<p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Looking for a great last-minute gift? Spread a little holiday joy with a Whip Salon gift card – and enjoy 10% off today only!</span></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Use Code: LASTMIN10 at checkout to save. Good for online e-Gift Cards or physical gift cards in store.&nbsp;</strong></p><p><a href="https://e.customeriomail.com/e/c/eyJlIjoxNTM4NjcsImVtYWlsX2lkIjoiZXhhbXBsZSIsImhyZWYiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5teXRpbWUuY29tL2V4cHJlc3NfY2hlY2tvdXQvMTM4ODAyLzE1MzcyOC9naWZ0X2NhcmRzP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9Y3VzdG9tZXIuaW9cdTAwMjZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsX2FjdGlvblx1MDAyNnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj0yNDEyMjMrZ2lmdCtjYXJkK3NhbGUrMTAlMjUrb2ZmXHUwMDI2dXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9bWFpbiIsInQiOjE3MzQ4OTczNDF9/a93156fa8e516a8832b37098c08d2e057894d74c3f6b68ba7b830cf10a70f868" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Buy an e-Gift Card Now</a></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Why a Whip Salon Gift Card?</strong></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">-</span><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> Universal Appeal</strong></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Whip Salon gift cards never expire and can be redeemed at any location for any service – from blowouts to cuts and color, as well as any of our retail products from Color Wow, Redken, and more.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- </span><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The Experience</strong></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Luxurious vibes, trusted products, and stylists who truly care. Plus, sip on a complimentary beverage while you relax – we make every visit special.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">- </span><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Effortlessly Thoughtful</strong></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Our e-Gift Cards are delivered instantly (or on your schedule), so gifting has never been easier.&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Click below to purchase your gift card online. Don’t wait – 10% off with code LASTMIN10 ends today!</span></p><p><a href="https://e.customeriomail.com/e/c/eyJlIjoxNTM4NjcsImVtYWlsX2lkIjoiZXhhbXBsZSIsImhyZWYiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5teXRpbWUuY29tL2V4cHJlc3NfY2hlY2tvdXQvMTM4ODAyLzE1MzcyOC9naWZ0X2NhcmRzP3V0bV9zb3VyY2U9Y3VzdG9tZXIuaW9cdTAwMjZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPWVtYWlsX2FjdGlvblx1MDAyNnV0bV9jYW1wYWlnbj0yNDEyMjMrZ2lmdCtjYXJkK3NhbGUrMTAlMjUrb2ZmXHUwMDI2dXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9bWFpbiIsInQiOjE3MzQ4OTczNDF9/a93156fa8e516a8832b37098c08d2e057894d74c3f6b68ba7b830cf10a70f868" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Buy an e-Gift Card Now</a></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Have any questions or looking to book an appointment? Our friendly hospitality team is here to help.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Call us: (203) 433-7334</span></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Email us: </span><a href="mailto:westport@whipsalon.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">westport@whipsalon.com</a></p><p><a href="https://www.whipsalon.com/locations/westport" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Book Westport Now</a></p>

<p><strong style="background-color: transparent;">Westport, CT -&nbsp;</strong><span style="background-color: transparent;">MoCA CT is excited to announce ON FIRE: Energy, Climate, Infrastructure, Westport Public Art Collections’ 2025 exhibition at MoCA CT curated by Ive Covaci. This exhibition includes over 50 artworks in a variety of media, and asks how artists from the 1930s to today have envisioned and responded to the interrelationship of energy, infrastructure, and the environment. This fourth annual exhibition is inspired by a series of eight paintings, The Evolution of Heat, created by Ralph Boyer in 1934 for the old Staples High School on Riverside as part of the Public Works of Art Project.&nbsp;This exhibition is accompanied by the Learning Gallery space showcasing WestPAC’s Ford Times Collection of paintings, a remarkable gift received from the Ford Motor Company in 1966. These paintings, each published in reproduction in the pocket-sized consumer magazine, Ford Times, were created by American artists during the 1950s and early 1960s, a period known as the golden age of magazine illustration and American cars, coinciding with the development of the interstate highway system. The selections highlight themes of energy, transportation, and infrastructure, prompting reflection on how the motor industry has shaped our desires and habits, our economy and policies, and our environment.</span></p><p><br></p>

