Stamford - May/June 2023

44

PIZZA LOVER’S GUIDE

Digging in to our city’s must-try pies from neighborhood classics to wood-fired faves.

by joey macari

54 LIVING THE GOOD LIFE

Fairfield County is our playground. So we’ve combed our towns to bring you an insider’s guide to some of the more under-the-radar shops, activities, services and entertainment options you might be missing.

by eileen bartels

66

GETTING IT ALL DONE

Life in post-pandemic Fairfield County still moves at a fast pace. How do people juggle it all? We get advice from busy parents and professionals.

by scott thomas

Getting Back to Work: Returnship programs

SHOP

Stylish gifts for Mother’s Day

DO

Get healthy, glowing skin; Kids go green in Mill River Park; Great new reads; The new Dew Yoga studio

GO

If the walls of the Hotel Chelsea could talk, we’d want to hear every word. Check out the newly renovated landmark.

HOME

Adding pops of color makes everyone happy; Nothing says summmer like wicker accents

EAT

Meat Love Korean BBQ 42

42 MONEY MATTERS

Explore the dollars and sense behind the decision to buy or rent a vacation home.

75 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

76 POSTSCRIPT

Spring has sprung

top: Alive at Five in Stamford bottom: Feeling overwhelmed? We’ve got you.

CASTLE DESIGNATESCONNOLLYONS AS A ORTHOPEDIC CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN THE NATION

YOU MAY STILL END UP IN THE SANDTRAP BUT NOW ONLY YOUR EGO WILL HURT.

ONS difference.

At ONS, our fellowship-trained orthopedic and neurosurgical specialists are ranked among the best in the country. They live in your neighborhood, send their kids to local schools, and care for both community and elite athletes. See the premiere Orthopedic and Neurosurgery practice in Fairfield and Westchester counties. ONSMD.com

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Cristin Marandino–cristin.marandino@moffly.com

editor, stamford

Kate Hogan–kate.hogan@moffly.com

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Janel Alexander—janel.alexander@moffly.com

contributing editors

Megan Gagnon–editor, athome

Elizabeth Hole–editor, custom publishing

Julee Kaplan–editor, new canaan • darien

Veronica Schoor—assistant editor, athome

 International Estate and Tax Planning

Since 1909, Cummings & Lockwood has provided sophisticated legal representation to individuals, families, family offices, closely held businesses, other commercial enterprises and charitable entities. Our core services include:  Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning  Wealth Protection Planning

 Business

Philanthropic Giving

Probate and Estate Administration

Fiduciary and Trustee Services

stamfordmag.com

Amy Vischio–creative director-at-large, athome books correspondent

Emily Liebert

copy editors

Terry Christofferson, Lynne Piersall, David Podgurski

contributing writers

Liz Barron, Tom Connor, Carol Leonetti Dannhauser, Suzanne Gannon, Elizabeth Keyser, Joey Macari

Judy Ostrow, Scott Thomas

editorial advisory board

Harry Day, PJ Kennedy, Jamie Krug, Michael Marchetti, Arthur Selkowitz, Jami Sherwood, Lou Ursone

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T RUSTS AND E

vol. 14 | no. 3 | may/june 2023

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MAY/JUNE 2023 / DONNA MOFFLY

OF HOUSES AND SPECIAL SPOTS

Everybody has one—a favorite place in the house. In the winter Jack’s was the bench in the living room by the fireplace, drink in hand, where he could sit for hours watching the flames dance. For you, it might be the cushy armchair in the den, the sunny window seat in the master bedroom or the old workbench in the basement with its lineup of hammers and pliers. A place where people won’t have to look too far to find you.

Mine is the little arched nook in our kitchen. It’s been there since World War II. When we bought our Riverside home in 1963, it was painted an obnoxious purply-blue. Now it’s yellow with green ivy paper on the back wall (still a bit obnoxious). Jack and I would remove the table and sit on the floor between the two benches with staple guns to replace their vinyl covers.

It seats four, but only if they are mini people. Some space is now taken up by a television set. My six-foot-five brother Mike said if he ever had to live in our house, the first thing he’d do would be to nuke the nook.

I’ll never nuke the nook. It holds too many memories.

This is where Jack used to perch our little red-headed son for haircuts. And where Jonathan’s three-year-old playgroup shelled peas—an early lesson in productivity and nutrition. If they rolled off the table onto the floor, who cared? We washed them off, cooked them up and ate them. It’s also where the kids learned how to play Go Fish.

Later, daughter Audrey and her highschool friends would wait until we’d left the house then settle into the nook for a game of quarters— something about flipping a quarter into a glass filled with an inch of beer. If you’re unsuccessful, you have to drink the beer; if you’re successful, your friends have to drink it.

Still later, Audrey came home from college

for the weekend and surprised us with a candlelit gourmet dinner-for-two in the nook. She wanted to soften us up for the news that she had picked up a stray cat on the streets of Baltimore, and it was currently under wraps in her bedroom.

Our golden retriever Charlie used to take refuge under the benches in the nook when he was in trouble—with nose on paws and soulful eyes peering out at us.

This has always been a good place for serious conversation over a cup of tea—where I once gave a friend a heads-up about how her fiancé had abused his first wife. (She married him anyway, and he was wonderful to her.) And where another friend and I tried to figure out how to tell a neighbor that their teen was selling drugs at school, where he was known as “the chemist.” (He would shape up and became very successful in life.)

This is where houseguests enjoyed morning coffee, watching us flip pancakes. Where Jack and I would savor bowl of soup after a cocktail party. Where our young grandchildren headed first when they walked in the kitchen door. They’d squeeze into the nook to color Easter eggs or decorate Christmas cookies just like their parents used to do. Now they sit in the nook with their I-Pads making distorted faces at buddies miles away and doing high tech things grandparents don’t understand.

Today, this is where I sit to write thank-you notes, watch Law & Order and do my needlepoint while the pasta boils, let the cat out and eat breakfast with Morning Joe— all within reach of the landline on the dishwasher.

Mine is an old-fashioned kitchen. No center island. No double-decker ovens. No fancy freezer. But it has The Nook, seeped in family history. Nope, it won’t be nuked on my watch.

Now if the dining room table could talk— but that’s another story. S

“My six-foot-five brother Mike said if he ever had to live in our house, the first thing he’d do would be to nuke the nook.”

WORK IN PROGRESS

PROGRAMS THAT HELP PEOPLE RE-START THEIR CAREERS . PLUS HELP FOR FIRST-TIME JOB HUNTERS,

by amy Sarbinowski

Thinking of heading back to work after years away? You may benefit from a returnship programs, designed for people who want to re-enter the workforce after an extended absence. Created by financial institutions more than a decade ago, the programs have expanded into other industries, including insurance, software and information technology.

Despite the rising presence of returnships in the corporate world, many people who have been out of the work for a while feel anxious about returning. Successful training programs

address these fears by providing mentoring and skill development. With mentors to offer guidance and perspective, trainees can have a smoother re-entry.

“I felt very rusty, intimidated and scared,” says Roma Pielarska, about returning to work after two years at home with her baby. “My confidence was abysmal.” Pielarska, who had worked at a financial firm on the business management side of operations, eventually decided to give it a try and applied to several returnship programs. She was rewarded with competing offers and chose the longest and

above:t Roma Pielarska, fifth from left, with TD Bank Career Relaunch founder Sarah Cole (third from left) and previous Career Relaunch participants.

most comprehensive option. In February of 2021, Pielarska, who splits her time between Connecticut and New York, began a paid, six-month training program called Career Relaunch at TD Bank.

“I was very excited,” she says. “The skills came back a lot faster than I expected. I had a peer buddy to help with everyday processes and a senior mentor to help me overcome anxieties.” The program began with two weeks of intensive training to get a handle on the functional aspects of the work as well as an education about the company. Next she was released to a manager for on-the-job training and advised to wait six months before she attempted to measure her productivity.

“That gave us space to develop,” she says. “We were also told to operate as though we had been offered the fulltime job. It was such a great perspective shift and totally took away the anxiety. Instead of asking ourselves

LANDING YOUR FIRST JOB

job hunt, get smart about your next steps with advice from Karen Elders, Founder and Career Coach at Career Launch Strategies and host of Top of the Pile, a podcast for young professionals.

HAVE A GAME PLAN

‘Will I get the job?’, we asked, ‘What can I do better?’ By the midpoint of the training program, Pielarska had a handle on skills and the mandate. In August of 2021, Pielarska was offered a full time, remote role. Team building exercises and constant contact with her colleagues through shared software allow her to feel engaged and connected. And she is paying it forward by being a mentor herself, with two trainees.

“Everyone feels insecure,” she says of the early days. “Not knowing if you can juggle everything and if your skills will come back can feel insurmountable. Yet any lack of confidence is overcome relatively quickly through the program.” To find companies that welcome career gaps and offer paid return-to-work opportunities for mid-career professionals, visit pathforward.org.

The first step to finding a new job is to get your ducks in a row in terms of how you present yourself professionally. This includes your resume, LinkedIn profile, target company lists, networking lists and notes and yes, a cover letter. A well-written cover letter can make clear connections between your experiences and the skills the job requires. Plus, it’s a great excuse to hone your pitch and know what you bring to the table.

QUANTIFY YOUR SUCCESS

Only three percent of applicants make it to the interview stage, so avoid the “Spray and Pray” method. Don’t send more applications; send better ones that show your value. Make sure your resume uses numbers or percentages to show your impact. How many customers did you handle on a weekly basis?

LEAN IN TO NETWORKING

Spend 80% of your time networking and learning about career opportunities and 20% looking for open roles. LinkedIn is a professional networking platform, so don’t be shy about reaching out to make connections. Add a note when requesting connections and make it clear why you are reaching out. Be active and regularly check your LinkedIn newsfeed.

Everyone feels insecure not knowing if you can juggle everything and if your skills will come back can feel insurmountable. Yet any lack of confidence is overcome relatively quickly through the program.

Roma Pielarska, TD Bank

If you’re a recent college grad on the

Accomplished Style

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Continue to live life to its fullest at Edgehill without the hassles of home maintenance and worry about future care costs. Now, you will have more time to do what you love and a chance to discover new interests. Whether academic, cultural or philanthropic, a wealth of opportunities awaits you at Edgehill with no limit to what you can accomplish.

To learn more, call 203-883-9364 or visit EdgehillCommunity.com

Where life meets style.

“I am fortunate to live an active but beautifully protected lifestyle in an elegant and first-class community.”

Bobbi H., Edgehill Resident

SOUND EFFECTS

WHY THE NEW ORCHESTRA LUMOS IS MUSIC TO OUR EARS by

With its newly rebranded name, Orchestra Lumos (orchestralumos. org), the former Stamford Symphony, which has been a shining musical beacon in the city’s arts scene since 1967, is lighting the way for a new era of music performance—not just in the expansion of efforts across Fairfield County, but in its revitalized mission that speaks to the tremendous impact music can have on our communities.

“Orchestra Lumos is a re-inspired orchestra for a new time,” says longtime Music Director Michael Stern. “While making great music is certainly at the heart of what we do, with our devoted musicians at the helm, we are looking to re-energize what a 21st century orchestra can be, and orchestral concerts are only the start. We are committed to the idea of having

music engage with our entire community and especially to honoring our core mission to make great music integral to the lives of young people.”

With the orchestra employing additional musicians on stage for its main, full orchestra programs, audiences can enjoy the same highquality sound, just more of it. In addition to its residency performances at the Palace Theatre, the orchestra hosts its, “Small Space Series,” at venues across Fairfield County’s ten communities.The orchestra has also hired its first-ever full-time Community Engagement and Education Manager, Nicolas Gonzalez, in order to expand its educational and outreach initiatives.

The orchestra’s recently launched Crescendo Fund, which supports artistic, educational and community growth, will make sure that new

regional markets are reached, more public school students throughout the county can engage in the Orchestra’s programming and its internal structure is diversified to reflect Fairfield County’s thriving Latinx and African American communities. As indicative of the public’s interest at heart, The Stamford Symphony’s patrons and supporters has already attracted $4 million in pledges ahead of schedule.

While GRAMMY® Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell playing on his famed 1713 Gibson Stradivarius violin is one of the final and most anticipated mainstage performances of this season, the upcoming season at Orchestra Lumos is even more expanded in its second year under the new name and branding—with Kennedy Center Honors awardee, Midori, opening the season this coming fall.

joey macari

PORTRAIT BY HILDI TODRIN; THE OTHER PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

left: Musical Director Michael Stern has been leading the symphony for many years. right top: Violinists performing. right bottom: Orchestra Lumos

Q & A

SPOTLIGHT ON LOCALS

Stamford-loving residents share their local favorites

BRETT-LYN ROBUSTELL

Stamford Public School

1st Grade Teacher

Where to Blow Off Steam

“There’s s it’s getting an iced coffee from Donut Delight and heading straight to Great Nails on High Ridge Road. Nothing relaxes or makes me feel more centered than pampering myself. My family and I have been going there for 10+ years. They do the best pedicure, manicure and massages. Walking in there, I instantly feel better. Tell Helen I sent you!”

