Monthly Archives: February 2014

Chocolate Shell’s Café on Old Lyme Zoning Commission’s Agenda Tonight

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The Old Lyme Zoning Commission tonight has included an agenda item to consider an “E-mail dated February 7, 2014 from Barbara Crowley of the Chocolate Shell, 18 Lyme Street to discuss certain items concerning Lyme Street business.”

Crowley, the owner of the Chocolate Shell, was served with a Cease and Desist order on the café section of her business because, in an e-mail sent to her customers Jan. 28, she explains, “Ann Brown, Old Lyme’s zoning enforcer has decided that I am in violation of zoning regulations by operating both a “take out restaurant” AND a “full service restaurant”, mainly due to a coffee maker and the chairs and tables that were outside for your enjoyment.”

Crowley adds, “As of today I must stop selling coffee and I must remove all chairs and tables, oh… and my “CAFE” flag (which is considered a “permanent sign”).”

Crowley, who notes her in her e-mail that she has both “a very angry and sad heart,” is expected to challenge the Cease and Desist order this evening.  She also stresses that The Chocolate Shell continues to remain open for its normal business of selling fine chocolates and candies from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.

The Zoning Commission meets at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the auditorium of the Old Lyme Town Hall.

 Click here to view the agenda for tonight’s meeting.

Wildcat Boys Win 4 x 800 Class ‘S’ State Title

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Class 'S' 4 x 800m state champions!

Class ‘S’ 4 x 800 meter state champions!

The Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) boy’s team of (from left to right in photo) Ross Golebiewski, Cole McKnight, Stuart Ross and Jeff Davis won the 4 x 800 meter relay yesterday during the  Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference Class S boys’ indoor track and field championships at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven.

The boys finished in an outstanding time of 8:18.49.  Click here to watch a video by Euan Ross of the race.

Congratulations boys, on this amazing achievement!

Kaylin Wiese successfully clears the bar in the Class 'S' pole vault.

Photo by G. Wiese.  Kaylin Wiese successfully clears the bar in the Class ‘S’ pole vault.

In the girl’s competition, Old Lyme’s Kaylin Wiese finished sixth in the pole vault — extraordinarily Wiese only took up this sport three short months ago.

The LOLHS girl’s 4 x 200 meter relay team of Sam Lee, Megan Burns, Caroline Cox and Allison Scott came in sixth in their race in a time of 1:54.37.

Eagles Feast on Frozen Fish

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5_immature_eagles_in_a_tree_compressed

We are delighted to have received from readers quite a few photos of the varying effects of the cold snap on The Lymes.

The photo above was taken by Nancy Meinke and shows five immature eagles perched in a
tree overlooking the frozen waters visible from the Mile Creek Road bridge.  The extreme cold weather caused a fish kill in this shallow estuary meaning the severe temperatures had caused the shallow water to freeze all the way down to the mud, thus killing small stripers that were wintering there.

As a result, the fish froze to death and thus became banquet food for the birds, including the eagles, which have taken up residency in the area and are shown in the photo.

Thanks for sharing this photo, Nancy – more coming soon.

‘Dear Jen’ Debuts Today with Interior Décor Advice

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jennifermannWe are very pleased to debut another advice column today.  Unlike our popular ‘Dear Cammy’ column, which is targeted at middle-schoolers, this ‘Dear Jen’ column is for adults.  Our very own Jen Mann, who has been our incredible book reviewer for more years than we can remember, is turning her hand to yet another thing that she does extraordinarily well.  And that is dispensing advice … so read on and if you have a question for Jen, you can reach her at jpmann@sbcglobal.net

Dear Jen,

I need a change of décor in my living room, but I don’t want to hire someone or spend a lot of money. What small changes can I make that will make a big difference?

In A Rut.

Dearest in a Rut,

Not to worry.  This is not only an easy fix but a fun one.  Look around your room.  Take out 10 things.  Pictures, objects d’art, pillows, throws, plants, anything that moves.  Stick it in another room, better yet, put it on the dining room table where you can see it.

