August 2018 Complimentary
publications
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www.inkct.com
Vol 14 Issue 153 2018
A guide to finer living in Connecticut & abroad.
THE SMARTER CHOICE FOR
The Most Innovative Sleep Apnea Cures Available middlesexhospital.org/goodnight
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www.inkct.com
Features
AUGUST 2018
Columns, Reviews, Events
ISSUE CONTENTS
Cardinal Points Tern About
Lenny’s - Branford Reliably Delicious for Half a Century
pg. 10
pg. 56
The Cheesemonger A GREAT NEW FIND: Kaaslands Kanaal Cheese
pg. 62
On The Vine pg. 66
Tuscan Red Wines
Life On Sugar pg. 68
Summer Wine Down
August Events
pg. 70
Upcoming events in Connecticut
The Scenic Airline Trail Putting the Pedal to the Metal.
pg. 18
The Evolution of Dennis Sirrine Painting from the Heart
pg. 28
InstrumentHead Putting the music where their Mouth is.
pg. 38
photo by Jeffery Lilly
On the Cover this Month: Blue Series #7 (Vertigo) 40”x 40” Artist Dennis Sirrine
INK staff Contributors:
Advertising:
Jeffery S. Lilly- no slave to fashion
Contact us to receive our media kit complete with detailed advertising information including ad rates, demographics, and distribution in your area.
The Crusty Old Diver
Stephanie Sittnick - founder/publisher/sales design/account receivables
She’s Not a Drag Anymore
Carolyn Battisa - editorial
pg. 46
Angela Carontino - editorial/photograpy Susan Cornell - editorial Caryn B. Davis - editorial/photography Charmagne Eckert - editorial Mark Seth Lender - Cardinal Points Nancy LaMar-Rodgers - editorial
Remembering Sergio Franchi The Sergio Franchi Music Scholarship Foundation
pg. 50
Barbara Malinsky - editorial Rona Mann - editorial Paul Partica - The Cheesemonger A. Vincent Scarano - photography
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 - Connecticut/Rhode Island six07co@att.net - 401-539-7762 Jacki Hornish - Litchfield County jacki@inkct.com - 860-488-0393 Julie Sanders - Eastern Connecticut/RI julie@inkct.com - 860-235-5518 Richard Malinsky - Connecticut richard@inkct.com - 215-704-9273
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Chestnut Hill Concerts Ronald Thomas, artistic director
F O U R CO N C E R T S O F W O R L D - C L A S S CHAMBER MUSIC IN AUGUST AT THE KATE AUGUST 3 • Bach, Novacek, and Brahms
Steven Copes violin Matthew Sinno viola Ronald Thomas cello Randall Hodgkinson piano
AUGUST 10 • Strauss, Schubert, and Tchaikovsky
Amernet String Quartet: Misha Vitenson violin, Franz Felkl violin, Michael Klotz viola, Jason Calloway cello • Vivek Kamath viola Ronald Thomas cello
AUGUST 17 • 'HEXVV\ .RG£O\ DQG 'YRĖ£N
Catherine Cho violin Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu violin Todd Phillips viola Ronald Thomas cello Mihae Lee piano
AUGUST 24 • Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Schumann
William Purvis horn Frank Huang violin Cynthia Phelps viola Tien-Hsin Cindy Wu violin/viola Ronald Thomas cello Mihae Lee piano
Fridays at 8 pm Subscriptions $120 & $140. Tickets $40 & $35. Kids Free! PROGRAMS & INFO: CHESTNUTHILLCONCERTS.ORG TICKETS: THE KATE.ORG | 860 510-0453
BLUE SERIES
DENNIS SIRRINE GALLERY 860.287.9320 155 Water Street Stonington CT 06378 www.dennissirrine.com
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BE O OR RIGINAL Original Art | Origina al Gifts | Original Lifestyle
Everything here is made by LOCAL artists and artisans! s!
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GALLER Y • GIFT S • CLA SSE S Visit online at salemredhouse.com to view or register for upcoming classes s
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It’s about form, finesse and nuanced fine-tuning. An arc that masters life’s hazards is no accident — you make your own luck. Your refined life may put you on the tee box at Essex Meadows, where everything around you is far and away better than par.
s c om E s s e x M e a d ow s.
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Reliably Delicious for Half a Century Lenny’s: “The Branford Institution” by Rona Mann / Photos by Rebekah Butler
Little boys love their mini bikes. They can’t wait to get home from school to throw down their backpacks, perhaps change their clothes, and take off on the adventure du jour. Chris and Tom Conlin were no different from other kids, and their parents knew it. But there were parameters that had to be set, so their mother talked the school bus driver into dropping the boys off at the family restaurant – Lenny’s Indian Head Inn. There they would have to peel potatoes for the restaurant’s well known and well-loved hand cut french fries. Once the potatoes were thoroughly peeled, then and only then, were they allowed the pleasure of riding their bikes. “So I learned to peel potatoes quick,” Tom Conlin laughs. “Real quick.”
A lot has changed since the Conlin boys were young...and yet, nothing has changed. While their parents and beloved sister, Kim have since passed on, Chris and Tom are now the owners of the restaurant, picking up the family gauntlet of reliably excellent food, fun, and drink, while keeping Lenny’s the shoreline institution it always was.
Owners Chris Conlin and Thomas (Lloyd) Conlin - photo Stephanie Sittnick
“The recipe for our Lenny’s original clear broth chowder that our customers love so much is still the one our parents created 50 years ago,” Chris offers. Good food and drink are the mark of a good restaurant, but consistency is the mark of a great restaurant, whether it’s a roadside diner or a fine dining emporium. The Conlins’ parents knew that 50 years ago; and
like their treasured recipes, they passed that work ethic on to their sons as well. “Although the Indian Head Inn has been here since 1939, our parents started Lenny’s in 1968. In the early ‘60s and ‘70s Lenny’s was more of a bar, although there was always some food,” Tom comments. “Somewhere around the ‘80s we expanded the kitchen. Dad had put in lobsters and steamers, which were always a big hit. We added even more items.” Lenny’s is still in the same location in the Indian Neck section of Branford on State Rt.
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in Branford that’s open during blizzards,” Chris says; “and our customers know that, so they come on foot or in snowmobiles, but they come. It’s always a party here.”
