City to Country Magazine Jul/Aug 2017 Issue

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C O U N T R Y

L I V I N G $7.50 INTERNATIONAL $9.50 USA

JUL / AUG 2017 Issue

MAGAZINE

CRIME PAYS FOR

KEITH SUTLIFF FALGUNI THAKKAR DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND DIGITAL COLORIST

DAVID BANKS DRIVEN AND DOING IT ALL

MODEL

KRISTIN LEIGH FASHION BY

JULIA PERLIN AVANT-GARDE DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

AAKSHAY PARAB ISBN 978-1-365-58375-9

90000

9 781365 583759

CONTENTS CITY TO COUNTRY MAGAZINE LLC

July / August 2017 Issue

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6 3R STREE DINER 218 E Main St Richmond, VA http://billofare.com/0002u01.htm DOWN BEAT DINER & LOUNGE 42 N Hotel St. Honolulu, HI http://www.downbeatdiner.com/ SMOKE SIGNALS 2223 Polk St San Francisco, CA 94109

MEET THE TEAM

FILM 6

Avant-Garde Director of Photography – Aakshay Parab

8

The Aesthetic Spirit of Falguni Thakkar, Director of Photography and Digital Colorist

COVER STORY 12

David Banks – Driven and Doing It All

FASHION 20

Julia Perlin

MODEL 35

Kristin Leigh

ENTERTAINMENT 47 52

The Moneymaker Sisters – Past Gymnastics Champions Crime Pays for Keith Sutliff

TRAVEL 54

Making It Boston

61

Mountain Splendor – Hiking Chiricahua National Monument

64

In Kent Country – The Evolution of a Farmhouse

President & Owner LISA SNYDER citytocountrymagazine@aol.com Director of Operations/Business Adviser TAMMY KC HEGYES tammykchegyes67@gmail.com Executive Editor/Managing Editor TERRI R. BASSETT terrirbassett@yahoo.com Creative Director/Head of Layouts AMY PAYCANA ESPALDON amyespaldon@icloud.com Journalists Head Writer/Advice Columnist Arts/Entertainment Columnist Interviews (Owner/CEO at Wings By The Flock) Freelance Writer, Owner/Founder of Chasing Your Dream Radio Freelance Writer Freelance Writer Contributing Writer

SUE MCGAUGHEY JAY LUSTER CAMERON HOLDER TOM KELLY ROBYN WEISS LILI DEBARBIERI LEAH REISE

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Film

Every frame is my canvas.

I paint these with light to weave my visuals for the narrative.

AVANT-GARDE DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

AAKSHAY

PARAB Written by

Staff Writer

T

he young, Los Angeles-based Aakshay Parab, Director of Photography and Digital Colorist, weaves magical visual narratives by getting the strokes right between realism and a dash of experimental, dramatic illusion. The award-winning cinéaste describes his passion as, “Every frame is my canvas. I paint these with light to weave my visuals for the narrative.” His themes largely revolve around the downtrodden and minorities.

“They are the indicators of the health of our society,” affirms Aakshay. His strong arthouse-style approach for such thematic visual narratives has won him accolades and nominations from various film festivals. His art has evolved from his passion as an avid storyteller and child artist, while growing up in Mumbai, in his home country of India.

A complete cinephile, Aakshay decided to give his passion for films a professional upgrade. He specialized in Film Producing at the renowned Whistling Woods International in Mumbai. Amongst his initial projects as a budding filmmaker, Projekt Tyler, his first documentary, earned him the 2014 nomination at the Mumbai International Film Festival for Best International Documentary Under Forty Minutes and at the National Academy of Cinema and Television, Bangalore for Best International Documentary. His first large-scale production was his producing thesis, Ram’ji’bhai. It was nominated for Short of the Month, January in Mumbai, was the Official Selection in 2015 Navi Mumbai International Film Festival, and also won Best Student Film in the Festival of Cinematics.

The success of these and other projects propelled Aakshay to enter, survive, and thrive in the competitive world of independent films. It was during this time period that he felt the instinctive urge to specialize in the technical aspect of filming and step up for the next stage. He went on to specialize in Cinematography at the New York Film Academy in New York City. In 2016, Projekt Tyler went on to win the Fame-US Bronze Award at the Fame-US International Film Festival in Hollywood, California.

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Aakshay states, “As a director of photography and digital colorist, I prefer contributing to films concerning ‘the insignificant,’ those whose woes get systematically muffled on a daily basis within our social structure. We need to bring that to the very conscience of our society through art. With art comes responsibility.” Aakshay’s notable works, with women as central figures to the story, have gained recognition in a very short span of time.

