WEDDINGS • EVENTS • FOOD• FASHION • FINANCE
People Jim Carroll Has Got Drive, In More Ways Than One
Town Matt Hart Brings Heart to His Job
Art Don Carter’s Bird Illustrations
SPECIAL EDITION 2017 We-Ha.com
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Fashion Three Generations of Personal Attention
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DEPARTMENTS 8
FROM THE PUBLISHER Greetings from We-Ha!
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WEDDING Tokic & Filomeno
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PEOPLE Wine, Food, Fun
14 FEATURES 14 JIM CARROLL’S PASSION Story by Ronni Newton,
Jim Carroll is “driven” in his career and his other passion: cars.
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AUDUBON REIMAGINED
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FOOD Zohara and Zaytoon’s
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FINANCE Recently Widowed...Now What?
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TASTES LIKE VACATION! Cream of Chardonnay Soup
Brown Creeper by Don Carter aka Edgar Allan Slothman.
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Edited by Jill Fletcher,
Meet artist Don Carter, aka Edgar Allan Slothman.
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GETTING PERSONAL Story by Ronni Newton,
West Hartford Town Manager Matt Hart.
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FASHION Photos by Todd Fairchild
Connecticut Custom Clothing Company.
ON THE COVER: Great Horned Owl by West Hartford artist, Don Carter aka Edgar Allen Slothman.
983 Farmington Ave. West Hartford 860-232-6225 Shop online: www.bkcostyle.com
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JP
CARROLL ROOFING
CRACK... drip...drip...drip... the thunder storms are here, are you ready?
For your free slate inspection or asphalt shingle roof quote, call us:
J.P. Carroll Construction, INC. Your Residential & Commercial Roofing Experts 310 R Newington Rd, West Hartford • Phone: 860-586-8857 Email:jpcarrollroofing@yahoo.com • www.jpcarrollroofing.com
Dedicated to Service for over 50 years Publisher Thomas P. Hickey, II tomh@westhartfordmagazine.com Creative Services Joy B. Taylor joyt@westhartfordmagazine.com Sales & Marketing Jill Fletcher Contributing Writers & Columnists Ronni Newton, Whitney F. Burr, Fay Dehaas, Lisa Martin Photography Director Todd Fairchild/Shutterbug CT Contributing Photographers Snap Seat Photo Booth, Ronni Newton, Kan Photography Videography David Chmielewski/DirectLine Media
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PO Box 271835, West Hartford, CT 06127 www.we-ha.com office 860-508-4032 West Hartford Magazine is published six times a year by WHMedia, Inc. SUBSCRIPTIONS: One year for $35. Newsstand $4.95 each. To subscribe, renew or change address write: West Hartford Magazine, PO Box 271835, West Hartford, CT 06127; www.we-ha.com/subscribe. EDITORIAL & LETTERS: editor@westhartfordmagazine.com – please include full name, town and phone number (for verification only, not for publication). ADVERTISING: 860-508-4032. ©2017 WHMedia, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without express permission of the publisher. West Hartford Magazine is a registered trademark owned by WHMedia, Inc. The opinions expressed by writers published by West Hartford Magazine are not necessarily those of the magazine.
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PUBLISHER GREETINGS FROM WE-HA! If it looks like all we do is have fun, eat and drink in West Hartford (aka as We-Ha), you are partially correct! We- Ha has become a food mecca as well as a destination for shopping, the arts, philanthropic events, and happens to be a spectacular place to raise a family and find a great education! NEW ‘LOOK’ FOR THE MAGAZINE We’ve been working on our new look for nearly six months! Thanks for your patience and support! Now let us know what you think as We-Ha takes a larger presence than West Hartford Magazine?
Me (far right) with some members of my family at the second annual Taste of Blue Back Square and The Center. From left: Charlie, Sharon and Griffin Bruce with my wife Shevon Hickey in the center, and right next to me is my son Garrett with his then girlfriend and now fiancé Heather Modenese.
WELCOME DELAMAR WEST HARTFORD We are thrilled to be the exclusive magazine in We-Ha’s very own new luxury boutique hotel, Delamar West Hartford. Kudos to the Mallory Family on a job well done! Every room will be graced with the most recent issue of We-Ha/West Hartford Magazine. Our hope is that visitors will sign up for a free subscription to the We-Ha.com newsletter so they can stay connected to We-Ha.
Photo courtesy of SNAPSEAT PHOTO BOOTHS.
GONE TOO SOON – SEE WE-HA.COM We-Ha is filled with charitable people. Be sure to read the touching tributes to our neighbors, friends, and business owners who left us too soon, including: Tim Confessore (by the way, Cricket Press is flourishing), and everyone’s favorite ‘uncle’ and/or ‘coach’ Mike Zullo. NEW COLUMNS AND COLUMNISTS Introducing our “Tastes Like Vacation” feature which spotlights some recipes from our Cruise Planners friends Lisa Martin and Faye Dehaas. Welcome Whitney F. Burr, an investment consultant with Valerie E. Thomas, to our family of financial columnnists. VINEYARD VINES REMINDER For years, we have been working on getting a private label clothing line suitable for West Hartford and we are so proud that the Vineyard Vines We-Ha clothing line has launched. When I first chatted about this idea with Ian Murray (one of the brothers/co-owner of Vineyard Vines), we knew it made sense. So check out our products on We-Ha.com/store or stop in to Lux Bond and Green in The Center. Let’s have some fun with it … take a picture sporting your Vineyard Vines We-Ha clothes and accessories and share it with us.
Thomas P. Hickey II Publisher tomh@westhartfordmagazine.com Facebook: Twitter: Instagram:
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WEDDINGS
Sandra Tokic & Mark Filomeno photos by Kan Photography, www.kanphotography.com
Clockwise from Top: Mark with his parents Tom and Madelyn Filomeno. Mark and Sandra share some special wedding day moments. Mark with his groomsmen, and Sandra with her bridesmaids.
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Visit we-ha.com for more photos and otherWEDDINGS.
Sandra Tokic and Mark Filomeno have the sweetest way of recalling how they met several Decembers ago, while strolling West Hartford Center. Mark’s sister Madelyn can take the credit for introducing them, but the way Sandra remembers it is they were each other’s Christmas present because it was “love at first sight!” Mark surprised Sandra with an engagement ring right after her pharmaceutical licensing exam in 2015 and they had fun planning a wedding at Saint Peter Claver and The Farmington Club. The couple honeymooned in Hawaii (visiting Oahu, Maui and Kauai), and managed to celebrate Sandra’s birthday in Pearl Harbor and they also hiked the Napali coast. Sandra’s parents are Vesna and Miro Tokic and live in Newington. Mark’s parents, Tom and Madelyn, are active in the West Hartford community, and the newlyweds decided to settle in We-Ha as well.
