Around Town- Week of Sept 25, 2015

Compiled by Janice Llanes Fabry

This Weekend

The Gilded Age
Join Jay Heritage Center on Saturday from 4-6 for a special non-fiction presentation, “Love, Fiercely: A Gilded Age Romance” by Jean Zimmerman. The historical author will immerse participants in the lives of the great chronicler of New York City Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes and his iconic wife Edith Minturn. Both were close family friends of the Jays of Manhattan, Greenwich, and Rye.

Zimmerman is a New York-based writer who has made the history of Manhattan a central focus in her many books and has appeared on “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America.” She is the author, most recently, of the historical novel “Savage Girl.”

There will also be a book signing and refreshments. RSVP to Barbara Specht, Assistant Program Manager, at 698-9275 or bjsjhc@gmail.com.

Kayak on the Sound
Head to Edith Read Sanctuary Saturday at 9 for National Estuary Day. Meet in the gravel parking area before the sanctuary entrance. Bring your own kayak, life vest, and water bottle.

All the Buzz
Learn all there is to know about the honeybee at the Rye Nature Center on Saturday at 9:30. Ages 6 and up will discover the hierarchy functions of bees and their role in pollinating the local forest. The fee is $5 for members, $8 non-members.

Tender Talk
Learn to communicate compassionately at Wainwright House on Saturday from 9:30-12:30. Rev. Dr. Lora Kim Joyner will share practical tools to nurture all types of relationships and become a healing force in the community.

Joyner is a certified trainer in non-violent communication. The workshop fee is $54 for members, $60 non-members. Register at wainwright.org.

Remembering When
Tune in to a commemorative concert at the Rye library Saturday at 2. Lyric soprano Diane Cypkin will perform wartime love songs from “Chattanooga Choo Choo” to “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” and share the story behind the legendary melodies and the performers who made them famous. The award-winning professor of Media, Communication, and Visual Arts at Pace University will delve into the “spirit” of the time.

The concert is part of this fall’s very special “Rye Reads” program, which culminates November 5 with a talk by Anthony Doerr, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning “All the Light We Cannot See.”

Family Ecology Club
On Saturday at 3, children with special needs and a family member are invited to the Rye Nature Center for animal programs, hikes, and other fun science and sensory adventures. For more information, email marygillick@ryenatruecenter.org. The program is free, but pre-registration is required.

Biergarten on the Sound
Wainwright House is holding their first Oktoberfest on Sunday from 1-5. Guests can indulge in the Center’s Biergarten as there will be beer tastings and traditional German fare, courtesy of Half Time and Butler Brothers.

Bavarian music and merriment will make for a delightful festival on Wainwright’s gardens. Tickets are $55 per person, $35 per designated driver. Proceeds support the Center’s ongoing programs. Visit wainwright.org or call 967-6080.

Local Color
Award-winning artist Elizabeth B. Derderian’s work is on display at the Rye Free Reading Room through September 30. A reception will be held on Sunday from 2-4. The exhibit, “A New Chapter,” includes still life, land/ cityscapes, and figurative paintings that incorporate the artist’s captivating use of light and color.

Derderian’s paintings can be spotted in establishments around town and on the 2015 Rye Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Guide.

Arts & Entertainment

Cinema Verité
The Rye Historical Society’s fall film series, which complements its current exhibit “Immigration in Rye,” kicks off September 27 from 2:30-5 with “In America.” The 2002 Jim Sheridan film tells the story of a poor Irish immigrant family seeking and struggling to have a better life in a gritty New York City neighborhood.

Upcoming films include “The Visitor” on October 18 and “Lost Boys of Sudan” on November 8.

The series is named in memory of Ted Levine, a longtime Rye resident and film instructor at Iona College who proposed holding a classic film series in Rye.

The screenings, co-sponsored by the Rye Free Reading Room, will be held at the Square House Museum. A guest speaker will introduce each film, after which light refreshments will be served.

Seating is limited, so pre-registration is recommended. Call the Rye Historical Society at 967-7588 to reserve a seat.

