Westport , CT March 2020

MARCH 2020

Westport-Lifestyle.com

A WALLOP OF A WORK-OUT IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR LIVING ROOM INNOVATIVE HOME TRENDS FOR A NEW DECADE

The Home issue

HOME-COOKED MEALS NOT COOKED AT HOME GLORIOUS RUGS FOR SPECTACULAR ROOMS

WHEN LOCAL KNOWLEDGE MEETS BUSINESS EXPERIENCE, YOU WIN.

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C E L E B R AT I N G O U R

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We open early and close late 7 days a week for your shopping convenience.

Free weekly events. Awesome cafe for coffee and free Wifi while your kids play!

LIFESTYLE LETTER

MARCH 2020 PUBLISHER

Marisa MacLean | marisa.maclean@lifestylepubs.com EDITORIAL SUPERVISOR

Robin Moyer Chung | robin.chung@lifestylepubs.com

There’s No Place Like Home THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR HOME IS IT’S THE ONLY ONE EXACTLY LIKE IT. Sure, your neighbors’ homes may have a similar style or paint color. But the way you decorate each room and the memories you create make it uniquely yours.

Maybe you’re in the market for a new home? We sat down with Peter Cadoux of Peter Cadoux Architects to discuss trends in home design.

With springtime upon us, there’s no better time for a little do-it-yourself project! This

AD DESIGNER

Kaylee Mitchell LAYOUT DESIGNER

Emily Stout CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Sophia Andersen, Robin Moyer Chung, Marisa MacLean CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Mindy Briar, John Videler

issue includes tips for easy home refreshes that you can do without fancy tools or professional contractors.

Who loves a house tour? I know I do! In this issue we also include a non-traditional house tour of Irene Penny’s stunning beach home. In Home Sweat Home we go from room to room with personal trainer Andy Berman and discuss the advantages of in-home training without expensive gym equipment.

A room is not complete without a gorgeous rug! Local business owner and Westport resident Mike Alidadi educates us about the art behind handmade fine rugs. There’s a difference between these hand-crafted works of art and a rug bought from a discount store. In this feature you’ll learn all about it!

CORPORATE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore

One of the true pleasures in life is hosting friends and family in your home. But who

ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor

needs the stress of a typical dinner party? We catch up with locally-owned business,

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

A&S Fine Foods. In addition to weddings and parties, they’ll come to your home to

AD MANAGER Chad Jensen

create a truly special meal for 2 to 2,000. Or swing by A&S to buy a home-cooked meal

REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams

for your family during the mid-week rush.

WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

We also talk investment properties with Thomas Pacilio from Clapboard Hill Private Wealth. He gives us advice on selecting an investment property that will fit nicely into your financial portfolio.

In a luxury community such as ours, it’s important to remember those less fortunate.

Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County is a non-profit organization that does exactly that. This organization helps families buy homes themselves with a “hand up” not a “hand out”. Turn to page 46 for the inspiring feature story on this wonderful organization.

Happy March, Westport. We hope you enjoy reading this issue in the place you call home!

ARIZONA | CALIFORNIA | COLORADO | CONNECTICUT | FLORIDA | GEORGIA IDAHO | ILLINOIS | KANSAS | MARYLAND | MASSACHUSETTS | MICHIGAN MINNESOTA | MISSOURI | MONTANA | NEVADA | NEW JERSEY | NEW YORK NORTH CAROLINA | OHIO | OKLAHOMA | OREGON | PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH CAROLINA | TENNESSEE | TEXAS | VIRGINIA | WASHINGTON

Marisa MacLean, Publisher 514 W 26TH ST., KANSAS CITY, MO

Westport-Lifestyle.com ON THE COVER Andy Berman trains Irene Penny in her home.

10

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

Proverbs 3:5-6 Westport Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Westport areas’ most affluent neighborhoods.

Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.

Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Westport Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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INSIDE THE ISSUE MARCH 2020

FEATURES 22 Rugs, Glorious Rugs Decorating a House from the Bottom Up

26 Redefining Home-Cooked Meals A&S Fine Foods Offers Home Cooking, Just Not In Your Home

30 Man of the House Peter Cadoux's 2020 Home Trends

40 26

40 Home Sweat Home In-Home Training with Andy Berman

30 DEPARTMENTS

22

10

Lifestyle Letter

14

Good Times

18

Around Town

22 Locally Owned 26 Locals Only 30 Trend Setter 36 DIY 40 Healthy Lifestyle 46 Inspired By 50 Culinary Creations 54 Renovate & Refine 58 Lifestyle Calendar 62 Financial Buzz

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GOOD TIMES 1.

2.

3.

Westport Lifestyle Presents "Your 2020 Makeover" On January 8th, Westport Lifestyle assembled a team of “makeover experts” to help members of the community kick off the new decade! The event was hosted at Tusk Home + Design and the panel consisted of experts in the fields of Beauty, Fashion, Finance, Fitness, Nutrition, and Home Decor. PHOTOS BY MINDY BRIAR (continued on next page).

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1. Marisa MacLean, Annabella Daily, Anne Epstein | 2. Erica Bryniczka and Sarah True | 3. Amy Hochhauser and Rachel Keyes | 4. Angela Pantalone, Xoli Ngcoza, Kim Pugh, Kitt Shapiro, Lucia Gulbransen | 5. Jessica Fokides, Zac Mathias, Marisa MacLean | 6. Michael Gold and Steve Matri | 7. A sold-out crowd at Tusk Home + Design | 8. Marysol Castro, Robin M. Chung, Rhodie Lorenz, Marni Lane | 9. Guests dined on food from A&S Fine Foods | 10.

Westport Lifestyle Publisher Marisa MacLean introduces the panel | 11. Grace Rosenstein and Marisa MacLean | 12. Marisa MacLean and Sarah Weiland 14

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

WE ARE spring ING INTO A NEW OFFICE IN APRIL OF 2020!