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PEOPLE
Visit We-Ha.com for complete stories and photos from the following events ... and MORE! Wine, Food, Fun in We-Ha! The inaugural West Hartford Wine & Food Festival was held on Saturday, June 17, 2017, on the grounds of Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford. ... nearly 1,000 guests sampled food, wine, beer, and other libations, and enjoyed live entertainment at West Hartford’s first ever Wine & Food Festival. Please see more on we-ha.com & don’t miss the video by David Chmielewski/DirectLine Media Guests Enjoy Delicious ‘Taste of Elmwood’ “Yum” was probably the most common word of the evening as approximately 160 guests enjoyed delicacies from Elmwood area restaurants at the fourth annual Taste of Elmwood. West Hartford Enjoys Delicious ‘Taste of Bishops Corner’ On a summer-like evening, the West Hartford community relaxed on the patio in between Maximum Beverage and Blue Plate Kitchen in the Edens Bishops Corner Shopping Center, sampling a culinary feast provided by area restaurants, enjoying a wine/beer/Fisher’s Island lemonade-tasting, and listening to live music. About 150 attended the second annual Taste of Bishops Corner, … more on we-ha.com Crowd Savors ‘Taste of Blue Back Square and The Center’ Another sell-out as 500 guests enjoyed the second annual ‘Taste of Blue Back Square and The Center’ in West Hartford on Wednesday, July 27. On a clear and mild summer evening, guests enjoyed a sampling of signature dishes from 15 of West Hartford’s premier restaurants in the REI parking lot in Blue Back Square. Music by a jazz trio lead by Ross Tucker. ... more on we-ha.com From top: Artisan chef from Delamar West Hartford at the West Hartford Wine and Food Festival. West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor samples Arugula’s Israeli Couscous at the Fourth Annual Taste of Elmwood. Harrys Bishops Corner at Taste of Bishops Corner. Guests and Jade Marketing Group’s “Jean Truck” at the second annual Taste of Blue Back Square and The Center. Photos by RONNI NEWTON
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Call our office today to schedule your complimentary consultation so we can help you and your family with your personal needs and goals. O 10 North Main St. West Hartford 860-678-6260 valeriethomas.com
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Jim Carroll’s Passion has
Driven his Career
For many years Jim’s other passion – driving – had to take a backseat. by RONNI NEWTON photos by TODD FAIRCHILD
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“Car”
is part of Carroll’s name, and cars have been what Carroll has been interested in for as long as he can remember. And although the path to reaching his dream was far from straight and fast, his story is proof that it’s never too late. “In high school I was part of a group people called ‘gear heads,’“ Carroll said. One of four children growing up in Wayland, MA, an affluent Boston suburb, it was assumed that Carroll would head off to college when he graduated from high school in 1974 and then enter a professional career. “I went off to college not because I wanted to but because it was required,” he said. Two of his friends went to technical school, and everyone thought they were losers. Carroll had two older sisters, who both went to Boston College. “They made my parents proud,”
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“Racing, if you look at our safety record, I’m safer than you are going to the grocery store.” -Jim Carroll
“I’ve told my kids follow your passion. I’ll be your backstop.” -Jim Carroll
he said. His younger brother, who went to St. Michael’s, also made his parents proud. Carroll reluctantly enrolled at UMass, and said his parents were disappointed. He studied agriculture, with plans to grow flowers, but it was the mid- to late-1970s, the time of the oil embargo and sky-high energy prices, and growing flowers in the Northeast required a substantial and expensive investment in heating. “At the same time, the airlines had figured out how to ship cut flowers from South America in dry ice,” Carroll recalled. There were no jobs, no opportunities in his chosen field. He moved to Hartford in 1980 to take a sales position in the agriculture business,
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but knew pretty quickly that it wasn’t something he wanted to do long-term. The economy wasn’t good, the Civic Center roof collapsed. “This place was just a social desert,” Carroll said. He had made a few friends, but they moved to Boston. Then one night, at Brown Thompson’s, he saw Anne Dante across the bar. “We started dating, but I told my two friends if that didn’t work out to save a spot for me. I never left, but Anne was the only thing that kept me then,” Carroll said. Carroll was always good at fixing things, not just cars which had been relegated to hobby status, so he went to work in the building industry.
In 1986, he formed JP Carroll Roofing. He worked hard, wearing a belt for the first 10 years, focused on building the business. Although he was a spectator and even a sponsor of a car, he kept his interest in racing completely separate. Carroll said he had always wanted to get into circle track racing with NASCAR-sanctioned full-body stock cars, but it was all about the money. “Guys my age were racing all weekend, but I was so in tune with starting a family,” said Carroll. “When Jack [now 24] went to college, and my company got to be successful, I started a racing program as a driver and team owner,” Carroll said. By then his business success provided the opportunity to
The engine compartment of Jim Carroll’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo, and Jim in the driver’s seat/roll cage.
leverage his connections. His suppliers became his sponsors, giving them a great platform with advertising on the car to market their brand. “Racing, particularly short-track NASCAR, is very blue-collar,” Carroll said. And in that world participants and fans are very brand-loyal. “There’s an old saying: If you race on Sunday you sell on Monday,” he said. At age 51, in 2009, Carroll started living his dream. And for six years he raced on the short-track oval at Stafford Motor Speedway. Stafford is NASCAR “form circle” track racing, and it’s rough. “If you’re not trading paint you’re not racing,” said Carroll. Carroll had a few decades on most of the participants when he started. Eventually he felt like he was losing his ability to be as tough as he needed to be every Friday night. “When you’re getting older you can’t compete with the 17-year-olds,” said Carroll. “When you’re older you go into a turn thinking about the consequences. That’s the razor edge between winning and losing.” Carroll did have success, and will never
forget the great feeling the day he won a race in 2015. “There’s something about winning, coming in first, beating the rest of the field,” he said. “It’s euphoric.” Passing someone to get to the front, it’s like conquering, said Carroll. He said in racing there are lots of clichés, like: “Second place is the first loser.” And then he got caught in a crash, and woke up in an ambulance. That was about two years ago. “I realized it was time to move to a form that was more spread out. The open rules are different and it’s more technical than physical,” he said. Carroll kept his same car but retired from Stafford, moving to the road course at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville. You get up to speeds of about 100 mph on the oval track, and have to brake hard and downshift to take the corners, he said. On a road course like Lime Rock you reach speeds of 165 mph on the straightaway, but while it’s faster, it’s more about the technique. “I did everything backward,” Carroll said, reflecting on his career. Most people who get into racing start out as kids on gocarts, and move to cars by age 15 or 16. It’s
usually a family activity. Carroll never took lessons, and said Stafford was his first experience on the track. It was a steep learning curve. “Only when my business was very secure did I decide [to start racing]. Racing is really irresponsible,” Carroll said, especially when you’re trying to raise a family. Tires last for two races, and cost $900 to replace. Gas is $12 per gallon, and engines cost $25,000 and up. “You burn an engine a year,” said Carroll. “Boating is cheap in comparison,” said Carroll. By the time he started racing, at 51, Carroll’s business was firmly established, and he had the relationships with the companies that became his sponsors – companies like GAF Corporation and ABC Supply that he had already been committed to working with for years and now have their names on his bright yellow Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Steben Auto Body is also a sponsor, and has been painting the car for years, Carroll said. Paul Steben is a dear friend. The Sign Place in Newington has always done his lettering. The car body itself lasts for years, Carroll said, unless you wreck it, and even then it can usually be repaired. But the car body is just a shell, he explained as he provided a
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tour of the interior. “It’s basically a roll cage with a very light skin around it. No cup holders, no arm rests,” he said. Everything is engineered – the seats, the helmet, the fire suit. It’s literally like being in a cocoon, said Carroll. Carroll said his parents don’t really know what to think about his decision to get into racing. “They’re somewhat mystified about my career and the paradox.” His siblings don’t know what to think either. As for Anne, he said she tolerates it. “It bothers her. She gets scared,” he said, but it’s really not as dangerous as one would think. “Racing, if you look at our safety record, I’m safer than you are going to the grocery store.” Carroll said if he felt like he could have, he would have started racing right away, wouldn’t have gone to college. And as a parent, he’s made sure his own four children know that he will support their choices. He painted a go-cart track in the parking lot of his Newington Road business. He taught all to drive, but none of the kids considered racing their passion. “I’ve told my kids follow your passion. I’ll be your backstop,” said Carroll. He said he believes that if you are passionate enough about something to work really hard at it, then you will be able to be successful.
Carroll’s oldest son, James, is 30. He graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University, and now lives in Concord, MA, where he is now a professional barber. Matt, 28, graduated from Suffolk University. He lived in New York for a while and now is in Austin, TX, where he works in the software business. Both are following their passions now, but had an earlier passion that Carroll also supported. For years James and Matt had a band – Make Do and Mend – with some other local musicians. They recorded six albums and toured the world, he said. “They had an agent, a manager, had signed with a record label,” Carroll said, but they realized that being on the road was wearing them down. Jack, 24, is a 2014 graduate of Endicott. He’s the one who is interested in running Carroll’s business, is fascinated by all aspects of the work. Jack is also the only one who tried racing. “He ended up wrecking the car. Anne said no more,” Carroll said. Carroll’s youngest son, Luke, is now a junior at Conard. He’s recently gotten his license. Carroll said he doesn’t race around the streets of West Hartford or even when he’s driving on the highway. “I like to test the speed limit, but I’m not a really fast driver.
There’s a switch you have.” Racing at Stafford occupied every Friday night, weather-permitting, whereas Carroll now races about 10 times per year at Lime Rock. “My racing now is much more a collaborative effort and business. It’s lots of fun to involve the local community,” he said. It’s an enjoyable weekend activity, with plenty of camaraderie. Stafford was more about survival. Carroll said his family will come watch him race at Lime Rock. “Anne didn’t like Stafford. She was too scared,” he said. At age 60, Carroll has no plans to retire from racing anytime soon. “Maybe when I’m 70,” he said. Carroll said he’s definitely a risk-taker by nature, but said the key is how risk is managed. “I take a lot of risks, but it’s a fairly well-understood, calculated risk.” What would he say to others who may have put aside their early dreams, or to those who are considering what to do with their lives? “I would say follow your passion, follow your dreams. I know that sounds awfully cliché, but hopefully you can find somebody – parents, a brother or sister, friend, or mentor, who will believe in you. Don’t be afraid to follow your dreams … Find people to support you and work hard.” I
The sponsors of Jim Carroll’s Chevrolet Monte Carlo include companies that JPCarroll Construction has known for years, including ABC Supply, GAF Corporation and locally, Steben Auto Body (they’ve been painting the car for years), and The Sign Place in Newington which has always done his lettering.