The Moment is one such noteworthy, woman-centric short for which Aakshay was the director of photography and digital colorist as well. He chose to give a strong Hitchcockian dash to his own stylistic, high contrast, and lowkey light design to maintain the overall tension in his film. The Moment went on to win the Award of Recognition for Film Short at the Accolade Global Film Competition in 2016. Another of his women-centric films, The Derelict, was screened at the New York Short Film Festival in November 2016 and was also an Official Selection of the Autumn 2016 Creation International Film Festival.

Aakshay has seen a steady and purposeful growth in his career, not only as a d irector of photography, but also as a digital colorist. “The role of a colorist in completion of the film is exactly that of a painter who paints a canvas,” says Aakshay. He has worked on varied themes and color palettes for different projects. 1 Chance, directed by Joseph E. Austin II, was his most challenging project as a digital colorist and was screened as the Official Selection at the 2017 Indie Night Fest at the Chinese Theatre, Hollywood. This short is inspired by the life of legendary boxer Muhammad Ali. Aakshay considers the art of filmmaking a societal responsibility. This led him to join likeminded cinéastes by being a member of the prestigious Film Independent Society, Independent Filmmaker Project, and Colorist Society International. Aakshay is affirmative about contributing significantly and ceaselessly, in his own distinctive and humble ways, to the cinema of today. He aims for positive change in the lives of objectified minorities.

Aakshay’s upcoming projects as lead director of photography include reality TV show Plastics of Hollywood, scripted TV show Ordinary Heroes, feature Where All Roads Lead, and urban fiction shorts Grab N’ Go and 24 Hours.

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Film

FALGUNI THAKKAR THE AESTHETIC SPIRIT OF

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND DIGITAL COLORIST Written by

Staff Writer As a filmmaker, I want to put together character-driven film narratives that engage audiences on journeys exploring and tackling important social justice issues.

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Film

F

alguni Thakkar, Award-winning Director of Photography and Digital Colorist, is based in Los Angeles. She began her path into filmmaking with a two-year degree in VFX (Visual Effects) from Whistling Woods International in Mumbai, India. Driven by the desire to master her technical skills in film, her next stop was New York City, where she earned a diploma in Cinematography at the New York Film Academy, beginning her career as a director of photography and moving her base to Los Angeles in early 2016.

Thakkar feels inclined and passionate about making films that are slice-of-life based and that affect the normal fabric of human society. She successfully and artistically applied her inclinations and talent to her award-winning short film, You Use, You Lose, for which she was the director of photography and digital colorist. The film is based on drug abuse by a teenager, which shows the gradual deterioration of a normal, functional person.

You Use, You Lose went on to win the following awards and official selections, as well as being screened in Los Angeles and Mumbai at major film festivals: • • • • • • •

Award of Recognition (Women Filmmakers) – Accolade Global Film Competition Award of Recognition (Women Filmmakers) – Best Shorts Competition Competition Finalist (Short Thriller/Horror) – Filmmatic Filmmaker Awards Category Official Selection and Screening – 5th Mumbai Shorts International Film Festival Official Selection and Screening – Pembroke Taparelli Arts and Film Festival Official Selection – Oasis Short Film Screening Series Official Selection – Diamond in the Rough Cut

As a digital colorist, Thakkar worked on the film Link St., directed by Rachel Meguerdijian, which won Award of Recognition at The Best Shorts Competition and The IndieFEST Film Awards and was also nominated and screened at the 2017 Los Angeles Independent Filmmakers Showcase Film Fest. Her films in the festival circuit this year as the director of photography are Non-staurant of Water Street, Lotus, and A New Leaf.

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Film

Non-staurant of Water Street is a documentary filmed in New York. It’s about an individual that reflects on a bigger global issue. It is an opportunity to follow his day’s journey and understand that common face we see on many streets of New York. Lotus is based on the journey of a teenage mother and how she grows into a woman. Thakkar decided to use her skills as a filmmaker to explore this emotional and psychological impact on not only the sufferer’s lives, but also on their loved ones. The film A New Leaf highlights the complex perspective of dealing with the subject of homophobia and LGBT issues prevalent within the Indian diaspora.

Thakkar’s upcoming projects as the critical role of director of photography are Plastics of Hollywood (reality TV show), In the Shadows, and features D-Day, Thugy Smartpants, Rent of a Lifetime, and several others. As a digital colorist, Thakkar has numerous projects of distinct genres, including Terms and Conditions (web series), In Spirit (horror short film), Freestyle Fiesta (music video), and many others.

“As a filmmaker, I want to put together character-driven film narratives that engage audiences on journeys exploring and tackling important social justice issues,” says Falguni. She believes that art follows passion and precision, so you should take from whatever reality you are moved by to explore and go for it as best you can.

