Something To Taco About 🌮

Good morning, Quiet Corner! Today is Monday 1/27, and that means it’s National Bubble Wrap Day! You can admit it, you still have to pop at least a couple bubbles when you get a package in the mail (I end up battling my kids for who gets to do the honors). So, do yourself a favor, grab a sheet of bubble wrap, relieve some stress, and pop away to your heart’s content.

The people have spoken and it was an overwhelming 98.3% saying “yes” to cover some unique history of the Quiet Corner. Every Monday we’ll include a brief piece about local folklore and/or history, we’re looking forward to your feedback. Please let us know how we’re doing!

In Today’s Quiet Corner Buzz:

• Candles and Corot Noir 🕯️🍷

• Battle of the Frogs 🐸

• Herbal Healing 🌿

Let’s dive in!

-Tyler DiGiovanni

BRIEF BITES

• HOPE - The Windham No Freeze Project is now Project HOPE of Eastern Connecticut, reflecting its growth into a year-round housing and homeless services provider. With expanded staff and resources, Project HOPE focuses on housing, outreach, prevention, and emergency shelter to help individuals regain stability.

• Restaurant Week - Savor the flavors of Mansfield and Windham during Taste 2 Towns: Restaurant Week, happening January 27–February 9! Enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night treats with special take-out offers and prix fixe menus from local favorites. Find participating restaurants here.

• Special Ed - As special education costs rise statewide, Killingly Public Schools aims to reduce tuition fees by bringing out-placed students back into the district. Starting this fall, the Killingly Therapeutic Academy will offer a combined therapy and academic program for students in grades five and up. The academy is expected to serve 20 middle and high school students and 10 young adults in a life skills transition program.

• Cold Plunge - On February 1, hundreds of community members, including students and staff from Eastern Connecticut State University, will brave the icy waters of Willimantic's Natchaug River for the 14th annual Olga Ezis Plunge for Hunger. The event, led by ECSU’s rugby club and coach Ray Aramini, raises funds for the Covenant Soup Kitchen, with a goal of hitting $100,000 this year.

• Expansion - The Willimantic Food Co-Op is gearing up for an expansion and will soon demolish the derelict building at 87 Church Street to make way for new growth.

Candles and Corot Noir 🕯️🍷

Who doesn’t love things that smell nice and things that taste good? On Wednesday 1/28 from 6-8pm Taylor Brooke Brewery (818 CT-171, Woodstock) is holding an evening of candle creation and luxurious libations (how’s that for a fun phrase?).

Teaming up with Hand The Light, Taylor Brooke Brewery is offering you the chance to create two 8oz candles in jars. You’ll be able to choose from a plethora (really going for a vocab lesson on this one) of scents to make candles that are uniquely you!

This is a beginner-friendly event, so don’t worry if you’ve never done something like this before. The candles take about 30-45 minutes to set, which is the perfect amount of time for a glass or two of Taylor Brooke’s offerings. Spots are limited, so register sooner than later if you want to attend. It will cost about $40.

The “Battle of the Frogs”: Windham’s Quirkiest Legend

One summer night in 1754, the sleepy town of Windham was jolted awake by a deafening, otherworldly noise. With the French and Indian War looming, townsfolk assumed an enemy attack was underway. A hastily assembled scouting party set out to confront the “invaders” and discovered the source of the commotion—bullfrogs battling for survival in a drought-shrunken pond. By morning, the scene was carnage: hundreds of frog corpses littered the water’s edge, fueling wild theories about droughts, disease, and epic frog-on-frog warfare.

News of Windham’s froggy fiasco quickly spread, turning the town into a colonial punchline. But instead of wallowing in embarrassment, Windham embraced the tale. Frogs became a quirky town mascot, appearing on everything from the town seal to Windham Bank’s currency, which featured a frog perched atop another belly-up amphibian. Even President Theodore Roosevelt couldn’t resist a nod to the legend during a visit in 1902, where a banner celebrating the “Battle of the Frogs” was prominently displayed.

Today, Windham’s froggy legacy endures. The iconic Frog Bridge in Willimantic features four enormous copper frogs lounging atop concrete spools, a playful nod to the town’s textile history and its unforgettable amphibian showdown. Whether through ballads, operas, or towering statues, this delightfully odd tale of croaks and chaos has cemented its place as a cornerstone of Windham’s identity.

