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July 2016 2015

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Vol 12 Issue 7 2016 www.inkct.com

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Features

JULY January 1, 2016 2006

ISSUE CONTENTS

Columns, Reviews, Events The Cheesemonger

Edd's Place – The Backyard Treasure: pg. 10

pg. 82

My Top Ten

July Events Events throughout Connecticut

pg. 84

Westbrook Pizza – Serving it up Greek Style

pg. 18

Horizons Summer Camp A Light on the Horizon pg. 28

Remembering Cecil the Lion Photographer Brent Stapelkamp pg. 38

Peter Arguimbau – painter-sailor in search of ships with sails pg. 48

SUMMERTIME On the cover: Lavender Pond Farm, Photo by Nicholas Bencivengo

INK staff

Contributors:

Advertising:

Jeffery Lilly- founder/editor-in-chief

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

“When the Wall Came Down” — Hi-Crew, New Haven

Caryn B. Davis- editorial/photography Charmagne Eckert - editorial Sharma Piersall Howard - editorial

pg. 60

Gina King - editorial Nancy LaMar-Rodgers - editorial Barbara Malinsky- editorial Rona Mann - editorial

Please direct your advertising inquiries and questions to:

Stephanie Sittnick - Director of Advertising advertising@ink-pub.com 860-227-8199 Cheryl Powell - Saybrook - Branford cheryl@ink-pub.com 860-608-5749 Rona Mann - Clinton- Stonington six07co@att.net 401-539-7762

Paul Partica, The Cheesemonger

Lavender Pond Farm: A Feast for the Senses pg. 70

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.

A. Vincent Scarano - photography Anne Semmes - editorial Daniel Shkolnik - editorial 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 Backyard Treasure:

Edd's Place by RONA MANN Photos by Stephanie Sittnick

t's funny, isn't it, how you can live in a place for years and not realize what's right in your own backyard.

It might be a river you never knew existed because it was hidden from view by trees. It could be a little restaurant you couldn't readily see from the road. It might even be a tiny secluded spot where you could sit at picnic tables, de-stress for a little while, and take in the simple beauty of nature surrounding you. Or it could be all of these if you find Edd's Place. Edd Hannett, a classically trained chef, always wanted to open his own seasonal restaurant. Living in Westbrook along with wife, Kim and

their two daughters, he scoured the area."We looked in every town, but nothing quite fit," Edd begins. But then, as often happens, they found exactly what they were looking for right in their own backyard. "It had been a deli, and the woman who owned it just didn't want to do it anymore." But Hannett and Kim did, so 16 years ago they opened the doors to Edd's Place. It was very difficult to find due to thick overgrowth behind the small building, but knowing they could make a "go" of it, Edd and Kim cleared all the brush, put in a back patio, and added a glassed-in, heated gazebo. "We now have seating for 80," Kim says.

easy for those arriving in boats, kayaks, and even jet skis for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Yes, this time of year they're open from 8AM to 8PM, the only exception being Sundays when they close at 3PM. However, Edd's Place is far from your average grab-a-sandwich-and-go place...not by a long shot. To begin with, there is no seating inside the tiny space that appears at first blush to be little more than a shed. It's merely a place for customers come in, be warmly greeted (since the Hannetts know nearly every one of them), place their order, and retire to the tables by the river; or if L to R - Libby Sanford, daughter - Abigail Sanford, Daughter - Kim Lambert, And who wouldn't the air has a chill, Owner - Edd Hannett,Owner - Ruth DeSarbo, Mom aka Dessert Queen want to sit by the to the heated banks of the Menunketesuck River that runs enclosed gazebo. Edd and Kim's daughters from the local nature preserve to Long Island subsequently bring the orders out as a courSound? Edd points out that the restaurant is tesy, even though Edd's is a self-serve dining just a quarter mile in from the outlet to the experience. sound with dockage on premises, making it

12 they like and include two sides. "You catch it, you clean it and filet it, and I'll cook it," he says with a self-satisfied smile. Like that famous bar where "everybody knows your name," Edd's Place has attracted and built a loyal clientele for the past 16 seasons, yet they are amazed that even some of the locals have said, "I must have driven by 100 times and never realized what you had here." Theirs is an open kitchen, so conversation flows freely on both sides of the counter.

And yes, it is absolutely a dining experience. No fast food here. No prepared items. Everything - absolutely everything - is created from scratch so that it is always fresh and delicious. Sure you can get a juicy foot long hot dog at Edd's Place, but you can also enjoy his famous BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, paninis, Caribbean fish tacos, grinders, salads, lobster roll, lobster pie, baked stuffed shrimp, crabcakes; and each evening Edd presents 4star dinner specials that change nightly. Local fishermen and women love Edd's Place because they can bring their catch to the restaurant, and Edd will prepare it however

And what they have here is completely out of the ordinary. Edd and Kim strive to keep the restaurant open until "it's just too cold and the pipes might freeze." Yet all the while they do not rest on their laurels - in fact this family has little time to rest at all! Shortly after opening every spring, they feature Caribbean Nights each Friday and Saturday with Edd's delicious and authentic island cuisine. Throughout the summer months gourmet special dinners change nightly, fresh fish is prepared to order, and meals are cooked to go for those in a hurry, on a boat, or on their way to the beach. "We also do a lot of catering," Kim offers. "We do parties and events of all sizes off premises, or groups come

here for showers, rehearsal dinners, and special parties. It's a great setting for them." Yet another bonus this backyard treasure offers is their BYOB policy. "Guests are welcome to bring whatever they want to enjoy with our food," Kim says. "We do not have any kind of corkage fee, and we'll even provide wine glasses if they need them." By now you probably don't need any more encouragement, but let us add Edd's is Zagat rated, dog friendly, and you won't beat their prices anywhere. Autumn is a beautiful time of year on the river, and Edd's Place celebrates the season with Octoberfest and homemade German food

every Friday and "Saturday night in September. "We do this a little early because it's still warm outside," Edd adds. Breakfast is a year 'round occasion at the restaurant where both locals and newbies (who rapidly become regulars) can chow down on Make Your Own omelettes, pancakes, french toast, wraps, and Kim's famous Benedicts...egg, crabcake, lobster, or whatever she creates on any given morning.

There are always desserts...homemade daily, but they come with a lineage that makes them famous to those fortunate enough to have indulged. Edd's 90 year old grandmother used to make a very special cheesecake. She would lovingly prepare it daily, then sit on a chair in the tiny space, greeting and chatting up the customers till every slice was gone. Although grandma has passed on, her daughter, Edd's mom, Ruth is actively building her own legacy of desserts. "Thirty years ago my mom owned the Muffin Corner in Westbrook, so she knows what she's doing," Edd says proudly. "Now she gets up early every morning and is at the restaurant before the sun rises, creating all the desserts, her famous quiche, and potato salad the customers just love. Always, everything is made with top ingredients absolutely no shortcuts." The Hannetts live right on the river, so Edd opts for a relaxing commute on the water each day. "The sunsets here are phenomenal," he

states. "As nice as Key West. Matter of fact, I don't know of another place with sunsets like this."

