BNC_May-June_2026

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Minds at Work.

www.popdpc.com

info@popdpc.com

ALL OUR DOORS LEAD TO EXPERT CARE

Grace Farms

Vista

TheRidge Playhouseeld

Old Salem Farm

Wolf Conservation Center

Marsh Sanctuary

Cross River Reservoir

Katonah Museum of Art

Muscoot Farm

Titicus Reservoir

Ward Pound Ridge Reservation

Lake Waccabuc

Leonard Park

Bedford Village Green

King Cone

The Glass House

Westmoreland Sanctuary

Jacob Burns Film Center

John Jay Homestead

The Bedford Oak

Old Town Barns

Crafted with Care in the Equine Tradition

President’s Note

Our apotheosis comes when we can help focus attention and draw contributions to locally-related charities! It’s B&NC Mag’s best and highest use! And I’m pleased to report that B&NC Mag’s coverage and support results in gains for each of the locally-focused charities we’ve featured.

We’ve included editorial coverage of one and sometimes two or three charities in each of our issues over the last six years, and many of the charities we’ve covered have told us that immediately following the coverage they received a significant uptick in social media attention, and a substantial increase in donors and contributions. And beyond our editorial coverage, each year we support scores of charities by publicizing their upcoming events on our Instagram @bedfordnewcanaanmag and on the Calendar page of our website, bedfordnewcanaanmag.com, and by including pictures of their galas and events in our Out & About in each issue.

In addition, in 2025 we hosted a couple of events to benefit a few particularly worthy causes…

In June of 2025, we hosted a soiree at Darlington Manor in North Salem to benefit Stronger Than You Think, the charity founded by the incredible and inspiring Ali Truwit, who was our B&NC MAG May/June ‘25 Cover Feature. Stronger Than You Think provides prosthetics for women and girls in need and supports water safety and Paralympic sports, and I was proud to join the Board shortly after encountering Ali as our Cover. At the Darlington event, big donors such as Veronica & Bill ‘Coach’ Cowher, Monte & Angelina Lipman, Mitti & Melissa Liebersohn, Sam Fertik of Carbon Custom Builders, and a couple of anonymous givers, stepped-up to contribute to a raise that funded a prosthetic for Natalie, a high school Principal in a special needs school in Brooklyn who had lost her leg to a form of Sarcoma - and who was not being granted insurance coverage for the prosthesis she needed in order to get back to work and get back to living at home with her family. Today, Natalie is back to work, back living at home with her three children and husband, and preparing to run a 5k!

And, in October 2025, we sponsored a Tour Of The Steinhardt Property in Mt. Kisco - which was our 2025 ‘Homes Edition’ Cover Feature, with ticket proceeds going to benefit two charities: Welcome Baby, which we featured in the Nov/Dec ‘24 issue of B&NC MAG, and which provides low-income women giving birth with a care package that includes all the supplies their newborn will require during the first four weeks of life, and; the Mother & Baby Wing at Northern Westchester Hospital - the world-class healthcare facility right in our backyard.

The Steinhardt Property, called Iroki, is absolutely spectacular, and most notably includes an animal reserve with dozens of exotic species, and landscapes and follies transplanted from the far corners of the globe. …We sold out last year’s tour even though we scheduled two viewings.

It is my sincere honor to be able to help, and my heartfelt hope that each of you will be inspired to get involved with and support one or more of the locally-related charities we bring to your attention.

Casey Arden Kaplan

B&NC MAG PRESIDENT

Update

Sarah Steinhardt’s Welcome Baby

Welcome Baby is a non-profit organization that provides low-income pregnant women with a care package including all the supplies their newborn will require during the first four weeks of life. Bedford local Sarah Steinhardt founded the charity, together with longtime friend, Juliet Fuisz.

“It seems like nothing could be more fundamental than being able to provide for a newborn’s basic hygiene, but some low-income women can’t afford even the most basic necessities,” Sarah explains, “and our providing a newborn’s necessities for the first month of life often means scarce dollars can be applied to food and shelter. We’ve already delivered thousands and thousands of Welcome Baby care packages across 20 States! We include a month of diapers and wipes, two rash creams, a baby carrier, bottles, pacifiers, a thermometer, grooming kit, two pairs of footed pajamas, two swaddle blankets, four onesies, bath wash, moisturizer, and a baby’s first book. While there are other charities that focus on pre and post-natal care, and a lot of organizations that offer social services for low income families and children, we’re targeted specifically on the acute need for critical necessities in a baby’s first month.”

“There are about 3.6 million babies born in the U.S. each year, and it’s estimated that at least 600,000 of those babies are born into poverty and 1.5 million are born into families paying for that birth with Medicaid, not even taking into account completely uninsured births,” Sarah decries. “And the outsized positive impacts of making sure every baby has the basic necessities for at least a month include the long-term health and well-being of that baby, mother, and family, as well as reducing the burden on our healthcare and social welfare systems that results when babies endure poverty. Study after study shows that even brief periods of poverty in a child’s life - when their basic needs aren’t being met - can have lifelong negative impacts on almost every facet of that child’s life. If we can interrupt part of this poverty cycle in one tangible way, we will see enormous benefits going forward.”

In 2025, Welcome Baby USA partnered with New York City Health & Hospitals to provide 7,300 comprehensive newborn care packages to every baby born at four of the City’s public hospitals, which serve many of New York City’s most vulnerable families. In addition, Welcome Baby expanded operations to include distribution sites in New Haven, CT; Auburn, CA; and throughout Florida, bringing annual total distribution to approximately 7,000 boxes in 2025 and a minimum of 15,000 expected to be delivered in fiscal year 2026-2027.

Of the partnership with NYCH+H, Welcome Baby USA’s Founder and Executive Director, Sarah Gould Steinhardt, says, “We were honored to be chosen by NYC Health + Hospitals as its trusted partner to deliver such critical resources to the city’s underserved families. Our distribution footprint continues to expand from coast to coast and our overarching mission remains the same: to ensure that every baby and every new mother has the basic, critical essentials they need at the beginning of their lives together. No luxuries, just necessities, every baby, every mom.”

The next year is anticipated to be a watershed moment for Welcome Baby. A second year of working with NYC H+H and expanding distribution in larger cities is on the horizon. Surveys and studies of the impact of this service have proven its efficacy and positive outcomes, paving the way for potentially wider adoption by states and municipalities.

More locally, hundreds of Welcome Baby boxes were distributed to underserved families delivering babies and receiving care through Northern Westchester Hospital, Malta House in Norwalk, Family Centers in Greenwich, and Fair Haven Community Health in New Haven, CT.

“It’s incredibly fulfilling to support struggling families in the Northern Westchester area.

This is my home and I feel so connected to this community,” Sarah shares, “so, while our eyes are always on bringing this service to newborns and new mothers all over the country, it’s critical for me that we start right here at home. The support we’ve received from this community has been so exceptional - and we look forward to growing even more within the neighborhood.”

Absolutely Inspirational ALI TRUWIT Update

Ali grew up in Darien, attended New Canaan Country School from 6th grade to 10th grade and then St. Luke’s for high school, and swam with the Chelsea Piers Aquatics Club starting when she was 12. Ali was recruited to compete for the Yale Women’s Swimming and Diving Team, and she graduated Yale Class of ‘23, with a B.S., majoring in Cognitive Science with a depth in Behavioral Economics.

The day after her graduation from Yale, Ali headed down to Turks & Caicos for a celebratory vacation, together with her good friend Sophie Pilkinton, who’d been the Captain of the Yale Swim Team and a senior when Ali joined the Yale Swim Team as a freshman, and who had herself just days before graduated from the University of Tennessee Medical School. The next day, the two young ladies jumped off a charter boat to go snorkeling in clear waters in a shallow reef…and a shark attacked.

“...When I got back into the boat, Sophie applied a tourniquet that saved my life. …And from there I was rushed to an island hospital where I spent several long, painful hours waiting for a medivac to Miami for life-saving surgeries. …Then, seven days later - on my 23rd Birthday - I underwent a transtibial amputation at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.”

…In August 2024 - just 15 months after the shark attack - Ali arrived at the Paris Paralympics and won a Silver medal in the women’s 400m freestyle S10 with an American record of 4:31.39, and a Silver medal in the 100m backstroke with another American record of 1:08:59.

Ali has also established Stronger Than You Think as a leading force in providing prosthetics to women and girls in need and raising awareness around the prohibitive costs those in need are confronting, as well as providing support for the Paralympic movement and for water safety programs.

This year, Stronger Than You Think supplied 19 prosthesis grants.

Stronger Than You Think also announced a $400,000 donation for the first-ever Performance Incentive Fund for Team USA Paralympic Swimmers, whereby swimmers who place first, second, third or break world records at key swim meets leading up to the 2028 Paralympic Games will receive financial rewards from Stronger Than You Think to help combat the pay inequity faced by Paralympic athletes.

In May of last year, Ali appeared in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, shattering that ‘glass ceiling’ for amputees! …And this year, she’s just completed shooting to be included, in back-toback years, in the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition!

In September 2025, in support of Stronger Than You Think, Ali raced in the New York City Marathon. She finished with a remarkable time of 4:14, and raised $250,000 for the charity.

Ali has also become a sponsored NIKE athlete!

She’s the subject of an Impakt Partners documentary called Stronger Than You Think, that’s been accepted and played to sold out crowds at a dozen film festivals. The film won the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival in

October, Best Documentary at Beaufort Film Festival in February, and Best Documentary at The Garden State Film Festival in March. Bedford & New Canaan Magazine will host the only local screening this fall; tickets are available firstcome-first-served on the B&NC Mag website.

And she’s already contracted with St. Martins Press to publish the book she’s writing, titled A Million Little Miracles to be released in January 2028.

Ali is currently training to make the U.S. Team for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics, and plans to start Harvard Business School immediately thereafter, in September 2028.

And Ali is hosting the second annual STYT SwimA-Thon at Chelsea Piers on May 31, and invites everyone to join!

There is nothing this young lady can’t do if she sets her mind to it! …She’s absolutely inspirational!

PHOTOS: COLDORWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

CONT ENTS

COVER FEATURE: ROSS MATTHEWS & DR. WELLINTHON GARCIA MATTHEWS

From The Tonight Show to The Drew Barrymore Show Ross Mathews has built a career defined by humor, heart, and a distinctly personal voice. Now, with his husband, Dr. Wellinthon Garcia-Mathews, the pair have started their new life together right here in the area…

THE PARLOR AT LMF P.38

The Parlor at LMF brings a new kind of social space to Bedford, where mahjong, games, and a thoughtful mix of events create an easy, ongoing reason to pull up a chair and connect. And everyone’s invited!

BRAQUE AROUND THE BLOCK P.50

One of the preeminent private collectors of Georges Braque, Régis Krampf brings both his remarkable collection to the Bruce Museum and his next chapter to Pound Ridge. Régis offers a rare and close-up look at the artist known as the Father of Contemporary Art.

CLASSICS

What began as a teenager with a kit car has evolved into a decades-long pursuit for Bob Torre - and turned into a shared passion with his wife Renee. A passion defined by instinct, risk, good taste, and an ever-evolving collection of rare automobiles, each restored, driven, and woven into the story of their life together.

P.96

TRAVEL

There’s something quietly restorative about a weekend away - just far enough to break routine, slow down, and reset. We take a four-day weekend in May at the Marram in Montauk, where early-season calm, ocean air, and an unhurried pace make for a delightful escape.

P.110

ESTHETICS EMBASSY

After a career in international diplomacy, including time at the United Nations, Lydia Bubanja stepped away from global policy and into esthetics, building a practice in Pound Ridge boasting Biologique Recherche products and a distinctly personal approach to skin health.

ART BLITZ

A former scientist turned multidisciplinary artist, Monique Allain brings her globally shaped perspective to Waccabuc. Art Blitz is her dynamic, collaborative exhibition series that blurs the line between process and presentation, inviting the community into an evolving, real-time creative experience.

ELMDON

Built in 1780 as the first homestead of the Mead family, Elmdon is a pillar of Waccabuc charm. Set on open land and thoughtfully restored to retain its original millwork, fireplaces, and character, the estate offers a refined take on historic country living.

BEKA TENNIS ACADEMY

From a childhood in Tbilisi to a career spanning professional sport, film, and the arts, Beka Sikharulidze brings a unique perspective to his tennis academy at Vista Indoor—where his precise, disciplined approach reflects a lifetime spent studying performance, both on and off the court.

JADEY

After a cancer diagnosis in the prime of her life, Michelle Reiss set out to create the resource she couldn’t find - launching HelloJadey.com as a thoughtful, experience-driven platform for women navigating cancer in real time.

See and be seen at the best events in our community! Your curated guide to what’s happening around town this May & June.

Guide Gift

Don’t leave it to the last minute... Father’s day is June 21st this year!

TICKETS TO HUDSON RIVER MUSIC FESTIVAL

STARTING AT $140

For a Father’s Day gift that doubles as a memory in the making, get dad tickets to the Hudson River Music Festival, returning to Croton Point Park on June 21. With headliners like Jesse Welles, Warren Haynes, and Margo Price, plus a full lineup of family-friendly programming and eco-minded experiences, it’s more than a concert - it’s a full-day celebration! It’s a gift everyone will be talking about long after the last song ends.

NUMBER ONE DAD TOILETRY BAG

DAD KEY FOB

$155

$35

FROM DARIEN SPORT SHOP

Upgrade dad’s everyday essentials with these gifts by Smathers & Branson. These deliver just the right mix of charm and function and are a low-key way to remind him he’s still the favorite!

