Mystic Times

Mystic’s Pizza Truck: Chris Owens plays with cooking fire

Interactive Desk — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:08:21 GMT

When Chris Owens, owner of Pizzetta in Mystic, was 6 years old, he liked four things: sailboats, lighthouses, pizza, and fire trucks. Now 41, he said he’s a grown-up version of that 6-year-old, who has restored a sailboat, currently helps to restore lighthouses, owns a pizza restaurant, and now operates a pizza-making fire truck.

“I think that’s an accomplishment,” he said, arms folded, while he smiled at his transformed fire truck.

The idea of purchasing the fire truck, he explained, started when he saw the fire truck’s For Sale sign at the Noank Volunteer Fire Company. He remembered a story about someone in New Haven cooking on a flat-bed truck at a picnic. For about 40 minutes, he said, he walked around the fire truck daydreaming, finally picturing the oven placed on the top of the truck where the hose bed was located.

Owens bought the fire truck in July and decided to make it his winter project. But after mentioning his purchase and his pizza-producing plans, he knew he needed to start the project as soon as he could, based on the overwhelmingly positive response he received.

As he began to work 14-hour days, mainly deconstructing the truck, removing the truck’s old lettering, and adding additional graphics that would represent the restaurant and grab the attention of children, he said it was friends and family who supported his endeavor and kept his life together.

With the renovations almost finished, he debuted the truck in October at the Harvest Festival at Jonathan Edwards Winery in North Stonington.

“It was beyond belief,” he said, describing his response from the crowd during the event. “Some stared, some clapped, and the kids did everything I hoped for.”

He said during that event alone, he sold around 200 pizzas, using the oven to warm up pre-made pizzas.

“It appeals to all ages,” he said, referring to the fire truck.

To see the type of response the truck drew from the community and to test out his new mobile eatery, Owens has attended many recent area events, such as birthdays, parties, and fund-raisers.

“We want to see how the truck works at different events….try it out…and so far so good,” he added.

Though Owens hopes the use of the truck will help spread the name of the restaurant to the public, he seemed more concerned about finding an easier way to get the pizza from the oven on top of the fire truck down to his customers. He said he plans to possibly add a stainless steel slide or have a counter weight to lower the pizza but that ideas are still flowing.

“This is my secret weapon,” he said as he lowered the truck’s ladder. “I thought this up at 4 in the morning.”

As the ladder lowered, it became a serving table, a device, he added, that could be used for people to eat or drink from.

“Of course!” he responded when asked if the truck actually held water. “I figured it wasn’t a fire truck without having water available to put out some sort of fire,” he said as he tested out the water pump from the top of the truck, catching the attention of walking residents on Water Street. “It holds up to 100 gallons…If you’re 6 years old and you see that at the top of the truck, you’re going to think it’s the best thing in the world.”

He explained that the fire truck could fit four staff in the front seat with seat belts and the refrigerator to hold kegs has just started working to keep drinks cool. Owens plans to use it to feature local breweries. Looking toward the future, Owens said he’s planning to take environmental initiatives with the truck, eventually running the truck on bio-diesel and adding solar panels over the top above the kitchen to help with power.

Owens admitted that there are times when he looks at the transformed fire truck, thinking he’s taken on much more than he could handle, but what calms his nerves is knowing how many lives the pizza fire truck will affect. He looks forward to helping fund-raisers, nonprofits and making a difference.

“I want to make people happy,” he said, “and do something good.”

By Kristal Spence
Special to the Times

Pizzetta is at 7 Water Street in Mystic and can be reached at 860-536-4443 or visit www.pizzettamystic.com.

Mystic River Acupuncture: An alternative well-being solution

Interactive Desk — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:06:35 GMT

Mystic River Acupuncture, located in Groton, opened in 1989 and is approaching its 20th year providing patients with another solution in treating pain.

Owner Kathleen T. Poole, L.Ac., is licensed in Connecticut and certified by the National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Poole said Mystic River Acupuncture has operated in Groton since its move from Mystic seven years ago. The move allowed the practice more room to accommodate patients.

“Now I have a place where I can do what I want to do…it’s a perfect situation,” Poole said.

As an acupuncturist, Poole manipulates qi [energy] in a patient’s body. She explained that there are meridians, better described as different channels, which create the proper flow of qi.

“Where there is pain, there is qi stagnation,” she continued, “…and we try to move the energy to the right place.”

She said many of her clients seek acupuncture for relief of pain that hasn’t subsided after trying different techniques such as physical therapy. Others come based on recommendations from their insurance companies.

“Acupuncture can sometimes be cheaper than doctor visits,” Poole explained.

She said she has treated many symptoms such as respiratory problems, issues with allergies, aggravated pain caused by stress, and pain affiliated with other illnesses. Acupuncture can tremendously help, she continued, with menopause distress, cramping, headaches, bloating, fatigue, and back pain. Poole has found that acupuncture has kept many of her clients off medication and has helped pregnant women who don’t have medication as an option.

When approaching treatment for her clients, Poole asks many questions in relation to their pain to get a true understanding of what channel in the patient’s body the pain is located. She said, using headaches as an example, she might ask a series of questions such as where on their head does it hurt, if they’re fatigued, if there’s any pain anywhere else on their body or even if they’re on their menstrual cycle.

After the consultation, she usually uses eight to 20 needles, depending on the type of treatment.

“Muscle knots might need more needles,” she added.

Poole said the needles are placed in a tiny tube to maintain sterility. She lines up the point and pushes down, applying pressure to the needle to insert it in the skin. She explained that a muscle might jump in reaction and a client could feel aches and tingles.

“It shouldn’t feel like a needle,” she continued, adding that many of the patients describe the experience as “a moment of enlightenment.”

She said it’s rare for one to bleed from the inserted needles but in that case, she uses sterile cotton balls.

After being in the field of acupuncture for 20 years, Poole said she still looks forward to going to work in the morning, enjoying its social aspects and mental challenges.

“I love doing acupuncture,” she said with a smile. “I like to be able to find the pain and help…it’s fascinating work and there’s all types of interesting and rewarding moments, but the most important is to be able to help.”

