Category: Activities (Page 1 of 48)

Activities are gatherings that occur on a regular schedule, usually weekly, to enjoy a specific pastime.

Book Club Jan 13, 2027
Culpability by Bruce Holsinger

August 2, 2026 /

November 11, 2026:  pick up Culpability by Bruce Holsinger (fiction), for your January 2027 discussion. Pub date of the book: July 8, 2025/380 pp.

Set at a summer rental on the Chesapeake Bay, a riveting family drama about moral responsibility in the age of artificial intelligence, from the bestselling author of the “wise and addictive” (New York Times) The Gifted School.

When the Cassidy-Shaws’ autonomous minivan collides with an oncoming car, seventeen-year-old Charlie is in the driver’s seat, with his father, Noah, riding shotgun. In the back seat, tweens Alice and Izzy are on their phones, while their mother, Lorelei, a world leader in the field of artificial intelligence, is absorbed in her work. Yet each family member harbors a secret that implicates them in the accident.

During a weeklong recuperation on the Chesapeake Bay, the family confronts the excruciating moral dilemmas triggered by the crash. Noah tries to hold the family together as a seemingly routine police investigation jeopardizes Charlie’s future. Alice and Izzy turn strangely furtive. And Lorelei’s odd behavior tugs at Noah’s suspicions that there is a darker truth behind the incident—suspicions heightened by the sudden intrusion of Daniel Monet, a tech mogul whose mysterious history with Lorelei hints at betrayal. When Charlie falls for Monet’s teenaged daughter, the stakes are raised even higher in this propulsive family drama that is also a fascinating exploration of the moral responsibility and ethical consequences of AI.

Culpability explores a world newly shaped by chatbots, autonomous cars, drones, and other nonhuman forces in ways that are thrilling, challenging, and unimaginably provocative.

Book Club Dec 9, 2026
The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the remarkable American Life of a 109-year old Man, by David Von Drehle

August 2, 2026 /

October 14, 2026:  pick up The Book of Charlie: Wisdom from the remarkable American Life of a 109-year old Man, by David Von Drehle, for your December discussion.  Pub date of the book: January 1, 2023/205pp.

(suggested by Chip Schroeder) 

Goodreads Choice Award

Nominee for Readers’ Favorite History & Biography (2023)

One of our nation’s most prominent writers finds the truth about how to live a long and happy life in the centenarian next door.

When a veteran Washington journalist moved to Kansas, he met a new neighbor who was more than a century old. Little did he know that he was beginning a long friendship—and a profound lesson in the meaning of life. Charlie White was no ordinary neighbor. Born before radio, Charlie lived long enough to use a smartphone. When a shocking tragedy interrupted his idyllic boyhood, Charlie mastered survival strategies that reflect thousands of years of human wisdom. Thus armored, Charlie’s sense of adventure carried him on an epic journey across the continent, and later found him swinging across bandstands of the Jazz Age, racing aboard ambulances through Depression-era gangster wars, improvising techniques for early open-heart surgery, and cruising the Amazon as a guest of Peru’s president.

David Von Drehle came to understand that Charlie’s resilience and willingness to grow made this remarkable neighbor a master in the art of thriving through times of dramatic change. As a gift to his children, he set out to tell Charlie’s secrets. The Book of Charlie is a gospel of grit—the inspiring story of one man’s journey through a century of upheaval. The history that unfolds through Charlie’s story reminds you that the United States has always been a divided nation, a questing nation, an inventive nation—a nation of Charlies in the rollercoaster pursuit of a good and meaningful life.

 

Book Club Nov 11, 2026
London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth, by Patrick Radden Keefe

August 2, 2026 /

September 9, 2026:  pick up London Falling:  A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth, by Patrick Radden Keefe, for your November discussion.  Pub date of the book: April 2026/384 pp.

