Events
Friday Night Features in January
Written by Erin S on 09/25/2012
Friday, January 4 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – Trouble with the Curve (2012) Starring Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake; Rated PG-13; 111 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Gus Lobel has been one of the best scouts in baseball for decades, but, despite his efforts to hide it, age is starting to catch up with him. The one person who might be able to help is also the one person Gus would never ask: his daughter, Mickey an associate at a high-powered Atlanta law firm whose drive and ambition has put her on the fast track to becoming partner. Against her better judgment, and over Gus's objections, Mickey joins him on his latest scouting trip to North Carolina, jeopardizing her own career to save his. Forced to spend time together for the first time in years, each makes new discoveries—revealing long-held truths about their past and present that could change their future.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
Friday, January 11 at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. – Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012) Starring Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry and Levy Easterly; Rated PG-13; 94 minutes. Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Hushpuppy, an intrepid six-year-old girl, lives with her father, Wink, in the Bathtub, a southern Delta community at the edge of the world. Wink's tough love prepares her for the unraveling of the universe; for a time when he's no longer there to protect her. When Wink contracts a mysterious illness, nature flies out of whack, temperatures rise, and the ice caps melt, unleashing an army of prehistoric creatures called aurochs. With the waters rising, the aurochs coming, and Wink's health fading, Hushpuppy goes in search of her lost mother.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
Friday, January 18 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – To Rome with Love (2012) Starring Woody Allen, Alec Baldwin, Jesse Eisenberg, Roberto Benigni, and Penelope Cruz; Rated R; 112 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Set in the romantic city of Rome, this movie features intertwining stories. There is the worker who wakes up to find himself a celebrity, an architect who takes a trip back to the street he lived on as a student, a young couple on their honeymoon, and a frustrated opera director who has a talent for discovering talented singers.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
Friday, January 25 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – The Words (2012) Starring Bradley Cooper, Zoe Zaldana, Dennis Quaid; Rated PG-13; 97 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
This layered romantic drama follows young writer Rory Jansen who finally achieves long sought after literary success after publishing the next great American novel. There’s only one catch – he didn’t write it. As the past comes back to haunt him and his literary star continues to rise, Jansen is forced to confront the steep price that must be paid for stealing another man’s work and for placing ambition and success above life’s most fundamental three words.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
All films are free and open to the public.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Meet the Author - Deb Perelman
Written by Erin S on 09/23/2012
Thursday, November 29 at 7 p.m.
Deb Perelman, author of The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, will be our featured speaker.
Deb Perelman founded her award-winning blog, smittenkitchen.com, on the premise that cooking should be a pleasure, and that the results of your labor can be delicious every time. Deb is a firm believer that there are no bad cooks, just bad recipes. She has dedicated herself to finding the best of the best and adapting them for the everyday cook—the ones with little time to spare, little money to burn on unpronounceable ingredients, and little help in the kitchen. And now, Deb presents her first cookbook—more than 100 new recipes, plus a few favorites from her site, all gorgeously illustrated with hundreds of Deb’s beautiful color photographs.
About the Author
Deb Perelman is a self-taught home cook and photographer; and the creator of SmittenKitchen.com, an award-winning blog with a focus on stepped-up home cooking through unfussy ingredients. In previous iterations of her so-called career, she’s been a record store shift supervisor, a scrawler of “happy birthday” on bakery cakes, an art therapist, and a technology reporter. She likes her current gig—the one where she wakes up and cooks whatever she feels 
like that day—the best. The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook is her first book. Deb lives in New York City with her husband and delicious baby son.
Deb Perelman's appearance is made possible by Barrett Bookstore.
Books will be available for purchase at this event. Refreshments will be served. Doors will open at 6 p.m. We cannot accomodate reservations for this event. Seating is limited on a first-come, first served basis.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
iPad Boot Camp
Written by Erin S on 09/22/2012
Thursday, January 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Did you receive a brand new iPad during the Holidays? Want to learn some basic tips and tricks like locking the screen orientation, creating folders for your apps, and changing the background image? This is the class for you! We’ll even go over downloading eBooks from the Library’s collection.
Please remember to bring your Apple ID and password to class.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
In the Gallery - Art on View
Written by Erin S on 09/22/2012
Steve Fritsch
Artist's Reception Friday, November 30 at 6 p.m.
A Festival of Fairfield County Lighthouses
The show features the lighthouses at Sheffield Island, Peck’s Ledge, Green Ledge and Stamford, as well as seascapes, still lifes and other subjects.