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ART
Audubon Reimagined. Meet Artist Don Carter At West Hartford Magazine, we are often amazed by the talent and achievements of our residents, many of whom have simultaneous, successful careers. Meet West Hartford resident and Creative Director Don Carter, who is also known as the artist, Edgar Allan Slothman. Edited by JILL FLETCHER
WHM: Tell us about Audubon 2.0 and
WHM: Obviously you get a lot of satis-
how that came about. DC: My grandfather gave me my first bird field guide when I was 5 years old and I have been drawing and painting birds ever since. Throughout high school, art class assignments were somehow always solved with a bird. No, I was not one of the cool kids… probably for that very reason. As I got older and I focused on my advertising career, I took a very long hiatus from creating any winged subject matter. It wasn’t until 2012 that I started to get back into birds. Audubon’s work always impressed me from an ornithological standpoint. But as I got into further studying his Birds of America, I realized how graphic his compositions were. I had also developed an appreciation for pop art — so I started to think about how to combine the two. For every print, I look for ways to break it down in some way. Often it is with geometric simplification or repeat patterns. For some, I create an entirely new color palette pushing beyond from the original as far as I can go. But in all, I stay very close to Audubon’s original composition—the core of these amazing ornithological visual stories. I have completed 90 Audubon reinterpretations out of 435. My life goal is to complete all of them and hopefully get them published as a book. Several of them have already been published on beer cans and bottles for Collective Arts Brewing in Ontario.
faction out of your art. How does that compare to your more commercial work as an ad agency creative director? DC: After 30 plus years as an art and creative director, yes, I have a lot of work that I’m proud of from a design or art sense. But I think what I get the most personal satisfaction from is when our work has some kind of tangible effect on someone. At Mintz & Hoke (Avon), I worked on an American Cancer Society skin cancer awareness campaign that was credited for saving at least one man’s life that we know of. And at Adams & Knight (Avon), I work on the Hartford Healthcare account with copywriter, Pat Dugan (also a West Hartford resident). Pat and I worked a billboard that had a similar effect — getting people to not put off having a colonoscopy — and several cancers were found that if gone unchecked would have been deadly. We’ll take that over any award plaque or statue any day! WHM: But your work has been awarded as well. DC: I’ve won many, many awards for art direction in the advertising and design business…local, regional, national, international. A lot of awards from the Connecticut Advertising Club including many top awards like Best of Show and Gold Brush (for art direction). And this year, I’m particularly proud of being inducted into the Connecticut Art Directors Hall of Fame. WHM: How do you keep your careers
Snowy Owl, Columbia Jay, Artic Yager by West Hartford’s Don Carter, aka Edgar Allan Slothman, and modeled after John James Audubon’s Birds of America prints. Photo Courtesy of DON CARTER
separate and how do they overlap? WHM: I created the pseudonym, Edgar Allan Slothman to do exactly that…to have a separate identity not associated with my more commercial work as an artist… Creative Director at Adams & Knight in Avon, as well as my other outside projects… illustrating children’s books and creating children’s TV shorts for Disney. But as I get more public exposure I’m finding it harder to separate the two completely. My colleagues at Adams & Knight are very supportive of my Audubon work especially through social media. I’m always sharing prints with coworkers and even clients. So it’s not really two separate personalities… it’s just me, signing my work two different ways. People ask me where the name came from. Obviously Edgar Allan Poe played a role in it… to add an air of mystery. And the Slothman comes from a love of sloths and wanting to not be so stuffy. My friends know that I have an odd sense of humor. So I really wanted a name to reflect that. Oh, and Edgar Allan Slothman is much more Google-friendly than Don Carter… so my work is much easier to find online versus Don Carter, the late famous bowler and his bowling alleys. WHM: What other art projects have you done outside of your career as a
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John James Audubon, 1830 (left); Don Carter aka Edgar Allan Slothman, 2017 (right). Photo Courtesy of DON CARTER
creative director? DC: I’ve done some painting…mostly abstract impressionism combined with characters, animals or words. Right now I have several paintings in a gallery in China. And then there are my children’s books. Many West Hartford residents may be familiar with that work, my having given many talks at Duffy School and the Noah Webster Library when my children, Phoebe (yes, a bird name) and Grayson were younger. After having seven books published, I tried my hand at creating children’s television. I pitched a lot of ideas with a lot of people. One of them resulting in two series of shorts for what was then called Playhouse Disney. Those were Happy Monster Band and Dance-A-Lot-Robot. Being a big music fan, D-A-L- Robot was especially fun for me — getting Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo to do the songs. WHM: What advice would you like to share with aspiring artists? DC: An advertising mentor, Joe Hoke, once told me ‘Don’t get stuck in the middle. Pick a direction and go all the way with it. Not halfway. ALL the way.’ And that’s usually the easiest way to turn a something into something special — something that stands out from the pack. I Prints of the Audubon 2.0 collection by Don Carter aka Edgar Allan Slothman, are available to purchase with custom framing at Frame Dimensions in West Hartford Center, 995 Farmington Ave. To see the entire collection please visit: www.cargocollective.com/slothman
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The Art of Outdoor
Great Rooms by Jeff Hodges
860-986-4282 • www.JeffHodgesLandscapeContractor.com
Vote now on We-Ha.com for your favorites in more than 60 categories. The winners will be announced at the Awards Show Wednesday, September 27 CinĂŠpolis @ Blue Back Square!
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3rd Annual
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Voting & Tickets on We-Ha.com Best wishes to all West Hartford Businesses!
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Getting Personal: West Hartford Town Manager Matt Hart Matt Hart officially took over as West Hartford town manager and we wanted to help residents get to know him. Story & photos by RONNI NEWTON
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he Town Council officially named Matt Hart as West Hartford’s new town manager in April – the successor to Ron Van Winkle who announced last fall that he would retire on June 30, 2017 – and along with the news of the appointment came a description of Hart’s past experience and excellent qualifications for the job, and a resume with details about his education and experience. Before coming to West Hartford, Hart was town manager in Mansfield, CT, a position he had held since 2006. He began his employment with Mansfield in 2000 as assistant to the town manager and was promoted to assistant town manager in 2002 before being chosen for the lead role after a national search to replace Martin Berliner, who retired after 27 years in the position. As Mansfield town manager, Hart played a key role in the development of Storrs Center, a “mixed-use, New Urbanism project” located adjacent to UConn’s main campus. In addition to his extensive experience in Mansfield, Hart also worked as assistant to the Windsor, CT, town manager from 1997-2000. He also has private sector experience and is a veteran of the U.S. Army (1987-90) and U.S. Army National Guard (1990-94). Hart has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the State University of New York at Pottsdam and both a JD and master’s in public affairs (MPA) from UConn. But beyond his official credentials, who is the man who has the awesome responsibility of being West Hartford’s CEO? We-Ha.com recently sat down with Hart to find out.
Growing Up Hart grew up in western Connecticut. His parents divorced when he was young and he lived in Woodbury during his high school years. “My main sport was wrestling. I was a captain my senior year,” Hart said. “I also participated in my school’s outdoor program, which offered activities such as rock-climbing and hiking. I’ve dropped the rock-climbing, but kept up with the hiking,” he said. He started college at Tulane, but couldn’t afford to go back for his second year so he went to work. “I worked a variety of trade jobs for a couple of years,” Hart said. He painted houses, worked for a tree service, did home energy audits. He said he learned a lot about life, but didn’t earn enough money to fund his education.
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Matt Hart (second from right) posing with his family in April at the official announcement of his appointment as West Hartford town manager. From left: Sophie (13), Kara, Matt, and Claire (10). Photo by RONNI NEWTON
Hart joined the U.S. Army and then was able to take advantage of the Army College Fund. He was on active duty from 1987-90 with the 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum, near Watertown, NY, and was then a member of the New York National Guard from 1990-94. Stationed near SUNY Pottsdam, which he said was best known for “turning out music teachers,” Hart enrolled and was able to finish his undergraduate degree in political science and history in 1992. “It was quite a difference from New Orleans to being 30 miles from the Canadian border,” he said.
“I was a non-traditional student,” he said, a 25-year-old sophomore with a very different perspective. He returned to Connecticut and briefly worked in the family business, a tool and die company in Oxford, before deciding to further his education.
Choosing a Career It wasn’t until after Hart was in graduate school that he decided on a career in town management. “I couldn’t decide if I wanted to practice law, go into higher education, academics, government work.” He had decided to apply to law schools with dual degree programs, and in 1995, his
second year at UConn, he had an internship with then Windsor town manager Albert Ilg – who actually now lives in West Hartford! “Interning got me hooked,” Hart said. He says of his chosen career: “At the end of the day, it’s all about making a community a better place to work in, play in, and learn in.”