For more information about Falguni Thakkar, please visit the following sites: www.falgunithakkar.film www.imdb.me/falgunithakkar www.linkedin.com/in/thakkarfalguni www.facebook.com/falgunithakkar www.instagram.com/falgunithakkar Email: click@falgunithakkar.film

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Cover Story

DAVID BANKS DRIVEN AND DOING IT ALL Written by

Sue McGaughey

Being told I wasn’t funny just drove me even harder to pursue comedy.

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Cover Story

D

avid Banks is a well-rounded American actor, comedian, and musician. He has starred in over 100 commercials! Some of the endorsements were for Coors Light, Samsung, Eastwood, Reebok, Motorola, Best Buy, Comcast, Red Robin, EA Games, and more. In 2004, David made his film debut in the drama Doing Hard Time, where he played opposite Steven Bauer, Boris Kodjoe, Michael Kenneth Williams, and Giancarlo Esposito.

Since then, Banks has gone on to continue acting and even cowriting the film Cut! with David Rountree. The film is a story of an ex-con and an aspirant filmmaker that set out to manufacture a film by scaring real people. However, when it goes too far and someone actually dies, the pair decide that killing on film for real is the way to make a truly terrifying movie.

At a young age, David realized he was definitely not one of those kids who dreamed of being on TV. He was always the kid that kept to himself and gravitated more toward music. He liked listening to heavy, hard-hitting, monstrous Metal. He started playing the drums very young and not only loved being able to bang on things, but liked the idea of being able to hide behind a large drumkit. David professed to having been a pretty shy kid.

The shy kid grew up and moved into TV and film. David credits his agent and manager for landing him his 100+ commercials. “I still don’t know how they put up with the likes of us neurotic actors,” he joked. In all seriousness, David said he loves the saying, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” He believes that when you do everything you can to be the best you can be in that audition room and truly be yourself, without caring what anyone else thinks, you can’t go wrong. Sure, it’s a numbers game, but why not put those numbers in your favor by being prepared and taking chances?

David said that his first commercial was absolute luck. After five years of being told, “No,” he felt like he had nothing to lose. The commercial was for Coors Light. They wanted all the actors in the audition room to dance and tell a funny story. First of all, David felt he had absolutely no dancing skills. After sitting in an hour of traffic to get there, he also felt like he had absolutely nothing remotely funny to say to anyone. Tired and not feeling funny, David waltzed into the audition, giving his best impression of Jim Carrey’s dance in Dumb and Dumber. He looked right at the camera guy and said, “After that, I don’t really feel the need to tell a funny story.” To David’s surprise, he hadn’t even made it to the driveway when his phone rang. The person on the other end said that he landed the commercial. It was at that moment David finally knew what it meant to “not care” and just be yourself.

Aside from commercials, TV, and film, David loves to play his drums. He said it’s the best way to release anything you are going through in your life and the best way to feed your soul and uplift your day. David is currently in a band called The 3 Heads and said the band has an incredibly gifted singer, Heath Francis. “He is one of those guys who has musical influences all

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Cover Story

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Cover Story over the map. He will be belting out Stevie Wonder chops one minute, then quickly mellow it out with some Fleetwood Mac. When he is finished with that, he just may bust out some Bee Gees. It’s the absolute best dose of ADHD in a bottle,” David said. He continued, “I am the same way when it comes to my music. I can go from Testament to Tears for Fears to Tevin Campbell in a matter of seconds.” Besides drums, David plays percussion and does vocals. The rest of the band includes Heath Francis (lead vocals/ guitar), Pat Cleary (guitar/vocals), and Marlena Barnes (bass).

David is blessed to be living his dream. He’s making music and making films! He has worked alongside other talented actors such as Heather Graham (Half Magic), Lisa Kudrow, Janeane Garofalo, and Fred Willard (Lovesick Fool), just to name a few. David Banks just wrapped a film called Street Survivors, which was written by Jared Cohn and Artimus Pyle and directed by Jared Cohn. It’s the true story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash. David was very excited to be a part of such an amazing film of a band telling their tragic story. David said that the director had such a great vision with this and that it was an absolute honor to work with him.

In addition to Street Survivors, David Banks also just finished a film called The 5th of July that stars Jaleel White. The film is written by Camilo Vila and Monty Fisher and directed by Camilo Vila. David played an annoying, over-the-top character who follows Jaleel’s character around, never letting up. David said it was a pleasure to work on this film. Camilo Vila really let the actors go for it and bring their own craziness to their characters.