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GOOD TIMES 1.

2.

3.

Westport Lifestyle Presents "Your 2020 Makeover" Over 150 guests attended the sold-out event and dined on food by A&S Fine Foods and wine from The Fine Wine Company of Westport.

Sarah Weiland, Rhodie Lorenz, Michael R. Gold, Kitt Shapiro, Heather Bauer, and Dr. Joseph O’Connell discussed home decor, fitness, finances, fashion, nutrition and beauty. The panel discussion was led by moderator Annabella Daily. PHOTOS BY MINDY BRIAR

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1. The Makeover Panel: Annabella Daily, Rhodie Lorenz, Kitt Shapiro, Michael Gold, Heather Bauer, Sarah Weiland, Dr. Joseph O'Connell | 2. Heather Bauer talks nutrition | 3. Julie Endich and Jen Berniker | 4. Dr. Joseph O'Connell talks beauty. | 5. Guests enjoyed drinks from The Fine Wine Company of Westport. Michael Voss, Cory D'Addario, Pat Eckert, Paul Krivosta | 6. A rapt audience. | 7. Kitt Shapiro talks fashion. | 8. Annabella Daily moderated the panel | 9. Michael Gold talks finance | 10. Sarah Weiland discusses making over your home. | 11. Sarah Weiland, Mindy Briar and Marisa MacLean pose for a selfie | 12. Rhodie Lorenz talks fitness 16

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

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AROUND TOWN

LIQUOR LOCKER RENAMED THE FINE WINE COMPANY OF WESTPORT The former Liquor Locker, 411 Post Road East in the Compo Shopping Center, is renamed The Fine

Photo: Helmut Lang, Untitled (63)(detail), 20102013, resin, pigment and mixed media, dimensions variable. Courtesy of the artist and von ammon co., Washington DC.

Wine Company of Westport. Owner for the past four years, Cory D’Addario, a Fairfield resident, says, “A name needs to reflect what you do. We offer fine wine. The former Liquor Locker name is from another era and is no longer reflective of us.”

D’Addario, a 1996 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America has over 20 years experience in the wine and culinary industries, specializing in food pairing, wine tasting, and seminars.

EXPLORE CHINA THROUGH DANCE AND MUSIC The Westport Library presents China's diverse regions and ethnic groups through music and dance. This performance will include a mischievous lion, classical songs played by traditional Chinese instruments and lively renditions of the award-winning red ribbon dance performed by artists from

From March 7 - March 14 the Hope Starts

New York Chinese Cultural Center.

Town Hall, March 15 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00pm

Here exhibition by Westport photographer Jerri

WestportLibrary.org

Graham will be on display at the POP’T ART Gallery at 1 Main St. The exhibit features stories and

MOCA PRESENTS HELMUT LANG

portraits of community members united in raising

From March 14 -July 18 MoCA

presents

world-renowned

awareness and funds for Stage 4 breast cancer. design-

Opening reception Saturday, March 7 from

er-turn-artist Helmut Lang. After leaving fashion to

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. To purchase tickets or make a

explore fine art, a 2010 conflagration of Helmut’s

donation visit: www.AWARECT.org

design archives inspired him to haul the remaining

Proceeds from the campaign benefit AWARE’s

archives, two decades worth of his clothing, into an

partner The Cancer Couch Foundation, a nonprofit

industrial shredder. With the remnants and resin he

dedicated to raising funds for a cure for Stage 4.

created column after column of loamy sculpture.

18

AWARE CT HOPE STARTS HERE 2020 PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

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Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

TAKE YOURSELF FURTHER

208 Post Road West Westport, CT | (203) 454-0044 | plasticsurgeryct.com SculptAndToneWithAllergan.com

Ru gs , Glor ious

LOCALLY OWNED

Ru g s

DECORATING A HOUSE FROM THE BOTTOM UP

ARTICLE ROBIN MOYER CHUNG

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Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

WHO DOESN’T LOVE TO BE KNOCKED ON THE HEAD WITH A QUOTE FROM ATLAS SHRUGGED? “There was an air of luxury about the room, but it was the luxury of expert simplicity;… she noticed an Oriental rug of a texture and color that belonged… in a museum.”

This is the line I recall most vividly from her books. Not sure what this says about me, other than I’m able to frack design tips from the hardest of rocks. But from then on I understood the significance of having a quality rug in one’s home.

Whether vintage or contemporary, handmade rugs make a house warm and inviting.

They feel good beneath your bare feet and make you happy when you look at them. You remember when you bought it and why you fell in love with it. If the rug is antique, you imagine the family who owned it before you, how they lived and what they celebrated.

Westport resident Mike Alidadi owns one of the few handmade (hand-loomed, hand-knotted or hand-woven) rug stores in Fairfield County: Apadana Fine Rugs.

Apadana sells custom, contemporary and vintage rugs and offers cleaning and design CONTINUED >

March 2020 | Westport Lifestyle

23

wner of Apada di , o na lida Fin A e ike

g Ru

M

LOCALLY OWNED (CONTINUED)

s

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Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

services. We sat among piles and piles of gorgeous coverings in his SoNo store (he’s moving to Westport Avenue next fall) and I could have spent a lovely few days exhausting his workers so I could see them all.

Mike’s “pickers” and agents in Europe scour rug markets around the globe to bring back a mix of the finest rugs available. His rugs aren’t inexpensive; a quality cover is an investment.

Which makes sense, seeing as one rug easily takes more than three months to create.

IGNAZIO’S THE PIZZA (in-yats-zio)

Rugs are woven or knotted on a vertical loom with thousands of threads. The loom requires one person for every three feet of rug. So a nine foot rug requires three weav-

203.557.8954

ers, for those of you without a calculator.

