tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41565308109507853192024-02-07T16:08:06.933-05:00Stamford NotesPoems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.comBlogger597125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-63884486468813721152013-09-17T21:48:00.000-04:002013-09-17T21:48:04.661-04:00Thank you!!!!So my husband and I went to <a href="http://bocact.com/" target="_blank">Boca</a> on Sunday, and it was fabulous. I took notes, took pictures and fully planned to write deeply meaningful things about it on the blog, but when I sat down to write it up, it just wasn't there. <br />
<br />
I have LOVED writing this blog. It has meant so much to me. It made feel part of my community and helped me connect to incredible people. I've learned about amazing restaurants and events. I'm so grateful for the time I've been able to develop this blog, but it's time to shake things up. <br />
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Thank you for reading. Thank you for commenting. Thank you for educating me about this weird, lovely little city. Thank you. Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-92178833759813602482013-07-29T22:19:00.000-04:002013-07-29T22:19:10.423-04:00Kids + Summer = ???So there's a lil' community called <a href="http://www.ctmomsonline.com/" target="_blank">CT Moms</a> that has some great insights on raising rugrats, and I turn to them with questions to my "what the %^&* do I do?!" sorts of questions. There was <a href="http://www.ctmomsonline.com/things-to-do-with-kids/" target="_blank">a recent post on summer fun</a> that I thought was worth passing along. Here's an excerpt of my favorite parts of this blog entry on a little summer salvation courtesy of CT Moms (most links added by yours truly):<br />
<br />
Fairfield County has a plethora of things to do with little kids but
when it’s 8am in your house and you’re already pulling your hair out
with stir-crazy children running around you in circles, it can be hard
to think much less put together a plan to go out! Relax, review the
list below and just make sure to pack snacks, sippy cups and diapers for
the car!!<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.silvermansfarm.com/" target="_blank">Silverman Farm</a>: Great petting zoo; you pay 25 cents to feed the animals. Awesome for picking apples, peaches and pumpkins.<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://stamford.patch.com/listings/chestnut-hill-park" target="_blank">Chestnut Hill Park: Stamford</a>. Lots of kids in good weather – like instant play dates.<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://under5infairfieldcounty.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/playground-of-the-day-mead-park/" target="_blank">Mead Park</a>: Best park café around.<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://stamfordmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Nature Center: Stamford</a> (fantastic – don’t miss the reptiles from 10am -2pm!!). Lots of farm animals. (SN: Check out <a href="http://stamfordmuseum.org/eande.html" target="_blank">special events</a>.)<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.newcanaannature.org/" target="_blank">New Canaan Nature Center</a>: Awesome large birds and other animals. Great Natural Playground for kids.<br />
<br />• <a href="http://www.maritimeaquarium.org/" target="_blank">Aquarium: Norwalk</a> (good indoor activity).<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://steppingstonesmuseum.org/" target="_blank">Stepping Stones: Norwalk</a> (good indoor activity). (SN: We are here all. the. time.)<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.earthplace.org/" target="_blank">EarthPlace: Westport</a> 9am-5pm.<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.beardsleyzoo.org/" target="_blank">Beardsley Zoo: Bridgeport Zoo</a> — a manageable size for the little ones. (SN: Great birthday parties here; kids have a pleasant freakout when they can actually touch the animals.)<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.bronxzoo.com/" target="_blank">Bronx Zoo</a> — super big and super fabulous!<br />
<br />• <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/cove-island-park-stamford" target="_blank">Cove Beach — Stamford beach</a>. Love it. Soundwaters, the house on the
right side of the beach is fun to explore. Plus if you like to boat,
they have afternoon and sunset sailing on a large schooner. (SN: note you need a pass in the summer; Stamford residents can pick one up at 888 Washington Blvd.; <a href="http://www.soundwaters.org/" target="_blank">check out summer activities for kids too</a>.)<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.seaport.org/" target="_blank">Sheffield Island Lighthouse and Nature Trail</a>.<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.lakecompounce.com/" target="_blank">Lake Compounce</a> – awesome amusement park. 1 hr and 15 mins away.<br />
<br />
• <a href="https://bartlettarboretum.isecuresites.com/" target="_blank">Bartlett Arboretum</a> has a new educational space and natural playground
for the kids. Don’t miss summer Sunday concerts in the garden! Plus lots
of great trails to hike. (SN: Including summer concert series, which we've loved.) <br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.norwalkcove.com/?page_id=58" target="_blank">Miniature Golf Norwalk</a> (next to Calf Pasture Beach) $5 per person for 18 holes.<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.kidcitymuseum.com/" target="_blank">KidCity Middletown</a>. Abt 60 miles from Stamford. Great Children’s
Museum. Get reciprocity if you have Stepping Stones Family member plus.<br />
<br />
• <a href="https://www.gltrust.org/index.php?p=pages&title=Upcoming-Events">Go Wild in Greenwich</a>. Family Field Day and Hot Air Balloon Ride. <br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.seaport.org/Default.aspx?pageId=861468" target="_blank">Norwalk Oyster Festival, September. </a>(SN: We've been and we couldn't find any oysters...but fun all the same.)<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.shorelinetrolley.com/stm/" target="_blank">New Haven Trolley Museum</a>.<br />
<br />
• Fire Department — almost any will let you tour anytime.<br /><br />
• Any Construction site provides great joy for my boys.<br /><br />
• Digger Park in Darien — <a href="http://www.darienct.gov/content/106/116/614/660.aspx" target="_blank">Cherry Lawn Park</a>. (SN: Our son went NUTS over all the trucks to play with.)<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.soundwaters.org/schooner/families.shtml">Schooner in Stamford. Sound Waters </a>You can have an afternoon sail with the whole family, or a sunset sail with dad.<br />
<br />
• Choo Choo: Ride on the train just one station or to Grand Central. My boys LOVE this.<br /><br />
• <a href="http://www.cradleofaviation.org/">Aviation Museum</a>, Long Island (right next door to Fire Museum.Very very cool, parents will love too!<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.ncfiremuseum.org/">Fire Museum, Long Island</a>: attached to the Aviation Museum(about 1 hr from Stamford)<br /><br />
• <a href="http://www.bridgeportbluefish.com/" target="_blank">Bridgeport Bluefish Baseball</a>: Tickets $7- $18 each. You can get a group
discount. We had a BLAST last year. The stadium is small and
manageable. Plus lots for kids to do in the kids area.<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.danbury.org/drm/">Train Museum in Danbury</a>: Fall Foliage Rail Excursion – train goes from Danbury to the charming
town of Kent. Pumpkin Patch Trains In addition to the train stuff, they
also have fun fall stuff those days (cider, cookies, coloring station
etc). Santa Trains too. Birthday parties too: Sat: 11am — 1pm, 2pm -4pm
and Sunday 2-4pm Danburyrail.org for more info. The pitfall is that
Danbury is kind of a hike but it opens at 10 so if you leave early, you
