July/August Issue Revised by bedfordnewcanaanmag

SpecialHOMES ISSUE

Luxury homes, built better

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Uncompromisingly innovative, precision crafted –and obsessively better built in every way.

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER

One of the real treats of publishing B&NC MAG is getting you in to see some of the most spectacular homes in our area. We feature great real estate in most issues, but in this annual Homes Issue we focus on one outstanding property after another.

Over the last five years we’ve brought you for private tours into: Philip Johnson’s Glass House, Edward Durell Stone’s Celanese House, and Orchard’s End - right across Oenoke in New Canaan; the Scura’s Home on Brush Island in Darien; Dominique Bluhdorn’s Louis Dreyfus Estate in Mt. Kisco; The Wetmore Mansion in Katonah; Paul Bluhdorn and Annie de Saint Phalle’s Estate in Bedford, and; the historic Oatland Mansion and the Lounsbury House in Ridgefield...just to name a few! You can always find a library of our features at bedfordnewcanaanmag.com

Our Cover Feature is on Michael Steinhardt and his beloved Iroki - a 60 acre property in Mt. Kisco that includes a menagerie of over 100 different kinds of animals, a world class collection of ﬂora and fauna, and all kinds of installations and follies the Steinhardts have collected over the years.

We’re featuring what shall hereafter be known as The Roa House - an especially elegant and efﬁcient reimagination of an 1860 Colonial gem in Pound Ridge.

And we’re showcasing Lisa Kroll’s latest masterpiece, her home in Pound Ridge, with features like an exceptional indoor pool and Japanese garden. And Michael and Robin Finkelstein’s SunRaven, a 4 acre farm on Guard Hill complete with a storybook home built from all reclaimed materials, and two horses, a llama, an apiary and an aviary, substantial organic gardens, and a teepee.

We’ve even managed to capture some shots of Renea and Duncan Dayton’s Modern Cotswold cottage in Waccabuc, and get you a glimpse of a couple of their astonishing automobiles…while introducing you to this ‘Funnest Couple’.

And somewhat real estate related - at least for you equestrians - we take you inside Martha Stewart’s barn for an interview with Martha’s Master Farrier, the ‘Hoof Doctor’, Michael Wildenstein, as he made a special visit to Katonah to shoe the Friesians.

We’ll be Back-to-School with our regular 18 Under 18 feature in September/October, bringing you Tidings of Comfort and Joy in the November/December issue…and so on. And we’ll continue to bring you our regular mix of bios, features on local charities and cultural institutions, travel, real estate, and other ‘Always Local Always Positive’ stuff.

...For this Summer's reading...enjoy the luxury!

CaseyKaplanArden

B&NC MAG PRESIDENT

Old Town Barns

THE ROA ESTATE

THE REIMAGINING OF A LANDMARK

There’s a house in Pound Ridge that for years was known as ‘that’ house. Longtime locals will recall wild pool parties and epic tennis matches, thrown by the late, legendary real estate maven Doris Seidletz. And by the time John Roa and Candice Milano arrived at this once-beloved residence, it was barely standing. Sagging into the earth with no foundation to speak of, it had become more ruin than retreat. Most prospective buyers didn’t make it past the front door…

FEATURE

RENEA & DUNCAN DAYTON

‘FUNNEST’ COUPLE OF THE YEAR AWARD

They live in Waccabuc in a Modern Cotswold Cottage they call BUCLAND. Renea recently sold HAYFIELDS Cafe, which she developed into the go-to neighborhood stop for a bite, and the host of an impressive once-a-month classic car gathering. Duncan is a real estate developer, a retired but renowned race car driver, a respected exotic car collector, and a stalwart of the community. They’re always smiling, have lots of friends, and might just be the ‘funnest’ couple around.

MICHAEL STEINHARDT AT HOME AT IROKI

Michael Steinhardt is a renowned Wall Street pioneer, has been a shaper of the American political landscape, and is famous for having amassed one of the largest private art collections and the largest private Judaica collection on the planet. He’s also put decades of work, and a lot of heart, into developing his residence in the estate section of Mt. Kisco, called IrokiJapanese for ‘garden of surprises’ - which is complete with a zoo, one of the largest displays of ﬂora in the U.S., and years of collected follies. …And when it comes to lifetime achievement, and the kind of things by which the life of a man is judged, Michael Steinhardt’s devotion to Jewish philanthropy and to his wife, Judy, and their family, will be his real legacy.

Elevating every moment.

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

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

Your future kitchen starts with Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove, featured at

83 Westchester Avenue, Pound Ridge, NY 10576 | 914-764-4051

MON—FRI: 9 am - 5 pm | SAT: 10 am - 4 pm

112

LIVING THE DREAM ON GUARD HILL

“The paddock was empty when I started to operate the property, together with several colleagues, as a healing center, back in 2005,” renowned doctor of Integrative Medicine, Michael Finkelstein recounts.

“We built out the farm and rescued two horses, and built a large community garden - welcoming lots of people who were nourished by the process and the produce. It wasn’t until 2010, when Robin and I moved in, that we made the changes to make it a comfortable home.”

144

MARTHA STEWART’S MASTER FARRIER

‘THE HOOF DOCTOR’ COMES TO CANTITOE CORNERS

When any of Martha’s horses require special attention…Martha calls upon the Master Farrier, Michael Wildenstein, ‘the Hoof Doctor’, to come for a ‘barn call’.

128

LISA KROLL’S LATEST MASTERPIECE…

Lisa Kroll is exceptionally bright, has become an expert at everything she’s ever done, and is, to put it nicely, extremely peripatetic. It’s almost as if, as soon as she achieves excellence in one endeavor, she becomes immediately focused on the next.

156

THE

PERFECT MANHATTAN PIED-À-TERRE

A perfect jewel box apartment in a doorman building, with expansive East River views, and a top-notch renovation… Have you been thinking of adding a crash pad to your portfolio?

See and be seen at the best events in our community!

Your curated guide to what’s happening around town this July and August... here’s what you can’t miss!

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

Caramoor

Westmoreland Sanctuary

Jacob Burns Film Center

John Jay Homestead The Bedford Oak

Playhouse

Scott’s Corners

HOME FRONT FARMERS

The ultimate summer flex: sun-ripened produce straight from your own garden! The custom-made, organic vegetable gardens are handcrafted with the highest quality cedar, and Homefront (based in Ridgefield) does all the maintenance, so you can spend your time enjoying your harvest, hassle free.

HANDCRAFTED LAPEL FLOWERS

@ FLEUR’D PINS

$110 $495

Fleur’d Pins is a luxury line of handcrafted lapel flowers that add a bold, stylish finishing touch to every ensemble. Perfect for elevating summer suiting and standout moments alike.

CLASSIC PREP MONOGRAM BEACH TOTE

$195

The Madeline Bag is an adorable summer statement! The canvas bags are durable, the beading is sure to impress… and best of all - they’re all customizable. They make great gifts too!

SUMMER must-haves

GRACE FARMS TEA

$14

Brew a batch of these thirstquenching iced teas. Organic herbal blends and caffeinefree, these drinks are bursting with flavor.

PIERO MASSARO SUNGLASSES

@ KATONAH EYE CARE

$949

FAUX FLOWERS

@ DIANE JAMES HOME

$155-$910

Homes should be bursting with florals all summer long… We love these flowers because they last a lifetime! Statement designs by Diane James Home (based in Norwalk), add the perfect pop of color to any space - and are extremely convincing.

Whether you’re trotting around town or at the beach, a stylish pair of sunglasses are a summer essential! We love this pair by Piero Massaro. Made in Italy, each pair is numbered and signed by the designer and is limited edition only.

CLARE V PETITE MOYEN BAG

@ TONEY TONI & THE GANG IN POUND RIDGE

$356

SUMMER PAREO

@ NICOBLU IN NEW CANAAN BLUE $178

This pareo is an exquisite style perfect for the beach or to add pattern to an outfit. New Canaanbased NicoBlu’s creations are inspired by the glamour of Capri, Jaipur and Cote D’Azur.

MEN’S SUMMER SHIRTS @ RIVAY IN BEDFORD BLUE $238 GREEN $228

The Madeline Bag is an adorable summer statement! The canvas bags are durable, the beading is sure to impress… and best of all - they’re all customizable.They make great gifts too!

Cool and collected - these linen and chambray shirts were born for summer festivities, from bonfires to barbeques.

SHAKER OUTDOOR GRILL @ WITTUS IN POUND RIDGE

$1,250

to the fire just got an

Summer nights around the fire just got an upgrade. Rustic and beautiful, the Shaker Outdoor Grill is perfect for any backyard and for grilling year round. S’mores not included

CHELSEA LINEN TABLECLOTH

@ APRIL CORNELL

$150 (SIZE 60X90)

Upgrade your entertaining with beautiful table linens from April Cornell. We’ve been swooning over the Chelsea, a warm and luxurious floral cloth printed on linen, perfect for intimate summer gatherings.

GLOW MIX IV THERAPY @ NEW BEAUTY & WELLNESS IN NEW CANAAN

$175

Recharge your body and glow from within! Glow Mix IV Therapy at New Beauty & Wellness New Canaan boosts hydration, energy, and skin vitality; perfect for staying refreshed and radiant all summer long.

WOVEN RATTAN NESTING TRAYS @ THE CLARK IN POUND RIDGE SOLD INDIVIDUALLY $175 FOR 18” TRAY

Searching for the perfect hostess gift?

These wicker trays are sure to win you a return invite! Available in round and rectangle.

Stephanie Loda R.E. Photography

The Reimagining of A Landmark

What Shall Henceforth Be Known As

THE ROAestate

There’s a house in Pound Ridge that for years was known as ‘that house’. Longtime locals will recall wild pool parties and epic tennis matches, thrown by the late, legendary real estate maven Doris Seidletz. And by the time John Roa and Candice Milano arrived at this once-beloved residence, it was barely standing. Sagging into the earth with no foundation to speak of, it had become more ruin than retreat. Most prospective buyers didn’t make it past the front door…

Built in the mid-1800s, the home was once part of the historic Hunt Farm, originally tied to the Purdy family, who were among the area’s earliest and most prominent settlers. Over the next century and a half, the house passed through only two families.

PHOTOGRAPHY: GILLIAN GAUGHAN

we knew within minutes that we were going to buy this place

“Where others saw a teardown, we saw potential. We knew within minutes that we were going to buy this place,” John says. “It just had a presence.”

And so began a multi-year restoration and expansion, orchestrated by architect Ira Grandberg, who’s known for his reverent touch with historic homes. “The house was literally sitting on rocks,” Ira says. “We had to jack it up and build a foundation underneath. But that opened up endless possibilities, and John and Candice had an imagination and openness that allowed us to do some really amazing things here.”

“The house actually almost fell over during the construction process,” John laughs. “Nobody could believe that the structure was still intact given that it was resting on loose boulders. Thankfully, Ira made sure it didn’t fall over, and we can laugh about it now!”

Sightlines were crucial to Ira’s plan. “I design homes around what you see,” he explains. “Every corridor leads to a painting, a window, or a vista. That’s what makes a house feel alive.”

Rather than overwrite its history, John and Candice chose to embrace it. Candice explains, “We wanted to preserve the soul, but make it ours, and make it really comfortable for our family.”

John and Candice approached the renovation like an archaeological dig crossed with a mood board masterclass. “We probably looked at hundreds of images,” Candice says. “But it wasn’t about copying. It was about decoding what we loved.”

“Take the ﬂooring, for example,” John recounts, “We found centuries-old planks in the attic and reclaimed and reinstalled them throughout the main living spaces. We sourced delicate plaster crown molding for the parlor from Europe and had it shipped in sections, then hand-blended them on-site until the seams disappeared. The shipment came on pallets that weighed 5,000 pounds! And then there’s the banister in the front hall that’s still adorned with the original mortgage button - a forgotten tradition where homeowners would ceremonially place the button signifying that their deed was paid-off onto the post.”