A spellbinding account of a family devastated by the sudden death of their nineteen-year-old son, only to discover that he had created a secret life which drew him into the dangerous criminal underworld that lies beneath London’s glittering surface

In the early morning of November 29th, 2019, surveillance cameras at the headquarters of MI6, Britain’s spy agency, captured video of a young man pacing back and forth on a high balcony of Riverwalk, a luxury tower on the bank of the river Thames. At 2:24 AM he jumped into the river.

In a quiet London neighborhood several miles away, Rachelle Brettler was worried about her son. Zac had told her that he had gone to stay with a friend, but then he did not come home. Days later, a police car pulled up and two officers relayed the dreadful news: her son was dead.

In their unbearable grief, Rachelle and her husband, Matthew, struggled to understand what had happened to Zac. He had his troubles, but in no way seemed suicidal. As they would soon discover, however, there was a lot they did not know about their son. Only after his death did they learn that he had adopted a fictitious alter-ego: Zac Ismailov, son of a Russian oligarch and heir to a great fortune. Under this guise, Zac had become entangled with a slippery London businessman named Akbar Shamji, and a murderous gangster known as “Indian Dave.” As the Brettlers set about investigating their son’s death, they were pulled into a different and more dangerous London than the one they’d always known, and came to believe that something much more nefarious than a suicide had claimed Zac’s life. But to their immense frustration, Scotland Yard seemed unable—or unwilling—to bring the perpetrators to justice.

In a bravura feat of reporting and writing, Patrick Radden Keefe chronicles the Brettlers’ quest, peeling back layers of mystery and exposing the seedy truths behind the glamorous London of posh mansions and private nightclubs, a city in which everything is for sale, and aspirational fantasies are underwritten by dirty money and corruption. London Falling is a mesmerizing investigation of an inexplicable death and a powerful narrative driven by suspense and staggering revelations. But it is also an intimate and deeply poignant inquiry into the nature of parental love and the challenges of being a parent today, a portrait of a family trying to solve the riddle not just of how their son died, but of who he really was in life.

Book Club Oct 14, 2026
Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind, by Simon Winchester

August 2, 2026 /

August 3, 2026: pick up Breath of the Gods: The History and Future of the Wind, by Simon Winchester for your October discussion.  Pub date of the book:  November 18, 2025/416 pp.

New York Times bestselling author Simon Winchester returns with a thought-provoking history of the wind, written in his edifying and entertaining style.

What is going on with our atmosphere? The headlines are filled with news of devastating hurricanes, murderous tornadoes, and cataclysmic fires affecting large swaths of America. Gale force advisories are issued on a regular basis by the National Weather Service.

In 2023, a report was released by atmospheric scientists at the University of Northern Illinois, warning that winds—the force at the center of all these dangerous natural events—are expected to steadily increase in the years ahead, strengthening in power, speed, and frequency.

While this prediction worried the insurance industry, governmental leaders, scientists, and conscientious citizens, one particular segment of society received it with unbridled enthusiasm. To the energy industry, rising wind strength and speeds as an unalloyed boon for humankind—a vital source of clean and “safe” power.

Between these two poles—wind as a malevolent force, and wind as savior of our planet—lies a world of fascination, history, literature, science, poetry, and engineering which Simon Winchester explores with the curiosity and vigor that are the hallmarks of his bestselling works. In The Breath of the Gods, he explains how wind plays a part in our everyday lives, from airplane or car travel to the “natural disasters” that are becoming more frequent and regular.

The Breath of the Gods is an urgently-needed portrait across time of that unseen force—unseen but not unfelt—that respects no national borders and no vessel or structure in its path. Wind, the movement of the air, is seen by so many as a heavenly creation and generally a thing of essential goodness. But when it flexes its invisible muscles, all should take care and be very afraid.

