Westport Weston + Wilton - May/June 2024

Gena and Billy Mann adovate for autism families and give artists a place to thrive in Weston.

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

10 EDITOR’S LETTER by samantha

12 FOUNDER’S LETTER by donna

16 STATUS REPORT

BUZZ

Gaelle Dudley X Ring’s End A LA PLAGE paint collection; Bonnie Hammer: The truth women need to succeed; Local youth chess stars; Emily Liebert suggests the essential summer reads

DO

Tips from Amanda Tarter; Delamar Southport’s new Spa; Spring 2024 to-do lists

GO

All eyes are on Westport as three local culinary movers and shakers expand their concepts nationally.

The Kent Collection; Tracy Paul shares tips on Litchfield County; Head to Greenwich to see celebrity hair guru Becker Chicaiza

HOME

Agneta Livijn’s dinnerware for Eleish Van Breems; Teak Al fresco; Bold and colorful pieces for your patio

SHOP

NeverNoT baubles at Penfield Collective; Mother’s, Father’s and grad gift ideas; Brochu Walker’s signature dress debuts in new hues

EAT

Julia Dzafic’s first cookbook, Garden Grown; Where to find the town’s best mocktails

56 MONEY MATTERS

59 PEOPLE AND PLACES

99 INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

100 A LOVE LETTER TO WESTPORT

For over 100 years, Cummings & Lockwood has been building meaningful and lasting relationships with our private clients, their family offices, businesses and charitable entities, serving as trusted advisors throughout their lifetimes and providing sophisticated legal counsel at every important stage of their lives.

Our core services include:

■ Estate planning and administration

■ Estate, income and gift tax planning

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■ Philanthropic giving

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■ Probate and estate settlement

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■ Executor and trustee services

■ Business succession planning

■ Residential and commercial real estate services

■ Corporate and finance services

■ Trusts and estates litigation and tax controversy

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For a private consultation, please contact one of our attorneys by visiting our website at www.cl-law.com.

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STAMFORD GREENWICH WEST HARTFORD NAPLES BONITA SPRINGS PALM BEACH GARDENS

books correspondent

Emily Liebert

culinary + cocktails contributor

Jennifer Pupa Schwartz

fitness + wellness contributor

Eric Johnson

home décor contributor

Simona Levin

style contributor

Amy Guzzi

fashion and jewelry contributor

Nancy Berger

contributing editors

Megan Gagnon–editor, athome

Elizabeth Hole–editor, custom publishing

Eileen Murphy–editor, new canaan • darien

Melinda Anderson–editor, stamford

copy editors

Terry Christofferson, Lynne Piersall, David Podgurski, Scott Thomas, Isabella Critchell

contributing writers

Samantha Critchell, Carol Leonetti Dannhauser, Sophie

Edwards, Suzanne Gannon, Elizabeth Keyser, Jill Johnson Mann, Erik Ofgang

Garvin Burke–garvin.burke@moffly.com

contributing art director

Venera Alexandrova–venera.alexandrova@moffly.com

production director

Tim Carr–tim.carr@moffly.com

assistant art director

Lisa Marie Servidio–lisa.servidio@moffly.com

senior photographer

Bob

Jeffery Garay–jeffery.garay@moffly.com

Calendar@Moffly.com

Editor@WestportMag.com Weddings@WestportMag.com

publisher

Gabriella Mays westport•weston & wilton gabriella.mays@moffly.com

sales & marketing

Gina Fusco publisher, new canaan•darien & rowayton gina.fusco@moffly.com

Jonathan Moffly publisher, stamford, athome, greenwich and ocean house. jonathan@moffly.com

Hilary Hotchkiss account executive hilary.hotchkiss@moffly.com

Morgan Howell account executive morgan.howell@moffly.com

Kathleen Dyke partnership and big picture manager kathleen.godbold@moffly.com

Lemuel Bandala sales assistant lemuel.bandala@moffly.com

Eillenn Bandala business assistant eillenn.bandala@moffly.com

business president

Jonathan W. Moffly

editorial director

Cristin Marandino

business manager

Elena Moffly elena@moffly.com

cofounders

John W. Moffly IV & Donna C. Moffly donna@moffly.com

SPRING INTO ACTION

eeing our communities through a fresh set of eyes, and most importantly a new set of seasons, has always inspired me. Some may love yearround warm weather or frigid temperatures in faraway countries but, while I love them both, fancying myself both a beach lover and ski bum I will never be partial to a single climate. Westport, Weston & Wilton burst with joy, action and diverse activities throughout the year. While we may all love a cold plunge at Compo Beach in the wintertime, and seemingly adore being bikini-clad at the same place in the summer, or appreciating unexpected house-grown tulips at the Westport Farmer’s Market’s winter version while equally loving their fresh seasonal

produce in spring and summertime, our towns are rich with ideas. In this issue we send you off into springtime with 30+ communitycentric activity ideas, we share about families so enriched by our communities that they have turned challenge into triumph and we highlight female trailblazers who have turned the notion that you need to make your mark or choose your destiny in your twenties. Spoiler alert, not true! From culinary to culture, design to doing good philanthropically we highlight the people who make our community sing sweet springtime tunes.

samantha.yanks@moffly.com

OF YANKS BY KATIE TUZMAN; 4 BY JERRI GRAHAM; ALL OTHERS BY SAMANTHA YANKS

Pure. Precious. Perfect.

Famous for our bespoke handforged jewelry, we are also proud of our selection of pieces from the most talented jewelry designers in the world. Our store presents a modern youthful attitude still grounded in years of trust and tradition.

founder’s page

“The antique gun that Jack’s mother lifted from some poor villager in Afghanistan wasn’t acceptable.”

OF LUCKY LIVING

I’ve lived in the same house in Riverside for sixty-one years. It’s a lucky house. It tried to burn itself down once, but Jack and I got a nearly new house on Chubb. Good ol’ Chubb.

I know it’s lucky because Connie Fisher told us so. She’s an expert on feng shui, the 3,000year-old Chinese tradition that claims how and where you build your house and arrange your rooms affects your fortune. It’s about getting rid of the “secret arrows” and getting the chi (energy) flowing, thus making you a happier, more prosperous person.

Here are some of her observations.

The house faces east, which was good for our family. North would be better for business, but turning the house around was where we drew the line.

The weeping cherry was too close to the front door, making it makes it hard for energy to enter. But it was good we replaced the trees blown down by a storm because it shows we believe in future generations.

The front door was black, a color the Chinese consider very lucky. (Now it’s red. Hmmm.) And eagles being fiercely protective, our eagle door knocker kept away evil spirits.

Front Hall: The paintings ascending the staircase to the second floor, especially one of ballet dancers, made it easier to walk upstairs.

Living Room: Granny’s desk tucked into a little corner at the entrance was good, because it kept us in touch with the comings and goings; and the peach walls gave the room life. The piano and windchimes tinkling on the terrace were great for moving energy. The antique gun that Jack’s mother (Granny) lifted from some poor villager in Afghanistan wasn’t acceptable. Feng Shui doesn’t approve of weapons in the house. But Connie easily located the wealth corner of the room—the three gold-framed French fans in increasing sizes with a Persian bowl underneath to gather coins.

Family Room: Born in the year of the

Rat, she wasn’t wild about Vincent, our cat sleeping on the coach, or the bronze sculpture of a cougar (too ferocious); but the needlepoint backgammon table I’d stitched with dragons was a big hit. “Dragons are so auspicious,” she marveled, “for good luck, strength, goodness, male fertility, you name it!” A decoy’s beak pointed right at a little table where we ate—a secret arrow she neutralized with a slight turn. The wooden beams overhead were too divisive.

Dining Room: The silk flower centerpiece was good. The Chinese like lots of flowers, but never dried, which suggest death. The jade plant on the sideboard was wonderful with its little coin-shaped leaves. But no cactuses, please.

Kitchen: The stove was adjacent to the sink. Good. If they’d had been opposite each other, fire and water would clash and cause arguments. The yellow linoleum floor was a resting color— good for digestion.

Den: A problem. Grandfather’s books were pushed back to show the edge of each shelf. She brought them forward to lose that knife edge.

Lavatory: She pondered the significance of our novel plastic toilet seat with mint coins embedded in the rim.

Primary Bedroom: The foot of our bed faced the door—bad, because you’re carried out feet first when you die; but a love seat at the end of it helped break up the unfortunate traffic pattern. Too many mirrors (they cause strife between husband and wife) and windows (they decrease your sense of protection); but blessedly the walls were green not red, a sign of infidelity.

Back Bedroom: “If your bedroom’s over the garage, you’re going to travel more,” Connie observed. Bingo! After college, son Jonathan had gone around the world with just a fortypound backpack, got his M.B.A. in Sydney and worked in Tokyo where he met his Russian wife, Elena.

Funny. A lot of this stuff started making sense to me. And I love my house—with or without a secret arrow or two.

The brightest minds for when it matters most

Nuvance Health knows every moment counts. That’s why our top care teams bring leading-edge expertise right to the communities where you live. We’re not just here when it matters most — we’re committed to keeping you and your family well, so you can show up for life’s most memorable moments. Because what matters to you, matters to us.

contributors

Nancy Berger has been a fashion-lifestyle marketer for more than 35 years, and prior to launching her marketing consultancy in 2017, she worked for luxury brands such as Calvin Klein and Valentino. She now calls downtown Westport her home and can be seen daily walking her French Bulldog, Jack, on Main Street.

Jill Johnson Mann has written for The Washington Post, Glamour, and numerous regional magazines. She also authored the book Cancer Looks Good on You and helmed Tear Sheet, a modeling/fashion magazine she founded at age 26. She recently penned the award-winning short film Lux Freer, which she produced through Westport’s Triple Threat Academy. She is the mom of four creative kids.

Jennifer P. Schwartz is a lifestyle marketer with 10+ years of experience leading iconic spirit brands such as Monkey 47 gin, The Glenlivet and Jameson. She began her career at the Union Square Hospitality Group and moved from Brooklyn to Westport with her husband and daughter. She is passionate about the intersection of culture and luxury, food and beverage, hospitality and travel.

Stephanie started her career as both an eater, photography editor and digital strategist in NYC. She launched CTbites.com in July 2009, has published multiple CT dining guides. She also founded Food For Behind The Lines, a philanthropic organization to feed and support unemployed restaurant workers. When she is not eating, she can be found listening to live music, traveling or seeking out fun with her three girls and husband.

Emily Liebert is the USA Today bestselling author of seven novels and a New York Times bestselling celebrity ghostwriter. Her books are available worldwide. She’s been featured often in media via outlets such as NBC’s Today, The Rachael Ray Show, Anderson Cooper, InStyle Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. Emily lives in Westport with her husband and their two sons.

Hailing from London and based in Connecticut, Spencer is an award-winning photographer with clients that include Vogue, GQ, Oprah, Vanity Fair, Sony and New York magazine. His work runs the gamut of cultural and public figures from Mike Tyson, Tom Hanks to Whoopi Goldberg, Samuel L. Jackson and Usain Bolt, culminating in shooting the Time magazine cover of Rudy Giuliani.  Spencer has opened a bespoke portrait studio here in Fairfield County.

emily liebert

spencer heyfron

jennifer pupa schwartz

nancy berger

PHOTOGRAPHY: STEPHANIE BY MARNI LANE; EMILY BY KYLE NORTON; BERGER BY LISA BERG; ALL

jill johnson mann

stephanie webster

Redcoat Homes has skillfully transformed renowned architect Judith Larson’s stunning concept and design into reality. The signature oversized windows, interior doors, and 10-foot ceilings truly make this home a spectacular masterpiece.

buzz

The Palette of her Lifestyle

FROM HER FAIRFIELD-BASED INTERIOR DESIGN FIRM, GAELLE DUDLEY GIVES US AN EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK AT HER NEW CURATED PAINT LINE FOR RING’S END

by samantha yanks

The just-launched A La Plage by GLDESIGN and Ring’s End capsule paint collection reflects the laid-back coastal palette Gaelle Dudley strives to infuse in her clients’ homes. The 14 new Benjamin Moore colors are inspired by Dudley’s penchant for referencing the coastline in her projects. We dove into the colors for you to give you the full spectrum.

“The A La Plage colors embrace endless summer with an array of timeless earth tones, classic whites, sunset hues, and pale, moody blues and greens that create the feeling of being on vacation year-round in your home,” Gaelle says. “The colors of A La Plage are not just the palette of my design, they are the palette of my lifestyle. Summer is more than a season, it’s a state of mind. I believe in a light, easy-breezy approach to living that reminds us of being on vacation from the comfort of our own home.”

A La Plage with Gaelle is the brainchild of Gaelle Dudley and Scott Herling, VP of Paint Operations at Ring’s End.

“When Gaelle mentioned a desire to create a personalized paint line inspired by the coastal palette she lives and works in, it was a no-brainer for us to partner with her,” says Herling. “Our customers love her work; Gaelle is a nationally recognized color expert and Ring’s End services a predominantly coastal New England market. Creating a unique color palette with someone who is so deeply respected and tied to the coastal region was an easy decision for

PHOTOS BY FRANCES V ISAAC PHOTOGRAPHY

top: Gaelle Dudley comparing favorite coastal materials with the A La Plage paint palette bottom: The GLDESIGN studio in Fairfield left: Founder and Creative Director, GLDESIGN, Gaelle Dudley

us to make.”

Customers can choose from a variety of shades with personal meaning to Gaelle, including: “Afterglow,” “Basalt,” “Coastline,” “La

In the spring of 2024, Gaelle will be joined by interior designer friends and fellow industry leaders for conversations about choosing a paint color and tips

The colors of A La Plage are not just the palette of my design, they are the palette of my lifestyle. I believe in a light, easybreezy approach to living that reminds us of being on vacation from the comfort of our own home.

Gaelle Dudley, Founder and Creative Director, GLDESIGN,

on seasonal design, home decor, color palettes, and more. The tour will take place at Ring’s End in Norwalk soon.

A La Plage with Gaelle is now available for purchase at Ring’s End locations and online at ringsend.com and gldesignhome. com. They retail for $67.00$76.00 per gallon.

Mer,” “Low Tide,” “Morning Mist,” “Ocean Bluffs,” “Pampas Plumes,” “Sandy Kisses,” “Sea Glass,” “Seascape,” “Skipping Stone,” “Spindrift,” and “Whitecaps.”

left: Gaelle Dudley with Lead Designer, Mackenzie Pretty, reviewing the palette this photo: “Pampas Plumes” paint color from A La Plage

this photo: A neutral coastal palette to inspire A La Plage right: Gaelle Dudley with VP, Paint Operations Ring’s End, Scott Herling this photo: Despite appearances, Willow, Gaelle’s English Bulldog, approves of the A La Plage colors! right Gaelle Dudley pouring one of her A La Plage favorites

Woman on Top

TELEVISION DYNAMO BONNIE HAMMER

REVEALS HER SECRETS TO SUCCESS.

by emily liebert

In her 40-plus-year career, Westport resident Bonnie Hammer has taken the television industry by storm. Her robust business acumen and persistent creativity have landed her positions such as Chairman of the Universal Studio Group, where she united NBCUniversal’s three powerhouse studios—Universal Television, Universal Content Productions, and NBCUniversal International Studios—under one umbrella. She also

served as Chair, Direct-to-Consumer and Digital Enterprises, directing the formation of Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming platform. Prior to these illustrious titles, Bonnie was Chair, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, heading cable brands USA Network, SYFY, Bravo, Oxygen, E! Entertainment and Universal Kids. Under her governance, the cable networks grew exponentially, both domestically and internationally.

Currently, as Vice Chair at NBCUniversal, Bonnie’s professional prowess is stronger than ever. So is her dedication to social responsibility, which has spanned four decades of leadership. But Bonnie is much more than a TV exec. She’s an accomplished photographer whose work has been displayed in galleries and in Time magazine and The Boston Globe. Most recently, she’s added author to her extraordinary résumé, with her debut book: 15 Lies Women Are Told at Work…and The Truth We Need to Succeed. We sat down with Bonnie to benefit from the breadth of her exceptional wisdom.

What inspired you to write a book?

Looking back on my career, it’s clear I wouldn’t be where I am today without the many mentors I’ve had along the way. (Yes, they were almost all men-tors.) That’s why I’ve spent decades trying to pay forward what I’ve learned— from them and from my own experiences—as a mentor to women in my industry. Over time, I’ve come to understand the many misconceptions we have about work, the mistakes that hold us back, and the kind of mentorship we need to succeed. Now, I’d love to share my insights with every woman—and person—looking to get ahead. But there’s not enough time in the world to mentor them all. I hope this book can help me do the job: to advise, push back, challenge, and ultimately inspire working women.

How did you arrive at the concept?

The idea came to me when I was on a roller coaster at a company-wide management meeting at Universal Studios in Orlando. While upside down, it hit me that I was one of the only

women on the ride. It didn’t take long for me to realize why. There’s a mistaken belief that women, especially, shouldn’t mix work and play—that we should never let our hair down if we want to be taken seriously. But it’s hardly the only misconception plaguing working women. And once I started thinking about the others, I couldn’t stop.

You’ve had a wildly successful career in television, how was writing a book different?

Writing this book was a sobering experience. It’s a solo process— so there’s no writers’ room, conference calls or board meetings to help get your words on the page. Like TV, though, good storytelling is good storytelling. And there are communal aspects to the publishing industry, too. If it takes a village to make a TV show, then it takes multiple villages—from copy editors to cover artists to publicists to publishers—to get a book on shelves. I’ve always respected authors, but I have a newfound awe for them after spending well over two years doing my best to become one.

Bonnie Hammer PHOTOS BY MARY ROZZI

One of the chapters in your book is titled Know Your Worth. Do you feel this is harder for women than men?

