Four Seasons Limousine in the Brookfield CT area since 1989 with reliable and professional service. Serving all major airports and cities. with 25 years of experience you can be assured of prompt and courteous service. 203-746-8300
Brookfeild Connecticut Blog sponsored by Four Seasons Limousine
At Four Seasons Limousine we leave the tipping up to the customer and do not put a mandatory tip on the bill but leave it completely up to you.
Brookfeild Connecticut Blog sponsored by Four Seasons Limousine
At Four Seasons Limousine we leave the tipping up to the customer and do not put a mandatory tip on the bill but leave it completely up to you.
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| Colin with Four Seasons Limousine in Brookfield CT |
Degrazia vineyards on Tower rd, Brookfield CT
Check out this video of Brookfield
http://youtu.be/2qDsaXcY73g
A night of giving
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| Degrazia vineyards on Tower rd, Brookfield CT |
Check out this video of Brookfield
A night of giving
Why flute diva Ali Ryerson has no fear
It's shiny and silver, and her name is engraved on it.
She carries it in a case lined in black velvet -- protecting it like a piece of fine jewelry.
And when she brings it to her lips, there's magic.
Ali Ryerson's sleek, slender flute has taken her from New Zealand and Japan to Africa, Russia and beyond. The internationally renowned jazz flutist never travels without it. In fact, she usually has two or more with her; different flutes have different sounds.
"A bill was passed that says I can carry them on the plane; I don't have to check them," she said, referring to the 2012 aviation act, which says instruments that fit may be carried on board.
Ryerson, 61, has her own line of flutes-- an autographed series she helped design forGemeinhardt Musical Instruments. She travels quite a bit -- sometimes to teach master classes, often to perform. She's played everywhere from the Kennedy Center to Carnegie Hall, and at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
When not traveling, she splits her time between homes in Brookfield and St. Augustine, Fla. We caught up with her recently at her Brookfield cottage, near Candlewood Lake. The question on the table: Does music make you a better person?
Ryerson came to her answer in a roundabout way, first sharing that music is her passion and she's always loved the flute. That said, she pointed out that any life in the arts involves struggle.
"You're baring your soul to your fellow musicians and the audience, but I think that's a good thing," she said. "The value of art in our world can't be overstated. If you look at the history of man, and look at what's left by different civilizations, it's their art, writing, music, theater, sculpture. It's art. Not the economy, not how much somebody made."
Ryerson said few jazz musicians get into their careers because they think they're going to get rich. What they do know, is that music makes people happy. "Being involved in that for one's life's work, I believe -- not to sound pretentious at all -- I just believe it's a more valuable plane. I've had a good career and I'm comfortable, but I don't do what I do because of the money, I think that makes me a better person. There, I've said it."
She doesn't mean "better than others," just simply that her work as a musician makes her and others happy, and that's important. "Music is giving; it's communicating," she said. "So many people hate their jobs; I love mine. How lucky."
Not that it's all rainbows and unicorns. There are still challenges; musicians are a critical lot. "We tend to define our worth by how good a performance goes, whether on stage or in an audition. Self-esteem is very much wrapped up in that."
Ryerson recalled a Toronto orchestra audition early in her career; she and many other flutists were herded into a room. "I thought I could have done better. Only one person could win; the whole process depressed me. I took myself out to dinner and wrote a letter to my mother. I expunged my sense of depression and despair by expressing my feelings."
She never did send that letter. Nor did she get the orchestra seat. But shortly thereafter, Ryerson realized the jazz world was where she needed to be.
"It's the one I was meant to be in and the one I love," she said. "It's all about freedom and creativity." Not to mention camaraderie. "The best people I know are musicians," she said with a laugh.
These days, if Ryerson feels she's had an off night, she knows just what to tell herself. "I can be practically suicidal, that's somewhat of a joke, but having gone through that feeling many times, I know `This too shall pass.'"
It also helps to have beautiful memories, like one of the special night she had while performing as principal flutist with the Monterey Bay Orchestra. "Luciano Pavarotti was a guest artist and we were his backup band," she said, smiling. "There were 6,000 people in the audience. It was an outdoor concert at Pebble Beach. It was amazing."
Next Sunday, April 27, she'll perform in a vastly more intimate setting, in the Avelina Jazz Masters Series at Sarah's Wine Bar in Ridgefield. She'll be with her quintet; the venue is at Bernard's Restaurant at 20 West Lane.
Ryerson grew up in a musical family. Her father, the late Art Ryerson, recorded with everyone from Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald to Louis Armstrong and Elvis Presley. In her cottage her father stands watch, his image captured on a Gibson guitar poster.
"My father was a successful jazz guitarist," she said. "He used to say 'Music makes you honest.' And you need to be honest with yourself. Your first critic is yourself, and that's a very good thing. No matter how many fans say 'Oh, you played great,' if you feel good about your playing, that's what counts."
When home in Brookfield, Ryerson relaxes in the comfort of her cozy cottage. Her grandmother's baby grand stands in her living room, opposite the couch where she sometimes practices in front of a fieldstone fireplace, with stones from floor to ceiling.
