Fairfield Living Magazine, March - April 2018 by Moffly Media

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CONTENTS MARCH/APRIL 2018

FEATURES

44 | Timeless Beauty

With a passion for gardening—and a handsome home in Fairfield—this couple made the most of their property. They created moments for relaxing, recreation and even raising chickens. And it’s beautiful. BY COLLEEN CROWLEY

52 | Escape Artists

Pack your bags—these fashion designers have fresh looks for your springtime getaway. Let’s talk vacation plans with Alice Temperley, Rebecca de Ravenel and Ulla Johnson. BY MEGAN GAGNON

DEPARTMENTS 10 | EDITOR’S LETTER Buzz: Elliptica Studio • Lincoln Navigator • men’s health Shop: Fashion finds for spring Eat: Nearby luxury at the Tavern at GrayBarns • A taste for rum Home: State of Real Estate in Fairfield • Kismet interior design services • Solving tricky landscaping • Meghan and Ryan Raveis’s family home in Fairfield Play: Interior designer and marathoner Keri McKay of Fairfield

39 | PEOPLE & PLACES 63 | INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

64 | DON’T MISS THIS

Events around town

ON THE COVER: FAIRFIELD GARDEN BY MELANI LUST

FAIRFIELD LIVING MAR/APR 2018, VOL. 8, NO. 2 FAIRFIELD LIVING (ISSN 2163-7555) is published bimonthly by Moffly Media, Inc., 205 Main St., Westport, CT 06880. Periodical postage paid at Westport, CT, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes (Form 3579) to FAIRFIELD LIVING, PO Box 9309, Big Sandy, TX 75755-9607. U.S. Subscription rates: $19.95/1-year, $34.95/2-year; Canada and Foreign $44/1-year, $72/2-year.

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FLOWERS: MELANI LUST; FASHION: CONTRIBUTED; HOME: KYLE NORTON

13 | STATUS REPORT

PRIMARY CARE

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”

If you’ve ever wondered if all primary care relationships are the same, maybe it’s time to visit WCHN. Our doctors believe the best way to treat you is by getting to know you. That way they can create personalized plans designed to keep you enjoying the moments that make life wonderful. Get to know a primary care physician at wchn.org/pcp | 1-800-210-1827

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On the go or online at home, you can easily reach our coverage of interesting people, stylish finds and fashion, fun things to do, new restaurants, and more, more, more. All the fun’s at fairfieldlivingmag.com. See you there!

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PHOTOGRAPHS: EAT, GRAYBARNS BY NOAH FECKS; PEOPLE,LIGHT A FIRE BY MELANI LUST; COBBLECOURT BY STACY BASS; GO, JETSMARTER, CONTRIBUTED; SHOP, TO AND FROM NAILS, CONTRIBUTED; BUZZ. WOLF + FRIENDS BY KRISTIN CHAMERS

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Everything you need from a doctor. From primary care to specialty care. It’s important to have a doctor who treats you with expertise and understanding. The physicians and medical staff of Northeast Medical Group rank among the top in the nation for outstanding patient satisfaction.* With more than 130 locations, it’s easy to find the right physician. And with Northeast Medical Group, you have access to the resources of one of the best health systems in the nation – Yale New Haven Health. 855-NEMG-MDS NortheastMedicalGroup.org

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EDITOR’S Letter

DIANE SEMBROT

HOMEOWNERS IN TOWN ARE SEARCHING

headlines these days in hopes of finding news that relate to their biggest investment—their home. They want to know how the market is doing and if they need to make a move. That’s smart. We all need to stay on top of what will have an impact on our finances and, certainly, tax changes will do it. So, in this issue, as Fairfield Living magazine does every year, we take the pulse of the local housing market by talking to the pros at the forefront: real estate agents and mortgage brokers. Writer Jill Johnson asks specifically about Fairfield, and we think this piece is a must-read for every homeowner in town. If you’re asking what you can do to traverse the changing landscape of the residential market, this is it: stay informed. Knowledge, and the insights of these local professionals, will bring you peace of mind. Inside, there’s also more reassuring coverage. Take a tour of a gorgeous garden tucked away in Fairfield. It’s a dreamlike property that has grown with a family, from energetic children in the lower backyard to a new chicken coop off the back patio. And if that sounds more utilitarian than beautiful, photo after photo proves that 10

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these homeowners are creative and gifted landscapers. The love and attention lavished on their garden is revealed at every step. Fairfield Living magazine was invited to photograph it last summer at the peak of seasonal blooms. It epitomizes one of the qualities I love most about Fairfield—that is, that you can find moments of distinctive allure and character in each corner of this town. Because we’re exploring gardens and homes, we also check in with Ryan and Meghan Raveis. Married with children, there was no question about where this couple would buy their family home. It had to be Fairfield. The house they chose suits the needs of their growing family (after they made a few house renovations to make it their own, of course), and we give you a look inside. One has to ask if this is the perfect family home in Fairfield. They say it’s perfect for them. After flipping through this issue, I’m sure you’ll agree that there’s no other town you’d like to call home. Enjoy the read!

dianes@mofflymedia.com

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BUZZ status report

ELLIPTICA • CAR REVIEW • HEALTH

Full

Circle

Clair Mason and Laura Laboissonniere

CLAIR AND LAURA BY PAMELA EINARSEN PHOTOGRAPHY; CLASS, CONTRIBUTED; WATER BOTTLE © LINDAOQIAN-STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Clair Mason and Laura Laboissonniere put a new spin on fitness, Elliptica

hen fitness entrepreneur Clair Mason was vacationing in Spain last year, she dropped into a boutique fitness studio and spent an exhilarating hour being pushed through the paces of an intense group workout on an elliptical trainer. “After class I said, ‘This is genius. I’ve got to find a way to bring this home.’ ”

Sweat-drenched inspiration soon led to a partnership between Mason, a Westporter, and Laura Laboissonniere, a Greenwich resident and fellow Fairfield County fitness entrepreneur. They recently merged their diverse fitness business backgrounds to collaborate on the launch of ELLIPTICA, a new workout concept featuring vigorous, instructor-led workouts performed from the perch of sleek, elliptical-style machines.

BEFORE YOUR FIRST CLASS…

BRINGING YOUR "A" GAME?

Try Elliptica’s longer HIIT classes, which mixes a vigorous thirty-five minutes on the elliptical and an extended, off-machine floor workout with additional abdominal and weightbearing glute work, such as squats.

2 Elliptica opened the first of its two Fairfield County studios in Fairfield’s Sportsplex complex in September 2017 and quickly followed up with an Old Greenwich outpost in January.

“What’s great about this is you’re going to sweat, have fun and the class is going to be filled with a contagious energy,” says Laboissonniere, who also owns the Pure Barre fitness franchises

COME PREPARED

Wear supportive kicks, light layers and pants or shorts that allow for easy, vigorous leg movement. Bring water and hyper hydrate before class. You'll sweat!

A FIRST-TIMER'S REVIEW

“I’ve never warmed to indoor cycling—and since the elliptical is normally my go-to machine when I’m dragging, and don’t want to work that hard—I was skeptical that I could truly embrace this workout. Yet I found the Elliptica workout physically taxing and mood elevating. My instructor, Stephanie, was warm and encouraging. The hands-free standingwhile-peddling segments were a slightly wobbly challenge, but I was sold during the intense squat intervals. My heart rate was soaring. At the end of the hour, I was a fan. I booked a second class on my way out the door.”

READY TO STEP TO IT? Classes are sold in bundles of five, ten and twenty or for a singleclass drop-in fee. Elliptica currently offers seven days of free classes to first-time riders. ellipticastudios.com

MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

BUZZ ELLIPTICA CONTINUED

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LINCOLN NAVIGATOR BLACK LABEL Price as Tested: $96,570 Drivetrain: 450-hp 3.5-liter V6 twin turbo EPA Mileage Ratings: 16 city/ 24 highway

New Glory Lincoln’s

The Navigator: Maximum-sized luxury that feels sleek and nimble

n its drive to be noticed again, Lincoln’s designers have determined their new grandees should have what they call “a captivating stance.” Indeed, the freshly remade Navigator SUV creates quite the presentation in your driveway with its blockbuster face and stylin’ rims. The looks might dazzle, but what’s amazing is how they made a vehicle of such Alpine size handle so damned well. The Navigator takes a big leap forward in the Big Luxury niche. As you approach the Navigator with key fob in your pocket, it senses your arrival and lights twinkle hello. A running board emerges to help you step inside, where ambient lighting (of your hue choice) soothes your brow. The interior surfaces are elegant. The dash has real buttons for many critical functions, which makes it easier—not to mention far safer—than the touch-screen controls once in fashion. The nav unit is a snap. When you move away from the curb, the Navigator just feels, well, nimble. It

steers with a creamy ease. The insanely tight turning radius makes braving a crowded parking lot a mere trifle, and the ten-speed transmission is always in the right gear and ready to leap. Don’t ask me how they got a three-ton, 450-hp vehicle to average 20 mpg. In inclement weather, its various AWD driving modes can be accessed with a quick turn of a dial. Hard braking feels as easy as laying your head on a pillow. On a long drive, you feel as though your salon chair is calmly sailing through space. It’s tall, but none of the topheaviness that used to bother these big fellows. The second row can be ordered as a bench for three or with two captain’s chairs, a console and video screens. The second- and third-row seats can be flattened with a touch of a button. In a crowded field of contenders, the new Navigator really steps out. Our tester was the maxed-out Black Label edition, but other versions start in the low $70,000s. —Chris Hodenfield

CONTRIBUTED

in Fairfield, Westport and Darien. The Elliptica approach to group fitness is a lot like an indoor cycling class. An instructor leading from an elevated platform-based machine coaches students through an upbeat— yet upright—cardio routine set to a motivating, up-tempo playlist. “You are getting that energy of a spinning class, but because it’s done standing, you’re also working your core,” she adds. Students are encouraged to pace themselves, varying their intensity by lowering and raising resistance from a small lever on their machine’s handles. Typical classes include hill climbs, sprints, and crank-up-the-resistance segments mixed with strategic pauses in full-on acceleration to perform squat sets and upper-body segments holding handheld weights. Mason—who owns Intensity fitness club on the Westport/Norwalk line— imported Elliptica’s equipment from Europe soon after a test run in Spain. They are less bulky than typical gym floor elliptical machines and weigh in at less than 100 pounds each. She notes the streamlined machines are ergonomically designed to encourage good posture, while allowing for a more whole-body fitness approach than a typical elliptical trainer does. Besides the cardio benefits, she says, “You are incorporating strength and balance, which is critical for all of us, especially as we mature.” The owners report classes have been popular with both men and women and fitness enthusiasts of all ages eager to try something new. “One thing we’ve noticed are mothers and daughters coming in together,” says Laboissonniere. “It is a workout that appeals to a lot of people interested in something that’s going to get those good endorphins going.” —Beth Cooney Fitzpatrick

MOFFLY MEDIA’S

2018

Event Lineup Mark your calendars!