As women advance in the workplace, I think we tend to underestimate our value while men, at every stage, frankly overestimate theirs. But this chapter is about something else entirely: the fact that too many people, especially younger generations, conflate their personal worth with professional worth. They show up to entrylevel jobs convinced they deserve better pay, fewer hours, and more exciting assignments. At work, though, your value isn’t intrinsic. You have to prove yourself—by showing up early, staying late if needed, saying yes to every opportunity and staying positive through it all.

There’s also a chapter titled You Can Have it All. How have you been able to strike that balance through the years?

I’m so fortunate to have a great marriage, great kids, and a great job—but as I write in the book, the only time I’ve ever “had it all” was in hindsight. At the office, I’ve felt like I was cheating on my husband and kids. At home or on vacation, I’ve felt like I was cheating on my colleagues. Even now, while doing this interview, I feel like I’m cheating on my dogs. My balancing act was just that: an act. And if it was convincing, that’s only because I’ve spent most of my career around actors and learned from the best. But what sets my generation apart from my mother’s and grandmother’s is that we have so much more agency in what we go for and what we give up. Having it all is unachievable, and if that’s your

goal, you’ll wind up miserable, even in 2024.

What’s your top piece of advice for women just starting out professionally?

I have two.

First: Find great mentors. There’s a misconception that mentors are essentially friends in high places at work—powerful, well-connected allies who root for us at every step and help us up the ranks. But there’s no elevator to success; we need to climb. And the types of mentors who teach us how aren’t supportive cheerleaders. They’re drill sergeants, or what I call challenging mentors. They give us feedback that’s often hard to hear, and constantly push us to be better because they know what we’re capable of.

Second: Find the blue skies. Much of my tenure at USA Network was called the “blue skies era” because of the consistent tone of our original programming. No matter the subject of a show, viewers would have something to smile and feel good about. Those blue skies— figurative and literal—were the secret to our network’s success. I believe that finding “blue skies,” even when it takes some searching, is the secret to career success, too. When you bring positivity to work, work becomes more positive.

Was there ever a time you trusted your gut and it didn’t work out?

In the book, I write about greenlighting a show called Political Animals—all because my gut, along with the incredible cast, storyline, and production team, told me it couldn’t possibly do poorly. I chose to bypass the traditional hoops that scripts had to jump through and just aired the series. It ended up bombing. That experience, plus many more in my personal life, has helped inform what I now call the ABCs of decisionmaking—an alphabet that has become my mother tongue. Before we get to G for Gut, there’s Analyzing, Brainstorming, Comparing… You get the picture. The truth is that the best decisions are made when we consider all the information available to us and our gut.

Is there anything you’d change about your trajectory? Many people believe that the best (and only) way to get ahead on the job is to climb a ladder, but I think zig-zagging is the better way to grow. That’s why one of the lies I negate in the book is the idea that “there’s nowhere to go but up.” When it comes to career trajectories, lateral and diagonal moves that teach us new skills, give us new experiences, expose us to new people, and introduce us to new departments and even organizations can take us further than any straightforward, upward march ever could.

Do you have another book in you?

I’ll never say never, though I’m now much wiser about the commitment it takes. My entire career has been about telling stories—some real, more often fiction, normally another person’s, this time my own. I plan to keep telling stories in one way or another. But I’ve always liked new and fresh challenges, so who knows what (or whose) story that will be? And who knows how it will be told?

What’s next for you?

If you have the answer to that question, you’re ahead of me! If I’ve learned anything over the years—and if there’s one overused aphorism I do agree with—it’s that the only constant in life is change. It comes for all of us, no matter our age, wage, or stage. I try not to look too far into the future and instead keep myself open to whatever opportunities rear their heads. If I see one that excites me, you can bet I’ll be running toward it at full speed. At this very moment, though, I can’t predict anything beyond this evening, when my husband Dale and I will be sitting down for dinner, our dogs will be lying by our feet begging for scraps, and I’ll be sipping a perfect pour of Clase Azul on a big rock with an orange wedge.

CHECK MATES

TWO WILTON GIRLS HAVE ALL THE MOVES. by

jill johnson mann

Move over Bobby Fischer; the face of chess is shifting. In The Queen’s Gambit, an orphaned girl is the chess prodigy. Disney’s Queen of Katwe recounts the true story of a girl from the Ugandan ghetto who becomes an international chess champion. And right here in Connecticut, girls are excelling at the game, notably Adaora Enu, who is ranked #1 in the state among 9-year-old girls, and Mehek Kaira, #1 in the state among 8-year-old girls. Both are from Wilton and play on the DIG Chess team—a program that is in ten Connecticut towns, including Wilton, Westport and Weston.

“I used to see maybe 5 of every 100 players were girls. Now it’s more like 25 or 30 per 100,” says Jithu Sajeevan, DIG chess coach. “My partner, Dan Starbuck Pelletier, started DIG ten years ago with a variety of programs. We formed DIG Chess last year because the chess program was really taking off.” DIG stands for: Determination, Integrity, Growth.

Adaora came to a Tuesday class in 2022 and

Sajeevan had her play in a tournament that same weekend. “I did that with Mehek, too,” he says. “Players are given a ranking. I’ve seen that competing motivates players to improve their ranking. They practice more.” The strategy worked.

“Adaora plays five or six hours a week and does chess puzzles daily,” says her dad, Emeka, who is a chess enthusiast. He chuckles when he recounts how it was his son he expected to take to the game: “I was trying to get Adaora’s younger brother to play chess. He plays but he’s not crazy about it. My wife said, ‘We are in 2022! What is wrong with you? Maybe your daughter is interested.’ That’s how it started.” Mehek began playing at age 7. “I saw my sister and dad playing chess. That inspired me,” says Mehek, who plays four to five hours per week. Everyone in her family plays. “My biggest goal is to become a National Master,” she says.

Sajeevan highlights parental support as a key factor in the girls’ success. “Adaora’s dad plays with her every day. With Mehek, it’s the

same.” He adds, “You gotta love the game. Chess is brutal. In soccer, if you’re 9-0, there is no coming back. But in chess you can be winning by so many pieces, and with one mistake the game turns around so quickly.”

“Adaora and Mehek are learning so many critical skills from chess: to work hard, to be graceful when losing, to look deeper into situations, to figure things out,” says Pelletier. “I’m proud of what they’ve done so far and excited for what they’re going to achieve in the future.”

Emeka comments, “Adaora concentrates better at school. She is part of the Wilton Wahoos swim team, which was tough at first. She might have quit if she didn’t have a chess background. She’s not scared of losing or working hard.” Adaora hopes to play in the nationals. “My long-term goal is to teach chess to kids that look like me,” she adds.

Sajeevan says, “I think both girls could be top players in the nation.”

Group classes, private lessons, tournaments and chess parties: digchessteam.com

left: Adaora Enu with her DIG chess coach, Jithu Sajeevan. middle: Adaora Enu, with one of her many chess tournament trophies. right: Mehek Kaira, plotting her next move.

Shelf Life buzz

emily liebert

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

EVERYONE BUT MYSELF

BY JULIE CHAVEZ

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by life? As an elementary school librarian and mother of two boys, Julie has no time for her encumbering anxiety. Yet, this doesn’t stop her from experiencing her first fullblown panic attack, which leaves her scared and confused about her mental health and what will happen if she can’t help herself. As she confronts the issues of love and loss, an imperfect husband, dreadful family outings and finding her way— with assistance from those she trusts—Julie is forced to consider what will ultimately make her happy. This one will resonate with mothers (or really anyone) inundated by the demands of modern family life. And it will inspire those looking to find the path back to themselves.

LISTEN FOR THE LIE

BY AMY TINTERA

LEven if your TBR list is overflowing this spring, you’ll want to add these FIVE STANDOUTS to your stack. From an honest account of love and loss and an enigmatic murder to an intimate memoir, a wild wedding story and a breathtaking novel that unites the past and future, every page is refreshingly compelling.

by emily liebert

HERE AFTER BY AMY LIN

ucy believes she might have killed her best friend, Savvy— namely because, on the night of her murder, she was discovered roaming the streets splattered in her blood. Once upon a time, Lucy and Savvy were the “It” girls of their small Texas town. Lucy landed her dream husband, who gave her a big ring and a spectacular new home. And Savvy was a social butterfly, adored by all, especially men. It’s been years since the night of Savvy’s death, a night Lucy has no recollection of, and she’s since relocated to Los Angeles to start fresh. But when a popular true crime podcast “Listen for the Lie” decides to investigate Savvy’s murder, Lucy is sucked back into her past and must face the truth.

“W hen he dies, I fall out of time.”

That’s the tagline for this profoundly poignant memoir by Amy Lin, who’s madly in love with her husband, Kurtis, a talented young architect and the purveyor of joy, adventure and selfacceptance. Until tragedy strikes on a scorching August morning, when Kurtis leaves home to run a half-marathon with Amy’s family. It’s the last time she sees him alive. To follow comes a heartbreaking and courageous rendering of Amy and Kurtis’ marriage, the maelstrom created by his passing, and the enduring battle Amy confronts, as she tries to make sense of her new life in grief’s grasp. This exquisite memoir is poetic, raw, and so powerful it will remain in your heart long after the final page.

WEDDING ISSUES

BY ELLE EVANS

S oon-to-be lawyer

Olivia “Liv” Fitzgerald’s life is on track. And nothing will get in her way. Well, maybe something will. Or someone. And that someone is her devious aunt, who enters her cousin, Kali, into a competition for the cover of Southern Charm bridal magazine, to compete with Liv’s best friend, Leighton. That’s when all hell breaks loose and Liv is determined to save the day, which includes securing the cover for Leighton, keeping her aunt happy and Kali’s wedding running smoothly, finishing law school, snagging a coveted NYC law job, and winning over her ideal guy. As Liv navigates her double maid-ofhonor duties, she also figures out how to stop being a people-pleaser and how to focus on what she wants.

EVERY TIME WE SAY GOODBYE

BY NATALIE JENNER

I n 1955, Vivien Lowry’s latest play in London opens to an ecstatic reception from the audience. Unfortunately, the critics are not as impressed; their fierce reviews shutter the play and destroy Vivien’s career. That’s when her friend, Peggy Guggenheim, suggests that Vivien take a job as a script doctor on a major film, which offers a lively movie-making scene brimming with celebrated directors and actors. The location is Rome, torn between its past and its future and the liberation of the postwar cinema and the restrictions of the Catholic Church. As Vivien tries to establish new prospects for herself, she grapples with the long-buried truth of the recent World War and the mystery of what happened to her deceased fiancé.

ONS has been named a Top 5 Orthopedic Center of Excellence in the nation by Castle Connolly, recognizing our outstanding quality and expertise. They also named 33 ONS specialists to its prestigious roster of Top Doctors. See the premiere Orthopedic and Neurosurgery practice in Fairfield and Westchester counties. ONSMD.com

do

YOUR ZEN TIME IS NOW

DELAMAR SOUTHPORT’S TRANQUIL NEW SPA IS A HAVEN FOR HOLISTIC REJUVENATION.

by samantha yanks

News coming out of the portfolio of Delamar Hotel Collections’ properties is fast and furious, splendid and stately, and posh and provocative all at once. From the soon-to-berevealed game-changing Westport Delamar, set to open this fall to the recently refreshed and revealed L’escale at Delamar Greenwich Harbor, thoughtful and intentional luxurious experiences are being crafted. But it is the highly anticipated

PHOTOS BY KAITLIN PARRY, HICHAM AMAAOU AND COURTESY OF DELAMAR HOTELS

above: Delamar Southport Spa’s Entrance below: Delamar Southport Spa’s Couples Treatment

opening of the new Delamar Southport Spa that has local residents booking their facial and massage appointments with glee.

The tranquil sanctuary is stunning, washed in serene coastal blues, punctuated by pastels, and feels intimate; yet it’s an expansion at the property, now home to three treatment rooms as well as a relaxation room, sauna, and steam shower. Their premier treatments focus on health, rebalance, and restoration.

Experience relaxation and holistic rejuvenation along with European-based cutting-edge treatments with two of the world’s leading skincare brands: Biologique Recherche and Valmont.

After a relaxing spa treatment — or two —  indulge in a delightful assortment of finger sandwiches, pastries, jams, and teas. Tea service, exclusively for spa guests, is available from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and is a twoguest minimum. Whether a mother-daughter staycation, couples getaway or blissful trip for one,you can also rest and restore for an evening or weekend right in the same chic Delamar Southport.

And did we mention they are opening a Delamar Hotel in Mystic at the end of this summer? The wonderful news keeps coming.

above: Delamar Hotel’s Afternoon Tea Service this photo: Delamar Southport Spa’s Relaxation Room

above: Delamar Southport Spa’s Changing Room left: Valmont V-Firm Line, Available at Delamar Spas far left: Delamar Southport Spa’s Sauna

PHOTOS BY KAITLIN PARRY, HICHAM AMAAOU AND COURTESY OF DELAMAR HOTELS

Amanda Tarter

Tarter has been part of Michelle & Team at William Raveis since 2017 and especially loves the collaboration and support she gets from her five-person group. For all things “Hey, Amanda” follow along at @subwaytosuburbs.

above: Evaluate any event with sides and apps

Hey, Amanda!

REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL AMANDA TARTER IS ALWAYS IN GEAR, SHIFTING FROM AGENT TO EXPERT AND RECOMMENDING ALL THE IN-THE-KNOW SPOTS HER CLIENTS COVET. by samantha yanks

Working in real estate for over 20 years has afforded Amanda Tarter the luxury of not only knowing where to live, but where to go and who to know. While she began her career in New York City, it was when she moved to Westport seven years ago that she began finding her clients that coveted off market information. “Hey, Amanda” evolved organically when her client’s 10-year-old son Dylan noted that everything they were doing, or person they were using to get the house set up, was originating from the suggestions Tarter offered.

“Moving is hard, and when you are a transplant from the city to the suburbs, there are a whole host of things you have to handle that you didn’t before…landscaping, plumbing, new doctors, and, of course, the guru facialist and manicurist,” notes Tarter. Her clients kept asking for recommendations and she began to make videos with some of the kids to start and posted the questions and answers as they came in. The texts and DMs flowed in as everyone responded to the concept.” I think it’s important for my clients to know that the relationship really does survive closing.”

7 // Lovable Locks:

Summer Evans is my hair guru. I always get keratin in early spring to tame the summer frizz.  summerevansstudio.com

8 // Workout Wizard:

I’ve been training with Natasha Holmes for a few years now. She is great at modifying for injuries and keeping the workouts interesting and different. Instagram: fitbytash

9 // Rest and Recharge:

1 // Go-to Facialist: Get ready for summer with Rose Buatti; she is the best. I literally feel like a new person when I leave. rosebuattistudio.com

2 // The Perfect Patio: I always power-wash my patios and outdoor furniture. Secretly, I really enjoy doing it myself (I’m on my third power-washer). But, for bigger jobs I hire someone. Task and Build  Walter Sarmiento,  28 Cedar Crest Place, Norwalk.  For clean outdoor cushions, I send all to Triple S in Norwalk, they actually will also store for winter if you do it ahead of

time. triplesclean.com

3 // Hosting Help: I love to entertain — but I am huge fan of some assurance here and there. The Home Cook is amazing because she will either do everything or sometimes I just have her do side dishes and I do all the grilling. thehomecookct.com

4 // Party Presents:

It’s nice to have some “go to” Hostess gifts on hand. I love the She La La  reuseable cups that are Westport/Weston themed and a bottle of rosé. Great for

clients, friends, anyone! shelala.com

5 // Pick For Your Pup: Got to get GUS his summer cut. Greenfield Hill Groomer Address:  75 Hillside Rd, Fairfield, CT 06824 Phone:  (203) 256-8922

6 // Gardening Guru:

I have a TON of outdoor pots on the stoop, patio, and around the pool. Michelle Moore does an incredible job with them. We call her the “ghost Gardener.”  michellemooregardening.com

I’ve recently discovered Lymphatic Drainage Massage. I love to go to Sage and Sound (sage-sound. com) in New York City when I have time- and sometimes will plan a trip around it, but now also have someone who comes to the house and is epic. bejoyfullywell.com/book-now

10 // Lawn Maintenantance:

Love my landscaper Scott Rose; my lawn is always immaculate. Best part is I never have to tell him what to do, he just automatically does it all on a program throughout the year.

203-984-7122

from The Home Cook

below top: Indulge in a luxurious facial by Rose Buatti. below bottom: Elegant flower containers by Michelle Moore brighten any entry or patio.

PHOTOS FROM THE HOME COOK AND ROSE BUATTI STUDIO; PHOTO OF AMANDA BY JEN GOLDBERG

YOUR SPRING 2024 TO DO LIST

UNRIVALED EXPERIENCES ACROSS OUR TOWNS ARE GOING TO CALL FOR SOME SOLID SCHEDULING.

by samantha yanks

A Day at the Museum

On Sunday, May 4, MoCA Westport will be hosting The Artisan Marketplace *Spring Edition* and the Upscale Garage Sale from noon to 4 p.m. Enjoy the market and support a variety of local artisans, find the perfect gift for Mother’s Day, and experience the spring exhibition. Bring the whole family! Their open studio drop off art project for kids will be available too! For more information visit mocawestport.org

Magical for Mother’s Day

This year the Wilton Garden Club will be celebrating its 103rd year and 85th Mother’s Day Weekend sale on May 8, 10 and 11. Since 1939, this annual tradition has been enthusiastically attended and supported by the community.