“We wanted to preserve the soul

The couple created a basement that fulﬁlled some of the more modern amenities that they still wanted to enjoy, adding an ultra-cozy mini movie theater, a gym, an oversized laundry room, and two guest suites.

The mortgage button on the banister was a late 1800s tradition; newel posts would have a hole drilled into their center that would remain empty until that house had been paid off... once it had, the paid deed slip would be inserted into the hole and covered with a mortgage button for safe keeping.

The outdoor spaces are just as much a part of the home and living space as the inside. A gorgeous covered back porch with picturesque rocking chairs boasts reservoir views; a completely windowed room with a hanging swing porch chair serves as an indoor-outdoor living room; and; the yard was turned into a sublime recreation space with a Har-Tru tennis court and pool connected by a patio.

Outdoor living at its f inest

The two oval windows became de ning features

Though the home grew in size, nearly tripling from its original 1,700 square feet, it remains intimate by design. The couple linked the main house to a neglected outbuilding, once suspected to be a schoolhouse or caretaker’s quarters, via a light-ﬁlled breezeway.”The breezeway was Ira’s idea... and it makes the house feel so much more expansive, and it allowed us to make the facade a bit more interesting as well… we added a trellis to the inlet, and the two oval windows became deﬁning features,” Candice shares.

a love letter to rustic elegance

The guesthouse, with its own sitting room, bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen, was gutted and re-envisioned. The absolute showstopper of the space is a mint green kitchen by Bilotta. Though it looks like something that might have been restored from the original estate, each piece was fabricated to have that historic aesthetic, and appliances were carefully selected so that they could be hidden. It serves as a private haven for visiting friends and family - a love letter to rustic elegance.

The main kitchen is a delightful space that feels like a retreat in the English countryside, with a slightly more formal dining room off to one side, and a quaint windowed breakfast nook on the other. John, who took up woodworking during the renovation, hand-crafted both the dining room and breakfast room tables himself.

The Pantry

The pantry is absolutely adorable.

“I found these quirky maple slabs from a lumberyard in Ridgeﬁeld that really give the space some character. From there, the rest was all Candice’s vision!

Obviously the oval window adds an interesting touch to the space, and we hunted down the antique doors from a warehouse in Pennsylvania and then had custom brass hardware fabricated to ﬁt perfectly,” John beams.

The couple even installed a pot-ﬁller faucet over Prada’s (the couple’s White Cream Retriever) water bowl. Prada being a nod to Candice’s last name - Milano.

“We reveled in the details. No kidding, our vision board to get started was a 500-page powerpoint! …And then we spent about a year shopping, antiquing, and sourcing all of the ﬁnishing accents and furniture that make the place feel like a home,” John says.

Candice’s obsessive eye for lighting led her to obscure European artisans, sourcing sculptural pendants and sconces with the fervor of a curator. And you wouldn’t know it by looking, but the house is one of the most technologically advanced in the area. Facial recognition security, custom Lutron automation, smart climate systems… the kind of invisible infrastructure that operates without interrupting the old-world charm.

“There are no iPads on the walls,” John, who’s a tech entrepreneur, insists. “We wanted it to feel like a 19th-century country house, not a Silicon Valley command center.”

…And that juxtaposition—of antique soul and modern function—is where the home ﬁnds its rhythm.

“All throughout the renovation, neighbors and strangers alike have been stopping by, eager to see what’s become of that house. It was like the town was rooting for us,” Candice says. “And we felt that. It’s part of why we wanted to open the house up to B&NC Mag…”

The result of John and Candice’s vision is a home that feels layered with time, thoughtful in function, and utterly original.

“This was never a ﬂip,” John says. “This is where we plan to live forever. I mean it. Take me out of here in a box!”

La Maison Fête 617 Old Post Road Bedford New York 10506 914.234.8627 ww w.lamaisonfete.com

RENEA & DUNCAN DAYTON

FUNNEST COUPLE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Renea & Duncan Dayton just might be the Funnest Couple around!

They live in Waccabuc in a Modern Cotswold Cottage they call BUCLAND, which they designed in conjunction with Two Tall Trees Design and Gretchen Farrell Interiors, which has a clean, understated, and elegant aesthetic. They have a 6 year old son - who is Duncan’s mini-me, and a 1 ½ year old daughter - who is Renea’s spitting image. Renea recently sold HAYFIELDS Cafe & Florist, which she purchased in 2015, and developed into the go-to neighborhood stop for a bite, and the host of an impressive once-a-month classic car gathering, before selling the place for a handsome proﬁt in 2024. Duncan is a real estate developer, retired but renowned race car driver, a respected exotic car collector, and a stalwart of the community. They love to travel, and all the pictures from their adventures are emblematic of their love for life. They’re always smiling, and have lots of friends. And, despite their 25-year difference in age, it’s Duncan who‘s more rambunctious.

“My dad, who was a Tank Commander in World War II, made sure that my brother and I learned the virtue of hard work and the value of a dollar!”

Duncan Dayton grew up in Wayzata, Minnesota, the great grandson of the man who founded Dayton’s Daylight Store, which became Dayton’s and then merged with J. L. Hudson’s to become Dayton-Hudson, and which is now known as Target. “Following in the footsteps of the two generations before them, my dad and his four brothers started Target as a discounter in 1963 and took it public in 1967,” Duncan explains. “They built the ﬁrst fully enclosed shopping mall in the United States, called Southdale, and went on to build seven or eight other regional malls in addition to their network of centralized downtown department stores. They owned the bookstore chain B. Dalton, and bought Marshall Fields which they sold to May Department Stores, who sold to Macy’s.”

“In the Great Depression, my grandfather refused to lay anyone off or to lower wages, and my family always ran Dayton’s with ‘the customer is always right’ attitude,” Duncan recounts. “There’s a favorite family story about a woman buying a fancy dress from my father, who saw her wearing the dress at an event that weekend, whereupon the woman came into the store the next day to return the dress - which was stained, saying it ‘didn’t fit’. …My dad accepted the return with a smile and assisted the woman in picking out something new. As a result of that kind of stewardship, when the Haft brothers attempted a hostile corporate takeover in the late ‘80s, the family was able to solicit the support of thousands of loyal customers who were small shareholders to thwart the attempt. …And, because my dad and my uncles were firm believers in the idea that, in order to be a world-class city, Minneapolis needed to have world-class culture, they started something called the Five Percent Club - getting together with many of the other business leaders in Minnesota and committing 5% of their corporate pre-tax profits to locally focused charities. That ‘Five Percent Club’ helped build the stadiums for the Vikings and the Twins and funded hundreds of local institutions!”

So it’s fair to say that Duncan grew up in a prominent family, but Duncan explains that, “From the time Target went public, it was clear that neither I nor any of my ﬁfteen cousins were going to continue the family’s generational leadership of the business. …And although we did have many advantages - like enjoying the extended family’s ‘cabin’ in Northern Minnesota that my grandfather bought in the midst of the Great Depression - my dad, who was a Tank Commander in World War II, made sure that my brother and I learned the virtue of hard work and the value of a dollar! In the winters, my friends and I would restore old wooden boats, and then sell them for a proﬁt the next summer at the marina where I pumped gas.”

“I went to Highcroft Country Day, then Blake, which merged with Northrop School, in Minneapolis, where I graduated from high school,” Duncan recounts.

“Then I went to Connecticut College, following in my mother’s footsteps…and joining my brother, and graduated in 1981, with a Major in Government and a lot of courses in Art History and Architecture. Then I moved back to Minneapolis to take courses in Engineering at the University of Minnesota. And, at the same time, I bought a small building on the corner of Lake Street and Minnetonka Ave, in our home town, and formed a partnership with the neighboring drive-thru bank building’s owner and developed an award winning, boutique ofﬁce building that served as the center of business in Wayzata. …I’ve been doing real estate development ever since.”

“I moved to Boston to get my Masters in Design Studies and Computer Aided Design from Harvard, and lived with my ﬁrst wife in Dover,” Duncan continues. “Several years later, I went looking for a community closer to New York City and stumbled upon the property on Mills Road in North Salem which I purchased in 1995 - and where I lived until 2018, when Renea and I completed Bucland and moved-in here.”

They live in Waccabuc in a Modern Cotswold Cottage they call BUCLA ND

PHOTOS: GILLIAN GAUGHAN

“I’ve always been into cars,” Duncan exclaims. “I distinctly remember that my father took me to the premier of the movie Grand Prix, with James Garner, in 1966, when I was seven…and there was a scene at the start of the Grand Prix of Monaco…and I was hooked! By the time I was ten, I was racing a go kart. Before I could legally drive, I used to race an old Ford Grenada around on frozen lakes in Minnesota seeing just how far I could drift the car. And my brother and I were always restoring cars, so by the time I was driving I knew a thing or two about

engines and making a car go fast. In 1978, when I was 19, I went to the U.S. Grand Prix at Watkins Glen and one of my dad’s friends, who worked for STP, got us tickets. We hopped a few fences and stood on the grid with Mario Andretti and his 1978 Lotus79, the ‘John Player Special’ Formula 1 car, also known as the ‘Black Beauty’, in which he’d won the 1978 World Championship. …Some years later, I bought it! …I raced that car and many other vintage automobiles, for about 35 years. I’ve raced all over the world and at all the great tracks in America, Europe, Australia and South Africa.” In fact, Duncan is the winningest driver in the history of Monaco - with 11 historic race wins! He turned professional in 1994, and ﬁnished 3rd in the F-2000 National Championship in 1995. He’s raced in long-distance events at the 24 Hours of LeMans, in France, and at Daytona, Sebring, and other fabled tracks.

a letter asking for a meeting. I flew to Torrance, California and met with the top brass, thanks to an introduction from Danny Sullivan. When we walked out of the meeting, I didn’t think there was a hope in hell of getting the deal, but they agreed to a site visit in Danbury. At the time I only had four or five guys working in the shop, so before they showed up, I hired about twenty young professionals from the local temp agency to come walk around with clipboards and file folders, and call each other, so the phones were ringing off the hook. …It looked like we were a huge well oiled machine! When they called me a couple of days later and said we’d won the bid I was shocked. … We ended up running the Honda Prototype Team from 2007 to 2010, and we won back-to-back Championships in 2009 and 2010.”

“I’ve always been into automobile design, and have a special place in my heart for cars which I’ve restored,” Duncan discloses.

Duncan continues, “In 2000, when I was 41, I decided I was too old to be driving open-wheel formula cars, and so I refocused my team at ‘Highcroft Racing’ on winning the International Motor Sports Association Championship. I built a race shop at the Danbury Airport to house the operation. I was still racing sports cars, but started to really focus on the sport as a business. I bought a car from Rob Dyson, and we campaigned that car as an independent team, but knew that in order to be really successful, we needed to be what’s known as a ‘Factory Team’. …Honda had put out an RFP looking for teams to develop and manage their new sports car program. They’d already heard from several experienced teams when I got in touch with them. I put together a proposal to send them… and at the last second realized that what I’d come up with was total BS…and instead sent a photograph of my Highcroft facility with

“I’ve pared down my collection, but I still own the Black Beauty, and I guess the two favorite sports cars I own today are my 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 and the 1960 Maserati 3500 GT. The businessman in me is proud to report that almost every car I’ve ever owned has appreciated in value.”