Mystic River Acupuncture is located at 167 Broad St, in Groton. Call 860-448-6766 for more information.

Local Acupuncture

Natura Medica, 12 Roosevelt Ave., Suite 15, Mystic
860-572-9566

Stonington Natural Health Center, 107 Wilcox Road, Suite 103, Stonington
860-536-3880

Acupuncture Healing Arts Center, 1 Inchcliffe Drive, Suite D, Gales Ferry
860-908-7078

By Kristal Spence
Special to the Times

If your local acupuncture practice was not mentioned or if you would like to share your experience with acupuncture, join and comment on our Web site, www.Zip06.com.

Haunted Hallways: Ghosts and ghouls in residence

Interactive Desk — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 22:07:15 GMT

The Whitehall Mansion in Mystic, located next to the Residence Inn, was built in the 1770s. Sales Coordinator Erin McDonald said many believe it’s haunted.

“Last year we had a couple people come to us and ask if they could do a paranormal investigation because there’s actually been some people who think the mansion is actually haunted,” McDonald explained, adding that other paranormal investigators have also visited the house this year.

With that in mind, McDonald said the Residence Inn decided to host its first haunted mansion event for Halloween and to give the event’s proceeds to the Thames Valley Council for Community Action. Last year, she said the inn hosted a séance with local radio station Jammin 107.7 of Pawcatuck, as well as a psychic.

“This year we decided to actually turn it into a haunted mansion for kids and adults,” she continued. “It’s for a great cause. The TVCCA of New London does great things for the community, so we’re doing everything we can to make it up to par.”

She said the entire staff has been working full force to make it a great event, and many area businesses donated items such as lumber, candy, and cornstalks for the haunted mansion.

“People in the community have really been receptive to the idea and donations, which is really great,” McDonald said. “We couldn’t have done it without them.”

By Kristal Spence
Times Staff Writer

So You Think You Can Dance…for a Cause: Four local women make it happen

Kristal Spence — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:28:22 GMT

Beginning with a community event parallel to the ABC sensation Dancing with the Stars and moving forward with another resembling the FOX hit show So You Think You Can Dance, four local ladies banded together to bring entertainment to local residents and to benefit a needy cause.

One of the founders, Robyn Wolman of Waterford, said she met the other three founders and coordinators of the event, Angie Gugliuzza of Niantic, Lori Woll of Old Saybrook, and Connie Simos of New London last year as she was putting together a community event version of Dancing with the Stars.

She developed the concept and said Gugliuzza, who previously owned Arthur Murray Dance Studio, was a huge help connecting participants with professional dancers for lessons. Along with Woll, director and caterer of the Mystic Marriott, and Simos, manager of People’s Bank in Waterford, Wolman was able to grab local community celebrities and make the event a great success.

“We had winners, and it was really fantastic,” Wolman said. “We raised $40,000 for L&M Hospital.”

Since it was such a success, they agreed to try another event for another cause and, with a knack for community event planning, Wolman was up for the challenge, and “So You Think You Can Dance…for a Cause” was born.

“When we decided to do this, the four of us got together,” Wolman said. “We try to grab at something that’s very popular at the time because we think that a lot of people would enjoy that. We also try to do things that are community events so we can get our local community involved.”

“We wanted to do something fun for the community that would involve everybody,” Gugliuzza said. “The hot show for this season that had just finished was So You Think You Can Dance. We thought it would be a great way to showcase the younger talent in the area, ages 16 to 30. We wanted to do the production just like the show…Pair them up, picking their type of dancing out of a hat, and have them work with choreographers.”

Auditions were held on Oct. 18 at the Mystic Marriott, open to dancers 16 to 30 years old, amateurs or professionals with a $10 registration fee.
Gugliuzza said the judges—professional dance choreographers—will choose 20 finalists, 10 male and 10 female, from those auditioning and they will be divided into 10 couples who will choose a dance style at random from a hat. Each couple will then have to schedule a free three-hour session with the choreographer specializing in the chosen dance style. From then on, the couples are on their own to practice up until the event.

“The night of the event is Friday, Nov. 14,” Gugliuzza said. It will be held at Port N’ Starboard in New London.

Besides watching the different paired routines the night of the event, Gugliuzza said each contestant must also perform their own 30-second solo routine. Recorded auditions and practice sessions will be played back as a “highlight reel” and prizes will be announced and awarded.

Wanting to entertain the community, the four founders also wanted the proceeds to benefit a needy cause.

“We have chosen Strays Unlimited, and what they do is they rescue sick, blind, feral cats for the most part and they give them a home,” Gugliuzza explained. “They also train the feral animals to get along with other animals…They give them a home for life,” she said, mentioning many of the animals they house, in normal circumstances, would have already been put down. “If [the animals are] blind, some people feel like that’s no form of life and they put them down.”

Gugliuzza’s parents, Vincent and Paulette, run Strays Unlimited out of their home in Uncasville.

“They’ve been doing this all of their lives and they finally became a nonprofit in 2006 and they had never received any funding of any sort,” Gugliuzza continued. “It’s just the two of them, so they don’t have time or know-how to put together fund-raisers and anything. So I thought that would be a good cause.”

“It’s a pleasure working with these girls,” Woll said, adding that she was glad to be a part of an incredible event that supports the community. “It’s something fun and something positive, especially in light of everything in the world today going on, it’s nice to have a positive thing for younger people.”

Wolman said Simos is very active in the New London community.

“She knows so many people in the area…she’s just such a great ambassador for the community,” Wolman continued. “We all have formed a sisterhood,” she said, laughing.

“It’s just a great show and the tickets are pretty inexpensive,” Gugliuzza said. “And it’s so beautiful there, being right on the beach with a great atmosphere, a nice big dance floor…I think people are going to be really impressed and say they can’t wait for the next one…You’re going to sort of get that vibe like ‘I should have done this’ or ‘I feel like dancing’ so everyone’s going to be able to dance afterward.”