 

Wander Central Park, Thursday, June 25, 2026

June 18, 2026 /

Thursday, June 25, at 8:36 a.m. at Darien Metro-North Station or 8:39 a.m. at Noroton Heights Metro-North Station

On Thursday, June 25, the Wanderers will travel to the northern end of Central Park in Manhattan. We will take the Metro North train to Grand Central that leaves the Darien train station at 8:36 a.m. and the Noroton Heights station at 8:39 a.m. As usual, we will gather at the Information Booth on the main floor of Grand Central and proceed together by subway to the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

We will wander into the northern end of Central Park and enjoy the beauty of the Conservatory Garden, Central Park’s formal garden and one of the most significant public gardens in New York City. Our Wandering will take us past the scenic Harlem Meer; the scenic overlook and canons at Fort Clinton; the acclaimed Davis Center, which opened last year; and through the North Woods, the largest woodland in Central Park, which contains unusual physical features, including the Ravine, the Loch and the Pool.

The Wanderers plan to have lunch at Sylvia’s Restaurant, 328 Malcolm X Blvd (between 126th Street and Lenox Avenue). After lunch, we will complete our Wandering by strolling to the Metro-North Railroad Station at 125th Street and returning home via Metro-North.

Contact:  Chet Cobb  or Harry Bergen

Golf Oak Hills July 13, 2026

May 28, 2026 /

Date:                                 July 13, 2026

Location:                           Oak Hills Golf Course

Time:                                 1 pm shotgun start, staging at 12:30 pm

Format:                             Scramble

Cost:                                  $130 per golfer, includes green’s fee, cart, tips, prizes and $30+ donation to At Home in Darien

Greens/Tee Signs:           $150 per sign, net proceeds (estimated to be $135 per sign) to go to At Home in Darien

Mulligans:                        $20 per mulligan, max 4 per foursome, sold during staging, cash only

 

Food:                                 Odeen’s Restaurant and Bar will be open prior to the event for lunch

Beverage and snacks available at the halfway house and roving refreshment carts – cash only

 

After Golf:                        Awards, brief remarks and cash bar on the patio — nibbles and snacks to be provided

 

 

To the Members of the DMA,

 

Please join us for an afternoon of golf at Oak Hills Golf Course on Monday, July 13, 2026. We’ll have a 1 pm shotgun start, with 12:30 pm staging in carts in the parking area.  It will be a scramble format, with prizes for the winning foursome and runners up.

 

The fee for participating as a golfer is $130 per person, which includes golf green’s fee, cart rental, tips, prizes and a $30+ donation to At Home in Darien.  Greens/Tee signs are being sold for $150 per sign, with net proceeds to go to At Home in Darien.  Mulligans ($20 each, max 4 per foursome) will be sold for cash during the staging, with proceeds going to At Home in Darien. After, there will be a brief awards ceremony and reception with cash bar at Odeen’s Restaurant (nibbles and snacks to be provided). For those wishing to have lunch at the course prior to the event, you can buy lunch from Odeen’s full menu.  There is also a halfway house after the 9th hole offering beverages and snacks, as well as roving refreshment carts on the course — both are cash only.

 

If you would like to play or bring a foursome or purchase a green/tee sign, please email Frank Gallagher.  Last year we had 80 golfers and this year we are shooting for 100.  The event is open to men and women, DMA members and their significant others and friends, and friends of At Home in Darien.  Checks for golf ($130 per person) and tee/green signs ($150 per sign) are to be made out to “Darien Men’s Association” and mailed to the Darien Men’s Association, 274 Middlesex Road, Darien, CT 06820, Attention: Dan Lew.  All net proceeds from the event will be passed through to At Home in Darien.

At Home in Darien is a non-profit organization based at Town Hall in Darien whose mission is empower seniors in Darien to stay in their homes and be safe, healthy and socially connected.  At Home provides services to seniors including transportation, shopping, light household chores that enable seniors to stay in their homes.  For more information on At Home in Darien, please visit its website, www.athomeindarien.org.