can spend just enough time to get home for the nap.<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.thedinosaurplace.com/">The Dinosaur Place.</a> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">• <a href="http://www.brooklynkids.org/" target="_blank">Brooklyn Childrens Museum </a>(reciprocity w Stepping Stones family plus).</span><br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.licm.org/" target="_blank">Long Island Children’s Museum</a>.<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.mysticseaport.org/" target="_blank">Mystic Day Trip</a>. <br /><br />
• <a href="http://peabody.yale.edu/" target="_blank">Peabody Museum in New Haven</a>: They have a great exhibit on the earth
(interactive), very large dinosaur models, a room of taxidermy birds,
and small room upstairs where kids can watch ants building a colony see
reptiles.<br />
<br />•
Pick Your Own Locations in CT: <a href="http://localharvest.org/">LocalHarvest.org</a> – for a full list of u-pick farms, plus farmers
markets, events, and info on heritage crop. <a href="http://pickyourown.org/">PickYourOwn.org</a> – websites
and directions to local farms in your area, plus resources for canning,
too. FarmFresh.org – for pick-your-own farms and farmers markets in the
northeast (and soon beyond). (SN: We did Jones Family Farm this past weekend and had the absolute best time; hey, there's a vineyard too win-freakin-win!)<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.newcanaan.info/content/9492/9224/667/1563.aspx" target="_blank">Waveny Concerts</a>. (SN: It's also a lovely park just to walk around and watch the model airplane folks decorate the sky with their creations.) <br />
<br />
• <a href="http://levittpavilion.com/" target="_blank">Westport </a>has a pretty good children’s series in summer too (magic shows, puppet shows, concerts, etc). <br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.fairfieldafterdark.com/Events-Rowayton-Summer-Concerts.html" target="_blank">Rowayton Beach Concerts</a>.<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.seaport.org/" target="_blank">Daily Cruises to Sheffield Island & Lighthouse Tours</a><br /><br />
• <a href="http://www.downunderkayaking.com/">Kayaking</a>: Family Fun for all!<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.bera.org/">The Shore Line Trolley Museum</a>: $8 adults; $4 kids 2-5yo; Ride the historic Branford Electric Railway; take the trolley to a shady
picnic grove; see trolleys and artifacts of the trolley era; watch
craftspeople in the restoration shop.<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.rmne.org/">Ride the Naugy:</a> $12 adults; $8 kids 3-12yo<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.rmne.org/" target="_blank">Railroad Museum of New England in Naugatuck </a>(Litchfield Hills). Take an
hour long ride with vistas of scenic waterway, the region’s wildlife,
and the Thomaston Dam.<br />
<br />
• <a href="http://www.essexsteamtrain.com/" target="_blank">Essex Steam Train and Riverboat</a>. (SN: Great place to bring a picnic and make a day of it.) <br />
<br />
• <a href="http://philipjohnsonglasshouse.org/" target="_blank">The Philip Johnson Glass House</a>: $30-$45 per person (all ages including children); Okay, so this isn’t exactly family friendly, but if you can go your
should. I’ve been trying but the first two seasons have been sold
out!…The mission of the Philip Johnson Glass House is for the 47-acre
campus to become a center-point and catalyst for the preservation of
modern architecture, landscape, and art, and a canvas for inspiration,
experimentation and cultivation honoring the legacy of Philip Johnson
(1906–2005) and David Whitney (1939–2005). In addition to guided tours,
the Glass House will launch programs and provide national leadership in
the preservation of the Modern.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.stmarksnewcanaan.org/outreach/may-fair/" target="_blank">May Fair</a>, the Saturday before Mother’s Day. It is the largest one day
fair in the state of Connecticut. They also have a huge tag sale as
part of it. It is held at St. Mark’s Church in New Canaan. Lots of fun!<br />
<br />
Phew! So that's the CT Moms post, and I'm tired just copying it! It's been a great inspiration for us. Hope it helps you have a fabulous summer. Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-40506809539952905872013-07-21T21:39:00.002-04:002013-07-21T21:39:33.382-04:00I *Heart* Nora Ephron Nora Ephron always know just the thing to say.<br />
<br />
- On parenthood: “[A successful parent is one] who raises a child who grows up and is able to pay for his or her own psychoanalysis.”<br />
<br />
- On the sexes: "Men dominate the conversation in Washington and therefore, as far as I am concerned, the conversations are far less interesting than those in New York."<br />
<br />
- On life lessons: "My mother wanted us to understand that the tragedies of your life one day have the potential to be comic stories the next."<br />
<br />
The writer behind <i>When Harry Met Sally</i> and <i>Sleepless in Seattle</i> who passed away just about a year ago, lives on in Norwalk. The play she wrote alongside sister, Delia Ephron, is called <a href="http://www.carriagehouseartscenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18" target="_blank"><i>Love, Loss and What I Wore</i></a> and it's coming to the <a href="http://www.carriagehouseartscenter.org/" target="_blank">Carriage House Arts Center</a>. Enjoy wine, cheese and a top notch play. You can see it next weekend, and that's it! There will be shows only from July 26 to the 28th. What's really cool is you can get in FOR FREE with the donation of a women's business suit as it's supporting Dress for Success. No suit to donate? Still a very handbook happy $20. Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-2614107270964847632013-06-26T23:13:00.002-04:002013-06-26T23:13:36.093-04:00"We're Not Very Good People"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQuZFfCfMcSMy_9gBq3TTcppq4gQXC31LCq55vfr_62W9MKGkQ4j6AqhfxrupgRN2QDNuxTYU74x4swEDN9Ap9KKVIF4bCU6uyVdcNpsuJEdBHM5nWxFpnsMV16LJEi3hgK53WvT4LQcL/s1600/The_Central_Park_Five_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQuZFfCfMcSMy_9gBq3TTcppq4gQXC31LCq55vfr_62W9MKGkQ4j6AqhfxrupgRN2QDNuxTYU74x4swEDN9Ap9KKVIF4bCU6uyVdcNpsuJEdBHM5nWxFpnsMV16LJEi3hgK53WvT4LQcL/s320/The_Central_Park_Five_poster.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
So said Craig Wilder, Professor of History and Head, MIT History section. By the end of the documentary, "The Central Park Five," I believed him.<br />
<br />
The movie profiles the attack on the Central Park Jogger in 1989 and the countless tragedies that came out of it. Trisha Meili was victimized and beaten beyond recognition. Five teens were wrongfully convicted and sentenced to between five and fifteen years. The real perpetrator, Matias Reyes, continued to wreak havoc until he confessed to the crime in 2002. After years of wasting their young lives behind bars, the Central Park Five were finally released.<br />
<br />
The crime was a brutal one, but there was no blood evidence. There was no forensic evidence. There was little evidence at all, but each conviction hinged on the video taped confessions of the alleged perpetrators. It's incredible to imagine how these young men could have implicated themselves so thoroughly and how a few minutes in front of a video camera could have destroyed their young lives, but that's exactly what happened. The film gives some sense of the exhaustion, deception and false promises that could have resulted in the manufacture of their false confessions. Still, the viewer is still left wondering how in the world that could have happened? How could so many smart people have been so wrong?<br />
<br />
It's a movie that helps you learn the story that the media never really tells: what does it mean to have been wrongfully convicted? How does it happen? Where did we fail? It's common to hear stories about people released from prison after years of incarceration for crimes they didn't commit, but it's so rare that you get the opportunity to hear how we got there and what happened next. This movie takes the time to tell that important story It's not pretty. It's a story of human frailty, fear, race and politics, and it's a vital one we all should hear. <br />
