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Very Truly Yours, MARCH | APRIL 2025

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

YOU PROBABLY RECOGNIZE OUR COVER FEATURE DAVID POGUE.

He’s the seven-time Emmy winning correspondent on CBS Sunday Morning who — in 35 stories each year — explains anything and everything that’s complicated. But beyond his fame, the real reason we’ve elected to feature David and Nicki is to highlight the way, after moving to Bedford less than two years ago, they’ve already become a part of the community. David has already joined the Board of Bedford 2030, and writes for the local newspaper. He’s lectured at The Bedford Playhouse on ‘Ten Reasons for Climate Hope’, and donated his services as a magician to benefit Rippowam Cisqua. And the Pogues are always ‘Out & About’!

We are ‘ALWAYS LOCAL / ALWAYS POSITIVE’ and work hard to introduce you to the most interesting folks in town. But it is our special purpose to introduce you to those who participate in and become a part of the fabric of our local community ...Martha Stewart shows up to everything. People who bring their special talents to bear in support of local charities and institutions ...like the way Warren Haynes performs to benefit The Rippowam School and the way Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo M.C.s the auction for the New Canaan High School each year. People who can get over themselves, and come to a local event, or even show up at the supermarket, acting like normal people ...and not all lively and lofty, like we neighbors are the stalking paparazzi. It’s part of what makes our community our community.

To highlight what it means to contribute to the community, we’re taking the special step of publishing herewith the Obituary written for longtime Pound Ridger Joan Silbersher, who passed in January at the age of 95.

When it comes to contributing to our community Joan Silbersher was a giant. We hope her example will stimulate each of you.

casey arden kaplan B&NC MAG PRESIDENT

Casey Kaplan, President & Michael Kaplan, Publisher in town in New Canaan

JOAN SILBERSHER

By: Ricky Silbersher, Joan’s Daughter

None of us thought this day would ever quite come. But the unsinkable Joan Silbersher of Pound Ridge NY has passed. She was 95. Joan stands alone as an icon, a pioneer - a cigar store Indian to a timeless place. Many generations of locals have grown up with her at the helm of the greater good, been gently or deeply shaped, effected, and moved by her.

Born Joan Carol Piken on October 19th, 1929 in South Orange, NJ, to Burnett and Marguerite (Kirschbaum) Piken, she loved nature and hated dresses. Her youth was formed keeping up with two star-athlete brothers, Herb & Dick, in endless days of stoop ball, stick ball, and spraying water guns through holes their father drilled in the garage for creative hideand-seek. She remembers her parents adoring and making each other giggle, with a busy social life around bridge and mahjong. She found a summer mecca at Eagle Island Girl Scout Camp on Saranac Lake, where she earned the nickname ‘Pike-ahontas’ from her bronzed face, regal braids, and ‘can-do’ personality, and where she made lifelong bonds.

Soon tennis became Joan's forte and the little local Berkeley Club in Orange, New Jersey, her stomping ground. A famous tomboy at Columbia High School and committed athlete and teacher at NJ State Teachers College (Hall of Fame inductions for basketball, field hockey, swimming/diving, and tennis), she had also by the early 1950s been competing in tennis locally, regionally, and statewide. Her P.E. teaching career began in the Millburn, New Jersey school system, while her tennis took off as NJ State Ladies Champion, earning rankings and then invites into premiere tourneys like Orange Lawn and Merion Cricket Club. The ultimate crown was qualifying for the U.S. Open at Forest Hills, where one of her most valued experiences was being asked by Althea Gibson to partner in doubles. As Joan spoke 'trailblazers language', she related to like minds and was more proud to stand with Althea than win alone.

Back on the red clay at Berkeley Club, Joan met Paul Silbersher of neighboring Millburn, himself a strong player as well as ‘a nice Jewish boy’ studying to be a Cantor…a good fit for ‘a nice Jewish girl’ who knew how to hold her own with the boys. They married in 1955 and honeymooned in Provincetown, Massachusetts - a longtime family pilgrimage begun by her beloved Aunt Mil who started painting there in the 1940s. After a stint in Cincinnati, they returned East where Paul finished his studies at Hebrew Union College and Joan continued her teaching career in P.E. while they looked to settle somewhere peaceful. A country drive north found them a studio for rent in North Stamford, Connecticut owned by fabled radio show producer Himan Brown, who had previously rented the studio to J.D. Salinger. Soon the couple discovered nearby Pound Ridge and acquired a few acres to build on. A cathedral-ceilinged house of their own design went up and the phone number assigned had last been Tallulah Bankhead’s, so life there already had a powerhouse christening. Two children followed: Erica (“Ricky”) in 1959 and Jared (“Jed”) in 1961. Her homestead in place, Joan began to really roll up her sleeves. She dug out and poured a swimming pool for the kids, handmade their toys, and hammered up a tree house. After sport, teaching, and family was in place, she added her next passion…dogs - specifically Great Danes. Joan always had one at her side and began breeding them, often traveling with them in her open convertible, ears flapping in the wind. Many might remember her longtime license plate: WOOOF. An amusing newspaper article from early days shows Joan’s MGTD stuck on the Tappan Zee Bridge with her baby Ricky in the front while pregnant Dane ‘Gida’ was in the back whelping puppies. All in a day for Joan.

The couple’s tennis fame found them meeting neighbors with private courts, and soon Joan was whipping up tennis socials at Maisie and Paul Kohnstamm’s on Lower Shad Road that were so popular she realized they needed to make the party permanent. And so, in 1964, the Pound Ridge Tennis Club (PRTC) was born. Joan designed the charter with fellow founding members, scouted land with local real estate character Larry Malawista, storyboarded the site plan with construction paper, submitted applications to the town, and organized commitments and funds.

BY: RICKY SILBERSHER, JOAN'S DAUGHTER

Founding the club was just the beginning. She manned the first backhoe to grade the land for 3 clay tennis courts and a shed. She and Paul handplanted evergreens along the roadside bunkers for future privacy. While Joan sat on the board, Paul became the first club pro, often offering rabbinical game analyses with his unique lessons, which was fitting, as Paul was also the first Cantor for the PR Jewish Community.

Eventually, the couple divorced - Paul moved back to North Stamford as head pro at Newfield, Roxbury, and Long Ridge Swim & Tennis Clubs, and Joan dug in further at PRTC. Decades followed of dawn-to-dusk unpaid devotion to building an entire program and infrastructure for PRTC with an original charter based on volunteerism and unpretentious facilities set in an open, natural landscape. Her design was featured in an article in Tennis magazine, where she credited the humble Berkeley Tennis Club as inspiration. As a top player, Joan attracted other excellent players to join which kept the level high and the waitlist overflowing. She registered the club for US sanctioned events and ran years of ranking tournaments on the tennis and paddle circuits, drawing top players of all ages from far and wide. All this while she herself kept competing on those circuits, maintaining Eastern & National rankings in Open and then Senior Women’s Tennis and Paddle, singles/doubles/and mixed. But internal club play was her baby and soon she had full tennis and paddle A, B, and C teams playing in leagues all over the county year-round, as well as running club ‘ladders’, fun events, and organized socializing. For decades her home was the sole host of the annual cocktail party, where members would be stepping over Great Danes to reach the appetizer trays. By the swingin’ 70s, Joan even joked that she should run a mixed doubles tournament ‘for exes and their new partners’, as club couples were actually divorcing to switch spouses. She made use of that glittery era, attracting national paddle sponsorships to include the club in their upscale playing calendar when Passport Scotch and Dr. Pepper were investing in the game. She got Arthur Ashe to come to PRTC to give a tennis exhibition, spearheaded special guest memberships for summering celebrities like Walter Matthau and Art Carney, taught paddle to Colleen

Dewhurst and Zoe Caldwell. All to invite and infuse diverse energies into the club culture.

As a single mother of two, Joan also had to start patching together an earnest living. After starting as a gym teacher at Pound Ridge Elementary School (where young student and longtime local Artie Clark recalls her being "tough but great fun"), she joined Art Houlihan in his new real estate company, but was disinterested in the fuss of showing houses. Since tromping through the town woods to find a property for the tennis club had enamored her, Art (also a longtime friend and mixed paddle partner) agreed to let her create her own branch of specialty by just showing land. Soon she broke off and started her own firm, The Northern Westchester Land Co., in the little cottage in front of Houlihan that still stands on Westchester Avenue.

By the early 70’s, local tennis friend and publisher Warren Schloat suggested to Joan that a little newsletter was needed in town. Joan went home and mentioned this at the dinner table, and the next day she and her daughter Ricky (age 15) decided to start one… Joan would cover business news, ad sales, and admin, and Ricky would do design, layout and illustration. They would publish it monthly and the land company’s cottage would become the newspaper production office. Ricky named it The Country Shopper

The first issue in 1975 was a one page newsletter folded up and mailed out free to everyone in Pound Ridge. Within months the size, scope, content, and mailing area doubled, and Joan asked her best friend and next-door neighbor Alice Marpet to assist with ad sales, since Alice had last done that for The New York Times. With Alice on the team, the CS exploded and was soon upwards of 100 pages and being distributed to all of Northern Westchester and Fairfield Counties. The little cottage space was outgrown, and the office moved down the street into #67, a wide open space with picture windows facing the sidewalk (where the store The Cottage is now). Desks were added for new ad sales staff: dear friends Toby Morris, Claire Newman & Viola Johnson, and the Great Danes could sprawl out across the floor in the sun. Actual

production moved to the house and consumed her living room, where art desks were built for Ricky and a burgeoning staff including Ruth Mendes, Lillian Petruccione, Pat Middleton, Ruth Behan, and Sally Griffith. Those were the days of rubber glue, letraset burnish fonts, Selectric typewriters, rapidograph pens, non-repro blue markers, and liquid white-out. Most everything was accomplished by hand.

The paper was refreshingly unique, featuring columns such as Dining Way Out, about wild eating experiences described by witty friends. Bedford’s Dave Binger wrote about eating in a tree in Africa, with dishes delivered on a small train track that ran throughout the tree; Foxy Gwynne (also from Bedford, and Fred’s [Herman Munster’s] wife) told of serving venison at a party she gave, only to discover that one of her guests had hit and left the deer that she picked up to prep and serve. Joan’s Main Street Minutes reported on all the latest goings-on of local businesses, like openings and closings, new chefs, additional services. Ricky’s cover drawings and spot sketches peppered the pages, a la The New Yorker, as well as colored her individual ad designs. And a healthy Classified section gave the old Pennysaver a run for their money.

The paper’s success was a reward but all-consuming, so after 15 years they both wanted to move on. When Dr. Hy Nadel’s office became vacant next door, Joan said she had always liked antiques and thought that was enough reason to open a shop. Ricky missed the old Little Book of Numbers local phonebook that had disappeared and thought that was reason enough to revive it. So in 1990, they both chose those paths and Joan hung out a shingle at 65 Westchester Avenue in Scotts Corners, with the typically no-nonsense name Antiques & Tools of Business & Kitchen. And for 27 years, she filled the aisles and shelves with “charming but useful” treasures. Her policy was to buy items for a song, clean them up and price them at triple; so if she scored an urn at a yard sale for $3, she’d tag it at $9…even if it had a book value of $300. She didn’t care about maximizing, she cared about fairness and decency. Her personality was most alive in the shop, where she could employ her earthy generosity, outspoken style, and own brand of humanity. And quickly she built an institution.

Joan planted sunflowers and cherry tomatoes to grow up the lampposts out front, spread old wine casks out as flower pots, hung bird feeders, kept a full candy jar for free handfuls, and always pulled chew treats from her leather satchel for visiting dogs. She hired fellow seniors like Bob Suda & Sonja Godfried for meaningful work manning the shop, and local kids for chores and assistance running her events. She saw opportunity to fill her corner at the 4-way stop with community gatherings: installing picnic tables for Sunday chess games for kids; establishing a farmer’s market where local artisans could set up tents and sell their goods; holding Sunday antiques markets to encourage smaller vendors; grilling burgers and marshmallows on her sidewalk BBQ for optional donations to The Fountain Fund - which did eventually pay for the design and installation (by storied architect and local character Vito Fosella) of the fountain in the center of town that she erected to honor Fred Zwick, an esteemed town supervisor who for Joan “though Republican, was a very reasonable thinker who made a lot of good things happen.” The shop became her hearth for politics, and around election periods she was known to vocalize this, even querying customers about their party and boldly voicing disappointment when the answer wasn’t ‘Democrat’. She was demanding but honest, felt free to expect moral excellence without apology, but was equally as quick to admit error and apologize. Her accessible and genuine personal and shop style created a sacred meeting place in Scotts Corners where all wanted to explore, wander and be.

