The Maine seals are in town for the winter–they migrate from the way-cold north to the only-semi-cold Sound waters.

The tours are two and a half hours and include a 20-minute multimedia presentation on seals. The boat visits their usual haunts. There’s a heated cabin on the boat, but dress warm–it’s still winter in New England.

The tours are $25 for adults, $20 for children age 6-12.
Project O also offers lighthouse cruises and oceanographic research cruises in the summer months. They also have a number of programs the public can participate in. Find more information here.

If you’ve never “done” a wine tasting here’s a primer: take a wine glass, select something you’d like to try, take no more than 1/2 inch into your glass, sip/taste, pour any out you don’t want, rinse your glass with water, move to another wine or table and repeat. A really fun way to try something you’ve always wondered about.

Nice to see Mystic Country’s own Jonathan Edwards Winery there!

Originally built as a whaling company’s provisioning store and crews’ quarters and listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings, the Hygienic was slated to be demolished in 1996. That is until the local community banded together and saved it. Now it is considered one of New London’s finest accomplishments and Salon Night (better known by Hygienic XXXIII in honor of their 33^rd year) is one of downtown New London’s biggest nights of the year, filled and followed by nearly a dozen corresponding events.

Starting tonight and running through February 11 here’s what’s up in Historic Downtown New London in addition to the art show:

The Hootenanny (Muddy Waters, 42 Bank Street)

Friday, January 27, 6-9:30pm
This year’s theme: For Grown-Ups Only. Featuring performances by Max Ebb, Nancy Parent & Hugh Birdsall, Rivergods, Paul Brockett, Wilson Kane, Kevin Kane, Maggie’s Guitar, and the Crew.

The Rock Fix (Crocker House Ballroom, 35 Union Street)
Saturday, January 28, 7pm-Midnight
Featuring sets by New London groups The Reducers, Suicide Dolls, Recur Occurrence, and Daphne Lee Martin & Raise the Rent, performing with Providence’s The ‘Mericans, and Mystic’s Herff Jones and a very special return engagement by The Can Kickers!

Young Artists (The Garde Gallery, 305 State Street)
Saturday through  February 11. Opening celebration Sat, Jan 28 from Noon to 4pm
Art drop-off, Thurs, Jan 26 & Fri, Jan 27 4-7pm;
Same as the Salon but for the wee ones.

Cabaret Extraordinaire (33 Golden Street)
Saturday, January 28, 7pm-Midnight
A performance art free-for-all featuring puppets, poets, song, dance and more.

The Screening Room (The Exchange, 74 Bank Street)
Saturday, January 28, 4-9pm
Indie film and video fest. The rules are the same as the main art show: no judge, no jury, no fees and no censorship! Everything gets a screening.

Children of the Wall (Crocker House Ballroom, 35 Union Street)
Wednesday, February 1, 8pm
A documentary film about Berlin’s rise as a creative capital after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. With a post-screening discussion with the filmmakers.

Hygienic Photo-gienic (Expressiones, 84 Bank Street)
Opening reception February 3, 6-8pm
The Visual Scavenger Hunt! Sign-up at the Hygienic Art Galleries during the art hang on January 28. Photographers and poets will be given a list of words that they will translate to images and poems which will be shown at an exhibit opening the following weekend at Expressiones.

Fashion in the Ballroom 2012 (Crocker House Ballroom, 35 Union Street)
Friday, February 3, 8pm
Featuring local designers Anna Lucas, Susan Hickman, Cristin Gallagher (IMA), Jessie English (RAW CULTURE) with special guests and musical performances

Mayfly Playhouse 24 (Crocker House Ballroom, 35 Union Street)
Saturday, February 4, 8pm
At the Mayfly Playhouse, 24/7 has a different meaning. In 24 hours, 7 new one-act plays are conceived, written and rehearsed, culminating in one night of world premiere performances.

Hygienic Poets (Hygienic Art Galleries, 79 Bank Street)
Saturday, February 11, 7pm
Open mic reading followed by a poetry slam with cash prizes.

Rock Lobster Band-O-Matic (Oasis Pub, 16 Bank Street)
Saturday, February 11, 10pm
A new addition to proceedings this year, musicians sing-up for one of five categories: Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, or Other.

Downtown New London is getting ready for the Hygienic Art’s annual “Salon Des Independants,” an art show free-for-all for the people, by the people. The rules are simple: one piece per artist, no judge, no jury, no fees and no censorship!

And they’re not kidding.

