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SURVIVING BULLIES by Dickon Pownall-Gray and Kiki Cahn “Bullycide” can be deadly — A new project aims to save kids at risk.
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LULU POWERS FOOD TO FLOWERS by Lulu Powers Simple, Stylish Food for Easy Entertaining.
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THE BOOK OF RIGHT AND WRONG by Matt Debenham How do you make it in “Freeport” after time in prison?
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THE BREADWINNER
COVER ART: DAVE CUTLER
by Stephen Rhodes Taking on Wall Street, the SEC and the wife.
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THIRD EYE
by Vivian Simons Brimfield Market — A flea market treasure hunt.
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Departments 22 122
TRAIN OF THOUGHT by Sarah Ivy “I do” to marriage, then to divorce. THE ARTS Upcoming events around the region; Clyatt Sculpture; Italian masterpieces at the Yale University Art Gallery.
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SOUND INVESTMENT by David Boczar, Tom Sherman, and Julie Jason Expert advice on planning and prospering.
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THE HEALING AGENT Rehab and Recovery at Seabrook House.
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LIKE A ROLLING STONE Getaways! Time for the family and time for yourself.
p. 122
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APPRAISED AND APPROVED Test prep made easy.
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RURAL PALATES CT dining gems, Westchester highlights.
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NEXT STOP GRAND CENTRAL Manhattan neighborhood restaurants rock.
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p. 215
SPECIAL SECTION: INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Your guide to day and boarding schools, tutoring, online courses and more.
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THE LOCAL SCENE Reliving history; champions for the greater and greener good.
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BUYING AND SELLING The appeal of green and clean.
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COMMUNITY ROOM by Nancy Wergeles French pastry made difficult.
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TR AIN OF THOUGHT NEW CANAAN
Editor & Publisher Editor Art Director Executive Editor Travel Editor Editors at Large
Eric S. Meadow Celia R. Meadow Tim Hussey Debbie Silver Susan Engel Paula Koffsky Rich Silver
General Counsel
Bruce Koffsky, Esq.
Contributors: David J. Boczar, Kiki Cahn, Ina Chadwick, Kevin Corcoran, Matt Debenham, Paula Amsterdam Fung, Sam Goodman, Dickon Pownall-Gray, Kim Johnson Gross, John Hoctor, Sarah Ivy, Julie Jason, Arian Modansky, Georgetta Morque, Michel Nischan, Lulu Powers, Cathryn Prince, Paul D. Rheingold, Stephen Rhodes, Jay Sears, Tom Sherman, Nancy Wergeles, Doug Yuan, Gail Zawacki
I DO,REDUX
Contributing Photographer: Suzy Allman, Maggie Capozza, Vivian Simons
BY / SARAH IVY
Cover Illustrations: Dave Cutler
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It is inconceivable
to me now that I asked my husband if we could drive together to the courthouse on the day of our official divorce. Three years after he moved out of our house, and fourteen years since we had wed, he arrived on time to pick me up, early even, with a fresh haircut, wearing a coat and tie. He had on his well worn but well-made dress shoes, shoes that had sat on the floor of our closet for as long as I could remember. They were long and stiff and golden brown, with a heavy leather sole, and laces — a style so classic that they might have been seen a hundred years ago, in New York. My husband wore them with an ease that can’t be faked. As a twenty-two year old girl just out of college, they seemed to me shoes from a world where it would be nice to live — the shoes of a kind and intelligent family, one where china was passed from grandmothers to granddaughters, where college was assured. They had seemed to me the shoes of safety. I chose an uncharacteristically prim skirt to wear that day, and a ladylike blouse, and pinned my hair up in a quiet twist. I felt self-conscious about standing up to do something so private and devastating in front of a judge and strangers. I remember dressing to look credible, trustworthy, whole. It was important to not look like a flaky f— k-up, the kind of woman who would get a divorce. The kids were happy to see their Dad when he arrived. They jumped into his arms, sensing a party, with us dressed up and going somewhere, anywhere, together. I have a photograph of us that day, standing side by side in front of the glass door to the terrace, our youngest child in his father’s arms, the early lilac and late rhododendrons blooming in the garden beyond. We all look so clean, and kind, smiling gently at the camera. I can’t believe this photo exists, can’t
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Weston Magazine, Rye Magazine, Westport Country Capitalist, Greenwich Country Capitalist, New Canaan Country Capitalist, and The Upper East Side Magazine, Issue #41, are published 4 times per year by Weston Magazine, INC. P.O. Box 1006, Weston, CT 06883. Tel: 203/227-5377. Email: eric@thewestonmag.com. www.westonmagazinegroup.com. Copyright 2010 by Weston Magazine, INC. All rights reserved. Weston Magazine/Country Capitalist/Rye Magazine/The Upper East Side Magazine are trademarks of Weston Magazine, INC. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. Weston assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Print subscription rate: four issues, $100. Back Issues, $10. Attention Postmaster: send address corrections to Weston, P.O. Box 1006, Weston, CT 06883. Printed in Canada.
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believe I sought to immortalize that moment, can’t believe he agreed to have the photograph taken, and smiled. I can’t believe he didn’t refuse on account of it was cruel, can’t believe that either, or both of us, didn’t cry, can’t believe I still have it. Sitting side by side in his car on the way to the Stamford courthouse that morning, I asked my husband if he would mind if we stopped at the church in which we were wed — the soaring, white, congregational church on the green in East Norwalk. We had barely been there since our wedding day—a few stray Easters maybe, a funeral, a christening. I didn’t explain what I wanted, which was a private minute together to process this change in our relationship on our own terms, before we did it on society’s terms, or the law’s. My husband agreed to stop, and incredibly, was generous enough to go with me on whatever thing I was about to do, without asking what I was planning, or why.
the door of the nave. We were alone. We walked quietly down the aisle, between the simple white pews, underneath the enormous recessed circle of the ceiling. Morning light illuminated the space indirectly, through the tall windows facing north and south. We walked up and stood right where we once stood, long ago, and faced each other. I took his hands. I knew what I needed to say first, what was heaviest upon me. Looking him in the eyes, I said, “I want to ask you to forgive me for breaking my vow to stay with you forever.” I had to pause because my throat seized up. I looked down, and blinked, and saw the pale dents in each of our ring fingers where our wedding bands had been. After a moment, he said, quietly, “I forgive you.” I squeezed his hands, and when I got control of my voice, I began again. “I want to make a new promise, though… to try to be your friend… and to work with you to be the best parents we can be to our children….”
I FELT THAT IF WE WENT FORWARD IN BITTERNESS IT WOULD POLLUTE ANY CHANCE ANY OF US WOULD HAVE FOR REAL HAPPINESS IN THE FUTURE. Looking back, I don’t know whether I see courage or delusion in this detour. I wanted this day to be more than the administrative judgment of failure. It was more complicated than that, and I wanted to divorce with some honest acceptance that we didn’t work, but with some reverence and respect for what we had been for so long, which was not all bad. I hoped that we could release each other from our failed marriage with love, and understanding, and agree to begin a new relationship that would support each other, and our children. I wanted to believe that this divorce did not have to be a disaster; that we did not have to blow up our lives and throw out our long history, the favorite stories, the boxes and boxes of photos. This would be a substantial revision, yes, but I hoped this did not have to be a complete discard, disavow, and do over. We had completed several long years of divorce mediation in which nobody won and nobody lost (which is how the lawyers define success) but nobody emerged smiling and relaxed either. I felt that if we went forward in bitterness it would pollute any chance any of us would have for real happiness in the future. It seemed important to try to set off into the next part of our lives together on the right foot, or a new foot. My husband parked at the curb in front of the church. We got out of the car, and crossed the bluestone terrace, the May sun warm on our heads. I remembered standing on that terrace on my wedding day, alone with my father just minutes before our ceremony began. It was early evening, and a burst of wind came up. My father reached up with two arms and tried to smooth the wild white netting that was in an uproar above my head. My husband and I walked quietly up the broad, indented granite steps, and through the heavy front doors, which are often propped open in a sign of welcome. We crossed through the dark vestibule and paused at
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I meant to say more but found I could not. I reached up to hug him, pressed my cheekbone to the familiar plane where his chest met his shoulder. He put his arms gently around me and we stood like this for a long moment. Then, when it was time to let go, I think one of us asked the other, quietly, “Ready?” I remember almost nothing of what followed, as if my memory was a fuse blown by a surge it wasn’t built to handle. I don’t remember going back down the aisle, or getting back in the car, or how we got to the court, or going in. I vaguely remember standing in a small antechamber, signing the many papers that our lawyers put in front of us. They were extremely solicitous of us, and we were solicitous back, and gentle with ourselves, and each other. Once in the courtroom, my lawyer sat at one table, and my husband — my friend and partner for so many years, the father of my children—sat across the divide of the aisle, with his lawyer, at another. I stood up in the witness box, and looked out at a courtroom crowded with strangers. I raised my right hand as instructed by the court officer, and looked at him as he asked me “Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?” My heart hammered against my ribcage and my palms sweat as I answered, for the second time in my life, “I do.” ❉ Sarah Ivy is a Norwalk native, a graduate of Greens Farms Academy and Yale College, and is currently enrolled in the Creative Writing MFA Program at Fairfield University. She lives in Rowayton, CT, with her husband and four children. She is at work on her first book.
This essay was first submitted to WRITE/LEFT@CENTER, an integrated literary visual arts program run by Fourth Wall Down Productions for the Westport Arts Center.
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TOW N H ALL
350 YEARS IN A
BY JAY SEARS
RYE MAGAZINE MINUTE R
YE IS CELEBRATING ITS 350TH BIRTHDAY. THAT’S A LOT OF HISTORY, BUT WE WANTED TO DELIVER IT TO YOU IN A RYE MAGAZINE MINUTE. WE CALLED UP THE RYE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, HAD A TALK WITH DIRECTOR SHERI JORDAN, AND HERE IT IS: 1660: Peter Disbrow, John Coe and Thomas Studwell come down from Greenwich (not on I-95) and buy primo waterfront property from the local Native Americans including Milton Point, Peningo Neck, Manursing Island and North Manursing Island. Not sure how we should feel about our local founding fathers coming from Greenwich. 1661: Disbrow, Coe and Studwell must have thought they got a good deal because they show up a year later with a fourth in their cabal, John Budd. From Chief Shenirock they purchase parts of Rye Neck, White Plains, Harrison and Rye’s Pine and Hen Islands. Mr. Floatie was not present at the closing to object to anything. 1665: These various real estate parcels were brought together and called Rye. It was part of Connecticut. That’s right—we were part of the Nutmeg State.
1672: The Boston Post Road was laid out over the Old Westchester Path. Brian Dempsey’s Traffic & Pedestrian Safety Committee was not involved. 1683: Rye was given to the colony of New York. 1697: Rye seceded and rejoined Connecticut. 1700: Rye was restored to New York State by royal decree. Basically the Duke of York called up his brother (the King), whined, and was given New York. The Town of Rye consists of Port Chester, Rye Brook, Harrison, Purchase and Rye. 1904: Rye incorporates as a Village. It takes a village to become a subset of the Town of Rye. This is why the Town of Rye still operates Rye Town Park, the small spit of public access land by American Yacht and the African American cemetery inside Greenwood Union Cemetery—the Village of Rye never took control of these areas. 1942: Rye becomes a city. As a village, Rye was part of the Town of Rye and still paying taxes to the Man. Rye did not like writing checks, so to avoid paying taxes to Rye Town it broke off and became a city. 2009: Rye Magazine founded. 2010: Rye’s 350th birthday party. 2359: Rye Magazine celebrates 350th birthday.
Rye Historian Eugene McGuire Where do you live in Rye? We have lived on Kirby Lane for the past ten years. We think our house started out as the barn for Nicholas William Stuyvesant, a fifth generation descendant of Peter Stuyvesant, who purchased the land on which our house is located from the Kirby family in 1848 to use as his country estate. Our house bears no resemblance to the original barn structure. We lived in Loudon Woods for the preceding twenty-five years. Tell us about your official or unofficial capacity as a Rye City historian. My strongest connection to Rye’s history comes from having organized and researched the Rye Historical Society’s annual history tours. The tours have covered many areas and periods of Rye’s history, going back to the time before 1660
THE JAY HOUSE. THE BOYHOOD HOME AND FINAL RESTING PLACE OF FOUNDING FATHER JOHN JAY, THE JAY PROPERTY IS BEING CONSIDERED BY CONGRESS FOR INCLUSION IN THE NATIONAL PARKS SYSTEM.
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when Rye was inhabited by Native Americans and continuing up through the 20th century. Rye has an extremely rich history which continues to be revealed to me each year as I organize another tour. I hope that the tours have increased everyone’s appreciation of Rye’s history from the existence of Native American Artifacts in Rye to Greenhaven’s ties to the history of motion pictures to the presence of iconic modernist architecture in Rye. This October’s tour will celebrate the 350th anniversary of Rye’s settlement by covering the period from 1660 up to the arrival of the railroad in 1848 as reflected in an area within walking distance of the Square House.
negotiated a better deal than eight coats, seven shirts, and fifteen fathom of wampum. When John Jay had to head down to Philadelphia to run the Supreme Court in the late 1700s, he traveled by horse or by boat. If Jay were alive today and asked you the best way to get to Independence Hall, what would you recommend? As someone who commuted from Rye to Philadelphia for a year, I would recommend the train. You have a healthy walk to and from the train stations, you avoid having to deal with the New Jersey Turnpike, and there is plenty of time to read briefs along the way. The view of boathouse row as you enter Philadelphia is great.
What are your three favorite Rye historical landmarks? It is difficult to select three favorite historical landmarks from the many Rye has to offer. However, if I had to choose three they would be the Square House, the Knapp House, and the Kirby Mill. The Square House is Rye’s most critical link to our nation’s history because it was visited by many of the leading figures of the Revolutionary War. The Square House also provides a unique link to Rye’s history because it is in the center of town, is the home of the Rye Historical Society and is a museum accredited by the American Association of Museums, a high honor in the museum world. The Knapp House is a treasBOSTON POST ROAD MILE MARKER 24. THE MARKER WAS SET BY BENJAMIN FRANKLIN IN 1753 WHEN HE SERVED AS ure because visiting it gives one the opportuDEPUTY POSTMASTER GENERAL. MARKERS WERE SET EVERY MILE BETWEEN NEW YORK CITY AND BOSTON. nity to feel the ambiance of the oldest house Dan Kelly is the official Rye City Historian. I am a past president of the in Westchester County, a house which is largely unchanged from the time Rye Historical Society and a past member of the Rye City Landmarks the original 17th century house was renovated and enlarged in the 18th Advisory Committee. Currently, I am chair of the Rye City Board of century. The Knapp House is the home of the Rye Historical Society’s archives, a trove of historical documents and the source of much of my Architectural Review. research for the annual history tours. The view of the red Kirby Mill reflectIf you could go back to the 1700s and meet George Washington at ed in the Kirby Mill Pond is one of Rye’s signature views, particularly in the Rye’s Square House for a drink, what one question would you want to fall when the leaves are turning. It is a view that I admire every morning and afternoon when I walk my dog. ask him the most? George Washington stayed at the Square House in 1789 after the Revolution was over and the government of the United States was in its If you could have a meal with one Rye historical figure, who would it formative stages. I would ask President Washington how he envisioned be, what would you ask him or her and what restaurant in Rye would the government of the country developing and how he envisioned the you select for the meal? respective roles of the federal and state governments. I would have dinner with Margaret Livingston Stuyvesant Wainwright because her firsthand experience of Rye extended from 1848 when her What do you think was the better real estate investment—when Peter family purchased farmland to use as a country estate until her death in Disbrow, John Coe and Thomas Studwell bought Manursing Island in 1928 when Rye had become a 20th century suburb, a transformation in 1660 or when John Budd bought Hen Island and Pine Island in 1661? which her family played a major role. I would be interested in hearing I think that Peter Disbrow, John Coe and Thomas Studwell made the her views on the evolution of Rye from a farming community, to a sumbetter investment since they got the whole thing started. From this mer community for wealthy New Yorkers, to a suburb. I would also like distance it would be unfair to second guess whether they could have her to expound on her Stuyvesant heritage, which led her to build a repli-
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ca of the Bouwerie for her summer house on Milton Point. The Bouwerie was the house in Manhattan where she spent her childhood winters, a house which traced its history back to Peter Stuyvesant’s Bouwerie Farm. I would take Mrs. Wainwright to Water Moon for fusion cuisine. I would like to show her how multi-cultural we have become. I think that she might have some colorful observations about that. Do you think Rye should secede from New York and become part of Connecticut again? The question should not be whether Rye should return to Connecticut, but whether Greenwich, Darien, and New Canaan should become part of New York. Since at least the arrival of the railroad, Rye has been culturally and economically a part of New York City. When I am traveling abroad or to other parts of the U.S. and am asked where I live, I always start by saying “New York.” I do not mention Rye until the follow-up question of where in New York. Of course, it is surprising how many times, the next question is do I know so and so in Rye or live near such and such a street that the person to whom I am speaking remembers from visiting Rye. Sometimes it seems that the whole world has passed through our little town.
Rye Historian Suzanne Clary Where do you live in Rye? I live on Dogwood Lane behind Apawamis. Our home is close to “Eleanor’s Teeth,” a series of large sand traps inspired by the historically memorable smile of one of America’s most popular First Ladies. Tell us about your official or unofficial capacity as a Rye City historian. I don’t call myself a historian but I have absorbed a lot of Rye history by total immersion. My husband, kids and the friends who still loyally subscribe to my 24-hour “John Jay” history channel would say I work triple time. However, I do take breaks to watch “American Idol.”* *Little known facts: 1) Kara DioGuardi’s father Joe helped save the Jay Property when he was a Congressman. 2) I knew Kara when she was a little girl just taking singing lessons her mom Carol and my mom were best friends from childhood on and she helped with my bridal shower. If you could go back to the 1700s and meet George Washington at Rye’s Square House for a drink, what one question would you want to ask him the most? I’d want to know more about his gardens and whether he was the first Founding Father to start the whole “ha-ha” (stone wall and European landscape feature) craze with his constitutional colleagues by building some at Mount Vernon. John Adams saw Washington’s estate and built some ha-has in Quincy in 1796; Jefferson added some to Monticello in 1814; and John Jay, who built ha-has at Katonah after 1801, also worked with his son Peter on shaping the Rye gardens with ha-has in 1822. Wonder what George would think about the modern ha-ha built at the Washington Monument in 2005?
What do you think was the better real estate investment—when Peter Disbrow, John Coe and Thomas Studwell bought Manursing Island in 1660 or when John Budd bought Hen Island and Pine Island in 1661? Those parcels are really too different to compare. There are so many differences between those land masses in size and sanitation. Everyone’s idea of an island getaway is different. And neither investment can compare to buying Manhattan. When John Jay had to head down to Philadelphia to run the Supreme Court in the late 1700s, he traveled by horse or by boat. If Jay were alive today and asked you the best way to get to Independence Hall, what would you recommend? Practice, practice, practice! I highly recommend Amtrak’s Accela. What are your three favorite Rye historical landmarks? #1 The Boston Post Road Historic District, NR #82001275 – it’s one National Historic Landmark with 5 different, fascinating parts: the boyhood home and final resting place of John Jay; three spectacular pre-Civil war mansions all in a row; and Marshlands Conservancy, a nature preserve. Plus its centerpiece, the Jay Property, is being considered by Congress for inclusion in the National Parks System. #2 The Caroline O’ Day Post Office – it’s a perfect reminder of the phoenix-like artistry that rose out of the depressed WPA era with its Guy Pene du Bois painting of John Jay inside. Next time you go, take the time to notice the Greek key pattern on the stone exterior echoed in the paneling on the interior. #3 Arthur and Nancy Stampelman – I count this couple among Rye’s living “landmarks” for all they have done and continue to do for their community. If you could have a meal with one Rye historical figure, who would it be, what would you ask him or her and what restaurant in Rye would you select for the meal? Just like James Fenimore Cooper, author of “The Spy” (Cooper’s first successful novel set at the ‘Locusts’ in Rye,) I’d use a dinner with John Jay to learn more about his work with spies during the Revolutionary War. Jay created secret encryption codes for George Washington and others to protect sensitive military information and his older brother James invented a formula for invisible ink called “sympathetic stain” that the Americans used as well, very successfully. We’d go to Café Livorno where “the usual” for me is code for their tasty fagioli toscana and linguine furioso. Do you think Rye should secede from New York and become part of Connecticut again? Joining Connecticut may not be the answer – could we still root for the Yankees? Jay Sears is a contributor to Rye Magazine and the publisher of MyRye.com, a web site with observations about all things Rye— community, events, government, history, schools, outdoors, people, real estate, restaurants and more. Jay, his wife Lauren Rosen, and their three boys live in the Bradford Park section of Rye. ❉
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The Squash Champion: On Tour with Bernardo Samper By Georgetta Lordi Morque THIS PAST MARCH,
Samper’s strength is his natural ability to read the direction of the ball and therefore be able to play at a very fast pace. “Now that the fitness eight of the world’s top squash pros competed at the Westchester is in place, he can sustain the pace for longer periods of time. Country Club at the inaugural U.S. Pro Squash Tour event for 2010, the Entering the top 50 is a very real goal in the next year.” Westchester Invitational. The tournament drew players who have comThe international squash scene is not new to Samper, a three-time bined wins of 29 national championships in countries around the Colombian National Champion and a Pan American Games gold medalglobe, yet the favorite, without a doubt, was Colombian-born Bernardo ist. He first started playing squash as a 9-year-old in Bogota with his Samper who has made Rye his home for the past four years. father, a recreational player, at a time when the sport wasn’t all that “Go Bernardo,” cheered fans, many of whom had taken squash lesaccessible in the country. In time, courts and clubs opened and a fedsons from Samper at the club before he embarked on the pro tour full eration was born, so Samper essentially grew time last year. They watched in awe at the BERNARDO SAMPER ON LEFT AT THE J.P. MORGAN with the game. He took lessons from the speed and grace of the 27-year-old as he easiTOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS IN JANUARY. PHOTO BY SQUASHPICS.COM national champion and won the Colombian ly endured some unbelievably long rallies and junior championships in all age levels. dove for shots that would be impossible for At 14 he turned pro, which he said modestly the average player to reach. Those who have “didn’t mean much.” At 16, he trained with the gotten to know Samper have found him Colombian National Men’s Team and while at charming as well as talented. He’s been the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, described as a “great athlete,” “a class act” met Paul Assaiante, squash coach at Trinity and a “gentleman.” Kids call him “the man,” College, who was recruiting for the most powerand his recent marriage left many young girls house squash team in the nation. Trinity has heartbroken. since won 12 consecutive national collegiate While the Rye area is a hot pocket of titles, and this past February, after winning the squash players and professionals, not too 2010 national championships, extended the many are pursuing the pro tour full time. longest winning streak in the history of intercolSamper realized he can always coach later, legiate varsity sports. Initially Samper thought so he wanted to give the tour one last shot. he was destined for a pro career, not college, “Not giving it a chance, I would have regretbut with Assaiante’s influence, he ended up enrolling at Trinity and conted later on.” His sponsors — Wilson, Fit and Functional, and tributed to the team’s unprecedented success. Samper held a 17-0 record Westchester Sport and Wellness — plus his family and club members as a freshman, playing No. 1. He graduated in 2005 as a four-time All enthusiastically support him. American with two national singles titles and a No. 3 ranking. Last year, Samper made tour stops in Ecuador, Colombia, Hong Samper has enjoyed working at Westchester Country Club, where Kong, Spain, Egypt and Brazil and in the U.S., Maryland, Pennsylvania, he has also coached the School of the Holy Child squash team. The Wisconsin and New York. 2010 brings a new list of countries, includteam came to support him at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of ing Canada, Ireland and Argentina. Up until recently, much of the top Champions at Grand Central Terminal in January. For two years now, competition has been centered overseas, but with events such as the Samper has qualified for this prestigious event, the largest squash U.S. Pro Squash Tour and the Squash Design Tour, which Samper won, spectator tournament in the world. Yet the balancing act of coaching, there are more opportunities here for pros and fans. training and competing proved challenging, so Samper is grateful for After reaching a career high world ranking of 57 in 2007, Samper is the opportunity to compete full time. It all comes down to loving the primed to move up the ladder. In just a few months last year, he rose sport. He’s addicted to the adrenaline rush of competition, loves fightfrom 120 to 62, winning three championships: the Nash Cup, the ing for every point and working every muscle as well as his brain, since Florida State Open and the Madison Open. He’s also experienced squash is such a thinking game. His squash-playing fans can relate impressive results in other events, reaching the quarters, semis and well since they too relish this activity at their own level. finals. At the Westchester Invitational, he pushed world No. 2 Nick Samper has gone where squash has taken him and at each place, Matthew of England to four games. “It’s a long process and it’s tough doors have opened. Fans and supporters can follow him on his jourto break into the top 40s or 50s,” said Samper. ney at www.bernardo-ontour.com. ❉ “The first year of Bernardo going on tour was to build a base strength and endurance to cope with the extreme physical strain of playing pro squash,” said Lee Witham, Director of Squash at the Georgetta Lordi Morque is a freelance writer and public relaWestchester Country Club and Samper’s coach. Witham believes that tions consultant in Rye, N.Y.
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IN GOOD TASTE
RYE COOKS
Look for this new show on the town you know on Rye Public Access TV BY PAULA AMSTERDAM FUNG Arriving in Rye in 1995, I was struck by how neighborly this town is. My husband and I moved here from NYC, and immediately loved our neighborhood, where kids played in the street and almost everyone took part in the annual block party, casserole dishes in hand. Soon after my first daughter was born, I went back to work and hired a nanny. She proceeded to ignore all my basic cooking ideas and began cooking curried shrimp and chicken for the three of us. She insisted on cooking “with flavor” so the baby could develop taste buds and therefore avoid becoming a picky eater. Well, ask my three sushi loving, artichoke craving, stinky cheese devouring daughters if it worked! I never really got into the habit of frozen chicken nuggets or hot dogs just for the kids. This wasn’t really food I liked and I didn’t want to cook two different meals, one for the girls, and one for us. Growing up, my experience was similar to many of my generation, our moms cooked every night. Perhaps it wasn’t fancy or sophisticated, but there was dinner on the table, usually a meat and a vegetable and what we then called a “starch.” I don’t remember a lot of fuss about it either, not from my mom, and not from the kids. Going out to dinner was a rare treat, and on birthdays, we were asked what special meal we wanted at home, not in which restaurant would we dine. I have always enjoyed cooking for my family and I get a special kick cooking for other kids who come over to eat. Having friends around the table, laughing and talking is one of the things I treasure. We don’t have a finished basement here, or trampoline in the backyard, but one thing I can offer the friends that stop by is a tasty meal. We’re all really busy, picking kids up from school, organizing play-
PAULA FUNG COOKS FOR THE PILOT OF HER RCTV SHOW, "RYE COOKS", IN THE KITCHEN OF HER RYE, NEW YORK HOME
dates, driving to athletics, or play practice, while trying to squeeze in a bit of time for ourselves. It is easy to farm out the meals, but I have found that it was the chopping and slicing in the afternoon that allowed me to become centered again. With my basic cooking skills I believe there’s a way to share my love of cooking and at the same time, demystify the process. I knew the public access channel, Rye City TV might be willing to air a program if I could make it into a show. What I needed was a person to film it. After years of rare sightings, I finally reconnected with my good friend Suzy Allman, a professional photographer. When our kids were little, Suzy and family moved across the street, and we shared the kind of small town friendship that seems almost
PHOTOS BY SUZY ALLMAN
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PAULA FUNG (LEFT) AND SUZY ALLMAN (RIGHT). PHOTOS BY AIDA KRGIN, KRGIN PHOTOGRAPHY, RYE
quaint now, as our lives have become more complicated. There were no formal phone calls for playdates; either we were already outside watching the kids, or someone would ring the bell. We shared stories and occasional impromptu picnics on our lawns or at nearby Oakland Beach. We both thought that a home-baked birthday cake was just more fun that a store-bought one, and when there were leftovers, we would send them over to each other. Then, as it happens, Suzy bought a great old house, and there was work to be done. They only moved a few blocks away, but we saw each other infrequently. It was during this time that Suzy’s photography career began to take off. She was busy building her career, and I was
ORANGE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FROM PATISSERIE SALZBURG, IN RYE
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busy with my three kids. It was the adoption of our family dog that really changed the course of things. After years of wrangling with the kids about getting a dog, we finally found one to take home and of course, as I had been warned, (many, many times) the walking of said dog became my responsibility. I headed to the nearby park for the socialization that experts deemed necessary at this point. Socialization for me, that is. Suzy owns two dogs and as a dedicated dog owner she attended the daily socialization sessions. We’d have ‘the conversation,’ what to do, now that the kids are in school full time, the dog is trained, the house isn’t going to get any more organized...etc. I mentioned the idea of a cooking show. Not just a cooking show, but one that features people and events around town. Ideas for segments started popping into our heads. What about ski house cooking, beach barbeques, Thursday night at the firehouse, cooking for dogs? What about all the wonderful restaurants around town? Rye Cooks began as a great idea, and then an article in The Rye Record announced that classes were being held at Rye TV, the public access channel for anyone interested in learning the editing process. Although we were not able to make this class, the people at Rye TV were extremely welcoming and we made arrangements for some teaching time. Suzy and I met over coffee, made appointments, installed editing software on our computers, set up a blog, and hired a local artist for a logo design. We now had all the trappings, but no show as yet. Finally, over Chinese New Year, we went to the local elementary schools and visited my daughter’s classroom to teach a lesson on the New Year, complete with cardboard dragon head and tail, which I spent an entire snow day making, depriving my second grader of a day of sledding.
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GARLIC KNOTS AT SUNRISE PIZZA, IN RYE AFTER A "RYE COOKS" SHOOT.
WITH VIDEO CAMERA RUNNING RYE COOKS HOST PAULA FUNG IN A STILL CAPTURED FROM THE PILOT EPISODE
but it was never found. Then, off to Sunrise Pizza, a popular destination for all ages in the heart of town. We met with Alex, the owner, who was just as excited as we were. We put together a crew with help from Rye TV and arrived like professionals with a truckload of borrowed equipment. He taught me to cook pizza, garlic knots, pepperoni rolls and cheese calzones. It’s all recorded on new tape and we think this one’s a keeper. This is a journey, and along the way, we are learning that there is much more to creating entertainment than we imagined. However, the opportunities to showcase our community abound and we are having a blast putting it all together. And hey, isn’t that what public access is all about? Look out for Rye Cooks on Rye TV. We sincerely hope you will enjoy it. ❉ Paula Amsterdam Fung, a former litigator, is currently involved in advanced schedule dynamics, creative meal preparations, and regular dog walking. She resides in Rye with her husband, three daughters, and dog, Romeo.
I read a book, served long noodles, (for long life) and oranges, (for prosperity) interviewed adorable kids, while Suzy and her son, a senior at Rye High, filmed. Then we were off to my kitchen to cook fried rice, beef and broccoli. All seemed well, until the first look at the tape. First lesson learned: never, never wear horizontal stripes. As my 15-year-old said, “Mom, even I knew that.” Secondly, never, never re-use tapes. I did frugally, no, foolishly, re-use tapes, and all the wonderful scenes at the school didn’t actually record, although through the viewfinder it appeared that we were taping. I spent many hours rewinding and searching for that footage
Suzy Allman is a freelance photojournalist living in Rye, and shooting New York sports, mostly for the New York Times. She covers all New York teams in the major sports, as well as occasional off-beat or humorous sports stories (a recent piece on competitive dog grooming, for example). She has photographed nearly one hundred restaurants in Westchester and beyond for the Times’ weekly restaurant reviews and related food stories, and considers food photography a delicious alternative to action shooting. She is the main camera operator for Rye Cooks, and its director.
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THE RYE ART CENTER’S GOING
RYE GALLERY
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TERRY AND KATHRYN STACK
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Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration at The Rye Arts Center Fifty years ago, five Rye families made their vision of a community art center a reality. Evolving over the years to meet the needs of a growing region, The Rye Arts Center is now the largest not-for-profit community arts center in Westchester. On Saturday, February 27, more than 140 guests celebrated all that
ELIZABETH KAMINER, ELISSA GRAYER, AND BRIAN KAMINER
KATHY DOHERTY WITH TED AND GAIL ROMAN
KICKI ARMSTRONG AND PETIE CURTIS
The Rye Arts Center has done over the past half century to enhance the region’s artistic and cultural life. It was great to reconnect and reminisce with supporters from across the years as well as new friends. The Rye Arts Center is a community-based, not-for-profit, volunteer organization, whose mission is to inspire interest and maximum participation in the arts in Westchester and the surrounding region. They are committed to offering programs that are characterized by artistic tradition, educational value, and a spirit of innovation. 51 Milton Road, Rye, NY. 914/967-0700; ryeartscenter.org. MARY AND PAUL SQUIRE WITH BILL AND JUDITH PASSANNANTE
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Go Green: Donate Art and Music Supplies to The Rye Arts Center! Now through Wednesday, September 8 Is your house filled with art supplies you never got around to using? Have your children lost interest in playing an instrument? Do your shelves groan under the weight of so many art and music books? Are you getting ready to move? Now is your chance to conquer the clutter! Bring your new and gently used art and music supplies, instruments, art and music books, CDs, and DVDs to The Rye Arts Center’s Main Office by Wednesday, September 8. Your donation is tax-deductible. Items collected during the drive will be sold at Festival @ 51 on Sunday, September 12. Proceeds will benefit The Rye Arts Center’s scholarship fund. For donation guidelines, please visit ryeartscenter.org.