146, attracting both locals and tourists seven days a week year ‘round. “We get the boaters and the attorneys, the doctors and the beach people. We only close Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Tom says, “and I wouldn’t be surprised if one day we even open on Thanksgiving.” The reason? Their clientele positively demands it! They want Lenny’s food. They want to be part of the warm, friendly atmosphere. Matter of fact, their clientele is so loyal that they come even during a blizzard. “We’re the only place
Seems that every night is a party at Lenny’s. There’s entertainment on the deck from karaoke to live bands, trivia at the bar, jazz, football games, a make-your-own Bloody Bar, and “one of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parties on the shoreline,” Tom exclaims with every bit of his Irish pride showing. We go through 1500 hundred pounds of corned beef, have two bands...it’s a great day and night.” The drink and fun are legend, but it’s the food that keeps people coming back. “Fresh, fresh, fresh,” Chris says. “We get lobsters up to 15 pounders flown in from Maine and Nova Scotia. We use only day boat dry Stonington
scallops, our cod comes in from New Bedford, Massachusetts, all our clams come from a local guy just up the road, and my son, Blake frequently catches tuna, sword, and mako shark from Montauk and brings it here for our chef to prepare in a variety of delicious ways. We always have specials and let people know what fish we just got in, what’s our beer of the week, and what specialty cocktails our bartender has created.” All this great food with delicious consistency needs to be rewarded; and Lenny’s has, without a doubt, racked up some of the best awards in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Among them are Zagat’s Award of Distinction, a sterling review from the New York Times food critic (“that brought in tons of
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people from New York and New Jersey”),a listing in the Top 10 from Boating Magazine, kudos from the Phantom Gourmet, accolades from the Connecticut Restaurant Association, rave reviews in international publications; and the award of which the brothers are most proud: the 5 star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences. “We are the only restaurant in Connecticut to receive this 5 star award,” Chris says, smiling. The plaques and citations are hung in the foyer and throughout the restaurant because Tom and Chris want their customers to know. But any customer of Lenny’s already knows and has for a very long time. All this adulation doesn’t come easy. Chris and Tom’s parents, Lenny and Theresa, did not just hand their sons the restaurant. They had to work and work hard, learning everything from peeling those potatoes on up. Now the brothers are training a third generation – Chris’ sons, Miles and Blake - to make sure that there will always be a Lenny’s, that the food will always taste the same as it did back in 1968, and the fun will never stop. Being that this is the restaurant’s 50th year, the brothers have big plans upcoming for ongoing celebrations. Check their website; or better yet, check in at the restaurant often to see what’s in store, because something always is. No, not a lot has changed at Lenny’s in the last 50 years. Oh, they’ve done a few things: remodeled the dining room, expanded the deck that
looks out over the marsh where bird watching from the bar is a popular event, booked entertainment nightly; and since 2008 they take credit cards, but the recipes haven’t changed one bit. Your seafood casserole, chowder, lobster roll, Mom’s famous roast beef sandwich, the onion rings, the steaks, the ribs, and all those delicious fried fish platters featuring local delights are what you’ve always remembered. It’s whats kept you coming back because it was reliably delicious and just felt like home for all those 50 years. Well maybe there is one thing that has changed. “We now have a machine to peel the potatoes,” says Tom with a twinkle in his eye. “I don’t have to peel them anymore.” Too bad he’s too big now to ride that mini bike.
Lenny’s Indian Head is located at 205 S. Montowese Street (Rt. 146) in Branford (203) 488-1500 Reservations are taken for parties of 6 or more, but there is call-ahead seating to get you to the top of the list faster. www.lennysnow.com
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Putting the Pedal to the Metal Cycling the Scenic Airline Trail
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Colchester Depot
Photos and profile by Angela Carontino
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t is 5:55 am, and I am about to start the day in one of my favorite ways. I hop on my bike and set out on the Airline Trail for a glorious 20 – 23 mile ride. Exercise, sweat, nature, speed, fresh air, meditation in motion….HEAVEN. It is akin to yoga to me…it starts out with all the noise in my head, the thoughts, the chatter, the to-do list…and by the end of my ride, all the thoughts and clutter are cleared. Peace. The Airline Trail has quite a history from its beginnings as a railroad to its current state as a recreational Connecticut State Park. Initially the Airline Trail was part of a rail system connecting New York City to Boston, via New Haven and Middletown. In fact, parts of the original railway are still in use. Originally conceived in the 1840’s, the line was completed
in 1872 after an exciting series of events including failing rail companies, bankruptcies, blown budgets, and disagreements on the final rail route. The first passenger train, The Federal Express opened in 1876 but disappointed, as the line did not save any time off the shoreline route. In 1885, however, the successful New England Limited train began. This powerful Pullman steam locomotive shaved an hour off the shoreline route. The Pullman Company redesigned the rail cars in 1891 and released luxury rail cars painted white with gold trim, complemented by a staff outfitted in all white
The Lyman Viaduct in East Hampton.
uniforms. The White Train or Ghost Train as it was popularly referred to, was a huge success and carried wealthy businessmen and families between New York City and Boston. In addition to passenger trains, freight trains carried fish and peaches (thankfully not simultaneously!) from Boston to New York. A quarry in Portland provided stone for the brownstones of New York City and Boston. The weight of these trains took its toll on the rails and bridges over the years. Between the early 1900’s and 1960’s more advanced technology was developed on other rail lines, rail bridges were flooded multiple times, and section
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by section the railway was abandoned. In 1976 Penn Central Rail went bankrupt, and the State of Connecticut took over the abandoned rails. Portion by portion the Airline Trail was re-imagined and transformed, now existing for all to enjoy.
occasional horseback rider. Much of the path is hard packed gravel and heavily wooded, which helps it stay pleasant and cool even on hotter days of the year and perfect for foot and bike traffic. Enjoying the trail at different times of
The Airline Trail consists of two parts: the South Trail runs 25 miles from East Hampton to Windham and the North Trail continues 21 miles from Windham to Putnam. The Colchester Spur is a 3.6 mile divergence from the main path that meanders along a quaint pond, across Rt. 85, and up a gently sloping hill that terminates in Colchester by the old train depot. If you are feeling ambitious, the end of the North Trail is an additional 6.6 mile ride from Thompson to the Massachusetts border. The trail is a favorite of bikers, hikers, walkers, runners, and cross-country skiers, along with well-behaved dogs. There are also many bird watchers and photographers enjoying the natural splendor as well as the
the day brings changes in scenery and light; and with no cars to contend with, it allows for stress free hiking and biking.
Each leg of the trail has its own unique personality. Trees heavily shade long stretches of the path, and you feel deep in the forest, alone with nature and all its critters and wildlife. It is no longer surprising when a large deer and her babies dart out of the woods across the path in front of me. At those moments, I realize I am truly a visitor in their home. The East Hampton to Colchester path is wide with areas that seem carved through stone. On either side of you water trickles down rock walls covered with moss, and gravity defying trees cling to the edge of the rocks. Then the trail opens up, the trees have cleared, and you are high above the valley, taking in the most incredible views. This portion is the Lyman Viaduct, one of two viaducts on the trail that were built over deep ravines along the path. The Lyman and Rapallo viaducts are some of the earliest wrought iron trestles built and still exist due to their preservation buried in sand below the existing trail. They are both on the list of the National Register of Historic Places in Connecticut.