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September 27 Nielsen’s Florist & Garden Shop Darien

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2018 December Westport

BUZZ

Guy Talk

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WHAT ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW 1 KEEP UP SELF-EXAMS

While urologists recommend regular self-exams should begin in teens as young as fifteen, it’s important for men to keep the habit up for a lifetime. “Even though you tend to see this in younger men, I’ve diagnosed testicular cancer in men in their fifties,” says Dr. Rosoff.

TALK TO THE PEDIATRICIAN

Parents should not assume their pediatrician is covering the finer points of self-examination with their teenage sons. “There’s a lot to cover in a teenager’s well visit,” says Dr. Rosoff. “Talk to your pediatrician [and] let them know you would like that [talk] to happen.”

KNOW YOUR RISK FACTORS

Boys born with undescended testicles have a higher risk of developing testicular cancer. Since undescended testicles are often repaired when boys are babies, Dr. Serels says, some men are unaware of this risk factor. So, it’s important for parents to share this background—and any family history—with their sons. “It’s also something your doctor should know,” he adds.

TREATMENT OPTIONS Caught early, testicular cancer has cure rates in

excess of 90 percent, and responds well to a regimen that includes chemotherapy and radiation, says Dr. Serels. Surgical removal of the testicle is required and men opt for a prosthetic replacement. “I’ve found that whether they decide on a prosthetic tends to depend on age,” he says. “Younger patients tend to go in this direction because they are more self-conscious.”

WHAT ABOUT FERTILITY?

Dr. Rosoff says normal fertility usually returns in about two years for men treated for testicular cancer. Some men opt to bank sperm if their regimen includes chemotherapy.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID ©AFRICA STUDIO - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

he good news about testicular cancer is that it’s a relatively rare disease with impressively high cure rates when caught early. The downside is that males most often afflicted by it—teens and young men between fifteen and thirty-four—don’t always have the disease on their personal health radar. “It can be challenging at times because you are not talking to a demographic that is particularly worried about cancer,” says Dr. Craig Tifford, a Stamford resident and orthopedic surgeon who is a sixteen-year survivor of testicular cancer diagnosed at stage four. “Since there’s no blood test and no imaging test for this, my mantra is selfexam. It’s the only way to catch it early.” Indeed, urologists who diagnose testicular cancer stress the importance of regular self-exam as the most proactive way to catch it when it’s most treatable. Dr. James Rosoff, a urologist affiliated with Greenwich Hospital, and an assistant professor of urology at the Yale School of Medicine, says testicular cancer usually presents with a small, painless lump, about the size of a dime, that is palpable when touched by hand. “Just checking once a month in the shower and you should be able to tell if something is not normal,” he says. Dr. Scott Serels, chief of urology at Norwalk Hospital, notes that the importance of self-exam probably isn’t being discussed enough because in 2004, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent panel of primary care experts, recommended against routine testicular cancer screening. (It reaffirmed that decision in 2009.) “Their thinking was because it’s so rare, screening is actually creating unnecessary anxiety,” he says. “As urologists, we…have a different perspective. There’s screening for breast and colon cancer, which can and does save lives. We know if you encourage men and boys and their doctors to check for this, you can stop the disease in its path and that can improve outcomes.” —Beth Cooney Fitzpatrick

Regular self-examination is key to early diagnosis and successful treatment of testicular cancer

HEY, CANCER. NOW IT’S TWO AGAINST ONE. MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING PHYSICIANS NOW AT NORWALK HOSPITAL

United against cancer. Now, Memorial Sloan Kettering medical and radiation

oncologists are onsite at Norwalk Hospital — leading and delivering team-based care alongside Norwalk Hospital’s own cancer experts. It’s a powerful collaboration that

offers both advanced science and highly personalized care. And, for patients, that adds up to more than a fighting chance. For more information, visit MSKatNorwalk.org.

SHOP

status report

SPRING FASHION

p r o d u c e d by m eg a n g ag n o n

SPRING LOADED The latest prints, palettes and picks, pulled from spring runways and ready to shop now CHECK, PLEASE

Fresh takes on classic gingham pg 19

SEEING SPOTS Dots are on point this season

pg 19

GARDEN VARIETY Mix a bouquet of red, pink and purple

PUNCH LINES

Stripes look on the bright side pg 21

ISLAND TIME Floral prints go tropical pg 21 18

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pg 20

ALICE AND OLIVIA BY STACEY BENDET Rylyn top; $195. Lonnie jacket; $795. Merrill skirt; $995. Greenwich; aliceandolivia.com

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Get graphic with monochrome gingham

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2 Sonia Rykiel Carolina Herrera

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IMAGES COURTESY OF DESIGNERS/BRANDS

Hot Spots Add fun & flirty polka dots to your print mix

1. JOIE Cirila; $148. Greenwich, Westport; joie.com 2. GUCCI Princetown check fabric slipper; $750. gucci.com 3. THEORY Gingham classic skinny pant; $345. Greenwich, Westport; theory.com 4. MAR Y SOL Pompei bag; $135. shopmarysol.com 5. J. McLAUGHLIN Mercer ballet flat in picnic gingham; $178. Greenwich, New Canaan, Southport; jmclaughlin.com 6. CLUB MONACO Roenna pump; $349. Greenwich; clubmonaco.com 7. JOHANNA ORTIZ Polka dot trench dress; $1,700. Saks Fifth Avenue, Greenwich; saks.com 8. OSCAR DE LA RENTA Ball tassel earrings; $490. Copious Row, Greenwich; copiousrow.com 9. SAINT LAURENT Sleeveless ruffled and pleated top in lipstick dot printed silk Georgette; $1,590. Neiman Marcus, The Westchester; neimanmarcus.com 10. ZARA Embellished city bag; $39.90. Greenwich, Stamford; zara.com 11. CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Bibariellita polka dot wedge in latte/black; $1,145. christianlouboutin.com

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SHOP

Monique Lhuillier

Tibi

Freshly picked, from poppy to lilac

MSGM

Roksanda

Salvatore Ferragamo

Petal Palette

1 6

4 2

10 7

8 9

12 1. GIGI BURRIS Ete straw hat; $388. modaoperandi.com 2. L’AGENCE Chamberlain blazer; $595. Tina Dragone, Darien, Westport; tinadragone.com 3. PELLE MODA Berlin sandal; $129. Shoe-Inn, New Canaan, Westport; shoeinn.com 4. ST. ROCHE Camille blouse; $205. Spree, Darien; spreedarien .com 5. COTTON CITIZEN Pink skinny jeans; $295. intermixonline.com 6. McQ BY ALEXANDER McQUEEN Glasses; $169. Lord & Taylor, Stamford; lordandtaylor.com 7. MIGNONNE GAVIGAN Mini Elle hoops; $125. anthropologie.com 8. RAG & BONE Nova sneaker; $350. Greenwich; rag-bone.com 9. SHARI’S PLACE Private label ostrich bag; $2,690. Greenwich; sharisplace.com 10. STELLA McCARTNEY Mini Falabella tote bag; $870. stellamccartney.com 11. ACNE STUDIOS Mock leather jacket; $1,550. mytheresa.com 12. LONGCHAMP Sandal; $445. Greenwich; longchamp.com 13. HOBBS Silvia dress; $480. Greenwich; hobbs.com

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IMAGES COURTESY OF DESIGNERS/BRANDS

Fruit Stripes

SHOP Coloring in the lines never looked so good

5 4

Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini

9 2 7 Dries van Noten

IMAGES COURTESY OF DESIGNERS/BRANDS

Surfer Girl

Island-inspired florals bloomed on spring runways

1. EDIE PARKER Wicker heart bag; $1,495. edie-parker.com 2. MARA HOFFMAN Cora tie-waist striped wrap skirt; $225. Soleil Toile, New Canaan, Westport; soleiltoile.com 3. DIANE VON FURSTENBERG Stripe silk wrap midi dress; $428. Darien Sport Shop; dariensport.com 4. ALICE AND OLIVIA BY STACEY BENDET Lonnie embroidered cropped bomber jacket; $795. Greenwich; aliceandolivia.com 5. ALEXANDRE BIRMAN Lolita high heel sandals; $625. Saks Greenwich 10022-SHOE; saks.com 6. STUART WEITZMAN Carla; $455. Greenwich; stuartweitzman.com 7. JUDITH LEIBER COUTURE Birds of Paradise clutch; $3,995. Mitchells, Westport; Richards, Greenwich; shop.mitchellstores.com 8. MARC CAIN Blazer; $560. The Westchester; marc-cain.com 9. TORY BURCH Max espadrille slide; $228. Greenwich; toryburch.com 10. MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION Sapphire flower print pant; $975. Richards, Greenwich; shop.mitchellstores.com

MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

EAT

status report

TAVERN AT GRAYBARNS • RUM

Signature Grayhound cocktail

Roast chicken with new potatoes

New Classic The Tavern at GrayBarns in a newly renovated inn serves comfort food with a twist. by carol leonet ti dannhauser photographs by noah fecks

few weeks before we hoped to have dinner on a Friday at the wildly popular Tavern at GrayBarns in Silvermine, we logged onto the reservation portal. Just two choices: 5:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. What was all the fuss about? On a cold and dark afternoon, we settled in at a cozy table for two by the roaring fireplace. It hardly seemed possible this was once the Silvermine Tavern, which closed in 2009. New owners Andy and Marsha Glazer have transformed not only the tavern, but also the adjacent inn and surrounding property. The color scheme and design, a warm and welcoming cream and wood, with whitewashed floors and handmade lighting fixtures along with original beams 22

FAIRFIELDLIVINGMAG.COM

and accents, is beautiful, curated, tasteful and comfortable. A small shaft of bread appeared, as well as grass-green crystals atop a dollop of butter. Our server Kristen told us that Steve the bartender moonlights as a forager. Later, Executive Chef Ben Freemole said he’d brought home about twenty-five pounds of ramps from Steve, pickled the whites, and put the greens in his dehydrator for three days, knowing he could “do something interesting” with the ramp powder. Chef Freemole said the Glazers wanted the food to match the environment. “They were looking for a modern take on a tavern, an unstuffy place where you can let your hair down. They wanted it to be seasonally and locally inspired.