Best place for a workout

“When I don’t use the gym in my building, I love going for a walk/run to West Beach or Cummings Beach. How lucky are we to have the beaches in Stamford? We seriously have it all here—residential areas, city area, parks, beaches, you name it, Stamford has it!”

Where to bring out-of-town guests

“You can’t go wrong with Bedford Street, but the place to bring an out-of-towner is Siena Ristorante. After my 28 years of eating Italian food, Siena is the winner in Stamford. Their “Rigatoni Buttera” is the best

pasta dish I have ever had in my life (don’t tell my mom). From the appetizers, to the wine, to the complimentary bread pudding, Siena is where I take all of my guests.”

Favorite place to shop (local)

“House of Humble is one of my favorite places to shop. First of all, it’s a Stamford native who runs the business. Second, there’s a coffee house attached to it. It’s a perfect place for any type of gift or something for yourself. They have candles, housewarming gifts, shoes and the best clothes. After you shop, walk two steps to Humbled Coffee and grab yourself the toasted coconut flavored coffee—my favorite!”

Favorite nonprofit institution

“Domus Kids, Inc. is no doubt my favorite nonprofit institution. Domus is helping our very own youth in Stamford. They never give up on the children, love every single child entering their doors and their work is truly about the children. Their vision makes you want to donate, help and love everything they do.”

“The best part of being a teacher in Stamford and at my school is I am able to watch these children grow—not only as learners, but as actual human beings. I get the opportunity every day to teach our future community and in return, our future community is teaching me more than I ever knew. Being a teacher means that everyday is a new day and a whole new experience. Thanks room 101 for making me love what I do, I love you all!”

by joey macari

SARAH JOHN

Emergency Department Registered Nurse and Golf Content Creator

Blow Off Steam

“At the driving range, on the golf course, orthrowing darts, preferably at Tiernans!”

Best place for a workout

“I’ll always have a special place in my heart for F45 Training

Stamford Harbor Point. I joined when they first opened in 2018 and shortly after became a trainer there. The energy and good vibes that community generates is unmatchable— and canalways guarantee a 10/10 workout.”

Favorite place to shop (local)

“I’m a total un-glorified foodie, so catch me at Trader Joe’s multiple times a week on the hunt shopping for the TikTok recipe I just discovered.”

Favorite recreational spot

“Summer time: Sterling Farms Golf Course or West Beach for a day with friends, yard games and my pup. Winter: Chelsea Piers for some indoor golf or soccer at ZSTRICT.”

A cherished Stamford memory

“We first moved to Stamford when I got into the UCONN nursing school program in 2017. It was the hardest year of my life, but in that year I met

someincredibly supportive people in this city who now have become life-long friends.”

Best place to grab a drink

“I’m 8 months pregnant and I most certainly cherish my one cup of coffee a day. Lorca never lets me down with their nutella oat milk latte.”

above: A delicious latte from Lorca made just the way Sarah likes it.

Where to bring out-of-town guests

“My ideal tour-de-Stamford for out of towners consists ofstarting the night at Columbus park with an espresso martini and a cheese board, with amandatory side of the hot cherry peppers. For dinner, where else but Cafe Silvium! Meatballs with polenta and chicken parm in vodka sauce over cavatelli is my go-to. The perfect night cap is a round or 10 of darts at any of the local dive bars.” S

“Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Relatable to both my nursing career and my social media business; I love helping others and I love creating golf content that other average golfers can relate to—all while playing the game that I love!”

shop

HER STYLE

by janel alexander

WHETHER THE MOTHER IN YOUR LIFE IS COOL OR CLASSIC — WE’VE GOT HER COVERED

Elle Tweed Blazer, $595,

ISABEL MARANT

Style Note Leave the fullness of the blouse untucked, but ground it with a great blazer.

Westport; lbgreen.com

LOEWE

Flow Rubber Silver Sneaker, $690, Greenwich & Westport; shop.mitchellstores.com

stamfordmag.com

Tyron Embroidered Logo Baseball Cap, $225, Greenwich; saksfifthavenue.com

SYDNEY EVAN

Small Pure Script

Mama Necklace, $510, Greenwich & Westport; shop mitchellstores.com

JENNI KAYNE

Chloe Black

Stripe Crewneck, $295, Greenwich & Westport; jennikayne.com

SISLEY

Nutritive Lip Balm, $95, Greenwich, Darien & Westport; bluemercury.com

TROVATA

Cate Blouse, $268, Old Greenwich & Westport; thefredshop.com

THE ROW

Ava Leather Mary Jane ballet flats, $790; net-a-porter.com

Style Note

Throw this cute sweater over your shoulders to break up the floral print.

LA LIGNE

The Molly Jeans, $195, Greenwich; lalignenyc.com

JACQUEMUS

Le Petite Panier Soli Straw Beach Bag, $475, Saks, Greenwich; saksfifthavenue.com

KIDS GO GREEN

Local students of all ages are learning science and practicing stewardship at Mill River Park. From grade schoolers to paid seasonal teen interns, young people are getting involved in new programs at the Whittingham Discovery Center, which opened last June and encourages experiential learning, using the river, wetlands and meadows to improve kids’ STEM skills.

On half-day field trips, Environmental Engineers investigate the ways trees, meadows and wetlands act as natural engineers; then the kids return to the lab to learn how to explore ways to clean up water, restore habitats and improve quality of life. Habitat Hunters explore the park and river to learn what makes a healthy habitat. Then, they return to the lab to compare the adaptations of fresh and brackish water animals to their habitat.

During the warmer months, the Discovery Cart, a mobile science station sponsored by Henkel North America, is wheeled throughout the park to provide pop-up STEM educational activities. Lessons at the Discovery Cart are conducted by paid high school and college-age docents who also staff the exhibits in the Whittingham Discovery Center. There, they talk to visitors about the park’s restoration, explaining how, in 2009, the Army Corp of Engineers removed two dams and concrete channel walls, regraded the river banks,

and planted native meadows to protect the surrounding neighborhood from floods.       The Stewards Internship is a competitive 8-week paid summer program where teens work on park restoration projects and also spend time in the classroom learning about conservation methods. Stewards and docents participate in workshops on resume building and job skills as part of a workforce

development program. Career speakers visit the students to talk about different types of environmental careers, from food to finance. “You can have an environmental impact in almost any field,” says Kristia Janowski, Director of Education and Sustainability at Mill River Park Collaborative, the nonprofit that runs the Discovery Center. “Last year, we had someone working in ESG (environment, social and governance) in finance talk to them and a lot of kids were surprised to learn you could work in finance and still work toward an environmental goal.”

Most docents are older high school and college students who attend monthly workplace training sessions in addition to career workshops that include public speaking and presentation skills. “The docents need to know the background of the park and what our story means,” says Janowski. “It would be great if some could join us as educators down the road, as we grow.

PICKING UP STEM SKILLS IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS by amy sarbinowski

above: Inside the Whittingham Discover Center, kids get creative with hands-on lessons about science and conservation.

left: Nature's classroom: These gardens double as a learning zone. right: Engaging kids with an experiment.

THE DEALMAKER

BY MAURICIO UMANSKY

You probably know him as Kyle Richards’ husband on The Real HousewivesofBeverly Hills or as the star of his new Netflix series BuyingBeverlyHills, but Mauricio Umansky’s greatest professional achievement is building his internationally renowned real estate brand, The Agency. From the challenges of his childhood to outgrowing his father’s textile business and leaving his brother-in-law Rick Hilton’s company, while also raising a family and maintaining a strong marriage for over twentyseven years, Mauricio shares plenty of advice and lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs and selfstarters on how to find success at work and at home. His journey has been anything but boring. So, get ready to join his exclusive and exciting world.

Book No Further

Spring into summer with these FIVE FASCINATING READS , including career and life strategies from a powerhouse CEO-meets-reality-TV-star, a novel inspired by the legendary actress Audrey Hepburn, two electrifying thrillers, and nostalgic fiction about former college sweethearts.

by emily liebert

THE AUDREY HEPBURN ESTATE

BY BRENDA JANOWITZ

The majestic Long Island estate where Emma Jansen grew up is going to be demolished. Well, she didn’t exactly live there. Her mother and father worked for the owners and they occupied the space over the garage, in the same way Audrey Hepburn’s character did in the film Sabrina. Still, Emma experienced a lot of firsts at the estate. Thus, she’s compelled to return, though she only felt truly accepted by the family’s grandson, Henry and by their driver’s son, Leo. As plans for the property unfold, Emma, Henry, and Leo come together after ten years and Emma is caught between two worlds and two loves. When a shocking secret about her own family is revealed, she’ll need to figure out what kind of life she currently desires and whom she wants to spend it with.

THE SOULMATE

BY SALLY HEPWORTH

The NewYorkTimes bestselling author, Sally Hepworth, has done it again with this gripping and addictive novel about complex relationships, family, infidelity, mental illness, and the deceitfulness that nudges us to our breaking point. Gabe and Pippa live in a beautiful cottage, in a quiet coastal town, set on a dangerous cliff—a spot where people attempt to end their lives and often succeed. Unless Gabe intervenes. Remarkably, he’s managed to, quite literally, talk multiple jumpers off the edge. Until one day when his valiant plan fails and a woman falls to her death…leaving a number of unanswered questions. As Pippa begins to unravel the truth, the perfect facade of her marriage becomes fractured and she’s forced to ask herself if Gabe is really her soulmate after all.

THE REWIND

BY ALLISON WINN SCOTCH

What happens when two former college sweethearts— who broke up before graduation and vowed to never speak to each other again—wake up a decade later in the same bed with wedding bands on their fingers and no idea how they got there? That’s the predicament Frankie and Ezra find themselves in on New Year’s Eve of 1999, while back on their snowy, picturesque New England campus together, at the turn of the century, for the wedding of mutual friends. Frankie has a successful career as a music manager and Ezra is ready to propose to his girlfriend. Everything should have gone smoothly, if they’d only been able to avoid each other. But now, with Ezra’s grandmother’s diamond on Frankie’s finger, they have to put aside old grievances and deal with their dilemma.

THE HOUSE GUEST

BY HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN

In this fiendish thriller from USAToday bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan, the question is, which character is the cat, and which is the mouse? When Alyssa Macallan is dumped by her rich and powerful husband, and a toxic divorce is inevitable, she’s horrified by what’s in store for her. Will she be left alone and broke as a result of his manipulative behavior? What she needs is a good friend. Someone who can support her through the tumultuous times to come. That’s when Bree Lorrance enters the picture. Bree is running from a dangerous relationship of her own and Alyssa offers up her guest house as a safe haven. Very quickly, the two become trusted confidantes. When Bree makes a surprising, but tempting offer, Alyssa wonders if they can help solve each other’s problems.

emily liebert

Emily Liebert is the USAToday bestselling author of seven novels and a NewYorkTimes bestselling celebrity ghostwriter. Her books are available worldwide.

HOME STRETCH

DEW YOGA ’S NEW STUDIO IS A HUB FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS by

Back when Dew Yoga was just a dream for owner Jen Irwin, she imagined it as a come-as-you-are kind of place for people to bend into poses and practice mindfulness. “I wanted to build a community of like-minded people,” explains Irwin, “to create a welcoming space that was all about making Stamford a little healthier.”

Her first studio, which opened in 2008 on High Ridge Road, “was an experiment that went really well.” Jen’s vision of a creating a fitness community void of pretense and strong on inclusion, stemmed from the benefits of making yoga part of her own life. “Yoga helped me change my life and recover myself during a low point,” explains the former data voice network project manager, who took a career detour into yoga teaching. “In Stamford, a saw a lot of places where you could do Hip Hop or Cross Fit or Zumba, but I didn’t see many places where you could truly venture inward.”

To make yoga practice more accessible, she offered her classes on a sliding-fee scale

so clients “who wanted to do yoga could do yoga, even if it was hard for them to afford it.” And she looked for teachers who shared her philosophy that yoga should be for everyone, “not just people who can do the perfect headstand.” (Although, she does do headstands in some of her more vigorous classes.)