Famed locals became regulars, like Tom Brokaw, Richard Gere (and wives), Eartha Kitt, Ralph Lauren, Stanley Tucci, Paul Schaffer, Andre Agassi & Steffi Graf, Martha Stewart; Lena Dunham filmed an episode of Girls there. But Joan was her own brand of famous. A constantly public figure, her lifelong uniform was 'early trendsetter', always in wornout jeans layered with patches, a bleach-spattered polo shirt, and leather sandals even in winter. She always carried a clipboard with a pen hanging around her neck so she could jot down ideas. She could be seen traveling plein air on her classic bicycle with canvas pouches to retrieve mail from the post office or in her open convertible stuffed with the day’s projects. Her commanding voice often boomed but her laugh was quick and easy, and often at herself. Her yelling and screaming could cut to the bone, but her unselfconscious way was so endearing that you knew it wasn’t personal. She didn’t care about makeup or skincare, but her eyes twinkled and that was her beauty.

Funny and inventive episodes abound about Joan’s unique way of getting things done. In the 1970s (way before easy technology) while watching paddle matches from inside the cozy confines of the PRTC clubhouse, the lack of sound during matchplay made it hard to enjoy or to learn the score, so she installed microphones outside wired to speakers inside to complete the viewing experience. Instead of throwing out cold, onceused paddle balls, she built a ‘warmer’ out of an insulated milk box and installed a lightbulb in it, which allowed balls to stay warm around the bulb for constant winter use. Frustrated by the lack of progress about improving parking laws in the business district, Joan took a can of spray paint out and when no one was looking, drew new parking spaces along the laneway to the left of The Kitchen Table. A devout digital-age resister, Joan never adopted a cell phone (they were purchased for her and she always managed to conveniently ignore the instructions written out and taped to the backs); she attempted the internet only once, sending out an email letter to her daughter and

throwing a tantrum after ‘it didn’t work’ (she sat waiting for an immediate reply, as though it was a phone call). She also refused to adapt to seat belts. When the law said you had to wear one, Joan said no. Town cops would stop her in the beginning, and then quietly gave up (picture who would win?). Joan’s free spirit colored everything she did. The tales of her are endless and many of you can likely recall your own.

All along, Joan relentlessly pursued, fundraised, donated, supported, and fought for causes where she felt she could affect the most good. She was a longtime spearhead in multiple town organizations such as: the PR Business Association (where her dear alliance developed with mother-to-all, Agnes McMurray of gift shop The Strap Hinge, where Breads ’n’ Bakes kitchen is now); the PR Democratic Committee (coaxing Kennedy’s speechwriter and local Ted Sorenson to share an unforgettable speech at her back yard fundraiser). She campaigned for the League of Women Voters, worked the polls, collected for the United Way, and lobbied for a Montessori School. She introduced a paddle tennis facility to the Town Park, ran its first program and taught lessons wherever needed. She created a junior bowling league that had buses going to Armonk Bowl. She campaigned for Democrat candidates near and far, and wrote to the papers or stood up in meetings when a little extra passion for a project was needed.

Joan is the reason for a plethora of landmarks that we take for granted, such as the: town clock, town fountain, lamppost streetlights, Halloween Walk, Farmers Market, Sidewalk Sales, July 4th Markets, Kids Chess Sundays, and Sunday Antiques Markets & Labor Day Market, where in a 2000 coincidence her daughter went into labor and Joan comically made a pitstop to hustle her event staff into gear before jumping back into the running car to get Ricky to the birthing center where Scout was born minutes later. After all this doing and giving, she quietly admitted her most poignant moment was receiving the town's Good Neighbor Award in 2003.

She was mostly social through her activities but had dinner parties at home, with early ones built around bridge games and later ones around grilling butterflied lamb on her BBQ pit. Personal pursuits were rare but she loved throwing pottery on a wheel, and religiously fell asleep reading The New Yorker. She traveled a bit in her life—usually for tennis tournaments, like with husband Paul to Squirrel Island, Maine and with daughter Ricky to Bar Harbor and Point Judith for the annual MotherDaughter Grass Court circuit (reaching National #4 together in 1976). But even as far afield as she went, like on safari in Kenya in 1999 with Ricky to celebrate their 70th and 40th, Joan was always thinking about home; while at a small African airport, she spotted a huge old wooden airplane propeller on the runway and talked a steward into selling it to her to take home for her shop. She loaded it into the hold, shlepped it through connections, coerced it through customs in NY…only to get it home to sell it immediately at Antiques & Tools for a song. She took a workshop out of town to learn how to solder water fountains out of copper and ‘found' items, took a year to build several, and promptly sold them in the shop at face value. Ultimately Joan just found pleasure in the doing. But her most precious travel was in making the daily drive between 3 points: her homestead on Sherwood Road, her tennis club on Major Lockwood Lane, and her multiple shopfronts on the little stretch called Scotts Corners. Pound Ridge was her everything.

By 2017, at 88, her determination wasn’t enough to keep up with the demands of buying, managing and selling antiques and keeping a shop afloat. So in her typical no-frills simplicity, she announced her retirement with a big sale, and took home her store sign. Her only commerce became selling ads once a year for Ricky’s Little Book of Numbers, and considering but never managing to sell all the remaining antiques piled up in boxes at home. She eased into enjoying a new habit of puttering happily around her homestead, napping in the afternoons with the bevy of wild cats on her chest who had all showed up from out of the woods and

Joan sits with Richard Gere in Pound Ridge

become pets, and continuing to bring restaurant leftovers home to feed generations of raccoons and throw seed to the birds and deer. She tootled in her BMW every day to the post office to collect mail to take home and write out a stack of $10 checks to all the charities who asked. She gathered with the neighborhood ‘girls’ for mutual potluck birthday parties, and sent out her xeroxed newsletters with hand-scrawled updates and polaroid snapshots. And she looked especially forward to time with her only grandchild Scout, who brought her the deepest most intimate joy. Her end was not as designed, having to be moved out of her beloved home to a safe nursing facility. But after two years being taken care of there, remaining pain-free, receiving visits from old neighbors, and having nothing but time to reflect, Joan spent her last words radiating deep gratitude for a life fully lived, and then passed in her sleep.

She was a fierce and unique individualist who blazed, voiced, inspired, invented, demanded, gave, and charmed. Her one true love was her community. People miss Joan’s presence dearly, but her spirit is alive, the stories flow, and her gifts are everywhere.

A community gathering to celebrate Joan will be held in the spring.

Icons: Joan and Lisl Steiner

Elevating every moment.

When you step into your kitchen, what do you aspire to do? Master a new cooking technique? Serve food even your pickiest family member will eat with enthusiasm?

Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove appliances are meticulously crafted to achieve a higher standard of performance, dependability, and style—so you can raise the bar on every meal you make. Your future kitchen starts with Sub-Zero,

Photos: Advanced Photographix

CHELSEA THATCHER BRINGING CULTURE TO GRACE FARMS

Chelsea has been on board at Grace Farms since the beginning, laying much of the groundwork for the vision, marketing, strategy, and execution of what has become a leading cultural center.

Max Tucci’s new restaurant, TUCCI, on the corner of Broadway and Bleeker, is a masterpiece! …And the restoration of his family’s Manhattan mainstay, Delmonico’s, resets the standard for steak in downtown Manhattan. 46

80 …ONLY IF YOU LIKE IT PERFECT… LA SAMANNA IN ST. MARTIN

La Samanna has been a favorite retreat for those in-the-know since it opened in 1973, and has been only more prized since the complete renovation of the resort in 2018 under the ownership of LVMH’s Belmond hotel group.

TO THE MAX…TUCCI…& DELMONICO’S TOO!

COVER FEATURE

106

DAVID & NICKI POGUE BUSY IN BEDFORD

David Pogue is the kind of famous where just about everyone recognizes him as a somebody, while it might take a minute to realize that he’s the seventime Emmy winning correspondent on CBS Sunday Morning who — in 35 stories each year — explains anything and everything that’s complicated.

124 NAT MUNDY HK MOTORCARS

Nat has carved-out a unique niche in the business of getting folks into the cars of their dreams… His dealership, HK Motorcars, specializes in sales of a variety of different classes of cars—new and used—all with a focus on car enthusiasts and collectibility.

138WINDHAM MOUNTAIN CLUB

100 TICKETS TO PARADISE!

Windham Mountain Club is a special paradise in the Catskills - only a short two-hour drive from the B&NC area. Probably best known for being the ultra-luxurious private club at the premier ski area in the region, the Windham Mountain Club is actually a year-round destination with attractions and activities for everyone in the family.

148

YELLOW STUDIO CREATIVE EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN

Yellow Studio is an all-women’s collective for art, creativity, and community - located in one of the 18th Century cottages that make up Yellow Monkey Village, on the north side of Route 35 opposite the mouth of the Cross River Reservoir.

156 A LOOP WITH JOHN STARKS at ANGLEBROOK GOLF CLUB

For anyone who doesn’t know Starks, he was the first NBA player to record 200 threepointers in a season - and remains the Knicks all-time leader in three-pointers with 982. John was an NBA All-Star in 1994 and the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 1997.

166 58 GREENLEY IN NEW CANAAN MATURITY MEETS MODERNITY

A peek inside a historically significant Tudor-style mansion in New Canaan, with an opulent property.

Welcome Matt Troy to Our Team!

Formerly of Troy’s Garden Nurseries in Bedford, Matt joins us as our newest landscape designer.

DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF WINDHAM MOUNTAIN CLUB

Nestled in the heart of the Catskills and just a short drive from New York City, Windham Mountain Club (WMC) is a sanctuary for year-round adventurers of all ages that bring families closer in every season. Standing as the preeminent destination for thoughtfully elevated and intentionally uncrowded mountain living, this premiere, publicprivate mountain community seamlessly blends world-class skiing with exclusive luxury amenities, offering an unparalleled experience for winter weekend guests and private club members.

“Our goal is to provide the best overall skiing and riding experience in the Northeast,” says President Chip Seamans. “With uncrowded slopes for the public and our members, our ski racing and development programs, and extraordinary culinary offerings, we aim to create a remarkable end-to-end experience at Windham Mountain Club.”

“Our focus is creating memorable experiences, from a day on the mountain to an afternoon on the water or fairway, to summer mornings spent in holistic fitness and total rejuvenation. Windham Mountain Club will offer truly special experiences that guests will look forward to year after year,”

Sandy Beall Chairman

and Co-Founder of Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain HONORING

TRADITIONS, BUILDING LEGACY

Windham Mountain Club stands on a foundation rich in history, originating in the early 1960s with the establishment of Cave Mountain Ski Area. In 2024, the experienced luxury hospitality families of Sandy Beall and Kemmons Wilson (KWC Management) came on board as new majority owners. With over 100 years of combined industry experience, this experienced team placed emphasis on reshaping the resort into a four-season luxury destination and provided a historic investment of $70 million. Sandy Beall is best known as Chairman and Co-Founder of Blackberry Farm, a Relais and Chateux and Wine Spectator Grand Award property, and Blackberry Mountain, listed for Vogue’s 2024 Top 10 Best Spa Resorts in the United States.

CELEBRATING LUXURY AND LIFE

Windham Mountain Club is a haven for those who appreciate luxury in every detail and value quality family time. Savvy skiers, diners, and outdoor enthusiasts will take note of improved, automated snowmaking and grooming, six different restaurants to choose from across the mountain (with more concepts on the way), and next up in the development pipeline, year-round luxury residences just steps away from the slopes. At the heart of Windham Mountain Club is a close-knit community that values connection, camaraderie, and shared experiences. Premiere events, social gatherings, annual mountain traditions, and members-only experiences foster a sense of belonging, making WMC not just a destination, but a second home. Whether you’re sharing stories over dinner or participating in a group hike, the spirit of community is ever-present. Children at Windham Mountain Club can embark on their own journeys of discovery, from exhilarating downhill skiing adventures to exploring forested trails and

marveling at starlit skies. It’s clear that here, young adventurers will create deep connections with nature and forge lasting friendships.

The recent developmental changes have catapulted Windham Mountain Club towards becoming a destination that is worth more than just a visit. Members and guests can embark on extraordinary journeys filled with unexpected delights–whether it’s a personalized wine or token of appreciation, every moment is curated to surprise and enchant. What will be obvious to anyone visiting Windham Mountain Club for the first time is that membership provides more than just access, it’s an investment in a lifestyle rich with memorable experiences. The transformation from charming local favorite to an elevated, world-class destination is well underway, and those in the know are eager to be a part of Windham’s storied evolution.

NEW CANAANITE CHELSEA THATCHER

BRINGING CULTURE TO GRACE FARMS

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREA CERASO

The London Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance at Grace Farms in October was a pivotal moment for the community.

