September/October 2021 by bedfordnewcanaanmag

SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2021

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BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

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A NOTE FROM OUR

PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Casey’s Tunic is from a new local company, NicoBlu

PHOTOGRAPHY: FRANCES ISAAC

...And the beat goes on...in this September/October 2021 ‘culture-centric’ issue of Bedford & New Canaan Magazine!

When we acquired the title a little over a year ago, we hoped to attract exceptionally interesting and sometimes famous locals to be featured, and imagined that we could even - over time and after landing key superstar features like Martha Stewart (Nov/Dec 2020) - begin to identify folks who fit the bill and who’ve been living amongst us with less notice. Quite to the point are the biographical features we’re very proud to include in this issue: our cover feature on Joshua Bell and Larisa Martinez, and our features on Thomas and Marianne Davies, Cathy Kangas, and David Worby. Although you won’t ever hear him say it about himself, Joshua Bell is the #1 classical violinist in the world, and we consider getting him and his newlywed wife, opera star Larisa Martinez, as our B&NC Mag cover feature, to be the perfect example of introducing our audience to local giants - and whom you may never had known were also local. The Davies have a world-class art collection hidden away in their home - and only a small number of aficionados would know the Davies’ story, or about the collection, or that they and it reside in New Canaan. Cathy Kangus is the founder and CEO of PRAI Beauty and a noted philanthropist and animal rights advocate and activist. And while David Worby is distinguished for having represented over 10,000 plaintiffs recovering damages suffered from exposure to Ground Zero toxins, and well known as one of the top personal injury attorneys in the region - we’re thrilled to introduce you to this renaissance man and his life in full, and give you a glimpse of his local residence. We’re grateful for your time, attention and mindshare, and are seriously focused on B&NC Mag’s ‘Always Local / Always Positive’ mission. Again and again we’re hearing you read the magazine cover-to-cover, that you enjoy reading a print magazine, that the print experience lends itself to a deeper read than digital sources of information, and that B&NC Mag has that most treasured spot on your coffee table. We’re truly honored and we’re thrilled to be doing this! Bedford & New Canaan Magazine is mailed to every household in New Canaan, Armonk, Bedford, Pound Ridge and Waccabuc and to select households in Bedford Hills, Katonah, Mt. Kisco, Pleasantville, North Salem and South Salem. All issues are available online at bedfordnewcanaanmag.com And please follow our Instagram @bedfordnewcanaanmag - the largest locally focused Instagram in the area. Sincerely,

CASEY KAPLAN

President 10

BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

MICHAEL KAPLAN

Publisher

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BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

The inevitable evolution of wealth management. We’re changing the game. Why? We’re changing the game. Why? Because you deserve it. Because you deserve it.

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www.newedgewealth.com www.newedgewealth.com S E P T / O C T 2 0 2 1

NewEdge Wealth is a division of NewEdge Capital Group, LLC. Investment advisory services offered through NewEdge Wealth, LLC, a registered adviser. Securities offeredLLC. through Mid Atlantic Capital Corporation, member FINRA/SIPC. NewEdge Wealth is ainvestment division of NewEdge Capital Group, Investment advisory services offered through NewEdge Wealth, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Securities offered through Mid Atlantic Capital Corporation, member FINRA/SIPC.

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S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R

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p . 2 2 JERMAR p . 3 0 DAVID WORBY

Local designer, Jeanne Collins, completely redefines a New Canaan family’s living space.

The RENAISSANCE MAN

Worby is distinguished for having represented over 10,000 plaintiffs injured by exposure to toxins at the World Trade Center, and renowned as one of the nation’s leading personal injury attorneys. But, it is that beyond David’s professional success which makes him truly and roundly interesting and exceptional. David is a philanthropist with important charitable works focused in the B&NC Mag community, and an accomplished musician, composer, playwright, screenwriter, poet, and radio talk show host.

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AMERICAN ROADSCHOOL:

A Bedford family adventures across the United States in an RV during the global pandemic

“So in late summer 2020, amid the escalating COVID-19 pandemic and with the threat of another year of remote school and work, my husband, Murray, and I, decided to pull our three kids out of school, buy an RV, and hit the open road. As long as we had to quarantine at home, we might as well make it a mobile one.”

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WEDDINGS KYMBERLY WEINER & TODD GLAZER LINDSAY BRADSELL & CODY POTVIN

DETERMINED:

An Entrepreneur’s Story of Brand-Building and Activism

Cathy Kangas is the Founder and CEO of PRAI Beauty, the producer of a complete collection of remarkably successful targeted products designed to help lift, firm, brighten and tighten skin. Cathy is also a noted philanthropist and animal rights advocate and activist...which is a job unto itself.

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THE NEW SEASON @ CARAMOOR: Katonah’s World-Class Cultural Destination

With another impressive upcoming Fall-Spring 2021-2022 Season line-up, and with partnerships as prestigious as their long-running collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center led by Wynton Marsalis, Caramoor is back in business, and proving better than ever!

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Old Town Barns Crafted with Care in the Equine Tradition

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HORIZONS

p . 8 9 JOSHUA BELL & LARISA MARTINEZ

GIOIOSO to be played with joy INSIEMI together

Joshua Bell is among the greatest classical violinists - ever, and has added Musical Director of his cherished Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Orchestra to his repertoire; Larisa Martinez is an opera star who has performed at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall and toured with tenor Andrea Bocelli. The couple were married on the front lawn of their Bedford-area home in October 2019, and were busy during the pandemic getting ready to perform again.

p . 1 0 3 THERE WILL BE LOBSTER BOOK REVIEW

Author and local, Sara Arnell, has just released the quick, interesting and ultimately uplifting novel: There Will Be Lobster, Memoirs of a Midlife Crisis. Sara’s daughter, Lily, provides an introduction to the book and some key excerpts.

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THE HAMMOND

The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden; quite literally, a cultural oasis - tucked away in North Salem - has reopened! Celebrating the Garden’s 60th Anniversary and featuring interesting art exhibitions in the Museum, the Hammond is a definite stop on any museum tour of Westchester...or for a very special picnic lunch.

p . 1 1 8 THOMAS & MARIANNE DAVIES

& New Canaan’s HIDDEN museum of American art

Tom and Marianne Davies have spent a lifetime amassing an impressive collection of American Art - that’s displayed, as if in a museum and stacked three or four high on every wall of the house, in their New Canaan home.

p . 1 2 9 THE RAVEIS RIDE + WALK & the William Raveis Charitable Fund

William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage and Insurance and the Raveis family have long been committed to funding cancer-related charities. Under Bill’s leadership as Chairman and CEO, along with his sons Chris and Ryan as co-presidents, William Raveis Real Estate has grown exponentially, but its strong ethos, rooted in family values and supporting their communities, has never wavered. The Raveis’s William Raveis Charitable Fund is primarily focused on funding cutting-edge cancer research institutions.

p . 1 3 7 EDUCATION SECTION 16

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CONTR I B U TO RS MICHAEL KAPLAN is the Publisher of B&NC Mag, and a real estate developer and broker, attorney, and entrepreneur.

BARBARA ACCETTA is a content creator and former senior executive in public relations. She currently resides in Waccabuc and is the mom of two strong and sassy little girls. In this issue, Barbara shines a spotlight on some of our area’s most dynamic private day schools and what makes each unique.

CASEY KAPLAN is the President of B&NC Mag. Before returning to Pound Ridge, where she grew up, Casey spent eight years in New Orleans, and also runs the account, @NOLAgourmand.

EMILY FISHER is a Bedford mom and photographer. In late summer 2020, in the midst of the escalating pandemic, Emily and her husband pulled their three kids out of school, bought an RV, and hit the road - on the trip of a lifetime.

SUE DECHIARA, is the B&NC Mag Homes Editor, a New Canaan local, and the founder of @zhush, a homes-focused Instagram and blog with over 150k followers.

LILY ARNELL grew up in Katonah and is a writer, editor, artist and musician. She is currently earning her MFA in Fiction at Sarah Lawrence College. In this issue, Lily introduces her mother’s new book, There Will Be Lobster.

DREW BORDEAUX, B&NC Mag Arts & Culture Editor, is a photographer and musician, who plays 8 instruments, including guitar and violin, and who, before covid, performed over 100 shows per year. Drew is a Fox Lane and Harvard graduate, and lives locally with his wife, Tammy.

ISAIAH BIEN AIME is a proud Haitian-American, and former Horizon’s student at the New Canaan Country School, and current Board member. He recently launched his own business focused on helping entrepreneurs design and develop scalable business models.

JOHN FISHER is a communications expert, having founded and run InterMedia Communications and The Learning Partnership, a magazine focused on adolescent health. John recently found the Hammond Museum and took an interest in helping to spread the word about this community asset.

EMMA GRIFFITHS is the B&NC Mag Art Director, and an enthusiast of all things design. Emma is a Fine Art & Graphic Design graduate and has worked in the design industry for over 6 years.

GET IN TOUCH For advertising inquiries, please reach out to: advertising@bedfordnewcanaanmag.com For general inquiries, or to subscribe to the magazine if you are not already receiving a copy, please reach out to: info@bedfordnewcanaanmag.com We would love to feature local’s or local weddings! Please let us know if you or someone in your family wants to celebrate with us: info@bedfordnewcanaanmag.com DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW OUR INSTAGRAM: @BedfordNewCanaanMag 18

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INVENTORY IS LOW AND B UYER DEMAND IS HIGH Buyers are anxiously waiting for new inventory. • • •

Byram Hills has only 1.91 months of inventory Chappaqua .87 months of inventory Bedford 3.06 months of inventory

What distinguishes the homes that sell, from those that don’t? Thinking of selling? Contact me to discuss the unique properties of your home. AMY SINGER Real Estate Salesperson M 914.772.3526 ASinger@houlihanlawrence.com amysingerhomes.com

Source: OKMLS 1/1/20-12/31/20, total dollar volume of single family homes sold by Houlihan Lawrence agent, Byram Hills school district, OKMLS, total dollar volume sold, by agent, Westchester County. OKMLS, 1/1/21 - 7/31/21, single family homes, Byram Hills school dist., Chappaqua school dist, and Bedford school dist.

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MAKING SPACE-

An Open Concept Family Room Re-Imagined in New Canaan BY Sue Dechiara, B&NC Mag Homes Editor PHOTOGRAPHY: JANE BEILES

Jeanne Collins, of JerMar Designs, is an outstanding local designer, known for her ability to completely reimagine a space. ...So when a New Canaan family approached her about a BEDFORD & NEWchallenge. CANAAN 2 3 big redesign of their large family ‘great’ room, Jeanne was excited to take on the S E P T / O C T

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JerMar Designs

The family wanted to transform their old-fashioned, yellow, ‘den’, located adjacent to the kitchen, with heavy dark wood features and a big brown sectional sofa, into a white, modern, and very zen space, which would still be inviting and comfortable. The room needed to be beautiful, but also durable enough to withstand the family’s three active kids, ranging in age from elementary to high school, and an adorable dog.

The family had lived in their home for several years, but previously focused on changing structural components of the house. They hired JerMar Designs to embark on this transformation of the main space in their home interior. And in just six months, JerMar completed the mission, creating serene and functional open-concept space complete with a loft and bar and an eat-in dining area.

It was important for the family to have lots of plush seating and plenty of TV viewing spots. The space can comfortably seat ten.

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JERMAR DESIGNS

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All of the walls, ceilings and beams were painted super white to brighten up the space and allow for a clean-feeling color palette. The floors, handrails and stairs were stained a combination stain which has both gray and brown in it to keep the floors warm, pull out the gray in the stone fireplace, and also compliment the brown stained floors in the adjacent rooms. Flanking the fireplace, two new large windows were installed to provide fabulous views to the back property, as well as adding balance around the fireplace. The windows, French doors and their trim were painted semi-gloss black for a modern look. The new rug is larger to take advantage of the spacious room which allows for a larger seating area. In addition, the rug materials are soft, durable and comfortable, enabling children to lay on the floor while watching TV. All of the furniture has rounded edges to provide a safe space for the younger ones. There is a custom oversized ottoman in the center of the room which can be used to prop up feet or be a place to put a drink or plate. All of these furnishings were custom made using stain resistant and Crypton fabrics that can withstand the heavy use of this family! The family has already put the furniture to the test with dirt, chocolate, ketchup, and Gatorade.

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BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

JerMar Designs

The plywood shelving surrounding the bar and the sitting area was removed and was replaced with bespoke shelving for bottles as well as a custom designed built-in that houses glassware, additional beverages, and games.

The completely satisfied client summed up how the new space feels perfectly, “I never realized how stressed the yellow made me feel. The final room transformation has resulted in a modern, sleek and luxurious space where we now congregate. We worked with JerMar to design the new room to be lived in, used and enjoyed by our growing family, and it worked - we love the room and now spend most of our time together in this great space!” 26

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JERMAR DESIGNS

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DAVID WORBY

Renaissance the

BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

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Man

BY Michael Kaplan

PHOTOGRAPHY: FRANCES ISAAC

Portraying David Worby today, is like taking a snapshot of a great and glorious sailing vessel whilst idle at sea, in the moments just before her sails snap tawt as they find a new wind. Worby’s in a blue period following the death of his wife in January, after a decade-long battle with cancer. But in the larger and longer view, Worby is a true renaissance man, with a lifetime of achievement, and a lifetime yet to come. David was married to Cynthia Worby Nero, who is now a yoga instructor and healer living in Sante Fe; they were divorced in 1995, and they have three children; Jess, now 35; Rebecca, now 33, and; Sam, now 30. In 2010, David married Melanie Carol Grossman, a graduate of Princeton, Harvard and Yale and the doctor who invented laser hair removal. She first felt ill right after their honeymoon, and cancer was a constant during their marriage until her death at age 58. He lives in extreme comfort in Bedford in an expansive English Manor home, complete with pool, pool house, and a tennis court - and staff - on 14 acres, across the street from Glen Arbor Golf Club, where he is a member...but he hasn’t golfed since Melanie passed. He’s been slow to resume spending time at his home in Ft. Lauderdale or his apartment on 66th and Central Park West. He has and feels his kids’ support, and the encouragement of his many friends, and he’s eased back into the routine he’s had for the last twenty-five years or so of going to work -three days a week- at his law firm, now known as Worby Vecchio & Edelman...but he is lonely and sad, and struggling to re-discover his joie de vivre.