Anyone and everyone is allowed to submit a single piece of artwork. The doors open at 8am on January 28, 2012 and artists flock to get a piece into the gallery for the 8pm opening reception.

Think of it as the Oklahoma Land Run of the arts. All forms of art are appreciated and allowed, from spectacular photographs and intricate paintings to a toilet bowl filled with two varieties of Cap’n Crunch (really happened). There are always one or two artists who “push the envelope” so the exhibit is recommended only for those 18+. Rest assured it’s always a fun opening night and really interesting art exhibit.

The building itself is adorned in a mural of bare-breasted female statues (technical term: caryatid, feel free to wiki), so you know upon arrival that this isn’t your run-of-the-mill art gallery. (P.S. look very carefully behind the lovely ladies and you’ll notice those clouds are not just ordinary clouds.)

Join us online and watch the art roll in!  Join Mystic Country and New London Main Street for live blogging from the Hygienic from 8am to 6pm on January 28. We’ll be there to give you the play-by-play.

The art will remain up through February 11. Intrigued?

The Fabyan Sugar Shack tapped their trees today. Shouldn’t be long now till the boiling begins.

Take a look at some of the area’s Sugarhouses.  This is a fabulous outing for kids (as well as curious or maple dedicated). Most places have maple products made on site you can buy and not just syrup. Yum.

Call ahead to check hours!

Movies for every taste are included, Oscar nominated movies, acclaimed movies and a three- film Anime Film Series The Garde is presenting with the Lyman Allyn Art Museum.

Films include George Clooney’s Ides of March, The Help, Bridesmaids, Moneyball, and for the kids, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II and Puss in Boots. The Anime series will feature Howl’s Moving Castle, Paprika, and Tokyo Godfathers.

Truly something for all. Here is a complete list. Films are marked “New London Winter Film Festival.”

You can buy tickets for all movies for $30, or single tickets for $4–a deal to make this more affordable in a tough economy.

*Season pass drawing is for two tickets to every film festival movie in the 2012 series. Winner will be chosen by random draw  on Tuesday January 24, 2011 at 3 pm EST. Leave a comment below this post in the comment section or RT on Twitter to enter (must follow and mention @MysticCTTweets and @GardeArtsCenter). One entry per blog and twitter per person (so two entries possible). Winner must pick up tickets at Garde box office in New London. Tix will not be mailed. No cash value. Tix are for 2012 film festival films only. No credit for unused tickets. Age 18+.

These are great exhibits for the whole family. Dress from the Industrial Age presents 50 garments  showing the development of women’s clothing during the 19th century. The area’s already rich textile history combined with the development of Isaac Singer’s sewing machine in the late 1800s gave women the chance to wear the time’s most fashionable clothing based on patterns flowing out of New York and Paris.

The Classical Mythology exhibit looks at some items in the Benton’s permanent collection which have used some classical subject matter, and Themes from the Collections focuses on Benton’s best grouped in themes relating to programs on the spring schedule.

There’s so much to choose from here, and anyone with an appreciation of art will enjoy a trip to the Benton. There’s also a great store and a cafe to visit when you need a little pick-me-up.

Enjoy the beauty of the Storrs campus during your visit, and don’t forget to check out the Dairy Bar – who cares if it’s winter!

The Seaport’s chantey staff (and for those who don’t know, a chantey is defined as “a song with alternating solo and chorus, of a kind originally sung by sailors while performing physical labor together”) will join other area performers to share all kinds of sea music. If you’re a fan, these names might ring a bell: Dan and Bonnie Milner, Robbie O’Connell and John Roberts.

The event runs from 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7 (snow date Jan. 8). It’s a fundraiser for the larger Sea Music Festival. Free admission, but if you feel like contributing to the greater good, $15 donations are suggested. It will be held at Frohsinn Hall, across from the museum entrance.

And if you’ve never been to a Sea Music Festival, the 33rd annual is on June 7-10. It attracts thousands of maritime music fans and is a great way to connect artistically with the history the Seaport offers.

Still a work in progress, exhibits will sit in the Capt. John Turner house, and a second building will house their educational and activity spaces. The museum has big plans over the next five years, including a renovation and expansion of their historic barn that includes a furnace for making glass.

Right now the museum is only open for special events (or by request). Their next show will be an antique glass and bottle show and exhibit on May 19. Tours of the buildings will be available, so save the date if you’re a glass history buff or collector. Dealers will be on site to sell.

Check their website for updates.