As Irwin’s vision became a reality, Dew prospered. After a few years, she relocated Dew to a 3,000 square foot space in Bull’s Head replete with three studios. “My students were so behind me, twenty-five of them came to help wax the floors and get the place ready,” she says. Then the Covid-19 pandemic came. Like so many fitness studios, Irwin pivoted to a virtual class model, but reluctantly shuttered her Bull’s Head space. “It broke my heart and we tried to keep going, but it really was my only option,” she says.

Last November, Dew remerged in a lightfilled, cozy space at 1051 Long Ridge Road in North Stamford. While the studio is smaller, Irwin says it works well for Dew’s hybrid

beth fitzpatrick

studio model. A full schedule of diverse classes range from Kundalini, Vinnitsa and Kripalu style classes to gently restorative slow flow Yin classes and meditation; all offered virtually as well as in studio. “About 70 percent of my students are back and that’s really encouraging,” Irwin says.

And the community spirit on which Dew was founded has sprung back in action. The studio’s done-in-a-day volunteer team recently painted a DVCC women’s shelter. Special classes to introduce yoga to people in recovery are on the schedule. Irwin has teamed up with Family Tree Yoga, which sublets her space, to offer prenatal, baby and kids yoga on site too. To add to the homey vibe, students can sometimes pick up fresh eggs, homemade cookies and delicious soup from one Dew’s regulars after Sunday’s gentle yoga class.

“I want to offer diverse classes for a diverse community,” says Irwin. “And for Dew to remain accessible to anyone who wants to come here.” Namaste to that.

left: A class practices crescent lunges. center: Laura Jeffries, Ann Russell, Robert Ortner, Jen Irwin, Gilly Lusby right: Yoga students get support from the blocks during a Lizard lunge.

Healthy Glow

Tips and Techniques for MORE YOUTHFUL SKIN

by liz barron

While the fountain of youth may not exist, the good news is there are more preventative and corrective cosmetic treatments readily available than ever before.

From Botox to lasers and filler to surgery, there are seemingly endless options for improving our aesthetics. We reached out to Dr. Flora Levin, a Board Certified Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon Specializing in Eyelid Surgery & Rejuvenation, based in Westport, to learn more about ways to regain and maintain the appearances that make us feel our best. Here’s what she had to say…

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PREVENTATIVE ANTI-AGING TREATMENTS?

Sunscreen is always number one, it gives you the biggest bang for your buck. Sun protection is an investment in the way that you’re going to look as you age and everything else is really a waste of time if you’re not focused on that. Retin-A and Retinol also play a big role in anti-aging, these products increase skin cell turnover by helping shed layers of skin at a more rapid rate and allow products to better penetrate the skin. Antioxidants like Vitamin C are also pillars of good early skincare.

Lifestyle factors like proper sleep, nutrition, hydration and not smoking all play a role in the way one’s skin is going to look down the line. Genetics also have a lot to do with how someone is going to age. If you see that one of your parents isn't aging well you want to do all that you can preventatively— control the factors that you can.

In terms of procedural treatments, Botox can be started fairly early and small amounts can

be preventative, look very natural and help stop lines from becoming problematic over time. If someone has a tendency towards making repetitive facial movements in areas where they carry strong expressions [think frown lines or the 11’s between the eyebrows] wrinkles are going to form, but Botox can very successfully treat these. Static wrinkles, however, are those that are present all the time, regardless of expression, and once those set in, they are very hard to get rid of; they can be softened but may never fully go away.

WHERE/WHEN IS FILLER USED AS OPPOSED TO BOTOX?

Filler and Botox work completely differently. Botox weakens muscles, thus reducing wrinkles. Filler, on the other hand, is a gel that fills a deficiency, a hollowness or an indentation. In different age groups, fillers are used for different purposes. In young patients, fillers are used to enhance or balance facial features. Examples of that would be someone wanting fuller lips, looking for a stronger chin to better balance the face, or having

LASER TREATMENTS & HOW THEY WORK

DARK SPOTS

IPL (intense pulsed light) lasers are the best for dark spots as your first line of defense. They work by using varying wavelengths of light, which are determined by the depth of the pigment, to bring dark spots to the surface and then eventually flake off.

This type of laser is usually done two to three times a year, depending on skin type. In order to maintain results, wearing sunscreen is integral. IPL lasers can also help with skin types that are prone to Rosacea, so patients presenting with redness and dark spots can kill two birds with one stone. Treatments can help stimulate collagen and also be specifically targeted for spot management for those without diffused pigmentation.

good! As long as you have someone who knows what they are doing, these procedures are safe, highly effective and produce very satisfying results.

dark circles. As we age, we start to lose volume in our faces due to atrophy of the fat pads and bone resorption. This is often seen as depressions in the temples, indents on the sides of the nose and nasolabial folds, flattening of the cheeks and shadowing in the corners of the mouth [marionette lines]. Fillers can be used to improve those deficiencies, reducing the shadows and making the person look more youthful. There are many different fillers on the market, some thicker, some thinner, some more or less stretchy. Various parts of the face require products with characteristics ideal for that specific area.

WHEN IS SURGERY WARRANTED OVER INJECTIONS OR LASERS?

IMPROVED ELASTICITY/ BETTER SKIN TEXTURE/ YOUNGER LOOKING SKIN:

VEINS/BROKEN BLOOD VESSELS

IPL lasers can help with veins as well, because they have a vascular-specific Nd:YAG laser is the best choice for larger and more prominent veins and vessels, like those on the legs, face, chin and the blue veins that some see under their eyes. Sometimes we mix and match lasers and will use IPL for capillaries around the nose and then the Nd:YAG for the bigger areas. We have actually seen an uptick in patients coming from out of state for these treatments because, yes, our laser nurse Kate (@ ) is that

Many of the lasers used for those looking to attain these types of results have commodity names that people have heard of before like “Fraxel” or “FraxPro.” These treatments use a combination of deep and superficial wavelengths that come at fractionated specific intervals. Older lasers were not fractionated and came with much longer recovery time, but these modern and improved versions are much more precise, safer and make the recovery faster and easier. Most patients have a few days of redness and rough-feeling skin, but that’s it. The combination of lasers that penetrate the skin more deeply and those that are more superficial can be a great way to enhance glow and decrease pore size. These procedures are generally done two or three times and then repeated annually for maintenance.

Unfortunately, aging also brings loose skin and descent. Non-surgical modalities have limitations. Fillers fill and may soften or camouflage, but they don’t get rid of the bulging or sagging [i.e. jowls]. In those instances, surgery may be indicated. A blepharoplasty is one of the most common and least invasive surgical procedures that many younger patients choose to undergo, as the eyelid area often ages before others. Ultimately, a facelift is the only definitive way to restore youthful facial anatomy. Modern facelift techniques allow for natural and long-lasting results.

ARE THERE ANY VITAMINS OR SUPPLEMENTS YOU FIND HELPFUL FOR SKIN AND HAIR HEALTH?

I like fish oil. We need the Omega-3 fatty acids it provides, and it’s also good for hair, skin and nails. Vitamin B is also important for healthy looking skin, and I like Nutrafol for hair. I don’t really think that collagen supplements work. By the time they go through your gut, these supplements are so processed and broken down that I don’t think they can be as effective as claimed. S

About Dr. Flora Levin

Dr. Levin resides in Westport with her husband, three children. Her practice is located in Westport at 1391 Post Road East, 2nd Floor. For more information on Dr. Levin and her practice, visit floralevin.com or follow @floralevinmd on Instagram.

DECADENTLY PECULIAR

One of the most storied NEW YORK CITY HOTELS HAS OPENED ITS NEWLY RENOVATED DOORS and, trust us, you’ll want to book a room

This is the rare Hotel Chelsea review that doesn’t open with a detailed history of its famous residents (we’ll get to that) or the words “rock ‘n ’ roll vibes.” The 139-year-old Grand Dame has lived many lives, but her latest might be her best. It’s not hard to find a story that bemoans the gentrification or upcycling of the “real New York” landmarks like the Chelsea. In this hotel’s case, however, it would be misplaced nostalgia. The newly renovated and reopened Chelsea shows what’s best about New York—its ability to reinvent itself for the latest age and rage.

left: The marble topped lobby bar is the place to be. right: The inimitable Chelsea is once again a “rest stop for rare individuals.”

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Longtime residents who obtained their apartments through the city’s rent stabilization scheme years ago and won the right to stay are still in the hotel alongside guests from around the world. It took eleven years of construction and lawsuits to turn one of the most written about hotels ion earth into what it had never been before, a luxury hotel.

Since it’s not a time machine, you won’t run into Janis Joplin or Andy Warhol in the Lobby Bar. Let’s focus on what the hotel is now—a surprisingly affordable (by New York standards) and design-forward property with service that rivals any Ritz Carlton.

The rooms range from the lowest price point of a Petite Queen to a two-bedroom Pied-à-Terre complete with a full kitchen and washer/dryer. Every room category has the same wealthy-aunt, wabi-sabi feel. Think the neighborhood charm of Tribeca’s Greenwich Hotel mixed with the modern edge luxury of a Pendry property. The room layouts vary wildly, but the furniture is the same throughout—tiger striped

The original iron balconies and stained glass windows remain just as they were when the hotel opened in 1884.

Gargoyles keep watch over one of the many seating areas in the lobby bar.

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rates start at: $250 to $300 for a Petite Queen. This might be the best value in the city. The room is small and features an interior view, but that’s New York.

must-book:

One-bedroom Pied-à-Terre starting at $1,800 per night. It’s the apartment New York dreams are made of, with a spacious living room and fireplace mantle (the fireplaces are all non-working), full kitchen, dining table that seats six, separate bedroom, one-and-a-half baths and ample closet space.

left: One of the Chelsea’s most legendary tenants, Andy Warhol dining at El Quijote in the mid 60s right: All guestrooms are outfitted with custom-made textile headboards and Marshall speakers. below: Much of the art was created by residents short on rent money.

left: The interiors were created by hotel co-owner Sean MacPherson. right: Madonna fans might recognize this fireplace mantle; some of the photos from her controversial ’90s book, Sex, were shot here.

ANNIE SCHLECHTER; HISTORIC PHOTO: DAVID MCCABE

chairs, Victorian-era styled carpets in burgundy and gold, headboards that look like they’re composed of vintage tapestries and purple velour couches. Nespresso machines and Marshall speakers are standard amenities, and any guest, regardless of room price, can request packing and unpacking service.

The hotel lobby was always the place to be, whether you were former resident Betsey Johnson looking for reactions to her latest madcap clothing design, tourists hoping to catch a glimpse of Marilyn Monroe, or a long-term tenant just catching up with friends. Over the years, former manager Stanley Bard occasionally accepted artwork from residents who couldn’t pay the rent. The art was stored during the renovation and is now displayed throughout the hotel, giving it an art gallery feel in the best way. The lobby has an upright piano in the corner, lush sofas, a smattering of the original chairs and a large chandelier. The original mail organizer backs the front desk with a letter slot for each room where one can imagine Arthur Miller picking up commission checks or Sid Vicious maybe a warrant. The cubbies now contain room keys with red tassels and opulent brass hardware, a nice change from plastic key cards.

Around the corner from the lobby is the venerable Lobby Bar where, on any given day, the crowd is a mix of movie producers, celebs, wannabes and Joe and Ida visiting from Milwaukee. Surprisingly, the hotel has never had a bar until now, but you’d never know it when you walk in. The marble topped bar is in a room that can best be described as unearthed architectural glamour. Under the tacky carpeting they found original mosaic tile flooring and a cheap drop ceiling concealed intricate molding with original turn-of-the-century gargoyles. The seating is overseen on

most nights by the charismatic trans hostess Taylor. You can’t miss her captivating smile and Coco Chanel worthy fashion sense. The lobby bar is a must visit. It’s open from 7 a.m. until 2 a.m. daily. Only hotel guests can make reservations. Everyone else is seated on a first come, first served basis. Enjoy the dirty martini oysters, and ask one of the bartenders to make any craft cocktail you can imagine. They are true mixologists.

Hotel guests can order room service or slip downstairs and grab a leather banquette at the original and recently reopened El Quijote Spanish restaurant. A second restaurant and rooftop spa and fitness center are under construction. Guests are given day passes to a nearby fitness center until the gym opens, if hoofing it around the city isn’t enough exercise.

The Chelsea still has the heart of an artist, but one who’s grown up and started using the good china. S

left: The hotel’s kitschy El Quijote, founded in 1930, is New York’s oldest Spanish restaurant. • The cocktail menu includes drinks inspired by iconic bars from around the world.

above: Caviar with potato chips and beer cream below: The mid-century seating was reupholstered with olive green and floral velvets in patterns that the owners have nicknamed Grandma-chic and Rich Old Lady.