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Westbrook Pizza –

Serving it up Greek Style By Gina King Photos by Stephanie Sittnick

f you live in Westbrook or vacationed in the area during the summer, you might have enjoyed a slice or two of Greek style pizza over the years at Westbrook Pizza. With its original location at 21 Essex Street, also locally known as the pizza place on the Westbrook Green, it's been a staple in the shoreline community since 1945. But during the summer of last year, the small mom and pop restaurant folded up its checkered tablecloths and said goodbye to the center green and moved to its new home: 1551 Boston Post Road; and with it came a proud owner who spent her entire working life

dedicated to keeping the Greek style pizza tradition alive. Kate Lanfair, sole owner of Westbrook Pizza since spent her 2007, teenage years learning everything she could about the pizza business. From the age of 15 she did it all: from cooking, customer service, cleaning, and everything outside and inside the pizza box. And when most young adults at 20 years of age are in college still trying to decide what their majors will be and what kind of job they hope to land after graduation, Kate became a young business owner along with a business partner, buying Westbrook Pizza in 2001. Yet she still continued her full time studies of communications and computer science at Keane State College in New Hampshire and then later at Southern

Erin Murphy, Kate Lanfair-Owner, Noelle Wood

Connecticut State University. “I had joked with the owner that if he ever wanted to sell, I would like to buy it,” said Kate. “I loved Westbrook Pizza...it was a mom and pop place and felt like family.” The saying “timing is everything” really worked in her favor when the opportunity to relocate to a newer, bigger store in front of Waters Edge presented itself. The original building on Essex Street needed many costly repairs and offered limited space to expand. “It was good timing, I was asked to check out this

But it’s worth the mouthwatering wait for specialty pizzas like buffalo flavored, zucchini pesto, and the pasta pizza slices with baked ravioli and tortellini tossed on top. “The more we put on, the more people want,” says Kate with a smile. The Taco Pizza is testament to that, a popular favorite with customers for years...red sauce, seasoned beef, lettuce, tomato, complete with salsa and sour cream on the side. With the bigger space, Westbrook Pizza offers a great salad and hot food bar, serving up grab it and go options like stuffed chicken breasts, home made gnocchi, and Chicken Marsala.

spot," says Kate. “I didn’t know if I could get a loan, but I loved the space, started to work with a kitchen designer, and in six months I had a loan, and we did it.” The grand opening of the new location was June of 2015 and was a positive experience with many loyal customers following her from the green to the bigger, more modern location that also includes outside seating and inside space for many new featured food items, along with the salad and hot food bar. One of the essential traits she carried over to the new business space from her younger days was absorbing all the roles from the back end of pizza making to greeting customers out front. She has instilled this sense of equality and being part of everything in her loyal and hardworking staff. “Not one person does just one thing...everyone is a cook and everyone is a cleaner,” says Kate. “That way everyone looks at their co-worker as equal. Everyone works towards a common goal, that’s how I learned.”With a small and customer focused staff it feels like family, which in the long run has equaled very

little employee turnover. “The employees don’t leave, which is great; we have a lot of fun at work,” explains Kate. Tammy Ponterella, Kitchen Manager is proof of that, as she worked side by side with Kate for the past 22 years and credits her with not only being her boss, but her friend as well. “Kate is a great person, and I like the people I work with,” says Tammy. And if you order a pizza at Westbrook Pizza and wonder why it takes a few minutes longer than expected, that's because there is a process behind traditional Greek pan style pizza. “We are one of the few places that offer this style...there are so many steps,” says Kate. “We make our own dough, cut our own cheese, and make the sauces. We are not tossing pies,” explains Kate. It’s all about the dough in traditional Greek style: the making of it, waiting for it to rise, flattening it out, waiting for more rising, spreading it out again, proportioning it according to pizza sizes, oiling the pans, spreading it out in the pans, letting it sit, and then refrigerating the dough before it goes in the oven.

They also offer gluten free options for their sub rolls and pizza crust. Thinking about that next special event or party? Westbrook Pizza offers catering and party trays for corporate luncheons, baby showers, graduation parties, etc. and will deliver. With her first child due the end of this summer, it won’t be a far stretch to say that he or she will learn the same solid work ethics that Kate learned from her hardworking parents and will pass along to the next generation. “My child will have a crib in the back of Westbrook Pizza and fall asleep to the sound of the mixer.” Westbrook Pizza (since 1945) 1551 Boston Post Road 860-399-7160 www.westbrookpizzact.com

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when she attended summer camp at Horizons, located in South Windham, Connecticut. Horizons is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create and sustain person-centered opportunities for people with special needs where they live, learn, work, and play.

A Light on the Horizon By Caryn B. Davis Images courtesy Horizons Organization

erri was born autistic and deaf during a time when the only resources available for the developmentally challenged were institutionally based. But in the 1970s two things changed for her. The first was the passing of Public Law 94-142, which “guaranteed a free appropriate public education to each child with a disability." This law positively impacted millions of children nationwide because now there were mandated funding and programs to help this underserved population. The second life-altering event for Kerri was

“We have known Kerri since she was twelve. When she grew up, she moved into the first group home we started,” says Chris McNaboe, Horizon’s CEO. After camp, Kerri got a job at a “sheltered workshop” performing assembly line labor for subminimum wage. This was the only source of employment back then for people like herself. Naturally, she was very unhappy, not only with the monotony of the work, but she wasn’t learning any new skills. After speaking with Chris and Kerri, the folks from the group home decided to enroll her in a local art class to see if this would be a better fit.

Fast forward to 2016; Kerri now has her own studio and gallery on Main Street in Willimantic. Her boldly shaped and vibrantly colored acrylic paintings have won numerous awards; and most recently, she was one of four painters in the state to receive the Connecticut Artists' Fellowship grant. “Everyone has unique gifts and talents, and we find it rewarding to be the ones to bring it out in the individual. A lot of other human services organizations assist the same population we do, but here at Horizons we do it in a tailor made way that helps people find their passion and be able to live it,” says Chris. Chris and her sister, Kathleen McNaboe, co-founded Horizons in 1979 when they were both special education teachers. They started with the summer camp because camp is fun

activities throughout the day that include swimming, boating, arts and crafts, fitness, drama, pioneering, music, language arts, movement and dance,Â physical education, horse back riding, fishing, gardening, mini-golf, tennis, and basketball.

and created programs that could be modified to best suit the needs, interests, and capabilities of the individual, rather than the disability. This was a very different modus operandi than most other organizations whose approach was less holistic. Campers range in age from eight to thirtynine, but there is also a special masters program for those forty and over. (The oldest camper they currently have is eighty). For every five campers, there is one counselor to ensure their experiences can be customized accordingly. The campers and counselors bunk together in cabins at night while engaging in numerous

New activities are added if a camper expresses an interest, while all are uniquely designed to promote their success, self-esteem, and independence. For example, the pool is equipped with a ramp so those with mobility issues can still enter the water. The vegetable garden has raised beds enabling campers with limited stamina and movement to access them while seated. Those who want to try horseback riding are able to mount the equine from a ramped platform instead of from the ground. A portion of a camperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day is spent enjoying these leisurely pursuits, but Horizons also has an Educational Support Services Program for learning real world skills that can translate into paying positions. Additionally, the skills they

learn are put to immediate use by helping to run the camp and sustain some of the other programs Horizon oversees. For example, people interested in a career as a receptionist, or in retail, or in food service can gain experience in the Horizon office, the onsite gift shop, or the cafeteria. Folks who enjoy working outdoors can learn pool care, maintenance and water testing; or landscaping,

which includes building fences, seasonal clean up, weeding, mowing, and stacking and delivering firewood. There is also an ongoing program for the hospitality industry.

Once the individual has had adequate training, Horizons assists them in securing employment within the community. Thus far, they have placed over 100 individuals in medical centers, schools, retail and grocery stores, pet shops, and restaurants, just to name a few.

from cooking and shopping, to hiking, to going to the movies, or visiting museums and amusement parks.” The Horizons campus is situated on 47 wooded acres; and in addition to the buildings that are

Horizons also helps people who are at the end of their career,who want to retire, by providing medical, physical and occupational therapies, community based activities, and one-on-one support.

