From the big screen to the hot griddle: Bradley Cooper brings Philly cheesesteaks to NYC

News 12's Paper Football Super Bowl IX in Copiague

Popular Williamsburg restaurant set to open doors after closing for 5 months due to fire

Canine Companions pair pups with people they were born to help

Chris Sarandon brings 'Cooking By Heart' podcast to Sacred Heart University Community Theatre

Main Street Connecticut: Showcasing the best food and drinks in Norwalk for the Super Bowl

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Brian Heyman

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From the secret door hidden behind a bookcase, there are two very small bedrooms, including the desk and diary where Anne chronicled life in that cramped attic in Amsterdam hidden from the Nazis. Even if you've visited Anne's original home, you'll continue to learn about her life here. First of all, we hope that people will learn about Ann's life from her early childhood years. The forced move to the Netherlands in 1933, 1934. You'll see dozens of personal items and a recreation of Ann's kitchen, including appliances during the two years the Franks lived in hiding. We don't Ann's diary has been translated into 70 languages with over 30 million copies sold, and Story is an account for all to learn about the Holocaust. It shows us what anti-Semitism has done to her, and not just to her, to millions and millions of others. Anne Frank was taken to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany. She died from typhus in spring 1945 in Union Square. I'm Julie Chan, News 12.

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Well, in this week's road trip close to home, we are taking you to a very unique horse stable, giving sanctuary to animals in need. Here's News 12's Nikita Ramos. Stories of strength and healing define this idyllic land in Dover Plains. 50 horses rescued from neglect and abuse now thrive here among more than 40 acres. It's no wonder this nonprofit is called Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue. We welcome the horses that are missing eyes. We welcome the horses with broken legs. We welcome the broken horses. We're very unique in that we're a sanctuary. We don't adopt them out and when you sign up for a tour, you'll go behind the stables of this special sanctuary, get a guided tour around the whole farm, get to meet all of the horses, and you'll go paddock to paddock. You'll learn about our schedules, our programs, each of the horses, the education is, is limitless. Feeding these horses, that's a job in itself. There are 50 buckets here, one for each of the horses, and these tours will give you an inside look into what goes into making these horses happy and healthy. We'll actually bring you right into the feed room. You can see how the grain is made, what medications they're on. We go through 10,000 pounds of hay a week. It's, it's physical, it's emotional, um, but it's, it's super rewarding, especially when you're learning the unique path each horse has. To get here, you'll hear inspiring stories of how their gentle nature can help heal in the darkest of times. A road trip close to home to a place where people help horses, heal people in Dover Plains. Nikita Ramos uses 12. An Akita, thank you such a special place. Be sure to join us tonight for a full half hour of amazing road trip ideas, including a spot in Westchester County where kids of all ages can step into a world of adventure. You could ride roller coasters and so much more at the safari themed family arcade. So don't miss Road Trip Close to Home airing tonight at 7 and again at 9:30. I can't wait to show you what the Tri-State has to offer only right here on News 12.

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Two sneaker enthusiasts are sharing their love of footwear with the community. News 12 Connecticut's Justin Devella says you'll get a real kick out of their story. Most people are walking around outside barefoot at Kicksmith studio in Norwalk. Kicksmith is a place where people can unleash their creativity. Every sneaker, everybody loves the Air Jordan 1, the Air Jordan 3 tells a story. You know, it ends up inadvertently being the thing that unites us all. Co-founders Matt Smith and Greg Self are sneakerheads. You're looking at sneakers, you're you're you're smelling the. When you get them, you may go to sleep with the sneakers on. Who've turned their passion. I remember having jobs in high school, like literally just working to get sneakers into a unique business. I did use some of that navy blue nationally. There's nothing like this, right? There are some similar things on the west coast, but not to the extent that we're doing it, offering classes and private events where pros guide you on your journey to creating a custom pair of sneakers. We have the paints, we have the materials, we have fabrics, we have paint markers. We've had, you know, every age from 6 to 60, right in here you'll see artists, um, you'll see, uh, football players with, with custom cleats, NBA players with custom cleats, soccer players. One of the most rewarding things about, you know, doing this is having people come in for the first time and go, I'm not creative. I don't do anything like this, or if you see a. Little kid who's a little apprehensive when he first comes in and then literally 2 hours into the experience he's got this brand new you know work of art that he did for himself or she did for herself and they throw them on their feet and they start running around the studio and it's like they get this charge of like confidence and energy. In Norwalk. To watch people walk out happy is everything. I'm Justin Develi, News 12 Connecticut. Now that is high stepping. You could bring all types of footwear too, not just sneakers. The founders say they eventually, um, eventually they are hoping to franchise and we hope so too. So for more information, visit our website at newstwelve.com.