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I hope we're good people, but this movie is an eye opener that highlights how we fall far short of the ideal. There's no hope of our getting better without learning from mistakes like this one.Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-20119468440316754362013-06-24T21:21:00.002-04:002013-06-24T21:21:35.871-04:00LimboYou know, I never wanted this blog to be about me, but the world is just a little too much with me right now. It's not a bad place to be, it's just an in between sort of place. I'm in a summertime limbo. We've bought a new house...or almost bought a new house since closing is the end of July, and I'm still wrapping my head around it.<br />
<br />
If it all goes according to plan, we'll be in North Stamford by season's end. So what does that mean? <br />
<br />
On the plus side it means:<br />
- A bigger house for my growing boy to roll around in.<br />
- A place for my parents to stay that doesn't cost a fortune (at last!).<br />
- A walk of about 5 minutes to get to some of the prettiest parts of our fair city: the Bartlett Arboretum and Stamford Nature Center beyond.<br />
- A wall of windows, which I've always wanted.<br />
- An investment in my family's future. <br />
<br />
On the minus side it means:<br />
- A bigger, scarier mortgage.<br />
- A bigger, scarier - but much more beautiful - piece of property to maintain.<br />
- No more walks to Lorca, which I've grown to love.<br />
- No more walks to Mill River, which has grown into a mid-city gem.<br />
- No more walks to the movies or to dinner.<br />
<br />
Ok, so we will sip, stroll, watch and eat again, but I don't want us to forget the lovely things we're leaving behind. <br />
<br />
In the short term, it means boxes and boxes. I'm dreaming of boxes. We haven't gotten our place on the market yet, and there are obscene numbers of boxes still to come. I've been dreaming of future boxes stacking up over my head and up several stories of walls of windows. Moving is awful, and I'm a little nervous about leaving a place that's totally imperfect, but that I've grown to adore. We're not going far, but I'll still miss what's been close.Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-58762571000539669632013-06-09T23:25:00.002-04:002013-06-09T23:25:15.386-04:00Art Attack There is so much cool artiness in Stamford right now, it makes me feel like throwing a pot. First of all, sculptures have sprouted all over town from the <a href="http://stamford-downtown.com/events/art-in-public-places/#.UbVBBfm1Flo" target="_blank">Art in Public Places</a> exhibit. The theme this year is abstractions, and they're all over the block - literally and figuratively. Which ones do you <a href="http://stamford-downtown.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/pdf_2013DowntownAbstractionsBookletFinalweb3.pdf" target="_blank">like</a>? <br />
<br />
I'm kind of digging David Boyajian's work. It looks like stills of dancers pivoting on point. The multi-colored Carole Eisner is too much for me to swallow, but the monochromatic ones put all the color in the movement, which is much lovelier. David Hostetler is a bit to stark for me. Kevin Robb's work seems to be just about to topple over, which gives you just a little refreshing breathlessness. Boaz Vaadia's sculptures seem to be made out of million year old mineral deposits, stalagmiting up the sidewalk as if we've been welcoming Jerry Springer since the dawn of time.<br />
<br />
Not enough artiness? But wait - there's more! <br />
<br />
Join your Stamford neighbors et al for <a href="http://stamfordartassociation.org/pdfs/ArtWalk2013.pdf" target="_blank">Artwalk</a> on Friday, June 14th from 6-9pm and Saturday, June 15th from 10am-7pm. My fabulous friend, MKS, has a very talented husband showing at the event. Artwalk will feature 95 artists all told, art for sale, galleries a'plenty, all sorts of mediums, refreshments, live music and not a nickel to get in. Should be swell, and you should be there!Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-78968541161658632282013-05-13T21:01:00.000-04:002013-05-13T21:01:06.747-04:00Get in Gears<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUdcyYdzWFrrMNXOV04qkGHdWiMeFqLHSNz0djQSoJa0BI21oGjULR1vzoTK9q0jpDNTpCIH35iM7fvvOTzh7g5w15YMcjdlZmCUmChzQiSiQHD6QY6j1316n0wSwGbFHH9nD6yRhbX7h/s1600/bike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRUdcyYdzWFrrMNXOV04qkGHdWiMeFqLHSNz0djQSoJa0BI21oGjULR1vzoTK9q0jpDNTpCIH35iM7fvvOTzh7g5w15YMcjdlZmCUmChzQiSiQHD6QY6j1316n0wSwGbFHH9nD6yRhbX7h/s320/bike.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from flickr.com, ClickFlashPhotos / Nicki Varkevisser</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On May 17th (aka, this Friday) join your fellow commuters in <a href="http://www.bikewalkct.org/event-locations.html" target="_blank">Bike to Work Day</a>. It's exercise, fresh air, saving on gas - what's not to like?! <a href="http://www.thehour.com/stamford_times/entertainment/stamford_arts_and_life/stamford-and-norwalk-to-celebrate-bike-to-work-day/article_8a1adec8-bbe6-11e2-b75f-001a4bcf6878.html" target="_blank">The Stamford Times</a> points to an increase in bike commuters, saying the 2010 Census has those numbers up 40% across the US and 50% in CT since 2000. <br />
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Stamford has a downtown event to celebrate your pedal power too. From 7:30 to 9am, join your neighbors in <a href="http://stamford.patch.com/listings/veterans-park-12" target="_blank">Veteran's Park</a> at the corner of Atlantic and Main Streets for giveaways and free refreshments (and a few bragging rights). There are similar events all throughout CT. See the Bike to Work Day link above for a full listing. <br />
<br />
<br />Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-84068259222864876862013-04-21T21:33:00.001-04:002013-04-21T21:42:50.325-04:00Miller River Park is Blossoming<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Big thanks to (nearly birthday girl) TK for her, as always, excellent guest blog post. She mentioned that Mill River was in bloom, and I was so excited to see today that she's absolutley right. So without further ado, here goes:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6086/6041360282_93f7a7ed4f_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">photo from waferboard, flickr.com</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Spring is in the air and the cherry trees in Mill River Park are starting to bloom. The Park’s grand opening is the first weekend in May, and it’s actually starting to look like a real park. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">On Friday, May 3, Mill River is launching its Spielberg at Sunset outdoor movie series, in partnership with the </span><a href="http://www.avontheatre.org/movies_in_the_park.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Avon Theatre</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: orange;">.</span> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: white;">Movies include Raiders of the Lost Ark, ET, Goonies and more. There will be a DJ starting at 6:30pm, and the movie will begin at sunset. If we could get a food truck or two to show up, that would be ideal. El Charrito? Melt Mobile? </span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">On Saturday, May 4, the Swingset Mamas will be performing at Mill River Playground, there will be zumba and yoga drop-ins in the park, bird walks, a performance of the “</span><a href="http://armofthesea.org/portfolio/the-rejuvenary-river-circus" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: orange;">Rejuvenary River</span> <span style="color: orange;">Circus</span></span></a><span style="color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: orange;">,”</span> </span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: white;">and more.</span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">It looks like the </span><a href="http://www.millriverpark.com/2012/11/familyfun/" target="_blank"><span style="color: orange; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Fun Saturday Mornings performances</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: white;">at the Mill River playground will continue this summer, but the lineup has not been released yet. We saw “Boogie Chillun” at the playground last summer, and we were ready to book them for our next private event.</span> </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">SN again: it sounds fabulous, and we'll be there with bells on ourselves!</span></div>
Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-55157586665631674452013-04-02T21:58:00.001-04:002013-04-02T21:58:44.953-04:00It's Spring - Are You a Budding Entrepreneur? Start Budding Right Here!<div style="text-align: left;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8gRrzy8gX226LxOd2TQRboZb35SrP9YOprxSMYbH29RFLo0JUeNzzxqSROpV8nSQRi2YL_9yuwNNDhxghEcLeCDSA5rq5hC7vCyCMQChtTbklsiEU0VlWExfJrTaUkhCmM2VolJDZXVu/s1600/looking+glas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW8gRrzy8gX226LxOd2TQRboZb35SrP9YOprxSMYbH29RFLo0JUeNzzxqSROpV8nSQRi2YL_9yuwNNDhxghEcLeCDSA5rq5hC7vCyCMQChtTbklsiEU0VlWExfJrTaUkhCmM2VolJDZXVu/s1600/looking+glas.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from Jazzyblue TR, flickr.com</td></tr>
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Have you heard of InnovationED? What about the Stamford Innovation Center? If you are an entrepreneur, a wannabe entrepreneur or just want to get ahead in business, they may just be your new best friends.<br />
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The <a href="http://stamfordicenter.com/" target="_blank">Stamford Innovation Center</a> is a self described "community of dreamers, thinkers and doers" in our area promoting startups and making professional business ideas into reality. They provide space in the Old Town Hall to help businesses grow and expand.<br />
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Another exciting part of the Center is its <a href="http://innovationed.tumblr.com/ourphilosophy" target="_blank">InnovationEd </a>program, which is more than just a pretty website. It's also the educational arm of the Center. They are starting brand new classes right now with top notch teachers, and you can take part. The folks behind InnovationEd are focused on making their classes active, practical and accessible. The first few classes on the agenda are:<br />
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- PR Bootcamp (2-5pm) / PR Showdown (7-9pm), Tuesday 4/9<br />
- The Power of Storytelling (1-5pm) / Storytelling Showdown (7-9pm), Tuesday 4/23<br />
- The 3 Stages of Business Development, Wednesday 4/24 (7-9pm)<br />
- Effective E-mail and Newsletter Campaigns, Wednesday 4/24 (7-9pm)<br />
- Ask the Data Scientist, Tuesday 5/7 (7-9pm)<br />
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For a complete description and pricing info (which all looked reasonable to me...), visit their <a href="http://innovationed.tumblr.com/sessions" target="_blank">Sessions page</a>. Learn more about the instructors <a href="http://innovationed.tumblr.com/post/46259094178/instructor-interview-joe-dolce" target="_blank">here </a>and <a href="http://innovationed.tumblr.com/post/46259157892/instructor-interview-daniel-krasner-and-ian-langmore" target="_blank">here</a>. All classes take place at Old Town Hall, which is located at 175 Atlantic Street. <br />
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Also, for a special discount, use the promo code STNOTES on the eventbrite order page. And if you go, tell me about it! I'd love to share your experience on the site.Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-84801948263206927392013-03-13T22:25:00.003-04:002013-03-13T22:25:40.342-04:00HOLY %^&* Louis CK is Coming to Town!Wow! <a href="http://www.thehour.com/stamford_times/arts_and_life/louis-c-k-to-perform-on-friday-april-at-the/article_5407b8d8-8c25-11e2-8202-001a4bcf6878.html" target="_blank">Louis CK</a> will be performing at The Palace Theatre on April 5 at 7:30pm. Tickets are available at <a href="http://louisck.com/">louisck.com</a>. This is a big name act for our little ol' town. Apart from his fairly terrible HBO series, <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Louie" title="Lucky Louie">Lucky Louie</a></i>, he is a comedic <span class="st">juggernaut. </span><br />
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<span class="st">He's performed on Letterman, Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, you name it. He shines most brightly on stage and in his newer series, </span> <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louie_%28TV_series%29" title="Louie (TV series)">Louie</a>.</i> He plays the grumpiest version of a divorced father making as many mistakes as a human being can make, and doing it hilariously. It's crude, clever and endlessly creative. It's incredibly watchable, and you could see him live. Get 'em now before they're gone!! Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-74605336394957008022013-02-12T22:35:00.000-05:002013-02-14T16:10:37.497-05:00Stamford OKs a few KOsA little detour down Summer Street tonight ushered me past what used to be the FedEx/Kinko's on Summer Street. The space has gone from paper things to swings in rings, and it's now a boxing gym! Pretty cool! The gym is called <a href="http://laboxing.com/stamford/" target="_blank">LA Boxing</a>, and it seems to be the real deal.<br />
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Click on their <a href="http://laboxing.com/stamford/gyms/virtual-gym/" target="_blank">virtual tour</a> and you'll see their official boxing ring, treadmills, cardio machines, forest of punching bags and even a mixed martial arts cage. My colleague has taken up boxing, despite being an honest to goodness high heeled, mascaraed girly girl, and she's a true convert. I can't say I like being on either end of a swinging fist, but it does seem to be an excellent workout.<br />
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What I am an unadulterated fan of is new options and a little extra excitement in downtown Stamford, and LA Boxing ticks both those boxes. Welcome, neighbor! Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-23723107328249986532013-02-04T00:01:00.001-05:002013-02-04T00:01:29.212-05:00Harlan Social is Ambitious and Delicious<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2s4wV1W0bLusR3E87Iz2G-XLz8pvU40j7Gt1OyjYCFsOE-WltLKX2PLAttwDFda3tXUUk4L2efXVqxuK-93VkpF7jwsA7f6JDMF1otCVD2eeXqM_X3zJ5KZZab0HiG1x14w2L9YeccM3J/s1600/wine+glass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2s4wV1W0bLusR3E87Iz2G-XLz8pvU40j7Gt1OyjYCFsOE-WltLKX2PLAttwDFda3tXUUk4L2efXVqxuK-93VkpF7jwsA7f6JDMF1otCVD2eeXqM_X3zJ5KZZab0HiG1x14w2L9YeccM3J/s320/wine+glass.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from kevin dooley, flickr.com</td></tr>
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Well, it's been a while but I've survived food poisoning, something flu-ish, two baby ear infections (and companion pink eye) and my company being acquired - phew! And yet Stamford continues to spin on its axis, and Harlan Social has been busy shining in its atmosphere. <br />
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We did manage to break away for a nice dinner there a little bit ago, and I have nothing but praise. I'd been there before, but it was only drinks and nibbles, so there wasn't much to say. In my party, we had a variety of fabulous meals.<br />