“They go with job coaches to support them in doing their job in the best manner possible. Some coaches stay until they do the job independently; others stay the whole time. We support that range of folks,” says Chris. “This is about the dignity, responsibility, and joy of holding a job and earning a paycheck. We help people find what they like to do, wherever that may take them. We think outside the box and work together with individuals, their families, and communities to create opportunities for people to realize their dreams.” This service is also available to high school students who are transitioning into adulthood and need training, employment, and housing. And, through their Supported Living Services, Horizons finds them homes or apartments with a wide variety of “custom-tailored supports,

ing area, the retail store, and a classroom used by students in the Educational Support Services program, but it also provides a gathering space for games, music classes, and dances. Kerri’s artwork adorns the walls.

utilized by the camp, they have recently upgraded their facilities to include the Milne Family Commons, designed by architect Duncan Milne, and the Education & Employment Center where they offer services year round. The Commons boasts a large din-

“Now that we have these other services, we have people who have stayed with us throughout their lives.It’s not uncommon for us to know someone from an early age in school until their death. It’s just like a family member,” says Chris.“It’s encouraging to watch them grow and see these folks having great experiences from the support we give. It’s so gratifying.It reminds us that we are doing the right thing, and what we do makes a difference. What more can you ask for?” For more information log onto www.horizonsct.org.

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Cecil taking in the air.

Remembering Cecil the Lion... The Photographer who Knew Him Best to Appear at Six Summit Gallery "I love watching the way lions live. The only way the king lion loses his crown is by somebody physically defeating him." ...Ray Lewis

by RONA MANN Photos By Brent Stapelcamp he details must be spared. They need to be spared. Because there already has been enough senseless horror, and a recounting really does no good. Suffice to say, most people will recall the senseless "murder" of Cecil the Lion in 2015 by a small man with a big gun and an even bigger bank account...big enough to bribe a worker in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park to illegally lure Cecil out of a neighboring farm, putting him in open range just long enough for this dentist from Minnesota to kill him for nothing more than trophy sport. It should never have happened. Cecil and the other lions in his pride should have been completely safe, since there was no lion hunting allowed in the national park

in 2015 as penalty for the killing of underage cats the year previous. Cecil should have been safe, but he fell victim to an experienced big game hunter who chose not to play by the rules, and in the end received no penalty for his actions. The outrage this incident caused was felt round the world as every news agency throughout the globe carried the heinous story of blood for sport. Perhaps no one felt this loss greater than Brent Stapelkamp, renowned lion researcher who has worked for nine years on Oxford University's Hwange Lion Research Project studying every phase of lion behavior and knew Cecil intimately. A 38 year old native of Zimbabwe, Stapelkamp has devoted his life to the conservation of lions and the communities who live alongside them in the wild.

The queen

Working with the WildCru's Hwange Lion Research project within the 5,657 square mile national park, Brent's primary roles were those of mitigating conflict between lions and other livestock while also tracking, collaring, and studying the lions themselves.

Hwange Skyscape

40 Stapelkamp's photos of Cecil and his pride have appeared in National Geographic and on CNN, the BBC, and on media throughout the world. And now you can meet this very special individual; for on Saturday, July 23rd Six Summit Gallery in Ivoryton will be both honored and thrilled to host Brent Stapelkamp in person as he gives a lecture on his life's work and juries a fine art show of selected entries, in addition to exhibiting 20 of his world famous photographs. And of course there will be images of Cecil in this collection since Brent was the last person to capture photographs of the 13 year old lion little more than a month before his death. The program will begin at Six Summit Gallery at 6:30PM with admission by ticket only. Brent Stapelkamp will speak about his lifetime body of work followed by a question and answer session, a wine and cheese reception, and will conclude with a juried fine art show, as the gallery continues to promote its anti-poaching, pro-wildlife campaign through the expression of fine art.

Cecil and his queen.

management. He met his wife Lauri in the United States "when we both worked at a summer camp in upstate New York. She followed me to Zimbabwe and has shared and built our adventure together. We now have a seven year old son, Oliver and live in a house that Laurie built by hand.We have been allocated land by our local chief and are committed to this place where we work towards human wildlife coexistence." Cecil and his lioness

Interviewing Stapelkamp recently via the internet from his home in Zimbabwe, one realizes quite quickly that this is a humble man, thoroughly dedicated to his life and his work, which to him are completely interchangeable. He is all about human wildlife coexistence...it is what fuels him daily to go out into the bush, what he believes, and to which he has dedicated not only his life's work, but his life in total. Born in Zimbabwe to native parents, he was raised and attended school in the capital city of Harare. At 17 Stapelkamp left home and headed out into the bush where he says, "I have known that's where I belong since." A statement like that makes one wonder what his parents may have thought of this career choice, or if they ever tried to deter him. "They knew this is what I'd eventually do. I have a twin brother, Travis, who is a computer whiz. The family knew all long that we'd follow our hearts." And follow his heart and mind he did, as prior to his years in the UK he worked at a safari guide in the Hwange. Before immersing himself in the the lion project, Brent lived in the UK where he studied wildlife

Stapelkamp just recently left the lion project to embark upon his own venture with Lauri. "We now wake up, and I light a fire to brew the coffee. After breakfast we walk the dogs which is interesting because we see lion tracks some mornings near our home. We are about to start a community project that promotes cattle herders in a way that both

uplifts them and ultimately saves lions." So it appears that with Brent Stapelkamp it is still all about the lions. As someone who had photographed Cecil many times over a period of years; and was, in fact, the last human to photograph him before he was senselessly killed, one wonders if Cecil somehow "knew" Brent. The answer was characteristic of the man. "It would be foolish to think that Cecil or any other lion recognizes me, but I do feel a deep sense of understanding when I am with them. I mean that I understand them." To reserve tickets for this very special event contact: Six Summit Gallery at: (860) 581-8332 6 Summit Street, is located across from the Ivoryton Playhouse e-mail: info@sixsummitgallery.com Seating is very limited, early reservations are recommended. Little roar

Wasting Lives

Romance at the pool.

Brotherly love

Safe for now

Jerico and Cecil Sisters A long kiss good night.

Down a lonely trail.

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the ‘Molly Rose” Photo by Anne W. Semmes.

Peter Arguimbau – the painter-sailor in search of ships with sails By Anne W. Semmes

or years the New England marine painter, Peter Arguimbau has spent his summer months sailing the northeastern coast in search of seascapes, classic yachts, and tall ships in his 1935 classic 28-foot catboat the “Molly Rose," outfitted as a studio. You can readily find this painter-sailor by the large black dot on his sail. “The reason for being on a boat,” the paintersailor explains, “is you’re living at that dramatic moment when the sun is either setting or rising when you have the most dramatic effects.”

So why the classic catboat? “It has so much character,” says Arguimbau, “It’s an historic boat and people welcome you right into the harbor. It is very large for a catboat. But that is what makes it such a stable studio on the water, tried and tested. I can go up and down the coast from Watch Hill, Rhode Island to Maine.” He adds, “A catboat is for the poor man yachtsman. The beauty of a catboat,” Arguimbau continues, “is it’s a centerboard boat with its shallow draft that allows you to get in close to the shallows of the shore. With the “Molly Rose,"you’re there with your equipment to paint the sunset and the sunrise.”

a fast drying transparent oil medium,” he says. “The paintings dry instantly in the sun like watercolors.” And like the Flemish painters he paints on wooden panels he has made from hardwood logs on his property. Arguimbau is a consummate painter of seascapes; but it’s those ships of sails, those classic racing yachts that the galleries want.