The sale will be at the Wilton Town Center gazebo and will offer a wide variety of more than 4,000 plants. For more information visit wiltongardenclub. org upcomingevents/plant-sale/

Divine Bites

The Culinary Event of the Year!  The 18th Annual Taste of Westport on May 22, from 6-9:30 p.m. celebrating its 18th year is now back for the third year in a row at the iconic Inn at Longshore. The event benefits local non-profit CLASP and its mission of providing a lifetime of care and inspiration to adults with autism and developmental disabilities throughout Fairfield County. The evening will feature 24 restaurants, a vodka and caviar experience, six bars with spirits, speciality cocktails, wine, beer and a tequilla

tasting table. For ticket information visit tasteofwestport.com

A Centennial Celebration

Join Fairfield County Hunt Club for their 100th Fairfield June Horse Show from June 18 to 22. Located on the Westport-Fairfield town lines, discover the story and traditions of the Fairfield County Hunt Club and explore memorabilia from the last 100 years. For more information on celebratory programming visit huntclubonline.org

A Weekend That Strikes A Cord

An upcoming weekend at the Levitt Pavilion this June highlights the incredible range of programming. Bonus: These three shows are presented free-of-charge! Friday, June 28: LULADA CLUB.  The captivating rhythms of Lulada Club, an electrifying all-women salsa band, are setting the New York City music scene ablaze and have recently been featured in Rolling Stone. Saturday, June 29: Buffalo Nichols. Carl “Buffalo” Nichols does things with the blues that might catch you off guard. There’s 808 programming, chopped up Charley Patton samples, washes of synth. Sunday, June 30: The NYC Ska Orchestra. This 20-piece big band creates and performs lush original compositions and arrangements of songs from the rich Jamaican music styles of ska, mento, rock steady, reggae, and jazz from the 1950s and 60s. For more information visit levittpavillion.com

Make It Musical

The artists on the docket at the Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater are epic. Get tickets immediately for some of the highlights including Neil Young + Crazy Horse on May 18; Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue with Big Boi on June 13 and Lainey Wilson with Ian Munsick and Zach Top on June 28. This is in addition to Cole Swindell with Dylan Dcott and Mackenzie Carpenter’s “Win The Night” and Bonnie Raitt’s “Just Like That” Tours coming through. For more information and tickets visit hartfordhealthcareamp.com

Onstage

The lineup at the Westport Country Playhouse is impressive this season! Some highlights include An Evening with Bernadette Peters on May 19. The critically acclaimed star of Broadway, film, television and recordings, while perform an inspiring evening of songs from the great music masters. The three-time Tony recipient and multi award winner creates an intimate audience experience when she performs celebrated selections from Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman and other legends. All audience members are invited to meet and mingle together at a post-performance party. On June 6 at 8 p.m., Tony Kushner will be onstage. The event with the American author, Pulitzer Prizewinning playwright, screenwriter & activist will consist of an onstage interview, after which he will take audience questions. A book signing will follow. He is most known for his seminal work  Angels in America, which earned a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, as well as its subsequent acclaimed HBO miniseries of the same name.

At 8 p.m. on June 15  actor, host, writer, designer and producer Isaac Mizrahi known for fusing song storytelling, and stand up will perform. For more information visit westportplayhouse.org

above: The Levitt Pavilion.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VENUE

this photo: Museum of Contemporary Art of Westport, MoCA.

MAY 3 - 5

JUNE 15

MAY 19

JULY 25 The Bacon Brothers Freestanding Tour

JOIN THE ENCORE CLUB AND GET ADVANCE ACCESS TO NEWLY ANNOUNCED EVENTS! ari axelroda place for us: A Celebration of Jewish Broadway

MAY 13

JUNE 10

SEPTEMBER 9

SEPTEMBER 5

OCTOBER 7

DECEMBER 2 PLUS OUR MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS STARTING IN OCTOBER!

Photo: Bryan Derballa

Photo: David Andrako

Photo: Brigitte Lacombe

Photo: Jacob Blinkenstaff

Photo: Matt Baker

Photo: Andrew Eccles

A MODERN NOD TO TRADITION

THE KENT COLLECTION , A TRIO OF NEW BOUTIQUE HOTELS IN LITCHFIELD COUNTY, PAY HOMAGE TO THEIR LEGACY WHILE CREATING A NEW IDENTITY.

by samantha yanks

From strolling Kent's chic shops, like the perfectly petite Woodford's General Store, the world-renowned House of Books and the staggering, impressive breadth and scale of objet at RT Facts Design & Antiques (a gem of a store often considered globally as the secret source for interior designers), to discovering cutting edge and contemporary artists at galleries such as Kenise Barnes, FotoDiary, Carol Corey Fine Art and Craven Contemporary, the town, thanks in large part to its stunning epicenter Kent Barns, has had a true rebirth.

Having personally spent time in the area visiting my family's weekend home in South Kent since 1988, when we acquired the property, the home itself, built in 1880 has remained relatively untouched. The village at times felt the same. Until now.

Surely New Preston, Washington, Bantam, Litchfield, Sharon and others in Litchfield County lured visitors with charming inns, but Kent never quite did. The oddity of it is that the town is home to three prestigious boarding schools and a stone's throw away from escaping New Yorkers and

Fairfield County locals wanting a mini countryside getaway.

Enter the McPhees. Lulu and John McPhee and their three children have a second home, mere feet away from my family's, and they too are enamored with the area.

Their recent game-changing acquisition of three unique landmarked properties, aptly named The Kent Collection, the Victorian, the Firefly Inn and the Garden Cottages are all walkable to one another within the village of Kent. The trifecta are the combined vision of President and Founder

Lulu McPhee, her husband John McPhee, celebrated for his roles as co-owner of Design Within Reach, Board Member of Heller, and current Chief Executive Officer of Chilewich, and their son, Andrew McPhee, who also serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Heller. Together, their distinct vision has reinvented three historical properties into enchanting lodging that seamlessly blends the charm of the past with modern-day luxury, providing guests with an unforgettable retreat.

left: Garden Cottages, Little House Cottage is a one bedroom cottage that has been carefully restored and updated while keeping the character of this historic building. center: The Firefly Inn Tea Room has magical wallpaper from Anthropologie and offers complimentary coffee tea and snacks. right: The original 1890's hand carved mahogany staircase and antique mirror welcome you to the fully renovated Victorian.

PHOTOS BY AARON LIMOGES

The Trio of Properties

A fusion of past and present the spaces respectfully meld vintage carved wood, botanicals indigenous to the area, color stories worth asking about from the Benjamin Moore tone-on-tone blue to palette to wallpapers with whimsy

THE VICTORIAN

This luxurious, character-filled property sleeps up to 12 and can be booked by the room or as a full-house rental. Built in 1890 and fully renovated in 2022, The Victorian is an inviting and elegant backdrop for family gatherings, long weekends with friends, holiday parties and other special occasions.

THE FIREFLY INN

This 9-room, once classic Inn has been transformed into a mix of modern and country aesthetics, offering an upscale, comfortable place to call home for a night, long weekend, or city escape to birdwatch, hike and more. All rooms are en-suite, and there is an inviting outdoor patio to enjoy for all the guests. The charm of Kent and the surrounding towns of Litchfield County no doubt is centered around the rolling hills of the countryside and restaurants ranging from farm-forward Swyft to dairy-driven Arethusa and seasonally inspired Materia Restaurant. and Kent itself is home to a farm I passionately support Rock Cobble Farm who bring everything from the produce and flowers to meats, cheeses and eggs to the community faremr's market at Kent Barns weekly.

THE GARDEN COTTAGES

Three beautifully designed, individual lodging spaces, each cottage has a kitchen and private garden, and while they’re unique in size and layout, they share an eclectic, casual ambiance that’s perfect for the outdoorsy types, long weekends with friends, family getaways or other relaxing escapes to the Connecticut countryside.

above: Built in 1890 and fully renovated in 2022, this home offers 1800s historic charm with a completely modern touch! Enjoy renting the whole house, or one of the five beautiful rooms individually.

above: The Firefly is a charming inn with rooms and suites for up to 18 guests. Lovingly updated in 2023, with modern furniture, comfortable beds and custom Chilewich wallcoverings. Sited on two beautiful acres in downtown Kent.

above: The Garden Cottages are three newly remodeled lodging spaces, each with a kitchen and private garden. Enjoy staying at The Bunkhouse, Train Car or Little House individually or rent all three together as a perfect gathering spot for friends and family.

TRACY'S TRIP

A BLISSFUL ESCAPE FROM HER ON-THE-GO LIFE IN NEW YORK AND LOS ANGELES, ENTREPRENEUR TRACY PAUL, SHARES ABOUT HER LOVE OF LITCHFIELD COUNTY

by samantha yanks

The area is simply so picturesque, a place that she’s proud to call home. It’d rich history dates to the early 1700s. Judge Tapping Reeve created the first law school in the country there in 1784, and Litchfield is the birth-place of author-social activist Harriet Beecher Stowe. Her home, an 1840 Colonial-era farmhouse, is where celebrated American artist Austin Purves  best known as a muralist, painter and sculptor once resided. She’s maintained the integrity of the architecture and grounds for future generations to appreciate as Paul has. When in Connecticut, these are a few of her favorite places, people and things.

My Neighbors

Litchfield has a community of wonderful, caring neighbors and friends for life and most especially the Katzin family. I consistently travel around the world, yet I always feel comfortably at home here.

The Great Outdoors

For serenity, I escape to Topsmead State Forest, formerly the summer estate of Miss Edith Morton Chase (where her gardens still bloom); White Memorial Conservation Center, a pristine nature sanctuary with an unprecedented walking path;

Derwin, where I also shop for my husband. In New Preston, I frequent Privet House and Pergola for fantastic home finds, and J. Seitz & Co. for gifts, furniture, fashion and more.

Ideal Jewelers is also a big favorite. I love their vintage pieces. The finest in the area.

Dining

or sprawling Bantam Lake for fishing, boating and kayaking adventures.

Boutiques

In Litchfield, I love the curated fashion at Oliphant and R.

With friends and family, I frequent Village Restaurant, The Winvian, The Po Cafe, West Street Grill, The Pantry and The Mayflower Inn.

Top Stops

brand

New York and Los Angeles. She has worked with companies like Dupont, Nike, Uniqlo, Louis Vuitton and more. She is currently working on her production entity where she produces film and television shows.

I recently discovered Jennifer Terzian Gallery, with its contemporary art treasures. The Hickory Stick Bookshop is unlike any other and has been a special place for me always. But my all-time favorite destination is the Colonial Revival-era Litchfield Post Office on South Street. Since I was a child, I have been enamored with the concept of mail and communications. Hence my lifetime profession!

Staycations

My go-to getaway for upscale dinners and pampering is the Winvian Farm in Morris. An unique experience, bar none.

Summer Events

I try to catch the weekly Music On the Green concerts in Washington to connect with faces new and old, while enjoying live music, and the Litchfield Hills Road Race in June, where runners of all ages from all over the world compete.

left: Tracy Paul, a wife and mother to two sons, is an entrepreneur who travels the globe to conduct business for companies and clients. She is best known for Tracy Paul & Company and her strategic

work out of

above: The Winvian Farm is a five-star experience to stay, to dine, to recharge and to have a spa day. The dining and service never disappoints.

above: J Seitz & Co is a special shop in New Preston, there has never been a time that I have walked in and not been able to find something.

PHOTOS BY DELLA BELLA AND MAXWELL PAUL

YOUR HAIR: HEALED

CELEBRITY HAIRSTYLIST BECKER CHICAIZA IS MAKING WAVES IN GREENWICH. by samantha yanks

Often asked for recommendations for cut and color I took a day trip to Greenwich to experience for myself the cult-followed Becker Chicaiza who is know for the #twistandtexture haircut, defining the likes of Sarah Paulson’s color and creating viral trending videos with his hair cutting techniques. We’re transporting you to our cozy and exclusive visit to the super luxe salon for cut, color, treatments and extensions and to bring my very unhealthy hair to shiny, spectacular and seriously full of volume.

Upon entering with truly unhealthy hair, we knew a cut was in order, some balayage to add some depth and treatments to restore drab to fab. I wasn’t prepared for the extensions but honestly it was the best part.

Then, we talked products; my favorite topic. His own proprietary BE CHIC line ranges from masks to signature shampoos, oils to texture spray and I went home with absolutely everything I need to maintain my new hair with a foolproof playbook.

Tell us a bit about how you got your start in the industry?

I always wanted to be a hairstylist since I was a little kid in Ecuador. I finally made it happen when a friend asked me to come join him in Paris, where I started working alongside the legendary Alexandre de Paris, whose glamorous clientele included royalty like the Duchess of Windsor the Queen of Jordan and silver screen icons such as Audrey Hepburn, Lauren Bacall and Catherine Deneuve. My grand mentor saw something in me right away and put me on the floor immediately versus the typical 5- to 10-year assistant pre-requisite. It was a dream. Eventually, I made my way to the States, and it didn’t start out as glamorous: working at a

Everyone is so busy; when you’re in my chair, it’s your time to slow down and be a human being and just be in the experience—be chic!

Becker Chicaiza

country club, doing laundry, scrubbing toilets, then busing tables. But I worked hard to achieve the American dream.One day I stopped in at a salon on Greenwich Avenue, and—long story short—it was the beginning of climbing my way up here. I never outright told people about my Paris background. I just put my head down and worked hard and learned. I continue to work hard and learn until this day to create more and never lose inspiration.

What styles are most of your clients coming to you now for?

Dimensional balayage color, glamorous blowouts and my layered haircut. I’m known as the original creator of the #twistandtexture cut, a technique that creates movement, ease of styling and personalized volume—if you have fine hair, I’ll make your hair look denser; if you have dense hair, I’ll make it more manageable with chic volume.

Tell us about the Becker Chicaiza experience?

It’s therapeutic. It’s about you. Everyone is so busy; when you’re in my chair, it’s your time to slow down and be a human being and just be in the experience—be chic! Ialways start every visit by asking, “How you feel?” because I want to know how my clients—who I call my “Becker Babes”—are doing in the moment and, ultimately, how Ican help them feel more confident inside as well as out!

left: The gateway to the Becker experience begins with the signature "B" handles. left: Becker created BE CHIC Haircare to unclutter clients' daily beauty.. right: Greenwich-based Becker Chicaiza salon boasts an all-white interior known for its iconic circular mirrors

PHOTOS BY BECKER CHICAIZA SALON

You launched your own product line. Tell us about the lineup.

I created BE CHIC Hair Care to be your hair essentials: completely uncomplicated and all you need. All formulas contain high-quality, plantderived ingredients that perform to give hair truly healthy benefits. It’s a streamlined lineup of five products: Signature Shampoo and Signature Conditioner, which work universally on all hair types; Hydrating Hair Masque for intensive repair and treatment; Hair Oil, which can be used as a scalp treatment, heat protectant, gloss sealer and more; and Texture Spray, a part volumizer, part texturizer that can also be used as a healthy alternative to dry shampoo. All products are cleanly made and, when possible, 100% vegan certified.

How has social media played into your brand and where can we follow you?

Social media took the brand from Greenwich to global. It’s crazy how much visibility we have, but it’s created amazing opportunity. We travel across the country and do pop- ups to satisfy demand. With BE CHIC Hair Care, social media awareness has caused the brand to be accessible internationally now. With more than 1 million Becker Babes following us, you can find us on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Meta, all under Becker Chicaiza.

Are you finding a lot of your clients are coming to Greenwich for the day to see you?

Yes, clients will travel from all corners of the globe: Kuwait, Monaco Paris San Francisco— you name it! People have even driven in from Wisconsin. On the other hand, I’ve had clients fly me out as well. The royal family in Kuwait rented the Plaza Hotel Salon to have me cut and color. I’m always ready to help my clients be chic!

380 Greenwich Avenue, 2nd Floor Greenwich, CT 06830 beckerchicaiza.com 203-340-9550

left: Plant-powered BE CHIC products are cleanly formulated and 100% Vegan certifed when appropriate..

above: With just five products, the lineup works universally on all hair types and textures.

STAR POWER

Becker reveals some of the celebrity names that have called his salon CHAIR HOME …..

“I love all my clients, of course. But I have worked with some celebrities, including Tommy Hilfiger, Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Paulson, Ian Ziering, Judge Judy, Diane Lane and Jennifer Lopez.”

above: Becker with 90210 alum Ian Ziering.

above: Actress Sarah Paulson with her favorite BE CHIC product, Hydrating Hair Masque.

above: Becker and designer Tommy Hilfiger after a haircut

above

right: NeverNoT 18k yellow gold ring with red garnet and enamel, $2,060. NeverNoT 18k yellow gold earrings with malachite inlays, $7,300.

left: NeverNoT 14k yellow gold eye necklace with blue topaz central stone and diamonds, $3,180.

left

Gorgeous Gems For Your Grads

DRENCHED IN COLOR, NEVERNOT ’S PIECES WILL DAZZLE THIS SUMMER AT PENFIELD COLLECTIVE.

The NeverNoT’s Co-Founders Nina Dzhokhadze and Natia Chkhartishvili answer our five burning questions about their cult-followed dazzling jewelry line NeverNoT.

You’re both Georgian-born and London-based friends, so tell us how that plays into your designs?

As founders we are based in two different countries — London where Nina is based and operates from our main office and the showroom, and Natia, who lives in Georgia. Even though we live so far from each other, we are in constant touch and work as a team 24/7, we see each other a lot during travels, often meeting in the airports and on the go. Travel is the main inspiration for our designs. Easy to wear, day and night, pieces, which will accompany you wherever you go and make your day brighter and bolder with its color and fun.

What is the inspiration behind your high jewelry collection?

“Travel” is our latest high jewelry collection — fully inspired by

visiting new destinations, seeing new places and meeting new people.

I am crazy about colourful sunglasses frames, that’s how the sunglasses necklaces idea came about, and Natia loves very distinctive suitcases in very bright colour and covered in stickers, so we chose suitcase and sunglasses as main characters of the collection, representing us, but also being very relatable to everyone who travels. We are bringing it to Westport in May!

this photo: NeverNoT 18k yellow gold heart rings with pink and green neon enamel, $3,850. EVENT

Your collection is a true kaleidoscope of color. Why is that playfulness so important to you?

NeverNoT’s signature style is chunky, bright and bold jewelry with lots of color.