Due to the complex patterns, weavers must communicate throughout the entirety of the process. A seasoned weaver knows most patterns from memory. “Like a professional actor, they can remember the script,” Mike explains.

For new patterns they follow a drawing.

Now, this rug can be digitally photographed and churned out in a few hours by machine at a fraction of the cost, but it will lack color quality and depth and won’t be as as soft underfoot. The knock-off will look nice for a few years before wearing out, whereas a handmade one endures high heels and toy trucks for generations.

Only a few short years ago rug dealers stuffed their stores with safe hues: red, blue, beige and grey. But - shout out to the lovely folks at Pantone - color is coming back and Apadana is all over the trend with stunning pinks, corals, greens and more (in addition to the reds, beiges, etc.). And Mike couldn’t be more pleased, “When you have a colorful rug in your house it makes you happy.” Even if my home weren’t already blasted with color, I’d agree.

Oh, and if you have a mom like mine, or you ARE a mom like mine, you’ll pelt me with dozens of rug-care quandaries the moment I mention my meeting with Mike. Fortunately

From Brooklyn to Westport

Apadana’s website provides answers, from what to do when the dog defaces a new rug to Rugs 101. There’s also a posting about holiday decorating on the cheap. Smart idea: you can funnel your savings into a new rug.

833 POST ROAD EAST, WESTPORT

ApadanaFineRugs.com March 2020 | Westport Lifestyle

25

REDEFINING HOME-COOKED MEALS

LOCALS ONLY

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Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

ARTICLE ROBIN MOYER CHUNG PHOTOGRAPHY JOHN VIDELER

A&S FINE FOODS OFFERS HOME COOKING, JUST NOT IN YOUR HOME

IN

2015

THE

BEMOANED

WASHINGTON

THE

“DEATH

OF

POST THE

HOME-COOKED MEAL,” CITING SEVERAL REASONS FOR ITS DECLINE INCLUDING THE “COUNTRY’S SUSCEPTIBILITY FOR LAZINESS.” With this, I’ve several levels of concern. First, yes, there are plenty of sloths lolling about the U.S. but should that descriptor apply to everyone who picks up a delivery menu? I think not.

Second, not all of us are good cooks, just like not all of us can remove a tumor. And that’s okay. Leave it to the experts. Third, a “homecooked meal” isn’t necessarily born of our kitchen. What about dinner parties? Are you lazy if you accept a casserole after surgery?

Fourth, and most important, what if you’re super-busy all day and you drive by A&S Fine Foods and recall how your son followed you around the kitchen begging you to sample its “amazing” chicken noodle soup and so you decide to stop and get dinner there, one that’s better than the frozen meatballs you were going to defrost in the microwave because you only have 45 minutes as a family before post-dinner carpools begin? After all, Oprah loves A&S miniature jumbo lump crab cakes and who can resist their classic chicken piccata?

Does that make you lazy?

No. It makes you a hero.

Founded by Albert Pizzirusso in 2002 and opened in Westport in 2016, A&S specializes

Proscuitto ricotta fritters with balsamic fig jam. (Photo: A&S)

Grilled Caribbean lobster tails with citrus cilantro vinaigrette. (Photo: A&S)

The A&S Fine Foods team.

Filet mignon with three sauces.

(Photo: A&S)

Hors d’oeuvres for business and residential parties. (Photo: A&S)

in Italian prepared foods and groceries. He graduated

in the back kitchen. One man stands over a steel pan

from the Culinary Institute of America and spent the next

of milky water, pulling out fresh balls of homemade

8 years cooking at high-end restaurants in New York,

mozzarella. These mozzarellas are best eaten without

including The Rainbow Room, Four Seasons and the Ritz.

refrigeration; each slice is creamy and tender with an

He moved to Connecticut and opened, and sold, several

irresistible soft, chewy texture. Kind of like what fairies

eateries before settling in our seaside enclave.

eat for dinner.

“Everything I carry is the best,” he says, pointing out

While you can easily waltz in to buy food for a family of

the olive oils, sun-dried peppers (“You won’t see these

four, you can have him whip up a meal in your own kitchen

anywhere but here.”), cookies, dried pastas and cheeses.

or you can go the catering route for larger groups and/or

“An 80-year old woman from Brooklyn comes here once a

fancier fare.

week to sell me figs, peppers, and Mulino Blanco cookies.”

“These ingredients,” Al waves his hand around the deli-

A long glass case contains platters of chicken piccata,

cacies in his store, “are what we use for our food. You want

short ribs, kale pear salad, quinoa salad and more to a

us to cater a meal for 10? I’ll start with this tallegio and

line of hungry customers. Above the counter hang large

spread it on our baguette with sun-dried peppers.”

prosciuttos and cured meats.

While his most frequent catering gigs are for 10-400

Everything at A&S is prepared in-house. Actually,

people, he’s catered barbecues for upwards of 4,000…

let’s say “in-home,” because why not? A small squad of

that’s a baffling number of cows and chickens. His smallest

chefs busily roast vegetables, cut pasta, sauté mussels

CONTINUED >

March 2020 | Westport Lifestyle

27

LOCAL S ONLY (CONTINUED)

A&S Fine Foods groceries.

group is four, to whom he served truffles, caviar, and $10,000 worth of wine.

I

spot

some

gluten-free

pasta

imported from Italy. Though I’d love to think I don’t stereotype, I didn’t realize Italy was so woke. “They have the greatest gluten-free pasta!” He picks up a package of gluten-free cookies, “You can’t even tell it’s gluten-free!”

The menu board

Owner Albert Pizzirusso.

A gorgeous picnic. (Photo: A&S)

We’re interrupted by a woman who asks if he carries ricotta. Without skipping a beat he pulls out a tub of beautiful cheese and replies, “Yes, we have the best ricotta.”