Arguimbau is after luminism, so he hugs the shore. “It’s where the water meets the land. You have the tidal Tall Ships Parade, New York skyline, 7 ½ x 4-foot painting of the “Brooklyn marsh. You don’t know Bridge,” with the historic schooner Howard E. Leady sailing under the Bridge whether it's water or land. At that moment the atmosphere is thick or humid He’s on the watch for those newly restored so you get the atmospheric effects of nature.” ships and yachts that appear every season. He’s there in Newport Harbor by the Castle Arguimbau is particular about his equipment. Hill Light to capture the action of sails at the He seeks to emulate the Old Masters, especially start of the Newport Bermuda Race. When the the Flemish painters, so he makes his own lin- classic racing circuit kicks off in Maine in early seed oil paint as the Flemish painters did. “It’s August Arguimbau will rendezvous with the

Aboard the “Molly Rose,” marine painter Peter Arguimbau sails the northeastern coast in search of seascapes, classic yachts, and tall ships. Photo by Jim O’Connor.

Peter Arguimbau in his Red Barn Studio in backcountry Greenwich. Photo by Chi Chi UbiĂąa.

Wooden Boat Classic, the mecca of wooden boats. He’ll sail on to the Marblehead Classic, then to the Nantucket Opera House Race, the oldest classic in America, before sailing back to the Newport Classic Race on Labor Day weekend. With the arrival of fall comes a different light illuminating the sails. Arguimbau, the paintersailor makes the most of it by following the racing circuit’s final sweep to the oldest yacht clubs surrounding Long Island Sound. “It starts with Shelter Island,” says Arguimbau, “and ends at the Boat Basin in New York City.” The backdrop of the Manhattan skyline is featured in some of Arguimbau’s super-sized marine paintings, like “Brooklyn Bridge.” He was there in 2000 to sail with the Tall Ship

Parade from New York to Boston where he painted the “U.S. Constitution” and the “America.” When the Tall Ships sailed to Newport in 2007 for the Newport Classic Race, Arguimbau was commissioned by Admiral Thomas Weschler of the Naval War College to paint the poster painting for the event. The resulting “Newport 2007 Tall Ships,” was auctioned off at the historic Breakers before a crowd of 800 for $25,000 dollars. With his tall ship name recognition in Newport perhaps it’s no surprise he has a new and appropriately named Mariner Gallery in Newport in an historic building, restored with the wood workmanship he shares with son Andre. “Andre is a member of the New York Yacht Club that has a summer branch in Newport,” says Arguimbau. The gallery comes with second floor sleeping quarters, so, “it’s a

great new takeoff place for painting trips. I always told Mary, my wife, the “Molly Rose”would find us a house, but she didn’t live long enough to find it,”says Arguimbau. His wife of 27 years died in 2013. How the “Molly Rose”came into Arguimbau’s ownership has a story that includes Mary Arguimbau. There was an earlier catboat in Arguimbau’s life, an 18-foot Marshal catboat quirkily called “Mr. Magoo.” “It was my first sailboat at age 40,” he says, “and I had no clue what I was doing.” While sailing the catboat circuit along Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod he began to fancy “this big old catboat named “Molly Rose.” But not wife Mary. She was only after the owner’s permission to name their black lab puppy Molly Rose. Still Arguimbau’s fancy lived on

Marine painter Peter Arguimbau sizes up some of his marine paintings in his Red Barn Studio in Greenwich, CT. Photo by Chi Chi Ubina.

for the larger “Molly Rose;”and when it came up for sale, Arguimbau’s wife declared, “Not on your life are you buying a wooden catboat” -because of the maintenance. But there came a final relenting.“My wife condescended, saying it was meant to be because it was the name of our dog.” Having a catboat sailing son led to the black dot on the “Molly Rose” sail. “You can see it

from three miles away,” says father Arguimbau, “So I would know where the boat is when my son took it from the age of 17.” From Shelter Island to Plum Gut, to Cuttyhunk, says Arguimbau, “people would call me and tell me they saw him, and Andre would wonder, how did they know?” Arguimbau got the black dot idea from a line of clipper ships that would sail from Liverpool to New York. “It was the Black Ball Line that

brought passengers to and from Liverpool to America from 1815 to the 1860’s,” he says. “It was a readily identifiable sign they were arriving - their destination were the docks on the lower part of Manhattan Island.” Arguimbau is drawn to ships of history. When he spotted the newly restored “Charles Morgan” whaler sailing out of Mystic on route to Boston he painted her. Approached by a

Painter-sailor Peter Arguimbau hands off the tiller of the “Molly Rose” to catch some skyline photos that are featured in some of his supersized marine paintings. Contributed photo

whale lover wanting him to paint the replica of the famous “Essex” that was sunk in 30minutes by a whale (that inspired Herman Melville's “Moby Dick”), he readily accepted. “The great age of sail was 1850’s to the early 1900’s,”says Arguimbau,“when the mighty clipper ships were breaking transatlantic and New York to San Francisco records. They were putting up more and more canvas to go faster

and faster. The rigs were amazing.” With the disappearance of clipper ships this paintersailor desired to paint his own “Clipper Ship,” in all its marine majesty from his imagination and inspiration from the works of Montague Dawson, master painter of clipper ships. It was during that great age of sail that the America’s Cup race started, says Arguimbau. He was there in Cowes, England in 2001 for the sesquicentennial America’s Cup Jubilee - on a

chase boat with his panel and paint. “It was the greatest event of sail in modern times where they amassed 270 classic gaff-rigged yachts for a reenactment of the first America’s Regatta in 1851 when the winning yacht was the “America.” For the most part Arguimbau sails alone. But one year he took aboard three fellow artists former classmates at the Art Students League

Peter Arguimbau captures the start of the Newport Classic Race off Castle Hill Light, with “Mariette” in the lead, followed by “Eleonora,” and just the tip of the bow of “Sumerun.” Contributed photo.

in New York. His catboat sleeps four or five.“Because of its 12-foot beam it has an immense cockpit or ‘studio’ space to paint in,” he says. Their sail trajectory took in Narragansett Sound, Saunderstown, Newport, Cuttyhunk, Martha’s Vineyard, Buzzard’s Bay, and Westport, Massachusetts. “We’d sail into the harbors to a remote spot and throw a hook [anchor], painting along the way. We’d find a quiet mooring spot, then paint the sunset, then in the morning paint the sunrise. Then sail to another destination and do the same.”

School to use these paints were the Impressionists. They created the French box with a palette that had legs. That’s when they started to paint en plein air.” For the previous 20 years Arguimbau has built up a body of work in a studio not far off where

With Arguimbau’s embrace of his catboat, the “Molly Rose” he’s seen, “a whole generation has grown up with these boats. I’ve made a reputation of painting catboats that put my two kids through college – they’re all over the place in my paintings.” So Arguimbau and his “Molly Rose” paid homage two years ago in Mystic at the Catboat Rendezvous held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Catboat Association.