We predominantly use 18 karat yellow gold and semiprecious stones and diamonds, also

combining with colorful enamel which became signature style of our pieces since 2018.

We love color and mixing and combining different combinations in our pieces are our joy and passion. Pieces need to be worn with fun, playfulness and not really taken very seriously and certainly not be hidden in the box.

Your collection travels the world? Tell us a bit about your summer plans and what you are bringing to Westport?

Our collection loves to travel! Especially to USA, where the brand has majority of the retailers and loyal customers. Our summer plans will start straight with launching newest pieces end of May in Vegas at Couture jewelry show, with stopping for our big event in June in Santa Barbara, Miramar Rosewood Hotel and continuing with sunny travels and trunk shows through California and later NYC.

From July we can take welldeserved holidays and head to Sardinia, where Nina has a summer house and where all the

by samantha yanks

friends and family and getting together for a big summer reunion.

How did you know Penfield Collective was the right partner?

We love the elevated, laid-back feel that Penfield Collection represents across their brands. When thinking about a retail partner for our first CT trunk show, we immediately thought that any of Penfield’s current offerings could provide the perfect base when choosing a NeverNot piece. The Westport women is fashion forward, colorful and playful — just like us!

: Selection of NeverNoT 18k gold rings with blue and pink topaz central stones, diamonds, tsavorites and enamel, $3,235$7,870.

: NeverNoT selection of 18k yellow gold rings with malachite and diamonds, $3,235-$7,100. right: NeverNoT 18k yellow gold rings with pink, yellow and purple topaz central stones and vitreous enamel, $9,670.

ASHA BY ASHLEY

MCCORMICK

Cashmere-blend lightweight scarf, $195, Greenwich; ashabyadm.com

VICTORIA BECKHAM

Portofino ’97 eau de parfum, $20; victoriabeckhambeauty.com

MAD ABOUT MOMS!

by hannah deely

TERRAIN

Fresh assorted eucalyptus bunch ($88), fluted glass and iron vase ($128), Westport; shopterrain.com

ANTHROPOLOGIE

Stone with hand-carved inlay cheese board ($48) and Coasters ($16 each), Westport; anthropologie .com

FREYA

Straw gardenia hat with wide grosgrain band, $255, Old Greenwich; back40mercantile.com

MARK & GRAHAM

Raffia backgammon game set, $179 (Add personalization for $12.50); markandgraham.com

PRADA BEAUTY

Monochrome hyper-matte refillable lipstick, $50, Greenwich; sephora.com

JOHANNA ORTIZ

Heritage Ocaña bread basket, $85, Greenwich; saks.com

SARDEL

100% extra virgin olive oil from puglia ($35), organic balsamic vinegar of Modena ($30), Greenwich; graysondevere.com

heart necklace, $145,

roxanneassoulin.com

SKEEM

Aura citronella single-wick 8 oz. Candle, $38, Fairfield; thebeehivefairfield.com

JENNI KAYNE

Leather Dani slides, $345, Greenwich; jennikayne.com

VERONICA BEARD

Canvas and leather Goody Bag, $448, Greenwich; veronicabeard.com

JULISKA

Chloe stemless wine glass; $68 each, Greenwich; hoaglands.com

Merino wool

Bastien sweater, $295, Greenwich; lalignenyc.com

GRAY MALIN

3-in -1 beachside puzzle, $20, Old Greenwich; back40mercantile.com

FOR THE DADS WHO HAVE EVERYTHING

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, some 70 million American men are dads. This means that millions of spouses and children are stressing about what to get the men in their lives for Father’s Day. The problem is that guys have enough stuff and don’t need any more. In fact, we still have the ties, sweaters and slippers from last Father’s Day! The good news is that this June the trend is toward giving gifts around doing rather than having. Father’s Day gifts from a bucket list make for cool experiences and warm memories well beyond the day itself. He might even invite the family along. Here, then, are five “experience gifts” dads will enjoy receiving and may actually even use!

FLASHY TEST DRIVE

What father hasn’t fantasized about trading in that familyfriendly SUV for a high-end, imported race car, or a stock car for that matter? We’re perfectly happy being dads, of course, but inside of all of us are teenagers itching to go really fast and impress other guys. A day out at Thompson Speedway Motorsport Park (ironically located in the northeastern part of Connecticut called the “Quiet Corner”), allows us to do just that. Why do guys love going to the Speedway? “Um ... because we have cool cars?” suggests a sales associate at Extreme Experience (thextremexperience .com), which manages

the driving sessions. Dads indeed have their pick of Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis that on the straightways can top 130 mph. Spouses needn’t worry: A safety course precedes the laps. It’s driving back home without getting a ticket that’s a cause for concern!

For exotic car enthusiasts that don’t necessarily have that need for speed, Veluxcity Exotic Car Rental in Greenwich offers daily rentals on a variety of luxury rides—like Rolls Royce and Bentleys. But if dad really wants to make heads turn, you should consider renting him the bright red 2020 Lamborghini Huracán EVO Coupé seen here.

Veluxity Exotic Car Rentals in Greenwich makes guys swoon.

2

WHITEWATER CANOEING & KAYAKING

Few outings are more exciting than running the rapids, even on the relatively placid Housatonic or Farmington rivers.

Clarke’s Outdoors (clarkeoutdoors.com) in West Cornwall rents canoes, kayaks and rafts for six-, eightand ten-mile runs down the Housatonic, dropping in at Falls Village, from early May to September.

Main Stream Canoes & Kayaks (mainstreamcanoe .com) in Farmington offers multiple drop-in points and up to 12 miles of paddling

between Riverton and New Hartford. Whether on the water for one or five hours, the cost is the same. “Gift certificates are great for Father’s Day,” says owner Myra Emrick. “It’s fun, it’s exciting, it’s an adventure.” For a family day on the river, she adds, “It’s getting your kids off their damn phones!” Dads, too! Both rivers feature short sections of Class 3 rapids. For an on-thewater adventure a little closer to home, check out SeaKayak (seakayakct.com) in Westport for rentals or sign up for one of their guided tours to Cockenoe or Sprite Islands.

offers gift certificates for fun, hands-on, day and evening group cooking classes, held at her husband’s Deane Inc. kitchen showroom in Stamford. With themed meals like “Italian Comfort Food” the classes run from three to four hours, are hands-on and end with delicious (well, depending on how Dad did!) dinners of the food just prepared. As the mantra at Culinary Works goes, “It’s all in the experience!”

3

COOKING CLASSES

A gift certificate to an evening or weekend cooking class is one of those transparently selfserving gifts that can benefit the giver as much as the receiver: “Since taking that class you’ve become an amazing chef!

How about cooking dinner from now on?” Classes in making and cooking pasta are plentiful like The Art of Pasta at Wakeman Town Farm (wakemantownfarm .org ) in Westport. At Culinary Works (culinaryworks .com), executive chef Julia Deane 4

TICKETS TO LIVE EVENTS

For guys bemoaning getting older, the best gift may be tickets to a concert by any number of iconic bands and top performers on tour this spring and summer. On the road this Father’s Day and beyond are Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins and the Red Hot Chili Peppers; Tim McGraw, George Strait and Jason Aldean; and Springsteen, the Eagles and the Rolling Stones. With most of the band members hovering around 80 years old, it seems appropriate that AARP is sponsoring the Stones’ “Hackney Diamonds Tour.” Joining Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Woods on the tour is original bassist Bill Wyman, who, at 86, may need help getting on and off the stage. By comparison, the rest of us dads will feel

pretty young! For the more low-key music fan, some of the best acts in the county, if not the country, regularly perform at The Fairfield Theatre Company in downtown Fairfield (fairfieldtheatre.org) or The Ridgefield Playhouse (ridgefieldplayhouse .org).

5

A DAY AT THE SPA

Then again, maybe the best experience gift is doing nothing at all. Instead of cooking, paddling, speeding or rocking out, Dad might enjoy chilling at one of the many luxurious spas throughout Fairfield County. At Dream Spa & Salon in Westport (dreamdayspa.com), the “Basics for the Boys” gift package includes a “man”datory facial, a deep tissue massage and

a pedicure. A kind of mission statement at the spa is, “he doesn’t know he needs it but he does.” Adds owner Lori Dodd, “most men won’t often treat themselves to a spa day—they think that it isn’t masculine or manly—but it has been our experience that once men try it, they like it!” For serious health and vanity work for guys who already know they like to be pampered, Element Medical Aesthetics (elementct.com) in New Canaan offers skin tightening, hair restoration and botox treatments.

Register him for a cooking class—and everbody wins!

Arrange for a kayak rental and drop in at one of Connecticut’s many rivers.

Amy Guzzi

Weston-based Amy Guzzi from the Stylist Effect shares her must-have grad gifts for the class of 2024.

1 // PASCALE MONVOISIN

Pearl-and-Diamond

Charlie No. 1 Necklace, $715. Monarch Market, Westport; shopmonarchmarket.com

2 // HENRY C. REID

Graduated Tennis Bracelet, $1,675.

hcreidjewelers.com

Henry C. Reid. Fairfield; hcreidjewelers.com

3 // JL ROCKS

Abby Link Bracelet, $1,200. JL Rocks, Westport; jlrocks.com

4 // JL ROCKS

Deluxe Caviar Band Ring, $425. JL Rocks, Westport; jlrocks.com

5 // MARCO BICEGO

Jaipur Knot Diamond

Stud Earrings, $2,950. Lux Bond & Green, Westport; lbgreen.com

6 // ANNE SPORTUN

7 // RACHEL REID

Open “Boulder” DoubleDiamond Ring, $3,100. Henry C. Reid. Fairfield; hcreidjewelers.com

Diamond Bangle, $2,820. Monarch Market, Westport; shopmonarchmarket.com MY

THE HAVANA 2.0

FROM THE NEW MINI LENGTH TO THEIR BESTSELLING MIDI AND MAXI, BROCHU WALKER’S SIGNATURE DRESS NOW COMES IN OVER 25 HUES, INCLUDING THEIR FIRST EVER PRINT. by samantha yanks

The way women dress has evolved. Work and weekends are often intertwined and the ability to move from day to night, and from one activity to the next is today’s style standard. With this in mind, Brochu Walker strives to design feminine pieces that romance a woman’s lifestyle…effortless, timeless, and always luxe. Brochu Walker’s attainable luxury line is understated, timeless and effortless and the attention

to detail is thoughtful, deliberate, and discreet. Simply put, luxury to live in.

“Brochu Walker is my heaven. I get to create the things I love, the little luxuries that make me feel happy, the pieces I always wanted to own,” noted Karine Dubner, Owner and Creative Director. “Luxury is in the details...soft materials, fresh flowers, freedom, being surrounded by the people you love.”

The Havana, Brochu Walker’s most sought after dress, is now available in a modern tropical print. In a sophisticated, signature silhouette, it’s the perfect dress to take you from season to season. A tiered skirt and puff sleeves give a definitive feminine appeal, while the collared V neck and button

brochu walker is my heaven. i get to create the things I love, the little luxuries that make me feel happy, the pieces I always wanted to own.

front placket is designed to be worn belted or loose and flowing. Introduced in 2021, the Havana Midi Dress has rapidly become the bestselling style in our collection. Worn by celebrities like Reese Witherspoon, it is now the dress of choice for women across the globe. Always packable, it can travel everywhere. The all season must-have is available in over 25 hues and patterns, various fabrics, and multiple lengths.

The new mini, like its big sister, has a tiered skirt and puff sleeves which give a definitive feminine appeal, while the collared V-neck and button front placket, make it as chic as it is versatile. They added on seam pockets for added functionality making it perfect for every day, everywhere.

A vibrant new addition, in cobalt blue, to their sought-after dress collection, the Newport Midi Dress is the epitome of easy femininity. A richly detailed, panel seamed body with godets, a notched vee, ruffled neckline and pintuck pleats at the shoulder that culminate into a sleeveless ruffle define this midi dress, while signature Brochu Walker details like a self, removable belt add versatility. The Newport is is made in the same washed cotton-finish fabric as the bestselling Havana Dress.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BROCHU WALKER

KARINE DUBNER, Owner and Creative Director.

this photo: Havana Printed Dress in Tropical Combo; $368 right: Havana Dress in Bright Coral; $348

above:Newport Dress in Cobalt; $348

WYWL THANKS OUR SPONSORS AND ATTENDEES For supporting the Grants Awards Luncheon

SPECIAL THANKS to LIDIA BASTIANICH

Visit wywl.com for future events

SUNNIER DAYS AHEAD

NANTUCKET-INSPIRED DAFFODILS ADORN AGNETA LIVIJN’S NEW SPRINGTIME DINNERWARE FOR ELEISH VAN BREEMS by samantha yanks

Always a sign of growth and renewal, rebirth and new beginnings, the yellow daffodils of Nantucket were the inspiration for Eleish Van Breems Home's new exclusive tabletop pottery line of stoneware plates, bowels, serving platters, jugs and espresso cups, featuring artfully drawn daffodils. The line even has giant striped yellow mugs playfully inscribed "Daffodil Coffee" on their interior rim.

"With our sights set on spring and beyond, we wanted to create a line of handcraft inspired tableware that would be cheerful for every day. We immediately thought of our

At

friend, the artist and Swedish potter Agneta Livijn, whose ceramics we carry and who we have known for many years." says co-founder Edie Van Breems. "At our request, Agneta created drawings of daffodils for the collection that are delightfully loose and playful."

Adds Rhonda Eleish: "The idea with this line is really to reset, relax and recharge. We envision the Daffodil Collection as being the bright highlight of any table." Made in Portugal, the Daffodil Collection stoneware is oven and dishwasher-safe perfect for everyday entertaining.

our request, AGNETA CREATED DRAWINGS OF DAFFODILS FOR THE COLLECTION that are delightfully loose and playful.

EDIE VAN BREEMS, Fou zxc zx cnbcxzel

this photo: Agenta Livijin's new springtime dinnerwear

PHOTO BY NEIL LANDINO

the premier home design competition awards

If you have a project or firm in CT, go to athomealistawards.com to learn more about getting on the 2024 A-List! Award Celebration / September 10, 2024

UNIQUE  in TEAK

STATEMENT MAKING OUTDOOR MOMENTS WITH WOOD PIECES WITH THAT WOW FACTOR

by simona levin

in interior architecture and design, her portfolio includes

“The teak wheels

this chaise have a retro feel.”

“Mid century spin on a classic.”

“The pitch on this chair is incredibly inviting.”

“The functionality here is great as it serves as a chair, a table or sofa.”

sofa.

"So good I would swap out the cushion and put it inside at the end of the season."

Simona Levin Founder of Winding Lane Design, Simona brings a classic approach to her designs — blending neutral palettes and relying heavily on architectural pieces and textures. Specializing

NAP Rocking Chair, $5960.00; Westouteast, Westport; westouteast.com

Fritz Hansen

Riviera Lounge Designed by Povl B. Eskildsen, $4,099; Design Within Reach, Westport; dwr.com

Gabriel Tan Softlands Adjustable Chaise, $3,995; Design Within Reach, Westport; dwr.com

on

Deck Large Seating Unit, $13,252; Patio.com, Westport; Patio.com

HEADSHOT BY JEN GOLDBERG PHOTOGRAPHY; PHOTOS COURTESY OF STORE/BRAND

Gloster Bora Lounger, $5540; Patio.com, Westport; patio.comcom

Nominations being accepted in the following categories:

Most Involved in the Arts

Most Dedicated Committee Member

Outstanding Philanthropist

Outstanding Teen Volunteer

Best Friend to Children

Best Health Advocate

Lifetime Achievement

Best Friend to Seniors

Most Involved Couple

Corporate Good Neighbor

"Unexpected and whimsical."

"So

SUMMER IN COLOR

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL OUTDOOR FURNITURE THAT DELIVERS COOL IN THE HEAT

by simona levin

Cane-line

"This

"I would set my table with one in each color."

Paola Lenti Giunco Lounge Chair, $8,610; West Out East, Westport; westouteast.com "Modern art meets outdoor living."

PHOTOS COURTESY OF STORE/BRAND

Paola Lenti Ami Dining Chair, $4088; West Out East, Westport; westouteast.com

"Bold, fun and sexy— a showstopper."

Brown Jordan Oliver Loveseat, $6196; Patio.com, Westport; patio.com

many options to weave color in with this collection."

Paola Lenti

Adagio swing in Pink Rope, $4328; West Out East, Westport; westouteast.com

"Love this high-octane nod on a classic."

Eleish Van Breems

Lido Indoor/Outdoor Swivel Chair in Exotic Butterfly Spring, $7200; Eleish Van Breams, Westport; EVBantiques.com "Tons of patterns and colors make this so versatile."

Brown Jordan Kantan Chairs, $1009; Patio.com, Westport; patio.com

Heller Limbo Chair in Cantaloupe color, $1175; Design Within Reach, Westport; DWR.com

Glaze Coffee Table Large, $2340; Eleish Van Breems, Westport; EVBantiques.com

color is great for spring, summer and fall."

fresh flower bar

HOMES WITH HOPE – GATHER ‘ROUND THE TABLE 2024

THANK YOU, DESIGNERS, FOR AN INCREDIBLE EVENT

YOUR CREATIVITY & GENEROSITY MAKE THIS EVENT POSSIBLE!

THANK YOU SPONSORS & PARTNERS FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT

Jennifer Brown

Alison & Justin Dembo

Molly Alger & Jay Dirnberger

Lauren & Brian Schiller

Karen & Toly Spheeris

Bryon & September Stevens

Liz & John Videler

hwhct.org

Patricia Scanlan Designs

Scan

Veggie-Forward eat

SEASONAL INGREDIENTS MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER AS CELEBRATED IN JULIA DZAFIC’S JUST-RELEASED COOKBOOK, GARDEN GROWN .

by samantha yanks

D'AGOSTINO.

left: Julia Dazfic right: Garden Grown book cover

Just in time for the abundance of summer produce, content creator Julia Dzafic’s debut cookbook transports fans from her beloved blog, Lemon Stripes, to a world of sumptuous recipes inspired by the bounty of the Connecticut farmlands. Taking root from the home she shares with her husband Anel in Westport, Garden Grown: Garden-to-Table Recipes to Make the Most of Your Bounty is a garden-to-table cookbook packed with over 100 colorful, quick, healthy, easy-to-make, family-friendly, produce-driven recipes inspired by their abundant garden.