250TH ANNIVERSARY RELEASE WHISKEY

LITCHFIELD DISTILLERY

$64.95

For a Father’s Day gift with character, Litchfield Distillery’s limited 6-Year Corn Whiskey arrives just in time for America’s 250th anniversary. Distilled from 100% Connecticut-grown corn and aged in charred oak, it’s smooth and golden with notes of sweet corn, toasted vanilla, and a hint of spice. In other words: a bottle that tastes thoughtful.

CUSTOM GUITAR from NEW CANAAN MUSIC

PICTURED: MARTIN CUSTOM SHOP

NCM OM-18 SINKER MAHOGANY

$7270

An exceptional dad deserves an exceptional guitar. Even amongst Martin Custom Shop’s renowned offering of fine guitars, this is a nextlevel instrument. The hand-selected Adirondack spruce top, paired with sinker mahogany back and sides gives this guitar a dry, woody voice with strong fundamentals, quick response, and excellent clarity. It has that opened up, broken-in character you expect from a great OM, with plenty of headroom and articulation and bass response that makes it the perfect gift for everyone’s favorite guy!

HAMMER & NAILS GIFT CARD

DARIEN

STARTING FROM $60

Skip the tired tie this year and give dad a welldeserved upgrade. Hammer & Nails Darien delivers a no-nonsense premium grooming experience with precision haircuts, beard detailing, straight-razor shaves, and maintenance that actually matters. It’s the kind of upkeep that leaves him looking dialed in, tuned-up and ready to go.

PORTO LINEN COTTON SWEATER IN DRIFTWOOD from RIVAY in BEDFORD

$628

Not every sweater belong in warm weather, but the Porto makes a convincing argument. Knit from an airy Italian linen-cotton blend with a subtly textured, marled finish, it strikes that rare balance between breathable and put-together. Somewhere between a sweater and a polo, it’s the kind of piece he’ll throw on without a second thought all spring and well into summer.

MINDSET DUF FEL

RHONE

$178

For the dad who’s always on the move, the Mindset Duffel is a reliable travel companion that doesn’t miss a beat. Thoughtfully crafted with a water-resistant exterior and secure compartments, it keeps essentials protected and organized. Perfect for wherever dad is headed!

KANE FOOTWEA R

Available at ATHLETIC SHOE FACTORY, CT RUN CO.

DARIEN SPORT SHOP & MOUNT KISCO SPORTS

$80

For the dad who treats recovery like a sport, the cultfavorite KANE Revive delivers. Shaped by the needs of athletes at the highest level, and built to handle everything from post-workout lounging to impromptu poolside laps to weekends on the sidelines, they’re cushioned, supportive, and blissfully low-maintenance. It’s the pair he’ll reach for daily.

TUDOR BLACK BAY 58

TUDOR ROYAL

MANFREDI, NEW CANAAN

$3,675

$5,350

Whether he’s a watch enthusiast or just appreciates a polished wrist, Manfredi has Father’s Day covered with TUDOR watches. The Black Bay 58 is the insider favorite: sleeker, slimmer, and quietly flexing serious horological credibility. The Tudor Royal leans sport-chic with a refined edge. Different vibes, same outcome: dad looks very well put together.

Bedford’s New Meeting Place for Mahjong and More...

Pull up a Chair at The Parlor at La Maison Fête!

Mahjong has taken the area by storm… it’s a reason to connect. Tactile, social, unhurried, and just competitive enough to keep things exciting. And now, there’s a new gathering space tucked behind La Maison Fête’s shop at 617 Old Post Road - a quiet respite from busy lives, and a place for people to come together and have fun!...The tiles are clicking, the conversation is flowing, and it is, by design, the opposite of scrolling alone.

Brett Cameron and Deanna Marano are the duo behind La Maison Fête - the premier event planner in Bedford and its surrounds, renowned for orchestrating the community’s most memorable moments with seamless execution, attention to detail, unique styling, and a signature effortless and elegant feeling. …They are established local tastemakers, and their store on the corner of Court Road and Old Post Road in Bedford is a curated shop for the home, entertaining, and beautifully considered hostess gifts.

“We are in the memory making business and we wanted to make a physical space for this entire community to gather and enjoy…” Brett shares. “People are hungry for connection and a reason to celebrate - not just at weddings and big summer events, but on a regular basis. ...So we opened The Parlor at LMF this spring as the answer.”

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Bedford’s new meeting place

“We’d hosted a mahjong night at the old Bedford courthouse and it sold out immediately! We discovered that there are lots of women in our community playing mahjong, and lots more interested in getting started, so we continued hosting events - which were very well received.”

Deanna recounts. “We’d also hosted a ‘Party Series’, which included events with varied themes such as the perfect dinner party, designing stationary, and exploring caviar - and everyone had a great time getting together…and kept asking that we offer more programming and more opportunities for folks in the community to socialize - in person, and not digitally!”

“The Bedford Historical Society owns many of the charming old buildings in town, and it’s been part of the organization’s mission to foster more community engagement through their spaces,” Brett explains, “so when space adjacent to our shop became available the idea kind of came together naturally… a place where we could gather with our community.

“We’re event planners - what we do best is create experiences, and that has a lot to do with what we’re doing with The Parlor at LMF,” Deanna shares. “We want this space to be activated and used as often as possible. It’s designed for connection. Where gathering, play, and learning all comes together. The space is intimate and welcoming. And we’ve focused on the details, like vintage bowls to hold the snacks and custom playing cards. The Parlor at LMF feels upscale, special, and curated, but totally open, approachable, and fun at the same time. …In every sense, it’s a La Maison Fête production!”

We’re event planners - what we do best is bringing people together for a shared experience”

Threading through all of it is the mahjong programming that started everything. A robust series taught by local expert, Ali Barbera, runs throughout the year. Mahj 101 is offered for absolute beginners, Mahj 102 has guided play, and then there are strategy classes for those ready to sharpen their game. …Members can drop in for open play of their favorite table games - mahjong, bridge, backgammon, a simple game of taboo- or visit through flexible drop-in options.

“We’ve also relocated our ‘Party Series’ to The Parlor at LMF,” Brett reports. “In June, the Party Series will include a collaboration with Gather Vintage focused on Shibori - a traditional Japanese indigo-based dyeing technique for vintage fabrics. We’re also hosting a book signing in June, in collaboration with Bedford Books, to celebrate the publication of The Art of The Clash, by Sophie von Oertzen Williamson with photos by Andrea Ceraso.. And we’ve got lots more in the works. …Another example of

the kind of events we’re doing is the ‘Off to the Races’ event we hosted for Derby Day - where local Emily Bushnell, owner of the 2024 Kentucky Derby competitor Resilience and breeder of the 2026 Kentucky Derby competitor Potente, gave a primer on how to read a racing form, while guests also enjoyed a bourbon tasting and other Derby delights.”

Bedford’s new meeting place

“We’ve also started a ‘Pop-Up Series’ to bring carefully selected brands into The Parlor at LMF for single-day shopping events,” Brett continues.

“There are a lot of brands that have local connections, and more generally we love being able to connect fashion designers and brands with our community. Mccoolstyle starts on May 1st, and Calypso, the iconic St. Barth’s–born brand, will be showing its fresh spring collection in June.

The sustainable label Rentrayage also joins the calendar in June with handcrafted ready-to-wear and artisanal home pieces.”

“We’ve started to host some private events at The Parlor at LMF as well…” Brett adds, “we want The Parlor at LMF to be available to our guests and members as much as possible, so we’re trying not to interrupt that programming too frequently, but we’ve already had a lot of our regulars ask to do their birthday gatherings at The Parlor at LMF

- and it’s a fun opportunity for us to put our LMF stamp on entertaining. It’s definitely a refreshing way to gather… and it could be centered around mahjong, cards, bingo, or any kind of class or workshop. It feels so much more social and interactive than the typical dinner. Jenn Streicher from Duchess actually came to us and asked us to host an unboxing party for her new beauty boxes a few weeks ago and we had 16 women in the space for a special afternoon.”

“It brings us joy to help bring people togetherand to take the stress out of hosting,” Deanna says. “We love helping people connect and making introductions, cultivating direct social interactions, and seeing friendships bloom…and we’re thrilled to be doing all that at The Parlor at LMF. We’re offering a place where people feel comfortable getting together, and the opportunity to actually socialize!”

“…Our one house rule at The Parlor is that everyone has a good time!”

Reservations, memberships, and a full events calendar are available at lamaisonfete.com.

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Photo: Patrick Sikes

BRAQUE AROUND REGIS KRAMPF THE BLOCK

BRINGS BRAQUE TO THE BRUCE MUSEUM… AND MOVES TO POUND RIDGE!

The Bruce Museum at One Museum Drive in Greenwich, is showing Georges Braque: Tactile Space. Selections from the Régis Krampf Collection, through August 2, 2026. The collection is sublime. It includes 39 works, including paintings, works on paper, and sculptures, with a fair sampling of still lives and landscapes and some outstanding human figures. There are some spectacular examples of Braque’s paintings from the 1920s, including one of the showstoppers, Nature Morte a la Serviette, and some absolutely stunning paintings highlighting Braque’s use of color, such as Le Pichet Bleu, which used to hang in Kirk Douglas’s living room, or the large 1956 painting Oiseau et Feuillage with its subtle oceanic tones, or the 1960 Pot et Langouste’s bright red lobster on a very dark background. Viewed in its entirety, the exhibit is interesting and inspiring - and not to be missed by any Braque enthusiast…or anyone just looking for a peaceful respite filled with beauty.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JIMMY ENNER, JR.

REGIS KRAMPF IS A COLLECTOR, INVESTOR, AND DEALER IN FINE ART,

whose holdings include what may be the largest group of Braque’s work in private hands, along with collections of Renoir, Picasso, and Rodin, among other masters…and he’s moved his residence and his base of operations to Pound Ridge!

“The exhibition at The Bruce is my way of announcing ‘I’m here!’, and immediately trying to make a cultural contribution to the local community and become a part of the local art scene,” Regis starts out. “The Bruce Museum is an extraordinary institution. I particularly enjoyed working with Dr. Jordan B. Hillman, who made the emphasis of the show about the artist’s use of material, with the effect of making the paintings seem almost sculptural.”

Regis is affable and intriguing. With a thick French accent and an ever present smile, he explains, “My family has been involved with fine art for several generations. My great-grandfather was one of Cartier’s right-hand-men. My paternal grandfather had a notable Meissen porcelain collection that was lost during the War, and some of the paintings in my collection have been in our family for the better part of a century. Growing up, my home was a museum. My father would hang a new Renoir or Picasso on the wall, and then devote all of dinner and the rest of the evening to teaching me everything about the artist, the painting, its context, its importance, and its value. I came to America to study Art History at the University of Massachusetts, and always knew I would devote my life to dealing in fine arts. I am credited with being one of the first to bring the new generation of Chinese artists emerging in the 2000s to the hot market in the United States and Europe, and then I did well operating a gallery in Istanbul from 2012 to 2017 and bringing important Western Art, including artists such as Marc Quinn and Rona Pondick, to the emerging market in Turkey and elsewhere in Asia.

“WHILE I REMAIN KEENLY INTERESTED IN ARTISTS SUCH AS PICASSO, RODIN, AND RENOIR, I’M ENTHRALLED BY GEORGES

artists of the 20th Century before the Century was half-way over! …And, while Braque may be most famous for his invention of Fauvism alongside Matisse and of course his development of Cubism alongside Picasso - I’m particularly focused on his last forty years of post-Cubist work which, in my view, spawned Modern Art.” During this period Braque painted many human figures and still lives, always maintaining his emphasis on structure, and he employs spectacular colors and textured surfaces to invite the viewer into the space of the painting. As Regis writes in the book he’s published to accompany the exhibition at The Bruce, “It was at this time that Braque was at his most mature [and] confident and had ceased looking for his painting style. A large portion of the Braques I own are from his last five or ten years.”

BRAQUE, WHO IS PROPERLY REGARDED AS THE FATHER OF CONTEMPORARY ART,”

…I’ve shown paintings at countless international art exhibitions and owned several galleries in New York and Paris, but you know there’s an old expression in the art world that ‘Every gallery owner wants to be thought of as a collector’.”

“While I remain keenly interested in artists such as Picasso, Rodin, and Renoir, I’m enthralled by Georges Braque, who is properly regarded as the Father of Contemporary Art,” Regis declares. “You know he was the first artist to be exhibited at the Louvre during his lifetime, and that he received a state funeral in the Louvre when he died in 1963. He was recognized as one of the most significant

“I still do some commercial art fairs, such as Maze in Gstaad and Frieze in Seoul, but I no longer want to be tied to having a gallery,” he announces. “More in the way that great art used to change hands before the proliferation of galleries in the 20th Century and the dominance of the auction houses thus far in the 21st Century, I believe that modern technology and, frankly, the quality of my collection, means that I can now do all my business privately. …And anyone interested can easily get in touch with me by email at regis@regiskrampf.com or check out my website at regiskrampfcollection. com or my Instagram @regiskrampfcollection. …For the buyer, it’s an opportunity to discretely access and be able to actually choose from museum-quality art, instead of being sold on one painting being marketed by, and with the upcharge of, a gallery or auction house. I think of it as a primary market approach, even though it gives people who aren’t renowned collectors to get a bite at the apple.”