He’s also been the Chairman of the Board of his alma mater Connecticut College, and of NOLS, The National Outdoor Leadership School, about which Duncan comments, “I had the chance to spend a month living in the wilds of the Wind River Mountains in Wyoming, on a NOLS excursion between my freshman and sophomore years of college - and it changed my life! I think the lessons of independence and interdependence, self-conﬁdence, and respect for nature were invaluable for me, and that every kid should get to experience being in the wilderness.” At 40, Duncan climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, and he’s also been to the Mt. Everest Base Camp with Scott Fisher, who died in the ‘Into Thin Air’ tragedy.

Renea is from Houston, Texas, where her father was a landman and stepmom’s family founded SYSCO Foods, and her mother was a construction manager and her stepdad was a Vietnam veteran and a Partner at a prominent insurance rm. Renea went to Belaire High School, an inner-city public school, and then to Trinity University in San Antonio, with a scholarship to play Division III basketball. While in college, she got a job with the San Antonio Spurs and ran the Gamecrew that entertained the fans during time-outs and half-time.

“I had a boyfriend from college who lived in New York, so when I graduated I wanted to move to the Northeast - and I applied for any job that had to do with marketing and communications in the sports industry,”

Renea explains. “In 2006, I got the job as Marketing and Public Relations Manager at the historic Lime Rock Park race track in Lakeville, Connecticut.

I immersed myself in everything Lime Rock and everything having to do with racing cars - and I made up for whatever I didn’t know with some dedication, hard work, moxie, and intuition. When the executives from Coca-Cola met with our team to decide whether or not to buy Lime Rock’s sponsorship package and surprised me, in front of Skip Barber - the famous race driving instructor and then-owner of Lime Rock, and my CEO, with the pop question ‘What’s your favorite Coke product?’ - I answered ‘Jack and Coke’...and it carried the day. I was good at my job and, in 2009, I became the CMO.”

“Part of my responsibility at Lime Rock right from the start was to get to know every race team owner - as they were the track’s key customers, and I met Duncan in that context,” Renea tells the story of how the two got together. “I wrote him an email that started with ‘Dear Mr. Dayton’, but it wasn’t long before we started ﬂirting over email.” “Yeah,” Duncan interjects, “...It took a while with those emails, but before all that, when I ﬁrst met Renea in a meeting at Lime Rock, I turned to a friend and said and said “I’m going to marry that woman!”

“I’m going to marry that woman!”

“Those emails started in the summer of 2007,” Renea recalls with a smile, “...and, on January 20, 2008, we finally went to dinner at the Mayflower Inn on our real first date…and we’ve gone to the Mayflower to celebrate the anniversary of that date every year since. I moved into the house on Mills Road in North Salem with Duncan not long thereafter, and we were married in 2012. We had our rehearsal dinner at Farmer & The Fish and the ceremony was at the Mead Chapel in Waccabuc.

…After a few years of commuting over an hour back and forth every day to work at Lime Rock, I decided to shift gears…and started to focus on the ﬂower gardens at Mills Road, and the commercial viability of a local ﬂower business. The local garden center in town needed a new caretaker and the property was sitting perfectly on the corner of Bloomer Road and 121.

I knew I could turn that garden centerand former gas station - into a much more charming farmstand-style florist, farmers market, and coffee shop…all rolled into one. Every morning for weeks I’d stand out on the corner with a clicker counting cars to assess the commercial viability of the location…and then I went for it! Naturally, Hayfields had an automotive theme - we hung some of Duncan’s classic prints on the walls to decorate the store - and we hosted what became a big neighborhood gathering - called Cars & Coffee - held on the first Sunday of each month, bringing together like-minded car enthusiasts from all over the region.”

“Renea is extremely creative, knows how to produce an event, and sets a great vibe wherever she goes and whatever she does,” Duncan proclaims.

“She’s a thoughtful mom, the best friend anyone could have, and makes every day fun.” To which Renea responds, “...And Duncan is a petal-to-the-metal life-extremist in everything he does - not just car racing! He’s a great skier…he lived in Sun Valley for a year after college, when he was 22, and talks about how he skied 137 days that year, and always boasts about how many vertical feet he’s skied on his CMH Heliskiing trips. He approaches our current ski trips - and most of our excursions - with similar intensity and he has the calm of an older, wiser parent with the kids, and of course they have him wrapped around his ﬁnger. Duncan is already enraptured by how well our son handles the corners in his go kart, and is already saying that, as a six-year-old ‘he has the car control of some of the greatest drivers I’ve known’.”

The couple recently participated in the 1000 Miglia Experience Road Rally - driving up and down and across Florida, campaigning their 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 in the esteemed and refined, but very congenial competition. “We were First overall on day one, but on the second day it started raining cats and dogs… and the windshield wiper motor seized up… and the fuel pump shorted-out. We had to wait for a couple of hours before we got a flatbed to that night’s hotel. You have to expect trouble with cars, but this one was a bit more grueling than one would hope. …Though we did manage to finish,” Duncan says with a wry smile. To which Renea, with her usual cup-is-totally-full outlook, adds, “It was a perfect weekend!”

CHOOSE THE RIGHT CLUB

King School is a PreK-12 independent, co-ed day school located in northern Stamford that educates students of Fairfield and Westchester counties.

STEINHARDT AT HOME AT IROKI MICHAEL

In Yiddish the word kavod (pronounced in the vernacular as kuved) means glory, honor, praise, dignity, and respect, and the word nachas (pronounced nachus) means gratiﬁcation, pride, satisfaction, and personal fulﬁllment.

Michael Steinhardt is a renowned Wall Street pioneer, has been a shaper of the American political landscape, and is famous for having amassed one of the largest private art collections and the largest private Judaica collection on the planet. He’s also put decades of work, and a lot of heart, into developing his residence in the estate section of Mt. Kisco, called Iroki - Japanese for ‘garden of surprises’ - the name the American novelist Theodore Dreiser gave the property when he lived there in the ﬁrst half of the 20th Century. The property is complete with a zoo, one of the largest collections of ﬂora in the U.S., and years of collected follies.

But when it comes to lifetime achievement, and the kind of things by which the life of a man is judged, Michael Steinhardt’s devotion to Jewish philanthropy and to his wife, Judy, and their family, will be his real legacy. …And, by all measures, Michael Steinhardt deserves to be lavished with copious kavod, and has earned and should rightfully enjoy a heart ﬁlled with nachus

legendary figure in the world of finance, Michael became one of Wall Street’s first multi-billionaires, A

but, as he says, “My career in the market was more about being the smartest guy in the business than about accumulating wealth.”

Jon Corzine, the former Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, and former U.S. Senator and Governor of New Jersey, says about Michael, “Steinhardt was at the forefront of large-block trading and, for many years, was the go-to noninstitutional whale who could be trusted to fulﬁll whatever deal was struck. We knew his word was his bond, and I always thought of him as a strong and honorable man. …And as the ﬁnancial markets became more and more sophisticated, Michael became a founder of active money management and of the modern day hedge fund. He probably shorted more securities than any other investor, having the courage of his conviction…which more often than not proved to be correct.”

And Jonathon Steinberg, CEO of WisdomTree, Inc., a global financial innovator offering a diverse suite of exchange traded products, models, and solutions, as well as digital asset-related products, says about Michael, “Having Michael serve as Chairman of WisdomTree from 2004 to 2019 was both a privilege and a defining influence on our firm’s evolution. His remarkable instincts, sharp intellect, and candid nature shaped how we approached markets, risk, and long-term strategy. Michael doesn’t just challenge convention—he reshapes it. He has been a mentor in the truest sense: a formidable presence, a relentless thinker, and a leader whose standards elevated everyone around him.”

Michael reﬂects, “I’ve been addicted to the thrill of buying and selling stocks since my father gave me some Erie Lackawanna bonds he won in a poker

game for my bar-mitzvah present, and I’m obviously proud of my track record. But the last thing I’d like to have on my tombstone, or to be remembered by, is that I was a great trader!”

Michael was once also thought of as a philosophical leader and a mover-and-shaker in American politics, having served as Chairman of the Democratic Leadership Conference, founded by Al From, which notably involved such ﬁgures as Senator ‘Scoop’ Jackson and Sam Nunn, and which had shifting the Democratic Party to a more centrist agenda as its primary objective. The DLC was dissolved in 2011 as the Democratic Party continued to move to the left, and Michael looks back dismissively, commenting that, “The problem with politics is the politicians!”

And, with great wealth in hand, Michael became a highly regarded art collector, amassing a vast collection of everything from Antiquity to Renaissance to Modern arts, and what was widely regarded to be one of the world’s ﬁnest collections of Jewish ceremonial art. Director Emeritus of The Israel Museum in Jerusalem and current Director of the Jewish Museum in New York - and Pound Ridge local - James Snyder, says about Michael, “Michael’s engagement in the collecting world – from Ancient Art to Old Masters to Modern Art – has been a model in many ways. Very few collectors have done as much to put Jewish culture in the context of other world cultures, or have helped museums - from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the Israel Museumto highlight these connections.”

When Michael sold his Judaica collection in 2013, Sotheby’s called it the most valuable collection of Judaica ever offered for sale. The Israel Museum in Jerusalem and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York together purchased the iconic late Renaissance Northern Italian manuscript of Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah, and the Met also acquired 18th Century Italian and 19th Century American Torah Crowns and Finials. “Collecting art was all-consuming for a period, but it was never as rewarding as anything that has gone on here for me and Judy in Bedford,” Michael remarks.

One passion which continues to this day for Michael, is his beloved the family’s 60-acre property, Iroki,

STEINHARDT

One passion which continues to this day for Michael, is his beloved Iroki, the family’s 60acre property, located just down the road from Dominique Bluhdorn’s Louis Dreyfus Estate and Eric Hadar’s Wood Estate in Mt. Kisco. When Judy and Michael bought the ﬁrst part of the property in 1978, they moved into the rather unattractive and somewhat uncomfortable modern house that was already there. They built the barn complex that is now on the property in 1997, and it was not until 2000 that they built ‘The Lodge’, a stunning, but relatively humble Adirondack country houseintending for it to become the guest house once they could construct a more spectacular main residence on the site of the original modern house.

…Then, after living in The Lodge for more than a decade, Judy and Michael decided it was just right for them!

…Whereupon they built a large Modern Cubist-design home with walls of glass designed by the French architect Philippe Starck, reminiscent of Corbusier, and made of prefabricated elements, called a Path House…and, in 2018, their daughter Sara, her husband Mark, and their family moved into this ‘main’ residence!

Going way beyond the zebras Hearst had roaming San Simeon, Iroki’s menagerie began with two adopted donkeys from a rescue program in the Grand Canyon, and grew to include zebras and zonkeys! Because Michael and Judy have been fascinated by the wide variety of exotic animals they’ve seen travelling all over the globe, the Iroki’s ever expanding collection of over 100 different species includes Bactrian camels, kangaroos, capybaras, scimitar-horned oryx, llamas, antelopes, fallow deer, albino wallabies, greater kudu, guanaco, mouﬂon, porcupines, and tortoises…pin tails, Muscovy ducks, Barrhead geese, and various water fowl from around the world…and, in a one-acre aviary, an array of exotic birds, including rheas, blue cranes, Grey Crowned Cranes, ﬂamingos, black and white swans, and specimen macaws.

“WHAT MICHAEL HAS ASSEMBLED HERE AT IROKI IS TRULY UNIQUE”

Michael is absolutely in his element taking walks on the myriad trails and paths to view the various gardens, fields, forests and wetlands - each designed to mimic a foreign and particular ecosystem - and to take-in the installations and follies Michael has had strategically installed over the years. And Judy is known for her four-mile long and fast-paced daily walks around the property, and is particularly enthralled by the flower gardens, having recently erected a most magnificent rose garden with at least 100 different varieties of roses in all different colors, designed to have constant blooms from late April through late October.

No two days here are the same...