More than a spectacular evening and a stunning performance, the concert signaled that Chelsea Thatcher, who is the Creative Director and Chief Strategic Officer at Grace Farms, has now added fine music to the offering of high culture now available at the 80-acre New Canaan campus.

Chelsea has been on board at Grace Farms since the beginning, laying much of the groundwork for the vision, marketing, strategy, and execution of what has become

a leading cultural center. Chelsea is the daughter of Sharon Prince, the inimitable Founder and CEO of Grace Farms. “I see this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of building this vision with Sharon. It’s a hopeful vision that I feel so called to,” Chelsea shares.

Chelsea has the primary charge of developing all things ‘culture’ at Grace Farms and, while she’s already established significant programming in the visual and performing arts, the LPO performance was something of a coming-out party for what promises to be world class music to come.

“This place is incredibly unique. There is no other organization quite like Grace Farms,” Chelsea declares. “Heading into our tenth year, I continue to see this as a unique opportunity to be part of

building Grace Farms into a vision for grace and peace in the world.

…And I believe culture can be a strong force in the connections, community, and communication that are so critical to that end.”

MUSIC

“With the LPO’s performance in our 700-seat acoustically perfect auditorium, I felt like we lit a candle for 700 people to take a message of community involvement and peace out into the world,” Chelsea proclaims. “The LPO performed two nights before at Carnegie Hall…and this was a completely different experience! They said the same - and that it was an amazing experience for them as wellacoustically and spiritually. The musical experience here is extremely powerful, while unamplified and intimate. I want our amphitheater to become a world renowned voice for good.”

...And Grace Farms 10th Anniversary music season will begin September, 2025 and will conclude May 2026, with tickets on-sale now. Marcus G. Miller continues as Music Director for the 2025-26 season.

DANCE

Chelsea has also brought world-class dancers to Grace Farms. Grace Farms has showcased the NYC Ballet, Gallim Dance - a contemporary dance company that celebrates human connection, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She will continue to pursue dance programming intended to inspire action.

VISUAL ARTS

In the range of visual arts - beyond Grace Farms’ architecture considered in and of itself - Chelsea has developed programming intended to fit with Grace Farms’ larger vision for the community and the world, and specifically to mesh with and naturally promote Grace Farms’ global movement, Design For Freedom, to end modern day slavery and forced labor and mission to supplant aspects and elements of the worldwide building supply chain that contribute to those horrors.

“With Every Fiber is a longterm exhibit on display in the West Barn, which aims to inspire understanding and care about the materials that make up the built world around us and highlight the possibility for innovation in the space,” Chelsea explains. “For this exhibit, we commissioned a portrait of a survivor of modern slavery, Nasreen Sheikh, that is painted using egg tempura by the incredibly talented artist Hannah Rose Thomas, which will be added to the exhibit in October. And Nina Cook John, who’s the sculptor that made the famous 25-foot-tall Harriet Tubman monument, Shadow Of A Face, that’s displayed prominently at Harriet Tubman Square in Newark, New Jersey…generously donated a piece of the original cast for that sculpture, which serves as a real focal-point of the exhibit.”

“We’re also highlighting artist John Sabraw, who’s working in conjunction with the paint company Gamblin Artists Colors remediating polluted streams in Ohio…and creating pigments for paint from the filtered pollutants,” Chelsea says. “And I have to give a shout-out to my friend, and

Design for Freedom Working Group Member, and fellow New Canaanite Debbie Propst - who is the President of the renowned furniture design and manufacturing company Miller Knoll.During Covid, Debbie and I designed a face mask made entirely of ethically sourced materials, and Miller Knoll retailed the facemask - bringing great attention to the need for and issues involved in ethical sourcing.”

And, on an ongoing basis, Chelsea endeavors to exhibit art and artists aligned with the Grace Farms gestalt. “Some of the artists we work with,” Chelsea relates, “were actually first drawn to Grace Farms on their own. We recently initiated a yearlong residency for James Florio to photograph Grace Farms throughout the seasons…and James is from Montana, and he had been drawn to Grace Farms on his own journey and search for inspiration, and he’d been coming to visit and photograph for years!”

“I’m also proud to announce the installation of a large-scale sculpture by Alicja Kwade in our North Field, ParaPosition,” Chelsea continues. “It will be sited within the North Field at Grace Farms’ highest point and will draw visitors into the landscape.”

“We want to encourage families, and particularly young people, to explore and address the topics that we’re bringing up through art,” Chelsea entreats. “We have a large offering of open arts studios - where anyone can come and experiment with the same materials as the artists who are creating our exhibitions.”

LECTURES & WORKSHOPS

As a complement to all the music and art, Chelsea is curating a steady menu of lectures and workshops intended to provoke thought leadership and to encourage site and personal discovery. As an example, the Founding Director of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture, Miroslav Volf, kicked off the spring programming with a lecture in the sanctuary. “Focusing on the inclusive design of our architecture, we’re creating a map of the sensory experience here and what to anticipate,” Chelsea adds. “As much as we want people to find their own path and have moments of discovery and curiosity, we also want people to understand what is here and to be a place that everyone can really comprehend and enjoy.”

Chelsea is also working on a few publishing projects, including a book titled Grace Farms that’s set to be published in 2026 by Princeton Architectural Press. And in her very thorough way, Chelsea will complement the focus on architecture with some related tours and panels at Grace Farms.

And as if Chelsea’s commitment to Grace Farms - and contribution to the culture in and of our community - weren’t enough…her husband, Adam Thatcher, co-founded and is the CEO of the Grace Farms Tea & Coffee Company - a Certified B Corp™ that funds the Design for Freedom movement. Adam and the Grace Farms Foundation pioneered this new nonprofit-owned business model during the pandemic, inspired by Newman’s Own and a recent change in the IRS code that allows nonprofit foundations to own 100% of for-profit companies. Chelsea says proudly,

“Adam’s built Grace Farms Tea & Coffee into a major business, and in so doing he’s brought Grace Farms a big step closer to being a selfsustaining operation. And, of course, the tea and coffee is not only ethically sourced, but also procured with a focus on supporting female and minority-owned farmers and businesses in the supply chain. …It’s a great way for wholesale corporate purchasers and individual retail buyers to use their tea and coffee purchases to demonstrate a meaningful commitment to diversity and ethical sourcing.”

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MAX… TUCCI... to the

Max Tucci - restaurateur extraordinaire! & Delmonico’s too!

BY CASEY KAPLAN

Max’s new restaurant,

TUCCI, at 643 Broadway on the corner of Broadway and Bleeker, is a masterpiece! …And the restoration of his family’s Manhattan mainstay, Delmonico’s, resets the standard for steak in downtown Manhattan.

father’s father and mother, Oscar and Sesta, came to New York from Florence, Italy, the land of the Medicis,” Max starts the tale. “Oscar wanted the American Dream and was interested in real estate. He bought the 56 Beaver Street building in 1925, and in 1926 he reopened the venerable Delmonico’s, which was first established in 1827, with an illegal speakeasy in the basement. Oscar ran Delmonico’s with a passion and flair like no other. He created a way of providing service known as ‘the Delmonico way’. At the height of his career, Oscar was operating over 65,000 square feet of restaurant space and serving over 1,000 lunches a day. When he died in 1969, my father, Mario, and my aunt, Mary, took the blazing Delmonico’s torch . …I’ve written all about my family’s decades upon decades run at Delmonico’s in the book I authored, titled The Delmonico Way; Sublime Entertaining & Legendary Recipes from the Restaurant that Made New York!, published by Rizzoli.”

Max says proudly, “Delmonico’s was America’s first fine-dining restaurant! It’s older than the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and New York City’s public running water. It’s older than Tiffany’s, Louis Vuitton, and Cartier. Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain dined at Delmonico’s. On April 20th 1868, Delmonico’s was the first restaurant to welcome women unaccompanied by men. It was the place to be seen! Imagine, Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson at a table in the main dining room, while Ralph Burns and his orchestra were entertaining. Or Marilyn Monroe and Gypsy Rose Lee flirting with guys, while Lena Horne serenaded the private VIP dining room.

Delmonico’s was purely magical!

My wonderful childhood was sadly interrupted on the night of my 8th birthday

- when my father died of a massive stroke at our home in Greenwich,” Max describes his own history. “My aunt Mary - like my own ‘Auntie Mame’ - took over at Delmonico’s - where she was known as ‘the iron fist with a lace glove’ eyes-in-the-backof-her-head businesswoman. My mother, Gina, also remained associated with Delmonico’s for some time - and was for a time a beloved Front of House Maitre’d - but, being a young widow, my mother was determined to move on with her life - mostly in Europe, at our villa in Firenze or sailing the Greek Islands. My sister Nicoletta and I grew up in Greenwich, Manhattan, and Florence. We had an unconventional education, sometimes with private tutors. I was enrolled as the youngest dorm resident when I attended Harvey. Then I went to school in Florence. Then I came back to go to St. Lukes. I was raised by amazing nannies. And I had a lot of interesting friends. We were neighbors with the Trumps so Don Jr. and Eric were my buddies growing up.”

“In some ways, my father’s death gave me my life,” Max reveals.

“Although my aunt had me do some work at Delmonico’s as a child in order to give me a taste - the New York Times noted that I was ‘cleaning ashtrays, checking for chips on the glassware and looking for burnt out lightbulbs’ when they wrote about Delmonico’s in the 1980s - at the time I wasn’t interested in going into the family business. I was a kid who loved riding his horse and enjoyed fishing with my mates. …And then I became interested in photography and fashion. I took an internship with Beth Boldt, who discovered Naomi Campbell. I was a free-spirited teenager, driving around town in a bright red Mercedes Benz convertible, smoking Cartier menthol cigarettes. I put on a fashion show of my own collection of women’s attire for my senior project at St. Lukes. …And I was ready to get started with my life right out of high school. College was not for me, nor I for it. At 18 I headed to Berlin, and by 22 I was living in Florence.”

“I’ve been very happy and grateful being Max Tucci! I just turned 46 and I have a blessed life! For 17 years and counting I’ve been hosting a talk radio show called ‘Max & Friends’ in L.A., I appear regularly on shows such as GMA3, Good Day New York, the Tamron Hall Show and the Sherri Show, I’m a contributing writer for Appetito Magazine, and I’m a best-selling author!” Max touches on his professional career as a socialite, personality, and influencer. “...But Delmonico’s - and fine dining - are in my DNA!”

“In 2019, I threw a party at Delmonico’s for my pal Whoopi Goldberg to celebrate her book, The Unqualified Hostess, that Rizzoli had just published. Whoopi introduced me to Charles Mires, the longtime Rizzoli publisher, and I told him about how I’d spent fifteen years working on a book all about Delmonico’s,” Max recalls. “Charles was interested and when I met with him a week later, he gave me the book deal - conditioned on my adding my personal perspective and stories. …The book was published on November 1, 2020, and immediately became a #1 Bestseller.”

“At just about the same time, covid caused the group who were operating Delmonico’s to shut down and, because of a clause my Aunt Mary put in the contract when she’d sold the building, all the Delmonico’s intellectual property reverted to us Tuccis!” Max exclaims. “I took it all as a sign from my ancestors, Oscar, Sesta, Mario, and Mary. …I had a great house in Laurel Canyon, close to my radio studio, but Los Angeles was suffering during the pandemic, and New York was calling. I decided it was time to move back…and I got to work on reimagining Delmonico’s. We held a soft opening on August 21, 2023 - my Aunt Mary’s birthday - and the official opening on September 15, 2023. My mother flew in from Italy and cut the ribbon with the Mayor of New York, while I stood on the same steps my father and my grandfather did, welcoming New York and the World back to Delmonico’s! …And, very fortunately, it’s been a success from the moment we reopened the doors!”

The red velvet drapes that adorn the windows are Vintage pieces that Max got from the Gramercy Park Hotel-Rose Bar when the hotel closed a few years ago.

“Less than six months after reopening Delmonico’s, on December 28, 2023, I was at my good friend and mentor Clive Davis’ house in Miami Beach for New Years. Clive had chartered a yacht to take his select group of friends out for the New Year’s eve fireworks,” Max sets the scene. “I received a call that the space at 643 Broadway was available, and I had to break the news to Clive that I might have to miss New Year’s Eve in order to rush back to New York to see the space. But in typical Clive fashion, he encouraged me to follow my passion, and practically instructed me to get back to Manhattan to get the space locked-up. He said ‘If you don’t fall in love with the space - don’t do it…and make sure you’re back for my New Year’s gathering!’...Needless to say I made it back, but we took over the lease on January 3... and I rolled up my sleeves with my design partner Jimmy and went to work. We added the “Tucci touch” and some signature Gucci to the space that resembles my villa in Florence, Italy. We had the soft opening on March, 13 2024 - just before my mother’s birthday on St. Patrick’s Day! And I’m pleased to say we’ve been packed ever since! From stars such as Cardi B and Lindsay Lohan to Taraji P. Henson and Clive Davis, to a cadre of locals who are already regulars, to epicureans from all over the planet. My name is finally on Broadway!