About the Artist
Steve Fritsch studied at Paier School of Art in New Haven, CT for five years and went on to art direct and illustrate for a large New York City advertising agency. He left the agency after ten years and opened his own studio in the City, specializing in humorous illustrations. Fifteen years later, he moved his studio to his home in Darien, CT doing illustrations and fine art. He currently exhibits locally.
Thsi exhibit runs through December 6.
Friday Night Feature - "Trouble with the Curve"
Written by Erin S on 09/21/2012
Friday, January 4 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – Trouble with the Curve (2012) Starring Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, and Justin Timberlake; Rated PG-13; 111 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Gus Lobel has been one of the best scouts in baseball for decades, but, despite his efforts to hide it, age is starting to catch up with him. The one person who might be able to help is also the one person Gus would never ask: his daughter, Mickey an associate at a high-powered Atlanta law firm whose drive and ambition has put her on the fast track to becoming partner. Against her better judgment, and over Gus's objections, Mickey joins him on his latest scouting trip to North Carolina, jeopardizing her own career to save his. Forced to spend time together for the first time in years, each makes new discoveries—revealing long-held truths about their past and present that could change their future.
"Trouble with the Curve enthusiastically showcases the sparkling Adams while making its case - tersely, of course - for tradition, experience and intuition." -- Mark Jenkins, NPR
For more information, please watch the film's trailer. Check out the rest of our Friday Night Features in January.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Practice 26 Acts of Kindness in Honor of Newtown Victims
Written by Erin S on 09/20/2012
Victor Cruz, receiver for the New York Giants, played with 6-year-old Jack Pinto's name on his gloves and cleats on Sunday. This small gesture inspired journalist Ann Curry to ask her 1 million+ twitter followers to practice 26 acts of kindness in honor of each Newtown victim. We invite members of the town of Darien to participate. Let's come together as a community to spread empathy and kindness locally and beyond.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Make a Memorial Donation to Sandy Hook victims
- Sign up to volunteer at Person-to-Person
- Grocery shop for a senior as a volunteer for Aging in Place + Gallivant
- Make a donation to Domus House
- Donate non-perishable, unopened food to the Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County
- Pick out a toy and donate it to Toys for Tots
- Buy that person behind you in line a cup of coffee.
- Cook dinner for a friend.
Feel free to mention your act of kindness on Twitter using the hashtag #26Acts or share with us in the comments.
Acabella Concert
Written by Erin S on 09/20/2012
Sunday, December 2 at 5 p.m.
The word Acabella combines the musical term, a cappella, which means unaccompanied by musical instruments, and bella, the Italian word for beautiful. Acabella comprises 12 women from the Lower Fairfield County area. Their performance will include a program of seasonal and popular songs.
The concert's opening act will feature Darien students Christopher Jessup and Teresa Du, the top winners of Darien Arts Center's Darien's Got Talent Show. Acabella will lead a brief sing-along of carols as the capstone to their program.
Special thanks to Amy Allen at the Darien Arts Center and Juanita Bosee, the music director, who generously donated their time, talent, and practice spaces to assist the pianists.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Friday Night Feature - "First Position"
Written by Erin S on 09/18/2012
Friday, December 21 at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. – First Position (2012) Documentary Feature; Not Rated; 95 minutes. Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Every year, thousands of aspiring dancers enter one of the world’s most prestigious ballet competitions, the Youth America Grand Prix, where lifelong dreams are at stake. In the final round, with hundreds competing for only a handful of elite scholarships and contracts, nothing short of perfection is acceptable. This award-winning documentary follows six extraordinary dancers as they prepare for the chance to enter the world of professional ballet, struggling through bloodied feet, near exhaustion and debilitating injuries, all while navigating the drama of adolescence.
"These performers are so young, so serious, so full of dreams and so hard on themselves that it is difficult not to be moved by their striving." -- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
For more information, please watch the film's trailer. Check out the rest of our Friday Night Features in December.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs available on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Wikipedia Loves Libraries
Written by Erin S on 09/15/2012![By Mpande (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/Wikipedia_screenshot.JPG)
Wikipedia Loves Libraries is a general initiative for improved Wikimedia engagement with libraries and library users.
What is Wikipedia?
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation.
Join us for these Wikipedia-related events during the month of November to celebrate open access, collaboration, and improved scholarship.