Jason Hayes is the longtime and trusted Property Manager who has overseen everything at Iroki for almost two decades. “What Michael has assembled here at Iroki is truly unique, and the property maintenance and care for the animals that he demands is second to none,” Jason relays. “We supplement the trees and plant material on the property each year. We have over 1,200 varieties of Japanese maples, and an outstanding conifer collection. Several years ago we started doing annual trips to the Paciﬁc Northwest, always looking for the most unique specimens that we don’t already have here. We push the edge of hardiness and coddle the more delicate plants and trees through the winter. It takes an army to make this place what it is! And no two days here are the same, the landscape is ever evolving and is really a work of art unto its own. It’s fair to say that Michael is obsessed with maple trees and with conifers, and really all varieties of ﬂora and fauna. He wants to see beautiful colors, especially preferring yellow, and exotic varieties, many of which become features of the property. …And each year I’m also charged with locating some object d’art, oddment, or other exotic curiosity - and importing it to, or recreating it at Iroki.” Michael comments, “I want to be delighted!”

THE BARN COMPLEX, CONSTRUCTED IN 1997, IS HOME TO THE TORTOISES, KANGAROOS, BUNNIES, TWO MASSIVE GREAT PYRENEES, LLAMAS, SCIMITAR-HORNED ORYX, ALBINO WALLABIES. ITS GREENHOUSE GROWS MOSTLY BEGONIAS AND TROPICAL PLANTS. JASON HAYES SHARES, “MICHAEL HAS ALWAYS BEEN INTRIGUED BY WHAT WE CAN GROW AND CULTIVATE… HE GREW UP IN BROOKLYN - AND HE JUST LIKES TO BE AROUND ALL FORMS OF NATURE AND GREENERY.”

STEINHARDT

Still, Michael’s most extraordinary achievement has been as a philanthropist, and in the area of Jewish philanthropy in particular.

His non-afﬁliated giving is noteworthy, and has included his $30M gift to what is now named the New York University Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, among other signiﬁcant contributions to organizations supporting causes including democracy, social services, and education. But Michael’s Jewish philanthropy is something else altogether.

He was a member of what was called the Mega Group or Study Group, which was a philanthropic affiliation of the twenty or so wealthiest Jewish businessmen. He was an owner of the influential Jewish weekly newspaper The Forward from 1995 to 2000, until he had a philosophical difference with that publication’s move to what Steinhardt saw as too extreme left. He served as Chairman of the Board of Tel Aviv University, was a significant donor to the American Hebrew Academy, and he endowed the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, located on Tel Aviv University’s campus. His Steinhardt Foundation for Jewish Life, which his daughter Sara Bloom runs, is one of the leading Jewish charitable organizations in America. As Sara rightfully boasts, “The Steinhardt Foundation funds a group of Hebrew language charter schools located in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles, called Hebrew Public. We co-founded and support OneTable, which has supplied hundreds of thousands of Friday-night Shabbat dinners to groups of Jews who need only apply for the funding, in order to promote coming together and building community and help younger Jews create a Shabbat habit and deepen their involvement in a Jewish life. We are excited

about a new project called Shiva Circle, run by the Shomer Collective, which will help spread the practice of Shiva - the rituals surrounding death. And, until 2018, we published the inﬂuential Contact magazine - and a library of issues is available on our website.”

“My father is endlessly creative, and just like when he was managing money, he is willing to take huge risks, and even spectacularly fail, as long as we try something different. I admire his imagination and willingness to dream big. He loves Hebrew, and wants all American children to have access to the language that the founders of our country knew so well. He wanted young adults to have access to the timeworn wisdom of celebrating Shabbat dinners each and every Friday night, and thus OneTable was born.”

…And his crowning success in Jewish philanthropy is as the Co-Founder and a key supporter of Birthright Israel, an organization dedicated to sending young Jews on a free ten-day trip to Israel, and now also to subsidizing adult Jews ﬁrst trips to the Jewish State. Michael’s daughter Sara comments, “Birthright has sent 800,000 young Jews to Israel in the last 25 years and, because my father and Charles Bronfman insisted on rigorous data keeping from the outset, the success of the program can be objectively measured. Visiting Israel works in helping to inculcate Jewish pride. Fifty percent of those who’ve been on Birthright return to Israel on their own at least once. Jews who have been on Birthright are 37% more likely to have a Jewish partner, 13% more likely to raise their children Jewish, and twice as likely to have a strong connection to Israel. …And 14 years ago we started Birthright Excel, where we arrange a 12-week internship in Israel for high-achieving Jewish students following their sophomore year of college - and, with over 1,000 alumnae, we are already seeing fruit as program graduates take special interest in supporting the State of Israel in one way or another.”

“I am a proud Jew and a proud Zionist,” Michael proclaims. “I’m not afraid to highlight the disproportionate achievements and contributions of Jewish people to society, and a focus of my life has been to promote Jewish pride. Jews are responsible for being a moral conscience in the world and to celebrate and afﬁrm life! That charge distinguishes us…and gives the world reason for optimism and hope for the future. It’s not easy being a Jew! Contrary to some anti-Semitic tropes, we Jews are big on tzedakah - giving charity, and our collective giving far outsizes our being a puny two percent minority of the American public. My focus has always been on educating Jews about their history, culture, and rich tradition, and in promoting Jewish values, and encouraging Jews to actually experience being Jewish as a part of everyday life. …And, as I’ve been quoted as saying over the years, I believe that the more one understands Israel’s promise and predicament, the more one understands that Zionism is a force for good.”

“We are devoted to Jewish life and values, but we are not religious,” Michael’s wife Judy interjects. “I grew up in Scranton and was too busy cheerleading to go to attend Hebrew school. My family’s Judaism centered around holidays. One of Michael’s passions has been educating the next generation of American Jews to understand

their identity. At his heart, he is an innovator. For example, when everyone poo-pooed the idea that sending young adults to Israel for free could be transformative, Michael insisted. And Birthright has been a tremendous success.”

“The creativity and wild imagination that Michael applied to the stock markets, and then to philanthropy, he also applied to our gardens,” Judy continues. “Since 1978 when Michael and I purchased our ﬁrst 16 acres on Croton Lake Road we have both been deeply involved with the property. Michael with the gardens, trees, and animals, and I with the architecture and design of the barns and the houses. We were looking for a country home that was commutable to Manhattan. Michael was at the height of his hedge fund career - working 24 hours a day - and a close friend told us about a rental in Bedford. After spending a summer in Watermill with three small kids and seeing Michael only on weekends the idea of a one-hour commute was appealing. When we ﬁrst came to see the property, Michael immediately fell in love with some breathtaking roses…it was the beginning of Michael’s great interest in gardening and landscaping. But then, when we drove up to the property for the closing, the seller was busy uprooting those roses to take with them. We were devastated. But our passion and curiosity was sparked.”

STEINHARDT STEINHARDT

“From the very beginning of our life on Croton Lake Road I have a clear image of Michael pouring over garden catalogues. Every winter weekend he would sit in his favorite chair in front of the fireplace reading, circling, and rereading descriptions of annuals, perennials, fruit trees, and conifers. What always amazed me was there was never a photo of the plant, only a vivid verbal description. Those catalogues ran the gamut from roses to dahlias to camellias, flowering shrubs and conifers with purple cones. He often became so excited that he would read the description aloud to me which would include the color, size, and fragrance of the plant. On Monday morning Michael would turn in the catalogues to his secretaries who were asked to order everything he had circled. …And then there were the trips to the nurseries. A Day Lily farm in Rhode Island, a yearly visit to Marders and Whitmore on Long Island in search of an unusual maple or some other specimen tree. …And as if that wasn’t enough, Michael and Jason started late winter visits to the Pacific Northwest where they both established precious friendships with two special tree nurserymen, Talon Buchholz and Bill Patterson.”

“And next came the animals. In 1980 we heard on a special CBS newscast that burros were overpopulating the Grand Canyon. These burros were up for adoption and two

very quickly became part of our family. As did Molly and McGee, two goats that Michael proudly led around on a leash. We also took in Ananaie a retired Buffalo from the Big Apple Circus,“ Judy remembers with a smile.

Iroki is indicative not just of Michael’s vision, ingenuity, and perseverance, but of the kind of great fun Michael and I have had together for the last halfa-century! Old as we are, we’re still a young couple!” Judy proclaims.

Taking in Judy’s praise, Michael says with some emotion welling, “In the end, it comes down to family! …Our three children, David, Daniel, and Sara, have blessed us with 14 grandchildren!” And, with that as a starter, Michael launches into a prideful description of each grandchild, starting with their name and age and then including a story about some facet of his personal connection with each one. He takes a family picture off the shelf and says, “If you want to know the meaning of life…it’s right there!”

…And the feeling is mutual…

Asked to comment on what makes Michael special, his daughter Sara offered, “He’s the greatest dad. Period. End of story. He set the bar high for our family, and always expected hard work, dedication, and excellence. He frowned on materialism, and always reminded us that we are judged not by what we say, but by our actions, how we live our lives and how we treat the people around us. He always wants to know how he can help, what he can do to make our lives better. …They say that there is a blessing in a long life, and as I get older, I understand that more. I’ve had the privilege of working with my dad at our Foundation, and I live on the same property as an adult with my own family. My children are lucky to know my parents through their own eyes and experiences. They see the life they have built, with our family smack at the center. Our immediate family of course, but also our extended family. My dad worked hard, and was successful, and then retired in his mid50s, devoting himself with the same energy he had to making money, to giving it away. We all feel enormously blessed to have our parents as our role models.“

And Michael’s son David says, “The word that best sums up my dad---and what I probably admire most about him—is his passion. When he was in business, his passion to be the best resulted in one of the longest and best investment records in hedge fund history. He made a fortune and then gave a lot of it away. And that passion extended to his philanthropy where he took risks and genuinely helped move the needle, making a difference in the causes he has cared most about. And when you walk around his place in Bedford and experience the beauty of the Japanese maple garden in the fall, or pick golden raspberries in the summer--or watch an Albino Wallaby hop across a ﬁeld with a baby’s head poking out its pouch ---you

know you’re experiencing the embodiment of my father’s love and passion for plants and animals—in this magical haven he built to enjoy with his family.”

And a few of Michael’s grandchildren also poignantly touched on their sense of Michael’s essence…

His grandson Jacob Berman, who is 26, writes: “I am in awe of Hoohaw and the way he has lived his life - true to his convictions, with deep emotional vulnerability, and with intensity for the things he cares about. He is careful with his words and has a deep love and appreciation for his family. And as a grandchild, especially since by the time we came around Hoohaw had retired from his career, he has been nothing but doting, inquisitive, and loving. I feel grateful for the relationship I have with him.”

His grandson Josh Berman, who is 24, writes: “Hoohaw calls frequently and cares deeply about what I’m doing. He always wants to know the latest about everything in my life - from what’s going on at my job, to what’s going on with my friends, and about what’s happening in my love life - especially the latter. He loves trying all different types of food - a love which has deﬁnitely been passed down to me. And he was a good stickball player back in his Brooklyn days...but no longer. He has always been larger than life…but he’s always made me feel special!”

His granddaughter Kira Berman, 22, writes: “I am so proud to have Hoohaw as my grandpa. Through example, he’s instilled in us values of intellectual curiosity, rooting for the underdog, and—of course—a true passion for food. From quizzing us with mental math to racing crabs at the beach, he’s always been such a fun and involved presence in our lives.”