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Other trail highlights are the many beautiful wooden bridges that go over the Black Ridge River, Jeremy River, and others. One particularly picturesque area of the trail meanders through Raymond Brook Marsh. The marsh is beautiful and serene, yet teeming with the sounds and energy of buzzing dragonflies, chipmunks zipping here and there, loud frogs, and all varieties of birds singing. Another unique area is in Hampton at the Goodwin State Forest. The 2,000 acres of conservation area may be explored either on foot or by bike and boasts three ponds, wildlife gardens, and over 14 miles of well-marked trails. It is one of the most peaceful and majestic experiences and perfect for a picnic or aimless wandering. The trail also runs along Bafflin Sanctuary, a 700 acre property run by the Connecticut Audubon Society in Pomfret. It is home to a myriad of birds, over 200 species, due to the sanctuary’s rare brush habitats found in this
area. With 10 miles of sanctuary trails, it is a bird watcher’s paradise! The Airline Trail is just one of many exciting “rails to trails” that can be enjoyed in
Connecticut. Larkin State Park Trail is 10 miles long and runs from Middlebury to Southbury. The 20-mile Hop River Trail travels through seven eastern Connecticut towns from Manchester to Columbia along a quiet, long path. The petite Moosup State Park makes up in charm what it lacks in length. At 5.2 miles it
is a less strenuous, yet scenic level trail, that follows the Moosup River for a full mile and is otherwise wooded. The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and the Farmington River Trail, both extensive trail systems totaling over 80 miles, connect 11 Connecticut towns from New Haven to Suffield. My favorite part of the ride is the final 1.6 miles. It is a steady climb uphill from a wooden bridge to where I park. It is not a steep hill but a consistent climb with no plateaus and no apologies. I pack my gear, and I live in it, pushing myself to keep pace. I love every second of it. When I complete my ride and drive away, I am always thinking the same thought, “Life is Beautiful!” For more information on the Airline Trail complete with maps, videos, and more visit the DEEP’s website at http://www.ct.gov/deep. The Airline Trail is open daily from dawn to dusk. You can learn more about FCH Trails at http://fchtrail.org
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The Finer Line Gallery is pleased to offer the new works of: Ralph Acosta Lisa Adams Del-Bourre Bach Marion Dodd Lynn Frink Dave Harned
Blaney Harris Jacqueline Jones Hugh Kohan Russ Kramer Sarah Lucas Liz McGee
Bernie McTique Sue Melzmuf Tim Mockler Trish Savides Lolly Stoddard Dan Truth
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48 W. Main St, Mystic CT * (860) 536-8339
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PAINTING FROM THE HEART:
The Evolution of Dennis Sirrine by RONA MANN
“I’m a colorist,” the artist begins, offering little more personal information. Dennis Sirrine is a man who prefers not to speak about his work but lets his work speak for him, although the two are inexorably entwined. He’s a man who looks you right in the eye when he talks, possesses a gentle smile, isn’t afraid to
“get emotional” when he’s speaking of things close or passionate to him, and...he’s a hugger. With all this as his modus operandi, he seems to embrace not just the person, but their complete and total essence. But make no mistake, Dennis Sirrine is an artist who is all about the essence of everything around him. He feels it, and he paints it. It’s his life. If you are one who wishes to pigeon-hole or label different styles of art, then you may wish to call Dennis Sirrine an abstract artist, but not in that Jackson Pollock throw-the-paintagainst-the-wall sense. There are no floating eyeballs nor weird representations here. There is instead an overpowering sense of style born of purpose...and yet there is a refreshing freedom to it all. At a recent contemporary exhibition at the Lyme Art Association (of which he is an elected member) where his painting Passing Through was named “best in show- contemporary look,”
Facing page photo by Jeremiah Jones / Above: “Cerulean 30x40”
Sweetheart (inspiration)
juror Will Holub commented, “Dennis Sirrine’s mixed media painting, Passing Through is an excellent demonstration of how an accomplished artist’s skills, when applied to idea-driven experimentation, can produce art that stimulates imaginative engagement. The evidence of Sirrine’s deliberations with chance and process, along with his use of multiple pictorial devices, reveal an artist who embraces complexity in the service of an original visual language.” Once again that gentle smile quickly covers the
30 limited my palette and painting format and was ready for a new challenge.” The Blue Series is the exhibition currently mounted and being shown throughout the month of August in Sirrine’s Water Street gallery...a gallery unlike many which are sterile and pristine; here it is warm, homey, and welcoming.
Blue Series #3 - Altered State 40” x 40”
artist’s face. “He gets me,” says Dennis. “Getting him” is very important to this artist, as it is to all artists; but runs even deeper with Sirrine. It’s one of the things that makes him emotional and powers what he does. Currently what he’s doing is what he calls his Blue Series, a series of oils that came simply enough when he discovered a tube of delft blue oil among his vast collection of paint that years of work had amassed. “I painted a small abstract for a fundraiser, and then decided I would paint a blue series. After ordering several more tubes of the blue and several square canvases in three sizes, I
direction it is viewed and appreciated. “It’s hard for me to talk about my work,” says Sirrine. “It comes from a deep place,” he adds, going on to recount that he painted on Election Day, a day that held great disappointment for
“I really fell into it,” Dennis laughs of the property that combines the downstairs gallery with an upstairs private living space and is topped off and further complemented by a garden just off the gallery. “When we had our grand opening in May, we had about 250 people here,” the artist says with a sense of both pride and amazement. The garden is a little paradise where Sirrine maintains both plants and serenity for himself and his clientele.”We always invite people who stop at the gallery to take a few minutes and enjoy the garden, perhaps with a cup of tea.” Sirrine’s Blue Series presented him a new challenge that he admits, “I was ready for.” He approached each canvas with no preconceived ideas, letting the square format lend itself to the circle in the square composition and making it relevant no matter from what
Crossing Over - 20’ x 20”
him, and again on Inauguration Day, letting his stress release and his emotions run onto the canvas. Once again that is all the personal information he divulges. “I hate labels and isms,” he says.
Dennis in his gallery surrounded by “friends.” Photo by Jeremiah Jones
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A view from the loft of Dennis Sirrine’s Velvet Mill studio.
Marshscape #2 - 36”x 48”
Passing Through (LAA Best in Show) - 36”x 48”
Whimsy - 36”x 48”
Vignettes 36”x 48”
Inauguration Day - 36”x 48”
Windows 36”x 48”
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Blue Series #7 (Vertigo) 40’x 40”
Blue Series #9 (Passages) 40’x 40”
Blue Series #2 (Transcendence) 40’x 40”
Blue Series #1 (The Beginning) 40x40
Blue Series #8 (Tracks) 40x40
Leaving the Club 10’ x 10”
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great deal of attention. From patrons of the arts, browsers, passersby who are seduced by the work they see through the window and the garden that beckons, to the neighboring merchants and gallery owners, Serrine Gallery has been a welcome addition to a thriving and picturesque arts community.
As his career evolved, Dennis went from painting “pretty pictures” into abstract art where he felt free from copying reality, pushing himself out of the comfort zone and allowing exploration in new directions. “For the viewer there is no right way to interpret my work, no hidden meaning, so I hope that the people who view my art do not try to label it with some new ‘ism.’” In the summer of 2016 Dennis Sirrine completed The Black and White Series, a foray into new territory. It might have been restrictive, but Sirrine found in it a new language and a chance “to investigate a world of shades of gray where value and contrast became as important as color.” Sirrine tells viewers of the Black And White Series that there is no right or wrong way to interpret the work; there is no hidden meaning. “Objects appeared and disappeared in the process, revealing and reflecting my physical surroundings, memories, and emotions of the moment. Some paintings are a collection of vignettes; others are figurative or reference the landscape. Coastal waters, marshes, birds, fish, boats, the city, desert, mountains creep into my visual journals, as does the unknown. Like life, not knowing where this experience will lead is part of the beauty and mystery of approaching
each blank canvas with a beginner’s mind.” Sirrine still thinks himself a beginner each time he approaches a new canvas and quotes monk and teacher, Shunryu Suzuki, who helped to popularize Zen Buddhism in the United States.“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.” Frequently Sirrine speaks of “a new language,”and he makes it plain that it is his language. Here is not an artist with airs nor one with pretension. He paints as expression for himself and hopes others will appreciate his work. Apparently they do, since the response to his move from his studio/gallery in Stonington’s Velvet Mill to this relatively new gallery on Water Street has garnered a
So, for the man who didn’t want us to write about him personally – where he was from, where he previously lived, how he came to Connecticut – he’s really done that himself through his art. Because when you view the work of artist Dennis Sirrine you’ll know where he came from, how he evolved, and where he’s going. His work is the essence he has found and embraced and yet the one for which he continually searches. Make some time this summer to spend a few hours or a few days in the beautiful borough of Stonington. Then make one of your “must stops” at Dennis Sirrine Gallery. Whether connoisseur of the arts, or just a novice with an appreciation and an essence of joy, we think you’ll “get him.” And that’ll make him smile. Dennis Sirrine Gallery is right in the heart of everything at 155 Water Street. (860) 287-9320 www.dennissirrine.com
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InstrumentHead Putting the music where their mouth is. Michael Weintrob’s name might not be as recognizable as the musicians he has photographed since beginning his career over two decades ago, but I for one will not be surprised if that changes. I certainly hope many will be speaking his name after his InstrumentHead event hits New London’s Art Park on August 16, 17, and 18, three days that will bring incredible images to the Hygienic Gallery and stellar performances to the brand new amphitheater by artists off the pages of Michael’s visually stunning book, InstrumentHead. The hardcover art book is printed on three types of fine art paper by Grafiche Antiga in Italy, it measures 11" x 15,” and has three different covers so you can choose the one that speaks to you.