WHITE GLOVE SERVICE MINUS THE WHITE GLOVE

TRY OUR RAW BAR! WITH 6 TO 9 DIFFERENT TYPES OF OYSTERS ON A DAILY BASIS AS WELL AS 3 DIFFERENT TYPES OF CLAMS! Modern contemporary restaurant with a Mediterranean flair providing the best service in a casual environment where our dishes and quality of food speaks for itself! 3 4 8

YST E R B A R

348 Black Roack Turnpike, Fairfield, CT | 203-332-0348

348OYSTERBAR.COM

THE FRESHEST SUSHI. THE BEST INGREDIENTS.

Pink Sumo offers the finest selection of world-class sushi and sashimi, using only the freshest seafood and best, high-quality ingredients. 4 Church Lane, Westport, CT | 203-557-8080 S U S H I

S A K E

C A F E

PINKSUMOCT.COM

EAT Hamichi Crudo with mint, cucumber and aji chili

Roasted oysters with nduja and crispy shallots

Burger with triple cream purple mustard and red wine onions

QUICK BITES 1. Executive Chef Ben Freemole’s resume includes time at Melisse in Santa Monica, the Fat Duck in England, and the now-shuttered wd~50 in Manhattan, famous for using molecular gastronomy to transform fresh, farmers’market ingredients. 2. The menu is seasonally and locally inspired. The selections change every few weeks. 3. New owners Andy and Marsha Glazer have transformed The Tavern, which used to be the Silvermine Tavern, the inn and the surrounding property.

TAVERN AT GRAYBARNS 192 Perry Ave, Norwalk 203-580-1900 tavernatgraybarns.com

DINNER

Tues.–Sat.: 5 p.m.–10 p.m. Sun.: 5 p.m.–9 p.m.

FAIRFIELDLIVINGMAG.COM

That leaves us a lot of room for interpretation.” With one taste of the ramp salt and butter— perfectly crunchy-creamy, with a faint garlic essence—we understood. We ordered roasted oysters, which came sizzling on hot rocks. Roasted uni butter, made from sea urchin, formed a golden crust on top. Its rich and caramelized lusciousness overpowered the oysters, which sadly got lost in the mix. We’d asked to split the pear, fennel and crab soup, and the kitchen sent out two bowls without comment or added cost. The layers revealed themselves with each spoonful: a little sweet crunch from the Seckel pears playing perfectly off of shaved green onion; celery root and butter for depth; a generous scoop of fresh, sweet and bright Jonah crab. When I finally opened my eyes and looked at my companion, we spoke without words: We wanted another bowl apiece. Our next small plate arrived. Care had been taken to cut delicata squash and green apples in wafer thin half-moons, and pomegranate seeds, pistachios and a few perfectly positioned green lavage leaves created a stunning canvas. The squash had been pickled, bruleed and roasted, but we couldn’t single out one preparation from the next without trying too hard, due to the pool of straciatella at the dish’s base. Fun and fussy were competing on the plate, ending in a draw.

The menu changes every few weeks, which keeps things interesting but limited. We ordered a cheeseburger ($20), fettucine with crab ($29) and smoked cauliflower ($22). The homemade fettucine felt a tad too al dente. The dense pasta overwhelmed the delicious and delicate lemony buttery sauce. The smoked cauliflower was cut like a steak and beautiful to behold in its Sicilian-inspired sauce. But my companion reached for the salt when it came to the cauliflower itself, and I wished for something absorbent to swirl in that delicious sauce of basil and mint leaves, curls of red pepper, pickled onions, pine nuts, golden raisins and more. Our burger, served with a pickled green tomato, orange American cheese and an aiolibased béarnaise, was perfectly medium rare. We took a juicy bite into the toasted bun. Pickled, cheesy, salty, creamy layers introduced the main meaty event. Why was this burger so perfect? An unctuousness lingered in the best way with each swallow. Later, Freemole told us he’d asked the butcher to grind bone marrow into the mix of chuck, brisket and short rib. By now, more than two hours had passed, and the joint was jumping. We had to strain to hear Kristen when she asked if we wanted dessert. We thought about it. In the end we decided to move along. We knew how hard it was to get a table.

Attention Best of Winners!

You asked for it and we listened! We received hundreds of requests on how you can get additional marketing materials and signs to announce YOUR BEST OF WIN! We’re proud to announce Moffly Media’s official Best Of The Gold Coast & Best Of Town ONLINE STORE! Proudly display your win to the community with:

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ORDER NOW at bestofgoldcoastct.com These special keepsakes provide yearlong in-store marketing for your business!

CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON BEING A 2017 WINNER!

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NOW TRENDING

Did you hear? Rum is having a moment. High time to acquaint yourself with this sweet, aromatic spirit

ABCs of RUM

Rum flavors range from the floral to funky, offering much to explore. To get you started, here are some types and brands to consider tasting.

Aged

irst brewed from by-products of sugar making in the English West Indies in the early 1600s, rum was a “hot, hellish and terrible liquor,” one early critic noted. Over the next 200 years, advances in distilling, filtering and flavoring transformed rum into a smooth and sweet spirit. Today, distillers are increasing flavor by returning to traditional methods. Though the market is still dominated by white, spiced and flavored rums, which are less expensive and easy to mix, quality and craft are on the rise, and easy to find. —Elizabeth Keyser

Ron Centenario 30 Year Aged goes for $150 a bottle. The Costa Rican distillery’s 20 Year is a bargain at $50 a bottle.

American Craft Rum

High Wire Distilling, in Asheville, North Carolina, ferments fresh crushed sugar cane to make a craft rum in the traditional French West Indies rhum style.

Cachaça

Brazilian rum made from fermented sugar cane has a high-octane punch. White cachaça, mixed with mashed limes, sugar, and poured over crushed ice, is a caipirinha. Try sipping aged cachaça after dinner.

Cask Aged

Mount Gay, the oldest rum brewery, releases annual selections of ten- to thirty-year-old rums, under the Mount Gay 1703 label.

It’s sweeter than white rum, with caramel notes.

Dark

Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12 Year, and El Dorado, from Guyana.

Flavored

Rum

Coconut-flavored Malibu is the classic. Who doesn’t love what it does for piña coladas?

Distilled from molasses.

Hogo

Single Barrel

A traditional method of reusing fermented sediment from the bottom of the stilling pit. This produces high levels of esters, flavor compounds that are deep, earthy and nutty. Try Hamilton Jamaican Pot Still super hogo.

Infused

Rum takes well to being infused with fruit, herbs and spices. Think pineapple, ginger, citrus, or rosemary. Try infusing at home!

Jamaican Rum

This is a traditional, fruitier, funkier style found in Appleton Estate Reserve Blend and

Rhum

Distilled from sugar cane.

Don Q 10 Year Aged, and Gran Añejo 9–12 Year Aged, both from Serallés Destilería in Puerto Rico (open again since Hurricane Maria) are favorites of connoisseurs.

Special Wood Finishes

Ron Abuelo, from Varela Hermanos in Puerto Rico, is aged in Oloroso sherry and port casks.

Spiced

Captain Morgan has steered to less sweet Black Spiced Rum and Sherry Oak Finish rum.

White

Clearer and crisper than dark rum. Better for mixed drinks.

APERITIF Rum is one of the few spirits drunk warm. L’Escale’s hot Cool Runnings, a blend of Dos Maderas rum (Barbados and Guyana rum aged in Spanish sherry casks) and warm, infused apple cider, is a great way to start your evening when dining in Greenwich.

COCKTAIL South End in New Canaan serves Urusala’s Punch, rum with pineapple and orange juice, and grenadine.

DINNER At Farmer’s Table in New Canaan, chef Robert Ubauldo suggests having a mojito or rum punch with his Shrimp Mojo, or guacamole and chipotle salsa tacos. He uses Panamanian Caña Brava white rum, aged three years, in his mojito, and Blackwell rum in the punch, a blend of pineapple, orange and lime juices.

DIGESTIF Because aged rums have complex, rich and sweet flavors, try lingering and sipping them straight or over ice. You can thank us later.

Elizabeth Keyser has written about beer, wine and spirits for newspapers, magazines and blogs. She has sat on the Yankee Brew News tasting panel and judged craft and European brew contests.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ©ALENKADR - STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Sipping Encouraged Pairings ideas for before, during or after your meal

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the

TOP ROW: Â©ARTCOOKSTUDIO/ADOBE STOCK; @ORAN TANTAPAKUL/ADOBE STOCK; @JOESAYHELLO/ADOBE STOCK BOTTOM ROW: @THPSTOCK/ADOBE STOCK; @SOLARIA/ADOBE STOCK @DRON285/ADOBE STOCK

ish D2018 Feast your eyes on these irresistible eats right here in our own backyard. The restaurants on the following pages offer a wide variety of old and new favorites, from classic comfort food to new and exotic dishes. Check out their mouth-watering Instagram photos, learn what inspires both chefs and owners alike and what keeps customers coming back for more.