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The Harlan Burger looked a little odd, floating on its English Muffin-y bread, but the proclamation was "great!" and "greasy in a good way." Sounded like although it might kill you, you'd die happy. We scratched our head over what Parisienne Gnocchi might be, and the diner in question described it as "open faced" gnocchi. He rated it a 10 of 10 with a perfect texture. My friend who sampled the Seared Scallops said she couldn't recall ever having had as good...and that they just might be perfect. (I'm no fan of scallops, so a perfect one might be tied in a Glad bag, as far as i'm concerned...but I'll take her word for it.) The Gulf Shrimp & Grits garnered similar praise and the Garganelli Pasta was described as "well balanced."<br />
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I had the Braised Lamb, and perhaps food love was in the air, but it was incredible. It fell off the bone and into a collection of delicious French lentils seasoned with onions, almonds and dates. That description doesn't do it justice, and only eating it would.<br />
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It's not inaccurate for me to say it: I hate brussel sprouts. I remember being so sad when a very special dinner of soft shell crabs came with the veggie of the day - which I forgot to ask about. The plate arrived decorated in all directions by those little green stink bombs. Boo! This is all to say that the brussel sprouts at Harlan Social were delicious. I was shocked (Lord knows I didn't order them, but I tried them out of a sense of curiosity and masochism). They were miniature, and I don't know what that is supposed to do to their flavor, but it made something horrible downright delectable.<br />
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I wish it had been a little busier on a weekend evening, but the environment at Harlan Social was cozy and modern. My husband's a much harsher critic than I am, and he adored the evening. We also enjoyed the cheese plate (although the very thick accent of the waitress kept me in the dark about what the heck I was eating) and two desserts: Warm Cinnamon Donuts and the Bittersweet Chocolate Bar. They were a bit skimpy on the serving size for the donuts, but I'm glad they recognize that everything is better with chocolate dipping sauce. The Chocolate Bar could use a little more descriptive text on the menu so I know what the heck I'm eating, but whatever it was, I'll come back for more.Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-10745763957037014022012-12-12T23:01:00.003-05:002012-12-12T23:01:51.602-05:00Vote Yes On Holiday GoodnessStamford Downtown is merry and bright - don't forget to vote for the best hall decker at the <a href="http://www.stamford-downtown.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=151" target="_blank">Downtown Special Services District website</a>. You could win a $100 gift Capital Grille gift card! Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-43201186908038301192012-12-11T22:49:00.002-05:002012-12-11T22:49:53.768-05:00Shop Local for the Holidays!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80oe8s54cRYqbniCsZm9e1siMueAGxX1bcE7T2JtoQQEv_DakJv8-MRLfGd71U7kIvEp5KEjccozzA5FUyeacgTO7G4CVaRG40L6XEALMN0kmfR4LH4k_nNq0xQ7IPy3j_BwTYbOuao5f/s1600/gift+tag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80oe8s54cRYqbniCsZm9e1siMueAGxX1bcE7T2JtoQQEv_DakJv8-MRLfGd71U7kIvEp5KEjccozzA5FUyeacgTO7G4CVaRG40L6XEALMN0kmfR4LH4k_nNq0xQ7IPy3j_BwTYbOuao5f/s320/gift+tag.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> photo from christmasstockimages.com, google images</td></tr>
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Guest post by the best friend a girl could have, TK: <br />
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Looking for those last few holiday gifts? Need a hostess gift for your neighbor’s Christmas party? Consider purchasing some gifts made and sold by local merchants.<br />
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We recently stopped by <a href="http://halffullbrewery.com/" target="_blank">Half Full Brewery</a> in Stamford (43 Homestead Ave) to pick up a couple of 64 ounce growlers of their inaugural brew. This beer is not just a tasteless light beer that happens to be made down the road. It was light and crisp, with layers of flavor. Half Full just opened its doors in August 2012. It is well worth a visit, for sampling or to pick up a few growlers as gifts. They’re open every Tuesday and Friday from 4-7pm for growler fills and sampling, and every other Saturday for tours, sampling, and growler fills. <br />
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If beer isn’t your thing, try a box of chocolates. Chocopologie, the beloved SoNo institution, officially opened its Stamford location in November. I wrote up a little sumpin' sumpin' about them just <a href="http://www.stamfordnotes.com/2012/12/between-devil-and-deep-blue-chocopologie.html" target="_blank">yesterday</a>. And don't forget about their downtown chocolate predecessor who's been coating your strawberries for years, <a href="http://www.schakolad.com/" target="_blank">Schakolad Chocolate</a> (172 Bedford).<br />
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If you’re looking for even more options, <a href="http://sonomarketplace.com/" target="_blank">SoNo Marketplace</a> (314 Wilson Avenue, South Norwalk) just opened its doors on December 1. This former factory space has been renovated to include rows of rustic stalls, occupied by local craftsman, artisans, and specialty food merchants. You can buy everything from pickles and olive oil to jewelry and antiques. SoNo Marketplace will also be hosting culinary demonstrations, weekend feasts, and other family activities. Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-30509433213604064582012-12-10T21:16:00.000-05:002012-12-10T21:16:14.256-05:00Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Chocopologie<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVThyFflByGkVyXTnUMtjB8Zgu22z36o-8-d0IcBxCAPQ_sA_-dsrlpvrhuBXR7YXC4Zo_6245Hc3G9dcOJ9peejjeeMfTdxbXA8FQ2rVig5b6H0fI28leMOyJjpbVPXGXFFt2j6B7HeJE/s1600/chocolates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVThyFflByGkVyXTnUMtjB8Zgu22z36o-8-d0IcBxCAPQ_sA_-dsrlpvrhuBXR7YXC4Zo_6245Hc3G9dcOJ9peejjeeMfTdxbXA8FQ2rVig5b6H0fI28leMOyJjpbVPXGXFFt2j6B7HeJE/s320/chocolates.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from <span style="background-color: #fefefe; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"> </span>Kirti Poddar, flickr.com</td></tr>
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My lovely friend JB and I hadn't caught up in approximately 3,000 years, so we set our sights on a little afternoon out at one of Stamford's newest sweet spots: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChocopologieStamford" target="_blank">Chocopologie</a> (213 Main). I'd been to their Norwalk location a few times, and was always impressed. <br />
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In Norwalk, they had a great selection of salads and savory fare, but unsurprisingly, it was the truffles, cupcakes and acres of chocolate goodness that really made the grade. I even took a cupcake decorating class and learned how to make a frilly icing flower...so freakin Martha Stewart. <br />
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I'm still taking the 101 class at the Stamford location, but so far, it's making me smile. It's a teeny, tiny space, but it packs a lot of lovely punch. There are dramatic glass apothecary jars filled with chocolates as pretty as jewels. There are brownies and cookies galore. I was taken in by the gelato case, and helped myself to a mix of chocolate and hazelnut. Both flavors were delicious. JB snagged a small hot chocolate, which was amazing and could pretty much be cut with a knife. As she rightly said, it tastes like a liquid chocolate bar.<br />
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Just as appetizing was the decor. Classic furniture pieces with dramatic flourishes painted in white were upholstered in a unique printed burlap edged in red. There was a box full of Lincoln logs (that my son tried to eat) on a gracious coffee table and pretty candles and artwork displayed all around. Chocopologie managed to convey a wealth of style despite the pinched square footage.<br />