I skip out minutes later with truffle cheese, glass jars of Nutella (“much better than the big plastic jars at CostCo”), pasta e fagiole, chicken noodle soup, chicken piccata and a bunch of other yummy foods. We had a lovely family dinner that night.

Because there’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal.

28

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

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W E S T P O R T 125 Kings Highway Nor th

TREND SETTER

Outdoor living space.

Peter Cadoux

Man of the House Contemplation room.

ARTICLE ROBIN MOYER CHUNG

Automatic dog door.

30

ARCHITECT PETER CADOUX'S HOME TRENDS

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

Indoor therapy pool.

TO KICK OFF A NEW DECADE WE THOUGHT

1. HIS & HER OFFICES: Home offices are no lon-

IT’D BE FUN TO COVER SOME FABULOUS NEW

ger the brown leather-chaired man-rooms of yore.

HOME TRENDS. So I reached out to Peter Cadoux

Now both spouses enjoy having their own personal

of Peter Cadoux Architects who, after 30 years in the

space, to decorate and use accordingly.

dream house business, knows pretty much everything about super-cool homes.

2. INDOOR THERAPY POOLS: If your home isn’t large enough for an indoor pool (and, given the trend

Peter’s operative words for the 2020’s is “sanc-

of smaller houses, it probably isn’t), you can get the

tuary” and “therapy.” People want a house in which

same work-out in a therapy pool. Water jets at the end

they can work, relax, exercise, and save the planet

provide stronger resistance so you can swim “like a

with the ease afforded by smart technology.

stationary bike.”

If, after reading this list (and it’s only a partial list,

3. CONTEMPLATION ROOMS:

Fenestrated

there are many other trends), you look around your

(architect-speak for windows) corner rooms at yard-

own home and wonder why it doesn’t work a little

level create a soothing respite for thoughtfulness.

harder to be more like one of Peter’s, don’t fret: some

4. WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS: The same

of these trends can be incorporated into your home

systems you see at the gyms, made more attractive

with minimal effort. Others, not so much.

for the home: fill up your water bottle with clean, fresh CONTINUED >

March 2020 | Westport Lifestyle

31

TREND SE T TER (CONTINUED)

water and watch the ticker flash how many plastic bottles you’ve avoided throwing into a landfill.

5. HOME GYMS: In-wall fitness systems have as many, if not more, features as a larger gym but take up less space.

6. FIRST FLOOR OWNER’S SUITES: With all the monitors and cameras readily available there’s no need to be physically present to keep watch over the kids. Plus, you can throw in French doors for a scenic view of your landscaping and for convenient flight from family when necessary. According to Peter, “The only casualty now is you’re closer to the kitchen.”

7. HIDDEN ROOMS: Speaking of fleeing, adult hiding spots are increasingly popular. Secret rooms with secret doors, such as a bookcase, are being tucked into homes.

They’re like escape pods, so you can leave your home without actually leaving your home.

8. YOGA STUDIOS: A room for yoga.

Outdoor living.

9. MEDITATION ROOMS: A room for meditating.

Similar to the yoga room but more cerebral.

10. HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS with “unbelievable” filtrations systems, controllable through an iPhone, provide cleaner air.

11. INFRARED HEATERS: Installed on the porch ceiling, these heaters can extend your outside time well into the fall.

12. ELEVATORS: Houses on smaller properties, especially near the water, maximize space by building up. A two-story home with a finished basement and attic becomes a four-story, and climbing from floor one to floor four becomes a nightmare. Elevators are key for transporting people, laundry, and other items through the home. Further, Peter explains, “It opens your market share because all types of people can live there.”

13. TRASH ROOMS: A by-product of internet shopping is piles of cardboard boxes. Stash these in a separate room for trash and recycling that collectors can access from an outside door.

14. OUTSIDE-IN: Patios, seamless windows, and rooftop decks allow better communion with the outdoor environment.

15. AUTOMATIC DOGGY DOORS: Instead of the flippy-floppy flaps that allow all manner of creepy wildlife to breeze into the home, automatic doors open only for pets wearing a sensor on their collar. They’re inexpensive, the learning curve for Fido and Tigger is minimal, and they’ll no longer have to claw the paint off the front door to get inside.

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Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

Water filtration system.

Outdoor living.

In-home gym.

March 2020 | Westport Lifestyle

33

VIDELER photography

203-856-5075 v i d e l e r. c o m

westport’s photographer

MIKE’S GOLD NUGGETS THREE STRATEGIES TO GIVE TO CHARITY AND MITIGATE YOUR TAXES

The wealthy and affluent are often big charitable givers-but don’t always give in ways that can maximize the benefits. Tax-wise giving potentially helps donors mitigate their taxes and make an even more substantial impact to charities. From my experience few donors use tax-efficient strategies as part of their annual giving. Many just write a check. There are several tax-efficient giving strategies available and it seems that wealthy donors are simply not being educated enough about these alternate approaches. Tax-efficient giving is the process of making a significant charitable gift – either during your lifetime or at death and doing so as tax-efficiently as possible. Tax-wise charitable planning is best accomplished as part of a broader overall wealth plan addressing key issues as wealth transfer, wealth protection, wealth enhancement and retirement income and cash-flow planning. When you consider the various assets you have, how they are structured there is potential to make meaningful charitable gifts that also provide substantial tax benefits. Generally, proactive wealth planning that takes your broader financial situation into account can lead to much better outcomes than simply writing a check to your favorite charity every year.

BELOW ARE THREE STRATEGIES TO TAX-WISE CHARITABLE PLANNING

1

CHARITABLE TRUSTS There are different types of charitable trusts that have

different tax benefits. Charitable trusts are often used as part of comprehensive wealth plans- especially estate planning because they effectively mitigate various taxes and move assets between generations.