Worby is most famous for having represented over 10,000 plaintiffs suffering from illnesses relating to their exposure at Ground Zero following the 9/11 attack. S E P T / O C T

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He took the case of NYPD Detective and former Fox Lane Hockey Coach, John Wolcott, who had worked on the clean-up at Ground Zero and the Fresh Kill Landfill and had developed leukemia as a result of the exposure. Worby pursued the case when it was considered unpatriotic to question how Christine Todd Whitman as Commissioner of the Environmental Protection Agency and Rudy Guliani as Mayor of New York had directed and managed the response and the responders. With no medical background, he defied the popular wisdom and hunted down the scientific evidence linking Ground Zero exposure to the cancers and other illnesses this class of plaintiffs was suffering. And against all odds, having to overcome significant legal hurdles bringing a suit for actual and anticipated damages against the City of New York and the EPA, and having to personally invest tens of millions in time and expenses in an all-out bet on the outcome; Worby’s firm has recovered almost a billion dollars for its Ground Zero plaintiffs, and was instrumental in the adoption of the Zadroga Act, which established a federal fund to help the broader class of Ground Zero victims. “When I took John Wolcott’s case it was against all odds. Some workers were sick, but people didn’t understand, yet, that a lot of people were going to die from exposure at Ground Zero and at the Fresh Kills Landfill, and that the City’s negligence in the process was directly accountable. I had to learn everything about the diseases, and something called ‘cross accelerant toxicological behaviors’, the Fireman Cancer Presumption Studies, and about latency periods, and then I established the scientific and legal nexus between the toxic exposure and the illnesses. It took years to convince the public and the Courts, and even all the plaintiffs, what had happened and why. When I’m gone, I hope my kids will recall how I persevered tirelessly in pursuit of justice for my clients. The best part of all of it is the many men and women who got checked earlier because of our efforts and were maybe able to treat their ailment sooner, and of course the 10,000 families who’ve been helped.”

BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

Rarely does a lawyer get to play the part of hero, and even less are there such noble outcomes as Worby’s Ground Zero wins, and particularly in what is usually considered the less than glamorous field of personal injury law. Worby originally came to Westchester County straight out of Law Review at Villanova Law School, choosing to practice law with a small firm in White Plains where he would immediately start taking his own cases to court, over big law firm offers in big cities where it would be years before he would have his own clients. Only three years later, already gaining notice in the courtroom and in and around the Westchester business community, Worby started out on his own. He quickly grew two eponymous firms employing up to 30 lawyers and staff (and bought an office building in downtown White Plains to house the operations): one firm dedicated to personal injury practice and wellknown for getting highest-ever verdicts for workers and such things as representing the victims in the neighborhood of the Paraco I-287 gas truck explosion in the 1980s, and; one firm with an impressive corporate and real estate practice, with clients including Cappelli, Robert Martin, and various banks. By the late 1980’s, Worby, still only in his thirties, was established as one of the most successful attorneys in the area. Worby was always the golden boy - professionally and personally - blessed with extreme intelligence, exceptional communication skills, and a debonaire personality. In 1995, David tacked. He divorced from his first wife and committed to being there as a full and equal parent to their three kids, then 5, 9 and 11; he disbanded his corporate law firm, and; he altered his workfocused schedule from 7 days a week to strictly 3 workdays in the office. On that schedule ever since, David managed to make good on being Dad for his three kids and grow his law firm into something of a behemoth. Today, Worby Vecchio & Edelman represents clients with all forms of personal injury cases and is renowned for achieving many of the largest verdicts in Westchester and the surrounding areas. And, David has lectured and been a speaker on various legal topics for Cornell University, Pace Law School, Villanova Law School, and numerous trial lawyer and bar associations.

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Still, it is that beyond David’s professional success which makes him truly and roundly interesting and exceptional. David is an accomplished musician, popular and western music composer, playwright, screenwriter, poet, and radio talk show host. David explains that he started taking classical piano lessons as a kid. He says he took up guitar when he got into Cornell in order to meet girls, and then started playing gigs to pay the bills. He unabashedly declares, “I’m a very good guitarist and I’m a superb pianist” ...and then he’s got the chops to back it up! He’s performed at Birdland in NYC, in Nashville at Bluebird, and at many other venues. David is a composer. Phil Sweetland of the New York Times wrote that “David has the rare gift of being able to write successfully in all genres of music.” And David explains, “I write on guitar and on the piano, and I’m very proud of the body of music I’ve created.” Samples of his varied tunes are available on the website where David showcases most of his endeavors - davidworbyproductions.com - and which boasts that: “Worby is a BMI songwriter with song catalog representation by Dan Hodges Music. He had his first major label cut by a reality show star, Dan Evans (The Biggest Loser) with “I Never Let You Go.” He has since celebrated recordings of his songs from Matt Kennon, Julie Myers, Trini Triggs, Vince Hatfield and many others.”

He has written four theater pieces, three of which have been stage read in New York City theaters, and one of which, called ‘Very Truly Yours’, about a gay father who never comes out of the closet, was produced by Jenny Sullivan in Los Angeles with Eddie Albert Jr. playing the lead. He has written fifteen screenplays, three of which have been optioned, and one of which, called ‘18 or 81’, a feel-good story about a dyslexic black kid who raps backwards, may still have legs. David is a poet, having started this artwork with a flood of 200 very personal poems David started to write on the heels of his divorce. David has even hosted two radio talk shows; one in NYC called ‘Worby’s Law’, and; one on the local Westchester station called ‘Worby’s World’.

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DAVID WORBY

BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

A note about David’s home from B&NC Mag Homes Editor, Sue Dechiara Worby’s home was built in 1900 and was modeled by the family arriving in Bedford after their estate in Beaconsfield, England. Worby’s interior decorating is impeccable, and Worby’s erudite personality is reflected in the European influences throughout the house. The living / dining room features a spectacular wallpaper mural by Zuber, consisting of American wilderness scenes, and hand printed in France from the original 1690 hand-carved wood blocks. Chandeliers are 19th Century French and Venetian Baccarat crystal. Furniture includes the strategic use of 17th Century Venetian chairs as well as two French 18th Century chairs with provenance from Blenheim Palace in England. The kitchen is a Christopher Peacock Classical Pine Collection, and most of the doors and shutters throughout the house are hand-carved mahogany and rosewood.

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Recounting his life, David reveals that all the culture may really have been his true inheritance. He says, “I guess we were part of the lower middle class. The 5 of us lived in a two-bedroom, 900 square foot house, in Spring Valley. My grandparents were Polish Jewish immigrants. My father, Louis, eventually found some success in a hardware business, but he was a used car salesman supporting the family until after I left for college. I’ve worked since I was seven years old. To get to go to YMCA camp, I worked in the kitchen. I got a job as a truck driver at Newark Airport that I worked in high school and to help pay tuition during my college summers. But we had a piano in the house, and my folks, and maybe especially my mom, Diana, always and above all else stressed the importance of education. My mom enrolled at Manhattanville College when she was 50, graduated in two-and-a-half years, got a Masters and a Phd. at Rutgers, became a Professor at Empire State College, and even published some feminist essays.” He then adds, anecdotally, “I’ve had quite a few people tell me that they were in such and such a class with my mom, how she took a genuine interest in their education, and how she changed their lives as a result. It’s so heartwarming, and it’s so who my mom was.” Clearly, there was something special in the mix. David’s sister, Rachael Worby, who was married to Gaston Caperton, the former governor of West Virginia, is an accomplished orchestra conductor, and presently the Artistic Director, Conductor and Founder of MUSE/ IQUE, a counter-conventional orchestra based in Pasadena, California. And David’s brother, Joshua Worby, who also lives in Bedford, is the Executive & Artistic Director of the Westchester Philharmonic. And David says that it’s his upbringing that inspires a lot of his philanthropy - which is significant. He founded both the David E. Worby Scholarship Fund and the David E. Worby Course in Advanced Trial Practice at Villanova Law School, and endowed a Chair at Cornell. He sits on the Boards of the Avon Theatre Film Center, Student Assistance Services, the Kennedy Center For The Arts, and Heroes in Transition for injured soldiers, and locally on the Boards of the Katonah Museum and the Bedford Historical Society. He’s on the Board of the Bedford Playhouse, where he’s donated a 100-seat theater named “The Worby”. He funds the Worby Literacy Program at the Bedford Hills Library, and the computer literacy program at the all-Black Antioch Church, among numerous other hands-on programs offering educational opportunities to the less advantaged.

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DAVID WORBY

BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

David Greenberg, who recently became Rabbi Emeritus, retiring from the Senior Rabbi position at Temple Shaaray Tefila after 44 years of service to the community in that capacity, said, “I’ve known David for many years and have shared a great deal with him. We’ve celebrated together and we’ve mourned together. Throughout it all, I know David to be a man of depth and character, generous in his giving to worthy causes, and living with a kind and gracious heart.” Rabbi Greenberg continued, “I also know and admire David for his model of commitment to our Jewish heritage. His support of Temple Shaaray Tefila is enduring - especially through the Worby Cultural Enrichment Center. I recall years ago on Yom Kippur evening when David sang the Kol Nidre prayer. He touched us all as he sang with deep and stirring soulfulness.” Still, when asked about his greatest accomplishment, David pivots immediately from all the stuff about the World Trade Center and all of his achievements in the arts and all of his charitable work, and says succinctly, “My three kids! I’m beyond proud, and grateful. My son Jess went to Colgate, has a Master in Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts, and is a successful illustrator and Professor at the University of Massachusetts. My daughter Rebecca, who was the National Merit Scholarship Winner - not just a Finalist - at Fox Lane, went to Wesleyan and has a Master in Fine Arts from Columbia, is living in Austin where she’s an Editor for a major publisher. My son Sam went to Cornell, and got his MBA from Kellogg, and is currently a thriving business consultant. And most important, they are each kind, caring, empathetic and loving people.”

David’s pride and joy; his three grown children. Rebecca, Jess and Sam. 36

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DAVID WORBY

David and Melanie on a trip to Italy. S E P T / O C T

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David says he’s always been, “A sports nut. I played tennis, basketball and soccer as a kid, and took up golf in my thirties. I was the kid who negotiated with the janitor to let us use the school gym. I kind of always knew I wanted to be a litigator - ever since I saw Inherit the Wind. Acting never felt natural for me, but I’ve always been confident about public speaking and thinking on my feet, and so the courtroom seemed like the best idea. I was a hippie in high school and at Cornell, and those years shaped a lot of my taste in music...and I still do a lot of tai chi and yoga! But I think a lot of life is being able to adapt and reinvent yourself, I’ve been pretty good at that my whole life, and guess that’s kind of what I’m facing again now.”

Getting ready to catch the next wind, David says, “My goals these days are a lot more day to day than they used to be. I’m focused on remembering how to be happy, and having joy again. I’m starting to force myself to do things. I think I’ll get back to the golf club before the end of the summer, and lately I’ve started to think about how much I miss playing music. I want to meet some new people, maybe even a new life partner, and start a new chapter.” As to who he might invite to an imaginary first dinner party - dead or alive - David quickly declares, “Frank Sinatra, Elton John, The Beatles, and the GOAT from every sport!” When again under sail, Worby’s next leg promises to be S E P T / aO journey! C T 2 0 2 1 quite

BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

Hadassah Sweet Transforming Your Space One Design at a Time

Since 2015, I’ve been transforming homes in a way that’s aligned with my clients’ tastes and visions. I firmly believe that every single space, regardless of shape or size, has the potential to be beautiful with a little attention from a professional expert. Check out my work and give your office or home the transformation it needs today!

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Baby Talk BY Michelle Bodak Acri

here’s no denying that having a baby is a big decision. In fact, as author/educator Elizabeth Stone so famously put it, the decision to have a child “is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body” – life-changing, breathtaking and, let’s be honest, downright terrifying. The good news? Northern Westchester Hospital is here to help. Northern Westchester Hospital, part of Northwell Health, delivers more than 1,600 babies each year – and has been doing so for, well, far longer than you mamas-to-be reading this have been alive. Its maternity program is built on four pillars of strength: high-quality care, safety, privacy, and comfort, each designed to make every birthing experience as worry-free and wonder-filled as possible. So, take a deep breath, mama. You’ve got this -- your mother-baby team at Northern Westchester Hospital will make sure of it.

Quality care High-quality, patient-centered maternity care at the Hospital begins with Mother-Baby Navigator Lorraine Owens, your personal guide to all things baby. Lorraine meets with each expectant mother between 22 and 24 weeks to get to know you and prepare an individualized birth profile; she coordinates care between Northern Westchester Hospital and your obstetrician’s office; and is known to have exceptionally strong shoulders for new mothers to lean on. The Hospital also offers virtual “Baby University” classes for new parents, grandparents and even siblings. Classes on everything from breastfeeding and infant safety to grandparenting 101 are taught live by childbirth educators, lactation consultants and maternity nurses from Northern Westchester Hospital.

Safety, always

Privacy, please

No one likes to think about the “what ifs” that can occur during delivery, but the truth is it’s important to choose a hospital that is well-equipped to safely handle any situation.

No worries here: Each of the Hospital’s postpartum rooms is completely private, which may be an additional reassurance these days, and has a pull-out bed so your partner can stay with you. Whether it’s to bond with your baby or focus on nursing, this is your time to revel in the peacefulness of the moment -- especially since it’ll likely be in short supply for the next, oh, 18 years or so.

“Northern Westchester Hospital has a Level III NICU -- It’s a perinatal designation, which means that the hospital has the expertise and technology to care for both sick babies and their mothers,” explains Dr. Rick Stafford, director of neonatology. “We can take care of premature newborns born as early as 26 weeks and weighing as little as 1.5 pounds,” says Stafford. As for the fact that COVID-19 is still a looming presence, “We understand your worries, but please know that our level of care for you and your baby hasn’t changed,” says Lorraine Owens. “Patient safety is our utmost priority.” The Hospital even hosts a live virtual forum each month that lets expectant parents connect with experts, including the chief of OB-GYN, chief of pediatrics, nurse managers and lactation specialists, all ready and happy to share what it’s like to deliver at Northern Westchester Hospital during a pandemic.

Even when baby must stay in the NICU, “We make every effort to keep parents involved in the care of their newborn,” says Dr. Stafford. Mother/baby skin-to-skin contact happens as soon as possible. Just say the word and you receive comprehensive breastfeeding support. Maternal visitation is offered 24/7. A complimentary room is typically available if you’re discharged before your baby can go home and, better yet, AngelEye technology offers families secure live- streaming visual/ audio access to your NICU newborn.