Near the mantle is a horse brass from Stonehenge, one of many souvenirs from her travels. There's also a large umbrella from Japan on the piano, and a set of dishes from Tunisia in a corner cabinet.
Though sprinkled with treasures from around the globe, this cottage is not the opulent, sweeping place you might imagine. It's one of the original lake houses from the late '40s. Its rooms are small with a laid-back, down-to-earth vibe. It's humble and confident, exactly like Ryerson.
All riders welcome at The Bicycle Center
A decade ago, the people who shopped for bicycles were generally looking for one of three things: a kid's bike, a racing bike or a mountain bike.
Today, said Shawn Emmerson, owner of The Bicycle Center on Federal Road in Brookfield, there's a whole range of people in between those categories -- weekend recreational riders and commuters included.
"There are at least nine different types of bikes to buy," Emmerson said.
Catering to the entire range of those riders -- the dedicated racer, the back-country mountain biker, the family that just wants to go out for a casual ride on Sunday -- is Emmerson's calling.
Not only does he sell a wide range of bicycle styles, his shop will make repairs on any model, no matter where the owners bought it. He offers discounts to the members of local cycling clubs. He's hired interns from area high schools to let them learn how a business runs.
This attempt to sell people the bicycle that best fits their needs, to serve the community, has won Emmerson recognition from within the bicycling industry. In 2011, the Bicycling Retailing Industry News named The Bicycle Center one of 100 best bicycle shops in the United States.
And his customers appreciate Emmerson's philosophy as well.
"He caters to everyone from the parents getting their kid a first bike to the racer," said Alan Stempel, webmaster and membership chairman for Hat City Cyclists, an area club.
Emmerson is also working in a good location, Stempel said.
"The Greater Danbury area, going over into Westchester County, is a very active place for bicycling,'' he added. "There's three or four clubs that cater to both racers and recreational riders.''
Emmerson, 30, knows his clientele first-hand. He's been working at The Bicycle Center since he was 15. In 2004, the year he graduated from Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, he bought the shop.
Over that time, he said, he's seen area towns pave bike trails to encourage recreational riding. And he's sold bicycles to a growing number of people who use them for their daily commute.
Not that cogitating about the work ahead while riding a bicycle is exactly a new thing, Emmerson said.
"Einstein thought up the theory of relativity while riding on a bicycle,'' he said.
The Bicycle Center, 612 Federal Road, Brookfield. Mondays - Fridays, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesdays, open until 7 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 203-775-7083. www.brookfieldbike.com
Dancers score big at Orange Bowl
Mailbox damage policy
updated
If you lose a mailbox this winter because a town snow plow knocks it down, the townPublic Works Department will either replace the mailbox and the post for you based on U.S. Postal Service guidelines or will pay you $100 to replace it yourself under the same guidelines.
The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to update the town's mailbox policy to reflect the current costs of replacement. The former policy paid residents about $25.
In an average winter, not more than 25 mailboxes are damaged to the extent they require replacement, officials said.
It's shiny and silver, and her name is engraved on it.
She carries it in a case lined in black velvet -- protecting it like a piece of fine jewelry.
And when she brings it to her lips, there's magic.
Ali Ryerson's sleek, slender flute has taken her from New Zealand and Japan to Africa, Russia and beyond. The internationally renowned jazz flutist never travels without it. In fact, she usually has two or more with her; different flutes have different sounds.
"A bill was passed that says I can carry them on the plane; I don't have to check them," she said, referring to the 2012 aviation act, which says instruments that fit may be carried on board.
Ryerson, 61, has her own line of flutes-- an autographed series she helped design forGemeinhardt Musical Instruments. She travels quite a bit -- sometimes to teach master classes, often to perform. She's played everywhere from the Kennedy Center to Carnegie Hall, and at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
When not traveling, she splits her time between homes in Brookfield and St. Augustine, Fla. We caught up with her recently at her Brookfield cottage, near Candlewood Lake. The question on the table: Does music make you a better person?
Ryerson came to her answer in a roundabout way, first sharing that music is her passion and she's always loved the flute. That said, she pointed out that any life in the arts involves struggle.
"You're baring your soul to your fellow musicians and the audience, but I think that's a good thing," she said. "The value of art in our world can't be overstated. If you look at the history of man, and look at what's left by different civilizations, it's their art, writing, music, theater, sculpture. It's art. Not the economy, not how much somebody made."
Ryerson said few jazz musicians get into their careers because they think they're going to get rich. What they do know, is that music makes people happy. "Being involved in that for one's life's work, I believe -- not to sound pretentious at all -- I just believe it's a more valuable plane. I've had a good career and I'm comfortable, but I don't do what I do because of the money, I think that makes me a better person. There, I've said it."
She doesn't mean "better than others," just simply that her work as a musician makes her and others happy, and that's important. "Music is giving; it's communicating," she said. "So many people hate their jobs; I love mine. How lucky."
Not that it's all rainbows and unicorns. There are still challenges; musicians are a critical lot. "We tend to define our worth by how good a performance goes, whether on stage or in an audition. Self-esteem is very much wrapped up in that."