Example of one type of charitable trust i. Converts appreciated assets into stream of income, without having to pay capital gains on the sale ii. Donor gets a partial income tax deduction on the value of the asset donated iii. Donor or named beneficiary gets an income for life or a term of 20 years, whichever is shorter

2

DONOR ADVISED FUNDS Established by a financial services firm, community foundation or a charitable group who manages the day-to-day operations. Donors make irrevocable contributions to the donor advised fund. Those assets are invested and grow tax-free over time. Donors can recommend which charities should receive their financial contributions and the donor advised fund makes the gift.

Donor Advised Funds Tax-Benefits 1. Income Tax: You receive an immediate income tax deduction in the year you contribute to your DAF. (Deduction limits for cash and appreciated securities differ) 2. Capital Gains Tax: You will incur no capital gains tax on gifts of appreciated assets (i.e. securities, real estate, other illiquid assets.)

3. Estate Tax: Your Donor Advised Fund will not be subject to estate taxes 4. Tax-Free Growth: Your investments in a Donor Advised Fund can appreciate tax-free

3

PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS Non-profit organization that is funded by a person, family or corporation. The assets in the foundation called “Endowment” are invested to produce income used to make grants to other charities and to support the operations of the private foundation.

Establishing a private foundation may make it possible for you to: 1. Reduce your income tax for every year in which you make a contribution; 2. Avoid capital gains taxes, depending on the characteristics of assets contributed; 3. Increase the foundation’s assets through tax-advantaged growth and compounding; 4. Reduce or eliminate potential estate taxes.

Making tax-wise charitable planning an integral part of your wealth planning can prove very beneficial. However, one must approach this by first and foremost by having a desire to make an impact on an important cause. If your focus is only on tax mitigation it can lead to substandard financial and philanthropic results. Unfortunately, too many professionals push the tax benefits of charitable giving and underemphasize the importance of charitable intent.

If you want to make a difference, these charitable strategies could be very powerful solutions and are some of the best ways to do well by doing good.

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Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

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HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Home Sweat Home

ARTICLE ROBIN MOYER CHUNG | PHOTOGRAPHY MINDY BRIAR

IN-HOME TRAINING WITH ANDY BERMAN IN WESTPORT AND WESTON, THERE

Andy Berman of Mental Grit Fitness, “A person

ARE ALMOST AS MANY PLACES TO GET

on paper can have the best credentials but

RIPPED AS THERE ARE CARS CRASHING

they might not be the exact person you want

INTO STOREFRONTS ON POST ROAD.

coming to your house, not to mention they

You can choose from dozens of fitness stu-

could have the personality of a tree.” Having

dios, gyms, home-gyms and friends with

a trainer with an aspirational body helps, too.

home-gyms. Or you can leave the car in the

Andy suggests asking friends, family and

garage and enjoy a work-out in the privacy

acquaintances about trainers. Based on

of your very own home.

personal experience, he says, “I usually start

There are many compelling reasons to train in your house. Maybe you have difficulty getting to

with one person and before I know it I’m training the mother, father and uncle.”

a gym, maybe you can’t stand being surrounded

Once you hire a trainer, you tell them a bit

by sweaty strangers or smelling people with

about yourself so they can mull over exercise

suffocating body odor. Andrea Robinson, a

options for you. Then the party begins.

client of trainer Mo Prester, explains, “Being in

The doorbell rings. You roll out of bed and

the comfort of my own home allows me to let

spill downstairs to welcome the trainer into

loose a little more and not worry about others

the convenience of your living room. They

watching me. No signing up for spots, dealing

bring no weights. No kettle bells. No enor-

with traffic, etc. I can literally be working at home

mous machines resembling Matrix birthing

and in an instant be ready for my workout.”

pods. Your mind wanders from the impend-

Best of all, these trainings are customized

ing exercise routine as you chat about dried

for each individual to whip you into the best

floral arrangements and your plans to make

shape of your life.

a nice broth from the Thanksgiving turkey

So, how does an in-home workout play out?

carcass in your freezer.

First, you find the right trainer. “When

Then your personal work-out begins. Work-

selecting an in-home trainer word of mouth is

outs can include mountain-climbers, squats,

usually the best and safest way to go,” asserts

CONTINUED >

40

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

Andy Berman and Irene Penny Leg lifts.

March 2020 | Westport Lifestyle

41

HE ALTH Y LIFEST Y LE (CONTINUED) push-ups, burpees and any other “full-body functional exercises.” So easy! However…

A good trainer isn’t easy. A good trainer is a persuasive, charming, borderline-masochistic cheerleader who’ll ply you with squats until you until you scream, cry, blurt out secrets*, or unwittingly recall the documentary on hit-men and where to find them.

But deep down you love the victory.

Andy trains kids and teens, too, to sharpen athletic skills and increase self-esteem. Irene Penny took it one step further and asked

“A person on paper can have the best credentials but they might not be the exact person you want coming to your house, not to mention they could have the personality of a tree.”

Andy to exercise the entire family, “All four of us did HIIT exercises together in the backyard, it was a really fun way for the whole family to spend time together with an added bonus of getting stronger!”

Curiosity: piqued. I asked Andy to do a training session for my two younger kids, ages 11 and 13 (I would have joined them but I had to drink coffee.) Despite my one over-arching caveat, “They’re impossible,” Andy somehow agreed to do it.

Upon meeting him, my kids shared a single thought: “He’s strong.” Strong enough to convince them they should do what he told them to. For 45 minutes they tried to monkey around while he patiently corrected their form, talking them through push-ups and toe-ups. In the end they got a work-out and decided he was also “fun” - rarely a term one associates with burpees.

Irene tolerates a wall-sit while Andy enjoys his coffee.

