EXHIBITION TIP

Chairs By Design: Making the Cut

Through Sunday

Mystic Museum of Art, 9 Water St., Mystic

You’ll feel like Goldilocks when you see this exhibition of custom-made — and wildly imaginative — chairs at the Mystic Museum of Art. The exhibition is in partnership with Centerbrook Architects & Planners, as a presentation of their Chairshop project. These ingenious creations are fun enough to look at, but visitors are encouraged to sit in them, too. A couple of the chairs look as though they were inspired by the smooth undulations of waves. Others boast clean, straight lines, or beautifully carved designs. Amazingly, they are all pretty comfortable — even the ones you wouldn’t expect to be. See “Chairs By Design” at MMoA while you can, because the show is only up through Sunday. Hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

– Kristina Dorsey

READ TIP

For Love of Sentences

Frank Bruni newsletter

Bruni is an opinion columnist for the New York Times. His pieces are typically political and are stridently leftist. HOWEVER. In an addendum to his Thursday columns, he runs a section called “For Love of Sentences” where he curates nominations from readers on wonderfully crafted (and frequently hilarious) sentences from articles, books, essays and various written-word sources across the globe. These are NOT necessarily political but are consistently joyous reminders of what a pleasure it is to read superb writing. Last week, as an example, included this contribution from Minneapolis Star Tribute writer James Lileks, trying to describe his attempt to use a snowblower as a slush blower: “I pushed it into the drift, and it was like trying to eat a thick, wet pillow with your dentures out.” Routinely fantastic stuff. Sign up at frankbruni.com.

– Rick Koster

FOOD TIP

Garlic knots

Castello of Niantic, 11 East Pattagansett Road, Niantic

I ordered the special at Castello not long ago. It was a sumptuous Cajun salmon served with spinach and artichoke risotto ($27). And as yummy as that was, I kept being drawn to the garlic knots that the waitress brought as part of the restaurant’s regular welcome. So garlicky. So buttery. So damned good. It’s funny, too, that I’ve noticed a lot of restaurants don’t serve bread anymore when you’re waiting for your entrée. I love that Castello not only DOES serve pre-meal carbs but does it in a irresistible garlic-knot form.

– Kristina Dorsey