The Easton Arts Council's Annual Art Show will take place January 10 to February 26, 2012 in the Community Room of the Easton Library.  Entry fee $15.  Drop off art January 7th from 10AM to  1PM.  Artists photographers, sculptors, and artisans welcome.  Check the website for further information.

The exhibit features six sibling meerkats – three males, three females – born in the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Their exhibit offers the meerkats lots of opportunities for climbing, digging and exploring, with several feeding locations to keep them always on the alert for incoming crickets. And a viewing bubble lets visitors pop up right among the meerkats. Africa from Desert to Sea let's visitors explore the aquatic wonders of Africa and discover how the continent's fish – though much different from those in Long Island Sound – face similar environmental challenges.

The exhibition celebrates the long history of personal adornment through jewelry and explores its impact on our culture and environment. The exhibit showcases exquisite jewelry from both local and international private collections which are displayed together with some of the Bruce Museum's most spectacular mineral and gem specimens.

Oysters & Clams - A Norwalk Tradition, introduce visitors to the importance of Norwalk's oldest, continuous business; the advances the oystermen and clammers of Norwalk have made to the industry; the boats, equipment, and the men and companies who work year round to care for their crops.  Opening September 8 from 5 – 8 PM the Norwalk Museum exhibit will run through February 2012.

Opening September 14, 2011 and running through August 26, 2012 the Greenwich Historical Society will feature an exhibit--Everyday Heroes--Greenwich First Responders.  An exhibition that chronicles the story of Greenwich's fire, police and emergency medical service workers and explores the values underlying civic service, collaboration and acts of heroism by ordinary men and women who face the prospect of being called upon to risk their lives each day.  Exhibition hours: Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 4PM.  Adults: $10, Seniors and Students: $8, Members and Children under six: Free.  Check the website for further event related porgrams.

Bravo! A Century of Theatre in Fairfield County showcases the legacy of performing arts in our community as well as the many famous actors, directors and designers who have made this region a powerhouse  of American theatre.This very visual exhibition that will include a  wide selection of costumes as well as props; and actress Katharine Hepburn's throne from the American Shakespeare Festival Theatre's 1960 performance of Cleopatra.  And that's just a taste of what Bravo! offers.  The famous White Barn Theatre which was set on Lucille Lortel's estate in Westport is another highlight.

This exhibition will feature approximately forty etchings by Martin Lewis (1881-1962) from the collection of Dr. Dorrance Kelly of Connecticut. These fine art prints depict scenes of New York City and the Connecticut countryside dating from around 1916 up to the early 1950s. The prints of Martin Lewis are not as well known as those of his contemporaries, such as Edward Hopper. Lewis was a master printmaker in the intaglio processes including etching, aquatint, engraving, mezzotint, and dry point. The Bruce Museum exhibition will provide a brief biographical account of Martin Lewis and showcase some of the very best of his prints.

"Contraptions A to Z" is a unique hands-on exhibit that combines art, history, science, music, literature, and language. It reveals the fascinating mechanisms that are often hidden in black boxes with a playful, humorous approach. 26 interactive mechanical devices combine to create Contraptions A to Z. Each literally embodies a different letter of the alphabet. Individual interactive exhibits include Antique Apple Peelers, the Berserko Ball Bouncer, Cuckoo Cuckoo Clock, the Drum Machine (the exhibit's centerpiece), the Emu's Egg Engulf the Egg Scale, the Frog Flinging Frypan Flips Flapjacks Faultlessly, Gear Gizmos, and the rest of the alphabet, from Nervous Nelly to Quackers Quizzing Don Quixote on his Quest, all the way to the Zebras Zooming Zanily in a Zooetrope! Quality Time! Quality Fun! EXPANDED WINTER HOURS The Discovery Museum and Planetarium will now open 10 a.m. on Sundays rather than Noon.  Until further notice, the new schedule is 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday; closed Mondays except for select holidays and school vacations.