Comfort matters “Our goal is to help you have a safe, meaningful birth experience,” says Lorraine Owens. “That means you have plenty of options, and the comfort of knowing that our priority is always a healthy outcome for you and your baby.” Northern Westchester Hospital respects religious and cultural preferences and has a Michelin-star chef who can accommodate any dietary requests new moms may have. Your partner/support person is welcome in the labor-and-delivery room, and the Hospital is happy to welcome your doula as part of the team. When it’s time to get the show on the road, Northern Westchester Hospital will help you deliver the way you want, whether that means minimal intervention, the max in pain relief, a planned induction or a “gentle” C-section that enables you to play a more active role in your birthing experience – which means modifications like a clear drape that lets you witness your baby’s first moments and strategically placed EKG electrodes that allow skin-to-skin contact seconds after birth. Interested in learning more about the maternity experience at Northern Westchester Hospital? Mother-Baby Navigator Lorraine Owens can be reached at (914) 666-1840. And remember: Once your baby is born, the Hospital is still here for your family. As a member of Northwell Health, NWH has been able to expand its ability to bring top-rated pediatric specialists, state-of- the-art technology, and a full range of support programs to Westchester. Learn more at nwh.northwell.edu/pediatrics

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PHOTOJOURNAL AND STORY BY: Emily Neville Fisher

A Bedford family adventures across the United States in an RV during the global pandemic Unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. So in late summer 2020, amid the escalating COVID-19 pandemic and with the threat of another year of remote school and work, my husband, Murray, and I, decided to pull our three kids out of school, buy an RV, and hit the open road. As long as we had to quarantine at home, we might as well make it a mobile one. S E P T / O C T

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We bought the pre-owned 32-foot Sunseeker RV from a website, sight unseen, and drove it off the lot a few days before our departure. We planned to see the country, visit friends and family in Colorado and California, and go wherever the road might take us. We fast became a team, and everybody had a job. Murray and our 9-year-old daughter, Grayson, became skilled and efficient at ‘hookups’ -- connecting us to the water, electric and sewer lines at the RV sites. Once parked, I would pop out the ‘slide-outs’ and make dinner. Our 5-year-old twin boys would clean up the dining area and set the table. We realized early on that we needed a smaller get-around vehicle to run to the grocery store and for day trips to hiking trails. Murray bought a used jeep in Colorado after seeing it in a yard sporting a FOR SALE sign. It was a wonderful choice my husband made—wonderful in that we were full of wonder as to what possessed him to buy such an impractical car for this family of five. Not only did it have no seatbelts, it had no back seat! It was meant for mountain climbing, not street driving, and had only a partial roof. While it came in handy a few times, it mostly served as a hazardous appendage to an already oversized RV. To boot, the battery died which meant we had to jump it every time we needed it. I won’t forget driving around Moab with our kids getting snowed on in the newly installed back seat. “It will toughen them up,” Murray claimed. We watched movies most nights but didn’t allow screen-time during the day. The kids entertained themselves surprisingly well. The boys played with sticks, rocks and other treasures found along the way while Grayson read books. I’d spend my days looking out the window for things to photograph while Murray was busy driving, white-knuckled, with the sole objective of returning his family home, in one piece, at the end of it all. We followed a very loose itinerary and stopped whenever we saw something interesting or found a nice hike, often booking that night’s RV site only hours before. Flexibility was key as some places were worth staying a few days while others served only as a place to sleep.

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AMERICAN ROADSCHOOL

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We had plenty of mechanical mishaps - mostly user-error. But one morning in Moab, Utah, we woke up to a 2-inch flood covering the RV floor; water drenched the rugs, comforters and the family’s entire shoe collection. Luckily it was fresh water from the cracked plastic toilet. Thankfully, there happened to be a mobile RV repairman in Moab who met us at our RV site within a few hours and installed a new and improved porcelain toilet.

We picked up the RV a few days before our departure which didn’t leave time to get a license plate for our new vehicle before the trip. I was unable to make an appointment at the DMV due to COVID so I dropped off the paperwork with a note asking that they mail the new plates to my sister’s house in Boulder, CO. Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, our paperwork wasn’t complete (my husband hadn’t cosigned the title), so that half-baked plan fell through. We were never in one spot long enough for them to mail it to us during our travels so we spent the entire 80 days driving with expired tags. In the last 30 minutes of our trip, we got pulled over. After 11,000 miles of driving with expired New Jersey temporary tags, towing a Jeep with the previous owner’s Colorado plates, and our kids in questionable seatbelt configurations in the back, this would be our reckoning. We thought, “Okay, we are finally going to get all of the tickets that we had coming to us over the past few months.” We sheepishly rolled down our window, ready to confess all of our violations, when the officer asked, “Where are you headed?” My husband responded, “We are headed to our home in Bedford after being on the road for almost three months.” The cop asked, “Do you realize you are on a parkway and there is a bridge a mile ahead that would have taken the entire top of this RV off?!” My husband - distracted by the kids fighting in the back - had missed an important exit. The officer said, “You’re lucky, there’s one last exit before the bridge.” We thanked him effusively for saving us and our trip. He replied, “I’m not going to give you a ticket this time.” Shaken and relieved, we resumed the final leg of the trip without incident.

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Reflecting on our 11-week adventure, the road was often bumpy: we got stuck in an unfriendly person’s yard and had to be rescued by emergency vehicles; we got blindsided by a blizzard and were forced to traverse the steepest windiest switch-backed mountain passes that no RV should have had any business on; our pipes froze, leaving us with no water or bathroom function for hours on end; we found our propane tank empty at the most inopportune times; and we had an emergency dental visit in Vegas, of all places. And, in one alarming incident, our daughter’s hand got pinned between the jeep hitch and the RV which landed us in the ER.

BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

But we also had unforgettable life experiences. We climbed all over Mother Nature’s playground. We saw tumbleweeds and roadrunners, hoodoos and arches, petrified wood and dinosaur footprints. A rattlesnake rattled at us while hiking and we found seashell fossils in the middle of the desert. We soaked, au naturel, in hot springs, sledded on sand and we fell in love with a miniature donkey named Eeyore. We hit 24 states and explored some of America’s most extraordinary parks along the way: Grand Canyon, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Death Valley, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Sequoia National Park, Yosemite and Joshua Tree, among others. Given the beating and mileage we put on the RV, we were delighted to unload it for what we paid for it when we returned.

AMERICAN ROADSCHOOL

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For most Americans, this pandemic has turned our lives upside down, creating a life of isolation, fear and hardship. But the silver lining for us was that it also provided lots of family time, a little freedom and a nearly empty calendar that enabled us to experience a once-in-a-lifetime adventure while (re)discovering the magnificence and beauty of our vast country. The road was a rich classroom for the five of us - filled with history, nature and exploration.

BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

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We visited three different sand dune parks on our trip and had vastly different adventures in each. First was Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado. These dunes are gigantic, intimidating and difficult to negotiate, especially with three little kids. There also happened to be a windstorm on the day we visited so the sand was pelting our skin and getting into our eyes, mouths, ears and noses. We walked pretty far into the dunes to take pictures because, visually, it was incredible and otherworldly. But it got hectic and very hard to walk and the blowing sand was starting to hurt. The kids, Murray and I started to get panicky. Murray and I each tried to carry one of the boys but it was impossible when walking against the wind and sinking in the sand. Everyone was miserable, the kids were crying and we were all thankful to finally make it back to the RV. We were still finding sand on our bodies and in our clothes and shoes weeks later. We also visited the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley and had a much more pleasant experience. The weather was beautiful and the dunes also very impressive. Our favorite dunes, however, were the ones in White Sands National Park in New Mexico. The white sand is soft and fine and made of gypsum. We rented sleds for the kids from the visitor center and spent hours playing in the dunes. We had a magical day and stayed until the sun went down. S E P T / O C T

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AMERICAN ROADSCHOOL

My kids judged parks by how unconstrained they were for visitors. Sequoia National Park, understandably, has a lot to protect so there are railings and boardwalks to keep visitors from damaging the giant sequoias, the largest living organisms on earth. Zion also felt restrictive and highly programmed which distracted from and inhibited our full immersion in the park. On the other end of the spectrum is Goblin Valley in Utah, which gets its name from the thousands of hoodoos, or sandstone rock formations, in the park. In Goblin Valley, it’s free-reign and visitors are welcome to climb on anything they’d like. We spent two days in Goblin Valley because it truly was the best playground we’d ever experienced. We tended to have the most fun in places with the fewest visitors, rules and restrictions, where our kids could wander and explore without external (time or physical) constraints. BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

When we were in the RV park at the Grand Canyon, we awoke in the morning to see a herd of elk walking around the RVs. My daughter quickly grabbed some carrots and went out to try to feed them. A park ranger came up to her and told her to keep three bus-lengths away from any wild animals for safety reasons. But by this time one elk had already smelled the carrots in her jacket pocket and stuck his nose in there. As the ranger told her to back away from the wild animal, the animal continued to follow her like a dog as she sheepishly retreated back into our RV. About once a week, we would rent an Airbnb or some cottage so that the five of us could spread out, take long showers and do laundry. Because of Covid, we almost always rented something free-standing as opposed to staying in a hotel. It was a time for us to reflect on and document our journey and adventures. The kids had journals in which they would write or draw favorite moments from the past few days. Nebraska was one of the best surprises of the trip. I had always assumed the state was mostly farming and corn fields. It definitely has its share of those, however, it also has gorgeous, rolling hills and wild landscapes. We stayed in the Niobrara River Valley where we took one of the prettiest hikes of my life. The yellow Aspens, red sumac and blue sky and river made it look as though we were in a colorful fairytale. The kids fed wild turkeys and found so many interesting insects like the Plains Lubber grasshopper and dung beetles rolling dung. We didn’t see another soul on the hike.

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AMERICAN ROADSCHOOL

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CONNECTING THE MOST INTERESTING BUYERS WITH TRULY EXCEPTIONAL PROPERTIES FOR OVER 70 YEARS.

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THEY DON’T MISS THE CITY. There’s so much to discover on our 35 acres. Learn how we are using Bedford as the backdrop for our curriculum.

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Schedule a virtual tour with our Admissions team. BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

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KYMBERLY WEINER TODD GLAZER

0 6 .1 9. 2 1 PHOTOGRAPHY: VIVIANA PODHAISKI

ymberly Weiner and Todd Glazer are ‘beshert’, a Yiddish term meaning destiny, or meant to be. The pair met at Island Lake sleepaway camp in Pennsylvania 30 years ago, when they were both 11 years old. They stayed in touch through high school and college, but as the years went by and they moved to different cities across the country from each other, they lost touch. Twice, they randomly crossed paths! Once at a charitable event for the United Jewish Appeal in Westchester. The second time, in New Orleans, where Todd had moved, as they were crossing at a very busy intersection on Canal and Bourbon streets. In 2018, a newly-single Todd reached out to Kymberly on LinkedIn direct messages. They saw each other a week later for dinner, and immediately began dating. “From then on we were basically attached at the hip,” Kymberly laughs. In January 2019, Kymberly picked up and moved from Westchester down to New Orleans to be with Todd and his then four-year old twin daughters. The two had originally intended to get married in June of 2020. A big 150-person wedding at the Kohler golf course in Wisconsin; it was where Kymberly and Todd had vacationed together early on in their relationship, and is a stunning setting that looks like the Cliffs of Moher in Scotland. But the pandemic intervened. Frustrated after having to twice reschedule the plans... the couple eloped via Zoom on June 20, 2020, and were officially married by their Rabbi and close friend. The larger celebration would have to wait until June of 2021. And instead of Wisconsin, they decided on something a bit more intimate - at Kymberly’s parent’s house in Pound Ridge. Kymberly is the eldest of three, and the only daughter of Sharon and Jonas Weiner, and Sharon planned everything!

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KYMBERLY WEINER TODD GLAZER

“We got married in my parents backyard in Pound Ridge. It was stunning. We had the backyard tented and the entire thing looked out on Blue Heron Lake. My involvement in the planning was choosing some New Orleans-inspired food, bringing in dueling pianos – which were an absolute blast, and insisting that my old college friend who’s an artist fly in to do live wedding art,” Kymberly said. The nuptials took place under an ornate flower chuppah, overlooking the lake. “Because we had technically already been married, it was more like a vow renewal. So we had a Jewish ceremony, but were able to have more relaxed rules – like not having to wait for sundown on Saturday, which would normally be the custom.” Kymberly continued, “We thought it would be kind of anti-climactic given that we had been married for over a year at that point, but it was so special to be able to do this in front of the people we love and to share in the celebration… and, of course, we both cried!” 58

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To top off the beautiful setting, the couple went all out on flowers. Kymberly explained, “I knew that I wanted lots of flowers. But I originally had opted for much more neutral tones. About a month before the wedding I was at my Mom’s house for Mother’s Day and she had this absolutely stunning bouquet from Bedford Village Flower Shoppe. All of a sudden I just had to have exactly that. So I called Lauren, who runs Bedford Village Flower Shoppe, and completely changed the color scheme and the types of flowers – only a month out from the wedding. Lauren was totally accommodating and made everything look absolutely gorgeous. It was magical.” S E P T / O C T

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I DO...

LINDSAY BRADSELL Marries CODY POTVIN

WEDDINGS & VOWS

06.26.21 PHOTOGRAPHY: CONSTANCE SCHIANO & BARB COLOMBO

indsay and Cody both grew up on the East Coast - and only about two hours from each other - Lindsay in Bedford, and Cody in Rutland, Massachusetts. But the pair met all the way across the United States, when they were both volunteering for FEMA after college. They had each been stationed in Sacramento, California, and although they were on different teams of 9 or 10 people responding to disaster areas, the two quickly became friends, and eventually decided to start dating. It’s immediately clear upon meeting the couple that they have a lot in common and are a perfect fit for each other. They’re both extremely adventurous, love being active, and are each always trying to make the world a better place.

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“We drove around in a van and stayed in these weird crazy places all over the place helping out wherever we were needed. Sometimes we’d be in Sacramento together for three months at a time, and other times we wouldn’t see each other for a while. But it was the best when we’d get lucky and our teams would get stationed at the same sites; sometimes it would only be as short as a day-long overlap, but sometimes we’d have a while. It was all so out of our hands. And we were always around other people, so we never really had much time on our own. But it helped us to build this really strong foundation. We had to be really raw all the time,” Lindsay explained about the start of the relationship. BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

LINDSAY BRADSELL Marries CODY POTVIN

After FEMA, the pair spent a few years in Wooster, MA, where Lindsay worked as a nurse and Cody worked at a nonprofit, with children with developmental disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, and mental illnesses. Cody continues the story with a grin, saying that, after about two years in Wooster, “We decided to take a road trip for a few weeks… We flew down to see one of Lindsay’s sisters in Orlando at Disney, and then drove back up stopping in Tampa, Savannah, Charleston, Wilmington, and Virginia Beach. Within a few hours in Charleston, we realized we loved it, and that we wanted to live there permanently!” The pair got engaged on a hiking trip in August of 2019 and moved down to Charleston shortly thereafter. Cody started a job as a Naturalist where he does kayak tours of Charleston, and Lindsay works with a company called Main Street that focuses on tax breaks to help small businesses flourish. Lindsay

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mused, “We’re such adventurous people. If we’re not doing something...we go crazy. And it’s so beautiful here all the time. We picked up surfing and love going to the beach - it’s a big part of why we moved here. Since Cody has been working at the kayaking job he’s become obsessed with birds. We go on lots of walks all over the city. And we’ve made an incredible group of friends in the two years since we’ve been here.”

