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Connecticut & Western Massachusetts Mensa
Calendar Of Events
 

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C&WM Home Page

Mensans love to gab and party. Come join us!

We have recurring events such as happy hours that occur every month and others that are seasonal or unique to each month. Click on an event in this month's calendar to see a description.

Be sure to check out Looking Ahead for previews of what's up-and-coming!   And check back here periodically to catch the latest updates and additions..

Events are generally open only to current Mensa members and their guests. If prospective members would like to see whether C&WM Mensa is a fit for them, they are welcome to contact any Chapter officer and attend a couple of events.

There are links to nearby Chapters' events near the bottom of this page.

May 2008

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

All locations in CT unless otherwise noted

 

 

1

Scrabble
West Hartford
 

2

Happy Hour
Wallingford
LDW
Warwick, RI

3

LDW
Warwick, RI

4

Baseball
RockCats vs FisherCats
New Britain
LDW
Warwick, RI

5 6
7

Lunch
West Hartford
 

8

Scrabble
West Hartford

9

Diner Dinner
Newington
Joint Dinner
Danbury

10

Breakfast
New London

Deadline for June
MEDIA submissions

11

Breakfast
Manchester
 

 

12

 

 

13

 

14

Lunch
West Hartford
Happy Hour
Branford
 

15

Scrabble
West Hartford
Pioneer Valley Dinner
Northampton, MA
 

16

Diner Dinner
Vernon

 

17

SCM Dinner
Bethel

18

 



 

19

 


 

20

 

 

21

Lunch
West Hartford

 

22

Scrabble
West Hartford

 

23

Happy Hour
Hamden
Diner Dinner
Newington

 

24




 

25

Media Bundling
Manchester

 

26

 



 

27

 

28

Lunch
West Hartford

Last Wednesday Lunch
Middlebury

29

Scrabble
West Hartford

30

 

31

 

30 31  

April 2008

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

All locations in CT unless otherwise noted 1 2

Lunch
West Hartford
 

3

Scrabble
West Hartford

4

Happy Hour
Wallingford

5

Shoregrass Concert
North Haven

6

Baseball
RockCats vs Sea Dogs
New
Britain

7 8

 

9

Lunch
West Hartford
Happy Hour
Branford
 

10

Scrabble
West Hartford

Deadline for May
MEDIA submissions

11

Joint Dinner
Danbury
Diner Dinner
Newington

12

Breakfast
New London

13

Breakfast
Manchester

 

14

 

15

 

16

Lunch
West Hartford
 

17

Scrabble
West Hartford
Pioneer Valley Dinner
Springfield, MA
Rescuing da Vinci talk
New Haven

 

18

Diner Dinner
Vernon

19

SCM Dinner
Bethel

20

 



 

21

 


 

22

 

 

23

Lunch
West Hartford

 

24

Scrabble
West Hartford
 

25

Happy Hour
Hamden
Diner Dinner
Newington

26

SHORTGrass concert
Mansfield, MA




 

27

Media Bundling
Manchester

28

 

 

29

 

30

Lunch
West Hartford

Last Wednesday Lunch
Middlebury

 

 

 

Event Descriptions

We're creatures of habit so many chapter events are scheduled weekly or monthly. Of course, the unexpected may happen so check the calendar grid to be sure you don't miss your favorite get-together.


Special Events


Region 1 Leadership Development Workshop, Warwick, RI
Friday, May 2 through Sunday, May 4, 2008

Info:  http://www.rhodeisland.us.mensa.org/special/index.html

[Back to calendar]  /  [Top of page]


Ballgame, New Britain, CT
1:35 PM
Sunday, May 4, 2008

Mensa Goes to a Ballgame - New Britain Stadium.

Meet in Section 213, four rows from the top, as the Rock Cats host the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays' Double-A farm team).  Discuss the previous days' Kentucky Derby, watch a ballgame, laugh, for $3 (parking) and $5 (general admission ticket.) 

Questions? Call Tom [Check Media] www.rockcats.com

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SHORTGrass Concert, Mansfield, MA
3:00 PM
Saturday, April 26, 2008

SHORTGrass at the NEFFA Festival, Middle School room 105/106 in Mansfield, MA.