And his granddaughter Lila Steinhardt, who is 19, writes: “As a grandpa, Hoohaw has always had a special way of making me feel loved. He can always make me laugh with his quick wit and the silly side he reserves just for us grandchildren. Those moments of laughter and lightheartedness are some of my fondest memories with him, and they show me a warmth and playfulness that is uniquely his. …Beyond that, Hoohaw’s actions have always inspired me. His creation of Birthright Israel is a perfect example of how his passions and dedication come to life. His vision to connect young Jews to their heritage was nothing short of genius, and he approached it with humble charitability—never

seeking recognition, but genuinely wanting to make a difference. His dedication to his family, his love for my grandma Judy, his passion for animals, and his deep commitment to the Jewish world are all pieces of a legacy that I’m so proud to be a part of. He has built a legacy through his actions, teaching me not just through his words but by the life he leads.”

…Heaps of kavod and plenty of nachus. Michael Steinhardt has every right to be kvellingbeing proud. He’s a mensch - a true gentleman!

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ON GUARD HILL LIVING THE

DREAM...

“The day after 9/11, Jerome Kohlberg, name partner in the Wall Street Kohlberg Kravis Roberts or ‘KKR’, came into Northern Westchester Hospital, where I was the Medical Director and Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs, and donated a million dollars to fund the development of Integrative Medicine within the Hospital,” Dr. Michael Finkelstein recalls. “Although I’d spent my entire career providing and administering in more traditional Western medicine, the President of the Hospital charged me with implementing

the grant and, more generally, moving the Hospital in a more ‘integrative’ direction - which is to say viewing medicine and treatment as being about more than just the body itself. …I went back to school for two years at the Andrew Weill Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona…and fell in love with what I believe is the medicine of the future. In 2003, I opened The Center for Health and Healing for the Hospital on Smith Avenue in Mt. Kisco, which we maintained until 2005.”

“My life’s mission was forever altered,” Michael declares. “From when I was seven years old I knew I wanted to be a doctor so I could help people, but now I’d realized Integrative Medicine was the best way for me to do that! I decided to leave the Hospital and start my own practice, and started to look for a farm - because I felt a working farm would be complementary to my practice. …A lot had changed in me as well.”

“Around the same time, one night, when I was living in the very traditional Southern Georgian Colonial at 491 Guard Hill - with my first wife and our kids Malcolm, Benjamin, and Caroline, I had an odd but very distinct dream about being in a bedroom that was wooden, with a corner fireplace,” Michael reveals. “About a month later, my neighbor put his home on the market- the house I’d been passing down the driveway for 12 years - this house at 501 Guard Hill - up for sale…and seeing the potential for it to be the farm I was looking for, and without even going into the house…I outbid some other interested parties and immediately purchased the property. …Then, when I finally went inside, the master bedroom was the same as the bedroom in my dream! It was clearly meant to be.”

“Though I’d purchased the place for the enchanting property…the house was a treasure!”

Michael says with the same sense of surprise he enjoyed when it happened. “I learned that the Reeds, who had purchased the property in 1975 and sold it to the folks who sold it to me, had expanded what was the original barn - comfortable three-bedroom home I’d purchased - using wood reclaimed from a barn in Millbrook and doors and hardware reclaimed from barns around New England. And they added a lot of the special features, like the wagon wheel windows and the Chestnut ﬂoors on the second ﬂoor. …They rescued animals, one of which was a Raven named Trevor who they kept in a specially built cage underneath the stairwell. …The story about Trevor was the inspiration for my naming the house ‘SunRaven’!”

“The paddock was empty when I started to operate the property, together with several colleagues, as a healing center, back in 2005. We built out the farm and rescued two horses, and built a large community garden, and welcomed lots of people who were nourished by the process and the produce. At one time we were feeding about twenty families,” Michael describes. “I separated from my ﬁrst wife and moved to North Salem in 2006, but continued my holistic practice at 501 Guard Hill.”

“It wasn’t until October 2010 - when Robin and I began to plan our future together - and after my first wife had moved out of the house next doorthat Robin and I moved into SunRaven and began to make it our own,” Michael details. “Then, a huge tree fell on the house during Hurricane Sandy in 2012… and that forced us to do a lot of work. …We added the first floor bathroom, and we redid the second floor of the house, integrating themes of color and texture we’d seen while travelling in Morocco and India with the naturally quaint cottage feel of the bedrooms.”

To be sure, 4 acres on Guard Hill Road - on the Bedford Riding Lanes Association trails - is Bedford’s best location, location, location!

Crafted with rare reclaimed woods and featuring exposed beams

unique windows and doors, and reclaimed wide-plank King Pine ﬂoors, the 3,350 square foot storybook house is a masterpiece of intentional design. Every detail evokes warmth, character, and timeless elegance.

The main ﬂoor is centered around a great room with soaring ceilings. The gourmet kitchen, with all top-of-the-line appliances and a large island with seating, is designed for real cooks and fun feasts. The spacious dining area and living area with ﬁreplace are comfortable and easy, but also work for a formal dinner party. And the great room has large French doors that open to the property and the large outdoor dining terrace with retractable awning.

Situated privately off the great room there’s a wing with both an ofﬁce with wooden bookshelves and built-ins and a separate library with French doors that open up to the property, and a full bath. On the other side of the great room, there’s a large and airy family room. And off the entry room, there’s a full laundry room with an extra side-by-side refrigerator and freezer.

Recessed window benches in each bedroom add a charming ﬂair to the home

On the second ﬂoor, which is replete with the same kind of wooden details as the main part of the house, the ‘dreamy’ primary bedroom is right out of a fairy tale, and has an adjacent sitting area and ofﬁce, and a large bathroom complete with a soaking tub. And the two cute secondary bedrooms share another full bathroom.

PHOTOS: GG PHOTO: RF

BEDFORD

And outside, SunRaven is a

living landscape.

A berry bramble, grapevines, and fruit trees surround an expansive organic vegetable garden with raised beds. Aviaries and apiaries are home to peacocks and bees. A spacious chicken coop houses a ﬂock of twenty, while the barn and paddock support two horses and a llama. There’s a genuine teepee at the end of one meadow and several secluded sitting areas set around the property. And there’s a greenhouse, and a potting shed big enough for plenty of storage.

“The place has a real blend of history, artistry, and nature. It’s been a gathering space for the community, we’ve had drum circles with thirty or forty folks going at it together, and in our practice a lot of folks have found some inner peace here. It’s not just a home, it’s a sanctuary.”

“SUNRAVEN HAS GOOD KARMA!” Michael declares.

SUNRAVEN, AT 501 GUARD HILL ROAD

in Bedford, is being offered for sale at $2,850,000. Interested parties should call Zak Kaplan at 914-314-5053 or Evi Skyriotis at 484-894-2584 to arrange a viewing.

“...It’s time for us to move on,” Robin says hesitantly, “...but it’s deﬁnitely with mixed emotions. We have a house in Encinitas, California where we spend most of the winter, and we’re completing the renovation of a townhouse - on Bedford Street - in Manhattan where we intend to spend a lot of our time…and, maybe most important, we want to be more free to visit with my daughters Heather and Chelsea, and my young grandchildren Mason and Caden, who live in Connecticut. …I just hope whoever buys this property falls in love with the entire vibe! …And I’d be really happy if they want to adopt our two horses and the peahens and chickens!”

Robin is a Psycho-Spiritual Therapist, with a practice focused on couples counseling, but which also encompasses family, individual, and young clients who need support. “I specialize in communication skills,” she says. “With couples, I help to

restore connection, love, harmony, and beauty, and to emphasize seeing the whole picture.” And Michael, whose book Slow Medicine sets out his philosophy that process and learning are the essence of life and his belief that humility is the true measure of a person’s worth, adds, “We’ll both be able to continue our practice from wherever we are…but we sure will miss SunRaven’s charm and energy!”

LISA KROLL’S

LATEST MASTERPIECE

Lisa Kroll is exceptionally bright, has become an expert at everything she’s ever done, and is so peripatetic that as soon as she achieves excellence in one endeavor she becomes immediately focused on the next.

…Her residence in Pound Ridge is her latest masterpiece. Lisa has redeveloped the property to the highest standards, complete with an indoor pool and an outdoor Japanese garden to name just a couple of highlights.

Lisa’s life story is simply fantastic! A little Indiana Jones, part Howard Hughes, and a measure of Georgia O’Keefe - all wrapped into one!

PHOTOGRAPHY: NICHOLAS VENEZIA

LISA KROLL

She grew up, daughter of a wealthy textile company owner, in Briarcliff and Scarborough, with a country house in Amenia. She went to Philadelphia Textile and Science and then the Rochester Institute to earn an Engineering degree, but before all that, when she was just 17, she got a job working for an Italian television company that was doing a series on Third World expeditions, and Lisa got to spend time on location and traveling in Afghanistan, Iran, and India. Her tales involve a love affair with the famous director, with places like Persepolis as the backdrop, and a trip by camel to meet a remote tribe in Kirkizi.

“After college, I started out in the design department in my father’s textile business…then got hired by Charlie Bluhdorn, who was the CEO of Gulf & Western, the parent company, to run a turnaround for a competitor,” Lisa recalls. “For more than a year, my father didn’t speak to me and forbade me to see my mother. But I was making millions - when that was very unusual for a woman. I did three turnarounds in the textile industry…and then returned to take over and become CEO at my father’s company.”

“I had a son and a daughter with my ﬁrst husband, who I left after 20 years, but remain close with,” Lisa recounts. “Manhattan was my home base, but my life has always been about travel. …I’ve ridden horses in Mongolia, and been to the Base Camp at Everest - twice!”

”…And then I got really into horses and riding! I set a goal to ride in the Hampton Classic - and did so within a couple of years. My ﬁrst horse, Conrad, turned out to be more of a Driving horse than a Dressage performer. My second horse, Moritz, an Olympic Sabine from the Netherlands - we won every time he went into the ring! And then I had a Linden Grey named Mouse - and having horses pass away on me became too emotional.”

“...Then I met a Chinese woman at an Armory in Florida…and became immediately enthralled with the art of pottery and ceramics,” Lisa recalls. “I was fascinated with the glazing process, and collected

different chemicals to create different mixes and experimented with ﬁring cycles. I studied the techniques of the European masters. I had a special kiln built, capable of heating to Cone 6. I had a studio in Croton Falls…and, for about eight years, I focused on creating crystalline ceramic works. …And - the sign of a good potter! - I probably took the hammer to ninety percent of my work!” …Although Lisa has never offered her ceramics for sale, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has acquired two of Lisa’s pieces for its permanent collection.

“I got into weaving as a hobby with my father in the 60s, and during covid I decided to get back into it,” Lisa continues, “...and in 2023 I bought this house, sight unseen, because I saw from the plans that it had a room big enough to accommodate my giant tapestry loom…and I knew I could transform the rest of the house and grounds into whatever I imagined!”

“I BROUGHT IN SOME REAL CRAFTSPEOPLE TO FULFILL MY VISION!” LISA DECLARES.

“I worked with the renowned Architect, Teo Siguenzia, based in Bedford, to reimagine what was here … and to turn it into something artful and tasteful with a bit of a ‘wow factor’ to boot,” Lisa smiles, “I think he was pretty amazing.”

“This project was completely collaborative between Lisa and I, totally interactive, and actually really fun to come up with all of the creative elements!” Architect, Teo Siguenzia, shares, “I put my whole heart into every project I do. And Lisa was very open to ideas… she started by saying ‘let’s see what you come up with!’... and we really went from there, using the great room - which was already there - as our starting point, saving whatever made sense, and adding all kinds of new envelopes and elements to the home.”

“Almost every idea I brought to Lisa she went with; she’s the kind of person that comes across a little idea and then runs with it and makes it even bigger and better,” Teo says.

“THE KITCHEN WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE BLACK.