Checkout PBS coverage of this infamous tale

Herbal Healing 🌿

The Guilford Smith Memorial Library (17 Main St, South Windham) is hosting their second herbal workshop on Thursday 1/30 at 6pm. Board President Michele Maclure will be leading the class.

Michele is a trained herbalist, and will be teaching about using herbs for winter health. You’ll even get to make some herbal blends to take home! Registration is required and space is limited, so if you want to get your botanical learning on, call (860) 423-5159 or email [email protected] to reserve your spot.

BEE LINE EVENTS

1/27

Brooklyn | Chess Club | 10am-12pm - Kids of all ages are invited to Our Lady of Lasalette Church (25 Providence Rd) to come learn and get better at playing chess.

Danielson | Mystery Matinee | 1-3pm - It’s Monday and that means the Killingly Public Library (25 Westcott Rd) is holding their 18+ mystery movie. Head down and watch a movie not of your choosing, it might turn out to be your new favorite!

1/28

North Grosvenordale | Crafty Crew | 2-3:30p - Thompson Public Library (934 Riverside Dr) is inviting all fiber art makers to bring their projects, and share and learn from other enthusiasts.

Windham | Paint a Planter | 6-8pm $ - Willimantic Brewing Company (967 Main St) is holding a sip & paint, to decorate a planter (that also comes with a macrame hanger). Not only will you get the planter/hanger, you’ll also get a plant and a free drink. It takes about 2-3 weeks for firing. Tickets are $55.

1/29

Danielson | Calligraphy 101 | 4:30-6pm - Killingly Public Library (25 Westcott Rd) is giving people ages 11-18 a chance to learn the dramatic “Blackletter calligraphy.” To register, go here.

Woodstock | Restorative Yoga Class | 6:15-7:30pm $ - Body By Design (3 Rte 171) is holding a combination Yin yoga class with yoga Nidra to cap it off. The class is $15. Tickets and more information can be found here.

1/30

Windham | VideoFest | 6pm - VideoFest is a showcase of student-created short films, animations, and more from EASTCONN’s Arts at the Capitol Theater (896 Main St). The event is free, but donations are welcome.

Live Music

1/27

⬢ Music Lady Cafe - Central Village | Brandt Taylor | 5-7p

1/28

⬢ Stomping Ground - Putnam | Tyler Fauxbel | 8-11p

Trivia

1/29

Stomping Ground - Putnam | 7-11pm

Hank’s - Brooklyn | 6:30-9pm

Mill Town Grill - North Grosvenordale | 6:30pm

Bear Hands Brewing - Putnam | 6pm

THE HIVE’S PICK

So, unless you live in, or right next to Willimantic, you might not have heard of my pick for today. Broncos Puebla Cuisine (Sun-Mart Parking Lot, 1242 Main St, Willimantic) is a Mexican food truck, specializing in Puebla cuisine.

If you haven’t been here yet, you are seriously missing out! They have some of the best (if not, the best) birria tacos around (Google birria tacos if you haven’t heard of them, and thank me later!), and their burritos are phenomenal (actually, I haven’t had a bad thing from them). The menu ranges from staples like chicken and steak to authentic ingredients such as cow’s tongue (it’s actually a lot better than it sounds).

The owner is one of the nicest people I’ve talked to since starting the newsletter (and the fact that the food is delicious makes this place that much more worth visiting) and the prices are more than reasonable.

He’s so nice, that he’s offering 10% OFF your order if you tell him you heard about them on the Quiet Corner Buzz! They’re open Monday-Sunday, opening around 11am and closing around 9:30-10:30pm or even later! Hours will also be extended when it starts to warm up. If you think you might be cutting it close to closing time, give them a call to double check if they’re still open or not (the owner has been known to keep the truck open if there are people still coming!).

ECSU SPORTS

1/29 - Women’s Basketball vs. Massachusetts Dartmouth | 5pm

1/29 - Men’s Basketball vs. Massachusetts Dartmouth | 7pm

That’s it for today’s Quiet Corner Buzz! If you got something out of it, please share it with someone who loves tacos!

Talk soon,

Tyler

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