MY COLLECTION IS FLUID

“I probably own about one hundred significant paintings. My collection is fluid and I’ve probably acquired a dozen of my Braque’s in the last five years. As I’m honored to be doing with The Bruce in the current exhibition, I often lend works so more people will get to enjoy this beautiful art. I recently lent a Berthe Morisot to the Turin Art Museum and a Gustave Caillebotte to a museum in Switzerland. While I do occasionally buy or sell a painting at Christie’s or Sotheby’s, the vast majority of my paintings come from collectors, collector’s agents, and dealers who know what I’ll be interested in seeing. …And most of the people who want to buy paintings from me are either

interested in a particular painting they know that I own - like any one of the paintings in the exhibit at The Bruce - or they’re more generally interested in acquiring a Braque and will find me pretty early in any search. …At art shows, dealers often refer to me as ‘Mr. Braque’!” Regis laughs.

“I believe that Braque is undervalued,” Regis commits. “I make my living by studying arts markets, and I’m confident that Braque, whose works hang in every major museum in the world and who is thought of alongside artists such as Matisse and Picasso, will eventually have works sold at auction at the kind of unicorn prices we’ve

been seeing lately for artists such as Klimt and Basquiat. And while Georges Braque’s 1907 Fauvist landscape, La Ciotat, sold for $6.4 million, including Christie’s fees, on November 17, 2025, and I certainly have Braque works that would command prices in the millions, I think being able to purchase a Braque - that you like! - for something like a couple of hundred thousand dollars is an outright bargain!

..Ultimately, like for every art investor, collector, and dealer, it’s about Taste, Guts, and Money!”

Asked what paintings Regis would hang on the walls of his home if he could select any paintings he desired, Regis responded, “Well, the exhibition

at The Bruce would be a good start! …And then I have lots of works in my collection - most of which are in Europe in storage - which I would love to be able to see every day, such as Gustave Caillebotte’s La Barque Rouge, Auguste Rodin’s Le Penseur, Emil Bernard’s Julie la Rousse, Berthe Morisot’s Les Flageolets, and Giovanni Boldini’s Versailles. …And, I suppose if you’d let me go shopping at the great museums of the world I’d like Renoir’s Baigneuses, Picasso’s Pierrot et l’Arlequin, Berthe Morisot’s Le Flageolet, Bonnard’s Corbeille de Fruits, and the Fauvist Derain’s 1905 Le Repos. … But, of course, given some time, I would want to do some trading!”

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classics BOB & RENEE TORRE

BY: RENEA DAYTON

BOB TORRE HAS ALWAYS BEEN INFATUATED WITH CLASSIC CARS.

When Bob was 14, he paid $500 to buy a kit from the Penny Saver to build a 1963 white Porsche 356B Convertible. “My dad and I unpacked the boxes, put the car together, and tested it as much as possible before deciding to take it on the road. When my dad drove it out of the garage for the first time a neighborhood kid ran into the road right in front of the car and my dad had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting the kid…so we knew the brakes worked! …We never really finished that Porsche, but I sold it at a profit… and became addicted,” Bob recalls.

“My dad owned a lumber yard in Yonkers and always had cool stuff in the garage,” Bob continues. “I would help out around the lumber yard, and then use every penny I earned to buy another car, put it together, and sell at a profit. Then I bought a 1966 ‘Whale Tail’ Porsche that was drivable but needed a lot of work. My dad was always there to help… and to this day I credit him with fueling my passion.”

“Still, when I would announce that I wanted to restore cars for a living, my parents would remind me that ‘You have to get a real job

first’ and ‘That’s no way to earn a living’,” Bob recounts. “My four older sisters had all gone to college, so when I graduated from high school I headed off to college at Paul Smith… and lasted for only three days! …My parents had paid for tuition, room, board, and all the books for the semester, but I just knew college was not for me! I didn’t really tell my parents and just showed-up at home a while later. My folks actually got all of their money back except the deposit for the sheets.”

“I got a job as a carpenter and working excavation, but when I asked for a one dollar per hour raise my boss refused…so, at eighteen years old, I started my own construction company, simply calling it RC TORRE. I built a roof for a friend. Then a dock on a lake. …I’ve been in business for 40 years, and today RC TORRE CONSTRUCTION has 40 employees and an established reputation as a quality builder,” Bob smiles with pride. “...But for some time, life got in the way of my love for cars. I was busy building my business. I got married…had two kids…got divorced…and was totally occupied raising a family.”

“I met Renee in 1999, when she was still active as an Interior Designer. We were married in 2001. We renovated and flipped several homes, finally settling in South Salem, where we still reside. Renee shared and supported my passion for cars…and I was impressed that she knew how to drive a stick!” Bob remembers.

“...We went to our first auction together and bought a 1965 green Cobra Replica, and we were ‘off to the races’! Funny enough, that was the first car Bob had ever purchased that didn’t need restoring! The next year we went back to the same auction and bought a 1964 maroon Ferrari 300 GT,” Bob recaps, “...and that really began our rabid purchasing of classic automobiles. …If my memory serves me correctly, Renee even bought a boat at an auction by raising the paddle while I was away in the bathroom!”

To celebrate Bob’s 40th birthday, he’d purchased a 1966 turquoise Amphacar - in boxes - and completed the assembly and put in the engine…but when he went for the first test drive - into Peach Lake in North Salem - the water came up to the top of the doors…and that was it for ‘off road’ vehicles.

“We bought at auctions, and traded cars online during the eBay craze in the 2000s ,” Bob recalls. “…We bought a white 1969 Subaru 360. It was a little car with a two-stroke engine and when we went to pick it up four big guys just lifted it up and put it on our trailer! …We bought a 1956 black VW Beetle that Renee drove around for a while before we sold it. …We bought and sold an old 1967 Kaiser Ambulance. …And, long before Google translate, we went to an auction in Portugal and bought a 1966 black Lamborghini 400GT. …And the list goes on and on!”

“Then we went to the Greenwich Concours and I purchased a 1967 red Lamborghini Mura,” Bob declares. “I believe it’s still the lowest price ever paid at auction for a Miura in operating condition. It was really my first ‘fancy’ car. …My business was good, Renee and I were having fun. …And we resumed buying quality cars - at a pace of about one a year.”

“In 2012, we sold the Amphacar, the Subaru, the Beetle, and a few other cars - all at one auction. …And we used the proceeds as a deposit for our weekend home in Jamestown, Rhode Island,” Renee recalls.

“We bought a 1963 silver-blue Porsche 356 Emory Outlaw, mostly because of how much I liked it,” Renee starts the list, ”...and then a 2012 orange McLaren - the first car VW owned with paddle shifters - that I still drive around when I want to turn some heads on a trip to the grocery store! …We bought a 1973 BMW CSL, which we dubbed ‘The Green Machine’... and then a 1973 white and blue Porsche RS, which had previously been owned by Jack Heuer of Tag Heuer, that we acquired from Nick Sabrano. …Next ‘I bought’ - and I have to admit that I say ‘I bought’ generously, because I kind of accidentally raised the paddle on this one - a black and orange 2007 Porsche GT3 RS Porsche, with too many miles on it. …And then a 1955 silver/blue Aston Martin DB Coupelike the one from the movie The Birds. We had a blast taking that car to show it at Hershey Concours. I dressed up in an outfit like the one Tipi Hendren wore in the movie, complete with birds sewn onto my suit and in my hair to match the car and fit the occassion. …At one point, we even bought a Fiat taxi which was shipped from Italy and takes Italian Lire!”

Bob continues, “In 2018, I met Randy Elber. He’d attended McPherson College to study in their unique program in Restoration Technology, and though only 32, he’d already worked doing restorations for the prestigious Paul Russell and Company, and for the famous Audrain Auto Museum in Rhode Island. …I had a large garage in Mount Kisco and had always dreamed of automotive restoration. I saw Randy as a unicorn of a car guy. And so I partnered with him in establishing our restoration shop, called R&R Automotive Restoration.

“Our first ‘house project’ at R&R Restoration was a 1958 white Mercedes SL Roadster we bought from a customer. I was enamored with the car, but Randy wasn’t thrilled that it had a non-matching motor that Mercedes had installed when the original had blown. …I still have the car and it drives great!” Bob smiles.

“Next up, I found a 1955 green Mercedes Gullwing barn find that was purchased in 1974 as a graduation gift. The guy found the car in the New York Times and his father purchased it for him for $6,000. The kid used it to commute to college but only for a year. I later researched and found the ad in the New York Times archives. The car was sitting on a lift at a salvage yard in upstate New York and hadn’t been touched since 1975. Randy was pretty excited about how everything in the car was really tip-top spec and super original, including ridge wheels. It was a really early example of this iconic vehicle. …I took Renee out to dinner and regailed her with all the reasons we should dip into the bank account to buy the car and how the stars were all aligned, and was pretty relieved when she gave it the thumbs-up…as I’d already bought the car! …I promised the seller I was not buying it for resale and would be the new caretaker for this special vehicle, and I still have it today. We’ve serviced the engine and done some work inside, but the interior is all original. We focus on every detail. …It’s proved to be a pretty good investment!”

“Next up we bought a 1965 yellow Ferrari 275 with gray interior in an auction at the Amelia Island Concourse,” Bob says. “I’d always wanted one, and I think I got it at a decent price. …We took two years doing a full renovation on that 275. We wanted to make sure everything was perfect.”

“...Driving our finished projects around and putting them in a few local car shows has been R&R Restoration’s best advertising,” Bob continues. “I’m proud to say we’ve had many clients with plenty of repeat customers and that we handle an average of two complete restorations each year. Positive word-of-mouth keeps the automotive shop busy.”

“I FEEL THAT BUYING SOMETHING YOU CAN MAKE BETTER IS ITS OWN REWARD,”

Bob reflects. “And I’m of course pleased that collector cars have been one of the highest performing asset classes over the past couple of decades. You don’t just get to use them and enjoy them - they’re a good investment. …Over the years, we’ve acquired well over 60 cars, and have 23 currently in our collection. …Asking me to pick my favorite car is a little like asking me to pick a favorite kid, but I’d probably have to say it’s the 1958 Mercedes 300 SL because it’s the ultimate cruiser. …Right now, I’ve got my eye on a customer’s 1964 black Ferrari Lusso.”

Renee contributes, “I’m all about the aesthetics, and my favorite car in our collection is still definitely the 1963 356 Emory Outlaw. It has a bud vase on the dashboard, straps and buckles on the hood, and my favorite number, 18, painted on the side. …We like cars that have patina. Our style, generally, is pretty rustic. All of our homes have been restored barns. …I get caught up in Bob’s projects and in the childlike joy he gets from buying, restoring, and driving each car. I help out by designing some of the interior finishes and workshopping the wearable outfits we make to be part of that car’s experience. …We laugh about how I once used old leftover Ralph Lauren wool plaid fabric from one of my design projects to upholster the seats and door panels in my 1986 G249 Danish Military Vehicle…but Bob hasn’t let me decorate the R&R shop with the kind of ‘wooden boat’ vibe I’d like to establish!”

“Bob and I try to drive each and every one of our cars, but we’ve definitely become ‘Sunday drivers’,” Renee comments. “We love going out for a good drive, with a great playlist blaring, and maybe some candy, just talking with each other, taking in the view, and looking forward to each next stop. We were recently invited to participate in the bespoke Pukkasport automotive tour through New York, and we plan to do a lot of traveling and hope to include driving a Ferrari through Italy on our itinerary.”

“I really only have two rules about all of this,” Renee concludes. “No American muscle cars, and no more track days! Otherwise, I never say ‘no’ to a purchase and I tell Bob to do his thing and enjoy it. …Although sometimes I do give my opinion on color!”

“...And I really only object to Renee’s no-going-back-to-thetrack policy!” Bob laughs.

ROSS MATHEWS DR. WELLINTHON GARCIA-MATHEWS

Flamboyantly Famous

Co-host and Producer since 2020 of The Drew Barrymore Show on CBS, and an Emmy Award-winning Producer and Judge since 2015 on RuPaul’s Drag Race on MTV… America first boyfriended Ross Mathews in December 2001, when he appeared as ‘Ross The Intern’ on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno…and thereupon found fame playing - himself - while covering events like the Academy Awards, two Winter Olympic Games, and various movie premieres for a run of fourteen years on The Tonight Show.

“I was born in 1979 and grew up in a little farm town called Mt. Vernon, in Washington state, just north of Seattle,” Ross starts right in. “I spent way too much time hanging with my Mom and doing things like unloading the dishwasher. I had an obsession with pop culture. My mom started buying me Oscar trivia books and I would memorize them and ask her to quiz me, and I became a walking Oscars encyclopedia. As a young

kid, I could name every 1980s TV actor, and I yearned to meet the celebrities I read about in the magazines. I used to watch Regis and Kathy Lee with my Mom and I’d tell her, ‘I’m gonna do that one day!’.

I just always knew that I’d be working in this world and that I wanted to be a talk show host… really ever since I was seven,

I’ve said ‘That’s what I’m gonna do’, and it’s been like the North Star forever!”

“I remember when I was a kid, or like in high school, and other kids were doing, you know, bad stuff, I’d be like…better not…because if there’s a picture of itwell, one day I’m gonna be famous.

“…Eventually I did get to meet Regisat the Vanity Fair party after the Oscars years later. I told him, “I’ve always wanted to meet you!”. He seemed shocked.

“You want to meet me? Well,” he said, putting out his hand to shake mine with a big smile, “I’m Regis Philbin. Great to meet you!”

