Although this has been a very mild winter in Connecticut, when the month of March hit the calendar, we were ready to get out of the house and start exploring nature again and looking for signs of Spring. The Stamford Museum & Nature Center located in Stamford, Connecticut provided the perfect opportunity with their combination of hiking trails, friendly animals, and a sensational museum.
Edward F. Nesta
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The latest release from Ally Venable, Ally Venable – Real Gone, is the fifth in a string of outstanding releases from the 23-year old guitar afficionado. With special guest contributors, Buddy Guy and Joe Bonamassa, you know she is running with the right crowd. Ally writes "..about what goes on in my life, or….what others can relate to," and with Real Gone, you feel the down home, relentless, and passionate Ally Venable.
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Performances
Beth Nielsen Chapman at The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, Old Saybrook, CT, USA
We had the extreme pleasure of seeing Beth Nielsen Chapman perform at The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center affectionately known as "The Kate" in Old Saybrook, Connecticut on Saturday, March 11, 2023. The intimate 285-seat cultural arts center named for Old Saybrook’s beloved actor and resident, Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003), was the perfect venue to experience the music of Beth Nielsen Chapman (BNC) on tour to promote her 15th album entitled, CrazyTown, released in September 2022.
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The latest release, and sadly the final release, from Savoy Brown, Savoy Brown – Blues All Around, is a blues-based rock release that sums up over 50-years of blues influenced music from the vocals and fingers of Kim Simmonds. The British based band has been a mainstay in the blues music genre, and they continue to add to the blues music songbook with their twelve original tracks on Savoy Brown – Blues All Around.
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Orchids are nature’s most beloved and exotic of flowers and The Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) in Bronx, New York, annually attracts orchid aficionados, horticulturists, artists, and photographers to celebrate their stunning beauty. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2023, this year’s show features the vision of the acclaimed landscape artist and designer Lily Kwong who transforms the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory into a dream-like fantasy that must be seen to be fully appreciated. We attended opening …
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Blue Moon Marquee – Scream, Holler & Howl marks the sixth release from the duo of A. W. Cardinal and Jasmine Colette. Their unique way of blending blues, jump, jazz, soul, rock-n-roll, and country creates a sound which is captivating, and with Blue Moon Marquee – Scream, Holler & Howl it may be their best release to date. The release contains 11 original tracks and 2 covers from the legendary Lonnie Johnson.
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Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia each have an extensive discography, so for the release of Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia – Blood Brothers, they united to craft a sensational release that draws together their unique energy and styles. The release contains 11 original tracks written by Mike Zito or Albert Castiglia, and as co-producer Josh Smith states, "With this release, they have both found their musical confidante." In addition to this release, look for Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia – …
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Wine Events
Wine Seminar with Kevin Zraly, Queen City International Wine Festival, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA
Wine education is always fun especially when the seminar is given by wine educator and award-winning author Kevin Zraly. Held as part of the 1st Annual Queen City International Wine Festival at Revel 32 in Poughkeepsie, New York, the wine seminar provided participants with the ability to learn to appreciate and look at wines in a new way. As the class involved tasting four wines, it was the perfect combination of learning while experiencing. Cheers!
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The Kosher Food & Wine Experience (KFWE) 2023 held at Chelsea Piers Pier Sixty in New York City was a sold-out event that took guests’ palates on a tasty journey around the world without the need for a passport with exceptional kosher wines from Argentina, Australia, France, Israel, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, South Africa, and the United States. Produced by Royal Wine Corp. and celebrating its 17th anniversary (after a three-year hiatus), KFWE attracted almost 3,000 guests. Distilleries were also …
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Vintage Cru at the Mohegan Sun – Sun Wine & Food Fest 2023 in Uncasville, Connecticut was a celebration of wine and spirits excellence and provided wine and spirits lovers with the opportunity to taste a well-curated offering of 145 wines and spirits. It was a fantastic bon vivant late afternoon of experiencing exceptional wine and spirits hosted by Celebrity Chefs Rocco DiSpirito and Christian Petroni with oysters, shrimp, pairing cheeses, and live piano music by John Lomartra. Cheers!