Growing up, David loved comedy, even though people told him he wasn’t funny. That itself drove David to pursue comedy. “Being told I wasn’t funny just drove me even harder to pursue comedy,” David

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Cover Story said. Some of David’s comedic inspiration came from greats like Danny DeVito, Don Rickles, Chevy Chase, and John Candy. “Not much has changed,” David joked. He still admires the same guys. Comedy led the natural progression into TV and film. Nowadays, if you ask David who he would love to work with, he will tell you Ray Liota. David said that Ray is just so intense in everything he does, which drives David to greater personal challenges.

David Banks has a very hectic schedule. He considers taking power naps and getting sleep, but that’s something he does on his downtime.

Okay, David! Maybe you should reconsider that, because sleep is important. Something his fans may not know about him is he is a huge believer in giving thanks to God for everything, not the universe or some silly statue, but the man himself. David said, “He [God] has made each and every one of us in our own unique, quirky, and sometimes odd way. Why not thank him as often as we can while we are here?”

David Banks is a driven man. He displays no fear of following his dreams. He’s passionate and in high-gear when it comes to going for his goals. He’s done everything from music to comedy, TV, film, and writing. I would venture to say that David Banks has not even hit his prime just yet, as far as entertainment goes.

Being a multitalented man, David has much to offer the entertainment industry. Make sure you watch for him in the upcoming films 5th of July and Street Survivors. Of course, with doing well over 100 commercials, you will inevitably see his smiling face on TV, making you smile and laugh right along with him.

Andy Rooney, Photographer

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Designer and her daughter.

Andrey Kulpin, Photo Ksenia Linjova, MUAH

JULIA PERLIN Provided by

Julia Perlin

I have so much beauty inside and many ideas, which I want to release.

Hope I can make this world better too.

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Fashion

J

ulia was born and raised in Tallinn, Estonia. Since her childhood, there were no signs that Julia would be a designer. She had a deep interest in music, so her mother took little Julia to a vocal studio. For the next 10 years, she was a member of a famous, local choir. This fact completely affected her future.

As a teenager, Julia traveled all over Europe, performing at concerts and festivals. “This time was precious. We traveled in not very comfortable conditions and worked many hours per day. But having less, I felt like I had the whole world. Borders were not as open as they are today. Not everyone could easily go abroad, as we can now. To get our chance to go for festival, we competed very hard. And the best thing was that we traveled without our parents.

Sadly, kids no longer appreciate that, as they are able to go anywhere with their parents for leisure, but they don’t want to work a lot, like we did at the same age,” explains Julia.

After graduation, Julia continued traveling by herself. She says, “I was addicted. I couldn’t stay at home for longer than three months. I worked and studied at college. Lots of my friends or same age colleagues spent their money for parties or clothes, but all my savings were spent on trips. So far, I have visited around 40 countries. My goal was 100.”

At age 25, Julia moved to New York to be with her family. Within the first year, she traveled all over the US. “I really love the US. It’s cool for traveling, for lots of things. I really miss that life too. But for many reasons, I came back home. I had friends who came to the US as a child or had a dream to live there, but I didn’t belong to any of those categories. They were 100% American, but I felt myself more European. It’s not bad or good. It was just a fact, and I could do nothing with it,” Julia says.

During her trip to Canada, Julia had a life-changing meeting with a local fashion designer. After that, she continued her education at Istituto di Moda Burgo. At an early stage, she entered the top 50 emerging designers in a competition organized by Vogue Italia. After graduation, she was chosen by the Fashion Scout program to perform at MercedesBenz Kiev Fashion Days. This happening had a very positive influence on her to pursue a designer’s career. She joined the designing department as an assistant at Baltika Group, the giant fashion retailer in the Baltic region. She also started to receive invitations to take part in fashion events in the US, Canada, the UK, France, Korea, Hong Kong, and Japan.

In 2015, Julia was forced to take a break, because of her pregnancy. When her little daughter, Mia, turned one, Julia started a new brand called Kaleidoskop with co-designer Kristina Sibul. “I’m really happy to have Kristina as a partner. We are very different, like yin and yang. She is a gift, and I know what I’m talking about! To survive in this business, you need a partnership. But 99% of all designers put their ego first. I am very stubborn at work and a perfectionist too. So, if I do something, I do it because I want to reach the best result. In the beginning, we fought about that, but one day, Kristina heard me. So now, we don’t argue. We just discuss. We have lots of ideas and plans.

My life also is so unstable that I don’t know what will happen next. I really believe that my destiny is fashion. I have so much beauty inside and many ideas, which I want to release. Hope I can make this world better too,” states Julia.

For more information about Julia Perlin, please visit www.juliaperlin.com.