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LINDSAY BRADSELL Marries CODY POTVIN

“I go back to Bedford all the time for the Holidays or really whenever I get the chance. It’s where I grew up, and my parents still live there. So we initially considered Bedford for the wedding… but we have this beach house in Connecticut that’s been passed through generations of my family where I have such fond memories of growing up with my sisters and cousins. I feel a light inside of me when I’m there. So that’s ultimately where we decided to have the wedding. In that backyard outside on the beach,” Lindsay explained. “We basically built the venue from the ground up! We turned the beachfront backyard into this beautiful tented oasis. My wedding planner and my parents were amazing in bringing it all together and making it happen,” Lindsay said. Her parents are Diane and Bill Bradsell, who own and run Bradsell Construction in Bedford. Bill handcrafted all the bars, the triangular arch that Lindsay and Cody got married under, the cake and gift tables, and all the signs and the seating chart that were used. He even restored a pair of antique doors that lead into the ceremony space. “We’re pretty relaxed and casual people; we just wanted people to be able to come together and celebrate with us. We each have pretty big families, so we had about 125 people. Our band was a Bedford-area group called ‘Ask Your Mom’ who are good friends with Lindsay’s Dad, and her aunt did a lot of the photography,” Cody reminisced about the wedding. Lindsay exclaimed, “None of my bridesmaids even wore shoes!” Lindsay is the oldest of three girls, and all of her sisters were in the bridal party, and Cody is one of seven, and also had his two brothers standing beside him on the big day. “It was so much fun and so special – we wish we could do it again!” Lindsay laughed as she went on to say, “We had such a fun time that my family actually convinced me to put my wedding dress back on two weeks later - when we were still at the beach - to celebrate the Fourth of July!”

The pair are hoping to go on a honeymoon this winter, and in the meantime, just closed on their first home together, in Charleston.

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DETERMINED: AN ENTREPRENEUR’S STORY OF BRAND-BUILDING AND ACTIVISM BY Casey Kaplan

PHOTOGRAPHY: FRANCES ISAAC

This summer, on an unseasonably cool day, I stopped by Cathy Kangas’ New Canaan English Manor home to get to know the woman behind PRAI Beauty. Cathy is widely known for her seemingly magical neck cream - with a cult following for its ability to firm and tighten the appearance of an aging neck. Women really swear by it! But in addition to her phenomenal business success, Cathy is also a noted philanthropist and animal rights advocate and activist, which is a job unto itself. Cathy is warm and inviting, and answered the door on that summer day with a massive smile, and singing out a ‘hello’ in her charming English accent - as if she was greeting a lifelong friend instead of it being our first

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acquaintance. She was wearing an adorable outfit and had perfectly quaffed hair, so I was surprised to learn she had just finished hauling buckets of food down to the pond behind her house, in order to feed about 200 ducks and geese who live there...and that she personally luggs about fifty pounds of food down a grassy hill each and every morning, with her gaggle of dogs in tow. Cathy has two Beagles that she rescued from their former lives as testers in a lab, and two large mutts (rottweiler, pitbull and Beagle mixes) - whom she lovingly calls her ‘killers’. “They’re afraid of men, really. They had come from some kind of abusive situation. But they are just so loveable!” Cathy explained as the pups followed her around.

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Cathy grew up in the countryside of Surrey, about an hour outside of London through country roads. Her father was CEO and Managing Director of Selfridges in London, and her mother was the Managing Director at Leonidas, an amazing Belgian chocolate company. Animals were always a part of Cathy’s life. “I grew up around animals. I had dogs and horses, and a rescued pet rabbit. At one point I had a ferret, and I had two rescue tortoises. My Mum had this beautiful rose bowl in our front hall and she walked into the house one day to find my horse just munching on her roses - I’d bring the horse right inside the house. My poor parents! But they really loved animals too, and taught me to feel compassion for animals,” Cathy shared. “Since I was a little girl, I’ve always wanted to protect animals. Humans have all the power - and how we use that power says a lot about exactly who we are. Showing humanity toward animals speaks to our souls.” Cathy sits on the board of the Humane Society of the United States, Adopt-ADog in Greenwich/Armonk, and is a huge supporter of Squirrelwood Equine Sanctuary in Montgomery, NY where she has 6 rescue horses, plus 2 minis and a very noisy donkey. 68

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“I was riding around in a rather hot taxi one day somewhere in Texas - and I saw something about the senseless seal hunting that was going on up in Canada. Extremely bothered, I called up the Humane Society and said ‘I need to speak to the CEO.’ I said ‘I want to get involved. What are we going to do to shut down the seal hunt?!’ So they invited me to come join a trip to the ice floes in Canada to try and help spotlight what’s going on there.” Cathy went on, “When you’re out there lying on your belly in survival gear on these ice floes, and almost interacting with the mums and their babies… I just remember looking one of them in the eyes and thinking: that’s it, I won’t let you down.” And the Humane Society’s efforts in this area are effective: kill levels have declined by more than 90% since Cathy first became involved. At its height, back in the mid 2000s, the commercial sealing industry killed more than 350,000 baby seals in some years — with upwards of 140,000 pups slaughtered in less than 48 hours in several years. Today, because of an effective campaign to close markets for Canadian commercial seal products, the seal kill level in Atlantic Canada is often less than 10% of that. Unfortunately, the Canadian government continues to authorize the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of baby seals each year, which is why the Humane Society works to keep demand for seal fur low, so sealers have little incentive to kill the baby seals. So when Cathy started a beauty company of her own, a clear part of the vision was that she would not test her products on animals, that all products would be cruelty free, and that Cathy would focus a large portion of her time, attention, and company resources toward supporting the animal-related causes that are most important to her. Cathy explains, “The only way to test products intended for humans - is on humans! We do human patch tests - if it’s not safe to test on a human, it’s probably not a good product.” PRAI supports thousands of pet adoptions a year at rescues all over the world. During the height of the Covid shutdown, PRAI funded 1,221 adoptions in just 3 months in 20 of the biggest and busiest shelters in the country. PRAI’s tagline is, “this jar saves lives.”

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After starting out at Revlon in the Prestige division, Cathy was recruited over to Cartier, where she became the Director of Sales. “I loved what I was doing. I really admired the product, I had this adorable little office, in the attic of the famous Cartier boutique on 5th Avenue, and I was teaching the boutique staff how to sell their beautiful jewelry and watches, but I was travelling a ton; flying basically every day except Christmas. And I eventually felt like it was time for a break.” The break didn’t last long… Cathy had intended to take at least a six month sabbatical after marrying her husband, Ed Kangas, who was the Global CEO and Chairman of Deloitte for over twenty years, and is the current Chairman of Deutsche Bank USA, (he also currently sits on the boards of Deutsche Bank, Hovnanian, and IntelSat). But, as should now be evident, she’s not one to sit idly, and so that sabbatical barely even lasted a week before she was offered a role as an interim leader at a company called Tova Corporation. The role was meant to be a six month position, which turned into over a yearand-a-half working at the beauty company - focused in the fragrance and skincare world. The products were being sold primarily on TV by the namesake of the company, Tova. Cathy grinned and said, “One morning Tova said to me ‘I’ve got a headache’ and I proclaimed that I’d get her some Tylenol and get her in tip top shape… but she said ‘oh no darling, you’ll do it!’ I was terrified and so nervous. She went into her bag, pulled out a miniature brandy shot, pushed me on set, and it went great!” At Tova, Cathy not only delved into the world of beauty, but maybe even more importantly, mastered the art of TV sales. 70

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“

I loved working in the beauty industry - but after my time at Tova, I really felt like the entire industry was geared around young women. You can’t just talk to perfect 18 year olds all the time. The over 50 demographic -the ones with income to spend- were totally under-served. And all of the major companies were being run by male management and boards. I thought to myself: ‘Why is it that perhaps they don’t consider that a woman might know more about what other women want.’

“

Prior to starting her brand, PRAI Beauty, Cathy had already had an exceptional and impressive career in luxury and beauty. After having graduated college, she came to the United States for an internship, and moved into Pound Ridge to live with some of her parent’s close friends for a while.

At the same time that Cathy began to have this sort of revelation, her dad was working with a group of guys that were involved in health and well being, and they were talking about Prai extract, which comes from Thailand. Prai is a resin of the ginger family, and oozes like a pale amber liquid when you slice open the plant. Cathy was told that women outside of Phuket were applying this to their stretch marks, and that it was magically eliminating them. It had this incredible elastin and smoothing property. “So I went to Thailand!” Cathy exclaimed, “The women were in the jungle harvesting the prai plant, and there were these saunas in the jungle where people would go in and just inhale this stuff. I realized just how powerful this plant was.”

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Taking everything she’d learned from the beauty and luxury industries, combining that with high quality product, and the most cutting edge technology… PRAI Beauty was born. Cathy’s mission was to make these products affordable, accessible, and of course, cruelty free. “Then I started putting together this amazing team… To this day, we’re almost entirely women,” Cathy said with a big smile. “I knew the path would be not to fight the big boys. No matter what you’ve got, you just can’t compete with the L’Oreals right out of the gate. So I thought… why don’t I take it to TV where I can speak directly to women about why my product is great and why it works. I already had learned about this direct to consumer method from Tova, and I had the connections to make it work. So I tried to get to the guy that was running shopNBC - but I just couldn’t get his time. So I got on a plane and went to his office, and sat in the parking lot until he got out of his car. I gave him my pitch, and he decided to give me a chance. He was standing on the studio floor when we wrapped an hour-long, prime time spot about a week later… We absolutely killed it and got a regular E Pthe T / Onetwork.” C T 2 0 2 1 spot Son

PRAI Beauty started with 7-8 products, one of which was a neck cream. From the beginning, Cathy has always been very involved in product development. She says she’s most creative coming up with new ideas when she’s stuck on a long flight with nothing else to do… which is a good thing - since she does a lot of flying around for work (she’s a million mile flyer on more than one airline). On a flight to London, Cathy was trying to

figure out what was missing from the beauty industry in order to fill that void... “I remember thinking to myself: isn’t it crazy… the neck is really an afterthought for most brands. Most have a neck cream, but it’s not a focus. It’s the hardest thing to fix, the neck has no oil glands, takes a lot of beating from the sun and other elements, and shows aging first. Why wouldn’t BEDFORD & NEW 1 there be something to CANAAN address7that?”

And Cathy’s intuition was right on! Women around the world do want affordable, yet luxurious products, that are actually aimed at the demographic that’s using them. PRAI is the #1 skincare brand in Marks and Spencer’s in the UK - within a year of partnering with the chain. After becoming a top selling product on NBC, Mindy Grossman, the then-CEO of Home Shopping Network (now the CEO of Weight Watchers), heard about the brand and loved Cathy’s story of building this from the ground up... She told Cathy, “TV shopping is about having a great product, at a great price, and the right story teller to sell it!” Sales skyrocketed, and PRAI became the number one selling skincare brand on HSN... and then on QVC too. To this day, TV sales are still the primary source of all revenues, and Cathy has been appearing on primetime spots from her house even though the pandemic.

A team of ‘Neck-Xperts’ go around doing neck treatments in stores all over the U.K.. The team is newly branching out into retail in the U.S. and is working with selective partners that make sense for the brand. As of recent, PRAI Beauty products can be found nearby at the Lanphier Day Spa in Darien and New Canaan Pharmacy in New Canaan. And Online sales all over the world are booming. The brand is launching a new line in the U.K. called Meno-Glow, which is geared around products for women going through menopause. PRAI is launching a similar line in the U.S. this year as well. “Let’s stop talking around what’s actually happening in womens’ lives and get fabulous fixes into their hands!” Cathy exclaims. Through it all - over the past three decades, despite loads and loads of travel, New Canaan has been home. “I met my husband, Ed, at Gates, over 25 years ago, through a friend. Our offices are right here in town, across from the train station. It reminds me of being in a small village in England. My Mum lives here as well. It’s so special here! I wouldn’t think of being anywhere else!” Cathy says.

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THE NEW SEASON @ CARAMOOR

KATONAH’S WORLD-CLASS CULTURAL DESTINATION

BY Drew Bordeaux, B&NC Mag Arts & Culture Editor As large halls welcome back concert goers and the doors of Broadway prepare to open for the first time in almost two years, many feel the pull of the cultural offerings of NYC. But those ‘in the know’ are aware of a way to experience a broad spectrum of outstanding artists while dodging high ticket prices, traffic, and parking garages - and it’s right in our backyard. Caramoor, a beautiful 80-acre estate in Katonah, is a formidable venue and arts center. With another impressive upcoming Fall-Spring 2021-2022 Season line-up, and with partnerships as prestigious as their long-running collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center led by Wynton Marsalis, Caramoor is back in business and proving better than ever. Classical music has always had a home at Caramoor, and there will be no disappointment this year with artists including Stephen Hough, who was lauded by The Guardian for “the most perfect piano playing conceivable” and the Grammy-nominated Danish String Quartet. Increasingly, though, over the past few years the venue has worked hard to diversify their musical offerings, with the addition of upcoming performances by Raul Midón, a Grammy-nominated guitarist and vocalist who has collaborations with Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder under his belt, and jazz phenom Jazzmeia Horn, a vocalist who, in addition to her two Grammy nods, has deftly fused the jazz tradition with R&B, hip-hop, and even Big Band music on her latest release Dear Love. According to Cararmoor’s new CEO, Edward J. Lewis III, this season’s curation is a “vibrant genre-spanning program of established masters and emerging artists; education programs that mentor the next generation of musical stars; and multicultural, sensory-friendly family events that invite everyone to enjoy the music.” When asked about the increased diversity and representation in Caramoor’s offerings, Artistic Director Kathy Schuman said, “Musical diversity is one of the most important things I look at as I’m planning each season. Many people still think of us as a classical music venue, but we’ve really broadened our offerings over the past few years and I hope that anyone can find at least a couple of concerts each 76

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season that appeal to them. I also want to make sure we continue to bring new artists each year, even if it means waiting 2-3 years to bring back someone who was a big hit with our audience. I’m also very committed to representing a diversity of gender, race, and age on our stages, along with different genres of music.” Following their annual Gala this summer, B&NC MAG sat down with Lewis and Schuman for a Q&A on how they bring in such noteworthy artists, what brought Lewis - a highly accomplished arts administrator and fundraiser - to Caramoor, and what the community can look forward to from the venue in the months to come: What inspired you to come to Caramoor? Lewis: I first heard of Caramoor from radio broadcasts of its concerts in the 1990s. I recall the performances being of the highest caliber. In late October 2020, I was approached by a search firm about the CEO position. Once I realized that Caramoor offered all that resonated with me — world class music performances, nature, and history – I knew I had to be here. What is a key lesson you learned as Vice Chancellor of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts that influences your work today? Lewis: I learned that storytelling, especially tech-savvy storytelling, can be a powerful impetus to propel an organization forward. The acceleration of the communication and performance delivery channels available today fosters new opportunities for artists to engage with the greater community, helping us to build and maintain new audiences and donors. You’ve said in previous interviews that sonically, the viola “leads from the middle”- do you find your leadership style at all inspired from your background as a viola player? Lewis: My leadership style has been shaped by my experiences as both an artist and arts administrator. Having built successful high-performing fundraising S E P T / O C T