SHORTGrass (Barbara Shaw et al.) will do a program of "Bluegrass Duets Old and
New" accompanied by banjo and guitar. Plus a little help from their friends,
Paul Pozzi on mando and Dave Vickery on bass! More info at NEFFA.org.
http://www.shoregrass.com/Schedule.htm

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da Vinci Lecture, New Haven, CT
5:30 PM
Thursday, April 17, 2008

Lecture at Yale Center for British Art, This presentation seems apropos for celebrating both Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday and the beginning of Passover
this coming week: Rescuing da Vinci. Robert Edsel, President of the Monuments Men Foundation for the Preservation of Art and author of Rescuing da Vinci
William B. Keller, Fine Arts Librarian, Anne and Jerome Fisher Fine Arts Library, University of Pennsylvania and Catherine Roach, doctoral candidate in
the Department of Art History, Columbia University, will discuss the Nazi pillage of European art treasures and the efforts of the Monuments Men, a
dedicated group of art professionals and military men, including Andrew Cardnuff Ritchie and Deane Keller, to rescue those treasures, as documented in
Edsel’s book.

Robert L. McNeil Jr. Lecture Hall, Yale University Art Gallery
(1111 Chapel Street) Info: http://ycba.yale.edu/information/info_hours- dir.html or 203-432-2800.

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Ballgame, New Britain, CT
1:35 PM
Sunday, April 6, 2008

Mensa Goes to a Ballgame - New Britain Stadium.

Meet in Section 213, four rows from the top, as the New Britain Rock Cats (Double-A Twins) host the
Portland Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox' farm team).

Parking: $3, adult general admission ticket, $5, an adult beverage for the host of the event, $5.25. ;)
Questions? Call Tom [Check Media] www.rockcats.com

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Shoregrass Concert, North Haven, CT
7:00 PM
Saturday, April 5, 2008

M Barbara Shaw’s musical group ShoreGrass at North Haven Congregational Church, 28 Church Street, North Haven, CT, 7:00 pm, $10.
ShoreGrass returns for an evening of old and new bluegrass, folk, country and original music as part of the Pierpont Concert Series of the North Haven Congregational Church,
beginning at 7:00 pm. Program will include songs from the Civil War Era as well as from the newest ShoreGrass CD "Going Home." Special guest Stacy
Phillips. http://www.shoregrass.com/Schedule.htm

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Weekly Events


Wednesday Lunch, West Hartford, CT
12 Noon
Every Wednesday

One of C&WM's longest-running events! Nearly every Wednesday we meet at Hometown Buffet in Shaw's shopping plaza, 52 Kane Street (turn West off of Prospect), West Hartford, CT. Because everything is self-service, people wander in when they can and leave when they must. The food is buffet style: all you can eat for about $7.00. John B. [Check Media], our Mensa host, is usually seated at the front of the restaurant (away from the food counters) in the center section.

From I-84 West-bound: Take Exit 44, "Prospect Street". At the light at the end of the exit, cross Kane Street directly into the parking lot. Hometown Buffet will be slightly to your left.

From I-84 East-bound: Take Exit 44, "Prospect Street". At the light at the end of the exit, turn left. At the next light, turn left onto Prospect Street. You will cross over I-84. At the next light, turn left onto Kane Street. At the first light on Kane Street turn right into the parking lot. Hometown Buffet will be slightly to your left.

(860) 236-4848 will reach the cashier.

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Scrabble, West Hartford, CT
7:00 PM
Every Thursday

Most Thursdays word-loving Mensans (are there any other kind?r) and non-Mensans gather to play Scrabble at Emmanuel Synagogue, 160 Mohegan Drive, West Hartford, CT.

Questions? Answers? Weird words? Contact Ellen L. [Check Media]. Tell her you read about it here.

(Please call first to make sure this is happening today; cancelled during Jewish holiday periods.)

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Monthly Events


First Thursday

Mystic Happy Hour, Mystic, CT
5:00 PM

This is a new monthly event, every first Thursday!! Meet us at the Steak Loft Restaurant in the bar area. Olde Mystic Village, Mystic CT 06355, I-95 Exit 90. All welcome. Look for the yellow balloon. Questions? Call or email Susan R. [Check Media] for details. Or just show up!

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First Friday

First Friday Happy Hour, Wallingford, CT
at George's II Restaurant
5:30 PM or so

Join us at our Happy Hour home in Wallingford. Ann Polanski [check Media for details] hosts us upstairs at George's II Restaurant. Look for us in the "closet" behind the singer.

George's II Restaurant

950 Yale Avenue Wallingford, CT
(203) 269-1059
 

Directions:

From the Wilbur Cross Parkway take Exit 66.
Turn left (south) onto Route 5.
Take the first left onto Yale Avenue.
George's II is in the Yale Plaza on the right.

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Second Wednesday

Happy Hour, Branford, CT
5:30 PM

Happy Hour in Branford (ME, 2nd Wednesday) at Donovan's Reef 1212 Main Street, Branford Conn. 06405.