So You Think You Can Dance...will be held in the Port N’ Starboard at Ocean Beach in New London on Nov. 14 from 6:30 p.m. to midnight, preceded by a silent auction from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., followed by social dancing after the competition. Competitors are encouraged to invite friends and family to watch and cheer them on as 50 percent of competitors’ scores are based on audience reaction. Tickets are $25 and may be reserved in advance. For more information, visit www.danceforacause.org.

Drinking in the Connections: The Mystic Aquarium hosts Green Drinks event

Kristal Spence — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:26:22 GMT

Care for some Green Drinks at the Mystic Aquarium? The drinks may not be the color green but the gathering will focus on a discussion of green issues in Mystic.

The Mystic Aquarium will host its first Green Drinks event Thursday, Nov. 6, the third ever to take place in Mystic.

Mystic Green Drinks is an international network of after-work events, serving up drinks, food, and opportunities for conversation, networking, and learning with other green-minded individuals at venues in more than 300 cities around the world. Assistant director of Media and Public Relations Becky Giantonio said the aquarium was approached about hosting the event by Mary Spicer of Spicer’s Events in Mystic.

“She does the Green Drinks in the Mystic area,” Giantonio said. “She called me up and said they were looking for a venue to host the next Green Drinks event…we jumped on it.”

She said hosting the event is easy for the aquarium thanks to its on-site caterer, Ocean Blue Catering. Ocean Blue Catering will offer beer, wine, and hors d’oeuvres at the event.

“The whole idea behind Green Drinks events is to bring people together [who are] like-minded and passionate about conservation and sustainability issues,” Giantonio explained. “The Mystic Aquarium does a lot of public conservation programs throughout the year really matching that mission. So it seemed like a really natural fit.”

Giantonio added that Vice President of Education and Public Conservation Programs Kelly Matis will speak briefly about the aquarium’s conservation efforts and Sustainable Mystic organization, a new initiative that has been spearheaded by roughly 30 local community leaders.

“They are looking for ways to protect Mystic’s natural resources,” Giantonio said of Sustainable Mystic, adding that the group is actively protecting Mystic’s natural and historic resources as it grows and prospers economically.

“I should also mention that the cool thing about this event is that everyone is welcome to bring their brochures, their magazines, their newsletters from their organization that are doing really cool green [initiatives],” Giantonio continued. “So it’s a great way to come down and meet people who not only have similar interests but to also get information and learn about other local efforts that you could potentially become a part of.”

Green Drinks will be on Thursday, Nov. 6 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration, 55 Coogan Blvd., Mystic, on the Main Exhibit Floor; $10 requested donation, $5 for students. For more information, visit www.mysticaquarium.org or www.greendrinks.org

Halloween Eve Film Fest Features a Second Screening of ‘Micah Rood’

Interactive Desk — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:08:23 GMT

By Jason J. Marchi
Times Correspondent

If you’re in the mood to celebrate Halloween this year with an evening at the movies, head on over to the Olde Mistick Village Cinemas on Thursday, Oct. 30 for a treat, and witness a series of short films written, directed, and performed by area talent associated with the Southeastern Connecticut Filmmakers.
Beginning at 7 p.m., several independently produced short films will precede the highlight film of the evening, The Curse of Micah Rood, featuring Ron Pallilo, who played Arnold Horshack in the popular 1970s TV series Welcome Back, Kotter, and Brian Ellsworth, a rising talent in the industry.
This 30-minute film—written by Nick Checker and directed by Alec Asten—is based on a legend out of Norwich regarding an 18th-century recluse whose suspicion of local villagers leads to a crime resulting in a bizarre haunting, according to Checker.
Micah Rood was filmed at various area sites, including Whittle Farm in Mystic, the Nathan Lester Home and Holmberg Orchards in Ledyard, and the Jabez-Smith House in Groton.
“We are grateful to all of them for their generosity and consideration,” Checker said, allowing for a period authenticity the filmmakers could not have easily achieved without building elaborate sets.
The short films that precede Micah Rood are the work of a fledgling film group in Southeastern Connecticut and western Rhode Island, and the group hopes the Halloween eve short film festival will encourage more support for area filmmaking.
The group also hopes more people will want to get involved and exercise their talents in whatever areas interest them the most, from writing and directing, to producing, acting, film-scoring, or general production assistance work.
Of the short films to kick off the evening, “These are cracking-good tales, and all but one or two were written by the screenwriting students I have been working with the last couple of years,” Checker said, who also works as the director of development of the Southeastern Connecticut Filmmakers.
The Southeastern Connecticut Filmmakers then gathered the various production talents to turn these scripts into films. “These short films are, in essence, the ‘stepchildren’ of the Micah Rood production and the culmination of a tremendous amount of work on all their parts,” Checker explained.
The local filmmaking movement that has been mushrooming “has turned into the nucleus of a bona fide independent film company,” Checker added. “This screening on Halloween eve is, in a sense, Southeastern Connecticut Filmmakers true coming out party,” and a first for the organization to show a group films it is responsible for producing from script to screen.
“I’m very thankful for Bill Dougherty, owner of the Olde Mistick Village Cinemas and a truly, truly great man who believes in seeing independent filmmakers have their day in the sun,” Checker noted.
Admission for the evening is $7 per person. The entire showing is expected to run about two hours. There will also be a gathering after the screenings at the Steak Loft, across the street from the cinemas.
Checker has posted a YouTube link to a three-minute trailer of Micah Rood. To find the trailer search for “Curse of Micah Rood” at www.youtube.com.
For further information on the Oct. 30 screenings or the Southeastern Connecticut Filmmakers, contact Nick Checker at 860-444-8711 or e-mail Nick at nickchecker@aol.com.

A New Direction: New director joins Mystic River Chorale

Kristal Spence — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:48:55 GMT

Pam Ryley and her husband, Roger, have been with the Mystic River Chorale [MRC] since its inception. Their first season was 1984-85, and 24 years later, Ryley, now president, will lead the pack of more than 40 members into their 25th anniversary in the spring of 2009, continuing with more performances in the community and overseas.

“We started as a program of the Mystic Community Center,” Ryley said. “After a few years, we broke away from the community center because it didn’t seem like the best fit to have sports programs and singing in the same building. They didn’t have a really good facility for us to rehearse in.”

