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The Stonington Intelligencer

Scene & Herd

27 August 2007

Sunday evening, 26 August, Borough residents Diana and Archie Leslie and Kate and Tim Love invited Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT) to come to the Borough to meet and talk with local friends and supporters, while hoping to raise some money (yes, Virginia, the 2008 campaign has indeed begun). Mr Courtney was charming and informative and admitted to liking Chris Dodd! Here are some pictures of folks who were at this fundraiser.

State Senator and former Borough Warden Andrew Maynard and Beth Walker

Hostesses Diana Leslie (l) and Kate Love (r) flank Congressman Joe Courtney

Rep. Courtney in the Borough describing what's going on currently in Washington

21 August 2007

A beautiful, clear, almost fall-like weekend brought crowds out to the Stonington Farmers Market at Town Dock last Saturday, eager to get fresh carrots and tomatoes and berries and so much more.

Lining up to get fresh fruit, produce and more at the Stonington Farmers Market this past Saturday

Home-grown carrots, radishes and corn on the cob – but no lettuce, as a legal buddy pointed out to us grumpily – Sue that uncooperative ground! we answered

Whit Davis and assistant at the Davis Farm booth – Mr Davis said he'd been
suffering a plague of turkeys.

Borough resident Susie Knox

World traveller and equestrienne Thea Moore

Curator - no! - Queen of the Stonington Lightnouse Museum Louise Pittaway

Robert Brown

Miranda deKay

Flowerseller and entrepreneur Peg Moran

The SVIA playground was full, as well

Of course the traffic along Water Street has swelled to monstrous proportions.

Folks of Sea Village, in Hancox Street, recover a boat that sank in a fierce nor'easter last October.

14 August 2007

Art dealer Anne Marenakos, owner of Adelaide Fine Arts, beside Megan Brown, oil on canvas by Robert Hollis,
in her new space upstairs at 141 Water Street, Stonington Borough

A few months ago, just as we were beginning to think about refurbishing The Stonington Intelligencer, we had the good fortune to be able to welcome former and now again Borough resident Anne Marenakos back to Stonington. Long connected in the art world, here, in Fairfield County and further afield, Ms Marenakos has recently opened up Adelaide Fine Arts, upstairs at 141 Water Street, in Stonington Borough, which can be visited by appointment, which you can make by ringing her up on 203-662-0244 or in the Borough at 860-535-2544. Ms Marenakos lavishly showed us all through her space and we took pictures and everything – and then, as is our wont, did nothing. But guilt and industry both catch up to us (eventually, but breath-holding is not advised) and so here are our pictures of Ms Marenakos and her elegant new digs and our apologies for the delay in getting them posted.

Looks like DuBois Beach (but it isn't) – still, it's called Sur la plage and it's an oil on canvas painted by J. Deveau

Ms Marenakos specializes in 19th and 20th century paintings, mostly American. She can also help you with selling or buying works of art or help with auctions sales and research and the like.

A moustachio'd sailor at Adelaide Fine Arts, Stonington Borough

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12 August 2007

One of the busiest weekends all year in the Borough – after the gloomy humid grey and rain of the week, Saturday blew in almost perfect – bright blue and clear. Perfect for the Farmers Market and then later for the Stonington Fire Department Lobster Boil fundraiser at the Fire House. Later on, everyone dressed up and going to cocktail parties or the Special Olympics event at the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club, and the restaurants making hay (and dollars) while the sun shone (or had been shining, since there were lines at Noah's till way past nine pm, where I had delicious swordfish.)

Campbell Unruh and George Shepherd

Two young Elm Street entrepreneurs – Campbell Unruh and George Shepherd – selling a concoction they'd named "CG" after guess who, and which turned out to be a mix (proportions as secret as the formula to Coca Cola, of course) of root beer and ginger ale – interesting, as they say, though I doubt it'll knock out Cristal from its pedestal in top-shelf gangsta hangouts.

Mr Shepherd sporting fashionable footwear Crocs espied in the Borough and on the Riviera this summer
(including, we've heard, a vibrant neon-lime-green versions on the feet of Borough resident Peter Jachym in Vence)

Kids clambering over the rock jetty at DuBois Beach at the Point – the shirtless adult kept insisting "Don't go near the dead rat!" but, as is clear, to no avail, as everyone (including me) wanted to go see the dead rat and no parental kill-joy was going to keep us away!

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At the Stonington Borough Fire Department Lobster Boil Fundraiser

It was perfect weather for dining al fresco on fresh local lobster in front of
the Stonington Borough Fire House on Main Street

Stonington Borough Warden Don Maranell enjoys a lobster with friends at the fundraiser Saturday afternoon

Mr Perry (right) and friend help at Lobster Boil

Assistant Fire Chief William Texeira (who has bad habits – see right hand for suggested evidence)

Borough residents Lissa Van Dyke and Elsa Cole get ready to "bib" themselves for juicy lobsters

SBFD Chief Jeff Hoadley helps transport a lotta gallons worth of clam chowder

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10 August 2007

Seen at the Mystic Art Association Thursday evening for the opening of the 51st Regional Show, juried by Todd Bartel

Visitors at the opening of the 51st Regional Art Show

Borough art connoisseurs at Thursday's opening
from left to right: Ray Mercer, Burgess Scott Bates (whom I caught unawares, sorry), Prize-winning painter Jan Mercer, budding pol Jacob Bates, proud mother Lisa Bates

First and Second-Place Prize Winners Jan Mercer and Wilson Harding Lawrence,
both of whom work out of studios located in the former American Velvet Mill in Stonington

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Pirates at Skipper's Dock?
A olde-tyme cruise ship from New London docks at Skipper's on Wednesday evening

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8 August 2007

Sue Scala's show opened at Noah's Art on Monday evening, 6 August, to large and rapturous crowds. Here are a few pix of the work currently on display at Noah's Restaurant, 113 Water Street, Stonington. Don't miss it!

Tom's News by Susan Pfeifer Scala, on exhibition at Noah's Restaurant

Well-known for her painting on porcelain, Ms Scala illustrates the Battle of Stonington,
in which the intrepid villagers fought off the invaders' vessels.

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Borough Painter Jan Mercer Wins 1st Prize at Juried Show at Mystic Art

Borough painter Jan Mercer of Stonington has been awarded First Prize for a painting at the 51st Regional Show at the Mystic Arts Center, which will open to the public on Thursday, 9 August 2007, with a reception from 5.30 to 7.00 pm. Juried by Todd Bartel, this show will run through 22 September at the Mystic Arts Center, 9 Water Street, Mystic CT. In addition to a monetary prize, Ms Mercer will also be given a 2008 solo exhibition in the Schuster Gallery of the MAC.

Painter Jan Mercer with a recent oil

Ms Mercer at her work table in her studio

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At the Stonington Village Fair, Saturday, 4 August 2007

Mrs Maurice La Grua (who has no use for papparazzi) at the recent Stonington Village Fair in Wadawanuck Square

Author Candy Sanford holding her just-published book, Captain Nathaniel Brown Palmer, illustrations by Sue Scala (who's got a fine art exhibition at Noah's Restaurant, 113 Water Street, right now) next to the Stonington Historical Society table at the Village Fair (it sold like hot-cakes! – you can get your copy at the Palmer House)

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A fine sunset off the back of Skipper's Dock