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teams and leading organizations through change, I liken my leadership style to that of the conductorcomposer. Like a composer, I have found that I was often writing the score from which the team would perform. However, like a conductor, I enjoy collaborating with and leading an ensemble of accomplished individuals who, with their unique skill sets, combine talents to achieve an outcome greater than the sum of their parts. What I learned from working with great conductors - and even from some not so good ones - is the ability and obligation to inspire teams to ever greater levels of performance. What was the highlight of the gala for you? Lewis: Well, getting to meet Wynton Marsalis and some of the members of his band, and listening to their performance was the obvious highlight. And I enjoyed meeting Madame Speaker Nancy Pelosi - with whom I had a great conversation about the importance of the arts backstage before the performance. But I was moved by the overwhelming love and support for Caramoor that I felt from the audience. Schuman: Being back at a live concert with hundreds of people after more than a year. How do you attract such terrific talent to Caramoor (ie: what draws them to Caramoor)? Schuman: Well, one thing is you have to invite them! Sometimes it’s as simple as that. Many artists who I’ve booked had heard of Caramoor but never performed here and were thrilled to be invited! Now as more of them have come and had a great experience, word is spreading. And many of them say that it was not at all what they envisioned -- they are surprised by the extraordinary setting and our appreciative audiences. Besides purchasing concert tickets, what are good ways for the community to get involved in Caramoor today? Schuman: We have recently started opening our grounds on weekends, and I think Caramoor is a great place to come and have a picnic or explore our gardens and the sound art. It’s very peaceful and calming here, but also a fun place for kids to run around. S E P T / O C T

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What impact will the recent ‘Inspire’ initiative have on Caramoor in the short term? Lewis: Through the Inspire campaign, Caramoor offers a greatly enhanced visitor experience through our reinvigorated gardens and grounds — from the fresh sense of arrival including accessible parking, the new box office, and Friends Field stage, to improvements to the Rosen House and reimagined walkways — for guests to gather and linger in beautifully designed spaces. Our newest sound art piece In“C” highlights our distinctive and peerless collection of sound art. And, by recently quadrupling our endowment, we’ve ensured a solid foundation for our high caliber music performances, mentoring and education programs, and ability to keep pace with innovation. Do you still find time to play viola? Lewis: With the responsibilities leading both the strategic direction and fundraising efforts for major arts and higher education organizations, it can be hard to find enough practice time at the end of the day to keep the skill level at its highest. However, I look forward to sneaking into the Rosen House Music Room to play a Bach suite or two amidst those glorious acoustics.

“Since 2015, we have loved working with Caramoor’s fantastic team! They’re committed to providing musicians the opportunity to perform, and showcasing Caramoor’s idyllic grounds, courtyards and art installations. President & CEO Edward J. Lewis III and I share a dedication to broadening audiences through world-class programming. We at Jazz at Lincoln Center look forward to collaborating with him to showcase to the Caramoor community the best our organizations have to offer.” - Wynton Marsalis BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

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HORIZONS BY Isaiah Bien Aime

In 1964, the New Canaan Country School Headmaster, George Stevens, had what was then considered to be a bold and prescient idea: That under-resourced children could be given a place where they felt welcomed; where they would find enriching and meaningful academic support and cultural experience; all in order to be given the opportunity to realize their full potential. Stevens’ vision is now realized as Horizons, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with 65 chapters across the U.S., which has served thousands of underserved students through a long-term, authentic, deep engagement with students who are offered hands-on, project-based academic experiences. Among other programing designed to keep students involved from pre-K through high school, Horizon runs a 6-week summer program for middle school students, held on the campus of an independent school, college, or university, and then provides additional support to each student throughout the year.

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HORIZONS

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I can testify that the long-term commitment Horizons makes in every child transforms the way each child sees themself and their future. I was born into a cycle of intergenerational poverty, and it was Horizons that made the difference for me. My middle school summers at Horizons, quite simply, changed me. I was educated, enriched, enabled, supported and encouraged. I realized that education was the key to breaking the cycle, and I began to see a real future - with me in it! Then, in high school, Horizons provided me with many hours of personal AP Calculus tutoring and SAT tutoring that were essential to my progress. And that’s not to mention Horizon programs like the Vanilla Chai teas we enjoyed or the college tours I never would have otherwise been able to go on. Now, as a Boston College graduate - the first college graduate in my family - and an entrepreneur, I can proclaim that the seeds of my future were delicately planted, cultivated and allowed to blossom with Horizons’ support. With Horizons, kids are inspired to explore reading, math, science, music, theatre, art, swimming, and other activities. Horizons helps kids cultivate creativity and leadership and develop life skills like commitment, persistence, and the desire to contribute to their community. Horizons students embrace a more expansive view of what’s possible.

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To do a small part of giving back for Horizons did for me, I now serve on the Board of the Horizons - Norwalk Community College chapter, formed in 2013 and which presently serves 120 children in pre-K through 8th grade. Horizons gives our children the chance to feel at home in the nurturing and enriching atmosphere of Norwalk Community College’s beautiful campus. They get to experience NCC’s best-in-class computer and electrical engineering labs, fine arts and design studios, television studios, culinary arts kitchens and modern classrooms. As important, they get to feel like they belong in this environment, and that one day they can go to college too.

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Horizons at NCC utilizes a best practices model provided by Horizons National. Horizons has a strong focus on social and emotional and our entire staff are trained in Yale’s ’RULER’ academic approach; all aimed at combating the academic gap, the opportunity gap, and, acutely, the absence of learning opportunities during summer months for under-resourced children, known as the ‘summer slide’. Our summer program mornings provide students with the opportunity to strengthen core academic skills and experience project based learning in classes with a 4:1 student teacher ratio. Additionally, students have access to reading and math specialists with one on one attention for those who need it most. Our summer program afternoons are focused on stimulating creativity. Students participate in swimming, art, music, dance, martial arts, cooking, outdoor games, yoga, and Friday field trips. We provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks, as well as transportation to and from the program. There’s no charge. S E P T / O C T

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This Fall, Horizons at NCC has launched a program for high schoolers, where students are matched with mentors for the entire four years of high school. Mentors will offer guidance and help their students navigate the academic and social journey of high school and the requirements of college prep and admissions. Horizons at NCC is fulfilling George Steven’s vision that all children should have the opportunity to realize their full potential, and the New Canaan Country School-born mission of providing enriching opportunities, inspiring dreams, and building brighter futures for under-resourced children in the local area. The Horizons combination of education, culture and support is the great equalizer....But we need help to keep it going and keep it growing. We need volunteers, including to serve as mentors in the new high school program. And we need financial support, including participation in our first-ever Horizons-NCC Annual Golf Outing on October 14, 2021, at the New Canaan Country Club.

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Join us for High Holy Day Services in-person at Caramoor!

Local Guest Tickets available Temple Shaaray Tefila is a vibrant, inclusive Reform congregation and anyone who seeks a warm and welcoming Jewish community will feel at home. Now is a time for connection - join us! For High Holy Day ticket information or questions about Membership contact Alli West, Senior Director of Member Engagement awest@templest.org • 914-666-3133

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Joshua Bell & Larisa Martinez

BY Michael Kaplan

PHOTOGRAPHY: FRANCES ISAAC

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Joshua Bell and Larisa Martinez are the ‘it’ couple Joshua is 53, but has long been recognized as one of the world’s in the world of greatest classical violinists - among the ranks of Isaac classical music! Stern, Pinchas Zuckerman and Itzhak Perlman. He had a precovid schedule of up to 150 concerts a year; he’s played on over 40 records including 7 Billboard #1 Classical Albums, and on a half-dozen movie soundtracks; he’s played a wide array of classical, jazz and popular music with everyone from the New York Philharmonic to Sting, and he’s the Musical Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Chamber Orchestra. Despite his stature, he’s best known by everyone other than classical music enthusiasts for having played incognito as a busker in a Washington D.C. subway station for an article in the Washington Post in 2007. Famously, out of 1,097 passers-by, only one recognized Bell, and he received a total of only $32.17 from 27 people for the 45-minute performance. Ironically, Bell’s experiment seemed to suggest a general indifference to classical music amongst the general public, notwithstanding his excellence and fame.

Joshua’s musical genius was discovered early on, as he was stringing up rubber bands around the house for scientific and musical experimentation. He started playing violin at age 4, was a soloist with the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra by the time he was 14, and left Indiana to start a life on tour at age 18. Joshua calls the luckiest break of his life that, in Bloomington, he started at age 12 studying at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music with his life-long mentor, the master Josef Gingold.

Joshua grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, where his father, an ex-Episcopal Priest, was a psychotherapist and Professor at 9 Indiana 0 BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN University, and his mother was a counseling psychologist and, as Joshua describes it, a pretty good amateur pianist.

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At 34, Larisa, a soprano, is among

a new generation

of opera stars. In 2016, she won the Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Audition in Puerto Rico, as well as the Angel Ramos Foundation Award and the Audience Prize. That same year, she was part of President Obama’s artistic delegation to Cuba, culminating in the PBS special Live from Lincoln Center: Seasons of Cuba, in which she was showcased. She’s performed as Corrina in Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims, as Violetta in La Traviata with the Wichita Grand Opera, and as Maria in West Side Story at Festival Napa Valley, to name a few, and in 2019, she made Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall debuts. For the last three years, Larisa has toured with tenor Andrea Bocelli, debuting at Madison Square Garden, the Hollywood Bowl and throughout North America, South America, and Europe. Larisa grew up in Puerto Rico in what she describes as a very happy childhood. She was first exposed to classical music singing in the Puerto Rico National Choir. She studied Vocal Performance at the Music Conservatory in San Juan, and simultaneously received her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences, with high honors, from the University of Puerto Rico. Moving from Puerto Rico to Manhattan, Larisa then earned a Masters degree from the Mannes New School of Music. She is a proud artistic resident of Turnaround Arts, led by the Presidential Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, an organization that strives to transform schools in need through the arts. LARISA’S LOOK: The Ulla Johnson peasant dress from Toney Toni & The Gang in Pound Ridge

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JOSHUA BELL & LARISA MARTINEZ

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The couple came up from their Park Avenue apartment to look for ‘a little country house’, thinking it would be fun for them and Joshua’s sons; Josef, now 14, and twins Benjamin and Samuel, now 11; just to have a place to getaway. Intending at first only to check-out the neighborhood, they fell in love with the first house they saw - a large white Mayer Goldfinger modern, with a tennis court, and soaring evergreen views. The two were married in the front yard on October 5, 2019, only 4 months before being quarantined in the house by the pandemic, and are now happy to call the B&NC Mag area their home.

B&NC MAG: Joshua, you’re the Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle of your profession, and yet you can walk around on the street or go into a restaurant and almost no one knows who you are. Heck, you’re famous for having proven most people don’t know who you are even if you’re playing violin right in front of them. What does that say about us, and how does it affect you? JOSHUA: Well, one has to disassociate fame from talent or importance. McDonalds is more famous than the French Laundry. Kim Kardashian is more famous than the genius physicist, Brian Greene, who just might be the smartest man on earth. Very few people in the classical music world ever get much fame. I have been fortunate enough to get to play, on occasion, in front of huge crowds, and have been in all kinds of televised and broadcast appearances, including Sesame Street and Johnny Carson. It’s enjoyable, but it’s enough. I wouldn’t want to be so

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famous that you’re always public. We have some good friends who are really famous, and for sure I don’t envy their exposure. Don’t get me wrong, I’d like to turn millions of people on to classical music. I believe there’s a huge untapped market. It’s particularly important to reach young kids. Give them the chance to hear great music with ‘fresh’ ears. Leonard Bernstein’s concerts for young people are a great example of how we can grow interest. LARISA: That’s just one of the things I love about him. He’s such a gentleman. We met at the Blue Note in Greenwich Village in 2009 at a Chris Botti concert - he’s a mutual friend of ours. I thought Josh was really cute, but have to admit that, at first, as a music student and devotee, I was mostly excited to meet the great Joshua Bell. I had to approach him, and he was shy in responding. When we talked, he was genuine, and interested in me.

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JOSHUA: Well I guess whatever fame I do have - at least in the music world - paid off for me! For sure, I never would have had the nerve to have approached Larisa when we met! Believe me, I was immediately, and genuinely, interested! I just didn’t think I had a chance… B&NC MAG: Well then, fame aside, are you the Babe Ruth, or the Mickey Mantle, of classical violin? Are you the G.O.A.T.? JOSHUA: It’s just not like that in music. Or any art. There is no rank. You know just how many homers Babe Ruth had. But in music it’s not tangible. Selling albums is certainly not a good measure. Even within each musical discipline, classical, jazz, whatever, it’s purely a matter of taste, and it’s different for each listener. It’s one of the reasons I never participate in those ‘Desert Island Album’ shows. There’s no way to pick one performer, or one performance, and say it’s the best. B&NC MAG: Darn it, your ‘desert island albums’ was going to be one of my questions. How about what kind of music you listen to? JOSHUA: We listen to a lot of classical music, and a lot of jazz and some popular stuff, but probably most of the time when we’re listening to music around the house, it’s when we’re working on arranging or performing one piece or another. Larisa is the hardest working musician I’ve ever met and she listens tirelessly to everything that may inform her next performance. And, during covid, she’s started researching Latin art songs and even wrote a couple, so we’ve been listening to a ton of Spanish rhythms lately. I guess I’d pick Beethoven if there was only one composer, and the Beatles if there was only one band. I love jazz classics and we listen to a lot of Ella Fitzgerald. I listened to a lot of Genesis and Peter Gabriel as a teenager, and I like bluegrass, and Chick Corea. There’s good music in every genre...and, as a corollary, I’m sure there was a lot of junk during Mozart’s time, that just didn’t stand the test of time. But to be honest, if I’m not actively listening to something, I like quiet. I’ve got enough music going on in my head all the time. My mind is actively engaged when I’m listening to music. Music isn’t meant to be in the background like wallpaper. That’s really a big part of the beauty of classical music - it involves the listener. It requires an active mind, like watching a play.

