OH, CANADA!
JUSTIN TRUDEAU hot B’way show and wine industry
exploring the garden STUNNING DISPLAYS
PATRICIA CAFFRAY
A TOUR THROUGH BOTANICAL FAIRFIELD COUNTY
THE TOPPINGS ON CHINA, RUSSIA:
From the Rockefellers and PepsiCo
JUDGED A
TOP MAGAZINE IN NEW YORK STATE 2014, 2015, 2016
Cultivating a way of life
IN THE SPIRIT OF WYETH A journey through landscapes
Sharing their world insights WESTCHESTER & FAIRFIELD LIFE
MAY 2017 | WAGMAG.COM
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Tonight, access to exceptional heart specialists kept Roger’s love of music alive. When Roger Zeitel walked into White Plains Hospital’s emergency room, he had no idea he was having a heart attack. He was quickly taken to the cardiac catheterization lab where Director of Interventional Cardiology, Dr. Mark Greenberg, discovered two coronary blockages and a failing heart valve. Dr. Greenberg was able to immediately call on his long-time colleague, Dr. Robert Michler, Surgeon-in-Chief at Montefiore, who performed lifesaving open heart surgery at Montefiore. The White Plains Hospital and Montefiore Health System partnership ensured that Roger is back to doing what he loves headlining the local music scene with his bandmates. Check your heart risks at exceptionaleveryday.org/heart
A M E M B E R O F T H E M O N T E F I O R E H E A LT H S Y S T E M
®ROBERTOCOIN
SYMPHONY COLLECTION
CONTENTS MAY 2017
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18
50
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26
54
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The garden of good and evil
Finding permanence in the fleeting
Flowering Fairfield
A beloved garden returns
Dynasties and dust
The constant gardener
32
Following Wyeth, on her own path
Nature as a fashion force
Secret gardens of sex
Forever in bloom
An Indian artist for our time
Vocal ease
A tale of two brothers and their gardens
60
A touch of the Hamptons on the Mamaroneck shore
80 36
Khrushchev, tea – and the Toppings
Planting the seeds of sophisticated style
40
Where the arts continue to bloom
68
COVER STORY
THE BEST OF HUMANITY IN THE AFTERMATH OF TRAGEDY
This page When it comes to the land, none’s hotter than cool Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — seen here with the shovel his father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, used when breaking ground for the Ford plant in Windsor — leads a country that has great wines and a new Broadway hit, among other treasures. See stories on pages 68 and 102. Photograph by Adam Scotti.
FEATURES H I G H LI G HTS
72
WAY A Greenwich home that’s a year-round resort
76
WARES Print it
78
WARES Garden style, inspired by Mom
82
WANDERS The gardens of the Mediterranean
86
WEAR The insider’s beauty secret
88
WHERE’S EUROPE? Where the sky is a river
90
WEAR …Something new from Stuart Weitzman
92
WEAR A fashion show in Bloom(ie’s)
94
WEAR A touch of royalty from across ‘the Pond’
96
WEAR Westport’s green goddess
98
WONDERFUL DINING Brunch in full bloom
102
WINE & DINE Oh, British Columbia, the gem of Canadian wine country
104
WHETTING THE APPETITE Jackie Ruby’s “Brunch Ham and Egg McJackie”
106
WEAR New on the barbershop scene
108
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? A British accent on fashion
110
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Hormones, history and horse sense
112
WELL The hidden hazards of gardening
114
WELL Sunscreen and the American man
116
WELL No shoes? No problem
118
WELL Let’s hear it for super foods from the garden
120
PET OF THE MONTH Say hello, Gracie
124
WHEN & WHERE Upcoming events
128
WATCH We’re out and about
136
WIT Which do you prefer – a vegetable garden or a flower garden?
OH, CANADA!
COVER:
exploring the garden STUNNING DISPLAYS
PATRICIA CAFFRAY
JUDGED A
TOP
MAGAZINE
IN NEW YORK STATE 2014, 2015, 2016
A TOUR THROUGH BOTANICAL FAIRFIELD COUNTY
THE TOPPINGS ON CHINA, RUSSIA:
Cultivating a way of life
118 68
COVER STORY
JUSTIN TRUDEAU hot B’way show and wine industry
From the Rockefellers and PepsiCo
88
IN THE SPIRIT OF WYETH A journey through landscapes
Sharing their world insights WESTCHESTER & FAIRFIELD LIFE
MAY 2017 | WAGMAG.COM
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits Lufa Farms in Montreal. See story on page 68. Photograph by Adam Scotti.
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Marta Basso, Jena A. Butterfield, Ryan Deffenbaugh, Jane K. Dove, Aleesia Forni, Phil Hall, Debbi K. Kickham, Jane Morgan, Doug Paulding, Danielle Renda, Giovanni Roselli, Bob Rozycki, Gregg Shapiro, Brian Toohey, Seymour Topping, Jeremy Wayne
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HEADQUARTERS A division of Westfair Communications Inc., 3 Westchester Park Drive, White Plains, NY 10604 Telephone: 914-694-3600 | Facsimile: 914-694-3699 Website: wagmag.com | Email: ggouveia@westfairinc.com All news, comments, opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations in WAG are those of the authors and do not constitute opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations of the publication, its publisher and its editorial staff. No portion of WAG may be reproduced without permission.WAG is distributed at select locations, mailed directly and is available at $24 a year for home or office delivery. To subscribe, call 914-694-3600, ext. 3020. All advertising inquiries should be directed to Anne Jordan at 914694-3600, ext. 3032 or email anne@westfairinc.com. Advertisements are subject to review by the publisher and acceptance for WAG does not constitute an endorsement of the product or service. WAG (Issn: 1931-6364) is published monthly and is owned and published by Westfair Communications Inc. Dee DelBello, CEO, dee@westfairinc.com
WAGGERS
TH E TALENT B EH I N D TH IS IS SU E
COVER STORY, PG.68 GEORGETTE GOUVEIA
JENA BUTTERFIELD
ROBIN COSTELLO
RYAN DEFFENBAUGH
JANE K. DOVE
ALEESIA FORNI
DEBBI K. KICKHAM
PHIL HALL
DOUG PAULDING
DANIELLE RENDA
JOHN RIZZO
GIOVANNI ROSELLI
MARY SHUSTACK
AUDREY TOPPING
SEYMOUR TOPPING
JEREMY WAYNE
NEW WAGGERS
VALERIE GOLDBURT
MARTA BASSO
Valerie Goldburt, MD earned an undergraduate degree in biochemistry from Harvard University, a master’s degree from Columbia University and an MD and a PhD from Downstate Medical Center. Goldburt is board certified in dermatology. She joined the practice at Advanced Dermatology and the Center for Laser and Cosmetic Surgery in 2007. For more, visit advanceddermatologypc.com.
Marta Basso is an Italian entrepreneur active in the wine and smart transportation sectors. She graduated with a degree in business from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and has a master’s from Hult International Business School. She is always looking for the next language to learn. Since childhood, she has been a string player and a huge sports fan. Her hashtag? #StopWhining!
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EDITOR'S LETTER GEORGETTE GOUVEIA WAG’s May garden issue is always our prettiest, this year especially so. And for that we must thank our production team. So take a bow, guys (and gals). The team’s undulating, vibrant-hued design — I particularly love the complementary red and green, which Van Gogh called “the colors of passion” — is, however, but an hommage to nature’s divine glory, artfully arranged by man.
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In “Exploring the Garden,” you’ll find a bounty of stories on those artful arrangements — from Jena’s epic odyssey through the public gardens of Fairfield County and Chappaqua photographer Larry Lederman’s new book on “The Rockefeller Family Gardens” to Phil’s look at the blue-and-white, hydrangea-filled landscape of Patricia Caffray’s Greenwich estate and Jane D.’s take on the reimagined landscape of the onetime home of the late ABC President Leonard H. Goldenson. But the land is the landscape of the soul as well; the garden, the garden of the heart. Much of “Exploring the Garden” is taken up with the issue of nature as a metaphor for human nature and nature framed and contained as a symbol of the relationships we construct. In our piece on the Hudson River Museum’s exhibit “Wyeth’s Wonderland,” we consider how two people — American painter Andrew Wyeth and French photographer Joséphine Douet, from different times and places — could find common ground in her love of his work and his hometown of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. Wyeth’s love of the land was no greater than that of the people of Gander, Newfoundland, for their rocky, wooded isle on the edge of North America. Perhaps it was that groundedness that enabled the town of 9,000 to open its hearts and homes to almost as many people on 9/11 as 38 civilian planes were diverted to strategic Gander International Airport. We were privileged to cover the new Broadway musical inspired by this story, “Come From Away,”
a funny, moving treatment by Canadian couple Irene Sankoff and David Hein that has swept up audiences across North America, including a March 15 VIP crowd addressed by Canadian Prime Minister (and cover guy) Justin Trudeau, who’s as pro-environment and pro-refugee as you can get. In a statement, the PM’s Press Secretary Andrée-Lyne Hallé said: “The Prime Minister and (wife Sophie) Grégoire Trudeau were happy to show New Yorkers Canada at its best when they attended ‘Come From Away.’… And we embrace the opportunity to highlight how we are there for each other in times of need.” The land is the bridge on which we encounter one another and the garden, the place of memory. It’s fitting, then, that both Aleesia and Jane M. should reference their mothers in their garden-themed columns. “My mother, an avid gardener whose vegetable plot on our Ohio farm is nearly a quarter of an acre, assures me that gardening is just as much about the experience as it is the outcome,” Aleesia writes. Jane M. writes: “Flowers just spoke to Mom. She was an avid gardener, working miracles on our diminutive concrete patio, attempting to reproduce Monet’s gardens at Giverny. She decorated generously with floral prints because for her, they represented happiness, hope and creativity.” I understand. I had a mother and stepmother who loved roses and the beloved aunt who raised me adored all things botanical — the New York Botanical Garden, the floral books and prints around the house and the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo, now reopened to the public. “Are you here with me?” I asked my aunt, looking up at the sky on my return visit. Then I smiled through my tears, because of course she was. Georgette Gouveia is the author of the new “The Penalty for Holding” (May 10, Less Than Three Press) and “Water Music” (Greenleaf Book Group). They’re part of her series of novels, “The Games Men Play,” also the name of the sports/culture blog she writes at thegamesmenplay.com. Readers may find her novel “Seamless Sky” on wattpad.com.
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THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA
When we think of gardens, we tend to think of public and personal places of enchantment — England’s Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew or, closer to home, the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. Or perhaps your grandmother’s garden, where you played as a child, amid “a tangle of summer birds flying in sunlight, a forest of lilies, an orchard of apricot trees,” as described in Judy Collins’ song “Secret Gardens.”
But gardens are ever-changing. The “secret gardens of the heart” that Collins recalls become “a patch of brown lawn and a fence that hangs standing and sighing in the Seattle rain.” They mirror nature’s caprice and our own. So it is no wonder that these oases of enchantment can also be places of crucible and cruelty, mystery and madness, decay and death. The Hebrew Bible offers some of the earliest and most prominent explorations of the garden’s contradictory nature and our own ambivalence to it. As a desert, nomadic people, the ancient Hebrews gave gardens, with their vegetation and water, pride of place. The garden was not only useful in sustaining life with its plant offerings; it was a wellspring of floral pleasure that nourished the soul (the Books of Genesis, Numbers and Jeremiah). The garden was a seat of both community and meditative solitude (the Book of Esther) and the fitting resting place for the rulers of Judea (the Second Book of Kings). The garden then was not merely the respite of the righteous; its elements were analogous to the righteous themselves. Thus Psalm 1 describes the just man as “a tree planted near running water that yields its fruit in due season and whose leaves never fade.” But the garden could also be the place of idolatry, in which the Jews forgot their covenant with God (the Book of Isaiah). Never is that disobedience more apparent than in the story of Adam and Eve, in which the first couple forsakes the Eden where God walks in “the cool of the day” for godlike knowledge and Luciferian rivalry and defiance. Gardens are not without their perimeters, offering as they do nature framed and contained. By refusing to live within those perimeters, Adam and Eve find themselves cast beyond them into a land east of Eden and a life of labor and suffering. They lose what they do not understand. The Christian Bible offers a reverse mirror of the Hebrew one, presenting Jesus as the new Adam who brings the covenant with God full circle. But first he has to endure his own garden crucible, in Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives near the Old City of Jerusalem. After much anguish in which he prays to be spared his coming Passion, Jesus sur-
John Everett Millais’ “Ophelia” (1851), a distinctive Pre-Raphaelite oil on canvas at the Tate Britain, depicts the drowning death that Shakespeare poignantly describes in “Hamlet.”
renders to God’s will. He submits to the limits God had set so he can transcend them on the cross. Still, life remains a thorny venture. “’Tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed,” a heartsick Hamlet says of the world. “Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely.” Throughout “Hamlet,” Shakespeare contrasts appearances and reality, what seems and what is in the rank garden that is Denmark. There Hamlet feigns madness to trap his Uncle Claudius — who murdered Hamlet’s kingly father, after all, in a garden, stealing his crown and wife in the process. But Hamlet tells his frenemies Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, “I am mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.” It is Hamlet’s sometime love, Ophelia, who — caught in his game of wits with Claudius — really goes mad. And that madness plays itself out in her heartbreaking relationship with the natural world. “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance,” she says. “Pray, love, remember. And there is pansies. That’s for thoughts. There’s fennel for you and columbines. There’s rue for you, and here’s some for me…. There’s a daisy. I would give you some violets, but they withered all when my father died.”
A short time after the mad scene, Gertrude — Hamlet’s mother and Claudius’ wife — returns to the stage to tell Laertes, Ophelia’s vengeful brother, how his sister died. Attempting to hang fantastic garlands of crowflowers, nettles, daisies and long purples on a willow, she fell in a brook when a bough broke and drowned, weighed down by the water, wreaths and her own oblivion. The Bard had to describe what theater directors and filmmakers can now depict. Indeed, John Everett Millais’ oil painting “Ophelia” (1851) — one of several Pre-Raphaelite works on the theme — was the inspiration for Ophelia’s death scene in Kenneth Branagh’s 1996 film of “Hamlet.” Hollywood has long had a fatal attraction for gardens. Who can forget the ladies’ garden club that becomes a metaphor for the Communists’ nightmarish brainwashing of American soldiers in “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962)? The garden takes on a sinister cast in “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” The 1997 movie is based on John Berendt’s novelistic nonfiction work about a New York magazine writer caught up in a cagey Savannah antiques dealer’s murder of a hot-blooded male prostitute (described as “a
good time not yet had by all”). Dripping with Spanish moss, Southern Gothic characters and a tone reminiscent of Truman Capote’s and Norman Mailer’s nonfiction novels, the book and the movie poster have made effective use of Jack Leigh’s photograph of the eerie “Bird Girl” statue that once stood in Savannah’s Bonaventure Cemetery. (It’s now in the city’s Jepson Center for the Arts.) The garden of the title, however, refers to the cemetery in Beaufort, South Carolina, where the voodoo priestess character performs incantations to ensure the antiques dealer’s acquittal at trial. That, however, is hardly the end of a story that plumbs the garden’s — and man’s — shady side. But for all its shadow, the garden can also reflect the soul’s reawakening. In “The Secret Garden,” the oft-adapted children’s novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, a loveless orphan comes to live at her uncle’s English manor where a mysterious, neglected walled rose garden holds the estate’s unhappy inhabitants in thrall. By unlocking the garden’s mysteries and reclaiming its beauty, the characters in turn come to care for themselves and one another. WAGMAG.COM
MAY 2017
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FINDING PERMANENCE IN THE FLEETING BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA
Gardens and photography complement each other. The photograph is framed by the past, frozen in time. Not so the garden. “I’m always conscious of the garden changing every year,” landscape photographer Larry Lederman says, adding that the seasons are never the same. And trees, like old friends, pass away. “Heartbreaking,” he says. Loss occurs even in well-tended gardens, he notes. “And if you don’t take care of them, you discover fast how run-down they become.” The photographer, then, tries to capture what will soon be a memory. The frisson created by the tension between photography’s permanence and the garden’s evanescence plays out exquisitely in Lederman’s latest book. “The Rockefeller Family Gardens: An Ameri14
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can Legacy” (Monacelli Press, $50, 199 pages) presents readers with the evolving landscape of Kykuit — the Rockefeller estate overlooking the Hudson River in Pocantico Hills, now a national landmark — as seen through the three titans who shaped it. John D. Rockefeller Sr. built Kykuit. His son, John D. Jr., oversaw the design and completion of the house and its neoclassical Beaux Arts gardens by William Welles Bosworth. And his son Nelson, the onetime American vice president and New York state governor, used Kykuit’s garden “rooms” to site his Modern sculpture collection superbly while also resurrecting the little-known Japanese Garden. (Indeed, “The Rockefeller Family Gardens” is the first extensive exploration of the Japanese Garden in book form.) The gardens of Kykuit (which means “lookout” in Dutch) are the yang to the yin of the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden at The Eyrie, the family’s summer home in Seal Harbor, Maine. The Maine garden was created by landscape architect Beatrix Farrand, niece of novelist and garden author Edith Wharton, for Abby, wife of John D. Jr. and a founder of The Museum of Modern Art. And it is at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden that our story really begins, because it was where Lederman began. “I saw a black-and-white set of photographs of a garden in Maine and it looked very spectacular, very interesting,” he says. So he determined to visit this private garden, which is open only one day a week at summer’s height to a limited number of visitors. There in a forest he discovered what he calls “a work of the imagination, because there are no centerpieces of annuals and perennials, no flower beds in Asian gardens.” And yet, Farrand, who had never been to the Far East, had created in a Maine woodlands her idea of a Chinese walled garden. “The walls are set at high angles,” Lederman says. “You realize the amount of earth-moving equipment that must’ve been used and that Farrand was really a landscape designer.” One of Lederman’s gifts as a photographer is to capture the way gardens conceal and reveal at the same time. The reader follows along the pink walls, crowned with richly carved, flame-colored tiles and a pagoda to peer through the Moon Gate at the Buddha Shakyamuni and other delights. But nowhere is the theme of concealing and revealing better illustrated than at Kykuit, not far from Leder-
Aristide Maillol’s “Bather Putting Up Her Hair” seems to emerge from a Moorish-inspired rille of water in Kykuit’s Inner Garden, one of the most romantic spots in Westchester. Photograph by Larry Lederman from his new book, “The Rockefeller Family Gardens.”
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man’s Chappaqua home. There Hercules takes a whack at the Nemean Lion amid hedges and pines. George Grey Barnard’s “Rising Woman” seems to find her footing tentatively on the lawn below the forecourt, hugging her nude body. And Alexander Liberman’s “Above II” delivers a shock of red metal veiled by the copper beech grove John D. Sr. planted in 1909. Most sensuously, Aristide Maillol’s “Bather Putting Up Her Hair” is protected by topiaries in the Inner Garden on which her pert butt rests. It’s as if we are all Davids come upon a latter-day Bathsheba. The intimacy and openness of Kykuit reaches its zenith in the Japanese Garden. “I fell in love with this place,” Lederman says. “It’s like walking into another world.” He crystallizes that world in images by turns startling and serene — a cascade of fiery, serpentine Japanese maples, sighing cherry blossoms, whistling bamboo, placid stepping stones set in gravel and a teahouse reflected in a pond. He calls this section of the book “my homage to Nelson.” Lederman’s achievements are all the more impressive when you consider that photography is his avocation, not his day job. He is a retired partner with Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP, an international law firm whose clients have included
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the Rockefeller family. (The firm handled the legal aspect of Rockefeller Center’s construction.) Lederman is still of counsel in Milbank’s New York office, is chairman of the firm’s international corporate practice and teaches at New York Law School. He sees a connection between the law and photography. “The law is conceptual,” he says of the specialty that has made him one of the most influential lawyers in his field, mergers and acquisitions. “And photography is conceptual. The artist decides what he wants to record. You walk around seeing differ-
ent perspectives.” When he started taking photographs 15 years ago, those perspectives eluded him. He would take pictures of trees — a passion — on his 12-acre, lakeside property in Chappaqua that includes woodlands, roses and a vegetable garden. (He credits wife Kitty Hawks, the interior designer and daughter of the late socialite Slim Keith and film director Howard Hawks, for the landscape’s aesthetics.) Soon, Lederman was taking photos of trees at the New York Botanical Garden, where he has been a director since 1996. His first efforts were, he says, “awful. But no matter what, I thought, at least I have a record.” That record became much better, resulting in his book “Magnificent Trees of the New York Botanical Garden.” He’s also a contributor to “Interior Landmarks: Treasures of New York” and “The New York Botanical Garden.” Now he’s aiming his digital Nikon and Pentax Medium Format cameras at Olana, the historic Hudson, New York, home of Hudson River School painter Frederic Church, and Peckerwood Garden in Hempstead, Texas. These no doubt will yield more adventures in the permanence of the impermanent. For more, visit monacellipress.com
FÊTE FLAIR
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trails, nature programs and conservation-themed events and serves as the hub for bird-friendly communities in Connecticut. For this issue we are highlighting the Fairchild Wildflower Sanctuary, 135 acres with 8 miles of trails. It is not a formal garden but a natural area with wildflower species and wetland meadows boasting tussock sedges, cattails and pink lady slipper orchids. Greenwich.audubon.org
Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens, Stamford
FLOWERING FAIRFIELD
This 93-acre property is the place to view rare and unusual plants and trees from around the world. Visit the tropical garden and annual beds or check out the seasonal displays, magnolia collection, rhododendron and azalea collections and the Theaceae collection, containing numerous species of the tea family. Bartlettarboretum.org
BY JENA A. BUTTERFIELD
Five acres of formal gardens in a town green setting replete with a playground, a bandstand, 125-year-old beech trees, shrub borders, magnolias, lilacs, memorial and wall gardens and a greenhouse. Ridgefieldgardenclub.com
A COUNTY GUIDE TO PUBLIC GARDENS
Ballard Park, Ridgefield
Bates Scofield, Darien
“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” — Margaret Atwood May 12 is National Public Gardens Day. To celebrate, we set out to provide the most comprehensive list of public garden offerings around Fairfield County. Our guide includes kitchen gardens, wildflower meadows, arboretums, town squares, sculpture, secret and “model” gardens and even a cemetery:
Audubon Greenwich: Fairchild Wildflower Sanctuary, Greenwich The Audubon in Greenwich is a special place for Fairfield County residents to experience nature. It is comprised of seven nature sanctuaries full of
The site not only houses the Darien Historical Society but a Garden Club of America award-winning 18th-century herb garden that includes lavender and a collection of more than 20 species of historical roses. Darienhistorical.org
Boothe Park Wedding Rose Garden, Stratford Set on 32 acres, this historic home boasts an award-winning rose/wedding garden. Other attractions include a blacksmith shop and miniature windmill. Having been built on the foundation of a 1663 house and occupied continuously, the former estate of the Boothe family is said to be the oldest homestead in America. Two Boothe brothers compiled their collection of buildings with a fortune made from their ventures in insurance, property and farm equipment. Shortly after their deaths in 1948 and 1949 respectively, the grounds were opened as a public park. Stroll, relax or attend outdoor concerts amid the blooms. Townofstratford.com
Weir Farm National Historic Site, Secret Garden.
Burr Homestead Gardens, Fairfield
The Cornish Sculpture Garden, Ridgefield
Garden of Ideas, Ridgefield
The historic Burr mansion, built in 1779, is located on property that includes an arboretum, a teahouse garden, a reflecting pond and more than 4 acres of formal, manicured gardens. Fairfieldhistory.org
Located on the grounds of The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, this garden features modern sculptures dotting a 2-acre section of outdoor exhibit space, representing some of the most acclaimed sculptors in Connecticut and throughout America. aldrichart.org
The Garden of Ideas is a labor of love created and designed by founders Joseph Keller and Ilsa Svendsen and continued with assistance from the nonprofit Friends of Garden of Ideas. The garden includes an arboretum-like collection of perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs and vegetables as well as sculptures set on 8 acres. A marsh is fed by overflow from Lake Mamanasco. Come see the annual crop of Zizania aquatica (wild rice). Stroll through woodlands, meadows and vegetable plots. Relax and birdwatch. There are also a lily pond, a sandbox and educational programs. Give yourself an hour to wander. Spend more time with children and enjoy self-guided adventure programs or the find-the-gnome hunt. Gardenofideas.com
Colorblends House and Spring Gardens, Bridgeport We are including this bulb-selling agriculture company for its inspiring spring display garden, a collaboration between Colorblends and Dutch designer Jacqueline van der Kloet that showcases more than 15,000 spring bulbs on about fourtenths of an acre. While the garden is open, the Colonial Revival home on the Colorblends property in the Stratfield Historic District will house a pop-up art gallery featuring several local artists. Colorblendsspringgarden.com.
