All Singers Welcome for SummerSing of Lauridsen’s ‘Lux Aeterna’

Posted on June 16, 2013 by admin

Enjoy an evening of singing next Monday, June 24, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Old Saybrook at the season’s second of six SummerSings co-sponsored by Cappella Cantorum and the Con Brio Choral Society.

Mark Singleton of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus will lead the group in an informal read-through of “Lux Aeterna” by Morten Lauridsen, beginning with registration at 7 p.m. and singing at 7:30 p.m. All singers are welcome.

An $8 fee includes a borrowed score for the evening if needed.

The church is located at 56 Great Hammock Rd. and is air conditioned. Parking is available at St. Paul’s or at the Valley Shore Assembly of God at 36 Great Hammock Rd.

For more information, call 860-767-9409 or 203-245-6947.

Lyme/Old Lyme Garden Tour Continues Today: Benefits Child & Family

Posted on June 15, 2013 by admin

Blue irises form an attractive foreground to the photo of a house on the Lyme/Old Lyme Garden Tour.

Tickets are now on sale for the 2013 Lyme/Old Lyme Garden Tour, taking place Friday, June 14, and Saturday, June 15, at private homes in Lyme and Old Lyme. Tucked away amid the rolling hills and stone walls of the Lyme and Old Lyme countryside, these six gardens abound with natural beauty, both flora and fauna.

An impressive vegetable patch can be seen at one of the gardens on the tour.

Here the homeowners nurture vegetables, herbs, perennials, and annuals alongside native trees, shrubs, and marsh grasses; and while deer, osprey, and even the occasional bald eagle are known to frequent this part of the Connecticut River Valley, several of the gardens also feature chickens, horses, and even a koi pond. Each of the gardens on the Lyme/Old Lyme Garden Tour offers a unique perspective on gardening along the shoreline in Connecticut, and together they provide a fitting welcome to a long-awaited summer.

The six gardens on the 2013 Lyme/Old Lyme Garden Tour include a working farm, an estate on Hamburg Cove, an architectural gem overlooking the Connecticut River, and a garden with its own putting green. Three of these properties boast impressive views of the Connecticut River and its tributaries; as an added bonus, one of the homes is also open to tourgoers.

This year’s Lyme/Old Lyme Garden Tour takes place on Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15. The self-guided driving tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days (rain or shine), and visitors should allow at least three hours to complete the tour.

Boxed lunches ($15), catered by Old Lyme’s own Coffee’s Country Market, will be available once again with advance reservation by today, June 7); and the popular Garden Boutique will tempt visitors with an array of unique and distinctive items for home and garden. Educational talks, included in the admission price, will feature gardening experts speaking on horticultural topics.

Tickets for the 2013 Lyme/Old Lyme Garden Tour are available now at the advance-purchase price of $20, on the agency’s website (www.childandfamilyagency.org) and at The Bowerbird, Old Lyme; they may also be obtained by sending a check and SASE to P.O. Box 324, Old Lyme, CT 06371, or by visiting the Child & Family Agency offices at 255 Hempstead Street, New London. If ordering lunch, remember to specify the day you will attend.

Group sales (six or more) are available.

For more information, call (860) 443-2896, ext. 901. Tickets will also be available on the day of the tour at $25 at each garden location.

For directions to follow the tour, take Exit 70 off I-95 and follow the signs.

All proceeds from the 2013 Lyme/Old Lyme Garden Tour will benefit the many services and capital projects of the Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut, a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the well-being and development of all children and their families, with emphasis on the unmet needs of children lacking physical, emotional, and intellectual care and nurturing. With offices in New London, Essex, and Groton, Child & Family Agency is the largest nonprofit children’s service provider in southeastern Connecticut.

For more information, see www.childandfamilyagency.org.

Outdoor Sculpture Unveiled at Florence Griswold Museum

Posted on June 12, 2013 by admin

Anticipator, an outdoor sculpture made of Corten steel, water, wood and a pump, is now on view in the grounds of the Florence Griswold Museum.

The Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, has unveiled Anticipator, a temporary outdoor sculpture by New York-based artist Matthew Geller. A noted sculptor in the field of public art, Geller designed a work for the Museum grounds that combines a recycled tree trunk with three “bionic” limbs forged from Corten steel. These perforated branches emit colored light and mist through fan-like blossoms.

The tree used for the installation, a Star Magnolia that died a year or more ago, has great significance since it is documented that Miss Florence had the tree planted during the 1920s. “It would have been hard to find a better tree than this,” stated Geller. “Anticipator continues the bond between this landscape and the creation of art begun by the artists of the Lyme Art Colony.”

Playful, accessible, and unexpected, Anticipator offers elements of surprise that encourage visitors to interact with it and eac

New York-based artist Matthew Geller walked the Museum’s grounds with Curator Amy Kurtz Lansing last fall to determine the best location for his outdoor sculpture, Anticipator.

h other, fostering a sense of community as they stroll the grounds. Geller often incorporates mist into his works as a means of sparking conversation among viewers by subtly changing their surroundings. The mist—in constant flux as it is influenced by the slightest changes in the temperature, humidity and wind—transforms the environment, influencing how visitors perceive light and air against the backdrop of the Lieutenant River, a subject of interest to the generations of artists who have painted in and around the Florence Griswold House.