The idea for this project was born over 17 years ago, backstage at the Aggie Theater in Fort Collins. Michael was the house photographer for a Derek Trucks show, and Weintrob asked guitarist, Todd Smallie to do something different with his guitar for a shot. That first photo of the guitar neck down Smallie’s shirt with his face represented by the body of the guitar, was the seed. It took hold and went on to grow to a whopping 700 subjects photographed for this project. The people Michael has aimed his lens at comprise a staggering list of music greats from all over the world - some no longer with us - making their captures all the more The poignant. composition that tells a story in one frame becomes a guessing game for music lovers to try to figure out who they are without looking at the index. Each Green Sky Bluegrass image is so engaging I couldn’t imagine having to cull down the catalog for printing; but it had to be done, especially when it was being produced to such a high standard. Logistically it would have been a monster of a tome and
The many flavors of InstumentHead
Mark Guiliana
astronomically expensive. Michael’s requirement for making the cut was a mix of factors - the person’s name recognition played a part, but it was more important to him that the shot told a story. Through props, poses, and costumes the subject’s essence comes across, sometimes subtly, often much bolder. Derek Trucks, his Gibson SG firmly in place with
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Wavy Gravy
glass slides on his fingers and Susan Tedeschi, with ‘59 Les Paul while holding the mic, is a clever take on the classic American Gothic Portrait. Bootsy Collins, is bold, so bold that his portrait was chosen for one of the covers. This native of Birmingham, Alabama began shooting concerts while he was in college at
Peaches Staten
Colorado State University and never looked back. Self taught, armed with a gifted eye, and fueled by a love of music, Michael went on to work for Jam Cruise in 2006 and set up a portrait studio onboard. Legendary George Porter Jr. was one of his subjects on that sailing, and his “Bass face photo” not only became part of the collection, but was used in his It’s Life CD package. Saxophonist, Karl Denson also used his portrait on the cover of his recording, Lunar Orbit. Michael had definitely hit on something that was resonating with musicians and the public. At this point the InstumentHead photos were a growing collection. Fast forward to the spring of 2008 when Michael happened to see a book called The Disciples by photographer James Mollison. The concept was a collection of pictures showing fans at the concerts with the viewer trying to guess which show they are attending. This struck a chord with Michael who decided to build on what he had already started. With the help of his many musician friends, he continued to set up photo sessions that became memorable experiences like visiting Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead and burying him in drumsticks, or capturing Uncle Lionel Batiste at Preservation Hall in New Orleans. These photographs have captured music history that will tell a story for generations to come.
The fine art photographs that will adorn the Hygienic Gallery and Art Park are larger than life and command attention as they almost jump out of their frames. These framed pictures have been exhibited at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Red Rocks, where Michael acted as house photographer. Weintrob has also had major exhibitions hosted in Spain by the US Consulate, in New Orleans during the Jazz and Heritage Festival, in Charleston at the Spoleto Art Festival and within the Newport Jazz Festival, which he will again attend this month. Come June, Michael takes a big step forward with his first long term museum exhibit at one of the biggest tourist destinations in Nashville. The Parthenon Museum will welcome InstrumentHead through September 2019. This will give the public a chance to see many more of the pieces
Mickey Hart
that have yet to be displayed. “I am especially excited to be able to share 20 or 30 shots of Nashville artists that didn’t make it into the book,” Michael commented, “and also about the fact that this could usher in more museum bookings." This engagement is made more special by the fact that Michael now resides in Nashville after moving from Brooklyn about four years ago.
Derek Trucks
David Hinds
Marshall Allen -Sun Ra
WIll Lee
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Gabby La La
Jonathon Scales
Natelie Cressman
Alam Kahn
Matt Butler
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux
Tim Reynolds
Paul Nelson
Jimmy Johnson and David Hood
Fuzz
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The book is published by Michael’s own LLC, Magnet Bound Press and was noticed immediately, winning the Independent Book Publishers 2017 award for Most Outstanding Book Design. This is something he hopes he can do for others, “I want to empower other artists to create books of their own art, so it they can be shared with a greater number of people, he explained. Looking forward, the vision is to morph what he is doing with his art/music events into something much bigger - think festival big. Lots of art and lots of artists that he has photographed all coming together to celebrate being part of something bigger than themselves. New London will get a taste this month with Paul Nelson, Johnny Winters’ Grammy winning guitarist, kicking things off on Thursday evening for the preview. Friday night, Christine Ohlman, whose Beehived crown adorned head was featured in one of the high gloss full page photos that begin the book, will be shaking things up with her band, Rebel Montez. Saturday night is going to be a funk-tastic, groovy jam with Deep Banana Blackout’s Fuzz Sangiovanni pulling together a super group for the occasion. Musicians will include members of Turkuaz and New Orleans based drummer Eric Bolivar, who has played with everyone from Tab Benoit, to Karl Denson, and Anders Osborne to Bonerama. These performances at the Hygienic, which has
been a bastion of creativity for decades, are made all the more magical being surrounded by Michael's art, while we celebrate a passion that unites us, the love of music.
a signature will be possible with Michael on site. It has been a big year so far for the recently betrothed Mr. Weintrob, whose lovely bride, Laurel has family in Mystic. I asked about what comes next and got this answer.“I go with the flow, I don’t judge myself, just try to be better, smarter every time. I like taking advantage of opportunities that present themselves, and that has been working out really well.” His enthusiasm is so infectious that it’s not difficult to understand how so many people were willing to collaborate with him. Don’t miss checking out the other work on Weintrob’s website; there are so many fantastic moments that deserve to be seen, again and again. To find a copy of your own visit www.Instrumenthead.com www.Magnetboundpress.com For full details on the event please visit Hygienic.org
Bootsy Collins
Each paid admission will include a chance to win a fine art print of your choice. The book will be available on all three nights as well as posters and cards; getting your choice personalized with
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company in Bar Harbor Maine,” Bobby grunts as he explains how he transformed Echo into a pleasure boat. “Dragging destroys the bottom habitats. So when I got her, I gave her a makeover and tossed all the evidence of her troubled past.”
She’s Not A Drag Anymore Photos and profile by John Tolmie
E
very nook of the New England shoreline hides intriguing treasures of our nautical past. Just take a drive someday to your local marina. Once there, look for an old wooden boat and strike up a conversation with her owner. That’s how I came to meet Bobby Long and his boat Echo. Echo is a beautiful vintage wooden boat that was built in the late 1960’s at the famed Noank Shipyard. She was christened as a commercial fishing vessel designed for dragging the ocean floor for bottom dwelling species. “When I got her, she was with a
Echo’s sizable back deck once held huge nets and gear for dragging but is now open and minimally adorned with fishing poles, director’s chairs, a cooler for bait, and another for refreshments. He shows me the wheelhouse that exudes a sweet musty smell. The brass instruments have slight patinas as a gift from the salty air. “Here’s where I store all my rods and reels,” he says, pointing to the overhead. The craftsmanship of his custom woodwork is astounding. Bobby, a master carpenter, runs the millwright shop in Noank. “Sure I like building cabinets for customers, but there’s nothing like a custom job for an old boat to make her happy.”