Anel provides gardening tips while Julia shares classic recipes with her always colorful spin, along with innovative new ways to approach vegetables integrating carrots in margaritas and serving cucumbers both hot and cold in a salad. While her blog focuses on the totality of her life including motherhood, home décor, outfit ideas, lifestyle and wellness, it is the cooking journey she shares here. The chapters are divided

up by fresh ingredients; her simple, thoughtful approach to cooking will let your homegrown ingredients shine, and expert gardening tips from Anel will ensure that your garden is bursting with beautiful fruit, vegetables, and herbs for years to come.

The book was developed after Anel built a beautiful giant garden on the family’s property during the pandemic and was bringing in overflowing harvests of veggies and berries daily. Julia got creative in the kitchen to use them up without getting sick of the same recipes day in and day out.

“I quickly realized that I would have to get creative in the kitchen with all the extra produce he was bringing in seemingly every

day,” noted Dzafic. “I learned how to pickle, how to make sauces, and how to use herbs in new and exciting ways.”

As she started sharing this process with her over 100K followers she was flooded with inquiries on what to do with your garden’s bounty. “I started sharing these concoctions online and soon found myself overwhelmed with questions from readers about what to do with extra tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers” shared Dzafic. “And

so this book was born.”

Garden Grown has an innate ability to give fool-proof, plant-forward recipes filled with fresh fruits and vegetables while simultaneously teaching people how to plant and care for a garden, no matter what stage of gardening they’re in.

This collection of fresh, seasonal recipes is the perfect kitchen companion for gardeners, farmers market enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates nature’s bounty.

top left: Julia's husband Anel Dzafic and their son Luca top right: Kale Nicose Salad bottom left: Daily Breakfast Smoothie bottom right: Crispy Eggplant Tacos

The Marvelous Mocktail

TOP RESTAURANTS AND CAFÉS ARE EMBRACING NON ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS, CREATING MOCKTAIL MENUS TO ENHANCE YOUR DINING-OUT EXPERIENCE.

by jennifer pupa schwartz

Studio Café’s co-owner Scott Falciglia has been on a personal journey, studying tonics and elixirs and recently revamped the café’s beverage selection to re ect its role as the Drinkery of Westport. “Non alcoholic beverages play a signi cant role in building community,” he says of the cafe’s expanded selection of non alcoholic drinks, wines and beer. e robust menu includes drink descriptions and tasting notes to educate guests, o ering an excellent introduction to the variety of brands and taste pro les represented in NA spirits.

Nomâde uses CleanCo non alcoholic spirits

that truly stand up to the multiple ingredients in popular-selling cocktails. “We have a lot of sweet sixteen parties, baby showers and our guests are very happy when they see our [mocktail] selection,” says Patrick Jean. Local Westport resident and lifestyle writer Julia Dza c, also known on Instagram as Lemon Stripes, has been ahead of this trend for some time. “Having a mocktail feels empowering to me because I spent so many years of my life feeling pressured to drink alcohol when I didn't always want to. ese days, I drink once in a while when I feel like it, but love knowing that I have

other options.”

Mocktails are a great way for those who look to achieve moderation — whether in terms of alcohol or calorie consumption — without hindering the convivial spirit of dining out. I encourage you to ask questions, learn more about how to use NA spirits from your local bar sta and visit your favorite liquor store to start experimenting at home. When you’re entertaining at home this summer, consider o ering these NA spirits to your guests. You may just nd that you’ve taken your hospitality to a whole new level. Cheers!

left: Nomâde’s Spicy Mocktailrita is a perfect replica of the wildly popular spicy margarita, complete with a tajin rim; middle: Studio Cafe’s Zesty Zephyr is an orange-forward, herbal elixir offering a revitalizing boost; right: Casa Me’s cocktail menu features the Menta Be, a refreshing, alcohol-free cucumber lime spritz, with a hint of mint.

PHOTO CREDIT LEFT TO RIGHT: ANDREA CARSON, STUDIO CAFÉ AND CASA ME

money matters

BY CAROL LEONETTI DANNHAUSER

TAKING STOCK OF YOUR STAKE

When your paycheck arrives, you no doubt have that money earmarked for somewhere: bills, savings, investments, maybe a gift or a getaway. But what about that company stock you’re socking away? What are your plans for that?

An estimated 32 million people participate in employee stock ownership plans, whether through profit sharing, stock bonus plans, stock options, stock purchase plans and the like, according to the National Center for Employee Ownership, and that trend seems

to be rising in lower Fairfield County.

“Broadly speaking, over the last decade we’ve seen an increase in stock as compensation for our clients,” says Harry Figgie IV, a partner and wealth adviser with Greenwich Wealth Management, which serves high-net-worth (HNW) clients. “Society is creating a move, from creating shareholders to stakeholders. If you’re not participating, you can be leaving significant wealth opportunities on the table.”

Companies hand out stock for a host of reasons, primarily to entice executives and employees to join the ranks and stay put. Many employers contribute shares to an employee’s retirement plan or sell them at a discount, easing transactions through payroll deductions. Others reward stocks for meeting performance targets. Some even grant shares outright with each paycheck. Start-ups sometimes award stock in lieu of higher pay, so they can preserve capital.

Whatever the case, there can be a catch to full ownership—time. “What’s really important for

individuals is understanding their vesting scheduling,” says Figgie, whose HNW clientele includes executives seeking help evaluating and negotiating levels of stock in their compensation.

Figuring out whether to buy, sell or hold company stock begins with analyses typical in creating a wealth plan, including assessing your risk tolerance, work horizon, tax considerations, your other assets and personal liquidity needs, goals and estate planning. How you came to possess the stock and the constraints around holding it also factor in here.

“There are strategies depending on what stage the company is in this life cycle and where you are in your professional career. This is before even considering the investment’s merits and its role within an investment portfolio,” Figgie says. “It’s highly individualized.”

Back in the day, a person got a job, participated in an employee purchase plan and made their way up. At the end of the day they might have amassed lots of wealth in a concentrated position. These days, a HNW individual might

own several million shares of company stock in their portfolio.

“Concentration is the best way to make and lose large sums of money,” Figgie reports. That risk is multiplied when you add your salary to the mix. “(That) your income and savings are so closely tied to the same organization tends to be an eye-opening oversight.”

Psychology can get in the way when it comes to deciding what to do with these holdings, especially if you like your work and your workplace, appreciate your product or service, and your salary and stock value have grown for the past few years. Who would want to ditch that sweetheart? But evaluating stock through these rose-colored glasses can hinder your ability to evaluate the current and future merits of the stock.

Take the emotion out of it, Figgie suggests, and replace it with a reality check. You already count on your company for your salary, so you’re arguably more invested in its success than outside shareholders. If something goes wrong, as the stock sinks, you could also lose your job. Today’s darling could be tomorrow’s dog.

WHAT’S YOUR SENTIMENT AND RISK TOLERANCE?

Consider this: You receive 25 shares of company stock today worth $100 each. You can sell them now and pocket $2,500 (minus taxes), to save or spend or invest in a more attractive vehicle. Down the road, you watch from the sidelines as the stock price rises to $150 a share. Ouch. Alternatively, you hold the stock, imagining the price will rise. Instead, the value declines, and you ultimately sell at $50 apiece. Ouch again. Which scenario would be more painful to you? Would you prefer to lock in your money upon receipt? Or bank on the value of your equity rising while knowing that it can fall?

Harry Figgie IV

Westy Mover Concierge

For over thirty years, Westy Mover Concierge has recommended select movers to thousands of customers in order to make their moving experience pleasant and at reasonable cost. Westy does not charge movers for the service, but insists that they satisfy our customers.

Day & Boarding School Fair

Wednesday, May 8

5–7 p.m. • New Canaan Country School 635 Frogtown Rd, New Canaan, CT

For a list of schools attending and to register for this free event, please visit: schoolstoknow.com/fairs

Co-Presented by:

May Ad

Westport Magazine 29MAR24

to our participating restaurants and this year’s sponsors!

2024 SPONSORS

9TH ANNUAL

RESTAURANT WEEK

2024 PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS

BE Chocolat

Bianca Restaurant & Bar

Bistro V & Versailles Patisserie

Coffee for Good Dos Hombres

The Ginger Man

Grigg Street Pizza

Hinoki

La Taqueria

L’escale

Little Pub Greenwich

Méli-Mélo

Miku Sushi

Moli

Owl’s Brew

Siren RestoBar

SONO1420

Tony’s at the J House

Val’s Putnam Wine & Liquor

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KYLE NORTON

people&PLACES

All in for Israel

More than 400 community members united in a powerful show of solidarity with the people of Israel on January 18, 2024, at Jewish National Fund-USA’s All in for Israel: Casino Night event at The Warehouse. The nonprofit organization’s first large community-wide fundraising event in Fairfield County’s Premier Sponsor was the Gurevich Family Foundation. The event was chaired by local philanthropists Lauren & Josh Braunstein and Jacqueline & Jeffrey Fidelman. The upscale fundraiser featured October 7 hero Yedidya Harush, an elegant dinner, signature cocktails, a silent auction, casino prizes, games, and performances by Israeli-American rapper Kosha Dillz and DJ Herbert Holler. »

1 Jewish National Fund-USA’s Tri-State Team 2 Dan Chiprut, Josh Braunstein, Dan Khasin, Brett Strause, Josh Levkoff 3 Alex & Ella Gurevich, Yedidya Harush 4 Kosha Dillz, DJ Herbert Holler 5 Brenda Benn, Diana Sklar, Amy Abramson, Jeremy Abramson, Samara Rader 6 Lauren Braunstein, Samara Rader, Jacqueline Fidelman 7 Yedidya Harush speaks about October 7 and Jewish National Fund-USA’s support 8 Stephanie Gordon, Randi Lehrman, Andi Sklar 9 Nitsan Greif, Samara Rader

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BEN GABBE PHOTOGRAPHY

JEWISH NATIONAL FUND-USA HOSTS FUNDRAISER FOR ISRAEL / The Warehouse

In Earth We Trust

Aspetuck Land Trust was proud to present the 2023 Haskins Lecture, an event that drew a crowd of 355 eager attendees on the evening of October 26 in the Trefz Forum at The Westport Library, featuring award-winning author Leila Philip, renowned for her bestseller, “BEAVERLAND. The lecture, in partnership with The Westport Library and funded by the Caryl and Edna Haskins Fund, showcased the captivating history and ecological significance of beavers in shaping American history and preserving our environmental future.

1 Leila Philip, Roger Ludwig 2 Misty Byer, Jeff Warren 3 Fiona Andren, Andy Dutter, Amy Dutter, Patrick Craig 4 Darien Land Trust: Penny Wilson, Amy Sarbinowski, Julie Jones, Brooke McIlvaine, Elizabeth Mathus 5 Amy Harlacker, Ross Ogden, Stephan Grozinger, Joel Green 6 Peter and Leslie Cawley 7 Speaker: Leila Philip 8 Debra Mahoney, DeeDee DeBartlo 9 Abby LePage, Lou Bacchiocchi 10 David Brant, Leila Philip, Bill Kraekel 11 Ram Cherukuri, Prashanti Gogineni, Lou Bacchiocchi 12 Amy Sarbinowski, David Brant, Elizabeth Mathus, Brooke McIlvaine, Ross Ogden 13 Beaverland by Leila Philip 14 DeeDee DeBartlo, Karin La Hardan, Francie Keeler 15 Kim Craig, Patrick Craig, Amy Dutter, David Brant, Nancy Moon 16 Abbie Winter, Michael Kucky 17 Jon Gage, Michelle Fracasso 18 Joan Byrne, Leila Philip

PHOTOS BY KRISTIN BURKE HYNES

ASPETUCK LAND TRUST CELEBRATES THE WORLD OF BEAVERS / The Westport Library

• Special section following our annual Top Lawyers editorial feature

• Annual guide to Fairfield County’s law firms & legal experts

• Custom profile created for your practice

• Reach an audience of 200,000+ families and local residents

• One year inclusion in our online lawyers directory

issue distribution to local events reaching families, charitable organizations and community influencers

this photo: Billy and Gena Mann smile with their dog, Summer.

MUSIC + MISSION

From their bucolic home in Weston, Gena and Billy Mann advocate for families dealing with autism, and have found that their Connecticut retreat provides a local community where they, and other fellow artists, can thrive.

Samantha Yanks: Let’s start with Weston, which you call home. How did you come to move here?

Billy Mann: Twenty years ago, we were like a lot of families bursting in their Manhattan apartments, and our place pretty much always looked like a rainbow toddler bomb exploded. I remember walking my son to Central Park to play on the swings, and we had to stand in line behind half a dozen parents and nannies. I thought to myself, “Why am I doing this?" I wanted our own swing set.

Gena Mann: I was definitely more reluctant than Billy to leave New York, and insisted (that) if we left, we needed to be near water. Billy was on a songwriting trip in San Francisco with one of his mentors, Walter Afanasieff, and Michael Bolton walked into the studio. He heard our family was thinking of moving out of the city and told Billy, “You’re coming to Westport,” and started naming many of Billy’s musical heroes who live in the area — Nile Rodgers, Keith Richards, José Feliciano — and talking about the beaches, and the town and the people. Two weeks later, we were standing in Michael Bolton’s kitchen in Westport being introduced to our real estate agent, Sheila Shupack.

SY: What is it that you love about Fairfield County? And please, each of you give us your top 5 Fairfield County spots.

GM: I love Weston for its small-town charm, incredible schools and because you always

run into someone you know at the grocery store. It feels just enough like we live in the country without being too far from conveniences.

Gena's top 5 spots:

1. Compo Beach: I'm happy whenever I am at the beach, any season, and especially love to paddleboard at Longshore in summer.

2. The Whelk: When we moved here almost 20 years ago, there were virtually no restaurants. So glad to live here in the Bill Taibe era.

3. St Mary's by the Sea : Kind of a surprise to find such a beautiful waterfront walkway in Bridgeport.

4. Cobbs Mill Inn: Here’s praying it reopens.

5. Sakura: So many happy memories having birthday dinners with our family, when we don't have a birthday, and all through Covid — I got takeout. I need an hibachi fix every once in a while.

Billy's 5 beloved Spots:

1. Compo Beach: All year round: Lobster rolls, white wine and sunsets are hard to beat.

2. Casa Me: Legit Italian! I haven’t been disappointed yet.

3. The Saugatuck Reservoir: I used to ride my motorcycle there to sit and meditate. If you haven’t gone, it’s a great place to go clear your mind or have a deep conversation.

4. LeChat Farm: Amazing upgrade since we moved here. Great family events!

5. Bluebird Inn: For breakfast!

SY: As parents of a child with special needs, have you found a supportive community here?

GM: Over time we have met incredible people in this community who have accepted our children and family at every stage, from summer camp at the Wilton YMCA, where they allowed our sons to attend with special education paras, to Temple Israel … to The Granola Bar — who allowed our son Jasper to volunteer in their commissary for the past several years.

BM: The biggest shift for us came when we met other autism families who we could talk to, share our experiences with and feel safe with. There’s no greater resource for families with special needs than finding other families like yours — people who “get it.” And along the way, our little micro-community would collectively identify the parks, places and restaurants that make families like ours feel welcome.

SY: The passion with which you carry out your mission to support children with special needs is impressive and requires vigilance and dedication. What does that look like for your family?

BM: Gena is a star, mom, and navigates our two boys and two girls in an almost supernatural way. Somehow she’s rarely out of breath. Then again, she was the photo editor of Elle Magazine when she was 23, and her unflappable ability to produce elaborate photoshoots with high-maintenance celebrities and deal with their reps and needs came in more than handy when balancing the needs, schedules and day-to-day blocking and tackling for all of our kids.

Neither of us knew what we were doing, but we really made a pact with one another that we would not let our relationship, our fun, our pride in our kids, get sucked into what can feel like a really challenging black hole of issues that come with special-needs parenting. GM: Billy is more of a big-picture person and he felt really frustrated that there weren’t autism resources for families like ours when Jasper was first diagnosed. …One day in the spring of 2006 as we were driving to see a movie in Fairfield, we had to pull over because a young Senator Billy had invited to our home to discuss autism policy was calling to discuss the gathering.

Spoiler alert: that senator was Barack Obama. Earlier that year, our friend — and my former boss — Atoosa Rubenstein, who founded CosmoGirl introduced us to Suzanne and Bob Wright, the founders of Autism Speaks (and Sasco Hill residents). Billy joined the board of Autism Speaks and found himself helping the Obama administration’s successful passing of a huge autism funding bill into law.

He wasn’t born to fit in and I guess neither were our boys. But if you ask Billy what plaque or award is the most important to him, he will

interview by samantha yanks // photography by spencer heyfron

tell you none of them compare to watching our son receive the first pen in the Oval Office from President Obama after he signed that funding bill into law. We have it framed on our wall.

SY: How best should people educate themselves about children with special needs? What are some services, tools and organizations to find out more?

GM: Due to the sharp rise of autism over the past 20 years — 1 in 36 children now — it feels like everyone now knows someone who has a child on the autism spectrum. When our kids were first in Weston Public School, I would go into Jasper’s class at the beginning of each year to teach the kids about autism and about what made him different and special.