Spare Time “My wife Kara and I, we’ve got two great kids and we try to spend as much time as possible with them and their activities,” Hart said. Sophie, 13, and Claire, 10, both like soft-
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“Coming here I wanted to be relatively close to downtown, in a walkable neighborhood. That’s a tremendous feature.”
West Hartford Ranked Among ‘Top 100 Places to Live’ by Livability
New Home
-Matt Hart, West Hartford Town Manager
ball, and Hart has volunteered as an assistant coach. Claire is really into nature and they enjoy hiking with the family dog. “Molly is our first golden-doodle,” Hart said. “I have always been partial to labs and goldens, but don’t miss the shedding.” Hart also enjoys bicycling, hiking throughout New England, traveling, and reading. In response to the “beach or mountains” question, Hart said he likes both, “as well as cities with some history.” Noting that he was slightly embarrassed to admit it, Hart added, “Whenever we travel I’ve got to see the city hall.” If at all possible, he likes to look around inside, too. He said that Montreal’s city hall has been the most impressive one he’s seen so far. “I’m a bit of a geek about my profession. I like studying the history of it, comparative history, and analyzing how local governments vary throughout the U.S. and in comparison to the rest of the world.” Long weekends might include visits to family in Vermont or a trip to New York City. “For longer vacations, we like Canada’s Maritime provinces, Prince Edward Island in particular. We’re looking forward taking our girls out west and to Europe.”
Television Hart said he is most likely to watch sports. “I did get a kick out of ‘Parks & Rec,’ because the local government stories hit so close to home,” he said. “Occasionally I will get into a series, such as ‘Mad Men,’ ‘Game of Thrones,’ or ‘Downton Abbey.’ I thought ‘The Night Manager’ with Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie was very good. And I’m all over anything Ken Burns puts together.”
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phisticated. “Every once in a while I need to get my 80s alternative fix and jam to U2, Sinead O’Connor, the Cult and others. And, I like some classic country, such as Alan Jackson, Willie, and George Strait. I guess I’m showing my age!” Hart, 52, added.
Sports Teams Red Sox and the Huskies. He’s chiefly a basketball, baseball, and softball fan, but is happy to see Randy Edsall back at the helm of UConn’s football team. “It was really gratifying when Coach Edsall returned and said he saw Storrs Center as a game-changer,” Hart said. A lack of offcampus amenities was the number one reason many people decided against UConn, and Hart is proud of the role Storrs Center has had in changing that.
Movies “I like a variety of genres, especially stories that chronicle the human condition,” Hart said, listing “Brooklyn,” “Life is Beautiful,” and “Cinema Paradiso” as a few examples. Hart said he also loves the classics, especially anything with Bogart. Hart said most of his recent movie watching has been with his kids, with some recent favorites including “Rogue One,” “Zootopia,” “Eddie the Eagle,” and “McFarland, USA.” “‘Wonder Woman’ was awesome,” he said.
Books Historical fiction is Hart’s favorite genre, and he’s recently been reading several of Edward Rutherford’s books. “I’m about to start ‘Paris,’ and I’ve got ‘London’ on my list.” He also enjoyed Jeff Shaara’s series on the Vicksburg campaign, and “All the Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr.
Music Hart said he likes a combination of genres and artists, with Diana Krall, Alison Krause, and the Wailin’ Jennys among his favorites. “My wife has also gotten me into chamber music as she loves to sing,” Hart said, but he confessed that his ear isn’t that so-
Hart and his family moved into their new home on Ridgebrook Drive on July 12. West Hartford’s charter requires the town manager to be a resident, and when Hart started house hunting he received a lot of conflicting advice about the merits of living in the Hall vs. Conard school district. “I didn’t realize there was such a rivalry,” he said. “A friendly rivalry.” He will have a little bit of time before fully experiencing that rivalry as Sophie will be at Sedgwick this fall and Claire will be at Duffy. Hart said they had “downsized” when moving to their last home, and were living in a suburban neighborhood near the UConn campus – on a half-acre lot, which would be a lot of land here. Instead they chose an area with a distinctly West Hartford feel. “Coming here I wanted to be relatively close to downtown, in a walkable neighborhood. That’s a tremendous feature,” he said of the sidewalks in his new neighborhood less than a mile from the Center. Hart and his wife had briefly lived in West Hartford while he was a law and graduate student 22 years ago, working on his dual JD/Masters in Public Administration degree, and at that time he explored the town by bike, something he plans to do again. “I was really impressed with the neighborhood planning, how the town maintained its infrastructure.” Hart said that back then, coming to appreciate how West Hartford had evolved, on a grid system connected to neighborhood access to streetcar lines, really cemented his choice to enter the field of town management. “West Hartford was certainly an aspiration for me,” Hart said. “West Hartford has a long tradition of sound municipal management with a strong reputation.” For years he had considered former town managers Barry Feldman and Ron Van Winkle as mentors.
What Else Hart said he’s a big fan of leadership institutes. He’s attended one at the University of Virginia and another in Gettysburg where participants had the opportunity to walk the battlefield and draw lessons to the the world today. “There are more parallels than you think,” he said. “The importance of planning, the extent to which you can take care of people, the resources available to help people best do their jobs.” When Mansfield geared up for Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 (which as opposed to West Hartford was more devastating than the October snowstorm later that year), and got the emergency operations center running, Hart said it was a transformative moment for the town and for him as town manager. “When something like that happens, despite the suffering and property loss at the same time it’s rewarding to see how the community pulls together,” Hart said. The municipal departments worked together, the librarians ran the shelter, UConn provided food.
“I’m excited to take this on, to work with staff, elected officials, and the community at large to ensure the town remains a great option for our children and grandchildren.” -Matt Hart, West Hartford Town Manager
The “silver lining” was to see how the community pulled together. Regarding his new job, “I’m really excited to be here,” Hart said. “Things in Mansfield were going great, and I loved the community but it’s important to push myself, to take on something new.”
West Hartford has so much character, diversity, and an understanding that while the quality of life is high and the school system has a lot to offer, there are critical issues surrounding the budget, affordability, and sustainability that will need to be addressed. Coming from Connecticut, Hart said he knows what he’s getting himself into regarding the budget. “I’m excited to take this on, to work with staff, elected officials, and the community at large to ensure the town remains a great option for our children and grandchildren,” Hart said. “My objective is to continue the town’s tradition of excellent municipal management and to work with my colleagues to implement the vision and the goals set by the town council and the community.” I Like what you see here? Subscribe to We-Ha.com’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening.
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I’m thrilled to be at William Raveis, whose focus is Marketing and Technology with a connection to a great International Network Robin and Raveis ... what a great combination!
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3 Generations of Personal Attention
Custom Built Fashion
Photos by: TODD FAIRCHILD/SHUTTERBUG CT Clothing & Accessories by: CONNECTICUT CUSTOM CLOTHING COMPANY Art Direction by: JOY B. TAYLOR Assisted by: DYLAN CARNEIRO Vintage tools from the estates of Oscar Anderson and Bill Cooke
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Pick a lining that looks and feels good! Most of us only get a sneak peek at the lining of a suit, but it’s not just the colors that make it personal, but the feel of the fabric that makes it special. Take time to pick the fabric that fits your personality.
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Dress it up! Custom tuxedos will turn heads at your next formal function, whether you are a guest or the main attraction, it’s important to look and feel your best.
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The suit makes the man {or woman}, so why not make it unique? With fabrics from the world’s best mills, impeccable fit, personal style, and those “tailoring extras” you will make your own personal statement.
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Bob DeGemmis photo by CHEYNEY BARRIEAU, file photo. Alfredo DeGemmis photo courtesy of BOB DEGEMMIS.
hen Bob DeGemmis’ grandfather Alfredo DeGemmis was five years old in Italy, he began a daily practice of learning the tailoring trade from a master tailor. This life-long love of his craft was passed along to his son and grandson, and today, as the third generation of the DeGemmis family to “clothe professional men and women who value their time and appearance,” Bob brings that love and care to what he does. Dressed to the Nines is celebrating 100 years in business by remodeling its name to Connecticut Custom Clothing Company, and has just opened a fresh new location in the lobby of the new Delamar West Hartford hotel. “We had to update our name to be more contemporary and marketable since the old expression ‘Dressed to the Nines’ is lost on most Millenials!” explained Bob DeGemmis.
TOP: Bob DeGemmis in front of his Farmington Avenue store in 2014. ABOVE: Alfredo DeGemmis, grandfather of Bob.
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The fit of a casual, traditional khaki-and-navy suit is just as important as a formal tuxedo. Sometimes called the We-Ha “uniform,� the classic combination never goes out of style.