After the chorale was established as a nonprofit organization, the group began to rehearse at Fitch High School under the direction of Tricia and Jim Dehls. She said the chorale then moved its rehearsals to Stonington High with the school’s choral director Michelle Holt.

After Holt and the SHS base, Ryley said, beginning to laugh, the chorale went under the direction of Joan Cook at the United Baptist Church in Mystic, where the chorale has stayed ever since.

Member Joseph Benedict said a subgroup of the chorale, the Mystic River Festival Chorale, traveled to Italy last fall to perform in the International Festival of Choirs, “Cantus Angeli.” The group performed several times at venues along the Amalfi Coast, followed by a special concert at the Abbey of San Vincenzo al Volturno, a Benedictine abbey in the mountains about 60 miles northeast of Naples.

Ryley said the chorale usually performs twice a year but will occasionally join up with another group for additional
performances.

“We are an auditioned group,” Ryley said. “We really always have been but sometimes…it’s scary and a little intimidating to some people but it’s usually not a bad thing. The director just wants to hear your voice and see how it will blend in.”

Ryley said the chorale performs in a variety of musical genres.

“We sing some serious choral works of all periods, and sometimes we have lighter music as well,” she said. “We do show tunes sometimes and folk music of various types and jazz…it kind of depends on the focus of the concert.”

Sometimes, she explained, the chorale is accompanied by a full orchestra and other times by just an organ and piano.

“We have different combinations of instruments and things, so it all depends,” she continued. “We try to keep our programs varied so we’ll keep our audiences interested…The music is selected by the director.”

MRC Artistic Director Frank Martignetti of New Haven is fully up to the task, having regularly directed 18 different choral groups over the past 15 years. As he directs the MRC, he also directs the high school in the Community Chorus in New Haven, the choir of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Bridgeport, and the Chamber Singers and the University Singers of the University of Bridgeport.

“Over the past several years, I had become a real go-to person for building new and rebuilding dormant choral programs,” Martignetti said. “Although that’s very gratifying, I wanted the chance to also work with an established group with a strong history of success. The chance to work with the MRC was irresistible—to get to build on an excellent foundation, rather than starting from scratch. I was honored to be chosen as their next artistic director.”

Martignetti said everyone in the chorale has been extremely welcoming and supportive.

“The chorale is a wonderful, warm bunch of people, and I’ve been made very much at home,” he continued. “Our accompanist, Kathleen Bartkowski, and our board have been very helpful over the past 10 months. Our first concert last April was quite successful, and we’re gearing up for strong performances as we celebrate our 25th anniversary.”

“We’re so thrilled with him,” Ryley said of Martignetti. “It was a difficult selection process. We had several just wonderful candidates, but Frank just seemed to have what we were looking for…He’s very energetic, new to this area and brings a different perspective…He’s very knowledgeable, has an easygoing humor, and he’s well-organized. I love that part.”

“For me, it’s very gratifying to get to guide and shape the efforts of such talented people, shaping a musical result that is bigger and better than what any of us can achieve on our own,” Martignetti said. “The communal nature of choral music creates something greater than the sum of its parts. We live in a culture which stresses individualism to the point that many people feel isolated and alienated, so this is something that’s badly needed in the world. That’s a privilege for me.”

Ryley said one of the best aspects of being a part of the MRC is preparing music with the group of motivated musicians.

“The music itself is inspiring and beautiful,” she added. “Every year, every concert, there are new musical challenges that have helped us develop our voices and develop a repertoire and an appreciation for many different kinds of music.”

A singer since she was a little girl, through high school, college, as a young mother, and in church choirs, Ryley said singing has become a major part of her life.

“I love doing it,” she said. “I love the camaraderie with my fellow singers, and I have to say some of my best friends in life are people that I met through the chorale. Those friends are very important.”

With more singing groups emerging in the area, Ryley said there’s been more competition in gaining new members.

“In the chorale, there are over 40 members currently,” Ryley said, “and in other times of our history we have been larger. Our largest has been over 60.”

Ryley said she would love to invite new members but would suggest that interested singers wait until after MRC’s performance on Sunday, Jan. 18 in the Harkness Chapel at Connecticut College before joining.

“We get a steady stream of people in and out,” she explained. “It kind of depends on where they are in life, and we’ve had so many wonderful singers over the years. Every time we get a new one, we’re just thrilled and we’re sorry to see them go…that’s what keeps the group vital, which is to have new talent coming in and new ideas and new energy for the work.[Performing] is hard work. It seems like it’s just singing, but there’s a tremendous amount of learning that you have to do and vocal production and fine-tuning one’s voice and those kinds of things that come together to make music out of notes. It really involves quite a lot of decisions. We have long rehearsals, and we’re expected to work on the music between rehearsals. But we always end up with a group of people who are really dedicated to making fine music, and we always welcome others who would like to do the same.”

For more information about the Mystic River Chorale, visit www.mysticriverchorale.org.

Calling All Photographers: Seaport sponsors photography contest

Kristal Spence — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 18:42:41 GMT

Erin Richard, publicist for the Mystic Seaport recently announced the museum’s third annual “America and the Sea” photo contest. Richard said the challenge invites amateur photographers of all ages to submit their visions of coastal America.

“Photographers are encouraged to present their view of America and the sea regardless of their proximity to the water,” Richard said in a recent statement. “Bays, harbors and inlets, inland lakes, streams and fishing holes, rivers and waterways all join the vast ocean coastlines in framing our maritime nation. Photographs may include landscape views, lifestyles, animals, details, and people and must be submitted via e-mail to AmericaandtheSeaPhotos@mysticseaport.org.”

Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place and honorable mention entries in both the “Life” or “Landscape” categories for adults and first, second, and third place and honorable mention entries in the youth category. All entries must be received by Dec. 1 and the winners will be announced in the summer 2009 issue of Mystic Seaport magazine.

For complete contest details, visit www.mysticseaport.org/photocontest2008.

The seaport has also begun its Kids’ Half-Price Weekends, continuing the offer Oct. 25 and 26 and Nov. 1 and 2. Children between the ages of 6 and 17 who are usually charged $13 will be reduced to $6.50 due to the recent hardships within the economy.