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We had an excellent visit (although my about-to-not-be-a-baby-anymore baby kept us on our toes!), and I would definitely come back for more.Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-69627401434731895592012-11-19T21:59:00.000-05:002012-11-19T21:59:18.376-05:00Run, Turkey, Run!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFHtBrjxKXp-NZAxfysWrTp9MecEgwwiEezh9mU_erDT_OgJ8ZrZuzYgEHH7hHqjsmMPz_wugN5BYcGE3qVzyfEWuLPPjBI4rEDwX87G0tRQa03BO_r8mOGU5Xa6IUcgq6pskPck3MfGi/s1600/Turkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFHtBrjxKXp-NZAxfysWrTp9MecEgwwiEezh9mU_erDT_OgJ8ZrZuzYgEHH7hHqjsmMPz_wugN5BYcGE3qVzyfEWuLPPjBI4rEDwX87G0tRQa03BO_r8mOGU5Xa6IUcgq6pskPck3MfGi/s320/Turkey.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from Andrea Westmoreland, flickr.com</td></tr>
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So did you parade it up with the Lorax and friends?? Seems like that event has gotten exponentially more awesome every year. We loved the Fraggle and the dance teams. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWzzGANLoCc" target="_blank">Uniondale </a>is always the best marching band, and they didn't disappoint.<br />
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Your local Turkey Day fun is far from over. You can run off those extra giblets at the <a href="http://shippanturkeytrot.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">12th Annual Shippan Turkey Trot</a>. You have to check out the pictures on the website to see what they've been up to for the past 12 years. There's skippin sumos, lumbering Lincolns, kickin ketchup bottles, marathoner Mario Brothers and even a bouncing baby turkey.<br />
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Come see your neighbors all decked out in their craziest costumes running for a fantastic cause. Donations go to <a href="http://shelterforhomeless.org/" target="_blank">Shelter for the Homeless</a>, which provides welcoming space for up to 100 people and hot meals every night. <br />
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Join in the fun at 280 Ocean Drive East between Shippan and Fairview on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22nd at 9:30am. The racecourse is just under 2.5 miles and you can see it <a href="http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=258911" target="_blank">here</a>. Better be ready to run at 10am because it starts right on time! Bring canned food or cash/checks to support the Shelter and participate in the race. <br />
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Go to the Turkey Trot website above or email tomhynes@gmail.com for more info. <br />Or take a look at this video I shamelessly ripped off their website:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ll0t5gk22t4" width="420"></iframe><br />Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-20932250716026195082012-11-08T21:28:00.001-05:002012-11-08T21:28:25.079-05:00Sandy Damage in CTSandy was awful, up and down the tri-state, no question. New Jersey got it the worst, that seems clear. Parts of New York are still without power, and people are suffering. Still, one thing that bothers me is that nobody seems to be talking about Connecticut. <br />
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The big media chains are focused on <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57546347/sandy-hit-areas-grade-federal-governments-response-to-superstorm/" target="_blank">New Jersey and New York</a>, but a little online searching reveals some horrible devistation in <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/governordanmalloy/8141815643" target="_blank">Connecticut</a>. Apparently, <a href="http://milford.patch.com/articles/milford-schools-closed-this-week-officials-visit-devastated-shorefront#photo-11982310" target="_blank">Milford</a> was devistated. At least one video I found shows a person's yard filled with boats in <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFZhnszBCA4&feature=related" target="_blank">Rowayton</a>. I found one NYT video about <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txlGGb_Jlmo" target="_blank">Stonington</a>, but that one was a rarity. <br />
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I don't mean to diminish the suffering of others, but I do wish that the media would recognize that Connecticut wasn't spared, and there are people in need in our backyard too. Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-2393865821835152052012-11-05T21:07:00.001-05:002012-11-05T21:07:33.575-05:00Most Exciting Thing Ever!I knew Chocopologie was opening its doors soon, but I was THRILLED to learn exactly when! CT Bites says they are welcoming us with truffled open arms along with music, champagne and (shockingly) chocolate on November 11th. See <a href="http://www.ctbites.com/home/2012/11/5/chocopologie-stamford-grand-opening-november-11.html?lastPage=true&postSubmitted=true" target="_blank">CT Bites</a> for more.Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-31825781794131748452012-10-25T23:13:00.001-04:002012-10-25T23:13:22.353-04:00Local Fun for Halloween<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtC1XPVaPMjOtcS8u5RfYZ3FxSagbmGv9ZmM-e5QYsTN-0K4sm2n0oaKnj_5_425sgBRUwWKV4pj6GUh01QWzC2QUOjab-PfNZqnUj1vA1EWTWBlZNtJ4mE3JBld3adW401tJ_Z_KeBMs/s1600/pumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtC1XPVaPMjOtcS8u5RfYZ3FxSagbmGv9ZmM-e5QYsTN-0K4sm2n0oaKnj_5_425sgBRUwWKV4pj6GUh01QWzC2QUOjab-PfNZqnUj1vA1EWTWBlZNtJ4mE3JBld3adW401tJ_Z_KeBMs/s320/pumpkin.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from wwarby, flickr.com</td></tr>
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Ok, so between a surprise business trip overseas and a sick baby at home, I've been a Grade A slacker on the blogosphere, but with Halloween tricking and treating its way to my door, I had to make some time. </div>
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So you're wondering what you can do to pumpkin spice up your season? Here are a few ideas:</div>
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- <a href="http://www.hudsonvalley.org/node/484" target="_blank">The Great Jack O'Lantern Blaze</a> requires a little bit of a drive, but it's worth it if you have the time. If you can get yourself up to the Hudson Valley, about half an hour away, you'll see over 5,000 jack o'lanterns carved by hand displayed in crazy shapes and configurations. There are pumpkin skeletons, pumpkin underwater scenes and pumpkin vampires flying overhead. Ok, some of the pumpkins are not-so-much-real-as-fake but the effect is amazing. The whole landscape just glows with Halloween ghouliness. You can also get seasonal snacks and gifts. Last time we went (not last year - I was too pumpkin shaped myself to enjoy it), we had a blast. It sells out quick, so get those tickets soon! Right this minute there are tickets available for Oct 31 and Nov 4, 9, 10 and 11.</div>
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- <a href="http://www.bartlettarboretum.org/index.php?ID=2489&XID=1614:2489:2628:0:0&PID=1614" target="_blank">The Bartlett Arboretum & Garden</a> (151 Brookdale Rd) is hosting its second annual AMAZEing Halloween. Apart from the misspellings, it looks like an excellent event. Underway on October 27-28 from 11am-4pm, it features a Halloween maze, a "Monster Mash" costume parade for kids and pets, an Outdoor Explore Classroom, face painting, magic shows, pumpkin painting, balloon animals and other fun kiddie craziness. It's free with a suggested donation of $5/car. You can also learn more about the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem NY and meet its wolf mascot, Atka (for an additional fee of $6 for adults and $4 for kids; call for tickets to that event: 203-322-6971). <br /><br />- Looking for something decidedly less kid friendly and more twisted? A bit outside the season, but creepy enough to carry over, <a href="http://www.avontheatre.org/special_events.html#nov29" target="_blank">The Avon's</a> (272 Bedford St) Cult Classic "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067541/" target="_blank">Wake in Fright</a>" is on display Thursday, Nov 29th at 9pm. $6 for members; $8 for students/seniors; $11 for non-members. Apparently the long lost negatives of the 1970s film were found in Pittsburgh, PA just before they were to be destroyed, and the film's been completely restored. The theater describes the movie as follows:<br />