Darien Men’s Association

Hike Pine Creek Path, Westport, June 11, 2026

May 28, 2026 /

And when beauty speaks, the voice of all the gods
makes heaven drowsy with the harmony – (Shakespeare, sort of).

On Thursday, June 11, the Hale and Hearty Hikers will traverse an enchanting path in Westport that snakes beside Pine Creek. We will congregate at the end of Salt Meadow Road, where there is limited parking. Our trek takes us across two bridges and gently meanders to the end of a peninsula that separates the nature preserve from Long Island Sound. While your calorie burn on this one might be sub-optimal, your aesthetic appreciation will soar to great heights.

Per usual, carpoolers should meet at the DCA parking lot at 9:30 a.m. Please remember to park your vehicle in the back of the lot. For navigation purposes, use Salt Meadow Road as your destination. I have seen leashed dogs here frequently, so my assumption is that they are permitted.

Since you will not be huffing and puffing during this excursion, it is also an excellent opportunity to bring along a friend or relative with whom you have been meaning to talk. Post hike we will enjoy a repast at nearby Blackstones Grille, 2600 Post Road, Southport.

Alec Wiggin

Bowling May 12, 2026

May 15, 2026 /

Other commitments and vacation turned today’s session into the days of old — only eight bowlers — so we had two teams of four using only two sets of lanes.

All four bowlers on one team bowled above their averages, so you can figure out who won the team competition. The team of Frank, Alex, Woody and Linc bested Ed Schecter, Marty, Dave and Ben, winning the first two games big — by 88 and 101 pins. Undaunted, the losers went double-or-nothing and almost pulled it off when Frank got splits in three of the last four frames enroute to an ignominious 139 game; but alas, the losers came up 21 pins short and the winners each went home a dollar richer.

From an individual perspective, six bowlers were +. Marty was +3 after starting the day with a 4-bagger before coming back to earth. Frank was +9 and had a 501, thanks to the day’s only 200 at 204, but was dragged down by his ongoing trips to “Splitsville”. Ben was +13.  Woody was +14. Linc was +38, just missing a 400 series at 398 after slowing his ball speed to improve his control in the third game. But the bowler of the day was Alex, who had three triples on the day, his best game in a long time at 197 and a 522 series, +96. “Yeah, baby”!

Speaking of “Splitsville,” we had some fun talking about variations on songs that could be reimagined through a bowling lens. This led to me commenting about “The Last Train to Splitsville” and generating AI lyrics for which Marty created a music mix. It’s fun and the link is included below. Maybe Nutmeg should use it (although “The Last Train to Tenpinville” would be more appropriate for them).

Here’s  the link to “The Last Train to Splitsville” that you can cut and paste into your browser.

Bowling May 5, 2026

May 15, 2026 /

Given how empty Nutmeg seems now that the Tashua guys finished their season, it was good for us to have 13 bowlers today. Five of us bowled above average, although no one really lit it up for an entire series. Before we began bowling, Dave said to me: “I think I have a 150 in me today.” I asked him if that was for his series. . Then, Dave went out and bowled a 142 in his first game! While the rest of his morning wasn’t quite that good, he did manage a +25 on the day. After a slow start in the opener, Ed Sc finished at +5. Tom had the only 500 series at 514, and Ted had high game to start his day with a 185.

Our co-BoDs each hit a milestone. Steve broke 400 for the first time at 401 for +29. Woody had a 150 in his third game and was +37. And Alex finished with his best game in weeks with a 183 and was +45.

Frank continued his split-making magic, converting a 9-10 and a 3-10, while Tom converted a 5-7. And no session is complete without a BBS, which today came from Dave.

We started our day by serenading Ben Briggs, who has a birthday the next day. Wishing him many more.

April 28, 2026

May 15, 2026 /

Some weeks we have it and some weeks we don’t. Of 11 bowlers today, only three were above their Last 21 for the day.