Painters on Location
On October 3, more than 40 professional artists will paint the scenic beauty of Rye in a plein-air paintout. Artists will be painting the town, parks, beaches, landmarks, buildings, landscapes, and surrounding areas. A reception to view the wet works will be held the same day from 4:30-6 at the Rye Arts Center. A live art auction starts at 6:15.

Anyone interested in seeing the artists at work may visit ryeartscenter.org for a map of all the locations. Additional works by the participating artists will be on display before the Painters on Location event at the Rye Arts Center Gallery September 21-October 3. These inspiring works may be purchased through a silent auction.

Dancing With the Stars
The Rye library’s lunchtime movie series is underway. On October 5 from 12-2, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers will be dancing up a storm in “Swing Time,” the 1936 Oscar-winning romantic musical comedy.

Bring lunch and join the legendary dancing duo.

Handle This House With Care
Join the Rye Arts Center for a two-hour tour of architect Philip Johnson’s Glass House in New Canaan on October 8 from 10-12. Built in 1949 on 47 acres, the house is famous for its minimal structure, geometry, proportion, and transparency. It has 13 additional Modernist structures and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1997.

An on-site docent, along with Rye’s Margot Clark-Junkins will lead the tour. Afterwards, participants will head to downtown New Canaan for lunch (not included). The cost is $50 per person. Space is limited. Register at ryeartscenter.org.

Talks, Workshops, and Just for Fun

Ahead of Her Time
The exhibit, “Mary Rutherford Jay: Garden Architect,” runs through September 27 at the Jay Heritage Center. The great, great-granddaughter of Founding Father John Jay grew up in Rye, studied at Harvard and MIT, and became one of the few landscape architects of the early 20th century. Visitors will enjoy the ancestral landscape that served as her inspiration and may catch a glimpse of the ongoing $1.5 million transformation of the historic Jay Gardens.

Coming of Age in the South
Join author Sarah Bracey White at Wainwright House on September 29 from 3-4:30 for a conversation about her candid and poignant memoir, “Primary Lessons.” The author recalls growing up as an African-American in the segregated pre-civil rights South.

The Other Side
Renowned psychic Robin C. Mueller will teach students how to understand signs from the spirit world at Wainwright House on October 2 from 7-9. She will offer an extensive question and answer session, so participants can gain further insight into true spirit connection in their everyday lives.

No Place to Be Sick?
Join a panel of experts at the Rye library October 1 at 10 for a discussion on staying safe while in the hospital. On the agenda: information about health advocates, critical questions patients need to ask, avoiding infection, and appealing discharge orders when you’re not ready to go home.

Art for Sale
From October 2-31, works in the Rye library’s former circulating collection of art are for sale. The group includes framed original and reproductions in a variety of styles and media.

Putting it All Together
Learn the basics of collage techniques with Carol Costa at the Rye library October 3 from 11-1. Whether for art or journaling, collage allows artists to explore and experiment with creating new and exciting results.

Namaste
Wainwright House is offering a Creative Expression Yoga Workshop October 3 from 10-1. Psychotherapist and Kundalini yoga instructor Sherri Snyder will strengthen your relational connection by weaving yoga with creative expression and specific exercises to deepen your compassion for others. No experience necessary. Supplies included. The cost is $45 for members, $50 non-members. Register at wainwright.org.

Tracing Descendants
The Rye Free Reading Room is presenting Genealogy expert Suzanne Garbarini who will give a PowerPoint presentation on October 3 from 2-4. The program, suitable for beginners and intermediate genealogists, will include tips on useful sources, as well as organizing and documenting your work.

Estates of Grace
The Rye Historical Society’s popular fall history tours will be held October 4, rain or shine, starting at 11:30. This year, the focus is the role of religion in Rye, from its founding days by Presbyterians and the early days of the Anglican Church.

Participants will learn about the impact of the Revolutionary War on Rye and its churches, the rise and decline of Methodism, and the impact of immigration on the Catholic Church. They will also learn about the rich Jewish heritage in Rye and the founding of the Community Synagogue.