“Mystic Seaport is an unparalleled family destination,” said Douglas Teeson, president and director of the museum in a release. “In light of continued economic uncertainty, it is our goal to ensure that all families have the opportunity to experience the richness of Mystic Seaport this season.”

Richard said children can enjoy the changing season, as well as the museum’s many activities, including climbing aboard historic tall ships, creating a nautical masterpiece in the Art Spot, exploring the Children’s Museum, observing stars in the Planetarium, and discovering America’s lighthouse history in the museum’s newest exhibition, Sentinels of the Sea.
The Kids’ Half-Price Weekends offer is not transferable and is subject to change without notice.

For more information, visit www.mysticseaport.org.

Mystic’s National Geographic Photographer: Michael Melford makes it happen

Kristal Spence — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:51:49 GMT

The main exhibit on display at the Mystic Arts Center, arguably long overdue, has visitors in awe. The center’s current exhibit, One World, Five Photographers, had its grand opening Oct. 3 and features more than 50 pieces of work submitted by five National Geographic Traveler photographers, including Mystic’s Michael Melford.

Melford, a professional photographer since 1978, has worked almost exclusively for National Geographic for the past five years. He found his love for art and photography in college.

“I was at Syracuse [University] studying engineering, and I took some art history courses and got really turned on to art,” he explained through an e-mail sent from his current location in Jamaica. “When I picked up a camera, it was the perfect marriage between the mechanical, mathematical side of my brain, and the art side. I was obsessed right from the start, dropped engineering, and devoted myself to the art and craft of photography.”

He said the idea to form the exhibit at the Mystic Arts Center had a lot to do with his former neighbor and previous president of the center’s board Anthony “Tony” Halsey, who passed away in June. Melford said Halsey had been after him for some time to do something at the center.

Brandy Kolmer, director of development and public relations at the Mystic Arts Center, said the exhibit is dedicated to the late Halsey, also a big supporter of the center, among other organizations.

“Not wanting to do a solo show, it seemed like a natural, fun thing to do a group show,” Melford continued. “The four colleagues I asked readily agreed, and we actually had two of the photographers come to the opening, which was a thrill for me. Bob Krist drove up from New Jersey, and Ralph Lee Hopkins came from New Mexico, and we all got to hang out together for the weekend. We never get to see much of each other, so that was a treat. The whole experience was much better than I thought it was going to be.”

Krist, a freelance photographer who works regularly for National Geographic Traveler, Smithsonian, and Islands magazine has won international awards such as Travel Photographer of the Year in 1994, 2007, and again in 2008 by the Society of American Travel Writers.

Hopkins, a National Geographic photographer who travels with Lindblad Expeditions, is also the founder and director of Lindblad Photo Expeditions and has led many from the Arctic to the Antarctic.

The other artists included in the exhibit are National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson, a veteran with more than 40 articles in National Geographic Traveler, and Eddie Soloway, a photographer known for his nature photos. Aside from teaching, writing, and making fine-art prints, Soloway has also received the Excellence in Photographic Teaching Award by the Santa Fe Center for Photography.

Kolmer knew that with such a breathtaking exhibit, opening night was going to be packed wall to wall.

“I had a great time, and there was so much enthusiasm in the room,” Melford said of the opening night. “I was only disappointed that we couldn’t let more people in for the pre-show talk that the three of us gave. It was a full house. I think that the level of photography in the annual juried show that is running concurrently with our exhibit keeps getting better year by year. We had the whole art center dedicated to photography, and it was really exciting for everyone.”

Almost as soon as the opening was over, Melford was packing for his next engagement.

“I had to leave right after the opening to go to Jamaica on assignment for Caribbean Travel and Life,” he explained in the e-mail. “When I return, I must then travel to Spain and Germany, for National Geographic magazine, and then to Puerto Rico to teach a workshop, and then Antarctica for a month where I will be leading a photo tour for NG Expeditions/Lindblad.”

Life on the go doesn’t bother Melford much. His claims his favorite part of his job is having a passport to the world.

“I have gotten to see so much, and learn so much, and experience so much by being sent around the world,” he said. “My photographs are not much more than recordings of what is going on every day in our natural world. I get to slow down and observe, and record the beauty. Sometimes I will wait for an hour or two until the light is right, or an animal moves to the perfect place, and then it all comes together, and I capture the moment. There is a certain thrill to it all.”

The One World, Five Photographers exhibit will remain in the Charles H. Davis Gallery until Nov. 9 at the Mystic Arts Center, 9 Water St., Mystic, For more information, call 860-536-7601 or visit www.mysticarts.org.

Penguin Art Up for Grabs: Mystic Aquarium announces second annual Penguin 5k

Kristal Spence — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:50:02 GMT

Becky Giantonio, the Mystic Aquarium’s assistant director of media and public relations, recently announced the second annual Penguin 5k Run or Walk scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18 at 9 a.m. The event will raise money for aquarium research and conservation efforts around African penguins.
According to Giantonio, African penguin populations have experienced a significant decline in the past three years and are coming closer to making the endangered species list.

“The event consists of a 5k run on a trail, field, and road course, two-mile walk, and quarter-mile kids’ race,” she said in a recent statement. “The walking route winds through the aquarium and Olde Mistick Village. The top three runners in each of eight age divisions for males and females will receive a ceramic tile featuring the penguins’ artwork, and the top fund-raiser will be awarded a larger original piece of penguin art on a canvas.”
Two of the aquarium’s penguins, she explained, recently put their feet to work, creating a unique work of art.

“To create their one-of-a-kind works, the penguins stepped in multicolored paints and walked on the tiles and canvas,” Giantonio continued. “The penguins will also play important roles on race day, greeting runners and walkers at both the start and finish lines, as well as kicking off the race with their calls.”

For the first time this year, Giantonio said, the event includes a merchants’ competition, open to local business teams, and a middle school cross-country team competition. The winners of both competitions will receive an engraved trophy that will be passed on to each year’s winning team. Each of the members on the middle school winning team will also receive a meet-and-greet with a penguin.