But if you run into a marine painting of Arguimbau’s don’t be confused by his signature of Layne. Layne is his middle Arguimbau sees the name.“My dad didn’t great advantage of his want me to be an sailboat studio compared artist, for fear I’d to those painters of starve to death. yesteryear who went When I was 14 I was in search of nature watching cowboy “The Hudson River westerns on TV and School artists who one was called Peter Arguimbau painting en plein air with help from a French box holding the painters supplies. went on horseback Bronco Layne, so as took little thumbnail an act of independboxes that opened up,” he says. “The Flemish he was raised in Scotts Cove in Darien. “I’d ence I decided to sign my paintings Layne. painters didn’t have tube paints –they relied always gravitated to water and to boats, but it I’ve enjoyed doing it all these years. It on drawings and painted everything in their became obvious that boat people, especially releases me from making my name as a studio.” The breakthrough came with the yachtsmen enjoyed boating scenes, which brand rather than my art.” transformative arrival of tube paint. “The first encouraged me to learn to sail.” Visit Peter online at: http://www.marinergallery.com

Peter Arguimbau painted the “Essex” two summers ago. “It’s the replica of the famous whaler featured in the book, “The Heart of the Sea” that inspired Herman Wouk’s Moby Dick.”

With the disappearance of clipper ships painter-sailor Peter Arguimbau desired to paint his own “Clipper Ship,” in all its marine majesty. .

Catching a ride on a chase boat at the Cowes, England 2001 Americas Cup Jubilee Peter Arguimbau captured sailing ships racing in the Tall Gaff class. “That’s why the catboats are historic, “says Arguimbau, “As they are gaff-rig boats.”

The 1915 “Mariette” that took part in the Cowe, England America’s Cup Jubilee as painted by Peter Arguimbau is named after his late Aunt Mariette Badger of Greenwich, Connecticut

Catboat owner Peter Arguimbau paid homage two years ago in Mystic at the Catboat Rendezvous held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Catboat Association with this painting.

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Photos by Daniel Shkolnik

“When the Wall Came Down” — Hi Crew, New Haven By Daniel Shkolnik

n February 3rd, New Haven bulldozers sank their teeth into a 15-year-old oasis of Connecticut street art: Hi-Crew’s Water Street graffiti walls. A few days later, one of the few remaining traces of the Ushaped 4,000 square-foot warehouse was a handful of scattered paint chips. It looked like a rainbow-colored tree had just been put through a wood chipper. 159 Water Street was a relic of a fading era of regional street art during which blight and deindustrialization made much of the industrial northeast a sprawling urban canvas for graffiti artists, or “writers.” But with continuing gentrification of towns like New Haven, vacant buildings like 159 Water Street are becoming more difficult to find. When I spoke with members of Hi-Crew a week after the demolition, there was a sense that a good, perhaps golden era had ended. “I don’t think we’ll ever replace that wall,” says Kevin “Rage3” Clifford, a

20-year member of Hi-Crew. “In some ways it’s almost like losing a family member.” The Hi-Crew family, full name: High Impact Crew, was formed in Connecticut circa 1994 by graffiti artists “Reo” and “Seme.” Clifford joined up two years later, and today the group has over twenty members spread throughout the northeast with some living as far as Arizona and the UK. The Water Street walls—handed down to Hi-Crew from two previous artists, “Space” and “Spaz”—joined the family in 2001. Like responsible artists, Hi-Crew maintained their outdoor studiogallery, picking up trash and pulling weeds. When the walls became overly caked with paint, Reo stripped them, and once he went so far as to re-asphalt part of the property. The owner, Betsy Henley-Cohn, was happy to have Hi-Crew painting and maintaining the derelict property says

Josh Philie, a seven-year Hi-Crew member with tattooed knuckles and snake bite lip piercings. Ryan “Arcy” Christenson, who admired Hi-Crew as a teen before joining their ranks in 2008, recalls the nearly surreal freedom with which they painted the walls: “It got to the point where the police would be waving, ‘Awesome job, guys.’” These privileges, once won, had to be kept. Early on, Reo became the de facto curator of Water Street and made it clear these were crew walls, not free walls. Writers had to ask Hi-Crew permission to paint, and if a crew member passed by the walls and noticed an alien piece, it would be painted over that same day. Sometimes within hours. “The spots that become a free-for-all

get taken out real fast,” says Clifford. “You have to rule with an iron fist to have a legal wall last for as long as ours did.” These rigid standard weren’t just for outsiders. Reo expected quality work from the writers in the crew. “We got yelled at [by Reo] every week,” recalls Mike DeAngelo, another member with ink under his skin and paint often on it. Tongue-lashings aside, the crew members speak about Reo with the esteem and Christenson credits him with establishing the crew’s high-achieving culture. Hi-Crew hopefuls must pick up on the crew’s standards — and blend well with the members —before Reo will “put down” their names on HiCrew’s roster. Despite Reo’s uncompromising drive, the painting process for multi-person productions remains democratic and — as all good

democracies go — reasonably quarrelsome. On one project, DeAngelo recalls how he and Reo ended up yelling at one another in the middle of the street over an aesthetic difference. But even though friction boils their blood frequently, the group’s comradery — a brew made with years of sweat, paint, and a good bit of beer — doesn’t evaporate. “We all argue,” says DeAngelo, “we get mad at each other, but it all works itself out.” “I don’t think anyone has ever walked away from a wall,” adds Philie. Often the final product is a negotiated, if hard-fought, compromise between the artistic tastes of the members. And if there are ever rifts during the five- to six-man painting process, the fluidity of the crew’s finished productions belies none of them.

Hi-Crew’s large and smoothly stitched compositions are instantly recognizable throughout Connecticut. Their writing is done almost exclusively in wildstyle, a demanding urban calligraphy in which a writer’s street tag is abstracted into an intensely complex, nearly incomprehensible visual engine designed to generate massive amounts of graphic power. Hi-Crew’s intense urban lettering usually floats in sprawling landscapes inhabited by both firmly life-like and expressively cartoonish characters. In one, a crusader swings his sword over a medieval battlefield. In another, a jungle’s footpaths crawl with creatures. In a third, an astronaut waves from the rim of a bathtub, and further down the wall, a scuba diver sits atop a desert cliff. The 159 Water Street was an endless practice arena for these intricate productions. But while Hi-Crew did their best to maintain

Photo by Daniel Shkolnik

65 their beloved walls, the 71-year-old building slowly succumbed to old age. The roof of the small warehouse had collapsed in five places and several homeless people had moved into the acrylic-shelled structure. After a small fire earlier in the winter brought city attention to the property, asbestos was discovered inside and prompted city officials to accelerate an already planned demolition of the building. Although Hi-Crew’s flagship location is gone, the itch for a spray can’s nozzle hasn’t gone out of their forefingers. And as street art becomes more accepted as both public and curated art, they’re finding it easier to come out from grungy alleys and the shadows of warehouses to paint in and for the public eye. In September of 2014, the crew received nods of approval from both The Arts Council of Greater New Haven and the Department of Transportation to paint the 175-foot I-91 underpass over Humphrey Street as part of the Under-91 Project intended to brighten the grim passage. Shortly after, they painted the Coogan Pavilion skate park on commission from New Haven art nonprofit, Site Projects. And [this past month*,] on June 12th, the International Festival of Arts and Ideas commissioned Hi-Crew to run a hands-on com-

Photo by Daniel Shkolnik

munity-involving graffiti expo on the New Haven Green. [*I plan to attend and flesh out this description if there’s need/time before publication.] It seems Hi-Crew’s public stock is on the rise, but even as they begin to score commissioned pieces the crew doesn’t seem to be particularly interested in turning in their paint into profit. If someone picks up the paint tab, then great. If people watch as they work, all the

better. But for those like Clifford and others in the crew, revenue and renown aren’t the main point of what they do.