Now, look at the room.  Is there a difference?  If it looks noticeable barer, then you’re halfway there.  What colors stand out?  Walls?  A sofa?  The rug?  This is the color you want to work with.  Pick a color that you love.

If one doesn’t come to mind or you are having a panic attack, go to a paint shop.  Pull 10 colors you like.  Bring them home and stand in the doorway.  Hold them up one by one and see what appeals to you.

Then take that swatch or swatches with you around your house.  Do you have anything that jumps out?  You’d be surprised what you have.

If nothing grabs you.  Go to home goods with your paint chips.  Get a pillow or two.  Get silk flowers.  Get a throw.  A weird statue, a basket.  Anything that is this color is fair game.  Take your prizes home and place them around the room.  Move them around.  Nothing is set in stone.

Play play, play!

If you’re still in a panic, send me a photo and I’ll tell you where to put stuff.  The stuff you took out can be put elsewhere in the house.  Never be afraid to shake it up.

Hope that helps.

If not, there’s always the Monkey Farm Happy Hour…

Jen 

Last Chance to See ‘Pirates of Penzance’ Tonight at LOL High School

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PiratesofPenzanceWebAdLyme–Old Lyme High School and the Old Lyme Players present ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ at the high school on Feb. 6, 7  and 8.  This production is your chance to get carried away by pirates, bumbling British Bobbies, frolicsome Victorian maidens, and the delightfully funny Major-General.

‘The Pirates of Penzance’ or ‘The Slave of Duty’ was first performed at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City in 1879.  It was the only Gilbert and Sullivan operetta to have its world premiere in the United States and has remained popular ever since.  ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ features one of the most beloved scores of Gilbert and Sullivan, including perhaps the most famous song of them all, “I am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General.”

The plot of ‘Pirates’ centers on the dilemma of young Frederic who, as a child, was mistakenly apprenticed to the pirates until his 21st birthday.  Since he was born in leap year on Feb. 29, he is honor-bound to remain a pirate until the distant date of 1940, despite his moral objection to piracy.

Helping Frederic to deal with this unusual predicament are the brash Pirate King, Ruth (the pirate maid-of-all-work), romantic Mabel, and the delightfully stuffy Major-General Stanley.  The truly delightful ‘Pirates of Penzance’ is likely to be yet another sold-out production at the high school.

‘The Pirates of Penzance’ will star Cooper Kendall as Frederic, Emily Kramm as Mabel, Hugh Cipparone as The Pirate King, Sarah Golden as Ruth, and Jeffrey Paine as Major-General Stanley.

The cast also features Christian Valli (Sergeant of Police), Jason Feng (Samuel), Campbell Mann (Edith), Abigail Cipparone (Kate), and Katie Judy (Isabel).  The ensemble includes Lexi Duddy, Megan Cole, Caeli Rice, Taylor Rumm, Bailey Nickerson, Ava Sullivan, Skylar Shaw, Megan Cushman, Marissa Smith, and Tess Hamilton-Ward playing girls and Olivia Angeli, Dillon Dean- Frazier, Meredith Kegley, Ian James, Brian Buttrick, Maria Donato, Rose Datum, Sophie Edson, Callie Kotzan, Jeffrey Zhang, and Ben Jackson as pirates.

‘The Pirates of Penzance’ is directed by Kristine Pekar, the Lyme-Old Lyme High School Choral Director.  She previously directed the high school musicals Legally Blonde, Footloose, Bye Bye Birdie, Once on This Island, Les Miserables, The Boyfriend, Into the Woods, and Beauty and the Beast.

The creative team for The Pirates of Penzance also includes professional tenor Brian Cheney (Music Director), Denise Golden and Dorothy Paine (Costume Designers), and students Kathleen Stedman and Veronica Rollins (Production Stage Managers).

Performances are Thursday, Feb. 6 and Friday, Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m., plus two shows on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.  Tickets are $15 reserved, $10 general admission and$12 student/seniors.  They are available at the high school office at 69 Lyme Street and The Bowerbird.  If tickets are still available, they can also be bought at the door on the night of each show.

For more information about the show, e-mail Kristine Pekar at pekark@region18.org.