Kids now seem much more familiar with kids who have special needs and learn differently. Today parents can go on YouTube or use ChatGPT to ask questions and get a ton of information, but we still think Autism Speaks can be a great introductory resource for parents with newly diagnosed children. Our younger son Felix attended Winston Prep, an incredible private school in Norwalk for different learners.

have recently become involved with Abilis, a Greenwich-based nonprofit that provides services and supports for 800 individuals with special needs in Fairfield County. BM: I think beyond the critical services and tools, our greatest hope is that people try to provide room for kids whose behaviors are different and who learn differently. As autism can be an invisible disability, often a young autistic person may not at first appear to have challenges, but maybe when you figure out that someone might need a little more time, or patience that you give it freely.

Our digital world is so fast, and we are so impulse-to-impact-driven that asking people to make room for others who need some patience can sometimes be a heavier lift than it should be. I think about that a lot, especially in such an affluent area where we all are so spoiled just by living here.

financially uncertain future, was not exactly the ideal marriage candidate for a nice girl like Gena.

GM: My older sister, Julie, was friends with Rema and actually went to their wedding. In the year or two that followed, she ran into Billy in New York, and they stayed in touch. He needed photos taken for something, and as I was a photo editor at the time. Julie connected us, definitely not with the intention of fixing us up. Billy was on tour at the time and had a show at Tramps in New York and invited me to the concert. That first meetup was the start of a long, and slow, coming together.

BM: Not long after we met, I assured her I would never get married again and that she should run from the disastrous musician who traveled all the time and find a nice boy who worked at Goldman Sachs. And her friends and family gave her the same advice.

GM: I knew he was the one. I just waited him out.

SY: How did you know it was time to start a family?

The Profound Autism Alliance is an important charity we support. …With that we

SY: And how did the two of you meet? BM: I have a very heavy backstory that, in addition to spending a couple of years living in my car, also includes having been married when I was in my twenties to an incredible young woman, Rema Hort, who died nine months after we were married from stomach cancer. As you can imagine, a burgeoning musician, widower with a professionally and

GM: When we married, we had dated for four years. We had run around New York, and traveled a lot. September 11 came about four months after our wedding, and like a lot of people who took stock of life after that day, we decided to start a family. The first few years were an absolute blur; our boys are 15 months apart!

SY: Tell us a bit about each of your children and their names and ages.

GM: Jasper is 21. He is profoundly autistic, joyful and has been a teacher for all of us. Felix is 20, he attends Landmark College in Vermont, one of only two schools in the country for neurodiverse students, and he loves music and traveling. Lulu is 16, she is a junior at Weston High School. She loves reading, musical theater and choir. Indie is nine, she is in fourth grade at Weston Intermediate School, and she runs the whole show at our house.

SY: What are you both passionate about doing locally?

BM: The people who know us and many of the challenges we have been through also know us to have an incredibly happy marriage. But that didn’t fall in our laps. As soon as Jasper was diagnosed, Cece McCarton, an autism pioneer from the McCarton Center, told us that we would have to take care of each other and invest time in our marriage to keep us together.

GM: Since then, we always have at least one “date night” every week. Even if it means sitting on a bench eating a slice of pizza, we have been religious about always checking in on each other. I wish it wasn’t true, but we’ve seen a lot of relationships get lost in the undertow of parenthood.

The above: Family portrait captured by Spencer Heyfron.

SY: Gena, you have an impressive editorial background. Can you tell us a bit about your career?

GM: I worked in magazines in the late ’90s/ early 2000s. I was the photo editor of Elle Magazine and then Oprah Magazine during its launch year. Then I was the photo director at Cosmogirl when I had the boys and left magazines when Jasper was diagnosed with autism to dive into figuring out his care.

We moved to CT and had the girls while living in Weston, and then, in 2016, a former magazine colleague approached me about starting a shopping and lifestyle platform for families raising children with special needs.

We started Wolf+Friends that year, which morphed into a community app for moms raising kids with special needs to meet other moms living in their area. It was an amazing startup and we had exciting traction before covid when suddenly nobody was meeting anyone out in their neighborhood anymore and sustaining a community platform while home schooling four kids became difficult. Wolf+Friends was acquired in 2022 by Dotcom Therapy.

SY: Let’s get into music a bit. Billy, when we were photographing this cover, taking a guitar out was such a natural act. You mentioned you love to play for your son when he is home. Can you share a bit about that?

BM: If I’m being truthful and abandon the “guitar is an extension of myself” cliché, I think I just feel more secure with a guitar

below: Gena's hair done by Emily Sandoval. right: Gena's dress and sweater are Jenni Kayne. Billy's sweater is Todd Snyder and pants from Saks Fifth Avenue.

this photo: Gena's top from The Frankie Shop and is wearing vintage Levi's.

in my hands, on my lap, even on my back. … It makes sense that all of our kids have music woven into their lives. While both of our boys are neurodivergent, our younger son, Felix, has perfect pitch and plays guitar and piano constantly. Our girls are also super into music. Lulu is President of Company at Weston High School and just played Gretchen in this year’s production of Mean Girls and Indie sings with us sometimes, loves dancing and both girls strum guitars with me, too.

SY: Can you tell us about your studio and collection of instruments. Do you enjoy playing yourself or working more with artists developing their talent? Or both?

GM: I had an insane wish list for us when we started looking to live outside the city. …I basically wanted a slice of Central Park that felt safe for our autistic kids to play in, without waiting for swings. And yes, while we totally love Westport and all of the amenities, Weston has two-acre zoning and is more rural, and I wanted a retreat feeling so that when artists came to our little compound, they could lie in the hammock and write lyrics, or go out on the canoe to practice, or swim. So finding our home took time and when we found it,

come more than an hour outside the city to Weston to work, so I wanted to make sure it felt special here.

BM: If you asked me if I preferred doing music for myself versus developing other artists in the past, I would probably say I preferred the solitary part of it. But I think that’s in part because I didn’t want to rely on other people’s schedules or work ethic. I’m an extremely hard worker and have always felt like if I can’t outplay someone, I’ll outwork them. But as I got more successful, I started to realize that higher altitudes of talent brought higher intensity and a lot of humility. …I realized quickly that I get better faster playing with people who are approaching music from a different perspective than me.

SY: Professionally, Billy: Can you share a bit about your impressive music career? Who are some of your favorite artists that you have worked with?

BM: If Forrest Gump had been about a music journeyman, it definitely would be me — a story no one would believe could happen. I started writing songs and playing guitar at

5. Between 4th and 9th grade I went to six different schools in Philly, even while I was a good student who excelled at music. As long as I was doing music, I wasn’t in trouble and I didn’t get sucked into the more lethal booby traps that a lot of my peers did with “that life.”

When I finished school, I had a series of manager experiences that ultimately led me to get out of Philly and live in my car for about two years. (Years later) I got signed as a solo artist that came out on A&M Records, and it was a flop. But the whole time I was recording that first album, I was trying to write songs for other people, with other people. And some amazing things came out of that time: I learned the music industry, I got to tour with amazing artists like Sting, Hall & Oates and Page/Plant, and later wound up writing or producing with some of them.

SY: During your time living at your Weston home you have had an impressive roster of artists come for a visit. Can you share a few names? What emerging artists are you enjoying working with now?

GM: Our home in Weston has seen a lot of incredible artists and I have some hilarious highlight moments that stick out for me.

left: Fender Precision Bass next to an old nylon guitar below: Gena wearing Jenni Kayne right: At the board, Turtle

The Backstreet Boys came for a week and half of the guys stayed at the house and the other half crashed at the Westport Inn. …I remember John Legend and I writing, and on a break he took my son Felix riding through Weston on our bicycle built-for-two. Of course, Michael Bolton, coming over and spending most of our time together in the sunroom talking about fatherhood and then the two of us writing Christmas songs at the Steinway. …But we’ve also had President Obama, Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Congressman Jim Himes, and other leaders here to mainly talk about how to help support autism families with funding and more inclusive policies. And I’m not just about the Democrats; I’m open to speaking to anyone who wants to help autism families. They are my political party.

BM: I do really love developing artists and somehow I’ve got a knack for finding talent in their infancy and taking that risk. Some new artists I’m really loving working with right now is an indie project from Staten Island called Ferry Townes, which is signed to Licorice Pizza in L.A., a supertalented hip-hop Mexican-American artist called Obed Padilla, and I have an indie company with my partner, Benton James, where we had a top 10 classical album with neo-classical pianist, BLKBOK. And we partnered with fellow Westonite Jon Singer’s music publishing company, Spirit Music, and signed hip-hop producer TWhyXclusive who won 3 Grammys this year for Killer Mike. … Oh, and then I’ve got a podcast called, “Yeah, I F***ed That Up,” where I interview celebrities about their moments of self-doubt and failure. I’ll start season two sometime in the new year. And as always I’ve got new songs to come with Cher, Lizzen, Allen Stone and some others ahead. Honestly, I still can’t believe I’m able to do all of this for a living. It’s busy but I’m loving it.

SY: What are you most looking forward to at the moment?

GM: Summer! Weston is so beautiful in the summertime. Once we open our pool and the flowers are blooming, we rarely leave the house (except to go to the beach). And Billy’s very into sitting in the canoe on our lake and catching large-mouth bass while listening to music. It's our favorite time of year to be with our family and we love to have all the kids home.

BM: The summer with my family. We love Compo Beach. We love walking. The amazing thing about Westport/Weston is that it’s an all year round community that becomes a beach town in the summers. My kids are the happiest in the sun and so is Gena and that’s all I want. And the charities that are important to us are always front and center. ABILIS in Greenwich, Profound Autism Alliance and the Rema Hort Mann Foundation which I cofounded to honor my late wife which has been going strong now for nearly 30 years.

above: Mann cave Billy playing on vintage Steinway below: Gena's makeup done by Emily Rosnick left:

In compiling a guide of unique must-eat/mustshop spots, must-see/must-do activities and must-meet gurus in Fairfield County, several facts become clear: (1) We are very lucky to live in a place where an abundantly good life is within such easy reach, and (2) there are not enough pages in this magazine to list everything our unique corner of the world has to offer. But we would love to grow it online with our savvy readers’ inside scoop! Visit mofflylifestylemedia.com to share your suggestions in the comments section. »

WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED WITH FOOD THAT WILL SATISFY YOUR TASTE BUDS AND UP YOUR ODDS OF REACHING CENTENARIAN STATUS. INTO COMFORT FOOD? A CHIC SETTING? SATISFYING YOUR SWEET TOOTH? WE’VE SCOUTED OUT THE SPOTS AND SHOPS FOR EVERY PALATE

BRUNCH BUNCH

For organic, seasonal farm-to-table fare and a super-chic setting, look no further than Baldanza at the Schoolhouse in Wilton. Locals consider it the best weekend brunch spot and love their mission: “We work with farms that embrace the humane treatment of animals that are both hormone-free and fed grains that are GMO-free. These farms are owned by people who care about our sustainable future and grow crops that do not use synthetic pesticides or chemical fertilizers.”

baldanza at the schoolhouse

43 Cannon Road, Wilton hours: Wed.–Sat. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sun. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. baldanzarestaurants.com

ARTFUL DINING

For coffee that is artfully prepared, tea, pastries, lite fare, enticing adult beverages and stimulation of the right brain, visit Art Space Cafe in The Norwalk Art Space. Local culinary artists and their products are incorporated into the menu. Bonus: There is no fee to enjoy the art, music and good vibes that abound at The Norwalk Art Space.

art space cafe

455 West End Avenue, Norwalk (entrance on Butler Street) hours: Wed.–Fri. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sat.–Sun. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. thenorwalkartspace.org/café

VENERA ALEXANDROVA

Brunch at Baldanza

Art Space Cafe

SECRET SPOT

Allium Eatery is so under the radar that even the website still says “Coming Soon,” though this French-inspired cafe/cozy restaurant across from the Westport Train Station opened in 2021. The exquisite attention to detail and flavors will win over even the most discerning diner. Squint and you might think you’re savoring a meal in Paris. Takeout available.

allium eatery

54 Railroad Avenue, Westport hours: Wed.–Sat. 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. alliumwestport.com

CHIC COMFORT

Whether you indulge in verdant veggies (sourced from local Bridgeport farms) or comfort items like smoked fried chicken or shrimp and grits, 29 Markle Ct. delivers decadent presentations of its delicious dishes. (Think The Bear—the TV show, not the animal.) Bonus: Enjoy the iconic art on the walls while dining.

29 markle ct.

29 Markle Court, Bridgeport hours: Tues.–Thurs

Kitchen 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Bar 4 p.m. to late Fri.–Sat. Kitchen 4:30 to 10 p.m. Bar 4 p.m. to late Sun. Kitchen 3 to 8 p.m.

Bar 3 to 10 p.m.

29marklect.com

BRING ON THE BOOZE

Tired of waiting in line at the bar? Head on over to Hop & Vine Taproom, where you can pour your own draft of mostly local craft beers from 69 automated taps. Global wines, ciders, seltzers, kombucha, nitro coffee and mocktails are also available, as well as an “eclectic global fusion of funky fare” on the seasonal menu.

hop & vine taproom

30 Spring Street, Stamford hours: Mon., Wed., Thurs. & Fri. 4 p.m. to close, Sat & Sun. 11 a.m. to close (kitchen closes at 10 p.m. nightly) hopandvinect.com

South Bay is a restaurant and a hopping bar, and that’s what one loyal customer remembered—well, mostly— from a girls’ Saturday night out: “The DJ is so good and the espresso martinis definitely keep you going!”

south bay

403 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich hours: Mon.–Tues. 4–9:30 p.m., Wed.–Thurs. 12 to 10 p.m. (bar until 12 a.m. on Thursday) Fri.–Sat. 12 to 11 p.m. (bar until 1 a.m.) happy hour: Mon.–Fri. 4 to 6 p.m. southbayct.com/greenwich »

29 Markle Ct.

FASHIONABLE LITE BITES

The inviting Browne & Co. Café is a lovely stop for a cup of Zumbach’s coffee and baked goods or a light meal and some light— or heavy—shopping for one-of-a-kind gifts and chic decor items. For heavier entertaining needs, the catering department brings 25 years experience in everything from intimate dinners to corporate events and weddings.

At the picturesque

Mercantile at GrayBarns Café and marketplace, ladies love to sit outside with a glass of wine and a charcuterie board. After a soup and salad and a browse through the curated provisions and dinners togo, check out the selection of private-label goods and gifts—clothing, linens, home goods, décor—for sale in the marketplace (and online).

browne & co. cafe

865 Boston Post Road, Darien hours: Mon.–Fri. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. dianebrowne.com

mercantile at graybarns

193 Perry Avenue, Norwalk hours: Tues.–Sun. 9 a.m. –5 p.m. mercantileatgraybarns.com

ROW & FINE DINE

Well, maybe shower in between. The Saugatuck Rowing Club has an upscale gym, yoga and workout classes, and an extensive rowing program. Upstairs, with a gorgeous view of the river, is the Boathouse at Saugatuck restaurant. The menu and ambiance are both exquisite. The Boathouse also accommodates private events.

boathouse at saugatuck

521 Riverside Avenue, Westport hours: Wed.–Sat. 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Sun. Brunch 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. boathouseatsaugatuck.com

EAT & GROOVE

Like some live music with (or after) your meal? Fans say it’s well worth the outing to BRYAC Black Rock and Park City Music Hall, both in Bridgeport. Check their websites for packed schedules of live bands.

bryac black rock

3074 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport hours: Mon.–Thurs. Bar 3 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Kitchen 3 to 11 p.m., Fri.–Sat. Bar 12 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Kitchen 12 to 11 p.m.

Sun. Bar 11 to 1 a.m.

Kitchen 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Bryac.biz

park city music hall

2926 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport hours: Tues.–Wed.

5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Thurs. 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Fri.–Sat. 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

parkcitymusichall.com

Wine and Cheese at Mercantile at GrayBarns

Browne and Co. Café manager, Jonathan Smith

THROWBACK INDULGENCE

Sometimes there’s nothing like your favorite diner, donut shop or pizza slice to give you that ol’ lifeis-good feeling. Coffee An’ receives rave reviews for having the nicest staff and greatest donuts and eggs. Colony Grill has produced a number of pizza addicts, who can’t get enough of Colony’s thin-crust pies, drizzled with a spicy pepper hot oil. Luckily, now there are three locations in the area. Colony also has a pizza truck available for private parties. Greenwich & Delancey is the place to take your parents for old-school pastrami or corn beef sandwiches and the best babka. Lakeside Diner is “truly our most special greasy spoon,” says a Stamford fan, “cozy, crowded. Signature donuts. Yum.” A Wiltonite raves: “Rise Doughnuts is beloved for their donuts, chic café, great coffee and gracious staff.”

coffee an’ donut shop

343 Main Street, Westport hours: Mon.–Sat. 7 a.m.–3 p.m. Sun. 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m. coffeean. business.site

colony grill

1520 Post Road, Fairfield

515 West Avenue, Norwalk

172 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford hours: Mon.–Thurs.

11:30 a.m.–11 p.m.

Fri.–Sat. 11:30 –12:30 a.m.