L TO R– BOB AND SHERRY WIENER, MAMARONECK, NY.
Purchase College Gala On March 15, 2010, Purchase College, State University of New York, and the Purchase College Foundation hosted a gala at the Millennium Broadway Hotel/The Hudson Theatre in Manhattan in celebration of the College's integration of quality, public higher education in the arts,
L TO R– HONOREES DONALD AND JANE CECIL WITH PRESIDENT THOMAS J. SCHWARZ.
humanities, and sciences at Purchase College. The Purchase College Gala raised $1.3 million for the Purchase College School of the Arts.
L TO R– ACTRESS JODI LONG, PURCHASE ALUM; MUSICIAN PAQUITO D’ RIVERA, AN HONOREE; COMEDIAN SUSIE ESSMAN, PURCHASE ALUM AND CO-STAR OF HBO’S CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM. SUSIE ESSMAN WAS THE EMCEE FOR THE EVENT.
L TO R– PAT JACOBS, RYE BROOK, AND WILEY HAUSAM DIRECTOR OF THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
Gala highlights include: • The presentation of five Nelson A. Rockefeller Awards in the arts. • Tribute performances by outstanding students from the Purchase Conservatories of Dance, Music and Theatre Arts & Film. • Recognition of donors to the endowment for the Purchase College School of the Arts.
L TO R– GREGORY TAYLOR, INTERIM DEAN, CONSERVATORY OF THEATRE ARTS AND FILM WITH PLAYWRIGHT LYNN NOTTAGE.
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ArtsWestchester Celebrates Annual Arts Award Luncheon On Friday, April 9th, more than 400 guests came out to celebrate ArtsWestchester’s annual Arts Award Luncheon. The event was held at the Rye Town Hilton and recognized individuals and organizations that make outstanding contributions to the arts in Westchester County.
NEW YORK STATE SENATOR ANDREA STEWART COUSINS (YONKERS) (RIGHT) CONGRATULATES JACQUELINE WALKER OF HARRISON. MS. WALKER AND HER HUSBAND ARTHUR RECEIVED AN ARTS PATRON AWARD.
HUDSON VALLEY HOSPITAL PRESIDENT JOHN C. FEDERSPIEL (CORTLANDT MANOR) (LEFT) RECEIVES AN ARTSWESTCHESTER COMMUNITY AWARD FROM KEN JENKINS, CHAIR, WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS. THE HUDSON VALLEY HOSPITAL CENTER WAS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS EXTENSIVE ART FOR HEALTH PROJECT.
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ACTRESS FRANCES STERNHAGEN OF NEW ROCHELLE RECEIVED AN ARTSWESTCHESTER ARTS AWARD IN THE ARTIST CATEGORY FOR HER DISTINGUISHED CAREER ON STAGE AND SCREEN.
(FROM LEFT)– WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE ROB ASTORINO (MT. PLEASANT), ARTSWESTCHESTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JANET T. LANGSAM (ARMONK) AND KEN JENKINS (YONKERS), CHAIR, WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS.
(FROM LEFT)– LUCILLE WERLINICH (PURCHASE), DAUGHTER OF THE LATE PHILANTHROPISTS SOPHIA AND JOSEPH ABELES, MARY LOUSIE COX (MAMARONECK), POET LAUREATE OF THE TOWN AND VILLAGE OF MAMARONECK, AND RECIPIENT OF THE SOPHIA ABELES AWARD FOR COMMUNITY ARTS, AND STEPHEN K. DISHART, (SOMERS), PRESIDENT OF ARTSWESTCHESTER’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
JACQUELINE AND ARTHUR WALKER OF HARRISON RECEIVED ARTSWESTCHESTER’S ARTS PATRON AWARD.
ANNE AND DAVID RING OF YORKTOWN HEIGHTS. DAVID RING IS THE REGIONAL HEAD OF WELLS FARGO’S MIDDLE MARKET COMMERCIAL BANKING DIVISION IN GREATER NEW YORK AND CONNECTICUT. WELLS FARGO WAS THE TITLE SPONSOR OF THE ARTS AWARD LUNCHEON.
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R YE REMEMBERED
RYE PLAYLAND, THEN AND NOW
PHOTOGRAPH STUDIOS WERE COMMONLY FOUND AT AMUSEMENT PARKS IN THE 1930S, IN LARGE PART BECAUSE FEW PEOPLE HAD CAMERAS. THE DAY OF THE DIGITAL CAMERA IS FAR AWAY AT THE POINT SHOWN IN THE PICTURES. THE HAPPY LADIES ARE POSING WITH SET STAGES AT THE TROPICAL PHOTO STUDIO CONCESSION AT PLAYLAND. THE PICTURE MUST HAVE SEEMED ESPECIALLY RISQUÉ FOR THOSE DAYS, DRINKING AT A BAR IN HAVANA. THE PHOTOGRAPHS WERE PLACED ON CARDS AND MAILED TO FRIENDS TO SHOW WHAT A WONDERFUL TIME ONE WAS HAVING.
BY PAUL D RHEINGOLD In 1927, Playland replaced Rye Beach Park, Paradise Park, the inns, the bathing pavilions, and the outer end of Rye Beach Avenue, and it modified the geography of a major segment of Rye. The scene has remained unchanged for 80 years, and it draws 800,000 to 1 million visitors a year. How the land was assembled is a story in itself, a tale of some foresight on the part of Westchester County. In 1923, the county purchased 160 acres on Manursing Island for $600,000. In 1925, the county purchased 54 acres on the mainland for $2.5 million, and then, after a fire, it purchased the additional amusement park land. In all, the county ended up with 280 acres. Perhaps the most astonishing feat of the park is that it was created in one winter season. After Rye Pleasure Park closed on Labor Day in 1927,
the winter was spent removing all the old structures, filling in the area needed for the new buildings, and creating the lake, the sand beach, and massive parking area. A gigantic park with a midway, tower, bathing pavilion, pool, and numerous rides were also built. There was a workforce of over 1,000 people. Only the Playland Casino and a few rides were built in the following off-season. This project was overseen by Frank W. Darling, a man experienced in the construction of amusement parks around the world, including in London, New Zealand, and Paris. It was the first amusement park in the country built in its entirety. Opening day was May 26, 1928, and now, 80plus years later, it has lasted as the oldest county-run amusement park in the United States. ❉
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PAUL D. RHEINGOLD HAS BEEN A RYE RESIDENT FOR MORE THAN 45 YEARS. HE IS A MEMBER OF THE RYE HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND FORMERLY SERVED ON ITS BOARD. HE IS PAST CHAIRMAN OF THE RYE PLANNING BOARD AND A PRACTICING LAWYER. REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM RYE, BY PAUL D. RHEINGOLD. AVAILABLE FROM THE PUBLISHER ONLINE AT WWW.ARCADIAPUBLISHING.COM OR BY CALLING 888/313-2665.
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THE PLAYLAND CASINO, BUILT IN 1929, SERVED SEVERAL FUNCTIONS. DOWNSTAIRS DURING THE COLD SEASONS WAS A VERY LARGE ICE-SKATING AREA. DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS, THE SPACE WAS CONVERTED INTO THE GAME ROOM. PICTURED ARE THE USUAL ARCADE GAMES OF RIFLE SHOOTING AND MINIATURE BOWLING. UPSTAIRS WAS A LARGE BALLROOM WHERE MANY FAMOUS BANDS PLAYED. THE PLAYLAND CASINO BOASTED “UNSURPASSED DINING FACILITIES,” ESPECIALLY FOR “EPICURES OF SEA FOOD.” IN THE 1990S, THE NEW YORK RANGERS HOCKEY TEAM USED THE RINK FOR PRACTICE.
ABOVE: ROLLER COASTERS AT PLAYLAND BEGAN WITH THE VERY LARGE AEROCOASTER (ALSO CALLED THE AIRPLANE COASTER.) WITH BOBS-TYPE COASTERS, IT WAS THE LARGEST WOODEN ONE IN WORLD. IT WAS TOO OVERWHELMING FOR SOME WHO FAVORED A SMALLER COASTER BEHIND IT CALLED THE DRAGON COASTER. OVER TIME, THE AEROCOASTER BECAME RICKETY AND WAS TORN DOWN IN 1958. THE DRAGON COASTER CONTINUES TODAY, STILL THRILLING MANY.
LEFT: FOR FANS OF FRESHWATER, PLAYLAND HAD ITS OWN POOL, LOCATED ABOVE THE BATHHOUSES AND VISIBLE IN THE AERIAL VIEW. THE POOL IS QUITE LARGE AND HAS DEMARCATED LANES. IT HAD COMPETITION FROM J. P. MANGER’S BATHS UNTIL THE LATTER CLOSED, AND NOW PLAYLAND’S IS THE ONLY OUTDOOR PUBLIC POOL IN RYE.
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SPEAKER’S CORNER
BEGINNER’S FRENCH
B Y K I M J O H N S O N G R O SS
OR MORE THAN A DECADE EARLY IN MY CAREER AS AN EDITOR AT TOWN & COUNTRY, AVENUE, AND ESQUIRE MAGAZINES, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF COVERING THE FASHION COLLECTIONS IN PARIS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS A YEAR. WHAT WAS DISPLAYED ON THE RUNWAYS WAS EXCITING TO OBSERVE, ALTHOUGH WAY OUT OF REACH GIVEN MOST OF OUR LIFESTYLES AND BANK ACCOUNTS. WHAT I ALWAYS FOUND MORE INTRIGUING WAS ROAMING THE STREETS AND OBSERVING FRENCH WOMEN IN EVERYDAY LIFE. WHATEVER THEIR STATUS, SHAPE, SIZE, OR AGE, THEY LOOKED TERRIFIC IN WHAT THEY WORE.
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Dressing is a way of life. —Yves Saint Laurent FRENCH WOMEN ARE LEGENDARY FOR PACKING THEIR STYLISH WARDROBE INTO ARMOIRE-SIZE CLOSETS. For centuries, the limited space taught them that to stow a chic wardrobe required discipline, selfscrutiny, and mindfulness. However small or large their closets may be today, as a culture they continue to abide by those principles that have made French style indisputably renowned. FRENCH WOMEN DRESS TO PLEASE THEMSELVES. The French may have invented fashion, but French women are not slaves to it. They treat it with respect and appreciation; they know to take from it only what they personally enjoy wearing and ignore what doesn’t suit them.
We must never confuse elegance with snobbery. —Yves Saint Laurent FRENCH WOMEN ARE SCRUPULOUS ABOUT WEARING CLOTHES THAT FIT PERFECTLY. It’s not uncommon for them to have even the cheapest garment tailored to fit their body better. FRENCH WOMEN KNOW THAT QUALITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN
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QUANTITY. A French woman would rather blow a month’s salary on a fabulous suit that she’ll wear five days a week in varying ways than share the precious real estate in her armoire with clothes she doesn’t enjoy wearing, whatever their cost. In contrast, despite the fact that the American closet averages fifty square feet, and the footage of rentable self-storage units increased by 740 percent between 1985 and 2007, a common lament of American women is “I have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear.” Lise, a fifty-four-year-old partner in a law firm, is addicted to finding a deal. Consequently her closet is packed with clothes, many of which don’t fit. “I hate my closet. There’s too much stuff and I can’t seem to throw any of it out. A lot of things are wrinkled because they are crushed, and often I can’t find pants that go with a jacket.” Lise is not alone. FRENCH WOMEN KNOW THAT “CLOSET CLASSICS” ARE A WARDROBE’S SECRET WEAPON. They will save you money and will often save your derriere. They will help you build a closet with care and awareness so you are ready for anything. What are Closet Classics? They are a gal’s best friends. Jeans, a black dress, a well-tailored suit in a neutral color, a white shirt, a cashmere sweater, black pants—they’re the clothes that you constantly reach for and that never go out of style whatever your age. They mix easily with fashion whimsies and other wardrobe favorites to suit your mood and the occasion. And most importantly, you can always rely on them, because they are always appropriate. FRENCH WOMEN KNOW THAT A FEW CLOSET CLASSICS AND ACCESSORIES ARE THE WORKHORSES OF THEIR CLOSET. By mixing and matching them, they transform a small armoire into a huge wardrobe. French women might wear the same black pants or charcoal skirt for days, but simply change a scarf or a jacket—and voilà!
A woman’s wardrobe shouldn’t change every six months. You should be able to use the pieces you already own and add to them. Because they are like timeless classics. —Yves Saint Laurent FRENCH WOMEN KNOW THAT ADDING A SOUPÇON OF SURPRISE to what they wear makes their style distinctive. It might be the coquettish flounce of a skirt, a flurry of fabulous faux jewelry, or a splash of a surprising color.
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FRENCH WOMEN KNOW THE POWERFUL CONNECTION BETWEEN WHAT THEY WEAR AND HOW THEY FEEL, so they take delight in dressing whether they’re alone, shopping for groceries, or out on more special occasions.
I don’t understand why someone would leave the house without fixing herself up a little—if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny. And it’s best to be as pretty as possible for destiny. —Coco Chanel FRENCH WOMEN KNOW THAT COMFORT AND STYLE ARE SIMPATICO, although they can enjoy the fun of wearing a pair of naughty shoes when they don’t have to walk. FRENCH WOMEN ARE NOT YOUTH-OBSESSED. They dress to honor the women they are and bodies they have at any age.
You can only perceive real beauty in a person as they get older. —Anouk Aimée FRENCH WOMEN ARE NOT HESITANT TO DRESS TO EXPRESS THEIR FEMININITY, SENSUALITY, OR SEXUALITY.
A mature woman in Europe is considered sexually powerful. —Catherine Deneuve FRENCH WOMEN TAKE COMFORT IN WHAT THEY WEAR.
To be beautiful, all a woman needs is a black pullover and a black skirt and to be arm in arm with a man she loves. —Yves Saint Laurent FRENCH WOMEN CARRY THEMSELVES WITH CONFIDENCE, which translates into great posture, which makes everything they wear look better.
Look for the woman in the dress. If there is no woman, there is no dress. —Coco Chanel ❉ Rye resident, Kim Johnson Gross, co-creator of the bestselling Chic Simple series, has been a fashion expert for over thirty years. A former model, fashion editor, and multi-book best selling author, she’s written columns for More and InStyle and has appeared on many programs including the Today show, CNN, and the CBS Morning Show.
From What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life: Ageless Secrets of Style by Kim Johnson Gross. Copyright © 2010 by Kim Johnson Gross. Used by permission of Grand Central Publishing.
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Dickon Pownall-Gray and Kiki Cahn
Surviving
Bulli
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“I was 11.
One afternoon, on my way home from school, I walked around the corner hedge to get my bicycle. I didn’t even see the punch coming. It hit me so hard that I was paralyzed with shock. As my eyes began to refocus, I saw five older boys standing in a circle around me. They pushed me, spat at me and kicked me. The tallest boy grabbed me by my school tie, choking me. “Say your mother is a whore and a slag!” I refused. More kicks and punches. “Say your mother is a whore and a slag.” To my total disbelief, as if my voice was no longer mine, I heard myself saying, “My mother is a whore and a slag”. I almost threw up with shame, realizing what a coward I had just been. I adored my mother, yet I had just humiliated her in public and brought dishonor on my family. I lay dazed on the ground, hot tears of intense shame rolling down my face. How could I possibly look my mother in the face and tell her the truth of what I had just said about her? Sure enough, an hour later, too afraid to “rat” on the gang and tell the disgraceful truth, I told my mother that the terrible cuts and bruises were because I had fallen off my bicycle and crashed into a fence. I had always told her the truth, so she believed every word. Looking into her trusting and concerned eyes, instead of receiving love and protection, it was as if I was swallowed up into a secret, toxic, subterranean world of bullied shame and humiliation where I remained hopelessly trapped, unable to talk to my parents, for three awful years…” Dickon Pownall-Gray Bullying survivor Founder, Surviving Bullies Charity, Inc.
ies Dickon is the exception, not the rule. He was a boy who was continuously and brutally bullied for three years, with violence so severe that he was hospitalized several times. But he was also a boy who managed to eventually change schools and
escape the bullying and go on to lead a happy and successful life. Much more common is the child who, when severely and repeatedly bullied, enters a dangerous downward spiral. Chronic bullying has been shown to damage the brain, causing short-term memory difficulties, affecting a child’s ability to concentrate in class and remember information for tests. Schoolwork suffers, grades go down (Dickon suddenly failed several subjects in school during the years of bullying), children withdraw from their friends and family, their self-esteem is damaged as they start to believe what the bullies are saying about them, and they can literally be put on a different path in life than if they hadn’t been bullied. Who are these bullied children? They are no longer just the stereotypical loners or nerds. Typical targets of bullies are the children who are “different:” the child who is “too smart,” “too pretty,” “too wealthy,” or the child who is painfully shy or overweight, or has an accent. Why are we suddenly hearing so much about bullying? Hasn’t it been around forever? What has changed? First, yes, it’s been around forever. But it’s a bit like smoking. People always smoked but we didn’t realize how harmful it was. Once we learned that it was deadly, we started to work to reduce the incidence of smoking. We are finally starting to realize that bullying has painful and far-reaching consequences. Second, we used to primarily define bullying as physical in nature – the sandbox bully kicking sand in the little kids’ eyes, the tough brute who picked on weaker kids. Today we know that there are many more types of bullying, all characterized by three things: if it hurts, if it’s repetitive and if it’s perpetrated by a person or group with more power than the target, then it’s bullying. There are six different main types of bullying: physical, verbal, relational (spreading rumors, gossip), exclusional (deliberately leaving a target out in order to hurt him/her), sexual and cyberbullying. Third, technology has facilitated a whole new form of bullying, and this in turn has created new types of bullies. Today, cyberbullies don’t even have to look their targets in the eye; they can pick on them from anywhere, at any time, 24/7. Rumors, gossip and lies can be posted on social networking sites. Revealing photos can be passed from cell phone to cell phone (“sexting”), impossible to stop. The power of cyberbullying is immense. Bullies get their power from the “audience” – the bystanders that see how tough they are and how weak the target is. Before, at most a small group would witness the bullying. Now, it’s easy to humiliate a target and have thousands of people see it endlessly. A fake posting on a social networking site can tarnish a target’s reputation permanently. And the consequences? Suicide is one increasingly frequent outcome, when the pain and humiliation simply become too much for the young target to bear. It’s become so common it’s actually spawned a new word – “bully-cide.” So what is the Surviving Bullies Charity doing about all this? We developed and implemented “The School Climate Project.” The goals of the program are: To identify students who are being bullied and to empower these students to better handle their bullying situation. To identify emotionally distressed students and to intervene to
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help these students. To provide succinct “School Climate” data analysis reports to school administrators so that they can take data-driven, tangible steps towards improving their school climate. To teach the entire school community about the negative impact that a tolerance for bullying has on the overall learning environment. To make school communities aware that academic research shows that chronic stress caused by bullying can damage the memory center of the teenage brain so that learning suffers. As professional business-people, we set out to develop a system that was highly automated (keeping it low-cost) and easily scalable to enable us to grow beyond Connecticut. First, in order to “find” the targets of bullying, working with the Yale Department of Psychology, we designed a comprehensive online questionnaire and database system that examines many aspects of emotional well-being such as anxiety, depression, self-esteem, bullying, weight bias, loneliness, connectedness to school, and peer relationships. Then we found a school system that had the courage to pilot the questionnaire. Joan Parker, the principal of Helen Keller Middle School in Easton CT, was immediately captivated by the idea of looking for kids in her school that were targets of bullying and finding ways to help them. She then persuaded the other schools in her district, John Read Middle School and Joel Barlow High School in Redding to come on board as well. From November 2008-March 2009, we put approximately 900 5th-9th graders through our program.
mat that appeals to today’s youth. There are also videos of noted experts in their field giving advice on nutrition and sleep, both of which have a dramatic impact on teenagers’ mood and emotional stability. A kid picks on you in math class because you get your numbers backwards. It might be tolerable if you’re rested and feeling good. But if you’re exhausted, had nothing to eat because you woke up late, and you’re on edge, you might blow up and retaliate. That can cause the bullying to escalate. How many teenagers (or parents) know that teenagers need 9.25 hours of sleep per night? How many know that using electronic devices late at night actually winds us up and delays sleep, even though it seems like relaxing down time? (To learn more about our Mean T(w)een VideoBook, or to download it, go to: www.survivingbullies.org and click on “VideoBook.” ) Second, for the children at emotional risk, we have outside consultant psychologists contact the families. Our psychologists may offer referrals to other doctors if requested, provide information about services the school offers that can help their child, or simply act as a concerned “sounding board.” Where are we now? Thanks in part to a grant from our main sponsor, People’s United Community Foundation in Bridgeport, CT, by the end of the school year, we’ll have evaluated almost 3000 students; 5th-9th graders in 9 different Connecticut public schools. Our psychologists will have con-
If it hurts, if it’s repetitive and if it’s perpetrated by a person or group with more power than the target, then it’s bullying. Although we originally designed the questionnaire to simply find targets of bullying, we soon realized that we actually had an “emotional distress” early warning system that can immediately identify not only children who are targets of bullying but also children who are at emotional risk, regardless of whether they are being bullied or not. We use different strategies to help these two groups of children. First, for the targets of bullying (approximately 10% at each school were being significantly affected by bullying, which correlates with national statistics), we sent their families our Mean T(w)een VideoBook. Several years ago, Dickon had written a workbook filled with practical advice for targets of bullying. We took the paper workbook and reformatted it so that it became an ‘interactive’ online book where students can click on diagrams, type their thoughts into text fields, and most importantly, watch 59 videos of mostly teenagers, themselves targets of bullying, talking about their own experiences and giving advice based on what worked for them. Each video is set to music, and the key points are highlighted at the end of each video with graphics. Not only does most of the advice come from their peers, but it’s in a for6 0 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
tacted hundreds of families and we’ll have provided our Mean T(ween) VideoBook to hundreds of children who are subjected to bullying every day. In addition, after we analyze the data of each school, we present the results to the superintendent and the school administration, together with recommendations for improvement. We’ve found that school administrators have sound intuition about their students. But without the data to prove it, it’s hard to act on their intuition and even harder to justify spending money to improve weak areas. We provide them with data to support their intuition. The analysis documents where they are now and where they need to improve. The following year, when we test their students again, the data shows how well their investment of time and money has paid off. For example, in every school, the students say that the bullying occurs where adults are least present – on the bus, in the cafeteria, at recess, in the halls between classes. The data shows the percentage of students picked on in each of these locations (as well as others). At one school, we suggested the school “invest” in extra teacher presence on the playground.
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At another school, we suggested they encourage their PTA to get parents to ride the buses to discourage bullying there. These actionable ideas came out of the data from their students’ responses to the questionnaire, and their effectiveness can be easily measured. At each school, Dickon shows the students a video we made about bullying, and then does a “Town Hall Meeting” student question and answer session. He can see from their questions how moved they are and how much they “get it.” When the video cites research showing that chronic bullying affects the brain of the target and impairs his short-term memory, he sees kids elbowing their friends, saying, “See, I told you what you were doing was bad.” Suddenly, they realize that what previously seemed like a joke to them actually does serious harm to their classmates. Our psychologists report back poignant stories as well: the child who is struggling and reaching out to us for help because he’s living
– complete with choices for how to deal with each scenario. A girl sits down at a lunch table and all the other girls get up and go to another table, leaving the girl alone, burning with shame. What should the bystanders do? They can ignore it. They can laugh. They can high-five the meanies and tell them how great that was. Or they can quietly pick up their lunches and join the girl. This gives her support and shows the bullies they don’t approve. We plan to film kids (and hopefully, morally sound celebrities) acting out a set of these scenarios and presenting different safe choices for how to intervene. Students will see this video at the start of each year and will learn safe strategies for helping their classmates. By empowering them to change the climate in their schools – to take away the power from the bullies and to support their classmates - we are teaching students value-based leadership skills, critical skills for later success in the adult world. When that module is done, we want to create a module to teach
Approximately 10% at each school were being significantly affected by bullying, which correlates with national statistics. with a single mother, caught between working to pay the bills, taking care of her kids and looking after an aging parent dealing with dementia. It’s easy to see how there might not be time, money or emotional energy to help an adolescent being picked on by his classmates and reluctant to confide in his mother and add to her burdens. Our next project is to create a Bystander Intervention and ValueBased Leadership Module to add to our program. We believe bystanders are the key to controlling bullying. Adults alone can’t solve bullying problems – kids have to solve them. Our Mean T(ween) VideoBook empowers the target to help solve his/her own situation. But the silent majority in the school has the power to make bullying “uncool.” Bullies thrive on power, and as long as people are standing around watching and silently giving their support by not stopping the bullying, the bullies remain all-powerful. If the silent majority starts helping the targets and siding with them, suddenly the power gets taken away from the bullies. Together with last year’s 7th graders at Helen Keller, we’ve written a set of bystander scenarios – real life situations that kids see every day
bullies better uses of their power, and also a module to help parents. Our dream is to expand this program so that it can reach children nationwide. Want to help? Please go to survivingbullies.org and donate. As a community of concerned citizens — parents, teachers, administrators, bus-drivers, cafeteria-workers, clergy, and yes, bystanders — we must work together to oppose bullying in our schools and beyond. Survivingbullies.org is a 501(c)(3) charity. All donations are 100% tax deductible. ❉ Dickon Pownall-Gray is a life-long businessman, formerly of Bain & Co. and several of his own companies. He is now dedicating his life to helping targets of bullying so that they don’t have to endure the things he suffered as a child. Kiki Cahn has also been part of the management team in several businesses. A number of years ago, she decided to try and help make the world a better place, and became involved with the Surviving Bullies Charity. They are both residents of Weston.
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FICTION
THE BOOK OF RIGHT AND WRONG BY MATT DEBENHAM
THIS IS THE KIND OF TOWN FAIRPORT, CT. has become: Besides the landscapers and tree specialists, you can hire a team of guys just to come and pick up all the dog shit from your lawn. When Bobby Benoit grew up here, there was no such thing. Now there are three companies with brightly logoed pickup trucks roaming around town. (One is called Doggy Doods.) Bobby wonders if, given his prison record, he could even get hired to do this job. It’s after-school time on the preschool playground, the best and worst hour of Bobby’s day. On this sunny April afternoon, he sits at the front of the picnic table by the pre-school building, reading the Fairport Gazetteer. His four-year-old son, Cyrus, runs around playing some kind of imaginary baseball game, swatting invisible balls from every angle. As usual, Bobby is the only dad on the playground. The town paper is full of announcements about committees and zoning regulations, disagreements over moving the YMCA. Fairport wasn’t always this businesslike. In Bobby’s day, a high schooler could make extra money dealing pot to his football teammates, and later to the guys he worked with on building sites. Then people started moving up from the city, bringing along serious incomes. Bobby got caught the very first time he sold weed to someone who wasn’t born in Fairport. The guy, a hedge-fund manager, got off with an $800 fine. Bobby, who was married and had a new baby, went away for four years. When he came home, it was to a town where the streets and addresses were still the same, but the houses had all changed. Cyrus comes jogging up to the picnic table. He rests a hand on the corner while panting dramatically. His long bangs stick to his forehead. He’s already much shorter than the other kids in his class, and the long hair somehow makes him look smaller. “Whatcha doing?” says Bobby. Cyrus glares at him, pissed at the interruption. Cyrus will occasionally speak to Bobby in public, and not at all at home. At home, the four-year-old speaks only to his grandmother. Father and son are still getting to know each other. “Killing zombies.” And here Bobby had thought baseball. Instead, his son has been
swinging an invisible machete, beheading the children of Fairport. That’ll do a lot for their image around here. “Dude,” says Bobby. “How about something where you play with the other kids? Like tag.” Cyrus looks at him, then runs off again, leaving Bobby to sit there feeling stupid. He will probably do this again—risk the lash—just as he keeps packing a peanut butter sandwich for Cyrus every day even though every lunchbox comes back bearing the same pleading note: Their classroom is next door to the nut-free classroom, says the teacher, and she doesn’t want to take any chances. But one of the few things Bobby knows about his son is that Cyrus loves peanut butter. The sandwiches will continue. There are three picnic tables on the sandy playground. Two are filled with moms, cramming in their adult conversation for the day; at the other table is a pair of Serbian nannies and Bobby Benoit. A woman walks up: Miranda Lees, a mother he’s noticed since September but never spoken to. Looking past her, Bobby sees the women at her picnic table doing a poor job of not watching them. He wonders who dared Miranda to go talk to the big ex-con. “Mr. Benoit?” she says. She pronounces it in the proper French, like Ben-wah. “It’s Ben-oyt.” “Word has it you did some work on the school’s wireless network.” “Little bit, yeah.” What happened was this: The school director asked if Bobby knew anything about computer networks. Bobby said yes. What he didn’t say was where he’d learned it. “Do you think you could come by and look at our setup?” says Miranda. “It’s not working, and Jason can’t be bothered to look at it himself.” He feels bludgeoned by this tumble of words. What setup where? And who is Jason and why is he being such a dick? Bobby glances up at Miranda, grateful for his sunglasses as he takes in her long neck, her tanned shoulders, her toned arms. She is a person who wears workout gear nearly every day—tight Lycra pants or shorts, thin tank tops. In his own sweatpants and t-shirt, Bobby feels, somehow, underdressed. EXCERPT FROM THE SHORT STORY THE BOOK OF RIGHT AND WRONG
8 2 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
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“What say you, good sir?” says Miranda. “Help a gal out? I’ll pay in cash.” “I’m your guy,” says Bobby.
At home, the afternoon routine begins.
Bobby makes himself a sandwich at the counter while his mother complains about Fairport and Cyrus silently plays with action figures at the table. “They passed that new zoning law,” says Mrs. Benoit. “Yeah?” Bobby saw this in the paper, but couldn’t be bothered to read past the headline. “Yeah. Now if you want a shed that’s any bigger than an outhouse, you have to have X amount of space between your house and the shed. Oh, but get this: It also can’t be right up against a fence or anywhere on the edge of the property line.” “Isn’t that kind of where a shed goes?” “That’s what I say!” “So we couldn’t have a shed is what this means?” “No, we could. I just hate when they change the rules for no apparent reason.” He says nothing. If they lived somewhere else, it might be cheaper; but Fairport has excellent schools and, in Bobby’s mother, free childcare. And she might complain, but she’ll never leave. And why would she? It’s her house, mortgage fully paid off with her dead husband’s life-insurance money. Bobby’s end is paying for groceries and taxes and miscellaneous expenses—pre-school tuition, for instance. For this, he does handyman work: Hanging drywall, laying tile, doing light plumbing for people too cheap to shell out for licensed, bonded legitimates. When he doesn’t have handyman work, he mows lawns. It’s never not a struggle. Bobby looks at the clock. If he gets over to Miranda’s before three, he might return in time to squeeze in a pair of lawn jobs down the street. “Cyrus,” says Bobby. The boy leans closer to his Batman and Joker figures, whispering dialogue: No more will you commit these heinous… “Hey, Cyrus,” Bobby says again. Bobby’s mother steps in. “Your father is speaking.” Cyrus looks up at her. “I gotta go, bud,” says Bobby. “Did you get Mamie’s call?” says Mrs. Benoit. “The yard?” “That’s where I’m going, after this first job.” He wonders what will happen to his lawn clientele when all his mother’s friends die off. Or sell out: Half the neighborhood changed hands last year. With land scarce in Fairport, people have started buying up older houses and knocking them down to make room for newer, bigger ones. These people don’t want some guy with a lawn mower. They want a crew, a truckload of Mexicans rushing in and tag-teaming the landscape, gone in an hour, leaving no trace of themselves. Cyrus leans up and whispers something to his grandmother. Bobby heads for the door. Mrs. Benoit calls after him. “Can you pick up some popsicles for the man here?” That tiny exchange—the little whisper, its loud translation—sums up how it is, this last year between Bobby and Cyrus. How it is to 8 4 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
have a piece of you that won’t acknowledge you. Bobby feels it swelling and twisting in his chest, like a fairytale beanstalk, or a snake. He turns and looks at his son, this little stranger whom he nonetheless loves so much more than his own skin. “Tell Mr. Cyrus I would pick up a goddamn cement truck if that’s what he wanted. Tell him I’d pick up the ocean. Tell him all he has to do is ask.” Cyrus grimaces at his figures, looking quietly mortified. Mrs. Benoit smiles a mother’s smile: Pain, worry, pity. “I think just popsicles will do.”