Disthe2018h

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Fun facts to share about your establishment We are hidden in an alleyway, but once we are found we are not easily forgotten. Dogs especially don’t forget about us with our awesome doggie menu available when the patio and outside lounge are open. Interview with Owner Michael Baffa & Manager Stephanie McCool

Fl pside Burgers and Bar i

1125 Post Road, Fairfield 203.292.8233

flipsiderestaurant.com @flipsideburgersandbar

What are you known for? We are known for our creative specialty burgers. All of our patties are formed by hand with our custom-ground top round. We are also known for our inspired cocktail menu, featuring the best margaritas in Fairfield and the awesome sixty-ounce monster cocktails designed for sharing. Try the Scorpion: It’s on fire!

Over-the-top request We love to give people the ability to design their own burger, and some take it to a whole new level. The best is the double ten-ounce burger with as many toppings as you can pile on. It’s a mouthful! Pair that with a milkshake and chili cheese fries; talk about a home run.

People rave about • Our Mac n’ Cheese Burger loaded with home made mac n’

cheese and smokey bacon. • Mayan Pork appetizer with crispy marinated pork makes for a sweet and spicy starter you won’t soon forget. • Dry rubbed wings are a real crowd-pleaser (no messy fingers here). • Margaritas (get crazy and try the cucumber honey with a spicy rim). • And don’t forget the best late night happy hour in Fairfield every Thursday from 8-11pm in the bar.

What keeps your customers coming back? Our customers come back because we constantly strive to provide great service and the freshest ingredients everyday. Combine that with our laid-back atmosphere, creative menu and open kitchen and you will see first hand why people flip for us.

M.EAT Organic Beef & Provisions 29 Church Lane, Westport

203.557.8400 | meatprovisions.com

@meatprovisions

What inspires you? I get inspired by knowing that I have the ability to share the finest products that have always been handled with care to those who have yet had the opportunity to experience them. Together, we get to exchange our stories, strengthening our culinary experiences yet to come.

Fun facts to share about your establishment Our cattle mature at three to four years of age at a weight of 950 to 1150 pounds, whereas your 28

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typical grain-fed cattle reach that size in approximately eighteen months due to the amount of hormones and steroids in the feed. We allow our cattle to grow and age naturally, in a space sufficient enough for each one to have up to two soccer fields to itself. This gives our beef that sought after grass-fed flavor and also enriches it with the omega-3 fatty acid that is so beneficial to our health.

People rave about We have quite a few returning customers. The first thing they

Interview with Operations Manager Todd Harkin

rave about is the natural flavor of the beef. They love how it affects the flavor of their sauces and also how beneficial it is for their health. They often share that simply knowing this makes the entire experience of their meal more enjoyable.

What keeps your customers coming back? What keeps our customers

coming back are the nutritional benefits combined with a superior flavor at more than a reasonable price. We are able to keep our prices reasonable because we are the importers. In this way, there is no middleman in our chain of supply. On top of this, our staff can provide excellent recipes and suggestions on how to prepare your dish once you arrive home if you need any help.

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status report

STATE OF REAL ESTATE • KISMET • LANDSCAPING • RAVEIS HOME

Moving Ahead Whether you’re buying or selling a home in Fairfield,

it pays to understand the State of Real Estate for 2018

Outlooks remain cheery though. “I’m more excited about 2018 than I have been for the past few years,” says Victoria Fingelly of William Pitt Sotheby’s. “The over $20-million market is moving now because the buyers are there and the pricing is realistic.”

HOUSE HUNTING? This one at 396 Midlock Rd. is on the market for $1,849,000 (Linda Blackwell/Houlihan Lawrence)

ast year had some people threatening to move to Canada, but, as it turns out, plenty of folks are still making their home, and buying homes, here. Realtors expect Fairfield County to remain popular, with the great values and charm in Fairfield and Southport making them particular standouts.

CONTRIBUTED BY HOULIHAN LAWRENCE

MARKET OVERVIEW

“I’m pretty bullish on 2018 and I think my agents are too,” says Beverly Walsh at William Raveis. “A year with a new president is always a tenuous year in terms of real estate. We are past that now.” The new tax law brought bad news on the mortgage interest deductibility front. Now new buyers can deduct interest on a total of $750,000 in mortgage debt, rather than $1 million. (Existing mortgages are not subject to the reduced limit.) Although the East and West Coasts, with more homes in the $1-million range, will be most affected by this change, realtors here do not expect major repercussions. Michael Daversa, president of

GuardHill Financial’s Connecticut division, says, “In Fairfield County, there are a lot of mortgages that are $750,000 or more. Before you could buy a house for $1.3 million, put $300,000 down, and still have maximum mortgage deductibility. The new law will force people to put more money down to get it to the $750,000 mark. I think that’s what you’ll see more of, rather than people buying lower price homes. It will affect the mortgage industry, as we’ll see much less refinancing.” Michelle Genovesi of Michelle& Company says, “The market in general has been steady and moving. However, there’s more supply than demand, so that has caused some depreciation.”

LURING BUYERS

The chatter around the state tends to be negative: high tax rates, big corporations leaving, empty nesters relocating out of state. But many agents highlight the positive aspects that are underplayed: lower taxes than New York or New Jersey, companies moving in, unbeatable amenities. Rick Higgins of the Higgins Group predicts the area will become a “Silicon East, with Stamford as its vortex. Some tech companies are there, and it’s only a matter of time before more come. RBS and UBS are there. Charter’s new headquarters will bring 1,100 jobs,” he says. “It’s ideally located between the city and countryside. When I was living in New York City, Connecticut was the shining city on the hill people wanted to move to. I think that’s still true. We’re fortunate that Fairfield has so much to offer and we have a lot of diversity in price range. You can find a nice house for $500,000 to $600,000. The middle of the pack in Fairfield is not even a starter home in many nearby towns.” Genovesi says, “I think lower Fairfield County will always be steady; there’s such an influx of the New York commuter. We’re finding a trend now toward lifestyles that are close to the beach or walking distance to town. People are looking for a sense of communi-

ty. That’s because our lives today are so busy with the internet and technology—we are so connected, we are disconnected.” She adds that there is local movement into Southport. “Buyers are drawn to the walking village and community. It’s reminiscent of a quieter time.” Linda Blackwell, at Houlihan Lawrence, comments: “There aren’t many places like Fairfield, with five beaches, a lake with a sprinkler park, the arts, Fairfield Theater Company, great schools and a vibrant down-town. Time has become such a valuable commodity that buyers don’t want to do work. It’s about the condition of the house now, not being on the best street. Buyers want houses that are updated and move-in ready.”

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY

“You can go online to see amazing photos, videos, 3D renderings,” says Pam Foarde of Filippone Associates about house-hunting. “You can be living in England, looking in Fairfield, and you can almost put yourself in the house.” She warns about using house sites without an agent’s guidance, though. “Zillow will give an average of what’s sold in a one-mile radius, but they don’t know the story. One short sale can really throw off the average.” Chris Raveis, president of residential sales for William Raveis, says, “Technology is accelerating the way brokers are able to organize and connect prospects to listings and greatly accelerate how transactions are facilitated. Data mining and marketing and sourcing buyer and seller prospects has also become more accessible as technology advances.” —Jill Johnson

MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

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Must Be

Kismet

Digital interior design studio launches out of Fairfield County

THE PROCESS

After hiring Kismet, the client has a meeting and virtual walkthrough of the space via Face Time, Skype or similar online program. Kismet then assesses the project and creates options for the furniture layout. The interactive, passwordprotected dashboard of the project is updated in real time for instant collaboration from phone, computer or tablet. “Many clients were shopping online independently, which affected the cohesive vision we spent a ton of time creating. All of a sudden the room would become disjointed by a random lamp they had ordered,” says

Thornton. “It became clear that clients wanted help from a designer and to keep the freedom to shop online on their own time.” The duo didn’t resist the trend. “All we really wanted was to create beautiful rooms and to make people happy. If it meant changing the way we were used to doing things, then that was just fine.” Each project includes a list of furniture, décor, lighting and textiles that the client can purchase when they’re ready.

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YASMIN THORNTON

While based in Fairfield County and L.A., Kismet accommodates clients virtually anywhere. They’ve already completed a modern

TRISHA KASMIN

SNEAKY STORAGE SOLUTION

COLOR FOR SPRING

Under-the-stairs nooks

Still obsessed with blush

HOME INDULGENCE

FAVORITE APP

Rose and Oud candles and artwork

Pinterest! I can’t remember what life was like before it.

SPRING FLOWER

Beautiful, messy peonies, in any color

FAVORITE STORE

The Beehive—cutest accessory and gift store HOME INDULGENCE

Definitely candles. I love LAFCO and Capri Blue.

REACHING OUT

A modern geometric console, textured table lamp and abstract art tie together a client’s finds from global travel.

KISMET’S PICKS AND FAVORITES

industrial office makeover in SoNo; a bedroom oasis in New York City; and a whole-home design and furniture layout in Fairfield, among other projects. “One of my favorite things about interior design is the uniqueness of each project. We designed a modern industrial office, an eclectic city apartment and a French Provincial–style home all within a few months of one another,” says Thornton. “How fun is it to be able to explore such different areas of design?”

GIVE TO GET

The à la carte design process allows clients to pick and choose multiple rooms or just one at a time. A typical room design runs $500; it includes access to the dashboard, virtual meetings, furniture layout and purchase list. Kismet can work in a client’s existing pieces and art, too, while tapping into their national network of artisan craftsmen for refinishing or reupholstery work. More at kismetinteriorsstudio .com. —Diane Sembrot

KISMET PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN SHYLOSKI, CONTRIBUTED; PEONY: © FASTUDIO4-STOCK.ADOBE.COM

asmin Thornton and Trisha Kasmin crossed paths several times in life before formally meeting on the job at HB Home. After working from the ground up, they both wanted to do more; specifically, they wanted interior design to work for their peers (i.e., good design without breaking the budget). So, last spring, interior design degrees in hand, they launched KISMET INTERIORS, a digital interior design concierge service.

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Ground Breaking At the shore or up in the hills, Fairfield properties have tricky landscaping, but the pros make it work

A clever solution solves a disjointed pathway.