The mid-century seating was reupholstered with olive green and floral velvets in patterns that the owners have nicknamed Grandma-chic and Rich Old Lady.

COLEEN AND COMPANY

The scalloped arm sconce; $1,575. coleenand company.com

Bright Spot

SAY HELLO TO YOUR NEW FAVORITE SUNNY SHADE

“the yellow i incorporate into much of my work adds that bit of sunshine, and i just feel like that is something there is never enough of.”

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KERRI ROSENTHAL

It’s Complicated table; $6,500. Westport; kerrirosenthal.com

7

by megan gagnon

MODA DOMUS Footed wine glass; $210 per glass. modaoperandi.com

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2 THE WELL APPOINTED HOUSE Scalloped round wicker coffee table; $1,781. Greenwich; wellappointed house.com

3 REGINA ANDREW Summer outdoor pendant; $525. Chloe Winston Lighting Design, Norwalk; chloewinston lighting.com

4 OKA Talasa rattan tray; $130. Westport; oka.com

5 GUBI Basket chair by Joe Colombo; $3,999. West Out East, Westport; westouteast.com

6 BLOOMINGVILLE Wavy rattan bowls; $90 for set of three. burkedecor.com

7 AMANDA LINDROTH Wavy wicker orchid baskets; $45 for set of three. amandalindroth .com

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craftsmanship, these fun scalloped-edge pieces make a beautiful addition to any space.” 4 1

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YOUNG HUH Young Huh Interior Design PHILIP GORRIVAN Philip Gorrivan Design

Who’s Hungry?

Bring your biggest appetite to MEAT LOVE KOREAN BBQ in Stamford

by elizabeth keyser

Eating at a table with a grill in the middle—how great is that? Korean BBQ is centered around that grill. Yet Meat Love Korean BBQ, the new all you-can-eat restaurant on Summer Street, is more than meat and pickled and fermented vegetables. It’s about gathering around the table and eating together.

Meat Love, which opened last November, is a fun place to go with a group, even just a group

of two. The restaurant, a bilevel space with black walls and large video screens hanging from the ceiling, is youthful and music-filled. This isn’t a place for conversation. It’s about sitting at a big table and reaching in with your chopsticks, taking a piece of warm meat from the grill, swabbing it in gochujang, and wrapping it in a fresh piece of lettuce. Crisp, fresh lettuce; rich, grilled meat; and spicy umami sauce create a joyous bite—especially

when it is followed with a bite of kimchi. Korean BBQ is an enjoyable dining experience, and we’re glad Love Meat BBQ is here so we don’t have to hike into New York City when we get the craving.

DIG IN

Banchan, side dishes, arrive first. Don’t wait to try them—they are meant to wake up the appetite. The server places eight bowls in a

Gather around the grill table at Meat Love Korean BBQ to enjoy a range of dishes, starting with Banchan, small bowls of fresh and cooked veggies to awaken your appetite.

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circle around the grill. What’s in them? An intriguing array of sweet and tangy, spicy and fermented, fresh and cooked vegetables. Radish ssam is paper-thin slices of white turnip in a sweet, mildly tangy pickle. Kimchi is the famous fermented Napa cabbage, and the leaves are pungent and spicy with red pepper; it’s probiotic, too.

Korean cuisine has a large repertoire of side dishes, among them sweet and starchy dishes. Clear noodles made from sweet potato starch have a pleasing springy texture. Slices of sweet potato are fried like tempura. A plate of coleslaw is finely shredded and lightly dressed, creating a fresh raw counterpoint. Individual bowls of warm, sticky rice are served, too.

Plates piled with fresh lettuce leaves are brought to the table with the plates of raw and marinated meat, seafood or chicken. The grill is electric (my dining companion and I have been to places in NYC where they used coals), and the servers have a knack for returning at the moment when the meat needs to be turned and then when it is done. Thicker cuts, like the marinated short ribs and the pork belly (both must-orders) are cooked in long strips, and then cut into pieces with scissors. Thinsliced meat, like the brisket, arrives with the slices rolled and arranged like translucent pink

flowers. Experienced Korean BBQ diners are apt to get right in there and cook the meat themselves.

Gochujang is the key flavoring in Korean food. It’s a sweet, spicy, umami-rich red chile pepper paste fermented with soybeans and rice. It flavors some of the marinades. Two big squirt bottles of gochujang  and soybean sauce are placed on the table as well. I squirted them into one of the compartments on the tin plate (which has a slightly, bare-bones, military vibe), so I could swab each piece of meat before wrapping them in lettuce. You can add rice and something pickled to that lettuce bundle, or follow up with bites of the side dishes. There’s no wrong way to do it.

PICKY EATERS

How does all-you-can eat work? Two all-day options (A and B) are available at lunch and dinner. Set A offers beef brisket, flat iron steak, marinated rib eye, and marinated short ribs, pork shoulder, jowl and short ribs. They have chicken breast, too. Option B includes New York strip, shrimp and squid and octopus dishes. (A weekday lunch menu has fewer options but also lower prices.) The entire table must order the same thing, and there’s so much variety that everyone gets a lot of good food.

Along with the regular side dishes automatically brought to the table, there are additional sides, including sweet and spicy fried chicken, glass noodles with vegetables, and dumplings. We choose the steamed egg, a light, fluffy dish served in a piping-hot cast-iron bowl. We were surprised to see a few American sides (French fries, sweet potato fries and fried mozzarella). At lunch, the extra sides are three stews, pork kimchi, beef brisket and vegetarian tofu.

The cost of set A ($42.99) or B ($47.99) might sound pricey, but servings are a lot of food and variety. You will not leave hungry.

One caveat, the fine print on the menu lays out a few reasonable rules (which indicate how many ways people will try to gin an all-youcan-eat system). You must eat the food in the restaurant; no doggy bags. Order just enough that your group can eat, because there’s a $20 charge for leftover food.

This restaurant also has a full bar, and the menu’s fruit-flavored Korean sojus are aimed at the younger crowd. Sake or beer go well with the food.

Meat Love brings an experience that every fan of fermentation, umami-flavors, grilled meat, fresh vegetables and conviviality can gather around the grill table to enjoy. S

above: The food at Meat Love Korean BBQ is served so that it can be shared with everyone at the table; the main course: New York Strip grilled with onions

A heartwarming bowl of pork Kimchi Stew

ThankYou!

money matters

BY CAROL LEONETTI DANNHAUSER

SECOND HOME SMARTS

Julie Walsh, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Realty Westport, can help you figure out the answer. Or at least ask yourself the right questions. Often, deciding whether to buy or to rent a vacation home comes down to dollars and sense, versus dollars and cents.

perhaps you have a family connection there or some other emotional draw.

Temperatures are heating up. Is your desire to get out of town climbing as well?

If so, where to this year? A new locale you haven’t explored before, or the same summer spot your family or friends flock to each year? If it’s the latter, someone in your group will no doubt make that annual pronouncement: “Wouldn’t it be great to buy a place here?”

Would it?

“Is it worth it financially to buy a vacation home? People say, ‘It’s okay, because I can always sell it,’ but markets change all the time when it comes to buying and selling a home. Instead, you have to ask yourself, ‘Why do I like coming there? Why am I renting? Why do I want to buy?’” That bit of soul searching can help clarify what you decide, Walsh says.

If your summer plans are the same this year—to return to the same spot as last year and years past with your children or your partner—then buying a place there might seem like the right answer, especially if you can just jump in the car and be there in a couple of hours. You know and like the area,

SUMMER SWAP

To make sure you should buy, “you have to try living there,” Walsh says. Rent for a long term and do some fact-finding while you’re there. “You have to ask every question. Ask the building inspectors, is any new construction going on? If you’re near the water, when was the last disaster? What does it cost to insure? What about hurricanes? What were the snow levels?” Even if you can’t stay there due to work or school, you’ll realize how often you and your loved ones want to dash off there, versus somewhere else. And think long-term. Will the house be as attractive as you, your partner and your children age?

Walsh, a native of Australia who lives in Westport, speaks from experience. Here in the United States, her family returned to their happy places—Lake Placid and the Virgin Islands—with regularity. Then their son discovered Jackson Hole,

a destination the whole family now loves. Instead of buying a place there to ski, Walsh’s son rents a big house for a month and everybody chips in. That gets him an extended stay in a beautiful place without having to be a homeowner. “People in his age group would rather be able to do an Airbnb and still have money in their pocket,” she says.

If you do decide to buy, do the math. Thanks to inflation, the twenty-year fixed mortgage rate doubled in 2022 and has zigged and zagged this year. Tack on a half to one percent more for a mortgage for a vacation home. Plus, you’ll need at least a 10 percent downpayment to qualify, as loans for a second home are riskier than for a main residence. Paying the mortgage, utilities, taxes, insurance, repairs, maintenance and the like happens year-round, whether you occupy the home or not. And don’t forget to add in the cost of those fun vacationy things that appealed to you in the first place. S

Get this, lower Fairfield County homeowners: We’re living in a summer hot spot! The very homes that we’re escaping fetch handsome rental fees from out-of-towners, Walsh says. “Because of the nature of Fairfield County, you’ve got everything here at your doorstep.” This includes myriad recreational options on the shoreline and in the woods, summer camps for kids, music venues in cities and towns, and New York City but a train ride away. As eager as we might be to explore someplace new, someone is just as eager to come here. Many New Yorkers don’t blink at paying $25,000 to $30,000 a month in the summertime for a down-County home with a pool, Walsh reports. And travelers from abroad might happily trade a month in their home in Tuscany or the south of France for a month in yours.

Julie Walsh

Digging in to our city’s must-try pies, from neighborhood classics to wood-fired favorites

by Joey Macari

clockwise from left: Tony Uva of Sorrento's throws some dough; Thin-crust classics at Colony Grill; Putting a pie into the oven at Belltown Pizza; A specialty pizza at Fortina's

clockwise from left: The cheesiest pizza at Belltown; Brown House at night; Margarita pie at Coalhouse; Pizzas for meat lovers at Bronx House

Belltown Pizzeria

On a night where you just don’t feel like cooking or have too many mouths to feed, this pizza spot around the corner becomes the goto. For the Springdale neighborhood, Belltown Pizzeria has been a fan-favorite with its fresh pizza and robust menu of Italian classics like chicken parm wedges, hearty calzones, pasta dishes like baked ziti and much more. Opened in 1994 by two brothers, Tony and Benny Califano from Ponzo, Italy, Belltown has built up somewhat of a cult-following by offering delicious meals, from scratch; a taste of heritage in an eclectic, diverse community. The Belltown torch has since passed to Benny’s son, Michael Califano, who remains committed to cooking up authentic Italian foods, “like the ones your grandmother used to make.”

When you hear from locals, buzz words like “consistency” and “reliable” are said a lot. Every slice or whole pizza comes out fresh out the oven; its crisp and perfectly bendable slices make for the perfect fold every time. Personalize your pizza to fit your needs or try one of their gourmet pies like the Salad Pizza, or, for a taste of the real deal, Benny’s Favorite—a sauceless pie with tomatoes, roasted peppers, spinach, garlic and oil, fresh basil, grated romano cheese, mozzarella and artichokes.

While the pizza is of the New York style, there’s also something uniquely Stamford about it. The story of two brothers with a passion for cooking and the bond it creates in a community is one of the reasons, “the city that works,” is a success. Next time you visit Belltown, let it serve as a reminder that good food doesn’t have to be complicated.  belltownpizzastamford.com

Growing up, every Tuesday was a holiday. We gathered a dozen family and friends to enjoy dishes that were passed onto us from generations before. Many of those recipes you’ll find on our menu today. When we moved into the Belltown neighborhood nearly 30 years ago, it was the surrounding community that welcomed us as family. In return, we served our product with love. I believe it is that same passion that keeps us

open today.

— Michael Califano, Owner of Belltown Pizzeria

Bronx House Amore

With six-time Pizza World Pizza Champion and Food Network judge Bruno DiFabio at the helm of Bronx House in Springdale, it’s no surprise this knockout makes the list of must-try pizzas. After starting off making dough some 25 years ago at the original Amore restaurant on Hope Street, DiFabio has since revitalized that location and opened Bronx House as a second spot for his pizza prowess to shine. With its exposed brick, red booths, long counters with full views of pizza flipping and steady flow of patrons awaiting their name call, Bronx House is a throwback to a classic New York pizza joint. Devoid of fuss, its pies are really able to take center stage. Visitors can expect the quality and authenticity of Amore Cucina & Bar, but with key differences. While Amore primarily focuses on its Napoletana style in a more posh backdrop, Bronx House offers New York style pizza in a casual, laid-back setting.