They are
a ship of ghosts, the Benoit family. Everyone moves among the others, slipping through doorways and up stairs with as little motion and wind as possible. When Bobby went away, Cyrus was two months old. Cyrus’ mother, Sheila, has been dead since just before Bobby got out. Bobby had known she was bipolar—that one’s
MIRANDA’S HOUSE IS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN, OUT TOWARD WESTON. BOBBY ONCE KNEW A GUY ON MIRANDA’S STREET, BUT LIKE HIS OWN NEIGHBORHOOD, SO MANY OF THESE HOUSES HAVE BEEN FLATTENED AND REMADE VAST. not exactly a silent disease—but she’d always kept on her meds for the sake of their son. One day, she went to the library by the river and put Cyrus in front of the wooden train set in the children’s room. Then she went out, swallowed her entire bottle of Depakote and threw herself to the icy water. A bipolar suicide and a f—k-up dad: Some hand, thinks Bobby. As he drives across town to Miranda’s house, he wonders what would happen if he were to suddenly jerk the wheel and take on one of the huge oaks that buffer the roadside. His mother’s getting old: Would Cyrus get a whole new family? Would he have a chance, then, of starting clean? Bobby puts both hands full on the wheel and tightens his fingers around the hard plastic. Dead men make no money. Miranda’s house is on the edge of town, out toward Weston. Bobby once knew a guy on Miranda’s street, but like his own neighborhood, so many of these houses have been flattened and remade vast. He pulls his Cavalier into Miranda’s basketball-court-sized driveway and parks behind her black Volvo SUV-thing. Miranda’s daughter, Erin, is playing on the slate walkway with another girl Bobby recognizes from the preschool. “Hey, guys,” says Bobby. The girls merely blink up at him. Inside, Miranda’s on the kitchen phone. She smiles at Bobby and waves a one-minute! finger. She’s wearing black stretch pants and some kind of pink workout top, a different outfit from earlier. It seems possible that she works out more than once a day. The only hint to her age is her neck, which is slightly ropy in a way you don’t see on women in their twenties or thirties. Bobby’s neck is more like a block of ham.
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He’s not fat, exactly—he has the well-padded muscle of a one-time high-school football player—but Miranda must look at him and see butter coursing through his veins. Off her phone call, Miranda offers him some lemonade. “Erin and Cassidy just made it,” she says. Bobby pictures kids stirring with their hands. “I’m good,” he says. On the counter is an open planner. Today’s page has something scribbled in for every hour. He sees his name written across the 3PM slot: BOBBY B. He likes the sound of that: Bobby B. It’s a little friendly, a little more-than-friendly. The network in question is housed in the basement, a huge finished area with puffy leather couches and heavy brown pots of ceiling-high grasses. The TV hanging on the wall is bigger than Bobby’s windshield. Looking for the network room, Bobby heads for the door beside the TV. “Whoops!” says Miranda. “Nanny’s quarters.” “Of course,” says Bobby. “Not that there’s a nanny!” she says quickly. “I use a babysitter three nights a week, but that’s it.” He wonders if she tells this to everyone, or if he just makes her feel uncomfortably wealthy. Miranda leads him to another door on the other side of the couches. Inside are two metal racks of equipment. Bobby counts three TiVos, a digital music server, various amplifiers, assorted routers, and a pair of high-end Apple computers. The racks are on casters, for easy access. Bobby had imagined he’d be working on a regular computer network, not a media system. The room hums like a nest of sleeping robots. “Wow,” says Bobby. “Where’s the failsafe button?” He worries he’s just been lippy, as is his habit, but the remark brings an unexpected smirk to Miranda’s face. “Jason likes to have complete control over the household media,” she says. She takes a long breath and suddenly there’s something unfinished about the sentence, some thought hanging back on her tongue. Bobby begins imagining what her naked back might look like. She’s still talking: “…TiVo-ing every soccer game, every Lacrosse match…” He pictures sweat sparkling between her shoulder blades; her back arched slightly, spine like a string of pearls sunk just beneath a sandy ocean floor. Miranda’s hand appears on his arm. He flinches, and it’s gone. Immediately, he wants it back on him. “I’m sorry,” she says. “Is it wrong that I’m asking about it?” “What?” She’d changed subjects while he was making dirty little movies. “Your time inside.” Wow, he thinks: From TiVo to prison in under a minute. His own mother hasn’t even asked about his “time inside.” Amazingly, he hears himself tell Miranda, “Go ahead.” “Was it scary?” says Miranda. There’s a light in her eyes he hasn’t seen before. “Was it scary,” he repeats, watching that light dance and flicker. “Yes, sure, sometimes. Mostly it was kinda boring.” Her eyes are dim again, and suddenly he wishes he had a scar to show her. “Well, this
one time I watched a Hispanic dude stab a guard in the lunch room. Toothbrush handle to the neck. Blood everywhere.” “Really?” And there’s that flicker again. “Sure.” The attack in question had actually happened a week before his arrival, but she doesn’t need to know that. Upstairs, someone screams. Bobby and Miranda look at the ceiling. Bobby thinks: Goddammit, Cyrus. Then he remembers Cyrus isn’t here. Miranda runs up the stairs. Bobby looks around. Should he run up, too, or just get to work? He’s unsure of his role here—is he a fellow parent or the handyman? He glances into the network room, which only hums at him unhelpfully. He bounds upstairs after Miranda. She’s in the kitchen, her back to the basement door. Little Erin sits on the counter, wailing away into her mother’s chest, gangly limbs wrapped around Miranda’s neck and ribs. “What happened” says Bobby. “Sshh!” hisses Miranda. The other little girl, Cassidy, is there. Her fingers are filthy. “I pretended some dirt was peanut butter.” “Oh,” says Bobby. “And she ate it and it was gross, huh?” Miranda turns partway to him. “No, she’s violently allergic to peanuts, and Cassidy there was using that information to scare the shit out of my daughter.” She glares at Cassidy. “She said she was gonna put it on me,” Erin wails. She pauses to sneer at the other girl before burying her face into her mother’s bare shoulder. Cassidy shrugs. “I thought it was funny.” “Yeah, well, we’ll see how funny it is when your mother gets here,” says Miranda. Erin forces out a sob. “Hey,” says Bobby, crouching down by Cassidy. “How about we go outside and wait for your mom?” He doesn’t know if, or how, the girl’s mother has been called already. Mainly he just wants to get the f—k out of the kitchen. Cassidy looks at him, then away. “I’m not a’pposed to talk to you.” “Oh, sure. No talking to strange men, right? I gotcha.” “No, just to you. Miranda told us not to talk to you.” Bobby can feel Miranda’s eyes on his back now. He stays in midcrouch, frozen, looking past little Cassidy. If he stays, he might as well be telling Miranda to go ahead and treat him like a slave. On the other hand, he could say screw the gig, just walk out the door. Finally, he stands and heads for the basement stairs. Over at his house, they could use the cash. ❉ Matt Debenham’s fiction has appeared in Roanoke Review, The Pinch, Painted Bride Quarterly, North Atlantic Review, and elsewhere. He was Peter Taylor Scholar at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and has received a fiction fellowship from the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism. His story collection, The Book of Right and Wrong, winner of the OSU Press Prize for short fiction, will be published in June 2010 and will be available at Amazon.com and independent booksellers. He lives in Westport with his wife, the writer Caissie St.Onge, and their two children.
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FICTION
THE BREADWINNER BY STEPHEN RHODES THEY SAY THE BULLET THAT KILLS YOU IS ALWAYS THE ONE YOU NEVER SEE COMING. Paul Friedlander certainly didn’t see this particular bullet coming as he stepped into the firm’s Barcelona Conference Room for a meeting with head trader of the Special Situations desk and his team of brighteyed, hyper-caffeinated sycophants. The senior tax lawyer for Wolcott Fulbright snapped opened his notebook and nodded to Gil McGeary. “Okay, Gil, what do you guys have in the pipeline?” “Well, we’re kind of excited about this, Paul.” McGeary gave him the winning smile of a used-car salesman. “It’s a tax arbitrage trade we structured with external counsel. It could mean hundreds of millions of revenue to the firm. Maybe even a billion-plus.” Friedlander felt a foreboding chill spread over his already sour stomach. Billion-dollar tax trades didn’t simply fall out of the sky, they usually came in the form of some dubious financial alchemy. “Okay, got it. A billion-plus. Which law firm?” “Brittenham, Monaco and Alito.” Paul Friedlander frowned. “Never heard of ‘em.” “Well, it’s a newly formed shop. Kind of an all-star team of the best tax lawyers on the Street. We’re working directly with Stephanie Monaco.” “Uh huh.” Friedlander dutifully jotted down the name. “Never heard of her either.” “Penny has. She graduated from Georgetown with Stephanie.” Alarm bells went off. Penny Brassil was Paul’s boss. McGeary continued. “Going forward, I think you’ll be hearing a 9 4 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
lot more about Monaco and her firm. They’re sharp, savvy and business-friendly.” “I’m sure.” “Back to the proposed transaction, I’m turning it over to Julian Stainsby and Joe Monetti, who have been structuring the deal with Stephanie. Stains, you’re up.” Monetti handed out the velobound PowerPoint flipbooks. Stainsby cleared his throat theatrically. “Right then, if you’ll please turn to the Executive Summary on page 3 — “ — and for the next twelve minutes, Stainsby detailed an impossibly convoluted transaction code-named Voltaire. It was outrageous! The multi-tentacled scheme required taking intentional losses on foreignexchange transactions, setting up an offshore Special Purpose Vehicle in the Cayman Islands in the name of a children’s charity, and buying offshore tax credits from a second-tier French bank. Friedlander gazed at the eye-boggling schematic in the flipbook. Given his years of experience, he saw the trade as little more than a game of hide-the-salami. Eventually, Friedlander reached his limit and raised a silencing hand. “Guys, what do you want from me? Pre-arranged trading, intentional losses, an offshore SPV — the transaction you’re describing has all the earmarks of a classic, form-over-substance tax scam.” The room went deathly silent at the words tax scam. “It’s a will-level opinion from Brittenham,” Monetti said. “I mean, that’s money-good, right?” Friedlander glared. “Just the opposite. Outside counsel is selling you an overblown opinion that isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. By the time this trade blows up and the IRS comes after our firm, your lawyer will have moved on to Morgan Stanley, leaving us to clean up the chocolate mess.” McGeary murmured, “Did we mention the transaction could be worth a billion dollars in net revenue to the firm?”
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A veiled threat. More and more in recent months, Friedlander had felt the not-so-subtle pressure from the business people to lower the bar to permit lucrative tax plays. Nobody gets paid if the business people can’t do trades — that was always the guilt-trip they pulled. Wolcott’s fastand-loose culture demanded: DO THE TRADE! Still, Friedlander’s mandate was to be the conscience of the institution — to protect the firm from opportunities that exposed the firm to existential risk. If Paul didn’t step up to the plate as a dissenting voice among the choruses of “DO THE TRADE,” who would? No one. “Yes, Gil,” Paul Friedlander replied. “A billion-plus.” A knowing smile spread across Gil McGeary’s face. “Paul, you’re gonna deep-six this trade, aren’t you?” “It’s too soon to draw any conclusions, but candidly, a lot of the pieces don’t pass the smell test.” Friedlander closed his notebook and shuffled his papers into a neat stack. “If pushed right now, I’d have to say no.” McGear y nodded solemnly. “Of course, we’ll abide by the Tax Department’s decision, whichever way you come out. But I’ve got to believe that the big-picture guys upstairs would get behind this kind of trade, given the potential revenues.” “Maybe. Let’s see where Penny comes out on it when she returns from Europe next week.” With that, the meeting ended. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, Paul Friedlander’s career with Wolcott took a dizzying turn for the worst. His office phone rang at 8:17 am. His boss, Penny Brassil, back from her European tour. “I need to see you,” she said curtly. “Be right there.” He grabbed the Voltaire file, energized by the opportunity to discuss the trade with his senior manager. Penny’s desk in her spacious corner office was infuriatingly spotless, virtually devoid of any paper. She was fond of saying that she was “not afraid” to delegate responsibility to the rest of her staff — as if it were a virtue, not a mere smoke screen to jet off on countless threeweek junkets to the European region (always to “verify the tax implications” of certain “cross-border transactions”). Penny was a selfdescribed travel junkie; in a weak moment, she confided to Paul that her dream job would be a travel writer. She saw herself in the organi-
zation as strictly “big picture,” and never got her hands dirty. “Senior Management called me several times about this Voltaire transaction.” Her tone was surprisingly sharp and accusatory. “What’s your aversion to this trade?” “Well, first-and-foremost, it’s a form-over-substance structure.” Paul methodically ticked off the IRC tax code violations on the Voltaire transaction. His boss punctuated each of his points with an impatient “uh-huh, uh-huh.” Friedlander contended that the transaction posed reputational risk, regulatory risk and, quite possibly, franchise risk to Wolcott Fulbright. Penny regarded him with a lifeless stare. “Senior Management doesn’t give a f—k about any of that. They want to do this trade, and they want it done yesterday.” He was astounded. “Are you serious?” “Dead serious.” “Well, then,” he said, benumbed. “I guess it’s your call.” “Apparently so,” Penny said, coldly. “Which brings up the other reason I called you into my office. Gil McGeary has had some unpleasant conversations about you with Senior Management. Called you a ‘Doctor No’ in the ‘Business Prevention Unit.’” “What?” “This is a serious problem, Paul.” Paul Friedlander’s downward spiral from that point was irreversible. BY THE END OF MAY, his career at Wolcott was over. Terminated with one week’s severance for each of his ten years at the firm. The exit package offered was humiliating, given his devotion and contribution to the institution over the years. In those final moments, Friedlander pathetically lugged the two Bankers Boxes of his personal belongings out of the building under the watchful eye of Building Security. On the solemn elevator ride down to the lobby, it struck him suddenly that perhaps the whole enterprise was a conspiracy among Penny Brassil, Gil McGeary and faceless others to get rid of him. He was, after all, the conscience of the firm! Stepping outside Park Avenue Plaza for the last time, the indignity brought hot tears to his eyes. His worst suspicions were verified in short order. Penny Brassil announced that her Georgetown classmate Stephanie Monaco would be the new senior tax counsel at Wolcott Fulbright.
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Nine weeks later, the Voltaire trade got done, causing a huge buzz among the industry about Wolcott Fulbright’s “innovative” tax play. IT TOOK TWO FULL DAYS for Paul to get the balls to break the news to Rachel about his termination. He chose Kira Sushi Restaurant to tell her; hopefully, in such a public place, Rachel would keep the volume of her voice a few notches below terrifying. Predictably, though, she didn’t take it well. “I knew it,” she hissed, as if her worst thoughts about him had been vindicated. “You are the world champion loser when it comes to office dynamics.” “Rachel, you don’t understand how they screwed me over. It wasn’t my fault.” “See, that’s just it. You don’t realize how you come off to people you work with. Just because you have two Ivy League degrees, you think you’re the smartest guy in the room, when you’re not.”
at the Friedlander residence. Tensions flared with each passing week. The headhunters invariably told Paul that because he had refined his tax expertise to such a narrow specialty, only a few dozen firms could make use of his skill-set. Unfortunately, those firms were “all full-up” on tax talent at present. To avoid toxic confrontations with Rachel, he began hanging out at the Starbucks on Greenwich Avenue with the rest of the unemployed laptop losers from Wall Street who secretly feared their most lucrative years were now firmly behind them. Overcaffeinated, he began seriously contemplating becoming a tax accountant — or, God forbid — a personal injury attorney. Friedlander was getting that desperate. Then a very strange thing happened. The recruiter from New Canaan called and giddily informed Paul that the Triptych hedge fund wanted to interview him for a new tax structuring role. And Arthur Lewellyn insisted on conducting the interview personally. It was an out-of-body experience. Arthur
“Gil McGeary has had some unpleasant conversations about you with Senior Management. Called you a 'Doctor No' in the 'Business Prevention Unit.'" “You’re gonna throw my education in my face?” “Just listen to me, okay? That trade was worth hundreds of millions in revenue to the firm, right?” “Theoretically, yeah. In tax credits.” “No, not theoretically. If the transaction went through, you would’ve been part of a billion-dollar transaction that would’ve had a direct impact on your year-end bonus. True?” “Probably true.” “God, Paul, would it have killed you to rubber stamp this transaction just once? For your family, maybe?” “Rachel, the transaction was illegal. I’m talking ‘go-to-jail’ kind of trade.” “I’m wasting my breath, aren’t I?” Rachel quietly stared at her halfeaten entrée. “Paul, our family is the only one in temple who can’t make private school happen for our children.” She sighed. “As a provider? As a husband? You are a bitter disappointment. Full stop.” She dropped her napkin on her plate. “I’m going to be in the car.” She got up, exited the restaurant. Paul paid the check with a trembling hand, aware of the eyes of others burning into him. His wife had just called him a loser, a disappointment. As a breadwinner, he was an abject failure. Those were the kind of words that haunted a man for a lifetime. THE NEXT THREE MONTHS of unemployment were sheer torment 9 6 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
Lewellyn? Lewellyn’s Triptych Fund was legendary for its secretive black-box mystique and its consistently high double-digit returns. Why the hell does a guy like Lewellyn want to meet with me? Paul thought, truly perplexed. But wow. Lewellyn in the flesh? A once-ina-lifetime opportunity. ON THURSDAY, he waited for Lewellyn at the Core Club on East 55th Street, a meeting place obviously calculated to impress (or more likely, to intimidate). Known sardonically as “The Billionaire Boys Club,” the interior of the Core Club was an in-your-face, Italian-marbled monument to gold-plated narcissism. Lewellyn kept him waiting for twenty minutes. To pass the time, Paul anxiously gazed at the art by Basquiat and De Kooning. The room suddenly came alive with a burst of energy as the diminutive, wild dog of the Greenwich hedge fund world made his splashy appearance. Lewellyn pumped the hands of the powerful people in the gilded dining room (is that Barry Diller he’s greeting?) as he zig-zagged toward Friedlander in his $4,500 Anderson & Sheppard suit with horsehair-lined lapels. The bespoke double-breasted suit contoured his body like a second skin. He approached Paul with the eerie, alien-like glow of a Bluetooth device in his ear, speedrapping energetically to the other party. “— ‘Nardo, you have to SWIFT the Credit Suisse account. If they bullshit for even a nano-second, kick ‘em in the balls and cut the cord. This oppor-
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tunity is a magnet to every full-a-shit fly-by-night asshole who wants to get rich with one strike.” He tore the Bluetooth from his ear, and took the seat across from Paul with neither an apology nor a handshake. “I hear you got f—ked at Wolcott Fulbright,” he said cheerfully by way of introduction, arranging the linen napkin on his lap. “That makes two of us.” THE LEWELLYN encounter was brief and bizarre — and highly lucrative. After a rushed meal from celebrity chef Tom Colicchio’s menu, Paul walked away from the Core Club meeting with an eye-popping offer in hand: a guarantee of $250,000 upfront as a signing bonus . . . an annual base salary of $250,000. . . and a minimum bonus of $250,000. Meaning: the upside was unlimited; as a Senior Tax Structurer at the Triptych Fund, Paul would have an opportunity to make millions. Millions! Over a $300 dinner at Aux Delices, Paul confidently conveyed the good news to Rachel. She squealed in delight, jumped up (knocking over a $67 glass of 1995 Cuvee des Enchanteleurs) and wriggled provocatively onto his lap to bathe him in happy kisses. Later, over drinks at L’Escale by the water, Rachel emotionally shared the dreams she hoped might now have a chance of coming true: a bigger house closer to the Backcountry, private school for Kayla and Caitlin, a ski house in Vermont, the cinnamon-colored Porsche Cayenne she’d fallen in love with . . . . That night, they made love for the very first time in three months. The reversal of fortune was nothing short of stunning. Paul Friedlander’s ship of gold had finally come in. LEWELLYN DEMANDED he start right away, which was fine by Paul. He reported for work at Triptych’s lavish Greenwich headquarters on Steamboat Road that following Monday, keen to roll up the shirtsleeves and demonstrate his true value to the hedge fund. Jennings in HR told him to set up his glassed-in office on the fifth floor and await a meeting with the head trader, Oliver de Havilland. During the meeting, the head trader would provide Paul with a detailed job description and what was expected of him to hit his maximum bonus targets. Slight problem, though, Jennings noted with a wry smile. De Havilland was in the middle of a month-long vacation in the Serengeti. So for the next thirteen business days, Friedlander didn’t have a single visitor or a single phone call. It was bizarre; during the same time, the hedge fund was spinning tens of millions of dollars in profits out of thin air on a daily basis, while Paul surfed the ‘net, awaiting instructions from on high. What a waste, he thought half-guiltily. Eventually, a deeply-tanned and athletic-looking Oliver de Havilland returned from his African safari, pumped up and ready to tear back into the capital markets. Kicking off the long-awaited introductory meeting, the two men traded bland pleasantries (which consisted primarily of de Havilland’s self-absorbed and you-had-to-bethere highlights from his African safari). Finally, de Havilland clapped his hands together and got down to
business. “Okay, Friedlander, tell me everything you know about the Voltaire trade.” “The Voltaire trade?” Paul was confused. “Arthur told me you worked on that trade when you were at Wolcott. Is that inaccurate?” “Well, to be clear, um, I blocked that trade. I thought it was . . . illegal.” De Havilland laughed. “That’s right. It was illegal, but Wolcott still did the trade after you warned them, right?” “Yes, that’s right.” De Havilland leaned forward, the good humor vanishing. “That’s why I want you to tell me everything about that trade in painstaking detail. And I mean everything.” The following day, Paul brought de Havilland a USB thumb drive with the documents related to the Voltaire transactions — the presentation of the trade, a schematic, Paul’s cover-his-ass memo on why the trade was illegal and the opinion letter from the Brittenham firm. De Havilland dispassionately reviewed the files, nodded and dismissed Paul from his office. “If I need anything else, I’ll call you,” he said, as he dialed Lewellyn directly. MYSTERIOUSLY, Paul was left alone again for another three business days — no phone calls, no visitors, no interaction with the clubby and secretive cabal of traders one floor below who acted as if the new “Senior Tax Structurer” didn’t even exist. He began to seriously wonder why the hell they hired him if they didn’t have an immediate need for his skill set. The answer came the following day. MUCH AS THE MOST destructive tropical storm is marked by the calm that precedes it, so too, did the disastrous day start in a quiet, unremarkable way. Over at Wolcott Fulbright, Gil McGeary was the first to notice the irregularities in the pre-trading activity of the company’s stock. He paid attention mostly because 85% of his net worth was tied to the value of Wolcott Fulbright’s stock price. McGeary squinted at his Bloomberg screen as the seemingly unrelated trades began to converge into a significant sell-off even before the market opened. At the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange, Wolcott Fulbright stock plunged more than 10% in the first 15 minutes of trading. CNBC picked up the phenomenon, and began reporting on the “unexplained” downward trend on its Morning Call broadcast. A senior Wolcott executive rang up McGeary. “What the f—k’s happening to the stock price?” “The Street’s as baffled as we are, Alan. I’m aware of no news driving this.” Forty-five minutes later, the stock was down more than 15%. Senior management called an emergency meeting in the executive conference room on the seventh floor. Wolcott brass from all the regions participated by secure satellite-global video conference. One of the senior executives demanded of McGeary, “What can you tell us, Gil?”
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“The whisper circuit tells us it’s a group of five or six hedge funds ganging up and shorting our stock.” “Which funds?” the woman from Operations asked. “Triptych, Harbinger, Brightwood, TNB, Shoreline, and possibly Constellation.” “This is cold-blooded bullshit.” It was Wolcott’s Treasurer. “These hedge fund assholes twist our arms to give cheap leverage, zero-cost execution and they make a meal of us like cannibals. Kee-rist.” “Somebody should call CNBC — “ “And tell them, what?” “I don’t know. Something.” “How about the SEC? Can’t they shut this down?” “They’re toothless — our stock price could be beaten down to zero by the time they wake up.” By midafternoon, the stock price approached a 30% decline on the day, and full-blown panic spread throughout the firm. Finally, at 3 pm, CNBC came on with a Breaking News flash. All eyes on the trading floor turned to the LCD screens. CNBC EXCLUSIVE: WOLCOTT STOCK DOWN 35% ON
cers descended, so the girls missed the commotion. In the meanwhile, the FBI agents swarmed the house, seizing Paul’s desktop computer, his Dell Inspiron, two of his daughters’ laptops and six boxes of personal files. When Paul returned to the house, he realized what was happening. Though he offered no resistance, the Feds brutally handcuffed the startled tax lawyer in front of the entire neighborhood. Rachel stood paralyzed by the surreal scene of federal marshals taking her husband into custody. "Call Tacopina in Westport," he croaked before the FBI agents spirited him away in a white Chevy Suburban SUV. "He knows what to do." OVER THE COURSE of the next several months, Paul Friedlander's life would be systematically destroyed - law license suspended, bank accounts drained, reputation ruined, Rachel's divorce action filed. Yet, some possible good news: his superstar defense lawyer Tacopina was reasonably certain Paul could get immunity and stay out of jail by testifying against Lewellyn and de Havilland and Triptych. But not so fast . . . Examiners from the U.S. Treasury subpoenaed Friedlander to explain his role in the Voltaire tax trade. The govern-
Hopefully, in such a public place, Rachel would keep the volume of her voice a few notches below terrifying. RUMORS FIRM IS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR FRAUDULENT TAX TRADES. US FEDERAL OFFICIALS CITE WHISTLEBLOWER TIP FROM FORMER EMPLOYEE. In the executive conference room, Gil McGeary’s mouth literally dropped open. He clapped his hands loudly to get everyone’s attention. “Can anyone confirm to me,” McGeary shouted to the group of panicked executives, “whether Paul Friedlander took that job at Triptych last month?” WHEN THE CLOSING bell mercifully rang, signifying the end of the trading session, Wolcott Fulbright stock had lost 42.2% of its value from the previous night. The investment world was stunned; there was no reason for the Wolcott stock to be dumped like toxic waste, yet the eye-popping numbers were irrefutable. The hedge funds that had been short-sellers had collectively made billions from Wolcott Fulbright’s miserable plight. But the mountains of profits the Greenwich hedge funds clawed out made it a cakewalk for the regulators. All they had to do was follow the money trail. Two days later, the Feds arrived at the Greenwich residence of the Friedlanders, presenting Rachel Friedlander with a frightening document — a Search Warrant Under Seal from the United States District Court of New Haven. Thankfully, Paul was dropping his daughters off at Westchester Fairfield Hebrew Academy at the precise time the offi1 0 0 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
ment had turned its sights on Wolcott Fulbright, and he was now unwillingly but unavoidably - a material witness in yet another Federal legal proceeding. ONE DAZZLINGLY brilliant day in November - as Paul Friedlander sat in the Federal District courthouse in downtown Manhattan awaiting his turn to testify against his former employers - he asked himself one simple, hypothetical question. Given what you now know, Friedlander, what would you do differently if you had the chance to do it over? He smiled to himself ruefully. Nothing. Not a damn thing. He was the conscience of the firm. He had a duty to the shareholders, to the institution. As such, when he would be called to the witness stand to testify against Gil McGeary later that afternoon, it didn't matter that going forward with the testimony would likely ruin his life, permanently ostracizing him from the financial services industry. This was, quite simply, his destiny. He was at peace with that. ❉ STEPHEN RHODES is a Westport novelist and securities lawyer with 15 years experience on Wall Street. His critically acclaimed financial thriller, THE VELOCITY OF MONEY (William Morrow/Avon Books) was praised for anticipating the 2008 market crisis. Most recently, his short fiction has appeared in The Best American Mystery Stories, 2009, and Wall Street Noir.
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THE COLLECTOR BY VIVIAN SIMONS MY PASSION for collecting began when I was twenty, working as an au pair in New York. The Park Avenue mom that I lived with spent many a day shopping for alluring objects to fill her very large apartment. I was always fascinated by her acquisitions and started to collect on my own. Years later, with a few of my own children in tow, I lived the dream of the Wall Street wife, becoming an expat in both London and Hong Kong. I made a small dent in the British antiques market but was limited in space due to having to rent a furnished flat. Stepped up the shopping quite a bit after moving to Hong Kong. After visiting a few markets in China and being unable to communicate, I began to study Mandarin. With my improved Chinese I was able to bargain and exchange words with many of the locals. A key phrase was “Can you ship to my home?” Not only was China a goldmine for antiques, the photo opportunities were endless. In addition to China, I collected antiques from Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, Africa, India, Cambodia and Vietnam. I am truly thankful to my husband’s company for shipping everything back to the USA. Living in Connecticut, I had heard about Brimfield Antique Market in Brimfield, MA but had never gotten around to going. Last summer I decided to book a room in Sturbridge Village and made a plan to spend a few days there. When I arrived at the market I didn’t know where to begin; it seemed to go on for miles. With a cup of brew, a couple of cameras around my neck, and my money and cash cards well organized, I headed out. The best finds are sold in the first few minutes of a field’s opening and this is the most exciting yet frustrating time. The overwhelming size of the market and variety of items for sale is unimaginable. Most serious buyers know exactly where to find their favorite vendors and travel in teams to maximize their shopping success. Serious buyers line up hours before, knowing exactly where to go when the gates finally open. Cell phones, walkie-talkies, shopping carts or a reliable porter are a necessity. Brimfield is very friendly but definitely competitive if you collect something rare that others are also interested in. Bargaining is crucial. I found a great metal lamp and asked the price. It was selling for $1,250. I asked if they would take $400 and they said, “Yes.” Be prepared to pay what it is worth to you. Not everyone is so negotiable but at a minimum you should be able to get at least a 10% discount. You don’t have to have a huge budget to go to Brimfield, just an open mind and some imagination. Shoppers come from all over the world and the people-watching is phenomenal. There is a bit of celebrity there as well. I purchased a few wire baskets and was told that Jerry Seinfeld had just purchased a few of the same, minutes before. Torn between shopping and taking photos, I do my best to capture the most interesting people and objects on film while keeping my eyes open for a unique object that I cannot live without. Brimfield is one of those places I have fallen in love with and would not miss the opportunity to do at least a day trip every May, July and September. Additional photos of Brimfield can be viewed on Vivian’s website: Vivshotshots.smugmug.com. ❉
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About Brimfield 2010 Dates: May 11-16, July 13-18, September 7-12. The Brimfield Antiques Show is the largest outdoor antiques show in the world, with over 6,000 dealers and 130,000+ visitors during the course of the week. While it is convenient to refer to it as “The Show,” it is actually comprised of 23 fields, owned by “Promoters,” who lease spaces to dealers from all over the world. www.brimfieldshow.com.