Eklund Garden, Shelton This wildflower garden, in the heart of the 500-acre Shelton Lakes Greenway, is stocked with perennials native to the greater Northeast. Hike and bike the extensive trail network through a butterfly garden, wild blue lupines, the sunflower species “sneezeweed,� both New England and stiff-leaved astors, pink and blue wood irises, wild ginger, wood poppies and much more. sheltonconservation.org
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Goodbody Garden at Fort Stamford, Stamford
cemeteries and absorb history as well as nature. Founded in 1865, the cemetery has been certified by the Morton Registry of Arboreta. It has a collection of mature trees, including dogwoods, many of which have been tagged with botanical information signage, their locations carefully marked on maps available at the front desk. The cemetery also offers walking tours. Oaklawnconnecticut.com
Picnic, meander and relax in this quiet oasis nestled beside the remnants of a Revolutionary War outpost. The grounds where the home of financier Marcus Goodbody once stood are beautifully maintained by the Stamford Garden Club. The majority of plants are perennials. Over the years, the club added about 30 native plants. View them as inspiration for your formal garden or just wander around the stone walls and pergola. Keep an eye out for the memorial to pet cat Ginger, who died in 1933. And an eye out for yourself: Some think the fort has a haunted history. thestamfordgardenclub.org/the-goodbody-garden/
Keeler Tavern Museum, Ridgefield During spring, visitors will see an assortment of tulips, white tufts, lavender clematis and New Dawn roses in this circa-1910 garden, which is described as a “Charleston Garden” and was designed by Cass Gilbert. A separate Colonial herb garden contains varieties of medicinal and household herbs used during the 18th century. Keelertavernmuseum.org
Kouros Gallery Sculpture Garden, Ridgefield Experience art interacting with nature. Stroll through sloping fields, patios and gardens to view sculptures by 50 artists, illustrating a variety of media and styles in the open fields, tucked away in
Ogden House and Gardens, Fairfield
Weir Farm National Historic Site, Terraced Gardens.
intimate corners or naturally framed by trees and their branches. kourosgallery.com
Montgomery Pinetum Park, Greenwich May is the month to experience the Pinetum’s peony and primrose gardens. It is also the home of the Garden Education Center of Greenwich Inc., which will have its 56th annual May Gardeners Market on May 6, with the early-bird sale on May 4. gecgreenwich.org
A mid-18th century salt box farmhouse that has an 18th century-style kitchen garden, featuring raised beds, walkways of crushed seashells, plants, herbs and wildflowers. Fairfieldhistory.org/ogden-house/
Weir Farm National Historic Site, Wilton Weir Farm has inspired artists for more than 100 years. Small wonder: The 60-acre site was once the home of J. Alden Weir, a leading artist of the American Impressionist movement. The National Park Service now operates it. In that spirit, feel free to borrow art supplies from the visitor center porch, set up in a meadow and paint outdoors. Or take a self-guided tour and the 1.5-mile round trip to Weir Pond. nps.gov/wefa/learn/historyculture/placesweirpond.htm
Oak Lawn Cemetery and Arboretum, Fairfield This one is for those who like to stroll through
For Jena’s complete story, visit wagmag.com.
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A BELOVED GARDEN RETURNS BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA PHOTOGRAPHS BY SEBASTIAN FLORES
I would walk there in every season and for every reason, on the sunny days of the soul — and the rainy ones as well. Down the serpentine, pebbled and woodchip paths I would trip, reveling in the sensuousness of dancing nude sculptures, pink and white blossoms and magnolia trees, buoyant water lilies, swaying tall grasses and vibrant irises. Perhaps just as striking were the people I would observe — children running headlong toward the manmade lake, enticed by David Wynne’s “Grizzly Bear;” bridal parties posing proudly before the sculptor’s “The Dancers” in the shadow of weeping willows; seniors exchanging confidences in the Lily Pond Garden; and female walkers grinning back at me, acknowledging a kindred spirit. Once I encountered a handsome jogger who smiled at me as we passed each other. It took me a minute to realize it was former New York Yankee right fielder Paul O’Neill.
For a long time afterward, I avoided the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo in Purchase: It had not only been one of my go-to places for communing with nature, along with Rye Town Park; it was also a place I shared with Aunt Mary, my beloved Tiny. We would sit on the patio on Sunday afternoons, reading and gazing out at the lake and the fountain or eavesdropping on some fellow visitor’s radio broadcast of the Yankee game. Or she’d read and I’d walk. Toward the end of her life, she’d sit in the car in the parking lot and I’d walk less, always anxious to get back to her. When she died in 2011, I couldn’t bear the old haunts, and perhaps it was just as well. The gardens — named for the PepsiCo chairman and CEO who had conceived of them as a gift to the community and a reflection of the company’s stable, creative and experimental place in it — closed to the public in 2012 as the company’s world headquarters underwent a major renovation. It was, to my mind, just another instance of a chapter closing. But gardens are about renewal. Something dies. Something else is born. When I heard that the Sculpture Gardens would reopen to the pub-
David Wynne’s “The Bear” keeps watch in the distance at The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo.
From left: A budding pussy willow; Auguste Rodin’s “Eve.”
lic at the end of March, so early in the spring, I thought, So much has changed in my life. Would the same be true for Pepsi? Perhaps the biggest change to the 168-acre site is one of security. In the past, you were issued a green pass to display in your car and told to park in a side parking lot (or near the Visitor Center if you had a handicap sticker). You’d see people walking dogs on the paths, tossing Frisbees on the lawn or biking on the roads. Gradually, restrictions tightened at the company’s world headquarters with 9/11 providing a definite shift, as it did everywhere. Now you are given a color brochure/map and asked to display a laminated sheet of dos and don’ts — single-spaced on both sides — with liability clauses. I read the sheet and took note of the side parking lot, now fortified with a brick wall, a railing and steps. “Just a few improvements,” a security guard said with classic understatement at the Visitor Center. But then, PepsiCo has always been about innovation, ever since the building — seven square blocks designed by Edward Durrell Stone (1902-78) to rise from the ground in low, inverted ziggurats — opened in 1970 on land that was once a polo field. His son, E.D. Stone Jr., had been charged with laying out the surrounding landscape. Then in 1980, Russell Page (1902-85) began to extend the gardens — relating the (now 46) 20th-century works, representational and abstract, to the landscape and using fragrant trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants to tickle the nostrils as well as delight the eye in all seasons. Since 1985, garden designer François Goffinet has continued the Sculpture Gardens’ evolution, which was apparent right at the Visitor Center, where you are now greeted by Wynne’s “Girl on a Horse.” (He is the most represented artist in the Gardens with five sculptures.) In the past, “Girl on a Horse” watched over one of the three sunken gardens that framed a circular fountain crowned by Wynne’s “Girl With a Dolphin” in the entrance courtyard. The three sunken gardens included one teeming with small stones and blossoming trees graced by Aristide Maillol’s female nude “Marie;” one filled with water and plantings presided over by Henri Laurens’ “Le Matin” and “Les Ondines;” and one made of a checkerboard of stone and grass containing Jacques Lipchitz’s “Towards a New World.” Were my old friends still there? Alas, the approach to the courtyard entrance — which now features a rectangular pool with grasses and a fountain — was off-limits due to construction, a guard politely informed me. But I could see WAGMAG.COM
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by the map that some of my old pals had been relocated to other portions of the Gardens. So I assumed they were happily ensconced, and stuck to Page’s “Golden Path,” knowing I would encounter some of them and hoping to make new friends. I wasn’t disappointed, soon encountering Surrealist artist Leonora Carrington’s “Musica Para Sordos (Music for the Deaf)” (2006-07), a bronze that depicts a medieval figure playing a harp with no strings in the Fall Garden. As I hustled along, I marveled at the effects of the renovation: Judith Brown’s titanium “Caryatids” gleamed with pink and blue glints I’d never noticed before. But though “much is taken,” I thought, one with Tennyson’s Ulysses, “much abides.” Wynne’s “Dancer With a Bird” still balanced on one leg amid the pines. And across the way, beyond a bower leading to the Stream Garden, the nude youth in Victor Salmones’ “The Search” continued to sleepwalk, his outstretched arms bearing a mask of his face. I used to think his was a quest for the unattainable self. But now I see the mask as a calling card as he exhorts us “to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.” The Donald M. Kendall Sculpture Gardens at PepsiCo are on Anderson Hill Road, across from Purchase College. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends. For more, call 914-253-2000.
Alexander Calder’s “Hats Off” makes a vivid impression to the left of the lake and the green expanse.
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DYNASTIES AND DUST:
THE MET’S NEW ‘AGE OF EMPIRES’ BY AUDREY R. TOPPING
A
“Age of Empires,” The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s stunning spring exhibition, is one of epic proportions that tells a tale of magnificent power and fragility. The spectacular artworks and cultural artifacts focus on an often violent but major turning point in ancient China’s 5,000 year history. The central changes were established by military might during the Qin (pronounced “Chin”) dynasty and expanded by the Han, which paradoxically awakened a golden age in art and culture that became the basis for a centralized China and the 2,000 year Imperial Dynastic period. On display are more than 160 objects loaned exclusively from 32 Chinese institutions. Most of these masterpieces are of extreme rarity and historical significance. Together they interpret the complex cultural landscape of a significant age. This epochal era of four and a half centuries not only established the structure of Chinese culture and society but shaped the characteristics of the Chinese people and affected every aspect of life in China for the succeeding millennia. The scholarly catalog offers an in-depth history and fresh appraisal of the “classical” era of Chinese civilization, which coincided with Greco-Roman civilizations in the West that can be perceived in some of the Han sculptures. “The Age of Empires” actually began in 221 B.C. when the armies of the king of Qin, Ying Zheng (260-210 B.C.) conquered the six rival Warring States — Chu, Han, Qi, Wei, Yan and Zhao “like silkworms devouring a mulberry bush,” writes Han historian Sima Qian (145-86 B.C.) in “Records of the Grand Historian.” Thus the state of Qin became the dominant power. The victorious king anointed himself Qin Shihuangdi, the first emperor of China. The emperor is often remembered as a cruel despot, but he also unified China, declaring a universal written script and standardizing weights, measures, coinage and the Qin calendar. Perhaps most important, he ensured his authoritarian legalist control by standardizing the axel length of chariots so his armies could traverse the empire in the same ruts.
A Kneeling Archer from the Qin dynasty (221–206 B.C.), earthenware. Photograph courtesy Qin Shihuangdi Mausoleum Site Museum.
As soon as Qin became emperor, he enlisted 300,000 conscripts and prisoners of war to connect the walls of the conquered states into a Great Wall extending 2,150 miles to protect China from marauding nomads (Xiongnu) on the northern steppes. Qin, however, had no trouble raiding the steppes in turn: An exquisite golden crown topped by a bird with a turquoise head, on view in the show, was found in an elite Xiongnu tomb, Hanggin Banner, in Inner Mongolia. Thousands of laborers, perished while building the wall. Their bones were crushed and mixed with mortar — earning the wall the grim sobriquet of “the longest cemetery in the world.” To protect himself from dissidents within, Emperor Qin ordered the burning of all Confucian classics and beheaded 460 scholars. Qin joined his ancestors at age 49. During an inspection tour of his empire in 210 B.C. he was poisoned by a conniving eunuch in cahoots with the emperor’s own son. To disguise the odor of his decomposing corpse and keep the emperor’s demise a secret, a wagon of rancid fish was hitched to his golden chariot. Two stunning bronze and gold half-life-size models of the emperor’s chariots drawn by four majestic, sculpted horses are on exhibit. The second of these is enclosed by an oval roof and moveable windows. Qin and Han societies, like their Zhou predecessor,
were obsessed with life in the hereafter. Most objects were excavated from tombs. The emperor’s corpse was finally interred in Mount Li, a 15-story, cosmic designed tumulus that is yet to be excavated. His dragon-shaped sarcophagus may still float on a river of mercury in the awesome mausoleum representing a microcosm of China described by Sima Qian: “After he won the empire, 700,000 conscripts dug through three subterranean streams and poured molten copper for the outer coffin, and the tomb was filled with models of palaces, pavilions and offices. Crossbows were fixed to shoot grave robbers. The Yellow River and the Yangtze were reproduced in quicksilver and made to flow into a miniature ocean where the dragon sarcophagus floated. The heavenly constellations above were depicted in precious stones and the regions of the earth below. Whale oil candles assured burning for the longest time.” The First Emperor’s terra-cotta army of 7,000 soldiers arrayed in military formation was buried with him in the mausoleum complex and accidently found in 1974 by peasants digging a well. The amazing discovery captured the imagination of the world and ensured the First Emperor’s virtual reincarnation. Five pottery warriors, one kneeling archer and four poised for battle protected by limestone-scale armor, open the exhibit. Although Qin predicted his dynasty would rule forever, it lasted but 15 years. His murder launched
a brutal civil war until 206 B.C. when the Han dynasty, founded by Liu Bang (Gaozu), usurped the “Mandate of Heaven.” The Han restored the “Yellow Emperor” Confucius and Laozi philosophies and expanded on the naturalism of Qin’s art, shifting from the human figure to sculptures of wild and domestic animals and birds, precipitating a renewed compassionate awareness of nature and the influence of a natural cosmic order. The Han founded the legendary Silk Road, which evolved into the first highway across Eurasia, connecting China to distant realms and joining the world’s two superpowers, Imperial China and the Roman Empire. The opening of China brought fresh ideas, philosophies, religions and artwork as well as tremendous increases in overland trade and commerce throughout the ancient world. These interactions had a great influence on the Han political system, which engendered a lasting paradigm for all subsequent dynasties and fostered a cosmopolitan society whose ability to absorb foreign influence became a hallmark of China. “Age of Empires: Chinese Art of the Qin and Han Dynasties (221 B.C.—A.D. 220),” on view through July 16, is organized by Zhixin Jason Sun, the Brooke Russell Astor curator of Chinese Art, assisted by Pengliang Lu, Henry A. Kissinger Curatorial Fellow, both in The Met’s Department of Asian Art. For more, visit metmusuem.org.
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THE CONSTANT GARDENER BY PHIL HALL
The great 19th century botanist Luther Burbank once observed, “Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.” But even the most vibrant blossoms can create discomfort if they are offered in a lopsided presentation. Patricia Caffray realized that after her family took up residence in their 23-acre Greenwich estate four years ago. “When we moved in here, there was a garden that was sort of a circular garden that bridged the house to the pool,” she recalls, referring to the diagonal stretch between the two structures. “It made for a very awkward space.” Caffray, a stay-at-home mom with twin 15-yearolds and a husband who is a hedge fund executive, consulted with horticulturalist Marsha 28
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Kaufman and employed the services of two local vendors, Rosedale Nurseries and Labriola Contracting, to create a more sophisticated garden design that was both aesthetically pleasing and sturdy enough to withstand the eccentricities of the Connecticut weather. “We try to garden all the way through Christmas,” Caffray says. “We try to keep the garden alive. So the selection of plant materials is based on structure. And we burlap everything during the winter to keep it from getting winter burn.” A key floral player in this setting are hydrangeas — blue hydrangeas populating the garden and the area around the pool house while their white cousins occupy space around the Caffray home. “They really pay the rent,” says Kaufman, who is at the Caffray estate at least once a week to observe the garden’s progress. “For the space that they take up, they are really rewarding. They bloom for a long period of time. They are big, they are beautiful, there’s nothing not to like about them.” Also ubiquitous is boxwood, brilliantly trimmed into sharp formations that frame the colorful perennial beds at the heart of the garden. Caffray says that planting this shrub around her imposing 12,312-square-foot stone home has helped to give it a sense of external serenity. “This is a big, strong house, so we tried to soften a lot of it with box,” she said. “We had old crab apple
Photographs courtesy Patricia Caffray. WAGMAG.COM
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trees on the other side of the house, but we didn’t like them there. We figured they would make a good winter and summer structure for the garden.” One element that is absent from the Caffray garden is an overload of color. While some garden designs cannot seem to get enough hues into the mix, Caffray prefers a more understated approach to her setting. “I am very particular about the color palette,” she says. “I like it more monochromatic than most. So you will see a garden that is almost principally blue and white.” But that’s not to say that plants sporting other colors will get yanked. The early spring edition of the garden is laced with bright rows of pink and red sweet peas flowers. Alas, their delicacy dooms them to a relatively brief life that ends with summer’s heat, Kaufman says. Also taking up residence in the pre-summer period are tulip cuttings, which take root in the small space of the garden set aside for herbs. Caffray’s herbs offer the only plants that can make the trip to the dinner table, though the idea of bringing more edible delights to the garden is something that she has been toying with for some time. “I haven’t done a vegetable garden, because I haven’t figured out where to put it,” she says. “The whole property has a deer fence, so we are able to do that sort of thing. It’s just a matter of time.”
Caffray tries to keep the garden care as natural as possible. An abundance of hawks in the area helps to police intrusive, small animals, although last year a mischievous rabbit spent a surplus amount of time creating grief while evading capture. Organic products are used as much as possible to keep the landscape chemical-free, while watering the grounds has generated some interesting exercises. “The property is irrigated,” Caffray says. “The ground conditions are fairly wet because it is a clay surface, which makes cultivating the gardens difficult. But it actually holds a lot of the water, so from the grass’ standpoint that’s a good thing. We water as needed. We have to adjust the water all the time, because some of the plants in the garden like water and some don’t. Hydrangeas like water. Sage doesn’t like a lot of water. You have to be on top of it, based on the environment and the conditions.” If anything, it is not a solitary pursuit. Caffray acknowledges that you need “a ton of people” to help with a regimen that requires mowing three times a week and garden upkeep twice a week. There may be more work to come, as Caffray considers expanding the garden setting to the east side of her home. And what does this endeavor cost? When queried, Caffray smiles gently and peers off to the horizon. “It’s a lot,” she says in a whisper. But from the looks of things, clearly well worth it.
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FOLLOWING WYETH, ON HER OWN PATH BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA
“The land was ours before we were the land’s.” — Robert Frost, “The Gift Outright” Andrew Wyeth — whose rangy, light-dappled canvases helped define the American landscape in the 20th century — belonged to the land long before the land was his. “Wyeth’s relationship to the land — and we’re all about the relationship to the environment at the Hudson River Museum — was such that he felt rooted to (Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania),” says Laura Vookles, curator of the museum’s “Wyeth Wonderland” (through May 14) and chair of its Curatorial Department. The sickly youngest child of the celebrated illustrator N.C. Wyeth, young Andrew was trained by his father and home-tutored, which afforded him time to develop an appreciation for the poetry of Robert Frost and the writings of the 32
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nature-loving philosopher Henry David Thoreau. (Andrew Wyeth was born on the centennial of Thoreau’s birth, July 12, 1917.) “After his father’s death, his love of Chadds Ford grew, because it reminded him of his father,” Vookles says. Still, she adds, “He was trying intentionally not to be his father — limiting his color palette and creating pieces that were evocative of mood rather than narrative.” Joséphine Douet belonged to those works long before she began photographing Wyeth’s world. A chronicler of everything from the Paris fashion shows to bullfighting — whose photos have appeared in Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone, among other publications — Douet grew up in rugged Normandy, where her mother, the equine artist Simonne l’Hermitte, gave her a book of Wyeth’s paintings when she was a child. Two years ago, Douet was commissioned by the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid, where she lives, to photograph Wyeth country for a show that would accompany an exhibit on the artist. It wasn’t, however, until the Hudson River Museum exhibit that Wyeth, who died in 2009, and Douet would came together, with 11 of his watercolors shown alongside 27 of her photographs. She and Vookles went to the Adelson Galleries in Manhattan, which represents Jamie Wyeth, Andrew’s painter-son, and has a large group of Andrew’s works on paper. (Jan Adelson sits on the Hudson River Museum’s board of trustees.) At the Adelson Galleries, Douet and Vookles selected 11 works that the photographer had never seen before. So any connection between these works and Douet’s photographs is “a little bit coincidental,” says Vookles, whose first exhibit as an intern at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art was a Wyeth show. But then, Douet was never interested in imitating Wyeth — any more than Wyeth had wanted to imitate his father. “She definitely didn’t want to copy the paintings but to evoke their mood or spirit,” Vookles says. Yet there is a connection in the works’ realistic approaches, the earth tones sliced with sunlight and the painter’s and photographer’s methodologies. “He walked everywhere and that’s what she did. She met the people who posed for him. And she met her own people.”
Andrew Wyeth’s “On Her Knees” (1975), watercolor on paper. Courtesy Adelson Galleries and Frank E. Fowler. Copyright Pacific Sun Trading Co. WAGMAG.COM
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Joséphine Douet’s “Frozen Hill” (2015) freezes Wyeth country. Courtesy the artist.
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Like Wyeth groundskeeper Tom Ray. “I like the fact that both Wyeth and I decided to portray him looking out of the frame,” Douet says in the accompanying text. In both, Ray wears a pensive air as if glimpsing something the rest of us can’t see. Wyeth’s most famous model, of course, was Helga Testorf, a German-born neighbor who posed for him, often in the nude, for some 240 secret drawings and paintings between 1971 and ’85. When the Helga Pictures were revealed the following year, they caused a sensation. At the end of her five weeks in Chadds Ford, Douet met Testorf and, after passing muster, Testorf gave her permission to photograph her. There is a lovely contrast between the creamy Rubenesque beauty in blond braids Testorf once was and the elderly woman she now is, swathed in winter white; between the woman Wyeth captured walking into a house and Douet’s own Helga, a supple Maine woman named Katie, posing in a doorway; and between the textural, sculptural qualities of paint and the more stringent realities of photography. But there is a striking similarity here, too. “Wyeth Wonderland: Joséphine Douet Envisions Andrew Wyeth’s World” is a portrait of an artist who understood the spirit of a master long before walking in his footsteps. For more, visit hrm.org.
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PLANTING THE SEEDS OF SOPHISTICATED STYLE BY MARY SHUSTACK
Greenwich’s reputation for great style is about to grow stronger when design atelier Putnam & Mason opens this month. The space will feature contemporary designs and classical antiques, while also offering design services in a showroom and workspace created to appeal to both consumers and the trade. The owners behind the new venture are Kim Alessi of Bronxville, owner of the luxury brand KLASP home, and Robert Passal, the noted Manhattan-based interior designer. In the midst of putting final touches on the space, Alessi took a few moments to answer some questions for WAG.
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How did the idea for the Putnam & Mason design atelier come about? “I was looking at a retail space in the Hamptons for a pop-up shop and through a friend was told about 34 E. Putnam Avenue I was hesitant to open a year-round shop just for my company KLASP home. I knew if I took the space it had to be a bigger concept. It was a dear mutual friend that introduced me to interior designer Robert Passal. I realized immediately that his talent, personality and vision made him the perfect partner.”
What goals have you set for the new venture? “Our goal is to make Putnam & Mason a one-stop shop for consumers and the go-to trade showroom for local designers. Putnam & Mason will be filled with a vast array of sophisticated home-design products along with the ability to create custom furnishings at both retail and trade rates. We want to alleviate the instant-gratification void that exists with most design shops and vendors. Our other goal is to simplify the overall design process for clients, handling every facet of building and designing a home. We have teamed up with a select group of local vendors to take away the painstaking task of attempting to locate high-quality, reliable vendors. A few of these vendors are Phoenix Audio Video, Wheelock Kitchens, Eastridge Construction and Robert Passal Interior Design.”
What will the Putnam & Mason design atelier look like — and how will that help you to accomplish your goals. “Robert and I are creating a new type of store that is a layered space filled with contemporary products and classical antiques paired with design services in a multifunctional showroom and workspace. The concept is a simple one — create a space where exceptional products, ideas and design services can be discovered in an exclusive environment. The atelier vibe will resemble a luxury, sophisticated home in a loft-size space — supplying high-end furniture and fabrics, audio and lighting, making it an essential one-stop-shop for your home.
Inspiration shots for Putnam & Mason, drawn from Robert Passal’s portfolio, show a sophisticated point of view. Photograph courtesy Putnam & Mason. WAGMAG.COM
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“We want our vendors to use the space as if it is their own showroom, giving clients the opportunity to experience their work firsthand…. We also want to make sure all our hand-selected collections are top of the line and unique, catching the attention of our clients. Lines we will represent are Loro Piana, Romo, Chesney’s, Holland & Sherry, Brett Design, SACCO Carpets, Baker, Kravet as well as Robert Passal Wallcoverings and KLASP home. We will make sure in-stock items will be delivered within 24 hours and installation is available.”
How will Putnam & Mason stand out — and what do you hope clients will take away from their experience working with you? “We are unique in a way that we are not just a trade showroom or just a shop. Putnam & Mason is a multifunctional space layered with products, services and workspace — a place for consumers to shop from unique collections, vendors to showcase services and a space for the trade to bring their clients and work. I believe the most unique concept will be our kitchen, called ‘The Sample Bar.’ It will basically function as a beverage station for clients to have coffee, water and wine, but the main use is a workspace for designers to lay out their projects. The island and cabinetry will be filled with various samples of fabric, wallpaper, paint and more. “When clients enter the design atelier, ‘all our clients should feel as though they have been trans-
Kim Alessi. Photograph by Richard Storm.
Robert Passal. Photograph by Alan Barry.
ported to a high-end luxury home, which is all sensory — mood lighting, personalized and romantic aroma, a place filled with beautiful suites of home furnishings and accessories in which they can envision themselves living,’ as Robert described. We want our clients to leave with the sentiment they
have accomplished what they had set (out to) or at least (feel) at ease that we are here to help with all their home needs.” Putnam & Mason is scheduled to open this month at 34 E. Putnam Ave. in Greenwich. For more, visit putnamandmason.com.