Bronx House offers three sizes, which can be ordered as a whole pie or by the slice. Steer into the red theme with the chicken parmigiana pizza, or skip out on sauce entirely with the Popeye White—a white topped with spinach (of course), garlic and ricotta. Because it wouldn’t be authentically Italian without a tribute to an Italian matriarch, the Grandma pie is where you get your fix of hearty ingredients with a lot of love put into it. The Luca Brasi, a nod to The Godfather, topped with broccoli rabe, sausage, garlic, romano and red pepper flakes, is truly to die for (he had it coming to ‘em). bronxhousect.com

It’s not only about sourcing superior ingredients, you also have to use them in the optimal way to get the best tasting pizza. We use a mother dough in our pizza production and this yields a final product that is crispy, airy, and delicious.  Our cheese is made from milk harvested daily, and has a five star rating from the dairy board of Wisconsin.  We have truly mastered New York and Neapolitan

pizza respectively, you really have to experience it for yourself.

— Bruno DiFabio, Owner/Master Pizzaiolo Bronx House Pizza/ Amore Cucina & Bar

Coalhouse Pizza

How does an eclectic city like Stamford build community? Food as a labor of love comes to mind. We choose “the spot” that tugs at our heartstrings (and our appetites)—a gathering place where families, friends and strangers share good food and great ambiance. Since 2008, Coalhouse Pizza on High Ridge Road has been that place. With its blues/jazz theme reminiscent of an old-school speakeasy, handcrafted pizzas with 48 varieties available as well as a craft-your-own options and a mahogany whiskey bar that holds the largest selection of craft beers on tap anywhere in the state—Coalhouse doesn’t leave you hangin’.      Few places can compete with the thoughtfulness that goes into Coalhouse’s signature coal fired pizza. From the Neapolitan style dough made with just four simple ingredients, to its mozzarella cheese made inhouse from fresh curd generously sprinkled on top, to the out-of-this-world ovens—seriously, the floor of the oven is built with the same materials that were used to launch the U.S. space shuttle.

Iconic jazz phraseology and song titles adorn the walls serving as a guide to its pizza selection. Heavy hitters include the Mustang Sally, topped with tomato sauce incorporated with handcrushed San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, aged parmesan, smoked habanero hot oil and basil; as well as the Got My Mojo Workin’—a nuanced BBQ style pie with the sauce made in-house and topped with mozzarella, cheddar, beef brisket and pickled onions. In addition to making your own, all pizzas have the option of gluten-free dough, as well as vegan mozzarella.      While it’s hard to pass up on paying Coalhouse a visit with its live music nights, club memberships and private event spaces, you can also bring the fun (and funk) home with you by booking a pizza truck or trailer, BBQ smoker and bar car. coalhousepizza.com

Pll great food begins with high quality ingredients and a

passion for what you are doing.

Our Neapolitan style dough, made with 00 Caputo flour, is cold fermented for a minimum of three days. This gives the crust a crispy exterior and a soft airy interior. This spring we are excited to be launching a daily coffee and breakfast menu, as well as our new Texas BBQ menu. In addition to our pizza truck, we are launching two new pizza trailers, two new mobile BBQ smokers and two new antique bar cars. These will bring Coalhouse right to your door!.

— Gerard Robertson, Owner of Coalhouse Pizza

Colony Grill

As far as Stamford institutions go, Colony Grill is up there with some of the most iconic pizza spots not just in the city, but across the country. One might expect such notoriety to exist only at an Italian pizza restaurant, but Colony Grill is actually rooted in Irish tradition. When it opened as a post-Prohibition tavern 1935, Colony Grill resembled your standard Irish pub in what was then a predominantly Irish neighborhood. As World War II ended, the area and Colony’s kitchen staff began to diversify, with Italian and Eastern European chefs experimenting with recipes from their homelands. Soon pizza came into the mix; the concept being how to fit a pizza tray on its narrow bar top (without the beer and booze getting knocked over).

The result: its signature style “bar pie,” a thincrust pizza best served with spicy-yet-satisfying "hot oil" topping, which has had a firm grip on locals and out-of-towners ever since. Pay a visit to Colony Grill and you enveloped in history— both in its classic booths and bar seating seemingly untouched by time, but also by the faces of military veterans and memorabilia that adorns its, “Wall of Heroes.” This tribute even extends to visitors who can submit photos of their loved ones in uniform for public view.

As indicative of the pizza’s star factor, that is the only item on the menu at Colony Grill—and yes, you always order your own pie. With many toppings options plus specialty pizzas like the corned beef and cabbage pizza sold only on, you guessed it, St. Patrick’s Day, you won’t miss out on apps. colonygrill.com

Once upon a time, watering holes dotting the Northeast sought how to fit pizza trays on narrow bar tops. The solution: the "bar pie" extremely thin crust, smaller in diameter than a traditional pizza, and not too much cheese or sauce so that slices can be easily managed with one hand, fittingly leaving the other hand free to hold a glass. Eventually, the spicy and full-of-flavor hot oil version at Stamford’s Colony Grill became so popular that all other menu items faded away, as did the need for a grill. But the name Colony Grill remains a link to its nearly 90year heritage.

— Ken Martin, co-owner of Colony Grill

Fortina Pizza

It’s more than likely that at some point in your life you've been to a pizza party. A visit to Fortina (fortinapizza.com) seizes that vibe and raises it up a notch (or twelve) as waitstaff can be seen standing on top of tables, banging the same San Marzano tomato cans that serve as pizza stands for its award-winning pizzas…oh, while also giving patrons free shots. Depending on when you go, that’s not always the case. Fortina is actually very family-friendly. But with special offerings like Blackout Brunch, a tequila-filled visit by Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul and themed events year-round—this pizza spot delivers both fun and flavor.

Carrying over its lively New York reputation, Fortina opened its Stamford location in 2015 after its success in Westchester county. When you enter, you are greeted by an industrialbut-homey three-level space, enhanced by its Millennial-mix playlist, creative art displays, warm-wood banquet tables, plus a rooftop bar with views of Harbor Point.

The menu is packed with hearty pastas and Instagram-worthy fried meatballs, but pizza is where the restaurant’s heart lies. Diners can watch the pizza-making in action—with full views of the open kitchen sat atop a perched tier, with a long Chef’s table illuminated by the glow of the wood-fired ovens behind them. The pizza is crispier than your average Neapolitanstyle, with one of the most popular pizzas on the

menu being the Luigi Bianco—a creative food canvas painted with burrata, robiolona, parm and black truffle.

Though you are encouraged to check it out in person, you can also bring the pizza party home by booking Fortina’s mobile pizza oven: two personal pizza chefs for up to two hours.

Fortina represents Italian culture, combined with the love of rustic, wholesome, seasonal cooking. Our pizza is cooked in wood-burning ovens and while you can expect to see the classics, like our margherita, marinara and Famous Ray's, you’ll also find some surprises and twists, like the LB, made with burrata and black truffle and the Tenderoni, which features pepperoni and calabrian chili-honey. Our Stamford location is unique and spacious, with an expansive bar, seating in the dining room and mezzanine and both a patio and rooftop that are open when weather permits. When you step foot inside the restaurant, you become part of the Fortina family and we hope you feel the love in every bite.

— Emily Glenn, Director of Social Media and Marketing for Fortina Pizza

The Original Pappa's Pizza Downtown Stamford

At the Original Pappa’s Pizza, personal is their specialty. Since 1960, Pappa’s and its first location on Main Street has been the place for small, Greek-style pizzas. Opened in 1958 as a hot dog and burger place, the Pappadopoulos started making pizza a few years later when Filimon Sgouris, a Greek-immigrant who worked for the family, inspired the venture. In 1971, Sgouris and his wife Audrey purchased Pappa’s and passed the torch to their daughter Sue and her husband, Harry Zopoumidis. In keeping with family tradition, the recipes are the same and its original owners immortalized

clockwise from left: A hot oil pie at Colony with sausage and the signature pepper in the center; Fortina's Harbor Point location—a hot spot for parties and night life; Classic pepperoni pie from the Original Pappas; Audrey and Filimon Sgouris ran Pappas for 20 years and it's still family owned.

Clockwise from left: Pepperoni and salad pizzas with meatballs from Sally's; Founder of Sally's, Salvatore "Sally" Consiglio and his wife, Flora "Flo" in New Haven in the late 1930s; Pepperoni pie from Sorrento's; ; Tony Uva of Sorrento's pulls out a freshly baked pepperoni pie; A prosciutto and olive pizza at Table 104

in its legacy.

Pappa’s pizza style is unlike anything else in town. Its signature Greek pizza is thicker than your average New York slice, but thinner than a Sicilian or Chicago style and cooked in a metal pan rather than baked on the floor of the pizza oven. This creates a flaky, crunchy crust, with a soft doughy texture inside. While the classic cheese pizza remains top tier among locals, try the Grecian—topped with spinach, feta cheese and fresh garlic. Whether you’re enjoying a slice between sets of Alive @ 5 on a summer night or taking home boxes for Monday Night Football, Pappa’s remains one of the most time-honored pizza places in the city. pappaspizzastamford.com

Serving the downtown Stamford Community since 1960, still family owned and operated, serving our famous 10” pizza pies for pick up and heat a serve at home, the secret is in the sauce and love that goes into every single pie. Pappa and Mamma will always be remembered by the love they had for family & loyalty of there customers.

— Sia Sgouris, Owner of Pappas Pizza

Sally’s Apizza

Highly regarded as the, “pizza capital of the world,” New Haven has been a frequent haunt for Stamford’s pizza pundits who are happy to share their partisan opinions on which famous spot (you know which ones) is, “the best.” Luckily for Stamford locals, the search for New Haven’s best no longer entails a $25 dollar gas charge. World-famous Sally’s Apizza opened its first location outside of New Haven on Summer Street in 2021. The news was about as big as Jersey Shore’s DJ Pauly D headlining the Hey Stamford! Festival, with patrons waiting hours to get a taste of the iconic pie.

The original Sally’s was opened in 1938 by Salvatore “Sally” Consiglio, nephew of Frank Pepe, owner of the notable pizzeria down the street. Sally’s boasts its distinctive “apizz” (*insert finger purse gesture*) style pizza—thincrust and baked in a custom-designed, coalfired brick oven which gives the crust a sooty, smoky, flavor. True to its roots, the Stamford

location employs the same unique ovens that “Sal” designed back when he started.

The 4,000 sq. foot location next to the AMC Majestic features the original Sally’s signature red and white brick pattern in view of bustling downtown. Its characteristic honey wood paneled interior pays tribute to its flagship—with paintings and memorabilia commemorating Sally's past as a favored hangout for superstars such as Frank Sinatra and The Rolling Stones. Visitors are welcome to dine inside in the mezzanine, the double height bar dining area, as well as al fresco with its floor to ceiling windows.

Though the classic Tomato and Mozzarella is a no-brainer for first timers, devoted fans should be enticed by the historic Tomato Pie—a deep-red pie with tomato sauce, oregano, olive oil and a light grating of Romano cheese. Another New Haven staple, the Original Clam Pie made with mozzerella, fresh clam, fresh garlic and parmesan, offers a bite like no other. While the addition of Sally’s to Stamford’s pizza roster might seem intimidating, restauranteurs across Stamford have resounded in favor of this addition—citing a, “the more the better,” mentality. sallysapizza.com

Sorrento Pizzeria & Restaurant

Take a trip down memory lane to when Italian restaurants dolled out paper place mats and a fresh bread basket the minute you sat down. That tradition stands at Sorrento Pizza, a High Ridge Road staple. Vittoria Uva and his wife Linda opened up shop in 1989, which has since been passed down their kids, Tony Uva and his sister, Rica Uva-DeBlasi. While the Uvas come from a tiny town near Naples called San Mango sul Calore, Sorrento was a favorite of Vittoria, the patriarch.

Tony Uva can be seen inside Sorrento impressively flipping dough and olive oil squeeze bottles and greeting customers with his signature, “how you doin’, good?” This little touch of hospitality doesn’t go unnoticed by customers, who have relied on Sorrento’s for quality pizza, salads, entrees and more. However, it’s Tony’s creativity in the kitchen

that really leaves an impression. While most people come to personalize a classic New York pie, Sorrento has recently churned out new varieties such as Sicilian and Grandma style pies and specialty pies topped with hot honey. sorrentopizzastamford.weebly.com

Eating at Sorrento is like eating at Nonna’s house on a Sunday afternoon. It is a place where memories are made, laughter is shared and you’ll feel like you’re right at home. We pride ourselves in using the freshest most highquality ingredients which makes Tony’s Margherita pizza to die for! We consider our customers family and it warms our hearts to be able to serve multiple generations of families.