Andrey Kulpin, Photographer Creative Birds, Decoration Kristina Sibul, Assistant Ksenia Linjova, Makeup Artist

Niina Pozdnjakova, Nail Artist Olga Krõlova Pihl, Hairstylist AL Model Management, Models Valery & Anastasia

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fashion Fashion

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Model

Kristin Kri Kris ststin tin Leigh Provided by

Jonathan Route Jonathan Route, Photographer J. Route Photography www.jroutephoto.com

M

y name is Kristin Leigh, and I am a 33-year-old, single mother of two. My son, Cameron, is 11, and my daughter, Ava, is 9. Being a mother is the most rewarding experience of my life. At a young age, if anyone had asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I ultimately would have said, “A mom!�

I have decided to step outside of my comfort zone to explore the world of modeling at age 33. I would have never considered myself to be a model; however, I have never been more comfortable or confident in my life than I am at this moment. I have a wonderful family, a great career, and a healthy and positive outlook on life. I am proud of the woman that I am today and strive to better each and every day. I want to pass on this confidence to my children and have them look up to me and know the importance of self-confidence. Having the courage to get in front of the camera is a great way to show my children how confident I am.

My days are very busy, working full-time and working-out at least five times a week, all while being a good mom to my kids and raising them with the values and independence that I feel all children should have. I have worked hard for all that I have, and I want my children to feel the same pride from their accomplishments in life.

I enjoy being active and being outdoors. I live a healthy lifestyle for myself, as well as for my children. My kids and I enjoy weekly hiking, running, biking, or just playing board games on a rainy day. As a family, we all enjoy cooking and love spending time together in the kitchen. Modeling proves to me that I am a good role model to my children.

I want them to look up to me and learn from my mistakes, as well as my successes. Modeling, to me, is not just about being beautiful on the outside, but is about being beautiful and thoughtful as a person. At 33 years of age and venturing into the world of modeling, I can truly say that I feel beautiful and confident.

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Model

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Entertainment

CRIME PAYS FOR

KEITH SUTLIFF Written by

Jess Svenson

K

eith Sutliff’s The Mason Brothers is an effective, tense, and rather unique contribution to the crime-thriller subgenre. Akin to early Tarantino, it’s a chatty, but hip and suspenseful, throwback about a heist gone wrong. We spoke to the up-and-coming filmmaker about his first major release, which opens in theaters and releases on VOD everywhere this spring.

JESS SVENSON: Tell me how The Mason Brothers came along.

KEITH SUTLIFF: Well, since an early age, I have always loved crime-thriller films and heist films. For my first feature film, I thought it would be a great idea to do a heist film.

I thought of an idea one night about a tightknit group of brothers that plot this heist at this bank for ten million dollars. During the heist, one of the brothers gets killed, setting up the whole plotline for the story of these brothers attempting to reveal their brother’s killer and seek who set them up at this bank. I wanted to show how these characters react to their family member’s loss and how they interact with one another after the incident.

SVENSON: Are all the actors in the film buddies of yours?

SUTLIFF: No, just Matt Webb, who plays the role of Gage, and David Trevino, who plays the role of Tony. I have known Matt since middle school, and he’s been acting since a young age. David and I have been friends for a few years now, and he helped produce the film. He played a small role in the film.

SVENSON: When did they get involved?

SUTLIFF: From the development phase or later on? David Trevino was involved from the very beginning, from preproduction, after the script was finished, until postproduction.

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Entertainment Matt Webb came onboard during casting in preproduction. I knew I needed the role filled and called him up to see if he was interested. I knew he was a good actor on top of his game and thought the role suited him well.

SVENSON: How long did it take to craft the storyline? And how much is conceived while the film is actually shooting?

SUTLIFF: About a month. All of it pretty much.

SVENSON: Having said that, was improvisation encouraged?

SUTLIFF: A little. We did at some parts, but not a whole lot. We mainly stuck to the script, but I let them tweak a few lines here and there, if we thought it flowed better.

SVENSON: Were you always going to play Ren? SUTLIFF: Absolutely! I wrote that role for me. I wanted to play one of the leads and this role in particular, since he is a very conservative type of guy that lets his actions speak instead of his words – kind of an Old West gunfighter with not a lot of speaking, but violent and can lay the hammer down when needed. His actions speak instead of his words, as said above. He’s also the oldest of the brothers and the leader of the group.

SVENSON: Had you shot a gun before?

SUTLIFF: For sure. I come from a law enforcement background.

SVENSON: Any research you needed to do into this world?

SUTLIFF: Not really. I knew what I wanted.

SVENSON: How cool is it having your movie play at The Egyptian?

SUTLIFF: The best feeling in the world. It’s such an honor to have the film premiere at The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, one of the top three best theatres in Hollywood to premiere a film next to the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and Arclight Hollywood. The Egyptian Theatre is a world-renowned theatre and has hosted premieres such as Ridley Scott’s Alien in 1979. Also, Robin Hood premiered there years ago. This film will go down in history as premiering there.

