Spirits and Sustenance (A Food and Cocktail Pairing)

Good morning, Quiet Corner! Today is Thursday 2/13, and that means it’s National Tortellini Day! While two cities (Bologna and Modena) claim to be the birthplace of the delicious stuffed pasta, the origin of the shape is said to have been created by a peeping Tom innkeeper. The Roman Goddess Venus was staying at an inn, and the proprietor was so captivated by her beauty that he tried to sneak a peek through a keyhole, and all he could see was her navel.

Sounds like a bit of a stretch, but however they were created, they are tasty! So head to your favorite place in town that makes them, or challenge yourself to make some homemade ones (they’re easier than you think!). If you do have a favorite place that serves it, let us know where!

In Today’s Quiet Corner Buzz:

• Paint Your Pet 🐶🖌️

• Succulent Soiree 🌵

• Couples Paint Night 💑

Let’s dive in!

-Tyler DiGiovanni

BRIEF BITES

• Best of CT - Lonely Planet named a stop in Woodstock one of the top 18 things to do in Connecticut—Tree House Farm & Fermentory! Known for its world-famous brews in Massachusetts, Tree House opened this cider-centric orchard in 2023, inviting guests to sip crisp hard ciders surrounded by scenic apple trees. You can find the full list here.

• Big Winner - Monty, a giant schnauzer from Chaplin, Connecticut, has made history by winning Best in Show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. This victory marks the first time a giant schnauzer has claimed this prestigious title. After an illustrious career, Monty will now enjoy a well-deserved retirement as a beloved family pet.

• Tourism Grants - Big news for Eastern Connecticut! The Eastern Regional Tourism District just awarded $70,000 in grants to 22 projects that will help boost tourism and economic growth. Local recipients include the Brooklyn Fair ($4,000), Putnam Business Association ($2,500), and Jillson House Museum ($2,000), Town of Plainfield ($3,500), Brooklyn Fair ($4,000), Discover Ashford ($750), Local Getaways: Windham County ($2,250), Putnam Business Association ($2,500), Town of Plainfield ($3,500), Windham Preservation Inc. ($2,200)—all working to make our region even better!

• Teamsters - The Town of Windham and its Public Works Department have agreed to have Teamsters Local 493 represent the department’s 24 employees. These workers handle everything from street repairs and snow plowing to tree trimming, vehicle repairs, and running the town’s Transfer Station.

Paint Your Pet 🐶🖌️

This is one for all you pet lovers out there. No matter if your pet has fur, hair, or scales, Pets in Paint is giving you a chance to create a beautiful painting of your fur/scale baby. Taking place at a private residence in Brooklyn, CT (you can find the exact address in the link later on) on Saturday 2/15 at 2pm, you’ll put paint to canvas and leave with a one of a kind painting.

Don’t worry about not having an artistic bone in your body. You can think of this as a type of paint-by-numbers for adults. You buy your ticket, send a picture of your pet of choice in, they create a canvas with your pet on it, and you fill in the color using acrylic paint. Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone that you didn’t do it from scratch!

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, you can check out more details here.

Succulent Soiree 🌵

On Friday 2/14 from 6-8pm, Two Gold Moons (112 Main St, Putnam) wants to help you create a succulent garden. These are wonderful, low-maintenance plants that bring a little exotic flair to any room. Since it’s a BYOB event, you can enjoy your beverage of choice while getting your hands dirty.

Everything you need to make your mini-oasis will be provided, including the titular succulents, a garden dish, and they’re even throwing in the dirt. I will note, that while difficult to do, these plants can be killed (I don’t want to talk about how I know that). But I believe in you to keep them alive and thriving! You can get your tickets here.

Couples Paint Night 💑

We’re spreading the creativity with another painting event. This time, it’s a couple’s painting class (I just did one of these, as a Christmas present from my lovely wife) being held at Triple Raven Brewing (27 Main St, Thompson) on Sunday 2/16 from 1-3pm.

The session is going to be held by Tunk City Revival (we’ve featured some of their events in the newsletter before). Grab a frosty beverage from the bar (they have their own beers and also feature beer and wines from other places in the state).

You’ll get step-by-step instruction on how to create a colorful evening scene. Call (860) 382-3635 to register. Cash and Venmo are accepted.

BEE LINE EVENTS

Brooklyn | Kid Sitting | 5:30-8:30pm $ - Brooklyn Parks and Rec are giving you the chance to drop off your kids (grades K-8) at Brooklyn Elementary (68 School St) and enjoy an evening to your self(ves). Register and pay here.

Danielson | Dinner & Dance | 5:30pm $ - Chubby Dog Coffee (144 Main St) is holding an evening of dancing (Salsa and Swing lessons included), wine (you’ll get a bottle of red, or some mocktails for those who don’t drink), and a dinner catered by the fantastic Emerald Buddha. You can buy tickets here.

Danielson | Free Dinner | 5-6pm - Westfield Church (210 Main St) is inviting one and all to enjoy a free dinner to anyone looking for conversation and a meal.

Plainfield | Steak Dinner | 6pm $ - Plainfield VFW (7 Winsor Ave) are holding a steak dinner which comes with salad, bread, potato, veggies, and keg beer. Contact the VFW for more information at (860) 564-5446.

Putnam | Renee’s Bistro Special Menu | 5-8pm - Renee’s Bistro (142 School St) has a special Valentine’s menu for the evening. Call (860) 412-9365 or email [email protected].

Putnam | Dance Lesson | 3-9pm $ - Stop by BLOCK 134 for a private dance lesson, on this most romantic of days. Spots are limited, call or text (860) 792-6201 for more information.

