and picnic – Sorry no pets GATES OPEN Half Hour before the show. For more info log onto nilssonstudio.com or call 860-526-2077.

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