HISTORIC PROPERTY When it comes to the beautiful historic properties of Fairfield, Diane Devore of Devore Associates (devoreassoc.com) has a personal stake in landscaping them well—her own 1840 farmhouse in Greenfield Hill. She loves the house but had to rethink its misaligned front path. Previously owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt, the house was part of the Crane Estate when Davore bought it. She learned that Crane had married a Japanese woman who believed in feng shui and would not allow doors to line up. “A home with a clear view between the front and back doors may seem airy

and spacious, but according to feng shui, this alignment creates problems in the flow of chi,” says Davore. That can lead to adverse effects, such as a bank account that “leaks” money. Regardless, she lined up the front door with the living room door. “It certainly is true that the bank account has leaked ever since!” The front door also did not line up with the center of the existing front wall and gate. “I wanted a bluestone walk leading to the street, so I used a square as the reconciling object. A jog in a walk would have drawn attention to the misalignment. Now there is a lovely little landing that responds to the architecture of the porch and is perfect for pots of lemon trees.”

NEW CONSTRUCTION “The most difficult landscape problem is soil compaction from new construction or renovations,” says Wendy Lindquist of Lindquist Design Associates (lindquistlandscape.com). Poor drainage can also be a challenge and isn’t always due to compaction; it could be caused by a high water table. “There are so many plants that will fail to thrive under those conditions, and [those conditions] are not visible to the eye.” For the new homes going up along the shoreline, take notice. “Beachfront properties are tricky because of the salt spray and severe weather, but there are plants that will thrive. So the trick is to use restraint and have really good ‘bones’ in the garden,” she says. “We’re working on a new construction now where we have taken protections against compaction.” Established in 1993, her company designs, installs and maintains

landscaping projects. She champions native and local materials, which are less likely to develop disease and more likely to support pollinators and wildlife. She also appreciates that her work is dedicated to living creations—plants, flowers, bushes, ground cover, trees, vines and more—that grow and react to their conditions. She is very careful about choosing ideal placement. Additionally, as a designer, she has to carefully consider such qualities as color, texture, space and movement along with the more practical considerations that homeowners may not see. Overall, she explains that her designs aim to strike a balance in a space and authentically reflect nature—that is, not an over-abundance of plants or ornamentation. It all takes careful planning, because each project has its own advantages and challenges. But, she concludes, “Tricky situations are the fodder of innovative design!” —Diane Sembrot

A new installation emphasizes a natural look.

MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

DEVORE BY DAVID HEALD; LINDQUIST, CONTRIBUTED

ome springtime, gardeners and landscapers especially look forward to heading outside. All winter they’ve made plans, and now they’re ready to shape and nurture their corners of the Earth—even if they face challenges. Whether you live in a new house along the beach or call an historic house in Greenfield Hill home, your landscaper knows the particular obstacles of each neighborhood. Read on to find out what local pros have learned about finding problems and digging in to fix them.

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Family Time W

creating the perfect home for raising their children in Fairfield

hen a co-president of William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance (with 128 offices in nine states and more than 4,000 agents) and the managing director of the William Raveis Charitable Fund metaphorically knock on your door and say they want to buy your house, you might be torn between feeling that you’re at a complete disadvantage and that you couldn’t be more flattered. Suddenly, you might wonder, Do we own the best house in town? After all, Ryan and Meghan Raveis have the inside track on local real estate…and they chose your house. The son of Chairman and CEO William Raveis, Ryan has real estate in his blood. It’s also in Meghan’s. Raising three young children, the couple says they found the home they wanted and renovated it to suit their interests and style and to grow with them through the years. There’s also something to that saying, “Location, location, location!” Fairfield was at the top of their must-have list. —Diane Sembrot

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HOW WAS THE BUYING PROCESS? GIVEN YOUR LAST NAME, IT COULDN’T HAVE BEEN TYPICAL. Ryan: “House hunting began once [our twin] boys moved out of their cribs. Our goal was to find something around 5,000 square feet with four or more bedrooms, an open-floor plan and some space for the children to play. We looked throughout Fairfield but focused our efforts on Greenfield Hill and Southport. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much inventory for what we were looking for. We were hoping to stay under $2 million, but, for fun, we went to look at a house that was above our desired price

range—it had just dropped a bit. It had the space but didn’t have an open plan or the style that we were looking for. We left and didn’t think twice. Then, a couple of months later, they had dropped the price again—and inventory was still thin—so we made an offer knowing that we would want to do some updates. Ideally, we would have liked to keep our identity hidden while submitting an offer, but I knew the listing agent. We eventually settled on a number that was in the middle of our initial offer and their recent price drop—still above my desired range. We needed to move quickly on my existing

KYLE NORTON

Meghan and Ryan Raveis (yes, that Raveis) on

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1 FAVORITE ROOM

The family spends time together in the open kitchen/family room. “It can accommodate so many daily activities that might be going on in our lives at once,” says Meghan, “whether it is me in the kitchen, the kids doing their homework, different eating areas, watching a movie or such.”

home. While most sellers depend on their agent to help them price a home, I was so familiar with the market by this time, and armed with an enormous amount of housing statistics from raveis .com, that I was certain where the house needed to be priced. While marketing the home, I also did something that wasn’t common in 2013—I made a video tour, and the tour guide was my three-yearold daughter. It was, and still is, a perfect home for a family, and we wanted to develop that emotional connection with prospective buyers. The house sold within one day of hitting the market.

WHAT DID YOU CONSIDER WHEN BUYING THIS HOUSE? Ryan: “As a young family we wanted a home where we could put down roots and grow. We wanted a certain location and a flat lot with land. While the home wasn’t exactly what we wanted when we bought it, we knew that it had potential, and we’ve been fortunate to make the changes that made it feel like our own. This is something we help our Raveis clients envision—a home’s potential. Although many people these days want a turnkey move-in, it’s often worthwhile, both financially and personally, to ignore the color of the walls, the way it’s decorated or the physical layout. Colors can be changed and walls can be moved more easily and inexpensively than many people think. When you are looking to buy for the long term, focus on the things you cannot change: location, schools and land, as well as the current potential of the structure.”

WHAT DID YOU CHANGE? Meghan: “With the help of Shanna K. Moore Design and Renovations, we designed a new floor plan that removed and moved walls to create a larger kitchen and great room, bringing more light to what would be our most highly trafficked space. We also created a larger pantry, two first-floor bathrooms, and rebalance of the rooms by moving entryways. We also wanted to add details like coffered ceilings and paneling. We also redid the master bathroom, created an office and music room on the third floor and added a patio off the kitchen.”

ADVICE FOR HOUSE HUNTERS LOOKING TO BUY IN FAIRFIELD? Ryan: “I may be biased, having grown up in Fairfield, playing in the recreation programs, attending Dwight Elementary, but there’s no better place in the U.S. to raise our family. A relatively large town with a diverse group of families, excellent local resources, beaches, easy access to large cities, mountains in the winter… it doesn’t get better.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF LIVING IN FAIRFIELD? Meghan: “I’m not originally from this area, but I feel very lucky to be living in this town and for this to be the community where we raise our family. Years before Ryan and I were married, I always knew that Fairfield was going to be the town that we would end up in, but I didn’t fully realize how fortunate we are to be in this town until we had children.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: TEXT HAS BEEN EDITED FOR FIT AND CLARITY.

2 MORE LIGHT

After buying the house, the couple designed a new floor plan that removed and moved walls to create a larger kitchen and great room with more natural light. Now, this seating area adjacent to the kitchen is a bright and cheerful place to gather.

3 ARTIST-INRESIDENCE

“After trying to find a piece of art to fill a large wall, I decided to paint it myself. It was a really fun and creative process,” says Meghan. “Now, there are several pieces of mine throughout the house that make it that much more special to us.”

OF 4 AHISSPACE OWN

“I’ve played the guitar since childhood, anything from rock ‘n’ roll to jazz improvisation,” says Ryan. “Our kids love music, too, and have my old guitars and keyboard. They have fun banging on the instruments with me on the weekends.”

MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

PLAY

status report

MARATHONER KERI MCKAY

BY SCOTT THOMAS

Home Run Interior designer Keri McKay takes her creative thinking to the streets as she preps for another Boston Marathon

FAIRFIELDLIVINGMAG.COM

THE RUNDOWN CHASING A PERSONAL BEST

12 6 3:31:19 2

Total number of marathons run

“I’ve come up with design solutions when I’m running because I can get a lot of thinking done during that time.”

Number of Boston Marathons

Best Boston Marathon time, in 2016

Keri won “Best of Houzz” (a website on home remodeling and design) for customer service in 2016 and 2017.

KERI MCKAY OF FAIRFIELD

CONTRIBUTED IMAGES

s an award-winning interior designer, Fairfield’s KERI MCKAY creates beautiful home interiors. She frequently finds the inspiration for her creativity on the roads of Fairfield County during marathon-training runs. McKay will run her seventh Boston Marathon on April 16. She says the long runs help her interior design work. “It helps with creativity,” she says, “and being clear-headed for the rest of the day.” McKay manages to balance marathon training, her own business and her family with the support of her husband, Scott. “It’s not easy to get to all of the events for the kids,’’ says the mother of three teenagers. “Running my own business allows me flexibility. My husband and kids have been exceptionally supportive, which has been the key to balancing everything.” As for running, she owns a personal best of 3 hours, 28 minutes, for the 26.2-mile distance in the New York City Marathon in 2016. Her goal for Boston this year is to get to the starting line healthy and complete the grueling race. “I love the challenge of training almost as much as the race itself. It’s a personal satisfaction for setting myself up for the impossible and achieving it.” kerimckayinteriors.com

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JENNINGS BEACH, FAIRFIELD, DAY TO NIGHT PHOTOGRAPH BY STEPHEN WILKES GALA PREVIEW SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018

Tickets on sale now at Fairfieldhistory.org/event/day-to-night Please save the date for a celebration to mark the debut of the much-anticipated Jennings Beach, Fairfield, Day to Night photograph created by acclaimed photographer Stephen Wilkes of Westport. In one large-scale photograph, shot over 24-hours in August 2017, Wilkes captured life along Fairfield’s beloved beachfront. Also opening that evening is a collection of Wilkes’ world-renowned Day to Night works, including photographs shot across the globe. Jennings Beach, Fairfield, Day to Night has been generously commissioned by the Saft family in memory of Marcia Saft.