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ISSUE NO. 1,
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At Connecticut Custom Clothing Company, fine neckwear imparts the creative European influence that distinguishes their hand-finished silk neckwear from all others. There is an art sock “pairing� (pun intended.) Once you get the hang of it, it can be fun to add a splash of color or pattern when you dress for work, or weekend.
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It’s no surprise that so many gentlemen have become fans of Connecticut Custom Clothing Company’s unique cufflink collection. With both formal and dressy options as well as fun motifs to match every personality, cufflinks afford an excellent opportunity to indulge in a little jewelry, even as a conversation piece and a personal expression of taste. And for goodness sakes, don’t forget the pocket square! Squares are always an opportunity to add a bold or playful pattern and color, sometimes inspired by your partner’s outfit. Have fun, remember, everyone can only see a corner of it!
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FOOD
West Hartford Center: Zohara Mediterranean Kitchen he Mediterranean vibe begins before even opening the wooden door of Zohara, where ample light spills from windows that can be opened to the sidewalk and the brick exterior of what was formerly a paper and luggage store has been softened with a whitewash. Behind a blue-and-white-tiled half wall is an open kitchen, warm hammered copper pots hanging from gleaming stainless steel, meat visibly roasting on a spit, the aroma adding to the warmth. Along one side of the kitchen is a long bar, where diners can watch as chefs prepare the food. Wooden tables are long, surrounded by seats backed with blue and tan striped cushions, inviting large parties to engage in community dining – which according to owner Dorjan Puka is exactly what the restaurant wants to encourage. Zohara Mediterranean Kitchen, with a focus on the eastern Mediterranean, is the newest member of DORO Restaurant Group, which already includes the highly successful Treva (Italian) and Àvert Brasserie (French) restaurants in West Hartford Center as well as Artisanal Burger Company in Manchester. Puka said that the menu is meant to be
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story and photos by RONNI NEWTON
shared, for people to try a little bit of everything. “There’s the whole roasted cauliflower, the creamy hummus, the kabobs. My favorite is the chicken livers, served with horseradish and beets,” Puka said. The cauliflower is topped with pine nuts, pomegranate, tahini, and herbs. The hummus is available in several varieties, including lamb ragu and a “schlug hummus” with “hand foraged and locally farmed toppings.” The menu says the “food is based on the ingredients in the health-conscious Mediterranean diet,” with an emphasis on vegetables, grains, fish, and lean meats. Offerings are based on the cuisine of Morocco, Lebanon, Israel, and Greece. The salutim encompass a wide array of choices like roasted eggplant puree, Moroccan carrots, and crispy chickpeas, with each item ranging from $4 to $9 or available in groups of four or eight. Mezze – more substantial items still made for sharing – includes dishes like the roasted cauliflower, globe artichoke with yogurt dipping sauce, Moroccan cigars, falafel, and Laffa flatbread topped with farm fresh ingredients. There are also soups (like a Harira soup with lentils, chick peas, and cilantro) and salads (like the Albanian salad of cucum-
ber, tomato, pepper, feta, and onion) as well as an ancient grain salad. The menu also includes entrees like braised lamb shank, chicken tagine, Moroccan seafood stew, and Israeli couscous with turmeric, artichoke, and oyster mushrooms. Prices range from $16-$24. The full bar offers a board selection of wines and beers, including some from the eastern Mediterranean, but there’s a strong emphasis on craft cocktails that also echo many of the menu ingredients. “We pride ourselves on fresh-squeezed juices,” said bar manager DJ Barron as he created a “24 Carrot” by blending cardamom-infused vodka and carrot juice with a bit of honey and lemon. There is also a cocktail using beet juice as the base, as well as a selection of fruit-based drinks. “We are interested in not only a cuisine but in bringing a culture to the area built around eating together,” said DORO Restaurant Group COO Scott Miller. Puka and his wife, Mira, together with Miller, and Executive Chef Scott Damboise, traveled to Israel recently for inspiration and to help develop the unique menu. Zohara literally means “of light or splendor,” but Miller said they also interpret the meaning as to “lighten up.” I 991 Farmington Ave., West Hartford. zoharact.com
Excerpted and edited from the original story as seen on We-Ha.com. Go to We-Ha.com and search “Zohara” for the complete story and more photographs.
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LEFT: Exterior on Farmington Avenue. INSET: Dorjan and Mira Puka. TOP: Table in the uniquely designed space. BOTTOM: Bar Manager DJ Barron.
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FOOD
Park Road: Zaytoon’s Bistro
story and photos by RONNI NEWTON
est Hartford’s Park Road neighborhood has some exciting new flavor with the recent opening of Zaytoon’s Bistro, featuring authentic Mediterranean fare. Zainab Hayajneh and her husband, Omar, are the bistro’s owners. Both are from Jordan, and bring the unique spices and preparations of their home country as well as the more recognizable Lebanese and Moroccan dishes to a menu that Zainab said is “kid-tested.” “Any dish I’ve tried and liked, I come back home and try it for my kids,” she said. She and Omar have four children, two at Hall High School and two in college. “If it’s not yummy they won’t eat it,” she said. A few key ingredients drive the menu, including olive oil, beans (lentils, chickpeas, fava beans), and walnuts, Zainab said. It’s a healthy menu for everyone, and one that works for diabetics, vegans, and many others who follow specific diets. Sumac, a spice ground from the fruit of a flowering plant, is also a key ingredient and one which many area residents may not recognize. Zainab said it evokes a lemony taste. West Hartford has several other restaurants that serve Mediterranean food, in-
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cluding the recently-opened Zohara (see previous page), but Zainab said that while they offer some similar dishes, all offer unique preparation and specialties. Zainab said she’s particularly proud of the hummus served at Zaytoon’s Bistro. It’s prepared with dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and then boiled for four hours until they become creamy, and then mixed with other fresh ingredients. “I don’t like anything frozen. I like to buy everything fresh and then cook it,” Zainab said. That freshness extends to the meat, chicken, or seafood – all visible in a display case in the front – that are chosen by the diner just before being prepared into a variety of delicious main dishes. The roast beef is cooked fresh in the oven on the premises, too, Omar added. The menu is extensive, but according to Zainab some of the distinctive highlights include the “Dajaj Msakan Sanyieh,” described on the menu as “boneless half chicken oven baked, mixed with olive oil, special spices, served on a special flat bread topped with onions, sumac spice, and almonds.” “Tomato Qalayeh with Lamb – no one has it,” Zainab said. This dish includes chunks of lamb with tomato, garlic, olive oil, onions and cilantro.
“I’ve traveled many places but I’ve experienced this salad just in Jordan,” Zainab said of the Zaytoon’s salad, which combines white cabbage, spinach, carrot, apple, orange, kiwi, and pumpkin seeds and dressed with a homemade feta/olive oil/yogurt blend. The fruit and vegetable combination makes the salad an ideal energy boost for athletes. The gyros are made fresh from a homemade mixture of beef and lamb. Grape leaves are stuffed with garlic, onion, fresh tomato, fresh and dried mint, olive oil, and parsley. While Zainab doesn’t plan to do all of the cooking – the restaurant employs a chef – most of the recipes are hers. “I have my chef, but I also like to do things myself. I like to do it as I do it at home,” she said. Alcohol is not served at Zaytoon’s, but Omar said BYOB is welcome. In addition to lunch and dinner, Zaytoon’s also offers breakfast beginning at 7 a.m. There are omelettes, some with unexpected additions. The coffee, ground fresh on the premises, is rich and strong, Omar said. “We love West Hartford. It’s a great neighborhood, quiet and safe, and everyone’s helpful,” Zainab said. I 165 Park Rd., West Hartford. 860-937-5125.
Excerpted and edited from the original story as seen on We-Ha.com. Go to We-Ha.com and search “Zaytoon’s” for the complete story and more photographs.
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LEFT: Zainab Hayajneh and her husband, Omar, are the bistro’s owners. INSET: Outdoor patio. TOP: Warm and inviting decor. BOTTOM: A sampling from the menu.
