Take a Study Cruise of Norwalk Harbor Marine Life

Here's a slew
of things to do
in Norwalk and nearby, too:

FRIDAY

• A special "Date Night" evening spinning class is taking place at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18 at JoyRide Cycling Studio at 25 Old Kings Hwy. "led by popular instructor Mo Prester.  During the ride, Dr. Adam Ofer, an OBGYN and NBC’s Today Show contributor, will speak about prevention and awareness of breast cancer.  JoyRide will donate the proceeds from this breast cancer awareness ride to The Whittingham Cancer Center in Norwalk.  The cost for two spots is $50.  Beer, wine and snacks will follow the ride." -- from an announcement sent by JoyRide

• Darien Library presents the movie  The Sapphires (2012) at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18. "Starring Chris O'Dowd, Deborah Mailman, and Jessica Mauboy; Rated PG-13; 99 minutes. [...] Inspired by a true story, director Wayne Blair's debut feature The Sapphires follows four Aboriginal Australian girls as they are transformed into a soulful singing group by a kindhearted musician, and later travel to Vietnam to entertain battle-weary U.S. troops." -- from an announcement on the library website

• Oktoberfest comes to the Stamford Museum & Nature Center on Friday starting at 6:30 p.m. "Enjoy seasonal Oktoberfest brews, dine on Oktoberfest favorites from Old Heidelberg, and enjoy live music from The Bavarian Boys. Ticket info can be found here.

• Learn how to write that novel in 30 days -- well, at least get a good start on it. Start at a workshop at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Conference Room at Darien Library: "[C]ome learn how to write your novel in a month. You will be joining thousands of writers across the country in this month long sprint. At the end of the month, you will have written 50,000 words -- which is a respectable novella length story! In this session, led by a twice winner of this writing challenge, you will learn: How to write a novel in 30 days; what National Novel Writing Month is; tools to help you write your novel." -- an announcement on the Darien Library website

• Take one of the Maritime Aquarium's Marine Life Study Cruises in Norwalk Harbor on Saturdays at 1 p.m. in September and October: "Cruise out for close encounters with crabs, fish, lobsters and always a few surprises when you come aboard the research vessel Oceanic. [...] Aquarium educators put participants to work in collecting and examining animals. [...] Tickets are $20.50, or $18.50 for Aquarium members. Maritime Aquarium Study Cruises are good for ages 8 and older. Space on the Oceanic is limited so advance reservations are strongly recommended. Walk-up tickets will be sold, space permitting. [...] Purchase tickets or get more details at www.maritimeaquarium.org or (203)852-0700, ext. 2206."

• Bruce Museum in Greenwich is offering a program designed for families and children to foster appreciation and understanding of art related to current exhibitions at the museum. On Sunday, the program will focus on the Bruce Museum exhibition Closer: The Graphic Art of Chuck Close. Lessons, which focuse on portraits, will begin at 1:15 p.m. and repeat at 2:15 p.m. There will be printmaking activities in the Education Workshop. It's all free with museum admission.

• You can get up to 56 percent off of your bill at Aladin Indian Bistro, 36 Westport Ave., Norwalk, with this Groupon offer. The deal gives you a dinner for two for $35 or a dinner for four for $75. It's hard to say from the website when this deal actually ends, but you get 120 days to go there after you pay. As always, understand the fine print and don't buy it and forget to go. (This is not an advertisement and Patch gets nothing by alerting you to the Groupon deal.) Groupon also has offers for these other Norwalk restaurants (links go to the Groupon page): Paella Tapas Wine Bar and Restaurant, Pontos Taverna, Café Turnier, Silver Star Diner, and YoBamba Cafe.

• Time’s running out to enter the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk’s “Festival of Lighthouses Contest,” which “awards an Aquarium Family Membership for each displayed lighthouse and $3,300 in prizes, including $1,500 for first place. Entry forms are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis, but must be received by Fri., Oct. 25. [...] The special exhibit will place up to 24 large model lighthouses in the Aquarium during the holiday season and beyond [...] It’s free to enter, but you must be at least 14 years old.” -- from a Maritime Aquarium news release

* * *

Traveling on I-95? Concerned about traffic? Here are links to the Connnecticut Department of Transportation traffic cams (“SB” means southbound; “NB” means northbound):

• CCTV #2 Greenwich SB north of Exit 2 -- north of Delavan Ave.

• CCTV #3 Greenwich SB north of Exit 2 -- south of Field Pt. Rd. on-ramp

• CCTV #4 Greenwich NB Exit 3 -- Arch St

• CCTV #5 Greenwich SB north of Exit 3 -- north of Davis Ave.

• CCTV #6 Greenwich NB Exit 4 -- Indian Field Rd.

• CCTV #8 Greenwich SB south of Exit 5 - Riverside Ave.

• CCTV #10 Greenwich SB south of Exit 6 -- Laddins Rock Rd.

• CCTV #13 Stamford SB Exit 8 -- Elm St.

• CCTV #14 Stamford NB south of Exit 9 -- Lockwood Ave.

• CCTV #16 Darien SB north of Exit 9 -- Darien Service Plaza

• CCTV #20 Darien NB Exit 12 -- Tokeneke Rd.

• CCTV #21 Darien NB south of Exit 13 -- Darien Service Plaza

• CCTV #22 Darien SB Exit 13 -- Rt. 1 (Boston Post Rd.)

• CCTV #26 Norwalk SB Exit 15 -- Stuart Ave.

• CCTV #27 Norwalk Rt 7 south of Exit 1 -- Connecticut Ave.

• CCTV #28 Norwalk NB Exit 15 -- Rt. 7

• CCTV #29 Norwalk SB Exit 16 -- East Ave.

• CCTV #30 Norwalk NB south of Exit 16 -- south of Saugatuck Ave.