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREA CERASO

Flamboyantly Famous

“I went to University of Laverne to major in communications and live in L.A., and I got an internship at Leno while I was going to school,” Ross recounts. “Sure, I was working for free, but I worked really hard at learning everything I could from everyone I encountered - producers, writers, directors. On what was supposed to be my last day as an intern, George Clooney was the special guest, but a comic who was supposed to cover the premiere of Ocean’s 11 dropped-out at the last minute…and a writer on our show piped-up and said ‘Ross is funny!’ …They asked me to stand-in, and the first thing I asked was, ‘what do I wear?!’... I covered the premiere with George, and that happy accident really launched my career. Jay asked me to stay on and continue doing bits as ‘Ross The Intern’, and that became my schtick for 14 years.”

“Remember, this was before ‘Ellen’, and ‘Will and Grace’ was just beginning. It was a very different landscape than it is today,” Ross declares. “I was a very unapologetically gay person on late night TV. I knew the audience might laugh at me at first, but my job was to get them to laugh with me by the end of each segment. I worked hard to establish a kind of a relationship with America’s TV audience. To get them to be rooting for me by the end of the piece. Jay taught me to work hard, show up on time, and be nice to everyone. That advice has served me well for nearly 25 years on television!”

Indeed, Ross parlayed his 14 years on The Tonight Show into a talkshow of his own, on E!, called Hello Ross, and has established a longstanding career appearing on a variety of TV shows. Ross has co-hosted E! Live from the Red Carpet at pretty much every awards show from the Screen Actors Guild Awards, to the Emmy Awards, the Golden Globes, and the Academy Awards He’s been a panelist and guest-host of Chelsea Lately, competed on CBS’s inaugural season of Celebrity Big Brother - where he was voted America’s Favorite Houseguest, and has appeared on CBS Morning, The View, and just about every other talk show…

And, he’ s written three books!

Two memoirs: Man Up! Tales of My Delusional Self-Confidence and Name Drop: The Really Good Celebrity Stories I Usually Only Tell at Happy Hour, and a children’s book, Tío and Tío: The Ring Bearers, which Ross co-authored with his husband, Dr. Wellinthon GarciaMathews.

About The Drew Barrymore Show and his cohost Drew Barrymore, Ross says, “Drew is the absolute best. Initially, I wasn’t a part of the show. But about three weeks into her first season, a producer asked if I could pop onto the show and do a segment with Drew called ‘Drew’s News.’ I thought it was just a one off, but they asked me back the next day and the next day and the next… And then I just never left! I joined officially in season one on air and began producing the show with Drew and the team in season two. We’re in the middle of our sixth season now and the show has really taken off. Our show is all about everyone being welcome to be themselves, even for just an hour a day. We smile, we laugh, we cry - all the real stuff. It’s exactly as I always dreamed. And Drew has become like a sister to me.”

About RuPaul’s Drag Race Ross boasts, “I love producing television. I like the structure and clarity of storytelling. And Drag Race is the show I wish existed when I was a kid. It’s bright and positive and funny! I spent so much time worrying about whether or not I was worthy before I ever got to be creative - and I think so many other kids were struggling the same way. You know, like ‘Do I Deserve It?’ And now kids today only know a world with Drag Race, and they get to skip the whole ‘Do I Deserve It?’ part and get right to being amazing from the get go! …The Emmy in 2023 was icing on the cake.”

“...But if you want the real inside story on me…well it’s all about Wellinthon!,” Ross announces. “I didn’t feel like I’d ‘made it’ until Wellinthon married me!”

“He’s not wrong!” Wellinthon quips. Pleased to play a supporting role when it comes to Ross’s career, there’s no mistaking that Wellinthon is nevertheless an equal partner when it comes to their relationship, and the way they relate to others.

“I was born in the Dominican Republic and we immigrated to the United States when I was five, not speaking any English,” Wellinthon explains. “I went to NYC public schools, and attended Martin Luther King, Jr., High School - where I also had an internship just across the street at Lincoln Center and first got turned-on by opera and ballet. I earned a full scholarship to Beloit College in Wisconsin and majored in Political Science and Sociology. I worked for a while as a policy and research analyst at a non-profit thinktank aiming to help with homelessness, but wasn’t satisfied with the lack of interaction with people

and with what I was working on. …Then one day I was riding home on the subway and saw an ad that said ‘Do You Remember Your First Grade Teacher’...and I did! Or, actually, my second grade teacher, Mrs. Sanchez. …And it hit me that I wanted to be a teacher! …I was 25 and started to teach 1st Grade in Brooklyn while I went back to school at Brooklyn College to earn my Master’s in Teaching. Teaching was scary at first…it’s a real job, and I felt the pressure of people counting on me! Unless you’re a pilot of an airplane, you don’t understand. If you don’t teach a first grader to read, you are going to release a whole generation of illiterate and unqualified individuals! Seven years later, and then also licensed as a School Administrator, I became an Assistant Principal in Long Island and, a few years later was promoted to Director of Curriculum. Then, with the idea that I someday might want to go into higher education, I went back to school again, to earn my Doctorate in Education Policy and Leadership at Hofstra University. I ended up researching and publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals on leadership and identity and how both intersect.”

“In September, I took a new job as the Assistant Director of Leadership and Student Support Services for Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES, and I support school districts in developing school leaders and creating high school to university partnerships to benefit the students in our region.”

Flamboyantly Famous

“And Ross and I are really having a great time promoting our new children’s book,” Wellinthon plugs. “Our first book, Tío and Tío: The Ring Bearers, features our nephews, and examines themes about finding who you are when you’re growing up and learning about responsibility and the importance of family. We think it’s a first, and fills a space - a universal story about family that also happens to include gay uncles. For me, writing and publishing a children’s book has been a dream come true.”

Flamboyantly Famous

Drew was our f lowergirl!

Explaining how the couple got together, Wellinthon offers, ”We met on January 4, 2020, on the rooftop of a hotel in Puerto Vallarta.

I was having breakfast in the corner minding my own business, and Ross came over and introduced himself saying ‘Hi I’m Ross Mathews!’, using his first and last names, so I thought he was trying to harvest my organs or something…and I responded awkwardly saying ‘I’m Dr. Wellinthon Garcia’. I had absolutely no idea who he was! …By the time the weekend was over, I’d booked a flight to visit him in Los Angeles.”

“Then everything shut down for covid a little over a month later…and we really dated via zoom for about six months,” Ross takes up the narrative.

“It got to the point where we would just be asking about each other’s day, and that was a nice way to start a relationship and build connection, really getting to know one another.

…When I started co-hosting with Drew, Wellinthon and I got an apartment together in New York City. We got engaged in 2021, when I surprised Wellinthon with a zoom call that included over 50 friends and family from all around the world. …And we got married - returning to the scene of the crime back in Puerto Vallarta!in 2022. Drew was our flowergirl!”

“We came up to the Bedford area to visit a friend, and fell in love with the whole vibe…so we made it a mission to find a home here,” Ross continues.

“We still have an apartment in Manhattan, but we’re up here whenever I’m not shooting in the City. It’s hard to get us to leave the house if it’s not to go looking for antiques, or shopping for vegetables at a local farmers market…We like mellow - we live like active senior citizens! But don’t get me wrong…we’re friendly! We like to be invited to the party!…and we’ll come over!…”

PHOTO:

GESSEL

Flamboyantly Famous

The couple own a Mid-Century Modern home built in 1973 by Mayers & Schiff, perched up on a hill, providing great vistas all around the house. The backyard is their personal retreat, and the inside is impressive and whimsical, formal and yet completely relaxed…the couple’s personality shines through in every room. The main volume of the home features a giant double-story glass wall overlooking the pool that connects the entry foyer, living and dining rooms, and the kitchen - with a balcony bridge on the second floor spanning the entire length. A nook underneath the staircase provides a private moment away from the openness of the rest of the living space where Ross sometimes stops for a drink or Wellinthgton reads a book. The home is quite unique, and has served as a canvas for Ross and Wellinthon to collect and create together. They’ve designed every room themselves, and most of the pieces are collected from estate sales, vintage shops, antique stores, or other online auctions that Ross and Wellinthon peruse on a regular basis.

“The piano came with the house and has been handed down from owner to owner. Mostly, we think, because it would be nearly impossible to move it out!”, Ross laughs. “Neither of us plays, but friends play it when they come over and we hire pianists when we have fancy parties. One day I dream of learning how to play a few songs so I can perform a one man show for Audrey and Welly. I’ll be just like Liberace. I already have the clothes from Drag Race - all I need is a candelabra!”

The real king of the Mathew’s castle is their Chihuahua, Audrey, a rescue from Ross’ days in Palm Springs. “She’s perfect in every way!” Ross gushes. “She comes to work with me every day at DREW, and she’s named Audrey because she has bold eyebrows like Audrey Hepburn.”

Flamboyantly Famous

Ross continues, “I couldn’t have been happier to have bumped into Marissa Winokur at the Bedford Post when we first moved into town! We were on Celebrity Big Brother together - she actually beat me out in the final two to win the whole thing! - and we became friends and, oddly, I remember her telling me her story back then about moving back into the house she grew up in in Bedford - but it hadn’t registered that she was talking about the Bedford area, and that we now had Marissa and her amazing husband Judah as neighbors. Marissa is absolutely hilarious…and she has the superpower of cutting right through the bullshit and being so real. …And then you did the Jan/Feb 2025 Cover Feature in Bedford & New Canaan Magazine on them, and getting on the B&NC Cover has been an obsession for us ever since! She can’t beat me on Big Brother AND get the cover, too!”

“I have to say, I’m honored by the recognition,” Ross adds. “I’ve been openly gay on national television for a quarter of a century. And I really hope by being visual in the mainstream, maybe I’ve helped some people in their own lives. Nothing weightier than that. We’re not radicals. The truth is you are who you are - and we’re not gay representatives. We’re just not scared to say who we are! And we’re advocates for human rights in general. …And, ultimately, the personal is political!”

“It’s all about the journey,” Ross concludes. “I grew up poor, I get to work on some extremely popular TV shows, I have the most fabulous husband, we’ve found a home here… I feel like I won the lottery and then some! …And I’m not done! I’d like to host a cooking show and produce it right out of our own kitchen at home. And I’d like to host a game show. The money contestants win can be life changing - I know it would have been for my family. And I’d like to play a part in changing people’s lives that way, and get to spread more joy and happiness.”

BEDFORD FARMS

Korean skincare has become shorthand for hydrated, smooth, and subtly plumped skin that has a distinct healthy glow.

The challenge, especially here in the U.S., is finding products that deliver that effect without requiring an overly complicated routine, or a significant investment.

Mimmua is one of the few brands that strikes that balance. The formulas are ingredientdriven and clean, the results align with what people are actually looking for (hydration, softness, a bit of lift), and the price point sits comfortably between drugstore and luxury… accessible, but still feeling like a considered purchase.

Curious about what’s behind the line, we reached out to the company’s Founder to better understand how the brand and the products are built:

Tell us about the brand and its focus:

Mimmua was created with a simple goal: to help people feel more confident in their skin through a consistent, effective routine. That extends beyond just the formulas. The brand places equal emphasis on how a product looks, feels, and is experienced, from packaging to application.

What product should people start with?

The Volume Up Time Block Serum is our hero product and a great entry point. It’s built around two core ingredients: Volufiline, used to help soften the appearance of fine lines and add subtle volume, and Beta Glucan, a deeply hydrating ingredient derived from mushrooms that helps support the skin barrier.

The formula uses 5% Volufiline, a concentration supported by testing, and pairs it with Beta Glucan to help offset potential irritation while boosting hydration.

What makes the line different from other K-beauty brands?

Rather than focusing solely on novelty, Mimmua’s approach is more measured. The goal is to combine newer, highinterest ingredients with ones that are already familiar and welltolerated, resulting in products that feel both effective and easy to incorporate into an existing routine.

Who is the line best suited for?

The line is designed for anyone focused on improving hydration, texture, and overall skin quality, particularly those looking for subtle, cumulative results rather than quick fixes. It’s an easy addition for someone who wants to streamline their routine while still seeing visible improvement over time.

Can you tell us about your background?

My path into skincare was not entirely linear. After growing up in Korea and later moving to Canada, I studied fashion at Parsons in New York before entering the beauty industry through retail.

From there, roles across multiple brands, spanning sales, marketing, and global e-commerce, provided a working understanding of both product development and consumer behavior, ultimately leading to the launch of Mimmua!

What’s next for the brand?

Mimmua is just beginning to enter the U.S. market, currently reaching consumers through more direct channels (right now, Mimmua is available on Amazon) while building awareness among a more informed audience. The longer-term plan is to expand into major retail partners while continuing to scale globally.

For those looking to simplify their routine while still achieving that well-hydrated, polished look, Mimmua is a line that feels worth consideringless about reinvention, and more about getting the essentials right.

A WEEKEND AWAY AT THE IN MONTAUK MARRAM

THERE IS SOMETHING QUIETLY RESTORATIVE ABOUT A ROAD-TRIPPABLE WEEKEND AWAY.

Whether it’s for a spa-cation, a round of golf on a favorite course, a gourmand’s tour, or all of the above, an easy weekend getaway is just the right recipe to refresh and recharge - without having to deal with airports and flights! It can be arranged on a Wednesday and you can be walking on a beach on Thursday - starting a four-day weekend. It’s a good way to celebrate an occasion - or just to take a break. Long enough to leave the drama and distractions at home behind. …And, particularly in May, the Hamptons are the perfect escape!

Heading east before ‘the season’ fully arrives means, first, that the traffic will be more bearable. But, more important, the air in May still carries the earthy early-spring mist from the local corn and potato fields. The beaches are just as great as always. …And you can get a dinner reservation anywhere you choose!