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WHERE THE ARTS CONTINUE TO BLOOM BY MARY SHUSTACK PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY ROCKLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Their names alone — Helen Hayes, Kurt Weill, Burgess Meredith and Aaron Copland — call to mind an earlier time. But together, these notables were instrumental in the development of a Hudson Valley arts organization that continues to be a vibrant force today. The actors and composers, along with countless fellow artists, writers and musicians, helped form The Rockland Foundation, now known as the Rockland Center for the Arts (RoCA). And this month, RoCA is marking a milestone when the West Nyack-based organization hosts its 70th anniversary Legacy Gala. This “Bloomsbury group along the Hudson,” as the founders were known, also included singer Lotte Lenya, architect-potter Henry Varnum Poor, glass artist Maurice Heaton, playwright Maxwell 40
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Anderson, actress Paulette Goddard and director Guthrie McClintic. The dedicated men and women literally helped scrub, paint and rebuild what became the original headquarters on Broadway in Nyack, where the organization would begin to offer programs that touched on painting, drawing, music, ceramics, weaving, dancing and writing. In 1949, the expanding organization took advantage of Mary Ann Emerson’s donating her 10-acre property on Greenbush Road in West Nyack, moving there into headquarters it retains today. The campus is the place not only to take a watercolor class or attend an opening reception but also to participate in world-class offerings. It’s impossible to summarize seven decades in a few words. Over time, though, RoCA has featured art and artists from near and far. There has been everything from Mozart operas to jazz, theatrical works starring Hayes and Julie Harris to Chinese dance. Its exhibitions have showcased work by Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Richard Pousette-Dart, Jasper Johns, Robert Motherwell and Helen Frankenthaler, with photography on display from icons such as William Wegman and Gordon Parks. Literary programs and dramatic readings have featured Toni Morrison, William Hurt, Bill Murray and Ellen Burstyn. And that’s just for starters. This month, RoCA proudly looks back, with its gala honorees, including Evelyn and Richard Pousette-Dart, Founders Medal; Cristina Biaggi, Pioneer in the Arts Award; Norman Galinsky, Board Leadership Award; Julianne Ramos, Executive Leadership Award; and Marlene Kleiner, in memoriam, Executive Leadership Award. In advance of the Legacy evening, RoCA’s acting director Daly Flanagan shared her thoughts with WAG. Following is a portion of the exchange; see wagmag.com for the complete interview. With your organization’s rich and varied history, how did you determine whom to honor during this 70th anniversary gala? “This year we are reflecting on five outstanding individuals who have impacted RoCA through innovation and leadership. All of this year’s honorees
“The Mad Potters Garden� at the Rockland Center for the Arts in West Nyack features ceramic work by multiple artists. Photograph courtesy Rockland Center for the Arts. WAGMAG.COM
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have significantly contributed to both RoCA and the wider artistic community in Rockland County. The honorees have been instrumental in providing opportunities for artists to create and present art. They all embody a standard of excellence that RoCA wants to celebrate in conjunction with our 70th anniversary.” Where does RoCA fit in the cultural conversation of this region - and what do you feel are its biggest strengths? “The Rockland Center for the Arts (RoCA) is a comprehensive multiarts center dedicated to creating and understanding art through its School for the Arts, exhibitions, workshops, literary and performing events, Summer Arts Day Camp and outreach programs. RoCA also administers the Rockland County Art in Public Places program that commissions and places public works of art. “RoCA believes that everyone has the potential to express themselves through the arts. RoCA is committed to the process of experiencing, responding to, creating and exhibiting art. “One of RoCA’s biggest strengths is the creative community we work with, from our teachers and exhibiting contemporary artists to the talented students who work together to form a dynamic, inclusive and ever-broadening network of people who support each other through the arts.”
Rockland Center for the Arts offers a year-round exhibition schedule. Here, work by Jocelyn Armstrong featured in the autumn 2016 show “In Form: Contemporary Sculptural Ceramics,” curated by Barbara Galazzo and Daly Flanagan.
How is the organization dealing with the economic realities of today, when funding for the arts is in peril? “Now more than ever, access to arts and culture is a necessity for every community. For many, art opens up a new world of possibilities where individuals can creatively express themselves and see their own ideas positively reflected in their art. “RoCA is committed to providing everyone with meaningful experiences in the arts, regardless of income. We offer scholarships to those in economic need and provide outreach programs to individuals unable to visit RoCA. Our contemporary art exhibitions are always free of charge. In order to provide scholarships, free exhibitions and outreach programs, RoCA relies on contributed income. “Increased corporate sponsors and arts patrons are very much in need in the lower Hudson Valley. Those who do fund the arts are generous and consistent, but local arts organizations are often in competition for the same funds. “RoCA is constantly striving to diversify our revenue stream through a balance of fee-for-service programs, individual contributions, fundraising events and grants.” RoCA’s 70th anniversary Legacy Gala will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. May 7 at The View on the Hudson in Piermont. All proceeds will benefit RoCA’s exhibitions and its outreach programs with local schools. For more, visit rocklandartcenter.org.
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NATURE AS A FASHION FORCE BY MARY SHUSTACK
The way lush lilies seem to cascade down the top of a Pierre Hardy shoe from 2015 is more than random whimsy. The fanciful motif is also lovely evidence of how nature, in all its beauty and complexity, continues to inspire fashion designers, as it has for centuries. A new exhibition opening this month will showcase nearly 100 objects — from evening gowns to men’s suits, shoes to hats — to explore just how deep this connection between fashion and the natural sciences truly is. “Force of Nature” will run May 30 through Nov. 18 at The Museum at FIT on the campus of the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. Melissa Marra-Alvarez, associate curator of 44
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education and public programs at the museum, has organized the show that will touch on both flora and fauna, delving into the natural world as both a source of ideas and symbolism. The garments, accessories and textiles, representing a span from the 18th century to contemporary times, are all drawn from the permanent collection of the museum. The show will get underway on a bit of a serious note, with a pair of Alexander McQueen dresses. The late British designer often touched on nature in his work, with one of the designs here from his final collection in 2010. The designs will offer up McQueen’s thoughts on Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution as well as a commentary on climate change. What follows in the Fashion & Textile History Gallery will be a tour through all manner of work
Alexander McQueen, dress, “Horn of Plenty” collection, Fall 2009, England, Museum 45 WAGMAG.COM MAY 2017 at FIT. purchase. Photograph © The Museum
— and influences, including water as translated by Iris van Herpen in her dramatic “Crystallization,” and another McQueen design based on the striking plumage of the scarlet macaw. Throughout there will be designs from Valentino to Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Rick Owens to Jean Paul Gaultier and Dolce&Gabbana to Saks Fifth Avenue. The survey will continue — in perfect timing for the season — with “The Language of Flowers,” in which roses, lilies and orchids offer not only floral flair but also commentary on the importance of flowers in plant reproduction. A clever Charles James evening gown, complete with petal-like stole, will show how the wearer is turned into a virtual flower herself. Other sections will include “The Science of Attraction,” “The Aviary” and “Physical Forces,” wrapping up with final thoughts, as press materials share, on “ways in which designers and companies today are working toward creating a responsible and sustainable relationship with the natural world, encouraging a vital discussion about future directions in fashion.” For more, visit fitnyc.edu/museum.
Pierre Hardy, shoes, Summer 2015, France, Gift of Pierre Hardy. Photograph © The Museum at FIT.
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SECRET GARDENS OF SEX
BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA
"
Lovers should always have a secret garden,” Dr. Han Suyin (Jennifer Jones) exults to her forbidden lover, the journalist Mark Elliott (William Holden), as they walk beneath the spreading tree that is their meeting place in the 1955 film “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing.” Lovers have been associated with gardens ever since Adam and Eve — the subjects of Bruce Feiler’s new book “The First Love Story: Adam, Eve and Us” (Penguin, $28), which posits that Eve and all the members of her sex have gotten a bad rap. Far from being a wanton temptress, consorting with the phallic Serpent, Feiler writes, Eve was the first teacher and Adam’s equal. His book is a reminder that Eve — and, by extension, the garden — is a metaphor for female sexuality, particularly unbridled female sexuality, and man’s attempt to control it. It’s a metaphor that bore fruit in Nancy Friday’s 1973 nonfiction work ,“My Secret Garden: Women’s Sexual Fantasies.” This would not surprise artists. They have always been at their best when the garden is one of earthly delights (and thank you, Hieronymus Bosch), with pensive Venuses (Titian), trysting gods and goddesses (Indian paintings) and dallying ladies on swings (Watteau) framed but not contained by ordered verdure. Film, too, has enjoyed the idea of woman’s botanical, sexual awakening. In the underrated “A Little Chaos” (2014), unconventional garden designer Sabine De Barra (Kate Winslet) seeks an opportunity to work with master gardener André Le Nôtre (Matthias Schoenaerts), a strict structuralist, for Louis XIV (Alan Rickman) at Versailles. This being a romantic drama, it’s only a matter of time before she blossoms under the notion of Le Nôtre tilling and watering her soil, so to speak. While “A Little Chaos” is a work of historical fiction, history has had its share of romances with and in gardens that center on women. Trea Martyn’s nonfiction book “Queen Elizabeth in the Garden: A Story of Love, Rivalry and Spectacular Gardens” (BlueBridge, 2008) describes how Elizabeth I’s dashing, ambitious soul mate and master of the horse,
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Souvenir de la Malmaison is one of 250 varieties of historic roses at Château de Malmaison, the home of Joséphine Bonaparte. Dreamstime.com.
JOSÉPHINE TURNED MALMAISON INTO A WONDER OF FLORA AND FAUNA, WITH AN ORANGERY, 200 NEW PLANTS AND, ABOVE ALL, A ROSE GARDEN OF 250 VARIETIES.
Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, sought to win the flora-loving Virgin Queen through his magnificent garden at Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire. Her chief political adviser, William Cecil, sought to stop him with his superbly landscaped Theobalds Palace in Hertfordshire. In the end, Elizabeth I would remain the mistress of her own garden. Not so Joséphine de Beauharnais. She was a survivor of the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, a widow with two children and several past lovers
when she met Gen. Napoléon Bonaparte, six years her junior, in 1795. Their passionate affair and subsequent marriage played out in a burgeoning bouquet of letters in which he spoke of romping her garden. But driven by Alexandrian ambitions, Napoleon took the French Army off to Egypt, opening its ancient treasures to the West and paving the way for the later Orientalist movement in the arts. In his absence, she had an affair with an attractive officer. He, too, sported with others. The love letters took a different tone. While Napoléon was away, Joséphine purchased the Château de Malmaison, a rundown 150-acre estate seven miles west of Paris, an extravagance that angered him. But Joséphine turned it into a wonder of flora and fauna, with an orangery, 200 new plants and, above all, a rose garden of 250 varieties captured by the Belgian artist Pierre-Joseph Redouté. The family was happy there until Napoléon decided he needed an heir, which Joséphine could not give him, and he — here’s a word for you — “repudiated” her in 1809. The divorce gave her Malmaison outright and a substantial pension with which to keep it until her death in 1814. Pierre-Paul Prud’hon captured her at the beginning of the end in an 1805 portrait now in the Musée du Louvre, the alabaster of her Empire gown and skin contrasting sharply with the scarlet cloak about her and Malmaison’s verdant backdrop. She stares off wistfully, lost in thought having lost love. But at least she still had her garden. For more about Malmaison, visit chateau-malmaison.fr.
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FOREVER IN BLOOM BY MARY SHUSTACK
F
rom a single bud to the most elaborate arrangement, flowers are as captivating as they are inherently fleeting. That is, after all, part of what makes them so charming — and their purchase, for special occasions in particular, such an extravagance. You are investing in something beautiful that brings immediate joy then endures only as a treasured memory. But as shown in the delightful pages of “Flora: The Art of Jewelry,” a compact book from Thames & Hudson (128 pages, $24.95), when flowers serve as inspiration for jewelers, the results both sparkle — and last for years. This survey traces how jewelers from the 17th century through today have worked to capture the transient beauty of flowers through gems and precious metals, touching on everything from techniques to symbolism. The first in a series that will showcase the French
“Flora: The Art of Jewelry,” by Patrick Mauriès and Évelyne Possémé, is published by Thames & Hudson. Images courtesy Thames & Hudson.
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jewelry-making tradition as seen through the collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, “Flora” is written by jewelry experts Patrick Mauriès, a writer and publisher specializing in fashion and design, and Évelyne Possémé, chief curator at the Parisian institution. The book — Olivier Gabet, director of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, says in an introduction — is “a sumptuous bouquet of gem-studded flowers, gathered from our jewelry gallery, an ode to creativity, the human imagination and the endless resources of craftsmanship.” Indeed, he continues, “Long before the founding of our museum, flowers and plants were inspiring designers and decorative artists, craftspeople and creators. Flora is a universal motif yet also one of the most versatile, its forms ranging from pure naturalism to the most abstract of symbolism.” We travel with these jewelry experts back in time, accompanied by Jean-Marie del Moral photographs, first to the 17th and 18th centuries, when flowers were recreated in enamel or used as motifs, completed in elaborate gemstone designs, to adorn the bodice. There are pocket watches and rings, along with a dramatic garnet-studded Portuguese cross that is topped with rock-quartz blooms. We see the stylized designs of the Empire period and continue the journey to the naturalistic blooms favored in the later 19th century, with designs featuring floral-themed mosaics on cufflinks and a stunningly intricate necklace on which the petals of a dahlia are interpreted in carved coral. From the shapely Art Nouveau creations — oh, the delights from René Lalique — we advance to the geometrics of the Art Deco era, highlighted by a circa-1925 white-gold, lacquer and rose-cut diamond brooch from Paris. We finally reach the contemporary scene, where modern-day creations include 1990s rings from Chanel that feature floral details in onyx and opal and a 2003 Van Cleef & Arpels “Frivole” ring, a gathering of gold blossoms. The volume ends with a most evocative piece, a JAR bracelet from 1995. This vivid “Camellia,” fashioned from gold, aged silver and rubies, is a showpiece that — like all the creations in “Flora” — is destined to be forever in bloom. For more, visit thamesandhudsonusa.com.
From top, Pendant, France, first half of 18th century. Silver, emerald, tourmaline, garnet, amethyst. H. 7.7 cm; W. 6.6 cm. Bequest of Paul Gasnault, 1898. Inv. 8822; Brooch, Maison Soufflot fils, Paris. Paris, Exposition Universelle, 1878. Gold, steel, brilliant-cut diamonds. Bezel H. 7.1 cm; W. 11 cm. Bequest of Ms Yvonne Duval, 1954. Inv. 37488; and Brooch, France, mid-19th century. Silver, gilded silver, brilliant silver. H. 12 cm; W. 6 cm. Bequest of Hélène Palyart-Mancel, 1909. Inv. 15412. © Les Arts Décoratifs, Paris. Photographs by Jean-Marie del Moral.
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AN INDIAN ARTIST FOR OUR TIME BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA
I
n the quietude of The Metropolitan Museum of Arts’ South and Southeast Asia Galleries lies an exhibit for the garden of the soul. “An Artist of Her Time: Y.G. Srimati and the Indian Style” (through June 5) is, in curator John Guy’s own words, “a modest show.” But it plumbs the big themes of nationalism and artistic interdependence in the work of a now little-known, New York-based artist who died 10 years ago. Y.G. Srimati — the Y.G. was an honoric title, first bestowed on her grandfather, who was the royal astrologer to the maharaja of Mysore — helped bring classical Indian culture to the world, through not only richly textured watercolors but dance, song and instrumental music. Born in 1926 in Mysore in southwestern India, Srimati grew up in coastal Chennai in a sophisticated family of Brahmins, the highest Indian caste. There her older brother, Y.G. Doraisami, mentored her in classical dance, singing, instrumental music and painting. Yet while still a teenager, Srimati became caught up in the movement for Indian independence and equality, performing devotional songs in various Indian languages at rallies addressed by Mahatma Gandhi. (He was assassinated on Jan. 30, 1948, five months after India became an independent country.) “These momentous events, and her personal encounter with Gandhi, were to strongly shape much of the orientation and agenda of Srimati the painter,” Guy writes in a lucid essay for Orientations magazine’s January/February issue. The Gandhi-like respect for rural life and the working man can be seen in “The Bullock Cart” (circa 1950), which allows the viewer to glimpse the driver’s family and, thus, connect them to his work. Srimati not only looked to traditional texts for inspiration and themes; she also took to heart the advice set forth in the ancient text the Chitrashastra, which urged visual artists to take their cues from the performing arts. “This makes her work particularly lyrical,” says Guy, the Florence and Herbert Irving curator of the arts of South and Southeast Asia in The Met’s Department of Asian Art. “It has a wonderful sense of line.”
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Y.G. Srimati,’s “Saraswati, Goddess of Learning and Music” (1947-48), watercolor on paper. Photograph © 2009 Michael Pellettieri.
Indeed, a work like “Shiva Gangadhara, ‘Bearer of the Ganga’” (1945) practically dances on the page with the god lunging forward, angling his feet as his many arms wind the river Ganges in his long, luxuriant locks, thus saving the earth from a flood. Working with what Guy describes as “the finest materials available in her day” — Winsor & Newton paints on J.B. Green and J. Whatman art papers — Srimati would make painstaking underdrawings of such figures as Shiva before the painting process began. “She would build up her watercolors as if they were oil paints,” says Guy, who had access to her estate and archives of diaries, exhibit catalogs, performance programs, press clippings and related ephemera in preparing The Met show. Such technical complexity yields a sensuality that many might consider the hallmark of classical Indian art. In “Carudatta Presenting a Pearl Necklace to Vasantesena” (circa 1952), based on a thirdor fourth-century play, a noble Brahmin, Carudatta — he of the heavy-lidded eyes and full lips — allows the necklace to drip from one upturned palm as the courtesan Vasantesena leans forward to receive it in a manner that emphasizes her ripe breasts. Their arm bracelets, necklaces and sculpted drapery only serve to accent their exposed flesh, as does the backdrop of bathers, lotuses and swans. Yet all is not mere sexiness. There is true love here, Guy says, a profundity of feeling that Sri-
SUCH TECHNICAL COMPLEXITY YIELDS A SENSUALITY THAT MANY MIGHT CONSIDER THE HALLMARK OF CLASSICAL INDIAN ART.
Y.G. Srimati’s “Mahakali” (1980), watercolor on paper. Photograph © 2009 Michael Pellettieri.
mati evokes. In 1963, the artist moved to New York, which would remain her base for most of the rest of her life. She continued to paint and exhibit and increasingly perform. But she resisted the pull of Western and Modern art and the movements in abstraction and Pop that were taking hold. “And she was not a good
self-promoter, so she sort of got forgotten,” Guy says. Still, he titled the show “An Artist of Her Time.” In an age defined by the tension between nationalism and immigration, the woman who played a role in Indian sovereignty and bringing Indian culture to the world might be an artist of our time as well. For more, visit metmuseum.org.
RIVERSIDE ART AUCTION Live Auction Saturday, May 13, 2017
40 works by HV artists offered New this year: online pre-bidding for select artists Viewing and reception 3:30pm Live Auction 5:00pm Auctioneer: Nicholas D. Lowry President, Swann Galleries, NYC Appraiser, Antiques Roadshow
Silent Auction Through May 21, 2017 80 works by HV artists offered
Garrison’s Landing in Garrison, NY MTA Hudson Line, Garrison stop
garrisonartcenter.org 845-424-3960
Auctioneer Nicholas Lowry. Photo by Sheila Feren.
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VOCAL EASE
A CHAT WITH THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER’S JANIS SIEGEL BY GREGG SHAPIRO
C
elebrated vocal group The Manhattan Transfer has had our attention for more than 40 years. Combining thrilling harmonies, eclectic song selections and even dressing up for the part, The Transfer has always been a treat for the ears and the eyes. Over the course of the vocal group’s existence, it has left its mark on songs from the Great American Songbook, jazz standards and pop tunes throughout the mid-to-late 20thcentury and into the 21st, collecting Grammy Awards and other accolades along the way. The Manhattan Transfer even had the distinction of having its own summer replacement variety show on CBS in 1975. Janis Siegel, an original member of The Transfer, was kind enough to answer a few questions in advance of the group’s 2017 concert tour and gig this month at the Paramount Hudson Valley Theater in Peekskill.
Janis, how did you became a member of The Manhattan Transfer? “It came through meeting (the late) Tim Hauser. I met him through his cab (laughs). He was driving a cab in Manhattan and I was singing with Laurel Canyon with Dianne Davidson. We were having an end-of-the-tour party at a hotel somewhere in midtown. Our conga player hailed down a cab and it was Tim. Phillip put his drums in the backseat and got into the front seat with him. They started talking. ‘I’m a musician.’ ‘So am I. I’m doing a demo next week. I want to get a record deal myself.’ “Phillip said, ‘I’m with a whole bunch of singers right now. You should come up to the party.’ Tim parked his cab and came up and stayed awhile. He took our numbers, because we were based in New York. Dori (Miles) and I showed up at Tim’s session and that’s where I met (original Manhattan Transfer member) Laurel Massé. Tim did ‘Minnie The Moocher’s Wedding Day’ and some bluegrass. It was right up my alley. I loved the ’40s jazz that he was referencing. “Tim and I became very close and we started to hang out. He sat in with my group because he played five-string banjo. He started to play records for me. I was a jazz fan but as a listener exclusively. When I heard four-part-harmony, I went out of 54
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Janis Siegel. Photograph by Janis Wilkins.
my mind. Tim and Laurel and I started hanging out and said, ‘Let’s start a four-part-harmony vocal group, two men and two women.’ That’s when Alan (Paul) came in.”
What would you say is the secret to the group’s longevity? “The basic eclecticism of the concept. We said, ‘Let’s not be a jazz vocal group. Let’s not be a pop vocal group. Let’s not label ourselves, because then people can dismiss us when the trend is over (laughs). Let’s explore different facets of harmony.’ Mostly American, with a brief foray into Brazilian pop. We explored these different styles. “Our signature sound is close-voice, four-part-harmony. There were a lot of groups that had only one gender. Our group was mixed gender and the voices are close together in proximity and it gives a creamy, almost geometric sound. We also explored doo-wop singing and some of the harmonies of the ’30s and pop music. We experimented with bringing the four-part-harmony sound into pop music.”
How did you know that 1982 was the right time to release “Experiment In White,” the first of your solo recordings? “My very first solo performances were both in California. That gave me a taste for solo work. It was
just intoxicating. Being able to pick my own material, that fit me personally and not having to think about other people for a minute. I could explore my own vision, which in retrospect, makes you stronger in the group situations. You come in and you have confidence. You know what you want. I have worked with so many different people and gotten involved with so many different methods of working that I have a wide palette when it comes to bringing in ideas and techniques to The (Manhattan)Transfer.”
Still, you also have a long history of being a collaborator, from The Young Generation to The Manhattan Transfer. What is it about you that makes you someone who plays well with others? (Laughs) “You have to have a personality for it. I think you must be a compromiser and a realist. Also, I think there has to be an essential fairness in your worldview. It’s a combination of all different kinds of points of view that maybe I or someone else didn’t think of. Many times, the whole thing is better than the parts.” The Manhattan Transfer performs May 12 at Paramount Hudson Valley Theater in Peekskill. For more, visit paramounthudsonvalley. com.
A TALE OF TWO BROTHERS AND THEIR GARDENS BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA
Fantastic gargoyle fountains. Planters of sculpted heads. Statues of lissome youths. Red ginger offset by lush greenery. These are just some of the first impressions of “Bawa: The Sri Lanka Gardens” (Thames & Hudson, June 6, $39.95, 176 pages), which explores two complementary tropical gardens on either side of the Bentota River on the island of Sri Lanka, off the southeast coast of India. With a text by David Robson and photographs by Dominic Sansoni, “Bawa” is really the story of two brothers, 10 years apart in birth and a world apart in sensibility. The sons of a successful Moorish lawyer, Benjamin Bawa, and his Burgher wife, the former Bertha Schrader, Bevis and Geoffrey Bawa grew up in privilege in a verdant suburb of the capital city of Colom56
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View across the Black Pavilion Pool toward the Broad Walk. © Dominic Sansoni.
bo during the last days of the British Empire. Bevis, the elder (1909-92), was something of a soldier of fortune, serving as equerry to five British governors while Bertha urged him toward a career as a planter. His wide-ranging interests meant that Brief, his rubber plantation in southwestern Sri Lanka, became neglected and diminished over time. But as the estate shrunk to a bungalow, the surrounding gardens became more fantastic, attracting the likes of Lawrence Olivier and his wife, Vivien Leigh, fellow actor Peter Finch and artist Donald Friend, who did the fabulous trompe l’oeil doors, colorful murals and (with Bevis) serenely sensuous urns on the property, among other objets d’art. The more studious of the two, Geoffrey (19192003) was sent off to England to become a reluctant lawyer. But when he returned in 1948 and saw what his brother had done at Brief, he determined to outdo him, purchasing an abandoned estate,
Sculpted head by Bevis Bawa and Donald Friend © Dominic Sansoni
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Lunuganga, on the far side of the Bentota River from Brief. That purchase and the transformation of Lunuganga’s landscape spurred Geoffrey to return to England to become an architect. England in turn influenced the look of Lunuganga, which is grand and formal where Brief is intimate and casual. “He had very happy memories of his time at Cambridge and of staying with friends in the country,” Robson writes. “It was through them that he came to appreciate the subtleties of the garden planning of William Kent and his contemporaries.” Robson continues: “But Lunuganga also speaks to that long tradition of Sri Lankan garden — and landscape-making… the bizarre boulder gardens of the first Buddhist ascetics; the rolling park landscapes of the Anuradhapura monasteries; the pleasure gardens of the Sinhalese kings; the mysterious retreats of the forest hermits; the vivid green mosaics of rice paddy; the lines of leaning rubber trees and gently swaying coconut palms; the neatly hedged lawns of the estate-bungalow gardens.” These pleasures and more await those who visit the Bawa gardens — or read this evocative book. For more, visit thamesandhudsonusa.com For more on Brief, email doolandads@sltnet. lk. And for more on Lunuganga, visit geoffreybawa.com.
The Japanese Garden. © Dominic Sansoni. All images from “Bawa: The Sri Lanka Gardens” (Thames & Hudson) by David Robson. Photographs by Dominic Sansoni.
Join the New York City – Southern New York Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Golf Outing. Monday, June 7, 2017 | Metropolis Country Club | White Plains, NY DYSTEL MEMORIAL
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Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo areregistered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Real estate agents affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. are independent contractor sales associates and are notemployees of Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Equal Housing Opportunity.