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UPCOMING ARTS AND EVENTS IN CONNECTICUT Connecticut’s Fifth Annual Open House Day June 13, 2010 More than 200 Connecticut Attractions and Destinations Offer Special Incentives to State Residents Connecticut residents can create an instate getaway during the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism’s annual Connecticut Open House Day on Saturday, June 13. Connecticut’s attractions and tourism destinations, arts and cultural organizations, historic sites, shops and lodging properties roll out the welcome mat with discounted/free admission, free gifts and/or special exhibits and activities. A sampling of this year’s Open House Day destinations: • Governor’s Residence in Hartford – free admission • Lutz Children’s Museum in Manchester – free admission • Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury – free admission • Stamford Museum and Nature Center – free admission • Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport – free admission for first 100 kids • Weir Farm National Historic Site in Wilton –Hard Hat Tours of interiors of the house, studio and Young Studio during the restoration. For a current list of participating
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venues, specials, and hours of operation, go to www.CTvisit.com or call 888-CTvisit (888-288-4748). 15th Annual International Festival Of Arts & Ideas New Haven, CT
June 12-26, 2010 Established in 1996, the Festival features worldclass theater, dance and music performances (from classical and jazz to popular and world music), as well as eclectic and inspiring lectures, panel discussions and dialogues. Interactive activities for children and families, walking and bike tours of historic spaces, and tours of awardwinning ethnic restaurants. Everything is within walking distance, and 80% of Festival events are free to the public. 203/562-5666; 888-7362663; www.artidea.org. Bruce Museum May 29, 2010 - August 22, 2010 Andy Warhol: Flowers, 1974. This exhibition features two series of ten “Flower Prints” by Andy Warhol. Executed in two different styles, the work includes one set in black and white, which is a new acquisition that was recently donated to the Bruce Museum’s permanent collection by Reba and Dave Williams, and a hand-colored
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RYE ARTS CENTER TRAFFIC JAM BY MARION SCHNEIDER
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set from 1974 that was given to the Museum by Peter Brant. 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich, CT. 203/869-0376 brucemuseum.org Yale University Art Gallery & Yale Center for British Art Travel to Italy and Britain this summer by way of the Yale Art Museums. In the span of one city block, view one of the world’s finest private collections of Italian art along with 200 Iconic British Transport Posters that transformed London’s identity. Italial Paintings from the Richard L. Feigen Collection, Yale University Art Gallery May 28September 12. 1111 Chapel Street (at York Street), New Haven, Connecticut. . www.artgallery.yale.edu; 203/432-0600. Art for All: British Posters for Transport ,Yale Center for British Art, May 27 through August 15. 1080 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT. 203/432-2800; www.yale.edu. ArtPlace Gallery June 1 - June 27, 2010 Two Exhibitions: Wendy Shalen: “Human Nature” — Drawings, Paintings, Prints Sandra Meagher: “Conumble Series” — Charcoal Drawings Opening Reception: Saturday, June 5, 2010, 4:00 To 7:00 pm Artist Walk & Talk: Sunday, June 27, Noon To 1 pm ArtPlace, an artists’ cooperative, maintains a gallery at 11 Unquowa Road, Fairfield, CT, diagonally across the Post Road from the public library and next to the Community Theater Foundation. Visitors are welcomed from Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 to 5:30. 203/292-8328; visit www.artplace.org.
genius, Dweezil not only reproduces the music perfectly, he brings it back to life, often with a multimedia show. It’s an amazing experience for fans who never caught Frank in concert, and its even weirder for those who did. www.fairfieldtheatre.org. P.T. Barnum’s 200th Birthday Bash! Barnum Museum, Bridgeport July 5, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Come one, come all and celebrate the 200th birthday of P.T. Barnum! Enjoy a wonderful, funfilled performance by Clown Extraordinaire, Joe Barney. Be there for a performance full of fascinating tricks and magic, circus techniques for the family to try, and, of course, lots and lots of smiles and laughter! A beautiful birthday cake and a birthday sing-along will highlight the joyous celebration. www.barnum-museum.org. Happy Days Westport Country Playhouse July 6 – July 24, 2010 Westport Country Playhouse stages a play of luminous beauty and rare power, “Happy Days” by Samuel Beckett, the Nobel Prize-winning author of “Waiting for Godot,” recently revived on Broadway to wide acclaim. Directed by Mark Lamos. Beckett’s masterpiece, the story of one woman’s cheerful optimism in the face of a trifling universe, is among the most inspiring and exhilarating explorations of what it means to be alive. www.westportplayhouse.org. See www.FCBuzz.org for complete listings of local arts and cultural events in our region.
photography, sculpture, ceramics, prints, jewelry and textiles. This year’s show honors the memory of Tina Smith, artist, friend and long time supporter of The Rye Arts Center. Best of show in multiple categories will be awarded by guest judge Stephen Doherty, art critic, writer and editor of American Artist Magazine. 51 Milton Road, Rye, NY. 914/967-0700; www.ryeartscenter.org. Grateful Dead: Now Playing at New York Historical Society Manhattan Explore the political and social upheavals and artistic awakenings of the 1960s and 1970s, a tumultuous and transformative period that shaped our current cultural and
IN NEW YORK Dweezil Zappa Plays Zappa Fairfield Theatre Company July 1, 2010, 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM In the 7-piece band known as Zappa Plays Zappa, Dweezil Zappa works to honor the bizarre legacy of his father Frank. Having spent his entire life learning the intricacy of the Zappa
The 5th Annual Members’ Show Rye Arts Center June 10-23, 2010 Opening Reception: June 10, 6-8pm The Rye Arts Center presents its 5th Annual Members’ Show, a non-juried exhibition of a variety of media including oils, pastels, watercolor, AMALIE ROTHSCHILD, EXTERIOR OF FILLMORE EAST, JANUARY 1970. COURTESY OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ. GRATEFUL DEAD ARCHIVE.
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H. A. REY, FINAL ILLUSTRATION FOR “THIS IS GEORGE. HE LIVED IN AFRICA,” PUBLISHED IN THE ORIGINAL CURIOUS GEORGE (1998), FRANCE, 1939–40, WATERCOLOR, CHARCOAL, AND COLOR PENCIL ON PAPER.
and a striking Kirchner sculpture.
political landscape, and examine how the Grateful Dead’s origin in northern California in the mid-1960s was informed by the ideology and spirit of both the Beat Generation and the burgeoning Hippie scene, including the now-legendary Acid Tests. Discover how the band’s refusal to follow the established rules of the record industry revealed an unexpected business savvy that led to innovations in a rapidly changing music industry, and also to a host of consumer-driven marketing enrichments that kept fans in frequent contact with the band. Two West 77th Street, New York, NY. 212/873-3400; www.nyhistory.org. Curious George Saves The Day: The Art Of Margret And H. A. Rey The Jewish Museum, Manhattan Through August 1, 2010 Dramatic Story Of Escape And Survival Revealed Through Nearly 80 Original Drawings Curious George, the impish monkey protagonist of many adventures, may never have seen the light of day were it not for the determination and courage of his creators: illustrator H. A. Rey (1898 – 1977) and his wife, author and artist Margret Rey (1906 – 1996). Born in Hamburg, Germany, to Jewish families, they lived in Paris from 1936 to 1940. Hours before the Nazis marched into the city in June 1940, the Reys fled on bicycles, carrying drawings for their children’s stories, including one about a mischievous monkey. In all, the Reys authored and illustrated over thirty books, seven of them starring Curious George. 1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street, NYC. www.TheJewishMuseum.org. Metropolitan Museum of Art Manhattan Picasso Through August 1, 2010 250 works by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) from the Museum’s collection, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and ceramics—never before seen in their entirety—as well as a selection of the artist’s prints. The collection reflects the breadth of the artist’s multi-sided genius as it asserted itself over the course of his long and influential career.
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Tutankhamun’s Funeral Through September 6, 2010 Remains from the mummification and funeral of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun: pottery vessels from the funeral meal, linen sheets and bandages, bags of natron and sawdust from the embalming process, and some fine linen head covers worn by the embalmers. A sculpted head of the youthful Tutankhamun, facsimile paintings representing contemporary funerary rituals, and photographs round out this intimate glimpse into what went on at the king’s funeral.
American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity Through August 15, 2010 The first Costume Institute exhibition drawn from the newly established Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at the Met. Explores developing perceptions of the modern American woman from 1890 to 1940, and how they have affected the way American women are seen today. Focusing on archetypes of American femininity through dress, the exhibition reveals how the American woman initiated style revolutions that mirrored her social, political, and sexual emancipation. Side by Side: Oberlin’s Masterworks at the Met Through August 29, 2010 Founded in 1917, the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College is one of the finest college or university collections in the United States, serving as an invaluable educational resource for aspiring art scholars and artists. While the museum is closed in 2010 for renovations, 20 of their masterpieces—19 paintings and one sculpture—are on view at The Met. These include the great Ter Brugghen painting, Saint Sebastian Tended by Saint Irene (one of the most important Northern Baroque paintings in the U.S.), Cézanne’s Viaduct at l’Estaque, Kirchner’s Self-Portrait as a Soldier,
Doug + Mike Starn on the Roof: Big Bambú Through October 31, 2010 (weather permitting) American artists Mike and Doug Starn (born 1961) have created a site-specific installation for The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden. The identical twin brothers present Big Bambú, a monumental bamboo in the form of a cresting wave that bridges realms of sculpture, architecture, and performance. Visitors witness the creation and evolving incarnations of Big Bambú as it is constructed throughout the spring, summer, and fall by the artists and a team of rock climbers. The Metropolitan Museum of Art 1000 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10028-0198 Phone: 212-535-7710 www.metmuseum.org Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival Croton Point Park, Croton-on-Hudson, NY June 19 & 20 Inspired by Pete Seeger’s desire to clean up the river over forty years ago, the Great Hudson River Revival initially helped raise funds to build the sloop Clearwater, which has become a renowned floating classroom and symbol of effective grassroots action. Revenue raised by the Revival goes to support Clearwater’s educational programs and work toward environmental and social justice. Performances by: Pete Seeger, Steve Earle and Shawn Colvin; contemporary music star Joan Osborne; Westchester County native David Bromberg and his quartet, The Felice Brothers, Steve Forbert, and many others. Plenty of family oriented programming. Tickets are available at www.ClearwaterFestival.org or 845/418-3596.
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RENOWNED COLLECTION OF ITALIAN PAINTINGS EXHIBITED IN ITS ENTIRETY FOR THE FIRST TIME YALE UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY and dealer Richard L. Feigen, which has never before been exhibited or catalogued in its entirety. The Italian paintings owned by Richard Feigen constitute what is among the most important private collections in the world today, one that is widely admired for both its depth and quality. The exhibition offers visitors a unique opportunity to view Yale’s permanent collection of Italian paintings, on view on the third floor of the Gallery, in the context of masterpieces of equal importance.
Italian Paintings from the Richard L. Feigen Collection features over 50 paintings from one of the finest private collections of Italian art in existence. On view at the Yale University Art Gallery from May 28 through September 12, 2010, the exhibition includes major works from the 14th through the 16th century by celebrated artists such as Fra Angelico, Lorenzo Monaco, Annibale and Ludovico Carracci, Domenichino, Guercino, and Orazio Gentileschi. Organized by Laurence Kanter, the Lionel Goldfrank III Curator of European Art, the exhibition draws from the wide-ranging collection assembled by noted author, collector,
Richard L. Feigen Richard L. Feigen is one of today’s most important art collectors and dealers. Based in New York, Feigen runs a gallery that bears his name. For more than 50 years, Feigen has been collecting and dealing a wide range of work—from Old Master drawings to contemporary works. He has represented artists such as Jasper Johns, sold works to
over 110 museums, and made many discoveries at auction, including a Fra Angelico that was auctioned at Sotheby’s under a different attribution. This exhibition marks the first time he has publicly shown his personal collection of Italian paintings. Yale University Art Gallery The Yale University Art Gallery, America’s oldest and one of its most important university art museums, was founded in 1832, when patriotartist John Trumbull donated more than 100 of his paintings to Yale College. Since then, the Gallery’s collections have grown to number more than 185,000 objects, spanning the globe and ranging in date from ancient times to the present day. In addition to its celebrated collections of American paintings and decorative arts, the Gallery is noted for its important holdings of Greek and Roman art; early Italian paintings; later European art; Asian art; African art; art of the ancient Americas; and Impressionist, modern, and contemporary works. The Gallery’s ongoing installation of works from these collections is complemented by a variety of special exhibitions and public programs. Moreover, in an effort to share its works with a broad public, the Gallery also organizes collections-based exhibitions that travel to museums nationwide. 1111 Chapel Street, New Haven, CT. 203/432-0600; artgallery.yale.edu. TOP: ANNIBALE CARRACCI, THE
VIRGIN AND CHILD WITH SAINTS LUCY AND THE YOUNG JOHN THE BAPTIST, CA. 1587-1588. OIL ON PANEL. COLLECTION OF RICHARD L. FEIGEN, B.A.1952. BOTTOM: ORAZIO GENTILESCHI,
DANAE AND THE SHOWER OF GOLD, CA. 1621-1622. OIL ON CANVAS. COLLECTION OF RICHARD L. FEIGEN, B.A.1952.
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BOB CLYATT AT AN ECORCHE MASTER WORKSHOP AT RICHARD MACDONALD STUDIOS IN MONTEREY, CA LAST SUMMER. THE ARTIST SCULPTED FROM THE LIVE MODEL FOR TWO DAYS, MAKING A NORMAL SCULPTURE, THEN THE NEXT TWO DAYS HE ‘FLAYED’ (THE FRENCH WORD IS ‘ECORCHE’ — A STANDARD ANATOMICAL TEACHING PROCESS) THE FIGURE, REMOVING THE SKIN AND SCULPTING/REVEALING ALL THE MUSCLES UNDERNEATH. ON THE FINAL DAY (SEEN HERE) CLYATT PUTS THE SKIN BACK ON HALF THE FIGURE.
Bob Clyatt: Living His Dream and Loving It By Arian West Modansky How many of us have dreamed of leaving the stresses of job and career to pursue our creativity and passions? Perhaps you’ve always loved music or art, but felt it was not lucrative. Maybe your parents steered you to a traditional career path, thereby ending your dreams forever. What might your life have looked like if you had taken the path less traveled? Bob Clyatt, entrepreneur turned sculptor, is a man who has pursued that dream. When I walked into the home and studio of Bob Clyatt in Rye, New York, I was struck with the sense of beauty and originality in every corner of the property. From the sculptures in his gardens that seemed to become a part of the natural surroundings, to the blending of sculptures and paintings inside his custom-built home, and to his several studios with works in progress—there is one thing that I am sure of: Bob Clyatt lives a life of creativeness. His sculptures left me breathless. I felt an underlying magical quality, a message in many pieces. I wanted to know more about
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this talented man and his art. Bob tells me that he has always been interested in art. As a teen growing up in northern California, he had a strong interest in figurative photography. He studied photography for three years with well known western photographer Challis Gore. However, when it was time to decide on his path in life, he was dissuaded from art. He has degrees from U.C. Berkley and MIT, and studied management and the process of innovation in large organizations. Bob focused on philosophy, family and growing businesses, founding HorizonLive and i/o 360, a prominent New York City digital design firm which employed 30 designers. It was sold in 1998 to a public company. In his book Work Less, Live More, published by Nolo, Bob writes of this time, “Seeing my own life slipping away in stress and overwork sent me searching for a sane alternative that would bring work, family and personal time into balance—a way to slow down, have time to breathe, think and just live.” He returned to creating art shortly thereafter with an intensive study of sculpture under several teachers in the figurative tradition. Bob’s formal sculpture education centered on his years of studio and coursework at the Art Student’s League of New York. His passion has now become his life’s work. With the support of his wife, Wonda, and sons Myles, 15 and
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Jasper, 19, Bob has the freedom to pursue his dream and share his work with the world. Bob’s sculpture is mostly of the human form. He smiles and says, “My work is becoming a clearer reflection of the issues that have become my focus for decades: What does it mean to be free, and how can we become more free?” He continues, “I generally find myself using the human form as the vehicle for these explorations. In the service of an idea for a piece I draw on traditionally acquired knowledge of anatomy, sculptural methods, composition and form—yet I don’t consider a piece complete until it undergoes some sort of transformation.” We walked around his studio and home and he showed me many of his pieces. A life size figure of a woman is Rodinlike, very traditional, but she is holding a mirror reflecting on her face, and there are clippings from newspapers around the world on her body. It is traditional, but speaks to our global world today. Bob has created a sculpture of Gandhi, and in Pool Art Fair in NYC this year, Gandhi is watching CNN on a television in front of him. There are over a dozen of his new pieces at the Rye Art Gallery and Framing Shop in Rye, New York. There is a beauty and fluidity in the figure of a young woman in his piece entitled Dance. I am drawn to another life-size piece, this time of a not so perfect woman, sagging and with cellulite, holding a ventilator in her hands. It strikes me that world issues intrude on art. Bob has become obsessed with human heads—he combines them with other media and textures, alone and in groups. Our conversation about individuals and the community is echoed in these pieces. All of Bob’s pieces interest me. In Float, Bob says, “I explore what happens when you step off the edge of what you thought was your safe zone. We spend so much time being afraid. She knows it will be ok.” There are sculptures in bronze of fertility, and pieces commissioned by families of their children. One in particular, entitled Eleanor in the Wind, fascinates me. Bob explains, “There is a young girl leaning forward, young people are trusting, because they are supported as they look into the future.” Bob Clyatt is a sculptor with a mission. He knows that people see sculpture in movies and magazines. He wants them to begin to think that sculpture can be in their garden, living room, or study. He believes, “People need to be taught to appreciate and support art.” Collectors come to him, go to his shows and bring their children. He would like every person to believe that they can have original art in their homes. “Things are affordable. Decorators come to me and they get inspired. I am commissioned to do lots of pieces.” Bob knows that something happens when someone sees his work. He explains, “It’s left my hands and it’s now the relationship with the viewer and what he feels when he see it. I want my work to generate questions.” Bob needs to create his art. He has received numerous commissions and awards for his figurative sculpture. Bob exclaims, “There is joy in making art. One needs to reclaim that joy.” Bob has reinvented himself and it’s evident that the art world is a better place because of it.
GANDHI: CAST BRONZE OR RESIN WITH BRONZE GLASSES ON MARBLE BASE, 20”H X 13”W X 12”D.
Recent Shows, Awards and Acquisitions: Sculptor’s Alliance, 30-year Anniversary Show, NYC, 2010 The Great Nude Invitational, NYC, 2010 Pool Art Fair, Miami 2009, NYC 2010 Works to appear in Best American Sculpture, Vol 2, 2010 Alex acquired by Amundson Sculpture Gardens, Seattle WA Bronze sculptures acquired by Peoples’ United Bank, Bridgeport, CT Gandhi photograph and show write-up, NY Times, June 7, 2009 Annual Solo Show And On-Going Display Of Works: Rye Art Gallery, Rye, NY Rockwell Art, Westport, CT Corporate lobby sculptures commissioned by Wimba, Inc, NYC Best of Show-3D, 2008, 2009, Rye Arts Center Bob Clyatt can be reached at bob@clyattsculpture.com, 914/921-4379. Learn more about him on the web at www.clyattsculpture.com. ❉ Arian West Modansky taught in Rye,New York for 33 years. She is currently living in Weston, Ct. with her husband Michael. She works part time as a literacy coach at Riverfield School in Fairfield, CT.
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SOUND INVESTMENT
Tips for the Wise: Advice from Four Experts on Financial Planning Starting Points to Getting Your Estate in Order by David J. Boczar
he best estate planning begins early and is usually initiated or adjusted by major transitions in life – a new marriage or one that is breaking up, a baby on the way, or a major career change or inheritance that materially increases an individual’s or a family’s wealth. It is important to coordinate financial planning with estate planning because what you do with your money today will have a direct impact on the estate your heirs will receive years from now. It all starts with basic spending and planning goals. Here’s a general road map to that process: Start with a trained financial planner. Whether you plan to stay sin-
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gle, marry, remarry or move in with a new partner, it’s good to get a baseline look at your finances as early as possible before estate planning begins. A trained financial planning professional can help you review your current spending and savings needs, compare strategies designed to achieve long-term goals such as college or retirement, and provide you with critical tools to protect your assets and loved ones in the event you suddenly die or face catastrophic illness. Talk with a trained estate attorney about wills and other critical documents. While there are many low-priced software programs and solutions available to draft basic wills, powers of attorney and certain simple trust
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agreements, there is also the potential for greater costs in the long run if you choose the wrong package or fail to follow all instructions to the letter. It makes sense to coordinate your financial planner’s activities with an estate attorney who can tailor an overall estate plan specific to your needs. Even if you are very young with few assets, it is practical to get some solid advice in this area so you will be able to manage and adapt such planning as you age and your finances get more complex. It’s usually a good idea to revisit your estate plan every five years or whenever you have a major life change. Make a guardianship game plan for your children. It’s not enough to plan how money and assets will go to your children if you or your spouse die suddenly or are incapacitated. If your children are minors, it’s particularly important to make sure you and your spouse have a guardianship plan for their upbringing as well as any assets they may
self as if they weren’t. A qualified financial planner should be able to review those options in detail. Review all your investments for primary ownership and beneficiary information. While you are married, an appropriate designation of property as separate, joint, or community property (if applicable) can provide legal, tax and asset protection advantages. In a divorce situation, even if you were advised correctly to change the names on assets you and your spouse were dividing between yourselves, you should perform a postdivorce review to ensure that the ownership names and beneficiary designations are correct on those assets. Plan for multigenerational issues. For individuals and couples with elderly parents and/or young children starting out on their own, it might be smart to do a multi-generational estate checkup at the same time. Why? Because in families with significant assets or other press-
GET SOLID INSURANCE PROTECTION IN PLACE. IF YOU ARE MARRIED OR ARE SINGLE WITH A CHILD TO CARE FOR, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER PURCHASING ADEQUATE INSURANCE THAT WILL COVER ANY EVENTUALITY. IN ADDITION TO LIFE INSURANCE BENEFITING YOUR FAMILY, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM ADEQUATE AND PROPER HEALTH, PROPERTY/CASUALTY AND DISABILITY INSURANCE. inherit. You should give your chosen guardians a road map on how to handle the assets you leave behind. You should also ask your proposed guardians before you name them, so you still have the chance to choose someone else if they are unable or unwilling to carry out that responsibility. If there are any trust or wealth issues that will become effective for your children once they reach adulthood, it’s important to establish an efficient legal structure, such as a trust created under your will for distributing those assets. A trust under your will also name a trustee who can train and guide your children through this financial transition. Plan for children who have special needs. If one of your children is disabled and expected to require lifetime assistance of some type, you should consult a qualified attorney to help create a special needs trust. This will help protect your child from having to give up any public or social financial assistance as well as access to special doctors, medical help, specific prescriptions or treatments that could be taken away if they were to personally inherit assets that would disqualify them from these programs. When such assets are held in a properly designed special needs trust, they are not counted as the child’s assets. The advantage is that those trust assets may still be used to support their housing or other personal living needs. Get solid insurance protection in place. If you are married or are single with a child to care for, you should consider purchasing adequate insurance that will cover any eventuality. In addition to life insurance benefiting your family, you and your family will also benefit from adequate and proper health, property/casualty and disability insurance. If you’re newly single, you certainly need the best health coverage you can afford for yourself and your kids. However, life, property, liability and disability insurance become doubly important, particularly if you failed to address those needs during the divorce. Even if your exspouse is cooperative with financial support, it’s wise to insure your-
ing financial issues involving businesses or dependents, each generation’s wishes for the dispersal of shared or personal assets should be documented legally and shared with all the relevant parties. In some families, this may mean the future of a multigenerational family business, perhaps one of the most complex estate issues any family will face. For other families with more straight-forward assets such as cash, property and other investments, similar problems can occur when all the parties aren’t on the same page about who will get what, how and when they will get it, and who is in charge during the process. Activate trusts and other estate transfer mechanisms. It is surprising how often estate attorneys and advisors fail to get their clients to actually title assets in the name of living trusts and other mechanisms to transfer wealth. It’s not enough to set these mechanisms up – get stepby-step instruction on what needs to be done to make them effective. Make sure your health and financial representatives know your wishes. Often, people tell a close friend or relative that he has been given power of attorney over health and financial decisions, but fail to share their wishes or show him what their legal documents specifically instruct him to do. Both sides should go over this information as soon as the person agrees to be the other’s representative. David J. Boczar, CFP®, CFA, founder of Emerald Wealth Advisors, is a local member of the Financial Planning Association, with an independent financial planning practice affiliated with Westport Resources Management. This column is produced in conjunction with the FPA, the membership organization for the financial planning community. Emerald Wealth Advisors, 315 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06880www.emeraldwealthadvisors.com, Tel. (203) 226-0222/(800) 935-0222
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You take great care to build and maintain your collection. Chartis is equally attentive when it comes to its protection. Our Private Client Group offers precise wine insurance complemented by a range of services to preserve long-term value.
Private Client Group is proud to work exclusively with the finest independent insurance advisors. To find an advisor in your area, please visit www.chartisinsurance.com/pcg.
Homeowners / Automobile / Excess Liability / Private Collections / Yacht / And More Chartis is the marketing name for the worldwide property-casualty and general insurance operations of Chartis Inc. Private Client Group is a division of Chartis Inc. Insurance is underwritten by a member company of Chartis Inc. This is a summary only. It does not include all terms and conditions and exclusions of the policies or services described. Please refer to the actual policies for complete details of coverage and exclusions. Coverage and supplemental services may not be available in all jurisdictions and are subject to underwriting review and approval.
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Fine Wine, Food, and Collectible Asset Protection Nantucket and the Rhone Valley Converge at the Cannon Grange ince March 2000, gold is up 389%, silver 300% and platinum 288%. Jewelry has seen a similar run-up. January and March 2010 auctions of fine and rare wines held in Hong Kong each realized record sales in excess of $7.4 million and were 98% sold. What is really interesting is that the auctions covered the spectrum of wines, from first growth Bordeaux to California cult wines. Recent auctions of impressionist and modern art, Old Masters, other 19th century paintings as well as 20th century decorative arts, sculpture, silver and artworks also set
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records. These sales have taken place during one of the most volatile investing environments in recent memory, suggesting that during economic downturns investors are increasingly looking for alternatives to diversify their portfolios. What do all of these items have in common? First, these less than conventional asset classes are increasingly an important part of families’ net worth. Secondly, they are also an asset class that has provided an unseen and unique hedge against traditional asset fluctuations. Lastly, it is possible to protect these assets… provided you stay on the ball. Provenance, preservation and protection are meaningful to wine collectors, art collectors, watch collectors and auto collectors alike. That, in essence, is what the night of April 8th at the Wilton Cannon Grange was about. If you have a collection of fine art, jewelry, wine, or antiques, and you haven’t had it appraised in the past 12 months, or your insurance policy doesn’t protect you for market increases, you are very likely underin-
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sured. The collectibles market is growing, and prices are increasing as market access becomes global. To help educate and inform those with valuable collections, Kettle Creek Insurance, located in Weston, CT, held a special event on April 8th at the Cannon Grange in Wilton for a discussion of the Private Collectible Markets and Asset Protection. It was an informative evening of wine education, paired cuisine, and advice on the proper means by which to protect assets such as wine, art, jewelry and even collector vehicles. Charles Bartholomae, President of Kettle Creek Insurance, reports he has seen an increase in the interest of protecting collectibles, as well as a realization that off-the-shelf insurance cannot properly protect unique collections. Bartholomae says, “What’s really interesting is that depending upon the asset class, it’s actually less expensive to properly protect one’s property by scheduling the item(s) than it is by simply increasing coverage on a standard homeowner’s policy. It is also a potentially costly mistake to assume that a standard homeowner’s policy will cover these collections for many of the most typical loss exposures.” Your collectibles are partially covered under a standard homeowner’s policy, but there are sublimits that limit how much the insurer will pay after the deductible is exhausted. If you own valuable jewelry, art or other collectibles, it makes sense to purchase a Collection’s Policy, whereby you “schedule” your individual pieces. This coverage is extremely broad and losses are not subject to a deductible. Ron Fiamma led the discussion about collectibles. Mr. Fiamma is the Global Director of Private Collections for Chartis Private Client Group, which has an insurance portfolio of fine art, antiques, jewelry, wine and collector automobiles with a total insured value in excess of $40 billion and over 40,000 policies. He and his team travel the world and are very close to the ever-changing global markets for art, wine, jewelry, collector vehicles and other fine collectible assets. In addition to talking about market dynamics, he shared his insight on valuations, market demand and their impact on risk management. He stated unequivocally that “the globalization of the collectible markets has itself increased demand, thereby increasing values.”
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Mr. Fiamma also shared several real-life claims stories that Private Client Group has encountered, including a shattered $10,000 bottle of wine, $500,000 rings shipped via regular mail and left on the door step, and the restoration of a wrecked Ferrari Enzo after Private Client Group made unprecedented arrangements with the Maranello Ferrari factory for its repair. As one might imagine, an asset class which garnered considerable interest at the event was wine. This tasteful discussion was led by Denis Toner, a world class Sommelier and president and founder of the acclaimed Nantucket Wine Festival, which is celebrating its 14th
anniversary. For this event, the discussion was focused on the wines of the Rhone Valley, France. Denis is a Commandeur of the Commanderie de Bordeaux, a Chevalier of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, and has been awarded the prestigious Mérite Agricole for his efforts on behalf of the French wine industry. Sharing his love of fine food and wine, he has produced many wine and food films for Plum TV. Denis shared his philosophy that the value of wine is unique in that it is both a form of sustenance and art. He quipped, “collect wine that you will enjoy over a lifetime: buy cases of wine that you like, drink some occasionally for special occasions, and treat the rest as an asset that should be protected! Store it properly, open it carefully, and be especially vigilant when shipping and entrusting this asset to others.” He added, “Ask the shipper if there was any melted chocolate in the crate.” Last but not least, Timothy S. Quinn, Executive Chef of Old Sturbridge Village’s Oliver Wight Tavern, worked with Denis to prepare tastings that specifically complimented the wine, proving that food can be as much of an art as wine is. Most recently, Tim was Executive Chef at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut, and before that at Seranak, the exclusive restaurant at Tanglewood. In 2002, Quinn opened Sherlock’s 221 in Old Lyme, CT, which won praise from the New York Times for its unique food and wine list. In 1999 and again in 2004, he was honored to cook by invitation at the James Beard House in New York. Quinn is renowned for his unique and ever-changing seasonal menus that showcase heirloom and locally grown foods. Guests experienced that some food can be a form of art. Appetizers using Tim’s own cured prosciutto, pancetta and smoked salmon were followed by lobster brulee, seared scallops and other small plates that were all exceptional. The evening proved to be enjoyable, educational, and gastronomically memorable. Attendees left thinking about assets they have, values they were unaware of, the unknown risks that exist, and the fact they can protect it all with the right insurance program. Should you wish to contact Mr. Bartholomae for a confidential discussion of your personal insurance needs, he may be reached at ctbarth@optonline.com, or via telephone at 203/222-9052. For more information on the Nantucket Wine Festival, please visit nantucketwinefestival.com. Information on Chef Quinn’s creations can be found at osv.org.
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Eldercare – How To Squeeze Your Parents’ Needs In by Tom Sherman y now, it’s a common condition, one that affects a growing number of people. Its symptoms are a feeling of being caught between a rock and a hard place, the worries of caring for dependent children and aging parents at the same time. Sound like you? Welcome to the sandwich generation, the burgeoning troupe of 30-, 40- and 50-somethings that now have to tend to work, a growing family and elderly parents at the same time. The pressures of balancing your work life and family obligations are big enough. Add parents to the mix and you have an even larger – and potentially more expensive – responsibility on your hands. In some cases, an elderly parent needs occasional help buying groceries or managing a home. In others, a medical condition or disability makes it necessary to hire a home aid or even seek out 24-hour care. It’s not cheap: The AARP reported last year that the annual cost of a nursing home was $70,000 or more, while the bill for an assisted living facility averaged $36,000 yearly. Take a deep breath. There are alternatives, and with the right planning you can find ways to care for your parents and at the same time avoid a financial pinch. Don’t look to government programs to bail you out, however. The fact is that programs such as Medicare and Medicaid have severe restrictions and tight guidelines on just what expenses they will cover. Medicare, for instance, will only cover a minimal stay at a nursing facility – typically under a month’s worth. The program simply does not pay for long-term stays or residential care. Medicaid, on the other hand, will provide for long-term care, but to qualify, elderly parents must use up nearly all of their personal assets. The bottom line: You and your parents will have to take concrete steps to figure out how much care your parents need and how to pay the bill. If you’re lucky, they may have other sources to tap, such as Veterans’ benefits. And in many cases, a long-term care insurance policy will help cover bills as well.
B
Here are the important steps to take: •Have the talk. It’s probably the most awkward, difficult conversation you’ll have with your parents since the “birds and the bees,” and for good reason. Nobody wants to talk about death, growing old or the possibility of losing independence – and your parents are no different than the rest of us. Don’t be shy. The sooner you break the ice, in fact, the better. Be frank, and be open. Look to find out first just what they want in their old age and how they want to live. •Take inventory and collect documents. Planning for long-term care is easier if you know what your parents’ resources are and what they may need. A list of personal assets will ultimately help guide your decisions and make it easier to determine what you and your parents can afford. A house, for instance, might serve as a primary residence and keep care bills in check – nursing homes charge you for space, after all. A tally of retirement assets, Social Security, pension benefits, property and debt will give you a better idea of how much you can spend and how much you’ll need to protect over the years. The National Institute of the Aging (www.nia.nih.gov) offers documents that will help guide your tally. Additionally, you need a clear understanding of any medical conditions
your parents may have and what constraints or special needs may arise from their current state of health. •Get help. A good first step is to call in experts who can assess what your parents need and point you in the direction of important government, volunteer and fee-based resources. State and county governments sponsor an office of aging or the elderly staffed by caseworkers who can determine what your folks need and where you can find help. Many faith-based organizations have family service experts who can do the same work. Both groups are well versed in ways to approach touchy topics with your parents. They also can help you screen firms that offer home care services as well. •Hire a lawyer. The simple fact is that you’ll need a folder full of documents in order to come to your parents’ aid. They include durable powers of attorney, a revocable trust, and even medical privacy authorizations. They’re indispensable. The durable power of attorney allows you or someone your parents trust to make critical medical decisions or handle financial matters. Trust documents will help to protect your parents’ assets should the bills for care mount. They will also spell out rules for the transfer of funds and the administration of what they own. Medical privacy authorizations, meanwhile, keep you and your siblings in the know about your parents’ health. Don’t fall for jiffy Internet downloads or template documents that promise a quick solution. The paperwork is complicated and you’ll want a good eldercare lawyer in place to guide you through. Find a good professional to do the work. One starting point is the National Academy of Eldercare Law Attorneys (www.naela.com). •Get long-term care insurance. The old adage, open coverage when you can afford it and before you need it, holds true for long-term care insurance. The good news is that there are multiple options for coverage and as with any insurance, the earlier you act — younger and healthier — the lower your premiums will be. That said, the cost of insurance is miniscule compared with the cost of care. It doesn’t matter if you’re worth millions or not, insuring for long-term care, be it in your home or in a facility, is worth the cost. Business owners have an advantage over everyone else. They can buy these policies through their business, the premiums are tax deductible, and the benefits are tax free. Speaking from personal experience, my brothers and I purchased longterm care for our mother when she was 78. We spent nearly $20,000 in premiums (high cost due to her age/health) over several years. By the time she was 82, she required 24/7 care if she wanted to stay in her home — which she did. We received nearly $200,000 in reimbursements over the next three years. The policy eliminated many tough decisions that had to be made and kept her assets protected. In this era of longer and longer life expectancies, a long-term care policy is added security against the growing costs you may face later on in life in caring for loved ones or yourself. Tom Sherman is a Financial Advisor with Park Avenue Securities & Strategies for Wealth. He is a 16-year resident of Weston with offices in Rye Brook and on Wall Street. He can be reached at 914/288-8845 or tsherman@strategiesforwealth.com.
