CONNECTICUT
News
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NEWS
Westport Inn Has Been Renovated
Lots of New Things to do at Mystic Arts Center
Mattatuck Museum Unveils $2 Million History History Exhibit
Connecticut sugar houses, more information on winter activities, and a free copy of UNWIND, a 112-page color guide to lodging, dining and all the attractions in the Litchfield Hills, contact the Northwest Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit their website at www.litchfieldhills.com
LAKEVILLE
Where to Stay
Interlaken Inn Resort at Kent Falls Timeless Romance
Lovers who love country inns can enjoy two nights in a beautifully appointed guest room or suite at The Inn, a luxurious bed and breakfast inn in Kent. The package includes flowers, chocolate dipped strawberries, wine and a champagne brunch.
From $310. For more information, call 860-927-3197; or check web site www.innatkentfalls.com.The Interlaken Inn Resort
The Interlaken Inn Resort is located in historic Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the foothills of The Berkshires between two picturesque lakes. The property offers 80 first-class guestrooms, banquet & private dining rooms, and award-winning cuisine in Morgan’s restaurant.
Spend a Romantic Interlude in the Litchfield Countryside
Lovers seeking the perfect countryside escape need to look no farther than The Interlaken Inn of Lakeville., Connecticut. Nestled within historic Litchfield County, Lakeville is a charming New England village situated near the Massachusetts border.
Plan a weekend or weekday any time because it's always great. One of the wonderful things about The Interlaken Inn is the rich choice of accommodations. Select from five unique dwellings that make up the country Inn: the historic Victorian named Sunnyside for the vast expanse of sunshine that has beautifully weathered its cedar shake siding; the Tudor-style Countryside; the contemporary and roomy townhouse suites; the charming Woodside which offers maximum privacy and a honeymoon suite (for an additional amount); and the beautifully redecorated main lodge with easy access to the restaurant and bar and other amenities. Original artworks from local fine artists decorate the main lodge, as well as the lovely and expansive grounds & gardens of The Interlaken Inn.
For more information on The Interlaken Inn’s packages, or to make reservations, call 800-222-2909 / 860-435-9878 or check web site www.interlakeninn.com. Packages are subject to availability.
Interlaken Inn Resort
The Interlaken Inn Resort is located in historic Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the foothills of The Berkshires between two picturesque lakes. The property offers 80 first-class guestrooms, banquet & private dining rooms, and award-winning cuisine in Morgan’s restaurant.
The Interlaken Inn features extensive resort, meeting, recreation and fitness facilities. It is located adjacent to Hotchkiss Golf Course, which is recognized as one of Connecticut's most scenic and challenging courses, and near Route 7, Connecticut's renowned antique route. The resort offers a host of leisure activities available on property or nearby, including, tennis, volleyball, basketball, swimming, canoeing and boating, fishing, hiking/biking/walking paths, executive ropes course, golfing, caving, skiing & snowshoeing in season, and much more. Renowned cultural and entertainment opportunities abound. The Berkshires, Litchfield County and the Hudson River Valley are renowned for superb dance, theater, and music festivals.
The Interlaken Inn is 100 miles directly north of New York City on Rt. 112 (Interlaken Road) in Lakeville, Connecticut. Recently the historic property completed an extensive renovation of all its facilities, including its century-old original Victorian building. For more information on The Interlaken Inn Resort, visit www.interlakeninn.com.
LITCHFIELD HILLS
What to See & Do
Magnificent Crèche
Another eighteenth century treasure is the crèche housed in a barn on the 400-acre property of the Abbey of Regina Laudis. The recently restored Neapolitan crèche is similar to the famous crèche in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and came from the same donor, Loretta Hines Howard. It is a remarkable creation containing 68 figures 14 to 16 inches high dressed in their original elaborate costumes. Along with the Holy Family, the figures vividly portray children, women bearing gifts, merchants, peddlers, angels, the Three Kings, and peasants with their farm animals. The Crèche is thought to have belonged to Victor Amadeus the Second, King of Sardinia, and is believed to have been presented to him on the occasion of his coronation in 1720. It is open free to visitors daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information about holiday events in the region and a free copy of UNWIND, a 112-page color guide to lodging, dining and all the attractions in the Litchfield Hills, contact the Western Connecticut Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, www.visitwesternct.com.
Old Riverton Inn Romantic Overnight
The innkeepers love lovers at the Old Riverton Inn, a country classic dating to 1796. Their romance package includes cozy accommodations complete with flowers, candy and a split of champagne, a candlelight dinner for two and full breakfast in the morning. From $195 to $215.