Eclectic Vintage: Inside a West Hartford Architect’s Home
story and photos by RONNI NEWTON
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im Healy lives in a traditional West Hartford Cape, but the interior evokes a rustic cabin, filled with hand-crafted furnishings and distinctive repurposed accessories. Everywhere you look in Jim Healy’s West Hartford home you will find a unique piece of furniture, a one-of-a-kind lamp, or an object repurposed from something completely different. The overall decor inside Healy’s 1940s West Hartford Cape is rustic – with plenty of distressed wood – but while everything appears “vintage,” some things are seasoned with time and others have just been purposely made to look that way. “I scrape, scratch, and sand everything,” he said. The end product: “vintage, distressed, crusty, and rusty.” Healy’s distinctive style and his talents for creating have earned him several magazine features. The home has been featured – twice – in Prairie Style magazine, as well as in Create & Decorate and Northeast Magazine. Healy’s home is filled with eclectic furniture he has hand-crafted. Building things has been a part of his life since the toddler years, when he started hammering on a toy workbench. “I have been building furniture my entire life and my style has never changed. I have always been drawn to old, crusty, and rusty pieces with a history, with a soul,” Healy said. Color is important to Healy as well. He favors colors that evoke nature, he said. “The greens of a forest floor ... moss and plants ... the earth tones of terra firma and the intense reds and blues of a setting sun.” A 1977 graduate of Conard High School, Healy solidified his career goals after taking a high school drafting course. It was also while he was at Conard that Healy built his first substantial piece of furniture: a coffee table. It’s not on display in his home because he doesn’t have the right place for it, but he will never part with the table that is stored in the attic. Healy isn’t in the business of building furniture, however, although he does plenty of that in his basement. His day job is as an architect with Quisenberry Arcari Architects in Farmington and most of what he designs – like recent projects for an
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aerospace academy and a biomedical academy at a middle school – is ultra-modern and state-of-the-art. That style is in stark contrast to his home. An aerospace academy classroom Jim Healy recently designed. Courtesy photo “I love modern architecture I just wouldn’t want to live in it. When you’re an architect you design for the client and always strive for the most appropriate and cost effective solution. My commissions are typically modern, state-of-the-art designs which are a contrast to my own home. Your house should not only reflect your personality, but be a refuge,” said Healy. Most of the pieces that fill Healy’s home, other than the upholstered sofa and the appliances, are things he has made – and not necessarily from traditional materials. He is inspired to repurpose things that most people might not ever notice. A habitual visitor to flea markets and tag sales, years ago Healy stumbled upon a pair old Coca-Cola bottle openers. He then distressed the wood and built the storage unit that holds the dishes, glasses, and mi-
crowave in his kitchen in order to showcase the bottle openers – and some of the glass bottles that Healy has been amassing since the 1980s. Healy built the storage unit to perfectly fit the space in his kitchen, but the piece originally served as shelving for New Fron-
Color is important to Healy as well. He favors colors that evoke nature, he said. “The greens of a forest floor ... moss and plants ... the earth tones of terra firma and the intense reds and blues of a setting sun.”
OPPOSITE PAGE: Jim Healy built the shelving now used in his kitchen to showcase the twin Coca-Cola bottle openers that he installed on either side of the “Ice Cold” wording. ABOVE: An A.C. Petersen Farms milk box was a find at an estate sale miles away from West Hartford.
Healy built the armoire to hide his TV (and store some of his glass bottles). It’s made from new wood, that he distressed.
tier, a vintage home furnishings and clothing store in West Hartford Center that Healy owned with his then-wife from 19901995. That store’s former space is now occupied by the Beadoir. A step in any direction in Healy’s house uncovers a new treasure. In his hallway hangs a Howard Johnson’s menu, circa 1964 when ice cream cones cost 25 cents. It needed a frame, so Healy built one, using appropriate HoJo colors, font, and graphics that he adapted from a travel brochure. The top of the table behind his living room sofa is a piece of wood that Healy found at an estate sale in New Britain. He built the base from steel. “I wanted to create a piece that looked like it had been at Stanley Works,” Healy said. Arranged on the industrial-style table is his “parts tray” along with a collection of bottle openers, shoe horns, and oil cans. Healy said he’s not really a collector of the odd objects. He’s picked up most for very little cost at tag sales, because he just likes the way they look. Although he probably has hundreds of unique glass soda and other beverage bottles, Healy said he doesn’t really collect
those either. But if he stumbles upon one he doesn’t already have, he will definitely snap it up. “I like the graphics, like the artwork,” he said of the bottles. A 1929 Singer sewing machine sits atop a cabinet that Healy made from his home’s original shutters. “It works perfectly,” Healy said of the machine. He and his daughter both used it, after watching a YouTube video to figure out how to thread the bobbin. The large green armoire Healy built to hide his TV (and some of the glass bottles) looks like an antique, but it’s one of the first pieces he built and distressed. Next to the armoire is a special sign: “West Hartford 9” followed by an arrow. Healy said he found the sign at an antique show in another town, and has never been able to figure out where it might have originally been hanging. Healy has made virtually every lamp in his home – and those are among his most unique creations. Several have bases made of corbels. One has a base made from spindles that he found duct-taped together, and the light hanging over the dining room table was once a megaphone.
Healy thought his dining room needed a round table, so he made one – from copper pipe treated to get the just-right patina. The dining room walls are a nod to local history, including the history of Healy’s own home which he bought from the original owner. There’s a framed brochure from the original developer and even the actual permit for the installation of the home’s oil burner and tank. An ink drawing of the home is a memento of a University of Hartford Art School tour it was part of in 1990. There’s also an oil painting of the home left by the original owner. Upstairs are more vintage pieces, and an even more unique selection of lamps created from repurposed items. One lamp combines a Christmas tree stand with an oar that has the paddle end cut off. A thermos, a funnel, a porch spindle, a flagpole, and a fire bucket have all found new life as parts of lamps. “I don’t know. I’ve been doing that my whole life,” Healy said of his inspiration for repurposing. He said he knows in an instant whether something can have new life in his home. More treasures can be found in the
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Oil cans on display on the top of a table Jim Healy built to look like something that belonged at Stanley Works in New Britain.
Jim Healy can be seen reflected in the mirror hanging above some of his collections.
breezeway between the kitchen and the garage. An A.C. Petersen Farms milk box was a find at an estate sale miles away from West Hartford. “It wasn’t for sale, it was just on the porch,” Healy said. The owner said it was inherited from her grandfather, but Healy really wanted it. “I talked her into getting rid of it,” he said. The breezeway also has a table built from scaffolding an a ladder and another table
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built of new wood that he crafted to look like a laundry crate. On the wall hangs a “Genesee Beer” sign hanging from a bracket. He decided it needed a background to show it off, so he built one, adding the Genesee coasters he bought on e-Bay. In his spare time Healy is also an editor of “Junk Market Style,” a repurposing website where he shares the projects he has
created. Those postings often lead to commissions to build items for others. Healy has great respect for the original elements of his home like the shutters, and even created a display out of the original electric meter, replaced recently as part of an MDC construction project in the neighborhood. When he bought the home from the original owner, Jim Healy found a brochure for the development, which he framed and has on display. Photo credit: Ronni Newton He respects the original design, too, and the house where he has lived since 1987 and raised his two children, who are now adults, has never had an addition or renovation other than upgrades to the kitchen and bathroom. “Nothing I’ve done has taken away from the original architecture,” he said. Although Healy likes everything to look vintage, the exception is the bathroom, which is finished with bright white tile. “I believe people want to live in an environment that gives them a sense of tranquility. For me that’s being surrounded by pieces from the past. The furniture I build is my interpretation of a bygone era,” said Healy. “The pace of the world has never moved faster, but at the end of the day you should return to a place of calm ... unless you have kids.” I
ADVERTORIAL
Legal Solutions since 1977 StangerLaw.com Fall 2017
Corporate Center West 433 South Main St, Suite No. 112 West Hartford, CT 06110 Main: 860-561-0650
TIMES HAVECHANGED New Firm Name Announced: Stanger Stanfield LAW I am pleased to officially welcome Sandy into the firm’s new name: ‘Stanger Stanfield LAW’ by Bruce Stanger We have a new name and I have new partner. Originally known as Stanger & Arnold, Stanger & Associates has changed its name to Stanger Stanfield Law. Adding Sandra Stanfield’s name to our law practice acknowledges Sandy’s contributions to the firm, her commitment to our clients and our community. Sandy has a diverse civil practice, pursuing litigation and appeals in all Connecticut State, Appellate, and Supreme Courts on behalf of businesses and individuals. Her substantial experience in the areas of personal injury, employment law, nursing home malpractice and litigation, professional negligence, legal malpractice, and more expands and enhances the firm’s services. Not that I want to age us, but collectively we have accumulated 150 years of legal experience. Along with doing this rebranding, we launched a brand new website to reflect the change. Sandy and I will remain heavily involved in the West Hartford community. We often speak at legal and business conferences. As always, visit StangerLaw.com
J. KOTEEN PHOTOGRAPHY
Sandra Stanfield and Bruce Stanger standing in front of Hartford’s Supreme Court building.