SVENSON: When and where can we check out the film?

SUTLIFF: You can see the film in theatres in Los Angeles, starting April 14th at The Downtown Independent Theatre, and at Laemmle’s Monica Film Center Theatre in Santa Monica, California. The film should go to other theatres following. After the theatrical release, my distributor will take the film to VOD, TV, and other platforms.

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Travel

BOSTON MAKING IT

Written by

Tammy KC Hegyes

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I

f you’re looking for adventure in traveling, the pride of a city, fine dining, and many historical areas to visit, then trust me, you will enjoy your time in one of the top major cities in this fine country of ours. It’s time for a vacation…creating shared memories with your friends and family…making that first drop in your bucket-list of travels. Summertime is here, and you need to make those travel plans for your family or, even still, for you and that special someone.

I decided my first traveling experience to share with readers of City to Country Magazine would be about my trip to Boston, Massachusetts…home of the Boston Marathon. If you’re looking for history, you’re in the right place. From the city streets to the museums, Boston has it all.

One very interesting visit is the Boston Children’s Museum. If you bring your children on this journey, they’ll experience learning through play. The staff are very hands-on and truly exceptional. However, honestly though, if you want to experience the museum in its entirety, plan for a full day. There is so much to do, and your children will love you for it. The Boston Children’s Museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except when it’s open until 9:00 p.m. on Fridays.

If you’re looking for some amazing beauty in architecture and music combined, you truly should make your way to The Boston Symphony Orchestra, which is one of the most respected orchestras in the world. It is housed in one of the best acoustically-designed music halls in the world, Boston Symphony Hall. Watching and listening to such talented musicians, I found myself overwhelmed by such translucent, overpowering amazement of beauty and the love of music.

I found that traveling through Boston was best done not driving, but walking the streets of the city, meeting the people, following the delightful smells, and shopping. We all love shopping. If you’re like every warm-blooded woman or man that loves fashion, you will definitely love Newbury Street, an upscale shopping area in Boston’s historic Back Bay District. The cluster of stores on Newbury Street begins at the Public Garden and ends at Massachusetts Avenue.

Earlier, when I mentioned the smells, I found myself being pulled to hunger. Yes, it’s time for you and that special someone to take some well-deserved together time. Romance is in the air, and you will find yourself walking through a side of Boston, where you will fall in love all over again. Hidden away in North End is a divine, little place called Mamma Maria. I love Italian, and this place really makes you feel at home with the wonderful wait staff, beautiful music, and great list of wines. As well, the food is amazingly tantalizing.

There are so many other places to visit while you’re in Boston, from beaches and colorful houses to walking through the old and new of a beautiful city. Trust me, you will not be disappointed, meeting amazing people from many cultures and going home with a smile. I give my trip 5 out of 5 stars.

For information on planning your trip to Boston, please visit www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/massachusetts/boston.

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BOSTON

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

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THE

BOSTON

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

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BOSTON NEWBURY STREET

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BOSTON MAMMA MARIA

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MOUNTAIN SPLENDOR HIKING CHIRICAHUA NATIONAL MONUMENT Written by

Lili DeBarbieri

61 JULY / AUGUST 2017 ISSUE

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recently visited Chiricahua National Monument, located in southeastern Arizona, with the simple goal of escaping the summer heat of Tucson. The little-known (outside of the state of Arizona) park is a mountain oasis of rock towers and a mix of large pines and classic desert-dwelling plants. Suffice to say, the landscape was absolutely cool, literally and metaphorically, and I unabashedly jammedout to Spotify along the trail.

I arrived early to catch the free hikers’ shuttle that departed from the visitor center at 9:00 a.m. My destination was the top of the mountain, via the Echo Canyon Loop Trailhead, an 11-mile and challenging hike to take.

The hike began with ease, as it’s pretty much downhill, but it soon became steep and rocky. As the trail grew steeper, I was grateful for my hiking pole. After roughly an hour and five miles, I had reached Echo Grotto Canyon, where large rock formations formed a collection of small tunnels to walk through. Echo Canyon Trail’s perfect stone hoodoos and precariously balanced rocks begin to increase in both quantity and size as the trail heads for the upper end of Echo Canyon. The Grotto can be described as a stone hallway. Shortly thereafter, the trail descends into Echo Canyon, a wonderland of massive stone pillars, where turkey vultures nest, and small wetlands, created by faults underground, that provide for the tiger salamander. Rocks are placed everywhere, defying gravity. They are made of volcanic ash that is covered in bright green lichen and resemble the abodes of the elves from The Lord of the Rings.