wheelhouse is the cabin where port and starboard bunks are nestled into the bow. The bunks are draped in navy blue and white with a splash of red to give them that true nautical touch. I could imagine myself curling up there after a long day of fishing while the ocean rocks me to sleep. Bobby snaps me from my
Bobby beams when explaining how he went over Echo inch by inch, replacing much of the inner facades of the boat with freshly oiled teak. Just forward of the
daydream by adding, “My girl did a nice job with the decorating!” I completely agreed. It was a little slice of home on the water. “Well enough of the tour. Let’s fish!” Bobby became all business, directing me to cast the lines. We steamed out of the Mystic River and made our way across Fishers Island Sound. As we headed south our conversation turned to small talk, then to really nothing at all. We just enjoyed the beautiful islands and scenery of our coastal region. I asked few questions, and he gave short answers. Bobby became a meditative man of few words as we made our way. Once we arrived a few miles south of Fishers Island, we rigged and dropped Bobby Long aboard his vintage wooden boat Echo
47 our jigs into the briny deep. Even as we fished, his comments were few and far between saying things like, “Nothing like cold bait!” and “Catching is better than fishing!” and “Big hooks for big fish!” I laughed at these comments blurted out as though he had a slight case of family friendly Tourette’s syndrome. I was doing well catching some nice keepers on my smaller gage hooks. Bobby formed another of his rare sentences. “Told ya, kiddo…you want big fish, you gotta use big hooks!” I pointed out that he hadn’t caught a thing yet. He just
laughs with a tone of “you just wait.” Not a moment later, his rod bends and he cranks up a huge fluke. We placed the monster on ice and celebrated with a cold beer. As we fished,
several large power boats spitting rooster tails raced to a Long Island Fishing Tournament to be on time for the weigh-in. Bobby, lying back with his feet on the gunnel and the end of his rod placed between his big and middle toes, gestures to the boats whizzing by and says, “That’s no way to fish. Too stressful. Too expensive. When you’re out here you should be relaxing and enjoying the beauty of the ocean.” Fuel is one of the major costs when it comes to fishing, and Bobby liked to point out Echo’s single prop and efficient diesel engine that only drinks seven gallons an hour. “We’ll be out here all day, and it’ll cost us less than a hundred bucks.” Another hour or so goes by with me pulling up some nice fish. I wanted to chide Bobby again for only catching the one fluke. Of course in true Bobby fashion, he then hauls in the biggest black seabass I’ve ever seen over the side. “That’s how we do it kid!”
And that’s how we spent that day chugging and fishing along without a care on a redeemed vintage wooden boat captained by an old salt. Cheers, Bobby.
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Summer In New England On View to September 2, 2018
Leonard Mizerek Calm Seas Oil 15 x 30”
Kelly Birkenruth Wrapped Lobster Oil 14 x 18”
Susan Powell Fine Art 679 Boston Post Rd., Madison CT 203 318 . 0616 email: susanpowellfineart@gmail.com www.susanpowellfineart.com Jeanne Rosier Smith Thrill of Victory Pastel 18 x 36”
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The Sergio Franchi Music Scholarship Foundation:
Remembering Sergio Franchi
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By Barbara Malinsky Photos courtesy Eva Franchi
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he Sergio Franchi Music Scholarship Foundation is the loving creation of Eva Franchi, Sergio’s wife, who wanted to honor his legacy after he passed away in 1990. Sergio Franchi was an Italian-American tenor who was known for his romantic Italian and American popular songs during his active years in the 1950s through the 1980s. After his
death, Eva walked the grounds of their estate in Stonington, Connecticut deep in thought and was inspired to create a scholarship foundation under the aegis of the National Italian American Foundation. “The magic has never stopped! Who would have known that one day, this would be a stepping stone for today’s upcoming artists – singers, tenors, sopranos, and musicians – honoring the magical world of romantic classical music. Every year we also give a scholarship to a great ballet student; Sergio loved ballet. Last year the foundation awarded thirty-five thousand dollars in grants and scholarships to sixteen talented young artists. Before the three tenors, there was Sergio Franchi, the people’s tenor. People loved him and he travelled all over the world and the United States performing the great Italian classics. When Mario Lanza passed away Sergio kept that music alive.” Sergio Franchi was born in the small Italian town of Codogno. As a child, he would sing for the family with his father who played piano
and guitar. At sixteen, he had formed a three-piece band at a local jazz club. His father was a successful business man but lost all his assets during World War II and relocated the family to Johannesburg, South America. Now in his newly adopted country, Sergio’s powerful and exceptional voice was gathering attention. He was noticed by one of the principals of the Johannesburg Operatic and Dramatic Society who offered him roles in several operas. Soon he was singing the lead roles in Madama Butterfly, La Traviata, Rigoletto, and La Boheme.
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In 1959, Franchi made contact with an English talent agent James Gilmore who invited him to London. At the London Palladium, Sergio had his breakthrough. It was actually Ella Fitzgerald who facilitated his career. After hearing him sing, she placed a call to RCA which resulted in his securing a seven-year recording contract. Sol Hurok, the famed impresario, arranged for an American tour and Sergio recorded his first RCA album – Romantic Italian Songs – to be released concurrent with his American inauguration. He debuted at Carnegie Hall in 1962. Ed Sullivan, the entertainment writer and television host, was in the audience and invited him to appear on his television program. He became one of Ed Sullivan’s most frequent performers appearing at least 24 times. Sergio’s star was on the rise. He appeared at the Empire Room of the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City and the Palmer House Empire Room in Chicago. His Las Vegas debut at the Sahara Hotel was the beginning of his outstanding career there. Time Magazine called him the “new favorite son of Las Vegas”. He became a well-known television personality and appeared with major stars like Bob Hope, Jimmy Durante, and Victor Borge, among others. His many other talents also emerged. He could act, sing, and dance – a triple threat. He was delighted to appear in a Richard Rodgers production Do I hear a Waltz? and a movie role in The Secret of Santa Vittoria (1968), where he sang the title song, and later the Broadway musical Nine. After a series of new albums for RCA, he returned to Las Vegas. In 1968, he began his association with the Flamingo Hotel starring with Pat Cooper, Barbra Streisand, and other headliners. He then contracted with MGM and was the first star to sign an exclusive three-year contract. He was closely identified with the song Volare which he had recorded ten years earlier and became a spokesperson for the Plymouth model Volare. He later returned to the east coast where he purchased a 240-acre estate in Stonington,
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Connecticut. From here, he could continue to perform in Las Vegas and also in East Coast casinos. He continued to remain active from his retreat in Stonington traveling globally, locally, and throughout the United States. He possessed the star power to be in demand for major charity and benefit shows. Many times, he declined paid performances to lend his voice to those in need. “When you’ve been as fortunate as I have, you have to do something for other people,” he remarked. Of all his performances, Sergio always said that his greatest thrill was singing at a White House dinner in 1985 with a 65-piece Air Force band, at the request of President Ronald Reagan. “That night was a night I shall never forget. I looked up, saw the American flag waving in the breeze and the beautiful rose garden. I realized I had come from a small Italian town and now I was singing for my President. That can only happen in America. It was an indescribable feeling. I love America.”
“Sergio was a Renaissance man from head to toe,” explained Eva Franchi who was pleased to show me his various collections. His home reflects his vast interests like his worldrenowned pewter collection. There are paintings everywhere including his own watercol-
ors, an antique carousel horse, and his beloved car collection. Most anyone with resources can purchase an expensive car but for Sergio it was a mission to restore a work of art. “I love cars. But why these very special ones from the Twenties and Thirties? These cars are master-
pieces. The best part of collecting cars is that you can take a car that is very close to being junk and to bring it back, to revitalize it. I have restored it. I have brought back a masterpiece and drive it!” Eva recalled their first encounter, “I first saw Sergio at the famous Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles and my heart stood still. We bought the Stonington estate in 1978 and later married. This foundation was built with heart. When I fell in love with Sergio I didn’t want to say goodbye and I still don’t want to. It started small with the people who loved him and grew to what it has become today. In his last recording, he sang Non Ti Scordar di me (Don’t Forget Me). He was telling us something in that last album.” Next year a memorial concert will take place on the Stonington estate and will be covered by CPTV.