As part of its upcoming exhibition, "Toy Stories," the Westport Arts Center is hosting a toy design competition for children ages 5 – 14. Entries are due by Friday, February 10. Details on how to apply are available at www.westportartscenter.org "Kids can submit up to 3 designs on paper for fun-to-play-with objects—be it an educational toy, action figure, product to play with outdoors, stuffed animal, doll series, or animated mechanical robot," said Director of Education, Danielle Ogden. "We encourage a maximum level of creativity, fantasy, and imagination." Local educational toy-makers, Melissa & Doug, will serve as judges for the competition, doling out first, second, and third place prizes. The first place winner will have his/her toy design exhibited in the WAC Gallery for the last week of "Toy Stories," and will have a soft toy replicated by Child's Own Studio, a company specializing in custom-made soft toys. Second and third place winners will receive a toy gift basket, courtesy of Melissa & Doug, and all submissions will be displayed in a loop on a monitor in the WAC Gallery during the exhibition as well as the website.  "Toy Stories" runs January 27 – March 18.

Franklin Street Works is very pleased to announce that it is extending the run of the exhibition, Slipstreams: Contemporary Artistic Practice and the Shaping of Time, through February 19, 2012. Curated by Terri C. Smith and Joseph Whitt, this group exhibition features artists who consider how time is shaped and made visible through performed acts, unique measuring systems, and other uncommon means. Works include videos, photographs, drawings and installations that range from the 1960s to today. Participating artists are: Pierre Bismuth, Tehching Hsieh, Tara Kelton, Anna Lundh, Samuel Rousseau, Stephen Sollins, Conrad Ventur, and Andy Warhol. Slipstreams aims to allow its audience a unique exploration of multiple ways in which time can be
visualized and reconfigured, prompting questions about how we perceive and maintain our innerimaginings of time. Franklin Street Works is located at 41 Franklin Street in downtown Stamford, Connecticut, nearthe UCONN campus and less than one hour from New York City via Metro North. Franklin Street Works is approximately one mile (a 15 minute walk) from the Stamford train station. On street parking is available on Franklin Street (metered until 6 pm except on Sunday), and paid parking is
available nearby in a lot on Franklin Street and in the Summer Street Garage (100 Summer Street), behind Target. For more information, please visit www.franklinstreetworks.org The art space and café are open to the public on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. with extended hours on Thursdays, 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Franklin Street
Works does not charge for admission during regular gallery hours.

The Easton Arts Council's Annual Art show will take place January 10 to February 2612 in the Community Room of the Easton Library, 691 Morehouse Road Easton, CT. Entry fee $15.  Drop off Jan. 7 .10 am.-1 p.m. Artists, photographers, sculptors, and artisans interested in exhibiting can download the form from the link at www.eastonartscouncil.org.

January 8th through March 4th, 2012 Jak Kovatch has been working on a series of mixed media paintings, combining ink etching with oil painting technique, on printmaking or water color papers. His new exhibit will explore this on-going series in multimedia works which includes paintings, sculptures and works on paper created by the artist.

January 8th through March 4th, 2012 An exhibit by the multidisciplinary Silvermine Guild Artist focusing on images of her six children and husband as her subject. The selection of work ranges from printmaking and pastel to painting. Through the use of a variety of mixed media, the artist presents portrait and landscapes that relate to family, place, memory and relationships.

January 8th through March 4th, 2012. Silvermine Arts Center turns 90 this year and the celebration begins with a special exhibit featuring the work of the arts center's founder, sculptor Solo Borglum.

Jan.8, 2012  2 pm to 4 pm - Opening Reception – New Exhibits. Director's Choice: Jak Kovatch - Jak Kovatch has been working on a series of mixed media paintings, combining ink etching with oil painting technique, on printmaking or water color papers. His new exhibit will explore this on-going series in multimedia works which includes paintings, sculptures and works on paper created by the artist.  Grace Shanley: "Circle of Life – Then and Now" An exhibit by the multidisciplinary Silvermine Guild Artist focusing on images of her six children and husband as her subject.  The selection of work ranges from printmaking and pastel to painting. Through the use of a variety of mixed media, the artist presents portrait and landscapes that relate to family, place, memory and relationships.   New Members Show An exhibit showcasing 12 new Guild Members inducted in the spring and fall of 2011.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children Exhibit:  Run! Jump! Fly! Adventures in Action will run through April 29, 2012.The traveling exhibit features four interactive adventure scenes and an "action star training center" where children can explore kung fu, surfing, snowboarding and other high-appeal physical activities—all designed to build strength, balance, coordination and endurance. Run! Jump! Fly! Adventures in Action™ was created by the Minnesota Children's Museum. General Mills is the national sponsor of Run! Jump! Fly! Adventures in Action. Traveling exhibits at Stepping Stones are presented locally by the Xerox Foundation. Admission to the museum: $15 Adults/Children. $10 Seniors. Children under 1 year free. Check the website for further information.