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Ten Secrets Of Successful Retirees By Julie Jason A few weeks ago, I met with someone whose 70-year-old father had been have – and can afford. Think about where you want to live, how you want to spend your time, and how your children and grandchildren will fit into living beyond his means. The father, a retired businessman, confided to his 40-something son the picture. Then, discuss how aging might lead to adjustments in that that he had $100,000 of credit card debt that he could not repay. “How lifestyle and how you would like to accommodate those changes. could that be?” asked the son. The father answered that he didn’t real3) Do a situation audit. The transition to retirement calls for a situation ize anything was wrong in the beginning and life was proceeding as usual. Eventually, he became aware that he was dipping into credit, but audit that goes something like this: “Alright, my spouse and I will no he felt he had to “keep up appearances” as a leader in his community. longer be working. Just how will we support ourselves for the rest of our First, the bank account ran out. Then, the credit evaporated. And now, lives? Do we have to do things differently? Can we continue to use credit cards? Should we change our lifestyle? How can we be sure that our here he was, asking his son for a loan. In another situation, a teacher on a limited income received a letter resources will last a lifetime, in sickness and in health?” from her retired father asking her to 4) Do a cash flow analysis. send him money so that he could Concern about making a sound transiAfter you retire, your cash flow stay in his home. He had been paymanagement skills will detering his bills through home equity tion is not limited to those who have not mine whether you will be finanlines of credit that finally dried up. saved enough for retirement. cially secure. That’s why I often Could she and her two siblings each say that learning to manage send him $1,000 a month so he According to a 2010 Spectrem Group cash flow is more important could stay in his house? report, almost three out of four people than having a lot of money. In my role as financial columnist, • Cash flow management is the author and money manager, I’m with a net worth of $500,000 or more very simple process of making hearing more and more stories like (excluding the residence) are sure that outflow (your monthly these. And, I attribute them partly to expenses) never exceeds inflow people forgetting that retirement is concerned about these issues, as are (monthly income from pension, a life transition that calls for prepaone of two people whose net worth is Social Security, dividends and ration and planning — and a change over $5 million. interest). Retirees who know of attitude toward the use of credit, how to do this have successful spending, and investing. retirements, by which I mean Concern about making a sound transition is not limited to those who have not saved enough for retire- their finances are healthy throughout their lives. Anyone of any ment. According to a 2010 Spectrem Group report, almost three out of means can arrive at this result. Here’s how: • Review your income four people with a net worth of $500,000 or more (excluding the resi- sources, such as Social Security and pensions. What other sources dence) are concerned about these issues, as are one of two people do you have? If you need to create retirement income from assets, what is the best way to do that in your situation? • Then, explore how whose net worth is over $5 million. Over the years, I have seen retirees successfully navigate the retire- much you are spending on the barest of living expenses – these are the minimum expenditures that you must make to survive (“essential ment minefield. Let me share some of their secrets with you. expenses”). Anything else you spend over and above essential 1) Be sensitive to your upcoming transition. You need to pause a expenses, we’ll call “discretionary expenses.” Examples? Charitable moment to realize that retirement will be a transition from one state contributions, vacations, country club memberships, restaurants, the (working) to another (not-working) and all that implies – there will be symphony, movies, and that extra pair of designer shoes that you changes in how you spend your time and how you interact with your want, but don’t need. spouse, children and friends, and even perhaps in how you see yourself. 5) Obey coverage rules. The ideal situation is to cover essential 2) Prepare for the change. Don’t wait until you retire to start thinking expenses with “guaranteed” sources of income, such as Social Security about life after work. Give yourself at least two years time for planning. retirement benefits, pension, and pension substitutes, such as the plain Get together with your spouse. Consider the lifestyle you would like to vanilla immediate annuity (in it's simplest terms, an insurance contract
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that promises to pay lifelong income). Then, pay for discretionary expenses only when there is extra cash generated from your investments. If you can’t do that, you’ll need to consider lowering your lifestyle desires to fit the reality of your pocketbook. Keep in mind that your numbers have to work —otherwise, you risk the prospect of spending your savings much too early in your retirement.
Consider what the future may bring. Hard questions need to be answered: What happens if you predecease your spouse or you become ill or incapacitated? What do you want to see put in place to help your spouse manage? What happens if your spouse predeceases you, or becomes ill? How will you manage? Who will help? What role do you want your children to play? What about the role of your financial, legal and tax advisers?
6) Re-examine how you invest as well as the role of your financial adviser. If you keep investing as if you were 40, you’ll eventually run into a problem, unless you are lucky enough to have unlimited financial resources. Why? Because the typical 40-year-old has a more aggressive growth objective, while the typical 65-year-old has a more conservative income-plus-growth objective. The 40-year-old welcomes investment ideas that stock brokers best provide, while retirees who have accumulated substantial wealth graduate to portfolio management services provided by investment advisers. Retirees who don’t realize they need to shift to the more comprehensive service model incorporating portfolio management (and tax, estate planning and risk management), find themselves having to take on the role of organizing and monitoring their portfolios themselves, something that not all retirees are skilled or prepared to do.
9) Engage your spouse as a partner. Before retirement, one spouse usually takes the lead in financial decisions and the other jumps in the back seat. That has to change in retirement for one very good reason: what happens if the leader predeceases the follower, or becomes ill and incapacitated? Successful retirees realize that retirement is a joint venture between spouses, calling on both to share decision-making, planning, and, importantly, managing the financial team, comprised of the family’s adviser, accountant and lawyer. 10) Begin this process well before you retire. If you’re not eager to begin, you’re not alone. It’s human nature to put off planning, especially when the future is unclear, as it always is addressing these issues. But, I have to tell you that in my many years of working with people who have not done the requisite planning, things can go wrong in a big way if you hit a bump in the road. Effective planning helps smooth out the ride. Every life transition — retirement, divorce, loss of a spouse, loss of a job, sale of a house or sale of a business — calls for a re-examination of your personal economic, lifestyle and social drivers. The sooner you get started, the better off you and your family will be. If you don’t want to think of your own well being, think of the burden your children may need to shoulder if someday you had to write a letter saying, “I’ve got bad news. I’ve outlived my money and I need your help.” Copyright 2010 by Julie Jason. All Rights Reserved. ❉
7) Address social changes that will occur after you retire. Consider what the future may bring. Hard questions need to be answered: What happens if you predecease your spouse or you become ill or incapacitated? What do you want to see put in place to help your spouse manage? What happens if your Engage your spouse as a partner. spouse predeceases you, or Before retirement, one spouse usually becomes ill? How will you mantakes the lead in financial decisions age? Who will help? What role do and the other jumps in the back seat. you want your children to play? What about the role of your finanThat has to change in retirement for cial, legal and tax advisers? 8) Identify role models. Look around. Identify older family members or friends who are aging with dignity and grace. How are they handling the inevitable adaptations they need to make as they age? What habits or atti-
tudes do they exhibit that you would like to emulate?
one very good reason: what happens if the leader predeceases the follower, or becomes ill and incapacitated? Successful retirees realize that retirement is a joint venture between spouses, calling on both to share decisionmaking, planning, and, importantly, managing the financial team, comprised of the family’s adviser, accountant and lawyer.
Julie Jason, JD, LLM, directs the investment management practice of Jackson, Grant Investment Advisers, Inc., of Stamford, CT, serving families whose priority is to conserve their wealth (www.jacksongrant.us <http://www. jacksongrant.us/> ). She is the author of
The AARP
Retirement Survival Guide: How to Make Smart Financial Decisions in Good Times and Bad (Sterling 2009.)
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THE HEALING AGENT
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Seabrook House IN A CANDLE-LIT ROOM In a candle-lit room with soft music playing in the background, Shoshana Osofsky told the 21-year-old opiate addict to relax. Then Osofsky took a thin needle and put it in the rim of the woman’s ear. Osofsky isn’t someone who does piercings. She is an acupuncturist at Seabrook House, a 161-bed luxury drug and alcohol rehabilita-
tion facility for men and women in rural Seabrook, NJ, 90 minutes south of New York City and 30 miles from Philadelphia. Recently, Seabrook House became one of just a handful of rehab facilities in the country to offer acupuncture to patients going through the detoxification phase. Other holistic therapies offered at Seabrook House include equine-assisted psychotherapy; yoga; eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR); art and music therapy; psychodrama; and massage. Osofsky, who is board certified and licensed in acupuncture and Oriental healing, explained that acupuncture has shown to be effective in easing withdrawal symptoms in addicts and alcoholics. “It helps them relax, it helps them sleep,” she said. “They find their withdrawal symptoms are reduced, and it helps them to release their own natural opiates.” Seabrook House has been ahead of the curve since it was founded by Jerry and Peg Diehl, in 1974. At the time, little was done to help the family of the addict or alcoholic. As the wife of an alcoholic and a mother of four children with one on the way, Peg identified that
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missing ingredient: Alcoholism is a family disease and needs to be treated as such. She sent a proposal describing the unique feature of a treatment plan for family members to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, which had been searching for innovative ideas to advance the battle against the disease. The agency approved the proposal and provided startup funds to the couple, who set up shop in the Seabrook Mansion, a vacant estate formerly owned by frozen foods pioneer Charles F. Seabrook, nestled on 40 acres of land. The couple’s son, Ed, took over as president in 1989 after Jerry died. Peg continues to work in the family program. At Seabrook House, patients find a warm and comfortable atmosphere where recovery is the focus. To that end, its directors are constantly searching for new treatment methods. In addition to acupuncture, Seabrook House recently added a music therapy program, and it’s one of only a few treatment centers to offer EMDR to help patients overcome trauma. One of Seabrook House’s most acclaimed holistic therapies is equineassisted psychotherapy, and it was among the first rehab centers to establish a permanent, high-quality, solution-focused program. The therapy conducted with recovering addicts at Seabrook House is experiential in nature and doesn’t involve horseback riding, it’s all about making a connection with the horse through activities where the humans accomplish a task with the horses. The most common question that people ask is, “why horses?” “You can tell a horse anything,” said Jeanne Mahoney, nursing director and equine specialist. “They’re non-judgmental, they do not know or care that a client has an addiction, and they allow people to let down their guards, go deeper into the truth and be in the moment.” Seabrook House is working on expanding its holistic therapy offerings, proving that a center that started out as a mom-and-pop operation has evolved into a leading addiction treatment program offering cutting-edge therapies that help families reclaim their lives after addiction. 133 Polk Lane, Seabrook, NJ. 800/761-7575; www.seabrookhouse.org. ❉
Helping Families Find The Courage To Recover Recovery from chemical dependency is a process that no one can achieve alone. Seabrook House helps individuals and their families reclaim their lives in a safe, healing environment. Founded by Jerry and Peg Diehl in 1974, Seabrook House is licensed and CARF-accredited to provide a range of programs, including specialized opioid detox. Our main treatment center is only 90 minutes from New York City, nestled on a 40-acre manicured estate in rural Southern New Jersey, offering a beautiful, tranquil setting for self-discovery. You can rebuild your life. Treatment works. Most insurances are accepted. Call to find out about scholarships through the Seabrook House Foundation.
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“If you invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life.” - Frank LLoyd Wright
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Advanced Dentistry Of Westchester Part of the DaVinci Dental "Extreme Makeover" Team as seen on ABC-TV The practice is called Advanced Dentistry of Westchester because it offers patients of all ages the latest in dental care well before others in the profession. Using minimally invasive techniques such as computer-guided implants, which can provide “teeth in an hour” and laser “drill-less” fillings and soft tissue treatment, Dr. Kenneth Magid and Dr. Sabrina Magid provide an amazing and unique experience for the dental patient. This advanced treatment even extends to treating snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea with the new Somnomed oral appliance, that can often replace the CPAP for patients unwilling or unable to use it. Named one of America’s Top Dentists by the Westchester Magazine survey and the Consumers’ Research Council of America, Dr. Magid is an Associate Professor of international and honors esthetics at NYU College of Dentistry and teaches other dentists from around the world the techniques and artistry of creating beautiful smiles. Part of the DaVinci Dental “Extreme Makeover” team as seen on ABC-TV, Dr. Magid has also created the beautiful smiles of celebrities and your Westchester/ Fairfield neighbors. Under the guidance of Dr. Sabrina Magid the practice has set up the services to treat deaf and hard-of-hearing patients including text and instant messaging for appointments, a knowledge of American Sign Language, and an understanding of the special needs of these patients. By carefully communicating with their patients and working together with their team of dedicated specialists, hygienists, assistants and patient coordinators Drs. Sabrina and Kenneth Magid create a plan to achieve the highest level of health and beauty within their patients’ scheduling and financial comfort.
“Named one of America’s Top Dentists by the Westchester Magazine survey and the Consumers’ Research Council of America”
Kenneth S. Magid, D.D.S. Sabrina B. Magid, D.M.D. 163 Halstead Avenue Harrison, NY 914 835 0542
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ENTs ENTs ENTs and and and orthodontists orthodontists orthodontists can can can change change change the the the shape shape shape ofofof children’s children’s children’s faces-giving faces-giving faces-giving them them them aabeautiful abeautiful beautiful smile smile smile and and and aapleasing apleasing pleasing profile profile profile with with with aaa strong strong strong chin chin chin and and and full full full lips-and lips-and lips-and enhance enhance enhancechildren’s children’s children’sdaytime daytime daytimeperformance performance performanceby by byopening opening openingairways airways airwaysand and andeliminating eliminating eliminating headaches, headaches, headaches, neck neck neck aches, aches, aches, ear ear ear ache ache ache and and and snoring. snoring. snoring. 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www.greenwichhospital.org
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Greenwich Hospital recognizes that no two people are alike. People work, they play, they have friends and families and hobbies. So for a healthcare experience to be extraordinary, it needs to address every part of you. Understanding all aspects of your life helps us create a more complete treatment窶馬o wonder we have received The Press Ganey Summit Award for patient satisfaction for the past 3 years. Greenwich Hospital. For all of you.
Press Ganey Summit Award
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Like a Rolling Stone
Connecticut Spa Getaways Need a getaway that includes LOVELY ACCOMMODATIONS, FINE DINING, AND TIME TO RECHARGE IN A SPA? THEN CHECK OUT THESE TWO DELIGHTFUL OPPORTUNITIES RIGHT HERE IN CT, LESS THAN TWO HOURS DRIVE FROM FAIRFIELD OR WESTCHESTER COUNTIES.
Saybrook Point Inn & Spa OLD SAYBROOK, CT The Saybrook Point Inn & Spa is located on a spit of land jutting into Long Island Sound in the charming coastal town of Old Saybrook, CT. Here the element of water — from the 180 degree views of the Sound and surrounding marshes, to the indoor and outdoor saltwater swimming pools, to the spa’s sauna and steam room and the whirlpool baths in every guest bathroom — soothes and rejuvenates. The three-story, grey clapboard inn, which offers 82 guest rooms and suites, also boasts a marina, meeting and function rooms, AAA Four-Diamond restaurant with seasonal, al fresco dining, and fitness room. Recently renovated and richly furnished guestrooms in an English country style contain coffee bars, refrigerators, large, flat screen TVs and plush bathrobes. Almost all have balconies and wood burning fireplaces. The workout room offers complimentary use of state-of-the-art exercise equipment, while guests can sign up for exercise classes including Aqua Therapy, Pilates, Yoga and T’ai Chi in the movement studio. The inn is located in a lovely residential shoreline neighborhood, only minutes from the center of Old Saybrook. Grab a complimentary bicycle available at the front desk to explore the area, or a moped available
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for a fee. Information on local walking and running routes can be obtained from the concierge, who can also arrange a history walking tour or a birdwatching tour. The full-service spa offers numerous treatments, ranging from facials and body wraps to massages, manicures and make-up. Opt for “The Kate,” the Inn’s signature, 75-minute body treatment named after local legend Kate Hepburn and incorporating mind, body and spirit refreshment and revitalization. Packages are also available, for a half or full day of services guaranteed to pamper. The excellent, on-site Terra Mar Restaurant serves award-winning nouvelle American cuisine with Mediterranean influences. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and providing room service to in-house guests, the restaurant is a member of the Connecticut Farm to Chef program and uses fresh, locally sourced ingredients as much as possible. Start with an appetizer such as white polenta and parmesan fries with garlic aioli; “Two Guys from Woodbridge Farm” bibb salad with pears and goat cheese; or tuna tartar in a wasabi lime vinaigrette with sesame tuiles. The Saybrook Point Inn Cioppino— shrimp, scallops, mussels and calamari in a rich lobster broth over cappellini — is a seafood lovers dream, while the pumpkin ravioli in a fig, walnut and sherry cream sauce, or NY strip steak with Portobello mushrooms and gorgonzola demi-glaze are terrific landlubber entrees. To finish, its hard to choose between the divine flourless chocolate cake with tart sundried cherries, cherry sorbet and balsamic cherry drizzle; coconut flan atop a toasted coconut macaroon; or specials of the day such as a banana parfait with sweet whipped mascarpone, and caramel. For a sensory experience that changes with the seasons yet always pleases, book a visit to the Saybrook Point Inn & Spa. Two Bridge Street, Old Saybrook, CT. 800/2430212; www.saybrook.com.
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The Spa at Norwich Inn NORWICH, CT The Spa at Norwich Inn is a sprawling, historic country inn that has been offering a getaway for lovers, friends, newlyweds and family members for 80 years. This is an intimate venue at which couples can make or renew their vows; mothers and daughters can share a pampered weekend of bonding; girlfriends can gossip and groove on the treatments,
fine dining and comfortable accommodations. State of the art spa facilities include a sauna, steam room, whirlpool, indoor pool, relaxation room, fitness center, and spacious treatment, shower and locker rooms. Programs run the gamut of fitness, nutrition, beauty and body treatments to restore and rejuvenate mind, body and spirit. Think coffee is only for your morning brew? No way. Try the Coffee Body Polish, an invigorating service that relaxes muscles with the application of a special exfoliant blended from ground Arabica coffee beans, Dead Sea salt, rosemary, mint and citrus oils; or the Anti-cellulite Detoxifying Body Wrap, which uses green coffee extract with Utane herbal powder to remove flaky skin, sooth irritations and stimulate cells. A number of spa packages incorporating a delightful range of treatments for full or half day are available.
Guestrooms at the spa are traditionally furnished and comfortable, located in either the main 1930’s Georgian Colonial building or in adjacent villas with wood-burning fireplaces and balconies. Complimentary activities for overnight guests include a daily morning walk, health and fitness classes, afternoon tea and scones in the beautiful Palm Court, and an early evening wine tasting. Kensington’s restaurant, with dark wood paneling and flattering candlelight, serves healthy nouvelle cuisine with plenty of properly prepared vegetables and fresh desserts featuring fruit. Chef Daniel Chong Jimenez loads his dishes with antioxidants, as well as paying attention to the level of fats, protein and carbohydrates in each dish. All menu items are marked with a calorie count, but while caloric awareness is emphasized, this is not at the expense of flavor.
The spa has recently launched an unusual “Fragile Client” program, in conjunction with the ECHO Cancer Foundation and under the supervision of the Eastern CT Hematology and Oncology Group in Norwich. This program offers spa services tailored to people being treated for cancer and chronic diseases to help them feel pampered, address special needs, and allow them to reap the benefits of “lower anxiety levels, improved sleep and reduction in discomfort.” Services, provided by a specially trained staff and using non-irritating products, is available to clients with written permission from their attending physician. For anyone drawn to leave the premises, golf is available at the nearby Lake of Isles Resort course, while Foxwoods, with its casino, entertainment, shopping and dining is around the corner from the Spa. Mystic Seaport and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum are also nearby. The Spa at Norwich Inn is a member of the National Trust Historic Hotels of America; for more information, visit www.historichotels.org. 607 West Thames Street, Norwich, CT. Reservations: 800/ask.4.spa; 860/886-2401; www.thespaatnorwichinn.com. ❉
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Like a Rolling Stone FUN FAMILY GETAWAYS Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas By Herschel, Age 11 Atlantis is a great place to visit for all kids and their families. It is an amazing, huge resort in the Bahamas. There are slides, pools and food, plus all sorts of activities. There are many choices of hotel rooms and a casino and a marina. The slides are awesome; each one has its own fun and chills. They are either very scary or exciting. Sometimes you go through shark pits or you might even go through tunnels. The hotel rooms have a TV with more kids’ channels than any other hotel. You can go to the movies at the resort’s own Movie Theater, and swim with dolphins at the dolphin cay. At their RC (Radio Controlled) car race course you can build cars or rent them, then go over to the computers and get yourself a drivers license ID. Good luck winning a race! AKA (Atlantis Kids Adventures) is the coolest place around. This is a new, indoor, fun play area for kids. You
ATLANTIS
and have fun with it. The computer room is where you can explore websites and interesting facts. You can take a picture and doodle. Maybe make a black beard onto it, make a funny picture or play some thinking games. In the secret Willy Wonka room (parents aren’t suppose to know about it) there is candy all around you in tubes. You get to choose anything you want to fill your bag. Gummy bears, Skittles, M&Ms, Jawbreakers, Sour Patch Kids, Starbursts, and tons more candy to choose from. Atlantis has made a new partnership with Legos , the world famous toys. Lego Atlantis is a new series of Legos, which has all kinds of fun sets. There are submarine sets and underwater palaces, and things relating to a magical underwater island. The Legos are so much fun you could just play, all day, everyday. You could build underwater creatures or vehicles and have a blast with the landscape. Legos are awesome and no toy beats them. When you’re hungry or starving, don’t get room service, go out. The many restaurants in Atlantis have different types of food. If you want a snack or lunch go get a sandwich by the pools. If you want dinner, Sea Grapes is a lively, family restaurant. ATLANTIS Or go somewhere quiet such as Chop Stix to relax. When you wake up in the morning and you’re hungry, go down to the Market Place and enjoy a wonderful buffet breakfast of eggs and bacon, waffles and pancakes, omelets, cereal and yummy pastries. From Fairfield and Westchester Counties, the fastest and most comfortable way to get to Atlantis is by going to JFK International Airport and getting on a three hour flight on Jetblue. Jetblue has the most legroom in coach, free TV, comfortable seats and free snacks. Jetblue has low prices in airfare. www.Jetblue.com This is why Atlantis is the best vacation place around. Its easy to get to, fun for kids, and fun for adults. www.atlantis.com
The Hotel Hershey and Hersheypark Hershey, Pennsylvania By Paula Koffsky If the kids could pick the family vacation spot, the Hotel Hershey and Hersheypark would be at the top of the list. Just 95 miles west of Philadelphia, the diversions of the luxury THE HOTEL HERSHEY
can go into the cooking room and bake it up, the game room, the computer room and the secret Willy Wonka room. In the cooking room, the gourmet chef and helpers help you build your wonderful piece of cooking art in their amazing, state-of-the-art gourmet kitchen. The game room has all kinds of video games: Xbox 360, Playstation and Wii. You get to experience the games
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resort area include Hersheypark, ZooAmerica, gourmet restaurants, five championship golf courses, Hershey Gardens, and Hershey Museums, all within a stone’s throw of the deluxe Hotel Hershey and Spa. After we gobbled up our welcome Hershey bars at checkin, we headed over to Hersheypark on the free shuttle, to avail ourselves of what we could of the 50 attractions, which include no less than 11 roller coasters. The Comet, a 50-year-old wooden coaster, is a good warm up for the uberexhilarating steel coasters like Great Bear, Storm Runner, and Fahrenheit. For a refreshing thrill, The Boardwalk: The SEAquel, has a new wave pool and lazy river in addition to Tidal Force, the world’s tallest splash down ride, which takes a 50 mph plunge before soaking it’s riders. The Park also includes ZooAmerica, an 11-acre wildlife park with over 200 animals. For the best chocolate milk shakes in the world, check out the visitor’s center: Hershey’s Chocolate World. You will need reserved tickets for the 3D Show and Trolley Tour through Chocolate Town USA. My son gets chocolate and rollercoaster rides, and I get to enjoy a dose of luxurious pampering. The Spa offers signature services like the Chocolate Fondue Body Wrap and Cocoa Massage. The relaxing Cuban-inspired treatments pay homage to the sugar mills and plantations Mr. Hershey owned in Cuba. Mojito Scrub anyone? Just off of Chocolate Avenue is The Museum, The Hershey Story, which traces the life and legacy of the man who was an inspiration and a pioneer. At the Museum’s Chocolate Lab, chocolate lovers discover where the best cocoa beans are grown and how chocolate is made. To top it off, visitors mold their own chocolate bars. The most serious chocoholics will want to check out the sinfully delicious liquid chocolates from around the world at the museum’s Zooka Café. For something completely different, guests may want to learn about the ancient sport of Falconry, a sport believed to have started in Mesopotamia, where birds of prey are trained to hunt game. Master Falconer Jack Hubley takes participants through a history and demonstration with his impressive collection of raptors. The experience concludes with an exciting up-close training practice and photo session of you and a majestic creature for your vacation photo album. The Falconry Experience is one of only a handful of opportunities in the U.S. northeastern region and if there is a nature lover in the family, it is not to be missed. After an exciting day, it’s time to feed the engine. Hotel Hershey offers several great restaurants, including their newest, Harvest. A “farm to table” restaurant, Harvest uses local and organic products from surrounding Lancaster County, providing a wonderful tribute to the man who cared so much about the local community. Hershey designed the hotel’s famous Circular Dining Room, his solution to patrons being “stuck in a corner.” A masterpiece of art and architecture, this elegant restaurant is surrounded by panoramic windows looking out onto the hotel’s beautiful gardens and reflecting pool. The award-winning Sunday
FOUR SEASONS CHICAGO
Brunch is bountiful and delectable, with a fresh seafood bar, omelet station and decadent chocolate desserts. All of the restaurants at the Hotel are child friendly in menu and in tone. The Hotel Hershey, a member of the Historic Hotels of America, brings visitors to a most delicious and historically innovative time in our country’s past. 100 Hotel Road, Hershey, Pennsylvania. 800/HERSHEY; www.TheHotelHershey.com.
Four Seasons Chicago By Debbie Silver In our well-to-do environs, families are often eager to take the kids abroad. Typically, the choices are London (since they speak English), Florence (pizza and gelato) or Paris (where the kids will live on frites.) But Chicago is only a two-hour flight from LaGuardia Airport, and one of the great American destinations for a family vacation. There is so much going on in Chicago: free events, festivals, outstanding theatre, Second City and fabulous restaurants. ChooseChicago.com is the city’s comprehensive guide to everything happening in the city and can help you plan your trip. www.choosechicago.com.
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Like a Rolling Stone Parents will appreciate ‘Dine Without Whine’ program: drop the kids off at a nearby table to enjoy a buffet and movie while the adults dine on a more sophisticated menu. There’s also a special children's buffet at Sunday Brunch and children's afternoon tea. The hotel offers complimentary in-room dining from the children's room service menu for children 12 and under for families who book the family package. For a special treat, the Four Season’s Ice Cream Man with a traveling soda fountain will come to your guest room to make ice cream sundaes for the whole family. 120 East Delaware Place, Chicago, IL. 312/280-8800; www.fourseasons.com/chicagofs
AND FOR ADULTS...
Qua Baths & Spa At Ceasars Atlantic City By Paula Koffsky Scenic ocean views and the highest gaming limits in town make Caesars Atlantic City one of the hottest places on the fabled strip. The luxury hotel, smack in the heart of Atlantic City, offers 124,000 square feet of gaming, FOUR SEASONS CHICAGO exciting nightlife, and newly renovated accommodations. The complex now boasts the new Pier Shops at Caesars, a $175 million entertainment center which includes over 80 luxury shops, several gourmet restaurants and a LOCAL FAMILY FAVORITES: myriad of entertainment venues right along the celebrated Boardwalk. Shedd Aquarium 1200 S. Lake Shore Dr | 312.939.2438 For those who can resist the allure of the gaming tables, a visit to the hotel’s Qua Baths & Spa provides a soothing alternative to the excitement Adler Planetarium 1300 S. Lake Shore Dr. | 312.922.STAR (312.922.7827) of the high roller lifestyle. Located in the Ocean Towers of Caesars Atlantic City, the handsomely designed 16,000 square foot spa is an oasis of Field Museum of Natural History 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive | 312-992-9410 serenity and rejuvenation that feels like a world unto itself. The spa provides the perfect foil for the casino’s non-stop hustle and bustle. Lincoln Park Zoo 2200 N. Cannon Dr. | 312-742-2000 | Free Admission Modeled after the renowned Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, the name suggests aqua, or water, and alludes to the ancient theraNavy Pier 600 E. Grand Ave | 312.595.PIER | Free Admission peutic healing and soothing qualities of the Roman Baths. The spa offers three baths of varying temperatures (separate for men and woman), as well as cedar wood saunas, herbal steam rooms, hot and cold plunge pools and If you’re looking for a five star, kid-friendly hotel, look no further than a whirlpool and relaxation lounge. As in the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago at the top of Michigan the days of the Roman baths, Qua proAvenue. All of the hotel’s 346 guest rooms overlook motes the pleasures of socializing and Chicago’s spectacular skyline or the majestic waters of lounging. The spa provides an assortLake Michigan. Six different varieties of guest rooms ment of body treatments and theraand seven kinds of suites are available. peutic massages in a serene, zen-like The Four Seasons Hotels welcomes kids with comsetting. Spa treatments include the plimentary Wiis, board games and DVDs. Those luxuQua Signature Chakra Balancing, rious robes aren’t just for Mom and Dad; there are designed to de-stress and re-align your child-sized robes, bath gel and confetti for young visichakras using warm oils and energy tors. Plan a picnic on the lakefront in comfort and QUA BATHS & SPA work. The Vichy Herbal Wrap is a style with your very own Radio Flyer wagon to tote your hydrotherapy treatment, which includes a specially brewed herb and botanilittle ones. Each wagon features two seats with seat belts and room for cal exfoliation, warm steam towels, and seven Vichy showerheads. Other your gear. treatments address Pain Management and Sleep issues. Enjoy the Tea After an afternoon of shopping on Michigan Avenue, adults will welSalon, where the teas are designed to compliment spa treatments. Use of come a treatment or a workout at the Spa and Fitness Club. the outdoor, rooftop pool with sun deck is included for guests of the Spa, and Don’t forget to pack the swimsuits for the Four Seasons Chicago’s the full fitness center is available for a fee of $15.00. A breather from the slot fifty-foot-long swimming pool. Seasons restaurant offers some of the machines, Qua Baths & Spa is a winning bet! 2100 Pacific Ave., Atlantic City, best American cuisine in Chicago and the Chef’s Table is an exclusive opportunity to watch Executive–Chef Kevin Hickey in action. NJ. 609/343-2400; www.quabathsandspa.com; www.caesarsac.com. ❉
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RURAL PALATES
Matsu Sushi The Pearl of Westport
By Simone Meadow
Matsu in downtown Westport is a gem! It’s located in the same spot as the old movie theater, which closed down, then became an Italian restaurant, which also closed down shortly after opening, and then became Matsu. I used to think the spot was doomed, but Matsu has since moved in and its memorable selection of Japanese dishes sure do the trick. When you think Japanese, raw fish may come to mind, but while Matsu may just make the best sushi in town, with fresh fish delivered daily, their constantly updated menu offers just as many options for those who are not fans of raw food. Their sushi avoids the common pho pas: its never soggy or clumpy, uses the perfect proportion of vinegar in the rice, and is not only full of fresh fish, but also other interesting ingredients like asparagus, fish eggs, sea urchin, or a raw quail egg on top. Matsu has an outstanding menu, with a vast array of cooked dishes as well as their long sushi list. Their signature rolls include the USA roll, spicy Toro sprinkled with tempura crunch flakes; the Madrid, with spicy tuna, avocado, crunch, jalapeno, and soybean wrap; and always the option of creating your own roll, like my favorite: crab, asparagus, and tempura crunch. For non-raw fish eaters, the appetizer selection boasts baked eggplant in a sweet miso paste, both gyoza and shumai dumplings, and specials like the Bonanza, with lightly seared tuna, mango sauce, and banana tempura underneath. Entrees include bento boxes with teriyaki, miso steak with gourmet garden vegetables, and now even full hibachi dinners brought to the table, so you don’t have that hibachi smell on you that you get from sitting at the hibachi grill. The expert chefs are constantly creating new dishes with Japanese flair, while consistently serving the more tradition dishes, perfectly prepared every time. We love Japanese food for the bite size sushi rolls, crispy tempura, and miso soup, but Matsu gives us that and so much more. The
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restaurant has a certain welcoming feel that could be directly attributed to the familiar smiles of the attentive waitresses, who are as friendly as they are pretty. It’s not uncommon to see regulars greeted by name here. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor tables, a sushi bar, and a spacious upstairs loft dining area that is perfect for larger parties. Matsu also offers prompt take out and delivery services, with delivery to Westport and most parts of Weston in under an hour. Why not have gorgeous platters of fresh sushi, vibrant green edamame, and exotic red bean ice cream delivered to your next event? Matsu also does catering! One more thing that must be mentioned: Matsu always seems to be open. It’s hard finding a great place to eat at weird hours of the day, but we all have hectic schedules, and Matsu is open uninterrupted from 11 am – 10 pm Monday through Thursday, 11 am – 11 pm Fridays, and from 12 – 11 pm on Saturday and Sundays 12 – 10pm — sustenance is available even if you need to grab lunch at the seemingly impossible hour of 4 pm. 33 Jesup Rd., Westport, CT. 203/341-9662; www.matsusushi.net.