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JOSHUA BELL & LARISA MARTINEZ

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B&NC MAG: So you two were still musically productive during the pandemic, despite all your performances being cancelled? LARISA: The pandemic has involved widespread death, sickness, suffering and economic hardship, and so it’s almost uncomfortable to talk about how we’ve fared. But for us, the sabbatical had a lot of silver linings. We were married here, only 4 months before staying home for the pandemic, so the year at home was like our honeymoon. Both of us had pretty full schedules before the pandemic. I’m always going here or there for weeks or months at a time as opera requires, and Josh has been touring non-stop his entire life. I got to spend lots of quality time with all the boys - Josh and the kids - and Josh has been ecstatic to have so much more time with them to experience the day-to-day and to explore all the wonders around this house. We’ve maintained a goodsized vegetable garden, and we built the chicken coop and have been enjoying finding eggs every morning. The break was a good thing for me professionally as well. It gave me some time and space to find my own voice. In opera, you are always playing a role. During covid, I felt like I had the time to start redefining a role of my own. I love working with new music, and like Josh said, I’ve started recording my debut album of Latin American classical songs. And we took Arthur Murray salsa lessons to get ready for our wedding...so we also did a lot of dancing in our livingroom during the pandemic! JOSHUA: It was the luckiest thing to get this house just before covid. This area is so full of wonder, with so much to do, and being surrounded by nature has been great for us and for the boys. But I have to say that I took a bit more of a vacation during covid than Larisa. She’s a busy bee. She’s interested and interesting. I love her curiosity. She finds something of interest and she goes crazy learning everything about it. She’s that way about music, and even the chickens. She hasn’t mentioned it, but she taught herself to play the guitar during covid as well.

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LARISA: He makes me sound like a workaholic, but opera isn’t something you just roll out of bed and do. You can be born with a voice, but you have to work at it. And I enjoy learning all the languages and cultures involved in the work I’m performing. JOSHUA: My regular concert schedule is very demanding, mentally and physically, and it felt pretty good to work on relaxing and getting healthy. I’m a good tennis player and I’ve always liked basketball - although it’s not the greatest idea for me, given the risk to my hands. But during covid, I shot baskets in a kind of meditative regimen, headphones on with a book-on-tape, coffee at the ready, for at least an hour, almost every morning. We took daily walks around the neighborhood. Of course, I worked. I was able to play on zoom with other musicians and even some doctors and healthcare workers! Although it’s not the same as live appearance, I’ve been able to progress despite the quarantine. I can always study, learn and practice. I’ve delved into some new music and prepared some programs and arrangements to perform as things get back to normal. And Larisa and I have worked on the “Voice and the Violin” programs we will be going back to performing together.

B&NC MAG: You’re each musical geniuses - what does that mean? Is the music springing out of you? Are you hearing it, seeing it, feeling it, expressing it? LARISA: In the end it’s all about connection for me, being true to the music, libretto and to myself, while getting the message across and connecting with the audience. And Josh is far too modest to ever answer this question about genius. If you could see him moving his fingers in his sleep you might get the idea. And for everyone it’s magical to see and hear Joshua perform. And I’ll tell you it’s not just in music. He’s a great speaker, and a great writer, and great at chess, which he can play in his head. He’s intelligent generally. He’s even socially ‘OK’! JOSHUA: Well I wouldn’t say it’s springing out of me. But I do hear a lot of music, and a lot in music, all the time. There’s an aspect of learning the notes of a particular piece that’s like memorizing a poem, but it’s really more about understanding the meaning of the notes in context, like becoming fluent in a language. I try to inhabit the music and to get to what the composer wanted to express. In that sense, performing classical music is a bit different than being a modern pop star. It’s more interpretive than innovative, more reverent than revolutionary. When I’m performing, I’m moving through the path and drama of the music. It takes endless practice and tireless work to play the violin, but I would say that the music itself does come naturally for me.

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JOSHUA BELL & LARISA MARTINEZ

B&NC MAG: What’s next? What do you want to accomplish as your performances resume? LARISA: Well, one thing we’re working on is commissioning a composer to write something for us to perform as part of our Voice and the Violin repertoire. And I’m really looking forward to getting back into the studio, and particularly collaborating with Josh. JOSHUA: My collaborations with popular musicians are very gratifying, and I’ll keep doing more things like that, and constantly trying to grow musically. But, truly, just resuming live performances is everything. I cherish the unique opportunity to be doing The Voice and the Violin with my wife. I’m grateful for my role as Musical Director of the Academy of St. Martin In The Fields. And I’ve got lots of great plans for concerts with all kinds of interesting people. I truly believe that one thing the pandemic has reminded all of us is how much we value the arts, live music and nature in our lives. I am excited that we are getting back to doing what we love to do.

Larisa donned another Ulla Johnson dress from the local store, Toney Toni & The Gang’s summer collection for an afternoon picnic!

B&NC MAG: Joshua, would you like to play incognito at a local restaurant, maybe in a local jazz or pop band? JOSHUA: No, I don’t think I’m doing that! The whole playing in the subway stunt was enough! I wasn’t really surprised that people walked by. Contrary to the conclusion everyone draws, I actually think it shows how classical music requires more than drive-by attention. ...And maybe I could have played better... 96

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JOSHUA BELL & LARISA MARTINEZ

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Think Charleston Might Be The Place For You?

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There Will Be Lobster BY: Lily Arnell Sara Arnell, beloved resident of Katonah since 2001, used her time during the pandemic to refine her new memoir, There Will Be Lobster: Memoir of a Midlife Crisis, released July 20th, 2021. In addition to being a lauded advertising mogul, a celebrated writer, an adored professor at The New School’s Parsons School of Design, a competent grill master, and an avid art collector, Sara Arnell is, in full disclosure, my mother. And I say this not only as her daughter, but as her greatest, most ardent admirer. As her child I’ve had the distinct privilege of watching my mother work and create ceaselessly, passionately and innovatively, constantly setting and accomplishing seemingly unattainable, astoundingly admirable goals, and always reaching unprecedented heights in both her career and personal creative life. I have never once doubted her capacity to achieve anything. Through my eyes, she is remarkably ambitious, creative, and enthusiastic. But her superhuman quality doesn’t make her exempt from the textures of the human experience, from facing hardship, stress, strain, pain and discord.

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Her new memoir, There Will Be Lobster, chronicles a difficult period of her life, a time of immense grief, avoidance, depression, and confusion. She tells a story of loss, heartbreak, and desperation. But more than that, she tells a story of profound love - a love of life, her children, her health, her happiness. Poignantly written in striking lyricism and humor, my mom illustrates how sometimes, in desperate efforts to seek contentment, we muscle vehemently down narrow passages of indulgence and neglect, in search of immediate gratification. But what we can learn from my mom’s story is that the key to finding answers within ourselves is first accepting a more expansive perspective.

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There Will Be Lobster CRYING AT THE GYM Unsuccessful attempts at doing things that I should have succeeded at made me feel broken. I couldn’t even get the simplest things right. My daughter asked me what I got my mother for Christmas. “A box of really nice chocolates,” I told her. “Grandma has diabetes,” she reminded me. I ate the chocolates for dinner over the next several days, almost as punishment for how careless and thoughtless I was. The word “Mom” was crossed off my Christmas list. I added her back on. No one knew what was happening to me because I disguised my depression under baggy clothes, excuses, and my new fake smile. No one knew how I felt or what I was doing when I was alone. No one knew that what I said I was doing was not the truth. I realized that when I told a few people what I had actually been up to—the medium, the psychics, having visions of my dead grandfather—they winced, then whimpered in sadness for what I had become. So I hid my turmoil, regrets, and depression from everyone. I put on a stiff upper lip when I needed to emerge into the world to shop for food or things I needed around the house, then retreated back home,

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under the covers. I didn’t want to feel this way. I didn’t want to live one life in the world and the opposite at home. I felt torn by who I was and who I wanted to be. I wondered how the imposter Christian Gerhartsreiter, alias Clark Rockefeller, had successfully managed his competing personas. I wondered how he reconciled being a rich Rockefeller by day with his former-German-exchange-student and wannabe-actor reality. He used murderer David Berkowitz’s social security number to get a job. He lived the life of a wealthy scion. He married a successful, intelligent woman. He faked who he was and fooled a lot of smart people. I faked it every day too. I dreamed time and time again about being someone I wasn’t. I wanted to be the person that people talked about as having it all. “Some people have all the luck,” they would gush! I wanted to be the one who thinks everything is going to work out, and it does. I wanted to feel like the construction worker on a broken scaffold who cheated death, or the kid that fell seven stories and lived. I wanted to be the woman who escaped her attacker, or the drug addict that was found in time and lived to shoot up another day. I wanted to be gung ho with positivity and optimism, able to make things happen out of sheer willpower, energy, and stamina. I wanted to feel

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triumphant. Instead, I sat on the floor of Equinox gym and tried to hold together the façade that was me. My trainer asked me to get into a plank position and hold it for fifteen seconds. I held it for three and collapsed. Then I burst into tears. “I can’t,” I wept. “It’s OK,” he said as he joined me on the floor. Another trainer came over, thinking I was hurt. My trainer waved him away. “I’m so sorry. This is so embarrassing.” “Don’t worry,” he said, trying to lighten things up. “This is nothing. You should see the stuff that happens here.” I wiped my nose with my sleeve, and he pulled me up. “How was your day?” my daughter asked when we next spoke. “I sat on the gym floor and cried because I couldn’t do a plank. I act like a workout buff to everyone, talk about going to the gym, getting fit, eating healthy, but none of it’s true.” “Really?” “Really,” I confessed. “That is the best summation of how I’m doing. And I cried loudly too. It was not a whimper. It was full-on wailing. People were looking at me like I was hurt or crazy. Trainers came over to help. I looked up at one sobbing and told him I couldn’t do a plank. He backed away like he was retreating from a rabid animal.” “Sorry, Mama.” “Do you know how many times you say ‘Sorry, Mama’ to me? Too many. I’m sorry. I’m the sorry one. I am so sorry that I make you say that to me. I’m sorry that that’s all you can say to me.” My tone was frantic. I was ending my sentences in a high-shrieked pitch. I sounded angry. And I was. But not at her. I wondered if this was how alias Clark Rockefeller felt when he got found out.

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Michael J. Neeley Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker Cell Phone: 914.588.2770 Email: Michael.Neeley@raveis.com

Mike grew up in Pound Ridge, went to Fox Lane, passed the c.p.a, graduated from Pace Law School, and opened his own real estate office. Mike has been focused exclusively on local real estate for the last 30 years. His intuitive ability to connect with clients and keen knowledge of the market have led to over a half-billion dollars in residential sales.

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Lori and her husband, Mark, raised their three boys in Pound Ridge, with all three attending Fox Lane. The couple still resides in Pound Ridge. Lori brings an insider’s knowledge of the marketplace, determination, perseverance, and sense of duty to each client that makes her a most valuable addition on the Michael J. Neeley Team. S E P T / O C T

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A N D JA PA N E S E S T RO L L G A R D E N BY John Fisher

he Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden fulfill the vision of founder Natalie Hammond, who reimagined her estate at 28 Deveau Road in North Salem “to become a place of natural beauty and tranquility, meant to delight the senses and refresh the spirit.”

As a widely-respected center of art & culture, with a mission of fostering Asian-American understanding, the Hammond is partially supported by grants from a number of organizations including the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership, Arts Westchester, the Westchester Industrial Development Agency, and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; but the Hammond depends on support from its members and from the community for continued strength.

She was the daughter of the world-traveling industrialist, diplomat, engineer and philanthropist John Hays Hammond. She began visiting Japan in the 1920s, where she was inspired by Eastern art and culture and became dedicated to melding them with Western sensibilities. In 1949, she wrote Anthology of Pattern. She was a versatile artist who painted, designed stage sets for Broadway, created costumes and other textiles, was a miniaturist, and worked in needlepoint. She collaborated with the dancer Martha Graham on the presentation of several highly successful medieval plays. In 1957 she designed and built the Hammond Museum, and in 1961 she designed and opened the Japanese Stroll Garden.

Celebrating the Garden’s 60th anniversary, the Hammond re-opened in the Spring following a year-and-a-half of being closed because of covid. Executive Director Elizabeth Hammer, Boardof-Trustees President Marleen Kassel, and staff, welcomed some 300 members and friends for a re-opening day fete that featured a tour of the main gallery exhibit of artists inspired by East Asian brush painting, a guided tour of the Japanese stroll garden, a Tai Chi and Qigong demonstration, Tea Ceremony demonstrations, a Shogetsu School of Ikebana cut-flower arranging demonstration, and classic stories for young children next to the Bamboo Grove.

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In it’s new dawn, the Hammond intends to continue on its original mission of fostering East-West crosscultural understanding. Among several new initiatives is an expanded focus on and support of female artists, which Natalie Hammond would have enthusiastically endorsed. To accomplish these various objectives, Executive Director Hammer envisions an ambitious array of programming and projects, including actively utilizing the museum’s galleries for live and online exhibitions, lectures, tours and classes, and also new archives, information and functions on the Hammond website. There’s even a new and exciting section of the website where Hammond members can exhibit their own work. Hammond Curator and Trustee, Bibiana Huang Matheis, herself an accomplished artist and photographer, explained some of the museum’s current offerings: “In the entrance gallery we currently have Sarah Haviland’s Becoming a Bird, a stunning series of sculptures of birds, some depicted realistically and others in an anthropomorphic form, skillfully crafted from metal wires…and sure to delight adults and children alike. We also just installed two exhibits inspired by the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote. One exhibit features the work of Carla Rae Johnson, Marcy B.Freedman and Mary McFerran, who collectively form the artist cooperative “In Question”. In the main gallery we have an exhibition titled Voices: I Remember, presenting paintings and mixed-media art objects by Eleni Smolen, George-Ann Gowan, Jill Parry, Kiyoko Sakai, Mimi Czajka Graminski, Tanya Kukucka, Tilly Strauss and Wennie Huang. And another exhibit, by Ceci Cole McInturff, titled Places of Offering, consists of a collection of episodic outdoor installations of organic ephemera set in various locations throughout the Stroll Garden and meant to interact with their natural settings.”

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The Hammond Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden are open May through November, Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 4:00 p.m., and the Museum holds a monthly series of Twilight Hours for adults and families with children. A complete schedule of coming events and lectures, as well as information about memberships, member benefits is available on the Hammond website. The Hammond offers guided tours of the museum and the gardens and extended hours by special arrangement, and the facility can also be booked for private parties and corporate events. Visitors are always welcome to roam the galleries on their own and can feel free to explore the Stroll Garden or just sit and enjoy the tranquil surroundings - even with a picnic lunch.