The Housatonic Museum of Art will begin the new year with an exciting exhibit,  Ground Truth : Mapping the Senses / Charting Experience.  The  show opens on  January 13th and will run through February 10, 2012.  Housatonic Museum director Robbin Zella and artist Susan Sharp are curators for the exhibit which will consist of works from approximately fifteen artists,  including a variety of pieces from Merce Cunningham and John Cage's video collaboration, "Points in Space," to Chip Lord's video Movie Map: SF 03 that connects fantasy spaces and real places, to Eve Ingalls large drawings on canvas of her experience hiking the mountain
range near her Idaho home. The Housatonic Museum is open to the public at no charge Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. The Museum is closed when the college is closed. For further information contact 203-332-5052 or visit www.housatonicmuseum.org. HCC is located at 900 Lafayette Blvd. in downtown Bridgeport, less than 150 yards off I-95 (Exit 27) and Rte. 8 (Exit 1), a block from the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard. Free parking is available in the Housatonic garage.

What do the telephone, the Ferris Wheel, a 28,000-pound typewriter, and nylon stockings have in common? They were just a few of the thousands of products, curiosities, and inventions that made their debut at one of 17 World's Fairs that took place on America soil between 1853 and 1982. Visitors will enjoy more than 125 objects, photographs, and ephemera that detail progress, promotion, and public response.The Galleries are open, Monday - Saturday 9 am - 5 pm; Sundays 11am - 5 pm. Members: FREE Non-Members: FREE with gate admission. For more information call 203.322.1646, e-mail info@stamfordmuseum.org, or visit www.stamfordmuseum.org * * * * * Stamford Museum & Nature Center is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The Museum is a vital cultural and educational resource for the community, and a focal point for family activity through exhibitions, educational programs and special events.

Downtown Cabaret Theatre presents the play Pinkalicious from January 15, 2012 through Febrary 19, 2012.  The musical story of a girl who can't stop eating pink cupcakes.  Ignoring all advice, she lands up in the Doctor's office with Pinkitis, having turned pink from head to toe.  What to do!  Don't miss this enertaining presentation.  Check the website for further information.

Share a buffet lunch with friends; savor staged readings of funny and poignant short plays; engage in provocative discussion with the director and cast. This popular lunchtime theatre series returns to GAC on Wednesdays and Thursdays 12noon – 1:30pm
Tickets $43/GAC members $40. Tickets go on Sale Sept. 20

Artist Sylvia Wald will be featured in an exhibit at the Thomas J. Walsh Art Gallery at Fairfield University's Quick Center from January 19 to March 18, 2012.  Sylvia Wald's 70 year career covers a vast range of media, techniques and imagery.  While her earliest significant works can be related to the Depression-era style of social realist painting, Wald became known for her innovative printmaking in the 1040s and 1950s.  Later, Wald turned to sculpture, constructing imaginative assemblages from unlikely materials-industrial wire and metal mesh to bamboo and driftwood.  Gallery Hours:  Tues-Saturday 11AM to 5PM and Sunday 12 to 4PM. Closed Monday.  Free admission.

Our 32nd Annual Invitational Photography event will feature images, both film and digital, by photographers from 30 towns throughout Connecticut and New York. Tuesday-Friday 12-4 pmSaturday and Sunday 1-5 pm. The gallery is closed Mondays, holidays and in between exhibits.