Ryerson recalled a Toronto orchestra audition early in her career; she and many other flutists were herded into a room. "I thought I could have done better. Only one person could win; the whole process depressed me. I took myself out to dinner and wrote a letter to my mother. I expunged my sense of depression and despair by expressing my feelings."
She never did send that letter. Nor did she get the orchestra seat. But shortly thereafter, Ryerson realized the jazz world was where she needed to be.
"It's the one I was meant to be in and the one I love," she said. "It's all about freedom and creativity." Not to mention camaraderie. "The best people I know are musicians," she said with a laugh.
These days, if Ryerson feels she's had an off night, she knows just what to tell herself. "I can be practically suicidal, that's somewhat of a joke, but having gone through that feeling many times, I know `This too shall pass.'"
It also helps to have beautiful memories, like one of the special night she had while performing as principal flutist with the Monterey Bay Orchestra. "Luciano Pavarotti was a guest artist and we were his backup band," she said, smiling. "There were 6,000 people in the audience. It was an outdoor concert at Pebble Beach. It was amazing."
Next Sunday, April 27, she'll perform in a vastly more intimate setting, in the Avelina Jazz Masters Series at Sarah's Wine Bar in Ridgefield. She'll be with her quintet; the venue is at Bernard's Restaurant at 20 West Lane.
Ryerson grew up in a musical family. Her father, the late Art Ryerson, recorded with everyone from Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald to Louis Armstrong and Elvis Presley. In her cottage her father stands watch, his image captured on a Gibson guitar poster.
"My father was a successful jazz guitarist," she said. "He used to say 'Music makes you honest.' And you need to be honest with yourself. Your first critic is yourself, and that's a very good thing. No matter how many fans say 'Oh, you played great,' if you feel good about your playing, that's what counts."
When home in Brookfield, Ryerson relaxes in the comfort of her cozy cottage. Her grandmother's baby grand stands in her living room, opposite the couch where she sometimes practices in front of a fieldstone fireplace, with stones from floor to ceiling.
Near the mantle is a horse brass from Stonehenge, one of many souvenirs from her travels. There's also a large umbrella from Japan on the piano, and a set of dishes from Tunisia in a corner cabinet.
Though sprinkled with treasures from around the globe, this cottage is not the opulent, sweeping place you might imagine. It's one of the original lake houses from the late '40s. Its rooms are small with a laid-back, down-to-earth vibe. It's humble and confident, exactly like Ryerson.
All riders welcome at The Bicycle Center
|
A decade ago, the people who shopped for bicycles were generally looking for one of three things: a kid's bike, a racing bike or a mountain bike.
Today, said Shawn Emmerson, owner of The Bicycle Center on Federal Road in Brookfield, there's a whole range of people in between those categories -- weekend recreational riders and commuters included.
"There are at least nine different types of bikes to buy," Emmerson said.
Catering to the entire range of those riders -- the dedicated racer, the back-country mountain biker, the family that just wants to go out for a casual ride on Sunday -- is Emmerson's calling.
Not only does he sell a wide range of bicycle styles, his shop will make repairs on any model, no matter where the owners bought it. He offers discounts to the members of local cycling clubs. He's hired interns from area high schools to let them learn how a business runs.
This attempt to sell people the bicycle that best fits their needs, to serve the community, has won Emmerson recognition from within the bicycling industry. In 2011, the Bicycling Retailing Industry News named The Bicycle Center one of 100 best bicycle shops in the United States.
And his customers appreciate Emmerson's philosophy as well.
"He caters to everyone from the parents getting their kid a first bike to the racer," said Alan Stempel, webmaster and membership chairman for Hat City Cyclists, an area club.
Emmerson is also working in a good location, Stempel said.
"The Greater Danbury area, going over into Westchester County, is a very active place for bicycling,'' he added. "There's three or four clubs that cater to both racers and recreational riders.''
Emmerson, 30, knows his clientele first-hand. He's been working at The Bicycle Center since he was 15. In 2004, the year he graduated from Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, he bought the shop.
Over that time, he said, he's seen area towns pave bike trails to encourage recreational riding. And he's sold bicycles to a growing number of people who use them for their daily commute.
Not that cogitating about the work ahead while riding a bicycle is exactly a new thing, Emmerson said.
"Einstein thought up the theory of relativity while riding on a bicycle,'' he said.
The Bicycle Center, 612 Federal Road, Brookfield. Mondays - Fridays, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesdays, open until 7 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 203-775-7083. www.brookfieldbike.com
Dancers score big at Orange Bowl |
Mailbox damage policy
updated
If you lose a mailbox this winter because a town snow plow knocks it down, the townPublic Works Department will either replace the mailbox and the post for you based on U.S. Postal Service guidelines or will pay you $100 to replace it yourself under the same guidelines.
The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to update the town's mailbox policy to reflect the current costs of replacement. The former policy paid residents about $25.
In an average winter, not more than 25 mailboxes are damaged to the extent they require replacement, officials said.
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