A TOUCH OF THE HAMPTONS ON THE MAMARONECK SHORE BY JANE K. DOVE
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like to think of our home in the Shore Acres community of Mamaroneck as being the Hamptons without the drive,” owner Lori Gelhard says as she stands on one of her rear porches overlooking multiple terraces, a pool, a salt marsh and the Long Island Sound shimmering in the distance. The comparison is apt, because Gelhard and husband Michael, both from Australia, have completely transformed the 12-room, 5,800-square-foot, six-bedroom house into a light-filled airy space with an open floor plan featuring dark, burnished wood floors and bright white walls punctuated by dozens of pieces of vivid contemporary artwork. Comfortable furniture is in the modern style. But the house didn’t always look like this. When the Gelhards purchased it in 2009, it was very dark and dated, covered with homely aluminum siding and practically invisible from the street. The house was previously owned by Leonard Goldenson, president of ABC for 35 years, followed by a second couple. Many friends and people in the industry came to the house for screenings of feature films and television pilots in the large screening room he installed. ABC classics like "Roots” and "The Thorn Birds,” among many others, got their start in the Mamaroneck house. “After we bought the house, we did a total gut renovation inside and out,” Lori Gelhard says. “We moved in here in 2010 and the change was so complete, many of our neighbors actually thought we had built a new house.” RENOVATION PROS The Gelhards have a wealth of experience in home renovations, with Lori Gelhard taking the lead in refurbishing many homes both here and in Australia The couple met in high school in Sydney and celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary on March 15. They have strong ties to their native country and have lived in Melbourne and Sydney. “Between l988 and 1998, we renovated a number of homes in Australia and re-sold them,” she says. “Michael is a banker and, in 1998, he was transferred to a new position in Singapore, so we moved there with our three children, Marnie, Wilson and Spencer.” She describes Singapore as an “amazing expat
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community.” “The schools are wonderful and there is a tremendous mix of nationalities, including many Australians, English, German, French and Americans. At the time, our kids were 6, 5 and 3, and they just loved it. We stayed for three and a half years before moving to New York in 2001, a month after 9/11. We loved the New York area and so we stayed.” Blessed with keen visual and stylistic talents, Lori Gelhard, with her husband’s blessing and financial backing, decided to go back into home renovations. “In 2005, we bought our first house in Shore Acres, which we renovated and sold. We then decided to return to Australia in 2006, intending to reconnect ourselves and our kids with their roots. Michael retired from banking and we decided to make a career of renovating and re-selling homes. We bought, renovated and sold five homes in Australia. But we really missed New York.” SHORE ACRES RE-DO As luck would have it, Michael got an “out of the blue” offer in banking here and decided to come out of retirement to take the position. “We moved back here in 2008 and started look-
ing for a house that would be a real project and offer some challenges,” Lori Gelhard says. “We only wanted Shore Acres and were lucky enough to find this house. The kids were happy and so were we.” The house at The Parkway had everything the couple wanted — ample size, spacious grounds and a high site that afforded panoramic views from the rear. The family moved in after the painstaking renovation was complete. “After Mr. Goldenson moved on, the home was bought by a couple who did not do their best in keeping it up." Lori Gelhard says. “They put up the aluminum siding and the entire property became totally overgrown to the point where you couldn’t even see the house from the street. Transforming the outside went along with transforming the inside. We removed more than 40 trees and completely cleared the grounds out before doing extensive replanting and landscaping. But we never changed the footprint of the house. That remains exactly the same." The Gelhards replaced 53 windows and French doors but kept them the same size. “We wanted to keep the integrity of the original house intact, including preserving some original floors and moldings,” Lori Gelhard says. The couple has renovated eight houses in Mamaroneck, including the one at The Parkway. Michael is now retired, again. “Some we sell and some we rent,” Lori Gelhard says. “We prefer to concentrate on cosmetic rather than major structural renovations. We like to stay within the original footprint and do a complete landscaping job outside. Often well-built houses just need a total interior refurbishing, some room reconfiguration, a new kitchen, baths and floors. The Gelhard home is sited on almost an acre of high property and is set back from the road for total privacy. The large backyard, which faces Long Island Sound, features not only multiple terraces but a heated gunite pool, covered porches, beautiful lawns and thoughtfully-designed landscaping. The house comes with membership to the residents-owned Shore Acres Point Club, just a short walk down the street. The club has its own pools, beach, boat slips, moorings and a new clubhouse. After more than seven years at The Parkway, listed at $3.4 million, the Gelhards are ready for yet another renovation challenge. “We have bought a home in Palm Springs, which is halfway between the United States and Australia,” Lori Gelhard says. “We have already started to do work on the house, which is in the classic Mission style. It’s a really good project for us and we look forward to the final result.” For more, contact Rona Calogero, associate real estate broker, Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty, at 914-833-5984 or 914-806-0213.
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THE BEST OF HUMANITY IN THE AFTERMATH OF TRAGEDY BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA
Standing ovations have become practically de rigueur on Broadway. But the one that follows the new hit musical “Come From Away” feels different. The cheering audience rises as one as if borne on a wave that goes beyond spontaneous emotion to a sense of recognition and connection with the actors onstage. As the cast recedes and the musicians take over for a lively jig, the patter of clapping slows rhythmically in time to the music. Turning around to watch the crowd, still on its feet, you think: The audience hasn’t been merely watching the show; the audience is part of the show. That’s because “Come From Away” powerfully depicts a story that audience members, with the exception of the youngest 68
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in the crowd, have actually experienced — the aftermath of 9/11. No wonder there’s Tony Award buzz and attendance by the likes of Cher and Rosie O’Donnell. But it’s fair to say that no celebrity visit has been more pointed than that of Justin Trudeau, the open-hearted Canadian prime minister, who attended the March 15 performance with first daughter Ivanka Trump, Nikki R. Haley, the American ambassador to the United Nations, and some 600 diplomats from around the world. “There is no relationship quite like the friendship between Canada and the United States,” he said from the stage before the performance. In the musical, Trudeau added, “the world gets to see what it is to lean on each other and be there for each other through the darkest times.” “He was lovely and gracious,” Irene Sankoff recalls. “He had something to say backstage to each person and apologized to the stagehands for taking over the space with his people.” She and husband David Hein are the equally lovely duo who share music, book and lyrics credits on the show. (Sankoff says they share everything, including a 3-year-old daughter who is something of a backstage star among the cast and crew.) Of course, the two are lovely: They’re Canadians as well, she a big-city girl from Toronto and he a prairie boy from Saskatchewan. Today, they make their home in Toronto but have an apartment in New York City where they were on 9/11, living on the Upper West Side at International House along with other graduate students from 110 countries. For Sankoff and Hein, who has dual Canadian-American citizenship, 9/11 was particularly personal: David’s cousin escaped the Twin Towers. But the work they’ve created is a 9/12 musical, he says: “It’s not about what happened here. It’s about what happened after 9/11 in a town that had to reach out internationally.” The town, Gander, lies 1,462 miles away close to the northeast tip of North America on the rocky, forested isle of Newfoundland — “on the edge of the world,” as the musical notes — not far from where the sunken Titanic rests. (The 1997 movie “Titanic” is a motif in the musical.) But Gander’s spirit is bound up more with aviation than shipping. Because of its strategic location, it was chosen as the site of an international airport
Prime Minister Trudeau answers questions from the audience during a town hall in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Jan. 16, 2017. Photograph by Adam Scotti.
David Hein and Irene Sankoff at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. 70 WAGMAG.COM MAY 2017
ABOUT JUSTIN TRUDEAU
Irene Sankoff and David Hein on the "Come From Away" set.
that opened in 1938. Gander’s streets are named for aviation legends — Lindbergh, Earhart and Yeager, among them. Its motto, “Volet Gander,” is Latin for “May Gander Soar.” During World War II, as many as 20,000 Canadian and American fighters and bombers stopped there en route to Europe. In peacetime, it became “the crossroads of the world,” a refueling stop for transatlantic flights, like the one the Beatles first took to the United States in 1964. Even today with jets able to make nonstop flights, Gander International Airport remains a go-to spot for emergency landings, because if anything happens, well, it’s on the edge of the world. That was the thinking on 9/11, too. With American airspace shut down, 38 civilian and four military flights bound for the United States were diverted to Gander — some 7,000 souls who almost doubled the town’s population of 9,000. For five days, though, the citizens of Gander housed, clothed and fed these people. On a day that showed the worst of humanity, they chose to exemplify the best, forming lifelong bonds in the process with strangers who were strangers no more. On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, Sankoff and Hein — who until then were best known for the musical “My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding,” based on David’s mother’s story — went to Gander to interview many of those who were there on 9/11. The characters they created — played by a small cast that does some amazing things with chairs and a few other props on Beowulf Boritt’s spare set of trees and a shuttered backdrop — are sometimes composites in the manner of art. There’s Beverly, an American Airlines pilot of a flight bound from Paris to her hometown of Dallas, who had to fight sexism to become a pilot; Bonnie, the SPCA lady, who cares for the cats, dogs and rare bonobo chimps on board the flights; Janice, the newbie reporter at the sole TV station, who finds herself in a larger spotlight when NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw calls; Bob, an urban guy who gradually opens up to the trusting small town; Claude, the salty, exasperated mayor who coordi-
nates everything; Ali, the Egyptian-born hotel chef isolated by the others’ fear of Muslims; Hannah, an Irish-American mom who can’t reach her FDNY son; the two Kevins, gay lovers who wonder how much they should reveal about themselves; and Nick and Diane, an Englishman and a Texan who fall in love. (They would later marry and honeymoon in Newfoundland.) Their stories contain a lot of humor. “I’m surprised by how much laughter is in the show,” Sankoff says. And a lot of pathos that brings a well of emotion to the sniffling, eye-dabbing audience. “I worked for American Airlines, and I cried through the show,” one woman says during a Q and A with members of the cast and the production team after a recent matinee. Sometimes the laughs and tears come together. Melissa Jones — a Purchase resident who with her Chappaqua-based mother, Betsy Jones, is a local investor in the show — points to the moment when a group of African passengers, who speak no English, hesitate to get off the bus that has taken them to safe lodging. They think the waiting uniformed Salvation Army workers are actual soldiers. The quick-thinking bus driver points to a passage from the Africans’ Bible, Philippians 4:6 — the numbered chapters and verses are the same in every language — which reminds them to “be anxious for nothing” and gives them the courage to go on. Says Sharon Wheatley, who plays Diane: “We need to represent these people and let other people tell us their stories.” In the light of rising nationalism and anti-globalization around the world, these stories have become not-so-distant mirrors of our time. The title, which Sankoff selected, has a double meaning, Hein says. As a noun, “Come From Away” denotes a stranger, a foreigner. As a verbal phrase, he says, it’s an invitation, a welcome. “They say ‘timing is everything,’ don’t they?” Melissa Jones adds. “This is a story of kindness in a time of fear.” For tickets and more, call 212-335-1024 or visit comefromaway.com.
When Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to the stage to address the March 15 audience of “Come From Away” that included Ivanka Trump and diplomats from around the world, he signaled a willingness to take up a global liberal banner that has been dampened in the aftermath of the Brexit vote and President Donald J. Trump’s election. Trudeau has espoused the traditional liberal causes — pro-choice, civil rights, environment and immigration — criticizing President Trump’s ban on refugees from certain Muslim-majority countries. He was praised for his compassionate handling of the Québec City mosque shooting on Jan. 29 that left six dead and 18 wounded. “Thirty-six million hearts are breaking with yours,” Trudeau told his nation’s one million Muslims. “Know that we value you.” But he has on occasion also looked naïve and inexperienced, eulogizing Fidel Castro as a “larger than life leader who served his people,” a statement that critics said ignored the complexity of the Castro regime. Justin Pierre James Trudeau was born in Ottawa on Christmas Day, 1971 to then Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and his wife, Margaret. The oldest of the couple’s three sons, Justin Trudeau is the second youngest Canadian prime minister, after Joe Clark, and the only one to be related to another holder of that office. With a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University and a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of British Columbia, Trudeau flirted with careers in teaching, engineering and environmental geography. But from the moment he riveted a nation with his eulogy of his father in October 2000, he seemed destined for public office. (His parents divorced when he was 5, with his father awarded custody. He has four half-siblings in addition to brothers Alexandre and Michel, whose 1998 death led him to recommit to his Roman Catholic faith.) In 2008, Trudeau was elected to the Canadian House of Commons. Five years later, he was head of the Liberal Party and, in 2015, swept the Liberals to the largest numerical increase by a Canadian party as he became prime minister. Trudeau’s dark good looks have made him a Kennedyesque heartthrob, but the PM is happily married to Sophie Grégoire, a women’s rights advocate, former TV host, and childhood friend of his brother Michel. The couple has three children. — Georgette Gouveia
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A GREENWICH HOME THAT’S A YEAR-ROUND RESORT With beach season looming, those in the market for a new home might want to consider a property that’s a seaside vacation in all seasons.
One of the few waterfront compounds in Greenwich, this 1.52-acre estate on Glen Avon Drive — overlooking Long Island Sound in the town’s Riverside section — is a feast for the senses, inside and out. The exquisite landscaping by Janice Parker includes formal gardens with all white flowers, among them climbing roses, offering fragrant beauty. Mature plantings and specimen trees grace the grounds. The organic vegetable garden is bordered by custom-designed Walpole fencing and bunny gates. Custom handmade gas lanterns and imported stainless steel outdoor nautical lighting illuminate the front and rear of the property, which also features ivy-covered stone entrance pillars; a circular courtyard bordered by antique Belgian block reclaimed from an historic street in Boston; a guest house overlooking an infinity edge pool; a year-round spa; a fire pit; two outdoor grills and kitchens; a custom stone wood-burning pizza oven; and a private dock. And that’s just the backdrop of this 8-year-old hand-cut stone and wood house, which blends New England and Southern aesthetics and tradition with cutting-edge custom work. Inside, God is indeed in the details, as architect Mies van der Rohe liked to say. Among them is hand-rolled architectural glass throughout by Bendheim for a wavy, antique finish. There is custom cabinetry by Christopher Peacock not only in the state-ofthe-art kitchen and butler’s pantry but throughout the house, which features a sweeping foyer, a living room and dining room with French doors opening onto a covered bluestone terrace and the water; a mahogany library and bar; two family rooms, one with a screened-in porch; two home offices; a children’s study; five bedrooms with en
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suite bathrooms, including a master bedroom with his and her baths; a bunk room that sleeps six; a powder room; a laundry room; and a full bath off the mudroom. All for $15, 900,000. The square footage (8,916) includes the guesthouse, which has a great room, a dining room, a bunk room that sleeps four, a full bath, a laundry and a screened-in porch. The main house also has an additional 3,000 square feet in the form of an unfinished lower lev-
el, an unusual feature in waterfront property. The lower level has plumbing for two bathrooms, two fireplaces and 10-foot ceilings. It would make a marvelous man cave or woman cave or apartment. At Glen Avon, the possibilities are endless. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Georgette Gouveia For more, contact agent Tracey Koorbusch at 203-561-8266 or tracey.koorbusch@sothebyshomes.com. WAGMAG.COM
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The New York Botanical Garden has collaborated with luxury home design retailer Frontgate on a selection of botanical prints from the Garden’s Rare Book and Folio Collection.
PRINT IT:
THE NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN’S LATEST VENTURE BY GEORGETTE GOUVEIA
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ver the last few years, the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx has teamed with Oscar de la Renta on an elegant line of pink and green floral items for the home, with Chesapeake Bay Candle on a group of fragrant offerings and with Erwin Pearl on a gorgeous collection of botanical-inspired enamel jewelry and accessories. Now the Garden introduces its latest collaboration — a selection of 53 botanical prints available through Frontgate, the luxury home design retailer, which will give purchasers a taste of the more than 18,000 works in the Garden’s Rare Book and Folio Collection. “Frontgate has done a beautiful job curating a
brand that is sophisticated and well-appointed, with an heirloom quality that the Garden wants to offer as well,” says Meredith Counts, director of licensing and product development at the Garden. For Counts, the licensing partnership with Frontgate is another aesthetic opportunity to educate the public about the Garden. The selection of prints includes 12 orchid offerings from James Bateman’s “The Orchidaceae of Mexico and Guatemala,” which Counts calls “one of the most important botanical works. “The orchids are drawn to life size in this 3-foot-long book and they are sublime.” Now they have been rendered full-scale in giclée prints, using archival inks and paper. From the delicacy of this enticing, varied
Left to right, from Étienne Denisse “Flore d’Amerique,” and from James Bateman’s “The Orchidaceae of Mexico & Guatemala.”
flower we move to the brilliant bursts of color in the Exotic Flora Art Collection and the green Resplendent Quetzal print, from a group of stately palms and a sensuous pineapple to the stylish arabesques of garden design. It couldn’t have been easy to winnow the selections from the vast number of volumes in the Garden’s LuEsther T. Mertz Library, some of which date from 1200. After talking with Frontgate and forming an aesthetic to pinpoint a number of works, Counts had Frontgate representatives come to the library to make the final selection, a process that took a little more than eight months. The works were then photographed with a large-format camera to create large-scale prints with the highest resolution possible, Counts says. The results will have botanical lovers swooning. As for Counts — who joined the Garden team in 2011 and set about revitalizing the licensing program — she’s on to the next deal, “a fragrance collaboration with an iconic brand. “There are lots of possibilities,” she adds, “always.” For more, visit frontgate.com.
Your Dollars Make a Difference Support a Great Cause!
Walk & Run
Sunday, June 4, 2017 Columbus Park, Stamford
Register, Donate, Sponsor, Volunteer
Hopeinmotion.org Hope in Motion is an ongoing fundraising campaign to support the programs and services of the Bennett Cancer Center.
All funds raised go directly to quality of life services provided to Cancer Center patients
FREE OF CHARGE at Stamford Hospital’s Bennett Cancer Center.
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GARDEN STYLE, INSPIRED BY MOM BY JANE MORGAN
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y first exposure to a garden-inspired room was the restaurant inside Lord & Taylor called The Birdcage. My mother took me there for lunch once in a while when I was a girl, after a round of particularly heavy shopping. Peering beyond the hostess while waiting to be seated, I was agog at the wallpaper, with spindly trees growing from the baseboards, butterflies alighting on their branches and overripe roses spinning garlands across the room. Then there was the actual birdcage that hung from the ceiling with fake robins and bluebirds inside, frozen on their perches mid-chirp. The white latticework frames surrounding the windows shaded the sun’s rays just enough for me to feel as if I was stealing a patch of springtime with my mother as we ate raisin pumpernickel sandwiches with cream cheese, the crusts cut off. Between sips of my iced tea with heaps of sugar and her coffee, always black, I squirmed with delight, my bare legs squishing the green chenille upholstery fabric on my chair. I felt like an honorary grown-up. I thought my mother impossibly glamorous in her short, white floral shift and cat’s-eye sunglasses, a cigarette with her lipstick on it primly perched on one of the white marble ashtrays dotting every table. Flowers just spoke to Mom. She was an avid gardener, working miracles on our diminutive concrete patio, attempting to reproduce Monet’s gardens at Giverny. She decorated generously with floral prints because for her, they represented happiness, hope and creativity. In that spirit, here’s a short guide to getting botanical and bringing the outside in while letting your artistic side out.
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Dark floral wallpaper by Ellie Cashman. Courtesy Jane Morgan.
MODERN
Floral prints have come charging into the 21st century, invigorated by forward-thinking production techniques. Wallpapers achieve brilliant image quality with laser printing and upholstery fabrics crafted from recycled plastic speak to our eco-consciousness. The modern, garden-inspired interior uses dazzlingly saturated colors that pair well with the geometric lines of up-to-the-minute furniture styles, such as a mid-century modern wing chair or a boxy 1970s platform coffee table. It all has a very mix-and-match quality that relies on contrast to achieve an urbane aesthetic.
RUSTIC
The rustic look has retained its popularity since designer Rachel Ashwell of the Shabby-Chic brand pioneered it. The heavily distressed aesthetic with its chalky, muted tones references American Western, Scandinavian Country and English Cottage vernacular traditions. Rusted-out garden tools are used as accessories and frayed, raw fabrics are used for linens and curtains. Everything should look vintage or, in other words, worn but not wornout. Wooden baskets, dried flowers, chipped painted furniture and heirloom carpets define the look.
TRADITIONAL
The traditional sunroom conjures visions of green-painted walls, windows trimmed with swag valances and cascading drapery panels. Plush, overstuffed furniture and a beloved Beagle complete the picture. It’s no surprise that this love letter to formal botanical gardens has never gone out of style. Floral prints are not the only way to reference the garden indoors. Using exterior architectural elements and outdoor materials can be just as evocative. A few favorites of mine include stone, terra-cotta or mosaic tile flooring; ceramic pots and vases; wood latticework trim on walls and surrounding windows; wrought-iron chandeliers; Chinese pagoda style lanterns; faux or authentic topiaries; tapestry wall hangings; awning striped fabric; urns containing tall branches; botanical prints and paintings; framed, pressed flowers; and, of course, a dazzling centerpiece of fresh flowers. I hope to be lounging in a wicker chaise, next to a miniature Victorian, stone birdbath and reading in the shade for hours sometime soon. Here’s to you, Mom. For more, visit janemorganinteriordesign.com.
EXPERTISE IN ALL PRICE RANGES
1 VISTA AVENUE | $3,895,000 | VISTAAVE.COM In a coveted private association in Old Greenwich this light-filled 5 bedroom, 5 bath home boasts classic lines and enduring style on an oversized 0.56 acre lot. Daphne Lamsvelt-Pol | 203.391.4846
ROUND HILL ROAD | $3,700,000 | 213ROUNDHILL.COM Beautifully restored stuctures provide entertaining areas and informal spaces set on two exceptional level acres, complete with party barn/three car garage. Heather Platt | 203.983.3802
BAILIWICK ROAD | $3,395,000 | 19BAILIWICK.COM Five bedroom Georgian brick house with four renovated levels on 1.6 acres with a pool. Home theater, wine cellar and billiards room. Leslie McElwreath | 917.539.3654
23 CLAPBOARD RIDGE ROAD | $2,595,000 | 23CLAPBOARD.COM Located on a sought after prime Mid-Country road minutes to town, this gorgeous home is sighted on flat park-like grounds. Low taxes. 4 car garage. Krissy Blake | 203.536.2743
74 TOMAC AVENUE | $2,495,000 | 74TOMACAVENUE.COM Beautifully charming Old Greenwich residence next to the Innis Arden golf course. Four bedrooms, 3.5 bath. Short walk from the village and train. Joseph Barbieri | 203.940.2025
5 SHORELANDS COURT | $2,195,000 | 5SHORELANDSCOURT.COM Spacious light filled 5 beds/3.1 baths colonial w/master suite. Level .28 acre. Convenient location. Private lane. 2-car garage. .5 mile south of O.G. village. Jill Tighe Kelly | 203.536.6280
GREENWICH BROKERAGE | 203.869.4343 One Pickwick Plaza | Greenwich, CT 06830
sothebyshomes.com/greenwich
Sotheby’s International Realty and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo areregistered (or unregistered) service marks used with permission. Operated by Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Real estate agents affiliated with Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. are independent contractor sales associates and are notemployees of Sotheby’s International Realty, Inc. Equal Housing Opportunity.
KHRUSHCHEV, TEA - AND THE TOPPINGS BY SEYMOUR TOPPING
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here will be no centenary celebration in Russia for that historical 1917 event, which Russians have customarily hailed as the Great October Socialist Revolution. The Czarist regime was then ousted and the way opened for the Leninist revolution and the establishment of a Communist government. Kremlin officials have told correspondents that the keystone event, which changed the world as well as Russia, would not be celebrated because there remained disagreement and division within the country about some of the turbulent consequences of the uprising. Analysts believe, however, that the decision to forego the much anticipated event was made by President Vladimir Putin because of his aversion to having crowds in the streets celebrating revolution as a means of overthrowing an unpopular ruler. With the Russian economy failing due to eroding demand for Russia-produced oil and the involvement in bloody wars in the Ukraine and Syria, Putin may have feared a lessening of his current high popularity rating. He resembles another Russian dictatorial leader, Nikita Khrushchev, in the tendency to undertake risky foreign policy adventures. But the two differ in how they viewed the Leninist revolution. On Nov. 7, 1962, Khrushchev gave a large reception in the Kremlin for hundreds of Soviet officials and foreign diplomats to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Lenin's Bolshevik Revolution. I was then The New York Timesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; correspondent in Moscow, and, to my surprise, my wife, Audrey, then a freelance photographer, and I were invited to the reception. As it turned out, there was reason enough for the invitation, certainly more than the celebration of Lenin seizing power. Russia was then mired in the Cuban Missile Crisis and Moscow was a frightened city. At the reception, Khrushchev would tell me that the confrontation with the United States was at an end. In the gilded banquet hall of the Palace of Congresses, Khrushchev stood, vodka glass in hand, behind a long table with other members of the ruling Presidium. Suddenly, to my consternation, I saw Audrey sidle out of the throng of guests to a spot directly before the Russian leaders, take her Leica out of her evening bag and begin pho80
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American President Donald J. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on a nesting doll at Souvenirs in Moscow. Courtesy dreamstime.com
tographing Khrushchev. I observed KGB agents converging on her from every part of the hall. Journalists had been required to check their cameras upon entering the hall, but Audrey had ignored the order. Unruffled by this blond apparition standing before him, Khrushchev waved off the KGB agents and posed smiling for Audrey. The photographs were destined to be published the next morning on the front page of The New York Times. When Khrushchev began to mingle with the guests, I approached him. He told me, as other correspondents gathered: "Tension has not yet completely eased, but our rockets are out of Cuba." Grimly, he added: "We were very close, very, very close to a
thermonuclear war." During the night, the Russian leader had exchanged messages with President Kennedy. As I spoke with Khrushchev, Audrey chatted with Nina, his wife, who stood nearby. Nina invited Audrey to tea and consented to her bringing a camera. The next afternoon, in a small reception room of the Kremlin, with a few wives of foreign ambassadors and members of the Presidium present, Audrey chatted over black tea and sweet cakes with Nina about our children and life in Moscow. The Cuban Missile Crisis thus ended, at least for the Toppings, with a tea party.
Twin Lakes Farm
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win Lakes Farm is Westchester’s largest diverse equestrian center, offering both boarding and a robust riding academy. The riding academy starts at age 6 with private lessons before moving up to groups; adults ride daily and take advantage of the 8pm adults-only classes. For the more serious equestrian, Twin Lakes Farm offers Drill Teams, Interscholastic Teams, Horseshowing, and Summer Leasing while also offering year round boarding. Camp is coeducational and runs 8:30am to 4:30pm all summer and includes riding, camp activities and the very popular Horseshow. Set on two campuses each has its own indoor arena, 55 stalls each, lighted outdoor arenas, paddocks with hay feeders, heated tack rooms and wash stalls. The North Barn is home to the Riding Academy, Drill Team and Therapeutic Riding Program while also hosting the interscholastic (IEA) shows and schooling shows. The South Barn houses the boarders and show team while hosting nine USEF shows each year. Whether it’s children’s lessons, adult lessons, riding teams, showing competitively or recreational riding there is something for everyone at Twin Lakes Farm which is why we are:
“Where Westchester Learns To Ride!”