…And it’s TUCCI… no apostrophe, no ‘s’...like Gucci and Pucci…TUCCI!”

…In the year or so since Max reopened Delmonico’s and launched TUCCI, he has emerged as a restaurateur extraordinaire! In this age of famous chefs fronting chains of restaurants spread all over the globe, Max is a throwback to the restaurateur of old - a restaurant proprietor who acts as the host of the establishment, often with a notable chef behind the scene. …In the footsteps of his grandfather and father at Delmonico’s, and in the style of the legendary Sirio Maccioni - whose first job in New York was at Delmonico’s - who presided - with Chef Daniel Boulud, among others, working in the kitchen - over Le Cirque’s 40+ year run at the pinnacle of fine dining in Manhattan. Max is a master of hospitality!

“It’s my stage and I have a new audience every night! If I’m not there, it’s just not as much fun…or so I’ve been told!” Max declares. “We have a renowned Executive Chef, Edward Hong, overseeing the menu at Delmonico’s and at TUCCI, and a line cook who has a massive pedigree of culinary talent, Valentino Pace, turning out the very genuine Italian food at TUCCI. The New York Post headline reviewing TUCCI read “Move over, Carbone - this new NYC Italian hotspot has the best meatballs” - they’re my Nonna Sesta’s recipe!

But while the excellent food is the ultimate draw, I’m there to make sure every aspect of each guest’s dining experience is completely perfect! The Delmonico Way! The Tucci touch!”

We arrived at Tucci to shoot this B&NC MAG feature just before the restaurant opened on a weekday night in January. The professional staff was going about their business, like steaming glasses to remove any waterspots, with calm precision. Max was wearing a Barabas suit with a pocket scarf, which went with the restaurant’s decor but helped Max to stand out as the impresario at the same time. He was primped for our photos - but he’s always dressed-up. He was high energy as usual.

We couldn’t help but notice the formal tableware, and Max explained that he’d wanted to put the TUCCI logo on the Bernardaud china, but that the embossing couldn’t withstand the extreme heat in the dishwashers. He ordered some colorful drinks for photos at our table - and then took a quiet moment aside with the bartender to discuss why one of the raspberries garnishing one of the drinks had an imperfection, and emphasizing how important it is in making the right impression on a guest that every single raspberry needed to be perfect.

When Max noticed that a little old lady seated at the table next to us, waiting with wrapped gifts for two others to arrive, was unhappy with her table, he went over and found out that the woman was celebrating an important birthday and very much wanted Table #18, a specific table in the corner that would make it easier for her friends to talk…and then Max persuaded the couple seated at the table the lady wanted to exchange tables, awarding them a comped dinner for being accommodating! It’s Max’s party…and it’s like everyone in the restaurant is an honored cousin visiting from Italy!

We had Nonna Sesta’s famous Meatballs and her Caesar Salad for starters, the Kimche Lasagne, Chicken Parmigian made with a smoked vodka sauce, and my personal favorite Cacio E Pepe with truffles for mains, and then enjoyed a taste of each of the deserts on the menu, including a really special Bomboloni. All the food was delicious, but I have to report that the Cacio E Pepe is really the best I’ve ever had!!

We talked about what’s next, and Max said, “Next year my family, with me at the helm, will celebrate 100 years since my grandfather opened Delmonico’s! …I have exquisite menus from when

Presidents Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy dined at Delmonico’s. Once I finish my Delmonico’s cocktail book, I’m going to write a cookbook on Presidential Dinners at Delmonico’s. ...I have so much ephemera, so many items from Delmonico’s past, I’d like to do something with it all that honors my family - maybe donate some of the archives to a museum, or do something on TV. …I recently released an extraordinary chocolate collaboration with ‘Chocolatier To The Stars’ Fritz Knipschildt, which is available on Goldbelly, and I’ll probably come out with a TUCCI pasta sauce sometime soon. …And I’ve recently been added as a new judge on Beat Bobby Flay, and I’m getting a big kick out of doing that! …Maybe someday we’ll do a Delmonico’s speakeasy or I’ll open a TUCCI in Vegas, or on the Upper East Side, but for now I’m content with the success we’re having at Delmonico’s and TUCCI, and I’m grateful to be walking down this illustrious yellow brick road my ancestors paved for me!”

“You know, my grandfather and my father always had a table available to feed the homeless during dark hours,” Max reflects. “I have the same belief that ‘all are welcome to the table’. I’m a Food Council Member for City Harvest, but as we move forward I’d like to do even more to address hunger and homelessness in our City and our Nation. I also serve on the Board of the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in The Bronx and on the Board of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and have over the years volunteered for The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in The Bronx, the Unicorn Children’s Foundation in Boca Raton, The American Ballet, SOS Children’s Villages, The American Diabetes Association - who gave me their Young Leader in Philanthropy Award, and at Adopt-A-Dog in Greenwich.

“One regret of my overwhelming schedule is that I don’t get to spend as much time at my home in North Salem.

And I haven’t been to my villa in Florence or my Boulder Colorado mountain home in quite some time,” Max says with mild chagrin. “I purchased in North Salem in 2021. I was immediately drawn to the unique history of the property. Valerie Clarebout, who designed the angels that surround Rockefeller Center during Christmas, once used the barn as her studio. As did American architectural photographer Ezra Stoller, and portraitist Daniel Greene. And then the barn was used as an art school. The fresco in the dining room was done by Dan Greene’s brother, Jeff Greene, of EverGreene Architectural Arts - a premier specialty contractor for historic restoration and conservation of the highest quality decorative interior finishes. …And I’ve really leaned into the quirkiness of the property, from the main residences converted from a 1920s carriage house, to the 6,000 square foot barn, to the guest cottage that was once a store selling dairy from the farm.

I love huge-scale pieces and I’m a real collector, and this house is like a big museum for me to decorate however I like! …I even purchased an old Defender just to complete the picture!”

“North Salem has the charm of a quaint Norman Rockwell town ⎯ only it’s one hour or so from Manhattan,” Max expounds.

“It feels like our own private playground and it’s definitely still my decompression zone whenever I can get there.

…I’m at TUCCI and Delmonico’s just about every night, and usually stay in my Upper East Side apartment.”

Max Tucci, a Prince of the City, has taken his rightful position - at TUCCI and at his family’s Delmonico’s - as one of New York’s ‘Restaurant Royalty!

Conveniently located just blocks to grand central and easy access to the FDR - just under an hour from Bedford or New Canaan… it’s the perfect crash pad — and renovated to the nines with every bell and whistle. One touch blinds, a brand new kitchen and bath, ample closets with built ins … and the most spectacular sweeping water views with private parks below.

Stephanie Loda R.E. Photography

LA SAMANNA

ST. MARTIN

La Samanna has been a favorite retreat for those in-the-know since it opened in 1973, and has been only more prized since the complete renovation of the resort in 2018 under the ownership of LVMH’s Belmond hotel group. The Belmond brand is LVMH’s ultra-luxury global collection of exquisite resort hotels and travel experiences, including travel-by-rail on the famed Venice Simplon Orient Express and the Andean Explorer amongst exceptional others.

LA SAMANNA’S CENTERPIECE

- Baie Longue Beach - IS THE LIVING END!

White sand, clear turquoise water, and a protected cove, make playing in the gentle surf and swimming in the deeper water a warm and inviting experience. The walk down Baie Longue Beach is miles long!

With only 75 beachside rooms and suites and only 8 villas, La Samanna offers an exclusively private respite - for a couple, family, or for groups of any size. The 25 rooms and 50 suites in the main hotel’s building and sprinkled along the beach each have the feeling of a private cabana - but with all the comfort of a penthouse.

There’s just nothing more romantic than living in ultimate luxury right on the beach!

Private Villa

We’d planned a family vacation - my mom and dad, me and my boyfriend - Sam Ring, my brother and his girlfriend, and my aunt. We booked a four bedroom villa complete with a private vanishing edge pool and multiple outdoor decks and patios in the backyard - and an outstanding view of the beach and the spectacular sunsets!

With ample space in the oversized rooms, the manse generously accommodated our party of seven. Each bedroom suite included a large private bathroom, a private office antechamber, walkin closets, and a private balcony. The light-filled kitchen, dining room, and living room, and patios and decks off each upstairs and downstairs room, provided plenty of comfortable gathering space.

THE ENSUING WEEKEND WAS NOTHING SHORT OF A daydream

…What I didn’t know… proposal on the beach

was that Sam was intending to propose to me!

…With my family in on the whole thing, Sam secretly arranged for our B&NC MAG photographer, Andrea Ceraso, to be there, and deftly positioned to capture the moment of the proposal, and for his parents, his brother and sister-in-law, and his sister to be hiding-out in their own beachfront suites so they could share in the moment and join us in the festivities.

…I said yes!

The ensuing weekend was nothing short of a daydream! We all had a few days of some fabulous fun…savored some seriously delicious meals…and can’t say enough about how the staff accommodated our group of 13! Whether it meant having 13 chairs set-up on the beach for whenever we decided, or a table for 13 waiting at the fabulous buffet breakfast each morning, or arranging all the fresh flowers Sam had orderedin for the whole affair…the Staff at La Samanna set the scene - and always with a friendly smile.

LA SAMANNA is POSH and BOUTIQUEY,

but completely friendly and unpretentious at the same time. Guests entering the main building, set into the side of the beachside cliff and surrounded by pops of red and yellow Hibiscus blooms and other verdant tropical flora and fauna, are first treated to the breathtaking view of the bay through a pair of scalloped Moorish arches that set the mood for the elegant space.

THE MAINswimming pool

is perfected like a Wes Anderson movie set

with a playful maturity. Three Omni tennis courts are lit for playing at any hour. The spa is a clean and cool oasis with private indoor-outdoor suites - all set in a tropical jungle with chirping birds and a soothing waterfall. And the fitness center is modern and well-equipped.

The breakfast…which turned into a brunch every morning…was bountiful. They had a table for 13 outside on the terrace waiting for us each morning…and a regal buffet with an omelet station, smoothies, pancakes, French toast, waffles, sausage and bacon, a selection of fresh and exotic fruits, melons and berries, an array of cheeses and specialty meats, and a wide assortment of breads, cakes, pastries and hot French croissants. By the second morning, the waitresses knew how each guest liked their coffee or smoothie, or both. …One might say we lingered…

THE food IS outstanding!

Lunch is served in the Baie Longue Bar just off the hotel’s main lobby, poolside, or at Laplaj located on a beachside deck. The Baie Longue offers sweeping ocean views, spectacular frozen drinks, and great light bites. Laplaj is retro-inspired and chic, and ideal for a déjeuner a la plage. Festive lunches are a must - and there were even a few groups with guests arriving by dinghy from yachts they anchored in the bay, adding to the atmosphere!

The Laplaj deck is transformed at night into a magnificent Italian restaurant, La Spiaggia, with a romantic and whimsical Italian-coast aesthetic. The entire family enjoyed a lively evening overlooking the glittering moonlit ocean with mouthwatering and opulent dishes of Linguine Alle Vongole,

a perfect Chicken alla Vodka Parmigano, and plenty of Crispy Calamari. And there’s nothing quite like a round of fresh spritzes - or a few roundsto liven things up… La Spiaggia has a whole menu devoted to ‘The Art of The Spritz’ - with over ten different options to suit any preference!

Another night we dined at the hotel’s French restaurant, L’Oursin, which boasts the Two-Star Michelin Chef Marcel Ravin, who brings the restaurant’s blend of Provençal and Caribbean cuisine to new heights. The Snapper Fillet with Lemon Basil Maltaise was a favorite. The evening was exquisite. A cool ocean breeze, impeccable service, delicious dining…and a late night under the stars.

On the last day of the vacation, my dad eschewed our plans to go - with our entourage of 13 - out to a restaurant in Marigot for dinner, and asked the exceptionally hospitable director of Food and Beverage, Guy, who’d been personally checking in on each meal all week, to arrange for a catered dinner in our villa that evening. Without another thought, a team from La Samanna showedup at our villa a couple of hours later to set-up, right down to the flower arrangements and predinner sunset cocktails…and then served a lavish island-style barbeque!

On the beach

…Staff attend to the plush beachchairs ensuring that sunbathers and umbrella seekers receive a steady flow of cool drinks and treats like frozen grapes and fresh fruit skewers.