Last May, I booked a four-day weekend with my fiance at the beachfront Marram Hotel in Montauk. Known as ‘The End’ because of its geographic location at the tip of Long Island’s south shore, Montauk is ‘the end all and be all’ for a fun weekend. Notwithstanding a kind of gentrification, the town has retained its very special kind of beachy charm. Fishing…and surfing…are still a real part of the local culture. …And Montauk in May means the throngs of college kids who sometimes turn downtown Montauk into a bawdy beerfest on weekends in July and August - have yet to arrive!

We headed out on Wednesday afternoon and made it to Amagansett in time for an early dinner at Il Buco al Mare. Il Buco is known for simple, coastal Italian, done exactly right. …Dinner was delightful - and I might go as far as to say that it’s the best food in the Hamptons. I especially recommend the focaccia breads

We arrived in Montauk just as the light began to soften but while you could still feel the warmth of the day. The Marram is located at 21 Oceanview Terrace, just behind the main stretch of town. It has a 1960s ‘Beach Party’ vibe, matched with a comfortable and clean aesthetic. Beachwood textures, soft neutrals, and a quiet, retro sensibility all call to mind a version of beachfront bohemiathat otherwise no longer really exists. The rooms are functional, and each has its own balcony facing the ocean. It’s the sort of place that makes you feel like you’re supposed to be there to write something. Or think about something important. Or achieve some greater zen.

THURSDAY thursday

Without a plan, we started Thursday with a long walk on the beach, had a casual breakfast at Anthony’s Pancake House on Montauk Highway, and then wandered through the Montauk Farmers Market on the village green. The Farmers Market has dozens of local vendors offering everything from just-baked breads to fresh produce - and it’s open every Thursday starting in May. From there, it was on to the iconic Montauk Point Lighthouse. The grounds stretch out over dramatic bluffs, the ocean in constant motion below.

Authorized by George Washington in 1792 and completed in 1796, the lighthouse is New York’s oldest and the fourth oldest active lighthouse in the United States.

MONTAUK

We decided to go to Surf Lodge for dinner. It’s a cute spot and has good food. And, on a Thursday in May, it was no problem getting a reservation!

When we got back to the Marram Thursday evening, we headed right out to the beach overlook. We spent a couple of timeless hours watching the stars and listening to the waves break. It was, quite romantically, like being in our own world.

For Friday, we determined to…do very little! We grabbed snacks from Marram’s cafe and walked to the beach just steps from our hotel room door…and just relaxed all day! And I mean really relaxed - not like at home where a relaxed day is still filled with errands, emails, and the subtle pull of routine. I finished the book I was reading. We must have gone a couple of miles up the beach when we went for our walk. Our pace was set by the rhythm of the waves.

FRIDAY friday MONTAUK

One of the luxurious offerings at the Marram is their full-service beach service. Chairs, umbrellas, towels…all handled by attentive cabana boys. All the pleasure of the beach, none of the logistics - a rarity in the Hamptons, and one that quickly feels indispensable.

We were feeling adventurous that evening, so we took the trip to Sunset Beach, on Shelter Island, for dinner. The drive to Sag Harbor and the ferry across to Shelter Island makes for a pleasant journey in both directions, and Sunset Beach is on the list of all-timegreatest-beach/dining-spots, certainly in the Northeast… but maybe in the world. It’s a chic, St. Tropez–inspired waterfront hotel and restaurant that blends barefoot ease with a distinctly posh scene. Striped umbrellas, flowing rosé, and a terrace that looks out over one of the best sunsets on the East End. While peak summer brings a lively, highenergy crowd, an early-season or weeknight visit reveals a softer, more intimate side, where the coastal European menu of simple grilled fish, light pastas, and crisp salads takes center stage.

SHELTER ISLAND

SATURDAY saturday MONTAUK

It was a nice and sunny Saturday morning. …The Marram is located just next to town in Montauk, so a walk into town for coffee in bathing suits and cover-ups was a fantastic start to the day. After coffee we strolled over to the nearby and notorious Ditch Plains Beach - where the local surfers congregate. There’s a special energy and a different pace about the place. It’s communal and cool. We got some snacks from one of the food trucks, and then hung out on the beach watching about a dozen surfers ride the waves. …We even took a dip - to inaugurate the coming of summer!

And then we drove to the dock to catch the fishing charter we booked with Lazybones - recommended to us by Luke Gavigan, who we featured in our September/October 2023 ‘18 Under 18’ highlight, and who’s actually worked summers as a mate on the boat. …I was really more interested in watching for whales, and although prime season doesn’t start until mid-June, we did get a glimpse of two humpbacks breaching a couple of times only a couple of hundred yards from the boat! …My fiance was entirely focused and quite determined to reel in one of the large yellowfin tuna that are known to arrive early for the summer maritime feast and, although he was not successful in that endeavor, he did manage to hook a couple of groupers and one pretty good size trout - thank heavens!

We got back to Marram at about three, had a bite from the to-go stand - which has a simple, fresh, and tasty offering - and then spent a couple of hours at the Marram’s pool - which overlooks the ocean in a way that feels almost too good to be true. We said we were going to go for another walk on the beach, but laying around the pool and sipping drinks ended up occupying the rest of our afternoon.

We had dinner at the famous Duryea’s Lobster Deck. The lobster salad does indeed come with a price tag that invites skepticism… but it delivers! As does the setting! It’s an unmistakably Montauk experience.

We were back at the Marram fairly early and, instead of going back out to the beach lookout like the night before, we gathered around one of the crackling fire pits in the main area of the hotel and enjoyed drinks and smores as a fun nightcap.

SUNDAY sunday MONTAUK

6:00 A.M. alarm Sunday morning…to make a 7:40 tee time at Montauk Downs State Park Golf Course. This legendary Robert Trent Jones design will challenge any low handicapper, but the relaxed atmosphere makes it a fun environment for golfers of any level to go for a walk in the fescue-covered hills, bang around some balls, and enjoy the company. …My fiance and I did enjoy the time together…but don’t have any scores we’re interested in reporting!

…And then the drive home…which, on a Sunday in May, wasn’t too bad! We did make pit stops at Round Swamp Farm in East Hampton to pick-up some of their famously addictive muffins and delectable chicken salad to take home, and for a quick bite at the Candy Kitchen in Bridgehampton, before really getting on the road. But it was a breeze on 27, the L.I.E., the Whitestone, and the Merritt, and we were home in time to watch 60 Minutes unpack, and go to bed feeling totally rested and ready for the workweek to come.

What a weekend! Montauk is ideal! …And the Marram’s combination of clean and comfortable accomodations, pleasant design, their terrific beachfront access and service, the proximity to town, and the gentle and restorative vibe of the hotel…along with a price tag that compares favorably with all other upscale Hamptons lodging…is compelling.

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ESTHETICS EMBASSY

LYDIA BUBANJA BRINGS BIOLOGIQUE TO POUND RIDGE

Lydia Bubanja represented Serbia before the United Nations Disarmament Committee, negotiated bilateral agreements with European nations, and even turned down an ambassadorship… and now, she’s a year into operating Esthetics Embassy as the top esthetic practice in Pound Ridge…

Her story begins in Montenegro, where she was born into a family of intellectuals. Her father served as a key advisor on trade across multiple governments in former Yugoslavia. “Advanced degrees were the expectation in the household,”

Lydia shares matter-of-factly. She attended one of Yugoslavia’s elite secondary schools, where she studied French, Latin, and molecular biology.

“Our school was known for producing doctors and scientists. I was always encouraged to use my brain. And, from the start, the world felt both very large and also within reach,” Lydia explains.

At the University of Belgrade, Lydia studied economics, but her ambitions were always pulling her outward. She dreamed of Italy, of languages, of somewhere beyond the system she found stifling.

“Right out of college, I applied to be a diplomat and passed all of the exams. But it was a time of change in Yugoslavia, and the post-Milošević government decided to clean the slate and start fresh with all new people. I thought that career possibility was over. So I went for my MBA instead!”

Lydia graduated from her MBA program two years later with perfect marks. “Just before my last exam, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called. They were looking for new diplomats and had reviewed my files and found that I was one of only a handful of prior applicants that hadn’t had ties to the Milošević government. They told me that they wanted me back…”

“I had already moved on and was ready to start a new life and to become an entrepreneur and open a business…but my mother’s gentle challenge - ‘I didn’t know you give up that quickly’ - set a fire within me... and the next week I started the two year program at the diplomatic academy.”

She rose quickly. “I started in the department covering bilateral issues with Europe, and pretty early on, before I even became an attaché, my Minister appointed me to become the Deputy Ambassador to South Korea. I was honored…but I was an unmarried young woman, and I wanted to be stationed in Italy and find a beautiful Italian man,” Lydia laughs, “...so I declined.”

“A few days later I was called into the Minister’s office - I figured it was to be fired. He asked why I wasn’t accepting the position, and I told him, point blank. He picked up the phone, called the Secretary General, and they sent me to the United Nations to represent Serbia before the United Nations Disarmament Committee in New York - which was one of only six United Nations committees, covering some of the most consequential issues in the world.” She was young, she was a woman, and she carried the full weight of her country’s voice on the global stage, explaining…”It was an honor…and a huge responsibility.”

“I spent four years as the Press Officer and First Secretary for the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Serbia to the United Nationsand New York took hold of me! I met my nowhusband, Dragan, who was working on the same mission. And I returned to school - this time to Columbia University on a full scholarship to study macroeconomics. When I graduated I was offered to become an ambassador from Serbia to whatever country I wanted… but by then I had become enthralled with the United Nations and all I wanted to do was work for the United Nations directly.”

“I worked directly for the United Nations for four years after that. For the first 6 months it was a love affair…and then I realized how much I couldn’t stand the politics, bureaucracy, or operations of the United Nations,” Lydia sighs. “And, at the same time, in 2017, my husband got diagnosed with an aggressive cancer called Adanoic Cystic Carcinoma, and I became his caregiver.”

“We moved up to Katonah in 2020. As much as we both loved Manhattan, city living had become too difficult while my husband was battling cancer. I still commuted in some days, but I wanted to provide him with the most healthy life possible. Good oxygen and a good lifestyle. We’re so glad we found Katonahbecause we love it!”

PHOTOGRAPHY: GILLIAN GAUGHAN

During her husband’s illness, Lydia began researching the relationship between what we put on and in our bodies and the health of our cells at the most fundamental level. “I was getting into a clean lifestyle for both of us, and my research led me to Biologique Recherche - a Paris-based skincare brand that I always say is like the Hermès bag of skincare…”

“I went back to Belgrade and visited an old friend who had spent most of her career as a lawyerwho then left the legal profession and opened an esthetics studio. It was amazing. She was the happiest she’d ever been. And the studio was beautiful and brought real joy into people’s lives. …I was ready for a switch, and this lit me up,” Lydia reflects. “So I enrolled at Christine Valmy, New York’s most respected international esthetics school, and graduated with honors. I traveled back to Europe for more advanced training, completing two years of coursework at a pharmaceutical university in Belgrade, and was then admitted to Biologique Recherche’s own academy, a rare honor typically reserved for professionals with decades of experience in the field.”

“I started practicing locally in 2023, and I opened Esthetics Embassy in Pound Ridge in May of 2025! My embassy of beauty!” Lydia declares. “I’m admitting people from all around the world with all different cultures. It’s my little United Nations right here in Pound Ridge. It feels like a sisterhood, and I’m getting to prove that we can save the world… with beauty!”

“IT’S MY LITTLE UNITED NATIONS RIGHT HERE IN POUND RIDGE.”

“GIVING PEOPLE CONFIDENCE IS THE GREATEST GIFT!”

ESTHETICS EMBASSY

Inside, the philosophy is singular: luxury without snobbery, science without sterility. Lydia describes her approach as a fusion of the Eastern European tradition - where monthly facials are considered basic healthcare, not indulgenceand French methodology, with its emphasis on efficacy, clean formulation, and deep cellular treatment.

Biologique Recherche products are known as the gold standard - made in Paris from 100% organic ingredients, with no added fragrances or artificial fillers. Natural, ‘clean’, and incredibly effective. The brand’s famous P50 lotion - part toner, part gentle peel, entirely unlike anything else on the market - has become a cornerstone of Lydia’s treatments, as has the Masque Vivant, which works across every skin type. Where other brands dilute their active ingredients into layered cocktails, Biologique Recherche keeps its serums pure and targeted. “It’s essentially a pharmaceutical brand and I’m performing treatments,” Lydia says, “and the results speak loudly.”

Lydia is already established as the go-to skin treatment resource for many of the local celebrities, and known in younger circles as the woman who heals acne. She even has one entire family that comes to her all the way from Chile twice a year. “Many of my clients are looking to beautify their skin, add glow, reduce redness, help prevent wrinkles… and those results are spectacular and the word of mouth has been tremendous. But it’s also so rewarding to help people with cystic acne

and other skin issues, who have cycled through dermatologists and prescriptions for years, and then help them to achieve completely clear skin.”

Among her services, the buccal massage - a technique that works from inside the mouth to release jaw tension and sculpt the face - has drawn particular attention, as has her ‘red carpet facial’, designed to deliver an immediate, luminous result.

Lydia is now expanding. A second treatment room is coming to the Pound Ridge location. And two additional estheticians are joining the teameach rigorously vetted and trained to Biologique Recherche’s standards. “It’s taken me a full year to bring anyone else on because I have incredibly high standards. I’m only going to bring someone on if I think their skillset is equal to my own,” Lydia says. In addition, Lydia is expanding internationally, as she has two more Esthetics Embassy operations now taking shape in Belgrade and Montenegro.