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58 How much nourishment can there be in this? Or is it some particular thing they need? But they have come far, there is no colony for miles and indeed the fishing has been thin all this year (the boys for all their persistence catch nothing). The chicks on the nest must be hungry. Hunger is the draft that carries the terns aloft. And does not let them land. Terns skim the pull of the swell. The quick wavelets that lip lap lup against the spartina end in a hussshhhh upon the sand. The sunlight flares then fades to an ember. The fishing lines fan out. In the last glow the birds flash. The inevitable comes to pass -
Tern About Photos and editorial Š Mark Seth Lender Summer late in the day and it feels like late Fall. Cool. Dry. The clouds on the horizon are raked coals row upon row, and a green gold fills the spaces in between. Two boys surf cast from the rocks where the marsh edges into the sea. Spider webs of ten-pound line, the boys in silhouette against the orange light and its reflection on the water. A flock of common terns appears. A pointed scimitar of wing tips low, almost watertouching. Another careening, sideways then upward, then down. Others flat and fast and low all flying like swallows; there must be insects on the air; too small to see. The terns have come to feed. Not the best of signs.
A tern has tangled in the line. Now in the water up to my knees bare feet banging rocks but do not feel it; nor the unseasonable cold; nor see the people who crowd in: Only the tern, only the line. Fingers slipping light failing bird kiting out of control.
the black cap the white head twisting then reaching - Clamp! - on the skin of the wrist where the veins are pulsing. The man (who is me) feels the pinch but pays no mind, his mind only watching, a silence of untangling, fingers that are scrambling an event that unfurls - as if on its own - that a singular purpose drives:
- And grab Part the line! - And hold He questions far back in his mind: Hauling, winding, reeling hand over hand.
To keep them from breaking!
Is there hurt is there harm will it heal is there time? There are young to feed and fish to find and Ah! The soft of the feathers! His hands like steel and leather of some mechanical arcade crane reaching at a distance for the prize that the man (who is me) must unbind:
Grrrahking! and Screeking! The red beak seeking
Part the line!
- To fold - His wings -
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blanketing the rocks. They pinched the line where I told them to keep it slack. And, took out their phones and took pictures! Both things. Same people. At more or less the same time.
Field Note: Fishing line is a worst enemy of birds. For all their visual acuity, there is something about it – the translucency perhaps – that confounds them. They tangle in discarded monofilament all the time. It severs feet. It tears up their insides if they swallow it. Wings are damaged. Throats encircled. Birds of all sizes and kinds can and frequently do die from encounters with fishing line. So when I see a tangle of line on the beach – careful of the hooks that may be hiding within – I put it in my pocket and take it away. It helps, it is not a lot of effort, and in my experience most of us want to help.
I interpret this to mean the concatenation of actual and virtual is not yet complete. While I was working to untangle the common tern of this story, two apparently contradictory events occurred. The boys and the bystanders all tried to help. They took my Leatherman out of my pocket for me (my hands were full of irate bird) and opened the pliers, and steadied me on the slip-sliding seaweed
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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INSTINCTIVELY DIFFERENT>>
TASTE BUD FLIPPINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; DELICIOUS
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The Cheesemonger Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop, Centerbrook CT Photos by Epicure Foods
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A GReAt NeW FINd: Kaaslands Kanaal Cheese After fifty-one years in the specialty food business, one might think I would not find a new cheese all that exciting. But I have even managed to surprise myself. We just received our first shipment of a gouda-style cheese from Holland called Kanaal. This wonderful cheese, produced by Kaaslands is imported by Epicure Foods located in Madison New Jersey. Evidently, I am not the only one excited about this new cheese. Kaaslands Kanaal debuted in October of 2017 and has already placed silver in the Specialty Foods Associations 2018 SOFI (“Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation”) Awards. This is a big accolade, as the Specialty Foods Associations Show is one of the largest international food shows anyone in the food business can attend, and SOFI competitions are also international. Kanaal is made from pasteurized milk that comes from free-range, grass-fed cows. They do not use GMO ingredients in production. Epicure Foods describes Kanaal as crunchy, with a butterscotch saltysweet, 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 causing 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. Kanaal is technically not a Gouda, but a similar cheese style called Proosdij, which employs a mixed-strain 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.
Serving Suggestions This is one of those cheeses that pairs with just about anything. You will find it not only great as an appetizer, but also in cooking and as a dessert. Here are just a few suggestions that Epicure Food recommends you try with Kanaal: • Amber and red Ales with a grilled cheese sandwich of Kanaal cheese, buttered rye bread, mustard, smoked ham and pickles; • German-style wheat beer with Granny Smith apples and a drizzle of Caramel; • Stout or Porter mixed with a drizzle of honey or raspberry jam over fine dark chocolate.
I personally recommend Kanaal as an appetizer or dessert, served with Bourbon or a single malt Scotch. Kanaal can also accompany both white and red wines, if you prefer. It will pair well with Reisling, Spatlese, Vintage Port, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel. And, of course, anything goes with Champagne or Prosecco.
Similar Cheeses This cheese is so new that it might be difficult to find just yet. Here are a few other similar and very popular cheeses that might fill the void. These cheeses also have butterscotch notes and great crystallization. Beemster XO This is a 26-month old cheese, sharp with butterscotch, whisky and pecan undertones. It has creamy finish and pairs well with Reisling, Spatlese, Vintage Port, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. Beemster Classic An 18-month old cheese with a sweet and creamy texture, it teams well with Roquefort and Muenster. Enjoy it with Vintage Port, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. ewephoria A one-year old cheese, also made in Holland, this cheese differs in that it is produced from sheep milk (hence the name). Similar to Kanaal, Ewephoria is remarkably sharp for such a young cheese.
Care for your Cheese Like all cheese, special care should be given to maintain freshness. Wedges should be tightly wrapped in fresh plastic film wrap (Saran, for example) every time they are opened. When you rewrap with old cling film, any beginning molds are reintroduced back to the cheese surface. Cling wrap really only seals well on its first use. If these steps are not taken, your cheese will likely dry out and lose flavor faster. Protect your treasures. When purchasing cheese, avoid pre-cut, Cry-o-Vac cheeses packaged weeks prior. Even though they might have started as the same great cheese, it will take some time to get through the plastic taste, hence ruining what might have been a great cheese. Instead, aim to buy fresh-cut wedges from whole wheels at time of sale. It would be best to taste a fresh sample of your choice, and not a sample cut into cubes hours ago. Only in this manner can you be sure the cheese you buy is at its peak condition.