After doing quite a bit of research I found that Bilotta was the preeminent kitchen designer in the area with the highest capabilities and the most interesting design sensibility. They took my general vision and transformed it into a real focal point of the house. It doesn’t look like every other kitchen around here - and that’s just how I like it,” Lisa grins. Bilotta partnered with Fordham Marble Company, owned by two of Lisa’s Pound Ridge neighbors, Mario and Joyce Sardo, to implement eye-catching black quartzite countertops with white veining. “We handselected blocks that would marry nicely and be the most interesting in the room,” Mario says. “Lisa wanted the countertops to have an almost lacquered look, so we suggested using the same material for the backsplash and going all the way up the wall in places without cabinets - you’ll see that the entire back wall of the kitchen has quartzite going up to the ceiling - and we did a fabulous waterfall on the island.”

“IT

LISA KROLL

TURNED OUT JUST MAGNIFICENT,” LISA BEAMS

The mantle in the living room serves as the literal cornerstone of the home, and as the as the book-matched Italian quartzite slabs ascend to the double height woodpaneled, vaulted ceiling - one of the original elements that was saved in the renovation.

‘WOW’ FACTOR

FORDHAM MARBLE ALSO DID A BEAUTIFUL ONYX POWDER ROOM WITH EVERY SURFACE IN THE ROOM, INCLUDING THE FLOOR AND CEILING - COVERED IN THE MOST SPECTACULAR ONYX.

Though the house itself, perched atop a stone cliff and set like a treehouse up in the treeline, is extremely impressive… the indoor pool pavilion is the real show-stopper. Nick Larizza owns Bedford Poolscapes and turned Lisa’s vision into a reality, “Lisa had seen this gorgeous indoor pool at the Hôtel de Crillon in France and wanted to replicate many of the elements in an even more exceptional manifestation here in Pound Ridge.” Limestone blocks were sandwashed on the walls to create a spalike atmosphere, and a single long panel was installed on the ceiling to affect an even and moderated light. Massive matching windows on each side of the pavilion allow the end of the pool to vanish into the abyss of surrounding forest, and a large piece of Nordic equestrian art makes the space feel quite Scandinavian. “It’s deﬁnitely one of my favorite projects,” Nick says about the pool, “it’s more than just a recreation facility, the room is a work of art and the way the reﬂections dance on the water is like a constantly evolving painting to enjoy.”

THE INDOOR

POOL PAVILLION

IS THE REAL

SHOW-STOPPER

JAPANESE GARDENS FOR A PLACE OF ZEN

The outdoor Japanese garden is something that Lisa had dreamed up when she ﬁrst saw the house… but that was exponentially expanded as the project progressed. It is a place of zen and peace for Lisa - and is rightfully a great source of pride. The white gravel path meanders up the hill in the back yard lined with impressive specimen species of trees with unique patterns and textures. A ‘river’ was later installed down the middle that really completes the vibe and makes the entire garden feel like it’s always been there, despite Lisa having hand-selected each boulder, and carefully monitored the placement of every rock and tree. “I’m not a landscaper… but I deﬁnitely had some fun pretending!”

MARTHA STEWART’S MASTER FARRIER

‘THE

HOOF DOCTOR’ MICHAEL WILDENSTEIN

Martha has a barnful of horses, including the four prize Friesians, Rinze , Bond Hylke, and Geert, she brought over from the Netherlands. The horses and their housing, feeding, and care are but one small piece of the entire economy that is Martha’s 150+ acre Cantitoe Corners in Katonah, and yet the horses alone require enormous attention. There’s barn stewards, and groomers, and regular veterinary care, and a farrier, named Marc Hill, who is a graduate of the most esteemed school for farriers at Cornell, who regularly attends to the horses’ hooves. ...But when any of Martha’s horses require special attention - they call upon the Master Farrier, Michael Wildenstein, ‘the Hoof Doctor’, to come for a ‘barn call’.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JONATHAN BASKIN

‘THE HOOF DOCTOR’ MICHAEL WILDENSTEIN

Over the course of his distinguished career, Michael has taken the task and skill of shoeing horses to an art form. “I grew up in Mt. Upton in the Northern Catskills in a family of farmers, loggers, and millers,” Michael recounts. “I had plenty of time around large farm animalscertainly enough to learn that you have to be calm, cool, and collected to keep the animals stable. They read your energy from forty feet away. I remember that, in his Prairie Home Companion radio show, Garrison Keillor used to parody the slow and monotone speech pattern of a character known as the Norwegian Bachelor Farmer - pointing out that the slow and monotone affectation was a direct result of working with large animals…and I recognize I sound a bit like the Norwegian Bachelor Farmer. And I had some experience showing horses and working with them around the farm. …So learning how to shoe horses was a natural part of that upbringing.”

“I went to Paul Smith College to study Forestry and Biology, but in the mid-70s there were about three positions in Forestry for every Fifteen Hundred Forestry graduates. …With some inspiration and help from my grandfather, I decided to make my hobby shoeing horses into a career. Because I couldn’t get into the most prestigious program at Cornell, I went to a Canadian agricultural school in Truro, Nova Scotia for a specialized course of study in Draft and Coach horses…and I did well enough that one of the professors then got me into Cornell’s Farrier Program! At Cornell, I studied the specialties of lameness, anatomy, and theory, and then got full-time work right out of school as Farrier to six different large hitches - which were groups of up to twenty-ﬁve large horses travelling around on a professional event circuit - and I did that for almost ten years.

…Then I fell in love with a Danish veterinarian who was in the United States doing research at the University of Pennsylvania… and I moved to Denmark for about the next ﬁve years. During that time, I took the Danish examinations and earned ‘elite’ farrier status, and competed in International horseshoeing competitions and worked all over Scandinavia and Europe with numerous veterinary clinics, and did quite a bit of work on Dressage and Jumpers.”

“Then, in 1991, I was hired as the Resident Farrier at the Cornell Veterinary School… and enjoyed that role - being a teacher at Cornell’s Veterinary and Agriculture Schoolsas my primary gig, for twenty years. I worked with students from Cornell’s Veterinary and Agriculture Schools. I also had the opportunity to take the ‘English’ farrier examinations which are the most stringent in the world and earned a fellowship with honors from the Worshipful Company of Farriers, established in 1356,” Michael explains. “This opportunity to teach at the highest level was a great honor, and even a greater pleasure! …And in 2006 I was also inducted into the Horseshoeing Hall of Fame - and have a horseshoe hanging at the Churchill Downs Museum to commemorate that honor!”

Since 2010, the world has been my classroom,”

Michael declares. “I’m on the road two hundred days a year, coaching, consulting, and teaching at farrier schools, and tending to a few special horses for special clients like Martha…and I’m not going to tell who else. Word-of-mouth is my only advertisement.’

‘THE HOOF DOCTOR’ MICHAEL WILDENSTEIN

“Where the real talent comes in is providing individualized and proper care for each horse, one hoof at a time”

“There’s always work for a good Farrier,” Michael says. “The profession is very much alive and there are plenty of schools to learn the skills. Although not every horse needs shoes, there are horses everywhere, and there are dedicated Thoroughbred, Hunter, Jumper, and Dressage, and Heavy and Draft Horse communities all around the United States. Though ‘Farrier’ is often deﬁned as a blacksmith who shoes horses, the two jobs are actually distinct. A blacksmith works with iron - a farrier shoes horses. …I’m both.”

“Where the real talent comes in is providing individualized and proper care for each horse, one hoof at a time,” Michael teaches. “We start out trying to get as much information as possible about the horse. How does the horse run? We want to make adaptations to work with that horse’s conﬁrmations and skill set to best enhance that horse’s abilities.

Hooves - which are a protein like our fingernails - are naturally very dynamic, even humidity and weather can make a difference, and any disease or pathology will get better, or worse, depending on what’s happening - and on the shoes. When we trim the hoof, we try to leave the ideal target area for the small nails we use to affix the shoe. Sometimes, we work with adhesives or pads, but like with the human nail, it’s not healthy to seal the hoof. Then we pick just the right shoe. For Martha’s Friesians, for instance, because they are big Draft horses we use a wider shoe, and in order not to increase the overall weight of the shoe we use aluminium instead of iron. And, depending on a horse’s particular purpose, we choose shoes with more or less traction, or other specific characteristics. ”

“I’m 67, and I’ve had a beautiful life experience,” Michael exalts. “I’m thrilled to still be working full-time, and feel lucky to work among passionate and dedicated people, and with some amazing horses. In addition to my regular teaching, I get to help some horse rescues and some mounted units. And I’m fortunate to be sponsored by a company from Holland called Kerckhaert Horseshoes, Farrier Product Distribution out of Shelbyville, Kentucky, and Keystone Leather out of Pennsylvania. And I’ve got a line of Instructional Videos that are available on the Farrier Product Distribution and Keystone Leather websites. …I do go to a horse race or a horse show if I know a particular horse or an owner who’s

involved, and I like to watch competitive carriage driving, but when I get some free time I like to go kayaking, mountain climbing, and hiking. I have a home in Sharon, Vermont, and, as I travel around the country, I always have a kayak - or two - on the roof of my car, ready to jump into the next roaring river.”

‘THE HOOF DOCTOR’ MICHAEL WILDENSTEIN

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Out & AboutOut & About

A HIGHLIGHT OF RECENT EVENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY

An Evening With Those who Inspire Us with B&NC and Ali Truwit

It was an inspiring evening honoring B&NC’s May/June cover star, Ali Truwit!

Held at the picturesque Darlington Manor in North Salem, guests celebrated the success of Truwit’s foundation, Stronger Than You Think, which supports girls and women in need of prosthetics. The evening wrapped with a surprise perfromance by New Canaan’s Aquianas Artistic Swimming Team.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREW WERNER

1. Event hosts & honoree: Jody Truwit, Casey Kaplan, Ali Truwit, Michael Kaplan

2. Jared Shahid & Shannon Krause

3. Erin Pak, Lisa Reid, Mary Beth Marshall, Julie Testwuide, Amy Wayne Schultz, Randy Gardell, Anni de Saint Phalle, Neil Schultz, Sebastian Herald

4. Mauricio & Patricia Guevara, Sam Ring

5. Frank & Mary Fetchet, Sara & Alain Robert

An Evening With Those who Inspire Us with B&NC and Ali Truwit

DIANE

A BIG THANK YOU TO

For sharing their amazing sparkling rosé and crisp chardonnay for the event.

Inspired by their parent company, Hello Sunshine’s, mission to shine a light on where women are now and empower them to chart a new path forward, Drop of Sunshine is a toast to women, our connections, and the stories that bring us together.

6. Monte & Angelina Lipman, Melissa & Mitti Liebersohn, Michael Kaplan, Robin & Alan Bell

7. Morgan LeBrun, Will Stuart, Lara LeBrun, Casey Kaplan, Kristle OBrien, Kelle Cobble

8. Ali Truwit with Bill (Coach) Cowher

9. Ali Truwit with Helaine Smith

10. Bianca Chiappelloni-Santos, Casey Kaplan, Pedro Santos

11. Alexander Rizzo, Katherine Lantuch, Elle de Moll, Jessica & Jeremy Heckerling

12. Chef Paulie G.

CATERING: CHEF PAULIE G MUSIC: DREW BORDEAUX FLORALS:

JAMES

Out & About

Mianus

River Gorge Spring Wingding

Party-goers braved the cooler temps and reveled in the beautiful setting, enjoying and evening of community and celebration at Airlie Farm.

Inclusive Together’s Screening of Ezra with Director, Tony Goldwyn

Inclusive Together hosted a special screening of Ezra at the Cinema Lab Playhouse in New Canaan. The evening included a meaningful conversation withDirector, and local, Tony Goldwyn, and writer, Tony Spiridakis.