When your work-out is over and you wave your trainer good-bye, you can immediately go back to what it is you were doing. Or, you can treat yourself to a bowl of ice cream and peruse the internet for a pair of star-print leggings. A little reward for a great work-out. *Yes, this happens.

A few of our favorite in-home trainers: Andy Berman, Youth, Teen and Adults, andy@mentalgritfitness.com Mo Prester, Kids, Teens, Adults, and Seniors, moeprester@aol.com Blake

Schnirring,

Adults

and

Seniors,

BlakeLeighTraining.com Christina Stuttard, All ages, ChristinaStuttardFitness.com Irene's hair and makeup: Rachel Toussaint, Makeup Artist, RachelToussaintMakeup.com Irene's clothes: Athleta 42

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

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INSPIRED BY ARTICLE SOPHIA ANDERSEN | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED

BUILDING HOPE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF COASTAL FAIRFIELD COUNTY OFFERS A HAND-UP TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. Habitat homeowners Cesar and Jennifer on the last day of their sweat equity hours.

46

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

New Habitat homeowners, Leonard and Janice, smile with the key to their Habitat home.

Brihana reading in her room inside her family’s Habitat home.

SOMETIMES WITH THE BUSYNESS AND ROUTINE OF DAILY LIFE, IT’S EASY TO TAKE YOUR HOME FOR GRANTED. A home is not simply a roof over your head. It is the hub for gathering family and friends, a space to unwind and recharge at the end of the day and a place that makes us feel safe and comforted. The word ‘home’ often invokes words like stability, warmth and personal space. A home brings a sense of peace that unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to have. This is where Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County (Habitat CFC) comes in.

“Habitat CFC is a nonprofit organization that creates strength, stability and self reliance for families CONTINUED >

March 2020 | Westport Lifestyle

47

INSPIRED BY (CONTINUED)

in Fairfield County through homeownership,” says Dr. Cathy

foundation work, is handled by subcontractors who are spe-

Collins, CEO of Habitat CFC. The organization, started in

cifically trained for the job. “There are tremendous opportu-

1985, eliminates substandard housing by building new

nities for people to volunteer and be a part of this process,”

homes for community members in need in Coastal Fairfield

Dr. Collins says. “When volunteers work alongside the Habitat

County, with a primary focus in Bridgeport. Fairfield County

CFC families and can see what they are doing, the stereotypes

has a severe need for affordable housing. “Because there is

we have tend to fall away...I think all of our spirits get lifted in

such an income disparity across the county, we provide a

a very different way.” The organization offers corporate build

really important service to address some of those very spe-

days, individual volunteer opportunities, women’s group builds

cific disparities,” Dr. Collins says. Dr. Collins, who has been

and more. More information and sign-ups can be found on the

a nonprofit executive for most of her career, has a passion

Habitat CFC website (see web address below).

for giving back, creating sustainable solutions and bringing

You can also help by donating funds or furniture. ReStore,

positive change to communities. “Habitat CFC gives families

a division of Habitat CFC, takes donations of new or gen-

a sense of stability,” she states. “When these families know

tly used home decor, furniture and building products. “We

they have an affordable, safe place to live their health tends

resell the donated items to the public, the same way that

to improve, both physical and mental. Educational attain-

Goodwill does with clothes,” Dr. Collins says. “We are not

ment grows for children, and even adults. While each home

only diverting many items from landfills, we are also using

supports a family, together those homes become leverage

the proceeds from donations to help us build homes.”

to support a community.”

ReStore is located in Stratford, where anyone can drop

Habitat CFC provides a “hand-up,” not a hand-out. “We

their items during business hours. They are also able to pick

don’t give houses away,” Dr. Collins states, “Our families

up larger items that might not fit in the back of your car,

go through a strenuous application process and actually

although drop-off is preferred so as to preserve the non-

purchase their home themselves.” The organization mostly

profit’s valuable resources. Even corporate offices that are

works with families who could become homeless without a

remodeling are encouraged to donate their furniture and

stable living situation. “We do work with families ranging from

decor. Restore welcomes anyone looking to discover hidden

low-income to some very low-come, but we are not moving

gems for their home or looking to shop for affordable, used

people from homelessness to homeownership,” explains

home furnishings in general.

Dr. Collins. She continues, “[The people we work with] are

“When we have experienced having a home or being in a

hardworking individuals who we believe can be successful

home-owned situation most of our lives, it is easy to take for

homeowners, but who do not have the pathway to get there

granted some of the simple things that come with having a

on their own.” Habitat CFC homeowners receive a 0% mort-

home, like having a quiet place to do homework or a place

gage from the organization. They demonstrate their ability to

to have everyone gather for a meal,” Dr. Collins states. “Our

be a successful homeowner by partnering with Habitat CFC

Habitat homeowners re-teach us on a daily basis the value

through sweat equity and taking educational classes on top-

of home and how much a stable home affects one’s health,

ics such as financial literacy, budgeting, home maintenance,

happiness and education.” Dr. Collins is grateful for everyone

home security and more.

who donates their time, talent and resources. She says, “I am

Building skills are not needed to volunteer with Habitat

very grateful for all the ways in which people support our work.

CFC - so don’t be afraid to lend a hand! The organization is

And we always need more. The more we have, the more we

grateful for volunteers of all skill ranges who aren’t afraid to

are able to do.”

get their hands dirty. Volunteers, guided by professional construction staff work alongside Habitat CFC families. Anything

*For volunteer opportunities, please visit:

that requires a license, such as plumbing, electrical work and

https://www.habitatcfc.org/

48

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

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CULINARY CREATIONS ARTICLE HAYLEY HYER | PHOTOGRAPHY NICOLETTE MARTIN

check your groceries at the door

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Most food subscription boxes will allow you to choose a delivery day and time frame that works best for you. Your grocery items will be packaged as intuitively as possible, with any refrigerator items tucked in with ice packs.