Let’s start with our BoD, Ed Smith. With the day’s only 500 series, Ed’s 569 was +89. It was his fourth 500 series in a row. Along the way, he even converted a 6-7 split! Next, let’s mention Mike, who had a 376 series at +49. And then there was John, who’d been away for three weeks but came back to bowl a +9 series. We should also give a shout out to Woody, who was only 11 below his average but converted an amazing 3-7-9-10 split.

The photos below capture two other highlights from the day. First, was a unique game by Frank in game two. He had no open frames, despite leaving four splits — all of which he converted (2-7, 2-5-7, 3-10 and 4-5. He lost 25 pins from his score to end up with a 175, but, as the photo shows, he was pleased nonetheless. Ed Smith’s team was all smiles, as shown in the other photo taken by teammate Woody, when their team swept all three team games and walked away with a whole lot of quarters!

As for the rest of us, we couldn’t wait to get out of Nutmeg without getting hurt!

Bowling April 21, 2026

May 15, 2026 /

For the past few years, lanes 13/14 have given many of us fits. So, when the team of ESm/GG/BB/MR saw their names assigned to that pair, they probably grumbled. On this day, though, all four did reasonably well and the team even managed to win the first two team games. Ed Smith’s 515 series was +29. Ben got off to a great start and even a clunker for his third game could not keep him from a plus series at +12. Mike was right on his average. George had two good games before fading in the third. Somehow Ben’s 115 even managed to win a quarter from George in their third game head-to-head.

Frank’s team (FD/ESc/IW/DS) got off to a poor start in the first two games (except for today’s BoD) but recovered nicely, as both Frank and Ian had their best games of the morning and Dave had a plus day at +16. Tom’s team (TL/AG/SG/WS) got off to a decent start, but today’s “Mr. Anonymous” had his worst game and worst series in many a session (even though he converted a 5-8-10 split!). Tom managed two 200 games amidst that carnage and a 569 series (+18), but it wasn’t enough; nor was Steve’s +25 series.

Now for our BoD. A month ago, the Professor (Ed Sc), had a 650 series. Last week, he couldn’t break 400. Today, Ed’s roller coaster took him to a 509 series (+44). What made Ed’s series all the more excellent was his consistency. He was the only bowler of the day who had three good games! And this even while giving tips to Ian, who was initiating his brand new ball. Whatever attention Ian received, it did not seem to distract Ed one bit —.maybe it was even a case of “physician, heal thyself.”

Bowling April 14, 2026

May 15, 2026 /

Two recurring themes all season have been success following a layoff and wild swings from week to week. The pattern continued today for some of our 14 bowlers.

Our BoD was someone who I thought wasn’t even supposed to be in town this week. Not only did Marty announce last night that he would show up today — he really showed up today! His 516 series was +78 and paced his team to winning two of the three team games. Marty was helped by two of his teammates, Ed Smith and Tom, who also bowled well today. Ed finished with a 203 and a 529 series (+55). Tom started off with a 211 first game and finished with a 581 series (+35). Team member Mike also was +29, which enabled them to overcome a tough day by their fifth teammate, Mr. Anonymous, who was -83 for the day and -146 below his BoD day three weeks ago.

Ian, George and Ted continued their good bowling with +19, +10 and +1 days. Ian’s 379 series was his high for the season. Their team managed to win game two. Woody also had a good day at +18, which was achieved while his teammates stunk up the joint for two hours. That included last week’s BoD, who was -177 below last week for his worst performance since 2024 and the prior week’s BoD, who was -251 pins below his phenomenal bowling that day. Talk about wild swings!

We had some excitement during the poker game, including Ian having a hand with four queens and two kings!

Tom filled his quarter container by winning all three hands at his table. Our split conversion of the day goes to Bill, who ma

de a 5-7. Speaking of splits, Marty’s team got bitten in game two with 12 splits, only to be outdone by Frank’s team, which had 15 splits in game three. As Marty said, “There’s enough red up on the scoreboard to decorate a small Christmas tree!

 

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