PHOTOGRAPHY: EMIL MANCERO

4. Luke Parker Bowles, Dr. Danielle Cohen, Tony Spiridakis, Tony Goldwyn, Lauren Tarzia, Christina Spizzirri, Andy Spizzirri

5. Kendall Moore, Lauren Tarzia, Lauren Nussbaum, Christina Spizzirri, Tony Tarzia

6. Tony Goldwyn, Casey Kaplan

1. Cydney, Chevy, and Jayni Chase

2. Jen Rollo, Alejandra Salazar Bravo, Nell Shapiro

Armando Gutierrez, Jack Johnson, Monica & Ben Stolbach

PHOTOGRAPHY:

1. Eileen & Mark Cunningham, Ashley Paltauf

2. Tom Mantione, Tom Quindlen

Ridgefield Playhouse proudly hosted its first-ever Ridgefield Town Party. This free celebration brought together more than 1,500 residents for a day of music, culture, and community, headlined by Guster.

PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL TOMASSI

5 Neen Soocci, Austin Miller, Kristi & Matt Ready, Logan & Sean Miller

6. Thomas & Bridget MacDougall, Katie Dougherty

7. Kirsten Gregorio, Dawn & Rob Sterner

8. John & Emma Kennedy (with Teddy), Peter Ryan, Kevin & Beverly Murphy with their kids What’s more Americana than a Memorial Day Parade set along Main Street?! Parade-watchers of all ages came to show their support for those who served.

3. Jack Bartone, Bridget Martin

4 Syma Funt, Catherine Hormats, Linda VanKooy, Ann-Marie Nordgren, Ricardo Padilla

NSBTA Barn Dance

The North Salem Bridle Trail Association hosted a night to celebrate community and friendship!

New Canaan Memorial Day Parade

Ridgefield Town Party

Out & About

Katonah Chili Cook-Off

Bark and Brine took home the gold, winning this year’s 2025 Golden Ladel.

1. Ian Tenzer, Shelby Welton

2. Casey Carter, Amy Drucker, Christopher Brescia

3. Alison McKenna, Nicole Barham, Jenny Mandell

4 Sean Macleod, Dom Dorman, Pat McKenna

5. Judges: Matt Safarowic, Kate Schlientz, Ellen Calves, Graeme Fouste

6. Gregory Goodwin, Hunter Rush-Good win, Thomas Goodwin

Out & About

Grace Farms’ Dinner With A Purpose

Dinner with a Purpose, featuring Indré Rockefeller, boasted a locally sourced and sustainable meal set among the beautiful backdrop of Grace Farms. The night brought together thought leaders in sustainability and circularity.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JACEK DOLATA

7. Indré Rockefeller, Zani Gugelmann

8. Matt Bangser, Chelsea Thatcher, Katy Erdman

9. Bahar Yosolevsky, Ali Galgano, Vani Birnbaum

10 Alissa Hendel, Martha Zuckman, Debra Wolman, Haley Lieberman, Vanessa Burns

It was an evening of merriment and cheer at the Country Club of New Canaan, as guests joined together in support of GetAbout New Canaan. Dinner, dancing, and a silent and live auction were just a few of the night’s highlights. In operation for 30 years, GetAbout’s annual fundraiser brought together multi-

New Canaan Library Spring Author Talk It was a full house as the New Canaan Library welcomed Eric Puchner, author of Dream State, for the spring luncheon.

10.

1. Emily Alexander, Stephanie Odenath, Cynthia Safﬁ, Katherine Duggan

2. Dede Bartlett, Barbara Schmidt, Beth Reifers

3. Kristiana Tarnuzzer, Preston Stamm, Sarah Andrias, Mollie Schimmel

4. Blair Heitmann, Caitlin Marcel, Bryn Brown, Mollie Perkins

generational New Canaanites!

PHOTOGRAPHY: DIANE KNETZGER

5. Martha Handler, Pam Conte

6. Lauren Jackson, Kiana O’Reilly, Elizabeth Boccaccio

7. Laura & Andrew Ault. Sarah O’Herron Casey, Amy Murphy Carroll 8. Ellen Crovato, Nancy Georgs 9. Author and Special Guest: Eric Puchner

Mary Anderson, Catherine Leach, Vicky Merwin, Lizzie Davis

Out & About

Rippowam Cisqua School, we celebrate the courage, character, and curiosity of our eighth graders.

Rippowam Cisqua School www.rcsny.org | (914) 244-1205

admissions@rcsny.org 439 Cantitoe Street, Bedford, NY 10506

Endeavor’s Spring Party

Endeavor Therapeutic Horsemanship celebrated its continued support of empowering those with special needs through horse therapy. Lucky guests got a visit from VIPs Cookie and Cody (ponies

and

1. Mason Santomero, Brigid Wygod, Tamlyn Nathanson, Emily Bushnell, Christy Counts

2. Char Ryan, Brett Cameron, Randy Hall

3. Steven Gambrel & James Anderson

4. Daphne Viders, Magda Pauley, Peter Freund, Wren Freund, Luke Black

5. Liz Rini, Kate & Alex Randi, James Rini

6. Catherine Butkiewicz, Carolina White, Lauren Ritter

7. Emily Bushnell, Emily Bohlander

8. Alexis & Rob Gevanter

pictured in the ﬁrst photo),

a tour of Rabbit Hill Farm.

Out & About

1. John Needham, Joyce Corrigan, Debbie Stanley, and Leslie Needham

2. Jim Hamilton and Martha Stewart

3. Tracy Tegtmeier, Sara Hooper, Raffaella Evans Betsy Morgan 4. Denis Leary and Phil Pletka 5. Emily Grand and Casey Kaplan 6. Carolina & Tom White, Caroline MacGill

John Jay on the Farm Dinner

Friends of John Jay Homestead hosted an intimate dinner under the stars at Purdy’s Farmer & the Fish in North Salem. Guests enjoyed strolling cocktails and a farm-to-table dinner.

PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER MICHAELIS

7. Daniel Boulud, Martha Stewart, Katherine Boulud

8. Vanessa Smith, Hannah Gorman, Tricia Swift

9. Katherine Boulud, Mark Alan Hewitt

Bedford Historical Society 106th Annual Meeting

Hosted at the home of Katherine and Daniel Boulud, members of the Bedford Historical Society enjoyed a talk by guest speaker Mark Alan Hewitt and discussion on the legacy of achitect Mott B. Schmidt.

PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER MICHAELIS

Out & About

DCA Rosé Soirée

An elegant evening of conversation, rosé and light bites set amongst the beautiful Darien Community Association garden.

Cinco de Mayo with Tyler Boe

Ladies joined for a night of festive shopping at GrayBarns as they browsed the latest Tyler Boe collection.

PHOTOGRAPHY: SYDNEY SHEEHAN

5. Tyler Boe Drexler, Karol Boe

6. Erin Haberstroh, Mackie Spadaccini

7. Caroline D’Orchimont, Laurie Maglathlin

Opening of “Martin Kline: The World in All Its Plenitude” at Heather Gaudio Fine Art

Artist Martin Kline discussed his new exhibition, featuring paintings and sculptures from the last 30 years.

8 Christine Romaniello, Martin Kline, Heather Parks Gaudio, Carter Ratcliff, Rachael Palacios

Out & About

Under The Sea Gala

The Summer Theatre of New Canaan celebrated it’s upcoming season of Disney’s The Little Mermaid at the Under the Sea Gala, aptly held at the Maritime Aquarium. Tickets are now on sale for performances running July 12-27.

SUZANNAH GOLD, ED LIBONATI

Christina Geist at Elm Street Books

Just in time for graduation, Christina Geist came to Elm Street Books in New Canaan to discuss her new book, Before You Fly Away: Life Lessons From Home.

1. Tom Vitti, Nancy Simpkins, Hannelore Kaplan, Casey Kaplan

2. George Faison, Arbender Robinson

3. Laura Renee Mehl

4. Berlin Charles, Rachel Beyer, Allison Gray

5. Melody Libonati, HongJoo Sun, Kathy Klingenstien

PHOTOGRAPHY:

6. Lesley Cousley, Willie Geist, Christina Geist, Eve Taben

1. Dr. Merissa Blais, Caroline Jennings, Lauren Stever, Amanda Doheny

2. Jenny Moles, Nancy Strohmeier, Lindsay Warnke, Courtney Olsen

. Danielle Santoro, Lis Drew, Liza Smith, Meghan Durkin

Megan Schinella, Diana Spier, Kristin Kennedy

1. Tom Noone, Terry Buzaid, Michelle Oliver, Nancy Murray

2. Shelly Fisher, Mary Ann Connors, Mary Migliorino

3. Julia and David Kloth with Maurice 4. Stella Langer, Susan OConnor, Joyce Jaffee

Ridgefield Garden Tour

Hosted by the Hadar family at Ivanna Farm in Mount Kisco, the unforgettable night featured sunset

5. Cathy Cramer, Laura Desmarais, Daniele Elkins

Eugene Linden, Alan Kornberg, Shelby White, Wayne Koch

Eric Hadar with Rod & Alli Colburn

Farah Hoyt, Amy Ferguson, Kyle Kaino

PHOTO: BRIEN ADAMS

Hauser

Bayuk,

Christina and Lucie Geist

7. Gina Cooney, Gabby Goodman

8. Caitlyn Balmer, Hilary Wittmann, Elizabeth Bretscgher, Janet Dinger

9. Andrea Rowan, Mary-Jo Madden

1. Top row: Jemima Liveris, Allison Altmann Kaye, Dasha Rettew, Sarah Vrabac; Bottom row: Caroline Bufﬁn, Melissa Merrill, Courtney Horner

2. Heather Raker, Alex Eising, Sally Houlihan

3. Top row: Jennifer Lia, Liz Koons, Melissa Noonan, Stacey Smith, Pam Ferguson, Marina Davey; Bottom row: Melissa Edwards, Barbra Bell, Liz Whitney, Stephanie Paul Mather Homestead Garden Tea Luncheon

A little bit of rain didn’t put a damper on the annual tea, which celebrates Darien’s historical Mather Homestead. PHOTOGRAPHY: KATHARINE CALDERWOOD

Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry Community Table

Hosted at a private residence in Katonah, the Community Table

featured a live auction emceed by Bedford Hills local Sam Hollander. Guests mingled among the beautiful views andraised important funds towards providing Mount Kisco and Westchester residents-in-need with food for their tables.

Out & About Out & About

Author Talk: Angelina Lipman with Bedford & New Canaan Magazine

It was a full house at the Bedford Post Inn when guests gathered to hear Dr. Angelina Lipman discuss her book, Blocking the Noise. In a discussion moderated by B&NC’s own Casey Kaplan, Dr. Angelina talked about her journey as a mother, psychologist and author.

6. Julie Testwuide, Cydney and Jayni Chase

7 Anne Becker, Elina Kingkade, Brooke Vogel, Wenche Reinstein

1. Dr. Angelina Lipman, Casey Kaplan

2. Alexandra Falzon Sant Manduca, Susie Abromeit

3. Monica Thao Tran, Joy Gregory

Monte, Juliet, Angelina, Cam, and Remy Lipman

Beth Zucker, Eleanor Banco, Ali Galgano, Nicole Steinthal and Gianna Palminteri

1. Chris Lacovara & Sam Green

Mufﬁn Dowdle, Jessica Capshaw

Jessica Hall, Ariel Flores, Michelle Pletka, Katy Foley

Rhonda Spevak, Jessica Crescenzi

Rick Mast, Marc Wollin

Alyssa Jones Casey Kaplan, Sam Fertik

7. John Cannistraci, David Worby & Suzanne Hogan, Dina Cannistraci

8. Harrison Boyce & Michaela Babuskova

Stone walls and white entry gates open to a manicured gravel courtyard and a welcoming residence-an expanded and refined carriage house in the historic Silvermine district of New Canaan. Thoughtfully renovated & expanded in 2018, this timeless home blends Connecticut charm with a touch of whimsy. Large barrel vaulted windows & French doors fill the interior with natural light & create a seamless connection to the professionally landscaped grounds. Cathedral ceiling great room features radiant heated floors and soaring glass walls, offering stunning views and effortless indoor-outdoor living. The chef's kitchen is anchored by a striking French blue La Cornue 6-burner range & hood, with quartzite counters, Sub-Zero fridge, Bosch dishwasher, island, window seat with detailed custom cabinetry. A cozy sun-filled living room with fireplace, intimate dining room, main and upper-level offices, & hardwood floors throughout complete the inviting layout. A barrel vaulted glass-windowed hallway leads to the luxurious primary bedroom retreat with soaring ceilings and dramatic barrel vaulted windows, spa-like bath with the most elegant finishes, huge fitted dressing room, coffee & beverage station, and a large private balcony/deck draped in white canvas & flowing curtains. Outside, specimen trees surround a heated saltwater pool & patios, while the sunroom with radiant floors offers year-round comfort and garden views. This unique and elegant estate is truly one-of-a-kind.