For someone who once held a diplomatic passport and addressed the General Assembly - Lydia’s new life might seem like a radical shift. But Lydia posits, “I left one kind of embassy for another! There’s nothing a United Nations resolution can do to change someone’s confidence the way what I’m doing for people changes their lives. …I’m building people up. I see the results immediately. And the happiness I have here is something I’ve never experienced before. …Giving people confidence is the greatest gift!”

Born in São Paulo to French-Mexican parents and a large, tightly-knit family, Monique Allain was trained in biology, earning her degree while studying human genetics and working on chromosome research. She was, by all accounts, on track for a serious career in science. But the work, confined to a lab, focused on definitive answers, never quite aligned with how she saw the world.

“I always felt a bit removed from my surroundings. I grew up influenced by so many different cultures, learning four different languages and sensibilities… I often felt like a foreigner everywhere.”

“I wasn’t happy watching life pass by from inside a lab,” Monique says. “Science felt restrictive. I was more interested in questioning than in answering.”

That distinction became pivotal. What drew her away from science wasn’t a rejection of it, but a pull toward something less fixed and more intuitive and open-ended. Monique describes, “It was a need for poetry, for connection, for a way of understanding the world that allowed for ambiguity.” In the following years, Monique pursued painting, photography, music, and theater.

“My artistic training began in São Paulo, studying metal sculpture at the Museu de Arte Moderna, and I then went on to earn a degree in visual arts from the very well respected Fundação Armando Alvares Penteado.”

MONIQUE ALLAIN’S ART BLITZ

“In 1986 my then-husband had an opportunity in Paris, and we relocated there with our two small children for a year. I spent the time photographing everything I could and I was so turned on by the culture and everything else Paris has to offer. We went back to São Paulo the following year and I continued to explore various mediums and possibilities. I was constantly creating. In 2008, divorced and with my kids away at school, I went back to Paris, having been awarded a residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris.”

Monique continues, “I was working with the concept of art and entropy, and I jumped on the opportunity to incorporate in my art the search for my French ‘inherited memories’… I engaged with multiple research groups when I returned back to São Paulo again, and then pursued my Master of Fine Arts at Faculdade Santa Marcelina, where my thesis used video and photography to focus on the concept of identity and connectivity. I was very proud to graduate with high honors.”

Working without a permanent studio led her toward portable forms, small-scale installations, artist books, and mixed media works that could travel. A ‘suitcase phase’, as she

describes it, became central to her practice, both practically and conceptually. The act of packing and unpacking, and of carrying work across borders, became part of the work itself.

“After years working and exhibiting internationally - in Brazil, France, Italy, Mexico, Australia, and Argentina - I moved to the United States in 2018, having met my now-husband, Sandy, and wanting to be close to my daughter in Manhattan… settling first in Brooklyn. I joined many different artist groups and collectives, and built my American art network. Then, during the pandemic, my husband and I relocated full-time to North Salem. We love it up here… the serenity and all of the natural inspiration for me,” Monique shares. “This past spring, we sold our North Salem home and moved to Waccabuc, on the lake. Waking up and looking at water every morning is just so special.” The couple’s new home includes two dedicated studios: a wet studio and a dry studio, allowing her to explore new mediums and create without constraint.

“I’m not chasing definitive truths,” she says.

“ I ’ m finding my own way .”

Today, Monique is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, photography, video, installation, and performance, often centered on questions of identity, environment, and human connection. Her scientific background remains present… not in subject matter alone, but in approach. Observation, inquiry, and an ongoing interest in how systems, natural and human, function and evolve continue to shape how she works.

ART BLITZ

Her latest project, ART BLITZ, reflects her interest not just in production, but in structure - an emphasis on immediacy, collaboration, and direct engagement with an audience. “The format is intentionally simple,” Monique shares. “A group of artists gathers in a shared space and installs their work within a compressed timeframe, transforming the environment into a temporary exhibition that unfolds in real time. The emphasis is not only on the finished work, but on the act of bringing it into the space… and what happens once it’s there. The concept draws, in part, from large-scale public gatherings like Paris’s Dîner en Blanc, where coordinated, rapid activation transforms a setting almost instantly. ART BLITZ intentionally operates on an intimate scale, creating space for interaction between artists and viewers that feels immediate and unscripted.”

At a recent installation at the Bedford Playhouse, Allain was joined by a group of regional artists, including Anita Fina Kiewra, Anne Harmon, Bibiana Huang Matheis, Leslie Connito, Paige De Leo, Penny Dell, Sally Frank, and Tanya Kukucka. The exhibition unfolded over the course of a single day. Works arriving and being placed simultaneously, adjusted, and experienced in real time - blurring the line between process and presentation.

Throughout the summer, ART BLITZ will continue with activations in North Salem. Monique plans to continue with a series of pop-up exhibitions throughout the summer in a barn that she and her husband are currently using as a creative space. Locals are invited to join in on the experience!

The barn is located at 264 Titicus Road in North Salem, and ART BLITZ will open there coinciding with Upstate Art Weekend Open Studios on Saturday May 16 and Sunday 17 from 11am-6pm.

ART BLITZ sits within a broader body of work built around collaboration and participation. Allain is also the founder of Art for a Change, a project developed with breast cancer patients at Metropolitan Hospital in New York, where participants’ creations will be permanently installed in the hospital’s infusion center. “I hope that the project will engage people with the breast cancer cause,” Monique posits.

“Across these artistic efforts, my goal is to create a framework that brings people together, and allows the work, and the dialogue around it, to develop from there. It is a simple invitation to step into the process - not just to observe.”

PHOTOS: HELEN HOUGHTON

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ELMDON A Waccabuc Gem

Waccabuc is everybody’s favorite charming little postage stamp of a rural town without a downtown - and much of what defines the character of Waccabuc are the historic homes lining Mead Street, the main artery running through the hamlet.

Elmdon, set along Mead Street and named after the giant Elms that once lined the property, was built in 1780 by Enoch Mead, and was the first homestead of the Mead family - whose imprint on Waccabuc, beyond the main road being named after them, is still visible around Waccabuc today. Enoch Mead served in local governmental roles, including Overseer of The Poor and Commissioner of Highways, which were, at the time, positions that carried real influence in shaping the structure and function of a young community. And over the years, generations of Mead farmers, civic leaders, and land stewards helped to shape Waccabuc’s landscape and community, including by founding the Mead Memorial Chapel that still stands as one of Waccabuc’s enduring landmarks.

EEnoch Mead’s original 100+ acres was divided amongst his sons, who each developed farms and constructed homes of their own along Mead Street, but Elmdon remains as the preeminent and archetypal example of the estates built during this special time in Waccabuc’s and America’s history.

Today the home sits on 4+ acres which are bordered by the Old Field Preserve. The property unfolds as a series of open lawns, mature trees, and long, quiet sightlines. There is an immediate sense of space that has been left largely undisturbed. A long gravel cobblestone-lined drive approaches the house gradually, revealing an entrance courtyard, beautiful stonework, a welcoming front porch, and the gorgeous reclaimed barn.

Elmdon is a clapboard Colonial that was expanded thoughtfully over time - but never at the expense of proportion. A recent restoration, extensive but measured, brought the house forward without erasing its past. The result is something increasingly rare - a historic home that feels stewarded and completely charming, but at the same time is modernized, domestically realistic, and functional.

TThe home exudes understated elegance, Features such as colonial molding around the windows, original millwork throughout, original wood floors, and recently uncovered hand-hewn wooden beams and framed archways, give the home give the home a textured and layered personality. Fireplaces in every room on the main floor are a romantic reminder of a time when family life - and warmth - centered around the hearth. Dutch doors and carefully restored original hardware reinforce the historic character, and beautiful antique lighting evokes the cozy feeling of lanterns illuminating the halls.

The kitchen - outfitted with Carrera marble counters, custom cabinetry, a center island, a fireplace, wooden beams, and direct access to the surrounding grounds - is every bit as functional as it is farmstead chic.

TThe primary suite is completely updated, but remains in keeping with the era and sentiment of the home. A beautiful dressing room leads to a very large walk-in closet, and - the ultimate luxury - separate his and hers bathrooms with intricate marblework and brilliant natural light.

Outside, the wooden barn features another entire living space with its own bathroom, kitchenette, large main room, and loft.

The original barn burned down and was reconstructed in keeping with the period of the homestead using reclaimed wood from Vermont. Two story vaulted ceilings create an inviting, sun-drenched space for a guest suite, game room, or office.

While ‘historic’ is often thrown-around loosely in assessing real estate, Elmdon is the genuine article. And in a town and on a street where the precious and treasured mansions still standing from a quarterMillenium ago rarely change hands from one family to another…Elmdon stands as an ultimate trophy,

Elmdon is currently listed with Patty Hinkey with Coldwell Banker Realty at $4.5M

Stephanie Loda R.E. Photography

Of Court & Character

BEKA TENNIS ACADEMY

TOP TENNIS TRAINING AT VISTA INDOOR TENNIS

Beka Sikharulidze is a renowned tennis coach - who moved his Beka Tennis Academy to Vista Indoor Tennis at 451 Oakridge Drive in South Salem, about five years ago. He trains approximately 70 boys and girls ages 8 to 18most of whom are playing competitive tennis and on their school and club teams, and a majority of whom intend to play tennis in college, and about two dozen adults who are serious about improving their game.

Beka is intense and engaging, and has a nononsense approach in coaching his studentsbut promises quick and appreciable results for anyone committed to his program. “I give 100% to everything I do, and I’m always completely honest,” Beka proclaims, “...and I expect the same from each one of my students. I have one of the best coaching and training techniques and instruction methods and get the best out of anyone who wants to apply themselves to getting better. My method is to give completely individual attention to each student, and to then give that student the specific improvements and programming they need to achieve their best tennis.”

Beka is proud to talk in particular about a group of four boys enrolled in the Under12 age bracket who are already showing particular promise - one of whom has already won a prestigious ‘L5’ junior tennis tournament. And to boast about some of the great college tennis team placements he’s accomplished after only five years at Vista, Beka points to Beka Tennis Academy student Nishanth Yamani, who played Division I at U.C.L.A. …But Beka is quick to point out that he welcomes beginners and players of all levels - just so long as they’re seriously interested in their tennis and not just looking for something to do after school. “For admission, I do a one-on-one evaluation of each student,” he says. “Tennis is not a fixed system to be taught… it’s a set of principles that have to be adapted, player by player. I tell them the truth and I don’t joke around. I explain what they need, show them an example, and set out what they’re going to have to do in order to achieve rapid improvement. I have a very structural approach to the technique of the game, starting with achieving the perfect grip for that player, moving methodically to the player’s ideal backswing, and then working through how the player can achieve his or her most efficient and powerful swing at all types of shots.”

BEKA TENNIS ACADEMY

On court, Beka’s unmistakably urgent tone requires immediate attention. There’s very little excess. No long speeches, no generic instruction. He studies each player for a few minutes, then begins to make adjustments. A grip shifts slightly. A contact point moves forward. The changes are small, but they tend to produce quick results. And that ability to diagnose inefficiencies and correct them without overcomplicating the process is what defines Beka’s technique. “I have a clear emphasis on disciplineon doing things correctly, repeatedly, and until they become automatic. I’m passionate about coaching. And I’ve really studied the craft and researched what works and what works fastest!” Beka says. “For newer players, it’s about establishing a foundation that feels natural enough to hold-up over time. For highperformance juniors, we’re eliminating unnecessary movement, sharpening decision-making, and building consistency under match conditions. We’re not rebuilding their game from scratch. We’re unlocking the next level. …Tennis is a vehicle for developing focus, resilience, and confidence. …A missed shot isn’t just corrected mechanically… it’s observed for what comes after. Does the player rush to the next point? Do they hesitate? Do they lose poise? How do they react under pressure? How do they adjust when something isn’t working? …Over time, those patterns matter as much as the strokes themselves. …We have to teach a long-term view - in a sport that often rewards short-term results.”

…AND, BEYOND THE TENNIS ITSELF, I CAN GUARANTEE THAT EACH BEKA TENNIS ACADEMY GRADUATE WILL LOOK YOU STRAIGHT IN THE EYE, SAY HELLO, GOODBYE, PLEASE, AND THANK YOU, AND UNDERSTAND THE DIRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN HARD WORK AND ACHIEVEMENT!”

“…And, while the exercise is for students to be constantly repeating the correct technique, my real job is to inspire my students,” Beka commits. “…Beyond the court, we work on the physical, mental, and emotional components. ‘What is the player thinking out on the court?’, ‘What’s standing in the way of winning?’, ‘How can the player accentuate their strengths and minimize their weaknesses?’, ‘What clarity does the student need in order to break through to the next level?’ …And, beyond the tennis itself, I can guarantee that each Beka Tennis Academy graduate will look you straight in the eye, say hello, goodbye, please, and thank you, and understand the direct connection between hard work and achievement!”

Beka Tennis Academy has private, semi-private, and group lessons for juniors, with programs ranging from one to seven days a week. For adults, private and semi-private lessons are available but, as a reflection of Beka’s insistence that it be about serious tennis, no adult groups are available. Beka has two teaching professionals working under him, but is on-court himself almost all the time. “I’m always looking for that little thing that will make that player’s swing more effortless,” Beka campaigns.

“Federer was perfection!” Beka proclaims. “I’m not trying to mold each player’s form to mimic Federer’s play and persona exactly…but, maybe with the exception of the one-handed backhand, the closer

each player I can get each player to Federer’s ease and gracefulness - the better!”