©
960 CALIFORNIA ROAD, BRONXVILLE • 914-961-2192 • WWW.TWINLAKESFARM.COM A FACILITY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER PARKS, RECREATION & CONSERVATION
Riverdale Stables ABOUT THE FARM:
Riverdale Stables is the premier riding facility in the 5 boroughs of New York, offering lessons year round at all levels. The facility boasts over 80 stalls, indoor, and outdoor wash stalls, many turnout paddocks, a large indoor arena, along with four lighted outdoor rings-including grass hunt course!
WHAT SETS RIVERDALE APART?
Riverdale Stables is a one of a kind place. We are an equestrian oasis tucked away in the corner of Van Cortlandt Park with open green grazing space, indoor and outdoor arenas turn out paddocks, and a barn with heated tack rooms and updated stalls. We are mass-transit accessible-minutes from the bus and Subways. Riverdale Stables prides itself on offering programs for the riders of New York City who do not own horses but want the hands-on opportunities of riding and learning about proper horse care. We have afterschool programs, Therapeutic Riding, Interscholastic Teams combined with camp and lessons for all levels of riders-from novice to our show team. Riverdale Stables …
“Where New York City Learns To Ride!”© 6394 BROADWAY BRONX, NY 10471 (718) 548-4848 WWW.RIVERDALESTABLES.COM
WANDERS
THE GARDENS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN BY JEREMY WAYNE
“If you have a garden and a library,” Cicero observed in first century Rome, “you have everything you need.” It’s a refreshingly simple observation for a philosopher and political theorist, professions not always known for their straightforwardness. I have neither — unless you call a tired bed of Tickseed a garden and clusters of random, dogeared books crudely stacked in piles around the house a library. Not sure about “need,” but a garden and a library are probably the two things I would most like to have. Beautiful gardens, no two ever really alike, punctuate my traveling life. The Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall, England, the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo and Innisfree Garden right here in Millbrook, are among those that have given me a great deal of pleasure in the last year. Throw in Monet’s garden at Giverny while we’re 82
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at. Also right up there, certainly in my top 10, are the Botanical Gardens in Kingstown, on one of the Caribbean’s most enchanting islands, Saint Vincent. Predating Kew (near London), and Bartram’s Gardens in Philadelphia, the Kingstown garden is one of the oldest in the Western Hemisphere. It is famously also home to the “original” breadfruit tree grown from a sucker brought to the Caribbean from Tahiti by Captain William Bligh — he of HMS Bounty fame, so the garden has infamous swashbuckling history as well as beauty to commend it. Gardens galore. But now it’s nearly summer and with the heady scent of jasmine, the bouquet of frangipani and the (literally) intoxicating smell of Dame de Noche, from May to September, it’s the gardens of the Mediterranean that most work their siren charms on me. Here are four of my favorites: TANGIER Fig, dragon and banyan trees — one in particular said to be nearly 1,000 years old — punctuate Tangier’s Mendoubia Gardens, like sagacious old retainers, seeing all but saying little, if anything at all. It’s wise to remain a silent observer in these gardens and the Mendoub Palace they house, which have pretty much seen it all. That includes the stoned nonconformism of the Beats in the 1950s, the offbeat loucheness of the Rolling Stones in the 1970s
Alhambra: view in Generalife Gardens. Courtesy dreamstime.com WAGMAG.COM
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and Malcolm Forbes’s 70th birthday party in 1989. The publishing tycoon, who had recently acquired the palace, flew in 800 friends just for the occasion — some by Concorde, the B-list slumming it by 747 and DC-8. Some 300 Berber horsemen added to the revelry, as did Elizabeth Taylor, Forbes’ date for the weekend. He passed away soon after, but the Mendoubia lives on, a welcome swath of green in this intriguing desert country, snuggled insistently in the northeast corner of Africa, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. In 1777, Morocco was the first country to recognize the newly formed United States as an independent nation and — interesting fact alert — another Tangier garden, that of the city’s enchanting American Legation, is still the only area outside the U.S.A. to be administered and maintained by the National Park Service. CAP ROIG, COSTA BRAVA, SPAIN Founded in the 1920s by local residents Nicolai Voevodsky and Dorothy Webster, the Cap Roig Botanical Garden is a jewel of the Costa Brava. An hour’s easy drive north of Barcelona, minutes from the trippery tourist resorts of Palafrugell and Calella, both in style and content, part-formal Cap Roig is eons away from the thrusting summer crowds of the coast. From a castle atop a hill, precipitous terraces plunge steeply downward, like a madman hurling himself towards the sea. I say “part-formal” because one of the unique aspects of this garden is how it melds seeming disorder with immaculate design, bringing to mind Alexander Pope’s often-quoted couplet: “True wit is nature to advantage dressed / What oft was thought, but ne’er so well expressed.” And it’s true — if Cap Roig could speak, it would be to disclaim poetry. The views alone will smooth the ruffliest feathers, while all the colors of the park thrill, like a child picking up a kaleidoscope for the very first time. There are pinks, purples, fuchsias, violets, dazzling whites and garish golds and yellows, from the hilltop all the way down to the sparkling sea. The myriad paths are lined with exotic plants — elephant’s ears from the Azores, medlars from Japan — and the fresh, bosky scent of cypresses is always on the breeze. THE ALHAMBRA AND GARDENS OF THE GENERALIFE, GRANADA, SPAIN If you’ve ever heard Joaquin Rodrigo’s “Concerto de Aranjuez,” Manuel de Falla’s “Nights in the Gardens of Spain” or Agustín Lara’s “Granada” — or, for that matter, read “Tales of the Alhambra” by Tarrytown’s Washington Irving — chances are you’ve already visited the gardens of Andalusia, at least in subliminal reverie over gazpacho and croquetas de jamón in your local tapas bar. And yet nothing quite prepares you for the wonder of the Alhambra, the (mostly) 14th-century palace built by the Moors in Granada, with its magnificent neighboring gardens, the Generalife. Planted with roses, orange trees, myrtles and English elms, irrigated still by the one of the most brilliant systems imagined 84
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The Pool at Hadrian’s Villa, Rome.
IN 1777, MOROCCO WAS THE FIRST COUNTRY TO RECOGNIZE THE NEWLY FORMED UNITED STATES AS AN INDEPENDENT NATION ... (TANGIER'S AMERICAN LEGATION) IS STILL THE ONLY AREA OUTSIDE THE U.S.A. TO BE ADMINISTERED AND MAINTAINED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE.
— developed and constructed by the Moors more than 600 six hundred years ago — Alhambra is offthe-scale grand but also touchingly intimate. You could host an army in the citadel or give a dinner party for a dozen friends in one of the Alhambra’s dizzyingly lovely courtyards — with their fluted columns, scalloped arcades and filigree squinches — and both would feel equally “right.” No wonder the mother of Boabdil, the last ruler of Muslim Granada before it was reconquered by the Roman Catholic Ferdinand and Isabella, told him as he fled the crumbling fortress, “Weep like a woman for what you could not keep as a man.” It sure must have been a tough one to lose. (And did no one ever have a word with Mama Boabdil about gender stereotypes?)
HADRIAN’S VILLA AND TIVOLI GARDENS, ROME Hadrian’s Villa, at Tivoli, just northeast of Rome, is the largest single estate to have survived the fall of the Roman Empire largely intact. If that simple thought alone does not make your spine tingle, an actual visit almost certainly will. Modeled on a sacred Alexandrian landscape, Villa Adriana boasts 30 buildings in all and its extensive gardens include fountains, waterfalls and an artificial grotto. The swimming pool measures 700 feet in length — I imagine those Roman pool parties must have been quite something — and the ruins of the villa’s Corinthian columns alone rival anything you will find in Rome itself. I have never found anywhere too exciting to stay in this neck of the woods, but 40 minutes drive west, on the other side of the Eternal City, just off the old Via Aurelia, lies the resort town of Fregene. In the 1970s and ‘80s, it enjoyed its 15 minutes of fame, with a Roman crowd bored of Capri, or too lazy to drive the extra 80 miles up to Porto Ercole. Then, mercifully, it slipped back into oblivion. Fregene has no in-crowd, no glitz, no Jet Skis, no jewels, and that is the joy of it. With its forest of pines between the town and the sea, it fairly buzzes with life of its own from June to September. There are ballgames on the beach, cafés and pizzerias galore, and the world’s best gelato at teatime, or any time. The evening passegiata along the main drag is pure theater. It’s old-fashioned, family fun now virtually extinct on the Med — so go, before it’s too late. Because, honestly, for all its grandeur, I doubt the ancient Romans, Cicero included, could have enjoyed themselves more at the swanky Villa Adriana than at this humble Italian resort.
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THE INSIDER’S BEAUTY SECRET BY DEBBI K. KICKHAM
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hat will you do on your next trip to Florence? Would you be interested in visiting one of the world’s oldest pharmacies, which today makes award-winning, botanically inspired beauty products but originally made treatments for the Black Death? If you said “yes,” then welcome to the insider’s club. The Officina Profumo — Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is an under-the-radar beauty secret that inspires a global cult following. It has 75 stores around the world — including one in New York City on Lafayette Street — and it does no advertising. Instead, it relies on word-of-mouth from its wildly enthusiastic patrons, who swoon over its special skincare, perfumes, soaps, body care and much more. Much more than a museum, Santa Maria Novella in Florence is a mecca for beauty junkies and lovers of history. The luxury perfumes, soaps, beauty products and other goods are all handmade in the Old World way, and every day more than 2,000 beauty-obsessed travelers visit the shop on the Via della Scala. There, they not only can learn about and indulge in beauty confections but can use the free Wi-Fi and refresh themselves in the tea room. There’s also a museum, where tourists can view original 16th- and 17th-century pharmaceutical pottery, and early books offering an alchemist’s view on how to combat the bubonic plague. You can also see some of the original soap machines that were used up to the year 2000. Today, the soaps are still handmade, one by one, wrapped and then aged for 30 days on ventilated clapboards. “They last three times more than other soaps,” says Giancarlo Foa, chief commercial officer, who granted me an individual tour of the premises. Santa Maria Novella is probably the world’s oldest apothecary. It was started in 1221, when there were outcasts living in Florence, Foa says. “Monks were called in to take care of the outcasts and preparations were made to help them while a con-
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The interior of Santa Maria Novella, the world's oldest pharmacy, now offers award-winning beauty products, skincare, soaps, fragrances and more. Photograph courtesy of Santa Maria Novella.
vent was established… The monks (later) tried to defeat the Black Death.” One of the earliest preparations, in 1380, utilized roses, as their petals were known to combat pestilence. Thus distilled rose petals — rose water — was born. In the 16th century, when Catherine de’ Medici became queen of France, she brought Florentine customs to the royal court. One was the wearing of perfume and she commissioned the Dominican monks to create a fragrance in her honor, “Eau de la Reine.” It represents the first time that alcohol (and not olive oil or vinegar) was used in the preparation of perfumes. Today, the fragrance, called Acqua della Regina in Italian, is a bestseller. In 1614, Friar Angiolo Marchissi created the Acqua di Santa Maria Novella. This elixir, to be diluted in a glass of water, was originally called “anti-hysterics water” and contains essential oils of aromatic plants. Today, the imperial houses of Japan and the United Arab Emirates purchase products for their households from the tony pharmacy. Santa Maria Novella is a particular favorite of the Asian market, which comprises 90 percent of the clientele. “Our customers understand that we create different products. We have a high position in the marketplace… We carry on the tradition of the monks with innovations in our laboratories,” Foa says. At the Florence shop, there is a botanical garden where plants are picked and used in the preparations. “Our products are really made in Florence. Even our boxes come from local companies.” The products include Pasta di Mandorle, a hand moisturizer containing almond paste; Polvere per Bianchire le Carni for facial restoration; and a line
of restructuring shampoos and conditioners. The Acqu di Colonia — filled with violets — is gorgeous. There’s a wide selection of products designed specifically for babies, plus a signature potpourri, which is a mixture of herbs and flowers from the Tuscan hills that are macerated in terra-cotta jars from the town of Impruneta. There’s also an award-winning anti-wrinkle eye contour gel that won raves in a newspaper in Korea called Fluido Antirughe Contorno Occhi. The new antioxidant skincare line, the Aetas Salubris, features a day cream made with milk thistle and a regenerative serum made with apple stem cell extract. “Our aim is to always increase the level of our quality,” Foa adds. Many of the products are made with irises, which are an important ingredient in its face and body powders. “It costs 30,000 Euro ($31,820) for one liter,” Fao says. “We win because our quality is like that and our customers recognize it.” Indeed, the iris, the symbol of Florence, is featured in a special toothpaste. And in our time, the brand has, of course, found its way into Hollywood movies, In addition to being featured in films such as “Hannibal,” and “Portrait of a Lady” (with Nicole Kidman), the company’s pomegranate perfume made an appearance in the James Bond movie “Casino Royale,” starring Daniel Craig. After the character of Vesper (played by Eva Green) dies, her handbag is opened by 007, and the luxury perfume is seen inside. “Oh yes,” Foa says, “Miss Green is also a customer.” For more, visit smnovella.it/?lang=en. And for more on Debbi, visit GorgeousGlobetrotter.com, and MarketingAuthor.com.
N AT I O N A L F O L K D A N C E E N S E M B L E O F C R O AT I A
“A n a u d i e n c e o f 5 0 0 0 c e r t a i n l y appreciated some of the most skillful and inventive performances of the national dance ever seen at the Royal Albert H a l l .” EVENING NEWS – LONDON
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 8PM
PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, PURCHASE COLLEGE 735 Anderson Hill Rd, Purchase, NY10577 tickets: www. CroE x p o. c om
[ 8 00] 506- 6898
WHERE'S EUROPE
WHERE THE SKY IS A RIVER BY MARTA BASSO (Editor’s note: Marta Basso joins us this month as our woman in Europe, reporting on the scene there at a crucial moment in the continent’s history. But for her first column, written in a manner reminiscent of a Thornton Wilder novel, her thoughts turn to her father’s company in Peru, which manufactures alpaca products, and the love of the earth, a world away….)
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he sun was already burning. Judging from its position in the sky, showing up right above the two-story building where the school was, it was not later than 7 in the morning. Summer had definitely made its appearance. With this thought in mind, Sariri wore the alpaca beanie to protect his head from the bold sunlight and took his path again. His daily routine had always been the same — a couple of pieces of yucca, tea and a stroll through the streets of his small town. A waving hand for the teacher, one for the grocer and, obviously, one for each one of his colleagues. When he was done, he proceeded east to the mountains, to the steep slopes where, since the beginning of time, his best friends were living. There was Wayra, so-called because he was always the first one to sneak out and the last one to get caught. With him was Chikan, his red fur shining under the first shadow at dawn. Even Killari was not missing. There were many others just like them, each one with a history, in their names and in their eyes. Sariri knew them perfectly. He did not miss a single birth, a single first shearing, a single death. It can be said that in the district of Paucará — in the region of Huancavelica and the province of Acobamba, Peru, at more than 11,600 feet above sea level — alpacas were considered exactly like human beings: They had a roof as shelter, food to survive and fields to discover. In Sariri’s worst dreams, these animals went missing overnight, together with the shining decorations inside the school, the alpaca votive drapes for the festivals, fruit and even, sometimes, a couple of young virgins.
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Peruvian alpacas like this one become friends to their caretakers. Photograph courtesy Marta Basso.
Sariri, in his nightmares, was usually suddenly awakened by a man who dressed in sad colors, with a moustache that covered his smile, if any. This man was intimating something, threatening him with a sharp tool and he was doing it in a weird language, in which Sariri understood only one single word — “alpaca.” Luckily, that was just a nightmare and Sariri, having dried the sweat away with a pima cotton cloth, could go back to sleep. At least until the next dawn. Today, Sariri’s name is Dionicio and, compared with a couple of centuries ago, he just has more white hair and a little less teeth. He does not give up on his morning stroll before kicking off to work. His friends are still on the same steep slopes, with their frisky locks almost as if it were still the 1980s. And although they have different names now, they are the same color, have the same soft fur and the same smiles as their ancestors. Dionicio pets them like he has always done, calms them down and makes them feel like part of that family called Paucará. Then the shearers come and Dionicio goes back to work. He steps in, like every morning, in that small room in his house that is almost a lab and sits on a small stool. After having tied and
laced the belt of the loom around his waist, he starts pulling the yarns. Up and down, up and down. His sons and grandsons do the same. From that moment on, Paucará is nothing more than a never-ending up and down of yarns, only seldom broken by a rare pounding of a summer storm, or some distant bleating. Today, Sariri’s name is Dionicio. But he has not given up on the passion for his job, the “calling,” as he dubs it, almost as if he was referring to a god whose name he no longer knows. The district of Paucará, under his direction, is an artistic lab en plein air, where the most distant things blend together — the unforgotten tradition and the innate inspiration in the designs, the small stone buildings that are called home and the blue sky that looks almost like a suspended river in the air, the peaks of the Andes and the sincere smiles in each and every inhabitant’s face. It can be said that in the district of Paucará — in the region of Huancavelica and the province of Acobamba, at more than 11,600 feet above sea level — maybe it is hard to breathe, so, so high. But it is impossible not to feel the respect for nature and the love for our Earth. At least until the next dawn.
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…SOMETHING NEW FROM STUART WEITZMAN BY DANIELLE RENDA PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY STUART WEITZMAN
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he bride-to-be may have another reason to say “I do” this season. And she can thank Stuart Weitzman for that. As he prepares to retire from shoe biz this month – having sold the company to Coach in 2015 for $574 million -- the luxury designer recently relaunched the eponymous brand’s bridal collection at stores nationwide, including its Greenwich Avenue boutique. The line, which includes the brand’s iconic, minimalist, silhouette sandal using luxe materials, is a blend of the traditional and the contemporary, reflecting the modern bride. “Today, bridal styles can range from traditional to avant-garde and wedding locations span from beaches to vineyards,” says Weitzman, a Greenwich resident. “Our collection satisfies today’s lifestyle.” Weitzman purposely selected a monochromatic color scheme, which is offset by custom embellishments, to express the bride’s unique personality. “The aisle is the bride’s runway,” he adds. “This is the bride’s Cinderella moment. I want to help create a fairy-tale experience for her when she tries on her wedding shoes for the first time.” Each shoe draws on the brand’s signature styles, updated for bridal appeal. The Nudist sandal, a simply sexy complement to any outfit – and a fashion staple – is available in three heel heights and in materials such as white satin, argento noir, platinum, rose gold and patent leather. The NearlyNude, a sandal inspired by the Nudist, is available in white or blue leather with a glittery Swarovski-crystal block heel. The NudistSong sandal, a single-sole stiletto shoe and sister spinoff of the Nudist, is available in glass microfiber for a shimmering beige finish reminiscent of rose gold, one of the season’s
The MorePearl sandal in nappa white leather, $455.
The Nudist sandal in noir argento silver lamé fabric, $398.
hottest colors. For beach-bound brides, there’s the Tweety sandal, available in white leather and featuring Swarovski crystal-encrusted details with a half-inch heel, perfect for a post-wedding walk on the beach. The four styles retail at $398 each. If the bride-to-be is seeking more glitz and glam, she can coat her shoes in crystals. The Pavé Collection allows brides to customize their Nudist or NearlyNude shoes with clear, chalk-white or light blue sapphire Swarovski crystals, $2,300 and $2,200 respectively. But customization doesn’t end there. Brides can also inscribe a date, quote or memorable note on the sock lining of their shoes. And suddenly, the accessory becomes a keepsake. This option was inspired by Weitzman’s own experience of proposing to his wife of more than 50 years, Jane Gershon – one he shared with us in our October 2013 cover story. Kneeling on one knee, Weitzman presented his bride-to-be with a pair of lace, white shoes, rather than a ring. The lining of those life-changing pumps contained the phrase “Made expressly for the future Mrs. Weitzman.” She later wore them for her wedding and has kept the shoes to this day. For more, visit stuartweitzman.com.
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A FASHION SHOW IN BLOOM(IE’S) BY DANIELLE RENDA
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pring trends are in full blossom at Bloomingdale’s White Plains. The department store is showcasing the season’s hottest styles with an afternoon fashion show May 3 to benefit the Kids’ Kloset initiative of Westchester Jewish Community Services, with a slated special guest appearance from White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach. But might we suggest some spring cleaning before the event? Because you’ll want to make room for these showstopping styles.
a dark blue jean, or a shade in between? Well, now you can wear ‘em all — at the same time. Designers include Mavi, 7 for All Mankind and J Brand. PRETTY IN (PASTEL) PINK What better way to celebrate spring than with ne plus ultra in femininity? This subtle shade finds its way into every fabric, piece and accessory, from chiffon dresses to leather skirts, sneakers and crossbody bags. Designers include Paris in Paris, Wayf and Mackage.
RRRRRRRRRRRUFFLES The plain Jane look undergoes a makeover as designers experiment with fabric construction, offering unique shapes and styles, including bell sleeves and cinched waists. Ruffles and ruching, reminiscent of a flower’s folds, add an extra feminine touch and a textured look that will give you a flirty confidence. Designers include Aqua, Endless Rose and BCBG Max Azria. A SHOULDER TO LEAN ON Show a little bit, show a lot — or somewhere in-between? The one-shoulder top is the perfect resolution to this never-ending dilemma, as are cold shoulder and off-the-shoulder tops. Designers include Lucy Paris, Birds of Paradise and MLM Label. NOVEL CLOTHES Embellishments meet denim, as jeans jackets are adorned with whimsical patches, blazers are festooned with intricate floral designs and colored tassels call attention to jeans and simple dresses. Accessories are also decked out, as colored tassels add personality to a pair of Toms or dangle from the ears with Chan Luu earrings, while Sam Edelman sandals marry pom-poms, jewels and lace-up strings. Designers include Sunset & Spring, Paige and Parker. MISMATCH YOUR DENIM For many of us, blue jeans are a fashion staple — and the neutral in any outfit. But this season, we’re encouraged to step outside the box with patchwork denim. Can’t figure out whether to wear a light wash, 92
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620 Super Skinny Jeans in Tribeca by J Brand, $248, and the Sequel High Heel Slide Sandals by Stuart Weitzman, $455. Photograph courtesy Bloomingdale’s.
SLIP-ON (THOSE) SANDALS A good pair of shoes can make an outfit. And a good pair of shoes that is also comfortable is often a rare find. Luckily, this season brings both. Slip-on slides featuring a thick block heel are the trendiest, most comfortable — and dare we say — convenient footwear to hit the runway this spring. Designers include Coach, Tory Burch and Stuart Weitzman. These six trends are incredibly versatile and we encourage mixing and matching them. Pair your ruffled pastel blouse with a pair of patchwork jeans and trendy slip-on sandals and you’re season-ready. The day of the fashion show, May 3, Bloomingdale’s will donate 10 percent of all tracked sales to Kids’ Kloset in recognition of its 10,000 Bags of Love program. WJCS, a human services agency based in White Plains, founded Kids’ Kloset to provide Westchester County children and families in need with donated clothing. The Bags of Love program provides children, from newborn to age 18, with bags of assembled outfits — free of rips, stains and missing buttons. The event, which includes an all-day designer shoe trunk show, kicks off with an 11 a.m. brunch, followed by the 11:30 a.m. fashion show at Bloomingdale’s White Plains, 175 Bloomingdale Road. To RSVP, email RSVPWhitePlains@ Bloomingdales.com. For more about the fashions, visit Bloomingdales.com. For more about Kids’ Kloset and its related initiatives, visit wjcs. com/kids-kloset/.
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A TOUCH OF ROYALTY FROM ACROSS ‘THE POND’ BY DANIELLE RENDA PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY HOBBS
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ritish fashion label Hobbs London has found a new home overseas — in WAG country. Recently, the women’s clothing company opened a 1,400-square-foot store on Greenwich Avenue. This marks the brand’s second location in the United States, both of which are in our area. The first, at The Westchester in White Plains, opened last year. Hobbs complements feminine silhouettes with sharp lines, exquisite tailoring and a fit for all occasions. An in-house team of pattern-cutters, designers and technicians oversees every step of the process, from the initial sketch to the finished product, to assure perfection. No wonder Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge is so fond of its offerings. During a trip to East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices in Quidenham, Norwich, in January, she was seen wearing a matching, emerald green peplum jacket and pencil skirt in an Italian wool-blend fabric from Hobbs. Over the past few years, she’s been spotted on many occasions in the brand’s Unlimited Celeste Flaired Coat — a chestnut brown, double crepe, wool coat, featuring leather stud fastening cuff stars and a belt at the waist. WAG is anxious to see which Hobbs fashions she’ll be sporting from the Spring/Summer 2017 Collection, an ode to Hampstead, the brand’s affluent — and artsy — birthplace. Elements of nature inspire the collection’s palette — blues for the ocean, greens for the countryside, golden hues for the terrain and the occasional pop of orange for the hot summer sun. In addition to clothing, Hobbs also creates accessories, from totes and tights to scarves, shoulder bags and shoes, its signature product, which led to the company’s founding in 1981. In Hobbs’ workshop in Porto San Sergio, Italy, 41 skilled shoemakers handcraft leather pumps, sandals and flats, for styles ranging from conventional to bold. But Hobbs doesn’t simply dress present-day royalty; it gives shoppers a connection with past royalty. The Hobbs Royal Palace Collection, its signature line, is the latest collaboration with Historic Royal Palaces, an independent charity that works to preserve and promote six sites — the Tower of London,
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Hobbs’ selection of styles range from contemporary and work wear to special occasion.
Hobbs’ accessories, which include shoes, handbags, scarves and jewelry, add a finishing touch to any look.
Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace, Kew Palace and Hillsborough Castle. The collection is inspired by Caroline of Ansbach, Augusta of Saxe-Gotha and Charlotte of Mecklenberg-Strelitz — cultured, sophisticated princesses of the 18th century’s Enlightenment who married into the British royal family and were the subjects of a recent exhibit at the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven. (Caroline and Charlotte were the queens consort to George II and George III respectively. Augusta, Princess of Wales and Princess Dowager, was the mother of George III.) They brought a salon atmosphere to court life, serving as muses and patronesses to the leading artists, philosophers and scientists of their day. But they were also passionate about nature, evident in the Royal Palace Collection’s use of earth tones and floral prints. The Greenwich store will also feature the By Invitation Collection, a limited-edition line of occasion wear marked by intricate embellishments. Pieces from the current collection are adorned with a print of hand-painted cherry blossoms, inspired by a vintage kimono found in Japan. Hobbs London is at 243 Greenwich Ave. in Greenwich and at The Westchester, 125 Westchester Ave. in White Plains. Hobbs London clothing is also available at Bloomingdale’s stores. For more, visit hobbs.com or Bloomingdales.com.
THE SCHOOLHOUSE THEATER & ARTS CENTER
L.O.V.E.R. Baring It All! This a world premiere play written and performed by Lois Robbins. It is a comic and poignant riff of love and lust from a #grown-up woman's P.O.V. - a treat for all!
June 8 - June 25 Thursdays through Sundays 3 Owens Rd, North Salem, N.Y.10560 Email: schoolhousetheater@gmail.com (914) 277-8477
X
TIX : www.schoolhousetheater.org We are in Croton Falls, Exit 8 of I-684
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WESTPORT’S GREEN GODDESS BY DANIELLE RENDA
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t’s no secret that Siobhan McKinley believes in green beauty. The owner of Orgánachs Farm to Skin, an organic skin care and cosmetics boutique in Westport, sells — and uses — all-natural products exclusively, from hair care to makeup, bath and body lotions, essential oils, nail polish and even faux eyelashes. But in addition to being a business owner, McKinley considers herself an educator. She says she's the owner of the only green beauty store in Connecticut, so she feels a responsibility to teach others about the importance of going green. “Our skin cells recognize the natural and organic ingredients more readily than chemicals and synthetics,” she says. “From my personal experience, organic skin care has dramatically improved the texture, appearance and firmness of my skin.” For McKinley, green beauty started as a topic of interest that snowballed into a business. While researching the skin care industry for personal knowledge, she became alarmed with her findings and immediately felt compelled to find alternatives. “I was living as organically as possible,” she says. “So I began searching for healthier alternatives for skin care, as I did not want to continue applying chemical-laden products on my body and on my children’s bodies.” McKinley traces her roots to Ireland, where she began researching and testing domestic brands. She later extended her search to the rest of Europe, due to the overall stricter skincare laws and regulations on the Continent, she says. “What I noticed is that the brands I became interested in had high-efficacy standards, in terms of where the ingredients are sourced, how they are sourced, their impact on the environment, the extraction process used and the noticeable effects on the skin,” McKinley says. Unable to find these products locally, she decided to offer them herself. Orgánachs Farm to Skin, which recently celebrated one year in business, boasts a carefully curated selection of more than 25 brands — including Josh Rosebrook, Ursa Major, Uma and Kjaer Weis — which have been worn by such celebrities as Emma Watson, Gwyneth Paltrow and Gisele Bündchen.
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Siobhan McKinley, owner of Organachs Farm to Skin, in her Westport store. Photograph by Sebastian Flores.
I ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT IF YOU CAN BEGIN SWAPPING OUT THE ONE PRODUCT YOU USE THE MOST WITH AN ORGANIC PRODUCT, THEN THAT’S A GOOD START. — Siobhan McKinley
“I’m very strict with what I allow in,” she says. “I strictly vet everything so there’s absolutely no chemicals and toxins, such as phthalates, parabens, SLS (sodium laureth sulfate) and phenoxyethanol.” In addition to skin care and cosmetic products,
Orgánachs Farm to Skin offers facials, as well as in-store and on-site professional makeup applications. The specialty facials use VOYA, an Irish skincare product created from wild seaweed blended with organic ingredients, and Dr. Alkaitis, natural skincare created from organic, biodynamic or wild-crafted herbs, plants, seeds, sea vegetables and oils. The store’s bespoke facial uses de Mamiel Skincare, which is handcrafted using the ancient principles of Chinese medicine. A little goes a long way in terms of organic beauty, McKinley says. And for those unsure of where so start, she suggests beginning with your most-used product. “I always recommend that if you can begin swapping out the one product you use the most with an organic product, then that’s a good start,” she says. “Whether it’s a cleanser or moisturizer or both, but start simple...” And if you’re still unsure, McKinley will be happy to assist. “I’ll tell you one thing,” she says, with a smile. “Once you go organic, you’ll never go back.” Orgánachs Farm to Skin is at 15 Post Road West in Westport. For more, visit organachsfarmtoskin.com.
2017 SEASON 20-GOAL USPA® TOURNAMENTS SUNDAY PUBLIC MATCHES
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WONDERFUL DINING
Greenery lines the bright dining room at Terrain Garden Café, which overlooks an outdoor garden and seating space.
BRUNCH IN FULL BLOOM STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALEESIA FORNI
S
pring’s arrival means different things to different people. For some, it signals a season of warmer weather, when thick socks and snow boots can be traded in for swimsuits and flip flops. For others, it’s the need to grab the Windex and rubber gloves, carry out a laundry list of chores and rid the home of unnecessary items. For many, myself included, springtime means making an annual pilgrimage to a local nursery to load up on seeds, potted plants and topsoil and begin the months-long journey of watching their garden grow. Or, as has been the case in some of my experiences, not grow. Despite my somewhat spotty track record with
two above-ground backyard garden beds, I decided to take advantage of a recent sunny weekend and head to Terrain, a home and garden shop just off Post Road in Westport. Set in an unassuming warehouse, Terrain offers experienced and novice gardeners alike a variety of products, as well as inspiration. The store — whose parent company, URBN Brands, also shepherds Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters — teems without feeling claustrophobic, no doubt thanks to high ceilings and oversized windows. Within the upscale supply shop sits Terrain Garden Café, a bustling, quaint eatery that offers seasonal, local fare. We stop in for brunch on a busy Sunday morning but not before perusing the shop and marveling at the elaborate floral
Above from left, a fried chicken sandwich and cheesecake dessert are each artfully presented on a wooden slab. Below left, The upscale shop offers everything you need to make your springtime garden grow.
arrangements and outdoor furniture. Surrounded by striking greenery that hangs artfully from the walls, the rustic cafĂŠ offers both seated brunch and dinner, along with an outdoor area for warmer months. The eatery pays homage to its garden store surroundings through the presentation of its fare. Drinks are served in glass Ball Mason jars. Several desserts are delivered in pint-sized cast iron skillets. A loaf of bread is presented in a ceramic flowerpot and along with a superbly sweet herbed butter. Once seated, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pass up the pork belly starter, which features two thick slices of juicy Berkshire pork. Crispy squares of polenta and perfectly charred maple Brussels sprouts are served alongside it and garnished with a sweet cranberry chutney. A quinoa salad is a true brunch delight, with a mix of spinach, feta, olives and pickled red onions. A red wine vinaigrette adds the perfect touch to the heaping plate. Main dishes vary widely, with options of traditional breakfast fare, like an organic egg omelet or French toast, listed next to a thick cheeseburger and a skirt steak served with eggs and potatoes. We decide to try a bit of both. Poached eggs sit atop warm, flaky buttermilk biscuits and thick slices of maple ham to make up the eggs Benedict. Following a suggestion by our helpful waitress, I decided to splurge and add avocado, which proves to be an excellent decision. The plate is topped with an absolutely delectable hollandaise sauce, a standout of the meal for both my guest and me. WAGMAG.COM
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Our second entrée is a fried chicken sandwich served in a warm potato roll. Pimento cheese and house-made pickles adds an unexpected flair to the traditional lunch item. A side of slightly greasy, thinly cut French fries, though nicely seasoned, are not quite crispy enough for our tastes. From the dessert menu, we select a cheesecake dish, which is also artfully served in a small glass jar and presented on a wooden block. The creamy sweet treat, which reminded me more of a yogurt than a cheesecake in its consistency, is topped with tart winterberries and garnished with crumbled graham crackers. My mother, an avid gardener whose vegetable plot on our Ohio farm is nearly a quarter of an acre, assures me that gardening is just as much about the experience as it is the outcome. The hope and excitement can be just as satiating as snap peas or green beans — both of which, for the record, I tried and failed to grow last summer. Whether your gardening prowess spans decades and includes a large outdoor patch of greenery or you struggle just to keep your potted plants alive, Terrain Garden Café will offer something for you to dig your fingers — if not a green thumb — into. For more, visit shopterrain.com.
Westchester
Plants grace the walls of Terrain Garden Café.
Philharmonic
FATHER’S DAY
CONCERT AND BBQ!
BURGERS, BEERS & B-FLAT MINOR
JUNE 18 AT 3PM
SUNDAY, JUNE 18, 2017 AT 3PM MAIN STAGE EVENT
Andrew Litton, conductor Conrad Tao, piano Works by Weber, Tchaikovsky and Dvorˇák
FOLLOWED BY A BBQ BASH! Burgers, Captain Lawrence beer, meet the artists and more!
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TICKETS: (914) 682-3707 westchesterphil.org 1311 Mamaroneck Avenue • Suite 340 •White Plains, NY 10605 T: 914.949.6400 • F: 914.949.2510 Events at Performing Arts Center, Purchase College 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase, NY.
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mcculloughgoldberger.com
Photograph Lincoln Clarkes 1997
Main STreeT To Madison Avenue
The Westport Arts Centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Annual Gala May 20, 2017 The Fairfield County Hunt Club westportartscenter.org 203.222.7070
WINE & DINE
OH, BRITISH COLUMBIA, THE GEM OF CANADIAN WINE COUNTRY BY DOUG PAULDING
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long with a dynamic, young prime minister and a buzzed about Broadway show, “Come From Away,” (see cover story), Canada boasts a burgeoning wine industry — especially in British Columbia. “This is an exciting time for wines of British Columbia as we build an international reputation for our fresh, bright, quality wines and premium tourism destination,” says Laura Kittmer, media relations manager of the British Columbia Wine Institute. “2016 was a record-breaking year for wine tourism in British Columbia, welcoming more than one million visitors to our world-class wine region, and the industry continues to grow." British Columbia abuts Washington state and is in the running for the most beautiful natural wine region of the world. It has the Pacific Ocean; it has rivers and lakes everywhere; and it has mountains, including some of best skiing and boarding destinations on the planet, like Revelstoke, Kicking Horse and Whistler Blackcomb. But the mountains of BC aren’t just majestic. They contribute to the quality of the wine production. There are four parallel mountain ranges in BC. The Coast and the Cascade mountain ranges create a rain shadow in the regions to the east of them. The mountains intercept weather and cause dry, almost desert-like conditions to the east. Additionally, through volcanic and glacial action, the soils are attractive for making nuanced, high quality wines capable of significant aging. There are currently five geographical wine regions in British Columbia, with the Okanagan Valley and Similkameen contributing 90 percent of the province’s wines. In 1974, the Canadian government planted 4,000 vines to see which varietals were viable in this unique landscape. In 1984,
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Photograph courtesy British Columbia Wine Institute.
there were just 13 wineries. In 1995, there were 30. By 2011, there were 200 and today there are more than 275 wineries. Most of the grape types are of the noble varietals, grapes most everyone would recognize. Red grapes grown are Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Gamay. Whites you will find are Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gerwürztraminer, Riesliing, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. Wine production contributes $2.8 million to the local economy so it’s likely their production is only going to increase in quality and quantity. I recently had the opportunity to meet several British Columbian winemakers and taste their wines against the backdrop of an amazing multicourse seafood luncheon prepared by chef Ned Bell of Vancouver in the James Beard House in Manhattan. The food was truly extraordinary and showcased each of the specifically paired wines. We started with a Steller’s Jay Brut sparkling wine. It showed good citrus, lively bubbles and a persistent finish. Made in the traditional (Champenoise) method, it will hold up to sparkling celebration wines from anywhere. Next we tasted an organic Riesling from Little Farm Winery. It was dry and pleasant and soft on typical Riesling flavors. Our next wine was an un-
mistakable Chardonnay from Black Hills Estate. This wine has a lovely citrus component carried by a nuanced oak influence, giving it layers and texture. Then we were served a Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery Cabernet Franc, which was rich and lovely, with red cherry and big floral notes and good mouthfeel. This was followed by Syrah from Poplar Grove Winery. It showed dark cherry, with a great spiciness and pepper, its aromas jumping out of the glass. Our last pour was a Bench 1775 Winery 2014 Viognier ice wine. This a gorgeous dessert wine with great balance of lemon citrus vanilla and honey with an unctuous mouthfeel. Simply delicious. Equally worthy are wines from Inniskillin, Mission Hill Winery, Jackson-Triggs Winery and Foxtrot Vineyards, which I have visited in the past. Traveling to Europe is wonderful, magical and unforgettable. But it takes effort to get there. Visiting British Columbia is considerably easier, with flights to Seattle, Vancouver or any number of other airports. If a visit is beyond reach, pick up some of these wines from a well-stocked purveyor. The wines are wonderful and will only improve with each passing vintage as the vines mature. Count me in. Write me at doug@dougpaulding.com.
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Stop in and experience the charm of this historic eatery, a neighborhood favorite since the Roaring ‘20s! Enjoy our cozy tavern where it’s always lively and cheerful or relax on our patio overlooking our horseshoe and bocce ball courts. Live music on Saturdays and some Fridays On Sundays, enjoy outdoor live music from 4 to 8:30 Happy Hour Daily from 4-6 and again from 9-11 on Thurs, Fri and Saturday nights.
105 Somerstown Turnpike, Katonah, NY (Corner of Rt. 100 and Rt. 35) www.muscoottavern.com 914 • 232 • 2800
WHETTING THE APPETITE
A FRESH TAKE ON A MCDONALD’S FAVORITE BY JACQUELINE RUBY
W
ith spring here, this variation on a McDonald’s theme is the perfect brunch recipe. I had seen it on the internet and decided to make it. Well, it was a great success, plus it takes no time and the clean up is one pan. Invite all your friends over for it. And don’t forget the Mimosas.
BRUNCH HAM AND EGG MCJACKIE INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
• Cooking spray
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.
• 8 or 12 eggs depending on size of muffin tin
• Line each cup with a slice of ham and sprinkle
• 1 slice of deli ham or packaged ham per muffin cup • 2 cherry tomatoes chopped finely • Salt and pepper • Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
with cheese and some chopped tomato. • Crack an egg in each ham cup and season with salt and pepper. • Bake until eggs are cooked through — about 12 to 15 minutes.
For more, contact the Saucy Realtor at jacquelineruby@hotmail.com. Tableware courtesy Casafina.
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• Garnish with parsley.
Proprietor, Bobby Epstein of the legendary Muscoot Tavern in Katonah, invites you to experience his newest restaurant—
Kisco River Eatery Come in and savor the fresh raw bar and our impressive variety of steak, pasta, chicken and seafood selections in our warm and cozy atmosphere.
Gather • Eat • Drink.
Lunch & Dinner 7 days a week Sunday Brunch 11-3 Happy Hour Daily from 3-6 222 East Main Street • Mount Kisco, NY 10549 914 • 218 • 3877 info@Kiscoriver.com www.kiscoriver.com Free Parking Around Back
WEAR
A client enjoys one of the many grooming services offered at Noland for Men in Greenwich. Photograph by Sebastian Flores.
NEW ON THE BARBERSHOP SCENE BY DANIELLE RENDA
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ellas, you needn’t travel far for a satisfying grooming experience. At Noland for Men, a new boutique barbershop in Greenwich, guests can savor hairdressing and shaving services to the tune of classic rock — with a signature cocktail in hand (after 4 p.m.). “We wanted to create a space where men could enjoy a brief respite from the everyday world and leave feeling recharged, getting their hair cut and beard trimmed in the process,” says co-owner
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Christopher Noland, who talked about his plans for the barbershop in last July’s WAG. This latest addition to the Noland brand — which includes the Christopher Noland Salon & Beauty Spa, Do’s blow-dry bar and Teddy’s Kidz Cutz, all in Greenwich — is part of the company’s goal of becoming an all-encompassing hair-care business. The barbershop is the only location that caters exclusively to male clientele — which is apparent in everything from its services to its ambience. The décor, reminiscent of an old-fashioned barbershop, features maroon leather barber chairs anchored in a stone floor. Distressed wooden cabinets serve as the barbers’ stations, while a neon green accent color offers a sharp contrast. Whimsical wall adornments include a neon moustache sign and a faux taxidermy wall mount, which hangs over the inside door. Lining the walls are classic albums ranging from Miles Davis to Michael Jackson, The Beach Boys to Pink Floyd. These serve a dual purpose. “We wanted them for decoration, but just ask and we’ll play your favorite,” Noland says. “It’s an
easygoing atmosphere.” Noland for Men has a range of hairdressing services — such as haircuts, buzz cuts and beard and neck trims — as well as junior cuts for guests ages 12 and under. Shaving services include a hot lather shave — which Noland dubs “the man’s version of a relaxing and stimulating facial” — a head shave straight razor, a hot lather neck shave and a combination of services, including a cut and hot lather shave. For clients with salt-and-pepper hair, the salon offers Color Camo, a 10-minute process to sobtly diminish the gray. “It’s the perfect solution to keep a hint of gray hair to acknowledge your wisdom while camouflaging the rest to reinforce your youth,” Noland says. In addition to individual services, clients can purchase monthly membership, which includes a haircut and one neck trim, in addition to 10 percent off of all other products and services. To book an appointment at Noland for Men, at 3 Lewis St., call 203-302-3408. For more, visit nolandformen.com.
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
A BRITISH ACCENT ON FASHION STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARY SHUSTACK
I
t was during a late-summer interview last year, conducted over a leisurely cup of tea in her Putnam Valley cottage, when fashion designer Jane Wilson-Marquis spoke of her next goal. The British-born fashion industry veteran, who splits her time between the Hudson Valley and Manhattan, talked of a burgeoning collaboration with fellow Brit Adrian Littley of Oliver Littley, a London-based company devoted to “exquisite tailored clothing” for gentlemen. They hoped, she said, to secure a place that would become “a destination” on the Upper East Side, a welcoming space where both women and men could find made-to-measure, bespoke and custom clothing in a creative atmosphere. Fast forward to an April afternoon, one of the rainiest in recent memory, that finds WAG turning a corner on East 76th Street to see the inviting entrance of oliver + jane. It was Wilson-Marquis’ plan come to vivid life, complete with the Union Jack providing a backdrop to the fashions in the window of the chic, industrial-influenced “atelier-slash-boutique.” Its history, she shares, includes most recently an art framer but also a late-19th century foundry. Wilson-Marquis realized the spot was ideal as it shared a history with neighboring British pub/restaurant Jones Wood Foundry. “This was to be,” she says with a laugh. “That’s what sort of started it, the whole British thing.” Opening its doors in February and building toward a grand opening, oliver + jane offers a relaxed-yet-exciting atmosphere. After all, it’s not every day that you can not only purchase clothing but also be integral to its very creation. Every piece here is customizable, from fabric to lining to buttons. Both she and Littley welcome input, equally happy to share their expertise to craft singular results. For his part, Littley — who deals with the top names and finest materials and served as tailor and adviser to “The Crown” for Lord Mountbatten — says his offerings are “for the chap who really un-
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Fashions at oliver + jane.
derstands he’s buying something different.” During our visit, Wilson-Marquis was still regrouping after a special appearance at The Global Fashion Forum held in the city. “It wasn’t just a fashion show. It was really a statement about my wedding and evening line.” Across all her designs, Wilson-Marquis specializes in distinctive clothing, whether it’s a businesswoman’s jacket with an unexpected touch, a vibrant coat an entertainer will wear onstage or a bridal gown with personalized accents. Wilson-Marquis, who for many years produced hand-beaded eveningwear with a business partner out of a SoHo salon before going on to her namesake design firm, walks us through the street-level boutique floor to the lower level where we settle into easy chairs to catch up. “It’s comfortable down here,” she says of the private fitting area filled with sketches, samples and mannequins. “You can try on things.” Wilson-Marquis says her work — and the outlook at oliver + jane — is fresh. “I think the whole fashion industry, it’s got to change to suit the times,” she says. People live differently and want different things. “I like the idea of having a shop where you can buy all seasons.” In addition to her own designs, the boutique offers a select group of custom, independent de-
signers — and is open to adding more. There are dress designs from Karen Roberts, hats from Ellen Christine, a milliner who has exhibited with ArtsWestchester, and luxury cashmere from Jennifer Tyler. Wilson-Marquis says she’ll soon showcase fine jewelry from Cold Spring’s Manya & Roumen, featured in WAG’s April issue. The offerings at oliver + jane, she adds, answer a growing trend of people seeking quality over quantity. “If they’re going to spend money, I think they want something special and, with made-to-measure, it can become that.” She encourages women to try this new way, even if they’re unsure. They just may be surprised. “When they start talking, they know what they don’t want.” And she is there to offer guidance. “You can be really honest, because I don’t have to sell ‘what’s on the rack,’” she says. There’s none of that usual sales pressure. “You’re meant to be helping women look good.” To that end, she maintains a core line. “If you like a jacket, you’ll always be able to buy it.” After all, whether it’s the women she’s dressing or the men patronizing Littley, here it’s all about crafting a signature style. As Wilson-Marquis says, “You own it. It becomes your look.” Oliver + jane is open by appointment (including evenings) at 401 E. 76th St. in Manhattan. Walk-ins are welcome 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends. Call 212-452-5335. For more, visit oliverandjane.com, janewilsonmarquis.com or jacketsnyc.com.
Darlington Hall, North Salem, NY This stately English manor house was modeled after Sir Edward Lutyens “ Salutation’’. Approached via a 1/2 mile driveway, passing by open fields & pond. The stunning 83 acres will accommodate an equestrian facility or gentleman’s farm. The grand entry hall features a double wrought iron staircase, antique limestone floor, 22 ft. ceiling & a carved stone fireplaces. The music room & LR, both fitted w/fireplaces command views of the lily pond fountain pool. The gilt painted DR overlooks the garden & outdoor pool. A new Boffi kitchen has an adjoining fam.rm. 2 floor: The walnut paneled library has a fireplaces & a detailed painted ceiling depicting a 16th century astrological map. The ample MBR suite includes a dressing room, sitting room & 2 baths. 2 family BRs & en-suite baths. 3 floor: 7 BRs w/4 full baths. Lower level: Screening rm. Play room. Exercise room & a tunnel to a Orangerie. The Orangerie houses a 45 x 20ft pool, spa & changing room. The grounds include a 4 car garage, caretaker’s apt.& guest house.. MLS# 4631386 Price $4,995,000
Classic Victorian, North Salem, NY Victorian built in 2000 w/great details feels of old house renovation. Newly refurbished rms w/ open floor plan, the top-of -the -line kit. ,L & D rms. Mahogany Library w/ Fplce. Master Suite: BR, sitting rm w/Fplce & wet bar, master bath, walk-in closet. 3 addtl. Fam.BR’s each w/own Bath. L.L. Plyrm. w/Bath. 3 Stall Barn, Tack, Wash Stall & grass Paddock. On historic Baxter Rd one of the most beautiful roads in Westchester. Walking distance to 150 Ac. of Conservation Land w/Trails & open fields for riding. 1 BR, 1 Bth Apt. over garage w/own entry or access from house. Wrap-a-around Porches. 3 Car heated gar. Views! This house could not be duplicated for the price. MLS#: 4706431 Price: $2,250,000
Orchard Hill Farm, Pound Ridge, NY Bring your horses home! Charming 4 Br, 3 Bath Farmhouse on 5.2 pastoral acres. Ideally located across from the 4700 +acre Pound Ridge Reservation. Famous for its’ miles of riding and hiking trails, it is an equestrian and hiker’s dream. The house includes hardwood floors, new country kitchen, DR, & living room w/fireplace. These are just a few features that distinguish this inviting home. The equestrian component of this well thought out property is comprised of a beautiful, new 5 stall barn with wash stall, tack room, feed room, PR, & office. Six paddocks, round pen & a riding field finish this special property! Additional access to Bedford riding trails. MLS#4712033 Price: $1,729,000
Heavenly Fancher, Pound Ridge, NY
Follow the stone walls down heavenly Fancher Rd to this 6 BR, 5 1/2 Bth Colonial set amid tranquility on 6.8 acres. Open Flow & High Ceilings provide glorious light & warmth. Gourmet Kitchen, Fam Rm w/Stone FPL, Din Rm, Liv Rm w/ FPL, Office, Wet Bar, Bed/Study w/Full Bath, Mudroom. MB w/Stone FPL, Sitting Area, Walk-In Closets & Master Bath w/Steam Shower, 4 addt’l Beds & 3 Full Baths, Huge Walk-Up Attic, 2 Laundry Rms. Addt’l Finished 2,200 Sq Ft on Lower Level w/Rec Rm, Game Rm, Theatre, Gym, & Walk-Out. Private Backyard w/Bluestone Patio & Gunite Salt-Water Heated Pool. 3 Car Garage, Full House Stand-by Generator. MLS#4701347 Price: $1,895,000
Threshing Rock, Pound Ridge, NY
This private Colonial is set on over 8 acres adjacent to the Pound Ridge Conservacy. The meticulously maintained home offers 5,861 square feet of living with an additional 1,700 square feet of finished walk out basement space. Featured is a bright center entrance, formal living room, formal dining room, music/office and a gourmet eat in kitchen with butler’s pantry. The luxurious master suite includes a fireplace, his & her’s walk in closets and a beautiful master bathroom. There are an additional five bedrooms with four full baths and one 1/2 bath. The outdoor living space boasts a gunite pool and spa with a truly breathtaking landscape creating a private and serene setting to raise a family, entertain and to enjoy for years to come in prestigious Pound Ridge. MLS#4639693 Price: $1,499,999
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
HORMONES, HISTORY AND HORSE SENSE
I
f you’re a veteran WAG reader, then you need no introduction to Erika Schwartz, MD. The former WAG Wellness columnist often wrote about two of her medical passions — doctor-patient relationships and the use of bioidentical hormones, made from soy and yam oils, as part of a common sense approach to healthy living. Dr. Erika — whose practice, Evolved Science, is located on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue — expounds on hormones in the context of history and good old-fashioned horse sense in her latest book, “The New Hormone Solution” (Post Hill Press, May 9, $16, 288 pages). The following excerpt is the introduction to Chapter 10 — “Diet, Exercise, Lifestyle, Telomeres and Supplements”: — Georgette Gouveia “We waste an enormous amount of time trying to fit into the mold of beauty and youth created by the media. In the process, we lose ourselves or never get to know who we really are. Just look at the constant frenzy of features in magazines, ads, internet and social media, all in constant search of the magic pill, magic diet, magic supplement to help us stay thin and forever young. There is no such thing as one magic solution. Human beings are so complex and unique, snake oil answers are just snake oil. Only good genetics and a well-balanced body and mind will keep us in decent health for our entire life. “Finally, it has become fact that ideal hormone balance is directly connected to optimum health regardless of age. With the aid of natural/bioidentical/human identical hormones, we can achieve excellent hormone balance and live symptom-free regardless of age. But proper hormone balance is not enough. As we go through life, we cannot overlook the significant contributions of diet, exercise, lifestyle, stress management, supplements and even
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Erika Schwartz, MD. Photograph courtesy Erika Schwartz.
the role of our telomeres. (Editor’s note: These are structures that prevent the ends of chromosomes from deteriorating.) “A couple of years ago, I had no trouble identifying my patients’ ages. Today, as I work exclusively in the area of wellness and prevention, I am no longer surprised by the youthful appearance of 65-year-olds who look 40 and who have no trace of chronic illnesses whatsoever. “While these people are taking natural/bioidentical/human identical hormones, they also follow an organic, low-processed sugar, minimal animal fat diet, exercise regularly, take telomerase inhibitors and supplements, meditate, sleep 7 to 8 hours every night, and follow excellent stress management programs. “The correct hormone balance opens the door to wellness and disease prevention. To stay
healthy, you must capitalize on the opportunity hormones give you to change your diet, improve your exercise regimen, and get those much needed 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night, not to mention getting rid of all toxic relationships from your life. Then you can truly say you have found the Fountain of Youth. “All success stories of people who feel and look great regardless of age over long periods of time have one thing in common — truly balanced lives. A little change in as many aspects of our lives as possible brings about a logarithmic improvement in the quality of our lives as a whole. “I don’t believe people should follow extreme programs, be it in exercise or diet. They don’t work. What works is a little change at a time, giving yourself permission to follow your own rules and learning to accept yourself exactly as you are.” For more, visit drerika.com.
