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Museum Director Tom Edmonds and Nina Kennedy. (John Wegorzewski) |
Southampton - Following the Christmas Parade on Main Street and
Jobs Lane and the Tree Lighting in
Agawam Park on December 3, scores of revelers strolled over to the Captain Albert
Rogers Mansion home of the Southampton Historical Museum & Research Center for the annual Hearthside Cheer Holiday Party and Sing-a-long.
Museum Board President
Dennis Schmidt, Treasurer Emeritus
Gerald Adams, Board Secretary
Jamie White-Wilson and Executive Director
Tom Edmonds were on hand to warmly welcome guests as they arrived for what is always the season's most festive "house party" at one of the East End's most famous historic landmarks.
The entire mansion was beautifully decorated with freshly cut greens and seasonal flowers by Gardeneering of Southampton that perfectly complemented The Museum's current display - the delightful and whimsical "The Joys of Toys" Exhibition.
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Oksana and Zachary Crawford. (John Wegorzewski) |
As in previous years when winter comes out come the toys! This season the exhibition features a dizzying array of playthings - tin, cast iron and wooden toys - pre-plastic era - along with huggable dolls, mechanical banks, marching soldiers, soap box cars,
Noah's Ark overflowing with animals, tigers, lions and bears oh my! A colorful eye catching circus complete with acrobats and clowns was surely treasured by a 19th century youngster. All in all a thoroughly delightful display that will bring out the child in everyone.
In the main parlor, the guests gathered around the piano while
Maribeth Edmonds, wife of the executive director, led them in an old fashioned holiday sing-a-long including a charming round of "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
Schmidt's Catering under the direction of Executive Chef
Keith Greene and his associate
Chef Kyle Scheurer served up an extraordinary array of delectable hors d'oeuvres that included veal meatballs with a tiny snow pea flags flying atop, lacquer boxes with decadent lobster mac & cheese, bruschetta with candy-sweet caramelized onions and goat cheese, fluffy biscuits filled with shredded lamb shank, enormous shrimp and platter after platter of exotic and locally made cheeses. More than a few couples cancelled their dinner plans after indulging in the delicious appetizers.
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Chef Kyle Scheurer of Schmidt's Catering. (John Wegorzewski) |
As always The Museum's Board of Trustees and Advisory Committee were well represented - among them were
Sherrill Adams,
Suzanne Caldwell,
Nancy DePetris,
Pam Jackson Jones,
Sandra Walser,
Peter Hallock and
Mary Welker.
Also enjoying the event were
Manny and Adrienne Falzon,
Oksana and
Zachary Crawford,
Terry and Dede Moan,
Joyce and
Mohan Jethwani,
Oswald Denis,
Joe Redding,
Southampton Village Mayor
Mark Epley and his wife
Marianne Epley and many more.
The
Southampton Historical Museum is exhibiting "The Joys of Toys" through December 31. Admission is $4 non-members, free to members and children 17 and under. There are also Holiday Candlelight Tours and a host of seasonal activities.
For more information, click here.