<p class="ql-align-justify">Fairfield County Bank continues its support of Building Neighborhoods Together (BNT) with a $7,500 donation, in addition to the sponsorship of BNT’s Annual Benefit.</p><p class="ql-align-justify">Founded in 1986, Building Neighborhoods Together, formerly Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust, is a HUD-certified nonprofit organization committed to addressing income inequality and homelessness by creating safe, affordable housing, and providing comprehensive housing and financial counseling services to low-and-moderate-income families across Fairfield County. BNT stands as the leading provider of certified housing counseling in Connecticut, with bi-lingual counselors serving both English and Spanish-speaking clients.</p><p class="ql-align-justify">“Having passionate, engaged partners like Fairfield County Bank is invaluable to BNT,” said Charles Griggs, Director of Administration &amp; Fund Development at BNT. “We are incredibly grateful for their contribution to our success through their volunteerism and donations.”</p><p class="ql-align-justify">Fairfield County Bank mortgage officers have provided first-time homebuyer education classes to BNT clients as well as volunteering at on-site events geared towards financial education. “Partnering with BNT on their initiatives such as the Empowerment Resource Academy (ERA) and their first-time homebuyer seminars aids in our commitment to financial education and literacy,” said Tanya Parker, Vice President of Risk Management and Community Reinvestment (CRA) Officer at Fairfield County Bank.</p><p class="ql-align-justify">This donation will support BNT’s ability to fund key staffing, technology, and operational expenses to enhance their capacity to provide affordable housing development, financial literacy programs, and housing counseling services. Additionally, BNT will be launching mandated financial literacy curriculum across Bridgeport Public Schools, which is anticipated to reach over 1,000 students in the first two years.</p>

<p><strong>Gift certificates available to see theatrical productions, playreadings, family shows, and more!</strong></p><p>Westport Country Playhouse offers holiday gift certificates for a wide variety of upcoming events and theatre productions. Gift certificates may be purchased for specific shows or redeemed for the recipient’s choice. Gift certificates are available in any denomination. They may be purchased 24/7 online and printed at home at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.westportplayhouse.org/gift-certificates/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">https://www.westportplayhouse.org/gift-certificates/</a>, or by calling the box office at 203-227-4177.</p><p>Gift certificates are on sale for the Playhouse’s 2025 theatre season, including&nbsp;a new series, called “Broadway Scores at the Playhouse,” kicking off with&nbsp;“Broadway’s Bad Boys,”&nbsp;a concert of&nbsp;mischievous&nbsp;songs made famous by musical theatre’s notorious villains,&nbsp;January 23 through January 26;&nbsp;“Native Gardens,” an outrageous comedy by popular modern playwright Karen Zacarías, February 18 through March 8; and “Theatre People,” a throwback to the classic screwball comedies of yesteryear by Connecticut-born&nbsp;playwright Paul Slade Smith, adapted from Ferenc Molnár’s “Play at the Castle,”</p><p>March 25 through April 12.&nbsp;</p><p>Also, gift certificates are available for the Playhouse’s Family Festivities shows, and the Script in Hand playreading series on eight Monday evenings: Jan. 13, Feb. 3, Apr. 14, May 5, June 9, Sept. 8, Nov. 3, and Dec. 1;&nbsp;titles to be announced.</p><p>More gift ideas can be found in an assortment of souvenir merchandise from the Playhouse’s holiday show, “A Sherlock Carol.” A variety of show-related items are on sale in the lobby during the run of the family-friendly production, from December 17 through December 22.&nbsp;“A Sherlock Carol” is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle,” a Sherlock Holmes story,<strong>&nbsp;</strong>and Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” combined into one new mystery for all ages. Writer and director is Mark Shanahan, the Playhouse’s artistic director.</p><p>Holiday box office/lobby hours are: Tues., Dec. 17 through Sat., Dec. 21: 12 to 6:30 p.m.; Sun., Dec. 22: 12 to 1:30 p.m.; Mon., Dec. 23 through Wed., Jan. 1: Closed.&nbsp;Gift certificates may be purchased online anytime and printed at home at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.westportplayhouse.org/gift-certificates/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">https://www.westportplayhouse.org/gift-certificates/</a>.</p><p>Gift Certificates do not expire. They cannot be applied towards rental or benefit events.</p><p><br></p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Norwalk, CT – The Maritime Aquarium is thrilled to welcome Jeffrey, a Linné’s two-toed sloth.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>“Jeffrey is the first sloth to ever live at the Aquarium. He has spent the past few weeks working with the team and exploring his new surroundings to prepare him to meet our guests,”&nbsp;said Director of Animal Husbandry Rachel Stein.&nbsp;“We hope you’ll stop by soon to say hello!”&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><iframe class="ql-video" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WQ53AGJNoZk?showinfo=0"></iframe><p><br></p><p>Jeffrey can be found on the second floor in “Just Add Water,” an exhibit that explores the impact of water on climate and how animals have adapted to unique environments.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Linné’s two-toed sloths are native to the forests of Central and South America, spending most of their time up in the trees with their long-curved claws helping them to grip branches. They have extremely slow metabolisms and can sleep for up to 18 hours a day.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Jeffrey came to the Aquarium from Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island. He may not be visible at all times as he continues to adjust to his new home.</p><p>The Maritime Aquarium is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos &amp; Aquariums and receives support from the State of Connecticut DECD’s Offices of Culture and Tourism. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.maritimeaquarium.