Eat + Drink
ARTWORK BY JOAN KENDALL ARTWORK BY JOAN KENDALL
Wooster Hollow Diner: Go for breakfast, order a chocolate-chip pancake and take in the art, which changes every 8 weeks.
“The art has really turned Wooster Hollow from a grungy diner into a cute art cafe,” says Wooster Hollow Diner owner Ron Herman. “It’s a big help for the local artists to be able to have a venue to show their paintings, their photos, or their sculptures. It gives them a chance to show everything they’ve done to their families and friends. Sometimes they sell a lot, sometimes they sell a little, but rarely do they sell nothing at all.” For the past six years, local artist Joan Kendall has served as curator to the diner, hanging a total of works from about 25 different artists over the years in the space. Fitting, since putting the art there was her idea. “I had been going to the restaurant for several years on Sunday mornings and when Ron took over, I remember looking around at those old Greek posters on the wall thinking ‘hmmm I wonder what could happen with these walls,” Kendall recalls. “I asked Ron if he ever thought of using it for local art, and he looked at me and said ‘it’s yours.’ I panicked and thought what have I gotten myself into. I was the first artist that showed at the place. It’s just been so much fun.” From Wooster Hollow to Tusk & Cup in Wilton to Sarah’s Wine Bar and The Barn Door, several Ridgefield and Wilton restaurants feature art as awe-worthy as their food and drink. Sarah’s Wine Bar is an elegant location with a beautiful 12 //
November / December 2021
ARTWORK BY ANDREA ROWAN P H OTO C O U R T E SY O F T H E B A R N D O O R
The Barn Door: Bite into a buffalo pizza and view the local art, which changes every couple of months.
interior and delicious food renowned throughout town. They have a rotating art display, recently featuring a group of female artists that call themselves the Abstract 11. The Barn Door on Route 7 focuses on nature as a large part of its charm, utilizing stone and woodworking with a stunning painting of a horse by Andrea Rowan on the fireplace mantel, along with several figurines and decorations.