“If the computers shut down and the magazines went away,” says Clifford, and the only audience his work ever got was girders and wildflowers, “I’d still be out there doing it.”

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Nicholas Bencivengo Bencivengo Photo by Nicholas

71 can approach the house where Denise directs me to park next to the chicken coop. As soon as I open the car door, Flora a Labradoodle who sports a lavender bandana around her neck greets me, a new curiosity.

Photo by Kristen Anderson

Lavender Pond Farm: A Feast for the Senses by Barbara Malinsky “Lavender Pond Farm – a more beautiful place” assures a unique experience. The welcoming sign on Roast Meat Hill Road in Killingworth is an invitation to the entrance where the promise begins it fulfillment. Suddenly, the immediate sense of space slows your breathing. To your left and right are rows upon rows of lavender varieties. Chris and Denise Salafia are the owners and Chris moves his tractor out of my way so that I

Denise and Chris are eager to tell me their story about their new acquisition, Lavender Pond Farm, which is only two years old. Denise is a trained dancer who was the previous owner of the Dance Corner in Killingworth. Chris is the CEO of a software company. In her previous home, Denise had a family garden of two acres and had exhausted the possibilities for expanding. Chris was also looking for new experiences. “I rode a desk for 25 years. Now I am happy riding a tractor.” According to Denise, “It was time for him to step back from his career to do something in the open air.”

make the world a more beautiful place. Miss Rumphius made the world a more beautiful place by planting flowering plants (lupines) and then scattering the seeds. Denise called her mother Miss Rumphius because she always did something extra special in everyday things. There is more than a little bit of Miss Rumphius in Denise Salafia whose mission is now to transform Lavender Pond Farm into a unique destination.

Denise recalls a book Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney. She fell in love with the story’s message when reading it to her sons. Its call to action is to

“This is my Miss Rumphius opportunity; there is her feel here - a purity that’s hard to explain, a soothing sensation. It’s not structured; there are

Photo by Nicholas Bencivengo

candied and are sometimes used as cake decorations. Lavender flavors baked goods and desserts and is also used to make lavender sugar. Lavender flowers are occasionally blended with black, green, or herbal teas. It is used extensively with herbs such as chamomile in aromatherapy. There is evidence that it has a calming effect and influence on sleep quality.

nooks and crannies that have different views and reflections. It’s peaceful even when lots of people are here.” That feeling begins to take its effect upon me. I am suddenly calmer and less hurried because of the expanse of space, the sound of trickling water, and the aroma of nine thousand lavender plants that is known to have a relaxing effect. There are great plans for the farm but it began with the planting of lavender. “It’s more work that I ever imagined being Photo by Suzanne Davis a farmer. We clip all the plants by hand. Commercial growers clip them all at the Old World and is found from Cape Verde and once to get the oils. I clip every other row so that the Canary Islands, Europe, across northern and there are always blooms.” There are both English eastern Africa, the Mediterranean, and southwest and French varieties. The French is more aromatic Asia to southeast India. The name may actually and the English somewhat more subdued. I even be derived from the Latin livere, “blueish”. stroked one of the plants when Denise invited me to caress a French lavender from the bottom up. The plant automatically relinquishes its aroma and I am bathed in the fragrance while my hands are lavender scented. Lavandula (lavender) is a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family. It is native to

The plant is grown mainly for the production of essential oil of lavender that has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. The extracts are used as fragrances for bath products. It is grown as a condiment and used in salads and dressings. Flowers yield abundant nectar from which bees make a high-quality honey. Flowers can be

History reveals that lavender was a prized herb and used to prepare a holy essence. There is a biblical reference mentioned in the Song of Solomon. Nard (lavender) and saffron, Calamus and cinnamon, With every kind of incense tree, With myrrh and aloes, And all the finest spices. As an avid gardener, Denise was aware of these properties and so the adventure began. In addition to the lavender plants, the couple has ambitions for the twenty-seven acre property. There is already a butterfly garden of Sedum,

Butterfly Bushes, Bee Balm, and Abbotswood. The small pond is already bursting with water lilies and is ready for a bridge reminiscent of Giverny, Monetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home in France. Denise wants visitors to be able to walk across the pond and reflect upon its beauty but now the decision has to be made about the character of the bridge. Denise ponders; it has to be just right. Roses are

arriving today for another area. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think they will be a nice contrast with the lavender.â&#x20AC;? The beehives are literally buzzing with activity feasting on the lavender that will make a uniquely flavored honey. The main house is located at the rear of the property that overlooks a larger pond with an adjacent

expanse of lawn. The view from the house interior is idyllic with the soothing sounds of trickling water permeating the living space. The family has created a small beachhead there where they and their two sons can swim and use paddleboats. Approaching the large pond is a small stone bridge with two pillars at the entry. This is where Denise envisions hosting wedding ceremonies. Photo by Nicholas Bencivengo

Photo by Hao Yan

make our own candles here to control the distillation of oils.” There in plain sight is the colorful front cover of the book Miss Rumphius who is indeed part of the inspiration for this venture. The proceeds from the sale of this children’s book are donated to Smilow. “We are over $2,000 to date.”

This parcel of land also boasts a small fully functional cottage that would make a perfect honeymoon suite or getaway. Like the bees and butterflies, Denise’s head is abuzz with other ideas for Lavender Pond Farm. A picnic area ablaze with sunflowers is planned but the picnic tables and chairs will not be your usual public park variety but something special. Denise is still actively pursuing that something special. “I want it to be pretty! I would love to host a Mother’s Day tea every year.” A conservatory is envisioned for another parcel of land. This will allow for all year events and indoor plantings. Throughout the property there are benches everywhere where people just drop in for some relaxation or a gathering. “This is an outdoor classroom. Everyone can learn from being here. We have seniors, book clubs, and yoga groups. On any given Saturday morning, there are twenty to forty people practicing yoga.”

Photo by Tiffany Joyce

The small barn at the entrance is a treasure trove of lavender-based products for sale. Denise mentions that lavender is a wonderful insect repellent, an antiseptic, cleaner, lotion, anti-itch and sunburn reliever. The shop reflects those properties. The variety of products is wide reaching. There are handmade sachets, the Salafia private blend of soaps and lotions, body and bath products, castile soaps, candles, Whole Harmony Herbal Teas from Haddam, syrups, confits, tea sets, and so much more. “We actually

It is very difficult to leave. The warm sun and more than two hours of inhaling the aromatic lavender have created a peaceful, calming effect but it is time to depart. I approach my car and bid farewell to Flora, and the chickens cackling in the coop. They are part of the farm experience as well and are named for Broadway characters - Oz, the rooster, Auntie Em, Dorothy, Glinda, and Elphaba (Wicked). I reluctantly depart but realize that I can return anytime recalling Denise’s wish, “I want people to come through here and have this experience that creates relaxation and serenity.” www.lavenderpondfarm.com

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Colette H Ha arrroon 860.304.2391 Charrroon@w wp psirr.c .com

Old Saybrook - A waterfront paradise with stunning views from all angles, this home is located in the unique beach community of Fenwick. Over 3,800 sqft with no expense spared in designing this beautiful home. Offered at $6,880,000

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Diamond Awarrd d 2015 2 Volume 20015 #1 in Vo #1 in Un Units Sold 2015 2

Old Saybrook - Quintessential Fenwick summer cottage with views of Long Island Sound on a desirable corner lot. Wood pa aneled walls, screened in wrap-arround porch, and built-ins. Walk to all amenities. Offered at $2,495,000

colette.harron.williampitt.com ESSEX BROKERAGE | 13 MAIN STREET | 860.767.7488 OLD LYME BROKERAGE | 103 HALLS ROAD | 860.434.2400 Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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Through each sale, I proudly support The Hole in the Wall Gang Cam mp which is dedicated d to providing “a a different kind of healling” to seriously ill children and their fam milies.

janetpec ckinpaugh.williampitt w .com o ESSEX BROKERAGE | 13 MAIN STREET | 860.767.7488 OLD LYME BROKERAGE | 103 HALLS ROAD Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.