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& Places

HOMES WITH HOPE

Hope & Humor

N PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN VIDELER PHOTOGRAPHY

early every seat at the Quick Center was filled for the Tenth Annual Stand Up for Homes with Hope comedy night. This year’s event featured The Daily Show’s Hasan Minhaj, who was also the speaker at the 2017 White House Correspondent’s Dinner. Before the night’s entertainment, more than 300 guests gathered for a cocktail hour, followed by a paddle-raise auction in the theater. The gala raised more than one-eighth of the organization’s annual operating budget. »

1 John and Sandi Fifield, Julie Horowitz, Jonathan Alexander, Deb and Chris Sawch 2 Michelle Bottone, Darcy Hicks, Wendy Epstein, Susan Stefenson, Elaine Daignault 3 Foti Koskinas, Mike Tetreau, Giulia Nesi, Melissa Kane 4 Donald Sullivan, Michael Lonsdale, Regi Kendig 5 Bridget and Mike Loughney, Lauren Soloff, Wes Malowitz 6 Bruce Gaylord, Totney Benson, the Rev. Dr. Powell 7 Hasan Minhaj performs 8 Matt and Missy Zahler 9 Jen and Mo Tooker

( for more party pics visit fairfieldlivingmag.com )

MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

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THE RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE PEOPLE &Places MOFFLY MEDIA

EVENING OF ART, WINE & JAZZ SERIES Join us in the lobby for wine tasting by Pera Wines and an art exhibit!

MARCH

2 Ann Hampton Callaway and Cyrille Aimee

Celebrating Ella Fitzgerald’s repertoire

23 Brubeck Brothers Quartet ft. Dan & Chris Brubeck

APRIL

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Award-winning contemporary jazz & funk!

ALSO COMING UP MARCH

15 Starship featuring Mickey Thomas

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19 Paul Anka - Celebrating

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1 Janina and Michael Serrao 2 Doon and John Foster 3 Gayley Woolston, Bion Piepmeier, Sandra Miklave, Natasha Hill 4 Gigi Priebe, Carol Bauer, Rhonda Kiest 5 State Rep. Gail Lavielle

| | STEPPING STONES MUSEUM | |

Come Together

lthough more than 120 guests were treated to a meal at Stepping Stones Museum’s second annual FriendsGiving, it was children who ultimately benefitted from the evening. Museum supporters helped raise over $100,000 for the nonprofit museum’s Open Arms Accessibility initiative, which offers monthly free-admission evenings, parent workshops, free traveling exhibits for schools and more. Open Arms reaches more than 45,000 children, caregivers and teachers.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY HEATHER PRESCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY

16 An Evening with the Celebrity Housewives

PEOPLE &Places

1 The Westport Country Playhouse by night 2 Guests gathered in the lobby before the awards 3 Catalina and Adam Whittingham, Robyn Whittingham, Paul Rockwell, Andrew and Michael Whittingham, Michael Daglio, Terran Whittingham, Pauline Daglio 4 Ann Clark accepts her award 5 All of the evening’s honorees 6 The Light a Fire Award 7 Chris Raveis, James Naughton, and Meghan and Ryan Raveis 8 Award recipients Linda and Bruce Koe in the audience

| | MOFFLY MEDIA | |

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MOFFLY MEDIA’S BIG PICTURE MELANI LUST

Share the Love

he tenth annual Light a Fire Awards, hosted by Moffly Media, drew about 200 supporters of local philanthropy to honor the recipients of this recognition and to celebrate the work they do for our communities. The gathering was held at the Westport Country Playhouse, where Tony Awardwinning actor James Naughton served as emcee. Among the honorees were former Fairfield school’s superintendent Ann Clark and Fairfield’s own Bill Raveis, founder of William Raveis Real Estate, whose children accepted the award on his behalf. Other honorees included Andrew and Michael Whittingham, who continue their family legacy of charitable work in their community. A portion of the proceeds raised during the event were donated to Fairfield County’s Community Foundation. »

MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

PEOPLE &Places

Deck the Halls 8

n 2017, Fairfield County’s Community Foundation (FCCF) celebrated twenty-five years of philanthropic work in our local community. In honor of the anniversary, guests, including congressman Jim Himes, gathered for a gala at the lovely Grace Farms in New Canaan. Band Together provided musical entertainment, and the student ensemble Intake showed off their skills on stringed instruments. In 2017 alone, discretionary grants from FCCF totaled $3.4 million, donor-advised grants totaled $12.8 million, and nearly $1 million was awarded to scholarship recipients. FAIRFIELDLIVINGMAG.COM

| | FAIRFIELD CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL | |

Always Giving

1 Toni Zeleny, Kendra Wingate, Terry and Mary Ann O’Connor, Shaun Amberg 2 Earrings by Henry C. Reid and Son 3 Charles and Mary Korchinski 4 Colleen Murphy, Michel and Lori Nischan, Kendra Wingate, Giulia Nesi, Michael Tetreau, Terry Wilcox

| | F A I R F I E L D C O U N T Y ’ S

1 David Ball, Charlie MacCormack, Lucy Ball 2 Vicki Craver, Wendy Block 3 Rep. Jim Himes, Elena and Jonathan Moffly, Mary Himes 4 Band Together 5 Elaine Mintz, Sarah Omotunde, Chenelle James, Alexis Bivens 6 Jerry Vigorito, Rob Fried, Juanita James, Andy Kadison, Lizanne Galbreath 7 John and Charlotte Suhler 8 Joseph Baker, Victoria Anderson, Nancy Tartaglia, Karen Brown

C O M M U N I T Y F O U N D AT I O N | |

he Burr Homestead was once again transformed into a winter wonderland for the Fairfield Christmas Tree Festival. This year’s Opening Gala treated guests to a sneak preview of the decorations, along with cocktails, music and a silent auction, as well as a chance to win a pair of diamond earrings donated by Henry C. Reid and Son. Chef Michel Nischan was the honored guest of the evening, and all event proceeds went to Bridgeport Rescue Mission. F

FCCF PHOTOGRAPHS BY MOFFLY MEDIA’S BIG PICTURE MARILYN ROOS; FCTF PHOTOGRAPHS BY REGINA MADWED CAPITOL PHOTOINTERACTIVE

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Timeless Beauty

FAIRFIELD’S SALLY O’BRIEN WATCHES HOW HER GARDEN GROWS THROUGH THE YEARS

by colleen crowley

FAIRFIELDLIVINGMAG.COM

•

p h oto g r a p h y b y m e l a n i l u s t

THIS PAGE: A water feature adds ambience to the patio. OPPOSITE: The barn is used for general storage; foxglove comes in a wide range of hues; the cast-iron bell was originally from Sally O’Brien’s grandparents’ farm; the back patio offers a peaceful retreat.

caption teekay

ucked into an especially quiet corner of Fairfield, behind an almost cottage-like house, one can find Sally O’Brien’s perfectly proportioned garden. Here, she experiments with both practical and aesthetic plantings, growing herbs and vegetables as well as indulging in the joy of vivid and fragrant perennials. But the one-and-a-half-acre lot wasn’t always so idyllic. When O’Brien, a former schoolteacher, and her husband Jim first arrived nearly thirty years ago, a steep slope dominated the landscape behind the home, leaving the 46

FAIRFIELDLIVINGMAG.COM

couple with little room and few options. “We were at the mercy of the property,” says O’Brien. Desperately wanting to grow anything, she noted that the sunniest portion of their parcel was, in fact, on that irksome hill, and her interest was piqued. “I always have a vision. I get something in my head and I work in that direction,” O’Brien remarks. She realized that if they could raise the ground up to meet the house, they would have enough level space for a sizable garden and outdoor living space. So, the couple embarked on a landscaping evolution, creating an upper tier, with stairs

that give way to the lawn below, where her now college-aged sons used to frolic and roughhouse. “As time went on, we branched out into different parts of the property and made the most of it. The vision grew and changed as ours needs changed, and as the boys got older and I had more time, my gardens expanded.” Now, the space includes so much more than simple flowers, as O’Brien quickly incorporated raised beds for vegetables. “I grow very simple things that I know are going to do well—peppers, tomatoes, spinach, kale and a lot of herbs.” More

recently, a coop (designed by O’Brien) and a small brood of chickens arrived, completing the feel of a miniaturized farm, which is situated steps from the kitchen. She takes particular pleasure in collecting chicken eggs for breakfast, picking fresh kale for morning smoothies and cutting flowers to be displayed inside the home. “I think I’ve subconsciously tried to recreate my grandparents farm in Wisconsin,” O’Brien adds wistfully. The cast-iron bell at the entrance of the garden was from that very farm in Wisconsin, furthering her theory. When she isn’t savoring the literal fruits of her labor, O’Brien enjoys spending time on the patio, a space anchored by a burbling water feature. Here, she and her husband entertain guests, have family meals and enjoy a glass of wine in quiet contentment amidst the tenderly cultivated greenery. For those who know her, O’Brien’s green thumb comes as no surprise. Her mother was an avid gardener, and O’Brien herself completed the University of Connecticut’s Extension Master Gardener Program at the Barlett Arboretum in Stamford, which she calls “a tremendous educational opportunity.” It’s clear that her lifetime of experience has paid off and given her particular insight into the secrets of successfully creating a lush environment.

CLOCKWISE AT RIGHT: A view over the lawn up to the house • A bee enjoys some Salvia nemorosa • A charming archway welcomes guests to the backyard • the family labradoodle, Lizzy OPPOSITE: Rustic chairs placed for optimal relaxation.

MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

“As it’s a small space, I try to stick with a color scheme and a pattern. I think gardens are prettiest when you see repetition.”

