Monthly Archives: June 2013

Bike Rodeo Teaches Skills, Safety

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Youngsters at last year's Bike Rodeo are put their paces.

Youngsters at last year’s Bike Rodeo are put their paces.

A Bike Rodeo for youngsters from Kindergarten to 8th Grade will be held on Saturday, June 1,  from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School grounds, 53 Lyme Street, Old Lyme.  This event is being sponsored by the Old Lyme Town Police and the Old Lyme Visiting Nurse Association (VNA.)

Activities will include safety inspection of bikes and helmets and a fun series of skill stations involving such actions as starting and stopping, safe exiting into and looking out for traffic, traveling through an intersection and other bike handling skills.  Participants will be awarded certificates and prizes upon completion of the safety course.

Registrations will be taken up to 1 p.m.  Children need to bring their bike and helmet.  Parents will be asked to sign a permission slip prior to their children entering the safety course.

Free bottled water, coffee and snacks will be available.  No rain date.

Additional co-sponsors for this event are the New London Elks, Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau and the Old Lyme Police Union.

For questions about the event, call the Old Lyme VNA at 860-434-5241 or the Old Lyme Police Department at 860-434-1986.

Take a Hike in Old Lyme on CT Trails Day

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woods In celebration of 2013 Connecticut Trails Day weekend, Old Lyme Land Trust is holding an informal nature walk through its Hoffman-Matthiessen-DeGerenday Preserve from 1 to 3 p.m. this Saturday, June 1.  The walk will be led by Daisy Small, a plant ecologist.

The Hoffman-Matthiessen-DeGerenday Preserve is a beautiful 40-acre property that abounds with laurel stands, large patches of ferns, and boulders.  A walk along the bedrock ridge affords dramatic views of  Mill Brook. Many birds can be seen and heard there, too.

More information about the history of the preserve and the three generous donors who created it can be found at the www.oldlymelandtrust.org.

Because the parking lot for the preserve on Sill Lane is small, meet at 1 p.m. at the Old Lyme Shopping Center on Halls Road near The Bowerbird and the hardware store so that carpooling to the site can be organized.

ArtsBall Miami Takes Place at Lyme Academy College

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The dance floor was alive with energy at last year's ArtsBall.

The dance floor was alive with energy at last year’s ArtsBall.

Enjoy Contemporary Cuban Cuisine, Salsa Dancing, and Stunning Decor at ArtsBall Miami: Art & Attitude

This coming Saturday, June 1, Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts is hosting around 400 guests from throughout the region for a memorable evening “under the tents” at the College’s annual gala for student scholarships, this year titled, ArtsBall Miami: Art & Attitude. This exciting celebration, inspired by the spicy culture and glamorous style of Miami, will be held under a series of lavishly decorated tents where guests will enjoy cocktails, dinner, dancing, and a silent auction offering a diverse array of art and non-art items.

ArtsBall Miami: Art & Attitude will re-create the magic of Miami, the crossroads of the international artworld and a work of art in itself. In every element – breath-taking installation by luminous glass artist Mundy Hepburn, dramatic entrance to the College, over-the-top bar, a wildly-decorated tent and dance floor, professional Salsa dancers, plus some special surprises.

The event will capture and celebrate the high style and energy of this art mecca and provide guests with an exceptional evening, promising once again to be the most exciting night on this year’s Lyme-Old Lyme social calendar.

Cocktails, including an open bar and enticing hors d’oeuvres, begin at 5:30 p.m. accompanied by an extensive silent auction that is renowned for its remarkable and varied selection of high-quality art, as well as its range of unique items and special event packages. Again this year, the College will offer guests a Buy It Now! auction option in which one may stop the bidding early by purchasing the item at its Buy It Now! price. The auction will end promptly at 8 p.m. before dinner.

The dinner tent last year was full to capacity.

The dinner tent last year was full to capacity.

A magnificent dinner featuring the wonderful fusion of flavors of contemporary Cuban cuisine will be catered by Jonathan Rapp’s River Tavern, the Chester restaurant known for its innovative cooking using quality, farm-fresh ingredients.