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A GOLF EXPERIENCE YOU WILL REMEMBER Sterling Farms Golf Course and Driving Range, Stamford, CT 116

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TOM & MARIANNE DAVIES

& NEW CANAAN’S HIDDEN MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART BY Michael Kaplan

PHOTOGRAPHY: FRANCES ISAAC

It’s an understatement to call Thomas and Marianne Davies just ‘collectors’. In the best possible way, they’re actually a touch obsessed. They’ve spent a lifetime studying art - concentrating on American art and with particular focus on Cape Ann art, Western art, 19th Century Hudson River School, the Orientalists, and Impressionism - and they’ve amassed an astounding and significant collection of hundreds of works of fine art - that’s displayed, as if in a museum and stacked three or four high on every wall of the house, in their New Canaan home. Tom was born on Independence Day in 1940, grew up in Westfield, New Jersey, went to Dartmouth undergrad, earned an MBA at Columbia, and then served in the Army, with the 411th Chemical Corp. Marianne grew up in Denmark, but was working at the Danish retailer George Jensen on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan when Tom’s parents met her and instigated the match that made them Mr. & Mrs. Davies. Wanting to explore the world, Tom targeted the few American-based corporations that then had international operations, and began what would be a 35-year executive career with Colgate-Palmolive, which included multi-year assignments in India, Hong Kong, Australia and Germany, and two decades of extensive international travel. The Davies moved from Germany to New Canaan in 1981, and Tom retired from Colgate in 1998. The couple have two sons, Erik and Kristian, who both attended New Canaan public and private schools. While the Davies Collection is holed-up in the Davies’ private home, the Davies have been prolific in sharing their enthusiasm and expertise. In 2006, Kristian Davies published The Orientalists / Western Artists in Arabia, The Sahara, Persia & India (Laynfaroh Publishers), including selected works from the Davies Collection - and certainly inspired by a lifetime of learning about art from his parents. And in 2008, Tom authored the fabulous coffee-table tomb Collecting Stories / 400 Paintings - 400 Stories (Laynfaroh Publishers), chronicling the Davies’ forty-year long pursuit of American art and featuring the Davies Collection. Over the last two decades, Tom has benevolently assembled three full exhibitions with pieces from the Davies Collection for the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society; produced a series of 44 lectures, as well as a 5-part series on the Hudson River artists titled “Up The River” (like the sign in front of Sing Sing Prison), all aired on Zoom, for the New Canaan Men’s Club (and served a term as Vice President of that organization), and; arranged an exhibition of Connecticut Impressionists for the Darien Museum. In addition, the Davies Collection has been featured in publications including American Fine Art Magazine, American Art Review, and Western Art Collector. Tom is presently working on a 14-part series, including 175 artists and 240 paintings, from the Davies Collection for New Canaan’s Lapham Community Center.

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Tom explains:

Our collection is like a 400-piece “puzzle. We’ve spent our lives putting The notable American art dealer Howard Godel of Godel Fine Art in Bedford says of the Davies: “Tom Davies is a passionate and very knowledgeable collector. I have known Tom and his lovely wife, Marianne, for more than 40 years. He has a great eye. I love his art collection and his enthusiasm. He truly understands the beauty and the history of American Art.”

the collection together, and there’s a story behind everything.

We sometimes enjoy the process of getting a painting almost as much as the painting itself. I bought my first painting in 1965, and believe me, the process of putting your own money down to buy a painting when you can’t afford to be wrong will get you very focused on learning everything you can about the artist and the work. We’ve gone treasure hunting all across the United States, and searching for great artworks was a constant as we moved around to places like Hong Kong with Colgate. And I can honestly say I really don’t regret any painting I’ve ever purchased, and can certainly kick myself about at least a few of the many I’ve passed. Maybe I’m a little compulsive about it, but really it’s just what I’m interested in, and passionate about. From the beginning folks have thought I’m a little crazy, but I’m just eccentric!” And Kristian, the Davies’ younger son, may sum it up best where he writes, in an essay titled Raised On Art / A Father’s Passion For Paintings Is Instilled In His Son, included in the Collecting Stories book, “When I was seven years old I thought Albert Bierstadt was a close friend of my father. My older brother and I would sit at the dinner table as my parents talked about people with strange names like Milne Ramsey and Childe Hassam, some with initials like A.T. Bricher and W.T. Richards, some with three names like William Lester Steens, and the most exotic of all - Carducius Plantagenet Ream. The mystery of their names lent them a certain gravity in my mind, and I assumed they were my father’s work colleagues or distinguished neighbors. ...Our whole life was like this - paintings everywhere. I gradually understood that my father lived a Jekyll-and-Hyde existence, coming home from work, off with the tie, out with the art books. Now retired, he is just Mr. Hyde.”

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Touring the Davies house, the collection is arranged thematically, with distinct genres in different rooms. No wall or space is exempt, whether over the mantle, on a second-floor hallway, or even in a powder room. With a playful interaction, Tom and Marianne are ready with a story about each and every painting. If Tom misses some obscure fact relating to the painting, or the artist, or the story relating to the acquisition, Marianne slips in the detail, or a reference that triggers the memory. They are telling the stories of their lives. Often, the story about a painting highlights Tom’s deep research into an artist and a detective’s pursuit of what Tom thought was that artist’s masterpiece or best example. The Richard Miller of a woman in a row boat painted in Monet’s gardens in Giverny which hangs over the Davies’ livingroom mantle was, as Tom puts it,

“Just the finest impressionist piece I could ever aspire to owning!” And the Maxfield Parrish of a cowboy seated on his horse looking out over a desert, signed on the front and with a description and signature on the back, which Tom describes as, “An extremely rare subject matter - illustrating the story ‘Rawhide’ - by Parrish, who was one of the most famous artists in the world in the 1920s. At one time, it was said that one out of every four households in the United States had a Parrish print hanging in the house.”

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Two pieces with great stories which are atypical within the Davies’ tales are the Dean Cornwell of Cleopatra, which hangs in the Davies’ red Orientalist den, and Willam Paxton of A Girl In A Pink Dress, which hangs in the Davies’ master bedroom.

conference Room where Tom first noticed it. ...So when Tom was retiring and Colgate asked him what he wanted as a gift, Tom passed on the engraved gold watch, and instead asked for, and was granted, the Cornwell.

The Cornwell is an extremely rare oil painting by the 1920’s artist, who was a famous illustrator of this Golden Age of Illustration. The original oil painting was commissioned as an advertisement for Palmolive soap with product shot and advertising copy inserted in the lower left corner of the image - and the oil painting was hung all over the Colgate corporate offices, including in the

And then there’s the exquisite Paxton pastel on canvas that hangs in the master bedroom. Marianne found the painting, then framed under glass, when she was working at a consignment shop in New Canaan. The painting appeared to be badly damaged by soot rising from the fireplace it had been hung over for a very long time, and the once-beautiful

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image faded almost to oblivion. But Marianne noticed and recognized the name William Paxton on the canvas, knew that Paxton, of the Boston School, was a painter of substantial renown and noted for images of the same ilk, and figured she’d bring the piece home for Tom to examine further. ...When the frame was surgically removed, it was discovered that all the soot had actually electrostatically clung to the glass and never touched the surface of the painting...and the Girl In The Pink Dress - of a woman who actually moved from Boston and lived in New Canaan many years prior - was reborn!

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Pressed to name a handful of his favorite American artists, Tom passes over the most famous candidates like Winslow Homer or Georgia O’Keefe, and selects, with an explanation in each case: Emile Carlson, “he’s just one of the best still-life painters ever”; Dennis Miller Bunker, “an extraordinary American Impressionist from the second half of the 19th Century who died at age 29 and showed rare genius”; Newell Convers (N.C.) Wyeth, “Andrew Wyeth’s father, who was a giant and never fully appreciated”, and; Eanger Irving Couse, “a member of the original Taos Society of Artists, whose portraiture of the American Indian is just captivating”. Similarly, asked to name a few of their favorite paintings in the Davies Collection, Tom says: “The large floral of pink roses in our dining room by Emil Carlsen; a view of the Gloucester harbor by the American Impressionist George L. Noyes; a landscape by the 19th Century Hudson River School painter Sanford Robinson Gifford, and; Gilbert Munger’s iconic painting of El Capitan at Yosemite. And,

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asked to name the favorite painting the Davies do not own, Tom picks The Crimson Rambler, by the early-20th Century Boston School painter Philip Leslie Hale. Finally, asked to put together an imaginary group of five most interesting people, dead or alive, for their most stimulating dinner party, Tom and Marianne start with Georgia O’Keefe, before naming: Donald Trump, “because I’d be interested in talking with him - and would still expect him and everyone else at the dinner table not to talk politics”; General Custer, “to call him to task for being such an asshole”; Quanah Parker, “the half-white Chief of the Comanches, who had to be one of the most interesting characters in all of history”, and: Victor Borga, born Borne Rosenbaum, “the Danish comedian and musician, because who could be more fascinating, and he’d certainly keep even this fartoo-serious group laughing”.

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Embrace the Season As Autumn nears, trees and vines hang heavy with ripe fruits and vegetables. The Market has a great selection of local produce, bursting with flavor and goodness. Enjoy a feast of fresh flavors; slice up juicy red tomatoes, gorge on orchard-fresh peaches, pears and apples, or grill a huge platter of zucchini, summer squash and eggplant! Before long it will be time to warm ourselves with heartier fare. At The Market you’ll find the tastiest ingredients; fine meats, fresh seafood and savory cheeses, to cook up something comforting and delicious. Pair your meal with a robust IPA or light pilsner from our abundant selection. Followed, of course, by a delicious freshfrom-the-oven treat from our Bakery! Don’t miss your last chance to enjoy Kiwi’s Outdoor Market this year. Join the fun on The Square Saturday, September 11th, 11am to 3pm!

Your Gourmet Grocery Store & So Much More!

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Set Better Standards

It’s our academics that set us apart. Courageous thinking guided by inquiry and exploration. It’s our community that sets us ahead. Open minds inspired by our different backgrounds and perspectives. It’s our graduates that set us above. Ready to own their future…and better prepared to better the world.

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Save The Date

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New Canaan Holiday House Tour a New Canaan tradition since 1957

Experience five exquisite homes decorated for the holidays! Friday, December 3 & Saturday, December 4 for tickets and information, visit: www.newcanaanholidayhousetour.com all proceeds benefit local charities

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golf course redesigned by Rees Jones

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For current membership opportunities, contact Leslie Dixon, Membership Director at 914.273.9300

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ANNUAL RAVEIS

RIDE+ WALK

to benefit the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage and Insurance and the Raveis family have long been committed to funding cancer-related charities. Under Bill’s leadership as Chairman and CEO, along with his sons Chris and Ryan as co-presidents, William Raveis Real Estate has grown exponentially, but its strong ethos, rooted in family values and supporting their communities, has never wavered. The Raveis’s William Raveis Charitable Fund is primarily focused on funding cutting-edge cancer research institutions. Like many families, the Raveis family have encountered cancer and the race to find a cure has become a personal battle. First, Bill’s friend and the then President of Raveis, Carolyn Deal, was diagnosed with cancer. Then Bill’s wife, Candy, was diagnosed with incurable acute myeloid leukemia; which is presently being closely monitored and actively managed. So, seven years ago, borne from a family conversation about how the Raveis family could do more, Meghan Raveis, Ryan’s wife, and the Director of the Charitable Fund, dreamed-up and launched the Raveis Ride + Walk.

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Nearly

$3M raised since

2015

7th year of the Raveis Ride+Walk

10 CT | MA | NY institutions across

Now, heading into their seventh signature event, the Raveis Ride + Walk, has grown into a fun and inspiring family fundraiser. This year’s event is scheduled for Sunday, October 17, at Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk, Connecticut, and includes a 5K walk, a 12-mile, 25-mile and 50-mile bike ride, and a children’s 100-yard dash, as well as family games and prizes. Registration is now open for the event, which this year will be held both in-person and virtually. The William Raveis Charitable Fund donates 100% of the donations received from the Raveis Ride + Walk. 130

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To date, the William Raveis Charitable Fund has raised nearly $3 million for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation; funding 20 scientists who are researching 7 different types of cancer at 10 different institutions in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York. Damon Runyon identifies the brightest earlycareer scientists with innovative research ideas and provides them with funding to pursue new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat all forms of cancer. Since 1946, this exceptional organization has invested nearly $375 million and funded more than 3,750 young scientists, including 12 Nobel Laureates. For the second year, William Raveis Charitable Fund will also be donating a portion of the Ride + Walk proceeds to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Founded in Boston in 1947, the institute blends leading science and exceptional care into transformative medicine. Dana-Farber is a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and federally designated a Comprehensive Cancer Center, that develops and disseminates innovative patient therapies and scientific discoveries throughout the world.

In 2018, the Raveis family’s philanthropy turned personal again, as Meghan and Ryan’s sister-in-law, Jennifer Cavanaugh, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer called HER2+ ER and PR-, which means that she had a protein in her cells that allowed the cancer to live and spread. Ten years ago, if someone had been diagnosed with HER2, doctors would discuss how to manage the diagnosis or how to keep the patient comfortable. Now, it’s different: Thanks to cutting edge research funded by the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, scientists have discovered new treatments for patients like Jennifer...and now only three years later “Jennifer’s cancer is in remission” and she’s living an active and healthy life.

different types of cancer

“I am truly inspired by the critical work that the brilliant scientists at the top organizations are doing. I have seen firsthand how developments in treatment through clinical trials and detection can help a cancer patient’s diagnosis,” said Meghan Raveis, who has also assumed Bill Raveis’ position on the Board of Damon Runyon. “All of this is only possible if we continue to help fund this research. It’s extremely inspiring and motivating that a countless number of people within the Raveis community have benefited directly from these partnerships.”

To register for the Raveis Ride + Walk go to

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Serving Fairfield County, CT and Westchester County, NY

Fall 2021 BN&C Mag shines a spotlight on four of our area’s most dynamic private day schools - and what makes each unique!

Education BY Barbara Accetta

RIPPOWAM A focus on project-based learning leads to more successful and lasting results with students.

KING SCHOOL Examining the role of athletics in college matriculation, B&NC Mag interviewed a D1 alum from the school who now plays for the Harvard tennis team.

NC COUNTRY SCHOOL RIDGEFIELD ACADEMY The role of technology in education is distinctly important, and RA is at the forefront of incorporating technology into their curriculum. From coding to S E P T / O C T 2 0 2 1 graphic design, to remote learning... we explore how technology is able to enrich the learning experience.

Focusing on early education, NCCS is especially known for creating lasting results through forming positive associations with learning for students.

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RIPPOWAM CISQUA SCHOOL EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM The Emergent Curriculum

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rhonda Spevak

Getting young children to play an active role in their own learning and education is a key to fostering an atmosphere of curiosity and lasting interest. Emergent curriculum focuses on designing classroom curriculum and activities around childrens’ interests. To see the results in action, Rippowam Cisqua shared an adorable success story from their Early Childhood Education program. Lisa Gershon, a teacher at ‘Ripp’, describes the emergent process: “We design the subject matter around what the kids express interest in, while also balancing what’s developmentally appropriate for the vast majority of the group. We watch and observe the children playing to discover a common thread or theme in their play and conversations. Once we figure out what that commonality is, we plan an extensive project-based unit. We make sure that we design the curriculum to meet the needs of all the children and ensure that the curriculum helps them continue to progress academically, socially, and emotionally.”