Scotland | Winter Seed Sowing | 5:30-6:30pm - Get a jump on the growing season by stopping into the Scotland Public Library (21 Brook Rd). Bring a clear plastic container, or use one of theirs. Instruction, seeds, and soil will be provided.

Willimantic | Dog Food Drive | 8:30am - The Weekend - Mackey’s (249 Columbia Ave) is offering a buy any FROMM dry dog food bag and get any 6oz bag of Crunchy O’s free (limit one per customer). 30% of all sales from FROMM with be donated to Friends of Windham Animal Shelter.

Willimantic | Pride & Prejudice | 7:30pm $ - Windham Theater Guild (779 Main St) is continuing their production of the classic Jane Austen work. Tickets are available here.

Chaplin | Open Studio | 10am-1pm - Ever been interested in how to make pottery? Contact Mr. Mlyniec at [email protected] for more details.

Plainfield | Equine Valentine | 5pm - Join Hay Burr Inn Equine Rescue for a virtual playdate on their Facebook page with some of their rescued horses. You’ll be able to donate to a great cause.

Putnam | Neil Diamond Tribute Band | 7:30pm $ - Tru Diamond is gracing the stage at The Bradley Playhouse (30 Front St) for an evening of hits (there’s a lot more to his works than Sweet Caroline). You can get tickets here.

Putnam | Paint With Pat | 4pm $ - Come to the Congregational Church of Putnam (175 Main St) for an evening of instructional painting with your paint guru Pat. Contact Kat at (860) 481-2519 to register.

Putnam | Run, Eat, Pet Cats | 11:15am-4pm $ - A first of its kind. The day starts at the Putnam Municipal lot (165 Kennedy Dr) with a run up to 13 miles, followed by pizza, then some time with the kitties at Paws Cat Shelter. Contact the shelter at (860) 315-1228 for further details.

South Windham | Gentle Yoga | 8-9am - Head to Guilford Smith Memorial Library (17 Main St) for some easy-on-the-body yoga work. Register by emailing Sarah at [email protected] by 2/14.

Plainfield | Drum Circle | 10-11:30am $ - Join Crystal Visions (40 Railroad Ave) for a morning of rhythm and mediation. You can find more information here.

Putnam | Girls Night Out | 5-8pm - Mini Reiki sessions, permanent jewelry, spray tans, giveaways, and more await you at Lily Rose Orchid (554 Liberty Hwy).

Putnam | Homeopathy First Aid Workshop | 2-4pm $ - BLOCK 134 (134 Main St) is holding a workshop on how natural remedies have been helping people for hundreds of years. The workshop is being led by Dr. Irene Catania, and can be registered for by emailing [email protected].

Sterling | Galentine’s Day | 9-11am $ - Start your morning off with some yoga in the heated dome at Wild Ride (130 Old Cranston Rd), followed by chocolate fondue, and capped off with a guided hike with the wild mustangs. More info and tickets can be found here.

Live Music

2/13

⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Straight Up Jazz Series | 5:30-7:30p
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Stattic | 8-11p
⬢ Corleone’s - Willimantic | Open Mic | 8:30p-12:30a

2/14

⬢ Black Dog Bar - Putnam | Kala Farnham | 1-4p
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Nate Cozzolino and the Lost Arts | 8-11p

2/15

⬢ 4G’s Restaurant - Dayville | KT Lay | 5-8p
⬢ Holy Grounds Coffee House - Plainfield | Unshaken | 6-8p
⬢ Triple Raven Brewing - Thompson | Tony Garcia | 4-7p
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Keri Anderson and The Funk It Band | 8-11p
⬢ Taylor Brooke Brewery - Woodstock | Max Muscato | 2-5p
⬢ Broken Crust - Putnam | Al Raebuck | 5:30-7:30p

2/16

⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | B3 Kings | 1-4p
⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Open Mic | 7-11:30p
⬢ Taylor Brooke Brewery - Woodstock | Nick Bosse | 2-4p
⬢ 4G’s Restaurant - Dayville | Bruce John | 2-5p

Trivia

2/13

Trolley Pub - Willimantic | 7:30p
Chubby Dog Coffee House - Danielson | 7p
Midway Restaurant - Ashford | 7p

2/14

Taylor Brooke Brewery - Woodstock | 6-8p

THE HIVE’S PICK

Our Hive Pick for today sounds like a truly remarkable time for people who like to indulge in a little bit of drinking while having some delicious eats. Black Pond Brews (1001 Hartford Pike, Dayville) is partnering with Sono 1420 Distillery (a company from Norwalk, CT) for an evening of food and cocktail pairings on Friday 2/14 from 6-9pm.

Enjoy a four-course dinner with five different cocktails and whiskey pours (total, not for each course). The menu looks unbelievably good (two appetizers, an entree, and a dessert), and for anyone that likes to drink and eat, this is the event to attend (make sure you have a safe way of getting home afterwards!).

Tickets are going extremely quick, so if you want to find out more information on exactly what’s being served, and want to secure your spot, click here!

ECSU SPORTS

2/13 - Men’s and Women’s Swimming - Little East Conference Championships

2/14 - Men’s and Women’s Swimming - Little East Conference Championships

2/15 - Men’s and Women’s Swimming - Little East Conference Championships

2/15 - Men’s Basketball vs. VTSU Castleton | 1pm

2/15 - Men’s Track & Field @ NYU DIII Challenge | 1pm

That’s it for this week’s Quiet Corner Buzz. Just a friendly reminder that we are going down to one newsletter per week, coming out on Tuesdays, starting next week. Help us continue to grow by sharing the newsletter with someone who always says, “Oh, I would’ve gone to that if I knew about it!”

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