For more information, call 800-EST-1796, or check web site www.rivertoninn.com..
MYSTIC
January 27-29 – The Sun Winefest at Mohegan Sun www.mohegansun.com/winefest
February 25 -- Chowder Charity Cook Off at Olde Mistick Village -- Beat cabin fever! Come sample chowders of all varieties
March 31 -- “Winter Wanderings” -- Organized winter walks in Northeast Corner
March 27-29 -- SUN WineFest 2012 at Mohegan Sun
February 2012
10 -- “...isms: Unlocking Art’s Mysteries” New exhibit opens at Florence Griswold Museum (runs
through 6/10)
16 -- Mystic Seaport February Vacation Week
20 -- Wolf Den Hall of Fame Concert at Mohegan Sun
25 -- Cabin Fever Festival and Charity Chowder Cook-off at Olde Mistick Village
March 2012
25 -- Annual Downtown Mystic Irish Parade
31 -- Treasures of the Museum opens at Mystic Seaport.
April 2012
7 -- Easter Egg Hunt at Olde Mistick Village, Mystic.
12 -- Titanic - 12,450 Feet Below. New exhibit opens at Mystic Aquarium
22 -- Earth Day at Mystic Aquarium.
19-20 -- Pirate Days at Mystic Seaport
Guys’ Getaway – Hit the casinos for a men’s weekend away, no driving worries.
B&B&B (Bed, Breakfast & Beach)
Winter Escape --Enjoy a cozy B&B on the water.
Seaside Skate – Experience New London’s art scene and enjoy time outdoors on the new skating rink before checking out a live skate at the Mystic Aquarium.
Cabin Fever Getaway – Easy fun and educational trip gets you out of the house and
the kids learning. (Museum or Aquarium visit plus pool, roller skating, ice skating and bowling activities that really burn off steam.)
For more information and hours, contact the Mystic Arts Center, 9 Water Street, Mystic, CT 06355; 860-536-7601 or check web site www.mysticarts.org
The Mystic Arts Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting creativity, culture and community. Located at 9 Water Street in Mystic, the Center offers art classes for all ages, rotating gallery exhibitions, and a permanent collection. Galleries are open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and are open to the public.
Open Daily
11 am - 5 pm
New Art Featured in the Mystic Stroll
Every “First Thursday,” join seven downtown galleries for a free opening to view new artwork. All galleries are within several blocks of each other and are easily identified by large balloons and maps located at each location. Wine and hors d’oeuvres are served.
Featured Galleries:
Finer Line Gallery: Opens an exhibit by artist Janice DiBattista, who is known for her dynamic brushstrokes and vividly colored paintings of flowers and landscapes. Open daily at 48 W. Main Street. 860-536-8339 www.finerlinegallery.com
Mystic Arts Center: Get a sneak peek at the annual children’s exhibition, Young at Art, featuring sculpture, paintings and drawings by over 600 young local artists ages 2 – 18. Open daily at 9 Water Street. 860-536-7601 www.mysticarts.org
Emporium Gallery: Featuring an array of artwork by members of the Ninigret Art Guild of Charlestown, RI. Open daily at 15 Water Street. 860-536-3891
The Courtyard Gallery: Hosts Love is in the Art, by the esteemed Courtyard Society of Painters and Sculptors. Open Daily at 12 Water Street in Factory Square. 860-536-5059 www.courtyardgallerymystic.com
Trade Winds Gallery: Established in 1974, the gallery showcases original works of art from over a dozen well known local and regional artists and carries a growing selection of original antique maps and prints. 42 West Main St. 860-536-0119 www.tradewindsgallery.net.
Courtyard Gallery on Main: Showcasing Portraits of the Divine Feminine featuring sculptor Renee Rhodes and renowned painter Christopher Zhang Painter. Open daily at 9 West Main Street. www.courtyardgallerymystic.com 860-536-5059
The Hollow Art and Antique Gallery: Featuring original artwork, unique antiques and jewelry. Champagne and chocolates will be served during the stroll. Open daily at 12 Water Street. 860-572-9704.
For further information, please call 860-536-7601x203 or visit www.artsinmystic.com.
Announcing a new opportunity: Open Studios: Mondays, 1 to 4pm
Can't find space at home to do your art? Join the Mystic Arts Center for Open Studios! You bring the medium, the Center provide the space. No reservations necessary - just drop in, set up your materials and enjoy working in two studio spaces. Easels, tables, lighting and chairs are provided. All 2-dimensional media and select sculpting media are welcome (oderless turpentine only, please).