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Matsu Sushi
good food, great atmosphere...
zero pretense!
Lexington Square Cafe
The Tap House
Ruby’s Oyster Bar & Bistro
Elm Street Oyster House
The Pearl Restaurant Group family of restaurants Morgans Fish House
Rye Grill and Bar Rye, NY 914-967-0332
Rye Grill and Bar
Ten Twenty Post
Ten Twenty Post Darien, CT 203-655-1020
The Tap House Tuckahoe, NY 914-337-6941
Lexington Square Cafe
Ruby’s Oyster Bar & Bistro
Mt. Kisco, NY 914-244-3663
Rye, NY 914-921-4166
Elm Street Oyster House
Morgans Fish House
Greenwich, CT 203-629-5795
Rye, NY 914-921-8190
The Pearl Restaurant Group – an eclectic group of restaurants each with its own menu, style and personality. At its core, the Pearl Restaurant Group philosophy is service, service, service - it’s all about our guests! We are in the restaurant business because we love it and strive to make every dining experience a great one! We look forward to seeing you soon at one of our locations. • (914) 921-8132 •
www .P earl r estarant G rouP . com
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R U R A L PA L AT E S
WESTCHESTER RESTAURANT ROUND UP By Doug Yuan IF MANHATTAN IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREAT FOOD DESTINATIONS, WESTCHESTER, ITS NEIGHBOR TO THE NORTH, IS STILL CONSIDERED A CULINARY UP-AND-COMER. NEW YORKERS HAVE ON OCCASION EVEN BEEN KNOWN TO ASK, “WHERE IS WESTCHESTER, IS THAT UPSTATE?” THE COUNTY MAY NEVER POSSESS THE DINING CACHET OF MANHATTAN, BUT THERE’S NO DISPUTING A SIMPLE FACT: THE WESTCHESTER FOOD SCENE HAS COME INTO ITS OWN. THROUGH AN INFLUX OF EXCITING CHEFS, VIBRANT CUISINES AND BOLD NEW RESTAURANTS, DINING HERE IS BETTER THAN EVER. HERE’S A SAMPLING OF SOME OF THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST:
Don Coqui 115 Cedar St, New Rochelle (914) 637-3737, doncoqui.com Taking over the space formerly housed by McMenamin’s Grill, Don Coqui has infused New Rochelle with an upscale Latin flair. Everything here is big and bold: the décor, the buzzing atmosphere, and most of all, the food. Expect to hear animated conversations and the clinking of mojitos inside the striking loftlike dining room, as diners tuck into dishes authentic to Puerto Rico. Look for seafood stews, braised oxtail, and a massive and meltingly tender pork pernil. Portions at Don Coqui are enormous. Doggy bags are a must.
Don Coqui
WHAT’S NEW The Cookery 39 Chestnut St, Dobbs Ferry (914) 305-2336, thecookeryrestaurant.com Of the new Westchester restaurants, perhaps none has generated the buzz and acclaim of The Cookery The Cookery. Chef Dave DiBari’s rustic eatery has attracted legions of fans, drawn in by DiBari’s loving ode to Italian comfort food (charisma and good looks haven’t hurt his cause either). The Cookery’s intimate qualities are reflected in the refined simplicity of its dishes: handmade pastas, flavorful fish and robust meats, including a not-to-miss Berkshire pork osso bucco — deep fried until rendered crispy on the outside and unimaginably tender inside. Frankie & Fanucci’s 202 E. Hartsdale Ave, Hartsdale (914) 725-8400, fandfpizza.com Providing a much needed shot in the arm to Westchester’s middling pizza scene, Frankie & Fanucci’s has quickly gained a loyal following of pizzaphiles. One of Frankie & Fanucci’s the few area pizzerias to boast a wood-burning oven – capable of reaching a blistering 800 degrees – the pies at Frankie & Fanucci’s arrive with a thin, crisp crust, slightly charred and made smoky from cherry wood and oak.
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Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana 1955 Central Ave, Yonkers (914) 961-8284, pepespizzeria.com A temple of New Haven pizza, the legendary Frank Pepe franchise has finally branched out to Westchester. A fiery coal oven imparts the per-
Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana sonality of the pizzeria’s revered crusts: blistered and charred, chewy and well salted. No visit to Frank Pepe would be complete without partaking of the clam pie — a beguiling combination of briny clams, garlic and Romano cheese. Sounds strange, but one taste and you’ll be hooked.
FARM-TO-TABLE Sweet Grass Grill 24 Main St, Tarrytown (914) 631-0000, sweetgrassgrill.com This new addition to Tarrytown takes socially responsible food sourcing seriously, obtaining greens, eggs and pork products from nearby Stone Barns farm; other ingredients arrive seasonally from farms in upstate New
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R U R A L PA L AT E S Sweet Grass Grill
continues to crank out top-notch burgers. Nothing fancy here (though a Kobe beef burger is available), just quality meat charcoal-grilled to a dark, crisp crust, and placed on a standard sesame seed bun. Good enough to satisfy any burger craving. Umami Café 325 South Riverside Ave, Croton-on-Hudson 914-271-5555, umamicafe.com
York. Chef Tommy Lasley has crafted a menu of sustainable seafood, antibiotic-free meat, and when viable, organic produce. Grass-fed rib eye steaks are a big hit, as are the grilled sausages and juicy burgers. Lasley says he’s especially excited for the spring arrival of ramps (wild leeks) – in season for a mere three weeks. Now that’s seasonal cooking. Flying Pig on Lexington 251 Lexington Ave, Mount Kisco (914) 666-7445, pigcafe.com
Umami Cafe
When Gourmet magazine recognizes you as one of the best farm-to-table restaurants in the country, you’re doing something right. Flying Pig on Lexington continues to set the standard in Northern Westchester for local, sustainable foods, featuring meats, fish and produce from nearby Cabbage Hill Farms and Flying Pig on Lexington other farmers throughout the Hudson Valley. Serving a seasonal, contemporary American menu, look for local-greens salads, grilled hangar steak, and pork chops from Cabbage Hill pigs.
HIDDEN GEMS Squire’s 94 North State Rd, Briarcliff Manor (914) 762-3376
Squire’s
Squire’s is a must visit for any hamburger lover. Decidedly old school and practically unchanged for over forty years, the tavernlike Squire’s flies under-the-radar but
Quirky and unpretentious, the family-friendly Umami Café (look for the children’s menu on View-Master toys) serves surprisingly sophisticated adult food. A first glance at the menu may baffle – there is no singular cuisine here. Instead, Umami Café’s menu takes a global tour of Asia and Latin America, while mixing in American food classics. Dishes include Peking duck quesadillas, Peruvian baked scallops and a killer pork adobo braised in vinegar and garlic, served with fresh peas and ladled over rice.
LOCAL FAVORITES Rye Grill & Bar 1 Station Plaza, Rye (914) 967-0332, ryegrill.com Steps from the Rye train station, the renovated Rye Grill & Bar – now double the size and featuring two levels – bears little resemblance to its former self. What hasn’t changed is the Rye Grill & Bar convivial, neighborhood vibe and comfortable menu of pastas, sandwiches, meats and seafood. The bar area, always lively, is the place to go for an after-work drink. In fact, RG&B, located halfway between Connecticut and Manhattan, makes an ideal spot to meet friends – just hop on the train!
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R U R A L PA L AT E S Tarry Lodge 18 Mill St, Port Chester (914) 939-3111, tarrylodge.com It’s no exaggeration: Tarry Lodge, spearheaded by Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich, has taken Westchester by storm. The Manhattan power restaurateurs brought their Midas touch to Port Chester, but left behind the Manhattan prices; their focus on accessible, rustic food at moderate price points Tarry Lodge pleases both the palate and the wallet. Try the standout antipasti and salads, comforting pastas, and Chef Andy Nusser’s signature truffle, guanciale and sunny side egg pizza.
raw bar, but this popular, Saugatuck neighborhood Italian restaurant has a lot more to offer. The food is a wonderful blend of traditional and contemporary dishes, while the spacious bar and dining area provide the perfect destination after an overwhelming day of work or running around with the kids. The bar at Rizzuto’s is the ideal place for meeting up with friends and coworkers for drinks or a bite, and the restaurant is just loud enough to encourage a fun and light evening, but never too packed to cramp your style. The wait staff is friendly, well acquainted with their menu so they can help with your choices, and very good at what they do. Beyond this restaurant’s boisterous yet comfortable atmosphere, their menu offers a selection of both traditional and nouvelle Italian dishes. They use organic ingredients as much as they can, many grown nearby, and serve up pizzas in minutes using their authentic wood-burning oven. Their antipasti (Italian appetizers) are really to boast about. Rizzuto’s presents us with a wonderful option: lavish selections of Italian salamis and prosciuto, slabs of parmesan and gorgonzola dulce, seasoned olives, and a vast assortment of bruschettas with different toppings. After the gourmet antipasti, the menu has more in store, and at reasonable prices. The kitchen has a glass wall separating it from the dining room, letting you watch your food being created, and leaving you feeling as if you’re part of a large Italian family. 540 Riverside Avenue, Westport, CT. 203/221-1002; www.rizzutos.com. Rizzutos in Bethel, their founding location, is celebrating its fifth anniversary: 6 Stony Hill Rd., Bethel, CT; 203/790-4444.
Pier Restaurant & Tiki Bar 100 Playland Parkway, Rye (914) 967-1020 Opening this spring: Pier Restaurant & Tiki Bar. Situated on the Rye Playland boardwalk, it’s hard to imagine a more picturesque location. The restaurant, with spectacular views of the Long Island Sound, Pier Restaurant will feature extensive outdoor seating and a tiki bar. Al fresco dining and a hopping bar scene, set along the water? Should be fun.
Myrna’s Stamford Myrna’s is a great Middle Eastern market and bistro serving authentic, fresh, healthy Lebanese and Middle Eastern foods. Presided over by the warm and wonderful Myrna, the place has recently been expanded to a charming, brightly colored dining area next to the bustling take out counter and market. The market offers shelves packed with spices (sumac, fresh dried mint, coriander, curry and cinnamon sticks,) jars of Tahini, canned hummus and baba ghan-
BEST VALUE High quality doesn’t have to break the bank. Try The Cookery (pastas range from $11-$14, entrees $20-$25), Tarry Lodge (pizzas $9-$18, pastas $16-$19), Sweet Grass Grill (burgers $10-$12, entrees $16-$30), Umami Café (all dishes under $18), and Squire’s (burgers $7-$8).
Doug Yuan has rarely met a food he doesn't like. A TV producer and freelance writer, he's the author of the Westchester food blog, Hungry Travels.
IN CONNECTICUT Rizzuto’s Rizzuto's Wood-Fired Kitchen & Bar Westport & Bethel Rizzuto’s wants you to know about their brick oven pizza and lavish
Myrna’s nouj, Tamarind juice, dried beans and grains. In the restaurant, enjoy mezza — hot and cold small plates — such as classic hummus, falafel, stuffed grape leaves and yogurt cucumber salad; or more exotic grilled halloumi cheese, thyme pie, kibbe (lean ground beef mixed with bulgur wheat, spices, sautéed onion and pine nuts) and lamb sausage.
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R U R A L PA L AT E S Follow these with entrees such as tender grilled lamb chops with grilled vegetables and rice, shrimp kebab, or zucchini stuffed with meat, rice and tomatoes. An exciting range of salads and vegetarian options are available, both as sides or main courses. If you can’t decide, order any of the combo platters, which include a satisfying range of hot and cold savories. For dessert, try a selection of baklavas, a rich slab of halva, or knefe, slices of hot, mildly sweet cheese curd in honey-soaked filo dough. Top off with Lebanese coffee, stop off in the market for some take home goodies, and you’re good to go. Everything on the menu is available for take out, delivery, and some fun, out of the ordinary catering. 866 East Main Street, Stamford, CT; 203/325-8736; www.myrnas.com. Morello Bistro Greenwich Recently arrived from England, and brought over expressly for the pur-
Morello Bistro
pose, Mark Medina-Rios takes charge of Morello’s kitchen crew as the new Executive Chef for this trendy, tasty Greenwich Avenue staple. He’s young, he’s eager, and he’s serving up nouvelle cuisine from both sides of the pond with an emphasis on fresh, flavorful and flashy. To start, try whipped ricotta over grilled ciabatta bread with a honeybalsamic dressing; tuna tartar over frisée with capers and a lemon vinaigrette; or a roasted beet salad tossed with toasted hazelnuts, mint, and ricotta. Pastas such as mushroom ravioli with arugula, pecorino and pine nuts; gnocchi with brussel sprouts, pancetta, fontina, and gorgonzola; or Squid Ink Chitarra with calamari, clam juice, and parsley are available in appetizer or entrée portions. Rack of lamb comes tender, rare and marinated; sautéed Branzino, on the lighter side, with cannellini beans, salsa verde, and a white vegetable puree.
There are several specials nightly, and loads of seasonal, continental ingredients such as porchetta, faro, and polenta. Inquire with your server about their Family Style Abondonza Menu and leave it to the chef to prepare a plentiful meal for the whole table. Any way you order, be sure to leave room for the bomboloni dessert: hot, orange-honey cream filled doughnuts, served with hot dark chocolate on the side for dipping or drizzling. Along with Morello Bistro, the MARC (Marlon Abela Restaurant Corporation) portfolio of dining destinations includes A Voce restaurants in New York, Bistro du Midi in Boston, as well as Umu and The Greenhouse in London. 253 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich CT. 203/6613443; www.morellobistro.com. ❉
The Little Chocolate Company Greenwich The Little Chocolate Company, which just opened its first retail shop, creates homemade chocolate confections to take home or eat in, in Greenwich, Connecticut. Magic happens in the back of the petite café as master chocolatier Martine Coscia tempers chocolate for her truffles' hard shiny shell. As with an exquisite cake, the truffles' garnishes hint at what's to look forward to inside. Chocolates from recipes originating from specific countries are marked with the colors of their flags on top; Martine's favorite pistachio truffle is gently rolled in pistachio crumbles. Besides the wonderful truffle options, another Little Chocolate Company's signature item is their organic biscottini miniature, bite-sized biscotti which complete a chocolate-themed high tea served in the café with a delicately blended gourmet chocolate and milk hot chocolate. 99 Mill Street, Greenwich, CT. 203/5316190; www.thelittlechocolatecompany.com.
376 Post Road E., Westport, CT, 203-557-4848
Acqua Restaurant Spring-10:AcquaRestaurant AprMay-06
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truffle; or a nutella calzone. As befitting a true emporio, all of their organic produce, pasta, rice and oils are available for purchase. Serving lunch and dinner daily; weekend brunch; late night snacks until 2 am. 231 Mott St., NYC. 212/9661234; emporiony.com.
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VIA DEI MILLE WEST VILLAGE
EMPORIO
Via dei Mille is one of those local, downtown, neighborhood eateries that make you so happy to be back in New York enjoying the tastes, sights and sounds of the city. A warmly refurbished storefront space named after one of the best known streets in Naples, Via dei Mille brings us the flavors and charm of the sunwashed Italian coast. Original paintings by local artists adorn the walls, and are for sale. On week nights, the prix fixe “Gypsy menu” offers a selection of the chef’s seasonal offerings and is accompanied by live gypsy music. To start, antipasti such as tuna tartar with a slightly spicy mix of lemon, tomato, basil, scallion and extra vir-
New York Neighborhood Dining EMPORIO
VIA DEI MILLE
NOLITA Under the roof of an emporium one would expect many fine and varied offerings, and that’s what can be found at Emporio, a new Italian eatery in the Nolita neighborhood of lower Manhattan. Rustic yet sophisticated, with a glass-ceilinged atrium dining room, Emporio offers a menu of Italian specialties not often enjoyed in the US. Antipasti platters of imported cheeses and salamis, hot risotto and cheese croquettes, crostini with gorgonzola and truffled honey (to die for!) and brick oven pizzas can be shared amongst friends. Market driven and changing with the seasons, housemade pastas include chestnut pappardelle with leeks, wild mushrooms and parmigiano; potato gnocchi with oxtail ragú; and orecchiette with shrimp and bottarga — a wonderful Sardinian specialty of dried fish roe. Grass fed Piemonte beef, prized by Italians as the purest, tenderest beef available, is offered as a garlic rubbed strip steak with roasted onions and rosemary potatoes. This is a steak lover’s delight. Other excellent entrees are slow cooked short ribs with bubbling hot polenta; and whole, grilled Mediterranean branzino brushed with olive oil and herbs. The restaurant offers a comprehensive wine list, with many regional Italian wines by the glass, as well as inventive, housedeveloped cocktails. Soju, a strong Korean wine, makes its appearance in drinks such as the cucumber martini, (soju, cucumber puree, and mint) while the guava frizzante (prosecco and guava puree) is another refreshing choice. For dessert, sample the poached pear with basil and chocolate
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gin olive oil; fritto misto of calamari, rock shrimp, and vegetables served with lemon zest and a spicy marinara sauce; and beef carpaccio with arugula, shaved parmesan and truffle oil are great openers to show off chef Emanuel Concas’ talents and whet the appetite for more. Among the excellent handmade pastas, tagliatelle with braised chicken, asparagus and red onion ragu is rich and satisfying, while tagliolini tossed in an almond, basil and garlic pesto with manila clams and rock shrimp is lighter and nuanced. Entrees range from filet of Dover sole alla Siciana with tomatoes, basil, escarole, white wine and garlic, to a classic double cut veal chop thinly pounded and breaded, topped with arugula and tomato salad.
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BHATTI INDIAN GRILL
For dessert, try the artisanal ice creams, or a sweet libation, such as the “Cannoli on the Rocks” (biscotti liquor with milk and shaved chocolate) or “Nuts and Berries” (a blend of Hazelnut and raspberry liqueurs.) Open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. 357 West Broadway, NYC. 212/431-0080; viadeimilleny.com.
BHATTI INDIAN GRILL CURRY HILL There is an abundance of Indian restaurants in the mecca, Curry Hill in New York. Many are very good, but one stands out: Bhatti Indian Grill. The mastermind behind this success is chef-owner Guarav Anand, who was born into a renowned culinary family in Punjab, India. As a youth, Guarav trained under India’s master chefs; he also traveled extensively to the Northern part of India to learn the country’s oldest and best-kept recipes and ritualistic culinary secrets. He could have continued his career in the family’s culinary empire in India, but luckily for us, Guarav chose to pursue his dream in the Big Apple. Bhatti is small and intimate with large French doors that open to the sidewalk in great weather. Don’t be fooled by the understated décor; one taste of a signature dish like Gilauti Kebab, and patrons are sold on the culinary intricacies and sophistication of the food. The dish originates from the province of Lucknow and was created as a royal meal for a king who had lost his teeth due to old age. The king summoned the “top chef” of the day to create a special marinade incorporating 160 spices, which produce the most delicate kebab morsels, thereby requiring no chewing. Anand is one of a few chefs who know and use the secret recipe; he imports the spice blend from the same historical family in Lucknow. Clearly, Kebabs are a specialty of the house. The name, Bhatti, refers to a special open fire grill used in Punjab to sear kebabs to perfection. Since an open fire is not possible in the restaurant, Anand finishes each dish over lava rocks sprinkled with herbs, infusing a flavor which will have you coming back for more. Anand also bakes his fluffy naan and fantastic roti in a traditional tandoori clay oven. Authenticity and culinary mastery sum up this fantastic Indian restaurant. 100 Lexington Avenue (28th St.), NYC. 212/683-4228; www.bhattinyc.com.
GIANO RESTAURANT & WINE BAR EAST VILLAGE Located in the East Village, Giano Restaurant and Wine Bar is named for the mythological Roman deity with two faces. Thus the restaurant GIANO RESTAURANT uses fresh seasonal ingredients to & WINE BAR offer both classic Italian cuisine as well as new and innovative dishes. The menu has two faces to highlight this: one side offers traditional dishes, the other, contemporary selections. With this concept, Milanese owners Matteo Niccoli, Paolo Rossi and Executive chef Maateo Calciati, have created a unique and delicious dining experience.
The décor also reflects opposing tastes; the front of the restaurant is modern, with a sleek bar made of compressed sea salt imbedded in a smooth resin finish, while the back of the restaurant is rustic in feel, with exposed brick walls, and dramatic candle lighting. Contemporary dishes include eggplant, tomatoes, mozzarella and basil in light puffed pastry; and a butternut squash risotto with gorgonzola fondue topped with powdered amaretto cookies. A classic specialty of the house, Gnudi al Burro e Salvia, which translated means “naked,” is a delicate, ricotta spinach dumpling dish served in a light butter and sage sauce — melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Main dishes include classic beef cheeks braised in red wine and fresh herbs on a bed of mashed potatoes seasoned with pistachios and walnuts. Salmon filet sautéed with sambuca, tarragon and a splash of orange juice served with spinach, is a contemporary entree. The wine list includes selections from Italy, France, Spain and Chile. Traditional desserts like tiramisu, cheese cake and chocolate soufflé round out a perfect Italian dinner. 126 East 7th Street, NYC. 212/673-7200; www.gianonyc.com.
CULINARY CONCEPTS BY JEAN-GEORGES NYC AND BEYOND Good news for those who know and love Jean-Georges’ internationally acclaimed restaurants, including his NYC best-seller, Spice Market. His global restaurant company, Culinary Concepts, has been expanding fast and furiously this past year, with J&G STEAKHOUSE the recent openings of Market by Jean-Georges at the W Boston, Kaua'i Grill at The St. Regis Resort, Princeville, Hawaii and JG Grill at the St. Regis, Deer Crest in Deer Valley, Utah. In New York, Wall & Water, serving market-to-table fare, and Bar Seven Five, named after its street address at the new Andaz Wall Street, opened in January to great fanfare. These join the Culinary Concepts portfolio of restaurants around the world, with existing locations in Atlanta, Doha, Qatar, Istanbul, Vancouver, Palmilla, Washington, DC and Scottsdale. On a recent visit to the J&G Steakhouse in DC, the meal exemplified the Culinary Concepts model of great food served in an exciting setting, with exemplary service. The steakhouse, located in the trendy W Hotel on Pennsylvania Ave., is situated in a soaring dining room with well-spaced, no-secrets-overheard tables. Simply grilled classics such as prime porterhouse, 8 or 12 oz. filet mignon, and six peppercorn prime NY steak with a selection of sauces; or BBQ lamb chops, glazed short ribs, and veal Milanese are staples of the succinct, focused menu. For non-meat eaters, lobster and sea bass are also offered. Appetizers run the gamut from a light tuna tartar to a rich foie gras, while power cocktails are designed to please a power crowd. 515 15th Street NW, Washington D.C. 202/661-2440. www.culinaryconcepts.com. ❉
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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE ILLUSTRATION BY DAVE CUTLER
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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Boarding and Day Schools
Ridgefield Academy Ridgefield, CT The early years of education from preschool through grade 8 are a critical time to help children develop into confident learners. Recognizing this, Ridgefield Academy, an independent day school located in Ridgefield, CT, has thoughtfully created a school environment and a dedicated curriculum to help children develop confidence and reach their personal potential. Every student at Ridgefield Academy is “known and needed;” known to all others in the school community and needed for the overall success of the school. From a very early age, students are given important jobs in the classroom and responsibilities in the school that build a unique spirit of teamwork and pride in being part of a greater whole. Older students mentor younger students and every grade has a responsibility to support and encourage the younger grades. Ridgefield Academy’s innovative teaching staff and the small classroom environment help to nurture students with individual attention and encouragement. Through an emphasis on the whole child and high standards of achievement, Ridgefield Academy strives to help children become thoughtful, independent, and confident learners. Classroom environments at RA are a safe place for children to express ideas and take risks without running the risk of criticism from peers. “The Ridgefield Academy community has given our sons the strength and confidence to “unleash” their intellectual curiosity and revel in their individualness,” comments parent Michelle Hanlon of New Canaan. “We credit RA with helping prepare them for the continuing academic rigor and challenges they will receive at Hopkins School for their high school years.” 2 1 6 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
RA’s curriculum combines the traditional, core subject areas of language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies with a rich program of music, art, and drama designed to inspire students and spark their creativity. ”The strengths of RA’s program can be found on many different levels,” comments parent and Weston resident Barbara Chopin. “I think it is the school’s overall approach to curriculum development. Interweaving meaningful literature with verbal and artistic expression; expanding a history unit to include culture, art and science along with the core topic; relating Latin roots to English and foreign language vocabulary are all examples of how RA educates rather than teaches. “From the first moment, we realized RA’s teaching staff are there because they love to educate. Students are motivated to achieve and strive to succeed. The school’s culture supports and promotes students’ efforts towards personal achievement. We are so happy with RA and how it is stretching our daughter that we have enrolled her younger sister for next year.” An important part of becoming a confident learner is learning the tools to effectively communicate your ideas to others. Three years ago the school adopted a public speaking program and incorporated it into its curriculum. The program was developed by a consultant who worked with CEOs of Fortune 500 companies who recognized that if children were taught the tools for effective communication and given ample opportunity to practice, they could effectively learn written and verbal communication at a young age. Through carefully planned activities, teachers at Ridgefield Academy have seen first-hand how students have developed into confident public speakers after engaging in the program. The RA school community is a caring community built on a foundation of shared values. In all areas of school life, students model and reinforce the principles of respect, responsibility, fairness, and service to others. From the earliest years, students are given roles of responsibility and reminded of the importance of helping others. Evidence of RA’s commitment to community service can be found around every corner of the school, in our communities, and around the globe. Students are encouraged and honored for their commitment to philanthropy in their every day lives. Many families have discovered what a difference the Ridgefield Academy experience can make in their child’s confidence and desire to “do more and be more.” “Success at Ridgefield Academy for us has been defined by our daughter’s new found motivation to achieve,” comments a parent. “Her response to this has been every parent’s hope; a new found desire to do the job properly. The students are motivated to achieve and strive to succeed. They want to achieve because the culture supports and promotes their efforts towards achievement.” For more information about Ridgefield Academy, visit www.ridgefieldacademy.org or call Libby Mattson at (203) 894-1800 x112. 223 West Mountain Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877.
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Westover Middlebury, CT Westover, a selective boarding school of 200 girls, grades 9 - 12, in Middlebury, CT, has students from 16 countries and 19 states. Because the Westover community values the ideas and talents of every student, its students have endless opportunities to distinguish and challenge themselves. In addition to its rich and varied curriculum, Westover offers three specialized programs for those students with more concentrated interests. These programs provide co-curricular experiences for Westover students with the Brass City Ballet, the Manhattan School of Music, and Women in Science and Engineering (WISE). • Brass City Ballet. As participants in this program, a joint venture between Westover and the Brass City Ballet, select students have the opportunity to study dance at one of the region’s leading dance schools. Students audition in the fall of their entry year and take six dance classes a week in ballet, modern, and jazz. • Manhattan School of Music. This joint program between the Manhattan School of Music Pre-College Division and Westover offers talented musicians and vocalists the opportunity to study music and play in an orchestra or ensemble at one of the country’s leading music schools. Students must complete a separate application and audition to be accepted into the program. • WISE (Women in Science and Engineering). This advanced extracurricular program in conjunction with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) offers a variety of electives aimed at preparing students for careers in science or engineering. WISE graduates also receive special consideration for RPI’s engineering program. A number of Westover graduates who have participated in these programs have later pursued studies in dance, music, science and engineering in college and have gone on to establish careers in these fields. In addition, Westover offers three signature programs that further reflect the School’s commitment to giving students opportunities to gain experience and knowledge in special areas of interest: the Sonja Osborn Museum Studies Internship, the Online School for Girls, and Westover’s Summer Programs for girls entering grades 7, 8 and 9. • The Sonja Osborn Museum Studies Internship. The Museum Studies Internship, designed for students with interests and aptitude in the study of art history, consists of a ten-week program. The first eight weeks are spent at Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, CT, the home designed and lived in by Theodate Pope Riddle, Westover’s
architect. The final two weeks are spent working on a project that investigates the historical ties between the museum and Westover. • The Online School for Girls (OSG). Westover was one of four all-girls schools in 2009 to establish a consortium to offer online education for girls. Girls taking part in the program are offered courses taught by faculty members from the consortium over the Internet. Courses will range from multivariable calculus and differential equations to women in art and literature. All classes focus on collaborative projects for participating students. • Westover’s Summer Programs. The School’s residential one- or two-week summer programs in the arts and academics are an extension of the Westover experience, allowing girls to benefit from courses taught by Westover instructors while enjoying a range of summer activities. Recent course offerings have included ceramics, creative writing, dance, drama, Model United Nations, and photography. These six programs reflect the diverse offerings that Westover provides for all of its students. As Head of School Ann Pollina has noted, “Westover’s small, all-girls’ environment forces students out of boxes
and into a bigger picture of themselves. Our girls are artists and athletes, musicians and mathematicians, poets and physicists – sometimes all at the same time.” For more information, or to arrange for a visit, contact Westover’s Office of Admission at 203-577-4521 or e-mail admission@westoverschool.org. For more information about Westover, visit www.westoverschool.org. 1237 Whittemore Rd., Middlebury, CT 06762.