Out & About

$2,495,000

1. Isabella and Mordechai Rubinstein

2. Sarah and Cameron Borden, Kim and Hunter Cressman, Julianne and Cameron Pinell

3. Kim & Chris Pepe with Charlotte and Luke

4. Rose, Kathryn and Sloan Davis

The May Fair

Sunshine at the May Fair made this day extra fun, as carnival-goers from New Canaan and beyond enjoyed rides and games!

7. Seth Malkin, Thea Parraga, Marilyn Tremblay

8. Emma Flannery, Ginny Johnson

9. Camille Swain, Alana Stotts, Sher Lookmanji

10. Chloe Gasiorowski, Wendy Belzberg, Roger Vincent

BRLA Spring Hunter Pace

Held on the beautiful BRLA trails, the event was followed by rafﬂes, rose and ribbons!

PHOTOGRAPHY: HELEN H HOUGHTON

Friends of Karen’s Cinco de Mayo Party

The Friends of Karen ﬁesta raised funds to help support children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. The evening included an interactive photobooth, tarot card readings, and lots of auction prizes!

5. Michael Izzo & Catie Capolongo

6. Barbara McLain, Brianna Gherlarducci, Denise Velazquez

Stunning new construction in the heart of New Canaan. Be captivated by this state-of-the-art home, just a few days from completion. Local designer creates 1 project per year, every detail is curated with quality materials & high end finishes. This is not the typical spec house. Designed for a modern lifestyle with a warm classic touch. The show-stopping kitchen includes an oversized seating island, built-in breakfast nook, top-of-the-line stainless appliances, a pantry, & spacious dining area ideal for entertaining on a grand scale. The adjoining family room boasts a fireplace, custom wet bar with open shelving. French doors lead to a large bluestone patio, perfect for indoor-outdoor living. The flexible floor plan includes a formal living room and a main-level office with full bath, offering the option for a first-floor ensuite bedroom. Perched on a beautifully landscaped 1-acre lot with sweeping views of GA church steeples, this 6,500 SF residence offers the perfect blend of modern design, luxury finishes, & prime location. Dramatic light-filled, open-concept living featuring a dramatic 20 Ft window & iron staircase, 9-foot ceilings, wide-plank white oak floors, floor-to-ceiling Marvin windows. Upstairs, you'll find 6 ensuite bedrooms & large playroom/recreational space. The luxe owner suite includes bedroom with fireplace, office or sitting room, spa-like marble bath with soaking tub and 2 spacious fitted closests. Outdoors, the professionally landscaped grounds feature manicured hedges, gardens, a built-in fire pit lounge, a large patio, and an identified future pool site, park-like level lawn and oversized 3-car garage with high ceilings perfect for car lifts and plentiful storage. Connected to public water and sewer and situated so close to town you can see the village from your kitchen window - this home blends luxury, convenience, ease of immediate move in, and timeless design in one unparalleled package.

Out & About

7. Patricia Timberlake, Shiva Sarram, Karen Gallegher

8. Julia Stewart, Monica Capela, Michelle Riley

9. Allyson Mahoney, Shiva Sarram, Lisa Silver, Susan Severn, and Rasha Reslan

Blossom Hill Cherry Blossom Tea

More than 70 guests joined together at The Playhouse for an enchanting afternoon celebrating motherhood and connection with local vendors, a curated ﬂower bar and authentic Bristish sweets!

5. Amber Cottrell, Megan Cedro, Monica Blower, Geraldine Fortier

6. Rosy Keyser, Cameron Goodyear, Polly Goodyear You Will Return to You Opening Reception at Yellow Studio

Opening night for the exhibit featuring two artists, Megan Cedro and Cameron Goodyear.

1. Ilan Bluman, Adrienne Sternlicht

2. Robert Matz, Gates McNeil

3. Brianne Goutal-Marteau and Cléa

4. Sloane Oksenhendler, Lauren and Laurie Wolfenden

Old Salem Farm Spring Horse Show

The iconic setting of Old Salem Farm in North Salem set the stage for a worldclass spring horse show.

Out & AboutOut & About

Tea at the Manor

Bedford & New Canaan partnered with Serpentine Jewels to host a garden tea luncheon at Darlington Manor in North Salem. The afternoon featured diamonds galore, tours of the gardens, tiered trays of delicacies, and personalized sketches by artist

PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDREA CARSON, GILLIAN GAUGHAN

1. Casey Kaplan, Ali Galgano

2. Meg Smith, Emma Gallo

3. Alyssa Arce, Karina Guiteau, Nikki McMann

4. Cristi Andrews, Jessica Crescenzi

5. Lisa Reid, Anni De Saint Phalle, Amy Wayne, Casey Kaplan, Ali Galgano, Julie Testwuide, Katie Sise Sweeney

6. Hannelore Kaplan, Angelina Lipman, Shiva Sarram

7. Sue DeChiara, Michele Rosenbloom

8. Megan Schinella, Nicole Steinthal, Gianna Palminteri

9. Holly Thompson, Nikki McMann, Lisa Reid, Sabbath McClean, Wren Alaia, Casey Kaplan, Shannon Krause, Amy Wayne, Caitlin McClean

10. Katy Schermann, Will Stuart, Haley Levesque

11. Eleanor Banco and Jill Byeff

12. Hannelore Kaplan, Casey Kaplan, Brianna Benedetti, Amy Pinderhughes, Karla Kast, Becky Mizrachi

Deanna First.

Exquisite Gated Estate

792-820 OLD POST RD, BEDFORD, NY

Prime Bedford gated estate on over 15 glorious acres of open, level land with spectacular age old specimen trees. This property is totally private, quiet and is less than 3 minutes to town. It was renovated from top to bottom in 2022 with everything new including kitchen and all baths. The house has a perfect floor plan with gracious formal and family spaces for entertaining inside and out. It includes a beautiful wood paneled library/office with a private entrance, dramatic heated glass conservatory, screened porch with plexiglass panels, a heated Gunite pool as well as your own squash court. The first floor guest suite is perfectly tucked away and the finished lower level is multipurpose. Full house generator.

Offered at $4,250,000

ANGELA KESSEL

Real Estate Salesperson

M 914.841.1919 akessel@houlihanlawrence.com

angelakessel.houlihanlawrence.com

CALENDAR of LOCAL EVENTS

4:30-10pm

4 @ 5-11pm

July 4 @ 8pm KATONAHPOPS, PATRIOTS & FIREWORKS

Caramoor

FARMERS MARKETS

July 4 @ 11am

AMERICA250 KICKOFF

Ridgefield

July 4 @ 10:30am

PUSH N’ PULL PARADE

Darien High School

July 9 @ 7:30pm

WAVENY SUMMER

CONCERT SERIES: THE BOOKENDS

Waveny Park

July 10-12 @ 10am

DARIEN SIDEWALK SALE

The Corbin District and Darien Commons

July 12 @ 12:30pm

19TH ANNUAL

PLEASANTVILLE

MUSIC FESTIVAL

Downtown Pleasantville

(Parkway Field)

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!

July 12 @ 6pm

SUMMER CONCERT AT THE GAZEBO

Wampus Brook Park, Armonk

July 13

NEW EXHIBIT OPENING AT THE KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART

Katonah

July 13 @ 4pm

MUSIC AT THE MANSION WITH HARMONIA V WOODWIND QUARTET

Lounsbury House, Ridgefield

July 13 WESTCHESTER GARDEN TOUR

Bedford

July 14 @ 6pm ERNIE SITES QUARTET

Ruth Keeler Memorial Library, North Salem

July 18-19

KATONAH SIDEWALK SALE

Katonah Downtown

July 18 @ 5pm

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS

Scotts Corners, Pound Ridge

July 18 & 19

NEW CANAAN SIDEWALK SALE

New Canaan

July 19 @ 4pm

SUMMER CONCERT AT GRACE FARMS

Grace Farms, New Canaan

July 19 @ 4pm

OPENING RECEPTION

FOR SURFACE (PART OF UPSTATE ART WEEKEND)

Yellow Studio Cross River

July 22 @ 6:30pm

JULY BOOK CLUB: ATMOSPHERE

Bedford Books, Bedford

July 24 @ 6:30pm

KATIE SISE BOOK

LAUNCH PARTY

Bedford Books, Bedford

July 24 @ 6:30pm SECRET GARDEN

SUPPER CLUB

Darien

CALENDAR of LOCAL EVENTS

July 25 @ 5:30pm

JULY SUMMER PICNIC

Grace Farms, New Canaan

July 26 @ 12:30pm

JAZZ FESTIVAL

Caramoor, Katonah

July 26 @ 10am

2025 RIDGEFIELD

SUMMERFEST

Main Street Ridgefield

July 27 @ 8am

BRLA SUMMER HIKE

Bedford

July 27 @ 4pm

MUSIC AT THE MANSION WITH HARPIST EMILY LEVIN

Lounsbury House, Ridgefield

July 28 @ 6pm

BACKYARD MUSIC WITH ANDREA AND THE ARMENIAN RUG RIDERS

North Salem

July 30 @ 7pm

EMANUEL AX, LEONIDAS KAVAKOS, YO-YO MA

Caramoor, Katonah

July 31 @ 6pm

SUMMER CONCERT AT THE GAZEBO

Wampus Brook Park, Armonk

August 6 @ 7:30pm WAVENY SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: DREAMIN’

Waveny Park, New Canaan

August 9 @ 6pm

SUMMER CONCERT AT THE GAZEBO

Wampus Brook Park, Armonk

August 16 @ 10am

FREE SATURDAY AT THE ALDRICH

Aldrich Museum, Ridgefield

August 16 @12pm

MEET & GREET WITH JENNAE CECELIA Bedford Books, Bedford

August 17 @ 4pm

MUSIC AT THE MANSION WITH CALLIOPE BRASS QUINTET Lounsbury House, Ridgefield

August 20-23

SUMMER JUMPER CLASSIC

Old Salem Farm, North Salem

August 21

TASTE OF NEW CANAAN SUMMER STROLL

New Canaan

August 22 @ 5pm

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS

Scotts Corners, Pound Ridge

August 24 @ 5pm

SUMMER SUNDAYS Scotts Corners, Pound Ridge

August 22 @ 7pm

FAMILY NIGHTTIME

EXPLORATION

Mianus River Gorge, Bedford

August 27 @ 7:30pm

WAVENY SUMMER

CONCERT SERIES: ROYAL KINGS

Waveny Park, New Canaan

Time for Summer Food & Fun!

Start with grill-ready cuts of chicken, beef, pork or fresh seafood llets to sear and serve. Complete your meals with the freshest local fruits and vegetables, and a sumptuous, just-baked dessert from our Bakery.