Paul Partica, the Cheese Shop www.cheeseshopcenterbrook.com
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tuscan Red Wines Tuscany, a famous area in Italy for food, wine and architecture. The most popular area for wine growing is Chianti; made of 75% Sangiovese and a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Canaiolo, to name a few. Chiantiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are light to medium body wines, with a good amount of acidity. They have mostly reds fruits, consisting of cherry, cranberry, with a dry and sometimes an earthy ďŹ nish. There are different qualities of these wines. By Art LiPuma, General Manager SeaSide Wine & Spirits, Old Saybrook, CT
One area of Chianti Classico tends to produce a somewhat better wine. These wines use small barrel Maturation, and the Reserves use even smaller barrels called Barriques. A reserva is aged for
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produce richer, slightly higher in alcohol wine than Chiantis. Even though being made with mostly Sangiovese, this wine produces a different taste profile than the previously mentioned wines, although not as popular, they are defiantly worth trying for their excellence. “Super Tuscan” a term that used to stand for the high quality blended wines of Bolgheri. Orenllina, Sassicia, and Solara. are some of well respected wineries producing these wines. Although the wines are quite expensive, they have exceptional quality, great consistency and balance. The wine are blends of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Syrah, and possibly a few other local grapes. Rich, full body, and quite complex which will also develop a soft finish, and are very age able over time. But now the term “Super Tuscan” can mean any blend from Tuscany from a professional point of view this degrades the term and its meaning. It seems many people use it on wines starting at a price point as low as $10.00 a bottle and it could be the vineyards entry level wine and not necessarily from Bolgheri. Also there is no particular blend that constitutes this. There are a lot of great red wines from Tuscany to tantalize your palate. Most of them medium body that will compliment most light dishes and of course most barbecue meat dishes. Have fun with the many Tuscan reds. Cheers! Art LiPuma Seaside Wine & Spirits, 118 Main St, Old Saybrook, Ct 06475
two years in oak and then two years in the bottle before it is released. This gives the wine some richness and age ability. A prestigious wine in Tuscany is Brunello di Montalcino. This wine is made from 100% of the Sangiovese grape. Brunellos can age for a long time. When it was first produced it had to be aged for 3 years in oak and now it is only aged for 2 years. Although it seems high in price it is an excellent value and a somewhat smoother wine. This is due to the micro climate of warm days and cool nights. A Rosso di Montalcino is considered a declassified Brunello or as some people call it a baby Brunello. These wines are a little lower in quality, but they are by no means poorly made wines. The grapes that don’t meet the high standards for Brunello di Montalcino go into the rosso’s. These wines are age able also, but not as long the Brunellos. They are lighter in body, but still full of flavor; also made with 100% Sangiovese but half the price. Vino Nobilo di Montepulciano are noted as high quality wines that come from the hills of Tuscany where the micro-climate produces warmer days and nights. These hills
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By Heather Kelly, Director Operations, NoRA Cupcake Company Photos - Winter Caplanson Connecticut Food & Farm
SUMMeR WINe dOWN Let’s be honest - no one wants to say goodbye to the long and sunny days of summer with the inevitable changing of the seasons. We suppose if we have to, we’ll do it with a cupcake in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. Take our word for it and put this wine pairing guide to use for the rest of your summer soirees. Moscato - this one was actually the easiest and most obvious to pair as we use moscato in our fan favorite BOSS CHICK {red velvet moscato cake, pink cream cheese frosting, gold glitter sugar}. The bubbles of the moscato add a light airiness to the rich red velvet cake - and are even sweeter with a glass of the bubbly on the side. Chardonnay - the buttery, the better to go with the picnic classic PEACH COBBLER {cinnamon sugar cake, peach preserve filling, vanilla whipped cream frosting}. The citrus flavors from a cool climate chardonnay will complement the peaches juicy sweetness and acidic bite. Pinot Noir - red wine and chocolate - a tale as old as time. An even better variation of this pairing is a light bodied pinot noir and white chocolate. Our 50 SHADES of CHOCOLATE {chocolate cake, white chocolate ganache and chocolate whipped cream filling, white chocolate buttercream frosting, topped with chocolate ganache, white chocolate, and milk chocolate chips} is not overwhelmingly sweet with a balance of the white and dark chocolate. We recommend a mild California Pinot Noir to complement your chocolate craving.
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Syrah - the darkest of dark red wines is perfect for this time of year to pair with all things BLUEBERRY. The full bodied punch of this red will deepen the flavor of the tart and sweet berry. With blueberries reaching their peak season in August they will be making daily appearances in our monthly headliner cupcake menu. Pick up a BLACK & BLUE {blackberry + blueberry chocolate cake, blueberry buttercream filling, capped in dark chocolate ganache, topped with a smidge of basil} to please your foodie and chocolate loving guest alike. Now that you’ve got the tips and tricks for your beverage pairings - let us do the work one night and join us for a night of wine-ing, dining, and finding your zen with YOGA at the WINERY! Rich Reggero, a Hartford area certified yoga instructor, puts on this amazing event monthly at Arrigoni Winery in Portland, CT. An hour of all levels yoga on the winery grounds is followed by wine, dinner, live music, and of course cupcakes! Purchase your tickets by searching “Yoga at the Winery 4” on EventBrite and we’ll see you there on August 9th at 6PM
NoRa Cupcake 700 Main Street Middletown, Ct noracupcake.com
AUGUST EVENTS
72 August 1 - September 16 Old Lyme "Art and the New england Farm" Drawing on the agricultural heritage of Florence Griswold’s family estate and of the Lyme region and beyond, this exhibition examines the history and character of New England’s farms in works by artists from the 19th to the 21st century. Paintings, drawings, and photographs from public and private collections trace the challenges of farming in New England, with its rocky soil, and the pastoral landscapes crafted through intense labor. Landscapes by George Henry Durrie will receive special attention as influential representations that translated the New England farmstead into an American icon in the mid-nineteenth century. Tue.Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 1 p.m.-5 p.m. (860) 434-5542 florencegriswoldmuseum.org Florence Griswold Museum 96 Lyme St. Old Lyme, CT 06371
Month of August - Westbrook Live entertainment on the Water at Waters edge Resort & Spa. Please go to watersedgeresortandspa.com/events for our complete list of events. August 2 FOUR BARReLL BILLY @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm - Sunset Bar & Grill August 3 A tribute to the Allman Brothers cabaret style dinner show @ 6pm-10pm. $49++ Tickets available online or by calling the front desk 860-399-5901 August 4 4:6:Stix @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm Sunset Bar & Grill August 9 Rock on the Water Santana tribute. 6pm-9pm. $10 Tickets available online or by calling the front desk August 16 Rock on the Water Bon Jovi tribute. 6pm-9pm. $10 Tickets available online or by calling the front desk August 19 Ivoryton Playhouse on the Shore Summer Nights. 6pm-10pm. $35++ Tickets available online or by calling the front August 26 Ivoryton Playhouse on the Shore Summer Nights. 6pm-10pm. $35++ Tickets available online or by calling the front desk 860-399-5901.
Month of August - Branford Lenny’s Indian Head Restaurant. Sit back and relax on our large patio. The restaurant’s proximity to Long Island Sound has made it a popular gathering spot for boaters, vacationers and a loyal following of locals… Live music all month long. Please go to www.lennysnow.com for complete events listings. August 4 -Brandon terzakis and Friends @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Live music on the deck 6-9 pm (weather permitting). August 5 - Steamroller @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Live music on the deck 4-7 pm (weather permitting). August 11 - Rick Barker and Friends @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Live music on the deck 6-9 pm (weather permitting). August 12 - Chris Houchin @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Live music on the deck 4-7 pm (weather permitting). August 17 - Muddy Rudders @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Live music on the deck 6-9 pm (weather permitting). August 18 - Greg Sherrod @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Live music on the deck 6-9 pm (weather permitting). August 19 - Wango tango @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Live music on the deck 4-7 pm (weather permitting). August 24 - Left on Scarlet Street @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Live music on the deck 6-9 pm (weather permitting). August 25 - Wayne and Chris @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Live music on the deck 6-9 pm (weather permitting). August 26 - BRI Acoustic duo @ 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Live music on the deck (weather permitting). August 31 - Shiny Lapel trio @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Live music on the deck 6-9 pm (weather permitting). Lennys Indian Head Restaurant, 205 South Montowese Street (Rt. 146), Branford, CT 06405 www.Lennysnow.com
Water’s Edge Resort and Spa, 1525 Boston Post Road, Westbrook, CT For info, call 860-399-5901 or visit www.WatersEdgeResortAndSpa.com August1 - 29 Westbrook “Artists in the Making,” an art exhibition featuring works by students from the Barn for Artistic Youth at the Valentine H. Zahn Community Gallery at Middlesex Hospital Shoreline Medical Center. 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 or zahngallery@gmail.com.
August 1 - November 11 New London Hidden Water: Paintings and Sculpture by Judy Cotton Opens at the Lyman Allyn. The Lyman Allyn Art Museum is pleased to announce an exhibition of paintings and sculpture by Australian born contemporary artist Judy Cotton. In an environment impacted by global warming, Cotton creates artwork with a focus on water, glaciers, melting ice, and insect life, offering a meditation on the natural world and the forces that threaten its balance. Hidden Water: For more information or to request images, please contact Rebecca Marsie Director of Communications & Visitor Services. Lyman Allyn Art Museum, 625 Williams St, New London, CT 06320. 860.443.2545 x2112
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August-Sept 2 Madison Summer in New england Susan Powell Fine Art. Now on view through August to September 2, 2018. We are proud to present this new exhibition of over seventy paintings of Marine art, seascapes, shoreline, marsh, and river views by twenty-five award-winning artists. The works range in style from traditional realism and Impressionism to contemporary and abstraction. Shorelines shimmering with warm light, breathtaking views of rocky coasts, serene marshes and sunlit shorebirds, classic sailing yachts and picturesque harbors, reflect in rich detail, spontaneous summer moments and the beauty and unique character of New England. Participating artists in the show include: Kathy Anderson, Del-Bourree Bach, Harley Bartlett, Peter Bergeron, Kelly Birkenruth, Dan Brown, Grace DeVito, David Dunlop, John Falato, James Magner, Anne McGrory, James Magner, Leonard Mizerek, Deborah Quinn-Munson, Sergio Roffo, Dennis Sheehan, George Van Hook and Carolyn Walton. The gallery is located at 679 Boston Post Road, Madison near the fire station. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 11 am-5 pm, Sunday, noon-4pm, and 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.