— Rica Uva-DeBlasi, co-owner Sorrento Pizzeria & Restaurant

Table 104

Osteria & Bar

For a taste of Tuscany in a rustic-upscale setting, Table 104 Osteria and Bar offers authentic Italian comfort foods. At its heart, or rather its hearth, is the restaurant’s brick wood-fired pizza allowing patrons to take sight of the pizzaiolo in action. The pizza, lightly charred underneath with a chewy center, demonstrates how simple ingredients can become elevated when a restaurant pays attention to quality.

Since opening on High Ridge Road in 2015, this unassuming spot in North Stamford has become a not-so-hidden gem for those craving a quieter and refined Italian dining experience. In addition to its spacious and modern dining room, decorated with cozy wood interiors and hanging pendant lights, the enchanting outdoor patio, open in warmer months, and private lower level event space with its own private bar and fireplace means there’s a lot of different ambiances to choose from.

Table 104’s take on Roman-inspired cuisine with elements of the coastline incorporated into the menu is demonstrated in its robust selection of appetizers, pastas and entrees, as well as its artisan pizzas. The Original, made with

mozzarella, plum tomato, basil and extra virgin olive oil, is simple-yet-effective and a gentle reminder than sometimes less is more. The Hell pizza, a spicy blend of sopressata, Calabrian long hots, San Marzano tomatoes and house made mozzarella, is, dare we say, heavenly. The Bufalae Polpettine, however, topped with cream of Bufala, wild mushrooms, meatballs, truffle and grana, really bears the legacy of the Tuscan region that Table 104 has embraced in its cuisine. table104stamford.com

Table 104 focuses on delivering a smart casual atmosphere offering a sophisticated cuisine without taking away from the original idea of the Italian comfort food which inspired the creation of this unique restaurant. From our woodburning pizza, pasta to seafood and specialty meats, we like to cater to a variety of guests. We strive to give excellent friendly service day in and day out so our guests feel the warmth of our staff that compliments our food.

— WALTER CAPPELLI, Owner of Table 104 and Restauranteur

T’s Pizza Kitchen

Stamford’s South End has been transformed in the past decade with the reimagined Harbor Point putting this neighborhood on the map in terms of accessibility, culture and community.

T’s Pizza Kitchen, which opened in 2015, lends old-school charm to your neighborhood wine bar—with three standout pizza styles that bring nostalgia and simplicity to focus. Boasting the mantra, “enter as strangers, leave as friends,”

T’s Pizza Kitchen fosters that kind of humble hospitality for all occasions; whether a boozy brunch, a summertime vibe on the outside patio or an intimate night out in the newly expanded dining room. Because pizza is its own culinary category in and of itself, T’s features three different types: the classic New York round, its thick crust Sicilian and Nonna’s pan crust square pie. Each bite offers the outside crunch, the soft middle and exceptional quality you’d expect, with different toppings to fit whatever your pizza preferences are—consider it a love

triangle.

Ever tried chicken francese on a pizza? For those debating between the entree or the pizza, this creative slice offers the best of both. From the New England pizza with clams that has become a uniquely Connecticut delicacy, to something simple like Nonna’s Margherita pizza, T’s also makes it affordable to try them all with 2 for $20 on all pizzas on “Takeout Tuesdays.”

Known for its neighborhood feel, T’s is also highly engaged with the community, participating in food festivals like Hey Stamford!’s, “That’s Amore” fest and the Stamford Police Department’s annual, “Night Out.”. For info on events and specials, follow Instagram @tswinebarkitchen . tswinebarkitchen.com

Born and raised in Queens, NY, I started working in the food industry at 9 years old; slicing deli meat in my dad's salumeria. Stamford’s Harbor Point became our home eleven years ago when we started offering a traditional New York slice with a cocktail. T’s got you covered on those family gatherings for pizza Friday’s with the Sicilian pizza—a nice, fluffy and flaky thick crust square pie enough to serve four, with an insane cheese pull. I love what I do and take pride in every slice.

— TINO M. GIRESI, Owner of T’s Pizza Kitchen

Quartiere

Stamford is enigmatic: a town, for those who grew up here, and a city, for new transplants. With new restaurants and businesses popping up every day, one new Italian eatery hot off the presses, or we should say oven, is bringing a touch of old-Stamford back on Bank Street. Quartiere (pronounced kwa-ti-eeray), which opened in 2021, translates as ‘neighborhood’ in Italian, delights guests with a charming environment, kind hospitality and an elevatedcasual dining experience.

Quartiere makes its own fresh pasta, on-site daily, with standout dishes like spicy vodka

sauce rigatoni, spaghetti carbonara and bucatini amatriciana to really satisfy the carb cravings. All pizza is also made from scratch. Not quite Neopolitan-style, not quite New York, they prefer to call their pizzas ‘artisanal.’ The doughmaking process follows old-world traditions; it’s a blend of imported Italian flours, fresh yeast, water and salt that proofs in an Italian mixer. With ten red pies and four white pies available, you’ll notice the quality in its goldenbrown, chewy crust, topped with gourmet ingredients like stracciatella and truffle cream. In addition to many  meat and seafood options, Italian shareable staples, crafty cocktails and an extensive wine list, they have quickly cemented themselves as a go-to. At ‘The Q’, “everyone leaves happy…” and full. thequartiere.com

Simple ingredients don’t make it simple to execute our pizza. A blend of high quality Italian flours, fresh yeast, salt and water is all that’s in our base—no oils, sugars or additives. Proofed for 48 hours, stretched with care using a technique that nods toward the Neapolitan style of pizza we love. Our tomato sauce is just crushed and strained imported Italian tomatoes with some salt to bring out the flavor, our mozzarella is made in house. Simple ingredients, that we hope, is driving a complex flavor. — Rey Santos

pizza postscript

We are incredibly lucky to live in a pizza-centric city, with so many amazing places we couldn't cover them all. Big shout-out to Riko's and Hope Pizza, which we will feature in future. They're well worth a visit. Did we miss your fave?

Let us know at editorstamfordmag.com S

stamfordmag.com

Clockwise from left: Table 104's original pizza with plum tomatoes, basil and mozzarella; T's personal pizzas: the New England with white clam sauce and the S&M with spinach, sausage, mozzarella; T's Crudo pizza with prosciutto di Parma; The Americana at Quartiere

The fun doesn't stop at our borders! Check out these under-the-radar gems—here, and in our neighboring towns.

unique shops

outdoor activities great entertainment & useful services

by Eileen Bartels

Unique specialty shops in every corner of Fairfield County

Small & Migthy

Remember the days when you were a kid and rode your bike to the local library to get punches on your summer reading challenge card? You can recreate those days by designing your own summer reading challenge. Fairfield County boasts an abundance of local independent bookstores, so why not make it your plan to do your summer reading by discovering a different independent bookstore, one shop at a time? Plan outings to visit local bookstores and take the time to stroll the nearby streets and cafes—fresh book in hand.

athena books

228 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich

hours: Mon.–Fri. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. athenabooksog.com

barrett bookshop

6 Corvin Drive, Darien hours: Mon.–Fri. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun. noon to 4 p.m. barrettbookstore.com

books on the common

404 Main Street, Ridgefield hours: Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. booksonthecommon.com

diane’s books

8 Grigg Street A, Greenwich hours: Mon.–Sat. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. dianesbooks.com

dogwood books and gifts

254 E. Putnam Avenue, Greenwich hours: Tues.–Sat. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.,Sun. 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. dogwoodbooksandgifts.com

elm street books

35 Elm Street, New Canaan hours: Mon.–Sat. 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Sun. noon to 5 p.m. elmstreetbooks.com

westport book shop (nonprofit shop of used books)

23 Jesup Road, Westport hours: Sun. and Mon. Noon to 5 p.m., Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. westportbooksalesentures.org

stamfordmag.com

Athena bookstore in Old Greenwich VENERA ALEXANDROVA

When you’re looking for a cup of coffee that’s good for more than just your palate, make a date and bring some friends to Coffee for Good. This spot hits a home run in its mission of offering great coffee while providing training in food service operations to individuals with intellectual and developmental differences. Employees train at the shop and then go on to jobs in the community. Grab-and-go food, merchandise and an array of drinks from coffee to tea are tucked into the beautifully renovated ground floor location on Maple Avenue.

coffee for good

48 Maple Avenue, Greenwich

hours:

Mon.–Sat. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. coffeeforgood.org

Freeman suits and Rhone shorts for the guys to Vineyard Vines blazers and Roller Rabbit PJs for the kids—and sports gear for everyone. Ease and service is the hallmark of this shop, with options for virtual shopping, curbside pickup and private shopping appointments. It also offers complimentary gift wrapping, alterations and local delivery in an eco-friendly smart car. If “the sport shop” doesn’t have what you’re looking for, do you really need it?

darien sport shop

1127 Post Road, Darien hours:

Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. dariensport.com

Take a mini vacation with a stop at Arden’s in Rowayton. This thoughtful coastal café and shop embraces the seaside charm of its small Norwalk enclave and allows visitors to escape to the beach, if only just for a lunch break. It sells housewares, table linens, and pantry provisions. The café features a thoughtful menu focused on sustainably. Check out the website for Camp Arden opportunities for kids, as well as unique adult workshops, communal after-hours dining experiences and intimate private events.

arden’s 158 Rowayton Avenue, Norwalk hours:

Tue.–Sat. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. ardensrowayton.com

For over seventy-five years, Darien Sport Shop has provided one-stop shopping, from luxury brands to sporting goods, at their 4,000 square foot landmark building in Darien. This family-owned store has something for every person and price range—from iconic Diane Von Furstenberg dresses and Vuori leggings for the ladies to Hickey

Order from Barvida’s menu of clean-eating options like juices, smoothies, superfood lattes, acai and smoothie bowls, wraps and salads. Originating in Darien and recently opening in New Canaan, this is the perfect spot to refuel and recharge with nutrient-dense food—non-GMO produce, 100 percent organic ingredients and eco-conscious packaging. Signature juices like The Dope Detox and The C Word are tasty, and the Mood Manager and Malibu smoothies will bring you back for more. If you’re looking to kick off

the summer with a nutrition reset, the café offers several cleanse plans that include smoothies, juices and wellness shots. Pickup and delivery options are available.

barvida

879 Post Road, Darien 137 Elm Street, New Canaan hours:

Mon.–Sat. 8 a.m.to 5 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. thebarvida.com »

above: Shanalee Davis serves up a tasty cup of Joe at Coffee for Good.

above: Arden's co-owners and founders, Laura Jayson and Jill Brody Rowayton below: Barvida offers a wide range of smoothie bowls and cold-pressed juices.

ARDEN'S CONTRIBUTED; BARVIDA BY VENERA ALEXANDROVA

SCHOOL's OUt

We are lucky to have so many ways to keep our kids active and engaged all summer long. Just make sure to plan ahead and take advantage of all the great opportunities in our area

Shakespeare is accessible to kids of all ages at Shakespeare on the Sound in Pinkney Park Rowayton. In addition to this year’s main Shakespeare performance of As You Like It that runs Wednesday, June 14 through Sunday, July 2 (every day except Mondays) at 7 p.m., the organization offers educational performances for younger audiences. Plan to attend the free children’s thirty-minute version of As You Like It, performed

at 6 p.m. These mini-shows are suited for all ages. General admission does not include a seat, so bring a blanket or lawn chair. Food and beverages are allowed, and the park section opens at 4 p.m. VIP tickets are available and include a chair. And for the budding thespians in your life, check out the June workshops and camps for ages eight to fifteen.

shakespeare on the sound Pinkney Park 177 Rowayton Avenue, Norwalk

shakespeareonthesound.org

above: Family-friendly fun at Shakespeare on the Sound in Rowayton

Long Island Sound is home to an amazing array of animals, and you can see many of them up close in Norwalk at The Maritime Aquarium. With over seventyfive exhibits and 7,000 animals, this world-class aquatic center houses everything from jellyfish to meerkats. As it’s more than just an aquarium—you can spend a day with the kids checking out the hands-on activities, 4-D movies and a variety of special events. From Animal Encounters to Seal Feeding to Story Time, there are things to captivate and engage every member of the family. Enjoy close-up views of the harbor seals in their new Pinniped Cove, a three-sided, two-level underwater attraction. Plan a visit around Seal Training Demonstrations at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. daily. Tickets for vistors thirteen to sixty-four are $29, children three to twelve are $20.95, 4-D theater admission is $7.

the maritime aquarium

10 North Street, Norwalk hours: Mon.–Sun. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., open until 6 p.m. in July and August maritimeaquarium.org

Greenwich Nature Days aims to instill awareness and cultivate joy and wonder by fostering connections with the natural world. Kids (pre-school through fifth grade) can explore, imagine and create via the nature immersion programs. Saturday, May 20, there is a drop-off program at Converse Brook Preserve with the Greenwich Land Trust. And a summer solstice program for women will be hosted on Wednesday, June 21. Visit the website for all activities and locations.

greenwichnaturedays.com

and August is apple time. Check the schedule for events, such as the annual firefly festival on Wednesday, June 14, and fishing derby on Thursday, May 18, at Blueberry Pond. There’s also craft and story time at the Animal Farm.