Tuesdays & Thursdays in January and February, 10:00am to 11:00am
Join Todd DuPont and Brad Nagle will explore a variety of topics aimed at connecting you and your children to the botanical and natural world that grows all around us. Children will participate in hands on science, art and gardening activities and story time. Ages 2-8 (caregivers encouraged to attend). $5 for Members, $10 for Nonmembers. Open to the public, reservations not required.
For more information, call 203-322-6971, visit www.bartlettarboretum.org or e-mail info@bartlettarboretum.org

Fairfield Museum "Our Nation's Generations," --Student Exhibition Project opens January 27, 2012 and runs through April 22, 2012  is a unique, multidisciplinary program that partners teachers, schools and the Museum to challenge students to create their own exhibition which is displayed in the Museum's galleries. The students tour the Fairfield Museum, view the exhibits and respond to an essential question through historical research, inquiry, writing and arts-based activities. The project encourages a broad understanding of family and the students' role in their communities. Sustainable Cities: What is your vision for sustainability and positive growth for the city of Bridgeport? How can an abandoned building or empty lot help to change the city for the future? "Our Nation's Generations: Sustainable Cities" partnered two schools from Bridgeport and Fairfield with the Fairfield Museum and History Center to challenge students to design and to create proposals for the city of Bridgeport's urban planning initiatives. Over the past several months, a group of 5th grade students from New Beginnings Family Academy in Bridgeport were partnered with and mentored by 8th grade students from The Unquowa School in Fairfield.  The older students mentored the younger urban students in a series of activities that explored the history of the built environment, including the architecture of Bridgeport. The students also looked to the future and became problem-solvers and urban planners to develop proposals for urban revitalization. The result is a 3 month exhibition that will open on Friday, January 27 showcasing the students' work to develop sustainable plans for the empty lots and abandoned buildings on upper Main Street in Bridgeport. The exhibit features the students' innovative ideas, computer models, writing, poetry and photography. Check the website for further information.

Opening Reception: Friday, January 27, 6-8pm. Toys – how we relate to them and the sorts of memories and connections we make (both positive and negative), have played an immeasurable role in contemporary culture. Toys never completely lose their original purpose, but it is this familiarity of the toy that enlivens and enhances the dialogue between the artist and the viewer. We will present 20 major artists who work with toys in a range of media, including Alexander Calder, Jeff Koons, Nick Cave, Charles Ray, Takashi Murakami, D.Dominick Lombardi, Nina Bentley, Dan Hernandez, Tom Friedman, and Peter Drake. Gallery hours are Monday- Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Garden Education Center of Greenwich will feature Fine Artist Julie Satinover from January 28 thru February 29, 2012 at the Center.  Opening Reception will be held on January 28th from 4-6PM.  All are welcome.  Open to the public.

The Museum presents the playful and enchanting world of the award-winning author and photographer Walter Wick in a major new exhibition titled Walter Wick: Games, Gizmos and Toys in the Attic. Wick is the creator of the Can You See What I See? books and co-creator of the I Spy series for children. This retrospective of Wick’s work from 1973 through today spotlights approximately 40 large-scale photographs, several models used to craft his seemingly impossible images, and videos that offer a behind-the-scenes look at Wick’s creative process. The photographs, enlarged to five and six-feet wide, reveal details and colors not possible in the book reproductions.

The Westport Historical Society presents two complementary and thought-provoking exhibits, Next Stop: Westport, The Inspiration for 1950′s TV & Film Writers and, as counterpoint, The Cold War in our Backyard, An Archival Film Compilation by Lisa Seidenberg.