Check in at the Square House Museum. Parking at the Rye High School parking lot on Parsons Street is recommended. A shuttle is available. Tours depart every 30 minutes, from 11:30-3:30, and are approximately two hours long.

Tickets are $25 for members, $30 non-members, and $15 for students. To register for a preferred start time, call the Rye Historical Society at 967-7588.

Rhythm Is the Cure
Wainwright House is holding a spiritual healing dance and percussion workshop for women on October 4 from 1-5. Led by singer and percussionist Alessandra Belloni, the program will feature southern Italian dances used for centuries, including the Tarantella.

Participants will gain homeostatic balance and inner stress relief. All are encouraged to dance in bare feet and wear skirts. Register at wainwright.org. The program is $80 for members, $88 non-members.

War Stories
On October 6 at 12, the Rye Free Reading Room will feature a facilitated group conversation of some of the novels written in the 70 years since the conclusion of World War II. Depicting daily life during the six years of war, the following novels will be discussed: “Tales of the South Pacific,” “A Separate Peace,” “The Thin Red Line,” “Eye of the Needle,” “Slaughterhouse-Five,” “Rising Tide,” and “All the Light We Cannot See.”

Tales of Oktoberfest
The Rye Storytellers’ Guild’s next meeting at the Rye Free Reading Room is October 6 at 6. The group will share German stories in celebration of Oktoberfest.

Listeners, as well as readers, are always welcome to join any of the monthly evenings. For more information, contact Angela at booksamc@aol.com.
My Word

The Rye library is holding a workshop for those interested in learning basic Microsoft Word skills on October 8 from 10-12. Learn to prepare letters, save and retrieve documents, and print. Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing program today, available on all Windows and Apple computers and tablets.

Herbal Healing
Chronic Lyme disease and its viral co-infections will be addressed at the Rye Free Reading Room on October 8 at 7:30. Master herbalist Andrea Candee will discuss three-pronged protocols: vibrational medicine, herbs, and eating for wellness. She will also address PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections).

Family Ties

First Family Friday
The Rye YMCA invites families for an evening of fun October 2 from 6:30-7:30. Children can look forward to Time Travel Adventure activities with themed crafts, snacks and fun.

Let’s Go Camping
Dads and kids may join the Rye YMCA for their third annual campout to YMCA Camp Greenkill in Huguenot, New York, from October 2 at 7 to Sunday at 2. The trip includes two-nights in a heated lodge, five meals, as well as activities like canoeing, hiking, climbing tower, crafts, campfire, and even a night walk!

Space is limited. For more information, email hillary@ ryeymca.org. The cost is $155 for dad, $125 for the first child, and $115 for the second child. Transportation is not provided.

Teen Time

Practice Makes Perfect
Take a practice ACT before walking into the real thing at the Rye library on October 10 from 10:30-2. The mock test comes with a free detailed score report highlighting personal strengths and weaknesses. Results are available at applerouth.com the Friday after the exam. Both the exam and report are free.
Register at applerouth.com/ sign up. For questions, call 371-8000. Test takers should bring water, a snack, pencils, and a calculator.

Children’s Corner

Great Leaf Hunt
Through October, the Rye Nature Center will be looking for the largest leaf one can find. The winning leaf will be put on display at their museum. Gather leaves from the Center’s grounds or your own backyard. Free to enter.

Gizmos Glee
Children in grades K-2 can head over to the Rye library on October 2 from 4-5 for a monthly Science Fun Club. The focus is on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) hands-on experiments.

Space is limited. Sign up at ryelibrary.org beginning one week in advance.

Parents’ Play Date
The Rye YMCA will provide supervision and entertainment for ages 5-11 while their parents enjoy a night off on October 2 from 6-9. The kids will go swimming, participate in art projects and gym time, and have a healthy dinner.

Registration is required. Email johnrice@ryeymca.org. The cost is $18 per child for family members, $26 for youth members, and $35 for non-members.