“The runner-up will receive a free Penguin Encounter, during which he or she will interact face to face with a penguin, and participants who raise $50 or more will get a free commemorative race T-shirt,” she continued, adding that all participants will receive free admission to Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration on race day.

Visit mysticaquarium.org to download a registration and donation form. The entry fee for adults is $25 and $10 for children ages 3 to 13. If you are unable to participate but would like to make a donation, send e-mail to sponsorship@mysticaquarium.org or call 860-572-5955, ext. 553. For more information, visit mysticaquarium.org or e-mail Race Director John Trahan at jdtrahan@comcast.net.

Time to ‘Chow’ Down: Seaport’s annual Chowderfest starts Saturday

Kristal Spence — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:36:33 GMT

The Mystic Seaport invites the community to chow down during its annual Chowderfest Saturday, Oct. 11, through Monday, Oct. 13, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Columbus Day weekend event is scheduled to include family-friendly activities and plenty of tasty dishes.

Seaport publicist Erin Richard said in a recent release that the event’s menu contains traditional New England, Rhode Island, and Manhattan chowders as well as other seafood specialties, including lobster salad rolls and a raw bar. She said non-seafood items, such as hamburgers and seasonal desserts, as well as beer, wine, and apple cider, will also be available to purchase.

“Chowder isn’t the only thing served up at Mystic Seaport Columbus Day weekend. Stroll through the village, climb aboard tall ships, and enjoy live music from Finest Kind,” she stated.

Activities for kids include a “clammy” art project and story time in the Children’s Museum, 19th-century games on the Village Green, programs under the Planetarium dome, and foliage cruises aboard the steamboat Sabino.

Chowderfest proceeds benefit Mystic Seaport and Special Olympics Connecticut, and support for the event is provided in part by Cabot Creamery and Coca-Cola of Southeastern New England.

The Rest of the Month

For the month of October, the Mystic Seaport has launched its 2008-09 Adventure Series of programs that continue to April. Richard explained that a presenter will visit and speak in the River Room at Seamen’s Inne on the third Thursday of each month. On Thursday, Oct. 16, the series welcomes Matt Newcomb, a scientist who studies astronomy at the South Pole, who will discuss what it’s like to study microwaves emitted by the early universe and how to build a telescope out of ice.

Seaport spokesperson Michael O’Farrell recently announced the Seaport’s restoration of the wooden whale ship, the Charles W. Morgan. The Seaport began its restoration Sept. 27 and plans to move the ship from Chubb’s Wharf, down alongside the museum’s ship-lift, to the Henry B. DuPont Preservation Shipyard on Sunday, Oct. 19.

“A National Historic Landmark and the museum’s signature vessel, the Morgan was built in 1841 in New Bedford, Mass.,” Richard said. “During her 80-year career, she made 37 voyages across the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. In 1941, the Morgan came to Mystic Seaport, where millions of visitors have since walked her decks.”

Later this month, the Seaport will honor Thomas B. Crowley Jr., chairman, president, and CEO of Crowley Maritime Corporation at the America and Sea at a gala dinner held at the Rainbow Room in New York City, Wednesday, Oct. 29. “The annual award recognizes an individual or organization whose contributions to the history, arts, or sciences of the sea best exemplify the American spirit and character,” Richard said in a recent press release.

On behalf of museum President and Director Douglas Teeson, Richard stated, “Tom Crowley has demonstrated unparalleled professional achievement while guiding Crowley Maritime Corporation into the 21st century. He has expanded upon his father’s and grandfather’s vision, providing both domestic and international patrons with marine transportation services of the highest caliber.”

For more information about Chowderfest and other upcoming events at the Mystic Seaport, visit www.mysticseaport.org or call 888-973-2767.

A Wild Celebration: DPNC hosts seventh annual wild mushroom festival

Kristal Spence — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:35:06 GMT

The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center celebrated its seventh annual Wild Mushroom Festival Sept. 28 in partnership with the Connecticut Valley Mycological Society. The “fungal festival” included mushroom identification, a market of edible mushrooms, and guest lecturers.

“Every September the Connecticut woods come alive with wild mushrooms and other colorful fungi,” said Maggie Jones, executive director of the DPNC, in a recent statement. “The Wild Mushroom Festival is unique because it is both an educational and an edible event.”

With the festival over, Director of Marketing & Communications Jennifer Johnson said the center has lots more to come this month.

On Oct. 9, children are invited to cool facts about spiders, typically featuring spiders found around the nature center.

“We actually have a ton of them,” she said, laughing. “All of our activities are really hands-on, and what we really try to do is connect nature and science so our classes are not only fun…but more than that, what we’re really doing is bridging the gap of connecting nature and science.”

On Oct. 11, the DPNC will offer free admission for the Migration Vacation program sponsored by the Bodenwein Public Benevolent Foundation. The program will cover animal migration patterns, with accompanying crafts, and time spent outside. The program is geared toward 3- to 6-year-olds and up.
Natural Tie-Dyeing will be held on Oct. 13, a Full Hunter Moon Walk will set off on Oct. 14, and the center’s annual meeting is Oct. 15.

“We have a short business meeting that starts off our session at 7 p.m. that day, but after that, there’s going to be a talk by a gentleman called Todd McLeish,” Johnson explained. “He is an author and wrote the book Golden Wings & Hairy Toes – Encounters with New England’s Most Imperiled Wildlife.”

McLeish will discuss endangered and imperiled wildlife in New England.
“That should be a fascinating evening. He’s a pretty well-known nature history writer in the New England area,” Johnson added. “It’s going to be at the nature center and it’s free…It’s going to be a great program for people who are interested in the nature center. Maybe they’ve never been here, or maybe it’s been a while. It’s free so they should come on out and take a look around the nature center and listen to a fascinating talk as well.”

University of Rhode Island professor of natural resources Peter August will visit the center on Oct. 23 for a program called “A Primer on the Lives of Bats.” Johnson said the program is geared toward adults and will include a slide show and lecture about bats.

For more information about these and other programs at the DPNC, contact the center at 860-536-1216 or visit www.dpnc.org.