Bridgeport Theatre Company continues its second season with the critically acclaimed and powerful social drama, The Laramie Project, running February 3-12 over 6 performances. All performances will take place at Downtown Cabaret Theatre, 263 Golden Hill Street, Downtown Bridgeport. BTC operates "in residence" at DCT, and each company operates independently of the other, whilst sharing the same space.  On October 7, 1998, a young gay man named Matthew Shepard was kidnapped, severely beaten, and left to die tied to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyoming. The Laramie Project deals with the local reaction to this murder, which was denounced as a hate crime motivated by homophobia.  Company members of New York's Tectonic Theatre Project spent a year interviewing the town's citizens. Out of those candid interviews comes this play; an honest, riveting, deeply moving theatrical event.  The Laramie Project inspired the 2002 HBO film of the same name, featuring a stable of Hollywood celebrities portraying the residents in the play.  Additionally, ten years after Matthew's murder, members of the Tectonic Theater Project returned to Laramie to conduct follow-up interviews with those featured in the play. These interviews became a companion piece entitled, The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, debuting on the 11th anniversary of Matthew's death.  Bridgeport Theatre Company will be presenting a staged reading of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later after the final performance of The Laramie Project on February 12.  The Laramie Project is presented with direction by Eli Newsom, BTC's Artistic Director.  Chad Kinsman serves as Assistant Director/Dramaturg with Maggie Pangrazio and Melinda Zupaniotis as Co-Producers. The cast of over 20 actors from in and around Fairfield county includes: Joan Barere, Steve Benko, Gary Blomberg, Drew Camputaro, Jason Coombs, Katy Curtis, Roger Dykeman, Kim Furano, Molly Gaumer, Jessie Gilbert, Linda Gilmore, Emma LaPlace, Kaite Laurie, Gabriel Morrow, Joanne Pelkey, Catie Pelkey, Jeff Porper, Kitty Robertson, Johnny Shea, Reverend Sara Smith, Dan Travers and Peter Wood.  The Laramie Project will run for 6 performances ONLY: Fri/Sat, Feb 3, 4, 10  11 at 8pm, Sun, Feb 5 at 5pm, and Sun, Feb 12 at 4pm. BTC will also present a special staged reading of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later on Sun, Feb 12 at 7pm. Tickets are $23 for Adults and $18 for Student /Seniors (ID required) and are available ONLY at www.BridgeportTheatre.org or by calling 800.838.3006.

Just in time for Lincoln's birthday, the Greenwich Historical Society and the Greenwich Library will feature a screening of the Robert Redford-directed film The Conspirator on Friday, February 3, to be followed on Tuesday, February 7, by an appearance of the film's screenwriter, James Solomon. The Conspirator is about a surprisingly little known aspect of the Lincoln assassination, the case of Mary Surratt, a southern woman tried for taking part in the conspiracy to assassinate the president and reluctantly defended by a young northern attorney Frederick Aiken. Mr. Solomon will discuss his inspiration and subsequent research for the screenplay, which was 18 years in the making. He will also touch upon his own conclusions regarding the guilt or innocence of Mary Surratt. The subject is as timely as it is fascinating, and the critically acclaimed film reminds us that as a nation, we still grapple with the subject of civil rights and military tribunals. The Conspirator Screening: Friday, February 3, 8:00 pm. James Solomon, Lecture, Tuesday, February 7:00 pm. Greenwich Library, Cole Auditorium, 101 West Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT.
Admission to both the film screening and lecture is free. Seating is first come, first served.

Just in time for Lincoln's birthday, the Greenwich Historical Society and the Greenwich Library will feature a screening of the Robert Redford-directed film The Conspirator on Friday, February 3, to be followed on Tuesday, February 7, by an appearance of the film's screenwriter, James Solomon. The Conspirator is about a surprisingly little known aspect of the Lincoln assassination, the case of Mary Surratt, a southern woman tried for taking part in the conspiracy to assassinate the president and reluctantly defended by a young northern attorney Frederick Aiken. Mr. Solomon will discuss his inspiration and subsequent research for the screenplay, which was 18 years in the making. He will also touch upon his own conclusions regarding the guilt or innocence of Mary Surratt. The subject is as timely as it is fascinating, and the critically acclaimed film reminds us that as a nation, we still grapple with the subject of civil rights and military tribunals. The Conspirator Screening: Friday, February 3, 8:00 pm. James Solomon, Lecture, Tuesday, February 7:00 pm. Greenwich Library, Cole Auditorium, 101 West Putnam Avenue, Greenwich, CT. Admission to both the film screening and lecture is free. Seating is first come, first served.

1ST SUNDAY BIRD WALKS @ GREENWICH POINT Sundays: February 5 / March 4, 2012 from9:00-11:00 am.  Sponsored by the Audubon Society.  A monthly bird walk along the Long Island Sound shore. Leaders will bring spotting scopes and help everyone locate and ID wintering birds in the rich variety of habitats at Greenwich Point. All ages and beginners welcome. Held
in collaboration with Wild Wings, Bruce Museum and Audubon Greenwich. Meet at the second concession stand. Wear warm clothes and bring binoculars. No charge or RSVP required. Questions? Call Cynthia Ehlinger at 203-413-6756 or
Meredith Sampson at 203-637-9822.