The watersports are glorious! …And, funny enough, Mark Sollinger, who runs the watersports and the beach cabanas - which can be rented by groups for an even more elevated beach day... actually grew up in Bedford!…and started running things on the beach at La Samanna about 35 years ago. He’s the hunk with the Baie Longue Beach coordinates tattooed on his chest. While seeming to be just enjoying ‘the endless summer’, Mark actually has a fatherly watch over everyone in the water. He’ll tell you where to swim to see the most tropical fish. His team will supply floaties, snorkel and scuba gear, windsurfers, paddle boards, jet skis, underwater scooters, and other equipment - and he’s effortlessly always making sure everyone on the beach is having a good time.

Covered in spectacular lush mountains

as a backdrop to some of the best beaches in the world, St. Martin is as beautiful as it is convenient. With lots of direct flights from Manhattan,

ST MARTIN

is only four hours away, and La Samanna is located less than ten minutes from the SXM airport.

La Samanna has always been a glamorous getaway! A private riviera, and a go-to for celebrities, dignitaries, moguls, and artists, from Cindy Crawford to Richard Nixon, Andy Warhol to Robert De Niro. …Now it’s a go-to for those drawn to Belmond’s extreme luxury in this pristine slice of paradise! Large groups looking to celebrate their special occasions take-up blocks of suites or combinations of villas. A long list of Hollywood celebrities, pro athletes, and other famous guests book their favorite villas to party…privately. One NBA team owner takes the entire resort for the same week each year for his friends and family.

…We’re already planning a return…

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DAVID NICKI POGUE

BUSY IN BEDFORD

PHOTOGRAPHY: EMILY FISHER

David Pogue is the kind of famous where just about everyone recognizes him as a somebody, while it might take a minute to realize that he’s the seven-time Emmy winning correspondent on CBS Sunday Morning who — in 35 stories each year — explains anything and everything that’s complicated He’s like Mr. Rogers, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Al Gore, and even a little Martha Stewart — all wrapped into one!

David and Nicki moved to Bedford in 2023, and are already a fixture on the local ‘A’ list!

Introduced to the area by Bedford’s pied pipers Murray and Emily Fisher — who were featured in the March/April 2024 issue of B&NC MAG — David is on the Board of Bedford 2030,

and the Pogues are active in just about every other local charitable organization, and are good sports about donating VIP access at CBS and other desirable Pogue-related items to raise money at charitable functions; when a bidding war for ‘David Pogue Performing A Magic Show’ took the price into the thousands at a recent Rippowam Cisqua benefit, David agreed to perform twice so Ripp could satisfy both high bidders. David is writing for the local newspaper, and David and Nicki are ‘Out & About’ at just about every event at Caramoor, the Jacob Burns Film Center, the Ridgefield Playhouse, ACT in Ridgefield, the Bedford Playhouse, and every other concert, movie opening, gallery show, and other cultural event on the B&NC MAG Calendar.

“ Like something out of olden times , we really fell in love through written communication

!”

Though David and Nicki met in 2010 and were married in 2013, they had never really lived together or made a home of their own until their move to Bedford. “It’s complicated,” Nicki laughs, referencing the popular movie, “but maybe I’ll explain this one.” The couple are a bit more lovey-dovey and smiley than most mature couples, seem like they’re sharing a secret, and work in concert — as David demurs ‘explaining this one’... even though he’d be happy to do so. “I was born in Vienna and lived in Germany before we moved to Kinnelon, New Jersey, when I was five. I went to Franklin & Marshall, and then started out working in publishing with a travel magazine in New York City. I moved

to Oahu and then San Francisco, and in 2010 I was a divorced mom raising my kids and working in public relations — first at Yahoo - for about ten years, and then with a firm that, as luck would have it, was working on publicizing a solid-oxide fuel cell…that David was doing a segment on for NOVA! I met David at the Oakland Airport to shoot the segment…and I was smitten. We had a real connection, but I have two kids and David has three and each of our youngest kids were 4 years old at the time, and my life was going on in San Francisco and David’s was in Westport. David sent me a picture of the two of us that had been taken at the NOVA shoot, and for months our relationship was solely in writing.”

David interjects,

“Like something out of olden times, we really fell in love through written communication!

It got to the point where I couldn’t really remember what she looked like, or how tall she was standing next to me, and by the time we got together we really knew each other’s intellects, and had even volunteered our own faults to the other. It was kind of a take-it-or-leave-it proposition.”

And Nicki resumes, “For the next thirteen years, I commuted cross-country every other week to be with David in Westport, and David came to San Francisco whenever his work would allow. I think David once calculated that we spent 68% of all days together. Then, finally, in September 2023, when each of our youngest kids were off to freshman year at college, I was finally free to move East — and move in for the first time with my husband, David. …Searching for our new home, I remembered that Martha moved here after living in Westport and, on a much smaller scale, we also wanted to have a bit more land and a chicken coop and some bees. We drove around Bedford and were blown away by the natural beauty. Then we went to the Farmers Market at the John Jay Homestead…established an immediate rapport with a couple of the vendors…a fan recognized David and they had a pleasant exchange…and we were sold!”

MARCH/APRIL

OUTFITTED BY: CAROLINA HERRERA

In addition to reporting and writing his stories for CBS Sunday Morning, David is a New York Times bestselling author and a former New York Times technology columnist, has hosted 20 NOVA science specials on PBS, has done five TED Talks, and has won two Webby Awards, and the distinguished Loeb Award for Journalism.

But being the busiest man in TV journalism is just the tip of the iceberg for David!

He’s an all-around renaissance man and…in the modern-day all-positive meaning of the word, he’s a real nerd!

If the name Pogue seems familiar beyond David’s prominence, it’s because David’s family is the Pogue in the law firm once known as Jones Day Reavis & Pogue, which is now one of the largest law firms in the world. In fact, David is the first in five generations of Pogues not to be a lawyer!

Growing up in a prominent family in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, David’s first loves were music and musical theater. “I was the youngest of three kids and always looking for attention,” David reveals, “so I was the class clown and a real showoff. I became a magician, and had performed at least 400 magic shows by the time I graduated high school.”

“At Yale, I majored in Music,” David recaps. …When I graduated, I called my dad and told him I wanted to go to Broadway…after he got over the shock that I didn’t mean just taking in a couple of shows and returning home to Shaker Heights to begin preparing for law school or some other acceptable career…he begrudgingly allowed me a two-year period to sow my wild oats. He was not pleased. …In the 23rd month, I landed a job as the musical director for a Cy Coleman musical…and spent the next ten years arranging and conducting Broadway musicals.”

“I was an early adopter of technology, but couldn’t afford software, so I began calling software developers like Adobe and Microsoft telling them I would review their product if they would send me a sample. I wrote reviews for something called the Mac Street Journal, which was the 8-page Xeroxed newsletter of New York’s Mac user group. ...Eventually, I began writing a humor column for Macworld magazine. And, oh yeah, I also developed a business doing tech support for a star-spangled client list including Carly Simon, Mia Farrow, and Steven Sondheim, among others. …And I was still doing all the music stuff, too!” David says, recalling his ingenious self-start.

In 1992 David wrote Macs For Dummies, the second book in the For Dummies series, and he eventually penned seven of those, including Magic, Opera, and Classical Music Then he founded the Missing Manual series…and there have been dozens.

He’s written two novels, a series of lifehack books called Pogue’s Basics, and a 600-pager called How to Prepare for Climate Change. In all, he’s written more than 120 books!

Yet, even with that overflowing curriculum vitae, music and musical theater remain David’s real passion. “Don’t get me wrong,” David declares, “I’ve got the greatest job in television! I get to cover everything from Ukraine to NASA and bitcoin and campus unrest. I get to travel all over the world, putting together a new story about every other week, for over six million viewers! I often think, ‘How is this even a job’?!”

“But I still keep my toe in music - it ’ s my first love ,”

David concludes. “I wrote my vows as a song, and sang them to Nicki at our wedding. I give a lot of talks, and usually end the evening with a couple of song parodies at the piano about the tech industry. I wrote a mashup of Christmas carols that I got to perform, as guest conductor, with the Cape Cod Symphony and the Cleveland Pops. At home, we listen to music almost all the time, although for some reason, I can’t write when there are songs with lyrics playing.”

And while the couple manage somehow to spend a lot of time together, Nicki’s list of activities and achievements is as exhausting to think about as David’s!

Nicki is an accomplished endurance athlete

who has completed five half-Ironman triathlons, 22 marathons, including each of the Big 6 — Boston, Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York — and, locally, the grueling Leatherman’s Loop and Raven Rocks overland races.

Her speaker and media-training business, called Good Talkers, doing media training for an impressive clientele of C-level executives and clients such as OpenAI, DARPA, Airbnb, Etsy, GoFundMe, and Sephora, takes her on the road almost as much as David “It’s all about how you show up!” Nicki explains. “I can help with a client’s stage presence and how effectively they deliver their messages to media.”

And Nicki has a long history doing volunteer work with animals. While living in San Francisco, Nicki volunteered with Guide Dogs for the Blind, working in the breeding department. Here in Bedford, she works with future service dogs through the Puppies Behind Bars program at the Bedford Correctional Facility, and conducts equine therapy for special-needs children at Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship.

“It’s a lot,” Nicki admits. “But we get to be together in Bedford, and for us, after thirteen years in a long-distance relationship, this still feels like a honeymoon. We like cooking together, and we go for a lot of long walks on the BRLA trails, in the Mianus River Gorge, and just around the neighborhood. We’re amazed by all the cultural activities and great restaurants right in the area, and we’re really enjoying getting involved as members of the Bedford community.”

START YOUR ENGINES

Nat Mundy & HK Motorcars

BY MICHAEL KAPLAN

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

I met Nat in 2005, when I was developing the premier private auto racetrack club now known as the Monticello Motor Club. He seemed to know everything about fast cars and the people involved with them. He was invaluable in guiding and introducing me around. And he immediately took to selling six-figure memberships - even before there was a track to drive on!

On his first day of work up in Monticello, when we were just starting to build the 4.3 mile grand prix style track, another employee got his Land Rover Discover stuck in a big patch of mud where the offroad driving at Monticello Motor Club is now located. Nat jumped out of his ‘vintage’ Range Rover, pulled his fishing waders out of the back, walked out into the mud with his winch hook in hand, and pulled the Discover back to dry land…and then neatly shed the rescue gear and turned in his still-spotless buttondown shirt to meet a potential Club member who’d just arrived in a Ferrari 458.

…We’ve been friends ever since! He’s as earnest, diligent, and tireless as they come…and in the twenty years I’ve known him he’s talked me out of buying more cars than he’s recommended!

PHOTOGRAPHY: JIMMY IENNER

“I’ve always been into everything with a motor that makes it go…and usually the faster the better,” Nat Mundy declares. “I grew up in Bedford and was driving ATVs and motorcycles, on and off-road, since I was…too young to, even now, tell you how old I was! I went to Pound Ridge Elementary School and then to Eagle Hill - or The Southport as it’s now known. I always felt like I was in the shadow of my older brother, who went to Brunswick, even though I went to high school at King Lowe Heywood and then Westminster - where my grandfather went. I guess I made up for how I felt by doing some wild and crazy things just to get more attention, and by learning to outwork everyone else at whatever it was that I was doing.”

“I went to Hobart thinking I wanted to be an architect, and finished their 5-year program in 4 years - with a final term in Australia,” Nat says with a characteristic smirk. “Right after college I got a job at a high-flying Wall Street firm as a trader in equity markets and selling what’s known as ‘144’ securities for corporate insiders. It was a good experience for me getting comfortable dealing with high net worth individuals. …But I’m better being my own boss.”

“Ever since I was a teenager I was always all-in trying to make money in just about any entrepreneurial venture I could find. I had a delicatessen and catering business, and I guess you could say I entered the automobile industry when I took over operating the Midway concession at Lime Rock Park,” Nat jokes. “But quite seriously, I’ve always been buying and selling cars…and motorcycles…and boats… and bicycles, if you want to go back that far, and

I’ve always figured that focusing my career in the high-end automotive industry would be ‘doing what I loved’!

“In 2005, when I started getting involved with the whole world of guys who were joining Monticello - or what you were then calling The Drive & Race Club - I knew I’d found my sweetspot! Every day was more fun than the last! You set me free to sell memberships, and I got to tap into the universe of high-end car collectors. The whole experience was big for me, and I still have dozens of current customers who I met through the Club,” Nat says appreciatively.

“In 2006, I co-founded Grand Prix, the indoor karting and entertainment center off Route 117 in Mt. Kisco. I ran that business for a decade, and did well selling my equity in the business - particularly well if you consider that a professor at Hobart gave me a ‘C’ on ‘Grand Prix’ when I submitted it as a business plan back in college.”