CLOCKWISE, ABOVE: A custom coop and chickens • Lush greenery abounds • Vibrant zinnias • Garden ornaments, such as bird baths, add focal points. OPPOSITE: An autumn clematis archway adds whimsy to the property

“I like certain combinations of plants and certain things are just tried and true,” she explains. “Lady’s mantle and catmint are a beautiful combination; hydrangeas are a must have; bleeding hearts in the spring are gorgeous. There are certain staples for me that I love to have.” At the end of every growing season, she goes through every section of the garden and takes note of what grew well and what she might want to replace or repeat. “As it’s a small space, I try to stick with a color scheme and a pattern. I think gardens are prettiest when you see repetition. So, I find something that works and repeat it. And that’s usually my advice to people who are asking for advice,” she chuckles. Although her two sons haven’t yet taken up the family’s traditional pastime, O’Brien, ever the schoolteacher, finds subtle ways to share her horticultural knowledge with them. “Whenever they’re out in the garden, I always tell them the names of plants and have them smell the herbs,” she says. Her generous attitude extends beyond her family, and O’Brien finds special joy in educating others, saying, “I love creating a welcoming environment, whether it’s a house, a classroom or a garden. I like people to come in and enjoy. It’s fun to share what F you love.” MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

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Q&A waists and halter necklines, styled with red lips, sunglasses and chic silk head scarves. Each one makes the case for elevated summer dressing, including some sequined numbers that’ll play well next to a sparkling sea at sunset. And Temperley, who is the muse for her own designs, will have plenty to choose from for her next holiday, whether she’s escaping to the coast or to her beloved countryside estate.

From a very early age, I knew I wanted to be creative. My mother has been one of my biggest inspirations. Growing up in rural Somerset, I was encouraged to be creative. I loved making things. I would rip up fabric and get into a lot of trouble for destroying my mother’s favorite shawls!

Tell us about the spring collection. The collection transports us to the Temperley Riviera, where the summer never ends.

SUMMER SET

ALICE TEMPERLEY

ALICE TEMPERLEY IS A COUNTRY GIRL AT HEART, which may come as a surprise to those who know her only as the face of the London label that has become synonymous with It-Brit girl style. But her Somerset roots account for the birth of her creativity and the free-spirited approach to fashion that has woven its way into all the things she touches. It’s those touches—the intricate embroideries, exquisite embellishments and unabashedly romantic silhouettes— that have set her apart and made her a red carpet regular. While her dresses and evening wear are usually the showstoppers, she creates separates and jumpsuits that feel just as glamorous, and this season was no different. Models strutted throwback looks with cinched 54

FAIRFIELDLIVINGMAG.COM

What’s your favorite part about designing the evening wear pieces? I love discovering new techniques, such as innovative embroideries or fabrics. It is so important to always evolve and push the boundaries of what we are creating.

What’s your own go-to evening look? I always like to feel effortless, no matter how decadent an outfit might be. My current go-to look for the evening is the sequined Bardot jumpsuit and coat from my summer collection.

What’s your summer uniform? Easy, effortless summer dresses in lightweight silks and cottons and bright, feminine prints. Either halter neck or off-shoulder; comfortable and versatile. I can layer with a leather jacket if needed. Or louche, lightweight tailoring that we have in the

summer collection. I usually wear flat shoes in the summer, perhaps a panama hat, and I am never without my Leica camera hanging round my neck.

How does England/London inspire your work? Temperley London is a quintessentially British brand. Being British means we can tell an authentic story, draw on our sense of eccentricity and celebrate our unique sense of humor. We stay true to our heritage by celebrating craftsmanship, quality and attention to detail.

Which cities/places offer the most style inspiration? I am always inspired by places I visit, from souks in Marrakech to the architecture and interiors on the Pacific coast of Mexico. Paris for exhibitions, book shops and flea markets. Understanding a culture and absorbing everything around you is what I try to do whenever I travel. And most importantly, London and Somerset. London is a creative hub and it is an exciting place to be—from art to music to design. There is so much to see and do.

Who is the Temperley London woman? She is feminine, free-spirited and individual. She is not a slave to trends and appreciates quality, attention to detail and craftsmanship.

How has the fashion industry changed since you started? The pace of the industry has

PORTRAIT: TOMO BREJC. RUNWAY IMAGES COURTESY OF DESIGNER

How did you get started designing?

changed. Everything has to happen at a greater speed. There is a hunger for newness and it is important for brands to stay relevant and always evolve. Brands can now engage directly with consumers. It is so important to maintain integrity and authenticity with everything you project as a brand on social media and websites. Storytelling has never been easier.

What’s been your career highlight so far?

What do you love to do when you’re not designing?

My highlight so far would have to be when I received my MBE [Most Excellent Order of the British Empire] from the Queen in 2011. That was an incredible experience and really made me realize how far Temperley London had come in such a short space of time. I feel very proud of our achievements.

Spend time with my son, my family and friends. I’m constantly inspired by the people I am surrounded by and I never stop thinking about designing, even when I’m not in the office. Traveling is very important for me. I want to take my son on adventures and give him experiences that he will never forget. And filling my

house in Somerset with the people that inspire me and having long lunches, walks and evenings spent by the fire.

Shop Temperley London at: net-a-porter.com modaoperandi.com temperleylondon.com

MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

Q&A I have loved fashion since I was a little girl, and I had always hoped I would be involved in the industry somehow. I started in PR for Gucci in Paris, then production for Kevin Krier & Associates in New York. I worked as a design assistant for Oscar de la Renta in New York and was a design consultant for Tory Burch and Ungaro in Paris.

Where did the idea for Les Bonbons come from?

PLAYING BY EAR

REBECCA DE RAVENEL

EVEN IF YOU DON’T KNOW HER NAME, YOU’VE SEEN HER WORK. Rebecca de Ravenel’s Les Bonbons earrings, those delightful cascading silk cord-wrapped orbs in a rainbow of candy colors, became the accessory of summer, dangling from the lobes of every chic woman around town. Simultaneously elegant and playful, they reflect the style that de Ravenel—who split her childhood between Bahamian beaches and Parisian streets—has come to personify. It’s a natural progression, then, that the designer’s next venture would include both handbags and a ready-to-wear collection full of caftans, kimonos and dresses that she herself favors and that complements her latest take on statement jewels: a mix of earrings and bangles in floral and seashell shapes, crafted from carved wood and mother-ofpearl. The natural nod to beachy glamour—and de Ravenel’s breezy but sophisticated approach—will have us all aspiring to her brand of chic island living. 56

FAIRFIELDLIVINGMAG.COM

There really was no rhyme or reason; I started designing for me. I’m always making something or other with a glue gun. The people at the Los Angeles flower market probably think I’m a florist. When I came up with the idea for Les Bonbons, it was because I needed a pair of lightweight statement earrings that didn’t end up on the table in the middle of dinner. I have collected jewelry for a long time, but rarely can you find a pair that are comfortable to wear all evening long. This sort of earring had a moment in the late 80s, early 90s, and I had the idea of wrapping Ping-Pong balls in silk thread and voila!

Why switch gears from jewelry to clothing? I didn’t set out to be an accessories designer; it sort of just happened. Introducing ready-towear was a very natural evolution for me; I always thought I would be a clothing designer before anything else. My approach has always been about dressing the divine girl in the divine room.

What inspired the new collection? My spring/summer collection was inspired by a few trips I took this past year (one being Japan). Color inspires every aspect of how I live and how I think, and of course my beloved Bahamas.

The clothing in this first collection really complements the earrings, as opposed to being the other way around. I think that women have invested in my earrings season after season because of their versatility; you can wear them during the day or for something more formal, and the clothing was designed with the same intention. I like to put myself in another woman’s shoes and imagine what she is doing and what she would want to be wearing. This spring/ summer is all about sophisticated comfort, with accessories that quite literally bring the beach to you!

Which of the cities you’ve lived in inspires you the most? My home is the Bahamas, and I think I live my life through islandcolored glasses. There is a tropical undercurrent to anything I do, whether it be with my designs or in my home. The Bahamas for that easy-breezy colorful feel, Paris for its sheer beauty and history, New York for its energy, India for its multitude of scents, colors patterns and architecture...it can go on and on. I also believe that what can inspire you one year may not the following. Timing in life, like most things, has an effect on inspiration.

What’s your go-to summer uniform? A long, floaty floral dress, a straw basket, preferably barefoot and dare I say, my earrings!

What do you pack for a summer getaway? Packing light is something I have a very hard time with. If you ask around enough, it is sort of a joke. For a quick summer trip, I will pack my Athena caftan, a floral dress, my new long polka dot skirt that can be worn with a bathing suit during the day and a T-shirt are key. And of course, a multitude of

PORTRAIT: AMY NEUNSIGNER. LOOKBOOK IMAGES COURTESY OF DESIGNER

Tell us about your fashion background.

accessories (thankfully I have a few of those). Always leave room in your bag to pick up treasures from a local market; you never know what you may find.

Favorite travel destination? Why? I love traveling more than anything; there are so many places I still want to explore and too many places I love, to count. I am constantly traveling for work now, but every free chance I get I return home to the Bahamas. Even though I rarely leave my house when I am there, it is simply my favorite place on earth.

What’s been your career highlight so far? I still pinch myself when I see

women wearing my earrings in real life. Anywhere from a grocery store in Los Angeles to walking down Madison Avenue or at a cocktail party in the Bahamas. It is simply the most exciting thing in the world and always will be.

Modern style icon? Carolina Herrera. We were at a party together recently; she forgot her brooch and picked up a flower from the table (in lieu of a jewel) and pinned it to her dress. It was totally effortless and completely divine.

You’ve worked with some of fashion’s greats. What’s the best advice you’ve received about being a designer? Be kind. Kindness is memorable.

Shop Rebecca de Ravenel at: barneys.com, fivestoryny.com, goop.com, kirnazabete.com, matchesfashion.com, modaoperandi.com, rebeccaderavenel.com, thewebster.us

MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

handmade in Peru and India). Each move has been deliberate and considerate, including the time she’s devoted to raising her three young children. For spring, Johnson treated her audience to a runway lined with fresh flowers and looks that included everything from eyelet, frills and florals to structured denim in unexpected shades. They amount to another enviable feminine capsule from a designer who’s quickly becoming a fashion household name. As her presence continues to grow—she opened a Bleecker Street store last year—devotees will not have to travel far to find her.

How did you get started designing?