The Halloween Scene: Local organizations treat the community to special events

Kristal Spence — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:18:07 GMT

It’s the spookiest time of year and local businesses and organizations are already busy setting up for Halloween.

The Mystic Aquarium has the Halloween spirit and will host its fifth annual Sea Scare evnet on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 24 and 25 from 6:30 to 10 p.m.

The two frightful nights will feature many festivities against a backdrop of the ocean’s dark and mysterious waters, including game stops, creepy exploration stations, special animal shows, and trick-or-treating down a trail lit with hundreds of carved jack o’ lanterns. Marketing Coordinator Cassandra Meyers said the jack o’ lanterns will be donated by local Boy and Girl Scout troops, some from Rhode Island and most from Connecticut.

“Basically we have a fun arrangement with [the scouts],” Meyers explained. “For each carved pumpkin that is donated, there is a scout that is admitted into Sea Scare for free. It’s a great partnership that we have with the scouts and they get to show off their masterpiece to their family and friends.”

She said carving the pumpkins also encourages the scouts’ creativity and the aquarium created pumpkin-carving contests so the winners will be awarded after the event.

Children and families will also have the chance to listen to haunted storytellers that will be accompanied by Halloween games.

“We have all sorts of fun Halloween games,” Meyers said. “We’re going to have a ring toss, a putting-green, bean bag toss…we have all of these games so people of all ages can do them.”

For the Halloween event, Meyers said, the Marsh Trek area of the aquarium will turn into Ship Wrecks and Sea Creatures, an exhibit for the older crowd to enjoy Halloween that will enhance the flavor of the evening.

Meyers said the evening is geared to be safe and a fun experience for all ages.

For more information, call 860-572-5955 or visit mysticaquarium.org.

Nautical Nightmares

Tickets to attend the Mystic Seaport’s seventh annual Nautical Nightmares event can now be purchased for the general public. Families and friends attending will be given an hour-long tour and told a tale about Captain McDougal, his missing ship, and an eerie figurehead that has washed up on shore.

Megan Weaver, supervisor of interpretation and artistic director of dramatic productions, said Nautical Nightmares has a cast of about 13 members plus a crew of about seven to nine spirits, ghosts, and townspeople who will be wandering the village.

She described the story line as fictional and historical. She believes this year’s production went in a different direction than in previous years. “There’s only one story line versus several, and the audience gets to participate in solving the mystery,” she said. “I’m hoping it will be very scary and fun as well.”

She added that a tour leaves every 15 minutes and that it is not recommended for children younger than age 10.

“There are some scary elements and kids under 10 might find it a little upsetting,” Weaver said.

The Nautical Nightmares tour route is not wheelchair-accessible and includes several steps.

“The show also goes on rain or shine, so people should be ready to bear the elements,” she added.

Nautical Nightmares at Mystic Seaport starts Oct. 17. The theatrical performances will be held nightly Oct. 17 to 19 and Oct. 23 to 26 at 6 p.m. On Halloween, the tours will begin at 7 p.m. Advance reservations are strongly recommended for the popular event. For more information, call 860-572-5315.

Spooky Nature Trail at Denison Pequotsepos

Jennifer Johnson, director of marketing and communications of the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, said the center is ready to host its Spooky Nature Trail Oct. 24 and 25 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Johnson said the Halloween event is geared toward children age 4 and up and that all children need to be accompanied by an adult.

“[The Spooky Nature Trail] is not gory,” Johnson said. “It’s really designed to play up a magical forest type of feel.”

She said in a recent release that the trail will be a spooky self-guided tour where one may meet nymphs and fairies, wild animals, and other frightful and delightful creatures.

“In addition to the haunted woods, participants will enjoy Halloween treats and cider, spooky crafts for children, games, and up-close visits with the Nature Center’s resident snakes, turtles, and frogs,” continued the release, adding that anyone attending should bring a flashlight and that tickets may be purchased at the door.

“It’s a parent’s judgment call if their kids will be interested in the event,” she said. She said there might be big spider webs for people to go through and actors jumping out to cause a surprise throughout the trail but noted there won’t be any fake blood or roaring chain saws.

“Also inside [the center], we have children’s crafts that are Halloween-themed planned,” she added.

For more information, call 860-536-1216.

...And More

Halloween Stonington Style takes place Friday, Oct. 24 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Stonington Community Center. For more information, call 860-535-2476.

The Groton Library will host a Spooky Films program on Friday, Oct. 10 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and a Harvest Festival of traditional harvest crafts and games at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11 in the children’s department. Adults and teenagers are invited to listen to Faye Ringel, Coast Guard professor and author of New England’s Gothic Literature, discuss the topic of vampires on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. Drop-in crafts are available on Halloween, Oct. 31 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for preschoolers. For more information, call 860-441-6750.

The Groton Senior Center will host a Halloween luncheon on Oct. 21 between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. For more information, call 860-441-6785.

If you know of an event happening for Halloween that was not mentioned, post the event on the Times Community Web site, www.Zip06.com.

One World, Five Photographers National Geographic photographers set up show in Mystic

Kristal Spence — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:14:36 GMT

Visitors have a chance to see some of the world’s sights and landscapes of dimming sunsets, distant mountains, and up-close animal life now that the Mystic Arts Center officially opened its One World, Five Photographers exhibit of more than 50 pieces. The exhibit features the work of five National Geographic Traveler photographers.

Brandy Kolmer, director of Development and Public Relations of the Mystic Arts Center, said the exhibit is dedicated to former board President Anthony “Tony” Halsey, who passed away in June and was a big supporter of the center among other organizations.

“Beginning Sept. 26, the Davis Gallery will become the backdrop to breathtaking work by five world-class National Geographic Traveler photographers in the exhibit One World, Five Photographers,” Director of the Mystic Arts Center Karen Barthelson wrote in the center’s September/October newsletter, News & Views.

Among the photographers is Mystic resident Michael Melford, who is joined by Ralph Lee Hopkins, Bob Krist, Jim Richardson, and Eddie Soloway.
Kolmer said in a recent press release that Melford has worked as a professional photographer since 1978 and has worked almost exclusively for National Geographic over the past five years. Through his work, Melford has visited more than 50 countries and is known for his versatile and classic award-winning work.