A little farther away in Shelton, Jones Family Farms invites you to pick berries all summer long. Valley Farm features blueberries and strawberries, while Pumpkinseed Hill includes those, as well as pumpkins and gourds in the fall. Visit the website or call Farmer Jones Crop Hotline (203-9298425) to know which parts of the farm are open for visitors each day.

silverman’s farm

jones family farms

555 Walnut Tree Hill, Shelton hours: Mon.–Sat. 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. jonesfamilyfarms.com

Whether “It” caught your eye as you drove to the Cape or back from Watch Hill, just up the highway in New Haven right off I-95 sits It Adventure Ropes Course at Jordan’s Furniture, the world’s largest indoor adventure ropes course. This nearby destination is the perfect escape for those rainy or too-hot days. Four levels of adventure include Zip It (zip lines), Little It (suited for small children), Climb It (a fresh take on climbing walls) and Jump It (a free fall simulation). There are courses and attractions that provide appropriate challenges and fun for every member of the family. Book online to make sure you have a spot and save money on ticket prices. Prices start at $8 an hour for the smaller kid adventure course and climbing wall.

jordan’s furniture

400 Sargent Drive, New Haven hours: Mon.–Thurs. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. itatjordans.com »

Summer is fruit-picking season, and just a short drive up the Merritt in Easton is Silverman’s Farm. June is strawberry season, July ushers in the blueberries

451 Sport Hill Road, Easton Animal Farm and Market hours:

Mon.–Sun. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pick Your Own 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. silvermansfarm.com

left: Take a trip under the sea at the Maritime Center in Norwalk

above: Adorable furry friends await at Silvermine’s Farms.

left: Who needs a candy store when you can pick nature’s candy? (At least that’s what you can tell the kids.)

MARITIME AQUARIUM; SILVERMINE'S FARM; MEGAN GAGNON

Get Out

Miles of shoreline and parks offer opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors.

Here are a few ways you can bathe in the sun and gaze at the stars

movies at bendheim western civic center Greenwich greenwichct.gov

movies at compo beach Westport westportct.gov

movies in the park, mill river park Stamford millriverpark.org

the remarkable theatre 50 Imperial Avenue, Westport remarkabletheater.org

travelers championship, tpl highlands

1 Golf Club Road, Cromwell travelerschampionship.com

(Screen and Sky)

It really feels like summer when you can stretch out on a blanket or lawn chair under the stars and catch an outdoor movie. Our communities offer an abundance of opportunities to enjoy outdoor cinema. Every Saturday movies start at sunset on the Great Steps at Mill River Park in Stamford. Greenwich hosts summer movie screenings at the Bendheim Western Civic Center, and Westport’s Compo Beach is the setting for its summer screen. Check local listings for movies and showtimes. For a truly old-fashioned drive-in movie, try something that is, well, remarkable. The Remarkable Theatre is located in downtown Westport and creates meaningful employment for people with disabilities. Check the website for summer listings.

Catch a glimpse of fan-favorite golfers like Rory Mcllroy at the PGA’s Travelers Championship at River Highlands in Cromwell, Monday, June 19 through Sunday, June 25. The course is located up north by Middletown and is New England’s only PGA stop on the tour. Tickets are sold through the Travelers Championship and Ticketmaster.

Create a personalized athletic challenge for yourself or a group with Conquer Events. This app allows you to set up your fitness tracking devices for a challenge of walking, biking, hiking or swimming covering a set number of miles (anywhere from twenty to over 2,000) in virtual destinations.

above: Our towns offer pletny of spots to enjoy the sand and surf.

Swim the great Barrier Reef or Hike along the Great Wall of China. This makes all those miles you log add up to more than another ring closed on your Apple Watch. As you hit milestones in your route, you can explore images and information about the local wildlife and attractions. Challenges

are $29. As you progress toward your destination, Conquer Events contributes to ecological initiatives. Reach 20 percent of your challenge and a tree is planted through the Eden Project. Meet another 20 percent and a contribution to the Plastic Bank is made to help curb plastics in the environment.

theconqueror.events

live music at the finish and a festival atmosphere. Proceeds from the race fund programs for cancer survivors.

Kick off your cycling summer on Sunday, May 21 at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport with The Bloomin' Metric. This bike tour offers four countryside to coastal route options—twentyfive, forty, seventy-five and 100 kilometers. The ride is sponsored by Sound Cyclists, a volunteerrun recreational cycling club that focuses on safety, fun and fitness. bike.ctchallenge.org bloominmetric.com

and continue for eleven Sundays, concluding on October 8 with The Grand Prix of Greenwich. All tickets include car passes, which allow entry for all vehicle occupants. Children of all ages and dogs on leashes are welcome. Bring a lawn blanket or low chair for seating.

Marcia Selden Catering is on-site with a la carte items or pre-order a Polo Picnic box. There is also a rotating schedule of food trucks.

Grease your gears for the CT Challenge, a cycling event in Westport on Wednesday, July 29 with options including ten, twentyfive, fifty, seventy-five and 100 miles. With so many courses, there is one to match all cycling levels— flat, coastal, inland or hilly. This grassroots charity tour features

Break out your Pretty Woman dress, pack up the kids and plan a Sunday at the Greenwich Polo Club. Matches open to the public on Sundays, beginning on June 4, with the East Coast Bronze Cup

Gates open at 1 p.m. Matches begin at 3 p.m. and conclude around 5 p.m. East Lawn passes start at $50, Reserved Umbrella East Lawn are $125, Grandstand Bleachers are $55, Cabanas start at $500 and come with four car passes. For the best views reserve The Player’s Lounge for $1,000, which comes with five car passes.

greenwich polo club field 1 Hurlingham Drive, Greenwich greenwichpoloclub.com »

above: Watch the ponies play at the Greenwich Polo Club. below: Take a virtual hike with Conquer Events.

GREENWICH POLO CLUB; CONQUER EVENTS

Take it Easy

Want to take back your meal prep time and enjoy summer evenings without spending hours in the kitchen? Enter Food Design Catering. In addition to providing amazing catering for your special events, Food Design now offers Family Meal deliveries. Menu items feed four or eight and include options for entrées, soups, salads, sides and desserts. (How does pan-seared filet mignon, butternut squash purée soup, snow peas with shallots and warm apple cobbler sound?) Or take it a step further with the Healthy Meal Plan and let these amazing chefs prepare you a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner with items like egg white frittatas, sesame-crusted salmon and truffle-seared chicken. fooddesigncatering.com

No need to struggle with glutenfree restrictions, thanks to these two bakers in the area. You can now have your cake and eat it, too, with no need to compromise the taste. Old Greenwich Baking’s philosophy sums it up with the phrase: OGBC is just good, not just "good for gluten free." Stock up on the gf baguettes, buttermilk biscuits and pecan pie for your next picnic or bbq through this online service. Everyone can enjoy the good life without having to guess if the baked treats are gf, thanks to the Stylish Spoon in SoNo. Try the OatMEAL cups with chia, blueberry and chocolate or grain-free donuts. All baked goods are dairy-free, soy-free, vegan and gf.

old greenwich baking order online, free delivery in Greenwich; $10 Fairfield County oldgreenwichbaking.com

stylish spoon

97 Water Street, South Norwalk hours: Tues.–Thurs. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., or by appointment stylishspoon.com

Give your dog more than just another walk around the block. K9 Trek offers stimulating hikes and group nature walks throughout Fairfield County for your favorite furry child. Services include pick up and drop off and there is complete supervision at all times. We all know, a good dog is a well-exercised—and tired—dog. Services start at $30 including transportation. k9trek.com

From gourmet meal delivery to specialty spa services and pet adventures, plenty of services are available to help you enjoy the lazy days of summer

top and left: Stylish Spoon

above: Old Greenwich Baking

The Well at the Mayflower Inn expands beyond simple spa services and is a full-on wellness destination. In addition to spa services, it offers body detox packages, guided forest bathing and nature hikes, all at the gorgeous Mayflower Inn in Litchfield County. Recognized Functional Medicine doctor

Dr. Frank Lipman oversees the new program.

Or escape to New York City for the day and check out The Well NYC, featuring the same signature East meets West programs. Schedule one of the transformative treatments from breathwork to vibrational energy sessions.

the well at the mayflower inn

118 Woodbury Road, Litchfield

The Well New York

2 East 15th Street, New York, NY the-well.com

That summer beach body is about more than just looking good—it’s about feeling great. Get ready to have fun in the sun with all the energy you deserve. Try one of Dr. Katie’s three-, five- and ten-day detoxes. Dr. Katie Takayasu is an Integrative Medicine doctor with a passion for plant-forward cooking and lifestyle balance who understands the pressures many woman face in seeking balance. Her seasonal health reset of anti-inflammatory nutrition is delivered to your door and comes with daily curated support from both doctor and coaches. Invest in getting yourself on the right track for summer and beyond. Doorstep delivery is available for Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Westport, New Canaan and Darien with programs starting at $159.

dr. katie wellness insights 745 Post Road, Darien drkatie.com

Give a little lift to your facial regime. Let Susan Knight in Greenwich give you an Acupuncture Facial Rejuvenation to diminish fine lines, reduce redness and boost your skin’s elasticity with this natural and ancient skin-care treatment. The five-step process includes a healing mask, body acupuncture to balance the organs, facial acupuncture, a pearl mask and finally, a facial massage to stimulate blood flow. Other acupuncture options include parent/teen and couples acupuncture. Afraid of needles? She offers cupping as well.

susan knight acupuncture

100 Melrose Avenue, Suite 107, Greenwich susanknightacu.com

above: Feel your blood pressure drop as soon as you step into The Well at The Mayflower Inn.

That’s En tertainment

Alive at Five hosts live music in downtown Stamford on Thursday nights from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for just $25. The outdoor summer concert series has become a staple in Stamford, offering great music from national and regional headliners. This year’s performances take place July 13, 20, 27 and August 3 in Stamford’s Mill River Park. You must be twentyone years old or over to attend.

Need a place to take the little ones? Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich hosts its familyfriendly Wednesday Night Concert Series, June 28 through August 23. And Binney Park will offer two Sunday night shows (July 30 and August 27). Pack a picnic, ditch the shoes and dance in the grass. The Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts in Westport is a true entertainment gem. It offers an amazing lineup of summer concerts and events with its “50 Free Nights Under the Stars” series. There are also ticketed performances throughout the season including Samara Joy,

And be sure to check out the goings-on at MoCA in Westport. This month, the museum will host two concerts (Friday, May 12, Iraqi violinist Ameen Makdad, and Saturday, May 20, Joni Mitchell tribute) within the stunning Rainbow in the Dark exhibit by German artist Anselm Reyle.

alive at five Mill River Park, 1010 Washington Blvd., Stamford stamford-downtown.com

binney park

Binney Park Drive, Greenwich greenwich ct.gov

roger sherman baldwin park 100 Arch Street, Greenwich greenwichct.gov

levitt pavilion 40 Jessup Road, Westport levittpavilion.com

moca in westport 19 Newtown Turnpike, Westport mocawestport.org

Michael Franti & Spearhead and Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers.

right: Alive at Five in Stamford • Rainbow in the Dark at MoCA

Looking for a low-key and convenient option to New York City shows? We’ve got you covered

Save yourself a trip to the city and still see world class theater locally at the Westport Country Playhouse. This summer catch the classic thriller Dial M for Murder, running Tuesday, July 11 through Saturday, July 29. For a truly unique glimpse into the process of theater, check-out the Playhouse Script— script-in-hand run throughs—for an intimate look at artistic performance in progress. This onetime performance brings actors together to rehearse and perform

on a simple set and includes the audience in decisions regarding costumes and sets. Tickets are on sale for Monday, June 12 at 7 p.m. ($25, $20 for Westport Country Playhouse members).

Visit the website for other upcoming shows and special events. Tickets start at $35 and season ticket packages are available. Season ticket holders can customize the shows they attend and choose from a number of interesting pre- and postshow events such as Post-Play Dialogues, Backstage Pass and Thursday Talkback Q&A’s.

westport country playhouse

25 Powers Court, Westport westportplayhouse.org

the ridgefield playhouse

80 East Ridge, Ridgefield ridgefieldplayhouse.org

With smaller audiences, local playhouses provide an intimate setting to experience theater. Get your tickets to see Next to Normal at The Ridgefield Barn Friday, June 2, through Saturday, July 24. The Barn hosts year-round community theatre with cabaret seating. Tickets start at $33, with doors opening an hour prior to show, and guests may bring their own food and drink.