Sun. 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m. colonygrill.com

greenwich & delancey

59 East Putnam Avenue, Cos Cob hours: Sun. – Thurs. 11 a.m.–9 p.m. (last seating 7:45 p.m.)

greenwichanddelancey.com

lakeside diner

1050 Long Ridge Road, Stamford hours: Mon.–Fri. 6 a.m.–3 p.m., Sat.–Sun. 6 a.m.–2 p.m.

lakesidediner.org

rise doughnuts

28 Center Street, Wilton hours: Tues.–Fri. 7 a.m.–2 p.m. Sat.–Sun. 8 a.m.–1 p.m.

@risedoughnut on Instagram »

Greenwich & Delancey

Rise Doughnuts owners, Laura Malone and Hugh Mangum

VENERA ALEXANDROVA

SWEET SWEETS

The high-fructose corn syrup in processed foods is deadly, but a little indulgence of some locally made sweets can only be good for the heart, right? Here are our picks.

flour water salt bread

20 Grove Street, Darien; 160 E. Putnam Ave., Cos Cob

hours: Tues.–Sat. 8 a.m.–1 p.m. (or until sold out)

flourwatersaltbread.com

For amazing pastries—pain au chocolat, bomboloni, coffee cake— visit Flour Water Salt Bread in Darien and Greenwich. We advise double committing to carbs and picking up some to-die-for breads, as well. Plenty of the 100-yearolds living in those Blue Zones are freshly-baked-bread eaters.

magnolia chocolatier

magnoliachocolatier.com

Magnolia Chocolatier is a Black female-owned small batch chocolatier that has moved from Stamford to Stratford. But no matter, everything you need to prove why life is so worth living— bonbons, truffles, confections, custom printed chocolates—is available on the website.

shiro

172 Bedford Street, Stamford hours: Mon.–Thurs. 12–10 p.m. Fri.–Sun. 11 a.m.–11 p.m.

Shiroct.com

A female-owned Asian dessert and nonalcoholic drink shop, Shiro features crepes, slushies (far from the neon red and blue variety), hot drinks and enticing cool beverages: Hibiscus Sparkling Ade, Oreo Milk, Brown Sugar Boba.

the cake box

10 Bay Street, Westport hours: Tues.–Sat. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. (or until they sell out)

ctcakebox.com

The Cake Box is the opposite of cake from the box. Every scrumptious cake and cupcake is made from scratch. All items are available gluten-free, and there are options to please vegans too.

Editor's Note: An addendum to the Green & Tonic listing on the opposite page, from a discerning customer with a sweet tooth: “The Oat Milk Soft Serve is amazing. It tastes like real ice cream and is totally dairy-free.”

EPICUREAN DELIGHTS

Whether you're shopping with health and animal welfare in mind or looking for authentic ethnic ingredients, this list has you covered.

Saugatuck Provisions has a master butcher who sources meats from local farms; fresh oysters, other shellfish and fish; charcuterie and cheese; Italian pasta and sauces, as well as prepared roasts and sandwiches.

Double L Market brings you locally sourced produce, meats and select products that meet all the criteria for ingesting what will help you live to 100—and help the planet outlive you. Hudson Milk + Market delivers milk in glass bottles and fresh eggs to your door, as well as other dairy products, meat and produce—all from small familyowned farms.

Cucina Daniella offers fine Italian imports. Maruichi Japanese Food & Deli features produce, meat, fish, bread, snacks, drinks and gifts from Japan. For an Indian supermarket, visit Patel Brothers. And for all the spices you could ever dream of, Penzey’s is it. (I know a culinary enthusiast who travels here from Pennsylvania.)

Darien Cheese & Fine Foods has been bringing loyal turophiles the world’s finest cheeses since 1967. Modern Love Cheese and Provisions calls its shop a “foodie paradise,” and cheese lovers agree.

saugatuck provisions

580 Riverside Avenue, Westport hours: Mon.–Sat. 9 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. 203-557-3655

cucina daniella

Shop online or at the New Canaan Farmer’s Market on Saturdays and Westport Farmer’s Market on Thursday Oct. 12 and Nov. 9. Store opening soon! daniellasmarketplace.com

darien cheese & fine foods

25 Old Kings Highway North, Darien hours: Wed.–Fri. 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. dariencheese.com

VENERA ALEXANDROVA

The Cake Box

Matcha Mille Crepe and Mochi Donuts from Shiro

double l market

730 Post Road East, Westport hours: Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. doublelmarket.com

hudson milk + market hudsonmilk.com

maruichi japanese food & deli

1980 West Main Street, Stamford hours: Mon.–Sun. 9 a.m.–7 p.m. maruichius.net

modern love cheese and provisions

71 High Ridge Road, Stamford hours: Tues.–Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

203-274-5190

@modernlovecheeseandprovisions on Instagram

patel brothers

330 Connecticut Avenue #3, Norwalk hours: Mon.–Sun. 10 a.m.–8 p.m. patelbros.com

penzey’s spices

197 Westport Avenue, Norwalk hours: Mon.–Sat.

10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. penzeys.com

CLEAN UP!

If you have watched You Are What You Eat or Live to 100 on Netflix, then no doubt you are all about cutting-the-crap. From new Green & Tonic and Sweetgreen locations to Supr. Food Kitchen (not just super food but its own parking lot off the Avenue), delicious health food has never been so abundant. Juice cleanses, acai bowls, superfood smoothies, breakfast sandwiches, seasonal soups, wraps, veggie burgers (Green & Tonic); warm grain bowls and salads, chock-full of colorful veggies, and topped with your favorite protein (Sweetgreen); all of the above and throw in some ethnic flair with saute bowls like Curry Up and Korean BBQ (Supr. Food)—yum!

supr. food kitchen

19 West Elm Street, Greenwich hours: Mon.–Fri.

8 a.m.–7 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m.–6 p.m. Sun. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. suprfoodkitchen.com

sweetgreen

126 Heights Road, Darien hours: Mon.–Fri. 10:30 a.m.–

9 p.m., Sat.–Sun. 10:30 a.m.–

8 p.m.

102 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich hours: Mon.–Sun.

10:30 a.m.–9 p.m. coming soon

374 Post Road East, Westport sweetgreen.com

green & tonic Cos Cob/Darien/ Westport/New Canaan

coming soon: Stamford & Old Greenwich

Check website for addresses and hours greenandtonic.com »

Saugatuck Provisions

PRIVATE AFFAIRS

Looking to throw a private dinner or party? Here is a handful of venues, each with its unique vibe, from private rooms at Bonda, The Goose and Townhouse to the charming Ned Dimes Marina Clubhouse (which may seem small, but this writer has personally tested it as a roller rink and proven it’s bigger than it looks) to the bright farm-to-table party space with a chef’s kitchen that is Tim’s Kitchen at Wakeman Town Farms

bonda

75 Hillside Road, Fairfield hours: Tues.–Fri. 5:30 pm.–9 p.m. Sat.–Sun. 5:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.

bondarestaurant.com

ned dimes marina

clubhouse

50 Compo Beach Road, Westport $275 rental fee, 50 people or less westportct.gov

the goose

972 Boston Post Road, Darien hours: Mon.–Thurs. 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m.

Fri.–Sat. 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m. Sun. 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m. thegoosedarien.com

townhouse

35 Church Street, Greenwich hours: Tues.–Thurs. 12–10 p.m. Fri.–Sat. 12 p.m.–11 p.m.

townhousegreenwich.com

wakeman town farms –tim’s kitchen

134 Cross Highway, Westport wakemantownfarm.org

There are numerous wonderful Fairfield County caterers, but here are a few fun ones you may not have tried yet.

Crepes Choupette will give your party Parisian flair with its French crepe food cart. Fine and Dandy offers its popular “elegant dinner party in a box”—with elegant being the operative word—as well as complete in-house culinary services. For a catered party of Mexican and fusion fare, Tumu’s spread is fresh, delicious and gorgeous.

crepes choupette

1027 Boston Post Rd, Darien hours: Tues. & Thurs.–Sat. 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wed. 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sun. 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. crepeschoupette.com fine

CATERING WITH A TWIST GETTING IT WRITE

Set the tone for your event from the minute the invitation lands in your guests’ hands. Erica Jean Calligraphy promises to make every written detail special on invitations, envelopes, menus, place cards and seating charts. Erica can even paint custom designs for bottles and signs.

erica jean calligraphy e-mail: erica@ericajeancalligraphy .com; 917-742-2723 ericajeancalligraphy.com

tumu

203-292-3338.

e-mail: tumufood@gmail.com

2126 Post Road, Fairfield tumufoodtogo.com »

Tumu owner Karla Krassin

Crepes Choupette

Treasure Hunt Treasure Hunt

Make an elegant statement day or night with the new Mini Infinity crafted from Italian pebble leather, featuring two interior pockets as well as a convenient crossbody strap.

FROM PERSONALIZED JEWELS TO FAB THRIFT STORE FINDS, YOUR NEXT UNIQUE PURCHASE IS IN THE BAG The

HEAVENLY HANDBAGS

harper lawrence harper-lawrence.com

Treat yourself—or your wife—to a luxury handbag from Harper Lawrence, crafted in Milan or Florence by master artisans using beautiful, ethically sourced, Italian leathers. Harper Lawrence was founded by Heather Harper (New Canaan) and Laura Wilcock (Darien) in 2015. In addition to a colorful, supremely stylish line of bags, the brand also offers gorgeous belts with interchangeable straps and buckles. The best part: A portion of all proceeds is donated to World Vision to help empower women and girls worldwide.

HIDDEN GEMS

Graduation and anniversary season is coming up, and these local jewelry makers have the answer for personal gifts that will be treasured for life—and even for generations to come.

lynne mercein fine jewelry lynnemercein.com

Lynne Mercein draws inspiration from beaches, mountains and countryside around the globe to design the unique pieces in her fine jewelry collection. The line caters to both men and women, with a range from everyday luxe to exquisite statement pieces. Lynne hand selects all gems, and each of her creations is a meticulously crafted work of art. Lynne also offers a bespoke service and collaborates with clients to create custom pieces or revive existing stones, giving a new lease on life to treasured family heirlooms.

This necklace, created for a client’s wedding day, is comprised of diamonds extracted from several inherited antique pieces for an extra special “something old, something new.”

genevieve lau genevievelau.com

Genevieve Lau

offers

devon woodhill devonwoodhill.com

one-of-a-kind and classic investment pieces. For the gift that keeps on giving, consider purchasing from the Giving collection. For each Loved necklace, Lucky Charm Clover and Imperfect Yet Perfect Heart necklace sold, one of the same necklaces is donated to someone struggling with illness or loss.

Devon Woodhill brings a modern edge to the classic locket and offers an array of customizable pieces on which to inscribe initials, messages or monograms: Signet rings, Mantra rings, Round Pinky rings, Heart charms, Circle charms and lockets to carry cherished photos close to your heart. There are even ultra-stylish charms for your favorite furry friend. To begin personalizing your piece, email makeitmine@devonwoodhill.com

GIFT FINDS

It’s better to give than to receive—but chances are you are going to supplement your giftshopping with some irresistible finds for yourself from these shops and sites.

A quaint yet sophisticated little home shop, Found and Design offers new and vintage furniture and housewares, plus hostess gifts and a unique jewelry selection. Navy Lobster, a sweet underthe-radar gift shop, is impeccably curated and has become the go-to for in-the-know Greenwich gals. Visit Seaside Delights, on the river in Pinkney Park, for beachthemed apparel, art and gifts. Splurge offers an array of gifts including tween girl must-haves. But did you know Splurge offers instant custom printing on all sorts of items from frames to cutting boards? This service is offered while you wait, for instant, one-ofa-kind, personal gift creation. Visit Weekend Glow Candles’ site to discover a Stamford nurse’s passion project—homemade, nontoxic pretty candles. Founder, Melissa Kauffman, also offers candle-making classes at Stamford garden center Designs by Lee.

seaside delights

177 Rowayton Avenue, Rowayton (entrance on Butler Street)

hours: Tues.–Thurs. & Sat. 11 a.m. –3 p.m., Fri. 12–5:00 p.m. seasidedelights.com

splurge

39 Lewis Street, Greenwich hours: Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. (203) 869-7600

weekend glow candles

weekendglowcandles.com

IG: @weekendglow_candles

Candle-making classes: designsbylee.com/event-organizer/ weekend-glow-candles »

found and design

36 Elm Street, New Canaan (entrance on Butler Street) hours: Mon.–Sat. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. foundanddesign.com

navy lobster

58 William Street, Greenwich (entrance on Butler Street) hours: Tues.–Fri. 11 a.m. –5 p.m., Sat. 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m.; 203-625-8243

IG: @navy_lobster

A custom Devon Woodhill monogram locket is a great gift for someone you love or as an expression of self love. From font to finish, diamond details to inner image, this locket is truly unique.

Weekend Glow Candles

Lucky Charm and Loved Necklaces

Pink & White

Floral Dessert Plates, Found and Design

Be Well

Be Well

body fit training (BFT)

403 Post Road East, Westport bodyfittraining.com/location/ westport

OPTIONS FOR KEEPING YOUR MIND AND BODY IN TIP-TOP SHAPE

LET’S GET PHYSICAL

All the research points in the same direction: If you want a good, long life, get off the couch! Fortunately, in Fairfield County the options for creative and fun workouts are endless. Here are some gyms, studios and local gurus that your body needs—and may even crave once you’re hooked.

Body Fit Training just opened in Westport, and it’s attracting everyone from high school jocks to seasoned athletes with its progressive group strength training workouts that use science, excellent trainers and variety to keep you and your muscles engaged. fun fact: Former Westporter Mark Wilkerson (Melissa Joan Hart’s husband) opened a BFT in Nashville recently.

body shock

1362 Post Road East, Westport bodyshockstudio.com

Gerardo at Body Shock has a cult following for his half-cardio/halfweights workouts. He is a former dancer—with a heart transplant—so his healthy, holistic approach is not that of your standard muscle man.

hot phiit

138 East Putnam Road, Cos Cob 25 Old Kings Highway North, Darien hotphiit.com

Remember when hot yoga became all the rage? Well, the heat is now hitting interval training. Hot Phiit is an innovative studio that combines beat-based workouts with the healing benefits of FAR infrared heat. Expect a studio temp of 100 degrees and long, lean, flexible muscles as a result, plus a strong core and improved circulation.

Sarah Sadie Newett Hot Phiit

SARAH

revolution training & rf youth boxing

18 Elmcroft Road, Stamford revolutiontrainingct.com rfyouthboxing.org

Black-owned Revolution Training/ RF Youth Boxing is the place to be for boxing enthusiasts and those who want to jab and hook their way to a toned, fit bod. Revolution Training even offers Byoga, combining vinyasa yoga and boxing fundamentals, and “white-collar boxing” matches. RF Youth Boxing hosts after-school, weekend and summer camp programs with an emphasis on providing a space where young people “can find connection, encouragement and empowerment through the art of boxing.”

HOLISTIC HEALTH

Wellness is at the very foundation of the good life and there are many paths to maximizing your physical and mental health.

rock pile golf club

600 West Putnam Avenue, Greenwich rockpilegolfclub.com

Yearn to golf year-round, through blizzards, hail and rain? At Rock Pile Golf Club, an indoor golf club with state-of-the-art simulators and top-notch instructors, mud and frost bite are not concerns. Golfers won’t get in the steps of four hours walking a course, but a round of golf has never been so efficient. Plus, strength and speed training classes are available for the over-achievers.

25 Sylvan Road South, Westport indigowellnessgroup.com

sarah sadie newett

292 North Avenue, Westport sarahsadienewett.com

Group and private aerial classes … need we say more? Sarah will turn your fitness regime upside down, literally. For those with fear of heights, no worries. The SSN Method also draws from yoga and pilates, for mat workouts unlike anything you have tried.

christa martino

astrologercoachchrista.com

Chances are you have not considered astrology as part of your wellness journey, but astrologer and life coach Christa Martino is sure to make you feel serene. (And our greenwich mag editor gives her an enthusiastic thumbs-up!) Christa's astrology consultations help to “unpack blocks, dismantle barriers, discern life lessons and tap into inner and cosmic resources to manifest vision, goals and dreams.”

Indigo Wellness melds traditional healing with modern wellness to nurture the mind, body and spirit with acupuncture and Chinese medicine, energy healing, grief therapy, holistic skincare, integrative nutrition, massage and psychotherapy.

SPRING CLEANING— YEAR ROUND

remedy by raven massage & bodywork remedybyraven.as.me

203-278-3385

the pilates advantage

414 Olmstead Hill Road, Wilton mindbodyonline.com/explore

The Pilates Advantage is “fantastic for overall health and for injury prevention and recovery,” raves a client. Enjoy private, semi-private and group training.

haus of hush

6 Glenville Street, Greenwich hausofhush.com

Haus of Hush is the place to go for balance and harmony. With astrology, compression therapy, Himalayan salt rooms, sound baths, reiki and more, the only hard part is leaving. Most services last 20 minutes, enabling clients to combine multiple therapies. (Christa Martino also books sessions at Hush.)

($120/hour, plus travel if more than 30 miles from Norwalk) Raven Redd brings her blissful massage therapy to the comfort of your own home, where you may lock her in and never let her leave. Whether to relieve muscle soreness or assist in injury recovery, Raven is a master. three treasures/sara beth 213 East Putnam Avenue (2nd floor) Cos Cob

3treasures-healing.com

indigo wellness group

66 Glenbrook Road, Stamford

Sarah Beth at Three Treasures offers cranial-sacral therapy, medical qigong and integrated energy therapy that clients swear by.

jesse gestal/ organizing by jag revelinginit.com

Nothing says wellness like a nice purge of neglected items cluttering up our closets and basements. Leave it to pro Jesse Gestal of Organizing by JAG to take a load off, and you are gonna feel extra light this spring. Only have a small task for her? No problem. She’s game for any project. She is also an artist, so you can add a playroom mural while you are subtracting junk.

And Jesse knows your junk may be someone else’s treasure. She always donates usable items and recommends these organizations, if you are looking to do the same directly: Sharing Shelf, Neighbor to Neighbor, Pick Up Please (picks up donations), United Breast Cancer Foundation (also picks up) and Catholic Charities (picks up furniture); contact Ford at fsmith@ ccfc-ct.org or 475-319-1469). »

Haus of Hush

Christa Martino

GET CRAFTY

make-modern’s sweet space offers sewing and crafting classes for kids and adults, plus a summer camp—from remaking your bedroom in “Interior Designers” to channeling the Italian greats in “Pucci to Gucci: Italian Fashion Week.” 1985

make-modern.com

ENQUIRING MINDS

curious jane camp is for girls who like to make things. Campers pick a theme each week, like Spy Science, Kitchen Chemistry, Room Makeover or Toy Design. Projects revolve around science, engineering and design.