Bonus: You can reuse the insulation and ice packs in kids’ lunch boxes, on road trips or in your own lunches at work.

50

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

TIP:

freezer items in specially insulated sacks and

Try out a few different boxes. You can pause your subscription for the first one while you try a second one. Just remember to cancel the accounts you don’t want anymore!

3

ingredients + Prep

Depending on what you order, you may need some of your own supplies. When you select your meals, think about what you will need to cook the food in and if any other kitchen utensils would be helpful.

Have them ready to go so you don’t have to make any last-minute trips to the store, defeating the purpose of getting your box delivered!

If the meals are foods you would enjoy reheated, you could do all of your cooking the day you get the box to meal prep for your week, or you can just store the ingredients to the other meals in your fridge and cook them throughout the week.

4

cooking

If you’re a little less-experienced in the kitchen, meal kits are great for learning! Read the instructions carefully before you get started so you don’t feel frazzled while the heat is up high, and take your time.

If you are a more seasoned chef, feel free to take your own spin on the recipes and add some extra flavor or swap out ingredients to make it perfect for your palate.

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let’s eat!

This is the really fun part! It’s time to start taste-testing.

Make a note tab in your phone for tracking what you love and what isn’t your favorite. That way, when it’s time to select more meals, you know what you have tried and what you absolutely have to try again. Don’t forget to ask your family what was a hit and a miss. Who knows— maybe the kids love some of the Purple Carrot recipes and don’t even notice how many veggies they are eating!

March 2020 | Westport Lifestyle

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March 2020 | Westport Lifestyle

53

RENOVATE & REFINE

OUT WITH THE

NEW IN WITH THE

old WE’RE SHARING TIPS, TRICKS + UNIQUE WAYS TO INCORPORATE YOUR ANTIQUE ITEMS INTO YOUR HOME

ANTIQUES ARE MAKING A COMEBACK. Whether you’re an antique aficionada, a thrifty thrifter or new to the whole concept of vintage revival; whether it’s a hand-me-down, a thrift-store-find or just something cool you stumbled upon at an estate sale; endless opportunities exist to effortlessly incorporate retro, vintage, antique or whatever-you-want-to-call-them items into different parts of your modern home.

54

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

STYLE IT Coffee Table PRO TIP Revive solid-wood pieces with little actual value by refinishing the

item

WHAT IT IS Antique Chest

wood to your liking.

Don’t be afraid to do something different, and don’t take things too seriously. If the piece you’re working with doesn’t have any real value, you have so many options to liven it up, including paint, finish and hardware.

Make your piece multi-purpose by turning the lid into a game table or by storing your cocktail accessories inside for an easy-access mini bar!

Spread the vintage love. Use antiques strategically and as accent pieces to keep your overall aesthetic from coming off as too dated.

tips CONTINUED >

March 2020 | Westport Lifestyle

55

RENOVATE & REFINE (CONTINUED)

WHAT IT IS Vintage books + tchotchkes

Bookends + Paperweights PRO TIP Display vintage books (or vintage-looking books!) as a visual focal point on nightstands, shelves + coffee tables.

item

STYLE IT

tips

56

Repurpose old tins, mugs, teacups

Create the most impact by displaying

Make it art. Don’t be afraid to display

or storage containers into succulent

(not hiding!) items that carry the best

unique pieces as wall art. Consider cre-

gardens. Because succulents have

stories or sentimental value. We love the

ating a gallery wall that mixes vintage

shallow root systems, they can sur-

use of incorporating these smaller figu-

photographs, prints, mirrors and china.

vive (and thrive!) in smaller spaces.

rines as bookends and paperweights.

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MARCH

LIFESTYLE CALENDAR

2

audiences through their vision for an

THE PARENT COLLECTIVE: POSTPARTUM SUPPORT SERIES FOR NEW PARENTS

and meet the artists. CHTWestport.org

exciting musical future.

Coastal Sol Yoga,

8 Church Street South, Westport

Come join us for support, information and friendship! Each week we will

Stay for the reception in the Great Hall

15 THE POUT POUT FISH

Westport Country Playhouse

7

When Mr. Fish sets out on a sweeping

MOCA WESTPORT INAUGURAL GALA

him than his permanently plastered pout

oceanic quest to find Miss Clam’s missing pearl, he discovers there's more to

MoCA Westport

in this new musical adventure.

introduce a new topic and discuss

MoCA Westport's Inaugural Gala, preview-

This colorful adaptation of The New

issues parents are facing, facilitated by

ing the Helmut Lang exhibition, will be held

York Times bestseller features live

a pediatric nurse, IBCLC or postpartum

at MoCA Westport. MoCA is thrilled to be

actors and puppets and was co-con-

specialist. This is a two week ticket and

honoring architect Howard Lathrop.

ceived, directed, and designed by the

each session is from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. You

acclaimed puppeteers of AchesonWalsh

onwards. TheParentCollective.com

7

6

AWARE CT HOPE STARTS HERE 2020 PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION

OPENING RECEPTION: WESTPORT’S SUFFRAGISTS—OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR CRUSADERS

From March 7 - March 14 the Hope Starts

can start any time from the launch date

POP’T ART Gallery at 1 Main St.