August 4 – Mystic. “Meet the Artists” Sat. 4:30-7:30 The Finer Line Gallery is pleased to offer the new works of: Ralph Acosta, Lisa Adams, Del-Bourre Bach, Marion Dodd, Lynn Frink, Dave Harned, Blaney Harris, Jacqueline Jones, Hugh Kohan, Russ Kramer, Sarah Lucas, Liz McGee, Bernie McTique, Sue Melzmuf, Tim Mockler, Trish Savides, Lolly Stoddard and Dan Truth. Come celebrate our new “ecommerce” website: finerlinegallery.com. Offering Local Artwork, Custom Framing, Art Supplies & Classes, Online Ordering, Shipping & Delivery. 48 W. Main St, Mystic CT (860) 5368339. Hours 10-6 Mon-Sat; 12-5 Sunday.
August 4-31 Clinton Summer Show at Cindy Stevens Fine Art! The Summer Show at Cindy Stevens Fine Art will feature work by Claudia Van Nes of Chester, Lisa Fatone of Westbrook, and Cindy Stevens of Clinton. Come check out their new work and very different styles, and celebrate summer on the shoreline at the opening reception Saturday August 4th from 6-8! Refreshments will be served, and the show will run thru September. Cindy Stevens Fine Art is at 30 East Main St. In Clinton. For more information and gallery hours call Cindy at 860-304-1666, go to Cindystevensfineart.com, or check out the studio Facebook page!
AUGUST EVENTS
August 1 - September 8 Madison Summer in New england Susan Powell Fine Art. For the past 15 years, Susan Powell Fine Art, has hosted a summer invitational exhibition showcasing nationally-acclaimed artists celebrated for painting the shoreline and landscapes of New England. We are proud to present this new show of over seventy paintings of Marine art, seascapes, shoreline, marsh, and river views by twentyfive award-winning artists. The works range in style from traditional realism and Impressionism to contemporary and abstraction. The gallery is located at 679 Boston Post Road, Madison near the fire station. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 11 am5 pm, Sunday, noon-4pm, and 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.
August 1 - September 2 Westerly RI Artists’ Cooperative Gallery presents first show in new location:“A dot on A Walk” Paul Klee - Line. Featuring Ardie Harrison and James Pepitone. If the artists at the Artists’ Cooperative Gallery of Westerly (ACGOW) were dots, there would be many lines stretching from their old home at 7 Canal Street in Westerly to the Westerly Train Station at 14 Railroad Ave where they will find a new home for at least the next two years. All are welcome to celebrate the artists and ACGOW’s new home at the Opening Reception on Friday, August 3 from 5-8PM. For more information on the artists and the new location visit www.westerlyarts.com. The show runs from August 1 to September 2. The Artists’ Cooperative Gallery of Westerly is currently located at 7 Canal Street and as of August 1st at the Westerly Train Station, 14 Railroad Ave in downtown Westerly, RI. The Gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 7 PM and on Sundays from 1-5PM. Please call 401-596-2221 with any questions, visit ACGOW on Facebook, or visit www.westerlyarts.com for information about shows and artists.
AUGUST EVENTS
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August 8-September 2 Ivoryton A Chorus Line. The musical for everyone who’s ever had a dream and put it all on the line, A Chorus Line examines one day in the lives of seventeen dancers, all vying for a spot in the “chorus line” of a Broadway musical. Based on real Broadway dancers’ stories, A Chorus Line is funny, heartbreaking, and refreshingly honest. This singular sensation is the longest-running American Broadway musical ever. A Chorus Line is a celebration of those unsung heroes of the American Musical Theatre: the chorus dancers– those valiant, over dedicated, underpaid, highly trained performers who back up the star or stars and often make them look even more talented than they are. It is also a celebration of the American Musical itself. A Chorus Line is also about competition, and competition might easily be the common denominator that grabs the audience and holds it by the collective heartstring until the final, ultimate choices are made. For everyone, at one time or another, puts his life on the line. We all compete, no matter what business we’re in, for promotion, for attention, for approval and for love. Specifically, A Chorus Line takes the audience through the final grueling audition run by the director, Zach, for a new Broadway musical.Theatre Address 103 Main Street, Ivoryton, CT 06442 Box Office Phone: 860.767.7318 info@ivorytonplayhouse.org
August 9 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, August 9, 2018 7pm - 9pm with Honey Hill. "With roots stemming from New England to North Carolina to Norway, Honey Hill finds it's musical base within a potion of hearty folk, pop, and punk influences. A blend of banjo, guitars, keys and vocal harmonies with the intention of lyrics at the forefront. Helene, Karl, and Justin have been singer-songwriters in their own domains long before the group came together and bonded over the beauty of cadence, melody, and the craft of original songwriting. https://honeyhill.bandcamp.com/releases. $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.
August 11 Salem Join us for the Opening Reception of “Wonderful Wildflowers” Saturday, August 11 from 5-8pm at The Red House Cultural Arts Center, 22 Darling Road in Salem. The Front Gallery will feature the Contemporary Impressionism of Simsbury artist, Catherine Elliott along with other local artists’ works. The Back Room will feature local wildflower photography. Complimentary wine and hors’ doeuvres while you enjoy one of summer’s most spectacular subjects. “Wonderful Wildflowers” runs through October 6. Red House hours are Thurs-Sun 10-7, for more information visit salemredhouse.com or call 860-6086526.
August 12 Westbrook Playhouse on the Shore – La dolce Vita. Following last year’s success and back by popular demand. the Summer dinner Cabaret series in partnership with the Ivoryton Playhouse returns! Beginning Sunday, July 8th and running through August 26th, the Ivoryton Playhouse will present a series of six cabaretstyle dinner theater performances, written for and performed exclusively at Water’s edge. Be transported to Italy for an evening of Italian favorites drawn from cinema, the concert stage, the great opera houses and the most celebrated clubs. Sit back, relax and enjoy delicious Italian cuisine complimenting this feast of the senses as performers serenade you with the iconic melodies of Italy. 6pm Reception,7pm dinner Show dinner Buffet & Show: $39.00 per person*Seating is limited, please call Water’s edge at 860-399-5901 for reservations. tickets are not available through the Ivoryton Playhouse website. August 18 Guilford Furniture behindthe-Scenes tour with the Curator. Museum Curator Michael McBride will lift lids, unlock doors, and pull furniture away from walls to give visitors special insight into important pieces in the Whitfield House collection. Visitors will have the opportunity to see the small till box inside the Plymouth chest, the drawer construction techniques of a Wallingford chest-on-frame, and the back of the painted “Goose” chest. $6 admission to the tour is limited to the first 20 people (ages 13+) who arrive. Admission also includes self-guided tours of the Visitor Center hands-on galleries and the Education Building displays. No advance reservations. Parking is free at the museum, located at 248 Old Whitfield Street in Guilford (exit 58 off I-95). For more information, call 203-4532457, e-mail whitfieldmuseum@ct.gov, visit www.cultureandtourism.org, or join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/henrywhitfieldstatemuseum.
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