Sessions are for K–1, 2–3, and 4–6. Rising 7–9 graders participate in the CIT program. August 12–16, Saugatuck Congregational Church, 245 Post Road East, Westport curiousjane.fun

ACTING OUT

Get behind the scenes and onscreen in one of triple threat academy’s award-winning short films directed by Golden Globe–nominee and Westport native Cynthia Gibb. Cast members from previous summers have traveled to Hollywood and New York City to see themselves on the big screen at major film festivals. 58 Post Rd. E, Westport, triplethreat.us

KITCHEN KIDS

Pass on the joy of cooking to your children with sur la table’s fun cooking and baking classes for kids and teens. 106 Heights Road #R102, Darien surlatable.com

NATURAL SELECTION

earthplace is not just for kids! Adults can enjoy Craft and Sip: Natural Dyeing on June 13, 6 to 8 p.m. and Earthplace Book Club: May 22, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (free). The group will discuss Eager by Ben Goldfard. Reserve a copy at your local library. Look for fun family events, too, like Themed Campfires and Group Canoe Paddles. 10 Woodside Lane, Westport earthplace.org

FASHION PLATES

ellen gang design studio

Fashion campers have fun as they learn fashion design skills through projects, lessons, style challenges and games. Completed projects might include skirts, tops, shorts, bags, decorating and dip dyeing–with a special focus on upcycling,

reusing, recycling and reinventing. fashion camp

Rising 4th to 7th Grades Mon.–Fri. 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

July 15–July 19

July 22–July 26

July 29–August 2

August 12–August 16

Westport; ellengangdesignstudio.com

SPEAKING UP

jill jaysen’s mission is: “Helping teens find their voice to stand up and speak for themselves and others and lead us into a better world.” She has coached kids on public speaking, standing out in the college admissions pool and achieving dreams on stage and screen, as well as bolstering confidence and self-esteem. Free, 10-minute parent phone consultation. Email: info@ admissionaccomplished.com

TO BE OR NOT TO BE

At shakespeare on the sound summer camp campers learn about performing Shakespeare’s text and work as an ensemble as they discover character and develop their very own play. For new and seasoned actors alike. No Shakespeare experience necessary. Ages 8 to 15; June 17– 21 and 24–28 (performance on June 28); 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Rowayton shakespeareonthesound.org/ summer-camps

RETRO CAMPOUT

Camping Under the Stars Night at the new canaan nature center is an event your kids will remember forever with camp tunes, an animal show, a night hike and—of course— s’mores. The Great American Campout: June 22, 3:30 p.m.–June 23, 9:30 a.m. 144 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan newcanaannature.org »

Ellen Gang Design Studio

"Midsummer" of 2021 at Shakespeare On The Sound

GETTING GROUNDED

Check out tai chi, knitting, cooking and yoga for adults and Little Farmhands and Little Chefs programs for the kiddos at lachat town farm, an educational and cultural facility dedicated to fostering a connection with community and the land. Westonites can rent a bed in the community garden.

106 Godfrey Road West, Weston lachattownfarm.org

WHAT’S NEW ON STAGE

There are so many wonderful open-air summer stage events to consider as temperatures rise: New Canaan Summer Theatre, Waveny Park Concert Series (New Canaan), Levitt Pavilion concerts (Westport), Shakespeare on the Sound (at Pinkney Park in Rowayton), events at Grace Farms (New Canaan), Alive at 5 concert series at Mill River Park (Stamford), performances at the Hartford Health Care Amphitheater (Bridgeport), shows at Binney Park and Roger Sherman Baldwin Park (Greenwich), to name a few. We won’t elaborate on those out-inplain-sight gems, but we do have the scoop on a few new developments on the theater scene.

Westport Country Playhouse

Connecticut Stage Company

westport country playhouse has all kinds of new programming, including “Barnstormers”—a series of small events from cabarets to play readings—in the Lucille Lortel White Barn adjacent to the theater, which provide an opportunity for local artists to exercise their creative muscle in a cozy and intimate setting.

“From the Page to the Stage” Playhouse tours led by Playhouse archivist Bruce Miller are available to the public by reservation. The 90-minute guided tours explore backstage, the green room, dressing rooms, scene shop, costume designs and set models. Participants will stand on the same stage where Gene Wilder, James Earl Jones, Jane Fonda, Eartha Kitt, Paul Newman and, more recently, Jonathan Groff, Kelli O’Hara and Patti LuPone have performed Historic anecdotes reveal how the Playhouse, originally a cow barn, provided inspiration for the creation of Oklahoma! and My Fair Lady and moved 42 plays to Broadway.

25 Powers Court (off Route 1), Westport westportplayhouse.org

connecticut stage company launched last fall with its debut production Into the Woods. The staged reading at New Canaan Library brought out Broadway stars Jacob Keith Watson (Merrily We Roll Along), Nicole Ferguson (Days of Wine and Roses), Nick Rehberger and Eric Chambliss (both Fiddler on the Roof) to wow audiences with their powerhouse voices, alongside local talent.

CSC, an artistic haven for creators, storytellers and supporters of the arts, is “dedicated to producing quality theatrical performances with and for our community.”

26 Forest Street, New Canaan connecticutstagecompany.org

All eyes are on Westport as Three Local Culinary Movers and Shakers are expanding their concepts nationally.

Gone are the days when suburbs in Fairfield County are longing for New York restaurants to make their way east. From inventive Pan-Asian flavors to bagels born during the pandemic and a brand which has gone from granola to glam, our culinary masterminds in Westport are taking their inspired ideas to New York, Colorado and, we hear, beyond ….

by samantha yanks

adam goldberg ◉ founder/ceo of popup bagels

bill taibe • chef/owner of kawa ni

julie mountain and dana noorily • founder/ceo's of the granola bar

PHOTO: ADAM AND BAGELS BY ANDREA CARSON; STORE EXTERIOR, JUILE AND DANA BY FRANCES DENNY; BILL, FOOD AND BUILDING

Manhattan store front

Upper West Side of Manhattan location

Denver location

adam goldberg ◉ Adam Goldberg

When did you launch Popup Bagels?

Our first official sale was in December of 2020.

How many Connecticut locations do you have?

We have four locations in Connecticut; Westport, Greenwich, Redding, Newtown, and our fifth location in Fairfield is under construction.

Describe your company’s ethos in a few words It is OK to Dance.

What is Popup Bagels best known for?

We are known for no-frills, fresh-from-the-oven bagels paired with inventive schmears.

How has your business concept evolved since you launched?

As we moved into an urban environment, we made it possible for bagel lovers to buy smaller quantities than a dozen and without the need to pre-order.

Why New York, when you looked at brick-and-mortar expansion, first downtown then the Upper West Side and Upper East Side?

As they say, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere!! It was the obvious first major market launch for our brand and concept.

Your Thompson Street shop in New York has notorious lines out the door. What's the vibe of there?

Always great music playing and always a touch of chaos orchestrated in sync with the customer to give the best experience possible.  Even When waiting on lines, we make the experience memorable. There have been best friends made and relationships started, all on our line!   As many people would say, “It’s a vibe.”

What's next for Popup Bagels?

We’re planning to have 12 locations by the end of 2024 with a goal to enter three additional new markets by early 2025. There is so much room for our bagel model in the United States that a national expansion plan is in the works.

above: Popup Bagels signage outside of the Westport store location.

right: Orders prepared for pickup/delivery, showcasing the company's slogan, "Not famous but known."

right: Hot and fluffy plain Popup Bagel.

left: Everything Popup Bagel.

PHOTOS BY ANDREA CARSON; EVERYTHING, PLAIN AND SESAME BAGEL COURTESY OF POPUP BAGELS

We are known for no-frills, fresh-from-theoven bagels paired with inventive schmears . adam goldberg

left: Freshly baked hot sesame bagel.

above: Employees of Popup Bagels work in the Westport location to craft batches of signature schmears. left: Popup Bagels limited edition Ramp Butter Schmear.

above: Award presented to Popup Bagels for winning the 2022 Brooklyn Bagel Fest. left: Popup Bagels dough setting on racks before being freshly baked for customers.

right: Stack of everything, poppy seed, sesame and salt bagels.

When did you start The Granola Bar?

Our first restaurant opened in December 2013 in Westport, but prior to that we had been selling granola to over 100 retailers, including Whole Foods and Stew Leonards.

How many Connecticut locations do you have now?

We have five: Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, Westport and Fairfield.

Describe your company’s ethos in a few words. Fun, delicious, welcoming, unexpected and evolving.

What is The Granola Bar best known for?

Hospitality. People come initially for the food, but they stay for the welcoming vibe that goes beyond the food — every detail down to the music is meant to make our guests feel at home.

How has your business concept evolved since you launched?

Initially we were a daytime only concept with breakfast, brunch, and lunch. In early 2022, we expanded that concept to include dinner and alcohol in Rye, NY. That really resonated there, so now two additional locations, Darien and New York City, are open all day for a “Good Morning, Better Night."

julie mountain and dana noorily

Why New York when you looked at brick-and-mortar expansion, first Rye then the Upper West Side? It’s all about location and where we believe our concept will resonate.

Our customers are savvy, discerning and like to have a good time, so it makes sense that we’d head closer and closer to NYC, where we can serve masses of people who fit that profile.

Why the Upper West Side? What's the vibe of the NYC location?

We love the UWS! We both lived there for years prior to moving to Westport.

It feels like a homecoming and the UWS community has welcomed us with open arms.

What's next for the brand? More expansion in Manhattan and the greater NYC area — we have some exciting announcements coming soon!

Julie Mountain Dana Noorily

PHOTOS BY LIZ CLAYMAN; COCKTAIL AND CAPPUCCINO COURTESY OF THE GRANOLA BAR.

above: Mushroom

Pappardelle with sautéed cremini mushrooms in a creamy mushroom sauce with black truffle and fresh parmesan. left: The Bar Burger comes with their irresistible fries.

above: Mack's Old Fashioned, available in Rye and Darien.

People come initially for the food, but they stay for the welcoming vibe that goes beyond the food – every detail down to the music is meant to make our guests feel at home.

julie mountain and dana noorily

above: Crispy Brussels Sprouts with mint, cashews and chili lime vinaigrette.

above: The Bar Caesar Salad — Shaved Brussels and cauliflower with parmesan rosemary granola and lemon anchovy dressing.

above: The Granola Bar is known for both classic lattés and their signature Turkish and Nutella lattés. left: The Granola Bar Upper West Side’s to-go area is open daily for quick grab and go coffees, baked goods, parfaits, sandwiches and salads.

Bill Taibe

K AWA N I

bill taibe • chef/owner

When did you open your first Connecticut restaurant?

My first restaurant was named Relish in South Norwalk in 2004.  Our first Westport restaurant, LeFarm opened in 2009, followed by The Whelk in 2012, Kawa Ni in 2014 and Jesup Hall in 2017. During the pandemic we flipped Jesup Hall into our Mexican Cantina, Don Memo.

How many Connecticut locations do you have now?

We have four in total, including The Norwalk Art Space Café which I would argue is the best coffee shop/cafe in Fairfield County.

When did Kawa Ni open, and what type of food is it?

In August 2014 our casual, lively Izakaya spot was born.

Describe the restaurant’s ethos in a few words.

Warm, relaxed, fun, high standard of service and food in an unpretentious atmosphere.

What is Kawa Ni best known for?

Being trustworthy, you can count on us to supply good food and drinks. With warm appreciative service. We love making people feel good.

Why Denver when you looked at brick-andmortar expansion?

In all honesty, the mountains. When it came time to choose the next location for Kawa Ni. It was important it be a space we wanted to spend time, and Colorado is just that.

What’s the vibe at the Denver locations?

Same as Westport, just a little bigger. Warm cedar walls, Japanese art, lots of beautiful thriving plants.  A super comfy space to help ease your daily stresses.

What’s next for the brand?

Hopefully a few more Kawa Ni's. Most likely, another in Colorado, but and usual, we will never push it if it doesn't feel right. Our eyes and ears are open.

left: Clockwise: Sumoki, Cool as a…, Sake-it-tumi, Karai me a river and Sense Negroni.

above: Front of Kawa Ni Denver.

right: Rice Cakes, shiso chicken meatballs, napa cabbage and tan tan sauce.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KAWA NI AND CONNOR STEHR.

You can count on us to supply good food and drinks. With warm appreciative service. We love making people feel good. bill taibe

right: (bottom) Mushroom Dashi with apex mushrooms, leeks, mix seaweed and tokyo noodles (top) Crab Fried Rice with bacon, corn, kani and egg.

right: Spicy Kai Udon with crab, kani, cabbage, sesame and udon noodles. below: Kawa Ni Denver dining room.

left: Szechuan Dumplings with ponzu and garlic hot oil.

A Family Fête

Spring Hues, an Abundance of Blooms and Divine Bites

Set the Stage for a Mother’s Day Celebration

left

by caroline fey // photography by julia daggs

Jam-filled danishes with cream cheese frosting are an easy way to elevate your brunch menu, and you only need six ingredients and 15 minutes to assemble them.

A combination of vintage linens and china coupled with inexpensive bud vases makes the table feel special. Source platters from places like Bespoke Designs, Target, Home Goods, Hudson Grace and local estate sales.

bottom left

This simple salad of citrus and avocado is topped with farmers market microgreens and a zingy citrus vinaigrette.

Icreated a simple, elevated brunch to help you celebrate the Moms in your life. Starting with an easy menu of dishes that can be prepared in advance and a beautiful, unfussy table that can be set well ahead of time.

I grew up with a mom who is a gifted cook and loves to entertain. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of staying up late, hearing guests talking, music playing, and glasses clinking downstairs. Throughout my childhood she threw Super Bowl parties, epic birthday parties, holiday parties, lobster bakes, fur-laden vodka and caviar parties. Whatever the occasion, she always made it feel special and she taught me how to pull events together. I often think about her when I’m hosting a party and will call her to chat about the details.

She also supported my creativity in the kitchen and let me make messes without worrying about when they would be cleaned up. Now when I’m in the kitchen with my boys teaching them to cook, I have to remind myself to be patient and it’s not easy! And I think of her. I know that I wouldn’t be the person I am today without her encouragement and support, and I try to pass that on. A mother’s influence cannot be overstated.

When putting this brunch together, I thought about my mom and what she would appreciate. I wanted a classic table design and chose a pink-and-white color palate. For the tablecloth I used a vintage linen and bought several bunches of pale pink and white flowers, arranging them in assorted vases. It made the process easy and the combination on the table looked really stunning. Even baby’s breath can look beautiful when arranged properly. Then I used my grandmother’s wedding china for additional pops of color, bright pink linen napkins, and traditional silver to round things out. Serving the food on white or pink platters also helped to keep things looking chic.

Being a mom can be lonely and stressful, and the pressure to get it all right is real. As my mother would say, “It’s not for the faint of heart”. But raising your kids in a community filled with supportive women makes all the difference. I’m grateful to be raising my family here. Happy Mother’s Day!

Baby's breath can add a chic aspect to your spring table. Keep it in tight bunches in separate vases and don't mix it with other flowers. This will give it the lightest, airiest feeling.

I grew up with a mom who is a gifted cook and loves to entertain.

These little sausages are always a hit, and they're incredibly simple to prepare: Sweet, smokey, salty and a little bit spicy. below left am-filled danishes with cream cheese frosting.

Whatever the occasion, she always made it feel special and she taught me how to pull events together.

— Caroline Fey

left

right

This breakfast pizza is made with ham, asparagus, fontina and is topped with fried eggs.

right and lfet

88% of Moffly Media readers will be looking for dental providers in the next 12 months, including dentists and cosmetic dentists1 .

• Special section following our annual Top Dentists editorial feature

• Annual guide to Fairfield County’s dental experts & cosmetic specialists

• Custom profile created for your practice

• Reach an audience of 200,000+ families and local residents

• One year inclusion in our searchable online dentist directory

• Bonus issue distribution to local events reaching health-conscious families, charitable organizations and community influencers

A Love Letter to Westport

by stephanie webster

Dear Westport,

When I moved here a er growing up in Manhattan and seven years spent in Seattle... honestly, I wasn’t completely sold. I was used to living in cities, and while I knew Westport was, by far, the “best of the suburbs,” I wasn’t sure this was the life I wanted for myself or my three young children. I must also confess that when I launched CTbites.com a er settling in, the name was a de nite double entendre.

I’ve always been obsessed with good food. Growing up in Manhattan meant jumping on the subway every Sunday to head to Chinatown. In Seattle, doing underground pop-ups and farm dinners had furthered my love and appreciation for those who farmed and those who sourced

ingredients and created beautiful food.

Once the kids were in school, I began exploring the local restaurant scene, looking for the type of culinary experiences I had grown up with. Long before it had become trendy, I was seeking out hidden gems, mom-and-pop taco shops, and prided myself on scoring the best bagel or black-and-white cookies. Westport, and Fair eld County more broadly provided my entry point to the CT culinary world and my search for great eats saved me. What I found in the suburbs were great stories and unique experiences in my journey to meet the extraordinary chefs, farmers and makers who gave richness and meaning to my days.

Westport has long been a town that supports the arts. I believe this helped to make it the state’s rst

real “foodie” town.   e best farmers’ markets are in Westport for good reason. Sure, the town loves its football team, but they are equally passionate about Staples Players and a sustainable food scene. It was the perfect spot to launch CTbites.

I started interviewing chefs like Bill Taibe and Brian Lewis. We helped each other grow, and I’m proud of the work I’ve has done to support and highlight the local culinary community for the past 14 years.

It all started in WESTPORT, and as it turns out, CT doesn’t “bite” at all: It’s actually pretty darn cool.

ank you, Westport.

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MARNI LANE

Winner of Luxury Awards. Experience the William Raveis Advantage.

Independent Family-Owned Real Estate Company in the Northeast, Florida & South Carolina