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">www.maritimeaquarium.org</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p class="ql-align-center"><br></p><p><strong style="color: var(--geeks-body-color);">Westport, CT -&nbsp;</strong><span style="color: var(--geeks-body-color);">Art is as much an amorphous sensation as it is a tangible form, inspiring highly individual experiences that transcend the boundaries of medium. This winter, The Westport Library aims to invoke such feelings with its three new art exhibits running NOW to February 4, 2025, in the Library’s Sheffer, South, and Jesup Galleries.</span></p><p>The Sheffer Gallery brings the idea of transcendence to life with Claudia Mengel’s&nbsp;<a href="https://westportlibrary.org/claudia-mengel-alchemy-of-light/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><em>Alchemy of Light</em></a>, a series of paintings inspired by the essential mysticism at the heart of alchemy’s expression in the Middle Ages.</p><p>With its intention of turning metal into gold, alchemy was as equally associated with chemical experimentation, as it was with the spiritual belief in ultimate transformation. Thus, the viewer is invited to lend their own voice to the collection’s broader narrative by offering both an initial reaction to the individual works, including paintings<em>New Beginnings</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Moving Into Stillness,&nbsp;</em>as well as the group as a whole. Only then can the viewer see the “gold” in this transformation, thanks to the artist’s role as alchemist.</p><p><em>Alchemy of Light</em>&nbsp;epitomizes this duality with washes of pastels, layers of impasto, and the occasional collage, physically creating and capturing light on the surface, as well as in the eye of the beholder. Their patterns and textures create relationships that bring an energy — and perhaps even a magic — to the narrative they impart.</p><p><a href="https://westportlibrary.org/event/artist-reception-claudia-mengel-on-alchemy-of-light/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">An opening reception will celebrate Mengel’s work</a>&nbsp;on December 18 at 6 pm, followed by a conversation between Mengel and Miggs Burroughs at 7 pm.</p><p>In the South Gallery, Jason Pritchard’s&nbsp;<a href="https://westportlibrary.org/jason-pritchard-westport-skies/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><em>Westport Skies</em></a>&nbsp;exhibits a sense of connection, weaving together a collective narrative among this season’s three artists that echoes their individual understanding of the world and the environments from which they draw inspiration.</p><p>Using the medium of oil and the practice of&nbsp;<a href="https://westportlibrary.libguides.com/WestportArt" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">en plein air painting</a>&nbsp;to capture atmospheric coastal scenes, Pritchard's work serves as a love letter to his New England home. He creates with the intention of illustrating a sense of space and connection to the region’s landscape, evident in his paintings&nbsp;<em>Compo Beach</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Riverside Park</em>&nbsp;— which invite viewers to connect to their own experiences.</p><p>"It’s important for me to visit the location to access the feeling of what it’s about to help replicate my sense of reaction back onto the canvas," Pritchard said. "Few things make me happier than taking a nice long walk along a beach, hearing the sound of the tide crashing nearby as I explore both physically, then later in my mind’s eye, the thoughts of my experience back into my painting. I embrace the process of unpacking those memories and calibrating the colors, the shifting light, and the changing weather as elements back in my studio. These variables prompt the brush movements, hues, and tones I enlist, which are often wrapped under an impressionistic skyline, intended to heighten the mood of my paintings further."</p><p>Pritchard will showcase his exhibit, along with fellow artist Christine Timmons,&nbsp;<a href="https://westportlibrary.org/event/artist-reception-and-conversation-with-artists-jason-pritchard-and-christine-timmons/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">at their shared reception</a>&nbsp;on January 9 at 6 pm, followed by an artist conversation with Pritchard, Timmons, and Burroughs at 7 pm.</p><p>Timmons’&nbsp;<a href="https://westportlibrary.org/christine-timmons-journeys-in-collage/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);"><em>Journeys in Collage</em></a>, in the Jesup Gallery, offers a different approach to the enigmatic quality of art, with pieces like&nbsp;<em>Evita’s Eyes</em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Cornell-ish Box</em>. Both works exhibit mixed-media collage composed of materials such as various papers, vintage buttons, dead leaves, wire, and ticket stubs on wood panels.&nbsp;</p><p>Stemming from a lifelong interest and involvement with art, craft, textiles, design, and an enjoyment of working with her hands, Timmons began learning to work with encaustics (pigmented hot wax), which contain a "mysterious quality" that both intrigues her and informs her art.</p><p>"I love getting past the initial uncertainty of beginning a new piece and gradually
discovering a path through the labyrinth of building a collage," Timmons said.
"While working on a piece, I'm always looking for a visual tension and harmony
among the elements ― many of them pieces torn from my trove of old monoprints and papers that I've painted."The layers of each exhibit give their respective works a rich philosophy that colors not only the art itself, but the experience of the viewer as well. Observe and indulge in The Westport Library’s art exhibits this winter season and pose the question: What feelings do these works inspire in you?</p><p> For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://westportlibrary.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);">westportlibrary.org</a>.</p>