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"Alongside MAD MAX and WALKABOUT, WAKE IN FRIGHT is widely acknowledged as one of the seminal films in the development of modern Australian cinema. Directed by Ted Kotcheff (RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD), the film tells the story of a British schoolteacher’s descent into personal demoralization at the hands of drunken, deranged derelicts while stranded in a small town in outback Australia. Virtually unseen in the United States and renowned in its home country after years of neglect, WAKE IN FRIGHT is ripe for rediscovery and returns to cinemas beginning this<br />Fall.<br /><br />WAKE IN FRIGHT originally made its debut at Cannes in 1971, where it earned a Palme D’Or nomination. The film made its return to the festival in 2009 courtesy of guest-curator Martin Scorsese, following the completion of a comprehensive restoration. It was there where WAKE IN FRIGHT held the honor of being one of two films to have been shown twice in the history of the festival. The film is lauded for its stark and uncompromising vision by champions such as Roger Ebert who said it is “powerful, genuinely shocking and rather amazing,” and celebrated musician/songwriter/screenwriter Nick Cave, who said the film is “the best and most terrifying film about Australia in existence.”Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-30173144168376702402012-09-24T22:30:00.001-04:002012-09-25T10:52:00.522-04:00Guffaw and Order<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJvmV22KaAQKGdEYTCERxLX93b0_GKDoccAxpNsVLrzHDjnnA7t2er0ljGoNNBLeEKeR9LJ7hZkUKOl3rT7g7zcoGJgDIUk0TLJJNJ6UVprMQ5BQzI5vDQVHJJmCpuDsqAZVaInoVdalz/s1600/mike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJvmV22KaAQKGdEYTCERxLX93b0_GKDoccAxpNsVLrzHDjnnA7t2er0ljGoNNBLeEKeR9LJ7hZkUKOl3rT7g7zcoGJgDIUk0TLJJNJ6UVprMQ5BQzI5vDQVHJJmCpuDsqAZVaInoVdalz/s320/mike.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from laffy4k, flickr.com</td></tr>
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The <a href="http://www.fairfieldbar.com/">Fairfield County Bar Association</a> provides a good way for lawyers in the area to network and learn a thing or two, but it's not all business. They also do some good!<br />
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This Thursday, September 27, the Fairfield County Bar Foundation is hosting a <a href="http://www.fairfieldbar.com/" target="_blank">comedy night</a> featuring Greenwich's own <a href="http://www.janecondon.com/" target="_blank">Jane Condon</a> at Dragonfly (488 Summer Street). <br />
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Proceeds go to local charities dedicated to improving access to justice for those in our community impacted by poverty, abuse and discrimination.<br />
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The event gets underway at 7:00pm, and just $50 gets you unlimited wine, beer and comedy goodness.Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-85399676857930402382012-09-20T23:02:00.000-04:002012-09-20T23:02:12.195-04:00So...Much...Going...On...This Weekend!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXkfFEJRLsnig5_0Pi0zbmGtsmIHloxlYSXNkcZcTIrRmk1EJ2UIBMykH60G2xbOKhFeYUZDdGS7u8Scm8zOkqQ19pclcp-vyO4VtjaJJLmxGr8chzYUGQmtro0Z_78fAy-W_VjzflG3M/s1600/fun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXkfFEJRLsnig5_0Pi0zbmGtsmIHloxlYSXNkcZcTIrRmk1EJ2UIBMykH60G2xbOKhFeYUZDdGS7u8Scm8zOkqQ19pclcp-vyO4VtjaJJLmxGr8chzYUGQmtro0Z_78fAy-W_VjzflG3M/s320/fun.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> photo from hodgers, flickr.com</td></tr>
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If you're bored this weekend, you're really not trying. There is an obscene amount of cool stuff on this weekend. Here is a sampling:<br />
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- <a href="http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/article/It-s-Arts-Crafts-on-Bedford-this-weekend-671995.php" target="_blank">Arts & Crafts on Bedford</a>. This weekend from 11am-8:30pm on Saturday and 11am-6pm on Sunday, Bedford tells traffic to shove it and tells 80 groovy vendors to come on down. I always start thinking ahead to Christmas and get the first thing or two to stick under the tree from these local folks. It means I support artists in my area and get a jump on holiday shopping. Some of my favorite purchases have been hand carved wooden bowls, clever artwork and pretty pottery. Come find a treasure!<br />
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- <a href="http://www.chelseapiersct.com/special/upcomingevents.cfm" target="_blank">Health and Wellness Event</a>. If you haven't been yet, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to check out Stamford's Chelsea Piers (One Blachley Rd). The Health Wellness & Sports Expo 2012 has 75 exhibits in addition to demos of dance and fitness activities. There will be famous athletes (not too clear who...but still...). You'll also get to learn about alternative medicine, nutrition, weight loss, kids' health, pets' health and a jillion other things. It's on both Saturday and Sunday from 11am-5pm, and you can come in the door for zero dollars. Donate a little shelf stable food for the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County and you get a raffle for a health-minded prize - or if you forget to bring a can or two, fork over five bucks. <br />
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- <a href="http://greenwich.audubon.org/hawkwatch-festival-green-bazaar" target="_blank">Hawk Watch Festival & Green Bazaar</a>. Also this weekend from 11am-5pm, the Greenwich Audubon (613 Riversville Rd, Greenwich) hosts its Hawk-a-palooza. It celebrates the annual hawk migration right over your head and features live animal shows, games all about nature, guided hikes, environmental info and green vendors. There's a Birds of Prey show at 1pm and at 3pm plus a rehabilitated bird will be released into the wild at 4pm. There's live music at 12:15 and 2:15 by <a href="http://www.myspace.com/nickzmarino" target="_blank">Nick Marino</a> (on Saturday) and <a href="http://www.turktunes.com/" target="_blank">Matt Turk</a> (on Sunday). It's $10 for non-members and $7 for members. There's far too many activities to capture, so click on the link to learn more!<br />
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- <a href="http://heystamford.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/mill-river-its-my-park-day/" target="_blank">It's My Park Day</a>. See the latest at Mill River on Saturday from 11am-4pm alongside a big fat collection of kids fun: face painting, crafts, storytelling, pony rides, bounce castles, music and hot air balloon rides. Your kids can help the park powerhouses pick the creatures on the carousel and see how they are made. You'll also get the latest scoop on what's up with park construction.<br />
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- <a href="http://www.fromallnations.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/SPSA-Egyptian-Festival-Flyers.png" target="_blank">Egyptian Festival</a>. Rock like an Egyptian with traditional foods, regional souvenirs, kids' activities and more at St. Peters and St. Andrew Coptic Orthodox Church (132 Glenbrook Rd). It's free admission and open from 11am-8pm both Saturday and Sunday. <br />
Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-26628113298397974772012-09-16T22:12:00.003-04:002012-09-16T22:12:41.272-04:00"Will Next Be Installed in Stamford"This was the blessed phrase I read in the "<a href="http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/mileposts.pdf" target="_blank">Mileposts</a>" publication this past week. It's the triple fold pamphlet that the MTA leaves on Metro North seats for commuters to flick onto the floor and trample all over. Who reads those, you might say? Me, apparently... <br />
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The big fat take away for me appeared under the heading <i>…As Well As Our Real-Time Information…</i>and said that platform signs with real time information about trains will be coming to Stamford!<br />
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Here's why this is deeply meaningful. Commuters like me now camp out in the waiting area above the tracks gawking slack jawed at two small monitors with train info. During peak hours, trains might be mere moments apart but take drastically different amounts of time to get your suited seat to work. For example, the 7:22 takes 49 minutes, where as the 7:25 takes 57 minutes.<br />
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The monitor says generally what the deal is - but it's entirely possible at at 7:23, you could be stepping on either version of this train. Generally, as each train approaches, you hear Charlie Brown's teacher grumbling overhead and a hushed, worried whispering of "do you know which train this is??"<br />
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What an innovation to have an electronic board overhead that says "hey dummy! this ain't your train." It seems ridiculous that this didn't happen ages ago, but I'll take progress whenever it chugs along. Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-71548883098497184382012-09-04T21:48:00.001-04:002012-09-04T21:48:26.509-04:00Gene Means Go<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IVXSocWJmpl7aP8w7ZYBCkhL34uGWO9SWNwD0367Cx5LJBtxFRPOOJpklRRbRVNBFvsbEVMykUAstdYYF3q9phzi26qhV5xWbEEhz6ydcBWsSy6OdTPMAdw5F0yS3Ifg6zUmoeZR0OMq/s1600/gene+wilder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IVXSocWJmpl7aP8w7ZYBCkhL34uGWO9SWNwD0367Cx5LJBtxFRPOOJpklRRbRVNBFvsbEVMykUAstdYYF3q9phzi26qhV5xWbEEhz6ydcBWsSy6OdTPMAdw5F0yS3Ifg6zUmoeZR0OMq/s320/gene+wilder.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from the euskadi 11, flickr.com</td></tr>
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So if you know Stamford, you know that <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000698/" target="_blank">Gene Wilder</a> is a resident and big time cheerleader for <a href="http://avontheatre.org/" target="_blank">The Avon</a> (272 Bedford St). He regularly appears to show off some of his favorite flicks and offers his fans a good ol' fashioned Q&A. I've always wanted to go, and I've finally put my credit-card-over-the-phone where my mouth is.</div>
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On Wednesday, October 17th starting at 6:30, The Avon will host a <a href="http://avontheatre.org/special_events.html#oct17" target="_blank">reception and a presentation of Stir Crazy</a>. It's a classic, pairing Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor - and the whole thing is directed by Sidney Poitier. See the description of the movie below (care of The Avon). Mr. Wilder will be there to answer all your burning questions, and his wife Karen will moderate. Tickets are $35 for non-members and $25 for members. Call 203-967-3660 x2 to join me there.</div>
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<i>After the excellent audience response to their teaming in SILVER STREAK, Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor reunited for this zany comedy, directed by Sidney Poitier. Wilder and Pryor play a couple of out-of-work numbskulls who take a promotional job that requires them to dress up like gigantic woodpeckers. Unfortunately, a pair of thieves, likewise decked out in woodpecker suits, pull off a bank job not long after Wilder and Pryor make their first public appearance. The boys are arrested and sentenced to 120 years each. After a concerted and hilarious effort to make the best of things “in stir,” Wilder and Pryor break out of jail, hoping to track down the genuine thieves.</i></div>
</i>Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-19874006254714633012012-09-03T23:43:00.000-04:002012-09-03T23:43:00.713-04:00Boca Loca(l)Ok so I admit it, I was really bummed out when Telluride closed its doors...but some time has passed, and I'm ready to love again. So what's going on behind the wooden panels at 245 Bedford? They are hard at work building Boca. It's opening in the fall and there will be Mediterranean food on the menu...but I don't know much more than that. Still, it's exciting to think about what's coming down the block!Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4156530810950785319.post-32240377641298805882012-09-01T23:31:00.000-04:002012-09-01T23:31:44.025-04:00A Few Restaurant Notes<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMj-tOfRxmwsR8_j0-1ixkBMOyclteO1gXuB3C9YW_gvP1gkzCnDRu-3iOObJkvawBiMSQ5yz_pPB2DWy8tzf9qD5uAJT_977jFnEk0ETDiuboOqDdQVO7-FJmQFxnW4balvYimnDkkJ5B/s1600/fork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMj-tOfRxmwsR8_j0-1ixkBMOyclteO1gXuB3C9YW_gvP1gkzCnDRu-3iOObJkvawBiMSQ5yz_pPB2DWy8tzf9qD5uAJT_977jFnEk0ETDiuboOqDdQVO7-FJmQFxnW4balvYimnDkkJ5B/s320/fork.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from jenny downing, flickr.com</td></tr>
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So what do you need, oh Restaurant Patrons of Stamford? A few things came across my desk that I thought you might find interesting...<br />
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<b>Gluten free options?</b> My friend (and former boss) KS had a gluten problem, and it was certainly an eye opener for me. She had a tough time at restaurants, but in general, she found some good options at Mexican restaurants. <a href="http://bartaco.com/" target="_blank">Bar Taco</a> - right here in our back yard - offers just those same benefits. They tell me their menu is 90% gluten free! Skip out on desserts and quesadillas, and you've got a 100% gluten free experience. If you're looking for the perfect excuse to drop in on Bar Taco, check out their Monday to Friday 5-6:30pm happy hour. They offer five specialty cocktails for just five bucks! Happy hour is just in Stamford for now but just might creep into other locations too.<br />
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<b>Football fun?</b> I don't really speak "football," but the word on various streets is that people who do need just the perfect venue for a fantasy football draft party. <a href="http://www.rodiziogrill.com/" target="_blank">Rodizio Grill</a> wants you to know that they are the place to be. Camp out at the bar or snag a private party room for up to 3 hours. TVs on sports channels, Wi-Fi, great food (I can say with <a href="http://www.stamfordnotes.com/2012/03/rodizio-roundup.html" target="_blank">confidence</a>) and drink specials - all the ingredients for a sweet draft event.<br />
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<b>Burgers with benefits?</b> One of my new favorite additions to our food scene is <a href="http://www.stationeats.com/" target="_blank">Station Eats</a>. They have fabulous burgers with all kinds of groovy sauces and toppings. This month, they also have a good cause in mind. They are raising money for the American Diabetes Association with a specialty healthy veggie burger created by a local tween, Ashley Dunnam. She's and they are raising awareness about the ADA march on October 6th starting at Trinity Catholic High School. If you'd like to walk along, write Andrea Dunnam at adunnam@diabetes.org. They also offer decadent shakes, including this month's red velvet cupcake shake. For a few nickels more, you can get shakes with a little booze! Station Eats also offers foosball, <a href="http://www.cornhole.com/" target="_blank">cornhole</a>, outdoor seating and a darned good time.Poems in Search of Pictureshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11320859358265035255noreply@blogger.com0