I had to admit that this was nothing short of spectacular and certainly better than my previous, uninspiring plans to zone-out in front of the TV or Internet, air-conditioned environment albeit. Adorned with wrinkles, divots, and cracks, the weathered rocks showed their age in a beautiful way.

The views offered western pine greenery and sweeping, stony vistas that are different at the same time and uniquely Arizonan in ways that are hard to define. After hiking downhill for a couple of hours, which passed by in the blink of an eye, I enjoyed the solitude of the flat hike along the Hailstone Trail, and then, I climbed up the Mushroom Rock Trail to the top of the hill to have lunch and a respite.

Chiricahua National Monument is not one habitat type, but a variety with accompanying animal species.

Animals that live in grasslands, riparian, desert scrub, and pine woodlands all live and thrive in the “sky island” of the Chiricahua. Indeed, the unique geology, geographic location, and diverse ecology of the monument all play a role in its incredible animal diversity.

When I got to the top of the mountain, there was a nice, shady surface where one could rest and eat. I quickly found a good spot for lunch with a view that was shady and beautiful to enjoy, and there was not a soul in sight. Munching on salami sandwiches and fruit, I let nature work its healing and therapeutic magic to relieve me from the pressures of angst about where my so-called writing career was headed. (This was in my pre-book publication days.)

My mind began to wander and contemplate the surrounding diversity of the ecologies that I have taken in, and I wondered if I would spot species like the western box turtle, northern goshawk, black bear, and whitetail deer found throughout the habitat types. I gazed up at migrating birds who pass overhead

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through the area on their way to and from wintering grounds in Mexico, Central America, and South America. Almost 200 bird species are “residents” at Chiricahua at various times of the year.

After lunch, I reached the Heart of Rocks Loop and started on it with renewed enthusiasm. It was slow going for a while, after a heavy lunch and hours of challenging hiking, but then, I happened upon even more whimsically named rocks. There was Thor’s Hammer, though it did not look like a hammer, but rather a large letter “T.” I also saw Duck Rock, which was easily my favorite. It looked like a rubber ducky.

Others were Kissing Rocks, Punch and Judy, and Pinnacle Balanced Rock.

The cliché holds true. To do a hike of this magnitude makes you feel you can truly take on anything in the future.

The trail started to get flat again. Exhausted, but happy, I was hoping and praying I was close to the visitor center. I passed some other hikers and said, “Hello,” then hurried down the trail again. I went slower and slower, it seemed, and all the hours spent at my neighborhood, indoor gym felt worthless. I sat on a rock to enjoy the lushness of the scenery and rest again, hoping to see one of the unusual red squirrels. Soon, though, the hike back to the visitor center became easier. I was acclimated to the terrain and feeling great about the physical activity of the day.

Back in Tucson and once again behind a screen the next day, I reflected on the day before and felt that I had done something important through taking on this challenging hike that some people would not be physically or mentally capable of. I was prouder of myself than if I had won a spelling bee for doing a whopping 11-mile hike that I thought unlikely, because to be honest, I am not an accomplished hiker.

I regretted leaving this awe-generating oasis as soon as the hike was nearly completed. I hope that someday very soon I will be able to get back to Chiricahua National Monument for another hike or longer trip to view the wilderness in another season. Upon getting back into the swing of my work schedule and sweltering heat of the summer in concrete, suburban Tucson, I often found myself gazing out of the window and plotting my next adventure in these fabled eastern Arizona islands in the sky.

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IN KENT COUNTRY

THE EVOLUTION OF A FARMHOUSE Written by

Lili DeBarbieri

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n 1911, after having received a $700 commission for illustrating a book, Rex Brasher, a renowned wildlife illustrator and prolific painter, purchased a 150-acre farm in Kent, Connecticut, calling it Chickadee Valley.

In his lifetime, Brasher produced 875 watercolors, depicting 1,200 species and subspecies of North American birds. In fact, Brasher recorded more than twice as many birds as his better-known predecessor, John James Audubon, who painted 489 species.

Born in New York in 1869, Brasher began seriously painting in his teens. Inspired by his father at an even earlier age, Brasher had set the goal of painting all the species and subspecies identified in the American Ornithologists’ Union’s Checklist of North American Birds. Brasher strove for perfection, attempting to make his paintings as lifelike as possible, by portraying birds in their natural habitats, illustrating gender differences, and recording their everyday activities.

Visiting every state, Brasher captured birds that are now extinct, including the heath hen, passenger pigeon, and Eskimo curlew. He often financed these trips by working at odd jobs. Stints on fishing boats allowed him to work while also studying seabirds. He also funded his work through more unusual means, such as betting on horses. Often unsatisfied with his results, Brasher twice destroyed all his paintings, an estimated 700 canvases.