Infusing the evening with an artsy beach attitude, the talented interior designer Lisa Schroeder’s original décor promises to evoke the awe-inspiring beauty and tropical oasis of Miami Beach.

The ArtsBall Miami: Art & Attitude scholarship fundraising gala for the Lyme Academy College of FineArts, will take place on Saturday, June 1, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the College’s campus at 84 Lyme Street in Old Lyme, Conn. Tickets for the full evening are $150 per person. A range of additional ticket options is also available. Suggested attire is Miami Chic, Festive, or Black Tie.

All net proceeds from the event benefit student scholarships.  Founded in 1976 and accredited for the BFA degree in 1996, the College has not yet had a long history in which to build its endowment. It therefore looks to the community for support, especially with regard to its scholarship funds. More than 90 percent of the College’s degree-seeking students receive financial assistance.

Corporate sponsors for this year’s event include Essex Savings Bank and Essex Financial Services, Inc., Outthink, Venü Magazine, The Herb Chambers Companies, Essex Meadows Lifecare Retirement Community, The Xerox Foundation, The Gallery at Firehouse Square, Sennheiser Electronic LLC, Shepherd, Finkelman, Miller & Shah LLP, AT&T, The Day Publishing Company, Mohegan Sun, Patricia Spratt for the Home, Saybrook Point Inn & Spa, Stanley Black & Decker, and Webster Bank.

The College greatly appreciates their generosity and that of numerous additional sponsors who have donated in-kind goods or services, auction items or financial contributions.

Contact the College’s Vice-President of Development Fritz Jellinghaus at 860.434.3571 ext 125 to discuss additional sponsorship opportunities.

For further information about the event or to purchase tickets, contact Ann de Selding at 860.434.3571, ext. 117, or visit www.lymeacademy.edu.

For additional information about the College and its programs, call 860.434.3571, ext. 135

Editor’s Note: Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts continues the tradition of fine art in southeastern Connecticut begun by the Lyme Art Colony at the start of the twentieth century. The fully- accredited College provides students with a solid foundation in figurative and representational fine art while preparing them for a lifetime of creative practice in the contemporary world.  The College offers Bachelor of Fine Arts degree programs in drawing, illustration, painting, and sculpture and Post-Baccalaureate and three-year Certificate programs.  The small student body allows for a more personal education and an intimate artistic community.

Enjoy Essex Rotary’s ‘Shad Bake’ Today, a Quintessential New England Event

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Fifty-five years ago, the Rotary Club of Essex introduced a quintessential New England event to the Connecticut Shoreline.  A unique fundraiser and dining experience known as a ‘Shad Bake.’  For shad lovers, the secret ingredients and authentic method of preparation and cooking handed down from Connecticut natives provide a great lure to the event.

Imagine pieces of this rare and local fish being nail to seasoned 50 lb. boards.  Now envision 20-30 of these boards standing on end as they encircle a once raging fire that now boasts hot coals that carefully cook each piece given the appropriate seasoning and timing.

Add to this … homemade potato salad, tossed green salad, and apple pie from Lyman Orchards garnished with a hunk of cheddar cheese.  Bar-b-que chicken and hot dogs are also offered.

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The event is always held on the first Saturday of June accompanied by music from Stu Ingersoll and his band and games for children.  The atmosphere is vibrant with antique cars, picnickers, and the smell of shad roasting around the open fire.

This is an all-volunteer event hosted by the Rotary Club of Essex and coordinated by Bake Master Joe Shea of AJ Shea Construction.  You might find one of your favorite doctors or dentists at the de-nailing table or visit Greg Shook from Essex Savings Bank for a freshly shucked clam or oyster.

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Join seasoned Shad Bake pioneers like Herb Clark, Chet Kitchings and Dan Lapman for a story from shad bakes of yesteryear including the year of the big flood.  Curiosity, hunger, whatever your motivation, visit the Essex Elementary School in Centerbrook on June 1, 4.30 to 6.30 p.m. for one of the “Top 20 Summer Events” according to Yankee Magazine.

Tickets are $25 with discounts for children.

Shad_cookingVisit  www.rotaryclubofessex.com to purchase tickets and view a video of the Rotary Club of Essex in action.

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