Beka is also a successful screenwriter and director, and an actor…with a remarkable tale and an inspiring message! “I grew up in Tbilisi, Georgia, in the wake of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but still very much under Russian influence,” Beka recalls. “My dad, Givi, is a famous writer, actor, and choreographer in Georgia, and I became a professional dancer as a young boy, actually touring as a lead dancer with the Georgia National Folk Dancing Company. …And, with the National Company, I was lucky enough to travel extensively - and, most importantly, outside the ‘Red Zone’ of Communist countries.”

“When I was 13 I started to focus on tennis, and when I was 15 I won Georgia’s Singles and Doubles National Championships,” Beka recalls. “I started to teach and coach others immediately, and by the time I was 16, I had 28 students, including the American and Iranian Ambassadors to Georgia and a bunch of Italian businessmen and their families.

At 17, I got the job as Assistant Head Coach at the best tennis club in Georgia. …And then I changed direction and became a professional fighter!

In 1998, when I was 19, I earned a Black Belt in Goju-Ryu, a full-contact karate style, and started competing in professional Full-Contact Karate and KickBoxing competitions.”

“I got to the World Championship in Full Contact Karate, and seized the opportunity to stay and settle in California. “I got a call from an old Georgian friend who was living in San Jose asking me to come up and visit, and play tennis against a couple of the best players in his tennis club while I was up there. …I didn’t learn until late in the second match that he’d placed a substantial bet with the owner of the club that I’d beat anyone the guy could throw at me! …And that led to two years working as the Head Pro at that club in San Jose, and then another in Mountain View.”

“In 2000, I moved back to Los Angeles and opened the Beka Tennis Academy, in Studio City, which I operated for 15 years,” Beka chronicles. “I had over 250 juniors each season, and a lot of famous actors, producers and L.A. who’s who. And it was during this period that I coached Irakli Labadze, who rose to be the #42 ATP Professional, made it to the SemiFinals of Indian Wells, and earned wins against Andre Agassi, Carlos Moya, and James Blake, among other tennis greats. But I felt I had to make a decision between having the Beka Tennis Academy or coaching tennis professionals…and I’ve never looked back. I like the constancy of having a schoolfull of students over the uncertainty of betting my business career on the effort, achievement, and potential injury of just one or two touring professionals.”

BEKA TENNIS ACADEMY

“I’ve been a member of SAG/ AFTRA since 2004, and have appeared in films, both in Hollywood and Europe, including the internationally acclaimed French film, L’héritage (The Legacy - 2006), which won the Sundance Special Jury Award, and the most recent Steven Soderberg’s film, KIMI,” Beka relays. “...But then I got it in my head that I wanted to be a screenwriter and a director! I wanted to use film to express what bothers me about what’s happening around the world. I wrote and directed a short film titled Grandpa’s Debtor, that won seven film festival awards, including Best Short European Drama from the Manhattan Film Festival - which has since been purchased by Eurochannel and aired in eighty-six countries. And with that success under my belt, my wife and I did the craziest thing… We sold our house in L.A. and our ski condo in Europe in order to finance the feature-length film From Life To Life that I wrote and directed. It’s set in 1990s Georgia, and it’s about a surgical doctor who performs free surgeries for those in need, navigating a society plagued by corruption and injustice. The film is about family values, love, relations between Georgian Jews and Georgian non-Jews, and more.

…And I’m happy to say that the film has earned twelve international film festival awards and received another nine nominations. It was also honored with

a special invitation for a screening at the Vatican. And it’s got Five Stars on Amazon.”

“My wife Maia and I have two boys, Givi who’s 10 and Luka who’s 8. We moved to New Canaan five years ago, and I jumped at the chance to re-establish my Beka Tennis Academy at Vista Indoor Tennis in South Salem. We love living here, the public schools are excellent, and working in South Salem means I can race back to New Canaan to be around for their games and events. Luka has some talent in tennis, while Givi seems to be more interested in architecture and technology than anything else…and they each speak three languages, including Chinese, and are both pretty good at chess!”

Beka smiles with a sense of real satisfaction and says, “After three decades of coaching tennis and five years of hosting the Beka Tennis Academy at Vista Indoor Tennis, I’m still just watching closely, adjusting precisely, and helping players understand their own game a little more clearly each time they step on court.”

In 2024, Beka was honored with both a Congressional Proclamation and a New York City Mayor’s Citation for his achievements in Sports and the Arts.

• 350-car inventory

• 27 service bays

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Michelle Reiss

Michelle grew up in Chappaqua, went to Greeley and then on to Brown University, and has a successful career working in hotel development. By all appearances, she and her husband Michael Reiss and their four year old daughter Lucy seem like the idyllic young family living their best life at the end of a typical Bedford cul-de-sac…

But, quite extraordinarily, in March 2024, when Lucy was two and Michelle was pregnant, Michelle was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma…

And, somewhat consequently, Michelle has now launched the website HELLOJADEY.COM as part of a broader intended platform called Jadey to be the key resource - that she didn’t have - for women diagnosed with cancer and for the people who support them.

“My life, and our life as a family, was completely interrupted,”

Michelle reveals.

“I was 34 and the first in our friend group or in my immediate family to be diagnosed with cancer. I had a 12cm mass in my chest! I was suddenly confronted with the immediate necessity of discontinuing my pregnancy, and all the decisions and requirements involved in fertility preservation. We had to figure out how to talk with our two-year-old about what was happening, and Michael and I were trying to process it all ourselves. …Our whole vision of our family was - at least for a time - shattered. Cancer was always on our minds. All I wanted was to get my life back! To return to where I was the day before the diagnosis! …I went through six months of chemotherapy, followed by ten rounds of radiation…and although I’ve yet to receive the ‘all clear’, I’m very happy to report that the tumor is disappearing…and that I’m now pregnant!”

Michelle Reiss

“When I was diagnosed, I couldn’t find any significant modern resource that spoke to a woman navigating cancer in the prime of her life,” Michelle says candidly. “There was no source for advice on the psychological and emotional side of things, or even a reliable reference for practical answers about things like foods that I should or shouldn’t eat, therapy and other treatments beyond the chemo and radiation, what kind of skin care would be safe to use during treatment, what to ask at my first oncology appointment, where to find stylish head coverings, and how to navigate treatment while raising a young child. I was also trying to figure out how to manage changes to my body, my confidence, and my sense of self. There was an abundance of medical information out there, enough to overwhelm anyone, but nothing in one place that felt personal, trustworthy, and reflective of what I was actually going throughsupport that I critically needed.”

“I co-founded Jadey, together with my longterm partner in business and friend, Shiry Zofnat Yosef, who has been supporting her brother through stage four colon cancer treatment over the past three years,” Michelle says. “More and more people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s are being diagnosed with all kinds of cancers, and the resources haven’t kept up. With Jadey, we’re primarily concerned with helping women navigate cancer in the prime of their life.”

“We also have a fantastic and indefatigable Editorial Director, Maggie Lange, who is a New York Times journalist, and also a cancer survivor,” Michelle relays. “A lot of what we’re doing is filling in the gaps, addressing the emotional and lifestyle shifts that don’t always get talked about, alongside clear and practical

information about what to expect and how to react. We’re particularly focused on the intersection of a woman’s family, career, and a diagnosis—how all of those pieces continue to exist at once. Everything we publish is grounded in lived experience, but also held to a very clear, science-based editorial standard. Each piece is reviewed by our medical advisory board, and we include perspectives from multiple experts wherever possible. A gift registry is intended to help friends and family offer meaningful support, and an anonymous community space called ‘Between Us’ allows visitors to communicate. We’re very intentional about our language, avoiding the whole ‘fighting a battle’ analogy, and include comments from multiple medical experts wherever possible.”

“We launched Jadey in October 2025 and have already seen that there’s a real need for this resource,” Michelle continues. “So many women have reached out to say ‘I wish this had existed when I was first diagnosed’,... We use Instagram @hellojadeyofficial for outreach, but our growth is really going to come from word-of-mouth and referral from doctors and care teams treating cancer patients. We’re building-out local guides to connect people with trusted resources, like therapists, integrative treatments, and programs like the Yablon Cancer Center for Wellness at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mt. Kisco, which offers free individual and group therapy, and free acupuncture and massage, to people being treated with cancer. …And, going forward, we want Jadey to be centrally involved in creating communities for women - who may be at different points in their journey than others - to come together and benefit from the collective experience.”

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Out & About

A HIGHLIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY

Katonah Museum of Art Gala and Auction

An influential assembly of artists, collectors, and cultural leaders gathered at Blue Hill at Stone Barns to celebrate art, community, and visionary thought while honoring Jonathan Becker, Friends of John Jay Homestead, and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The evening unfolded in a progression of cocktails, an exquisite seated dinner, and spirited auctions, culminating in a remarkable show of support for the Museum!

PHOTOGRAPHY: FILIP

1. Craig Intinarelli, Kathy Moser, Daniel Mackay, Christopher Burdick, Jonathan Becker, Erika Pierce, Caroline MacGill, Michelle Yun Mapplethorpe

2. Anla Cheng, Kendall Forte, Jennifer Forte

3. Paul & Lynne Cabiati, Nick & Alyson Williams, Donna & John Papalia

4. Nicola Atherstone, Sharon Booth, Stephanie Weismer, Sharon Kristol, Andrea Miller, Dana Rosen, Lesley Shearer, Lauren Bender

5. Ashley Gouveia, Stephanie DiChristina, Amy Berg Stephens

6. Tara Coniaris, Jeff Coniaris, Nicholas Kronfeld

7. Hamid Biglari, Nazgol Shahbazi, Azita Moradkhani, Layla Khadjavi, Roya Khadjavi, Arghavan Khosravi

Out & About

HIGHLIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY

Center For Resilience

The Voices Building Bridges Luncheon, held at the Country Club of New Canaan, brought the community together for a deeply moving afternoon centered on remembrance, resilience, and the enduring power of collective memory ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Through heartfelt speeches, personal reflections, and stirring performances, the room was united in honoring lives lost while reaffirming a shared commitment to support, healing, and connection.

Katonah Museum of Art Gala and Auction

1. Brian Williams, Alice Greenwald

2. Frank & Mary Fetchett

3. Frank Fetchett, Sarah & Wes Fetchet, Lizzie Hinckley Davis, Lara Gay-Kelly

4. Hannelore Kaplan, Elizabeth Kessler, Mark Motyl, Lisa Wolff, Thea Ross; Bottom: Scarlett & Jack DeBease, Sara & Alain Robert

5. Dave & Deb Checketts

6. Scarlett DeBease, Dede Bartlett, Sara Robert

7. Hugh & Meghann Paisley, Nathalie & Craig Schubert

8. Jane Williams, Jim Bartlett

Center for Resilience Building Bridges Luncheon

Out & About

Beneath at Bedford Playhouse

An intimate and engaging evening at the Bedford Playhouse brought Ariel Sullivan into thoughtful conversation with Jenna Bush Hager, celebrating the release of her evocative new novel Beneath

PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER T MICHAELIS

Multitudes Opening at Yellow Studio

Guests gathered at Yellow Studio for an exciting opening reception of Multitudes, an exhibit exploring how women see themselves, and are seen by others.

Bams, Dots & Besties

Friends celebrated at the Darien Community Association, in collaboration with the Gold Coast Mahjong Club, for an evening of mahjong, cheese, chocolate, and bubbly, complete with festive fun and prizes to keep the competition sweet!

BAMBI RIEGEL

1. Katie Sise, Christina Geist, Ariel Sullivan, Jenna Bush Hager, Emily Fisher, Julia Kelly

PHOTOGRAPHY:

4. Alex Eising, Kim Sullivan, Amy Walton, Meredith Carre

5. Mo Minicus, Suzanne Mulliken, Heather Tarrant, Lynne Wilson

6. Jessica Baylis, Tracy Wind, Karen Schrenker, Lauri Waldron

7. Carolyn Elmi, Una Dunphy, Luciana Vieira Grambling, Emily Koch

2. Amy Kupferberg, Anne Pollard James, Allison Belolan, Monique Ford

3. Tina Villaveces, Angela Strassheim, Dorian Goldman

7.

6.

4.

Ridgefield Restaurant Week Launch Party Presented by BMW of Ridgefield

An elevated evening celebrating the local restaurant community. Passed hors d’oeuvres from Ridgefield’s favorite restaurants, music, beer and wine, all within the stylish BMW showroom. A portion of the proceeds to benefit Meals on Wheels!

PHOTOGRAPHY:

1.

Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year Awards

The Youth of the Year Award celebrated exceptional young members whose leadership, character, and service have made a meaningful impact across the Northern Westchester Club, school, home, and broader community!

Michael McGuirk, Jillian Fontana, Sarah Lannon, Saasha Sutera Hogan, Laurie Fenton, Annie Fandl, Matthew Mosebrook, Debbie Heron, Branden Komm, Jessica Bowen, Ian Lewis

2. Adeline & William Fusco, Jason & Carrie Varga

3. Sutera Hogan, Amanda Gabbard, Corrinne Divestea, Suzanne Brennan

Ian & Carrie Lewis, Corrinne & Joseph DiVestea, Anthony Messina

PHOTOGRAPHY: BENJAMIN ALLEN

5. Heather Lackey, Chris Burdick, Alyzza Ozer, Jeffrey Cohen, Erika Pierce

George D’Ambrosio, Lee Manning-Vogelstein

Brittany Aguilar Duarte, Madeline Oh, Abigail Hehman, Alexander Segarra, Kevin O’Donnell

Out & About

GetAbout New Canaan Spring Fundraiser

Friends old and new came together at the Country Club of New Canaan for a lively evening of live music, and spirited bidding in both the silent and live auctions, all in support of The GetAbout. Celebrating 45 years of service, the fundraiser highlighted GetAbout’s vital role in providing safe, reliable transportation that helps New Canaan residents stay active, independent, and connected to their community.

