The weather outside may be frightful, but the Lyme/Old Lyme Auxiliary of Child & Family Agency has just the thing to warm you up: The Defroster, a party with festive drinks, great eats, and live music, at the Cooley Gallery on Friday February 8 from 6 to 9 pm!

Come in from the cold and nibble on delicious and abundant hors d'oeuvres from Coffee's Country Market. How does this sound? Oven roasted turkey and cranberry chutney baguettes; wild mushroom tartlets; bourbon cocktail meatballs; sundried tomato mini-quiches; chicken sate with peanut sauce — and that's just a sampling! Plus assorted cookies and brownies, and chocolates from The Chocolate Shell! Sip on your favorite beer or wine, or warm up with a special seasonal drink, while you take in the outstanding art work at the Cooley Gallery.

The Gallery has mounted a selection of Connecticut art from 1830 to 2013, just for this event.

Proceeds from The Defroster benefit the capital projects and services of Child & Family Agency of SE Connecticut. So you can eat, drink, and enjoy — and do something good for the community at the same time!

Tickets for The Defroster are $50 each, and can be obtained in advance at www.childandfamilyagency.org, or by calling (860) 434-7555. Or purchase at the door on February 8. The Cooley Gallery is located at 25 Lyme Street, Old Lyme.