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Well, winter is the perfect season to get out on an ice adventure, and this week's road trip close to home, News 12 photojournalist Laurie Goliath teams up with naturalist Mark Fowler of the Explorers Club to discover the history of ice harvesting in Litchfield. It's a pretty special place. This is uh the White Memorial Foundation and Conservation Center. I'm naturalist Mark Fowler, and today we are learning about the incredible history of ice harvesting here on Bantam Lake. Bantam Lake is the largest natural lake in Connecticut. Yeah, we're heading out towards the lake. So we have 4000 acres and um this is an important wildlife refuge as well. It's a very easy hike and there's lots of artifacts that you can see along the way. When you're out on your hike, you're gonna come across these concrete ruins that represent a very important part of history. And so a lot of questions get conjured and raised. It's so like, what was this? So this was the support structure for a giant conveyor belt. When they learn about it, it takes them back into time because you can compare the historical photographs with the with what remains, and you can kind of piece together this puzzle. I was the first refrigerators. They were just coming out here harvesting as much ice as fast as possible, and this was a very short season, 4 to 6 weeks. And then the rest of the year was just getting the ice out of the ice house and onto the train and down to the city. While we're here checking out the ice house trail, I'm gonna get a demonstration on how to harvest ice. It's really simple. The the tools do all the work. The water sort of lubricates the saw. They were really interested in. High quality ice. Now, they would want maybe like a good foot thick. I was not just used for refreshment or refrigeration. It was also used to keep a patient who was in a fever to cool cool down their body. So the first tool I used to make a hole in the ice, it's a, it's an ice ax. The next tool that we used was the saw. Then we use the tongs and the tongs are kind of cool. They kind of clamp on. Give it a try. Well, the winter is just one of those seasons that's like anything else. We should be embracing it. This is Connecticut. We should be enjoying our winters. That's right. We've had an amazing winter adventure here hiking around the trails, bundle up and don't be afraid to get out there. There's lots of things to do, even though it's cold out. You know, we should be realizing that winter is just part of our lives. Now a special guided hike and demonstration will take place on February 8th for information on how to reserve or how to visit White Memorial, head over to news twelve.com.

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Would you believe one of the largest private collections of sports memorabilia in the country is in South Jersey? News Twelve's Amanda Eustace takes us to Gloucester County. Here's Road Trip close to home. Welcome to the Depache Sports Museum of Champions. This is a large collection of artifacts, approximately 5000 pieces. In the beginning it started off as just baseball and then it evolved into boxing, football, basketball, and eventually all sports like you see today. Sports is a way of bridging generations together. It started with my grandfather. He collected cards with my dad. Then when I was born, my grandpa would sit with me at the table and we would go through the card sets. We would put them in order in the binders, and that was kind of a way to bond through the generations with the three of us. Well this is a great place because when people see things from the past it comes alive. It's living history sports is tangible. It's something that uh you could see you could feel. This is Lou Gehrig's actual trophy. Do you wanna hold it? Sure thing. There you go. That's from 1932. Sports offers kids the opportunity to learn about teamwork, about dedication, and that they can achieve whatever goals they put their mind to and coming here hopefully will be an inspiration to those kids that they too can be a champion in whichever walk of life they choose.

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this morning we're taking you on a road trip close to home in Brooklyn Heights. The news Caitlin Ulrich visited the art of play where you can see the magic of reality. For 3 months, Art of Play's Curiosity shop on Atlantic Avenue. It really is floating there. You can take it right out of the air. And chance every visitor. It's endless. In this shop, everything is magical and nothing has a trick. The more you learn about any of these objects, the more magical they become. And every toy or puzzle you see. I love that. It's a chance to see the world differently. The store has other ways to fill you with awe too. Yeah, so there may or may not be a hidden theater in the Curiosity shop. I've heard rumors, but I'm not at liberty to confirm. Every Friday and Saturday there are up close magic shows featuring world renowned artists, and there are only 18 seats. What might you learn here? Well, magic isn't always about tricks. Well, the feeling of magic is so often associated with children, this childlike wonder, and the truth is we'd all have richer inner lives if we could experience that wonder more often. It's about remembering the art of play in Brooklyn Heights, Hitlin Ulbrich, News 12. OK, that last thing was a little creepy there.

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Well, Long Island just leveled up its pickleball game with the opening of a new facility in Riverhead, and this's answer at Peordi. She was there. She brings us to Box Pickleball in Riverhead on this week's road trip close to home. We're here at Box Pickleball and Riverhead, and whether you're an amateur or professional, let's grab a paddle and hit the court. Pickleball boasts 9 state of the art indoor courts in eastern Suffolk. We wanted to make it embracing and fun and electric and inviting. And I really think we nailed it. So I'm here for my first lesson in pickle ball. I've never played before, and joining me right now is Scott Green. He is the head instructor here, and you're going to show me how to play. We're going to start off with the most important stroke or part of pickle ball. It's the dink and all it is is a little push. You don't want to get the ball over the net and give your opponent an unattackable ball. There it is. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm not kidding. That's very good, very, very good. Are you just saying that? No, I'm not. I'm not. Box Pickleball offers lessons, clinics, tournaments, leagues, and open play. This is a lot of fun. I see why it's catching on. Good, good game on this road trip close to home at Box Pickleball in Riverhead, Antoinette Fior News 12.

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Your Road Trip Close to Home adventure guide for Feb. 13

Here's a look at all the great spots to hit from this week's episode of Road Trip Close to Home.

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From the big screen to the hot griddle: Bradley Cooper brings Philly cheesesteaks to NYC

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Canine Companions pair pups with people they were born to help

Chris Sarandon brings 'Cooking By Heart' podcast to Sacred Heart University Community Theatre

Main Street Connecticut: Showcasing the best food and drinks in Norwalk for the Super Bowl

From the big screen to the hot griddle: Bradley Cooper brings Philly cheesesteaks to NYC

News 12's Paper Football Super Bowl IX in Copiague

Popular Williamsburg restaurant set to open doors after closing for 5 months due to fire

Canine Companions pair pups with people they were born to help

Chris Sarandon brings 'Cooking By Heart' podcast to Sacred Heart University Community Theatre

Main Street Connecticut: Showcasing the best food and drinks in Norwalk for the Super Bowl

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