NEW LONDON
More soon
SOUTHBURY
Where to Stay
Heritage Resort/Spa Getaway
Everyone deserves a little pampering after battling winter winds. At the Heritage Resort in Southbury couples can enjoy a deluxe room and full breakfast, as well as an indoor pool, Jacuzzi, sauna and steam room, and a choice of two treatments at the Tres Jolie Day Spa, a massage, facial, manicure or pedicure, from $329. Not into spas? Chose a Rendezvous for two package with a deluxe room, dinner in the resort’s Eight Mile Brook, restaurant, a buffet breakfast and use of the resort health club starting at $219.
For more information, call 203-264-8200; or check web site www.heritagesouthbury.com
UNCASVILLE
More soon
WATERBURY
From Colonial times to the age of technology, past and present come alive in the new $2 million exhibit Coming Home: Building Community in a Changing World, opened at the Mattatuck Museum Arts and History Center in Waterbury, Connecticut.
The exhibit tells the story of all the people of Waterbury, the original settlers, those who built the city into an industrial giant, and the residents who continue to shape the town today.
Interactive experiences challenge visitors to get involved in learning about the region’s history. Build Your Own Village is a chance to relive the experience of early pioneers. The story of African Americans in early Connecticut is made personal by following the fortunes of one slave named Fortune. The city’s glory years in the Industrial era when Waterbury was known as “Brass Capital of the World” are vividly recalled and a button industry exhibit shows what it took to turn out a button in 30 seconds. More Waterbury products from the museum’s collections are shown than ever before.
The years from 1960 to 2010 focus on new immigrants to the region and the growing service economy, showing how current businesses evolved from the old industrial economy. The actual stories of recent immigrants also are told. The final section, a Community Conversations Table, invites visitors to take a stand on current issues facing the region today. They can run for election by building a platform based on materials in the exhibits, and find out whether they win based on the votes of other visitors.
The Mattatuck Museum, located at 144 West Main Street in Waterbury, is the only museum in Connecticut dedicated to the art and history of the state. Along with the comprehensive new history exhibit, the museum features a permanent gallery of work by Connecticut artists including early artists like John Trumbull and Frederic Church and later masters including Yves Tanguy, Alexander Calder and Arshile Gorky. Another permanent feature is a button room displaying some ten thousand buttons, a donation of the Waterbury Companies, successor to a company that has been making buttons in Waterbury since 1812.
Museum hours are Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. For information, phone 203-753-0381 or web site, www.mattatuckmuseum.org.
For further information on the museum and other area activities and a free copy
of UNWIND, a 112-page color guide to lodging, dining and all the attractions in the Litchfield Hills of Northwest Connecticut, contact the Northwest Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau, PO Box 968, Litchfield, CT 06759, (860) 567-4506, or visit www.litchfieldhills.com.
WESTPORT
About Westport
Westport is a city of many charms. For outdoor fun, guests ride the hotel's complimentary bicycles to the beach at Sherwood Island State Park. Minutes from the inn, they can take in great performances at the award-winning Westport Country Playhouse and the waterfront Levitt Pavilion. Also nearby are golf courses, fishing, and kayak and boat rentals. Families in particular enjoy the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, Beardsley Zoo and the Rolnick Observatory for spectacular views of starry skies above the Long Island Sound.
Where to Stay
Westport Inn
The boutique hotel just joined the Ascend Collection membership program from Choice Hotels International as the portfolio's first property in Connecticut. As part of this elite network, Westport Inn remains independently owned, while also gaining a global reservations system and a guests rewards program with more than 13 million members worldwide.
December 2011 marked the completion of a 3.5-million-dollar renovation. As part of the redesign, the hotel now boasts striking new meeting and event space, lobby, guestrooms, restaurant and bar, indoor pool and fitness center.
Less than three miles from the beach, Westport inn is close to the lively boutiques, restaurants and nightlife of downtown Westport. The contemporary New England hotel houses 117 guestrooms and suites featuring plush beds with pillow-top mattresses and crisp white linens, Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and luxurious UK-based Aromatherapy Associates bath products. Off the lobby is the casual Eramosa restaurant and bar, serving breakfast, dinner and weekend brunch. Dishes here are bold and flavorful, featuring the fresh seafood, meats and produce of Eastern Connecticut. Westport Inn also houses 6,000 square feet of dramatic meeting and banquet space, including a ballroom with towering window walls overlooking a nature preserve.
Ascend Collection appeals to a growing number of travelers who like to discover independent, upscale hotels with local flair when visiting new places. For more information, visit www.ascendcollection.com.