EXPLORER’S EYE

ULLA JOHNSON

ULLA JOHNSON’S CLOTHES HAVE THE POWER TO TRANSPORT—often to an airy, ethereal plane where romantic floaty dresses pair best with bare feet and tanned skin—and it’s her pursuit of discovery and travel that drive her to create the dreamy pieces that inspire such wanderlust. Although raised in New York, she saw the world with her archaeologist parents, each adventure and destination informing what would become her signature style. Her rise from racks at small boutiques to Barneys fixture has been a slow one, evolving from a few initial pieces to full collections defined by tailored bohemian frocks, gauzy separates and reworked denim. Challenging the breakneck speed at which the current fashion machine moves, Johnson is a breath of fresh air; her focus is on thoughtful designs and a reverence for details and materials (many 58

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It was a very organic process. I studied psychology in college and did work around fashion theory and the way clothes can serve to empower the wearer; how they can make women feel. I just started sewing pieces here and there, and then some friends opened a store and I designed a few things for them, and it just sort of grew from there. I had a very clear vision even from the start as far as what was important to me in the collection; integrity of materials and process, timelessness, craft, ease. These have all been touchstones throughout the growth and evolution of the brand.

What inspired your spring collection? The spring 2018 collection is a dialogue around transparency, the desire for something pure and open, as told through a juxtaposition of materiality. I wanted to explore the idea of invisible protection, of clothing as poetic armor, and a bold femininity that is both impermeable and crystal clear.

or field, a nebulous feeling that begins to cohere into a mood and silhouette. This is a very free and inspiring time.

What’s your summer uniform? Diaphanous silk frocks or crisp poplin ones, ruffled crochet bikinis, our handwoven baskets, and natural leather sandals

What are your favorite destinations for summer travel? The Mediterranean. I grew up going to Dubrovnik and Hvar every summer, so it holds a super special place in my heart. We go as a family every year to different spots, as I always love to see new things. The last few years we did Ibiza, Puglia, Antiparos—all amazing!

Which cities/places offer the most style inspiration? Peru and Morocco are probably my all-time favorites as far as the richness of color and the tradition of weaving and knitting that is still very much alive in these places. But really, anywhere and everywhere. Lately, I am obsessed with the Gaucho culture in Argentina and Uruguay.

What’s your favorite part about designing a new collection?

Who is the Ulla Johnson woman?

I absolutely love approaching a clean slate, clearing our minds and our boards of all that was before and starting to build anew. I often start with something quite gestural; the brush strokes of a certain painter, a palette or texture inspired by a garden

She’s not easy to pin down. She is a traveler, a roamer, perhaps a mother, perhaps a professional, perhaps both, or neither. She is self-possessed and optimistic, she embraces color and pattern and cares deeply about the integrity of that which she loves.

PORTRAIT AND RUNWAY IMAGES COURTESY OF DESIGNER

Q&A

What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of the fashion business? The calendar has become so fast-paced, the demand for new product so consuming, that there is no longer downtime, or just time to be pensive and process. Trying to find space for dreaming is a challenge.

How does being a mother inform the way you design? I mean, being a mother informs everything about who I am and what I make. I have to say it has

made me hyper-efficient with my time and very good at multitasking. In a practical sense, it has made the idea of ease become even more central to what I do but has also really opened up my creativity. Children are so uninhibited. I try to learn from them every day.

When did you feel like you’d made it?

What advice would you give to other designers looking to build their own brands?

Hang out with my family. Cook dinner with friends. Escape to Montauk on the weekends. Go to art shows. And arrange flowers. I am obsessed.

Have a distinctive and unique vision, and stay true to it.

I never want to feel that way! I am always pushing myself and my team to do more, to improve on our strengths, to evolve and grow and learn.

What do you love to do when you’re not designing?

Shop Ulla Johnson at: GREAT STUFF, Greenwich, 203-861-6872; Westport, 203-226-1271 TOGS, New Canaan, 203-972-2871 WEST, Westport, 203-557-4157 ullajohnson.com F

MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

HALL FEMME Celebrating legendary women in art

ANNUAL GALA Exclusive Media Sponsor

Saturday, May 19

westportartscenter.org 203.222.7070

PILOBOLUS MAXIMUS

BE YON D THE L IMI TS O F DA NCE

SAVE THE DATE

APRIL 22

7:00 PM HONORING: THE BIGELOW FAMILY Cindi Bigelow Eunice and David Bigelow

FOR TICKETS CALL

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CELEBRATE YOUR WEDDING 2018 BENEFIT 2013 JAVIER SÁNCHEZ MINGORANCE-STOCK.ADOBE.COM

SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2018 FROM 6:30 PM - 11:00 PM Cocktails, Dinner, Silent Auction, & Dancing. Featuring live music

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We welcome wedding announcements together with candid photographs. Weddings should have a current Fairfield family connection and must be submitted within three months of the wedding day. Regretfully, we are unable to run every wedding submitted. Send Information to: weddings@fairfieldlivingmag.com Fairfield Living Magazine | 205 Main Street Westport, CT 06880

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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS ARTS & ANTIQUES

Cummings & Lockwood LLC . . . . . . 6 GuardHill Financial Corp. . . . . . . . 11

Best of the Gold Coast Online Store . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Jennings Beach, Fairfield, Day To Night Photograph by Stephen Wilkes Gala Preview . . . 35 Moffly Media's 2018 Event Lineup . 15 Westport Arts Center Hall of Femme: Celebrating Legendary Women in Art Annual Gala . . . . 60 Women in Business 2018 . . . . . 50, 51

EDUCATION & CHILDREN

FASHION

Drew Klotz Kinetic Sculpture . . . . . 8

AUTOMOTIVE Land Rover Fairfield . . . . . . . Cover 4

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Brown Pre-College Programs . . . . Brunswick School . . . . . . . . . . . Camp Playland . . . . . . . . . . . . . Columbia University . . . . . . . . . . ESF Camps at Greenwich Academy . . . . . . . . Greenwich Ballet Academy . . . . . . The Greenwich Country Day School Summer Day Camp . . . . King School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Salisbury Summer School . . . . . . Tabor Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . Villa Maria School . . . . . . . . . . . Wolfeboro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

36 37 43 36 43 43 43 37 37 36 37 36

ENTERTAINMENT 95.9, The Fox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Fairfield University Quick Center for the Arts/Circus Machine de Cirque . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 3 Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County Presents: Pilobolus Maximus: Beyond the Limits of Dance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 The Ridgefield Playhouse . . . . . . . 40

EVENTS A-list Awards 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . 38 April in Paris 2018 Benefit . . . . . . 62 Best of the Gold Coast . . . . . . . . 12

Mitchells . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover 2, 1

FOOD, CATERING & LODGING 348 Oyster Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . Flipside Burgers & Bar . . . . . . . . M.EAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pink Sumo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

23 28 28 23

HEALTH &â&#x20AC;&#x2C6;BEAUTY Massage Envy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Memorial Sloan Kettering Physicians at Norwalk Hospital . 17 Western Connecticut Health Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Yale New Haven Health/ Northeast Medical Group . . . . . . 9

JEWELRY Henry C. Reid & Son . . . . . . . . . . . 5

LANDSCAPING, NURSERY & FLORISTS Ganim's Garden Center & Florist . . . 6 Homefront Farmers . . . . . . . . . . . 7

NONPROFIT Near & Far Aid . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

MISCELLANEOUS Big Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Westy Self Storage . . . . . . . . . . . 35

PLAN AHEAD Best of the Gold Coast Issue

JULY AD RESERVATION CLOSE: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6

MARCH/APRIL 2018 FAIRFIELD LIVING

Don’t Miss This FAIRFIELD EVENTS IN MARCH AND APRIL

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

BY COLLEEN CROWLEY HOT SPOTS KLEIN AUDITORIUM Greater Bridgeport Symphony performs “Vive La France,” Sat., Mar. 3, 8 p.m., and “Stars and Stripes,” Sat., Apr. 28, 8 p.m. See more at bptsym.org. EDGERTON CENTER Enjoy theater, including drama with Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Thurs.–Sun, Mar. 15–18 and Mar. 22–25 and the musical In the Heights, Thurs.–Sun., Apr. 12–15. Performance times and ticket prices vary. edgertoncenter.org

GOT RHYTHM? Yale University’s a cappella group Whim n’ Rhythm will perform at the Pequot Library on Tues., Mar. 13, 7–8:30 p.m. The all-female ensemble boasts a diverse repertoire and several studio albums. Tickets $20 general, $10 senior/student.

JOIE DE VIVRE

eighborhood Studios of Fairfield County (NSFC, nstudios.org) will once again hold its annual benefit gala at the Quick Center for the Arts. This year’s event, held on Sun., Apr. 22, at 7 p.m., honors the Bigelow family for their philanthropic work. Additionally, the internationally renowned modern dance company PILOBOLUS (above) will present a special performance of the work

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The arts engage the mind, lift the spirit and stretch the limits of the human body—experience the extraordinary

“Pilobolus Maximus: Beyond the Limits of Dance.” NSFC is a nonprofit organization that provides arts education to underprivileged children, from early childhood through their late teens. The funds from the gala event will help underwrite the cost of a summer arts camp experience for the children. To get tickets ($40 to $225), call the box office at 203-2544010 or go to quickcenter.fairfield.edu.

PILOBOLUS CONTRIBUTED ; MACHINE DE CIRQUE BY LOUP-WILLIAM THÉBERGE

Dance the drama of

Part acrobatics, part comedy show and pure entertainment, Machine de Cirque is a crowd-pleasing act with something for every age. There are two chances to catch the dazzling Quebec City–based company perform at the Quick Center: Fri., Apr. 20 at 8 p.m., and Sat., Apr. 21, at 2 p.m. Tickets online at quickcenter.fairfield.edu.

Circus

Machine de Cirque

“Brilliant … Boundary-shattering … Forget about Cirque du Soleil. Rarely is there an ensemble that can so stunningly give a nod to tradition before blowing it off for something more inventive.” - New Haven Independent

April 20 8 PM April 21 2 PM 203.254.4010 QuickCenter.com

Upcoming

Events:

Moscow Festival Ballet in Giselle

Giselle By Dada Masilo

April 6 8 PM

April 18 8 PM

Experience Giselle from two different perspectives as traditional ballet and contemporary dance collide. Enjoy both for just $85 (Section A only).