9:00-11:00 am. A monthly bird walk along the Long Island Sound shore. Leaders will bring spotting scopes and help everyone locate and ID wintering birds in the rich variety of habitats at Greenwich Point. Beginners welcome. Held in collaboration with Wild Wings, Bruce Museum and Audubon Greenwich. Meet at the second concession stand. Wear warm clothes and bring binoculars.  No charge or RSVP required. Questions? Call Cynthia Ehlinger at 203-413-6756 or Meredith Sampson at 203-637-9822

Come and spend your afternoon learning how to track animals. We will learn about several native animals, what their foot prints look like and how they move at different speed. $5 for Members, $10 for Nonmembers. For more information, call 203-322-6971, visit www.bartlettarboretum.org or e-mail info@bartlettarboretum.org * * * * * Our 91-acre nature preserve is a living museum of majestic trees, rare plant collections, charming gardens, and varied natural habitats and landscapes traversed by hiking and walking trails. The Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens is open to the public every day of the year.

Buffet Lunch, Readings of Short Plays*, Discussion with Actors. 12noon - 1:30pm. Tickets $43. Plays will include works by David Henry Hwang, David Ives, Jacquelyn Reingold and a scene from George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion.

Go back in time to see how Early American Life was in New England and discover the landscapes, rivers and terrain of Connecticut through a geographer's eyes. Investigate the adaptations of plants and animals that live in the world's habitats in our hands-on biomes lab. We'll also enjoy a bit of the outdoors with a "New England in Winter" nature hike. Self-guided activities will include a tour of our World's Fair-themed exhibit. A group lunch period will allow for collaboration and meeting new friends. Recommended for ages 5 and up and younger siblings are welcome to attend at no charge. Members & Non-Members: $15 per child; no charge for home school teachers/chaperones. To register, please call 203.977.6515 or email lmonachelli@stamfordmuseum.org.

Bartlett Arboretum Yoga in the Garden dates:  Thursdays, February 9th - March 29th, 4:00 - 5:15 p.m.
Sundays, February 12th - March 25th, 9:00 - 10:15 a.m. Janak is a long time practitioner of yoga and a certified hatha yoga teacher. Yoga is a practice that brings into union the body and mind.  The goal of yoga is to rejuvenate the body, relax the nervous system and quiet the thought waves of the mind. Janak will lead you through  physical poses (asanas) and breathing techniques (pranyama) to attain this  goal. Nonmembers: $20/Drop-In class,  $17/Class, If you sign-up for a 10 classes to be used up in a 2 month period.  Members: $18/Drop-In class, $15/Class, If you sign-up for a 10 classes to be used up in a 2 month period.

The program, which begins at 7 p.m. and will include food and a cash bar for the ticket price of $20 ($15 for Museum members)"The Love Hurts theme has been inspired by Valentine's Day and the role of Cleopatra performed by Katharine Hepburn at the American Shakespeare Theater in Stratford, CT (featured in the Bravo! theatre exhibition)," according to Kathleen Motes Bennewitz, director of exhibitions and programs for the Fairfield Museum and History Center.   "Anthony and Cleopatra's agonizing and calamitous love affair changed history. However, the Love Hurts stories will emphasize true tales of breakups, bad dates and smaller calamities that get in the way of more mundane folks like us."

How rewarding is it to apply a weed poultice to a minor wound or drop a handful of freshly pulled weeds into a pot of water for dinner! During this presentation, recognize common garden and lawn weeds and their usefulness. Learn what weeds tell us about the environment, how we can use them, as well as how to control them. When possible, this program includes a treat made from weeds and a look at live samples. For more information or to register visit : http://www.ladybug.uconn.edu or call 203-322-6971.

* * * * * Our 91-acre nature preserve is a living museum of majestic trees, rare plant collections, charming gardens, and varied natural habitats and landscapes traversed by hiking and walking trails. The Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens is open to the public every day of the year.

MouseMuse presents a hilarious and spellbinding evening of true ten-minute tales told by six storytellers, friends and neighbors. No scripts!

Anthony and Cleopatra fell into a burning ring of fire. Their agonizing and calamitous love affair changed history. However tonight’s stories will emphasize true tales of breakups, bad dates and smaller calamities that get in the way of more mundane folks like us.

The Love Hurts theme is inspired by Valentine's Day and the role of Cleopatra performed by Katharine Hepburn at the American Shakespeare Theater in Stratford, CT (featured in the Bravo! theatre exhibition).