“In 2007, I started my car storage business, which I still operate out of the HK location at 333 North Bedford Road in Mt. Kisco, and with additional capacity at other locations,” Nat continues the description of his automobile industry background. “And, overlapping with my time at Grand Prix, from 2011 to 2020, I went back to work for Monticello Motor Club as an executive involved in business development and sales. I used my time there getting to know as much about high-end automobiles and as many of the folks who like to own them as I could. …And along the way I’ve had a ton of fun doing things like getting my first look inside the Ferrari factory, driving the Baja, racing a Volvo 544 in the vintage race at La Carrera Panamericana, and most recently being in the pit at The Le Mans 24 Hour with our Glickenhaus SCG007 Hyper Car.”

Nat has carved-out a unique niche in the business of getting folks into the cars of their dreams…

His dealership, HK Motorcars, specializes in sales of a variety of different classes of cars—new and used—all with a focus on car enthusiasts and collectibility.

On the fun-having front, HK sources off-road classics and restores them for a demanding clientele. They recently sold-out of a series of 40 G-Wagen based ‘HK G-Cabrio’ four-door soft-top restorations, and are now working on a modern take on the Ford Bronco under the brand Vintage Modern Classics.

“We’ve delivered enough Broncos to Nantucket - or actually we can’t call them Broncos, and are only allowed to point out how they do evoke the Bronco image - that people there must be thinking it’s some kind of a native species!” Nat remarks. “Let’s face it, a lot of the vintage trucks were actually shitboxes…and we’re turning-around vehicles with all the nostalgia of the favorites, but with all the advantages of modern safety, performance, and comfort. It’s a winning formula for a lot of uses.”

For the more serious enthusiast, Nat’s dealership also specializes in the leading edge of the luxury car market: bespoke, collectible, and low production-number cars. HK Motorcars is the exclusive dealer for nine world-renowned brands: Glickenhaus, SSC North America, Kimera, Touring Superleggera, Gunther Werks, Nardone, Fifteen Eleven, Vintage Modern, and Eccentrica.

Based on Nat’s longstanding relationship with the legendary Jim Glickenhaus, HK Motorcars is the exclusive dealer for Glickenhaus’ ‘small-batch’ production of street-legal center-seat supercars and Glickenhaus’ unique MPV known as The Boot. The entire production of the Glickenhaus 004 three-seater supercars is sold out through 2025, but Nat is presently working with buyers to customize the limited production in the works for 2025 at prices ranging from $480k to $800k. The Glickenhaus 007 supercar made podium at Le Mans in 2022…and Nat is the guy who can put one of these in your garage! The run of Boot MPVs were sold at a price of approximately $300k, and HK Motorcars is taking orders now for the next run of 50 due in 2027.

HK is the exclusive distributor in the U.S. for SSC North America and their hypercar, the TUATARA. Manufactured in Washington State, it’s the fastest production street-legal automobile available, with a top speed record of 284 miles per hour! Only 5 of these are out there so far! #6 will have a price tag of $2M.

And HK represents several ‘restomods’ - which are present-day recreations of historic favorites…

The NARDONE, created by a family-owned coachbuilder in Italy, is an homage to the Porsche 928…only it’s better in every way than the original.

The 1511 914 from a UK manufacturer, which is an homage to the Porsche 914…but made with modern Cayman internals and brakes, capable of 175 mph and 450-550hp - with a price tag of only $550k.

And the ECCENTRICA a most striking restomod of a first-generation Lamborghini Diablo, with a price tag of $1.45M. Featuring a 550-horsepower, 5.7-liter V12 engine and a six-speed manual transmission. Its design includes: 19-inch wheels, LED running lights, a reimagined interior that blends classic elements with modern technology—and a “Bulllike” personality. Only 19 units will be produced, with deliveries starting in the summer of 2025. and design, while incorporating

The KIMERA EVO37, created in 2021, is an homage to the Lancia 037 Group B rally car. One of the most famous Italian race cars of all time, the 037 is legendary for being the last rear-wheel drive car to win the World Rally Championship, doing so back in 1983. The Kimera EVO37 is essentially a completely modern recreation of the original rally car, remaining faithful to its architecture and design, while incorporating all-new materials and technology.

“We also represent customers in selling and acquiring cars, and in managing car collections,” Nat explains. “While we can facilitate transactions on Bring-A-Trailer or any other auction site, we’re pleased to act as an honest dealer in facilitating a direct transaction between buyer and seller. A good portion of our pre-owned sales are done with repeat clients—but no matter what, we have a track record of consistently beating the market average when it comes to used car prices in the consignment arm of our business.”

“Also, in some circumstances, we take ownership of vehicles, either to add them to our HK Collection, or with the intention of resale. One example of a special car we have in inventory is the 1970 Ferrari Dino 246 GT ‘L-Series’. It was delivered new in Italy and is largely original, with the exception of being painted red back in the 1980s. Being an ‘L-Series’ means the car was a very early model in the production run, so it has some unique quirks that make it more desirable than later Dino 246s. We plan to return it back to its original yellow color later this year.”

Kimera EVO37 Martini 7: A limited variant of the EVO37, only seven “Martini 7” editions were made by Kimera—each one paying homage to a Rally victory won during Lancia’s legendary 1983 World Rally Championship season. All Martini 7 EVO37s are finished in a stunning Bianco exterior against

One of the most potent track-focused hypercars ever devised. Oh, and it even has a cupholder.

And as if that doesn’t sound like enough going on - even with the capable staff at HK - Nat has now also embarked in the business of what he calls ‘Cartainers’ Nat owns the patent on these glass-walled steel-framed security-systemed auto transport trailers, which double as showcases at auto and other events, and can also be used as ‘zoning-proof’ storage containers in anyone’s backyard. It’s essentially a sealed, self-contained garage space with full HVAC and optional hurricane-proof glass. He’s already leased them to Barrett Jackson and other major automotive events, and there are currently talks with Porsche to lease several of them for events across the U.S. Nat offers, “…They start at $49k a piece, so they’re less expensive - and far more fun - than building a garage!”

“My job is showing cars at the best car shows in America and Europe, attending all kinds of vintage and performance races and events, mingling with the car craziest crowd I can find, learning everything there is to know about everything auto, and buying and selling some of the finest automobiles in the world!” Nat proclaims. “What could be better than that?”

WINDHAM MOUNTAIN CLUB 100 TICKETS TO PARADISE!

Windham Mountain Club is a special paradise in the Catskills - only a short twohour drive from the B&NC area. Probably best known for being the ultra-luxurious private club at the premier ski area in the region, the Windham Mountain Club is actually a year-round destination with attractions and activities for everyone in the family.

Imagine having a place to enjoy weekend after weekend, holidays and summers, year after year…to go with your kids, and then your grandkids…to make the memories that last forever!

As Windham Mountain Club’s President Chip Seamans commented, “We’re proud of our legacy as a family-friendly, accessible mountain and are excited to enhance and build upon the amazing experiences that Windham is known for.”

…And the Club makes sense whether you buy, rent, or airbnb a home…just stay whenever you want, taking advantage of the Club’s partnership with The Henson - the new luxury boutique hotel nearby…or decide to make Windham a frequent day trip!

Windham Mountain Club is now offering 100 new slots for aspiring members in 2025.

WINDHAM MOUNTAIN BOASTS

285 acres AND 1,600 vertical feet,

WITH 4 HIGH-SPEED AND 7 CLASSIC LIFTS ACROSS 54 trails,

While the mountain has terrain to challenge any skier or boarder and boasts world-class alpine and freestyle competition teams, it’s really an ideal place for the novice to learn and the intermediate to advance. Windham has an award-winning Ski and Ride School to accommodate skiers and boarders of every age and every level…so it’s entirely easy and safe to leave the lessons for the little ones to the pro ski instructors!

SHINING DINING

Windham’s slopeside base lodge offers cafeteria-style dining and upscale options, including Mediterranean cuisine at Season’s, sushi at Okami by Mr. Lee, and ski mountain classics at Foodhall. Windham Mountain Club members also enjoy ‘members-only’ access to Cin Cin!—an Italian Alps-inspired mid-mountain restaurant—and to Windham Grill, located in the lodge.

YEAR ROUND FUN

…And to make year round fun in the Catskills easy and accessible, the Windham Mountain Club has a dedicated Adventure Concierge and offers guided hiking, biking, horseback riding, fly fishing, clay shooting at the Club’s shooting range, and lots of other customized outdoor experiences. From Summer morning exercise and wellness classes, to excursions to raft some local rapids - the Windham Mountain Club provides an elevated experience!

Members

WELLNESS RECOVERY and

And, as a new ‘Coup de Grass’, the Windham Mountain Club is excited to announce that - in addition to the new Aquatics Center and the new Racquet Club now being developed - that the Windham Mountain Club will be breaking ground on a new Windham Country Club, Fazio-designed, 18-hole golf course!

With day passes, season passes, and full membership options …it’s time to make the Windham Mountain Club a part of your family’s future!

YELLOW STUDIO

Yellow Studio is an all-women’s collective for art, creativity, and community

- located in one of the 18th Century cottages that make up Yellow Monkey Village, on the north side of Route 35 opposite the mouth of the Cross River Reservoir.

Yellow Studio is the brainchild of Tina Villaveces. Tina grew up in Manhattan attending Marymount, an all girls school - right across the street from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She majored in Art History and minored in Architecture and French at Trinity College, and later earned a graduate degree in Museum Studies with a focus on Contemporary Art from New York University. She had a successful career in the NYC art world, working at prominent galleries, including Sean Kelly, James Cohan, and Pace, and major museums, including the Guggenheim, MoMa, the Museum of Arts and Design, and the Whitney, and later worked at the large design consulting firm Pentagram. “I knew early on that I wanted to be a registrar… I liked the nitty gritty, behind the scenes element of making things work. I got to be part of the installations, art handling, logistics… but I also got to be close to the artists - and I’ve always been enthralled by artists.”

CREATIVE EMPOWERMENT FOR WOMEN

YELLOW STUDIO

“It was just natural to me to have a space dedicated to women,” Tina explains... “I went to an all girls school growing up. I’ve always been surrounded by women, and have always wanted to create spaces where women feel uplifted and supported!”

“When covid hit, my husband and I were still in the City with our one year old baby boy, and we bought what we intended to be a weekend home in Pound Ridge. It needed a lot of work, but we were just so grateful at the time to be here. We closed in July 2020, and it only took until the Fall for us to decide it was going to be our full-time home,” Tina smiles.

“I joined the Pound Ridge Working Moms group,” Tina recounts. “I put out a message that I was looking to get a job or volunteer in the arts, as I was eager to be part of something and get to know the art scene up here. I got connected with the Registrar at the Katonah Museum, and it turned out that a few departments needed some help! I double masked - very pregnant with my second child - and volunteered to do anything and everything that they needed. It was my favorite day of the week! It really helped me to explore the art world up here. Then, after I had our second baby, I worked in Development at the Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield for a few months. It’s an amazing place, but Development is not what I’d done or what I like best…and the idea for Yellow Studio was already brewing… inspired by a supportive friend that suggested that, instead of looking around for the next institution where I could make a contribution, I could just start my own thing!”

“The foundation of Yellow Studio is that it is, at its most publicfacing level, a gallery. Throughout the course of the year I curate eight to ten shows, some solo exhibitions, some group shows and two Member shows. I try to display a combination of local artists and emerging artists from nearby places. And the common theme is that all of the artists we show are women artists who inspire.”

“The ‘Upstairs’ has evolved into a creative collective, with memberships centered around clubs and special programming, and eight spots for artists and other creatives who need somewhere outside their home to hone their craft, paint, draw, develop images, or do the back-end of their business. And that setup fosters a sense of community and collaboration, where the women can lean on each other to bounce ideas off of. Two of the eight spots are reserved for our one-to-three-month residency program. It’s of course only available to women, and is application based. We accept applications on a rolling basis from women across a spectrum of creative endeavours, though our applicant pool has leaned heavily toward visual artists and writers. The residency is meant to be a temporary opportunity for female creatives to have an affordable space of their own in a creative environment and become more enmeshed in the community - a kind of creative incubator,” Tina details.

“I’m always experimenting, tinkering, and finding out what works,” Tina says. “I get so much joy from creating a space like this! The gallery gives me the chance to showcase women at all stages of their careers as artists. I’ve showcased work by women who up until that point were hesitant to call themselves artists… and this gallery has also given people a place to come into their own and embrace parts of themselves that they thought were gone. Beyond that, I try to focus on having variation in terms of mediums, genres, and how established the artist is in their career. Paramount to what I show is that I want the art that you’re seeing here to be different from what you find everywhere else. I’m constantly looking for art that’s interesting and different - and that evokes an emotional response. And I’m always considering the value of the artwork to collectors - I try to keep the art accessible. I strive to curate artwork at a wide range of prices in each show so there’s everything from an impulse buy to an investment-quality piece.”