“Visitors will be able to visually travel the world through the eyes of these photographers,” Melford said. “Tony had been after me for years to do a show at the Mystic Arts Center, and I finally agreed with the caveat that I could invite some of my National Geographic friends for a group exhibition.”

One World, Five Photographers will remain up in the Charles H. Davis Gallery until Nov. 9.

The following biographies of participating photographers were provided by the Mystic Arts Center.

Ralph Lee Hopkins is a National Geographic photographer who travels with Lindblad Expeditions. Hopkins is the founder and director of Lindblad Photo Expeditions and has led many from the Arctic to the Antarctic.

Bob Krist is a freelance photographer who works regularly for National Geographic Traveler, Smithsonian, and Islands. As an accomplished writer, Krist is also a contributing editor at National Geographic Traveler and Outdoor Photographer. His photographs have won him international awards such as Travel Photographer of the Year in 1994, 2007, and 2008 by the Society of American Travel Writers.

Jim Richardson is a National Geographic photographer veteran and with more than 40 articles within National Geographic and Traveler. His photography was featured twice on CBS News’ Sunday Morning and on ABC’s Nightline.

Eddie Soloway is a photographer of nature and divides his time among teaching, writing, and making fine-art prints. Soloway has also received the Excellence in Photographic Teaching Award by the Santa Fe Center for Photography.

For more information, visit www.mysticarts.org or call 860-536-7601.

A Discussion of Change: Bank Square Books hosts Jonathan Stevenson

Kristal Spence — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:52:31 GMT

When asked to describe his recently published book, Mystic author Jonathan Stevenson said, “It’s about what lessons we can draw from the way in which Cold War strategists thought about the world’s strategic problems, in particular the nuclear standoff, and apply them to current problems that are very different.”

Stevenson’s title, Thinking Beyond the Unthinkable, stems from a book published by Herman Kahn in 1962 titled Thinking About the Unthinkable, which brought nuclear strategy closer to the mainstream.

The process of strategic thinking during the era of the Cold War is what Stevenson has researched and was the topic of his discussion at Bank Square Books last Thursday, drawing a connection from the past to current world issues.

Stevenson said he tried to illuminate in the book what strategists did right during the Cold War. Though he admits there were things strategists did wrong, he strongly believes in using what they did well and applying their tactics to current situations.

Stevenson researched and wrote the book from 2005 to 2008 in the hours between his day job as a professor of the Strategic Research Department at the United States Naval War College in Rhode Island. He explained that he started to create the book as a different project, but it derived from an observation he made—one he doesn’t think he was alone in noticing.

“During the Cold War, the people who wanted to be on the leading edge of strategic thought coalesced around a certain very definable group of thinkers,” he said.

But in the post-Cold War environment, particularly after 9/11, Stevenson believes that no authoritative cadre of strategic thinkers has materialized.

“I think one of the reasons was because we [the United States] were at a state of strategic confusion,” he said. “We had been buffeted and kind of traumatized by 9/11, and before that, taken by surprise by the abruptness of the Soviet Union’s collapse. We didn’t really have a chance to reset,” he added, referring to the Soviet Union’s collapse into independent nations in 1991.

He suggested that there was a need to redesign the United States’ strategic posture to deal with the different circumstances.

“It took us a while to get our pants up after WWII and deal with the new threats of atomic warfare, too,” Stevenson candidly said.

As a graduate of the University of Chicago in 1978, earning a degree in philosophy and economics and obtaining a law degree from Boston University School of Law, Stevenson said he practiced law for seven years at LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae (now Dewey & MacRae) in New York and realized his heart was in conflict and international relations.

“I have had a strange career path,” he said, “but I have always liked to write.”

After leaving LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, he moved to Kenya, becoming a freelance journalist covering Somalia, among other places, and eventually writing a book of the shortcomings in of the American-led intervention there in 1992 and 1993. Looking back, he says the book wasn’t particularly good.

“But it was a good start,” he added. He continued to travel, flying to Northern Ireland and then living in the United Kingdom for five years, all the while chasing conflict and international relations, deepening and broadening his intellectual base surrounding strategic studies.

Born in New London and living as a young boy in Stonington, it was in 2005 that Stevenson decided to move to Mystic and start to write his book with his new knowledge.

“I have a strong base here,” he added.

The Rand Corporation, he said, is a model he focuses on within his book. The corporation was established after World War II and, in Stevenson’s opinion, was the fertile breeding ground for the most essential ideas pertaining to nuclear deterrence surrounding the Cold War and other matters in the 1950s and ’60s.

Stevenson has intellectually profiled Herman Kahn, Albert Wohlstetter, and Thomas C. Schelling in his book, calling them three main strategists from the Cold War era.

“All three of those guys were at one point or other in their careers at Rand,” Stevenson explained. “The three of them together, along with several other people, essentially refined the theory of nuclear deterrence and figured out to stabilize the nuclear confrontation between the United States and Soviet Union, so there was less chance that a given conflict would spiral into nuclear war...Kahn was a very theatrical guy and he liked to be provocative, so I would say, to the general public, he was the most famous strategic figure but he did exert not the heaviest influence on policy,” Stevenson said, smiling. “That would have been Albert Wohlstetter. Nor was Kahn the most innovative thinker. That would have been Tom Schelling.

“An important thing to take away is that successful national policy has to be founded on deliberate, searching thought about the country’s entire situation,” Stevenson continued. “It can’t just be jerry-built on a series of reactions to crises and exploitations of perceived opportunities…You need a grand strategy as well as the operational and tactical capabilities required to respond to emergencies and threats that materialize suddenly…Current threats may be very different than the ones that we faced during the Cold War, but we can still learn from the way in which we handled the Cold War threats—and, using our reflections on that recent history, step back, take a look at current threats calmly and deliberately, and arrive at a grand strategy that works better than what we’ve been doing for the last seven years.”

Copies of Stevenson’s book are available at Bank Square Books, 53 West Main St., Mystic, which can be reached by phone at 860-536-3795 or online at www.banksquarebooks.com.