Snow Date March 1

$20; Members, $15. Includes Light Fare and Cash Bar.

The Wilton Playshop will present Life With Father by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The longest running non-musical in Broadway hsitory.  Life with Father tells the story of the Day family in 1880's New York City.  A charming play for the entire family.  The dates of the play are: February 10,11,12,16,17 and 18, 2012.  All shows at 8PM except for the Sunday, February 12th matinee which is at 2PM.  Check the website for further information.

2 to 4 pm. Dress up your Teddy Bears in their party best and bring them to a special tea for Valentine's Day! Enjoy a variety of tea time treats and sweets, delight in an enchanting tale from Acting Out with Ms. Karen, and bring home your own teddy bear surprise.  Space is limited, so book your spot early.

$10 per person, $20 per family. Drop in Anytime between 2-4:30 pm. Come make all your loved ones special handmade one of a kind, heirloom quality valentines. Old time, vintage and retro graphics and a huge selection of wonderful supplies to choose from!
Families, Seniors, Kids, Adults and children ages 4-104 are welcome. Instruction & hands on help available.

On February 11, 2012 at 2PM the Stepping Stones Museum will host renowned Maori singer-storyteller Ataahua Papa brings Polynesian culture to life through music and storytelling. Papa has toured extensively in New Zealand, the U.S. and Canada. She is part of MATOU, a New York-based music collective that combines Maori music with Native American instruments, and performs regularly with First Nation's Women's a capella group, Ulali. Cheeck the website for further information.

The show will highlight each decade of the Greenwich Art Society's (GAS) history through paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture by the most distinguished members who were exhibiting artists and/or teachers, such as Leonard, Mina Fonda and Dorothy Ochtman; Childe Hassam; Simka Simkhovitch; Margaret Brassler Kane; Ann Chernow; and Leo Manso. Many of the works are drawn from the Bruce Museum's collection. It is not mere coincidence that this year, 2012, marks the 100th anniversary of both the Art Society and the Museum. Their histories in the early decades are closely intertwined and the Museum is delighted to collaborate once again with the Greenwich Art Society to celebrate this shared milestone.

For a one night only special event, The Stamford Symphony will present one of the world's best string quartets: the Emerson String Quartet. The list of achievements by this extraordinary quartet is endless and you just have to see them perform to believe it! This is an special opportunity to hear this world-renowned quartet right here in Stamford. Don't miss it!

Dress up your Teddy Bears in their party best and bring them to a special tea for Valentine's Day! Enjoy a variety of tea time treats and sweets, delight in an enchanting tale from Acting Out with Ms. Karen, and bring home your own teddy bear surprise.
Space is limited to 30 adults and 30 children, so be sure to book your spot today! To register, call 203.977.6521. Members: $25 per person | Non-Members: $35 per person.

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo invites you to add a little Wild to your Valentine’s Day at our Wild at Heart Event 2012. Indulge yourself with food, drink, animal encounters, entertainment, and a fabulous silent auction with lots of love!  Dress up in your finest cocktail attire and treat yourself to tantalizing appetizers served alongside a pasta station.  For a sweet ending to the night, enjoy chocolate fondue courtesy of The Melting Pot in Darien.  NOTE: This is an adults only event.  $75 per person / $125 per couple.  Tickets are limited.  To purchase, please contact Emily Bobowick at (203) 394-6569 or ebobowick@beardsleyzoo.org.

The Emerson String Quartet stands alone in the history of string quartets with an incomparable list of achievements over three decades: nine Grammy® Awards, three Gramophone Awards, the coveted Avery Fisher Prize and an international reputation for groundbreaking chamber music projects. $22 - $73. For more information visit www.Stamfordsymphony.org, call Gina Ely at 203-325-1407 x14 or e-mail Gely@stamfordsymphony.org

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. Co-sponsored by the Astronomical Society of Greenwich. Activities and crafts for everyone focusing on the stars and planets! STARLAB Planetarium will run continuous shows throughout the day featuring our local night skies. Members of the Astronomical Society will be on hand to show off telescopes and share information about the Bowman Observatory. All activities are inclusive, suitable for children five years and up, and free with Museum admission.