At Sterling Farms in Stamford, Curtain Call offers a dozen productions a year as well as Comedy Nights and Interactive Murder Mysteries at the Kweskin Theatre and Dressing Room Theatre. On Friday, June 2, through Saturday, June 17, see Assassins The Musical at Kweskin Theatre. Tickets start at $28 for seniors and $30 for adults.

the ridgefield theatre barn 37 Halpin Lane, Ridgefield ridgefieldtheaterbarn.org

curtain call 1349 Newfield Avenue, Stamford curtaincallinc.com

Let Art Garfunkel, the Wallflowers or America add more music to your date night with the line-up of favorite artists performing at the The Ridgefield Playhouse this summer. From tribute bands to the real thing, every week of the Playhouse’s summer calendar offers a fun night out. Be sure to check out Moffly Media’s Evening of Art, Jazz and Wine five-part series including performances by Sergio Mendes on Wednesday, June 21, and the Glenn Miller Orchestra on Friday, July 28.

The only thing better than seeing a play in the great outdoors is having a gorgeous park at your disposal to explore before or after. Waveny Park in New Canaan is the perfect summer destination with over 250 acres of parkland, including approximately three-anda-half miles of jogging and walking trails, a picnic area and plenty of open space. Each year it hosts the Summer Theatre of New Canaan with performances on the outdoor stage. Saturday and Sunday performances for children start at 10 a.m. Bring your own lawn chair or book VIP seating for evening performances of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast July 15 through 30, Thursdays and Fridays 8 p.m., Saturdays 7 p.m.

summer theatre of new canaan

Waveny Park, 677 South Avenue, New Canaan stonc.org

above: Escape the crowds at Waveny Park in New Canaan. below: In June, Patti LuPone will take the Westport Country Playhouse stage.

WAVENY PARK BY KYLE NORTON; WCP BY MICHAEL ALLAN GALVEZ; MOCA BY LESLIE LASALA

Post-pandemic life in Fairfield County still moves at a fast pace.

HOW DO PEOPLE JUGGLE IT ALL?

We talk to busy local families and get pro tips for time management.

f there is one thing Kim McGrath has learned as the parent of two active and athletic teenagers, it is that there is no offseason. There are gaps in the schedules, sometimes a week or two between seasons that offer a chance to reset, take a breath, and prepare mentally for the next unyielding cycle of practices, games, dinners on the fly, and weekends spent at baseball and softball diamonds, football fields or ice rinks. Sometimes, it’s multiple sports for her children Aidan and Madelyn in the same weekend

McGrath and her husband Michael are not alone in navigating the nonstop schedule of sports activities, school events, family obligations, and church while also balancing work, finances, and relationships with friends outside of their activities circle. The House of Cards is finely tuned, extensively detailed and offers only slight wiggle room. A rainout, child sickness or something worse – hello, Covid – sends the House of Cards flailing as if it had struck by a midwestern summer twister.

“Every Sunday, I look at the schedule on my phone,’’ McGrath says. “I have things coded by color on my phone. And if it’s not on my phone, it’s probably not going to happen. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost my phone.”

JUGGLING ACT

Tressa Kinahan wages the same battle with four children between the ages of 4 and 11. She is a teacher at Strawberry Hill International School and rises at 3:30 each morning to squeeze in workout and alone time. After work, Kinahan’s whirlwind begins in escorting kids to dance, hockey, soccer, swimming, cheerleading and even ninja warrior training. Tressa’s youngest child started playing hockey this year, and Tressa

coaches a cheerleading team at Strawberry Hill. “They all want to try lots of different things,’’ she says.

Kathy Fox juggles similar schedules for three girls ages 10-15 who all play multiple sports and travel softball in the summer. While she can start to see the other side of the mountain, there are still plenty of challenges ahead for her and her husband, Bryan. “We understand that at this point in our lives this is the way it is,’’ she says. “It’s a constant juggling act, but we know it’s all going to come to an end at some point. We only have two more years with our oldest daughter in high school and then we’re down to two kids. So if we have a night where all five of us can sit down together and have dinner, we take advantage of it.”

TECH SUPPORT

Today’s parents have some advantages over previous generations. Many leagues embrace technology that allow for schedules to be uploaded directly to mobile phones. Quick group texts alert everybody to updates. Car pools are common. For many, the teamwork on the playing field between children extends off the field between parents who work together to keep the family railroad on track. It’s a team game, in more ways than one.

“I find for myself I need to be organized,’’ Fox says. “My husband and I sync up our calendars, but I still write everything down. Every day, we review the schedule and divide and conquer. I say here’s what I have and here’s what you have. We’re trying to manage three

really busy kids, work schedules and make sure we have something on the table for dinner at the end of the day.”

THE 7-DAY 365 CIRCLE

In previous generations, sports seasons were set by the calendar. The only yearround commitment for many parents were religious education classes, which remain part of the weekly ritual for many families. Doctor appointments, family gatherings, scouting, after-school activities, social events, homework and work commitments also need to be included in the daily dynamic. Heaven help the parent whose child comes to them at 7:49 on a weeknight and tells them the science project that they had four weeks to complete is unstarted. A quiet evening at home suddenly bursts in a 3-alarm fire drill that requires all hands on deck.

The scramble drill for parents has become even harder with the evolution of yearround commitment to individual sports. For generations, baseball and softball were spring and summer recreation opportunities to play with friends on the city’s diamonds. Kids played soccer and football in fall, basketball and ice hockey in winter. Now? Forget it. Coaches ask – and sometimes require – children to dedicate to their sport year-round. Some parents push back, some coaches allow their athletes to participate in other sports. There are a handful of coaches and parents, however, that want kids to train, practice and play year-round in one sport. Most parents negotiate some

everything down.” our calendars, but I still “ My husband and I sync up

Kathy Fox, mother of three busy girls

compromise that allow children to achieve some balance. They might attend a practice for one sport one night, and play a game in a different sport the next. The cycle perpetuates throughout the week, month and year.

“We can’t be in all places at all times,’’ Kinahan says, who receives support in managing the daily grind from her children's father, as well as family, friends, coworkers and parents of teammates. “Sometimes I can’t even commit to prioritizing because it’s a matter of what I can take on myself and what I can ask someone else to help with. Sometimes you have to decide who misses what.”

During one winter weekend, Kinahan took her son to an 8 a.m. hockey game, while her daughter played in a 9:20 hockey game in an arena 45 minutes away. The next weekend, she took her son to a hockey tournament in Lake Placid, N.Y., bringing the younger siblings along on the trip, but her daughter and younger son missed their weekend hockey practices and games. “For the younger ones, their activities are still a little bit more for fun, and they’re not necessarily taking attendance and seeing who is missing here or there,’’ she says. “But for the older ones that becomes problematic. My son will not miss practice for anything. That’s his personality. He recognizes that it’s a commitment and he takes that

seriously.”

For many families, the plate is full. Parents, most times mothers, need to be a quarterback, taxi driver, part-time teacher, chef, employee, and house caretaker. If there’s a child’s meltdown, they’re also required to flip into therapist mode. The role they need to play can change like the flip of a switch.

DEALING WITH CHANGE

One of the hardest aspects in solving the complicated family jigsaw puzzle is unplanned changes in the calendar. A sickness, a rainout, a snowstorm or some other unforseen circumstance can cause instantaneous

mayhem. The doubleheader scheduled for Saturday afternoon, for instance, might get moved to Sunday. And don’t even mention Covid, where suddenly kids had no organized sports or structure to their days.

“When that occurs, the first thing I try to do is calm myself down,’’ McGrath says. “And say, OK, whatever it is, we can handle it. Covid was not friendly to our family, that’s for sure. When you have kids that are so involved in sports, and then something like that happens, your like, OK, so now what do we do. I just deal with the situation and regroup and change the schedule as needed.”

Fox believes the occasional schedule

3 REAL PARENTS' TIPS onhowtokeepourbusyschedules on track.

2 3 1

Plan and prepare Sunday is set aside for grocery shopping, meal preparation and making certain food is available for school lunches, quick snacks and something that can be whipped up easily for dinner. “I’ll cut up fruit and put some snacks in bags and put them in the cabinet so that I can grab them and get going in the morning,’’ Kim McGrath says. “I do that on Sunday so I can start on Monday. It really helps with my anxiety.”

Find “me” time

Tressa Kinahan wakes up at 3:30 a.m. to practice yoga, read and get the day started on the right foot. “I need that time in the morning to get myself ready for the day,’’ she says. “Whether it's packing the hockey bags or getting the leotards and tights for dance class, it’s important to have that quiet time in the morning when I can focus without everyone else awake. As hard as it is to spend time for your own self care, if you're going crazy and you're stressed, you're not going to be able to get through the week.”

Know the schedule

changes offer her family a breather, a chance to re-set and take a break from the craziness. “A cancellation can really be something of a blessing,’’ she says. “It opens the schedule a little bit, even though you know it’ will be rescheduled and make another day crazier.”

One of McGrath’s daughters participated in time-intensive Irish dancing. “She was worried I would be upset when she said she wanted to drop it,’’ she says. “I was somewhat relieved, I have to be honest.” The pandemic rearranged schedules for everyone on a moment’s notice. Kinahan says that while it initially triggered a focus on family time and a realization of what is important, many of those lessons have been quickly lost.

“We promised we were never going to get back to where we were,’’ she says. “But I think now in 2023, we're actually busier and crazier and more stressed, than ever before. My kids missed out on a few years of activities and experiences. And then you sort of feel this guilt about trying to make up for that.”

DEVELOPING THE ROAD MAP

For all three families, there is no one answer in solving the jammed schedules that can

shift on a moment’s notice. There is no road map to follow.The best strategy, the women say, is to create a game plan early in the week and remain flexible. Deal with the coordination mayhem to the best of your ability, enlist support and if a kid misses a practice, don’t fret. Coaches, for the most part, are understanding. The one thing that can’t happen – and while it’s infrequent, it does occur – is to leave a kid hanging at practice without a ride home.

While the women embrace technology, they also appreciate the effort of past generations of parents who managed their kids activities without text messaging, schedules that can be uploaded to mobile phones and other technological advantages.

“I was thinking about when I played sports,’’ McGrath says. “How did I get there? We got schedules on paper? I don't remember. I guess you had to pick up the home phone and call. In this era, maybe what it has created is a world where they can play more sports at once. It has kind of created a monster. I give parents a lot of credit for keeping me involved in sports. I don't know how they did it without communication like we have today. Because that's one thing that I'm thankful for now.”

How to MAINTAIN BALANCE – and ease up on busy-ness

Let It Go

Apps Help

3 1 4

Many parents use digital options such as a Google calendar, and there are popular apps such as Cozi, a family organizer, and AnyList, which can be used for grocery shopping, to-do lists, and other shared tasks can also be beneficial. She also said setting aside times when no activities are planned can tighten a family bond. “It's important to have a time when everyone can be together to enjoy something fun or meaningful together, a sacred time free of competing distractions.”

2 MAY/JUNE 2023 STAMFORD 71

Printed Matters

Jocelyn Kenner, a member of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals, believes a good first step is going old school – a desktop calendar in which kids can visualize their activities on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. “When you have young children, a visual calendar in a place that everyone uses, such as the kitchen is very, very helpful,’’ she said. “Assign each member of the family their own color so they can see their activities at a quick glance. “Oh, my color is purple, and this is the day I go ice skating. And my color is blue, and that's when I have soccer.””

Good. Not Perfect

As parents wrestle with their own feelings, she believes they need to realize they are not going to be perfect. “I think the most important thing is just to give yourself some approval,’’ Turner Davis said. “You don't have to be perfect to give yourself approval. Let go of wanting your approval and give it to yourself.” S

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postscript

FLOWER POWER

Think someone is excited for spring? Even though Mother Nature spared us a brutal winter of bone-chilling temps and blizzard warnings, we can certainly identify with Sophie Mickelson’s spring fever. Who doesn’t love a warm day with the promise of summer fun around the corner? We should all ditch our shoes and dance in the petals. S

photograph by kp mickelson

CENTERED AROUND YOUR passions

At Waterstone on High Ridge, our luxury apartments are complemented by abundant amenities and programs that ignite your passions. Explore your inner artist, exercise your writing skills, broaden your intellectual pursuits, and expand your social circle –while we take care of all the details.

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