YELLOW

STUDIOSTUDIO

Yellow Studio’s workshops and programming are intended to bring out the creative spirit, and, maybe even more, to create a sense of belonging in the community of like-minded women, across sectors and interests,” Tina entreats.

“I try to keep a balance in terms of offerings for members and those who are not members, yet! A membership at Yellow Studio ranges from just $50 to $85 per month for access. Our member-led clubs include a book club, writing club, art club, film club, a nature and sustainability club, a networking club and our newest: mindfulness club… I want to put people in this creative mindset, and bring women together. And no, you do not have to be an artist to be a member at Yellow Studio!”

Gallery shows at Yellow Studio are ‘live’ for four-to-six weeks at the gallery, so there’s always something new to see… and Tina says that exhibitions are already curated for the upcoming year.

Though the gallery only shows women’s art, and most programming at Yellow Studio is for women, by women… men are welcome to the opening of each gallery show, and to come visit the gallery any time!

The current exhibition, Lost and Found, features works by Carol Bouyoucos and Tina Scepanovic, and will be live through March 14.

A LOOP WITH JOHN STARKS

BY MICHAEL KAPLAN

The coursegolfis sublime!

ANGLEBROOK GOLF CLUB is

ROBERT TRENT JONES’ CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT

Often referred to as the ‘Best Kept Secret in Westchester’, Anglebrook should easily be considered as one of the best golf courses in the region!

Completed in 1998, it is the last course designed by the legendary British-American golf course designer Robert Trent Jones, who passed in 2000 at the age of 93, leaving a legacy of over 500 golf coursesincluding, most notably, the 11th and 16th holes at Augusta National, and the most celebrated Spyglass Hill, Oakland Hills, the Olympic Club, Oak Hill, Congressional, and Hazeltine National - located in 45 of the United States and in 35 countries around the world…and sons Robert Trent Jones Jr. and Rees Jones, who are also amongst the most highly regarded golf course designers of the modern era of golf. It was Jones who championed the concept of ‘Heroic Golf’meaning that if a player wanted to attempt a difficult shot, they would be faced with a significant risk/reward - and, being the first architect to regularly employ water as the ultimate hazard, subscribed to the notion of ‘hard par / easy bogey’. …And much more than just ‘last but not least’...Anglebrook is a crowning achievement!

Five sets of perfectly flat tee boxes offer just the right amount of distance for players of every level - and most top players say that the 137 slope rating from the 7,001 yard tips belies the true difficulty of the course. Relatively generous fairways are bordered with strategically placed bunkers and thick rough. Every green complex is protected by deep bunkers. And the greens are pure, fast, and diabolically undulating.

Still, as great as the golf course is, what may be most extraordinary about Anglebrook is the membership experience! It’s not a country club. No pool. No tennis, paddle, or pickleball courts. No game of mahjong or gin rummy running in the clubhouse. …Anglebrook is for golfers!

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Anglebrook’s membership includes a host of big-name sports stars and business titans. Notably, New York Rangers’ Stanley Cup Champ Mark Messier is a member…and almost the entire 1994 New York Rangers Championship Team played in last summer’s Mark Messier Foundation outing at Anglebrook.

…So it was not so out-of-the-ordinary that I arranged a game late in 2024 with none other than the former Captain of the New York Knicks and Knick Ambassador-Of-Good-Will, John Starks.

I’m a lifelong Knicks fan, so hanging with John was particularly exciting for me. And the same goes for my son Zak, who relished the chance to match his low handicap with the New York basketball legend.

…And for our fourth, we enlisted Ken Fernandes, a Sophomore at Horace Greeley…and another member at Anglebrook…who’s a 2.5+ - meaning that he regularly shoots a couple of strokes under

par - and in the Top 250 of ‘Under 16’ Golfers in the World! In 2024, I played with Ken about once a week, as I try to get out four or five times a week, and Ken - if he’s not at school - is always on the course or at the range working on his game. Because playing with Starks was special for Ken too, he didn’t use the Foresight Sports GC Quad Launch Monitor he usually positions on each tee to record a range of technical data about each swing he takes.

What fun!!! …Though none of us played up to our hopes…or handicaps!!!

JOHN STARKS

KEN FERNANDES

acres of meticulous fairways and greens

John Starks is a perfect Ambassador-Of-Good-Will for the Knicks…and for life in general! His job for the Knicks involves an unending schedule of meet-andgreets with fans and a pretty steady diet of golf with V.I.P.s and at a long list of annual charity outings, and John is quite naturally always positive, friendly…and a genuine pleasure to spend time with. He revels in his rich history as a Knick, but dispenses quickly with the hero worship, so that everyone is comfortable just sharing the experience together.

For anyone who doesn’t know Starks - he was the first NBA player to record 200 three-pointers in a season - and remains the Knicks all-time leader in threepointers with 982. In his eight seasons with New York from 1990 to 1998, John scored 8,489 points - 11th alltime for the Knicks. John was an NBA All-Star in 1994, and he was the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 1997.

“Would anyone like a cigar?” John asks, offering around samples of his own brand of ‘John Stark’s Legend Cigars Signature Series No. 3 cigars. …And right on the first tee John declares unabashedly, “I love my golf!” As we progress, he explains, “I get to play almost every day in the summer, and if I’m not golfing I’m out on my boat. I love doing that too! I live in Harbor Point in Stamford and keep my boat just downstairs in the Marina, so it’s easy to get out anytime I want. …Then, most nights, I’ll have something to do for the Knicks. Like tonight, I’m having dinner before the game with a group of season ticket holders. …It’s a pretty nice life. I’m grateful!”

And while he makes it all sound like fun and games, John is also quite seriously involved as an owner of John Starks Kia and Starks Ford, both located in Queens, and in running his John Starks Foundation - which provides financial assistance to college-bound high school seniors who demonstrate academic excellence, financial need, and a commitment to community service. John is of course the face of the organization and primarily responsible for all the fundraising…but above and beyond the call of duty, John takes the time to become familiar with each individual scholarship applicant

and to follow the progress and personally support each scholarship recipient. “I came from humble beginnings. Sometimes just one break can make all the difference. And education is always critical. I’m happy to do what I can!” John declares.

Ken Fernandes is about the nicest young man you’re ever going to meet. He’s an excellent student and diligent about every aspect of his life. He’s got just the right mix of respectfulness, youthful enthusiasm, and boyish brash. …And he’s got game! His ball striking, consistency, and control are outstanding, and he plays with an emotional maturity and calm determination that most older players could emulate.

Beyond our banter, the conversation turned, as it often does, to Anglebrook’s virtues. We talked about the strength of each hole design and the genius of the greens complexes. We raved about the meticulous condition of the fairways and greens…and rued the penality of the rough. Among the many testimonials to Anglebrook’s condition, Mark Messier has boasted…

“If anyone knows of a better-conditioned golf course, they need to take me there.”

The combination of great golf and ease of entertaining at Anglebrook is unparalleled.

The prestigious clubhouse, designed by renowned architect A.M. Stern, is comfortable for small groups but can also accommodate large functions. The entire staff is particularly attuned to accommodating group bookings and events…and welcoming each and every guest.

…And the food is quite good! The dining experience in the clubhouse - and particularly out on the back terrace overlooking the 9th green - is so pleasant that I often host a lunch before golf or sunset dinner after golf - whether or not my invitees have played with me that day. And I would be remiss not to mention how Ed in the halfway house knows how I like my ice coffee in the morning, and how he has my ‘dry’ tuna fish sandwich with extra cranberries, raisins, and apples chopped-in waiting when I make the turn.

Anglebrook is currently enlisting new members in each of its six membership categories - ranging from a weekday membership with limited weekend afternoon privileges, to full and unlimited-access options for individuals and corporations. There is even an under-35 membership. While there is a modest initiation fee for the full-access programs - and annual individual dues of just $17,000, several plans require only an annual dues payment and no initiation fee. Corporations can enlist as ‘Weekday-Plus’ members with up to four designees for as little as $9,600 per person. Designed for doing business at the golf course, Anglebrook maintains liberal policies on number of visitors, number of visits per guest, and on unattended guests. Members can even sponsor non-member groups to enjoy the club three times per month.

To join Anglebrook for 2025, contact Anglebrook’s General Manager, Matt Sullivan, at 914-245-2972. Tell him you read this article in B&NC MAG, and along with your membership he’ll give you a foursome at Anglebrook to donate to the charity of your choice.

Still, notwithstanding the easier and more flexible structure, the Anglebrook membership remains as constant as any private club in the area - with lots of individual and corporate members who’ve spanned the entire quarter-Century the club has been in existence. And at least in part as a result of the membership structure, the membership is somewhat uniquely affluent, diverse, and…dedicated to golf.

Finally, as I note with glee each time I play Anglebrook…there’s always a tee time available! …While members are asked to call ahead or book tee times in advance online, I nevertheless often just show up to play and, other than days when there’s a club tournament or a group outing, I’ve never had to wait longer than a foursome or two to get out. There are plenty of weekdays when I feel like I have the course to myself - or actually do!

Picture yourself at the pinnacle of senior living.

“The people at Meadow Ridge are just extraordinary. There is a camaraderie to make you feel truly welcomed.”

— David D., Resident

Experience distinctive Independent Living at Meadow Ridge.

Meadow Ridge residents enjoy a refined, maintenance-free lifestyle enriched with impeccable service, locally sourced cuisine and a holistic approach to health. From swimming laps in the indoor saltwater pool to relaxing in the atrium to enjoying our state-of-the-art golf simulator, there’s an abundance of ways to engage and connect with fellow neighbors.

To learn more or schedule a tour, call 203-664-5177 or visit MeadowRidge.com

Resident David D. savoring a gourmet meal in our dining room.

Resident John S. enjoying our heated indoor pool.

Resident Connie D. and Maya relaxing in her luxurious apartment home.

Maturity

MODERNITY

58 Greenley - built in 1929 and fully renovated by renowned Architect, Dinyar Wadia in 2010 -

has historically been known as ‘Beechway’, ‘Greenley Manor’, and ‘Tudor Oaks Estate’...

The 9,606 square foot Tudor-style mansion was designed and built in the era of excess and grandeur immediately prior to the Great Depression, including oversized living spaces, six bedrooms with eight full and two half baths, and gracious details throughout. …And in 2010 Wadia added a perfect new pool, poolhouse, and outdoor fireplace to complement the residence and enhance the living experience.

The opulent 4 acre property has mature landscaping, planted gardens, and specimen trees, and the estate includes a tennis court and a four car garage.

Wadia’s 2010 redesign of the main house included the addition of an office/ library, dining room, covered porch, and a three-story wing seamlessly married to the original structure, which includes a gym on the lower level, a family room on the main floor, and a primary bedroom suite with a balcony and dual bathrooms and dressing rooms on the second floor. He also added a new slate roof, a geothermal heating/cooling system, and other system upgrades. Attention was paid to every detail!

The interior is

serious but sunny, posh but not pretentious, and impressive but not too imposing. The two-story front entry includes the original carved wood staircase and stained glass windows. In the back entry, Wadia used a barrel vault to accentuate the high ceilings and bring in extra light. The Oak quarter-sawn paneled library with Oak coffered ceiling is also a product of the renovation - but looks like something from a century ago. And Wadia had all the doors and windows in the new wing custom-made to match the original casement windows throughout the house.

BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN 169

The private and parklike backyard

is the perfect outdoor playground! Large enough to accommodate a big celebration, but absolutely secluded at the same time. The expansive level lawn is surrounded by Oaks and Lindens. The tennis court is set in a far corner of the property. And the new geothermally-heated pool is designed with an automatic safety cover.

a large, open, vaulted space, flanked with a kitchen and laundry room on one side, and a bathroom, changing room, sauna, and shower on the other. Mimicking the Tudor style of the main house, and set amidst beds of Hydrangeas and spectacular summer flowers, the poolhouse has a feeling of easy elegance and comfortable charm.

No matter her moniker, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to call this grande dame your own…58 Greenley is offered at only $6,895,000!

Listing Agent: Hannelore Kaplan, 914-450-3880, hsellshomes@gmail.com Raveis, 4 Elm Street, New Canaan, CT 06840

Out & About

PHOTO CREDIT:

1. Christie Noelle Krase, Tiffany S.W. Hamilton, Kathy Halas, Dawn Meyerski, Senator Pete Harckham, Legislator Erika Pierce

1. Marie Scanlan, David Pogue, Harmony Dixon

2. Jack Yaggi, Dex Osherow, David Pogue, Owen OReilly, Madden Osherow, Hank Hearon

3. Tina Villaveces, Courtney Alan Rossy, Christopher Brescia

Living Color featuring Yuko Nishikawa, Debbie Hesse & Courtney Alan Rossy

You Are Our Top Priority

The Market at Pound Ridge Square is a beloved fixture of the local community. The Fortin family – Billy, Lisa, and their sons Jason and Michael – pride themselves in providing the highest quality food and service to customers from Pound Ridge, Bedford, New Canaan and beyond!