Fall for Fun
Rye fifth and sixth graders are invited to a Fall Festival at Rye Recreation on October 2 from 7-8:30 There will be games, inflatables, cotton candy, refreshments, and more. Fee is $25 per child (residents only). Register at ryeny.gov/recreation.cfm.

Kids’ Book Groups
Children are invited to join the Rye Free Reading Room’s librarians for once-a-month snacks and chats about books that lend themselves to lively discussions. Grades 1 and 2 will read “The Wolves in the Walls” by Neil Gaiman to be discussed October 24 from 3-4. Grades 3 and 4 will read Adam Rex’s “Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich” from 4-5.

Pre-registration is required at ryelibrary.org, beginning September 26.

For a Good Cause

Looking Spry
SPRYE will hold its fourth annual benefit October 1 at Shenorock Shore Club from 6-8. This year, the organization is delighted to be honoring Rye residents Carolyn and John Cunningham for their commitment to community service and their support of older adults. Nancy Haneman is chairing the event, which includes a silent auction.

Since its inception, SPRYE has served over 170 older adults in the communities of Harrison, Port Chester, Rye, and Rye Brook. For tickets ($85 per person) or more information, call the SPRYE office at 481-5706.

Hole in One
The Rye YMCA is hosting its annual golf outing on October 6 at a new venue, the Old Oaks Country Club, in Purchase. The Christopher D. Mello Memorial Annual Golf Outing offers a 9-hole play at 9:30 with breakfast and lunch, as well as an 18-hole play at 12:30 with lunch, cocktails, and dinner. The format is a modified scramble. Reception starts at 5:30.

For more information on donations, sponsorship, and registration, visit ryeymca.org.

Oom Pah Pah!
On October 2 from 7-10, Rye Nature Center is holding its annual Oktoberfest fundraiser with traditional Bavarian foods, music, and festive treats. This year’s silent auction boasts a wonderful array of opportunities for the whole family. Among those featured are: 20 nature experiences on and off site; private camp outs; wild edible workshops; outdoor yoga; historical Rye bike rides; and an insider’s trip to Arthur Avenue.

Levels of tickets available include: Naturalist for $150, Conservationist for $250, and Steward for $350. All proceeds benefit Friends of Rye Nature Center education programs and conservation projects.

Save the Date

Shedding Light
The Rye Free Reading Room invites the entire community to come together to read “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr, who will visit on November 5. Join in a discussion and activities related to the book’s themes and setting.

Having been awarded the 2015 Pulitzer Prize and the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, Doerr wrote a memorable story of a blind French girl and an orphan German boy, whose paths collide in occupied France during World War II. Copies of the novel are available at the library.

The World Is Your Oyster
The Bird Homestead nonprofit is featuring Peter Malinowski, director of the Billion Oyster Project, at the Rye Meeting House on October 24 at 3. The project is an ecosystem and educational endeavor aimed at restoring one billion live oysters to New York Harbor and engaging hundreds of thousands of school children through restoration-based STEM educational programs.

Co-sponsored by the Long Island Sound Study, the Long Island Sound Science Festival, and Save the Sound, the talk will focus on the fact that oysters were the original ecosystem engineers of New York Harbor. They filtered water, provided habitats for other marine species, and attenuated wave energy. Today, oysters are functionally extinct in the harbor as a result of overharvesting, dredging, and pollution. Restoring oysters and reefs will eventually restore the local marine ecosystem. Someday, perhaps oyster harvesting will return to Rye’s Milton Harbor.

Peter Malinowski has taught marine science and aquaculture at New York Harbor School since 2008 and since 2010 has served as the school’s Aquaculture Program Director. In April 2014 he was named Director of the Billion Oyster Project. Rye resident Howard Husock, vice president for policy research at the Manhattan Institute, will introduce Malinowski.
The event is free, but donations will be gratefully accepted. For more information, call 967-0099 or email birdhomestead.meetinghouse@gmail.com.