The Donovan’s Reef http://donovans-reef.com web site has a small map, and here are some directions with distances - from I-95 take exit 54/Cedar Street. Go south on Cedar Street crossing Rt. 1/Boston Post Road for about 0.5 mi. to Rose Street. Take a left on Rose and go 0.25 mi. to a driveway on the right which has a low sign that says "1188 - 1238" where you will enter a parking lot for a number of businesses in a complex known as Lockworks Square. Drive part way through the lot and look for Donovan's Reef on the left. Locals can also enter Lockworks Square from the Ivy Street side just off of Main Street where Shoreline Foods faces Ivy. The lounge is on the left inside. I'll see about a table reservation and will likely have an "M" sign visible. We start around 5:30. I'm told there is some sort of daily bar goodie along with any menu items that you may want to order. Donovan's phone number is 203-488-5573.
Questions? Contact Joe W. [Check Media] for details.

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Second Friday

Joint Dinner
SCM and C&WM
, Danbury, CT
7:00 PM

The Old Sorrento Restaurant, 32 Newtown Road, Danbury, CT, where we've met before, is now known as the New Sorrento Restaurant. Contact Fr. Bill L. or Ward M. [Check Media] to make reservations.

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Second and Fourth Fridays

Diner Dinner, Newington, CT
6:30 PM

The Olympia Diner is at 3413 Berlin Turnpike (Route 5), Newington, just north of the Berlin town line and Northeast Utilities. The menu ranges from a toasted cheese sandwich to a full dinner; the Greek dishes are a special favorite. Basic bar menu available, no happy hour prices, but the food is good and very reasonable. If you need directions, you can call the Diner at (860) 666-9948. Please contact Barb H. or Howard B. [Check Media] if you have other questions.

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Second Saturday

Second Saturday Breakfast, New London, CT
9:00 AM

Join Marge C. [Check Media] and other semi-awake Mensans at our breakfast spot, the Gridlock Grille, 566 Colman Street, New London, CT. From either direction on Interstate 95, take the "Frontage Road" exit. Turn off of Frontage Road onto the Colman Street ramp. At the end of the ramp, turn left. After you pass the gas station, Gridlock Grille will be on your right.

You can also check out Gridlock Grille's Web Site, WWW.GridlockGrille.Com (external Site), or call (860) 442-0033.

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Second Sunday

Sunday Breakfast, Manchester, CT
10:00 AM

Join Bill V. [Check Media] for Sunday Brunch about 10:00 AM at the VFW Post 2046 in Manchester, CT. (The Brunch officially runs from 8:00 AM to 12 Noon.) We enjoy omelets made to order, scrambled eggs, pancakes, English muffins, coffee, tea, juices, and more, all for $5.00 per person.

Location: VFW Hall, 608 East Center Street, Manchester, CT. Directions: Take Routes 44 and 6 East through town until East Center joins East Middle Turnpike. The Post is on the left side.

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Third Thursday

Pioneer Valley Dinner, Springfield, MA
6:30 PM (April)

In April we will be meeting at the India Pizzeria Uno on Columbus Avenue in Springfield, Mass.  We welcome all comers, even those from south of the border. :-)  No reservations are necessary. Contact Ian F. [Check Media]

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Third Thursday

Pioneer Valley Dinner, Northampton, MA
6:30 PM (May)

In May we will be meeting at the Jiu Gui Restaurant on King Street in Northampton, Mass.  No reservations are necessary. We welcome all comers, even those from south of the border. :-)  Since I will need to make a reservation at the restaurant, folks will need to RSVP by January 14th to Ian F [Check Media].

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Third Friday
 
Vernon Diner Dinner 
7:00 pm
 
Let's try to start a new tradition! A third Friday Dinner at the Vernon Diner on Rt. 30.  We'll gather beginning at 7:00.

Directions from the intersection of I-84 & I-91 in Hartford:

Take I-84 East about 10 miles to Exit 65.  Stay in the right hand lane to go up Rt. 30 about 3/4 of a mile and the Vernon Diner will be on your left next to the Howard Johnson's motel.  Look for the yellow balloon at our table.  Contact Bob S. [Check Media for information]

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Third Saturday

Southern Connecticut Mensa (SCM) Dinner, Bethel, CT
7:00 PM
 

Speaker to be announced.
Before the presentation, we will enjoy dinner in our private dining room at Tonelli's Restaurant, 41 Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 07801. Dress is casual and guests are welcome

Please contact Jim M. [Check Media] to make reservations. You must call Jim M. and make reservations so we can assure that the restaurant can provide seating for everyone. If you make reservations and can't attend, please call and cancel.