At The Market you’ll find fresh local and organic produce, the finest quality meats, and seafood fresh from Fulton Fish Market.

Shop the Market Cafe for sumptuous chef-prepared entrees, sides and salads. Enjoy our full-service Deli, and wide selection of specialty items, including non-GMO, gluten free, dairy free and more. In our Beer Aisle you’ll find an impressive selection of craft beers and hard seltzers.

Call on our full-service Catering Department to plan your next party, or consult with our Bakery to create an extraordinary dessert for your next special occasion.

At The Market, providing you with the very best is our top priority!

Your Gourmet Grocery Store & So Much More!

914.764.5736 www.poundridgemarket.com

Kind HeARTs Coalition Community Art Day Artists of all ages created hundreds of squares that will be combined in the coming weeks to create a community piece to benefit Neighbors Link.

James Florio Photography Exhibit and Conversation at Grace Farms

Guests stepped into artist Florio’s world during a mid-residency presentation in the Grace Farms Library, which was transformed into an intimate gallery showcasing his work and elements from his Montana studio.

Community Center of Northern Westchester Groundbreaking for New Building

The Community Center broke ground on a renovation and expansion project in January. A hub of emergency resources, CCNW currently serves 3,000+ food insecure families annually.

1. Anastasia Guadron, Ali Tejtel, Amanda Stanford, Julianne Farella

2. Emily Altman, James Florio, Chelsea Thatcher, Toshihiro Oki, Sharon Prince

3. Jessica Talley, Emma Gallo, Cas Friese, Debbie Propst

4. Toshihiro Oki, Amanda Martocchio, Michael Biondo, Nancy Geary

PHOTO

5. Gerri Tortorella, Chris Burdick, Clare Murray, Assembly Woman Dana Levenberg, Ellen Calves, Ryan Becker

8.

Baby Box Packing Charity Event Volunteers gathered at the Bedford Playhouse to pack Welcome Baby boxes to be delivered to low-income pregnant women with all of the essentials for their baby’s first four weeks of life.

1. Bailey & Reece Brooks, Beatrice Smith, Billy Reighley

2. Jon Jadielski, Christopher Hayward, Alex Grodner

3. Ellen & Harvey Calves, Clare Murray, Peter Michaelis

4. Suzzara Durocher, John Durosher, Ann Paul PHOTO: PETER T MICHAELIS

6. Candice & Jackie Milano, Sarah Steinhardt

7. Kate Quigley, Shannon Jones, Emily Safian, Andrea Behrman

Emily Safian, Sarah Steinhardt, Mackenzie Mas, Brittany Forman

5. Karen Bjornson, Andy Yu, Marie Scanlan, Jennifer Funigiello

PHOTO CREDIT: PETER T MICHAELIS

“Battle At Versailles” Screening at Bedford Playhouse

The film’s Director, Fritz Mitchell joined a crowd at the Bedford Playhouse for a screening and Q&A after the film.

Out & About

Bedford Art Show

Founded in 1973, the annual Bedford Art Show exhibits local painters, photographers, sculptors, jewelry-makers, and ceramicists. This year, judges of the show included Joseph

1. Sherri Owles, Jodi Kimmel, Julie Testwuide

2. Robin McCree, Meg Le Comte, Kathleen McKenna-Schoen, David McCree

3. Tina Villaveces, Emily Fisher, Cydney Chase

4. Tony Marcogliese, Casey Carter

5. Michael Mast & Megan Cedro Mast

6. David Pogue, Anita Stockbridge, Nicki Pogue, John Stockbridge

Abboud, Alexandra Kotur, and Michelle Yun Mapplethorpe.

7. Mik Gasiorowski, Ben Morton, James Darcy, Blakely Lowry, Christy Counts, Chloe Gasiorowski

8. Lara LeBrun and Wendy Belzberg

9. Blakely Lowry, Megan Carlton, Molly Breuer

10. Lindsay Cain Hearon, Vanessa and Avinash Khachane and their kids.

BRLA Winterfest

The Bedford Riding Lanes Association held a winter hike that culminated with a bonfire - complete with s’mores kids, hot chocolate, and apple cider!

Out & About

Katonah Museum of Art: Jonathan Becker: Lost Time Exhibition Finale

Spanning Becker’s illustrious career from his formative period in Paris as a protégé of Brassaï through today, his work features some of the most fascinating and important subjects across contemporary culture. Whether celebrated within the pages of Vanity Fair and Vogue or gracing museum walls, Jonathan Becker remains one of the leading visual storytellers of our time -- and he’s a local!

1. Sheila Cabra Kotur & Patricia Becker

9.

2. Murray Fisher and Alix Thorne

3. Sara Arnell and Chase Beck

4. Basis & Mark Zeh, Giles Copp

5. Nancy & Jon Bauer, Isabel Vincent, Ray Dowd

Eat & Greet With Max Tucci & Knipschildt Chocolate at the Adirondack Store in New Canaan

Max Tucci, in collaboration with a local chocolatier, shared his new treats and signed his book The Delmonico Way on a chilly Sunday morning at the Adirondack Store in preparation for Valentines Day.

and

6. Max Tucci and Helene deDube-Parker

7. Christine Finch Oleynick, Max Tucci, Maureen Kaminsky, Matthias Haynes, Stephen Dori Shin

8. Camilla Culler

Amy Frattarola

Michael Kaplan, Jan George, Max Tucci

March 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

Ridgefield

March 1, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22

AN EVENING OF ONE ACTS

Ridgefield Theater Barn

March 2 @ 11m

MARDI GRAS

JAZZ BRUNCH

Darien Community Association

March 5 @ 6pm WOMEN IN THE ARTS LECTURE SERIES: FEMALE STILL LIFE PAINTERS

Darien Nature Center

CALENDAR of LOCAL EVENTS

March 6 @ 6:30pm BOOK TALK WITH AUTHOR FIONA DAVIS (featured in Jan/Feb)

Bedford Books

March 7 @ 10am INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY BREAKFAST

Yellow Studio, Cross River

March 7 @ 11:15am RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR THE SENSORY ROOM OPENING

The Pound Ridge Library

March 7 @ 6:30pm LIVE MUSIC: PARKER’S TANGENT

Bedford Playhouse

March 8 @ 4pm A TALK WITH OLYMPIAN KERRI WALSH JENNINGS ON INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

Grace Farms, New Canaan

March 9 @ 3pm TAKING MANHATTAN: THE EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS THAT CREATED NEW YORK AND SHAPED AMERICA with Best-Selling Author Russell Short New Canaan Library

March 10 @ 5pm MONDAY MUSICALE: SHAKESPEARE

Ruth Keeler Library, North Salem

March 11 @ 4pm LECTURE WITH SARAH GRONNINGSATER: THE RISING GENERATION

Bedford Playhouse

March 12 @ 6pm

AMY GRIFFIN AND HODA KOTB

DISCUSS THE TELL

New Canaan Library

March 13 @ 6pm

GLUTEN FREE COOKING CLASS

Albano’s, Pound Ridge

March 13 @ 6:30pm

A DISCUSSION ON LOCAL ARCHITECTURAL GEMS

Ridgefield Historical Society

March 15

FREE SATURDAY

The Aldrich Museum, Ridgefield

March 15 @ 7pm

AN EVENING OF ART, WINE, AND JAZZ WITH MICHAEL LOUIS

SMITH & BROOKLYN CIRCLE

Carriage Barn Arts Center, New Canaan

March 15 @ 7:30pm PRESERVATION HALL

JAZZ BAND

Ridgefield Playhouse

March 16 @ 9am

BRLA COMMUNITY HIKE

Bedford

March 16

EXHIBIT OPENING: THE ALCHEMIST

Katonah Museum of Art

A sampling of what can be found online at: www.BedfordNewCanaanMag.com

... the largest amalgamated calendar in the region - and your free resource for all things local! Be sure to subscribe for free to our emails as well to receive regular highlights in your inbox on what’s happening in the community that you don’t want to miss!

March 16 @ 3pm SCHWAB VOCAL RISING STARS

Caramoor, Katonah

March 18 @ 6:30pm SCREENAGERSSCREENING AND Q&A

Bedford Playhouse

March 22 @ 10am NEW CANAAN COLOR DROP

Waveny Park

March 22 @ 4pm

EXHIBITION OPENING: FROM WITHIN FEATURING REBECCA RIVARD

Yellow Studio, Cross River

March 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

FEW WORDS - A DANCE CYCLE

ACT of CT, Ridgefield

March 27 @ 10am-6pm 4TH ANNUAL DESIGN FOR FREEDOM SUMMIT

Grace Farms, New Canaan

March 27 @ 8pm

MARC COHN

Ridgefield Playhouse

A sampling of what can be found online at: www.BedfordNewCanaanMag.com

... the largest amalgamated calendar in the region - and your free resource for all things local! Be sure to subscribe for free to our emails as well to receive regular highlights in your inbox on what’s happening in the community that you don’t want to miss!

April 7 @ 5pm

JEANNE FAREWELL, PIANIST-PAINTINGS AND THE PIANO

Ruth Keeler Library, North Salem

April 9 @ 10am FLOWER POWER COMMUNITY SERIES

Lounsbury House, Ridgefield

April 9 @ 12pm VOICES CENTER FOR RESILIENCE BUILDING BRIDGES LUNCHEON

Country Club of New Canaan

April 9 @ 7pm LECTURE WITH BRENDA WINEAPPLE

Bedford Playhouse

April 9 @ 7:30pm THE ROBERT CRAY BAND

Ridgefield Playhouse

April 10 @ 6pm

COOKING CLASS: VEGAN ONE POT

Albano’s, Pound Ridge

April 26 @ 11am DARIEN NATURE CENTER EARTH DAY CELEBRATION

Darien

April 27 @ 2pm BRLA DUCK DERBY

Not-to-be-missed spring events

3/25

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB YOUTH OF THE YEAR AWARD DINNER

3/28

KATONAH CHILI COOKOFF

5/1

MIANUS RIVER GORGE SPRING WINGDING IN BEDFORD

5/9

A BENEFIT TO CELEBRATE AND SUPPORT THE BEDFORD PLAYHOUSE

5/22

GARDEN TEA LUNCHEON AT THE MATHER HOMESTEAD IN DARIEN

5/31

JOHN JAY’S ON THE FARM DINNER, TO BE HELD AT PURDY’S FARMER & THE FISH IN NORTH SALEM

April 12 @ 10am EASTER EGG HUNT

Lounsbury House, Ridgefield

April 13 @ 7:30pm

CHAZZ PALMINTERI’S ONE MAN SHOW A BRONX TALE

Bedford

April 27 @ 3pm BRENTANO STRING QUARTET Caramoor, Katonah

Ridgefield Playhouse

5/31-6/1

FINE DAY FAIR, SOUTH SALEM

6/5

ENDEAVOR SPRING CELEBRATION IN BEDFORD

6/5

BOYS & GIRLS CLUB GALA

6/7 & 6/8

RIDGEFIELD GARDEN CLUB SPRING SOIRÉE & GARDEN TOUR

6/7

WESTCHESTER LAND TRUST ANNUAL BENEFIT: THE WILD WITHIN REACH AT IVANNA FARMS IN BEDFORD

6/21

CARAMOOR GALA, KATONAH

HANNELORE KAPLAN

ONE-OF-A-KIND ON OENOKE

Step into a realm of timeless elegance with this oneof-a-kind Georgian colonial. Inspired by New York City’s Gilded Age, this home is a celebration of artistic heritage and meticulous craftsmanship. The home’s brickwork and gabled slate roof pay homage to an era of grandeur. Quality is paramount, with premium materials gracing every surface. Soar with 10’ high ceilings on the main floor, amplifying the sense of space and luxury. A gourmet kitchen is a culinary haven with a breakfast dining nook that gracefully opens out to a serene courtyard. On the main floor, there is a full bathroom that is convenient to the family room adjoining the kitchen, while an elegant powder room in the entry foyer is thoughtfully located closer to the formal living room and paneled library. The second floor features five graciously proportioned bedrooms with sumptuous en-suite bathrooms An additional 3,300 sq ft of basement space, already outfitted with a full bathroom, awaits your imagination: transform it into a family room, gym, home theater, or golf simulator. A sun-drenched, expansive third floor is a potential art/dance studio or playroom. This Georgian colonial isn’t just a home; it is a legacy to cherish.

794 OENOKE RIDGE, NEW CANAAN, CT 5 BEDS, 7.5 BATHS. $5,495,000