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...and why again do you only have one pair of eyeglasses?

Offer not valid with any coupons, discount offers, insurance discounts or on previous purchases. See store for details. Sale expires 9/30/15.

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INSTINCTIVELY DIFFERENT>>

Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop, Centerbrook CT

My Top 10 nother year has passed since my last article on top ten choices. During the year many new cheeses have passed my way, as well as many old favorites.

What’s my favorite? My response will always be: “It depends on what mood I’m in.” There are so many factors to deciding: time of day, what I am having it with, beverage of choice and so forth. That said, there are always a few stand-outs in my mind. So I offer you my updated list for 2016, not in any particular order:

1. Piave Vecchio, Aged (Italy/Cow’s Milk) 2

This Parmigiano Reggiano-style cheese will most likely always make my top five. With a fairly sharp and full flavor, Piave Vecchio goes well with most foods and salads, making it not only an ideal eating cheese but also a great choice for cooking. Use in place of Reggiano or Grana Padano in any dish. Piave comes in a small wheel, about sixteen pounds, with a hard natural rind similar to Reggiano. This cheese keeps very well; just be sure to wrap it properly. For a twist, try it with Acacia honey from Italy or aged balsamic vinegar for a delicious dessert.

2. Ossau Iraty (France/Sheep’s Milk) This is one of the world’s oldest cheeses. Made in the Southwestern region of France, Ossau Iraty has an AOC designation (Appellation D’Origine Controlee), which means it is controlled by law to meet certain high standards.

Ossau Iraty is an uncooked or a raw milk cheese, which only adds to its wonderful flavor. It ranges between three to four months in age and has a white-to-cream color, depending on its age. Its texture is somewhat firm with a subtle taste of nuts and olives and a creamy smooth finish. Typically, this cheese has no eye formations (holes), but they can occur. Butterfat content is 45 percent and the wheel size averages eight to ten pounds. Pair this cheese with pears and apples, olives and assorted charcuterie, such as prosciutto and salami. I like a good Bordeaux, Rhône or dry Burgundy with Ossau as well.

3. Fromage D’Affinois (France/Cow’s Milk) I still choose Fromage D’Affinois for my favorite soft-ripening cheese for the same reasons most of my customers do. Unlike most imported bries and camemberts found in the U.S. today, D’Affinois is exceptionally rich and creamy. It also maintains a fairly steady consistency, delivers a great flavor and is most always readily available. This does not mean that I am not continually on the lookout for another good soft-ripening cheese.

4. Ewephoria (Holland/Sheep’s Milk) 4

I love the clever little pun in this name, and I always enjoy customer reactions when asked if they’ve had Ewephoria lately. Although this cheese is one of the older-aged sheep cheeses, it is actually a relative newcomer to the world, having existed for only about ten years. Ewephoria ages for almost a year, which is considered a long time for a cheese this small in size. The taste reminds me of the extra-aged cow’s milk Goudas such as Beemster XO, with similar butterscotch whiskey notes. There is no gamey sheep’s milk taste to be concerned with here. Ewephoria is a good recommendation when you are looking for something sharp, only different in taste. It pairs well with hoppy beers, but I prefer it with Bourbon or a single malt Scotch. Try it on burgers or in mac n’ cheese.

5. Lake’s Edge (Vermont/Goat’s Milk) With so many quality goat cheeses to choose from, it’s hard to pick just one. Many great local varieties are now available at farmers’ markets, gourmet food stores and, of course, cheese shops. But if I had to pick just one, it would be Lake’s Edge, made at Blue Ledge Farm in Vermont. Very similar to Humboldt Fog from California, Lake’s Edge is recognized by its distinctive line of wood ash spreading across the middle. Originally, ash was used to separate two layers of cheese, one made from the morning milk and the second from the evening milk production. Ash stopped the cheese from forming a natural rind until the second layer was added. I feel the ash is used more for appearance these days.

6. Džiugas (pronounced “joogus”) (Lithuania/Cow’s Milk) It was just the end of last year when a young couple entered my store and introduced themselves. Andrew Plankis and his wife Asta Plankiene, both from Lithuania, had come into the shop to introduce me to a cheese called Džiugas that their family has been making since 1924. Andrew’s mother, Gitana Plankiene, started the family’s cheese business in Lithuania. Although Džiugas has been selling in cheese shops throughout Germany, France, Austria, Denmark, England, Ireland, Israel and Dubai, it has not been available in the United States – until now. It is exciting for me to stock a cheese from a country I have never carried before. I was also thrilled to learn that my cheese shop was the first in the United States to carry this great find from Lithuania.

Džiugas is a distinctive cow’s milk cheese made from pasteurized milk from cows that graze only on fresh grass. I would best describe it as a blend of Italian Parmigiano Reggiano and a perfectly aged three-year Dutch Gouda. This cheese has a slight savory crunch to the bite and a smooth, creamy sweet finish.

7. Fresh Mozzarella (Italy/Buffalo’s Milk or Cow’s Milk) Who doesn’t like fresh Mozzarella? I will look for a reason to use it. Mention a vine-ripened tomato, fresh basil and some good olive oil – and my night is complete. Mozzarella was originally made from buffalo milk and in Italy it still is. This version has a little more tang to it than the cow’s milk offering. Where would pizza be without it?

8. Point Reyes Blue (California/Cow’s Milk) Raw milk adds to the hearty flavor of this great Roquefort-style blue cheese from Point Reyes, California. This cheese is light in texture, though creamy and smooth. Penicillium Roqueforti is the blue source here. Point Reyes is great by itself as an appetizer, but also works well in salads or desserts.

9. Challerhocker (Holland/Cow’s Milk) Challerhocker means “sitting in the cellar,” which is actually how it ages. Only one man, Walter Rass, makes this truly artisanal cheese. At one time, Walter made Appenzeller, another great Swiss cheese, but he decided to age that cheese a little longer and increase the butterfat to 58%. The result was Challerhocker – a new version with great depth of flavor reminiscent of nuts and spice, along with a very popular crystal formation, which actually adds to the overall taste.

10. Kokos (Holland/Cow’s Milk and Coconut Cream) I go out on a limb with this one. I was always a purist when it came to added ingredients in cheeses. However, my love of coconut won out here. This beautifully-made Gouda cheese from Holland is a real treat for me. In addition to cow’s milk, the perfect amount of coconut cream is added to create this new favorite. This semi-soft cheese is made with pasteurized milk by the same people who make Ewephoria.