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WELL
THE HIDDEN HAZARDS OF GARDENING BY DAVID WEI, MD
F
ew people connect gardening with sports injury, but avid gardeners who enjoy clearing, planting and tending their gardens are susceptible to many of the same types of repetitive motion and overuse injuries that afflict tennis and golf enthusiasts jumping into the game after a long winter break. Athletes are advised to start a new activity slowly, increasing duration and intensity at a gradual pace. The same is true for gardeners anxious to get digging into the fresh spring soil. They shouldn’t attempt to clear all the winter debris in a single day, or plant the flats of annuals brought home from the nursery all at one time. Instead, they should undertake these tasks at moderate intervals and take a few minutes to stretch when they start to feel a little sore or stiff. Most of us are familiar with the backaches and sore knees that accompany digging, pulling and edging a garden. Those conditions typically resolve within a few hours or a day or two with rest, ice and, possibly, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication. However, the hand, wrist and elbow injuries that gardeners can suffer tend to develop over time and don’t usually cause pain at the outset. Typically, the pain of sprains, tendinitis and even arthritis is mild at first and often ignored. However, these ailments can develop into serious conditions if left untreated. Here are a few common gardening-related problems that would require medical attention:
David Wei, MD. Photograph courtesy Orthopaedic & Neurosurgery Specialists.
GAMEKEEPER’S THUMB Gamekeeper’s thumb is a chronic ulnar collateral ligament injury caused by progressive weakening of the ligament on the inside side of the thumb. This occurs from repeated activities that stress the area, such as opening and closing hand tools and clippers. Patients will notice increasing pain and difficulty in opening jars, using scissors and shears and holding large, heavy objects.
WRIST TENDINITIS Persistent pain in the wrist could develop from repeated motion of the wrist. In De Quervain’s tendinitis, the tendons that attach at the base of the thumb become irritated or constricted, causing painful swelling along the wrist. Heavy raking can cause pain in the forearm about three inches above the wrist, a condition called Intersection Syndrome. It results from the overuse of the wrist extensor tendons, which rub against one another as the wrist repeatedly bends backward. The friction caused by the rubbing tendons leads to irritation, inflammation and painful swelling.
TRIGGER THUMB OR FINGERS The repetitive motion of opening and closing shears or other hand tools can lead to a painful triggering or locking of the fingers or thumb. The condition is caused when the “eyelet” that holds the flexor tendons in place along the finger or thumb interferes with the smooth gliding of the tendons through it. Patients may feel a pain in the palm or the finger and, in severe cases, the finger is stuck downward and requires “unlocking” with the help of the other hand. 112
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ELBOW EPICONDYLITIS Tennis and golfer’s elbow (elbow epicondylitis) are painful conditions involving the tendons that attach to the humerus bone at the elbow. With tennis elbow, repeated bending of the wrist while gripping something like a tennis racket or a rake weakens tendons attached to the outer, or lateral, side of the elbow. Similarly, weakened tendons attached to the inner, or medial, side of the elbow cause what is commonly called golfer’s elbow.
In most cases the overuse-related conditions described above can be resolved with activity modification, ice and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication. If the pain persists more than five days or so, however, it would be wise to consult with a physician who can assess whether bracing, physical therapy or other treatments are needed.
HAND INFECTIONS One other gardening-related risk to mention is Sporotrichosis. Also known as Rose Thorn Disease, Sporotrichosis is caused by fungus found in soil, rose thorns, hay, moss and twigs and usually enters the body through a thorn prick. The fungus is more closely related to mold found in stale bread or yeast used to brew beer than to bacteria. Once the mold spores enter the skin, the disease can take days or months to develop. The first symptom is usually a painless bump or lesion that is pink or purple in color. In most cases, the mold spreads to the lymph nodes. Over time, new nodules can develop from your fingers all the way up the arm, becoming open sores or ulcers that are susceptible to infection. The disease is rarely life threatening, but it is important to seek medical attention. Left untreated, the ulcerative lesions can develop into a chronic condition that can persist for several years. All the more reason to wear garden gloves. David Wei, MD is a hand, wrist and elbow specialist at ONS — Orthopaedic & Neurosurgery Specialists in Greenwich and Stamford. For more information about Wei or other musculoskeletal conditions, visit ONSMD.com.
WELL
SUNSCREEN AND THE AMERICAN MAN BY VALERIE GOLDBURT, MD
A
ll right, men, it’s that time -- warm enough to spend the days outside, whether it’s hitting the sports fields, barbecuing with your friends or perfecting your tan line. However, it’s important not to be in the summer sun without practicing proper skincare.
In recent years, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveys discovered that only 14.3 percent of American men use sunscreen regularly, compared to 29.9 percent of American women. Additionally, 43.8 percent of men never use sunscreen on their faces and 42.1 percent never use it on other exposed skin. These statistics are alarming, especially for men with fair skin or a familial history of skin cancer. We can’t counsel patients enough that protective measures are the most important weapons to reduce the potential for skin cancer and premature skin damage and wrinkling. UNDERSTANDING UV RAYS There are two types — UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin, causing age spots and premature aging and increase the risk for skin cancer. UVB rays affect the skin more superficially yet can cause severe burns and skin cancer nonetheless. These forms of UV rays are most intense during the summer months, overcast or not. So here’s how to enjoy the sun while protecting your body’s largest organ from UV rays. 1) Use broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 50. An SPF rating alone indicates protection against UVB rays but not necessarily UVA rays. While companies are still attempting to concoct sunscreens to diffuse UVA rays entirely, my recommendations are sunscreens labeled “broad-spectrum.” These sunscreens are the best protection against both UVA and UVB rays. 2) Reapply sunscreen every hour. If your broad-spectrum sunscreen has an SPF 114
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Valerie Goldburt, MD. Courtesy Advanced Dermatology P.C. and the Center for Laser and Cosmetic Surgery (New York & New Jersey).
of 50, you should reapply the lotion every hour, especially if you’re perspiring or swimming. Sunscreens with higher SPFs (85+) can be reapplied less frequently. 3) Seek shade between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. This time frame, especially during the summer, is when the sun’s rays are the most intense. It’s wise to limit your activity outside during this period. But if you do need to be outdoors between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. make sure you are disciplined about the type of sunscreen and its reapplication, as mentioned above. 4) When possible, wear long sleeves and pants. Sunscreens are no guarantee to prevent all sunburns. While not always feasible during the hot months, the best way to prevent skin damage is to cover your skin entirely. Light colored, light fabric shirts with long sleeves provide you with skin protection and keep you cool. Pants are also effective. (I often see patients with skin cancer on their legs.) So if you are going to wear long sleeves, especially during July and August, make sure you hydrate
properly to avoid heat exhaustion. This means drink water or Gatorade before you become thirsty. 5) Hats and sunglasses are important, too. Hats can be extremely beneficial to protecting the skin on your face. I highly recommend wearing large brim hats that provide shade for your face. And on behalf of my friends in ophthalmology, I’d also like to stress the importance of sunglasses. UV rays can be harmful to the eyes, so effective sunglasses are highly recommended. 6) Don’t underestimate the sun on cool and/ or cloudy days. People tend to think that overcast days can’t damage their skin, or that cool weather diminishes the harmful UV rays. Here I want to stress the distinction between heat and UV rays. Just because the sun may be partially blocked and the temperature may be a bit cooler than usual, that doesn’t mean that the sun’s UV rays can’t burn your skin. Skin damage can be tough to treat but easy to prevent. So guys (and gals) please take that extra moment to protect your skin. It will reduce your risk of skin cancer and you’ll have healthier skin. For more, visit advanceddermatologypc.com.
On behalf of all of us at
THE KENSINGTON ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENCE
We Honor All Health Care Professionals AND THANK YOU FOR ASSISTING OUR RESIDENTS
At The Kensington Assisted Living Residence, we recognize the important role our physicians and medical partners play to keep our residents happy and healthy. From onsite visits to emergency situations and diagnostic testing, physicians and healthcare specialists provide our residents with the highest possible level of care.
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To learn more, please contact us at 914-390-0080.
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WELL
NO SHOES? NO PROBLEM BY DANIELLE RENDA PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY EPIC HYBRID TRAINING WESTCHESTER
M
y experience at EPIC Hybrid Training began and ended barefoot. It wasn’t my usual experience but, then again, EPIC isn’t a usual studio. The 1,500-square-foot facility in White Plains, reminiscent of an obstacle course, does not house exercise machines or heavy equipment. In fact, the workouts use minimal equipment. And yes, that’s intentional. EPIC challenges guests by offering high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, a series of fast-paced circuits in which participants use their own bodyweight — and some encouragement from their peers. I arrived at the studio on a picturesque Friday morning for a 9:30 dynamic core class, led by instructor Vince Liguori. It was a class that I selected due to my lack of knowledge regarding core exercises, and I trusted that I’d be in good hands at EPIC. And I most certainly was. The studio, owned by Anne and Pete Jones, opened its doors in November, joining a roster of EPIC spots in New York City, Miami and Providence, Rhode Island, with plans underway for Norwalk and San Francisco. Most important, all the locations follow a singular vision — to offer a friendly atmosphere for guests of all fitness levels to improve their well-being. Before taking the class myself, I was both eager and intimidated — and rightly so. The EPIC concept has gained recognition in the fitness world and media alike, having been featured on the “Today” show and “Inside Edition,” among other programs. Though curious to see what the hype was all about, I was also concerned with how well I would perform. The class consisted of four intervals of eight circuits for a total of 32 exercises. Each guest was to spend 50 seconds engaged at each station, with a 10-second rest in between. The class was fast-paced and challenging, though before I knew it, we were winding down with floor stretches. Ironically, none of the exercises involved the typical core workouts, like situps, crunches or side twists. It’s another initiative of EPIC to evade monotony by offering variety, which certainly remained consistent throughout. Not to mention: None of the guests claimed to miss floor crunches.
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The classes offered at Epic Hybrid Training Westchester focus on building strength through bodyweight, rather than weightlifting.
Throughout the class — and even before — Liguori was attentive and enthusiastic. Upon entering, he inquired about my fitness experience, along with any prior injuries or discomfort. Throughout the class, he supervised all circuits, correcting the form of some 15 male and female guests while applauding our efforts. He had a way of making the class feel as if its success was his success — and there’s hardly more you can ask for from a fitness instructor. The camaraderie of the class was evident throughout, as all guests encouraged one another, offered guidance and were quick to applaud whenever an accomplishment was reached. My exercise partner openly shared about how the exercises at EPIC helped heal a lower-back injury that once caused her severe pain. And right alongside her, co-owner Anne chimed in, who was also taking the class.
The class was rigorous, though not overwhelming. Despite the time blocks, guests were able to exercise at their own pace and were not discouraged from doing so. Even the Monday following the Friday morning class, I still felt the burn from the exercises — signifying that I had challenged my body in a new way. The class schedules change each month, so no single workout remains the same over a period of time. Each day is devoted to a different exercise and/or body part, although this also changes, along with the class schedule. And along with the intensity of the workouts, the alternating class schedule is just the icing on the cake — or, rather, the protein in the shake. Epic Hybrid Training Westchester is at 298 Tarrytown Road in White Plains. For more, call 914-285-9090 or visit westchester.epichybridtraining.com
Westmoreland Sanctuary
Floral Lecture & Workshop Series “Early Spring Blooms”
Identify an Invasive Vine… You’ll Be Fine. Give Your Loved Ones Beautiful Flower & Branch Arrangements
Thursday, May 11th 10:00 am – 12:00 Noon
INVASIVE VINES LECTURE Guest Speaker: Steve Ricker Westmoreland Director of Conservation Bachelor of Fine Arts – University of Maine 10:00 am – 10:45 am FLOWER ARRANGING WORKSHOP - SEASONAL MIX Guest Speaker: Nadia Ghannam Bachelor of Fine Arts – Cornell University Masters of Arts – Queens University 10:45 am – 12:00 Noon Coffee, Tea and Cookies to Follow $35.00 – Materials Included To Register, Visit WestmorelandSanctuary.org 260 Chestnut Ridge Rd., Mt Kisco, NY 10549 914.666.8448
JUNE 8 Flower Potluck
Series Dates
AUG. 3 Foraged Flowers
SEPT. 21 Late Summer Bouquets
DEC. 7 Winterscapes
Westmoreland Sanctuary. Celebrating 60 Years of Preservation, Conservation and Appreciation of Nature.
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LET’S HEAR IT FOR SUPER FOODS FROM THE GARDEN BY GIOVANNI ROSELLI
“
W
e can make a commitment to promote vegetables and fruits and whole grains on every part of the menu. We can make portion sizes smaller and emphasize quality over quantity. And we can help create a culture — imagine this — where our kids ask for healthier options instead of resisting them.” — Former First Lady Michelle Obama
It’s that time of year in which gardeners are once again preparing their soil, patiently anticipating a bountiful season full of nutritious fruits and vegetables. Michelle Ricker is a registered dietitian, nutritionist and epigenetics coach. As a colleague of mine with more than 25 years of experience in the field of nutrition, fitness and genomics, she happily obliged when I reached out to her for the top five garden vegetables and fruits based on her views of their health benefits. Photograph of and courtesy Michelle Ricker.
SALAD GREENS (LEAF LETTUCE, ARUGULA, SPINACH) • Plenty of fiber, which has been shown to normalize bowel movements, lower cholesterol levels, control blood sugar levels and aid in achieving a healthy weight • High in zeaxanthin to help reduce the risk of aged-related macular degeneration • High in potassium to help protect against osteoporosis and high blood pressure • High in magnesium for energy production BROCCOLI • Sulforaphane in broccoli has been shown to kill cancer cells • Helps reduce osteoarthritis risk Aids in blood pressure control and kidney • function Reduces oxidative stress to help slow the ag• ing process Helps with heart health • • May fight excess estrogen for reduced risk of breast cancer
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KALE • High in fiber • Loaded with antioxidants that decrease oxidative stress, which is the leading contributing factor to neurocognitive disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease • Rich in iron,and vitamins A, C and K • High in glucosinolates that act as in an anti-inflammatory and antiviral manner • Helps get rid of toxins and eliminate them from the body • Rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which are powerful for vision health BLUEBERRIES • Research is showing a handful of blueberries a day could reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases as blues contain a compound that is a “neuro-protective agent” • One of the highest antioxidant foods to decrease the aging process • Reverse inflammation in the body
•
Promote digestive health because of their pre-biotic potential
TURMERIC • Incredible anti-inflammatory Has been shown to help with rheumatoid ar• thritis symptoms Aids in digestion • • Increases the antioxidant properties of the body • Studies show it may help as a natural painkiller Are you currently already consuming some of these foods? If so, great and keep at it. If not, add them to your diet this season and enjoy what could be some amazing benefits. Whether you grow your own garden vegetables or shop for them, prioritize getting these five in for what they might contribute to your health and wellness. Reach Giovanni on Twitter @GiovanniRoselli and his website, GiovanniRoselli.com.
KENYA, TANZANIA, ETHIOPIA & RWANDA TOURS Exceptional Camps & Lodges | Authentic Experiences | Private tours for groups and families with children
LIONS, LEOPARDS, ELEPHANTS, GIRAFFES, RHINOS, WILDEBEESTS, CHEETAHS AND MORE See the Great Migration, Mountain Gorillas, the Maasai, & Tribes of the Omo Valley
All packages include photography lessons | John Rizzo is the tour leader, has worked on 6 continents & winner of two Arts Alive Grants, 2013 &2016
John Rizzo Photography | 405 Tarrytown Rd. Suite 1302, White Plains, NY 10607 | (646) 221-6186 worldwide mobile | www.johnrizzophoto.com
PET OF THE MONTH
SAY HELLO, GRACIE 120
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racie, a 6-year-old Chow Chow, may look like the Cowardly Lion from “The Wizard of Oz,” but she already has courage. As is typical of this breed, she is a very loyal companion. Sadly, she was adopted as a puppy but returned to the SPCA many years later, because the household was just too busy for her. She’d do much better in a quieter home, preferably one without other pets.
Gracie is very well-trained and extremely smart with a smile that will light up your heart. To meet Gracie, visit the SPCA of Westchester at 590 N. State Road in Briarcliff Manor. Founded in 1883, the SPCA is a no-kill shelter and is not affiliated with the ASPCA. The SPCA is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. To learn more, call 914-941-2896 or visit spca914.org.
©2017 Blue Buffalo Co., Ltd.
Seasonal Pet Health Tips from Blue Buffalo
®
Before you spring your cat from the comforts of home, or let your dog run amok in mud puddles to celebrate the change of seasons, be sure your furry family member is ready for warmer weather. 1. Start flea and tick prevention
4. Watch for seasonal allergies
Always check with your veterinarian first, but it’s wise to start flea and tick medication a few weeks before spring arrives if your dog or cat isn’t on a year-round regimen.
Like us, cats and dogs can be sensitive to grass and pollen spores. Constant itching, licking or rubbing, and red, irritated skin from hives and rashes may all signify allergies. Monitor the pollen count in your area and wipe your pet’s paws with a cool towel once they come in from outside. Watch out for poisonous plants and flowers by checking the Top 10 Poisonous Plants on Blue Buffalo’s site.
2. Continue year-round heartworm medication Visit your veterinarian to be sure to continue your furry pal on yearround heartworm preventative.
3. Make sure vaccinations are up to date Warm weather means more social contact and trips to the park, which increases your dog’s risk of contagious diseases like coronavirus, bordetella or parvovirus. Keep a copy of your pet’s vaccination history and schedule from your veterinarian handy. 122
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5. Don’t spring into the season Ease into spring after being cooped up during winter. Dogs can become overly exhausted quickly and heat stroke is a danger during the first few weeks of hotter weather. Take shorter walks until you’ve both acclimated to the higher temperatures and make sure to always have water available for your pup.
! W E N
Try BLUE Earth’s Essentials™
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Love them like family. Feed them like family.®
WHEN & WHERE
Through May 7
Through May 25
May 4 and 5
New Canaan’s Carriage Barn Arts Center presents
Tarrytown Music Hall showcases Grammy Award-win-
“Spectrum: Grayscale,” an annual juried exhibition
ning singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams for two
of original contemporary artwork. This year, guest
performances. Special guest Erika Wennerstrom
juror and contemporary art specialist Adrienne Ru-
from The Heartless Bastards will also perform. 8 p.m.,
ger Conzelman, of ARC Fine Art, has selected works
Tarrytown Music Hall, 13 Main St., 877-840-0457, tar-
rendered in gray scale — black, white and anything in
rytownmusichall.org
Silvermine Arts Center presents “Highlight: New
between. The limited palette gives particular empha-
Canaan.” Guest-curated by Paul Efstathiou, a sec-
sis to form, texture, perspective, context and content.
ond-generation art dealer and recent Southport
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, 1 to
May 4 through 29
resident, this exhibit unites 11 artists based in New
5 p.m. Sundays, Waveny Park, 681 South Ave., New
The Greenwich Arts Council presents the 20th
York and Los Angeles. Each has had noteworthy
Canaan: 203-972-1895, carriage barn.org
anniversary of “Art to the Avenue,” celebrating
exhibitions, has forthcoming shows and has been
local visual artists with a strolling gallery along
highlighted and reviewed by national and/or inter-
The Atelier 811 gallery hosts “Joseph Squillan-
Greenwich Avenue and surrounding streets. The
national art publications. Noon to 5 p.m., Wednes-
te Photography: A Progression from the Hudson
celebration launches May 4 with musicians and
days through Saturdays, 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays, 1037
River to Recent Work,” an exhibition that surveys
street performers entertaining the strollers and
Silvermine Road., New Canaan; 203-966-9700,
the more-than-40-year career of this Hudson Val-
most stores hosting receptions for the hundreds
silvermineart.org/exhibition/highlight-new-canaan
ley photographer. Noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and
of visitors viewing the work of more than 120
by appointment, 811 N. Broadway, White Plains;
artists. 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Greenwich Avenue,
914-419-6252
203-862-6750, greenwichartscouncil.org/Art-to-
Through May 13 Hudson Stage Company offers a play based on the
the-Avenue.html
Arthur Conan Doyle novel “The Hound of the Bask-
Through May 29
ervilles.” The beloved Sherlock Holmes classic is giv-
The Clay Art Center presents “Revisit: The Boneyard
May 4 through June 14
en a humorous, farcical makeover, with three actors
Exhibition,” a show that features work by 40 inter-
“Cambodia Looking Back on the Future” spotlights
taking on more than 20 roles. Times vary, Whippoor-
nationally acclaimed ceramic artists who have taught
artists Anida Yoeu Ali, Chov Theanly, Heng Ravuth,
will Hall Theatre, North Castle Public Library, Kent
workshops at the Center over the last 60 years. 10
Oeur Sokuntevy, Kong Vollak, Neak Sophal, Leang
Place, Armonk; 914-271-2811, hudsonstage.com
a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, 40 Beech
Seckon, Chath Piersath, Lim Muy Theam, Marine Ky
St., Port Chester; 914-937-2047, clayartcenter.org
and Yim Maline. Flynn Gallery at Greenwich Library,
Through May 20
101 West Putnam Ave., Second floor; 203-622-7947, flinngallery.com
SM Home Gallery hosts “Primavera! Terra, Fiore,
May 2
Mare,” fresh interpretations of time-honored themes
Greenwich Historical Society presents “Celebrating
of landscapes, flowers and seascapes by three con-
Jim Henson and the Art of Puppetry: An Evening
May 6
temporary artists — Dana Goodfellow, William McCa-
with Cheryl Henson.” Cheryl Henson, second-el-
SPCA Dog Walk & Pet Fair — Come help raise funds
rthy and Karen Tusinski. 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays
dest daughter of Jim and Jane Henson, will share
for the animal shelter. Bring your canine buddy to
through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, Sandra
personal reflections on the life, work and legacy
walk a scenic 2.5-mile trail and enjoy doggie agility
Morgan Interiors, 70 Arch St., Greenwich; 203-629-
of her famous father. 7 p.m., 39 Strickland Road,
demos, the vendor village, food and refreshments,
8121, sandramorganinteriors.com
Cos Cob; 203-869-6899, greenwichhistory.org
carnival games, crafts and more. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., FDR State Park, 2957 Crompond Road, Yorktown
Through May 21
May 3 through Sept 17
Heights, 914-941-2896, spca914.org
“Alfred Sisley: Impressionist Master” — The Bruce
The Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art
Multiple award-winning violinist Tessa Lark will
Museum and the Hôtel de Caumont Centre d’Art, Aix-
offers “Selknam: Spirit, Ceremony, Selves,” an in-
close The Symphony of Westchester’s concert
en-Provence, France, mount a major monographic
stallation by artist Elisa Pritzker about the Selknam,
season. Lark will perform Sibelius’ Violin Concerto
exhibition of the art of the French Impressionist Al-
an extinct aborigine tribe. An opening reception and
in D minor as part of the Symphony’s all-Roman-
fred Sisley (1839-1899), the subject of a February
performance will take place May 13. By appointment
tic program, which also includes Rossini’s “William
WAG story. The first retrospective in the United
Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fri-
Tell” Overture and Smetana’s ”The Moldau.” 8 p.m.,
States in more than 20 years of this purest of all the
days, noon to 6 p. m. Saturdays and Sundays, 1701
Christopher J. Murphy Auditorium at Iona Col-
major Impressionists, the show is comprised of some
Main St., Peekskill; 914-788-0100, hvcca.org
lege, 715 North Ave., New Rochelle; 914-654-4926,
50 of Sisley’s paintings from private collections and
thesymphonyofwestchester.org
major museums in Europe and North America. The
Bruce Museum, which premiered the show, is the only
Connecticut Ballet celebrates its 35th anniversary by
American venue. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through
showcasing its dancers and the range of its repertoire
Sundays, 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich; 203-869-0376,
in a triple-bill, “Thirty Something,” which includes
brucemuseum.org
Michel Fokine’s “Les Sylphides,” Lila York’s “Strays,” and “Steam Heat: The Best of Bob Fosse.” 7:30 p.m., Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford; 203-325-
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MAY 2017
4466, palacestamford.org
PAUL SHAFFER
THE RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE for movies and the performing arts
Non-profit 501 (c) (3)
& The World’s Most Dangerous Band Featuring Valerie Simpson
MAY
5 The Everly Brothers Experience
Featuring The Zmed Brothers & The Bird Dogs
9 The Tenors
As seen on PBS - Blending classical music and contemporary pop!