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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Canterbury School New Milford, CT Founded in 1915 and still guided by lay Roman Catholics, Canterbury School is a college preparatory, coeducational boarding and day school for 355 students in grades 9-12. Located on a hilltop campus of 150 acres near the picturesque village green in New Milford, Connecticut, Canterbury enrolls students from more than 20 states and 15 countries. The School prides itself on creating a community based on Catholic values, where students and faculty forge lasting bonds and every student experiences a broad and challenging program in a small school setting. The School’s educational environment fosters academic rigor, athletic development, artistic enrichment and spiritual growth. With its rigorous and humane approach to students, both in and out of the classroom, Canterbury’s program inculcates vital intellectual and ethical habits of mind. The school sees all students as individuals, supports them as necessary, stretches them as appropriate, and inspires them to become moral leaders in a secular world. Canterbury offers a rigorous curriculum that prepares graduates for admission to the most competitive colleges and universities. The academic program is implemented and directed by a dedicated group of more than 70 faculty and administrators. Canterbury teachers work closely with students to provide guidance and support – not only in the classroom, but as coaches, advisers, and dorm parents. The academic program prepares students for active intellectual work in a changing world. The curriculum pursues broad and deep exposure across disciplines, and is designed to create a fertile academic environment, inculcate a love of learning, and prepare students to become contributing citizens and moral leaders. Canterbury offers a college preparatory program of more than 115 courses, including 21 AP courses and 13 Honors sections. Their Advanced Placement courses and honors sections allow students to pursue specialized areas of study and college-level work. New academic technologies, including SMART boards in every classroom, are integrated with learning across the curriculum. With an enrollment of 355 students, the average class size is 11, allowing for teachers to become aware of each student’s strengths and gifts. Canterbury’s athletic tradition is strong and proud, as each student carries on that tradition by participating actively in sports three seasons a year at his or her level. The athletic requirement underscores the school’s goal to prepare well-balanced and healthy individuals. 2 1 8 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
Canterbury offers 19 sports to accommodate every level of athletic ability and afford everyone the chance to compete. Students can participate in team sports such as soccer, football, field hockey, basketball, ice hockey, volleyball, crew, track, baseball, softball, and lacrosse or individual sports such as cross country, tennis, squash, wrestling, swimming, golf, and track and field. Many of Canterbury’s studentathletes have or are participating at the collegiate level, and a few have gone on to become professional athletes. Athletic facilities include an
indoor ice rink, field house, five international squash courts, nine playing fields, and an aquatic center and tennis courts added in 2008. For a small school, Canterbury offers an exceptionally strong program in the fine arts. Encouraging self-expression and artistic development, the Fine Arts Department at Canterbury provides a thorough range of courses for all skill levels. At Canterbury School, students are required to enroll in two half-year art courses in Music, Fine Arts, and Theatre. No matter what skill level, beginner or advanced, students are welcome to explore their artistic ability in Canterbury’s Fine Arts program. State of the art facilities provide space for music practice, recordings, art exhibits, and performances. Students will be working with teachers who are professional artists and performers themselves. A visit to Canterbury is the best way to experience their friendly community and academic environment in action. To arrange for a visit, please contact the Office of Admission at: 860-210-3832 or email: admissions@cbury.org. For more information, visit www.cbury.org. 101 Aspetuck Avenue, New Milford, CT 06776.
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Villa Maria School Stamford, CT The Villa Maria School is a non-denominational co-educational day school for children with learning disabilities. In small classes with a 4:1 student-teacher ratio, Villa Maria supports and encourages children to learn, develop individual interests, and exceed the expectations of their parents, teachers and themselves. Villa Maria was first opened by the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters in 1965 as an after school and summer program for students in the Stamford area. In 1973, it was established as a full-time day school. Villa Maria, known as the “Jewel on the Hill” in residential North Stamford, has been accredited as a school for students with learning disabilities by the Connecticut State Department of Education since 1980. Additionally, Villa Maria has recently been accredited by the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools. Their students come from all across Fairfield County and Westchester County in New York, some from as far away as New York City. Their mission is to develop the full potential of students who are learning disabled with a focus on academic achievement and selfadvocacy. They do this by providing an education that will help children who learn differently acquire knowledge, develop skills, and increase the self-acceptance and self-esteem necessary to become responsible adults, and by advocating for and promoting understanding of learning disabilities. Their ultimate goal is to facilitate a student’s return to an independent or public school
armed with the tools and skills necessary to continue his or her education in a mainstream setting. Most of their alumni have gone on to achieve college degrees, with many earning higher level degrees and a few receiving doctorates. Villa Maria stands apart from its peers in very distinct ways. First and foremost, they maintain a 4:1 teacher-student ration in their classrooms. All of their classroom teachers are certified in Special Education. Secondly, a heavy emphasis is placed on positive social interaction and development. Third, each student’s curriculum is developed based on his/her individual needs. Lastly, Villa Maria hosts many enrichment programs throughout the year, such as a recent author’s visit by Leslie Bulion and a performance by the improvisational theatre group, the Barry Halpin Players. In addition, Villa Maria also holds seminars throughout the year for parents of special needs children to provide information and updates on the latest developments in special education. This year, in order to further foster the love of reading and academic skill development, Villa Maria is offering a 5-week summer program during the mornings between July 6 and August 6. The full program will consist of a combination of three hour-long classes to include reading, language and writing, and a math class. Classes will be taught primarily by their own special education teachers. 161 Sky Meadow Drive, Stamford, CT 06903. For more information or to schedule a visit, please call 203/322-5886 x104 or email mtynan@villamariaedu.org.
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Wooster School Danbury, CT Young students have a boundless capacity to develop higher-level thinking and abstract reasoning. Wooster Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s academic program supports this belief. Their Lower School days are filled with books and stories, mathematical problem solving, and writing. Lively discussions encourage children to understand the relationships between themselves and other students, the community, society, and the planet. They learn to be careful observers and to explore the world around them. When beavers build a dam on campus, or the brook floods, when a frightened bird abandons its nest, Lower School students can usually be found using their observations as a springboard to scientific exploration. Likewise, each grade fuses the study of art and music with specially-themed, mul2 2 0 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
tidisciplinary units that encourage cross-pollination in the arts. When fourth graders study Greek culture, they write their own myths, create ceramic pitchers, and decorate them with classical Greek designs. Foreign language is taught from Pre-K up. Physical education, computer technology, and library classes add breadth and depth to the core curriculum. Opportunities for community service abound. A positive social and civic climate fortifies and balances classroom learning. Every Wooster classroom has something to offer to the curious mind, the creative spirit, and the willing hand. 91 Miry Brook Road, Danbury, CT 06810. For further information, please call 203/830-3916 or visit WoosterSchool.org.
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EF International Academy
A global foundation for lifelong learning Tarrytown, NY At EF International Academy New York, a Danish student might study biology with dorm mates from South Korea and The Netherlands. A student from America is likely to eat lunch with friends from Sweden and Malaysia. Young people from Kazakhstan, Germany, China and elsewhere engage in animated classroom discussions – led by experienced teachers who come from all corners of the globe: Norway, Russia, Vietnam, Spain and other places. “This genuine international diversity sets our school apart,” says Claudia Trew, principal of EF International Academy New York, who holds a doctorate in English literature. “We are – at our very core – an international high school. With students from around the world, internationalism is found in the everyday sights and sounds on campus. It’s in the air we breathe.” This authenticity is key to EF International Academy’s mission. The school teaches the International Baccalaureate Diploma curriculum, with an emphasis on subjects like languages, world history, sciences and theory of knowledge, a philosophy course. Just as important, students are surrounded by friends from around the world. They live together in dormitories and play intramural soccer on the weekends. They share life’s triumphs and challenges with each other and receive care and support from faculty advisors and dorm parents. This experience “teaches students to be citizens of the world,” explains Gary Julian, headmaster of the school. “It’s a mindset that becomes second nature to them. Our students don’t think twice about having a conversation in more than one language. They don’t miss a beat when confronted with customs and traditions from other cultures.” Julian says that when students leave EF International Academy to attend university, and ultimately choose a career, “they’re poised to succeed on the world stage.” He adds, “Globalization continues to shape our world, and younger generations need to be savvy in that regard. Our students are.” Academically, the International Baccalaureate Diploma program is “the key element of our school,” states Trew, who has 20 years’
experience with IB schools. Taught in 138 countries around the world, the International Baccalaureate is geared toward academically dedicated students. It’s designed to prepare them for top universities. Students must complete numerous internally and externally marked assignments and pass rigorous standardized examinations. As a result, the IB Diploma is recognized around the world as a prestigious college preparatory program. Some American universities even grant credits to students who have passed certain IB courses. Trew notes that EF International Academy New York is an IB World School, which means it’s authorized by the Geneva-based International Baccalaureate Organization to grant the IB Diploma. The school is located in Tarrytown, New York, on the banks of the Hudson River. Formerly the campus of Marymount College, it is home to world-class facilities, including science labs, theaters, a library, interactive classrooms, a fitness center, an indoor competition swimming pool, tennis courts, sports fields and full boarding accommodations.
“It’s a beautiful campus,” says Julian. “It’s safe and private, and it serves as the ideal home away from home for our international student body.” EF International Academy, 100 Marymount Avenue, Butler Hall, Tarrytown, NY 10591. Admissions Director: Therese Agerberth. (914)597-7241; iaadmissionsny@ef.com.
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Emma Willard School Troy, NY What if a school set out to change the world one girl at a time? What if it empowered girls to surpass even the best they imagined for themselves? Can a school give girls the safety and freedom to challenge and be challenged, inspire and be inspired, explore and build friendships for a lifetime? That is the essence of Emma Willard School. It has been this way since 1814, when educational pioneer Emma Hart Willard broke the mold by founding the first school to give girls the same opportunities as boys. Each year, some 300 girls from across America — and nearly 20 countries around the world — form a supportive community as they learn and grow on Mount Ida’s breathtaking 137-acre campus. That community includes lifelong bonds with the nearly 50 faculty who serve as friends and mentors, role models and career guides. The resulting web of relationships provides both the nurture and challenge each girl needs to risk, explore, and discover. 2 2 2 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
Everything at Emma Willard School provides this support. Known for its academic rigor, the school promotes curiosity and discipline through a challenging curriculum, with many advanced placement courses and electives. The dozens of student organizations include highly popular groups in community service and the arts. Athletics range from cross country and lacrosse to a national champion crew team. And where do Emma girls go after Emma Willard? They go to universities like Brown, Columbia, Vassar, Mount Holyoke, Amherst, and Tufts. Their alumnae have become business leaders and legislators, respected artists and successful entrepreneurs, judges and educators. They tell us that Emma Willard changed the course of their future. The school’s deepest hope is that they will, in turn, change the course of the world. For more information or to schedule a visit, please contact the Admissions Office at 518/833-1320 or via email at admissions@emmawillard.org. Emma Willard School, 285 Pawling Avenue, Troy, NY 12180. www.emmawillard.org.
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North Country School & Camp Treetops Lake Placid, NY Middle school children in grades 4-9, and summertime campers as young as 8 years old, head to the barn before breakfast to tend the farm animals and do barn chores. As it’s been for decades, this is part of the daily routine at this unique boarding school and overnight camp outside of Lake Placid, NY. Horses, chickens, pigs, sheep and a guard llama all need food, water and care. Children help the adult staff to tend large gardens of herbs, greens and vegetables that are served at mealtimes. They have 450 taps on their maple trees that the NCS students help gather the sap from. Last fall they harvested just under 6,000 lbs. of potatoes! “These ‘new’ trends have become all the rage, but we’ve been doing progressive educational farming since 1921,” notes Mike Tholen, farm manager at North Country School (NCS) and Camp Treetops (CTT). His wife and farm educator, Kat, explains, “Children realize that the eggs they gather from the chickens one evening are the same ones served in the dining room the next morning— that carrots fresh from the garden eaten on the way to barn chores are delicious and taste even better when you help grow them.” When Mike, Kat, and their two young daughters returned from vacation this February, they were met with an exciting surprise: a lamb born six weeks early. The lamb is part of the Tholens’ larger intent to increase the flock to support a Sheep-to-Shawl program; a production that will take the mystery out of why animals are raised on this 200-acre Adirondack campus—whether for eggs, meat, or in this case, wool. During the school year, many afternoon and weekend activities are centered around processing the wool. Students wash and card wool, dye it brilliant colors, spin it and create hand-made woolen crafts—from small felted animals to large round rugs. In these same studios, more than a dozen NCS teachers are participating in a series of evening wool workshops. This summer, campers will fashion their own wool projects and tend to garden plants that will yield a variety of dyes for the wool. “It’s exciting when the entire community takes an interest in learning something new,” Kat says. “And when we create beautiful handmade goods using materials from our farm, that’s when sustainability becomes meaningful.” This is the overall goal. As Mike explains it, “We want to make the best possible use of the abundant resources on this campus, and to model that behavior for the next generation.” School and Camp support a culture of extensive recycling, re-use and re-purposing. Children routinely pick zucchini from the gardens—or apples from trees—for baking in breads and pies. They separate table scraps from every meal; vegetables go into buckets for the
pigs, the rest to compost for the gardens. Campus construction and woodshop projects use lumber harvested from the property as well as downed trees from storm damage. Inside, classroom teachers connect students’ learning to their surroundings. They study Adirondack history and geology, the physics of the snow pack, or conduct cost-benefit analyses of raising their own pork. Outside, School and Camp alike take full advantage of miles of trails on campus, a fresh water lake, rock climbing at the campus crag, skiing on their ski hill, and exploring the adjacent wilderness terrain that offers “play local” year-round opportunities. The savings in time, fuel and other transportation expenses are a bonus, but reducing their carbon footprint is the goal. These practical experiences help develop in children environmental awareness, sustainability values, respect for the natural world, responsible land use, and lifelong habits of healthy eating and green living. As they’ve done here for decades. North Country School, Lake Placid, NY, 12946. 518/523-9329; www.nct.org.
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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE Wilbraham & Monson Academy Wilbraham, MA Nestled in the foothills of the Lower Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, 205-year-old Wilbraham & Monson Academy is redefining high school education. They are a Grade 9-postgraduate day and boarding school with a full cadre of college preparatory classes that prepare students for the challenges of competitive colleges and universities. They have championship sports programs, an active residential life, and compelling opportunities for student artists, musicians, and actors. But their distinctive educational approach means that they have even more to offer – they engage their students with an understanding of the global economy and its incredible potential and unimaginable challenges. They prepare their students to be global leaders. As The Global School®, Wilbraham & Monson Academy has an historical foothold in bringing students together from around the world. The first U.S. school to admit Chinese students in 1848, it is part of their institutional culture to be connected to the rest of the
world. The Academy now has students from 24 different countries and six continents. Their international alumni base includes government leaders, financial executives and entrepreneurs, and their children. This diverse student body offers their students a high school experi2 2 4 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
ence of multicultural understanding that yields lifelong friends and business contacts all over the globe. This global integration and networking is more valuable now than ever. Educationally, it provides a living context for understanding the rapidly evolving global economy, a mastery that they believe is critical to success in later life. That understanding is realized through their students’ experience of economics, finance, and entrepreneurship in their Center for Entrepreneurial & Global Studies (CEGS). The CEGS program is a captivating economic laboratory where students surpass the traditional prep school education and engage in entrepreneurial thinking, rigorous analysis, and experiential learning through innovative coursework, independent projects, and travel. One point of entry to the CEGS program is the Shenkman Trading Center, a virtual trading floor environment that offers state-of-the-art technology for students to experience global financial markets. The markets curriculum engages students with financial speakers and mentors, courses in the trading floor on economics and finance, and trips to international financial capitals. Through their extensive alumni and current family network around the globe, they design travel programs where students can learn firsthand about international markets and business while experiencing other cultures. Their students have visited the financial capitals of the U.S., Thailand, Korea, Taiwan, and Belgium. This year’s CEGS trip to China will be a powerful learning tool as students learn about business and finance in one of the world’s most dynamic economies. Entrepreneurial thinking and experiential learning are key to the CEGS learning approach. They teach students to achieve innovative solutions by integrating their creativity, vision, analytical reasoning, and intellectual skills. Their cutting-edge Global Ecolearn Project® is a living case study, run in part by students, that develops our natural resources while training students in the global, sustainable use of management policy. The project blends business opportunities from harvesting a portion of the Academy’s heavily wooded real estate with real lessons in both entrepreneurship and management of environmental assets. Students may also travel to the Amazon on a trip that is a living example of a visionary economic strategy. On the Amazon trip, students have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit remote tribal villages and sustainablebased research facilities and ranching operations where innovative economic approaches are utilized to preserve environmental resources in Brazil. At Wilbraham & Monson Academy, students partake in unique and innovative economic learning experiences that captivate the imagination and create a greater depth of understanding of our rapidly changing world. As we enter a millennium with connections never before imagined, Wilbraham & Monson Academy students, equipped with the tools they are taught and the imagination that is fostered in them, will be able to meet the challenges ahead and reach their true potential. 423 Main Street, Wilbraham, MA 01095. 413/596-6811; www.WMA.us.
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High Mowing School Wilton, NH High Mowing School is a breath of fresh air. A Waldorf high school for boarding and day students, High Mowing is surrounded by 125 acres of woodlands on a hilltop in southern New Hampshire. For more than 65 years, it has offered teenagers the unique combination of Waldorf education and community living. High Mowing is a small, friendly community of students and faculty learning together in an inspiring and comfortable setting. Recognizing that life outside the classroom is of vital developmental importance, the faculty and staff work together to insure that it is guided by the same understanding of human development that shapes work in the classroom. The dorm staff works with students to develop their skills for living independently and responsibly. At High Mowing, students embark on a journey of transformation, accompanied by a gifted and committed faculty. Potentials are recognized, passions are stirred and capacities — intellectual, artistic, and physical — are developed. High Mowing School is a place where you are free to discover yourself and pursue your passions At High Mowing School you are accepted and welcomed as you are. Then you are encouraged to become the person you want to be. Your teachers are keen to recognize your potentials and are eager to help you realize them. Every subject — whether in sciences, humanities, or the arts — is taught in imaginative and lively ways that help you understand the material and bring it alive. When your interest is stirred, your teachers will aid in your pursuit of the subject in greater depth. Each student is encouraged to explore widely and to develop new capacities and skills. A first-time musician may end up playing in a jazz ensemble, or a shy student may end up chairing a session at Model United Nations. High Mowing is a great place to live and to grow From the moment you step foot on the beautiful campus, perched on a hilltop in southern New Hampshire, you will be immersed in the remarkably supportive social environment that is the hallmark of High Mowing. The surrounding woods and fields are a laboratory for nature exploration, a haven for relaxation, and an inspiration for thought and reflection. Everyone is nourished by excellent food, prepared from organic ingredients, and locally-grown when possible. The richness of High Mowing lies in the relations between people. These relations are nourished in myriad ways each day. People are real with each other, accepting of differences, and encouraging of growth. Healthy ways of living are modeled and encouraged. The dorms feel like home and the homes of a dozen faculty families are on-campus, creating a real sense of community. In a world where relationships are often impersonal, the boarding program provides an intimate setting for interaction and growth. Students find that friend-
ships made at High Mowing are often profoundly meaningful, and that they last a lifetime. High Mowing is engaging, enriching, and challenging Student life at High Mowing is an exciting mixture of classroom learning and enriching experiences outside the classroom. High Mowing offers a rich and challenging course of study that provides a
solid foundation for future academic work. High Mowing seeks to create self-motivated learners who display creativity, insight, and empathy. Life flourishes in the dining room, in the dormitories, on the lawn, on the sports fields, and in the far-flung destinations of Projects Blocks — an annual two-week immersion in an array of off-campus experiences facilitated by faculty members. The mixture of day and boarding students means everyone has a chance to meet and work with people from across the country and from many lands in Asia, South America and Europe, but also that they can get to know the local area and all that it has to offer. School traditions such as Coffee House – student-run Saturday night gatherings where student-created music, poetry, jokes and films are shared — celebrate each person’s gifts. High Mowing is a place where you chart your own course Graduates of High Mowing think for themselves and approach problems creatively. They understand themselves and empathize with other people. They trust in their capacity to learn and to grow. They find useful work and they have satisfying friendships. They find success and fulfillment in a wide range of fields. Graduates leave High Mowing with confidence and self-assurance. They know themselves well enough to blaze their own path through college and beyond. Recent graduates have attended 132 different colleges and universities, ranging from small, private liberal arts colleges to large public universities, music conservatories, and art and design schools. Contact admissions director, Pat Meissner, at 603/654-2391 x. 109, for further information. High Mowing School, 222 Isaac Frye Hwy, Wilton, NH 03086. 603/654-2391; www.highmowing.org.
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Oldfields School Glencoe, MD High school is a very exciting and eventful time for all students. Each child’s experience throughout these years is different and unique, and as educators it is essential to understand this and approach each student as an individual in order to help her make the best of these years. At Oldfields School, Maryland’s oldest girls’ boarding and day school, we focus on “Each Girl’s Success,” and concentrate on many aspects of our students’ growth — mental, physical, social, and academic. Oldfields’ campus is situated on more than 200 scenic acres in Northern Baltimore County and offers the perfect blend of a rustic countryside setting, equipped with state-of-the-art educational and housing facilities. Not only are all students required to have their own laptop computers, but there girls also have access to the library computer lab, digital arts computer lab, and are taught to utilize SMART Boards, which are located in a number of classrooms. Off-campus and international programs, fine arts, athletics, riding, dance, performing arts, and extensive co-curricular activities further enhance the academic offerings at Oldfields. The small, close-knit environment cultivated on campus stands out as one of the most appealing features that Oldfields has to offer. “Since we are such a small community, you truly get to know everyone, which is one of my favorite things about Oldfields. Going to a larger school would not allow me to forge the strong personal connections that I 2 2 6 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
currently have with my peers and teachers. I love the small class sizes and general familial feeling I get from the Oldfields community; that sense of belonging to something greater is so special to me,” explains day student Liza Phelan, ’13. Their student body is composed of close to 150 girls that hail from more than 13 states and seven countries; 70% of students live on campus, while the remaining are local day students. Traditionally composed of grades 8-12, Oldfields will be opening its Middle School for day students in 6th & 7th grades in the fall of 2010. While their main goal as educators and advisors is to make sure that each of their students maximizes her potential during her time spent at Oldfields, they also focus on ensuring that their girls are prepared for their lives and experiences in a post-Oldfields environment. Aubrey Banez, ’13, a boarding student, shares, “I know that once I graduate from Oldfields I will be well prepared to go to college. Living in the dorms at Oldfields has helped me mature, and I have learned how to become more independent and responsible; skills that will help me succeed when I attend college.” There is no doubt that Oldfields School is a special blend of a family-oriented community, with a reputable prep-school atmosphere and curriculum. If you are interested in learning more about Oldfields, contact the Admission Office at 410/472-4800 or Admission@OldfieldsSchool.org. 1500 Glencoe Road, Glencoe, MD 21152.
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Interlochen Arts Academy Interlochen, MI Interlochen Arts Academy is a fine arts boarding high school for grades 9-12 located in northwestern Michigan. Each year five hundred students from around the world come to the wooded campus at Interlochen looking for greater opportunities to learn, create and perform. Leading educators and exceptional peers challenge each student to achieve their artistic and academic potential. Established in 1962, the Arts Academy offers challenging and comprehensive college-preparatory academics that include courses in
math, science, English, history and foreign languages. For young artists, being surrounded by talented peers and supported by a dedicated faculty provides the motivation, knowledge and tools to bring any goal within reach. Interlochen provides pre-professional training in seven arts majors including comparative arts (new 2010-11 school year), creative writing, dance, motion picture arts, music, theatre and visual arts. FACTS AT A GLANCE National Recognition – the Arts Academy is part of Interlochen Center for the Arts, a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, the nation’s highest honor in the arts. Presidential Scholars – since 1980, Interlochen Arts Academy has produced 40 Presidential Scholars in arts and academics, more than any other high school in the country. Creative Environment – each year, Academy students create 250 presentations, which encompass concerts, arts displays, performances, readings, and more. Faculty and Staff – more than 300 faculty and staff work to maintain a positive and safe environment for all students. More than 80 outstanding artists and educators make up the faculty. Half of the instructors have earned a master’s degree and 25 percent have earned doctorates. Three members of the faculty have been named “Distinguished Teachers in the Arts” by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. How to apply to Interlochen Arts Academy Interlochen Arts Academy is accepting applications to all seven arts majors: comparative arts, creative writing, dance, motion picture arts, music, theatre and visual arts. Application, audition and portfolio requirements vary by major and can be found on the Interlochen website, www.academy.interlochen.org. ONLINE RESOURCES www.academy.interlochen.org · Request a printed viewbook · Course listings · Faculty biographies · Video galleries · Virtual tours – 360-degree photos · Printable Academy application Contact information: Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen Center for the Arts, 4000 Highway M-137, Interlochen, Michigan 49643. 800/681-5912; admission@interlochen.org; academy.interlochen.org.
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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE
Summer Learning SHP’s Biking Adventures Academic Study Associates
Don’t let your teen fall victim to a Summer of Facebook and text messaging! Nothing strikes fear in the hearts of parents like the thought of their teens spending the summer on the sofa texting and watching reruns of Scary Movie. As the summer months approach and the 11th hour arrives, the decision to do something of value is more critical than ever before: like sending your teen to cycle through the countryside of New England or on the cobblestone streets of Amsterdam. Even the most diligent teen will gladly turn into a couch potato without any guidance, falling victim to the world of social networking sites and text messaging. It is up to the parent to recognize the benefits and adventurous possibilities of checking out the Tour de France when biking from Amsterdam to Paris, jumping in a lake in Vermont or biking across the Golden Gate Bridge. “Teens love the freedom of the open road, the chance to see and experience new and unexpected things,” says Stephen Galazin, Director of SHP's Biking Adventures. “The experience is not just for biking enthusiasts. Most of our Trippers are just healthy kids looking for a bit of adventure.” Founded in 1969, SHP's Biking Adventures has been offering summer bicycle trips across the US, Canada and Europe. As the oldest teen biking organization, SHP has remained true to a tradition of connecting teens to nature and to diverse cultures. During its reign, SHP has provided adventures to thousands of teens, while maintaining an outstanding safety record. In a world of overly competitive sports camps and cliché summer camps with paper maché art projects, cycling tours offer an alternative to every teen. The SHP groups, consisting of 10 Trippers and 2 Leaders, travel by bicycle across the US, Europe and Canada. Most of the group leaders are Ivy League students and teachers with a passion for adventure, hand-chosen for skills in problem solving and 2 2 8 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
high-energy. While traveling, the groups live simply, buying and cooking food from local markets to completely immerse them in the culture of an area. “On a SHP bike trip you have to find out what everyone is good at and entice them,” recalls Barbara Kelly, who went on her first trip in early high school, and whose son is now preparing for his second trip. “The experience is really a transformation. Knowing you got up that hill and you fixed that flat tire… Though not everyday things, they give you a sense of resilience and self-reliance that tell you that you can
handle anything and you will be okay.” SHP's adventures are not just bike tours, they engage the body in a rhythm and produce a sense of clarity and space to think clearly without the constant bombardment of technology, social worries and school projects. Once released from these weights, the Tripper is given the opportunity to really find him or herself. An ideal takeaway for a fulfilling summer experience. Most of SHP's Biking Adventures revolve around visiting landmarks, such as the Washington Monument in DC or the lighthouses on Cape Cod, as well as partaking in the local food and little known hot spots, like drive-in movie theatres or whale-watching. Some of the trips offer more rigorous activities, like rafting, horseback riding, kayaking, and fishing in addition to biking. For more information on SHP's Cycling Adventures, visit www.bicycletrips.com.
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ASA Academic Study Associates ASA has 27 years of experience creating unique, quality summer programs that give high school students the opportunity to make many new friends and create extraordinary memories while being better prepared for college. ASA challenges you to use your summer in a unique way for a valuable experience that allows you to develop academically and socially and feel inspired to reach new levels of achievement. Led by a dynamic team of world-class experts, directors and staff, programs focus on everything from language immersion to college admissions prep. The challenge and enjoyment of discovering some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most beautiful locations and prestigious university campuses and the friends you make, are essential qualities of the experience. Students
return from an ASA summer experience with broadened horizons, increased maturity and confidence. What we do has been followed by other companies. How we do it is, we believe, still unique. ASA partners with leading universities and hand picks academics, local experts, writers, producers and language experts that represent the best and brightest in their fields for an exceptional summer experience of learning and fun. Students choose morning and afternoon classes for the duration of the program. Classes range from SAT preparation to politics, Spanish, psychology, law and medi-
cine. Teachers are hired not just for their academic credentials but their ability to engage with students and create a dynamic classroom environment. Teachers are enthusiastic about their subject and passionate about the learning process that takes place naturally in an environment that is free from the familiar stress and pressure of the academic year. Students learn by doing and developing a dialogue with their classmates and teachers as opposed to worrying about test scores and exams. Pre-college programs at UC-Berkeley, Stanford, Yale, UMassAmherst, USC and Oxford University give an authentic taste of college life. Students live on campus, have classes and meals in the very same facilities used by undergraduates and also have full access to the sports and recreational opportunities of these dynamic and prestigious campuses. ASA students live in fully supervised accommodation and are overseen by an experienced team of residential advisors and senior residence staff. Equal attention is given to the activities and social time spent on campus with a daily array of sports, entertainment, discussions and guest speakers that draw upon the resources of the host institution as well as the nearby cities of San Francisco, Boston, Los, Angeles, London, etc. ASA hosts additional campus-based programs that focus on the college admissions process. These 12-day workshops at UC-Berkeley, Tufts and Columbia give students a comprehensive foundation for successfully applying to college. ASAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s language and cultural immersion programs in Spain, France and Italy allow students to go beyond tourism and take advantage of daily language classes, cultural visits and excursions. In Spain, there is the option of living in a university residence in Barcelona or living with a homestay family in one of four different coastal Andalusian towns. Similarly, in Nice, France and Florence, Italy students get day to day exposure to the culture, tradition and history of these spectacular locations by living like locals. From Barcelona to Berkeley, ASAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pre-college and cultural immersion programs balance expert instruction, scheduled activities, travel and freedom to foster greater independence and personal growth. Return home with greater insight into yourself and the world around you. 375 West Broadway, Suite 200, New York, NY 10012. 212/7968342; www.asaprograms.com.
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INDEPENDENT SCHOOL GUIDE
Supplemental Learning Huntington Learning Center The Digital Age: How New Media and Technology Enhance Our Children’s Learning Most parents would agree that technology has come a long way since they were in school. From the computer to cell phones to the
Internet, today’s children have unprecedented access to all kinds of technology and new media. If utilized in the right way, such media can enhance a child’s education, says George Beck of the Westport Huntington Learning Center. “In a lot of ways, today’s young students are being groomed for the technical competence that colleges and jobs demand,” says Beck. “Students who are not media and computer-savvy by the time they reach college will definitely be at a disadvantage.” When it comes to education, two of the most impactful technological advancements of our time are the Internet and interactive media. Here are some of the benefits of both for young students:
The Internet Getting information. Today, people have a vast, worldwide network of information at their fingertips 24 hours a day, and thus, the Internet has made research easier than ever before. While students should never rely on the Internet as their sole research medium, researching a topic online first can help students identify information sources for further exploration (such as publications by subject matter, experts, centers or organizations) —sources that they might never find on their own. Exploring hobbies or curiosities. No matter the topic, an inquisitive child will encounter seemingly endless amounts of information when exploring an interest or hobby online. If your child is fascinated by dinosaurs, for example, a quick Google search on the word “dinosaurs” brings up the Discovery Channel’s comprehensive guide to dinosaurs, a kid-friendly website about dinosaurs (KidDinos.com) and the BBC’s Prehistoric Life website with games, quizzes, picture galleries and more. When your child expresses an interest in something, the Internet is a wonderful resource for him or her to learn more about it. 2 3 0 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
Interactive Media
Learning about new places, people and cultures. Thanks to the Internet, children have a plethora of interactive activities to choose from online—many that provide children valuable opportunities to learn about other people, cultures and ways of life. For example, your child could establish or maintain friendships with people around the world by keeping in touch through Skype, software that enables free video and voice calling over the Internet, or by chatting online in safe, monitored chat rooms such as Kidzworld.com.
Building cognitive skills. Many forms of interactive entertainment—such as educational video and computer games—help children gain valuable skills such as critical thinking, dexterity, problem solving and perceptual skills. Forms of expression. While it may be hard for parents to understand, many children enjoy interacting with friends online, discussing topics as varied as books and current events. Learning to form opinions and express those opinions coherently (and respectfully) is a valuable life skill, and many types of interactive media help children learn to communicate their thoughts and feelings effectively. Without a doubt, growing up in the “Digital Age” has the potential to augment children’s development and education, enrich their lives and accelerate their learning. Certainly, parents should stay involved by monitoring their child’s time on the computer and online. As Beck puts it, “When harnessed, digital media and information technology are incredibly powerful tools that can greatly benefit students.”
About Huntington Learning Center Founded in 1977, Huntington Learning Center is the nation’s longestrunning supplemental education services provider. Today they continue to be an industry leader providing instruction in reading, writing, spelling, phonics, mathematics and study skills as well as SAT and ACT preparation to tens of thousands of students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Huntington prides itself on its unparalleled programs that help parents, caregivers and educators identify the gaps in skills and knowledge that can limit learning potential. Huntington’s personalized programs of instruction enable children to excel. To learn more or to locate a center near you, call 1-800 CAN LEARN. Westport Contact: George Beck, Center Director; 203/254-3061.
