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Barrington Community School |
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Upcoming OVERNIGHT trips & EXCURSIONS |
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CHRISTMAS in the BRANDYWINE VALLEY Saturday-Sunday, December 13-14 Holiday inspiration abounds at the sites we’ll visit on this encore tour of the beautiful Brandywine Valley. A rare Christmas opening of Nemours, a modified Louis XVI French chateau built for Alfred I. DuPont, begins our weekend of refinement, beauty and art, as we visit the most exquisite sites of this historic area. This opulent mansion contains 102 rooms, with priceless antique furnishings, Oriental rugs, painted, ornate screens, carved and gold-leafed adorned ceilings and sparkling chandeliers. Guided tours at Winterthur, the Dupont mansion which has become the world’s premier decorative arts showplace, will showcase elegant holiday decorations and floral arrangements. The Brandywine River Museum’s fabulous train display, critters designed by Anne Wyeth from natural materials and the unparalleled collection of works by three generations of Wyeths will be on display. A highlight of our tour will be an evening visit to experience the breath-taking magic of “Christmas at Longwood Gardens,” where the grounds turn into a Winter Wonderland of thousands of twinkling lights, magical fountains and its famous conservatory, recently restored and enlarged, abloom with 4 acres of poinsettias, cyclamen and exquisitely decorated trees.
Included in the trip fee are overnight accommodations at the Hilton Garden Inn, a first-class hotel conveniently located near Longwood Gardens, Saturday evening dinner at the charming Mendenhall Inn, Sunday morning breakfast, baggage handling, all admissions and tours as specified to all sites noted, BCS escort, motorcoach transportation and driver tip. Offered by BCS in co-sponsorship with the Barrington Garden Club. FEE: $280 per person double occupancy; single supplement is $60. A deposit of $150 is required with registration and is refundable until November 1, less a $25 cancellation penalty. The balance of fees will be due November 1. Cancellations received after this date will be refunded less any monies already expended to hotels, tickets, etc. on the registrant’s behalf.
Bella Italia at The Philadelphia Flower Show plus the Orchid Show at the NY Botanical Garden! Thursday-Friday, March 5-6, 2009 Turn your winter into spring with BCS and the Barrington Garden Club as we once again jointly celebrate an annual favorite: the Philadelphia Flower Show, the oldest flower show and the largest indoor horticultural display in the world. The landscapes, gardens and culture of Italy, which have enchanted visitors and artists for centuries, will serve as inspiration for the 2009 theme, “Bella Italia.” The show will be a celebration of the natural beauty, art, food, music and people of Italy. The Entrance Garden of the show will capture the majesty of ancient Rome with its formal gardens of statuary, topiary, manicured hedges and tiered plantings. Show exhibitors will also pay tribute to the many distinctive regions and cities of Italy, including Milan and its fashion district, as seen through innovative floral designs; The Lake Region, characterized by its lush estates and countryside; Venice, the floating city, experienced through dancing fountains, cobblestone and glistening glass; and the Italian Riviera, the resort paradise of San Remo, evoked in a flower-filled dreamscape. Other cities featured will include Florence, heart of the Renaissance, with gardens that interpret the art of Michelangelo and Botticelli; the Tuscany region’s terraced vineyards, wildflowers and olive trees; the fascinating beauty of the Amalfi Coast and sunny gardens of Sicily. The country’s top landscape and floral designers will expand on the Italian theme with a variety of gardens and creations that evoke the Italian way of life, complete with cypress and palm trees, courtyard containers and cascading urns. Thousands of flower-arranging enthusiasts will compete for the coveted blue ribbon in a multitude of categories, including a new Fashion District of Italian-inspired handbags, shoes, dresses and jewelry.
Gardening know-how and ideas are at the forefront of what the Show does best, and exhibitors will provide attendees with an endless array of tips and techniques to create their own dream garden at home. Exhibits will emphasize the importance of greening, and will demonstrate state-of-the-art, sustainable techniques in urban, suburban and rural environments. Entertainment will include operatic performances, strolling mandolin players, folk dancers and costumed actors reminiscent of those found throughout the piazzas of Italy. “Bella Italia” also will highlight the strong ties between Italy and the Philadelphia region, with its great Italian-American community and heritage, fine restaurants and, of course, Philadelphia’s lively Italian Market.
More than 140 marketplace vendors, a food court, and free demonstrations and lectures complement the floral displays. Because of the immensity of this show and morning crowds, we have, by repeated popular request, purchased tickets for both Thursday evening and Friday; the price of both admission tickets is reflected in the total price of the trip. The price of the Thursday night ticket will not be deducted from the trip fee for those not wishing to attend at night, as we have purchased a total package from our local tour operator and portions of the package not utilized are not refundable.
On the drive to Philadelphia, we’ll stop mid-way to wander through the mesmerizing world of The Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden, featuring hundreds of plants from their more than 5,000-specimen collection; after lunch, which is included, it’s on to Philadelphia, where we’ll overnight at the Hilton Garden Inn, just across the street from the Flower Show. Following a full American breakfast at the hotel, our second day will be devoted entirely to the Philadelphia Flower Show, after which we will return to RI, with a dinner stop en route home. Included in the trip fee are overnight accommodations at the Hilton Garden Inn, lunch on Thursday and Friday morning breakfast, baggage handling, 2-day admission tickets to the flower show, admission to the NY Botanical Garden, BCS escort, motorcoach transportation and driver tip. FEE: $325 per person based on double occupancy; single supplement is $100. Triple rate is $300. A deposit of $125 is required with registration and is refundable until January 12, less a $25 cancellation penalty. The balance of fees will be due February 1. Cancellations made after that date will be refunded, less any monies already expended to hotels, museums, etc. on the registrant’s behalf. Registrations received after February 1 will be accepted on a space-available basis only.
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Here are a few of the offerings for 2008 |
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Educating, entertaining and enriching the lives of those in RI and Southeastern MA for over 30 years! |
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BCS Office PO Box 256, Barrington, RI 02806 (401) 245-0432 Fax: (401) 247-0325 barrcomm@bcs.necoxmail.com |