So there you have it – my Top Ten list of cheeses for 2016. But don’t hold me to it. If you asked me tomorrow… Paul Partica, The Cheese Shop www.cheeseshopcenterbrook.com

JULY EVENTS

84 July 1 – August 31 “Print Selections” at the Valentine H. Zahn Community Gallery at Middlesex Hospital Shoreline Medical Center. The exhibition features works by members of the Printmakers’ Network of Southern New England. The Gallery is open during regular business hours and is located at 250 Flat Place, Westbrook, Rock CT. For more information, contact Middlesex Hospital at 860-358-6200 or info@midhosp.org. July 1-August 31st Shoreline Color~Paintings by Cora Howard. Cindy Stevens fine Art is excited to be featuring watercolors by longtime Clinton artist Cora Howard. Cora is currently 96 years old, and her work is full of vibrant, fresh color and energy. Cora has been painting since she was 5 years old and studied at Cooper Union in New York. She has exhibited in many local juried shows and won numerous awards. Wherever she goes ( be it a beach, a dentists office, or a supermarket) she brings a drawing pad along and does a sketch of those around her. Years ago she would paint at the Clinton beach and at various other Clinton locations...a true plein aire artist. You are invited to a reception on Sunday July 10th from 2-5 at Cindy Stevens Fine Art, 30 East Main St, in Clinton. The gallery is open Tues and Thurs 12-6, Wed, Fri, and Sat 10-5, Sunday by appt or chance. For more info call Cindy Stevens at 860-304-1666, email at cindy@cindystevensfineart.com, or visit www.cindystevensfineart.com July 1 - 30 New London Hygienic Art presents “Color and Light” Exhibit featuring five award-winning regional artists. The fabled Impressionists have long left their mark with seminal paintings of Connecticut’s shoreline beauty, most notably Old Lyme and Lyme. Today, contemporary Artists continue to be inspired to harness that horizon, the craggy coastline, slumbering cities, or autumnal combustion. The "Color and Light" exhibit will be opening to the public at Hygienic Art Galleries in downtown New London on Friday, July 1st at 7 to 10pm. ARTIST TALK: Thursday, July 21st 6 pm. Five well-known Artists, Mark Patnode, Gigi Horr Liverant, Dennis Sirrine, Leif Nilsson, and Michael Peery have collaborated to present an exhibit of unique beauty and power that thematically explores color and light - with masterful draftsmanship, interpretive qualities and symbolic resonance. The result is a cohesive collection of work by some of the region’s top artists, providing viewers with a rare opportunity to see contemporaries’ work complement and contrast each other. Each Artist encounters the thematic approach through unique statements. The synthesis of color and light present compositional achievements that reveal strong draftsmanship, yet also allow enterprising imprimaturs of vital expression. Hygienic Galleries, 79 Bank Street New London, CT 06320 July 1 - August 14 New Britain Eric Aho: An Unfinished Point in a Vast Surrounding. Join the Museum in celebrating an exhibition of recent paintings by artist Eric Aho. For nearly 25 years, Eric Aho has depicted the landscape as a means to investigate and expand the boundaries of painting and personal inquiry. In this exhibition, Aho presents a suite of recent works–some on public view for the first time–that extend his painterly explorations. Approach (2012), from Aho’s Mountain Series. His monumentally scaled triptych (2016), after which the exhibition is titled, similarly depicts an icy mountainscape, and is inspired by the British Explorer Henry Worsley, who recently attempted but failed to complete Ernest Shackleton’s aborted trans-Antarctic journey. This and other paintings—including a group of Aho’s “Landscape Portraits” (2011-present)—reflect the artist’s fascination with connecting with a person or historical moment through the process of painting. This idea is powerfully conveyed in Aho’s ongoing Continental Series (War Paintings) (2014-present), comprising over 50 individual works that trace the path of his father’s combat engineer battalion during World War II. New Britain Museum of American Art, 56 Lexington Street, New Britain, CT 06052

July 1 - 24 Ivoryton Chicago. Winner of six 1997 Tony Awards, including Best Musical Revival, Chicago has everything that makes Broadway greats a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one show-stopping song after another and the most astonishing dancing you’ve ever seen. Set in Prohibitionera Chicago, the musical is based on a 1926 play of the same name by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins about actual criminals and crimes she reported on. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the “celebrity criminal.” Whether you’ve seen it before and want to recapture the magic or you’ve been thrilled by the Academy Award-winning film, Chicago always delivers. Don’t miss the experience of this show live on stage at the Ivoryton Playhouse. Based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins Script adaptation by David Thompson Executive Producers: Michael A. Dattilo and Frank Perrotti. Email info@ivorytonplayhouse.org Box Office Phone: 860.767.7318 July 7 - 30 Madison The Susan Powell Fine Art Gallery will kick off its summer season with a reception on Thursday, July 7 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the gallery, at 679 Boston Post Road, Madison. The exhibit, Visions of Land and Sea will run through Saturday, July 30. For the past 13 years, Susan Powell Fine Art, has hosted a summer invitational showcasing nationally-acclaimed artists celebrated for painting landscapes and seascapes. The exhibit will feature 22 artists including Del-Bourree Bach, Ira Barkoff, Harley Bartlett, Peter Bergeron, Dan Brown, Kelly Birkenruth, David Dunlop, John Falato, Sandy Garvin, Carol Jenkins, Susan Jositas, James Magner, Anne McGrory, Leonard Mizerek, Deborah Quinn-Munson, Cindy Procious, Kimberly Ruggiero, Polly Seip, Dennis Sheehan, Elizabeth L. Strazzulla, George Van Hook and Carolyn Walton. Landscapes, marines, seascapes, marsh and river views are among the highlights. The works range from the traditional to the contemporary. Susan Powell Fine Art is located at 679 Boston Post Road in Madison, CT. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 11 –5, and Sundays and anytime by appointment. For more information, please call (203) 318-0616, email susanpowellfineart@gmail.com or visit www.susanpowellfineart.com to see images. July 8 Chester Please join us at the Leif Nilsson Spring Street Studio & Gallery at 1 Spring Street in Chester Center for a special Concert in the Garden on Friday, July 8, 2016 7pm - 9pm Plywood Cowboy. Formed in 2015 in the Connecticut River Valley, Plywood Cowboy is poised to rewrite the American Songbook. "With great harmonies, clever songs & tasty guitar pickin', Plywood Cowboy is one of the best new bands on the Americana scene." - Chris Bergson, NY Blues Hall of Fame Inductee. Bottle fed on roots music, multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter Steve Dedman and his band strike deep at the soul of American music with songs about hound dogs, heart strings, and the vice of the bottle. On Thursday July 14 from 7pm-9pm, the Bianco Martinis return! The Bianco Martinis is a NYC based gypsy jazz band that covers four corners of the world. From Buenos Aires to Napoli, New York to Paris, The Bianco Martinis masterfully blend these sounds into a unique style of a true gypsy. $20 donation - BYOB - Outdoor Bistro Style Seating in the Amphitheater. Inside the Gallery if inclement weather. Sorry, no pets allowed. For more information call 860-526-2077 or log on to www.nilssonstudio.com/events/concerts_in_the_garden/index.html July 30 - Mystic: Come meet Connecticut native glass artist Clinton F. Smith from 1-7pm at R. A. Georgetti & Co in Olde Mistick Village for a live demonstration of the lampwork techniques he uses to transform simple rods of colored glass into intricate miniature glass sculptures that are eventually encased in molten glass to form his highly prized paperweights. Clinton is an accomplished glass artist who won the 2013 NICHE Award for Lampworked Glass, an honor that recognizes and celebrates excellence in American and Canadian fine craft. On multiple occasions, Clinton has also been named Artist of the Month by the National Paperweight Collectors Association. His paperweights feature native flora and fauna, seascapes, frogs and snakes, and whimsical fantasy scenes drawn from his imagination. R. A. Georgetti & Co. is pleased to offer the largest selection of Clinton Smith paperweights in the world, and this will be Clinton's very first retail gallery event! R. A. Georgetti & Co. Olde Mistick Village 7A, 27 Coogan Boulevard, Mystic, CT 06355-1920