Directions FROM STAMFORD: Take I-95. Merge onto US-7 Connector NORTH via EXIT 15 toward NORWALK.  Take US-7 Connector to MAIN AVE / US-7.  Continue to follow US-7 North about 2 miles.  Turn LEFT onto US-7 / CT-33 / WESTPORT RD & continue to follow US-7 about 5.5 miles.  Turn RIGHT onto SCHOOL ST / CT-107 / CT-57.  Follow CT-107 about 1.5 miles.  Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto REDDING RD / CT-107.  Follow REDDING RD 5.7 miles.  REDDING RD becomes CT-53.  Go about 3 miles to the Restaurant, on the left at 41 Grassy Plain St. Bethel, CT 06801-2001, US Map

FROM BRIDGEPORT:  Take CT-15 SOUTH / MERRITT PKWY Exit 44 toward CT-58 / FAIRFIELD / REDDING.  Turn LEFT onto CONGRESS ST.  Turn RIGHT onto BLACK ROCK TURNPIKE / CT-58.  Follow CT-58 about 15 miles.  Turn LEFT onto CT-302 / MILWAUKEE AVE.  Turn LEFT onto GREENWOOD AVE / CT-302 and go about 1.5 miles.  Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto GRASSY PLAIN ST / CT-53. <0.1 miles Map Go about .1 miles to the Restaurant, at 41 Grassy Plain St

FROM HARTFORD & I-84 (revised)Take I-84 to Exit 5, the Route 53 exit.  Take Route 53 south about 3.3 miles.  Tonelli's Restaurant is on the right, shortly before the light and intersection.

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Third Sunday

Media Bundling, Manchester, CT
2:00 PM

The Chapter provides us with beverages and snacks, and Bundling gives our hands something to do while we talk. To save the Chapter money, and to get your copy of the Media early, join us! Call or send email to Bill V. [Check Media] for details.

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Fourth Friday

Fourth Friday Happy Hour, Hamden, CT
5:00 PM

The Fourth Friday Happy Hour is held at Colonial Tymes, 2389 Dixwell Avenue, in Hamden, CT. Colonial Tymes is located about 1/2 mile north of Exit 60 from the Wilbur Cross Parkway. We are now reserving the middle tables on the left as you walk in the bar. Dinner is a possibility if enough people are interested. Come on down and join us this month, we'd love to see ya!

Contact Gail T. [Check Media] for information.

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Second and Fourth Fridays

Diner Dinner, Newington, CT
6:30 PM

The Olympia Diner is at 3413 Berlin Turnpike (Route 5), Newington, just north of the Berlin town line and Northeast Utilities. The menu ranges from a toasted cheese sandwich to a full dinner; the Greek dishes are a special favorite. Basic bar menu available, no happy hour prices, but the food is good and very reasonable. If you need directions, you can call the Diner at (860) 666-9948. Please contact Barb H. or Howard B. [Check Media] if you have other questions.

[Back to calendar]  /  [Top of page]


Last Wednesday

Last Wednesday Lunch, Middlebury, CT
12 Noon

We meet at Maggie McFly's, 6 Woodside Avenue, Middlebury, CT. There's an extensive menu and casual fare. The restaurant is visible on the right from Route 63, just south of the Route 63 and Route 64 intersection. Maggie McFly's can be reached at (203) 577-2205. Contact Richard F. [Check Media for information.]

From I-84 West-bound: Take Exit 17. There will be a long exit ramp. At the intersection of Routes 63 and 64 turn left.

From I-84 East-bound: Take Exit 17. Turn left off the exit ramp and see Maggie McFly's on your left.

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Looking Ahead


Save Saturday June 21 for C&WM’s Summer Party event at the Essex Corinthian Yacht Club.  Details to follow.

[Back to calendar]  /  [Top of page]


Friends and Neighbors



Interested in what is going on in nearby Mensa chapters? The following links will take you directly to their Web Sites. Come back here by using your browser's Back button.

Southern Connecticut Mensa (Fairfield County) has many happenings. Their site is updated regularly with both our C&WM and their own event schedules, and they maintain an archive of current and past issues of their Chronicle newsletter. They distribute their newsletter via email, as well as hardcopy.

The Rhode Island Chapter's Site has calendar listings going back several years.

Boston Mensa covers the eastern half of Massachusetts. If you're bored, see the number of events the Boston Chapter has to offer!

The Region 1 Mensa Groups cover New England and New York, plus portions of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

 

[Last revised: March 29, 2008 Submit comments or suggestions to the Webmaster at WebContact@CWM.US.Mensa.Org.