Wednesday, November 7th from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
You’ve heard about it from teachers: don’t cite Wikipedia! But did you know it’s almost as accurate as Encyclopedia Britannica? In this class we’ll discuss searching for Wikipedia articles, interesting entries, and how to use this free, web-based, crowd-sourced resource in your research for work or for fun. Email Erin to enroll.
Thursday, November 15th from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Wikipedia is a free, web-based, crowd-sourced, collaborative encyclopedia project that relies on editors who keep articles up-to-date for free. In this class, we’ll learn how to set up our own Wikipedia accounts and edit articles in preparation for our Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon on November November 17. Email Erin to enroll.
Saturday, November 17th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Join us in our tech center to create and improve Wikipedia articles related to Darien. Drop-in for an hour or two or stay for the entire day! We'll have a reference librarian on hand and pertinent resources from our local history collection available for users.
Documentary Screening: Truth in Numbers? Everything, According to Wikipedia
Wednesday, November 21 at 1:30 p.m.
After viewing this film, you will never look at Wikipedia the same way. The filmmakers engagingly explore the history and cultural implications of one of the most referenced sites on the Web. (2010); Documentary feature starring Jimmy Wales, Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Susan Jacoby, Andrew Keen; Rated PG; 85 minutes.
Friday Night Features in November
Written by Erin S on 09/14/2012
Friday, November 2 at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. – Peace, Love, and Misunderstanding (2012) Starring Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan; Rated R; 92 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
For uptight Manhattan lawyer Diane, crazy means driving her teenage son Jake and daughter Zoe to Woodstock to visit their grandmother Grace. The crazy part is that the kids have never met Grace. In fact, Diane hasn’t spoken to her mother in twenty years. Grace is the epitome of the term “hippie”: she stages protests and hootenannies in the town square, smokes (and sells) a lot of dope, and howls at the moon once a month with her goddess-worshipping girlfriends. But what’s meant to be a weekend getaway turns into a summer adventure of romance, music, family secrets, and self-discovery.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
Friday, November 9 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – People Like Us (2012) Starring Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, and Michelle Pfeiffer; Rated PG-13; 114 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
This smart, intimate drama features Sam, a twenty-something, fast-talking salesman, whose latest deal collapses on the day he learns that his father has suddenly died. Against his wishes, Sam is called home, where he must put his father's estate in order and reconnect with his estranged family. In the course of fulfilling his father's last wishes, Sam uncovers a startling secret that turns his entire world upside down: He has a 30-year-old sister he never knew about. As their relationship develops, Sam is forced to rethink everything he thought he knew about this family—and re-examine his own life choices in the process.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
Friday, November 16 at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. – Undertaking Betty (2003) Starring Brenda Blethyn, Alfred Molina, Christopher Walken, and Naomi Watts; Rated R; 94 minutes. Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Boris is a funeral director in a small town in Wales. His mundane life is thrown for a loop when his business is threatened by a flashy new American funeral parlor that has moved into town. Boris must fight off this new threat to his livelihood but his plans are thrown off course when he falls madly in love with a local woman. He must get his business back… and get the girl.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
Friday, November 23 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – Girl in Progress (2012) Starring Eva Mendes, Matthew Modine, and Cierra Ramirez; Rated PG-13; 91 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Grace is a single mom. She is too busy juggling work, bills, and the very married Dr. Hartford, to give her daughter, Ansiedad the attention she desperately needs. When Ansiedad's English teacher, Ms. Armstrong, introduces her students to classic coming-of-age stories, Ansiedad is inspired to skip adolescence and jump-start her life without mom. While Grace becomes preoccupied with the increasing affections of her co-worker, Ansiedad enlists the help of her loyal friend, Tavita, to plot her shortcut to “adulthood.” But as her misguided plan unravels, Ansiedad and Grace must learn that sometimes growing-up means acting your age.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
Friday, November 30 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. – The Magic of Belle Isle (2012) Starring Morgan Freeman and Virginia Madsen; Rated PG; 109 minutes; Closed captioned for the hearing impaired.
Monte Wildhorn is a famous Western novelist whose passion for writing has hit an impasse. He takes a lakeside cabin for the summer in picturesque Belle Isle, befriending the family next door. An attractive single mom and her young daughters help him find inspiration again.
For more information, please watch the film's trailer.
All films are free and open to the public.
Additional parking for evening and weekend Library programs on Thorndal Circle (behind Nielsen's).
Darien Library, 1441 Post Road, Darien, Connecticut, 06820-5419 · 203-655-1234Directions and Contact Information. Twitter: darienlibrary. AIM & Y!M: deweydarien.