Hayvn Hatch - Female Founder Pitch Night

HAYVN HATCH delivered an energizing evening of bold ideas and big ambition, as female founders took the stage to pitch ventures in need of funding, visibility, and growth. With a supportive, women-centric crowd fueling the momentum, the night felt equal parts business and buzz.

1. Kiira Herron, Elizabeth Mitchell, Nadina Casullo, Jessica Brenner, Jessica Reitman

2. Erin Lacerna, Megan Williams, Blair Heitmann, Mollie Perkins

3. Abby Lane, Laura Jenkins

4. Mark Spadaccini, Brian Jenkins, Hank Anderson

5. Rob & Tricia Dudley, Scott & Susan Dudley

6. Craig Schubert, Doug Shaw, Cynthia Saffi, Scott Simon, Russell Schmidt

7. Kendra Farn, Claudia Zimmerman, Clémence Bruguier, Cassandra Hamer Cara Zelas, Kapila Devkota, Naomi Osei-mensah, Felicia Rubinstein

Hatch - Female Founder Pitch Night

Includes a VIP gift bag ($150 value )

for a women’s wellness workshop on Wednesday, May 27th 7 - 9pm

Rediscover your best self and create the life you’ve been dreaming of

Gianna has spent years working with students only to discover that the moms needed some attention as well. And that got her to thinking…. Women should take some time to nurture their dreams. So she started working with women and saw some amazing changes in their mind, body & soul. Now it’s your turn. You’ve spent years showing up for everyone else… it’s time to show up for yourself.

This is your time to pause, reflect, reset, and step into what’s next, on your terms. BECAUSE YOUR DREAMS AREN’T BEHIND YOU… THEY’RE

Out & About

Crossing Delancey Q+A with Amy Irving & Peter Riegert

Amy Irving and Peter Riegert had a nostalgic reunion on stage at the Jewish Film Festival screening of Crossing Delancey at the Bedford Playhouse, where they took part in a post-film Q&A with the audience.

International Women’s Day at Yellow Studio

In honor of International Women’s Day, Yellow Studio hosted a warm and welcoming morning celebration bringing women together for connection, reflection, and appreciation.

Museum of Darien Cabaret Benefit

An intimate cabaret evening marked the kickoff of America’s 250th anniversary celebration, blending jazz, storytelling, and patriotic reflection. It was a memorable night of music, history, and community. PHOTOGRAPHY: CHARLOTTE

Apple: The First 50 Years with David Pogue

Out & About

Apple: The First 50 Years with David Pogue

Guest gathered at Bedford Playhouse as David Pogue shared insights and untold origin stories of legendary company Appleand yes, even a few song parodies at the piano.

Women’s History Month Celebration at Bedford Books

Bedford Books and LiveGirl hosted a Women’s History Month conversation with

CEO, and

Hosted by the Ridgefield Historical Society, Faces from the Past unveiled a captivating story of discovery, as six early 19th-century portraits helped reconnect a long-forgotten family to the town’s Revolutionary-era roots. Held at Lounsbury House, the event drew audiences into a compelling blend of art, history, and serendipity!

PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER T MICHAELIS & GREGORY KAPLOWITZ

1. Lindsay Hearon, Daphne Viders, Jennifer Hollander, Sam Hollander

2. David Pogue

Faces From The Past

4. Melanie Marks, Mark Leftkowitz, Mia Robinson

5. Betsy Reid, Lisa Edmondson

Shaz Kahng, serial

Jennifer Brown, DEI thought leader.

Womens History Month Celebration at Bedford Books

3. Sheri West, Jennifer Brown, Shaz Kahng, Fran Hauser Faces From The Past

1. Dan Friedman, Amy Irving Peter Riegert

2. Peter Riegert, Amy Irving

4. Jazz Singer, Christi Bye performed America the Beautiful 5. Gareth, Harlan, Baden, Christi & Jake Bye

6. David & Emily Koch

Museum of Darien Cabaret Benefit

3. Taleen Mena, Myra Dickson, Aimee Pokwatka, Jessica Rao

International Womens Day at Yellow Studio

MAY

May 2 @ 5:30pm KENTUCKY DERBY PARTY

The Waveny Inn, New Canaan

May 2 @ 3pm WESTMORELAND SANCTUARY’S FAMILY PARTY

Westmoreland Sanctuary, Mount Kisco

May 3 @ 4pm SPRING DUO PIANO CONCERT

Darien Community Association

May 3-24 YOUNG ARTISTS 2026

Katonah Museum of Art

May 3 @ 9am GREAT STRIDES WALK FOR CYSTIC FIBROSIS

New Canaan High School

May 3 @ 2pm BRLA DUCK DERBY

Stone Hill River, Bedford

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!

May 4 @ 11am AUTHOR TALK

Celia Hirsch on Telling Bedford Books

May 5 @ 6:15pm JOHN JAY LECTURE SERIES: Cradle of Citizenship With James Traub Bedford Playhouse

May 6-10 & May 13-17th @ 8am - 5pm OLD SALEM FARM SPRING HORSE SHOW

Old Salem Farm, North Salem

May 7 @ 11:30am LUNCH WITH A PURPOSE Julie Wainwright / TheRealReal Grace Farms, New Canaan

May 7 @ 7pm MIANUS RIVER GORGE Celebration of Rod Christie Bedford Green

May 7 @ 6.30pm CLIMATE WAYFINDING AND HUMAN NATURE

Bedford Playhouse

May 7 @ 6:30pm HAVE A HEART FOR KIDS IN CRISIS

Silver Spring Country Club, Ridgefield

May 8 @ 5pm - 10pm

May 9 @ 9am - 6pm

May Fair

St. Mark’s Church, New Canaan

May 8 @ 6:30pm COOKS FOR BOOKS

St. James Village Hall, North Salem

May 8 @ 6:30pm SUMMER THEATRE OF NEW CANAAN GALA

Country Club of New Canaan

May 8 @ 6:30pm

BEDFORD PLAYHOUSE

SPRING BENEFIT

Bedford Playhouse

May 9 @ 9am

FARMERS SWAP

Gentlemen’s Farmstead, Katonah

May 12 - 17

ST. PATRICK’S CARNIVAL

Bedford

May 14 @ 6pm SPRING CELEBRATION

Endeavor Therapeutic

Horsemanship, Bedford Corners

CALENDAR of LOCAL EVENTS

May 14- June 21

DEAR EVAN HANSEN A.C.T of CT, Ridgefield

May 15 & 16 @ 7:30pm EAST COAST CONTEMPORARY BALLET 2026 SPRING SEASON

Darien Arts Center

May 16 @ 3pm EXHIBIT OPENING

Spectrum Contemporary Carriage Barn Arts Center, New Canaan

May 16 @ 2pm SAID IN COLOR ARTISTS’ TALK featuring Giselle Landers and Alissa Leigh Yellow Studio, Cross River

May 16 @ 4pm

NORTHERN WESTCHESTER

FLUTE ENSEMBLE IN CONCERT

Pound Ridge Library

May 16 @ 2pm

BASKETBALL LEGEND

JIM CALHOUN PRESENTS

More Than A Game

New Canaan Library

May 19 @ 7pm FILM + Q&A ON POSTPARTUM: More Than Blue Bedford Playhouse

May 20 1894 DAY Darien Library

May 21 @ 6:30pm CHEF PRASAD COLLABS with Chef Zahir Khan of GupShup, NYC

Chef Prasad, New Canaan

May 29 @ 6:30pm CELEBRATE NEW CANAAN

New Canaan Museum

May 30 @ 4pm

OPENING RECEPTION:

Fiber Forward Yellow Studio, Cross River

May 31 @ 2pm

RIDGEFIELD TOWN PARTY Ridgefield Playhouse

May 31 @ 9am

POUND RIDGE COLOR RUN

Pound Ridge Elementary School

May 31 @ 8:30am THE BRLA SPRING HUNTER PACE

The BRLA, Bedford

Onatru Farm Park, South Salem

May 30 @ 2pm THE GREAT COMMUNITY CAKE-OFF

New Canaan Library

May 31 @ 3pm 2ND ANNUAL STRONGER THAN YOU THINK SWIM-A-THON

Chelsea Piers, Stamford

We are excited to announce the launch of B&NC TALKS designed to bring the magazine’s stories to life in real time.

Conceived as a curated live series, B&NC Talks is a forum to gather a dynamic mix of voices: leading experts at the top of their fields, notable figures connected to cultural moments and premieres, and compelling individuals from within the readership to share their perspectives with our community in an intimate environment, designed to foster exchange of ideas. Because we are all better when we are educated and connected with an opportunity to broaden our perspectives.

The inaugural talk - ‘EXPLORING AI’ - will be held on May 27 at the Bedford Playhouse. We will be joined in discussion by John Roa (featured in the July/Aug ‘25 issue) a leading AI CEO and expert. John cuts through the hype and the doom to explain how these systems really work, where they fail, and what parents, professionals, and neighbors should really be paying attention to. AI, We look forward to hearing your questions!

June 1 @ 7am

RIDGEFIELD CHAMBER

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Salem Golf Club, North Salem

June 3 @ 6pm

BEDFORD FIELD

NOTES: Bugs

Bedford Historical Hall

June 4 @ 6pm

STAYING PUT IN NEW CANAAN SUMMER SOIRÉE

Serafresca at the IC, Stamford

June 4 @ 11:30am MATHER HOMESTEAD

GARDEN TEA LUNCHEON

with Guest Speaker Allison Pataki

Mather Homestead, Darien

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!

June 4 @ 8pm

CHELSEA HANDLER:

The High and Mighty Tour

The Capitol Theatre

June 4 @ 6:30pm STRANGERS: A Memoir Of Marriage With Belle Burden

Bedford Playhouse

June 4-7

ARMONK LIONS CLUB

FOL-DE-ROL FESTIVAL

Wampus Park, Armonk

June 5-7 @ 10am - 5pm BEDFORD SIDEWALK SALE

Bedford

June 5 @ 6pm

A.C.T. OF CT: ANNUAL GALA 2026

A.C.T. of CT, Ridgefield

June 5 @ 5:30pm BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF NORTHERN WESTCHESTER GALA

Brae Burn Country Club, Purchase

June 6 @ 12pm GLASS HOUSE SUMMER PARTY

The Glass House, New Canaan

June 6 @ 6pm WESTCHESTER LAND TRUST ANNUAL BENEFIT

The Center at Mariandale, Ossining

June 6 @ 3pm CARS & COCKTAILS

American Metal Customs, Danbury

June 6 @ 9:30am ENDEAVOR PARTICIPANT HORSE SHOW

Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship, Bedford Hills

June 6 @ 6pm GROOVE ON THE GREEN

New Canaan Library

June 8 @ 10am VOICES ANNUAL GOLF OUTING

Quaker Ridge Golf Club, Scarsdale

June 11-14 ART IN BLOOM

Katonah Museum of Art

June 13 @ 10am POUND RIDGE PARTNERSHIP BAKE-OFF CHALLENGE Pound Ridge Green

June 13 @ 11am ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM PAINTING WORKSHOP with Melissa Benedek

Carriage Barn Arts Center, New Canaan

June 14 @ 7am CAFFEINE & CARBURETORS

Downtown New Canaan

June 14 @ 2pm WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME

New Canaan Library

CALENDAR of LOCAL EVENTS

June 14 @ 8am

GOLDEN’S BRIDGE HOUNDS

SPRING HUNTER PACE

Baxter Road, North Salem

June 15 @ 6:30pm

AUTHOR TALK: Emily Lynn

Paulson in conversation with Katie Sise

Bedford Books

June 17 @ 7:30pm THE SERGIO MENDES BAND Ridgefield Playhouse

June 17 @ 7pm 1776 - THE MUSICAL Bedford Historical Hall

June 20 @ 7pm

OPENING NIGHT GALA

Caramoor, Katonah

June 20 @ 10am

COMMUNITY WALK & TALK

Lounsbury House, Ridgefield

June 20 @ 11am

YELLOW STUDIO & BEEHIVE

SUMMER MARKET

Yellow Studio, Cross River

June 25 @ 6:30pm

CHEF PRASAD COLLABS with Greer “Peaches” Fredericks New Canaan

June 25-29

UPSTATE ART WEEKEND Yellow Studio, Cross River

June 27 @ 12:30pm

AMERICAN ROOTS FESTIVAL Caramoor, Katonah

June 4 @ 4pm

The Knights & Conrad Tao Caramoor, Katonah

LOCAL FARMERS MARKET DIRECTORY

Wednesdays @ 10am-2pm Opening June 10th GOODWIVES SHOPPING CENTER

Darien

Saturdays @ 10-2pm LUMBER YARD LOT

New Canaan

Saturdays 10am-1pm

JESSE LEE GREENS

Ridgefield

Saturdays @ 8:30-1pm

10 MEMORIAL PLAZA

Pleasantville

Saturdays @ 9-1pm BACK STREET, CROTON FALLS

North Salem

Thursdays - Sundays POUND RIDGE ORGANICS

Pound Ridge

Saturdays @ 9-1pm

GOSSETT’S FARMERS MARKET

South Salem

Sundays @ 11-3pm MT KISCO TRAIN STATION

Mt Kisco

Wednesday - Saturday @ 9-5pm

Sunday @10-4

ROCHAMBEAU FARM

Bedford

Sundays @ 9:30-2:30pm

MUSCOOT FARM

Katonah

Saturdays @ 9-2pm

JOHN JAY HOMESTEAD

Village 2 Parking Lot, Katonah

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