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Meet Our New Attorney: Jonathan Bechtel Jonathan is an attorney with Stanger Stanfield Law. His experience includes several years with prominent firms in Hartford, CT and Pittsburgh, PA. Jonathan has gained valuable experience in legal malpractice suits as well as personal injury lawsuits involving nationally recognized trucking and transportation companies, hotel chains, restaurant chains, retailers, sports and recreation clubs, teams, and facilities. He has experience in numerous multimillion dollar personal injury actions. Jonathan has valuable insight into how defendants and their insurance companies value and defend cases. He brings his perspective to Stanger Stanfield Law, with our team approach in evaluating and demanding the compensation our clients are entitled to. Jonathan is licensed in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania as well as the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut and the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Legal Solutions since 1977 StangerLaw.com 860-561-0650
We have more than 100 years of combined legal experience, and value relationships built on trust. It is our belief that legal professionals should be held to the highest standards. If your lawyer has made a mistake, call us. We can help.
Stanger Stanfield LAW • TIMES Have Changed • Fall 2017 • Page 2
In his spare time, Jonathan enjoys coaching youth and high school lacrosse. He is an avid outdoorsman, running triathlons and adventure races all over the country. During the winter, he enjoys teaching skiing and snowboarding and working as a member of the National Ski Patrol. I
ADVERTORIAL
Speeding Truckers are a Major Cause of Trucking Accidents The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that approximately 95,000 Americans are injured in large commercial truck accidents every year. Not only are large trucking accidents occurring too frequently, but they are disproportionately dangerous as well. The NHTSA found that large commercial trucks are involved in only 3% of all Connecticut accidents; yet they are involved in nearly 13% of all fatal accidents in the state. Knowing the tremendous risks that are involved in a trucking operation, these large vehicles must always be operated with the highest level of safety in mind. Unfortunately, far too often truckers fail to live up to that obligation. Speeding truck drivers remain a serious problem, causing many trucking accidents in the Hartford area as well as throughout Connecticut. EXCESSIVE SPEED DRAMATICALLY INCREASES RISKS According to the most recent Motor Vehicle Crash causation Survey, the number one reason why trucks are involved in accidents is that they are “traveling too fast for the road conditions.” Nearly one in five fatal truck accidents involves a speeding trucker. To put that figure into perspective, that means that speeding trucks take almost 800 lives a year; not including the thousands more victims who suffer debilitating injuries. Beyond making an accident more likely to occur, high speeds greatly compound the dangers associated with a crash. As Road Safe America explained in their quarterly newsletter, a large truck traveling 70 miles per hour packs the same amount of force as an ordinary motor vehicle traveling at nearly 400 miles per hour. THE TRUCKING COMPANY IS LIABLE FOR ITS DRIVERS While truckers have a legal obligation to ensure that they are traveling at a safe speed, their employers bear responsibility for their actions as well. First, a trucking company must only hire drivers that are well-trained and capable of operating their vehicle in a safe manner. Trucking companies must also continuously work to ensure that they have a qualified fleet of drivers. For example, if a trucker is issued a speeding ticket, it is incumbent that their employer takes the appropriate disciplinary actions to instill the hazards and consequences of speeding in their drivers. Additionally, one of the primary reasons that truckers typically speed is that they are trying to meet tight delivery deadlines. Far too often trucking companies schedule very tight deliveries without accounting for factors such as traffic, weather, or equipment malfunctions. By doing this the companies are essentially encouraging their drivers to speed. The concept of quickness first, and safety second, is not acceptable on today’s
roads. Trucking companies must give their drivers a large enough window to meet all deadlines without being forced to travel at unsafe speeds for any part of their trip. NEW SAFETY REGULATIONS MAY BE COMING In the fall of 2016, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that it is seeking public and industry input on potential new speed limits for large commercial vehicles. According to the proposal, the DOT is considering requiring companies to install ‘speed limiting devices’ in large trucks, which would restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle. Both 68 miles per hour and 60 miles per hour have been suggested as possible top speeds. The DOT has estimated that a 60 mile per hour speed limit would save up to 500 lives each year. Unfortunately, trucking accidents can be extremely devastating. With that being said, it is important to keep in mind all of the complexities associated with the trucking industry. Finding a skilled attorney who practices in the field of trucking accidents can make all of the difference. The right attorney can investigate and analyze all of the details previously discussed, and more involving the employer’s duties, equipment, logs and other tools of the industry that would reveal fault and possibly a propensity toward reckless behavior. By doing so they can properly advocate on your behalf, making it possible for you or your loved one to recover the full compensation you deserve. I
Should Your Non-Profit Continue to Exist?’ Many non-profit organizations find that they can’t meet financial obligations or consistently miss financial goals. Confronting the unimaginable at the appropriate time makes the difference between graceful demise and chaotic retreat. The greatest failure is the failure to plan. A Graceful Demise provides the opportunity for: N Smooth client, program and staff transition; N Buy-in among board, staff and funders; N Organized wind-down of the business; N Preservation of the organization’s legacy and reputation of its board and executive staff. But first, ask yourselves, can we identify a strategic partner? Can we merge, affiliate, collaborate with, or transfer programs to an organization with a similar mission and synergistic programs and services? Non-profit observers and advisors have seen far fewer mergers than predicted in today’s tough times. Funders endorse mergers as a way to conserve resources. Experience shows that successful collaboration is not as easy as it seems. Issues such as corporate culture, control, staffing, communication and legal liability must be handled carefully. After taking a sober look at these issues, a board may choose to close the organization’s doors. Leah Cohen Chatinover is a business lawyer for nonprofit organizations and small businesses at Stanger Stanfield LAW – contact her, she can help. She can be reached at lchatinover@stangerlaw.com. I
Stanger Stanfield LAW • TIMES Have Changed • Fall 2017 • Page 3
ADVERTORIAL
Legal Solutions since 1977
Corporate Center West 433 South Main Street, Suite No. 112 West Hartford, CT 06110 StangerLaw.com Main: 860-561-0650
Always Connected Bruce and Sandy are “everywhere” and when you don’t see them in the office, you’ll find them in the community that they love. TOP: We are happy to announce that this new office sign is just the beginning of our remodeling and expansion projects.We have added five new offices and we are looking for some exceptional candidates to fill them. Any suggestions? MIDDLE: Bruce was meeting new friends and neighbors, including Marjorie Drake, at the Taste of Bishops Corner. Sandy made Norfeldt School Principal Jen Derrick’s day when she delivered toys for over 20 families. BOTTOM RIGHT: Part of “Team Stanger” enjoying a Hartford Yard Goats baseball game. FREE LUNCH! Follow us on multiple social media platforms, and please feel free to interact, engage and share what you see. And who knows, you may win a free lunch just for following us!
We can help with:•Legal Malpractice •Vexatious Litigation •Alternative Dispute Resolution •Family – Divorce •Personal Injury •Business Representation •Employment Law •Nursing Home Claims •Nonprofit Organizations •Grievance Defense •Accountant Malpractice •Professional Malpractice Stanger Stanfield LAW • TIMES Have Changed • Fall 2017 • Page 3
FINANCE
Widowed Now What? Recently
by Whitney F. Burr, Investment Consultant Valerie E. Thomas & Associates, LLC ou have said goodbye to your loved one, your family and friends have returned to their day to day routines. Even with all the pain of losing your spouse, you now need to focus on carrying on, even though your world has been turned upside down. Many of the daily life decisions that you made together now must be made by you. It is important that you avoid making any major life-altering decisions within the first year. This includes large purchases such as buying a car or selling your house and moving cross country to live with your kids. It is best to take your time and consider all your options. Financial decisions are one of the first things you will have to address and get into order. Important advisors who can help you along the way are your attorney, accountant and financial advisor. Here is how each one can help you: Attorney: An estate attorney will guide you through the probate process. I would not suggest trying to combat this yourself. Additionally, your attorney will be able to make changes to your estate planning documents, such as your will, living will and power of attorney. Certified Public Accountant: The death of a spouse can make filing taxes and adjusting your tax situation even more complicated, so a CPA is an important advisor to contact. They can help you determine which spousal benefits are taxable and which ones are not. Once it comes time to file your taxes, your CPA can help you maximize deductions and plan for all of your upcoming tax obligations. Financial Advisor: A trusted financial advisor is one of the most important advisors to meet with after the death of a spouse, because they can help you work towards a confident financial future. They can help with your current income level, life insurance proceeds and what to do with your investments now that your spouse has
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7 Immediate Must Do Financial Tips
passed. They will also assist you with designating new beneficiaries and will help you to determine if probate is necessary. With your three trusted advisors by your side, here are the 7 most important financial priorities to consider:
1-Probate If you are the executor of your spouse’s estate, and your spouse left a will, then you must probate the will. Depending on how complex the estate is, the process can take as little as a few weeks or it could take several years to successfully complete. Having an estate attorney by your side, will take the stress and work off of you. Make sure you get at least three certified copies of the death certificate as soon as you can.
2- Life insurance There are two potential sources of life insurance coverage that your spouse may have had; insurance you purchased through an insurance agent or any employer policy that they may have had with an existing or past employer. Starting the process to receive life insurance proceeds may be drastically different for both sources. Your insurance agent and/or spouse’s employer can help you with the process.