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In Lisa’s classroom, her Junior PreK class couldn’t stop talking about trains. They had been making tracks out of yarn, building train tracks in the block area, and building trains out of Legos. “We started by spending time meeting with the children to discuss what they already know about trains. They came up with an impressive and funny list of things they already knew, and were beyond eager to add and participate. ‘How do they go fast?’ ‘How do they turn around?’ ‘What does the conductor really do?’ They were excited to help plan and prepare for what they wanted to know more about, and dictated the trajectory of the unit,” Lisa recalls. The class read fiction and nonfiction books about trains, brainstormed a list of train experts, and thought of ways to integrate trains into the different areas in the classroom. Children were able to find books and navigate experiences to answer their own questions. “It is amazing to see how motivated children become when the curriculum is truly designed around their own interests and questions. Even at a very young age, children become independent thinkers as they learn to question, think critically, and find answers,” Lisa added.

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Field experiences such as site visits and interviewing experts are an essential part of project-based learning. The pandemic prevented a classroom-wide field trip to a train, but parents were encouraged to independently take their children to look at trains and explore their local station, and share their experiences and photos with the class. A Ripp parent was even able to serve as the classroom train expert; an avid train collector with a vast knowledge about trains, he prepared information and demonstrations for the children based on their questions about trains. To culminate the unit, the children worked for almost two months on making a train out of cardboard boxes. “We asked the children what our train needed and we used this information to create a train checklist. The checklist had photos and was a great way to introduce early literacy skills such as letter recognition, sound/letter correspondence, and concepts of print. The checklist was also numbered so it was a meaningful way to expose the children to number recognition, and counting was practiced as they counted to see how many items were left on the checklist,” said Lisa. noting that the children worked in small groups based on their needs and interests. “As the project started to come to completion, I kept looking at the last item on the list, which was a roof for the train. I was skeptical about the roof. How would we make it? How would the children get in and out of the train with a roof? Do the children really still want to make the roof? I asked the children all these questions, and they absolutely wanted to make a roof. We decided to take them to the Innovation Center. where they found some dowels and used blankets that we had for raw materials. They were so proud of their roof, and used their growing gross motor skills and developing spatial awareness to carefully navigate in and out of their train so the roof wouldn’t fall down.”

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Finally, it was time for the most important part: playing in the train! Young children learn through play – it is truly how they figure out their world, work through problems, and learn important cognitive skills. “Watching children play in the train was magical. They had to practice negotiation skills as they decided who would be the conductor and which color car each child would sit in. They strengthened the muscles they will need for writing as they used hole punches to punch tickets that they made. Number sense was developed as they counted the train cars and then counted how many children were on the train. They constantly had to figure out if there were enough train cars for each child playing in the train. Literacy skills were fostered as they looked at subway maps and used them to help figure out where they wanted to go on the train. New vocabulary was used as they talked about the different parts of the train, how it worked, and where they were going,” Lisa smiled as she reminisced. The unit culminated with a Zoom performance for the childrens’ families. Throughout the Train Unit, the children bounced into the classroom each morning and ran to the checklist to see what needed to be done next for the train. “Once the train was completed, they couldn’t wait for Choice Time each day, when they would get to play in the train. Working together for several weeks to make the train helped foster a tight-knit classroom community, in which all the children felt welcome and included. We saw children starting to play in different areas of the classroom than normal, some became more willing to take more intellectual and social risks, and we watched new friendships abound,” said Lisa. “Emergent curriculum creates an inspiring classroom environment because the children are studying something that they are interested in while also working together towards a common goal. The Train Unit fostered a love of school and a love of learning that sets a positive foundation for the childrens’ entire academic career.” BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN

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KING SCHOOL Academics & Athletics: A Winning Combination For the past 156 years, King School, in North Stamford, has offered student-led education from PreKindergarten through Grade 12, and has remained rooted in the values and virtues that champion the development of character, self-confidence, and talent. King believes in challenging the student to perform intellectually, creatively, and in leadership roles, and requires a service-learning component. The school takes equal pride in equipping studentathletes, by preparing them to compete in college athletics. The unique ability to strike the balance between success in academics and athletics for those interested in furthering their athletic careers with NCAA Division I, II, and III programs, is one of the facets that sets King apart from other schools. Harris Walker is a King School alumni and currently an undergraduate student at Harvard University - where he competes on the Men’s Tennis team. Walker was a 5-year 140

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letterwinner and 3-time MVP tennis player at King, where he also secured the No. 1 spot in Singles and was named Captain of the ‘Vikings’ team in his senior year. Additionally, he won the Fairfield Athletic Association Individual title, and ranked No. 1 in both the U18 and U16 division of USTA National singles standings. “One of the strengths of King’s athletic program is its flexibility in supporting studentathletes in pursuit of their passions,” said Walker. “I was encouraged to play the matches that would challenge my skills and whenever that would take me away from the classroom, my coaches and teachers collaborated with me to ensure that my commitment to excellence was reflected not only on the court, but also in my academics.There’s no such thing as a cookie-cutter student, nor is there a cookie-cutter athlete, and the infrastructure at King accommodated the individual academics and aspirations of each and every student,” said Walker. KING SCHOOL

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Walker was invited to commit to Harvard while still in his Junior year at King and, quite exceptionally, with a spot on the Harvard team starting as a Freshman. Remarkably, Walker registered 17 consecutive wins across the fall and spring season in his Freshman year with Harvard, and was 9-0 in the No. 4 singles position during his Sophomore year, among other substantial achievements. Competing in the Fairchester Athletic Association (FAA) as a New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) member, King School offers 25 varsity sports. In the last 3 years alone, scores of former Vikings have gone on to compete at the NCAA Division I level. Schools attended include Boston College, Bucknell, Clemson, Columbia, Lafayette, Princeton, UPENN, USC, and UVA. Several underclassmen have also recently made DI commitments to the likes of Duke and Yale. To guide its student-athletes through the college recruitment process, King School employs Emily Townsend Prince, Assistant Director of College Counseling and Director of StudentAthlete Leadership and Experience, specializing in college recruitment.

provide complimentary services from someone like Prince is rare. “It’s both a passion and a privilege of mine to lead our athletes through the recruitment process, and help them navigate decisions that will impact their college careers and beyond,” said Prince. King hosts an annual college athletics night, bringing in college coaches from across the country representing all levels and all sports, to present to King’s student-athletes and their families. King also offers a step-by-step College Athletics Recruitment Guide, and encourages considering which NCAA Division is a fit. “College sports aren’t for everyone; it’s a lifestyle and a significant commitment, so we ensure our student-athletes understand the opportunities and find the right college in which to excel and thrive,” said Micah Hauben, Dean of Athletics. “Many of our coaches have played at a high collegiate level, some professionally, and bring those experiences and connections to King School and our athletes.” Along with its experienced coaching staff, King School also features impressive facilities to help athletes reach the next level through strength training and conditioning programs, and an intentional and comprehensive approach to student-athlete health services. The four core values of King School student-athletes are teamwork, leadership, commitment, and perseverance. “These are significant virtues to uphold, but easily manifest on the fields and courts with the many life lessons gained through athletics,” said Prince. “We all have to work together to succeed; knowing how to succeed is what sports can offer.”

Prince herself went through the recruitment process; she was a 3-sport standout in high school playing lacrosse, field hockey, and basketball at the All-American level. Prince was recruited to Princeton University, which has one of the largest and most successful athletic programs in the NCAA Division I and the Ivy League. She joined Princeton’s field hockey team, where she became an Olympic-level player, 3-time All-American, and 2-year Captain. She was also awarded All-Ivy Honors, served as a Junior U19 National Team member, and participated in the 2001 NCAA Final Four. For a high school to S E P T / O C T

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RIDGEFIELD ACADEMY The Intention Of Connection

The historic Lynch House

At Ridgefield Academy (RA), a co-ed independent day school ideally situated on 42 scenic acres in Ridgefield, CT, an integrated curriculum links the core branches of Preschool through Grade 8 academics with technology and a stimulating variety of enrichment activities, in a close-knit, supportive learning environment. This intentional educational connectedness, a distinguishing factor at RA and the foundation upon which its mission is built, enables students of all ages to discover their strengths, nurture their passions, and meaningfully engage within the school community. 142

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“The world is ever-changing and as such, the education that we provide should equip our children with the necessary skills to thrive in the future,” said David Suter, Associate Head of School and Director of Enrollment. “Our integrated curriculum blurs subject-matter lines and connects different areas of study, from arts to athletics to math to science to music, to create a flexible intellect and interactive activities that can be connected to real life.”

Students collaborating in the lobby of the historic Lynch House RIDGEFIELD ACADEMY

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Ridgefield Academy faculty see themselves as designers of student experiences that go beyond a traditional compartmentalized approach to education where different subjects are studied in isolation. Learning is collaborative and interactive, and every hallway and shared space is regularly used by small groups of students working on a new project or invention. To ensure that no opportunity for connection and collaboration is missed, every student at RA now works on their own Chromebook computer, giving teachers the opportunity to incorporate technology into their classes, and for students to become fluent using technology across the curriculum. The devices can be used to research a lesson topic, program robots, or create presentations for the school’s regular assemblies, which are led by younger and older students. Technology is even utilized in the school’s lunch program; students use iPads to order individualized, made-from-scratch, takeout-style meals, with more than 25 fresh food options. “Technology has a huge role in childhood learning because it’s a huge part of their life in general,” said Basil Kolani, Director of the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. “It enables collaboration and communication, stimulates critical thinking, and supports public speaking, which is a cornerstone of the RA student experience.”

Students learning the photography composition “rule of thirds” in Technology class.

Connecting each aspect of education at Ridgefield Academy ensures a robust academic experience that builds on the natural curiosity of its students. The idea is to inspire learning rather than enforce it. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, exist as natural components of the RA’s overall program, and solidifies the school’s commitment to intentionally building and advancing an equitable and just school community that models respect and individuality. While the academic curriculum is rooted in fundamentals, it is consistently evolving to nurture the unique needs of each student and incorporate the most current studies on childhood learning. It is also connected to a broad range of extracurricular programming designed to express creativity, empower individuality, instill team building, and support the social-emotional growth of its students. These programs include music, drama, visual arts, digital arts, athletics, and health & wellness. RA also implemented Feel Good Friday, wherein Lower School students unite on the last Friday of each month to build relationships with each other, connect with teachers, and celebrate a month of hard work. In addition to its Ridgefield campus, the school operates Landmark Preschools in Westport, Connecticut and Bedford, New York. “The strength and connectedness of our programming is equally as important as the culture of kindness and collaboration in our school community. We understand the crucial role that we play in creating spirited individuals who are well-prepared for each stage of their education and beyond,” said Tom Main, Head of School. “Ridgefield Academy shares in our students’ aspirations and enthusiasm, and will enable each child to gain the knowledge and confidence they need to lead lives filled with promise.”

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NEW CANAAN COUNTRY SCHOOL Joy In Learning Think deeply, question confidently, and act generously. That’s the mantra and the mission of New Canaan Country School - creating an active and joyful learning environment, where childhood is honored, and students are challenged to reach their intellectual, creative, moral and physical potential, so that they may lead lives of impact and purpose. Founded on the four core values of Community, Courage, Curiosity, and Kindness, New Canaan Country School is a co-ed independent day school that has been a preeminent leader in Pre-K through Grade 9 education for more than 100 years.

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The school’s curriculum is deliberately designed for the elementary and middle school years and recognizes the unique abilities of every student. It’s an intentional journey that’s devoted to lifelong success: create an inspiring present and an inspired future will follow. Starting from the age of 3, New Canaan Country Day students are encouraged to experiment, collaborate, and voice their questions and ideas with confidence. “We see children as competent and capable human beings with great potential, and we respect them and value what they have to say,” said Beth O’Brien, Head of Early Childhood. “Children can teach us just as much as we can teach them.”

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Situated on 75-acres, the New Canaan Country School campus includes academic buildings, outdoor classrooms, woodlands and trails, a low ropes course, and more. Additionally, there are spaces dedicated to student woodworking, science, robotics, engineering, music, performing arts, and maple sugaring, among others. As evidenced in the range of amenities alone, joy and exploration is at the heart of the school’s purpose, and serves as an important differentiator among the sweeping sector of private schools in the vicinity. “When we focus solely on achievement-based activities, we lose sight of the essence of childhood; specifically, of nurturing inherent curiosity, insatiable spirit, and a can-do attitude,” said O’Brien. Yet another signature aspect of New Canaan Country School is the presence of animals on its campus, particularly dogs. A stroll through any of the buildings will likely lead to a pup quietly dozing underneath a desk or curled up on a window seat. These classroom companions are the teachers’ pets (no pun intended!), and they have the ability to provide a transformative effect on students. Those who struggle with reading, for example, discover that reading to animals provides them with the practice and confidence to excel.

Part of the academic success of New Canaan Country School students can be attributed to its philosophy that confidence in learning grows through trial and error. Every classroom is outfitted with the slogan, “This is a risk-taking, mistake-making community!” thereby giving students permission to be themselves in a safe, secure environment, where there is no wrong question or bad idea. “Our teachers are artfully skilled at stretching students further than they think can go, encouraging them to reach their point of challenge, and do so with the compassion that children need to triumph boldly,” said Rebecca Comizio, New Canaan Country School Psychologist, Chair of the National Association of School Psychologists’ Communications Committee, and a bestselling author. “It’s a method that requires exceptional teachers who fully understand their students, because a child who is deeply known can be deeply taught. And a child who is deeply taught will ask harder questions, attempt harder experiments, and ultimately become entrepreneurial in their thinking.” At New Canaan Country School, a joyful learning environment backed by intention and opportunities for discovery produces strong academic results and emboldened students, both in and out of the classroom. “We’ve created a compassionate, inspired community of fearless, lifelong learners, each of whom graduates with the self-assurance to make a positive contribution to the world, and that’s something we wish for all children at any school,” said Cooper. “A mindset shift in education that starts with embracing the defining elements of childhood, respecting and nurturing students, and teaching through a sense of joy, can impact the very fiber of who a child will become and change the general quality of education exponentially.”

While the power and exuberance of childhood is celebrated in every facet of programming at New Canaan Country School, the strong academic education is equally purposeful, and produces graduates that are sought after by the best schools nationwide. “A Country School education is about more than knowledge; it’s also about learning to apply that knowledge and turn it into action,” said Aaron Cooper, Head of New Canaan Country School. “Our students are taught to value both questions and answers, and are equipped with exactly what they need to take the leap from grade to grade, to the country’s best high schools, colleges, and beyond.“

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September/October 2021

Articles inside

THE NEW SEASON @ CARAMOOR: Katonah’s World-Class Cultural Destination

AMERICAN ROADSCHOOL: A Bedford family adventures across the United States in an RV during the global pandemic

DETERMINED

THE HAMMOND

HORIZONS

GIOIOSOto be played with joy INSIEMI together JOSHUA BELL & LARISA MARTINEZ

JERMAR

DAVID WORBY The RENAISSANCE MAN