By 1924, Brasher had completed his series of paintings and attempted to have his work published, but the cost of printing all the plates in color was prohibitive. The persistent Brasher came up with a lesscostly solution. He hired the Meriden Gravure Company to produce black-and-white reproductions, and then, he hand-colored the prints himself, using an airbrush and stencil technique that he’d developed.

This labor-intensive process took four years to complete. The final book, Birds & Trees of North America, was produced in a limited edition of 100 sets of 12 volumes and included almost 90,000 hand-colored reproductions. The state of Connecticut purchased the Brasher collection in 1941 for $74,000, and the collection is preserved at the University of Connecticut’s Thomas J. Dodd Research Center.

Now, Chickadee Valley is owned by Brasher’s nieces, Deborah and Melode Brasher. The property was given to their father, Milton E. Brasher, by his uncle, Rex Brasher, in 1946, and the family moved to Chickadee Valley from Chappaqua, New York. Both his nieces are actively involved in the preservation of Rex Brasher’s art through an organization they founded, The Rex Brasher Association. “An Englishman, a lifelong friend of my father who saw the transformation of Chickadee Valley over the years, commented once that, ‘Milt built Chickadee Valley,’” Deborah remembers. The family has lived on the farm for over 70 years, almost three-quarters of a century.

“My father had just recently started his sculpture business, which occupied him until he retired. Rex had left his home at Chickadee Valley about five years before, around 1940, because age had diminished his capacity to live in this remote and, at that time, more primitive place,” says Deborah. During Rex’s residency, the farm had no electricity, no central heating, and no telephone service. Heating was by wood and coal stoves downstairs that heated a chimney, which, in turn, heated two of the bedrooms. “Rex moved in with a friend of his, a woman who looked after him. She lived in a modern house in Gaylordsville, Connecticut, about 14 miles south of Kent,” says Deborah, and the family visited him there.

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Travel “Meanwhile, the house at Chickadee Valley was quickly modernized,” comments Deborah. Central heating was put in within a year or two, but kerosene lamps, candles, and flashlights were still used for light at night. “It wasn’t too long before public electricity came down the main road and into our small dirt road and supplied our buildings,” she says. Public phone service took a bit longer and first came across the state line. “I remember talking for long periods to my school friends on that multi-party line and being interrupted by adults who wanted to use the phone,” she says.

Improvements on the rustic and secluded property, which sits at the end of a cul-de-sac at the end of Brasher Road, a quarter of a mile of dirt road that is public up to the last part that belongs to Chickadee Valley and is paved, continued over the years. “So much has been done to this house. Special shelves were built to accommodate my father’s (Rex Brasher’s nephew) sculptures. The wall spaces are covered with bird paintings by great uncle Rex and a few by me and my father,” says Deborah Brasher.

The farmhouse kitchen has the old maple floor, which Rex reportedly had put into place, that dates back to the early 1900s. Cabinets that were created by his nephew blend with the original handmade ones, while the new west wing of the house had to be configured in such a way that it fit aesthetically and architecturally with the original 19th century structure, doubling the size of the house. “My father acted as the architect for this project, and he was the one who redid the porches, changing them from wood to stone,” Deborah says.

An old chicken coop up on the hill was torn down, as was the old woodworking shop, the old studio, and finally, the old servants’ quarters at the back of the house. Milton had built his own work studio. “The barn, which great uncle Rex had turned into a storehouse for the prints, was turned into the cottage, and a garage was added to it,” Deborah says.

Along with multiple kitchen renovations, the wood porch was changed to a stone porch, the old chimney was rebuilt from the bottom up, new roofs were put on, and the east porch was given a new screening system. “The two giant maple trees in front of the house were cut down, but the giant hickory trees, giants when my father visited great uncle Rex as a boy, still stand to the southwest of the front of the house,” Deborah says. The interior of the house is filled with original paintings, prints, and books produced by Rex and sculptures done by Deborah’s father, Milton E. Brasher, who also penned a book, Rex Brasher, Painter of Birds, that was published by Rowman and Littlefield in 1961.

The land around the farm is still wild and highly-scenic countryside. Since the end of the charcoal industry, the forests have grown back, and with the reforestation has come the return of the black bear, the coyote, and the mountain lion. “Bear come right around the house. A small bear was up on the front porch a couple of years ago,” remembers Deborah. She continues, “A giant black bear was casually walking up the hill behind the house a few months ago. The coyote howl at night. There are also deer and racoons and plenty of smaller animals and birds.”

Gazing out across Chickadee Valley at night, only one faint light flickers on the opposite mountain. Rex Brasher would still recognize the place as home.

For travel information in western Connecticut, please visit www.litchfieldhills.com.

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