Here exhibition by Westport photographer Jerri Graham will be on display at the

Westport Library

The

names

and

contributions

Studios. WestportPlayhouse.org

19 OPENING RECEPTION FOR UNCONVENTIONAL WOMEN, BY NANCY MOORE Westport Library

POP’T ART Gallery at 1 Main St. The exhibit

In her work, artist Nancy Moore portrays

of

features stories and portraits of community

women who are neither conventionally

Westport women central to the “Votes for

members united in raising awareness and

beautiful nor engaged in conventional

Women” campaign and ratification of the

funds for stage 4 breast cancer.

activity. Her goal is to communicate

19th Amendment in 1920 remain nearly

Opening reception Saturday, March 7 from

women’s strength and resilience, convey

forgotten. Learn about the Westport

6:00-8:00 p.m. To purchase tickets or make

a sense of community among women by

suffragists who helped change history

a donation visit: www.AWARECT.org

often grouping them together, and invite

for American women for generations to

Proceeds from the campaign benefit

viewers to create a narrative for each

come. Part of “Our Vote, Our Future,” the

AWARE’s partner The Cancer Couch

one—to envision a life beyond the frame.

Library’s WestportREADS 2020 centen-

Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to rais-

On display through May 3.

nial celebration.

ing funds for a cure for Stage 4.

WestportLibrary.org

14

19

LAST WESTPORT WINTER FARMERS' MARKET

NICKEL MINES

Gilbertie's Herbs and Garden Center,

36 Old Quarry Rd, Ridgefield

Christ & Holy Trinity Church

7 Sylvan Lane, Westport

ACT of CT is the first professional the-

Acclaimed for their life-affirming virtu-

Enjoy the last indoor Farmers' Market

atre to premier NICKEL MINES, with

osity, musical diversity, and irresistible

this winter with your favorite vendors

performances March 19-29. Based on

charm, “The superlative vocal sextet”

from the Westport Farmers' Market.

the 2006 Lancaster, PA Amish school-

(The Times, London) has captured the

Cozy up in the warm greenhouses and

house shooting, NICKEL MINES is a

hearts of a vast international audience.

support your local farmers and ven-

non-traditional musical combining spo-

Their work as ambassadors for musical

dors. WestportFarmersMarket.com

ken dialogue with dance and a powerful

On display through May 13.

WestportLibrary.org

7 THE KING'S SINGERS

excellence radiates joy and gives life to

58

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

ACT of Connecticut,

CONTINUED >

Bedford Square, 30 Elm Street, Westport

203 644 3510

benzanhomes.com

640 Sasco Hill Road, Fairfield | $28,500,000

Dr Hannah Ahn Board Certified Pediatric Dentist

ALL ABOARD 329 Riverside Avenue Westport 203-635-7070

for healthy smiles! pediatricdentistryofwestport.com March 2020 | Westport Lifestyle

59

WOOD BIN Solid Wood Furniture

MARCH

LIFEST Y LE CALENDAR original score. The victims, the family of the killer, and the community all have a voice in this new theater.

29 RITA RUDNER

Wall Street Theatre, 71 Wall Street, Norwalk

A favorite in Las Vegas since she

WELCOME

Spring

WITH A NEW LOOK

opened as one of the hottest tickets in town in June 2000, Rudner is known for her epigrammatic

one-liners. Over a fourteen year run

and 2,000 plus shows, she has sold

one and a half million tickets and become the longest-running solo comedy show in the history of Las Vegas. WallStreetTheater.com

31 PERFECT PAIRINGS: HOW TO PAIR CHEESE AND WINE Fairfield Cheese Company, 2090 Post Rd, Fairfield, CT

Pairing great cheese with wine is an intimidating proposition for many cheese lovers. In this class, we will teach you the basic theory behind pairings. We will then taste various combinations of the cheeses and wine samples examining the validity and reality of the pairings. We plan for this class to be interactive so come ready to join

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS

in! FairfieldCheese.com

Founded in 1980

We Create New Family Heirlooms | Custom Design Solid Wood | Libraries | Tables | Chairs Bars | Wall Units | And More

We are always accepting submissions for events you'd like to see included

60

305 Federal Road Brookfield, CT

in our Calendar section. Submissions

(203) 775-1770 | woodbinfurniture.com

are accepted via the Contact Us tab at

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

Westport-Lifestyle.com.

architectural design custom homes . remodeling www.westportbuilder.com

203.227.1055

It’s time to think Inspired by Community

locally

ADVERTISE WITH US to deliver your message to the most affluent families in our community.

www.westport-lifestyle.com March 2020 | Westport Lifestyle

61

ARTICLE ROBIN MOYER CHUNG

FINANCIAL BUZZ

HOME WORK TIPS FOR SELECTING AN INVESTMENT PROPERTY

ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT SINKING MONEY INTO AN INVESTMENT HOME? Word on the street is 2020 may be a good year for real estate. So… now what?

Thomas Pacilio, Senior Managing Partner of Clapboard Hill Private Wealth and long-time Westport resident offers tips to folks interested in filing a house into their

Purchase on cash flow, not expected appreciation.

Projecting long term growth rates should always be modeled in to any purchase consideration analysis but should not be solely depended on to make the investment a success. There is too much uncertainty in making long-term predictions.

financial portfolio.

Develop a network/team of people you trust.

Tom’s Tips:

Whether it’s the agent, attorney, bank, or lender, surrounding yourself with experts is a must.

Don’t reach on price; another investment will come

Often people who are purchasing an investment

along. I recommend that my clients be patient, even

property tie in some of the similar emotional

more now based on current market conditions. In

biases they have to their primary residence. Stay

most areas of the real estate market a buyer with

prudent! This is an investment and should be

solid financials is in a strong position.

treated purely as such.

Clapboard Hill Private Wealth 1265 Post Road East Westport, CT 06880 https://www.clapboardhill.com

62

Westport Lifestyle | March 2020

S

E

VAN BREE ISH M LE

HOME

E L E I S H VA N B R E E M S H O M E FURNITURE • ANTIQUES • LIGHTING • PILLOWS • TABLETOP • ACCESSORIES

EVB HOME 99 FRANKLIN ST, WESTPORT, CT | 14 EASY ST, NANTUCKET, MA | EVBANTIQUES .COM