10 Robben Ford
Premier Blues Guitarist! Special Guests Bjössi Thor with Mackenzie Wasner
MAY 6
JUNE
16 Comedian Tom Papa 21 The Airplane Family & Friends with Live Dead ‘69 Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Summer of Love!
22 The Marshall Tucker Band Special Guest Stolen Rhodes
27 The Gipsy Kings
12 Christopher Cross 14 Timothy B. Schmit
JULY
of the Eagles 17 Under the Streetlamp
Cast members of the Tony Award winning sensation Jersey Boys!
18 Paul Anka: Celebrating 60 Years of Hits - His Way 19 Satisfaction: The International
Rolling Stones Show
7 JJ Grey & Mofro 9 Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs 16 Peter Yarrow & Noel Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary 20 Toad The Wet Sprocket Special Guest Beta Play
Ben Vereen 24 Delta Rae
25 Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo 26 Thunder from Down Under 28 Dave Koz and Larry Graham
26
31 Choir! Choir! Choir!
21
Tony Award Winner
Special Guest Lauren Jenkins
American Idol Winner
Nick Fradiani
Special Guest Amanda Ayala from The Voice
31 Pink Martini
With Singer China Forbes
JUNE 2 5 6 11
Paula Poundstone The B-52s Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue Ramsey Lewis
Grammy Award Winning Jazz Master
Side By Side Summer 2017
AUGUST
1 Dweezil Zappa
Plays Whatever The F@%k He Wants
3 Sara Evans
Special Guest Cross Atlantic
4 Echoes of Sinatra 8 Don Felder Formerly of The Eagles
13 An Evening with Colin Hay
203.438.5795 • RIDGEFIELDPLAYHOUSE.ORG
May 7
May 13 through 19
Five student-winners of the Yonkers Philharmonic’s
A special exhibition/workshop/conversation with and
Westchester Symphonic Winds presents “Fantastic
39th annual Concerto Competition will perform
by Biagio Civale (known by most as Gino). A resident
Passages,” the final concert of its season. The per-
works by Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Saint-Saëns and
of Yonkers, Civale has dedicated 67 years of his life to
formance will feature guest conductor/composer
Elgar. 3 p.m., Saunders High School, 183 Palmer Road,
creating different styles of artworks. He has shown
Patrick Burns, who will lead his own composition,
Yonkers; 914 631-6674, yonkersphilharmonic.org
in more than 70 one-man exhibitions globally and
narrated by WQXR broadcaster Robert Sherman.
has participated in 200 juried and non-juried group
8 p.m., Tarrytown Music Hall, 13 Main St., Tarrytown;
Songcatchers Inc. will host “Spirit of Songcatch-
shows, selling many works and being recognized in a
westchestersymphonicwinds.org
ers,” a musical brunch that will celebrate both the
variety of art museums as well as public and private
20th anniversary of the organization’s after-school
collections. Daily, 4 to 6 p.m., The Purchase College
The Woman’s Club of White Plains’ annual Spring
music program and Sr. Beth Dowd OSU, the or-
PC4 Center for Community and Culture, 16 Warbur-
Fashion Show, Luncheon and Silent Auction in
ganization’s founder and executive director. 11:30
ton Ave., Yonkers; 914-500-7103, email: haifa.bintka-
support of scholarships for White Plains students,
a.m., VIP Country Club, 600 Davenport Ave., New
di@purchase.edu
7 p.m., CV Rich Mansion, 305 Ridgeway, White Plains,
Rochelle; 914-654-1178, songcatchers.org
914-948-0958 womansclubofwhiteplains.org
“Raptors of Westchester” — Meet the Greenburgh
May 18
Nature Center’s birds of prey with a naturalist and
Ridgefield Playhouse presents Paul Anka, whose hits
May 20, 21 and 25
discover what makes these magnificent creatures the
defined generations of pop. 8 p.m., 80 East Ridge
Jacob Burns Film Center holds a screening of “Mon-
hunters of the sky. This event includes a visit to the
Road, Ridgefield; 203-438-5795, ridgedfieldplay-
key Kingdom,” a Disneynature documentary narrat-
outdoor bird aviary to feed bald eagles, red-tailed
house.org
ed by Tina Fey, which was filmed amid the jungles
hawks and a great horned owl. 1 p.m., Greenburgh Nature Center, 99 Dromore Road, Scarsdale: 914-7233470, greenburghnaturecenter.org
and ancient ruins of South Asia. On May 20, the event
May 19
will include family activities during the film, such as “I Spy.” Times vary, Jacob Burns Film Center, 364
The Children’s Dream Foundation 25th Anniver-
Manville Road, Pleasantville; 914-773-7663, burns-
Danbury Raid Bus Tour — In the spring of 1777,
sary Celebration — Join CDF as it marks a quarter
filmcenter.org
the British landed a force of 2,000 men on Compo
century of supporting pediatric emergency health
Beach with the goal of confiscating or destroying
care in the Hudson Valley. The evening includes
the Patriots’ supply of tents and other provisions
cocktails on the terrace overlooking the Long Island
May 21
stashed in Danbury. Follow in the footsteps of
Sound, a buffet dinner, an awards presentation, a live
The Avon Theatre presents “The New York Dog
the British soldiers as they land on Compo Beach,
auction and salutes to Dr. Frank N. Medici and Dr. J.
Film Festival,” two programs of entertaining and
Danbury and at the Battle of Ridgefield. Learn
Anthony SanFilippo. 7 p.m., Shenorock Shore Club,
inspiring short films that celebrate the remarkable
about their daring deception of Benedict Arnold
475 Stuyvesant Ave., Rye; 914-602-3365, thecdf.org
bond between people and dogs. Each program is
at Old Hill and the final battle at Compo Hill. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Spaces are limited. Register online at westporthistory.org
a different medley of animated, documentary and
May 19 through July 27 “Signs of Compassion,” a photographic installation
May 9 through 21
by Miggs Burroughs at The Westport Library, is an
narrative short films from around the world. 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Avon Theatre, 272 Bedford St., Stamford; 203-967-3660 avontheatre.org
“animated” tribute to an Emily Dickinson poem
May 23
The Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Shows return for
about compassion, expressed one phrase at a time
Breast Cancer Alliance fifth annual Golf Outing —
the 36th year May 9 through 14 and 16 through 21. The
in images of 30 individuals using American Sign
All proceeds from this event support the work of the
Farm has added another competition day on May 7,
Language. The lenticular medium enables two or
Alliance, improving the field of breast cancer through
Welcome Horse Show Day. In addition to the Olym-
three images to be embedded in one frame, allow-
innovative research, exceptionally trained doctors
pic-caliber Grand Prix events, there are competitions
ing each image to animate the gestures of Sign Lan-
and fewer barriers to critical care for underserved
for children, juniors, adults and amateurs in more
guage. 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays,
women. 11 a.m. registration and lunch, 1 p.m. shot gun
than 50 divisions. 190 June Road, North Salem; 914-
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays,
start, 5:30 cocktail hour and prizes, GlenArbor Golf
669-5620, old salemfarm.net
1 to 5 p.m. Sundays, 20 Jessup Road, Westport;
Club, 234 Bedford Center Road, Bedford; 203-861-
203-984-3179; westportlibrary.org
1940, breastcanceralliance.org
May 13 Fairfield University’s Quick Center presents “Mu-
May 20
sic Makes the World Go Round,” a collection of
OCA Westchester & Hudson Valley holds its 20th
community music through the ages, featuring se-
annual Asian American Heritage Festival, featuring
lections from the 13th century through today, per-
traditional Asian dance and song, masters of the mar-
formed by the Fairfield County Children’s Choir. 7
tial arts, lion dancers, professional artists, children’s
p.m., 1073 N. Benson Road, Fairfield; 800-424-0160,
dance troupes and family-friendly activities. Noon
theklein.org
to 6 p.m., Kensico Dam Plaza, 1 Bronx River Parkway, Valhalla; 203-326-1534, oca-whv.org
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Presented by ArtsWestchester and the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County. For more, visit artswestchester.org and culturalalliancefc.org.
Billy Porter Fri, May 5
Alexander String Quartet with Joyce Yang Sun, May 7
Terrapin Sat, May 6
Dance Off The Grid Fri, May 12
Artie Shaw Orchestra Sat, May 13
Trisha Brown Dance Co.
MUSIC | DANCE | FAMILY | BROADWAY | COMEDY | FILM Bringing the very best of live performing arts to Westchester
THEATRE WORLD CLASS. RIGHT HERE. for tickets and more info
914.698.0098 | emelin.org 153 library lane mamaroneck, ny 10605
1
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5
WATCH
STRUTTING FOR A CAUSE Recently, 20 teens from local high schools took to the runway at Richards in Greenwich on behalf of the Breast Cancer Alliance during its annual teen fashion show. Schools represented included Greenwich High School. Greenwich Country Day School, Greenwich Academy, Brunswick School, Fox Lane High School, King School, New Canaan High School, Sacred Heart and Stanwich School. Funds raised go to breast health services for underserved women throughout Connecticut and in Westchester. “The Junior Committee at Breast Cancer Alliance offers an opportunity to teach our youngest generation about the value of philanthropy and the impact one person can have on this world,” said Yonni Wattenmaker, BCA’s executive director. “The fashion show is a celebration of the teens’ interest in this cause, and people are moved to support them because of their desire to engage in charitable work at such a young age.” Photographs by Kathleen Digiovanna. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
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Oliva Coyle Carolyn, Mary and Jamie Jeffery Cullen Murphy Elexa Wilson Jack Montinaro Paige Montinaro Max and Yonni Wattenmaker
BETWEEN TWO WORLDS
8
Latino U College Access, a White Plains-based nonprofit with a mission to increase college enrollment among first-generation Latino youth, recently held its second annual “Perspectives Event: Bridging Life Across Two Cultures.” The event featured a screening of the documentary “being ñ” (“Being Enye”), which shares the experiences of first-generation Latinos balancing their original culture and life in America. More than 100 people attended the event that also included a panel discussion and Q&A with the filmmaker and Katonah native Denise Soler Cox. 8. Julio Casado, Andrea Beltran Ruggiero, Denise Soler Cox, Shirley Acevedo Buontempo and Franco Cabral
proud to be
exceptional .
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UJA TURNS 100 More than 650 guests joined UJA-Federation of New York to enjoy a performance by Harry Connick Jr. and his nine-piece band, and celebrate the organization’s centennial at historic Capitol Theatre in Port Chester. The event honored Cindy and Ben Golub of Mamaroneck and Lois KohnClaar and Gary Claar of Scarsdale. Proceeds from the Westchester Centennial Celebration benefit UJA-Federation, which sustains the activities of nearly 100 health, human-service, educational and community-building agencies. These agencies provide services that combat poverty, help the elderly age with dignity, promote Jewish identity and renewal, strengthen children and families and open doors to those with disabilities and special needs. 1. Harry Connick Jr. 2. Martine Fleishman, Cindy and Ben Golub and Lois Kohn-Claar and Gary Claar 3. Michael and Arlene Kleinberg 4. Dr. Rochelle Waldman, Harry Connick Jr. and Vivian Sklar
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FOOD FOR BODY AND SOUL It was another elegant event at The Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges, which hosted prolific cookbook author and The New York Times columnist Melissa Clark for the launch of her latest cookbook, “Dinner: Changing the Game,” on April 4. Clark, who is as warm and down-to-earth as your best friend, told charming stories about the gallant Jean-Georges, who was on hand; the perfect vinaigrette (one part soy sauce, one part vinegar, one part oil); and her foodie childhood. Two seatings of guests enjoyed a melt-in-your-mouth house-made burrata, roasted sea bass with spring peas and ginger-chili vinaigrette, fraise des boise tartlets and, above all else, a black truffle and Fontina pizza that was moan-worthy, as one guest said. Photographs by John Rizzo. 5. Melissa Clark speaks to the attentive crowd 6. Luncheon guests enjoy the feast created by Jean-Georges
Named one of the region’s best hospitals for 2016-2017 by U.S. News & World Report and the highest on the list in Westchester WAGMAG.COM
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SHOWSTOPPERS St. Christopher’s Inc., a Dobbs Ferry organization dedicated to helping children with special needs and their families, recently hosted its annual spring gala showcasing talent from all across New York. The event, “St. Christopher’s Got Talent,” held at Purchase College’s Performing Arts Center, honored Pat Quinn, an ALS advocate and Ice Bucket Challenge co-founder, for his work in spreading awareness of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He and his organization, Quinn for the Win, received a $2,500 donation. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Aaron Parkhurst Daniel Nicholas Lyndsey Minerva Larger than Life, a boy band tribute group Anthony Fava, Pat Quinn and Danielle Fava Larger Than Life members with Kacey Morabito, center, and Lyndsey Minerva
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FILLED WITH LOVE
Recently, members of the Hudson Gateway Realtors Foundation Committee volunteered at the Food Bank For Westchester in Elmsford to assist in filling backpacks to be distributed to various schools and community centers throughout the county. The Foundation’s $5,000 donation last year helped supply funding for the Food Bank’s BackPack Program, which provides Westchester’s at-risk children with nutritious, easy-to-prepare food for weekends and school vacations.
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7. Drew Kessler, Leslie Gordon and Ayesha Khan 8. Franca Presbyto and Bonnie Koff
Ranked among the top 10% of hospitals in the nation by Healthgrades ® for outstanding patient experience
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• International Wines, Spirits and Beers • Free Wine Tastings on Friday and Saturday • Daily Sales and Specials • Corporate and Client Gifting Programs • Event Planning Services • Classes, Seminars and Tutorials • Private In-Home Tastings and Classes
FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1957
• Free Delivery Service (inquire) VAL’S TIP OF THE MONTH —
BEAUJOLAIS HAS ONE OF THE LOWEST CALORIE AMOUNTS OF ALL RED WINES
• Wine Cellar and Collecting Consultation • We Buy Your Older Wines and Spirits
BOTH LOCATIONS OPEN EVERY DAY
203-869-2299
125 West Putnam Ave., Greenwich, CT
203-813-3477
21 Glenville St., Glenville, CT
valsputnamwines.com | valsputnamwines125@gmail.com
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YOU GOTTA HAVE ART
“Thank you for saving people from the mean streets of Scarsdale,” cheeky emcee (and CBS 2 reporter) Tony Aiello joked as the Scarsdale Adult School received an Education Award from ArtsWestchester when the flagship arts council presented its 2017 Arts Award Luncheon at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase April 5. It was that kind of event, with Aiello ribbing the Westchester County Board of Legislators and chairman Michael Kaplowitz noting that the board is “very afraid of Janet” — Langsam, that is, the pint-sized powerhouse CEO who makes ArtsWestchester hum. It was all in good fun as ArtsWestchester presented its Arts Organization Award to Downtown Music at Grace, its Emily & Eugene Grant Arts Patron Award to Lucille Werlinich, chair of the Purchase College Foundation, its President’s Award to The Katonah Museum of Art’s Himmel Award and Lecture, its Community Award to Westhab, its other Education Award to Songcatchers Inc., whose students performed at the event, and its Sophia Abeles Education Award to teaching artist Marion Archer. Some 350 attendees enjoyed crafts boutiques, a raffle and a scrumptiously healthy lunch of grilled chicken over a butternut squash and avocado salad that enabled them to feel virtuous enough for the chocolate mousse dessert. Photographs by Leslye Smith.
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1. Alan and Deborah Simon 2. Aya Adler, Jacqueline Walker, Michael Boriskin, Hannah Schmerler, Ian Murdoch and Walter Schmerler 3. Jamie Shenkman, Andrea Carbarini, Jean DeRosa, Linda Shenkman-Curtis and Barry Shenkman 4. Emily Grant and Andrea Potash 5. Darsie Alexander, Betty Himmel and Rob Astorino 6. Benjamin Boykin and Francis Corcoran 7. George Troyano, Bob Roth, Tony Aiello and Kevin Plunkett 8. Lucille Werlinich, Jill Serling, Marion Archer, Sr. Beth Dowd and Richard Nightingale 9. MaryJane Shimsky, Janet Langsam, David Tubiolo and Michael Kaplowitz
Proud to be among just 7% of hospitals nationwide to achieve Magnet ® recognition for nursing excellence
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Eager Beaver Tree Service INTELLIGENT TREE CARE ARTISTIC DESIGN DETAIL ORIENTED LONG TERM PLANNING-IMMEDIATE RESULTS SATISFACTION GUARANTEED!
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WAGVERTISERS MAY 2017
Agera Energy – 55 ageraenergy.com
Eklectico Café - 38 eklecticocafe.com/colabs
m.DRATTELL – 62 mdrattell.com
Schoolhouse Theater - 95 schoolhousetheater.org
Alfa Romeo of Greenwich - 7 alfaromeousaofgreenwich.com
Emelin Theatre – 127 emelin.org
Siegel Brothers Marketplace - 85 sbmarkets.com
Alzheimer’s Association – 6 alzdementiaconference.org
Engel and Völkers – 135 mattjohnson.evusa.com
McCullough, Goldberger & Stault, LLP - 100 mcculloughgoldberger.com
ArtsWestchester – 38 artsw.org/fromthestreets
Ethan Allen Hotel – 46 ethanallenhotel.com
Audi Danbury - 47 audidanbury.com
Euphoria Kitchen & Bath - 42 euphoriakitchens.com
Balducci’s - 17 balduccis.com
Garrison Art Center - 53 garrisonartcenter.org
Bennett Cancer Center – 77 hopeinmotion.org
The Great American BBQ Co. - 107 thegreatamericanbbq.com
Neil S. Berman - 30 bermanbuyscollectables.com
Greenwich International Film Festival – 121 greenwichfilm.org
Bilotta Kitchen and Home - 5 bilotta.com Blue Buffalo – 122, 123 bluebuffalo.com BMW of Westchester - 89 westchesterbmw.com Briggs House Antiques– 27 briggshouse.com Casafina – 25 casafinagifts.com City Perch Kitchen & Bar - 3 cityperch.com CroExpo - 87 croexpo.com Crowne Plaza - 65 cpwestchester.com Curry Honda – 9 curryhondany.com Eager Beaver Tree Service - 133 eagerbeavertreeservice.com
Mediterraneo of White Plains - 16 zhospitalitygroup.com Miller Motor Cars – 7 millermotorcars.com MS Dystel Memorial Golf Classic–58 msnycdystelmemorialgolf.org Muscoot Tavern – 103 muscoottavern.com
Greenwich Polo Club – 97 greenwichpoloclub.com
Pepe Infiniti – 39 pepeinfiniti.com
Gregory Sahagian & Son Awnings, Inc. - 24 gssawnings.com
Peridot Fine Jewelry – 64 peridotfinejewelry.com
Sportime Camps – 20 sportimecamps.com/lisle
Terra of Danbury - 34 zhospitaliygroup.com
ONS – 49 Onsmd.com Penny Pincher - 91 pennypincherboutique.com
Sothebys International Realty – 59, 79 sothebyshomes.com/greenwich
Stickley Audi & Co. - 11 stickleyaudi.com
Oasis Day Spa – 66 oasisdayspanyc.com
Greenwich Medical Spa - 35 greenwichmedicalspa.com
Skin Center Advanced Medical Aesthetics – Back Cover, 113 bestskincenter.com
Twin Lakes Farm - 81 twinlakesfarm.com United Hebrew - 111 uhgc.org Val’s Putnam Wines and Liquors - 131 valsputnamwines.com Vincent & Whittemore - 109 vinwhit.com
Herde de Ferme – 93 herdedeferme.com
R&M Woodrow Jewelers Inside front cover, 1 woodrowjewelers.com
iPic Theaters – 43 ipictheaters.com
Ridgefield Playhouse – 125 ridgefieldplayhouse.org
Westchester Philharmonic - 100 westchesterphil.org
The Kensington - 115 thekensingtonal.com
John Rizzo Photography - 119 johnrizzophoto.com
Westmoreland Sanctuary – 117 westmorelandsanctuary.org
Kisco River Eatery - 105 kiscoriver.com
Rocks – 67 facebook.com/Rocks-by-Jolie-B-Ray
Westport Arts Center - 101 westportartscenter.org
Kristals Cosmetics – 63 kristalscosmeticsc@icloud.com
Royal Closet - 10 royalcloset.com
Luxe Luxury Labels – 21 facebook.com/luxeluxurylabels
Saybrook Point Inn and Spa – 51 saybrook.com
White Plains Hospital – Inside back cover, 128, 129, 130, 132 wphospital.org
Westchester Medical Center - 31 wmchealth.org
Women’s Enterprise Development Center Inc. – 42 wedcbiz.org
Our WAG-savvy sales team will assist you in optimizing your message to captivate and capture your audience. Contact them at 914-358-0746. SUSAN BARBASH
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LISA CASH
ANNE JORDAN DUFFY
BARBARA HANLON
MARCIA PFLUG
PATRICE SULLIVAN
Wellington, Florida • The Winter Equestrian Capital of the World
Aspen Glen - Private 15 acre custom designed home with top equestrian facilities. Riding arena with underground watering system, hot walker and round pen. Three grooms apartments and separate ancillary buildings with veterinary / farrier rooms, feed storage and multiple equipment bays. The main residence features cathedral ceilings, fireplace with floor to ceiling stone chimney, wood & marble floors, elevator, screened balconies and infinity pool with water vistas. Offered at $11,000,000
Gated Subdivision - 5 acre contemporary 4BR, 4.5BA home with beautiful natural light, center island kitchen, gas cooking, fireplace, private outdoor entertaining areas, herb garden & 65" lap pool. Guest residence attached to main home. Stunning half-circle, courtyard barn concept provides the ultimate efficient work space & healthy living for your horses, a riding arena & grass paddocks. Close to the showgrounds. Offered at $4,750,000
Whether considering a purchase of a perfect equestrian estate or a stunning beachfront residence in South Florida, Matt Johnson of the global firm Engel & Volkers is the discerning buyer’s choice. Johnson is an 18-year real estate veteran as well as an active rider and competitor himself. He not only understands the equestrian lifestyle but lives it everyday. Johnson, ranked third in the country for the international firm, is also one of the company’s elite top ten advisors in the world. To Contact Matt Johnson 561-313-4367 or Matt.Johnson@evusa.com For additional property information visit: www.MattJohnson.evusa.com
©2017 Engel & Völkers. All rights reserved. Each brokerage independently owned and operated. Carr Sollak Realty, LLC licensee of Engel & Voelkers Florida Residential, LLC. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Engel & Völkers and its independent License Partners are Equal Opportunity Employers and fully support the principles of the Fair Housing Act.
WE WONDER:
WIT
WH I C H DO YO U PR EFER — A VEG E TAB LE GAR D EN O R A FLOWER GAR D EN ? *
Gabriela Carbonetti
sales assistant, Val’s Putnam Wines and Liquor, Harrison resident
“Nothing better than a fresh vegetable.”
Andrew Castellano CEO, Sharc Creative, Wilton resident
“I have both, but (I prefer) the vegetable garden, because I feel like it gives me a good return on my time.”
Agathe Ngo Likoba
Bryan Martis
designer/president and CEO, Likoba LLC, Shelton resident
“I would prefer flower. Not that I don’t like veggies. I like to eat them…. But for me, being a designer, it brings my artistic side out to just be in the garden. I love flowers, colors and the smell. It’s exciting and peaceful at the same time.”
security/concierge, Bronx resident
“Vegetable. There’s something soothing about growing your own crops, to go out and pick a ripe vegetable.”
Nancy Cordasco-Walsh
Christian Espinoza
senior marketing specialist, New Crystal Restoration, New Rochelle resident
president, Building Maintenance Solutions, White Plains resident
“A flower garden, because I like color. It makes my property look prettier.”
“A vegetable garden. You use organic vegetables and eat them. It is a good incentive to have my kids learn about the environment and keeping it clean.”
Ariana Mazzurco
Kelly Mecartney
employee, Nordic Cryotherapy, Yonkers resident
marketing coordinator, Ability Beyond, Brookfield resident
“Vegetable. I’m into organic food….I already have one, too. I really realize how much money you save, and the food tastes fresh, so much different than grocery store food.”
“Flower. I don’t really like vegetables. One’s functional but I feel like I would rather have something pretty to look at rather than eat something that doesn’t even taste good.”
Joan Grangenois-Thomas communications consultant, JGT Public Relations, Port Chester resident
“A flower garden helps bees pollinate the earth. They aren’t doing so well and it’s a swell way to help the environment.”
Stephanie Melowsky
Michelle Hopson managing member, Hopson Consultant, Stamford resident
“A vegetable garden. I’m allergic to flowers.”
David Sobel
vice-president, PCSB Bank, White Plains resident
president and CEO, Alzheimer’s Association: Hudson Valley Chapter, Purchase resident
“Vegetable garden for my kids to show them where food really comes from.”
“A flower garden. It reminds me of a promise garden, where you hold up a flower then go for a walk and plant it where you want. It’s a promise to remember those with Alzheimer’s disease.”
*Asked at Westfair Communication’s Celebrating Diversity in Business awards ceremony at 1133 Westchester Ave., White Plains April 4. 136
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