The sculpture’s futuristic combination of natural and artificial forms plays off the historic site—the tree trunk has been salvaged from the grounds and the exotic blooms recall Miss Florence’s interest in non-native species, many of which she planted around her house. A new biomechanical hybrid that is part plant and part machine, Anticipator shapes its environment in an almost animate way, introducing the elements of mist and light and eliciting feedback in return.

A view of Anticipator looking up towards the Museum.

This sensitivity to and interaction with its environment are key aspects of Anticipator, whose title even derives in part from the heat anticipators in thermostats that turn off the furnace just before the desired temperature is reached. A fusion of nature and technology, Anticipator strikes a balance between the two.

Anticipator has been made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services for The Agora Project—a two-year initiative expanding the use of the historic grounds as a site for learning and as a community-gathering place or “agora”—as it was called in ancient Greece—creating a richer experience for Museum visitors. Matthew Geller’s Anticipator is a cornerstone of the project, bringing art outdoors to inspire conversation and reflection.

For more information, visit www.matthewgeller.com or www.florencegriswoldmuseum.org

Nibbles: Polenta

Posted on June 12, 2013 by Lee White

CORN_POLENTA We are so pleased to welcome back our dear friend, neighbor and food writer extraordinaire Lee White. Today, she teases our palates with a polenta served at Simsbury’s Metro Bis and attributed to cookbook writer, Kelsey Banfield. Sorry we can’t write much more about it now … must go and get cooking!

Over the years my husband and I, then I alone and sometimes with friends went to wine dinners at Metro Bis in Simsbury. The restaurant’s owner/chef Chris Prosperi and owner/author Courtney Febbroriello became friends in 1999 when I wrote the book, “Connecticut Chefs 2000.” The two began holding wine dinners, most of which included cookbook writers whose recipes became the dinners we ate and enjoyed.

For me to drive at least an hour or more, depending on traffic, was actually pleasant because the food was great and the company fun. I rarely tasted the wine (well, maybe a little sip) because I am sure that I, who drinks so little, will be the one to get stopped on the way home.

Last week I drove alone. I was seated with two farmers, each woman under the age of 30, and with Courtney’s father. The guest cookbook writer, Kelsey Banfield, had written “The Naptime Chef: Fitting Great Food into Family Life.” I loved all the food, but what was stupendous was a polenta and a salmon dish, each of which can be made is just a few minutes and cooked in less than 20 minutes. The polenta can be made ahead of time and warmed.

Below is the polenta recipe; next week I will give you the salmon recipe and one for a carrot soup made by my friend Joan which I adapted a bit.

Creamy Parmesan and Chive Polenta*

From Kelsey Banfield’s “The Naptime Chef” (Running Press, Philadelphia and London, 2011)

Yield: serves 4 to 6 servings

4 and one-half cups low-sodium chicken stock, divided

1 cup medium-grind polenta or corn grits

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

One-quarter cup finely chopped fresh chives

One-quarter cup whole milk (two-percent is fine)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan bring 4 cups of chicken stock to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and add polenta, stirring as you pour it in to break up any lumps.
Adjust heat to the polenta remains at a simmer and add the salt, pepper and chives. Use a long-handled wooden spoon to stir continuously as everything is added, scraping the bottom of the pan from time to time to keep the polenta from sticking to the bottom. Continue to stir until the polenta is thickened, about 15 minutes.
Once the polenta is smooth and thickened, turn off the heat and stir in the milk, butter and Parmesan. Taste for seasoning and one or two pinches of salt if needed. If eating right away, pour the hot mixture into a heat-proof bowl and serve hot.

Make ahead tip: Store cooked polenta in the refrigerator—still in its saucepan—covered with plastic wrap. To reheat it, place it back on the stovetop over medium heat and pour in additional chicken stock and stir the polenta until it is creamy and heated through.

Variation ideas: for some fun variations, try using a nuttier cheese like Gruyere, or spice it up with a few pinches of chili power to add heat.

*I had never made polenta before. One of what things I learned is how forgiving it is. I had six big eaters at dinner, so I added some more grits and seasoned it well. Since polenta is more a canvas than a painting itself, I used chicken stock I had in the pantry, then added vegetable stock when I ran out. I didn’t measure the chives or the Parmesan. When I reheated the polenta, I added more stock than the recipe called for, but I could have used water. Also, I used corn meal and corn grits Chris game me from Young’s Farm in E. Granby, CT. As I cooked the polenta, I could, literally, smell the farm itself. Wine enthusiasts call grapes’ soil its terroir. I always thought that was sort of silly. I don’t think that anymore.

ArtsBall Miami Takes Place at Lyme Academy College

Posted on June 1, 2013 by admin

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.

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.

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