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Higher Education Rutgers University New Jersey Rutgers was founded in 1766 and is the nation’s eighth oldest institution of higher education. Rutgers is a premier public research university with 54,000 students on three campuses in Camden, Newark, and New Brunswick. Rutgers joins the likes of Duke, Berkeley, Princeton and Harvard as one of just 62 members of the Association of American Universities, an organization comprised of North America’s most distinguished research institutions. A Rutgers education is also a great value; SmartMoney magazine ranks a Rutgers degree sixth in the nation for best return on investment according to their survey of college costs versus alumni salaries. Rutgers offers more than 100 majors and 4,000 undergraduate courses through its undergraduate colleges and professional schools on its three campuses. You can customize your education with double majors, independent majors, options and concentrations within majors, over 100 minors and certificate programs, research, and internships. With more than 200 research centers and laboratories, Rutgers research doesn’t leave students on the outside looking in. Rutgers students step into the laboratory and the library as partners in the discovery of new ideas and innovations. In fact, more than 60% of Rutgers undergraduates conduct research, working in collaborative groups or as independent scholars under the guidance of a professor. Nearly all Rutgers professors — 99% — hold a Ph.D. or other terminal degree. An impressive 49 professors advise the public and the federal government as members of the National Academies and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The student-to-faculty ratio is 14-to-1, and more than 60% of all Rutgers classes enroll 30 or fewer students, which ensures close contact with professors. Rutgers attracts students from every state and more than 140 countries. The Newark campus is ranked #1 nationally in diversity by U.S. News and World Report. Rutgers offers study abroad with more than 60 programs in 30 countries. Spend a summer, semester or a whole year becoming a global citizen. You’ll graduate with a broad understanding of world cultures and perspectives and be prepared to live in a global society. For over 240 years Rutgers alumni have been making their mark on the world. Notable alumni include pioneers in medicine, bestselling authors, Nobel Laureates, NASA astronaut, CEO’s of major corporations, generals in the U.S. Armed Forces, stage and screen actors, members of the U.S. Congress, Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, university presidents, world-renowned poets, professional athletes, coaches, and even a vice president of the U.S. This tradition of excellence continues at Rutgers today. There are dozens of residences and living options across Rutgers’ three campuses. You may live in traditional residence halls, special interest sections, living-learning communities, the Douglass
Residential College for women, cooperative living houses, on-campus suites and apartments or off-campus housing. Rutgers has more than 400 student groups that are as diverse as its student body. Whether you are looking to explore a new activity or want to find students who share your current passion, you have a wide range of clubs from which to choose at Rutgers. Concerts, plays, movies, coffeehouses, headline acts, speakers and more, there is always something to do. Rutgers has more than 40 men’s and women’s athletic teams competing on the NCAA Division I (Big East) and Division III levels. Show your school spirit and root for Rutgers on the football or baseball field, basketball court, or even the golf course. At Rutgers you can do more than watch; you can become a player yourself. Rutgers supports an extensive athletics program, including intramural sports, sports clubs, fitness, aquatics and more. Try your hand at a new game, or keep competing in an old favorite. The best way to learn about Rutgers’ academic offerings, campus life, and student culture is to go to their campuses and see for yourself. Campus tours are conducted October through December, February through May, and for summer travelers in June, July and August. For times, locations and registration, visit admissions.rutgers.edu/isg. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey: 732/445-INFO (4636).
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Drexel University Online: Learn with 24/7 Convenience What makes Drexel Online different, and a standout from the rest? It starts with who they are: one of the best universities in the country. Founded in 1891, Drexel has been a leader in the integration of technology into academics. In fact, they were the first major university to require all students to have access to a personal computer (1983). Drexel is among the top 50 private, nonprofit, national doctoral/research universities in the US, and is ranked as one of “America’s Best Colleges – 2010” by U.S. News & World Report. With Drexel Online, you can take classes anywhere, anytime. Classes are available 24/7 to fit your busy (and ever-changing) schedule. There’s no need to miss work, family get-togethers, parties, playoff games or anything else important in your life. In effect, you don’t have to work around Drexel’s schedule; they’ll work around yours. Students also have the flexibility of deciding how many courses to take 2 3 2 W E S T O N M A G A Z I N E G R O U P. C O M
each term, which allows them to set their own pace. No doubt about it, the convenience of anytime, anywhere classes makes the dream of getting an advanced degree a viable reality. Interacting with professors and classmates is easy with Drexel Online. Students login and attend lectures by the same award-winning faculty who instruct on-campus students. Through emails, chat rooms and discussion boards, students communicate with each other and their professors. Course work and exams are also completed and turned in online. Bottom line? You'll earn the same prestigious Drexel University degree whether you take classes on campus or online. And you'll enjoy the support and camaraderie of your fellow classmates while doing so. Drexel Online provides students with the best of all possible worlds: proven academic excellence, the highest accreditation, a distinguished, award-winning faculty and the convenience and flexibility of 24/7 classes. For more details, visit www.drexelonline.com or call toll-free 877-215-0009. ❉
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“Middle school is the most determining factor in a child’s academic and personal well-being.” ~ David Hochschartner, Head of School
We are a co-ed day and boarding school for children in grades 4-9. Just outside of LAKE PLACID in the heart of the Adirondack high peaks, our 200-acre campus boasts a working farm and a ski hill. A North Country School education is active and all-encompassing. Let our challenging academic curriculum, extensive fine arts department and dynamic performing arts program expand your child’s curiosity and creativity. International • Traditional • Intentional • Unconventional • Agricultural • Environmental Physical • Theatrical • Musical • EDUCATIONAL!
www.northcountryschool.org
Schedule your visit today! admissions@northcountryschool.org Christine LeFevre, Director of Admissions, 518.523.9329 ext. 111
Educating Young Women through Courage, Humility and
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410.472.4800
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Emma Stories: Shibani “My Emma story is about confidence and self-improvement.”
“Emma has made me a more confident person… not just in academics but in sports, social life, extra-curricular activities—all aspects of my life. “I have learned to communicate better… to be a leader in the community… to balance my activities… skills for college and beyond. “Emma feels like home.” An Amazing Girl. Shibani helps others as a leader of PHILA, a student-run philanthropic organization assisting nonprofits from Troy to Mumbai.
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Every Wooster Classroom Has Something to Offer to the Curious Mind, the Creative Spirit, and the Willing Hand
des Take-a-Peek for gra Pre-k Through 5 on Call for more informati
• Pre-K to Grade 12 • Coeducational • Small Classes • College Preparatory Day School
Wooster School
91 Miry Brook Road • Danbury, CT 06810 203.830.3916 • WoosterSchool.org
SHPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Biking Adventures LIVE BEYOND THE MOMENT Nothing strikes fear in the hearts of parents like the thought of their teens spending the summer on the sofa watching reruns of Scary Movie. As the summer months approach and the 11th hour arrives, the decision to do something of value is more critical than ever before: Like sending your teen to cycle through the country roads of New England or on the cobblestone streets of Amsterdam. Help your teen Live Beyond the Moment and send them on a SHP Biking Adventure, where they can check out the Tour de France when biking from Amsterdam to Paris, jump in a Vermont lake or bike across the Golden Gate Bridge. They can even bike cross-country!
Call
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Discover Ross School A BOARDING AND DAY SCHOOL FOR PRE-NURSERY—GRADE 12
Ross School is a co-educational boarding (grades 8–12) and day school (PN–Grade 12) located on two beautiful campuses in East Hampton and Bridgehampton, about 2 hours east of New York City. The School offers a global, integrated curriculum with engaging courses in science, arts, humanities and wellness, while offering opportunities for independent study, competitive athletics, extracurricular activities and travel. Ross has a successful college placement program with
100% of applicants receiving acceptances at competitive colleges and universities. Ross School attracts a world class faculty and serves over 500 domestic and international students.
INFO SESSION IN NYC JANUARY 13, 2010 UNION CLUB, 6–8PM RSVP TO 631-907-5400 ROSS UPPER SCHOOL BOARDING AND DAY GRADES 5 – GRADE 12 EAST HAMPTON, NY ROSS LOWER SCHOOL PRE-NURSERY – GRADE4 BRIDGEHAMPTON, NY
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Canterbury School New Milford, CT
Grades 9-12 • Boarding & Day • (860) 210-3934 • www.cbury.org
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Darrow School
A College-Preparatory Boarding and Day School for Grades 9-12
Small Community. Big Opportunities. That’s Darrow. And there’s more… Challenging Academic Program – Real-world learning using a unique combination of classroom instruction and community involvement
Hands-to-Work/Community Service – A tradition that cultivates an appreciation for purposeful work and builds connection to the community
Individualized Approach– Inspiring Inclusive Athletic Opportunities – classroom environment and one-on-one Eight competitive team sports and several Tutorial Program offer strategic mentoring non-competitive sports, including skiing for academic success and snowboarding five days a week Commitment to Sustainability – Visual and Performing Arts – Robust Responsible stewardship of environmental art offerings, in-depth music curriculum, resources and environmental awareness and a dynamic theater program foster permeate the Darrow culture creativity and collaborative learning
Please join us for an Open House! Experience the Darrow School Community Attend a Darrow class, meet our dedicated faculty and enthusiastic students, enjoy lunch, and take a tour of our distinctive campus. Ask questions, hear the chorus sing, learn about Shaker history and so much more! You may register by sending an e-mail to admission@darrowschool.org or online at www.darrowschool.org/openhouse. If you are unable to attend an open house, we also welcome visits throughout the year. Call (877) 432-7769 to schedule a visit today!
110 Darrow Rd., New Lebanon, NY 518.794.6000 | admissions@darrowschool.org www.darrowschool.org Accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
strong voices,
infinite choices At Westover School, your daughter will live only an hour from home – yet she’ll experience the world Westover School is a rigorous college preparatory program for girls in grades 9 -12 located in Middlebury, Connecticut, a classic New England town 90 miles from New York City. Our community includes students from
countries as diverse as Spain and South Africa, and states from Maine to California. These bright young women enrich one another with their varied backgrounds, talents, interests, and ideas.
At Westover, your daughter will have the chance to pursue her every passion – from Shakespeare to soccer, Bach to ballet – in a nurturing environment where she’ll feel comfortable being herself. For more information please call the Office of Admission at 203-577-4521 or visit www.westoverschool.org.
This summer, discover a new passion Summer Programs in the Arts & Academics for Girls Entering Grades 7, 8 & 9 Session I • July 18-23 • Ceramics • Dance • Drama • Photography
Session II • July 25-30 • Ceramics •Creative Writing • Drama • Video Production
Our one- or two-week programs are an extension of the Westover experience, offering campers challenging courses taught by Westover instructors in a residential setting that fosters friendships. If you have questions about our summer programs, e-mail director Shelby Neal at summerprograms@westoverschool.org or call her at 203-758-2423. For more information, visit www.westoverschool.org/summerprograms
www.westoverschool.org/summerprograms 203-758-2423. For more information, visit
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Impressing employers for over 100 years Earn a prestigious degree from Drexel University anytime, anywhere. Drexel University Online offers over 90 programs with 24/7 online convenience. Ranked as one of “America’s BEST Colleges 2010” by U.S.News & World Report, Drexel has programs in areas such as: • • •
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The summer before her senior year as a criminal justice major at Rutgers, Karina Martinez of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, studied child labor laws in Ghana as part of an effort to raise awareness about human rights.
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High aspirations call for a global education EF International Academy New York is a private boarding school with a global focus. It offers rigorous academic programs, including the world-renowned International Baccalaureate Diploma curriculum, and its campus is home to students from around the world. Nurturing academic excellence • Pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma • Prepare for top colleges and universities • Master skills valued in the global marketplace • Governed by EF Education First, a worldwide leader in international education An international experience • Students from over 30 different nations • Experienced faculty members have lived and worked around the world. • Campuses in New York, Oxford and Torbay
Safe and secure campus • Scenic campus in Tarrytown, New York, is 40 minutes by train from Manhattan • Private grounds on Hudson River feature historic buildings and modern facilities • Campus includes science labs, theaters, library, interactive classrooms and full boarding accommodations • Comprehensive sports facilities include fitness center, pool, sports fields, tennis courts and more To request a brochure, e-mail iaadmissionsny@ef.com
| New York | Torbay | Oxford | EF International Academy, 100 Marymount Avenue, Butler Hall, Tarrytown, NY 10591 (914) 597-7241, iaadmissionsny@ef.com
Wilbraham & monson academy a Global experience • The Center for Economic & Global Studies • The Mark R. Shenkman interactive trading center • Hands-on entrepreneurial experience through The Global EcoLearn Program® • The advancement of financial intelligence • An extensive travel program to Asia, South America, and Europe • A full AP curriculum • Championship athletics • A fine & performing arts program including theatre, music, fine arts, and dance • College counseling program beginning in sophomore year Founded in 1804, Wilbraham & Monson Academy is a boarding school of 380 students in grades 9-postgraduate. The Academy is dedicated to preparing students for successful competitive college admission and facing the challenge of global leadership.
Please Contact the Office of Admission at 413.596.9108 or admission@WMA.us 423 Main Street, Wilbraham, MA 01095
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We chose ridgefield academy Barbara and Stefan Chopin, Weston “From the first moment, we realized RA’s teaching staff are there because they are passionate about educating students. At RA the bar is set higher in terms of curriculum content and quality of students’ output. We are so happy with RA and how it is stretching our daughter that we have enrolled her younger sister for next year.”
Building a strong foundation 20 months through Grade 8 To find out how RA can be the right choice for you contact us at (203) 894.1800 or visit our website www.ridgefieldacademy.org.
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Staging Your Home B Y . G A I L Z AWA C K I et out the bucket, mop and Mr. Clean. The key to making a positive first impression is simple, said Sandra Rinomato, host of HGTV’s popular “Property Virgins” show. “Get it clean, clean, clean,” explained Rinomato. “If your house isn’t clean, it instantly sends up negative thoughts that the home is not well maintained. If your house is spotless, you’re ahead of the game.” But don’t stop there, advised Rinomato. To increase your chances of making a sale, “stage” the house to make it as attractive as possible. Until recently, “Staging meant pulling out all the stops — setting
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4. Invest in eco-friendly but bright lights. Open the drapes or remove them completely. “Light, bright rooms give the impression this is a happy place — and everyone wants to move into a happy place,” said Rinomato. 5. Feature only a few pieces of furniture with mainstream appeal. Pull pieces away from walls to make rooms look bigger. 6. Make sure a room’s primary use is obvious. A bedroom should look like a bedroom, not an office, hobby center or gym. 7. Bedrooms and kitchens are difficult to stage because they are in daily use, but make the effort. Clear everything off the counters and
“Basically, you want to strip the house to its bare essentials, depersonalize it so potential buyers can superimpose themselves and their lifestyle on the house.” the dining table with your best china and crystal, arranging flowers, lighting candles,” she stated. “Now we take the minimalist approach. Basically, you want to strip the house to its bare essentials, depersonalize it so potential buyers can superimpose themselves and their lifestyle on the house.” Rinomato offered the following tips for staging a home: 1. Visit model homes and examine shelter magazines for inexpensive decorating ideas. Always keep in mind you are not decorating for yourself but for the general public. 2. Start with the outside. Give the house a fresh coat of paint, add shiny hardware to the front door and plant a few flowers to send a subliminal message the house is loved and well cared for. 3. Declutter every room to make it look larger. Get rid of family pictures, trophies and knickknacks. Closets and drawers should be no more than 30% full.
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nightstands, roll up the rugs and hide the laundry hamper. Buff the cabinets with car wax and clean under the sinks. Invest in pristine white bed linens and towels. 8. Minimize the “pet effect.” Remove food bowls and litter boxes to the utility room. Deodorize thoroughly. 9. Organize the utility room and garage. Hang up the bicycles, roll up the hose. Renting a storage locker is worth the cost if it helps you sell faster and for a higher price. 10. Once your house is staged, invite your friends or realtor over and walk them through to get an objective opinion. ❉ Gail Lilley Zawacki has provided information as a Coldwell Banker Top 5 Member. She placed among NRT’s Top 1,000 Sales Associates for the fourth quarter of 2009 and was recognized as Agent of the Month for production, January 2010. 203/682-9444. www.SouthernCT.com; Gail@SouthernCT.com.
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• Fitness Facility • Outdoor Courtyard with massive fireplace and hydrotherapy spas • Heated roadway, walkways, and terraces
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597 Westport
Connecticutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s First Green-Built Community in Norwalk, CT airfield Residential is proud to announce the opening of 597 Westport, a new 235-unit luxury apartment community in Norwalk, CT. The first to be built in Connecticut by Fairfield, one of the largest and most distinguished multifamily developers in the United States, 597 Westport is also the first in the state of Connecticut to be built green from the ground up. This community is situated in historic Norwalk, bordering Westport, and along Connecticutâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s captivating coastline. When location is of the essence, 597 Westport delivers with elegant apartment homes perfectly set in Fairfield County, in close proximity to the train station and New York City, and thus destinations worldwide. Built to green building standards and will hold a minimum of Silver LEED certification, 597 Westport is the next step in progressive living, where sophistication meets environmental responsibility. Starting with site selection, which was based on access to public transportation and other points of interest, each building was built on a previously developed site, reducing the environmental impact of the land. Throughout the building process itself, at least 50% of construction waste was diverted from landfills and indoor air quality was controlled throughout the construction period. Down lighting was installed on the exterior to reduce light pollution, and covered parking and a convenient private resident garage reduce heat and ultimately the island effect, contributing to a cooler living environment. Once moved in, the online resident portal allows residents to pay rent and submit maintenance requests without ever having to use paper. Energy Star rated
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double-pane windows, and Energy Star GE appliances including stainless steel refrigerators, dishwashers and stoves, and front-loading washers and dryers in every home continue to contribute to a healthier environment, throughout the life of the home. Recycling is made easy with Recycling Rooms on every floor. All three buildings on this unique property offer a choice of spacious floor plans and levels with amazing views, as well as ample parking for residents and guests. Residents enjoy full access to a theatre room,
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es. Retreat to a master bedroom where the adjoining spa-like bath features an inviting oversized soaking tub. Inspired by this backdrop, 597 Westport fulfills your need for both an active, carefree lifestyle and the preferred luxuries found in the most well-appointed homes. For information, contact: 203/846-3500; www.597westport-apts.com or leasing@597westport-apts.com.
About Fairfield Residential Fairfield Residential LLC is a leader in the multifamily home industry. As a privately held, fully integrated company, Fairfield has consistently ranked among the largest real estate companies active in all areas of housing, from development and redevelopment, condominium development and redevelopment, construction, property management and asset management. Fairfield Residential is the successful creator of more than 55,000 upscale high-rise, mid-rise, condominiums, condominium conversions and garden style homes in 15 states and the District of Columbia. Fairfield’s corporate philosophy – the difference - starts with the research and time to understand and build the community to fit the lifestyle of the demographic that will ultimately choose a Fairfield property. Integrity is basic in making the difference for each person that chooses to call a Fairfield property home. A set of guidelines and policies are in motion from conception to move-in day to assure the highest level of quality. ❉
billiards room, a private dining/meeting room and full-size demonstration kitchen. Beautifully landscaped, the pool and cabana, the outdoor yoga area, extensive walking trails and a state-of-the-art athletic center, are sources for relaxation and renewal day or night. 597 Westport’s award winning, professional, on-site staff pays attention to the detail necessary for elite customer service, including services like package acceptance, completing each resident’s full-service luxury experience. Spaciousness reigns at 597 Westport, where gourmet kitchens gleam with high-end, imported wood cabinetry and granite countertops. Living areas feature exquisite tile and wood flooring, and classic finishing touch-
From Westport...to Weston...to Redding...
WESTPORT - Beautiful 1.85 acre estate with stone and shingle, wood roof, 5 bedrooms, 8/2 baths, 8,000 square foot built in 2002 with 6 fireplaces. Situated on private lane with a circle drive, 20 x 40 pool and cabana, stone terraces, master suite with 2 closets, office and his and her baths. Lower level sport court and a fabulous floor plan. $3,875,000
WESTON - Nantucket-Style New England Colonial, CT Home of the Year award, 3.22-acre estate, 8,120 square foot, consummate detailing and amenities, formal living and dining rooms with fireplaces, expansive family room, open gourmet kitchen, 5 bedrooms, deluxe master suite with sitting room and office. Private setting bordered by 22 acres of protected open space. $2,895,000
WESTON - RIVERFRONT MASTERWORK - Nestled between a dramatic waterfall and stone cliffs, this new Colonial is the most spectacular riverfront property in Weston. Geothermal heating/cooling system, 5 bedroom, 5 bath, 3 car, coffered ceilings +more. This home is an extraordinary combination of architectural achievement and environmental excellence. TO BE BUILT $2.795M
WESTPORT - EVERYTHING YOU DESIRE Great location. Engaging Colonial built in 2005. 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, gorgeous master suite with luxurious bath and fireplace. Gourmet kitchen, highest quality stainless steel appliances, lower level nanny suite and playroom. Hardwood floors, coffered ceilings, C/A, and 3 car garage. Stone terrace with Viking grill and room for a pool. $1,799,000
REDDING - Custom European Style Country house set back on 5.6 serene acres, adjacent to 160 acre land trust. Gourmet kitchen with stone hearth and limestone floors. Sunlight through floor to ceiling windows. Luxury master suite with sumptuous bath. Exquisite details throughout. 10+ foot ceilings, wide plank hardwood floors. A rare, elegant gem. $1,299,000
WESTON - MAJESTIC CURB APPEAL Gorgeous multi-level custom built contemporarized and spacious colonial home with marvelous view of a pond and brook. Nestled on 2.17 acres enjoy open spaces, soaring ceilings, 7 bedrooms, 6.1 baths, 5 fireplaces and a 3 car garage with room for a nanny and in-law. Granite counters and extensive stone work throughout. $1,149,000 .
WESTON - Classical colonial, Picturesque Setting, Beautiful updates. Colonial with 4,000 square feet of warm, welcoming space cited on two beautiful acres in a prime neighborhood. 5 bedrooms, 3 and one half baths, 2 car garage, 3 fireplaces. $949,900
WESTON - Don't let this one get away...built in 2003 with five bedrooms, five and one half baths, 4,687 square feet and a three car garage on two+ acres! This property is on an exceptionally quiet cul-de-sac that offers access to the largest protected nature preserve in CT with 1,700 acres. Convenient Weston $944,999 location.
AVAILABLE LAND Martin Road, Weston
Stunning Riverfront properties w/cliff backdrop, end of Hemlock: 3.15 acres - $795,000 3.06 acres - $995,000 Total package $1,695,000
Mountain Road, Redding WESTON - Pristine and meticulously maintained home with gorgeous level lot and tree top views. Some stainless steel appliances, spacious lower level including fireplace, office and half bath, 2 car garage. Most convenient Weston location. $590,000
75 Mountain, 4.48 acres - $230,000 63 Mountain, 2.93 acres - $255,000 51 Mountain, 2.01 acres - $279,000
Maple Road, Easton 13.84 acres - $1,450,000 (to be subdivided)
GAIL LILLEY ZAWACKI 4
Specializing in Southern CT's finest homes Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage 472 Riverside Avenue, Westport, CT 06880 Telephone: 203.682.9444 www.SouthernCT.com Gail@SouthernCT.com
...Distinguished Credentials. Exceptional Service at all price points. Unequaled Marketing Knowledge. Top-level Performance.
Become part of our international real estate network! With over 600 franchise partners in 33 countries, Engel & Völkers is one of the world’s leading international real estate franchisors specializing in the sales and marketing of prestigious properties. Our unique shop concept, innovative IT strategy, international referral system and in-house lifestyle magazine “GG” are just a few of the reasons to choose the Engel & Völkers brand. To learn more about becoming part of the Engel & Völkers network, please contact us at 212.584.1177. New York Head Office · 420 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10170 · 212.584.1177 usa.northeast@engelvoelkers.com · www.engelvoelkers.com/northeastusa
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8 Old Woods Drive - Harrison, NY $4,999,000
Stately gates introduce a courtyard lined with Belgium blocks. 6 Bedroom, 8.5 Bath, 9,600 Sq. Ft. - Custom Poolhouse 800 Sq. Ft.Magnificent Garden with Waterfall to Koi Pond, Wine Cellar, Chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kitchen, Media Room, Gym, and Three Car Garage
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MAGNIFICENT CUSTOM BUILT COLONIAL
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WEST HARRISON, NY This spectacular custom built colonial boast over 10,000 square feet of luxurious living space. Located at the end of a private cul-de-sac with magnificent street presence, a 3 car garage and parking for at least 10 cars. Situated on 1.56 flat acres with a Shoreline pool, beautiful lawns with mature landscaping and plenty of room for sporting activities. This clas ic home combines gracious style and comfort along with a custom design with attention to detail. 6 bedrooms, 7.5 baths, radiant heating, gym, hardwood flooring, custom closets, high-end moldings and 3 fireplaces are just some the many features of this home. MLS: 3006434.
SPECTACULAR DUTCH COLONIAL $1,990,000 SPECTACULAR DUTCH COLONIAL $1,990,000 RYE, NY This spacious and charming Dutch colonial is situated on .52 acres of beautifully landscaped property. Features include 5 RYE, NY This spacious and charming Dutch colonial is situated on .52 acres of beautifully landscaped property. Features include 5 bedrooms, custom kitchen with center island, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and a separate breakfast room with French bedrooms, custom kitchen with center island, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and a separate breakfast room with French doors to a Bluestone patio. A sunken family room offers a fireplace, coffered ceilings and French doors. The master bedroom suite boasts doors to a Bluestone patio. A sunken family room offers a fireplace, coffered ceilings and French doors. The master bedroom suite boasts vaulted ceiling and master bath with a Clawfoot tub. Elegant architectural details and built-ins throughout. Private and flat yard with room vaulted ceiling and master bath with a Clawfoot tub. Elegant architectural details and built-ins throughout. Private and flat yard with room for a pool. Short distance to the train, makes this a commuters delight! A gem inside and out! MLS: 3000882 for a pool. Short distance to the train, makes this a commuters delight! A gem inside and out! MLS: 3000882
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MAGNIFICENT CUSTOM BUILT COLONIAL $3,199,000 MAGNIFICENT CUSTOM BUILT COLONIAL $3,199,000 WEST HARRISON, NY This spectacular custom built colonial boast over 10,000 square feet of luxurious living space. Located at the end of a WEST HARRISON, NY This spectacular custom built colonial boast over 10,000 square feet of luxurious living space. Located at the end of a private cul-de-sac with magnificent street presence, a 3 car garage and parking for at least 10 cars. Situated on 1.56 flat acres with a Shoreline pool, private cul-de-sac with magnificent street presence, a 3 car garage and parking for at least 10 cars. Situated on 1.56 flat acres with a Shoreline pool, beautiful lawns with mature landscaping and plenty of room for sporting activities. This classic home combines gracious style and comfort along with beautiful lawns with mature landscaping and plenty of room for sporting activities. This classic home combines gracious style and comfort along with a custom design with attention to detail. 6 bedrooms, 7.5 baths, radiant heating, gym, hardwood flooring, custom closets, high-end moldings and 3 a custom design with attention to detail. 6 bedrooms, 7.5 baths, radiant heating, gym, hardwood flooring, custom closets, high-end moldings and 3 fireplaces are just some the many features of this home. MLS: 3006434. fireplaces are just some the many features of this home. MLS: 3006434.
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{COMMUNITY.ROOM} LE MACARON By Nancy Wergeles As a Marriage and Family Therapist I decided that the way for me to retrieve a lost sense of humor was to take my own advice and do a little Self-Care. A cooking class is the perfect choice for my self-care: it’s absorbing, informative and ends with something delicious to eat. What could be more relaxing than that? I received a catalogue from one of New York’s premier cooking schools with their current class offerings for non-professionals. To my delight and amazement they were offering an afternoon class in “Le Macaron.” The French macaroon. It hurts to even write the word macaroon because I know that word conjures up the Jewish Passover coconut macaroon or the Italian Pine nut macaroon. And while I love both of these dense confections, the French macaron is in a class by itself. This cookie is smooth on top with a crispy, crunchy texture on the outside. Inside the texture changes to chewy with just a hint of the big flavor that will erupt on your taste buds later on from the filling within. In Paris, every pâtisserie offers les macarons in a myriad of colors and flavors. They resemble jewels lined up in their display cases. Last fall on a trip to Paris, the best part of each day came when my husband and I returned to our apartment to test out our day’s selection of les macarons from places like Ladurée, Lenôtre, Hédiard and Fauchon. Typically, you savor your selections with a cup of tea at a small table on site. However, we enjoyed the guilty pleasure that comes with delayed gratification at the sight of these treats lined up on our own table at home. I was delighted that I could take a class devoted to learning how to make this one cookie. I marveled at the idea that there must be others just like me. People who have tried at home to duplicate the perfection of these beautiful treats. I have spent the last five years trying to perfect le macaron with poor to fair results. What has kept me going is that even my failures are delicious. To my taste, the basic ingredients of ground almonds, sugar and egg whites beaten together with various flavorings, can never be bad. This class was an opportunity that just called out to me. I enlisted a friend to join me and on the appointed day we excitedly headed off for our day of self-care. We were shown into a gleaming stainless steel classroom lined on the sides with refrigerators and wall ovens, which contained in the center tall steel tables and stools for the students. It reminded me of my high school chemistry lab except the tables were stainless steel, not soapstone, and at every other place was a Kitchenaid mixer instead of a Bunsen burner. The class was large. There were about 25 people assembled. We were a mixed age group, from 26-70, equally divided between men and women. I was filled with a sense of wonder about the 25 people willing to spend a fair amount of money for four hours, indoors, on a Saturday afternoon in June, to learn about le macaron . We were given two items: a thick folder with recipes and other information about the school, and a wrap-around chef’s apron. As we excitedly took seats around the tables, the teacher walked into the room with her retinue of helpers. She was immaculately dressed in chef’s whites and on her head perched a “toque blanche,” the chef’s hat. The frisson of excitement I felt as soon as the teacher started to talk began to dissipate with her every word. She lectured for an hour on the history of the macaroon. She was so serious and intense I began to squirm in my seat. She explained that the French version of le macaron was never taught in cooking schools because it is so difficult to master. The recipes we
would be using came from three of the 118 pastry chefs in the world that had reached the status of MOF. (Meilleur Ouvrier de France.) As she spoke, students were frantically taking notes. I was paralyzed. I wondered what they were writing. Judging by the focused expressions on the faces of my classmates the purpose of this class could just as well have been breaking the molecular code that would bring us the cure for cancer. I noticed the sweat trickling down the small of my back and between my breasts. The tension in the room was palpable. Chef (did I mention that the proper way to address the teacher is “Chef”?) had us gather around her at the demonstration island. Surreptitiously I checked my pulse; it was rapid, and I was still sweating. I knew it! I would have to leave because I was surely having a heart attack. There was no way I was ever going to be able to bake one of these impossible things. I glanced over at my friend; she too was sweating, pale and breathing rapidly. And, as I looked around the table at my fellow students, I saw that they all looked like I felt, trapped. Chef continued the demonstration showing us how to make one of the recipes, and then said, “Now it is your turn, you must work in twos and bake some macarons.” I turned to my friend and said apologetically, “I had no idea it would be this serious.” She rolled her eyes. We chose one of the recipes and got to work assembling the equipment and ingredients. I knew I was in trouble when I asked a student where he found the egg whites and was ignored. “Could I borrow a scale?” was met with an emphatic “No, I may need it later.” Does the strained atmosphere in the room explain the practically murderous rage I felt towards my poor innocent friend, who weighed the ground almonds in ounces instead of grams and thus ruined our first mixture? Are there words to describe the look of disgust on the face of one of Chef’s assistants as she disparagingly ran her spatula through our unacceptable batter? I’m glad the only weapon I had in my hand at the time was a pastry bag and not a knife. But we were all there to bake. And bake we did. In spite of the tension, fear, hostility, and complete lack of camaraderie that filled the room. Fifteen minutes before we were to wrap up, Chef told us to organize our creations for display at our workstations. Her assistants handed out dozens of cake boxes. We were told to first walk around and see what the other students had baked. Oh wonder of wonders! To be a poet just to describe those 2500 glorious macarons we unfriendly and miserable students created that day. Here were Caramel with Sea Salt, Chocolate, Mocha, Vanilla with Praline, Raspberry Ganache, Pistachio, Coffee. Mint Chocolate, Strawberry, Passionfruit, Ginger, White Chocolate Coconut. Dazzling! Outside the school, loaded down with our boxes of Les Macarons, my friend gave me a small hug goodbye. She said, “I am beyond exhausted.” I made my way to Grand Central Station and onto my train and promptly fell asleep. I didn’t wake up until the conductor called out my stop in Connecticut an hour later. When I sat behind the wheel of my car ready to go home, I looked at my many cake boxes and had a good laugh about my day. Was it self-care? Not sure. Sense of humor? It’s back. Will I ever bake le macaron again? Not on your life! ❉ Nancy Wergeles is a longtime resident of Weston and a passionate cook. Inspired by her stint as an Emergency Medical Technician on the Weston Ambulance Squad she went to graduate school twice. She worked as a health advocate at hospitals in NY and later got a degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Nancy maintains a private practice in Westport.
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8 Old Woods Drive - Harrison, NY $4,999,000
Stately gates introduce a courtyard lined with Belgium blocks. 6 Bedroom, 8.5 Bath, 9,600 Sq. Ft. - Custom Poolhouse 800 Sq. Ft.Magnificent Garden with Waterfall to Koi Pond, Wine Cellar, Chefâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kitchen, Media Room, Gym, and Three Car Garage