3-Apply for Benefits Depending on your age and your spouse’s age, there are likely some benefits you are entitled to; these potentially could include, a one-time Social Security death benefit, Social Security retirement benefits, Veteran’s Administration benefit for military veterans and employer benefits, if your spouse was still employed at the time of his or her passing. If you are over age 60 at the time of your spouse’s death, you may be entitled to survivor benefits in addition to a onetime death benefit from Social Security. You will need to contact your local Social Security office to see what you are entitled to. If your spouse received monthly disability payments from the military, you may be
entitled to continue those payments. Contact the Veterans Administration to discuss what benefits are available to you. Lastly, if your spouse was employed at the time of his or her passing, contact Human Resources to discuss any employee benefits to which you may be entitled to as a surviving spouse.
4-Retitle Accounts/Cancel Creditors Payments Contact your bank, financial institutions and investment management accounts to have all your jointly held accounts moved into just your name. Make sure to include copies of the death certificate to facilitate these requests.
5-Review Loans, Bills and Financial Obligations Make a list of all of the bills, expenses, loans and other financial obligations you have, separating them by ownership. Contact all creditors that you have in joint name and have them transfer to just your name.
6-Cancel Payments Some payments you can cancel immediately, such as golf or gym memberships, and any professional association memberships.
7-Consider the Long Term – Meet with your Financial Advisor. You will need to update your estate plan and life insurance policies. You will have to look at your investment portfolio and make sure it is working for you. I Valerie E. Thomas & Associates, LLC, located in West Hartford, CT also offers custom estate planning, retirement planning and income distribution. 860678-6260, www.valeriethomas.com. Investment Advisory Services and Securities offered through LPL Financial. A Registered Investment Advisor – Member FINRA/SIPC we-ha.com
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TASTES LIKE VACATION!
When Life Gives You Wine, Make Soup! First in a series of cruise-ship recipes presented by local vacation and Cruise Planners representatives Lisa Martin and Faye Dehaas.
o prime ourselves for being among the sponsors of the first West Harford Wine and Food Festival at Kingswood Oxford School this past June, we took the opportunity to expand our wine I.Q., and this recipe was just the ticket to combine a love of food, wine and travel! You know how food tastes so good when you are on vacation and you wonder if you could ever make it at home? Well, we decided to tackle AMA Waterways Cream of Chardonnay Soup with my cooking accomplice, Leslie Balchunas. Chardonnay has never been a favorite wine, but after we did some research and made this soup, we have a new appreciation for the various flavors of this extremely popular wine. Chardonnay grapes are grown in almost all wine regions because they are easy to grow and can produce a wine with either a complex or a simple flavor profile. These versatile grapes are used to make sparkling wines, dinner and dessert wines. If grown in warm climates, the resulting wine will have a tropical, pineapple-like taste, while if grown in cooler climates, the wine will take on a lemony flavor. Aging the wine in oak barrels adds a different dimension to this wine, and both “oaked” and “unoaked” Chardonnays are readily available. I prefer the non-oaked, with its simpler, lighter flavors. As we learned, however, when cooking with wine, temperature can also become an important factor in taste. The ingredients for this vegetable-stock based soup are simple – leeks, onion, butter, flour, Chardonnay and heavy cream. We wanted to compare how ‘oaking’ affected the soup’s taste and Kevin Cowan at Maximum Beverage helped us purchase appropriate oaked and unoaked Chardonnays. Before adding the wine to separate batches
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AMA Waterways Cream of Chardonnay Soup
of soup, we tasted each at a slightly chilled temperature. We liked both. As expected, the oaked had a more peach flavor, while the unoaked was smoother and more lemon flavored. Surprisingly, once the wine was in the warm soup, the flavors were drastically different. First, we tried the oaked Chardonnay and it made the soup bitter, with a nasty bite at the end. To offset the bitterness, we added a little more heavy cream, and that lightened it up, but not enough. Next, we tried the unoaked Chardonnay in the soup. Clearly, the recipe is meant for unoaked Chardonnay. The lemon flavor helped to balance the cream for a delicious soup experience. We added a bit more cream than the recipe requires, and the soup tasted even better. This soup is ideal for a dinner party because it is simple to prepare, has an elegant presentation and you can complete almost all the preparation ahead of time. When making ahead, just pause after the 30 minutes of simmering. Before serving, add the cream and second cup of wine and gently heat it up. I
INGREDIENTS: 3½ tablespoons of unsalted butter ½ cup onions, chopped ½ cup white leeks, chopped and well cleaned 1 cup white flour (or wheat flour) 2 cups unoaked Chardonnay 10 ½ cups vegetable stock 1 ½ cups of heavy cream 1 ½ cups of white grapes at room temperature, halved ½ cup of fresh parsley, chopped Salt and Pepper to taste PREPARATION •Wash produce thoroughly •Chop onions and leeks into small cubes and set aside •Peel white grapes, remove seeds and slice •Wash parsley, chop and pat dry Make sure the leeks are thoroughly cleaned to remove any sand. Use a large pot on medium heat to sauté onions and leeks with butter until golden. Be sure not to caramelize the leeks because this will make them bitter. Gradually add in the flour to thicken. Pour 1 cup of Chardonnay and all the vegetable stock into the pot with the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and strain the soup through a mesh cloth. Then add the remaining cup of Chardonnay and the heavy cream while stirring. Heat through gently. Ladle the soup into bowls of your choice and garnish with the halved grapes and parsley before serving.
Cruise Planners is an American Express Travel Representative. Travel Advisors Lisa Martin and Fay Dehaas will help you discover exciting adventures around the world. lisa.martin@cruiseplanners.com 860-929-0708 faydehaas@cruiseplanners.com 860-206-8244
Lisa Martin
Fay Dehaas
EXPLORER SPONSORS Frank Webb’s Bath & Lighting Center Gengras Motor Cars DISCOVERER SPONSORS Scott & Cyndi Brown Roger & Debbie Goldbeck Great by 8 JP Carroll Construction, Inc. Lexham West Hartford, LLC Macca Plumbing & Heating Seritage Growth Properties Smith Brothers Insurance, Inc. State Farm Insurance, Mario Russo West Hartford Education Association, Inc. Women's Health Specialty Care
Thank you to our Chefs, Sponsors, Advertisers, Benefactors,Volunteers, Auction Donors, In-Kind Donors, School PTO’s, Principals, Event Committee and all of the West Hartford’s Cookin’ 2017 attendees! We appreciate your help raising funds to bring educational projects, programs, and initiatives that enhance and enliven the classroom experience for all West Hartford Public School students.
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INNOVATOR SPONSORS Clare & Chris Dowd Bank of America Connecticut Back Center Dr. Steven A. Fischman Orthodontics, LLC Private Capital Group Ratchford Eye Center SUPPORTERS Andrew Baldassarre, UBS Financial Services Sher's Automotive Center West Hartford Exchange Westfarms ADVERTISERS Bouvier Insurance Dr. Richard Fairbrother Investment & Financial Counselors, LLC London Shop Package Store McKenna Orthodontics, PC McNally's Modern Maintenance No Labels Petcare Veterinary Services Solinsky Eyecare, LLC Tangiers Venora Electric, Inc. West Hartford Police Officers Association Marketing Solutions Unlimited, LLC Shimkus, Murphy & Lemkuil, Inc. IN-KIND DONORS Abby Dabby B.R.A.G Creative Marketing Bridgewater Chocolate Cricket Press Falvey Linen & Uniform Supply Rick Goldenthal, Photographer Rogo Distributors Subway West Hartford Magazine DONORS Al Hinds & Jeanne Camperchioli Mr. & Mrs. Mitch Cohen
Jack Darcey Donald & Mary Jane Drew Nettie Forsheit Clifton McPherson & Elizabeth Freedman Gianna Lynn Gill Dr. William & Marian Hewett Patty Hoppin Mr. & Mrs. Mark Kitchen Ivan Mueller Drs. William & Jennifer Pennoyer Melissa Platzer Lauren Fine & Michael Singer Solinsky Eyecare, LLC Venora Electric, Inc. Kiki Walker Kirsten Fuchs & Larry Zeidner BENEFACTORS Chris & Anthony Bivona Kurt & Amy Stephens Cubbage Karan & Geoffrey Emerick Kimberly & Paul Frigon Myles & Tracy Gibbons John & Kim Glooch Timothy & Lisa Greene Jay & Casey Gruber Lynne & Harold Hawkins Dr. Karen L. List Donna & Bob Namnoum Jo McGinnis & Fred Southwell Lauren Mascola & Jon Swift Michelle & Paul Sullivan Tom & Dougie Trumble Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Van Winkle James & Samantha Wimpe